Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. Wait! I forgot! I own a new to me computer! But please don't sue me because that is all you would get and then I wouldn't be able to finish this story.

AN: Thanks to all my reviewers. I really appreciate those who take the time to submit a review. It helps me to keep going with the story and to update faster because I know you are out there waiting on it. By the way, I don't know why it is downloading like everything is in bold. I promise that is not how I typed it.

Chapter 44 Hometown Honeymoon

To have a hometown honeymoon
Wildflowers and love is in bloom
We'll have a hometown honeymoon
Dancing to the rhythm of love

Alabama "Hometown Honeymoon"

Albus' words were echoing in his ears, "You may kiss the bride."

Looking down, Snape saw Alexis smiling up at him. She was finally his. She was bound to him legally, magically and emotionally. He turned and in a rare display of affection, gave her a long possessive kiss. When he finally released her, he was pleased by the dazed look in her eyes.

Remus came up, "So do I get to kiss the bride?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

"No," came at him in stereo from both Snape and Amber.

"You can't blame a fellow for trying," he said as Amber pulled him away.

Alexis whispered to Snape, "You might want to tell Draco to Owl his father with the news of our marriage. I cannot believe that Slutty will keep the information to herself and we don't want Draco to have any problems with his father."

Snape nodded and headed over to Draco. Alexis' attention was distracted by Minerva and Rolanda.

Rolanda commented, "You don't often see the bonding ceremony done these days. It is a beautiful ceremony but most couples want an easy out. I was glad to see you and Severus making that type of commitment."

Alexis was puzzled, Snape had told her they were having a standard wizard wedding. She was going to have to find out what her sneaky snake had done and see if he needed to be punished. She got a little hot thinking about some of her punishment options.

Snape had returned to her side, "Let's get out of here."

"Can we just leave like that?" Alexis asked.

"Yes, throw your bouquet at someone and run," Snape instructed.

Alexis grinned at him, "Ladies," she hollered, "catch," and she threw the flowers in their general direction. There was a mad scramble as all the ladies hurried to get away from the falling flowers. Apparently no one wanted to risk being the next to get married.

Snape hooked an arm around her waist and urged her to the fireplace. A quick pinch of floo powder, a wall of green flame and he scooped her into his arms and headed to their rooms. As soon as he stepped out of the hearth, Alexis waved her wand and put a blocking spell on it so that no one could bother them. Turning her wand to the main door, she locked and sealed the room. Looking at Snape, "Take me to bed husband," she ordered.

"My pleasure wife," he replied and carried her into the next room.

Setting her on her feet, he pulled the flowers from her hair and tossed them to the floor. Alexis ran her wand down the front of his robes causing each fastener to part. She then ran her hands up the hard contours of his chest and pushed his robes off his shoulders allowing them to slip down his arms and fall to the floor.

Before Alexis could move onto undoing his shirt, Snape waved his wand and suddenly Alexis was standing in nothing but her new lingerie. Snape was eying her appreciatively while Alexis laughed, "Cheat!"

"Whatever works," he replied as he traced a calloused finger along the edge of the lacy cups that barely contained her cleavage. He watched a shiver run across her skin in reaction to the stimulation.

Alexis took hold of each edge of his shirt and with a quick hard yank buttons went flying around the room and his shirt was in shreds hanging from his wrists. With a quick dart, Alexis moved behind him and used his shirt to tie his hands together.

Snape pulled on the bonds, testing the strength of the fabric, "What do you think you are doing?"

"I am going to have some fun," Alexis maneuvered him until she could get him to sit on the bed.

"That is where I thought we were heading," Snape complained as he continued to try to free his hands.

Alexis flicked her wand and the lights dimmed and sultry music started playing. Never taking her eyes from his, she started swaying and moving to the music. Snape stopped struggling when she began to slide the straps of her corset down off her shoulder in a very provocative manner. Strutting over to him, she kicked one shoe off and then the other shoe went flying as well. Placing one stocking clad foot between his legs and deliberately rubbing his erection, she began to roll her silk hose down. When she reached her toes, she was careful to remove the stocking with as much physical contact with Snape as she could manage. Turning around so her back was to him, she leaned over from her hips, giving him an amazing view of her rear, and began to remove the other stocking. Alexis jumped as she felt his teeth skim the sensitive flesh where her thigh meets her butt cheek. His hands might be tied, but he wasn't without resources.

Alexis turned again and pushed him back onto the bed. Running her fingers up and down his chest she would tease him with each caress, steadily moving closer to the button on his pants. When he let out a growl in protest at her play, she undid his button and unzipped his pants and then pulled them off of him, leaving him in silk boxers. Alexis ran teasing nails along the bulge that was tenting his boxers in such an intriguing manner. Snape made a deft move and freed his left hand from the shirt. Using the shirt that was still attached to his right wrist, he wrapped it around her back and pulled her down on top of him. He rolled over so that he now had her pinned to the bed. Freeing his other hand from the shirt, he grabbed his wand and murmured a slicing spell that slowly cut the corset off of Alexis without even tickling her skin. "I'll buy you a new one," he promised as he began to peel back the layers of silk and lace.

Alexis smiled at his intent look, "Severus Snape, I love you."

"I know," was his arrogant reply.

Alexis began tracing his features with the tip of her index finger. Running a questing line across his brow and down the long line of his nose, then tracing his lips before cupping his face in her hand and bringing him to her for a long, passionate kiss. Alexis could sense a difference in Snape's love making; before, even at his most passionate and demanding, it had contained a certain reserve, as if he were holding back in case this happiness were to be snatched away from him. Now he was looking at her and touching her as if the wedding ceremony had removed all his reservations and fears of being abandoned. It added a new dimension that deepened what had already been an amazing connection.

When Snape looked at her now, Alexis felt cherished as well as loved, and she found it very arousing. Snape began trailing kisses along her neck as his hands began caressing her back in long sweeping strokes. He would stop just at the small of her back before making his way back up to her neck. When his mouth reached her nipples, his hands continued down to knead her buttocks and pull her even closer to him. She could feel his erection through the silk of his boxers and the delicious friction of silk covered steel teasing her thighs was making her even hotter. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed up against him, dampening the silk. She tried to use her legs to pull the barrier down so that she could feel his skin against her in that most intimate place.

Snape shifted just enough that Alexis was able to get the purchase she needed and his boxers were soon flying across the room. She locked her ankles around his waist and pulled him to her. Gasping at the first touch of his penis sliding against her, she arched into him and tightened her legs.

Snape smirked at the highly aroused woman in his arms. Rolling over, he put her on top and let her take control. Lifting herself up, she started when Snape grabbed her hands, "What are you doing? I need you inside me now," she demanded huskily.

"No hands," he replied, "just your body."

Groaning in frustration, Alexis began squirming, wiggling and maneuvering until both of them were panting from her exertions, but she had managed to insert his tip into her opening. Tightening her muscles, she sat up very carefully before relaxing and sliding onto his full length with a moan of pleasure. Snape waited impatiently for Alexis to move. The feeling of her surrounding him was almost more than he could stand. He bucked his hips as a not to subtle hint to get things started. Instead, Alexis just smirked at him and began tightening and releasing her internal muscles just enough to drive him mad but not enough to drive him over the edge. When his eyes were rolled up to the back of his head and all she could see was the whites, and his gasps were being punctuated by moans, Alexis began a slow pumping motion using his hands to brace herself so that she could move up far enough that he would almost slip out before plunging back down. Snape could not stand the torture any longer, freeing his hands he rolled back over and began a hard, fast glide that soon had them both tumbling into a wild orgasm.

When Alexis had managed to catch her breath, "Did you yodel there at the end?"

Sunday morning they were enjoying just being together. They had cuddled together on the sofa in front of the fire. Something had been bothering Alexis for a while and she finally decided that the time was right to discuss it, "Severus?"

"Yes."

"I want to ask you something."

"What?" he replied cautiously.

"Why did you think you would hurt me if we were intimate just because I am pregnant?"

"I'm sure it is a common misperception," he evaded.

"You seemed positive that it would hurt me though. Why?" Alexis persisted.

"Have you ever heard the term 'An heir and a spare'?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes. I know the Muggle meaning is basically you have two sons: your heir and a spare in case something happens to the oldest."

"The wizarding meaning is the same with the exception that it does not have to be two sons: it just means to have two children. A daughter can carry on the bloodline just as well as a son. If the son dies or is thought to be unable to have children, the daughter would be married to a younger son who would take on the wife's surname. It is a custom not practiced very much anymore. However, my father was obsessed with continuing the Snape name. He did not approve of me very much because I took after my mother's side of the family: being more studious than athletic. So he continued to impregnate my mother in numerous attempts to get his 'spare'. She would miscarry usually in the third month of her pregnancy. The healers warned both her and my father that any further pregnancies would be very risky. That, of course, did not stop my father. My mother had managed to carry until her seventh month of pregnancy when she started to miscarry. I was in class when Albus came and got me so that I could go to St. Mungos to see her. I was holding her hand when she died after the baby was delivered stillborn. That was when I heard two of the healers outside the room saying that if he had only left her alone while she was pregnant, she wouldn't have died."

"So you thought that meant that no woman should be intimate if she is pregnant?"

"I didn't want to take that risk. My father was not a kind man or a loving man. When we first met in Albus' office you mentioned that when I was a first year at Hogwarts I knew more curses and hexes than most seventh years. I learned them from my father. He would use them on me to toughen me up, so that I could be a real man and be a credit to the name of Snape. When my mother died, all that was good and kind went out of my life. There was no one left to love me. I couldn't stand the thought of losing you and having to again face that black void. Until you came into my life, my mother was the only woman to ever truly love me. My father arranged my betrothal to Sirena. I would have been forced to marry her except he passed away shortly after I graduated Hogwarts and Sirena gave me the perfect reason to break the betrothal when she was caught being unfaithful," Snape rested his chin on the top of Alexis' head and took a deep breath before releasing it slowly.

"Thank you for sharing that with me," Alexis nuzzled into him trying to give him what comfort she could, "What was your mother's name?"

"Her name was Richelle," Snape whispered.

Monday morning came sooner than the newly weds would have liked. The blocking and sealing charms had to be removed and the world had to be faced. Snape and Alexis were leaving for breakfast when Snape almost tripped over a form huddled in the hallway between his quarters and his classroom.

Alexis recognized the white blond hair, "Draco, what on earth are you doing out here?" as she helped him to his feet, "your hands are like ice."

"I was waiting for you and Professor Snape. I wanted to make sure you saw this before you went to breakfast," Draco held out yesterday's copy of The Dailey Prophet.

Snape took the paper while Alexis cast a warming charm on the still shivering youth.

"Blast and damnation," Snape cursed roundly.

"What is it?" Alexis asked anxiously, coming over to look at the paper around his shoulder.

Draco looked miserable, "Professor I promise that I Owled father exactly what you told me to tell him."

Snape glanced over at the worried boy, "Draco none of this is your fault."

Alexis gave him a one armed hug as she continued to read the article in the society section. Lucius Malfoy had given Rita Skeeter an exclusive interview regarding the Snape Draluck wedding. Lucius implied that they had asked him to stand up with Snape, but that Draco had filled in for him due to a scheduling conflict.

"Well she got some of it right," Alexis sighed, "We did get married on Saturday at Hogwarts. The rest of this is mostly half truths and out right lies. I still wish you would let me buy this rag and turn it into the school newspaper."

Draco snorted at that thought causing Alexis to hug him again.

"This was in yesterday's paper?" Snape asked.

"Yes sir. I tried to contact you yesterday but the door was sealed. So I got here early this morning to wait."

"Thank you. Was anything said yesterday?"

"Professor Dumbledore made a brief announcement that you and Miss. Draluck had gotten married and that a feast would be held in your honor tonight."

"We will just have to deal with it," Snape said pragmatically.

They proceeded to the Great Hall for breakfast. As they passed some of the Slytherin students, Alexis noticed that she was getting some assessing looks: as if they were trying to figure out what her place was now that she had officially married their head of house. The engagement hadn't really changed the status quo all that much, but the marriage was another story.

The newlywed's appearance at breakfast caused a minor stir. Alexis was trying hard not to laugh but it was like a breeze rippled through the hall as they made their way to the staff table and the whispers flowed around them.

Draco made his way to his usual seat at the Slytherin table while Alexis and Snape continued to the staff table. About half-way through breakfast Dumbledore got up to make an announcement, "I know you all will join me in wishing Professor and Alexis Snape our heartfelt congratulations at their marriage. To celebrate this happy event, we will have a feast in their honor tonight," and Dumbledore raised his glass of orange juice to the couple.

After breakfast, Alexis was soon surrounded by Slytherin students who were commenting on the wedding and in most cases offering some form of good wishes. An ominous silence fell over the students, and the ones standing directly in front of Alexis moved slightly to the side so that a narrow gap opened up allowing Alexis to see that a group of Gryffindors had came over.

Alexis looked around and saw that the Slytherins had formed a protective circle around her. Marcus Flint coldly asked, "What do you lot want?"

Oliver Wood gave him an assessing look before turning to Alexis, "Miss. Draluck," the Slytherins muttered at this, "I mean Mrs. Snape, I was wondering if you would available to tutor me in Charms today?"

Alexis had to fight to control the smile that wanted to break out across her face. The Gryffindors had become used to her being almost exclusively available to them while she had been guarding Harry. With her marriage to Snape, this was their way of testing her to see if anything had changed.

"Oliver, I believe you have a free period after lunch today?" at his nod, "Why don't we meet then and I will help you?"

Before he could respond a sixth year Slytherin by the name of Claudette Steinhause asked, "Mrs. Snape, would you be free to help me with a potions essay I am having trouble with?"

Alexis again controlled herself with difficulty, another test, "Yes Claudette, you have Potions tomorrow after lunch? Then why don't we meet tonight after dinner and I will try to help you then?" Claudette nodded briefly. Alexis looked around, "If anyone else needs assistance with anything, I want you to know that you can come to me and I will do whatever I can. Understood?" looking around at the students from both houses.

Most of them were nodding slowly while exchanging doubtful glares with their opposites. "Now get to class you lot before I get in trouble for causing such a disturbance," Alexis shooed them out of the Great Hall.

Alexis had no idea what she had started when she offered to help the students with anything. It seemed there had never been another adult who was so close to their ages and so open to being approached. The Gryffindors would come to her for help with everything from school work to their love life to hair and makeup charms. The Slytherins' had many of the same issues: however, they also seemed to have a few more loners with slightly deeper problems.

Snape had been fairly tolerant of the students seeking her out as long as it did not overly interfere with their time together. Alexis would not tell him anything that the students told her in confidence: even though some of the truly comical begged to be shared. She kept strong and only snickered over them in private.

There was the incident with the rolled up socks. She didn't know who had told Mark Carter that rolling up a pair of socks and stuffing them down his pants would make him irresistible to the girls, but they should have also told him to make sure the socks were secured in place and not to go commando when he did it.

The eyebrows was also one that had her chuckling for days. Mona Montsack had let a friend do a grooming charm that was supposed to leave her with perfectly plucked brows. Instead, the friend had messed up and moved her eyebrows under poor Mona's nose. What really made it bad, was that Mona was cursed with very bushy brows, she had looked like she was sporting mutton chop whiskers.

Kelly Thigpen had turned her boyfriend, Cain Schneider into a rat when she caught him snogging her best friend. Alexis might not have found out about that one, but Mrs. Norris had discovered the teens before Kelly was ready to change Cain back. Cain the Rat had taken off with Mrs. Norris in hot pursuit. Kelly had finally asked Alexis to help her find him. Three hours later Alexis had resorted to asking the Weasley twins to find Cain as a special favor. Five minutes later Fred and George had produced one squirming rat. Cain had promised not to 'rat' Kelly out if the twins promised not to reveal where they had found him.

Steve Bray had decided that a mustache would improve his chances with the fairer sex. After three weeks of careful cultivation he was tired of being told he had a smudge under his nose and tried a hair grow potion. To his gratification, his mustache began to grow in. But Steve found that he was unable to stop the hair growth which had spread to his whole head. By the time he had sent someone to get Alexis, he bore a striking resemblance to Cousin It from the Addams Family.

And that had all happened in the first two weeks of her and Snape being married. She couldn't wait to see what the rest of the year would bring.