I decided to omit the "consummation" of Severus and Hermione's marriage for something a little more meaningful. Fear not, I may write a little bonus chapter after the Epilogue just because.

Warnings for scenes of consensual sex, following by implied rape. 

All errors are my own H.x

It was traditional for newly wed muggles to go on a short holiday after they married, called the honeymoon. Originally invented in medieval times, a honeymoon once involved drinking mead during a moon cycle to encourage fertility. In more modern times, the honeymoon was less focused on fertility, instead inspired by the carnal desires one often felt after a marriage bonding.

Hermione didn't know whether people of the magical community also celebrated a honeymoon period. She and Severus certainly didn't.

It was unlikely that Witches and Wizards didn't go on a honeymoon, Hermione decided. There was simply a long list of extenuating variables that meant it was unwise that Severus and Hermione take a short leisure break.

The first factor was that June 1st (the date of Severus's trail) was only 4 days away. While there was an argument for the couple to spend their last uninterrupted days together, the likelihood of either of them being able to forget about the trial was slim to none.

Their marriage was also one of convenience. Hermione had been patiently waiting for something to happen between her and Severus for what felt like an age. It only felt like weeks ago that they had shared their first kiss in the Headmasters office. A Whirlwind romance indeed.

Silently, she reassured herself that, should Severus walk away from The Ministry a free man, they would have time to reconsider their marriage. Perhaps it would work out for them both. Right now, their rushed union was something Hermione pushed into the furthest corners of her mind.

Unbeknownst to her, Severus had done the same. He too, had built a metaphorical dam to slow the rising pools of regret, ever growing in his mind. It was a sham marriage, orchestrated only to support the witch financially.

It wasn't his first choice. No, Severus would have preferred to court the Witch properly before offering her his hand in marriage. Hermione didn't deserve a lousy ceremony at the Ministry. She deserved elaborate flowers and a fancy cake, and a party that lasted all night.

Merlin, if Severus made it out of Azkaban, he would give her anything she wanted.

"Severus!" Hermione's voice followed by the pounding of her footsteps could be heard as she made her way up the stairs.

The Witch in quested barged through their bedroom door, wearing only a fluffy robe, waving around a copy of The Daily Prophet. Hermione's hair was flying around untamed and charged with static, making her look an unhinged medusa. Only a deep crimson mark on her neck gave hint of the blissful night they had shared before. Severus smiled to himself, thinking about the array marks he had left on the now-covered areas of her body.

"Read what that putrid woman has written about us!" Hermione thrust the newspaper at the naked form of her husband, who had been fast asleep when she had crept out of the room to make them their preferred caffeinated beverages.

Severus pulled the covers to his chest, and leaned against the headboard. He didn't have to look far to understand what Hermione was talking about.

DEATH EATER MARRIES EX-STUDENT IN MINISTRY CEREMONY.

Former Headmaster of Hogwarts and known Death Eater, Severus Snape (37) appeared at The Ministry of Magic yesterday, ahead of his shock upcoming nuptials to ex-student Hermione Granger (17). The pair pictured below, were escorted through The Ministry by war hero and close friend of Granger, Harry Potter, and friends Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy in an extraordinary turn of events. 

Granger and Snape were last seen publicly at the trial of Mr Lucius Malfoy, a shock affair in which Granger revealed the true story behind her disappearance during the war. Gryffindor's golden girl appeared to have forgotten about her previous claim of so-called rape and torture, in favor of her marriage to Severus Snape yesterday afternoon. Snape is currently awaiting his trial by Wizangamot, for his crimes during the recent Wizarding War. 

Is their matrimony an act of true love? Or has Snape compelled Granger to wed him in a desperate attempt to sway the outcome of his trial? 

Many may find it impossible to believe that the dour Potions Master is capable of falling in love. One must simply ask, what exactly does Granger see in him? The Ex-Death Eater it seems, is more familiar with the Imperious curse than he is dinner dates and flowers. Ever cunning in his endeavors, it is increasingly unlikely that Snape would ever make such a move as to get married, should it not benefit himself. 

It seems equally impossible that Granger, top of her class at Hogwarts, should make such an outrageous error in judgement intentionally. Perhaps her reasoning was clouded by something more complicated than mere love? Some may suggest that Granger's mind has been an unfortunate target of Snape's manipulation for sometime. Having taught the girl since she was 11 years old, Snape would have been ideally placed to influence his student, under the blind  eye of the daft and deceased Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. 

Should charges of corrupting a minor be added to Severus Snape's endless list of crimes? As the date of Snape's trial for his transgressions as a Death Eater looms even closer, the answers to our questions will become clearer, Dear Readers. 

Rita Seeter

"Fucking Bitch." Severus swore. He crumpled up the newspaper and threw it across the room. His wife climbed back under the covers.  

Hermione raged. "So-called rape and torture?! I can't believe she could accuse me of lying about something like that!"

"How dare she suggest that I'm some sort of predator!" Severus interjected.

He rubbed his face in his hands. He had been too damned optimistic to hope that their nuptials would go unnoticed by The Daily prophet. Severus didn't have to be a pro at divination to know that people would reject their marriage, he just wished that Hermione's reputation would not be sullied by his name. Maybe he had done the wrong thing in wedding her. 

"I know what you're thinking, and I'll tell you now that i'm not going to stand for it!" Hermione pointed her finger at Severus. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Lair." Said Hermione. "You think that it was a bad idea to marry me and you're wrong. You shouldn't let the tabloids get to you. The people who matter to us are loyal to us and support our decision. Who cares if one writer has a different opinion? Merlin knows I should have left her in bloody Jar!" 

Severus blanked for a second. "What?" He was yet to have his coffee and his brain was not functioning at optimum capacity yet.

Hermione grinned. "Nevermind." 

Severus caught his wife's infectious smile. He leaned over and dug his fingers into her sides, making her squeal with laughter. 

"Tell me what you did, Hermione." He said, but all she could do was giggle. 

___

Three days had passed unnaturally quickly, in Hermione's opinion. The sky was beginning to darken by the time that Severus had come down from his Potions room and joined Hermione in the living room. The witch had worked hard to distract herself. She had cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom, mopping the bathroom floor twice because it just didn't have the right shine. 

Severus looked equally distracted on re-emergence. His wearing a creased white shirt with the shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows, and his hair was greasy as ever. Hermione suspected that he had been standing over a cauldron all day. He peered around the room as though he had never seen it before. 

"I ironed your robes." Hermione said, timidly. "For tomorrow." 

Truth be told, she had almost burnt them. Hermione was certainly not going to win any awards for her household skills. Hogwarts didn't seem to teach students how to scour the oven or unblock the toilet. To be fair, neither did her muggle primary school. 

Severus seemed to be brought aware of his surroundings by the sound of Hermione's voice. 

"Thank you." Severus nodded. "I'm going to shower." 

It was one of those moments in life, in which Hermione saw two roads that they could travel. Either road was partnered with both the possibility of poor consequences, and the possibility of a positive outcome. On the one hand, she could offer to go upstairs with her husband, and spend the evening together wearing very little clothing and having a lot of fun. On the other hand, her husband could snub her in favor of being alone. 

Hermione bit her lip. "Can I come with you?" 

He raised an eyebrow. "If you so desire. But I'm not washing that mane of yours." 

Severus turned towards the stairs, Hermione followed. "That wasn't exactly what I had in mind." 

Their footsteps echoed up the narrow stair well as Severus lead them both into the bathroom. Hermione wasn't exactly the type to initiate sexual contact. The door shut behind them with a resounding click that made her heart race. 

"So tell me, what do you have in mind?" Severus smirked, stepping closer to Hermione. 

She blushed. "I think you know what I meant, Severus." 

He brushed a lock of hair behind Hermione's ear. "No, i'm not sure I do."

Severus's warm breathe tickled her exposed neck and cause a shiver to run the length of her spine. Hermione almost groaned, feeling a warmth to spread from her tummy down between her thighs. He hadn't even bloody touched her yet. 

"Stop teasing, I'm not going to say it!" Hermione cried. 

Severus laughed, and stepped away from the Witch to turn on the shower. Before long, the room was filled with warm steam, and the pair had managed to divest each other all the while keeping their lips locked in a luscious kiss. Hermione was unable to think about anything other than Severus's hands, which were kneading her breasts and pinching her nipples. His erection was pressing into her soft thigh, which he was grinding against softly as though he didn't want her to notice. 

It was only when she moved to tangle her fingers in Severus's hair, did she feel the grease and come crashing down to earth for a brief second. 

"We're supposed to be showering." She reminded him. 

Severus grabbed her bum. "Well, stop distracting me, wife." He growled. 

Hermione giggled, reluctantly tearing apart from Severus and stepping into the shower cubicle. He followed, backing her against the cold tiled wall and kissing her tantalizingly. Water sprayed on them both from above, dripping from their hair and running down their faces. Severus was kissing her as though he was studying for an exam, and she was the topic. 

She recalled what Lucius had said. "I'd much rather spend my final weeks of freedom with my wife underneath me, trying to memorize what she feels like and what she sounds like."

Perhaps Hermione ought to take notes too. After all, she was a little bit of a swot. 

Severus's hands gripped her thighs from behind, without warning her lifted her off her feet. Hermione reflexivity clung to his shoulder, wrapping her milky legs around his waist. Severus tipped his head back and let out an alluring moan as his dick was now pressed up against Hermione's tummy.

He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his face against her neck. "I need you." 

"Take me." Hermione moaned. 

They each stumbled for a second, unfamiliar with the mechanics of having sex in the shower. But then Severus slipped inside Hermione in one motion, causing a delicious moan to escape from her lips. 

"Severus." She whined, shutting her eyes and loosing herself in the bliss. 

It was like a beautiful symphony had filled the room, the dynamics of the music changing as their intimacy grew with passion. The piece was beautifully fluid, a true legato masterpiece which was gradually growing with intensity as they each reached their peaks. Each time Severus's hips met hers, Hermione cried out, adding her own take on orchestra they were creating. They were slowly reaching their mutual crescendo, each of them lost completely in the elegance of their union. 

Without warning, an accidental note reached Hermione's ear's, and she was transported somewhere else entirely. 

The room was now filled with a staccato rhythm, that made Hermione feel uneasy. Each short and spiky note made the hairs on her neck erect, as the eerie tune encased her consciousness. Hermione found herself back on the frigid stone floor of Malfoy manor. Instead of a faceless brute with rough hands and dirty skin panting above her, Hermione saw unkempt black tresses and a sallow face. Obsidian eyes bore into her own. There was a look of malice on his face, like he was getting some kind of sick enjoyment from forcing himself upon her. 

"No!" Hermione screamed, her voice sounding hundreds of miles away. "Please stop."

Feeling sick and exposed, Hermione squeezed her eyes shut in her vision. She felt her body involuntarily go rigid and her breathes were coming out in rattly pants. 

"Please stop. Please." She begged. 

In the real world, Severus had ceased immediately, withdrawing himself from his wife, and searching he face desperately.

"Hermione." He murmured. "Come back to me, my dear."

She opened her eyes to the sight of Severus's concerned face. His eyes were soft and gentle and any hint of danger had pacified. 

"I'm sorry." Hermione whispered, tears running down her face to join the hot spray from the shower. 

"Don't apologize. Lets get out of here." Severus placed a kiss on her forehead and gently set her down. 

____

Hermione sat on their shared bed, wrapped in her dressing gown with a towel around her hair. Severus was facing her, his eyebrows creased with concern. 

"Did I do something to hurt you?" He asked. 

Hermione pleaded with Severus. "No! No, you didn't do anything. You were perfect. It was all my fault."

She was incredibly ashamed of her outburst. It was like a hard weight on her chest was forcing the air out of her lungs, causing her breathes to become more shallow and frequent. Tears leaked from Hermione's eyes. 

Severus's heart broke. "What happened?" 

"I was back at the Manor." She said, before her voice was drowned out by an unexpected sob. 

Encasing his wife in his arms, Severus wanted nothing more than to take Hermione's pain away. He held her tightly to his chest, as though their hearts could physically touch and it would make everything better. 

"I ruined our last night together" Hermione wailed. 

"You did no such thing." Severus said, outraged that she would think such a thing. "How many times do I have to tell you, Hermione? You need time to heal."

"I was doing so well! I hadn't thought about it in weeks." She said, her self-angry evident in her tone of voice. 

Severus wanted to shake some sense into Hermione, but refrained from doing so. "You're only human, and you had an awful experience. One that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. You need to stop having such high expectations of yourself, and allow yourself to get over what happened in your own time." 

Hermione sniffed, not caring how gross she sounded. "I wanted to be strong for you!"

"You are being strong for me, silly woman." Severus insisted. "You're doing an admirable job, but you have to be strong for yourself, too."

He held Hermione until she was all cried out, his words repeating over and over again in his mind. He rocked her gently in his arms, trying to remember the feeling of her warm body against his. He inhaled deeply, relishing in her scent. He didn't want their last interaction to be an argument, but Severus knew that Hermione had been through enough to warrant every emotional outburst she desired.

"If it were not for you, I would be dead at the hands of The Dark Lord. You are the reason I kept fighting, even when I was injured." Severus admitted. "You are my precocious little lioness, you are maddening and beautiful and powerful, and I love you more than I've ever loved any one else."

"You can't just give up, no matter what the outcome of the trial. You have to be stubborn and ignore the voice in your head that tells you that you can't possibly continue. You can continue your life, regardless of what has happened to you and what may happen to me." 

Hermione moaned. "Severus, you're going to make me cry again." A delicate smile decorated her lips. 

"Silly witch." He muttered, kissing her passionately.