Grimmauld Place

At 1:00 the next afternoon there were 2 loud pops in an alley way a few doors down from Grimmauld Place. Soon a tall thin man dressed in black and a pretty girl with curly chocolate hair was seen standing looking at the space between 11 and 13 Grimweld place.

Hermione walked up the steps in front of Severus when she opened the door the first thing she noticed was the smell of gingerbread baking. "Yummmmm Molly is making gingerbread," Hermione smiled.

Severus smelled the wonderful aroma and smiled at the same time. Molly hearing voices stuck her head out of the kitchen door. "Oh I'm so glad you have both made it, Hermione I've missed you so much sweetheart. Go unpack and come back down and have some tea and gingerbread. You are in your normal room Severus, and Hermione you are in your room with Ginny."

Severus sneered at Molly's words, "Molly, Hermione will be staying with me in my rooms; she is my wife and we do share quarters."

Hermione blushed but smiled at the same time, "Molly, Severus is right I am married and I will be staying with him not Ginny. Possibly you could get Ginny's room fixed up for her and Harry to stay in after they are married on the 26th."

Molly wasn't happy with Hermione staying with Snape she was not happy with the idea of a young girl as smart as Hermione married to a man old enough to be her father. But, she knew when it was a lost cause and she had the good sense not to fight with them. "I know you are married I just wasn't sure if you shared the same room and didn't know if you wanted to."

Hermione nodded to Molly and headed up to the 3rd floor rooms that Severus always stayed and unpacked their clothes while Severus unpacked the potion ingredients. When they got finished, Hermione headed down the stairs to spend some time with Molly before the rest of her friends moved in.

Soon the hall way was filled with voices and Hermione ran out to spend time with her friends. The noise level in the kitchen was sky high and everyone was talking at once. Severus quietly slipped into the kitchen and watched his young wife with her friends.

At 5:00 Arthur and the other Order members that worked in various jobs started wondering in; and Severus was once again struck with the fact his wife was well liked. All of the order members hugged her or spoke to her.

Dinner was a loud wild affair with everyone talking at once. After dinner the group moved to the library to chat, play wizard chess and read; Severus pretended to read as he watched Hermione continue to enjoy her time with her friends.

Severus eventually said he was going to retire and left his wife with her friends, he thought she would probably spend the night with them. He was surprised when a short time later she came into their room.

"Hermione if you wanted to stay down you could have, I didn't mean for you to have to come up."

"No Severus I was tired of the noise and the crowd; I love my friends but I enjoy them in small doses."

"I didn't realize how totally you had been cut off from your friends; I apologize for that, I will not be doing any special research over the holiday so please enjoy your holiday."

"Severus I enjoy my friends, but I also love to work with you. I've learned more in the last few months working with you then 7 years of school. I also like spending time with my husband; he happens to have an amazingly dry sense of humor. He also is a brilliant potions master, who is wonderful to talk with and makes me think in ways I normally wouldn't."

"Hmmm sounds like he might be an interesting person to get to know."

Hermione was slowly pulling her clothes off as this conversation was taking place; she slid into the bed and continued, "He is a very interesting person."

Soon the only noise to be heard was soft moans and the sounds of love making. As they slowly dropped off to sleep Severus pulled Hermione against his body and feel asleep with his face buried in the wonderful smell of her hair.

Hermione slowly woke up the next morning; she cuddled in closer to Severus's warm lean body felt safe and comfortable as she woke up. The room was cold so Hermione decided to stay in bed and cuddle close; she felt Severus starting to respond to her and smiled. Soon the couples were once again enjoying their marital bed.

Hermione and Severus were the last to come down for breakfast. When they walked into the room, Severus had his hand in the middle of Hermione's back and he had a satisfied look on his face. They sat at the end of the table next to each other, and Harry watched as Hermione moved her chair a little closer to her husbands.

After breakfast Harry asked Hermione if he could talk to her. "Mione do you have a minute I need to talk to you if you have time."

"Sure Harry, Hermione walked to the library with her friend.

"Mione I've faced Voldermort more times then I care to count, but I'm more afraid of marrying Ginny then I was of facing him."

"Harry! What do you mean, I thought you loved Ginny?"

"I do love her but I thought I'd get to work a few years before we got married. I had planned on doing my training and either play professional Quidditch or be an Auror and then eventually get married."

"Well I understand that, I thought I'd go to the University and work a few years. Instead I'm doing an apprenticeship with my husband."

"How are you doing Mione, I know that you seem ok but it has to be hard spending so much time with the Professor."

"You know Harry I would have called you a liar a year ago if someone would have told me that I was going to married to Severus and doing an apprenticeship with him. But, I can honestly say that most of the time I'm content; no that's not right most of the time I'm happy."

Severus didn't mean to listen but he had been walking by when he heard Harry ask Hermione about being ok. He stopped and listened even though he knew he shouldn't; he was so surprised to hear what Hermione said. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he started to feel light headed. He took a deep breath and walked to his room, he had a lot to think about.

What do I feel about Hermione? I know that I respect her and enjoy working with her, but do I love her? She amazed me last night. She knows her friends are still kids but she still loves them. She can sit and talk to me or the other older Order members and you forget that she's just barely 18; but, then she can spend time with her friends just as easily.

I feel something for her but I don't know if it's love! Holy Merlin what does it mater what I feel she's my wife and I don't have a choice in that. I'm also bond to her because of the apprenticeship, so I am with her.

Hermione continued to talk with Harry for most of the morning. At lunch Ginny asked Hermione to go to Diagon Alley with her to pick up her dress and do some shopping.

"Severus would you mind if I went with Ginny or do you have something we need to do?"

"I have no problem with you going, would you mind if I escort the two of you? I need to put an order in at the apothecary for next term and I need to pick up some items for Christmas."

"No we would love to have you come. But, if you like I could take care of your order."

"No I have some other shopping to do; after all it is the season of giving." Severus gave a funky half sneer half smile at the thought.