Hermione was jolted awake by a knock at the door.

"Five minutes," said a gruff, male voice from the outside.

As her eyes opened, she realised she had fallen asleep on the Snatcher's bare chest. He looked down at her, gave her that smirk she loved and then spoke.

"Time to go, love. As much as I don't want to."

Hermione smiled at him groggily. "I was sleeping?"

Scabior chuckled. "You were snoring. I didn't want to move and risk waking you. You were knackered." He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Can't say I blame you."

Scabior sat up, tossing the sheet off and throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. Hermione sat up, pulling the sheet back, covering her breasts. As he shrugged into his plaid, she noticed the two metal shackles around his ankles.

"Do those hurt?," she asked, concernedly.

"These?," he said at her, raising his leg. "Nah. I've had worse."

She didn't look convinced. Scabior sighed and elaborated.

"When they clap the second one on it's a bit like a…pinch you feel as your magic is turned off."

Hermione shuddered and he said, "Don't you worry about me, my lovely." He winked at her as he resumed dressing.

Hermione pulled the sheet around her modestly as she stood and moved to grab her dress. As she passed by, Scabior couldn't help following her with his gaze.

"You…look good," he said, buttoning his trousers.

Seizing a brief and rare moment of total confidence, Hermione turned towards him and opened the sheet, baring herself to him.

Scabior let his jaw drop, feigning shock and brought his arm over his chest.

"Godric, woman….the things I'm going to do to you…again…."

Hermione giggled and dropped the sheet, pressing herself up against his body. He wrapped his arms round her, dropped his head to her neck, and breathed her in.

"If you do that, we won't be on our way anytime soon. And I'll be looking at another twenty years added to my sentence…for public indecency."

Hermione laughed and swatted at him playfully as she pushed away from him, finding her knickers and bra and beginning to dress. As she was fastening the back of her bra she was startled by Scabior, coming up behind her and nuzzling her neck.

She let out a sigh and cocked her head to the side, giving him access. He pulled her to him tightly with a possessive growl. His hands drifted to the front of her body, began palming her breasts.

"Ive definitely missed these…"

Hermione moaned and let her weight fall back against him. She gasped as she made contact with his very obvious erection.

"See what you do to me, beautiful," he whispered in her ear as he kissed alongside her neck. Hermione shivered as she felt the gooseflesh break out across her body.

She loved how he made her feel. There was no thinking, no worrying about past or future, only him and the feel of his hands as they ran over her breasts and down her spine.

"We…we can't…," she said, her voice coming out strained.

After a final kiss to the side of her neck, he withdrew, moving to grab his shirt. He teased her as he walked away.

"Don't expect to sleep at all tonight, Hermione Granger."

Her mouth suddenly felt very dry as his words had a visceral effect on her. She took a deep breath as her body flushed with the implication of his words.

Merlin, Granger, get it together!

Hermione found and grabbed her dress, stepping into it as she watched him fasten his shirt, her gaze lingering a little longer than necessary on the broad expanse of his chest. He was lean but muscled and she loved the line his body made. He moved with grace, in a fashion that could be termed almost elegant. Hermione felt herself blush as she watched him move to his waistcoat and jacket, admiring the confidence and masculinity he naturally exuded.

Her fingers went to the tiny buttons on the bodice of her dress as she heard another knock at the door.

Scabior's eyes met hers as she was fixing the top of her dress. His hand ran through his hair.

"Just a moment," he called through the heavy door. Turning back to Hermione he asked, "are you ready?"

Hermione nodded as her fingers finished the final button. She moved towards the door as he picked up her purse from the table and handed it to her as she grabbed her jacket. The heavy door opened and they were on their way.

Hermione and Scabior made their way down the black-tiled hallway. Neither spoke. The lightheartedness of earlier had faded, as their hopeless situation because more apparent and reality sunk in.

Hermione cleared her throat, speaking first.

"My friend Cho Chang brought Rose to the Leaky. I wasn't sure where else she could meet us."

Her head turned towards him as she saw him nod. She stopped for a moment, turning to him, and he followed suit.

"I can't wait for you to meet Rose. She…looks like you."

She regretted the words almost instantly because she saw a pang of something flit across his features. It was so quick that she wasn't even sure if she had seen it. But when his gaze lowered to the ground, she knew he was concerned. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Was he leaving her or rejecting Rose? She had to know what changed.

"What's the matter?"

He shook his head, eyes still downcast and let out a noise like a snort.

"What's the matter?," he began, raising his eyes to hers. Hermione chose not to answer but she studied his face intently.

"I been thinking…since I got a lot of time to do that in Azkaban…," he said ruefully, as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. "Are you sure it's a good idea that we meet?"

Hermione blinked twice in rapid succession.

Did he not want to meet his own daughter?

She opened her mouth to speak but he interrupted, holding up his hand. His voice was soft, regretful.

"It's just that…all the things I've done…I don't want that…not for her."

Hermione pursed her lips as her brow knotted in concern. It pulled against her heartstrings that his concern was not for himself, but for their child. She felt a swelling sensation in her chest as she considered this for a moment before speaking slowly, choosing her words carefully as she went.

"I understand what you are saying. But I think that underneath everything you are a good man, at least now you are, a kind man, and I want her to know you. And…I-I know right now that you think we won't be able to get through this, but we will, we will, and we will do it…together."

He nodded at her, and she could see the hint of a smile and a bit of satisfaction drift across his face. His gaze fell to their hands, and he wrapped his around hers, leading her gently out of the hallway and towards the Leaky Cauldron.