Disclaimer: I don't own anything, though I wish I did. The Characters, Location, and everything belong to JK Rowling.

Author's Note: This is not compliant with HBP. I love the book, but it makes Hermione/Snape romances too hard to write, and I don't like challenges that great.

A Lesson on Life and Love

Chapter Two

Snape pushed back his chair angrily and walked to where Hermione lay. Snape picked up Hermione and gently carried her to Dumbledore's office.

Upon arriving in the office, Snape found no place to put Hermione without having her fall to the ground again. He realized that the only thing that he could do was to sit down and put her on his lap.

While waiting for Dumbledore to arrive, Snape studied the young lady laying unconscious in his lap. Frizzy brown hair had become straight; pale skin was now tanned. She had put on weight in all the right places and lost it in other places. She had definitely become attractive, but...'Wait a minute,' Snape thought. 'I can't be thinking these thoughts about a student. But, well, there is no denying the truth...

Dumbledore walked in while Snape was looking at Hermione. Dumbledore watched the younger mans face and noting the mixed emotions he found there.

Snape looked up suddenly and was startled to find Dumbledore watching him. "Albus, I didn't hear you come in."

"That's okay, Severus, I could see you were, shall we say, preoccupied. I believe that if you lightly shake Miss Granger she will wake up."

Severus lightly shook Hermione, saying "Miss Granger, wake up. Miss Granger, Hermione, wake up." Slowly Hermione woke. Suddenly she realized where she was and what had happened in the Great Hall.

Hermione turned to face the man on whose lap she was now seated and glared at him. "I know you planned this somehow."

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with sparkling eyes. "Please, take a seat, in you own chair."

Hermione got up and sat down in a different seat, crossed her arms and continued to glare at Snape. "I refuse to do it."

"Like I want to. I have a reputation to keep up." Snape glared back at her.

"I have a reputation to keep up too, you know. What will people say, me living with a professor!"

Dumbledore decided to cut in at this point. "Severus, Miss Granger, I assure you there is nothing I can do about this. Miss Granger's entire future job depends on this class, and I am afraid that what the sorting hat says goes. I have taken the liberty to have the house elves move your things into your quarters. Food from the feast has been brought up for you. Dobby will now show you where you will live. You password is 'pink fuzzy bunnies' and no Severus I will not change it until after Halloween." Dumbledore then pulled a plastic baby doll out from behind his desk and tapped it once with his wand. "Here is your baby. I expect you will have a name picked out for him by tomorrow morning." Dumbledore handed Hermione the baby.

"Come, darling, our dinner awaits us." Hermione said, sarcastically, taking hold of Severus' arm.

Severus led Hermione to their rooms following the house elf.

"Aren't you going to open the door for me?" Hermione asked, looking innocently at Severus.

"Miss Granger, I don't have time for such games, open the door. Besides I forgot the password." Snape replied looking slightly paler then usual.

"I know you remember it, Severus. Open the door for me." Hermione replied, putting on a sickly sweet smile to match her voice.

"Miss Granger..."

At this exact moment, Dobby interrupted the couple by opening the portrait to their rooms.

"Thank you, Dobby." Hermione said while walking into the living room. Snape followed her in, shutting the portrait behind him.

The first thing that drew the attention of the couple was the small feast at the table. They also noticed the two chairs and the high chair. "Come, my dear, let us eat." Snape said leading the way to the table. Hermione placed the baby, whose skin felt like real skin, into the high chair, before taking the chair Snape had pulled out for her.

Upon helping herself to food, Hermione decided to address the matter at hand. "What should we name him?"

"I don't care what you name him," Snape replied, shocked that she had even spoken to him.

"Oh, but on the contrary, Severus. I believe that you do care."

"What do you mean?" Snape replied, staring at Hermione through narrowed eyes.

"I mean that you would be quiet unhappy if everyone at school knew you named your son Harry, or Ron."

"What do you propose we name him then?" Snape asked, realizing at once that his reputation was at stake.

Hermione glanced down, noting the 'we' in his sentence. "How about William?"

"William it is then." Snape looked at the doll who had all the behaviors and looks of a real child. "Well, I'll be damned if I could see any difference between Will and a real child."

Hermione looked at their child and smiled at Severus' accuracy. 'No doubt it will act like a real child.' She suddenly felt that she was being stared at and looked up to find Severus' eyes on her. "What?" she questioned.

"We might as well get this over and done with. Give me your hand." Hermione gave him her hand but still looked at him questioningly. He pulled two rings out of his pocket and put one down in front of her; the other he slipped on her finger. "We are to exchange rings" he said by way of explanation.

"Oh, of course." Hermione replied putting the other ring on his finger.

She looked at her ring and felt different somehow. It was almost as if some part of her had been cut off.

The ring seemed to burn her finger, constantly reminding her of Snape's ownership of her, for this year at least.

Slowly she picked up her fork and continued eating, aware of Severus' stare.