Living The Dream

"I hate you!" I screamed, before walking out of the door and slamming it hard for good measure.

Oh Lord, I've always known there'd be days like these, days when everything he does infuriates me right to the very core. I've known this since the beginning and never had any ill-conceived fantasies involving handsome men and empty promises. After all, he had taught me for seven years and has been my research partner for the last five.

The grass is green enough on my side, thank you very much.

**********

Hermione was almost crying tears of frustration as she paced the corridor to her newborn daughter's room. Why does he have to be so damn dense?

She realised that the importance of the argument had been blown completely out of proportion; the words mountain and molehill sprang to mind when the heated conversation replayed in her head. However, that was not the point.

The issue at hand was that her husband expected her to back down at every step of the way and give into all his wishes, something that Hermione's vaguely feminist self felt rather strongly against. Old fashioned idiot.

Composing herself before opening Abigail's door, so as not to wake the babe, Hermione stepped in and was immediately comforted by the sight of her peacefully sleeping child. No, their child. This being was half of her and half of Severus; had her eyes and curly hair but was as dark and striking as her father.

Hermione's face creased into a smile as she thought of her husband, the father of her child (children if he had his way). The way his calloused hands could hold Abigail so gently; almost reverently. The way they shared looks of joy whenever Abigail went through one of her 'firsts.' The way he could change the world so that it didn't hurt her anymore, even if it was only for a day, a night, the length of a kiss.

She jumped as Severus' arms snaked tentatively around her waist, waiting to see if there was a chance of him being forgiven tonight or whether he had another appointment with the couch. Her soft sigh disproved the later and although she still felt that there were issues needing to be addressed, she let them go for now. Her husband wasn't perfect, but then again neither was she and Hermione knew that she would rather be fighting with Severus than living in harmony (aka boredom) with anyone else.

**********

Hermione is a housewife who occasionally does some free-lance research, her old reputation and connections getting her papers into print. Hermione is married to Severus and is the mother of Abigail and a baby boy (although she doesn't know it yet). Hermione once dreamt of a beautiful mansion filled with monogrammed linens and freshly baked biscuits. Hermione lives in tiny terraced house in Battersea filled with baby debris and Marks and Spencer's ready meals. Hermione is true and tangible, she won't disappear when your alarm goes off and the dulcet tones of Glenda Chittock fill your bedroom.