Every waking moment was torture for Hermione as she navigated her lie of a life. Trying and succeeding at coming across as the Stepford wife that Ron desired and expected her to be she was playing her part perfectly and never missed a cue.

From the moment her eyes opened to the moment they closed, she was a person she didn't even know anymore, but deep down there was something there that was pining for another man. Every day she would push those feelings down into the deepest, darkest depths of her being, where she thought they belonged but every so often she failed at keeping them down where she needed them to be and often she would wonder what would have been if she had gone with her heart instead of her head.

Avoiding Severus seemed easy. All she had to do was stop going around to see him and eventually he would forget her and Lincoln existed and she could go on living her life, but she knew that wasn't the case. That would never be the case. Eventually, he was going to pursue her whether for an answer, or to see his son, and she needed to devise a plan that would stop the cat being released from the bag. Of course, she kept herself away for another entirely different reason as well… She wanted him. She wanted to be in his arms and in his bed; but most of all, she wanted him in her life permanently.

She and Ron were in a place, not a good place, nor a terrible place, just… a place. She conformed and became the person he wanted. He was a lot easier to get along with now that she behaved exactly how he wanted, but down in the deepest depths of her being she was becoming numb, almost as if she were existing on autopilot.

Ron's deep voice pulled her from her thoughts, startling her she jumped slightly.

"We should have another baby," he beamed. "We've got plenty of room," Ron said enthusiastically, cradling Lincoln.

"He's three months old, Ron. Let my body heal and repair itself before we think about another one," she said with exasperation.

"I want them close together!" He exclaimed. "I want enough to start my own quidditch team."

She paled considerably at that statement. "I don't think I want that many, Ron," she choked out. She didn't have it in her to sleep with another man again and do to them what she did to Severus, all for the sake of another child in their life.

o-o-o-o-o

Hermione was utterly miserable. Stuck at the Three Broomsticks as Ron relived the regalia to a crowd of wizards utterly in awe of how he single-handedly helped his team with the Quidditch World Cup as she sat beside him trying to look both impressed and happy that her husband was no down in the history books as being one of the greatest players of all times.

Harry sat beside Ron, interjecting various bits of information and slapping his best friend on the back at various intervals of the story as if they had practised their story repeatedly and feeding off the other waiting for their cue.

Ginny sat opposite Hermione looking just as enthralled as Hermione did, neither woman wanting to be there, Molly insisted they needed a night out to celebrate and ushered them out the door, insisting she needed a night with her grandbabies and to come back in the morning and collect them.

"Kill me now," Ginny mouthed across the table to Hermione. "Here comes their favourite part of the story." Ginny rolled her eyes. She'd heard this story about ten times in the past hour.

The door to the pub opened once again for but a fleeting moment. The flourish of robes caught the corner of Hermione's eye and piqued her interest. Sitting up high in the chair, eyes locked with the one person she had been avoiding at all costs but yearned for even more.

He stopped on the spot, looking down at her with contempt before pulling his gaze from her own he slowly meandered across the pub. Hermione slumped back down in her chair, unsure how or what to do now. It was obvious by the anger in his eyes he wanted nothing to do with her.

"Professor," Ron called out across the pub. "Come, sit." He gestured to the seat beside Hermione.

Hermione sat waiting and hoping the floor would open up and swallow her, so she didn't have to sit there through this.

She watched as Severus stopped on the spot, turned on his heel and strode towards their group with a purpose, sitting beside Hermione. "I hear congratulations are in order. Who'd have thought I'd ever have the privilege of teaching two quidditch greats?" his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm that only Hermione had picked up on.

Side-eyeing Hermione, it took aback him to see her sitting there is a white shoulder-less sundress, high ponytail and French-tipped nails, nothing like the bedraggled, tired woman that was in his home only weeks before.

"Where's your son on this fine night?" Severus asked Ron, tilting his head casually to the side in question.

"With mum. We needed a night out to celebrate."

"Indeed," Severus replied, stiff-jawed as a sour taste lingered in his mouth. He hated knowing his son was being brought up as a Weasley.

"So, Professor, what have you been up to of late?" Ron asked. He was in a jovial mood and willing to listen to anything anybody had to say tonight after a few fire whiskeys to loosen him up.

"Well. Would you believe, Mr Weasley, I've just recently become privy to the fact I too have a son around the same age as yours. I was just as shocked as you when I found out. Now, I've done the right thing and offered my son and his mother a place in my home, you know, taking responsibility for my actions, and she's basically turned me down. Can you believe it?"

"You need to pull her aside and lay down the rules. You tell her she needs to move in with you and don't give her any other choice." He slammed an open palm on the wooden table, causing all the glasses on it to shake slightly.

Severus couldn't sit here beside Hermione and not take this opportunity to make her regret her choice. Placing a hand on her knee beneath the table, his fingers traced feather-light up her bare thigh and under the light material of her dress. He knew by the subtle way she sucked the corner of her lip into her mouth and grasped it between her teeth that his touch was influencing her.

"Take Hermione, for example," Ron began, "She's the best wife anyone could ask for. Loyal to the end. Not scared to admit her faults and try to fix them."

"Yes, I agree. Your wife is amazing. You should keep a closer eye on her should someone try to steal her from right under your nose." No one else noticed the sly grin that spread across his lips except for Ginny and Hermione, who was trying with all her might not to tangle her fingers in his hair and jump in his lap.

Moving his hand up her thigh inch by inch, he could feel the goosebumps on her smooth skin as he did so. Her skin quivered gently beneath his touch, and she wanted him to go even higher. She longed for her touch; she needed his lips on her own. She wanted to be wrapped in his embrace beneath him as he made love to her.

His sly grin changed to a smirk. Ron was so stupid and oblivious to what was going on around him he could probably finger Hermione and make her come twice over before Ron even realised anything was going on under the table, all while Severus was looking him dead in the eye conversing with him.

His hand halted just as it reached the elastic of her knickers and watched as she slumped her shoulders just slightly in disappointment, trying to school her features, so no one knew what was going on under the table.

Ginny, being the observing type, thought it was odd the body language both exhibited didn't match what was going on. Interesting. It was almost as if the two had something prior going on to Snape sitting down with them all.

"I must be off," Severus said abruptly as he got to his feet. "I've come to see a man about a potions contract," he lied.

Hermione's eyes followed the path he had taken until he was out of sight. Sitting quietly, she bided her time until Ron was telling his story again- before she took the chance to follow the same path as he, down a long hallway off to the left of the pub she felt a hand reach out and grab her, pulling her in against them.

"What do you think you are doing out there?" She whispered in harsh tones as her back pressed against his front, knowing full well it was him who had ambushed her. Spinning her around, he cast his gaze to her eyes, glittering with lust and contempt.

"Just giving you what you really want, Hermione," voice a gentle whisper. Resting a hand on her hip, he pulled her in closer to feel the curves of her body against his own. Oh, what he would give to feel her naked form pressed against him, mewling with delight as he made her come over and over.

She looked left and right. "Not here, Severus."

"If you want me, you will follow me. If you don't follow me, I will leave you alone for the rest of your life and let Weasley raise my son and I will say nary a thing to anyone." Running a thumb across her cheek, he cupped her chin.

"You can't put me in this position, Severus. It isn't fair."

"Lying to yourself every day isn't fair, Hermione. You are sitting out there bored out of your mind listening to them talk absolute rubbish just to keep up appearances in a life that is making you miserable. I see it in your eyes how worn down and despondent you are."

"Severus. Please," she argued weakly.

"Remember a few weeks ago you asked me what I wanted in life and I said I had everything I wanted?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Leaning down low, his lips millimetres from her ear, he whispered, "I lied. Hermione. The answer is you. I want you, I want you in my life. I want you in my bed. I want to be inside of you right now." Lips grazing the skin of her ear, she melted against his body. Damn. This wasn't the plan.

Severus pulled away from her, turning his body as he pushed open a heavy wooden door revealing a set of stairs. He took them two at a time and waited at the bottom, wondering if she would follow.

She did.

The cobblestone floor held giant wooden barrels of wine and whiskey. Torches hung from the walls as shadows bounced around. She saw him at the bottom of the stairs, leaning casually against the wall.

She stood before him, watching him with intent for a moment. What was she doing down here?

Grabbing her tightly around the hips, he drew her in close. Inhaling her scent, his head spun as he did so. For months he had been dreaming of being in the exact position with her.

Reaching his right hand up, he tangled it in her ponytail and pulled her head back, revealing the delicate flesh of her neck. Running his tongue over the sweet flesh from her collarbone to her lips, he could sense her breathing change and knew she would not be pulling away and running off anytime soon.

"Severus, please," she said huskily, begging him for his touch as her body quivered with the intense need for him

It was amusing to him how those two words she said so often could change total meaning just with a change of tone.

He covered her lips with his own, forcing his tongue into her mouth as they shared the most passionate kiss she had ever received in her life, and she wondered why it had taken this long into her life to ever feel like this.

"Severus, please," she whispered again as he pulled his lips from hers.

He released her waist and slide a flat palm up her thigh. Two fingers diving into the waistband of her knickers, she slightly spread her legs allowing him access, mewling intensely as he touched her.

"So wet," he whispered in her ear softly, slowly running an index finger over her clit, almost causing her to buckle to her knees.

"I need you, Severus," a husky voice filled his ears. An evil grin flittered over his features in response. He'd waited so long to hear those three words.

"Who do you choose? Your husband or me?" He commented sternly. Hand ceased rubbing and hovered, waiting for her answer.

"You. I choose you," she breathed without a second thought. "Please." Her stomach was clenching tight as heat radiated from her pussy, needing him inside of her.

"Are you sure about that?" His lips ghosted over her own, finger rubbing her clit gently again, pressing her hard against the wall to steady her.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "I want you."

"Even with your husband a few meters away?" He questioned, eyes lighting up at her willingness to fuck him despite Ron being not too far outside the door.

"Yes." She released a shuddered breath. "I need you," her voice a ghostly whisper as she leaned her weight against Severus.

"Do you want me?" He asked.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"Who do you choose?" Lips ghosting over the shell of her ear, hot breath causing the hairs on her body to stand on end.

"You. I'll leave him for you." She wasn't sure if it was the fact she was turned on beyond anything she'd ever felt, or her deep desires bubbling to the top but she felt this was the right thing to do and she never even had that little angel sitting on her shoulder trying to convince her otherwise.

She had never felt like this before. The burning desire coursed through her body needing to be fucked. The want and need for the man that was turning her on beyond anything she had ever been privy to before were titillating, and she knew he was the one for her. She didn't much believe in soul mates, but maybe perhaps that was because until recently she had never realised who hers was. She'd never felt the same way about another person as she did about Severus right now. He haunted her dreams and graced her thoughts daily and she assumed when you felt like that about someone, perhaps the connection you had with them was a little more than skin deep.

"Good girl," his voice a whisper. Pulling his fingers from her hot, slick core, hands grasped either side of her panties, glacially slipping them over her thighs, down past her knees before they pooled on the ground around her ankles.

Stepping out of them she left them discarded on the stone floor, long forgetting about them as his right hand ran up her thigh again, sinking two fingers inside of her, a quick breath emitted from within.

Lips brushed lips as his fingers worked meticulously. Twisting his wrist and hooking his fingers, he found her g-spot effortlessly. Her body convulsed and her knees buckled as he did so. Head spinning as if she were intoxicated, she'd felt nothing like that in her life. The intense wave of pleasure was almost too much for her to bear as she staggered half a step to the left.

"Last chance to change your mind." Lips peppered her bare collarbone with fervent kisses. "If I fuck you this time, you're mine."

"I want you," her voice so soft he was almost certain he didn't hear her.

That was all he needed to hear as he smiled like the cat that got the canary. He won. Ron lost, and that was all that mattered. Finally, Snape came out trumps and the colossal douche came off second best.

Pulling his fingers from her hot, slick centre, he undid the belt and fastenings of his trousers, pushing them over his hips and down his stark-white legs. They pooled at his feet. Cock hard, he wanted nothing more than to sheath himself within her. To feel the velvet walls as they collapsed around him, sending him over the edge.

Cupping her arse, he hoisted her up to hip height. Her legs wrapped tightly around his bare waist as she laid clumsy kisses across his face and down his neck. Pressing her body hard against the stone wall, taking some of the slack off his body with his right hand, he guided himself into her wet heat, shuddering as the tip slipped effortlessly within her.

Hermione mewled as she felt his hardness slide within her. He fit within her perfectly, almost like the last puzzle piece that slid perfectly within the spot reserved for it, and she knew that this time in her life she was making the right choice.

He thrust slowly at first, perfecting his rhythm, feeling himself sliding in and out of her velvet walls with ease before the pace quickened. Every thrust he drew nearer to spilling himself.

Arms wrapped around him tightly, eyes closed as she relished in the moment and wondered why she had denied herself this pleasure for so long. "Don't stop," she barked as her legs quivered and shook.

He only groaned in response. Faster and faster, he thrust, breath caught in his throat. He was having trouble sucking in the oxygen he needed to keep going. Legs shaking as each second passed, he pushed her against the wall a little more. Her tight walls fluttered around his cock, and he clasped her tightly as he came within her hotness.

Shaking, he held her tight against him, the only sound in the cellar was satisfied breathing from the two of them as they relished in the other's touch.

"If you fall pregnant this time, at least have the decency to give the kid my last name." He guided her to the floor softly, watching as she steadied herself against the wall for a moment, taking in a few deep breaths.

Choosing to ignore him, she bent down to collect her long-forgotten underwear from the cold stone floor, only to watch him bend down, snatch it up and pocket it with a hint of malice in his eyes.

"Oh no, I'm not finished with you yet." He grinned evilly before turning on his heel and heading back up the stairs.

Severus walked back to the table Hermione had been sitting at, sliding into an empty chair Ron spun around, only now noticing Hermione was missing.

"Where did Hermione go?" He asked in question, looking around for her.

"Yes, where did Hermione go?" Ginny asked Severus with a raise of her brow.

"I'm sure she's… coming." An amused look crossed his face, leaving as soon as it had arrived.

"She will be coming later," Ron barked jovially, slapping the hard wooden table.

"Yes. I am sure she will be," he confirmed. "Over and over again," his voice a low, barely audible whisper.

Hermione slowly walked across the pub, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Cheeks red and a small smattering of sweat beading on her forehead, she sat down beside Severus.

"You look like you've run a marathon," Ron proclaimed, looking her over.

"It feels like it," she mumbled, avoiding any eye contact with her husband.

Ginny noticed the dynamics between Hermione and Severus had changed since they both vanished. She wasn't as stupid as her brother and could notice when things were going on around her, noticing that Snape had one hand on the table, and the other, the closest to Hermione was under the table and judging by the small movements pulsating through his shoulder he was stroking her thigh.

"What's the plan from here?" Ginny asked Ron. Still observing Snape and Hermione opposite her. You didn't need to be a genius to work out that there was something deep below the surface going on between the two.

"Well. We were going to go back to your house and kick on," Ron looked sideways at Harry, who nodded, confirming.

"I'll be heading home," Hermione quickly interjected. "I'm not a party animal like you lot."

"Snape?" Ron asked. "Care to come along?"

"No. I must decline your generous offer, Weasley. I can't keep up with the young ones like I used to."

"Right, well. Let's go," Ron made the first move, standing, everyone else followed.

"I'm heading home, Ron," Hermione lied. She knew full well home was not where she was heading.

"Ok well don't expect me home till mid-morning," Ron called over his shoulder as he walked away, leaving Hermione and Severus alone.

"My place?" He asked, looking around to ensure Ron had actually left. "I mean, if Lincoln is in excellent hands, it would be a travesty to waste this young night by heading our separate ways."

"Yes. I think I like that idea very much," said Hermione with a slight glitter in her eyes.

She would worry about the technicalities of her decision tomorrow when the realisation of her choices fully hit, but for now, she was going to enjoy her child-free night with the man she wished she had gotten to really know sooner.

A/N: Please accept my humble update as a reward for all your reviews.

-Aliasmel1