Ok – I'm so sorry!!! So much happened in the last month. I was all read to sit down and have a mammoth writing session, when I was contacted about a production of ''Hairspray'' I asked whether I could audition, so I did. And after two weeks of constant practice... I beat 20 other people in winning the role of Tracy Turnblad!!! I just hope that's a good enough excuse. Please review, and have a shout at me if you want!! :p

I had complete writers block with this chapter, I had a lo of PM's asking me to keep it T, and I had a lot of reviews asking for M. So I tried to hover somewhere in the middle. Review and let me know!!

Elle

xx

ps. I haven't beta'd this, bear with me, I went for speed over grammatical correctness!!

The first thing she noticed was the warmth that hit her skin. After first apparating to London, the newly weds had shown their holiday passes, been transferred via the hugest floo network Hermione had ever seen to Athens, and then on again to Heraklion, Crete. One final apparation took the pair to a large landscaped garden, Hermione looked about her, it was dark, they had left the party at about nine, and after allowing an hour for travelling, she worked out that it as probably somewhere around midnight in Crete. All she could see of her surroundings was a winding stone path, flanked by twinkling lamps pitched into the ground, and a large cream coloured, partially flat-roofed villa, with heaps of cerise bougainvillea pouring down the walls, and framing the olive wood shutters in the windows.

A gruff voice behind her muttered, ''Do you like it?''

Hermione just sighed, and nodded her head twice.

Severus gestured with his free arm, ''Shall we?''

''Yes please.'' Hermione noticed what seemed like hundreds of different plants and flowers on her way up to the house, all perfectly maintained, sweeping the large garden. Severus pushed open the front door and led her inside, flicking his wand to turn on the lights.

The room was instantly illuminated in a golden glow, Hermione could almost see her face reflecting in the shiny marble flooring. The rustic, whitewashed stone floors held candelabras filled with fresh candles and the ceiling was made up of huge, wooden planks. Hermione couldn't get over how airy and spacious the whole room was, she could never of imagined the ''Great Bat'' of the dungeons owning such a house.

''Would you like a drink?'' Severus asked, leading his new wife to a very modern, and, dare she say it, very muggle kitchen.

''Yes please,''

''Cup of tea?'' Severus asked, flicking the kettle on

''That would be lovely. Erm... Severus?'' Severus turned around, and cocked an eyebrow, Hermione continued, '' It's a lovely house.'' That wasn't all Hermione wanted to say, but she would ask more later, when she and her husband were ''better acquainted''.

Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, she had gotten changed out of her wedding dress and into a pretty cotton nightdress. Severus was sat on the bed, looking slightly ill.

''I'm sorry about this'' he whispered

''This?'' Hermione asked

Severus gestured first to himself, and then to his young wife, ''You shouldn't be here. Not now, not ever. Not married to me. You should be fumbling around with Potter, or the Weasley boy, not stood in front of an old man.'' He looked at that moment, a broken man to Hermione. Not old, but used beyond his years. A man who had spent too long under two masters, trying to please both, but never being good enough. Both always wanting more from him than he could give.

''You're not an old man'' Hermione whispered. She admitted, he was older than her, but it was nothing when she thought about the lifespan a wizard had. Things seemed better when you knew you had one hundred and fifty years or so to think something through.

''That's as may be. But I'm a bad person. The things I've done with these hands. They're soaked in your friends blood''

''No, they're not.'' Hermione walked over to the edge of the bed where Severus was sat, dropped to her knees an took his trembling hands in her own. ''You did no more than you had to.''

''But... I tortured people, killed them. At the revels...'' he trailed off.

''At the revels what?'' Hermione asked, rubbing soothing circles on the back of his hands

''I had to watch what they did, the torture, and rape and eventual murder of innocent victims. Mainly muggles, from farms, or huge cities, people who wouldn't be missed. Just for fun.''

''You had to watch?'' Severus just nodded his head, ''So you never joined in?''

''No. I just don't get off on that sort of thing. I never saw the point. Don't get me wrong Hermione, I'm not all sunshine and roses. You know as well as most that I can be a complete bastard, and by the way. I'm sorry about your teeth in fourth year.'' Hermione blushed and ducked her head, stifling a giggle, Severus pretended not to notice and carried on talking regardless, ''Please don't think I'm a bad person though, I know I'm not the nicest, but I really haven't had much practise. I have been coming here whenever I can to relax, and become a better person.''

''I didn't know you owned such a beautiful house. I mean, when we saw in the pensieve I just saw Spinners End.''

''Well, I didn't have a house like this until a couple of years ago. When I agreed to kill Albus, which took a long time, the old man left this place to me in his will, as a place to unwind. I love it here, it's beautiful. It's not massive, but it's got four bedrooms, and plenty of space. Lucius laughs, he says it's not a proper sized house, and why don't I sell it and buy a nice English manor?'' A corner of his lip raised slightly.

''Lucius is very English though, isn't he? Is he really okay? I mean...''

''Has he really converted?'' Severus offered.

''Yeah''

''I'm not sure, they say a leopard can't change it's spots.''

''I don't think Lucius means to be bad.'' Hermione said

''What do you mean?''

''Well, he grew up being told to hate muggles, that they were the scum of the earth. I mean, he never stood a chance really.''

''Fair point, his father was a complete bastard, you think Lucius was bad? Multiply it by about fifty''

''I see.'' Hermione yawned, ''Sorry, it's been a long day''

Severus just nodded, the looked slightly awkward, ''Erm... shall we?'' He help Hermione up from the cold floor, and she sat on top of the covers on the bed instead.

''Can I just... see you? I've never...'' She stopped herself, before embarrassing herself any further.

Without a word, Severus slowly unbuttoned his smart jacket, and took off his boots, standing up to place them by the chair at the dressing table. He didn't want to embarrass Hermione, so he just stood in the centre of the room, waiting for her to make the first move.

Hermione looked at him where he had stopped, he was wearing very tight fitting black trousers and a loose, white linen shirt. She stood and walked over to him. Raising trembling fingers, she began to unbutton the shirt, but couldn't quite manage the tiny black rhinestone buttons in her clammy hands. Severus placed his large, slender hands over hers to still them, moved them back to her sides and slowly finished what she started. Only pausing briefly, before removing the shirt completely, and letting it drop to the floor. Hermione gasped as he revealed the smooth planes of his chest. Definitely not a six pack, but very toned, she saw his biceps flex under her scrutiny, and his pectorals quiver as she reached out to touch his collarbone. Stretching from the left hand side of his torso, next to his armpit, and just missing his left nipple where it ended, a faint scar was etched along Severus' chest. Tracing her finger over it, Hermione watched as Severus quivered. She flicked her eyes up to meet his, and watched his reaction as she pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder

''How did you get the scar?'' She whispered, not sure of his reaction.

Severus didn't even lose eye contact with her, ''I had my own cutting curse used against me during the final battle, I didn't have time then to heal it properly, so I just sealed it.''

''Will it ever heal?'' Hermione asked, not really referring to her husbands scar at all.

Severus caught on straight away, ''With a bit of patience and care, I think it may get better, in time.''

''Then I will try my best.''

It was Hermione who broke the eye contact when Severus lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed, placing her down lightly, he whispered, ''Do you trust me?'' Hermione nodded slightly, looking nervous, ''Are you sure? Because if you're not we have a whole week.''

Hermione fingered the rope winding around her wrist, strengthening her resolve, she replied, ''I am sure.''

Severus descended on her, gently kissing her fingertips, then moving up to her wrist, where the rope was tied. His lips fluttered up her arms and along her collarbone. Beginning to move down the other arm Severus crossed to her torso and began to kiss her sternum through her thin white nightdress. Hermione however stopped his hands as he reached near her breasts, Severus instantly let her go and watched in dismay as she stood up.

''You undressed for me'' Hermione said blushing as she let go of the fold of fabric and exposed herself.

She wasn't too thin, and not toned at all. She spent hours reading in the library at school, so it was hardly surprising. Yet she did have stunning feminine curves in all the right places. Hermione walked back to the bed, and lay down again in the centre Severus crouched beside her and kissed all over her body, right down to the wiry, brown curls hiding her sex.

Taking in a deep breath, he whispered, ''Are you ready?''

Hermione just nodded as Severus pushed one of his long, lean fingers straight into her, she experimentally moved against it, and moaned when her husband bent it inside of her, pushing it against her walls. Severus moved his thumb to his wife's clitoris and gently began circling it, the speed growing faster and faster as she sped to orgasm, before she even managed to catch her breath, Severus was on top of her again. He raised an eyebrow at her, almost smiling at her flustered state, before moving to kiss her neck. With one thrust he was embedded within her heat.

He wiped one tiny tear away from Hermione's eye and she whispered, ''It doesn't hurt too much, it was just a shock, that's all.''

Hermione's head was resting in the crook of Severus' elbow, he was breathing deeply, almost asleep. She didn't know he could hear her when she murmured, ''Wish I could get off like that by myself, I'd be a much happier person.''

Severus just raised an eyebrow.

Please review and chivvy me along a bit!! I'll write faster, I promise!!!

ps. Lurkers... if you don't review, I'll name and shame you next chapter!!

BE WARNED!!

love to all xxx