Chapter 12: Knowing Content
It was the end of April, and she still hadn't spoken to Adrian; when, on occasion, they passed in the halls, she did not look at him despite the fact that sometimes he looked as if he wanted to say something. He needed to be on his own; he didn't need her anymore.
The castle was beginning to bustle with study, and more and more students were seen in the library or across the grounds, poring over books. Hermione began to grade her papers in a more difficult manner to help her students understand what the exams would be like; she took the time to explain this in class, and luckily most of them appreciated it.
She was in her office grading a few seventh year papers when a soft knock sounded on her door. "Enter," she said, not bothering to look up. The door opened and someone shuffled in, and she glanced up to see that it was Adrian. He looked a little out of sorts, a little uncomfortable, and she said, "Have a seat," as casually as she could. He sat down slowly, looking at his feet. She leaned back, "Yes?"
He looked up at her slowly, "Hermione...I...I'm sorry." She looked at him for a minute, and saw that his face was sincere; he seemed to have lost that darkened look in his eyes that had covered it only a month before. "You don't need to be sorry," she said, "I'm the one that should be sorry. You were right about me. I was too protective of you; from here on out I give you free reign. I won't stand in your way." He smiled, "Thanks. But...just don't stand too far out of the way, okay?" She nodded with a grin, "Okay."
They talked for the next two hours about all sorts of different things, and eventually Severus showed up to see what was going on. He was relieved to see that Hermione and Adrian were back to talking, and he sat down beside the young boy and engaged the two of them in conversation for a while.
Finally Adrian stood up and stretched, "I have to go back to the common room; I promised Justin and Zebulon that I'd study with them for the practice exam tomorrow." Severus and Hermione nodded politely and he shuffled out once he said his goodbyes. Severus shut the door after him with a flick of his wrist and said, "Well, I'm glad things are back to normal." She let out a sigh of relief, "As am I. For a while there I thought that was the end of our relationship. Luckily he came to his senses before I came to mine. If it had been me that had apologized I probably would have started blubbering like a fool."
Severus smirked, "I don't know about that. You're stronger than you let on." That last bit had slipped out by accident, but she didn't seem to notice; she continued, "I'm so glad though. It's such a huge relief. The world just seems...better." He smiled slightly, "That's good to know."
Suddenly he noticed a different glimmer in her eyes, and he couldn't quite understand what it was; this remained a mystery throughout the rest of the day and into the evening. He noticed, however, that the expression fell upon her face only when her eyes rested on him. Feeling slightly nervous about what that meant, he didn't bother asking until that night when the lights were out and they were both in bed.
For a while he tried to sleep, then finally said, "Hermione...is everything...all right?" She hadn't even bothered trying to sleep, "Oh yes, everything's great." He shifted slightly, "I couldn't help but notice that you've been looking at me funny." She giggled in the darkness, and he felt heat rise to his cheeks as she said, "Well..." Suddenly she touched him in a very particular spot, and he jumped in surprise, "Hermione!" She laughed, "Sorry. Just having a little fun. You know I really haven't had...fun, since we got married."
He got what she was hinting at, and felt himself growing simultaneously nervous and excited at the same time. He did, however, stop himself before he got too out of control, "Hermione...if we do this...I mean, I don't want to do something you don't want to do." "Severus, it most certainly won't be something I don't feel like doing; it'll be something I've wanted to do for months." "You're sure?" She laughed, "Yes, I'm sure."
She needn't say anything more, and the two of them spent their first night as a real married couple.
It was the end of April, and she still hadn't spoken to Adrian; when, on occasion, they passed in the halls, she did not look at him despite the fact that sometimes he looked as if he wanted to say something. He needed to be on his own; he didn't need her anymore.
The castle was beginning to bustle with study, and more and more students were seen in the library or across the grounds, poring over books. Hermione began to grade her papers in a more difficult manner to help her students understand what the exams would be like; she took the time to explain this in class, and luckily most of them appreciated it.
She was in her office grading a few seventh year papers when a soft knock sounded on her door. "Enter," she said, not bothering to look up. The door opened and someone shuffled in, and she glanced up to see that it was Adrian. He looked a little out of sorts, a little uncomfortable, and she said, "Have a seat," as casually as she could. He sat down slowly, looking at his feet. She leaned back, "Yes?"
He looked up at her slowly, "Hermione...I...I'm sorry." She looked at him for a minute, and saw that his face was sincere; he seemed to have lost that darkened look in his eyes that had covered it only a month before. "You don't need to be sorry," she said, "I'm the one that should be sorry. You were right about me. I was too protective of you; from here on out I give you free reign. I won't stand in your way." He smiled, "Thanks. But...just don't stand too far out of the way, okay?" She nodded with a grin, "Okay."
They talked for the next two hours about all sorts of different things, and eventually Severus showed up to see what was going on. He was relieved to see that Hermione and Adrian were back to talking, and he sat down beside the young boy and engaged the two of them in conversation for a while.
Finally Adrian stood up and stretched, "I have to go back to the common room; I promised Justin and Zebulon that I'd study with them for the practice exam tomorrow." Severus and Hermione nodded politely and he shuffled out once he said his goodbyes. Severus shut the door after him with a flick of his wrist and said, "Well, I'm glad things are back to normal." She let out a sigh of relief, "As am I. For a while there I thought that was the end of our relationship. Luckily he came to his senses before I came to mine. If it had been me that had apologized I probably would have started blubbering like a fool."
Severus smirked, "I don't know about that. You're stronger than you let on." That last bit had slipped out by accident, but she didn't seem to notice; she continued, "I'm so glad though. It's such a huge relief. The world just seems...better." He smiled slightly, "That's good to know."
Suddenly he noticed a different glimmer in her eyes, and he couldn't quite understand what it was; this remained a mystery throughout the rest of the day and into the evening. He noticed, however, that the expression fell upon her face only when her eyes rested on him. Feeling slightly nervous about what that meant, he didn't bother asking until that night when the lights were out and they were both in bed.
For a while he tried to sleep, then finally said, "Hermione...is everything...all right?" She hadn't even bothered trying to sleep, "Oh yes, everything's great." He shifted slightly, "I couldn't help but notice that you've been looking at me funny." She giggled in the darkness, and he felt heat rise to his cheeks as she said, "Well..." Suddenly she touched him in a very particular spot, and he jumped in surprise, "Hermione!" She laughed, "Sorry. Just having a little fun. You know I really haven't had...fun, since we got married."
He got what she was hinting at, and felt himself growing simultaneously nervous and excited at the same time. He did, however, stop himself before he got too out of control, "Hermione...if we do this...I mean, I don't want to do something you don't want to do." "Severus, it most certainly won't be something I don't feel like doing; it'll be something I've wanted to do for months." "You're sure?" She laughed, "Yes, I'm sure."
She needn't say anything more, and the two of them spent their first night as a real married couple.