Hermione and Severus didn't speak much for the rest of the day, their meals were slightly awkward and the silence between them as Hermione shelved books was slightly strained.

Hermione kept staring at Severus, and had caught him doing the same a few times.

What happened now? It's not as though the romance novels Hermione had read shed light on etiquette one should abide by if one kisses their ex-professor turned ward.

Hermione sighed as she slid another book into its rightful place.

Professor Mils hadn't made a reappearance in the library since their confrontation a couple days ago. She was glad to at least not have to worry about the creep, she just had Severus to worry about. She looked over at him for the hundredth time and saw his brows knit and his mouth turned down into a frown.

"What's wrong," Hermione asked quietly. She didn't want to draw too much attention to them, but the students nearest them kept studying and didn't give the two a second glance anymore.

"Nothing," He said turning his back on her and walking to their desk opening the book he'd been reading, though Hermione had noticed that he hadn't turned a single page in the whole six hours they'd been there.

Hermione went back to shelving books, she figured that the idea of a relationship with her was a difficult one, but she hadn't thought it was that difficult.

Hermione docked points off of a Hufflepuff who was trying to sneak a piece of pie from his book bag and into his mouth. She did not allow food so close to the books, they were protected by charms to keep them clean, but those kinds of charms could only do so much and the thought of a book being so thoroughly damaged while under her care unnerved her.

The rest of the evening went smoothly, and Hermione and Severus were back in their rooms at last.

Severus continued to ignore her and Hermione eventually snapped.

"What is it?" Hermione said instantly catching Severus's attention with her angry tone. "Hmm? Is it the bushy hair? The age difference? I fixed the buck teeth. What's wrong with me then? Why won't you even look me in the eye?" Hermione had her hands on her hips and her face had a slight pink sheen to it.

"What on earth are you talking about, you daft woman?" Severus asked honestly confused.

"We kissed, for Merlin's sake and you've been acting as if we were fighting or something." Hermione sounded absolutely exasperated.

Severus went back over his actions today, he'd been in such a strange fog all day, he realized now that he'd seemed very cold to Hermione all day.

"I did not mean to be cruel," He started. "This whole thing is new to me and I had a lot to go over in my head, I did not mean to upset you." Severus looked at Hermione warily.

"You are so very lucky I understand what you're saying," Hermione said her hands still on her hips, but the pinkness gone and replaced with her naturally rosy freckled complexion.

Severus reached out and grabbed Hermione around the waist, bringing her down to sit in his lap.

Hermione squeaked a little as she landed in his lap.

Severus wrapped his arms awkwardly around her holding her without bringing her into his chest.

Hermione was having none of that though, and closed the distance wrapping her arms around his shoulders and leaning her whole upper body onto his chest.

"I'm sorry, truly I didn't consider how I seemed to you." Severus mumbled into her ear.

"I'm sorry I got angry," Hermione mumbled back into his ear. "We are just beginning, and for one of us everything is new," Hermione stopped then asked, "Is everything new?"

Severus stiffened and kept quiet.

Hermione knew that meant yes, Severus had never engaged in intimate behavior before.

"We'll go slow, I don't want to push you into anything you don't want." Hermione said, she meant it, but she also knew it'd be difficult she hadn't been laid since the last time she and Ron were together and Ron was engaged to get married, which roughly translated into it had been a while.

Severus nodded his head making her hair move.

They stayed like that wrapped around each other, not saying anything or moving.

Eventually Hermione broke the silence.

"May I kiss you?" She said it so softly Severus wasn't sure he'd heard her.

"Huh?"Severus said as she pulled back a little.

"I want to kiss you," Hermione said again.

Severus merely nodded.

Hermione moved forward and let her lips land softly on his. They snogged until the fire died and then they broke apart panting slightly.

"Shall we retire to bed?" Hermione asked.

Severus looked at her warily. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing too sinister, just bed," Hermione said innocently.

Severus nodded and Hermione climbed off his lap.

Both stood and Severus started to walk to his room.

Hermione was following him.

"What are you doing?" He asked confused.

"Going to bed." She replied nonchalantly.

Severus looked at her for a moment, then continued to his room, Hermione on his heels.

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Severus shut the door behind Hermione as they entered his bedroom.

The tension between them was thick.

"Which side shall I sleep on?" Hermione asked, her voice calm and demeanor controlled.

"I tend to end up on the right side of the bed," Severus said. "So I suppose you'd take the left side."

Hermione nodded and took off her robes leaving her in nothing but a T-shirt she'd had on under her robes and what Severus assumed were pain underwear.

Severus gulped, he turned away from Hermione as he took off his own clothes, and donned his pajamas.

Hermione watched as Severus tried to change as fast as humanly possible.

She could tell he was extremely uncomfortable with the situation, but Hermione intended to behave and she saw no other efficient way to get him used to their new relationship.

Severus finished changing and crawled into bed beside her.

Hermione rolled over to look at him, he was propped up against the headboard and his posture was very stiff.

"Are you going to lay down?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Not just yet." He replied looking down at her with a very serious expression.

Hermione nodded, you could lead a horse to water but you couldn't make it drink.

She snuggled into his side sensing his slight stiffening and ignoring it.

Severus reached down and began to gently stroke Hermione's hair, she sighed, gods did that feel good.

Soon Hermione was fast asleep, Severus on the other hand was wide awake and remained so for the rest of the evening.

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Hermione woke up to Severus's black eyes staring down at her face. When he saw she was awake he quickly averted his gaze.

Hermione stretched and the day began.

The two of them walked to breakfast and ate small portions, stopping periodically to look at one another. No one seemed to notice the change in the strange pair, and the two of them were quite alright with their privacy.

Professor Mils was missing at all three meals and was still missing from his research table.

Hermione was beginning to believe he'd decided to avoid the pair.

Life went on and a gentle new way of living formed between the two.

They slept in the same bed and would then spend the day reading or shelving books.

This was all working fine until Hermione discovered what Severus had been trying to hide from her.

The two of them had just finished up at the library when Hermione caught Severus yawning, she had noticed him looking more and more tired with each passing day.

"I think we'll head to bed early, yea?" Hermione said as they made their way to their rooms.

"If you want to do that we can," Severus replied.

"You look like you need a good night's sleep," Hermione said, trying not to annoy him but also voice her concern.

"I'm fine," Severus said quickly. "I've been sleeping fine."

Hermione's suspicions were confirmed with that last sentence.

"You haven't slept a full night since I've joined you, have you?" Hermione asked, already knowing the answer.

They reached their rooms and Severus sighed.

"I'm afraid I'll scare you," He said shame in every syllable he spoke.

"Trust me, you can't," Hermione said back with a snort.

Severus gave her a look that clearly said he was not amused by her.

"I want you to sleep tonight," Hermione said her tone commanding.

"Since when do I take orders from bossy Gryffindors?" Severus asked cheekily.

"Since you started sleeping with one," Hermione replied with equal cheek, and then she got up and walked toward the bedroom they now shared.

"Don't say it like that," Severus grumbled his cheeks pink. He got up and followed her.

Hermione stayed awake until she saw that he was complying with her wishes. It didn't take long for him to pass out, the lack of sleep had caught up with him.

Hermione watched him for a bit finding his calm face quite lovely and relaxing to look at.

She then eventually dropped off to sleep also.

Hermione woke an hour or so later to great howls of pain.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked her voice breaking as she got up to find Severus in the far corner of the room holding his head and howling in pain ever so often.

Hermione got up to go to him and he howled louder.

"What's wrong?" She said again her worry increasing.

"Knew it was a bad idea, knew it wouldn't work," Severus kept saying.

"Severus Snape!" Hermione yelled. "What on earth are you talking about? Let me help you."

Severus finally looked up at her with red rimmed eyes and a shaking frame.

She saw him suddenly cover his mouth and Hermione was up and guiding him to the bathroom in seconds, despite his fervent protests.

She lowered him to the tiled floor and held his long hair as he dry heaved into the toilet.

He eventually stopped retching long enough for Hermione to get a calming drought and some water into him.

Hermione rubbed his back in soothing circles and Severus eventually gave in and leaned back against her.

"Tell me what happened, please?" Hermione begged softly.

"I had a nightmare, and I must've tried to attack you. I woke up seizing against the wall where I'd been thrown after the binding protection charm went off." Severus said looking down.

She could tell he was ashamed that he'd tried to hurt her, even if he was deep in sleep's arms when he did it, but Hermione felt shame burn deeply through her also.

She'd made him sleep in the same bed as her and he'd tried to prevent this and she'd yet again forced him to do it.

Hermione felt tears crawl down her face. She buried her tear stained face into his back as she hugged him tightly.

"I'm..." Hermione started then choked on s sob, "I'm so sorry."

Severus turned to her slowly, painfully, and stared at her confused.

"Why are you sorry? Why are you crying?" Severus asked he sounded concerned and frightened.

Hermione couldn't reply yet and buried her head into his chest crying harder.

"Hermione you're scaring me," Severus whispered in her ear as he held her and tried to calm her down.

"It's all my fault," she managed to squeak out.

"What?" He asked shocked.

"I forced my presence on you and then I made you sleep and caused you pain." Hermione continued to cry.

"For such an intelligent witch you really are dumb sometimes." Severus said calmly.

"I don't blame you for this, I shouldn't have tried to hurt you, asleep or awake." He said with steel in his voice.

"How can you control that, if you're asleep?" Hermione asked looking at him still holding onto him.

"I shouldn't have given in and slept, constant vigilance," Severus quoted Moody.

"So you plan on never sleeping again?" Hermione asked her voice rising a little.

"If it's what I must do," Severus said looking over Hermione's head.

"Let's go get some sleep." Hermione whispered standing and helping Severus to his feet.

They left the bathroom and Severus headed to his room, Hermione though walked off to her own room for the first time in a week, she quietly closed the door and dropped onto her bed.

Severus should be happy to have his room back to himself, he could also sleep without worrying anymore. All these things his rational mind knew, but he felt terrible, and not because of the seizure. He missed her and he'd only just closed the door.

Severus dropped onto his bed face down letting the tears that had leaked out earlier to flow free.

He couldn't very well have sex with her if he had to send her back to her bed when it was time to sleep.

She deserved a man whom she could fall asleep with, one she could trust completely and not fear that one night he might try to kill her thinking she's the dark lord.

Severus remained face first in the bed letting his fears take control, he eventually curled onto his side and stared at the wall eyes blank.

Hermione was feeling the sudden change as well. Everything had happened so quickly that Hermione didn't know what to process first, and everything just kept getting jumbled.

She knew that going to her own room had been the right thing, that didn't mean it was easy.

She sighed and laid flat on her back staring up at the ceiling, she couldn't sleep like this, not after she'd become used to burrowing herself into Severus's side and falling asleep to the soft thump of his heart.

Hermione lay there for a while until she eventually drifted off her crying getting the better of her and taking her into sleep.