Chapter 13: Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

My thanks to all my readers and reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

The Great Hall, Hogwarts...

Breakfast had not been as appealing to Hermione Granger-Snape as it had been to the rest of her fellow Gryffindors. She casually looked up at the empty seat where her husband had usually sat when it came to dining in The Great Hall. She had been nervous about the outcome of his death eater meeting and Dumbledore assured her that he would find his way back. The amber eyes of the witch had barely left the seat and traveled to her hardly touched meal before they were back again. Looking at the Gryffindor table it wasn't hard to see why many of her fellow students seemed to be in good spirits. It was no wonder Professor Snape had been absent for three days.

When Snape had not returned the rest of the morning Hermione did as he instructed, went to her classes and behaved as nothing was out of the ordinary. When he didn't return that night she went to Dumbledore. The Headmaster assured her that Severus would be fine despite all the commotion. He had stayed out for longer and given them a scare a time or two but he always returned.

Hermione glanced back at her Husband's chair and then her plate.

"Are you going to eat that toast?" asked Ron eyeing her plate readily.

"Let her enjoy her own food Ron." said Ginny annoyed at her brother's greed.

"She hasn't eaten much of anything in days." said Harry watching his best friend.

"What is it with you Mione?" asked Ron chewing a mouthful of toast with the butter all over his face. "Snape's gone for three days and you start acting all weird...if I didn't know any better I'd say you miss the dungeon bat or something."

"That is not very nice Ronald." said Hermione annoy. "And why must you eat like a pig...it's no wonder I've lost my appetite."

Harry looked back n forth between Ron and Hermione. She did have a point about Ron eating like a pig. Still, he had a point about her recently "mopey" attitude as of late.

"Ron might be a prat but he only looking out for you Mione." said Harry.

"And I appreciate it." said Hermione. "But I'm fine...I was simply curious as to why a man that never misses a day to torment us is suddenly absent is all."

"Oh." said Ron with a renewed purpose. "She's thinking it's some lengthy mystery...well, I take it back...Mione appears to be her normal obsessive analyzing self."

"The word is analytical, Ronald." Hermione corrected him.

"I rest my case." said the red head wizard shoveling another piece of toast into his rather large mouth.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I rest mine as well." she said. "I can't eat anything...may as well get some work done...I'll see you guys later."

Harry nodded giving her a polite smile.

Ron was busily adding the components of her breakfast to his plate.

Ginny waved and turned her attention to scolding Ron for being such a pig. Dumbledore smiled pleasantly at her as she made her way out of the great hall and into the corridor. Once clear of prying eyes she looked down at her silver wedding band.

She had not known where her husband was but she had hoped that he had been alright.

Bellatrix bedroom, Malfoy Manor, Wizarding World...

The first thing Severus Snape noted other than the fact that he was not in his bed was the tale tell signs of the pretty wall paper that been an eye sore as his vision came into focus. His body felt heavy, understandably so since he had not really used it in three days. The Potions Master sighed instinctively pushing his hair back from his face with his pale hand. The silver wedding band had gotten his attention.

The memories came flooding back and he realized all too well what had happened.

"Hermione." he said with a raspy tone.

Hermione Granger was his wife.

The dour wizard shifted some in bed only to feel a warm body beside him. He could tell by the scent of fresh earth and copper that it had not been his wife. His memory had calculated she always seemed to smell of jasmine.

"Bellatrix?" he asked his voice still cracking from non-use.

The body shifted and Snape found himself staring into the dark eyes of none other than Bellatrix LeStrange.

"Good morning love." she said kissing him softly on the cheek.

Snape arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"Where the hell am I?" he asked irate.

"Home." replied Bellatrix. "Where you belong."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"I don't have time for this." he said.

He made to get up but noted the pain in his now heavy legs as he tried to move.

"Still sore?" asked Bellatrix with a hint of concern. "Possibly from the dark lord's antics."

"It appears so." replied Snape with a sigh. "How are you?"

The usually talkative witch fell silent.

Snape sighed once again and turned to face the surprisingly naked witch beside him.

"Bella?" he said.

"I-I'm fine." she replied. "It's just a little soreness."

Snape thought for a moment.

"Do you still have that salve I gave you?" he asked.

Bellatrix nodded.

"Give it to me." he said in a commanding tone.

Bellatrix pulled her wand from beneath her pillow and waved it rather lazily. The salve floating toward Snape who grabbed it and gently twisted off the golden top. The Potions Master had taken on a professional appeal as he gingerly worked his way to his knees and maneuvered until he was between Bellatrix's legs.

"Spread them." said Snape not elaborating much more.

Bellatrix did as he asked albeit painstakingly.

She groaned in agony as she did stretching bruised and aching muscles in the process.

Snape set to work getting a good amount of blue salve into his hands. He then started spreading it all over her sore folds. Bellatrix groaned at the feel of pressure from his long pale calloused fingers as well as the coolness of the salve working into her sensitive flesh.

She started breathing easier when it took effect immediately relieving her of her discomfort.

Snape continued to apply the salve until it was clear she would not suffer from any more soreness. Bellatrix sighed in relief. She had suffered in agony for three days without relief. The Pureblood witch turned her attention to Snape noting that he too had been in pain.

"Let me help you." she said softly.

"That won't be necessary." he said.

"Severus you're in pain." she reasoned. "Let me help you as you have me...the sooner you do the sooner you can leave."

Snape sighed noting that her assistance would probably get him back to Hogwarts quicker.

"Fine." he said bitterly. "Apply the salve if you must."

Snape had not been surprised to find that he had been without any article of clothing as well. Possibly from all the blood that covered his robes before hand. He sat back leaning against the soft white pillows and watched as Bellatrix got to her knees with ease and made her way over toward him. His obsidian eyes had been fixed on her as she got the salve from the container and rubbed a good amount of it into her hands and slowly worked it onto his aching cock and thigh muscles.

The Potions Professor groaned at the feel of her soft delicate hands stroking him and the cool of the salve against his aching pale flesh. Almost immediately the slave had begun to work and the ache had receded. Still Bellatrix had not stopped her ministrations as she continued to stroke him.

"Bella." said Snape fighting to decided wither he wanted to let her continue or stop her all together.

She continued on making his mind fog with lust.

"Bella, I have to go." said Snape. "The dark lord cannot find out I missed work three days in row...if there was valuable information..."

Upon hearing this Bellatrix let him go not wishing to further anger the dark lord.

"I want to see you." she said then swiftly kissed him on the lips. "You owe me."

Snape nodded.

"If I can arrange it." he said not giving her a definite promise.

With that Snape was up and dressed. He made his way to the floo and gave the destination to his quarters. He stepped inside the emerald flames and ended up back at Hogwarts. Hermione Granger-Snape had been sitting in his usual armchair a look of worry plastered across her face.

Snape's Quarters, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...

Hermione had been overjoyed to see her husband arrive safely back at Hogwarts. In the three days of his absence she had begun to believe the worst had happened. Snape looked at her with his eyebrow arched in confusion. It was strange to return and have some one not only glad to see him but to note that they had been worried about him. It was sort of unnerving to see how much his young wife seemed to genuinely care for his well-being. No one outside the Malfoys had ever done so before.

"You're in my chair, Miss Granger." he said in a gruff tone.

Hermione had not cared that he chose to be a git as soon as he returned she was just happy to see him back and in one piece. Tears of joy began to stream down her cheeks as she looked at him.

"I'm not dead yet, Miss Granger." he said. "You can stop with the water works."

"It's Mrs. Snape." she corrected him. "And not even you can make me unhappy to see you."

Snape highly doubted that.

"I've got to go make my report." he said bitterly. "Don't touch any of my stuff until I get back."

Hermione nodded. Just still so pleased that he had been alright. Snape observed the book she had been reading and did his best not to go completely mental on her. It was an expensive Potion ingredient encyclopedia that Lucius had given him for his 18th birthday. He rarely ever took it off the shelf in a bid to preserve it.

"And that book is older than anyone you know and worth more than your life." he said annoyed. "You'd better be careful with it."

The bushy haired witch smiled. She was glad to have her husband back at Hogwarts. But the question had been for how long?