As Hermione lay in bed later that night, her mind buzzed with thoughts of how to encourage Severus to express more affection towards her. She understood his hesitation, likely due to their age difference and the situation they found themselves in, but she longed for a deeper connection and intimacy between them.
The thought of the impending need to conceive children in the near future intimidated her. Without a deeper sense of intimacy between them, she struggled to see the purpose or fulfillment in the prospect. Hermione longed for her future children to be embraced with love and to have the support of two devoted parents who would guide them into the wizarding world with care and affection.
Hermione contemplated the idea of showing more affection towards Severus, but she couldn't shake the awareness that it might make him uncomfortable. After all, their relationship had been fraught with animosity just a few weeks prior. Now, with the forced dynamics of their marriage, she didn't want to risk complicating things further by pushing the issue of intimacy.
Severus had begun to open up, admitting his enjoyment of their time together, and they had shared a few fleeting kisses. His admission of possessiveness stirred butterflies in Hermione's stomach, signaling a newfound depth to their connection that both intrigued and excited her.
Despite these developments, Severus hadn't initiated any further sexual touches or advances toward her. Hermione didn't want their future sexual encounters to solely revolve around trying to conceive a child. She longed for him to desire her and dared to entertain the prospect of him actually learning to love her.
Hermione knew she needed to sleep, but it eluded her for some reason. She lay still on her back, not wanting to disturb her partner sleeping beside her. She tried to quiet her thoughts, closing her eyes and feigning sleep. Even the age-old method of counting sheep, which she had never found effective, failed to calm her racing mind.
Hermione was slightly startled when she felt the brush of Severus's hand on her arm. "Sorry, did I wake you?" she whispered softly.
"No, I've been awake this whole time," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, as he found her eyes in the dark.
Hermione had a fleeting thought of confiding in him about her thoughts, but she remained silent, unsure of how he would respond.
"Is there something you wish to talk about?" Severus asked, his voice gentle in the dark room.
"How do you know I had something I wanted to talk about?" Hermione responded, her nerves starting to ramp up.
He chuckled at her response. "Why else would you be having trouble sleeping?" he countered softly.
Hermione tried to devise an excuse, but she had none, and she knew Severus could see through any lie she might attempt. Sighing, she admitted almost incoherently, "I was thinking about our future."
Severus listened intently, his gaze softening as he waited for her to continue. "What part?" he asked gently, encouraging her to open up further.
Hermione fidgeted slightly, feeling the weight of her question hanging in the air. "When are we expected to have children?" she finally asked, her voice betraying a hint of apprehension.
Severus sucked in a deep breath, not expecting to have such a deep conversation tonight. "The law states that the couple is expected to conceive a child in the first three months of their marriage, leading up to a full year to have their first child," he explained, his tone measured.
Hearing the word first alarmed her. "How many are we supposed to have?" Hermione asked suddenly.
Severus hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "The law requires at least one child within the first year of marriage. After that, it's up to the discretion of the couple, although having more than one child is encouraged," he clarified, his voice softening with empathy for Hermione's apprehension.
"In case the child is a squib," Hermione finished his thought quietly.
Severus nodded solemnly, acknowledging the grim reality of the situation. "Yes, unfortunately, that is the reasoning behind it," he admitted, his expression reflecting the weight of the law they were bound by.
Reminding herself that it had already been two weeks since they had said "I do," the daunting aspect of having to conceive a child soon frightened her. The thought of dealing with the gossip and judgment from their peers weighed heavily on her mind. She couldn't imagine facing the scrutiny of her classmates and professors while navigating the challenges of pregnancy. It felt like an insurmountable obstacle looming over her future.
"I'm not ready for a child," Hermione whispered anxiously.
Severus regarded her with understanding, his expression softening with empathy. "Nor am I," he admitted quietly. "But it seems we have little choice in the matter."
Her thoughts echoed with the realization that their intimate encounter had been more a legal obligation than an expression of affection or desire. The idea of continuing such physical intimacy solely for compliance with the law left a bitter taste in her mouth. She refused to reduce their relationship to mere compliance; she craved genuine connection and mutual desire.
Severus moved closer to Hermione, sensing that something else was weighing heavily on her mind despite her initial question about their future. He reached out, his touch light as he waited for her to open up.
Hermione tried to muster up the courage to say what she wanted to say. His touch was gentle and comforted her slightly, but her mouth refused to cooperate.
Severus waited patiently, sensing Hermione's struggle to articulate her thoughts. He maintained his gentle touch, silently encouraging her to speak whenever she felt ready.
Hermione broached another topic that had been on her mind. "Once the school year ends, do you think we'll still stay here?"
Severus pondered her question briefly before replying, "I hadn't planned on moving or going anywhere." He did not want to step foot into his home at Spinner's End ever again and it sure was not an appropriate setting for a child. Hogwarts would be safer and there would be plenty of help if needed.
Hermione frowned, feeling a wave of disappointment wash over her at the thought of being confined to the role of a stay-at-home wife, especially with the added responsibility of caring for a squabbling child. She had big plans for her future and wanted to focus on her career aspirations.
As Hermione attempted to feign tiredness, unable to muster the courage to voice her concerns, she mumbled a quick "goodnight" and made a feeble attempt to move away. However, Severus stopped her before she could retreat.
"Do you intend to lie there all night?" he asked knowingly.
Hermione silently weighed her options. A small part of her preferred remaining quiet for the rest of the night, hoping sleep would eventually come, but she knew Severus would expect her to voice her concerns. The fear of rejection and expressing her thoughts openly frightened her, especially with someone who had always been so critical of her.
Still unable to say what she actually wanted, Hermione retreated to her side of the bed and whispered a feeble goodnight.
The next morning, Hermione woke up with a daring idea forming in her mind. If she wanted Severus to desire her and overcome his hesitations, she realized she would have to take matters into her own hands. She decided to step out of her usual character and employ a tactic that would appeal to his possessive nature—making him jealous.
With it being Saturday and no classes to attend, Hermione eagerly got dressed, remembering her promise to Harry and Ron to spend time with them. She headed straight to Gryffindor Common Room, her mind already formulating her plan.
Once inside the common room, Hermione immediately latched onto Harry, who was fortunately alone without Ron nearby. She leaned in close, whispering so only Harry could hear, "Can I ask you to do something for me?"
Harry smiled warmly at Hermione and said, "Sure, whatever you need."
Hermione nervously shifted in the armchair, her gaze darting around the room before she spoke in a bashful tone, "I want you to help me make Severus jealous."
Harry's smile immediately turned into a frown as he grimaced at the thought of his potions professor being angry with him. "Why?" he asked, his voice carrying a hint of perturbation at such a request.
Hermione felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment as she contemplated explaining to Harry why she would want such a thing to happen. "Can we talk somewhere more secluded?" she asked quietly, noticing the increasing number of students filling the common room.
Harry hesitantly stood up from the couch he was occupying and headed out of the portrait hole with Hermione trailing behind him. He led them outside of the castle and to a secluded archway away from prying eyes.
"Alright, now spill what is really going on," Harry demanded, his tone a mix of concern and curiosity as he waited patiently for Hermione to provide an explanation.
Hermione shuffled her feet and admitted, "Severus and I are expected to conceive a child in the next few months, and we still are nowhere near close to being a couple. He may tolerate me at the moment, but I want something more, Harry."
Harry's expression softened with understanding as Hermione revealed her dilemma. "I see," he responded quietly, taking in her words. "So, you want to make him see you differently, make him realize what he might be missing?" he guessed.
Hermione's eyes brightened and she eagerly nodded. "Exactly! I knew you would understand."
"Why ask me though? I mean surely you could ask any other boy to do this for you," Harry reminded sharply.
Hermione knew it was wrong to disclose something personal, but she couldn't help the words that came out of her mouth. "He was already jealous seeing me hug you the other day in the Great Hall," she admitted.
Harry raised his eyebrows, surprised by Hermione's revelation. "Really? I didn't notice," he replied, trying to process this new information. "But are you sure about this, Hermione? Trying to make Snape jealous might not be the best idea."
"I know, but I can't spend the rest of my life waiting for him, so I am taking it upon myself to show him that I want him," Hermione declared with determination.
Harry nodded in response, his mind already formulating a plan. "Okay, I'll help you, but we need to be careful. Snape isn't the easiest person to manipulate, and we don't want to cause any unnecessary tension between you two," he cautioned, his tone serious.
Hermione agreed, taking a second to think of a plan. Suddenly it came to her. She eagerly turned back to Harry and said, "What do you think of us having a butterbeer in Hogsmeade?" She knew that Severus was supposed to chaperone today with it being the first Hogsmeade weekend.
Harry raised an eyebrow, clearly catching onto Hermione's plan. "Sure, sounds like a plan. But won't Snape be suspicious if we suddenly want to hang out in Hogsmeade?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Hermione shook her head and said, "No, I think he would expect me to spend time with my best friend. Besides, it's Saturday. What's wrong with getting a butterbeer?"
Harry nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's do it. I'm in," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.