Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

...After Happily Ever After	By : Lissa & snowblind12 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 25739 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling. I make no money off of these stories. This is just fun for me.

Chapter List
- 34
- 35
- 36
AN: I'm on a roll, I know this took a bit, but it is quite a long chapter again. I'm part way done with the next chapter. Hold on to your hats! Thank you Book Addict and Mum of Trips for your reviews! It's nice to know someone is still with me! xxLissaDream
Chapter Thirty-Four
Monday March 29th

“Where are we going to start today, Dr. Jenkins?” Hermione asked pleasantly as she took at seat hip-to-hip with Severus on the overstuffed couch opposite of the doctor’s large, dark brown leather chair. She admired the brass nail heads in the curling arms before meeting the man’s eyes.
“No preamble?” Dr. Jenkins said with a smile. “How about telling me how your week went. You both seems more comfortable today.”
Hermione smiled and laced her fingers though her fiancé’s. “We are more comfortable. We had a long talk after our last session. It helped immensely.”
The doctor looked at Severus with appraising eyes. “Very good, then. Severus, are you planning on participating this session, or are you just sitting in? I have no wish for you to leave again, we will go more slowly from here on out.”
Severus made eye contact with Hermione and held her gaze while he answered. “I will participate to the best of my ability and I do promise I will not leave again. I do not promise I will answer every question.” Her eyes glowed with happiness and pride – he had taken her advice to talk to her instead of Jenkins so he would be more relaxed.
“I find that a fair statement.” He sat back more deeply in his chair and flipped open a tablet, poising a ballpoint pen above the line paper. “I wish to discuss your engagement tonight.”
Both his patients looked at him with barely veiled surprise. “Whatever for?” Hermione asked, confused.
“I wish to know the reasoning for moving your relationship forward as quickly as you did. My understanding of the wizarding world is that you age normally until about age fifty and then it’s like time stands still for your body for the next forty or so years before you start aging again. The lifespan is between 130-150 years, correct?” When Hermione nodded he continued. “So why rush?”
“That’s a valid question, I just don’t see how it pertains to our therapy sessions,” she replied, confusion evident.
“Humor me,” he replied. “Severus, Hermione tells me you proposed on a bit of whim – why is that?”
The Potions professor’s face became contemplative. He wasn’t ashamed or worried about this topic of conversation, in fact he was almost relieved by it. Loving Hermione and wanting to bind her to him was hardly something to be embarrassed about, and a story he’d willingly tell. However, like Hermione, he was quite mystified about the topic of choice. Shrugging, he smirked at his fiancée, who looked back at him with one raised, beautifully arched eyebrow and a smirk of her own. They hadn’t discussed the brash nature of his proposal, he could tell she was curious.
“It was Potter who brought it on, actually.” Her other eyebrow rose as her eyes widened in surprised, twinkling with mirth. Fuck, this was a lot easier when he was pretending to talk to her. She was right. Why that surprised him, he wasn’t sure. He would probably need to get used to her being right a lot in the future. Female intuition or something along those lines.
“Harry told you to propose?” she squeaked after a moment of silence.
“No, no. You misunderstand. Potter proposing to the Weasley girl – that’s what brought the idea to the forefront of my mind. I hadn’t really contemplated it seriously, but…” He paused, unjoining their hands and raising his fingers to brush his upper lip in thought, trying to figure out just how to word things. “Your reaction. The way your eyes shone, the tremble of your lips. I could see your heart swelling for your friends after what he said. How she was the reason he fought so hard and had the strength to endure, how he wanted to be her family.”
Hermione’s eyes shone with tears at his lovely words as he continued. “I realized in that moment, listening to him while watching you, that he was spot on. I thought I had fought the war for a love I had lost – one that I never really had; he made me see I fought the war for the love I was to find. You.” He had to clench his teeth to stave back the emotion when she started to blubber. Gryffindors! he thought with loving sarcasm. Always the heart on the sleeve. He cleared his throat. “Once I realized that, I didn’t want to wait. Granted, I thought it would be a few years before we bonded ourselves, but I was more concerned for you to have the time you needed than for me to have more time. I’m ready, but I am almost twenty years older than you.”
Dr. Jenkins was looking at this man with new eyes. He hadn’t really felt this kind of emotion and sentiment was possible from Severus Snape. Apparently, he had been dead wrong. “Hermione, tell Severus what went through your head.”
“Oh, goodness.” She laughed through her tears, snatching a tissue from the coffee table and wiping her eyes. “You know, you’re just a big old softy, you git!” She muttered playfully, crushing the tissue in one hand. His eyes crinkled with mirth even though a smile did not tilt his lips. “Well, I was quite floored. Honestly, my whole mind went completely blank, and if you know me – which you do – you realize what a feat that is!” He actually chuckled at that statement as she giggled a bit maniacally. “After the blankness receded (this was when you started getting a little nervous and rambling about being engaged for however long and not rushing to the alter) all that flew through my mind was yes. Yes, yes, YES! I wanted it all, I could picture everything you said. Every word was what I wanted, and you were the only person I could see myself with when I achieved those things.”
It was Severus’s turn to be surprised, all though he had much better control on his emotions. He didn’t speak, just reached out and brushed her cheek gently.
“Wonderful,” Jenkins said calmly. “Tell me about what happened after.”
“We picked out a ring,” Severus answered. “Then left for the café.”
Silence.
“Continue.”
“We were waiting for Ginny,” Hermione whispered. “Everything went quiet before the screaming started.”
“We reacted instinctively – back to back, wands out.” Severus supplied.
“Hooded, masked men – Death Eaters – surrounded us. You asked me to run.” It was a whisper.
“You told me no, that you wouldn’t leave me.”
“I didn’t want to.”
“There we are,” Jenkins said softly. “Right there.”
They stared at each other, faces solemn. “I didn’t have a choice,” she said softly, reaching for him. He took her hand and laced his fingers through hers, his other hand coming to cover their joint ones.
“I know you didn’t.”
“I came back. I fought my way back. I’m still fighting my way back, but I’m right here.”
“You did, you are. I am grateful.”
“I’ll never leave you by choice.”
“I know that now.”
“Forgive me.”
“Bloody hell, woman,” he choked. “There’s nothing to forgive.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” she insisted.
“It wasn’t my fault.” Obsidian eyes slid shut in acceptance of that statement.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Jenkins agreed quietly.
Malfoy Manor

She was trembling. Severus had his fingers entwined with hers as they stood at the gates to Malfoy Manor, waiting for someone to fetch them through the wards. This was a terrible idea. The girl had been tortured violently just inside these walls. He took a deep breath and untangled their hands only to firmly slide his arm around her shoulders and pull her tightly to his side.
He turned his face back to the Manor to see Draco and Miss Williams walking towards them, both smiling invitingly. He forced a nod before tilting his fiancée’s chin up to meet his eyes. “You’re alright?”
Hermione’s lips trembled as she attempted to give him a brave smile. “Narcissa has promised that the drawing room is warded so no one can enter. You will not accidently end up there by any chance.”
“Okay,” she whispered, eyes bright with trust. He dropped a kiss to her forehead.
“Thank you for doing this,” he told her honestly. “It means a lot to me for you all to get along. They’re really the only friends I have left.”
“Of course,” she said sweetly, and tilted her head up for a kiss. He obliged just as Draco and Miss Williams opened the gates.
“Hello sir, Hermione,” Miss Williams greeted with a dimpled smile. Hermione studied her friend carefully before allowing herself to be captured in a hug. It had been a week since Lizzie joined the Malfoy household for break. The girl looked haggard and overwhelmed.
“Are you okay?” Hermione whispered in her ear. Lizzie shook her head and glanced at Draco who was shaking Severus’s hand and exchanging salutations.
“We’ll talk later,” Lizzie answered evasively. They hooked arms and followed behind their men as they made their way up to the impressive Manor house.
Hermione couldn’t help but be awed by the architecture of the entry hall. The arched doorways and gilded molding was stunning. There was a massive gold and silver candlelit chandelier that towered over them in the middle of the space. Two sweeping staircases led up to each wing of the house and intimidatingly tall French doors beckoned to the floor level directly in front of them. Two more doors on each side of the room led to what Hermione assumed were probably smaller entertaining rooms. Perhaps a parlor and music room, if she knew anything about Baroque design. The walls were lined with dark blue silk wallpaper dotted with tiny silver shapes that were indiscernible from a distance. The walls met darkly stained, eight-inch-tall baseboard of rich mahogany before butting up against beautiful stone floors. She was fairly sure the stone was slate. Everything was very Baroque-esque in style and time period.
“Draco, your home is beautiful,” Hermione murmured sincerely, eyes wandering the stunning space.
“Wait until you see the rest of it,” Lizzie muttered under her breath with a small laugh. “This place is like a museum.”
Draco let out a bark of a laugh before thanking Hermione and holding his arm for Lizzie and gesturing to on the side rooms. “My mother would like to begin with drinks and starters in the music room. Would you join us?”
“Lead the way,” Severus directed, holding his arm out for Hermione as well.
Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy rose to their feet when the foursome entered the room and Hermione started to tremble again. Everything felt…wrong. She forced herself to breath.
“Oh, Severus!” Narcissa exclaimed, crossing the room to take one of his hands in both of hers. “We are so happy to have you tonight.”
“Thank you, Narcissa. It’s a pleasure, of course.”
“Miss Granger.” The beautiful blonde woman turned to the obviously terrified girl. “I do hope we can make you comfortable, my dear. I know the circumstances the last time you were here was less than desirable.”
Hermione held back a very unlady like snort, but Narcissa’s warm hands and kind face helped her feel more at ease. That was, until she heard Lucius greeting Severus. She felt something in her brain click, and though she couldn’t put her finger on it, she immediately felt even more ill at ease. Fortunately, her fight or flight kicked in and she was able to steel her nerves.
“Ah, Miss Granger, perhaps you are happy to see us?” Lucius said in a silky drawl, taking in her kind smile. “I do hope we can make you feel at home.” Shivers ran up her spine that had nothing to do with pleasure. He took one of her hands and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. She had to force herself not to pull her hand away and wipe it on her skirts with a growl of disgust. This man still rubbed her every wrong way.
“Of course, Mr. Malfoy. It’s a pleasure. Thank you for inviting us into your beautiful Manor.” She forced herself to answer politely.
“Please sit. What can I get you all to drink?” Narcissa set to being a gracious host. Glass of wine in hand (in which her husband-to-be leaned over, touched lightly, and wandlessly turned into a deep red grape juice, much to her delight), Hermione felt just comfortable enough to let her eyes wander through the music room. The sitting area, where appetizers and beverages were arranged in perfect detail, circled around a stunning red granite fireplace, above which hung an intimidating portrait of what Hermione assumed to be Draco’s grandfather. The portrait had said not a word, but the way he glared between the two young women, it was obvious he was unimpressed.
After a while of half listening to the conversation, Narcissa interrupted her longing gaze at the stunning, slick black grand piano that took up a large portion of the space. “Do you play, Hermione?” she asked the curly haired brunette kindly.
“I do,” she answered enthusiastically. “I don’t get much chance to practice during the school year, but I took lessons all through primary school and still meet with my tutor in the summer, obviously not the last two summers, however. I’m quite rusty, unfortunately.”
“Oh, do play something for us,” Lucius’s eyes glinted with something she couldn’t define and it forced her posture to snap ramrod straight in defense.
“Oh, I shouldn’t,” she murmured demurely. “I wouldn’t wish to humiliate myself or Severus.”
“Nonsense.” Narcissa stood and reached to Hermione, indicating she’d like to take her wine glass. She looked to Severus for guidance and he gave her a half smile and nodded his encouragement.
“If you do humiliate yourself, Narcissa or I will attempt to play. Then there will be humiliation exchanged for humiliation.” Lucius gave a chuckle that made Hermione look at him oddly. His voice…
“You never mentioned you played before, Hermione,” Severus said softly, interrupting her errant thought. “I’d love to hear you.”
She took a deep breath and looked to Lizzie, the girl gave her a signature grin, her blue eyes sparkling like sapphires.
“Alright then,” Hermione stood, pulling confidence up from her toes. “Something classical? Baroque? Modern?”
“One can never go wrong with a little Mozart…Beethoven…Debussy?” Lucius drawled in a bored voice.
“Debussy, it is.” She gave a small curtsey before crossing the room to sit at the piano. Her fingers were trembling, but only slightly. This is something she loved very much and the instrument was exquisite. She lowered herself to the gleaming bench, smoothing the skirt of her robes under her bum. She tapped her feet on each peddle to gauge their distance before effortlessly sliding open the lid. “Claire de Lune would please everyone?” She asked with a polite smile as she slid her fingers over the gleaming keys.
Lucius raised his eyebrows and turned a hesitantly impressed face to Narcissa who nodded warmly at the girl. “Lovely choice.”
And so, she played. The pianissimo introduction to the song was started with hesitancy, but as her muscle memory took hold, the next set of chords flowed confidently from her finger tips and she found herself engrossed in the third movement of the Suite Bergamasque which she adored with passion. Soon, she was completely lost, fingers flying through trills and runs before the song dipped back into a ritard and decrescendo. Not until the last arpeggiated chord sounded at the end of over five minutes did she come back to herself. She was flushed with pleasure, her breath short with passion, her body thrumming with its release of censor and talent. Her head snapped up as enthusiastic applause came from the small grouping of people around her. She hadn’t even noticed that they had moved, but moved they had. All of them now surrounding the sleek instrument. She met and held Severus’s eyes, which glowed with pride and even a bit of lust.
“‘Rusty,’ she said.” Narcissa teased to the room at large. “Can you imagine what she would sound like with practice and forethought?”
“Quite impressive.” Lucius drawled and Hermione’s eyes flew to his. She cringed internally as she felt his eyes sweep her body, lingering on her breasts and stomach before returning to her eyes. She quickly broke his gaze, looking to Severus, but he was engrossed in a murmured conversation with Draco. She suppressed a shiver of revulsion. What was it about this man? Outside of the obvious, of course – the fight in the ministry, watching her be tortured by his sadistic sister-in-law, giving Ginny the horcrux-infested diary, sneering at her every time he saw her.
“The instrument is impressive,” she said lovingly, strumming out a few more chords before sighing. “I don’t know if I’ve ever played on an instrument of this quality.”
“Is there anything you can’t do, Granger?” Draco joked in a lazy voice.
“Yes,” Hermione laughed, breaking the tension in the room. “Sing. I’ll leave the singing to Lizzie.”
“But not today,” Lizzie chortled as all eyes moved to her with consideration.
“I’ll play for you,” Hermione grinned, she didn’t feel like being the only one singled out.
“I haven’t warmed up, and it’s much more important for a vocalist to warm herself before performing.”
“Ha!” Hermione chuckled, closing the lid of the piano gently. “I’ll give it to you today, simply because I’m guessing dinner will be served shortly?” She sent a questioning look at Narcissa who nodded with a small smile.
“Miss Granger is correct, we’ll have to put Elizabeth on the spot another day.” She handed Hermione her glass of “wine” as she stood and moved away from the instrument.
Narcissa took Severus’s arm and they proceeded to lead the way to the dining room, followed closely behind by Draco and Lizzie. Hermione nervously glanced at Lucius as he rounded the piano and offered her his arm.
“Thank you for the lovely entertainment, my little lioness.” Lucius demurred, a devilish grin on his face that would mark him as handsome, if it weren’t for the evil glint in his ice grey eyes. Hermione’s entire body froze, something about his voice – the phrase he’d used – startled her deeply. On instinct, a hand fluttered down to protect the small swell of her belly, unnoticeable in the robes she wore. Oh, but Lucius watched the movement and pale eyebrows rose. He lifted his eyes to hers and studied her intently for a moment before a sneer curled his face. “Are you in the family way, Miss Granger?”
She gave a small squeak and pushed past him, her skin crawling as if she were covered in honey bees.
“Now, now.” The loathsome man caught her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. “It would not do for us to enter the dining room separately, it would make me look very ungentlemanly.”
Hermione did not dare deign him with a response, instead she clenched her teeth. Her whole being knew that something was very wrong. She allowed him to escort her into the elegant room and lead her to her seat, thankfully next to Severus. The moment she was seated by him, her body started to tremble more violently then even her nerves had made it when they first arrived. He looked at her in alarm and slid a hand over her thigh, grasping her knee and leaning in.
“What’s wrong?” He hissed quietly into her ear while giving Lucius a rueful smile from across the table as he took his seat.
“I don’t know,” she whispered honestly, trying desperately to prevent the tears that were trying to well in her eyes. “I think I’m going to have a panic attack.”
“Breathe.” He encouraged in a low murmur, wrapping his fingers around hers, sliding his thumb across her knuckles soothingly. As quietly as possible, she pulled a deep breath into her lungs through her nose, blowing it out gently through slightly parted lips. She did this a few more times while Severus engaged in quiet conversation with the table, still rubbing her knuckles. By the time the soup hit the table, she was in control of herself again, albeit still feeling terribly uncomfortable. She gave him a tremulous smile as she reclaimed her hand to dip into the steaming bowl of broth. It was delicious.
While Hermione tracked the conversation as they moved through each course, she participated minimally. Focusing instead on the exquisite food that made her pregnancy palate palpate with joy. After the lovely soup, there was a beautifully presented shrimp cocktail. Hermione almost groaned in delight as the cocktail sauce was heavily flavored with lemon and dill. It was served with a hard roll she couldn’t identify and the sweetest butter she had ever tasted. Following the fish course, the entrée and removes were served together as a small platting of half of a Cornish hen paired with glazed carrots and a bowtie pasta in some creamy sauce she was unfamiliar with, but tasted of garlic and thick cream and seasonings that tickled her taste buds tantalizingly. A delightfully crisp, non-alcoholic punch followed for the palate cleanser. The Roast course included quad on wilted cress, which was not as much to her taste, but she was getting full, anyhow. An asparagus salad with champagne-saffron vinaigrette started to fill in the limited cracks in her over full tummy. However, when the chocolate painted eclairs with French vanilla ice cream appeared before her, she somehow found room for it, as well.
Severus watched her with amusement as she fastidiously put away almost every bite of every dish placed in front of her with polite enthusiasm and little throat ticks of pleasure. She had never been a big eater since he had known her more intimately, and after months of barely eating anything at all, he was relieved her pregnancy had taken over her palate and drove her to put weight back on her too-thin frame. He guessed in the last few weeks she had gained about five or six pounds, but being she had lost well over thirty-five since her parents and her abduction, she had a long way to go.
“Shall we retire to the parlor for tea and coffee and dessert?” Narcissa asked politely to the room at large.
“That wasn’t dessert?” Hermione asked before she could stop herself. Lucius’s eyebrows rose and a condescending smirk covered his features. Severus gave him a hard look as the poor girl flushed pink, realizing her mistake. “I’m sorry, I’m not use to such elaborate meals.” Her voice was small.
“I am ever so pleased that you enjoyed the food, Hermione,” Narcissa replied kindly. “You definitely look like you need to put on a bit of weight. It was a pleasure to see you eat so well.” She gave her husband a reproachful glare, daring him to say anything to the contrary.
Her blush deepened and Severus slid his fingers over her leg again to help quell her embarrassment.
“Of course, she should eat with gusto,” Lucius said, tone sly with a slight edge to his voice. “She is expecting after all, isn’t she, Severus? Dare I say she’s almost…four months along?”
The silence was almost painful, Narcissa’s hand fluttered lightly to her chest with surprise as Hermione’s already crimson face deepened to maroon.
“How astute of you, Lucius,” Severus said with barely disguised contempt. “Yes, Hermione and I are expecting. We are very excited, even if it was a little premature for our relationship.”
“How delightful!” Narcissa quipped.
“Yes, how delightful,” Lucius agreed with a bland smile. “Is it also delightful that you could potentially be the father of another man’s child?” My child perhaps? The thought disgusted him as much as it intrigued him.
Severus growled a warning as his betrothed’s face went from cherry red to translucent, her eyes sliding shut as shame carved her features. Anger filled him and his posture became defensive just as Draco exclaimed. “Father, honestly!”
Narcissa shook with slightly checked rage. “Lucius, what a horrific comment. Hermione has been through a terrible ordeal; it is none of our business nor is it even remotely polite for you to make such observations or comments.”
Lucius cringed outward at his wife’s reproach. He had to hold back his disgust of the man he called son and the man he called friend before calmly answering. “I apologize for my outburst; it was very rude of me.” He gave a gracious nod at Hermione, who was being blocked protectively from his view by his enraged friend.
“As it were,” Severus stated crisply as he protectively placed a hand on Hermione’s shoulder, she reached up to touch her fingers to his. “The child is mine, confirmed with a prenatal paternity charm. We are expecting a daughter in September.”
Lucius grit his teeth in disbelief before extending another apology and heartfelt congratulations he didn’t really feel. How in the world had they failed so horrendously breaking these two? The curly-haired chit had seemed so utterly destroyed beyond recognition when they released her. Now it was all babies and weddings and hand holding and secret touches and smiles. Severus was a traitor to his kind, he deserved a lifetime of hell for his actions.
He unfortunately had to let the rest of the evening pass with no other incidences or his wife would castrate him. Bollocks all anyhow.
Severus was grateful his friend had the decency to keep his mouth shut the rest of the bloody evening. Hermione was looking ready to drop from exhaustion and sheer force of will to remain calm as he led them away from the Manor. Just outside the gate, he Apparated them to Spinner’s End.
She had done him very proud in that difficult setting. He had been floored by her piano playing and she had handled the ten-course meal beautifully, carefully following cues from him and Narcissa as to how to go about each plate that appeared before her. He was still concerned about how Lucius interacted with her, something had seemed very off. Even for his non-Muggle-born-loving friend.
She sunk into one of the arm chairs in front of the fireplace when they arrived in his home. Using her wand, she moved some logs into the hearth and threw an Incendio at them. The fire roared to life and seemed to bring a peace to her frame as she relaxed back into the chair.
“Hermione?” he asked quietly, settling at her feet and leaning against her knees. “What did Lucius do to you in the music room when you were alone with him for those few moments?”
“He really didn’t do anything,” she said softly, gently digging the fingers of one hand into his sleek hair, he leaned into her touch like a cat. “It was the way he held himself, the things he said.”
“What did he say?”
“That’s just it.” She pulled into herself, she could feel her mental reprieved crashing in around her. “I don’t know. Except for that awful comment after dinner, he was perfectly polite. Something just…felt so wrong.” Another shield slammed into place and she panicked, trying to push it out of the way. She was horrified that she could feel herself shutting down. A sob broke and Severus turned to her, terrified.
“Hermione?” He moved up to his knees, moving between her legs to cup her face in his hands. “Love, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered, another choked sob breaking through. “I feel like I’ve taken five steps back…I just…I can’t.” She pulled her face out of his hands and covered it with both of hers as he pushed himself to stand. Her breaths were coming in hiccupping gasps and she cringed as he pulled her up out of the chair and into his arms. She pulled away quickly, needing the space. He couldn’t touch her now, not when she felt so broken again.
“Hermione…” His eyes reflected his fear and she held his gaze.
“I think I need you to take me back to the Burrow.”
“You’re not going to stay…?”
“Please, Severus. I’m so sorry.” She averted her eyes, pretending the stone of the fireplace was fascinating.
“Hermione,” he knew he sounded desperate. “What happened?” He gasped her shoulders and pulled her to face him. Her eyes were blank and he almost screamed with frustration. “Don’t you dare do this again. Stop it right now!”
Her eyes widened and she shook her head, her breathing still coming in ragged. “I c-can’t seem to stop it.”
“Hermione…” It came out almost as a groan as he forced her into a hard embrace, rubbing his hands up spine. “Don’t leave me again,” he begged. Those words seemed to trigger something in her and her breathing immediately became easier even as her tears became more fierce. She sagged into his hold, grasping his robes in her fists.
“No,” she hiccupped. “No, I won’t. Of course, I won’t.”
Monday April 5^th

“There’s been a set-back,” Severus said quietly, entering Dr. Jenkins’ office.
Jenkins stood in surprise of Severus’s voice being the first he heard for this session. He was leading Hermione in by her hand. The girl looked haunted, purple darkened her puffy eyes, her hair was as limp as he’d ever seen it and she looked bedraggled.
“How much of a set back?”
“Nightmares, nervousness, depression.” He started, leading her to the davenport and guiding her into a corner. He crossed the room to the tea pot and busied himself by making her a cup of tea. She accepted it gratefully before turning her eyes to the doctor.
“I’m aware of my situation,” she said calmly. “I’m trying to pull myself out.”
“What triggered it?” Jenkins settled himself into his chair as Severus sat next to her on the couch and pulled her into his arms. She went willingly. “No loss of intimacy?” He observed.
“We hadn’t regained full intimacy,” Severus answered, his voice sad. “She’s been agreeable to being held, cared for, and touched. We’ve done nothing else for around a week.”
“What triggered this?” The doctor asked again.
“Dinner with an old friend’s family. He’s standing up as my best man.” Hermione shuddered at his words.
“Who?”
“Lucius Malfoy,” Severus started. “He was…well, he was part of the Death Eater movement, but his family turned at the end. He served some time, and has been home on house arrest. He has a 24-hour pardon to attend the ceremony.”
“I was tortured in their home during the war,” Hermione said quietly. “I think I am reacting to being back there. I don’t think this is about my abduction.”
“Tell me what happened.”
She explained the looks she felt, relayed their conversations. “He really did nothing wrong, he was polite except for when he brashly brought up that the child may not be Severus’s, which he apologized for immediately.”
“Tell me what you felt.”
“Panicked. Trapped. Suffocated.”
“The breathing techniques you taught her helped while we were in their home, but when we returned to my home, she had a full-blown panic attack,” Severus supplied.
“I see.” He was silent for some time, no other questions coming forth. Finally, he spoke again. “What have your nightmares been about.”
The brunette shook her curly head, declining to answer.
“Hermione, we must talk about them.”
A distressed noise left her throat and her hand clenched her robes over her heart.
“Has she told you about her nightmares?” The question was directed at Severus.
“No.”
“Hermione, tell me about your nightmares.”
She closed her eyes, a tear escaping. “I don’t want to worry you.”
“That’s my job,” Jenkins said kindly. “You worry me and together we figure out how to fix it.”
She let out a long sigh on a woosh. “I was back there, only now there are faces. A face.”
“Lucius’s.”
“Yes.” A hitch of breath held back a moan of fear. “I’m being silly, right? He was on house arrest at the time. He couldn’t have been there.”
Silence. Severus’s face had gone translucent in its stillness, blank to hide his emotions.
“We cannot rule out what your subconscious is trying to tell you,” Jenkins said quietly. Severus’s head snapped up and he looked at the man intently.
“You think there is a possibility.” It was a statement of fact and the doctor didn’t deny it.
“Our subconscious is very good at filling in the blanks, sir.”
“There’s no proof,” Hermione’s small hand covered his clenched fist. “Love, there’s no proof.”
“So, let’s get proof.”
A light sparked in Hermione’s eyes as her fiancé’s face became fierce with determination. A plan. A plot. A way to bring vengeance. It was exactly what she needed. Her mind cleared of its terrified haze. Her brow set with purpose.
“What do you propose?”
Twenty minutes later both Hermione and Jenkins were nodding in agreement, faces grim with resolve. “I think this will work,” Severus said calmly. “Let’s catch us a Malfoy.”
Debussy Clair de Lune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlvUepMa31o&list=PL416C3B4F5EBC7D86
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