AN – I own nothing!

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Chapter 19

Severus walked in the bedroom silently with a tray full of breakfast. The only piece of clothing that he wore was his black boxers. He set the tray on the side of the bed and leaned over, planting a kiss on Hermione's bare shoulder, and rubber her arm slightly.

"Severus…" Hermione murmured his name very groggily.

"Breakfast time Little One," he said brushing the curls away from her face. He watched her blink her cinnamon eyes several times, which made him smile.

Hermione sat up and stretched her neck, making the blanket slip down from her body, exposing her bare breasts. "Morning," she said softly.

Severus reached for the tray and moved it next to them. "Waffles with strawberries and some milk or coffee," he gestured at the tray.

"You cooked?" Hermione asked in surprise. The food looked very good, and tempting, making her mouth water.

"Of course I did," he snorted. "What you think I couldn't? Cooking really isn't that all different from potions. Quite simple really." Severus then picked up a single strawberry, dipped it in the whipped cream and brought it to her mouth.

Hermione bit half of the strawberry, and enjoyed the taste of its tangy sweetness.

"Are you sore?" Severus asked as he watched her swallow her food. "I could have a bath for you ready after this."

"I'm alright Severus, really. Doesn't hurt too much," she answered. She reached out and touched the stubble on his face with her fingers. He looked good with it, and she liked it.

"I was a little rough the last time," he said apologetically. He and Hermione made love twice more, and on the third time, he was rougher than the last two.

Hermione leaned over, and gave him a small peck on his lips. "And I liked every bit of it," she murmured against his lips. She then pulled back and looked at the food again. "May I try the waffle?"

Severus nodded. He poured a small amount of maple syrup onto the waffle and cut a piece off with a fork. He then fed her and then asked, "Is it good?"

"Scrumptious!" she grinned. "I hate to say it, but you're the cook in this relationship. I don't even think that I can cook as well as you do."

"You are a quick learner," Severus told her.

"No," she shook her head. "You are the cook, not me."

"Are you implying that I should cook for the both of us all the time and I continue to feed you?" he asked as he raised a brow.

"Are you going to complain?" she countered back.

"Not at all, light of my life." He then gave her another piece of the waffle. After, he ate one himself. "So anything in particular you would like to do for the next two weeks?"

"Besides make passionate love to you over and over?" Hermione said seductively. She moved and straddled his lap.

"I've created a Little Minx as well," Severus growled as he felt his cock slightly hardening. He bent his head placed a small kiss on her nipple. "We could go to Venice, Rome, or Milan. All wonderful places really. Be back here when night comes, and make love all you want."

"The beauty of apparating." Hermione then got the fork by herself and fed Severus herself. "We can come and go as well please, making our trips faster."

"Isn't that a wonderful thing Love?" he asked.

"What did you just call me?" Hermione asked in disbelief even though she heard him completely well. She felt her stomach flutter and her heart beat faster.

Severus then just realized what he had called her. Where in blazes did that come from? "I-umm…" he said, not knowing what to say.

"Do you love me Severus?" she asked.

Severus gulped. "I don't know."

No, Hermione thought. It was too soon, and if so, it was just the bond. "Excuse me," she said as she slid off his lap, and out of the bed.

"Where are you going?" Severus asked as he watched her walk away. He could feel her sadness.

"The loo."

When the bathroom door shut, Severus flopped himself down on the bed and sighed. Love… Did he love her? His wife was making him do things that he had never thought he would do in his entire life. She was also making him say things out of the blue. He shook his head. How could he, if he never had been in love with someone?

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Hermione looked at herself in the mirror after splashing some water on her face. She was hurting yet again, and she was starting to hate herself. Expectations. Why in the world was she expecting him to fall in love with her? And why also the other way? Lucius had to be mistaken. It was just wrong. Yes, it may have been possible, but it wasn't a sure answer.

She walked to the closet behind her and found her knickers. Not bothering to look for something decent to wear, she found one of his old grey shirts and just slipped it on. When she had opened the bathroom door, she found Severus sitting at the edge of the bed just looking at her. His emotions she couldn't feel for the nth time. Again, she knew that he purposely set up a wall around them.

"Care to finish breakfast?" Severus asked.

Hermione shook her head and walked to the other side of the bed, and sat on the arm chair nearby. She brought her knees close to her chest, as she curled into the seat. One thing that she had to learn was to block her emotions from him, and learn how to control them. Damn him for being an expert at it.

"Hermione, I'm sorry," he said as he knelt in front of her. He could feel her pain, and it was hurting him as well.

"Lucius said that I was falling for you," she said softly, purposely leaving the part of where he also said that Severus was falling for her as well.

"And are you?" he asked, surprised by what his ears just heard.

Hermione shrugged. "It was different when I was with Ron. I knew I wasn't in love with him, and I never would be."

"And what of me?" he asked. He felt something within himself, possibly being hope.

"I'm not going to deny the possibility of it either," she said, using the exact words that he had used the other day.

"Then why are you hurting Little One?" Severus asked. He placed his hand on her leg, thankful that she didn't push or kick him away.

"I'm afraid Severus," she admitted.

"Of what?"

"Of everything. I've lost so much already, I don't think I can lose anymore. When people, like Harry and Ron… when they find out about the real me, will they accept me for who I am? With the Malfoys, will I lose them too with all their sacrificing? With us… with you…"

"Yes?" Severus asked when she didn't continue.

"I'm afraid to lose you most of all," she finally said. "I do not know if I love you now, but I do know I need you."

Severus got up, and pulled her into his arms. Hermione immediately broke down into sobs against his bare chest. "I promised you that you would never lose me Little One, remember?" he asked into her hair.

Hermione just nodded.

"And I never break my promises, just so you know," he added.

Hermione looked up at him. "Don't hate me because I am weak."

"Why would I hate you? And you are anything but weak. You are Gryffindor."

"That's the first time you complimented my house," Hermione said, her sobs weakening.

"Silly girl!" Severus hissed, wiping the tears away from her eyes. He then kissed her gently, tasting her tongue with his. He then pulled away shortly. "Now, we must enjoy the rest of our honeymoon. Rome, Venice, or Milan is all ours for the taking. I don't want you to think of anything else. I just want you to be happy, and enjoy yourself until we go back."

"Only with you," Hermione said with a small smile.

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AN – They are both in denial yet again don't you think? Love the sweetness, love me. Review!