Author's Note: Hello readers. I would like to apologize profusely for my absence in the last half year. I have been extremely busy with college and I managed to complete my first year. I now have a two month long summer break staring at me in the face and I shall try to write as much as I can. I will be going for a week long holiday next week, so there might be some break, but I will definitely make up for lost time. Hope you like this chapter, I tried to make it slightly longer than normal. Do send in ideas and suggestions, I've become rusty. xxx

Chapter Sixteen:

Yaxley. Travers. Greyback.

And who knew how many more. They had been released from Azkaban. No, what had they called it? "On parole and subject to constant further enquiry." Sure.

The Ministry was getting away which such stupidity, with such ease. Could it be possible that everyone was so busy setting their matrimonial obligations straight that they turned a blind eye to what was happening to the world around them? Or did they just fail to realise what implications all this would have - the law, these releases, all of it.

What were they trying to do? Who were "they" anyway? Ex-Death Eaters? Muggle haters associated with the Ministry, like Harry had said? There had been no killings, no, they wouldn't resort to that so soon after the war. Just attacks on muggle-borns. And now Order members. Well, we still don't know if they're showing mercy to Order members or not; hopefully Lee is okay wherever he is. Shouldn't the Order be doing something?

Hermione made a mental note to speak to Harry (or maybe Severus, she grudgingly realised) about the whole thing. How her life had turned upside down, from the hope of a good life with a man she loved, to trying to make herself as scarce as possible in the presence of a man she respected, no doubt, but would seemingly never understand. He had taken a step forward and said a few kind words, but was she to take them on face value? Was she expected to sit him down and tell him about everything that haunted her nights? What she had with Draco, even, was easier to understand. Reliable. She didn't trust him as much as she did, say, Harry, but the knowledge that he had opened up to her as well offered some semblance of comfort.

Imagine Severus crying on my shoulder.

She snorted at the mental image and then bent double as a shooting pain hit her in the stomach. Argh, great. Just what I need before our biweekly, err, event; an upset stomach. I had an inkling that the noodles were sort of weird, they had this odd taste to them, I should've just suggested that we ordered… But he looked so pleased with what he'd made, I couldn't possibly… Not after the being-nice attempts he'd made. Oh well, I'll just take a potion for it.

The front door opened and she heard the familiar sound of her husband walking into the living room. She smiled softly as her mind wandered back to happier days.

"Come now, Hermione, off you go to the land of dreams. Look, your father's back from work, the door just opened."

"But mother, how do you know it's him and not grandma or grandpa or cousin Nina?"

Her mother smiled and stroked her hair. "When you know someone so well that you know it's them just by the sound of their footsteps…"

"You look pleased."

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she shrugged and sat on the couch. The past few times they'd chosen the couch instead of the bed. Probably to avoid the awkwardness as one stayed while the other left the bedroom, eyes averted.

Severus stood where he was, absently observing Hermione.

Was that a question? He didn't really ask why I was smiling. Why does he look like he's expecting an answer? Oh well, what's the harm really.

Out loud, she said, "I was reminded of how my mother always knew when my father entered the house merely by the sound of his footsteps when you opened door. It's silly because it couldn't have been anyone else but you, but…"

"I can tell it's you in Order meetings by the smell of your hair," he murmured as he sat beside her and took off his shoes. She stared at his forwardness for a moment, shook her head and proceeded to lay back and lift her robes up, a silent procedure they had perfected over the weeks.

"Oh Merlin," she gasped at the red stain that greeted her, quickly pulling down her robes and jumping off the couch. "It wasn't the noodles."

"What?" Severus asked, confused.

"I'm sorry, uh, do we have to.. Err today? I don't think I can."

"Well, it's the last day of the week, so... Why, what's the matter?" His earnest eyes bore into hers, a tinge of worry flooding the black pools.

"Nothing, just uhh, my stomach kind of hurts and umm, I don't really have a potion right now; it'd be very messy and…" She fiddled with a stray lock of hair and looked at the floor tiles like they were Van Gogh masterpieces.

"Hermione, tell me. What is it?" His voice became more gentle and he took a step towards her.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to look up at him. "I'm menstruating. I don't have the potion I usually take during this time to stop the flow for a few hours. I'd use one of those muggle contraptions to help reduce it, but they irritate my skin. But I think I should anyway, I'll be right back, hold on-"

"Hermione. It's okay. You don't need to."

"But it'll be messy and-"

"It's fine. Really."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." He said, directing her back to the couch.

"Ooooh Hermione, period sex is said to be even more stimulating. How was it? Was it good? Spill. Now."

Well. What do I say to that? I mean, it was… Not good, was it? No, "good" wasn't really the word. But well, not bad. There had been that surprised gasp towards the end and her body had reacted oddly to the sensation of Severus's breath on her shoulder. Much like when Ron had kissed her for the first time. Merlin, this is all wrong.

She sighed.

"Hermione, it's okay if you did like it, you know," Ginny whispered, a knowing look lurking in her eyes. "It really is."

"But… But Ron."

"You promised you'd move on, didn't you? He'd hate for you to be miserable like this. Just let go of everything and feel whatever you feel without letting it get to you. It's perfectly okay. If he actually is trying to be a good husband like I think he is, give him a chance. Don't build up walls. Let him in. He's a good man."