A/N: Smack I shall abuse myself for you all. I just couldn't sit down and concentrate ack! But I'm issuing an official threat. I have another story that keeps encroaching on the mind power I'm using for this story. Someone needs to e-mail me and let me e-mail what I have of this other story to them for ideas and editing! Please, if I will ever have a hope of concentrating on finishing this story I need help with this! O, right, the threat is that until I do get someone I will not be continuing this story, I don't want it to suffer from my distraction… and reviews would be nice… but mostly help. Love you all! Teacherspet

Chapter Eleven: Bonding

Silence fell over them, and for awhile both Severus and Hermione simply stared into the fire. It wasn't uncomfortable, just thoughtful. After a bit Hermione turned to look at Severus in the same manner as if she'd just found the recipe for a brand new life saving potion. "I'd like to meet your mother."

Severus raised an eyebrow, "That's it?"

She shrugged, "What more is there? I'm sorry to hear about how your father treated you, but you've obviously moved on with life."

"I'm not sure." Severus admitted. "I just thought that there would be something that changed, something that made you realize I'm screwed up, or something along those lines."

"I know enough about you now, that your past has no power."

"Don't be ridiculous, I've done things that would make you ill." He retorted.

"I'm not stupid, or senile. I am aware that you were a death eater, I am also aware that you joined on your own, and left on your own."

"They do not cancel each other out."

"No," Hermione agreed slowly. "But they still reflect upon you, and it takes more strenghth of character to leave knowing the danger, than to join suspecting the consequences."

"I was a death eater!" he roared suddenly, shocking himself and Hermione. Both their eyes grew large for a moment, and before he realized what he had done she had a look in her eyes that promised a fight.

"You helped defeat Voldemort!" she retorted.

"I aided his rise to power!" He returned.

"You saved Harry's life!" She pointed out triumphantly.

"Simply because I owed it to his father!" Severus answered with disdain.

"You saved Draco's life!" She continued undaunted.

"He was under my protection!"

"You saved Ron!"

"He was iatrical to the plan!" He said wearily.

"You saved me." She said quietly.

"I knew that you'd change out world." He answered even quieter, so that she had to lean over to hear him.

"But I haven't done anything." Hermione concluded a little sadly.

"Not for me," he argued, reaching across the small distance between their chairs, taking her hand and holding it in his, "for me you've done everything."

"I've not done anything, though! I've only disrupted your life." She said honestly.

"It's enough that you're in it at all." He whispered.

Hermione launched herself at him. There was a moment where their eyes locked, and searing passion was passed between them, but it was only a second, and then they were both beyond sight and emotions. Shirts and shoes hit the floor by the chair and somehow they were both very naked and in a bed, logically it had to be Severus's, but they were beyond logic, or caring whose bed it was.

It was like a memory, the feelings were overwhelming and they more or less knew what was happening, but it was distant and vague at the same time. It seemed that their bodies were separate from their spirits. There was a peaceful and powerful calm around them, but they were in a desperate frenzy, clawing at each other. At some point Hermione scratched Severus hard enough to draw blood, which later she washed lovingly away from his abused back, and Severus left a large angry looking splotch on Hermione's breast bone, which he was continually staring at.

They didn't get more work done that day. In fact they didn't wake up until dinner time, which they skipped in favor of a shower, and that night Hermione invited Severus to join her in her bed for awhile.

He declined.

After all, his bed was much closer.

Harry was sitting in his commandeered guest room looking at the marauders map. He had in fact been watching it since his encounter with Severus and Hermione in Ron's rooms. He was not pleased when he saw them both enter Snape's room, and he was really upset when he saw her go back later. He watched them until Hermione's dot finally left the dungeons… alone.

Harry hid his map away and checked that he had his wand. Flinging his invisibility cloak around him he went to find her. They needed to talk.