Chapter 39: The Makings Of Mutual Appreciation

{A/N: Here's Another Update...}

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The Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Oatmeal had been a less than appetizing breakfast than Hermione had anticipated as she sifted through the steaming hot bowl before her that she'd chosen when she first arrived. She couldn't eat a thing for worry about the Potions Professor condition given how he'd been when she left him the previous night. He had not known that she lingered at the door for a few moments debating whither or not she should return to him. Presently, Severus Snape had been sitting in his usual seat at the Staff table not at all interested in his breakfast either. Of course it had not been due to nerves unlike her, but due to his condition upon awakening. Hermione had known all too well that the potions used to restore his battered body had made it impossible for him to take on food this early in the morning and that he'd still been feeling some residual effects from his drinking binge.

"Mione." said the voice of Harry Potter getting the attention of the contemplating witch as she did her best to shift her focus from her husband and back to her untouched meal.

"Y-Yes Harry?" she replied caught off guard.

"You haven't eaten a bite since we first arrived." said Harry looking her over with a good deal of concern. "Is something wrong?"

"I've just got a lot on my mind." said Hermione attempting to change the subject. "So much is happening with the laws being changed and so forth."

Harry sighed.

"Yeah, that's pretty ghastly thing to think about." he replied. "Being forced into marriage just because of a blood status."

Hermione turned her attention once more to the ebony clad wizard trying his best to keep the symptoms of his agony a secret in the presence of everyone in attendance.

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The Staff Table, The Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Severus Snape tried his best to quell the wave of nausea that hit him as he attempted to lift his spoon from the bowl of oatmeal placed in front of him. It was a bland as tasteless glop could get, per his usual of course when he'd been forced to dine among the fellow inhabitants of Hogwarts Castle. He had not been in much of a mood for social gatherings but the need to keep up appearances had been his main priority. On occasion his glance would move in the young Gryffindor witch's direction as she sat quietly amoungst her friends meeting his gaze now and again.

"Miss Granger seems to be doing well." said Dumbledore as his blue eyes twinkled in reaction to the peaceful setting. "Wouldn't you say Severus?"

"How would I know, she's barely said a word to me in weeks." replied the Potions Master glaring down at his bowl and sifting through his supposed meal.

"Oh come now Severus, surely married life can't be all that bad." said Dumbledore making sure to keep that last remark just between them.

Snape rolled his eyes.

Every fiber of his being wished to hex the old fool, but he remained even tempered. Since his drunken apology, Hermione had seemed less inclined to flee when faced with being in his presence, even if it had been due to sharing a meal with the entire school.

He turned his attention back to the witch, as wonder filled him as to what she'd been thinking before noting her relaxed state when she'd been with her mates. He dared not call attention to just how beautiful she looked despite wearing her school robes and her unruly hair running amuk.

Her eyes often shimmered when she'd been delighted and she seemed very much at ease surrounded by the likes of Potter and Weasley.

A bit of bitterness filled him as he noted that she'd never been that relaxed around him, and her eyes only shimmered in delight when she'd been getting an assignment or riding his cock in the dark confines of some unknown room where her friends could not venture.

The Potions Master attempted to shake the strange thoughts from his mind, turning his attention back to his meal taking up a fork full despite the pains in his belly and consuming it before the masses if only to quell incessant questions.

"You seem to be feeling better." said Dumbledore observing him.

"So it would seem." replied Snape ignoring the pain he'd been in to put on a show.

Hermione seemed to have let out what seemed to have been a sigh of relief as she took up her own spoon and began eating now that she was satisfied that he'd been alright. She had no other indication of her current belief of this but it was more than enough to get her through breakfast until she found time to be alone with him to question it fully.

Snape smirked as he ate knowing full well what her intentions had been and that she'd still found herself taking an interest in his personal affairs.

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The Gryffindor Table, The Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Unable to finish off the remainder of her breakfast, Hermione took a few moments to gather her thoughts as she watched her Potions Professor husband get to his feet and make his way out of the Great Hall via the teacher's door. She was grateful enough that he'd managed to eat despite his condition but she suspected he'd merely been putting on a show for those around them. The young witch had it on good authority that her cranky git husband had never liked to eat much after a round of torture from the despot given the reaction to the potion he'd ingested and the wounds left behind.

Ever the curious kind, Hermione waited a few moments before excusing herself from the table and made her way out into the vast corridor leaving her inquisitive friends and the observant Headmaster behind to ponder what she'd been up to.

At that moment, she had been on a mission for answers from Severus Snape and everything else had been secondary in her already contemplating mind.