Disclaimer: JKR's. We aren't making money.
AN: SO SO SO sorry for the EXTREME delay in chapters. We got caught up in writing our newest fic, "A Dragon's Calamus"
which is really good, so we suggest you go and read it, AND REVIEW!!!
The next evening found Hermione sitting silently on the shore of the Great Lake, Taryn sleeping in her lap. She had escaped
the tension of her quarters immediately after finishing her dinner, making her way to the peaceful lake. It was a place
she came to often, when she needed to think, or to just be alone. It was quiet, and quite beautiful in the glistening
twilight.
She was absently rocking Taryn back and forth as she stared out over the calm waters, wondering what to do next. Her thoughts
were broken when she felt a pair of strong arms encircle her waist, the heady scent of sandalwood filling the air.
"It's a beautiful night." she whispered, still staring out at the waters.
"Not as beautiful as you." Severus breathed out, staring lovingly at his wife.
"Sucking up, are we?" Hermione asked, slightly annoyed, slightly touched. It was things like this that confused her. One
moment he could be secretive and untrustworthy, and others he could be utterly romantic and caring.
"Is it working?" he broke into her thoughts once more, hope apparent in his soft tones.
"I don't know yet." was all she could reply.
They sat like that for a while, Hermione staring at the waters; Severus staring at Hermione.
"Why don't you keep trying." Hermione said at last, breaking the tense silence.
"What?"
"Sucking up, keep trying."
"Oh." he frowned, deep in thought. "How?"
"Well, for one, you can tell me what you've been doing these past few days." Finally glancing up at her husband, Hermione
noted the pained expression crossing his formidable features.
"Hermione, you know I love you..." he trailed off, not wanting to go on. Hermione sighed, turning back around.
"You know, Severus, lately I *don't* know." she replied, defeated.
"Mione, you know I would tell you if I could..." he broke off, pausing to breath deeply. "But I just can't. Not yet, anyways."
"Severus, I'm sick of your bullshit." Hermione snapped, pushing away and moving to stand. "I don't know what to do
anymore! You say you can't tell me, your own wife; and yet you can tell others." She glared at him, backing away a few
steps before continuing. "How do I know your not having an affair?"
"Hermione!"
"What!? You've been so bloody secretive lately, I don't know what to believe!" she whispered harshly, trying not to wake
the infant in her arms.
"Why can't you just trust me?" he croaked out, close to tears.
"I don't know, Severus." she whispered, gazing down at Taryn and refusing to meet his eyes. "Right now, you're just not
inspiring much trust."
"I'm so sorry, Hermione."
"Right."
"I'm only doing this to protect you and Taryn."
"I see."
"Hermione..."
"SEVERUS!" A loud bellow broke into the night air, causing the two to turn in the direction of the castle. Harry was running
towards them, wrapping a large black cloak about his body as he went. When he finally reached the, he paused to catch his
breath.
"Harry?" Concerned, Hermione moved towards her friend. Harry held up a hand to hold her off.
"Severus, I've been looking all over for you!" he spoke quickly, anxiety and fear apparent in his eyes. "It's time!"
All color seemed to drain from Severus' face as he glanced back and forth between his wife and Harry.
"Right." he nodded before turning to Hermione. "Go, Hermione. Take Taryn to the dungeon and stay there until I get back!"
he spoke firmly as he retreated back to the forest where Harry had already run off to.
"Severus? What's going on?!" She cried, effectively waking Taryn.
"JUST GO!" he bellowed, turning and setting off into a run. "And always remember that I love you!" he shouted over his
shoulder as his dark figure disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.
"I love you too, Severus."
AN: SO SO SO sorry for the EXTREME delay in chapters. We got caught up in writing our newest fic, "A Dragon's Calamus"
which is really good, so we suggest you go and read it, AND REVIEW!!!
The next evening found Hermione sitting silently on the shore of the Great Lake, Taryn sleeping in her lap. She had escaped
the tension of her quarters immediately after finishing her dinner, making her way to the peaceful lake. It was a place
she came to often, when she needed to think, or to just be alone. It was quiet, and quite beautiful in the glistening
twilight.
She was absently rocking Taryn back and forth as she stared out over the calm waters, wondering what to do next. Her thoughts
were broken when she felt a pair of strong arms encircle her waist, the heady scent of sandalwood filling the air.
"It's a beautiful night." she whispered, still staring out at the waters.
"Not as beautiful as you." Severus breathed out, staring lovingly at his wife.
"Sucking up, are we?" Hermione asked, slightly annoyed, slightly touched. It was things like this that confused her. One
moment he could be secretive and untrustworthy, and others he could be utterly romantic and caring.
"Is it working?" he broke into her thoughts once more, hope apparent in his soft tones.
"I don't know yet." was all she could reply.
They sat like that for a while, Hermione staring at the waters; Severus staring at Hermione.
"Why don't you keep trying." Hermione said at last, breaking the tense silence.
"What?"
"Sucking up, keep trying."
"Oh." he frowned, deep in thought. "How?"
"Well, for one, you can tell me what you've been doing these past few days." Finally glancing up at her husband, Hermione
noted the pained expression crossing his formidable features.
"Hermione, you know I love you..." he trailed off, not wanting to go on. Hermione sighed, turning back around.
"You know, Severus, lately I *don't* know." she replied, defeated.
"Mione, you know I would tell you if I could..." he broke off, pausing to breath deeply. "But I just can't. Not yet, anyways."
"Severus, I'm sick of your bullshit." Hermione snapped, pushing away and moving to stand. "I don't know what to do
anymore! You say you can't tell me, your own wife; and yet you can tell others." She glared at him, backing away a few
steps before continuing. "How do I know your not having an affair?"
"Hermione!"
"What!? You've been so bloody secretive lately, I don't know what to believe!" she whispered harshly, trying not to wake
the infant in her arms.
"Why can't you just trust me?" he croaked out, close to tears.
"I don't know, Severus." she whispered, gazing down at Taryn and refusing to meet his eyes. "Right now, you're just not
inspiring much trust."
"I'm so sorry, Hermione."
"Right."
"I'm only doing this to protect you and Taryn."
"I see."
"Hermione..."
"SEVERUS!" A loud bellow broke into the night air, causing the two to turn in the direction of the castle. Harry was running
towards them, wrapping a large black cloak about his body as he went. When he finally reached the, he paused to catch his
breath.
"Harry?" Concerned, Hermione moved towards her friend. Harry held up a hand to hold her off.
"Severus, I've been looking all over for you!" he spoke quickly, anxiety and fear apparent in his eyes. "It's time!"
All color seemed to drain from Severus' face as he glanced back and forth between his wife and Harry.
"Right." he nodded before turning to Hermione. "Go, Hermione. Take Taryn to the dungeon and stay there until I get back!"
he spoke firmly as he retreated back to the forest where Harry had already run off to.
"Severus? What's going on?!" She cried, effectively waking Taryn.
"JUST GO!" he bellowed, turning and setting off into a run. "And always remember that I love you!" he shouted over his
shoulder as his dark figure disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.
"I love you too, Severus."