A/N: Hello all. I hope you liked that chapter. I know it was short. I think this one might be longer and we might see a certain change in their relationship. You guys should also know that rock cakes are very real and very yummy! I love the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook. Anyway, not a lot to say today, other than it's difficult to write with a kitten attacking your fingers every couple of minutes….or your hair or walking across the keyboard…anyway here's your chapter

Chapter 32

Hermione sat at a table in the corner of the library, her school work in front of her and for once, her mind drawing a blank. She knew most of the subject material. But she could not focus at all. Her mind kept straying back to last night, and how Severus just rejected her. Obviously he had wanted to continue seeing as he carried her to the bed. So why did he stop. She thought she had made it fairly obvious that she wanted things to happen. Staring at her page, with all of three words written, she knew she wouldn't be able to finish without getting her mind off of the events of the previous night.

She opened her bag and waved her wand, with the intention of quickly putting everything away. And when nothing happened, she was hit with the reminder of the fact her powers had been bound. This particular ability probably so she couldn't send objects flying to impale anyone. Instead she gathered up her supplies and hand placed them in her bag and headed off towards the headmaster's office.

"Severus," She commanded as she stood across from him at his desk, "why did you suddenly reject me last night."

Severus sighed, but refused to look up from his paperwork, "Because you aren't ready for the action you were taking."

"I think I am capable of deciding when I am ready to have sex."

"Really, Miss Granger?" Severus asked, purposely using her given name as he he looked up at her with a cold stare, "Are you really ready to have sex with me? Did you just magically move on from the fact that I bound you? Or were you just turned on after watching me ravage another woman? What if it had been a younger woman? Would you have begged me to take you right then?"

Hermione was shocked. He hadn't used this tone with her since before they were actually married.

"You said you wanted to try for a real relationship, Hermione. I myself am not comfortable having sex with you until you decide you can discuss what you are feeling with me. And until we know one another better."

She had to admit, she had tried to block that evening from her mind. It was hard enough feeling limited, but having seen what he was capable of as far as sex goes, made her a little uncomfortable.

"You want me to talk about how I feel? How I honestly feel?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't meant it."

"Unbind me."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Severus. I want you to unbind me. I feel useless, trapped, like a part of me is missing. I know why I am bound. But I can't exactly run away like before. Bind me when we leave the castle, bind me so that I cannot leave without you. I don't care, but I will not be limited anymore. I can't even perform some of the simplest magic that I have performing since my first week at Hogwarts."

"Hermione-"

"No, you will unbind me. There's no need to bind me here at school. I won't be near you at all times, and if the Carrows decide that they want to mess with me, I need to be able to protect myself. If Vol-If you-know-who visits, or we visit him, then bind me. I'm not going anywhere. I love Hogwarts. I always have and I always will. I am more likely to run to Hogwarts than away from it."

Severus sighed. He had to admit she made a point and it might help to getting her to open up to him a little.

"Fine, but under the condition that you do talk to me, about how you feel, be it events future or past. And do not think I will be easily offended. If you tell me that I have done something to terrify you, anger you, hurt you. I need to know these things."

"This better be a two-way communication then."

"Agreed," Severus said, holding out a hand. Hermione placed her hand in his and felt a rush.

Hermione turned to return to the library to do her work and paused, "Severus, is that the only reason you rejected me last night?"

Severus thought about how to answer, holding back a groan from the mere thought of it. He stood up and walked over to her, towering over her and looking down into her wide brown eyes. He placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her with the same passion she had shown the night before, "Yes, you ridiculous witch. Now go do your school work and leave me be."

Hermione had finished most of her class work by lunch. She was in the middle of reviewing her Transfiguration essay on turning oneself into inanimate objects, when a plate with a salad was set down next to her paper. She looked up to see Severus standing there holding another plate in his other hand.

"You still need to eat, even if you get to work on your class work at all hours of the day. I thought we might enjoy a meal together."

"I was just finish-"

"How many times have you looked over it?"

"This is my second check."

"Which means you'll probably check it at least two more times and then rewrite it just to be safe. So stop where you are, and enjoy lunch."

She wanted to fight it, and keep working, and it wasn't the first time someone had to force her to stop working. Not to mention she was starving, having skipped out early to start her work and eating a rock-cake fresh from the kitchen.

She slid her work gently to the side and moved the plate in front of her as Severus took a seat next to her.

"Is it safe to say you're ahead of your professors?"

"Not quite. I have three weeks worth of work and I'm only done with this week's."

"How ever did you time for the rule breaking you and your friends got into? Especially because I know you hand in their homework."

"I wanted to be as successful as my parents, maybe more so. So even before I knew I was a witch, I threw myself into my studies. Here, I guess, I knew I couldn't fail."

"Did you get a chance to enjoy your flowers," Severus said, trying to change the topic for the moment. He didn't want to go into a conversation that he sensed might go a little deeper than either of them cared for.

"I did, and then I traded them to the house-elves for a quick breakfast this morning."

"There will be no more of that. I want to make sure you're eating properly."

"Severus I think I can manage."

"Not from what I've seen. You might have managed fine before, but you are pregnant."

"I think I know that, Severus."

"Do you? You seem to keep acting like before. Barely eating, running full speed ahead, you're going to exhaust yourself."

Hermione sighed and continued eating her salad. Maybe it hadn't hit her yet. The morning sickness was just vomiting, which she had experienced before. The slightly extra hunger was dismissible. They finished their meal in silence, much like their dinners at Spinner's end. Hermione could see a small family being raised that way. Quiet family dinners, getting to live in Hogwarts. She could see it as a possibility. Imagining Severus there was still difficult, but even if it was as a visitor on the occasional dinner, it would work.

Severus snapped his fingers to have the plates disappear when they were done, and Hermione made a mental note to discuss S.P.E.W. with Severus. He walked off and Hermione returned to her work.