AN – I own nothing!

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Chapter 36

It was two-thirty in the morning. Severus hadn't had an ounce of sleep. He was seated on the arms chair in the living area. The television was on and on mute. He wasn't watching through, and was very deep in thought.

He turned his head and saw Hermione, sound asleep in bed. Shaking his head, he sighed. He was angry to say the least. Angry at Ron for hitting her, and giving her the bruises that he saw on her body. Most of all, angry at himself. He almost struck her with the back of his hand. He doubted her. Her trust and love for him, when he shouldn't have. If he just wasn't stubborn and listened to her, they wouldn't have fought.

Now, Hermione was carrying their child—a son. Memories of his father disturbed him. He could just imagine himself to be just like him. Abusing his wife and child. He hated his father and when he was younger, he vowed to himself that he wouldn't be like him. With what he almost did hours ago, he wasn't far from being like him.

He hated himself. She deserved better. He didn't deserve her undying love for him. Would Hermione be happy with him until the end? He did love her, and was willing to let her go if she wasn't happy him.

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Hermione opened her eyes, and slightly stretched her muscles. She turned on her other side and was surprised that Severus's side of the bed was empty. He wasn't there. She sat up and saw some light from the living room. There, she saw Severus. She could feel him right away. He was angry. Was he still angry at her? Was he not happy about the baby?

She wanted to call out to him. She needed his touch and comfort. Remembering his words of apology, she wondered if it was all just a dream. Perhaps it was because evidently, he was still mad. She was still being blamed, and hated. Afraid, feeling cold and alone, Hermione clutched her knees to herself, along with the comforter and blankets.

Severus's hearing heard some movement on the bed. He ignored it and thought that Hermione just moved a little. After a minute, he heard another noise that caught his attention. It was sniffling. He knew the sound all too well, and knew that his wife was crying. There on the bed, he saw that his wife seemed very venerable. He stood up and walked towards her.

Hermione saw Severus coming towards her. She didn't know what to do. All she did was clutch onto the sheets and her knees tightly, trying to prepare herself for the onslaught.

"Hermione? What's the matter?" Severus asked her softly as he sat down on the edge of the bed, right next to her. "Did you have a bad dream?"

She shook her head, refusing to look at him.

"Then what is it?"

"You're still angry at me," she whimpered. "I can get out of here if you want, just say it."

Severus understood her. She thought that he was angry at her, but no. "Come here my Little One," he said as he pulled her to him. He cradled her on his lap and in his arms, and kissed her temple. "I am not angry at you."

Hermione broke down into sobs as she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest, trying to get as close to him as possible. How she needed his touch.

"Hush Little One, hush…" Severus whispered. "There's no need to cry. I'm here now." He continued to whisper words of comfort to her so as to calm her down.

"Why are you angry?" she asked after she calmed. Her arms around his chest and her temple against his lips.

"What did Weasley do to you? I need to know everything."

"He was such a prat the entire time," Hermione said. First, she told him how she informed everyone at the party that she met someone it Italy, and how Ron reacted. Then, she told him about what had happened in his room when she tried to talk to him.

Severus's blood was boiling at a higher temperature as Hermione continued to tell the story. How dare he call his wife a whore! How dare he treat her in such a manner! No woman should ever be man handled, especially one like his wife. The boy's obsession of her was clear. He had some sort of twisted reality. And of all things, he had to be dealt with.

"He even said rude things about grandfather at the table," Hermione continued. "He called him a traitor, a faker, and even accused him of being a possible follower of the Dark Lord. God, I wanted to hex him right on the spot."

"I would have loved to see that happen."

"I had enough and I couldn't stand to be near him, so I went outside. He followed and… that's when you saw…" she trailed off, not wanting to continue.

"I am so sorry Hermione," Severus apologized. He kissed her temple a few times, and inhaled the scent of her hair. "Forgive me."

She shifted in his lap and gave him a peck on his lips. "Thank Merlin Tonks barged into the room on time when Ron was being abusive. Otherwise, he may have done worse."

Once again, Severus was reminded of how he almost smacked his wife. Abusiveness. Like father, like son.

"When I was puking in the bathroom, she was actually the one that said that I could be pregnant," she smiled. "When she did the test, the light turned blue." Hermione's smile faded when Severus didn't react. He seemed so distant, and unhappy. "Severus…"

"Yes?" he asked as he was distracted by her calling his name.

"Are you not happy that we are going to have a child?"

"I am Hermione," he said sadly. "However… I am angry at myself."

"Why?" Hermione was very confused at the moment.

"I almost struck you and it reminded me of my father. It scares me to think that I may end up being like him… abusive. Merlin knows I love you, but I am afraid that I will harm you physically one day." He looked away from her, feeling ashamed. "I'd kill myself before I'd ever hit you," he said to himself, but Hermione heard him perfectly well.

Hermione needed no further explanation. She understood Severus completely. "Severus," Hermione started as she placed a palm on his cheek, and made him look at her. "You are nothing like your father, and will never be like him."

"How sure are you?"

"Unlike him Severus, you have a heart. You made me fall in love with you. You are a loving husband, and soon to be a loving father."

"I do not deserve you," Severus said as he touched the soft skin on her cheek. "If you find happiness elsewhere with another, I will let you go."

"And if all the happiness that I want is here?" Hermione asked as she wrapped his arms around her tighter.

"Then I will hold you forever," Severus replied, brushing his lips against hers.

"Then there is nowhere else I'd rather be," Hermione said as she kissed him. Hermione loved kissing Severus. His lips and tongue against hers, dancing with hers, were always so soft. With Hermione only wearing a pair of knickers and a grey shirt, Severus's hands lifted up the shirt and took it off, breaking their kiss for a brief moment.

He maneuvered himself and turned, pushing Hermione to lie in the center of the bed with his body. He covered her body with his. Head to head, lips to lips, chest to chest. His growing cock evident between her legs.

She ground herself up against him. His hard muscled chest on her breasts, and his cock making her wetter underneath her knickers. The man truly was a sex God. Only he could make her feel that turned on. Her head snapped back as he captured one of her nipples in his mouth.

"Severus…" she moaned as he felt his hand enter the top of her knickers, a finger teasing her clit.

Severus popped the nipple out of his mouth and smiled to himself. His tongue trailed down to her stomach. When he reached the middle, he stopped and stared at it. His son was growing inside. He was still having a hard time believing it. He planted numerous small kisses on her stomach, even nuzzled his nose on Hermione's small belly button.

"We made a baby," Hermione said softly as her fingers ran through Severus's hair.

"I still can't believe it," he murmured against her skin.

"A son, made out of love and nothing less," she added.

"Yes," he agreed. Suddenly, Severus heard a loud growl.

"What was that?" Severus asked he rested his chin on her navel.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said as she placed a hand on face. She shook her head, and felt embarrassed.

"Did your stomach just growl?" he chuckled.

"I couldn't help it," she chuckled back.

Severus moved off Hermione and lay beside her, resting on his elbow. "You threw everything up hours ago. You must be hungry?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry. I know you want to make love."

Severus kissed her on the lips, and rubbed his nose against hers. "We can do that some other time Little One. For now, you must eat." He sat up and pulled Hermione up along with him.

Later, the both of them had a light and simple meal. A salad with smoked salmon, and toasted bread on the side.

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AN – I'm all teary again. Sorry, the lemons didn't squeeze out. Review!