Chapter 48: The Outskirts Of Cerebral Depth

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

My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

{"I been thinkin' 'bout our love situation...All this attraction in the present tense...I've reached the only logical conclusion...Love ain't supposed to make sense...This ain't no thinkin' thing, right brain, left brain...It goes a little deeper than that...It's a chemical, physical, emotional devotion...Passion that we can't hold back...There's nothin' that we need to analyze...There ain't no rhyme or reason why...'Cause this ain't, this ain't no thinkin' thing...."} This Aint No Thinkin' Thing, Trace Adkins

The Grounds, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Hermione Granger found herself alone outside in the lazy afternoon sun after scolding both Harry and Ron for their idiocy in snooping and following her with the invisibility cloak. Needless to say, she made it very clear that if she caught so much as a shimmer in the sunlight she was going to set the cloak on fire and whom ever was idiotic enough to be wearing it at the moment along with it. Still very much annoyed, she found herself on the far side of the grounds when she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure cloaked in black making it's way toward the forbidden forest. It had occurred to her that her Potions Professor husband had been possibly in search for more ingredients for his next classes and it provided the perfect opportunity for her to see how he had been faring since she'd seen him last. He'd been having trouble keeping a meal down after his latest round of torment via the despot and he seemed to be more exhausted than usual.

It concerned her a great deal that he'd been unable to get more than a moment's rest given Dumbledore and Voldemort's collective demands on top of being Head of Slytherin and dealing with numerous students, all while teaching a class...and she had also missed spending time with him. While their previous efforts had mostly lead to them rutting away whenever they'd been alone, she had hoped that they could at least have a moment to chat if nothing else.

Despite being quite sure of her feelings for him, she had not been in the least sure that he felt the same way about her and knew better than to prod any further. Snape made his way between a few trees intent on finding his ingredients and not in the least interested in the curious nature of his young wife. He had too much to do as it were and he had opted to get a head start on it before he would be summoned again.

Hermione briskly moved toward him, knowing full well that Harry's accursed map could not see what she'd been doing in the forest if she remained off Hogwarts grounds. Snape came past her, his robes billowing in the distance as he set his sights on his first round of herbs. It was quite a peaceful afternoon, all things considered and he had not had to endure the endless droves of idiotic students nor the overbearing staff out here.

Much to Hermione's shock, Snape set a bout picking the ingredients in a slow manner. A clear reflection of his recovery and still lingering pain. Unable to take watching him suffer for very long, the bushy haired girl stepped out of the shadow of the surrounding trees and approached the dour wizard unsure of how he'd receive her given his attitude after what happened in his classroom.

"Don't you have anything better to do other than snoop about in the shadows, Miss Granger?" asked Snape not at all looking in her direction.

"Well I...no." she replied. "As a matter of fact I don't...I simply saw you limping and figured you could use the assistance."

"Well you figured wrong." replied Snape. "You can run along back to school now, your assistance isn't required."

Hermione sighed.

He was just as thick-headed as always it seemed.

"Severus, you are clearly in a good deal of pain...why won't you let me help you?" she asked clearly concerned for him.

"Why won't you leave me alone!?" he growled suddenly advancing on her in his usual brisk stride given his long legs. "Why does every waking facet of my life have to involve you!?"

Hermione had not known what to say. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked back at him not even sure how she should feel at this moment.

Snape sighed.

He could never get the concept of this whole "marriage" endeavor even if he tried.

"Look I don't wish to have company...I came out here to be alone." he reasoned knowing all too well that he had hurt the poor girl with his abrasiveness once again. "I'm not much good at this..."

Hermione's expression softened when she heard him sigh.

"I didn't mean to..." he began again only to stop himself.

"It's okay." said Hermione understanding how difficult this all must have been for him. "You look exhausted."

Snape treated her to a rather boyish smirk.

"Is it that obvious?"he asked with an arched brow.

"To me it is." she replied. "Let me help you look for the ingredients...and then you can rest a bit before heading back to the castle."

Snape looked her over for a few moments, before nodding in agreement. He had been much too tired and an extra pair of hands meant he could take a few moments for himself before being subjected to exhaustion once again.

Hermione smiled noting how agreeable he'd been despite his mood and quickly set to work looking for the first item on a list he handed her.

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Tall Trees, Forbidden Forest, Wizarding World...

Snape had been resting against a nearby tree. His pale eye lids had been closed and he seemed at peace despite being surrounded by a large and daunting forest with many known and unknown creatures as well as a plant life about. Hermione had nearly recovered all of the ingredients on the list when the sleeping wizard suddenly awoke.

She had been moving about, with her hair a mess and her eyes intently focused on the parchment in her hand as Snape watched her. From his downward position on the ground he found himself looking up at her mesmerized by the strange way she chewed her bottom lip when concentrating. It was the same thing for her whenever he'd taken her to bed. A fascinating sight to say the least if he did say so. Her unruly brown locks refusing to lay down and causing her a good deal of frustration as she moved about searching the forest floor. The Potions Master recalled a time or two that they were sprawled all over his pillows when ever they shared his bed.

Snape continued to watch the young witch, in awe of her from a distance in such a way he had never been before.

The effect she didn't know she had on him had been astounding and disconcerting all at once as she moved and his dark eyes followed unbeknownst to her. A vision of beauty despite her lack of realization of it, an enigma if ever he knew of one.

She managed to collect the remaining ingredients and made her way back to him, and only then did she take note that he'd been awake.

"I've got the last one." she said rather triumphantly.

Snape smirked once more feeling a bit rested following his brief nap against the tree he'd last stopped at.

"Show me the list." he said evenly.

Hermione got down on her knees to enable him to have a look at the parchment she clutched only to find him pulling her down with him against the tree. She managed to roll on top of him avoiding an unpleasant fall to the forest floor and noted the mischievous dark chuckle that burst from his normally harsh pale lips.

"You git!" she said caught off guard.

Snape merely laughed finding humor in her annoyance.

"See if I assist you with anything again." said Hermione still quite annoyed.

Seeing her pout seemed to amuse him all the more as he wrapped his arms around her slender frame and caught her off guard further with a swift kiss along her lips. She'd been a bit flustered and at a loss for words as a result of it narrowing her eyes at him, but returning his kiss with a good deal of passion.

The jesting had been forgotten as Snape returned her passion with a bit of his own as her soft body pressed against his own ebony clad form and he found himself just as lost in longing as she had been in that moment.

Neither he nor Hermione knew what to make of their apparent bonding moment and thought it best to not think on it at all, letting nature take it's course given their marital status.

"It's getting late." said Hermione pulling back only partly.

Snape had observed that the sun had gone down and dusk was upon them.

"We should be getting back." he said still mesmerized by his wife's amber gaze.

"Yes." she agreed despite still sharing a series of feverish kisses with him.

Snape sighed, not truly wishing to relinquish his hold on the young witch.

"Severus...I'm still your wife." reasoned Hermione. "I'm not going anywhere...well not in terms of finding interest in anyone else."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"I never...Let's get back to the school." he said releasing her rather reluctantly before climbing to his feet with the gathered ingredients.

Hermione sighed this time doing the same and wondering if she'd pushed too far this time.

The Potions Master put her mind at ease by grabbing her one last time and crushing his lips against hers before they reached the edge of the forest where the school grounds came into view.

"Thank you." he said meeting her gaze.

Hermione had found herself shocked by his demeanor, but this time for the right reasons.

"Don't mention it." she replied realizing how grateful he'd been for a few moments to rest.

They shared one last kiss before parting ways, he headed toward his office in the dungeons and she toward Gryffindor tower. Their collective thoughts on the moments they spent together and the promise of seeing each other another day not far from their minds.