A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! Here is chapter two, and even more problems for our heroine.
Disclaimer: Unless pigs start flying(which will definitely not happen in the foreseeable future), I will never own these characters.

Chapter 2-

"Hermione, are you alright? You look pale."

Severus stared at me with concern, only making my dread grow more and more by the second. I was so dead. As he had told me many times, my husband was not a pleasant or a nice man. So far I had learned that fact over and over, and I had a feeling I was just about to learn it again--and hard. Unless... unless I didn't tell him. No, that would be an even worse idea than telling him! But...maybe I shouldn't tell him. Pain started building up in my head and the sensation of being in a box grew. I really need more time to think.

"O-oh I'm fine," I responded in what I knew was an unconvincing way. "Just fine."

He frowned. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Yes, I am. It's just a little headache."

"Do you want me to get you a potion?" Severus offered. "My seventh years brewed some earlier." He smirked. "I am sure that at least one of the potions they made is actually usable."

I laughed. "Oh, I'm sure. They are a NEWT level class after all. There has to be at least... five, I'd say, that were made well. Unless of course you've been slacking," I teased.

"Not any more than normal, my dear."

"Anyway, did you say something about a potion?"

Severus nodded and went over to the cabinet that held our personal potions stores. As he took out a headache potion I once again wondered something.

"Severus, why on earth do we keep our potion cabinet in here?" I mused. "It seems like such a strange place."

"In here is the most convenient place besides the lab," Severus explained. "It was either here or the kitchen."

I grimaced. "I see. That definitely wouldn't have been a good place."

"Not at all," he agreed. Sitting down next to me he handed me the small vial of green potion.

Nausea grew within me as I stared at the sickly green color. "Why... is it this color?" I choked out, trying to keep myself from throwing up all over our nice mahogany coffee table. "Isn't it supposed to be... a luminescent blue?"

Severus sighed, shaking his head in consternation. "There is no explanation. Somehow every potion one of my students brews ends up being this shade."

"Anthony Brooks?" I guessed.

He nodded.

"I thought he was getting better."

"His potions have improved, but the color remains the same." Severus leaned back against the sofa with another sigh. "Despite my best attempts I have not been successful in changing the color as of yet," he admitted tiredly.

"So er... despite the color, is it safe to take?"

"Perfectly," he responded, closing his eyes.

With one final distasteful look at the potion I pulled out the stopper and downed it. Almost instantly after I swallowed I started to feel relief from the pain. "Amazing!" I exclaimed. "Severus, it's as good as one of yours."

Severus opened one eye to look at me reproachfully. "Is that so?" he muttered in a miffed tone.

I quickly raised my hands in denial, giving an excellent imitation of Harry earlier on. "No, definitely not as good as yours. I just meant that Anthony has really improved since he was a first year and blowing up cauldrons. It's quite a good feat."

"Not really." Severus snorted. "Any remotely average student should be able to improve from destroying cauldrons."

Rolling my eyes I gave him a playful slap on his arm. "You're insufferable."

"You love me for it."

"Yes I do," I agreed with a small smile.

"Well I have to say, at least you were never melting cauldrons, or blowing things up."

I laughed. "No, I was just raising my hand constantly, being a pain in your arse."

Severus smirked. "And helping Longbottom, Weasley, and Potter, even after I told you not to, time and time again."

"Someone had to," I retorted, feeling a smidgen of old anger at the slight. "Otherwise there would have been even more explosions during classes."

"And for that I am eternally grateful, my dear."

"I am to please," I said simply.

We were both silent, consumed by our own thoughts. Now would be the perfect time to tell him. He was in a good mood, or at least a better mood than he was so often in. No one had blown up any cauldrons during lessons earlier, or I would have heard about it immediately. If Albus, Sybil, or one of the students had done something to upset him I would have heard about that as well. If that had happened he would have been screaming much more. If I was going to tell him, I needed to do it now. But when I opened my mouth to say the words nothing came out. My mouth felt extremely dry, my tongue like paper. I closed my mouth, swallowed, and tried again. But again nothing came out. Damn it.

This was not good at all. The silence felt like it was enclosing around me, strangling me. Luckily my growing panic was dissolved by the sound of my stomach growling.

Severus's eyes opened and he smiled. "Hungry?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for stating the obvious," I snarked. I mentally winced. Maybe I was spending too much time with him, like Harry had said. Nah, probably just my imagination. Or hunger. Or stupid pregnancy hormones...

"It's not surprising--it is about time for dinner to start. You may head up to the great hall ahead of me if you wish, I need to change into fresh robes."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Really? You? Isn't that more something I would do?"

"Perhaps, but these robes haven't been cleaned in awhile."

"Ah," I said. "So that's what the smell was."

"And I thought it was the aroma of your perfume," Severus deadpanned.

Smirking I stood. "You change, I'm going on up. I really am starving... I haven't had anything to eat since morning." And I really needed to talk to someone about my predicament since my attempt at talking with Harry and Ginny had failed so miserably. Maybe Albus would be the right person to talk to... or Poppy. Yes, a mediwitch would be best, although... she didn't know about my relationship with Ron, which would make things all the more complicated. Albus it was then. I had to stifle a groan. The headmaster was going to have a field day.

Standing Severus towered over me, something I had always been fond of. With a hint of a smile he spoke lowly, seductively, "I shall count the minutes, my beauty, until we may once more be alone."

Bending down he kissed me chastly on the lips, pulling away all too quickly. Turning he swept away, black robes billowing behind him in that mysterious way they had. The kiss had left me feeling weak in the knees, and if I had been in a happier mood I probably would have swooned. He had always held some sort of power over me, and I had never been able to figure out why.

As I watched him disappear into the bedroom I wondered at his behavior. Had a student slipped him some sort of lust potion or happiness potion? He wasn't acting like himself at all. It was a welcome change to be sure. She would have to ask around at dinner to see if any of the other professors had heard any rumors of a student drugging the dungeon bat.

--

Dinner seemed to be the same as usual. The students were rowdy, though still staying in line due to the presence of the teachers. I knew that if they were left to their own devices the great hall would soon become like a war zone. In a good way of course. After greeting the professors who were already seated, deftly avoiding Sybil at all costs, I took my seat at Albus's right side. He had talked me into sitting next to him during my first week at the castle three years ago, for whatever reason.

"Hermione," he greeted, eyes twinkling, "it is good to see you."

I blinked in confusion. "Whatever do you mean, Albus? You seem me daily."

As I helped myself to some mashed potatoes and grilled chicken he said, "After you missed breakfast this morning I was a tad bit worried about you."

"Oh... Well..." I swallowed. "I'm sorry that I didn't come... I was feeling a bit under the weather."

"Again?" asked Minerva, from the other side of the old man. "My dear, that is the third time this week. And it is only Wednesday!"

I laughed nervously. "No need to worry, I just picked up a little bug. That's all."

"Are you sure?" Minerva's eyes were so filled with genuine concern that I couldn't help but feel warmed at her affection.

I nodded. "Yes, I'm fine now, so don't worry about me," I lied. "So how were classes today? Severus was acting a bit strange earlier. Are there any rumors going round of someone slipping him something?"

Albus frowned. "Not that I have heard of..." He paused to spear a carrot with his fork. "Strange how?" he prodded gently.

"Well... it's probably nothing, really. He was just so... happy," I finished lamely. It sounded weird, saying it aloud like that. It sounded like it was nothing to worry about at all. And that would be true, if the person who was happy was anyone other than Severus Snape.

"Happy?" Minerva snorted. "Now that is something I would pay to see."

"I as well," agreed Albus. "It is not a common occurrence."

I mock glared at the two of them. "I am serious, you know."

"Are you? I thought Sirius was in Australia on a dig."

I groaned at the old man's joke. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

Stifling his chuckles Albus nodded. "I know, dear. But really... I do not think it is anything you need to be concerned about. Although not a generally happy person, Severus does have his moments when he does show joy."

"Such as?" Minerva muttered, her mouth full.

"Such as when he married our dear Hermione here."

We both stared incredulously at him, disbelieving. "He was...happy?" I finally asked, not fully believing the words.

Albus nodded. "Of course he was. Even then he cared for you."

Minerva and I exchanged looks that clearly said to just about anyone that we didn't believe a word of it. "Really Albus, there is no need to try and make the girl feel better about her sham of a marriage," Minerva chided.

I winced. So she thought my marriage was a sham? Great. Just bloody fantastic. I suppose that it had been a sham for the first three years, but at least now I was trying to make it really work. Things hadn't been going smoothly, that was for sure. Severus had a hard time opening up and trusting me after what I did, not that I could blame him. I had no right to put any blame on anyone but myself for anything that happened from now on. Well, from last month on. Well, I thought angrily. I guess I can't just come out and tell Minerva that I'm pregnant. And with her here, and so many students, I couldn't tell Albus either. I was once again at an impasse.

Just as I was about to take another bite of my food a hand gripped my arm in a vice-like grip, yanking me up. The chair I was in clattered to the floor. Raising my gaze to meet my assailants, I met the outraged obsidian eyes of my husband. Oh no... what was he mad about now?

"Severus, what--"

"We. Need. To. Talk. Now," he hissed, each word as sharp as a knife.

Before I had a chance to react he was dragging me from the great hall, through the door behind the staff table, and towards our chambers. His grip had moved from my arm to my wrist, and it had tightened as well, becoming painful. And in his other hand I saw an even more painfully familiar little white stick.

--

E/N: I'm sorry, I know it's another short chapter! Hermione is definitely in trouble now... how is she going to explain things to Sev? Find out next time! And in the mean time, reviews are greatly appreciated!