AN: Sorry it's not a very long and not a very exciting chapter. I hope you like it anyway. I hope I will have more time to write this story the weeks after Christmas, so I might be able to post more often. I'm sorry it takes me so long between chapters.

I don't own Harry Potter and don't make any profit.

"I know you are mad at her, but you can't deny it, Minerva has done a wonderful job with our new quarters," Hermione said stepping out on the little terrace which ended in a narrow landing stage leading out to the lake.

"I guess you are right," Severus grumbled.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Have you actually seen them?"

He had to admit it, their quarters were perfect. They were at a level with the lake, and just above the dungeons, which meant Severus had easy access to his students. That being important in case of an emergency, since he was still head of Slytherin house. There was a nice living room with a little kitchenette overlooking the lake, with a door leading out to the terrace they were just standing on. The bedroom was not as huge, but still big enough and it was overlooking the lake as well and parts of the forbidden forest. There was a door leading to a smaller room, which would be Elena's room. Fortunately it was also accessible from the living room and not only through her parent's bed room. The study had its walls covered in bookshelves, to hold their joined book collections. And there was a bathroom, which was every girls dream with a huge tub to soak for hours, but also a shower for a quick morning routine.

"Well yes, she has done a great job with these classrooms, especially making sure there would be an easy access to my Slytherins. I wonder what will happen to my old quarters down in the dungeons? So what do you want to do furniture- and colour-wise?"

"I'm really sick of the house colours, so please no red and gold or green and silver. I would like some light colours and nothing too cluttered and ornate. I would enjoy modern and simple," she replied.

"Muggle style?" Severus asked raising an eyebrow.

"Would that be a problem," Hermione asked somewhat insecure.

"No, no it's just the wizarding world and wizarding style was kind of my home, when I was young and my own home wasn't really a home to me. So Hogwarts and its old-fashioned style is home to me."

Hermione furrowed her brow thinking of how to best solve this kind of cultural clash.

"What if we have half of the rooms muggle style and the other half wizarding style?"

"One room would be fine. What about if we have our study Hogwartsy and the rest like you want it."

Hermione giggled, "Did you just say Hogwartsy?"

He grinned nodding.

"I would like that, can we have two comfy armchairs in front of the fire, just to spend time with each other. Kind of make the study our private room, just for the two of us."

"I like the idea. So I guess we only connect the fire place in the living room to the floo network."

"Good thinking."

"So let's start moving!"

Severus sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"I hate moving, it's such a hassle."

"You can't be serious. You are a wizard. Obviously you haven't moved the muggle way."

Severus stuck out his tongue at her.

"How I ever was frightened by you is beyond me, when I see you like that," she replied raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just so happy we are moving in together," he beamed and suddenly gathered her in his arms spinning her around the room.

"I love you my girl," he laughed and kissed her. When he sat her down again, she reached out gently brushed over his cheek and whispered, "I love you too."

"So I thought we could move our bedrooms first and if we have got enough time our studies."

Four hours later Hermione slumped down on the bed and said, "I'm really tired. Are we done for today?"

"Yes. Everything is organised in the study, just your desk is still a mess, but I didn't want to touch anything there in case you are as weird as me when it comes to your desk organisation. Oh and can we please get rid of the picture of you and the two dunderheads in our bedroom. I don't want them there. Put it somewhere else."

Hermione grinned and took the photo of Harry, Ron and herself and casually threw it on the settee.

"Do you mind if I quickly do Elena's room? There is not much to do and I want her to sleep on her own room tonight, so I will have you all to myself the first night we live together."

"No I don't mind. Would you like some help?" "No, I'm fine, but you could pick up Elena from Minerva."

Severus came back fifteen minutes later, with Elena's cot, her bookshelf, her cupboard and her toy-box casually floating behind him.

"The wizarding way is so much more fun," Hermione mumbled watching and then turned her attention back Elena who she had been playing with. Elena seeing her father, who she had missed the whole morning, got up from the floor, toddled over to him and fiercely hugged his knees, throwing him off balance. His wand flew out of his hand, making the furniture plunge to the floor with a loud clatter.

"Oh sweetheart, I missed you too," he whispered, while picking her up.

"I tell you something. It's your naptime now anyway, so I quickly furnish your room and then we have a cuddle. What do you say?"

"Daddy," Elena said affectionately and gave him a wet kiss.

Twenty minutes later Severus came back plopping onto the bed next to Hermione.

"Hey you were quick."

"Well there wasn't much to do really and she fell asleep really quickly. By the way seeing you lying on the bed reminds me what I wanted to do the whole morning," he grinned.

"And what could that possibly have been may I ask?" Severus lowered his face to hers and gently kissed her. His tongue pleaded her lips to open and when they did he sighed into the kiss making her smile.

After a couple of moments she broke apart and said, "I actually need to do some studying."

"Just ten minutes of snogging, please," he whined.

"So it looks like you are totally at my mercy," she grinned evilly.

"I am totally smitten with you and you know it woman," he growled and kissed her leaving her breathless.

"What's the meaning of this," Severus said in a dangerously low voice arriving at the Hogwarts express the next evening.

"Professor Longbottom filled me in that there has been a big fight on the train. Can anybody tell me why on earth you've been fighting and most of you not even with you wands," Severus' voice was barely above a whisper while he coldly stared at the fifteen students standing in front of him, all bearing signs of a fight, most of them scratches, bruises, bloody noses and black eyes. Severus swore to Hermione later he even saw a bite mark.

"So?" he inquired.

But there was no response. The students who all were from either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw held their heads up in pride, but didn't say a word.

"Well if there is no answer, you will all serve detention for three weeks every evening. Your head of house will decide with whom. And there will be no feast for you tonight. You will all be served a simple meal in your common rooms. Off you go."

Five minutes later Severus gracefully sat down at the head table, next to Hermione, who was holding their daughter.

"So rumour has it, they were fighting, who's dad was the braverst in the war," Hermione said to Severus.

He just shook his head and replied, "I really don't want to talk about it, let's just get this feast over with. If we won't do anything about these disturbed teenagers, it's gonna be a long school year. You mark my words."

He looked grimly at the first years been ushered to the front of the hall by Neville. Some of them who were already intimidated by the whole scene and caught his look, were horrified of what would await them of what rumours had it would be, their new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher.

After the feast and after he had made sure everything was alright with the Slytherin students and especially the first years, it took him longer to put Elena to bed, since he had an extra cuddle with her, to calm himself down, after this rather frustrating start of term. Severus came back to their new living room, which now had a nice parquet floor and white walls, except for one wall, were Hermione had made sure to leave the Hogwarts' stones visible. The room was dominated by a huge grey sofa, with a couple of colourful cushions in front of the fire place. They walls were decorated with a couple of pictures and paintings, some of them Severus', some of the Hermione's. It was sparsely decorated, but Severus liked the simplicity and straightforwardness of it.

"I really like what you did with the room," he smiled at Hermione, who was sitting on the sofa reading a book.

"Thanks, I actually have a little surprise for you. Come on," she said, getting up and leading the way out on the little terrace overlooking the lake.

"I know you are a bit grumpy today, but I thought we could sit outside, since it's still warm and we could just enjoy our first evening in an entire furnished flat together…"

"You bought champagne," he cut across her astonished.

"I did and I stocked up on some muggle treats I really miss. Like these crisps," she held up a pack and waved it around his nose.

He grinned, "I love that you are muggle born, it's so much fun."

While Severus opened the bottle Hermione was staring out on the lake musing, "Does anybody actually swim in the lake or why else would there be a landing stage with a ladder leading into it?"

"Teachers do it all the time," he replied.

"Really? How come I haven't seen anybody?"

"Notice-me-not charm or disillusionment."

"But isn't it freezing?"

"It's okay, when there is a heatwave, but otherwise we just use warming charms."

"We should really do it some time," she said excited. Severus raised his glass.

"To an adventurous life together."

Hermione smiled, "To an adventurous life together."

They clinked their glasses.