Author's Note: First let me thank everyone who had reviewed, alerted, or put this story on their favorites it means a lot to me and keeps me writing.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do I really need to say that I don't own them? I'm just playing with someone else's toys and do return them in the same shape I have found them (well that may not always be the case).

An hour later Hermione seemed to be out of the dark mood she had been in when they entered the hall, she was smiling at him. Laughing with others, and he caught her several times now looking at the dance floor.

Finally he went to her holding out his hand he said,

"May I have this dance?"

She smiled up at him shyly before taking his hand letting him lead her to the dance floor, once he had her held close to him he whispered to her,

"You look beautiful Hermione."

He was rewarded when her cheeks turned a bit pink.

"Thank you." She finally said, "The eye, do I want to know?"

"I'll tell you later."

He pulled her closer to him as they danced.

Hours later once most of the hall had cleared out, the newlyweds on their way to unknown destination Severus asked,

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"Water."

"I'll be back."

She watched as he walked across the room, when from behind her she heard.

"May I?" she turned to see Ginny behind her pointing to a chair.

"I suppose." Hermione said.

Ginny sat before saying,

"I'd like….. I have something….."

Hermione held up her hand saying,

"Not tonight, honestly I'm in the first real good mood I've been in for some time. I don't want anything to dampen it right now, which I am sure anything we need to say will do. Your staying over Christmas, we can talk tomorrow or the next day."

Ginny looked at her for a long moment before finally saying,

"Sure." She got up to leave as Severus came back.

Hermione stood saying to him.

"Let's go for a walk."

He took her arm leading her out of the hall, once they were away from everything he asked,

"Did Mrs. Potter upset you?"

"No, I won't let her tonight."

"Good." He said as he moved his hand to hers. She looked over at him before pulling him into a dark corner of the hallway, she wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him. She ran her tongue along his bottom lip, he deepened the kiss. His hand going to her hair, hers moving down to his waist.

When he pulled back she kissed along his jaw back to behind his ear making him hiss when her tongue darted out licking a sensitive spot right behind his ear. He moved his arms around her pulling her closer to him as she found his mouth again.

When she pulled back she whispered to him,

"Let's go."

He took her hand in his leading her to the rooms they shared in the dungeon, when the door closed he pressed her against it before kissing her again deeply. Before he pulled back saying,

"You're so beautiful Hermione."

He took her hand leading her to the chair before the fireplace, sitting in his chair he brought her down onto his lap where he wrapped his arm around her, his other hand laying on her thigh before he kissed her again.

He ran his hand up and down her side as he kissed her, his fingers lingering over the outside of her covered breast. When she pulled back he watched as she tilted her head back, he looked at her exposed throat groaning a sound that barely made it further than his chest as he kissed her neck, then nipped and licked the same spots.

Hermione had one hand in his hair, the other was undoing the buttons on his frock coat. Once she had enough of them undone she slipped her hand inside feeling his heat though the thin shirt he had on as she ran her hand around to his side then back around.

Severus moaned at her touch, it felt like lines of fire being left against him where she ran her fingers across him.

Suddenly what Ron said earlier popped into her mind, she jumped off Severus' lap moving to the other side of the room before saying,

"God, I'm so sorry. I didn't… I just… I lost…"

Severus felt her tense a moment before she was off of him walking across the room, he tried to get his mind out of the fog of desire he was in. She was apologizing to him,

"What?" he said before he fully had all of his mental capabilities back.

When she just kept staring at him he stood walking toward her but she backed up.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm not…. I shouldn't have done it, I'm sor…."

"I'm not, now what is wrong?"

She just looked at him for a long moment and he was sure she wasn't going to answer him when finally she said,

"I'm not some harlot."

"What? I never thought that." Suddenly the answer came to him clearly. Weasley.

"What did he say to you?" Severus asked.

"Nothing."

"Hermione, what happen between Ron Weasley and you?"

"No, I can't." She was backing up again.

"It cannot be as bad as what I've done to you."

"It doesn't matter Severus."

"yes it does."

"No, I don't want to talk about it."

"Then come back over here, we can…."

"No, I'm going to bed." She said.

Severus sat back in the chair wondering what happen, his hand going to the rings that he still wore around his neck. He would wait until she was ready, if it didn't kill him first.

He heard the water run in the shower for some time before it became quiet, he finally went to his room not sure he would find her in his bed tonight. But she was there asleep, he dressed for bed in the dark before laying down beside her.

Hermione heard him come into the room, she had thought about what happen while she was in the shower. Was it really fair to him if she didn't know if she could ever get over the past to have sex with him.

When he got into bed she turned to him before saying,

"I shouldn't have let it get that far, not when I'm not…."

"It's fine Hermione," he cut her off. "I know it's going to take time. Would you tell me what happen between you and Ron Weasley?"

"No, and honestly I don't know if I ever will."

"Why?"

"It's just….." what could she say? She just didn't want him to know, it was bad enough that Harry knew and she swore him to secretary over it. Harry wouldn't know if he had not been there at the end of what happen. "I can't." She said.

He didn't know if she meant she couldn't talk about it or if she just couldn't tell him.

He wrapped his arms around her pulling her to him before saying,

"Someday then."

Author's Note: Comments really do make me smile and brighten my day.

Also I wanted to let you know that I have a couple of Severus/Hermione videos on youtube, the link is in my profile.