Disclaimer: No, it's not mine. In the immortal words of my friend Kirstin, if it were, 8 year olds would definately not be allowed to watch the movies.

A/N: Wow...what a turn out for reviews. I had barely posted the chapter and reviews were filling my inbox. Gives me warm fuzzies inside! Thanks all of you for your kind words and suggestions.

So sorry for the lateness. Yeah, I know, seems like I'm always making excuses. But I really had no choice! My A/C Adapter for my laptop burnt out...and I had to order a new one. It's back now...so all better I guess.

And then...THEN....there was a horrid bout of writer's block. I swear every time I sat down to write this my mind went blank. So I did a bit of other stuff until I was restored to my former...write-tastic self.

auraius-evenstar: Hm..you know, I'm not really sure. I never gave the cane a second thought. But now that I have, I imagine he uses it to whack small children and animals who get in his way. And some that don't, just for the hell of it.

MelissaAdams: Baby clothes, as you asked. ::grin::. Oh, and there will be much much revenge in the future. You seem keen on the torture, any ideas? : P

As requested, more Snape and Hermione interaction. Lots of it. Yep.

"And where exactly have you been?" Severus asked calmly, as Hermione entered his, no their, chambers.

"Out." Hermione retorted. She took off her jacket and deposited several bags near the door.

"Perhaps it never crossed your mind that some of us would have liked to know of your whereabouts?" he replied silkily, raising a single eyebrow in her direction as he closed his book and put it on a side table.

"I doubt you cared." Hermione replied, her voice devoid of any emotion.

Severus snorted. "As much as you'd like to think that I didn't, I'm afraid you were mistaken."

"Mistaken? Well, where ever would I get that idea? Certainly not from you." she rolled her eyes.

"Careful, you're almost to the point of being as annoyingly Griffindor as Minerva." Severus said smoothy. He didn't know where the girl had been today, but apparently she had found some sarcasm on her travels.

She scoffed at him and conjured herself a cup of hot tea. As much as she wanted to avoid him, it was practically impossible, mainly due to the fact that they lived together. Hermione took a seat on the other couch, across from the one that Severus was sitting on.

The silence mounted, all the while Severus gave Hermione a piercing look. She ignored him at first, concentrating on the teacup that had suddenly become very interesting, but as the tension grew that turned out to be nigh impossible to do. She sighed dejectedly and said "I went to my parent's house.", not wanting to give much more of an explination.

"And why, may I ask, did you feel that you must do this without telling anyone?" he raised an eyebrow in Hermione's direction.

"I do not remember needing permission to visit my mother and father." she said shortly, taking a long draught of her tea.

"You shouldn't have gone alone. It isn't safe." Severus replied.

"You're right. I shouldn't have." Hermione answered him.

Severus' eyes narrowed, she was giving up too easily. "I should have taken you with me." Hermione continued. "I'm sure my father would have loved for you to be there when I told him I was pregnant."

A sharp intake of air suddenly turned into a loud cough, as Severus imagined sitting at the kitchen table with Mrs. and Mr. Granger, and telling them that he had deflowered their little girl and gotten her knocked up. It wasn't a pleasant thought.

Hermione smiled slightly at Snape's reaction. "All of that.." Hermione waved her hands at the bags by the door. "Is me and my little sister's old baby clothes."

She went and grabbed a bag, bringing it over and putting it on the couch. Hermione pulled out a frilly, pink dress. Complete with ribbons and floral print. Severus stared at the garment in shock.

"You did tell your parents that we're having a boy right?" Severus asked tenatitively. He still wasn't used to this whole 'Hermione being pregnant with his unborn son' business.

"Yep." She replied, rummaging through the rest of the other bags. "Mum says it's all the same really, and he'll never remember having worn it."

"My son," Severus muttered "is not going to wear pink. Or a dress, for that matter."

Hermione 'hrmph'ed at him and returned to her bags. She rummaged through them. "What are your feelings on magenta then?" she asked lightly, somewhat hoping to get on his nerves.

"The same." Severus replied dryly. He really didn't get it. He wanted to be angry at her, after all, not only had she run off all day without a word to anyone, but now she was deliberately baiting him! But, instead, he was merely irked with her attitude and more relieved that she was alright. Well that was unexpected.

Hermione smiled slightly at his answer, vaugely amused. She picked up the bag to put it back with the others.

"You had your friends out for my blood, you know." Severus said, almost conversationally. It would have been, if he hadn't said it in a tone of voice that showed he was very irritated and that there would be consequences should it happen again.

Hermione dropped the large bag with the other ones. "They didn't..." she said disbelievingly.

"They most certainly did." Severus replied shortly. Oh, he knew he was exaggerating. But that was besides the point. The point was, as much as the was loathe to admit it, Hermione could do a much better job punishing them than he could.

Hermione looked like she was thinking. Which she was. She pushed her hair out of her face and mumbled "I'll talk to them."

Severus smirked inwardly and nodded to her. He stood up, straightening his robes as he did. "It's late, and now that I don't have a stray wife to track down, I'm going to bed."

"You do that. I'll be there in a few." Hermione told him, going back to the kitchen for some water.

Was this floating? No, floating still had a sense of being, and there was nothing here. Void. Complete void, that was, until a green flash penetrated the nothingness.

A hoarse whisper declared "Unsacrifici perun altri."

A/N: Alright, finally got that out to you. I am so so so sorry too. I've updated everything but this (until now that is..). Anywho, I'm sure the last bit has got you confused as hell. "unsacrifici perun altri" is horribly mangled italian. Had to change it a bit, can't make it too easy for yah. No, I'm not telling you what it means. You wanna go figure it out, go ahead. But me lips are sealed.

To prove that the next chapter is halfway done; here is an excerpt:

Hermione peered at him oddly. "What were you doing?"

"Wishing you away." He replied without thinking.

Hermione blinked. "Excuse me, what was that?"

He paused for a moment, imagining all the horrible things this overly-hormonal woman could do to him.

"Wishing I was gay." he answered truthfully.

R-E-V-I-E-W! (please? ::sniffle::)