A/N: Validated my win! Again, thank you to everyone! This chapter gets steamy, so reader beware if you aren't expecting it. Enjoy!

"Gin!" Harry yelled from the kitchen, then waited for a reply. When none came, he gave the eggs that were quickly cooking in the frying pan another good stir, then removed them from the heat. Wiping his hands on a towel, he made his way from the living room, up the stairs, and to his bedroom where a frail outline of his wife laid on the bed. He stopped to stare at her before moving to her, sitting beside her on the bed. She barely moved when he ran his fingers over her cheek.

"Breakfast is ready." He said, leaning forward and kissing her temple. "Should I bring it up?"

Ginny's eyes fluttered open and she turned her head, though it seemed painful, almost like it took too much strength to do so and gave him a weak smile. Harry smiled back at her, kissed her one more time, then left.

He spooned the eggs on two plates, poured two glasses of orange juice, and made his way back upstairs where he had found Ginny slowly pulling herself up to a sitting position. He gave her the plate, guiding it to her lap as she held onto it with two hands, her bony fingers looking like twigs as she grabbed her fork. Harry settled in next to her, already clearing half his plate before she had taken one bite. He watched her carefully, not sure when she became so skinny, and wondering if her time spent at home was any help at all. She had told him a doctor that had visited during her stay at home said she was depressed and would do with some good food and getting active.

She had told Harry that maybe going home was a bad idea, too many memories of Fred had been stuck with her there, but Harry only took her in his arms and assured her that she was allowed to grieve, not one of them mentioning the fact that ten years had passed. It had been over twenty years and Harry still missed his parents, he didn't see any need to tell her otherwise.

"We can pop over to walk around the gardens today if you'd like?" Harry suggested and Ginny gave a small nod, chewing her eggs slowly. Just down the street there was a community garden and at this time of year it was sure to be in full bloom. Harry was certain it would make for good exercise, and maybe stopping to smell the roses would help.

"Maybe I'll give Ron and Hermione a call to see if they want to meet us there?" Harry suggested. Ginny once more gave a small nod in approval and Harry returned it, smiling large. He gave Ginny's leg a squeeze as he hoisted himself out of the bed, grabbed his plate and returned to the kitchen where he washed the dishes and grabbed the Muggle phone. He dialed in Ron and Hermione's number, and waited as it rang.

...

"You're over-mixing it." Severus' breath melted into Hermione's shoulder as she stood in front of the stove. She grinned, leaning back into a warm, bare chest. His strong arms circled around her waist and before she could protest, he had swung her around, his hands digging into her hair, demanding a kiss from her. She kissed him, the only thing separating them and denying the space between them to close was the bowl that contained pancake mix that had been stirred so much it now resembled water. Severus let his hands leave her hair, grab the bowl blindly, and placed it on what he thought was the counter, not noticing when the bowl dropped through the air, missing the counter by a hair, and crashed on the floor; they were too busy being consumed by the other. Severus dropped his lips to her jaw, tracing it back to her neck where he nibbled. Hermione leaned her head back, allowing him the space to do with as he pleased, and pulled him closer by his arms. His hands grabbed her waist, lifted her up, and settled her onto him using the counter as leverage. He was nipping her shoulder now, letting out his own pleasurable moans when she grabbed his hair tightly and gave a gentle tug, her own guttural sounds making him shiver, thrust harder. Hermione let gravity do most of the work, pulling him deeper into her with her legs that she circled around his waist, her breathing quickening as he drove her deeper and deeper into ecstasy. It wasn't long before Severus collapsed, just after feeling Hermione tense on him, and dug his face into her skin. He breathed deeply, taking in her scent, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her naked skin. She was still shivering from pleasure when he finally released her. They both glanced down at the shattered bowl and ruined batter, Hermione leaning against his chest and gave a sigh.

"I guess we're going out for breakfast." Severus said. Hermione looked up at him, her large, brown eyes glowed at the suggestion and she kissed him once more, softly.

"I'll go shower." She said. Severus let his lips curl in anticipation and he decided to give her a few minutes head start before joining her. His hunger was something food could not cure. Just as he was about to take his leave from the kitchen, there was a knocking at the window. Looking over, an owl was sitting on the other side, a leg raised, scraping against the window. Opening it, Severus retrieved the letter.

'Umbridge is heading this, using her patronus to converse with a group of people, I believe they're Snatchers. Selwyn is one of them. They said they were going to get information from McGonagall. Also heard the Burrow has been placed under a curse by a house elf. Meet me at your place when you get this ASAP. HP'

Severus had half a mind to crumple up the parchment and forget he had received it altogether, wanting to feel Hermione again, craving her already. Just picturing the water dripping over her body had turned him on again, yet as he read the note once more, he realized the urgency of the moment. Suddenly, he felt ashamed, having just spent the past day and a half feeding a carnal need that seemed to come out of nowhere. Clinging to the feeling that threatened to leave him, he raced to the bathroom and opened the door.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Hermione giggled, poking her head out from behind the shower curtain followed by one long, slender, smooth leg. Severus gulped, waving the letter beside him as if to remind himself that he had a task.

"I need to go, Potter's asking me to meet him." He said, refusing to look at Hermione who was now pouting. Turning to leave, he hesitated at the door, growled at himself, then rushed over to the curtain. He threw it back, not caring that water was spraying everywhere, and took Hermione one more time.