As he slowly regained consciousness, Snape groaned softly. He felt so groggy, but he knew immediately by the smell that he was in the Hospital Wing. He silently opened his dark eyes and met Madam Pomfrey's eyes.

"Good afternoon, Severus," she said pleasantly. "And how are we today?"

"Tired," he replied with a soft groan. His entire body ached.

"Oh, I have no doubt that you are. After all, according to my readings, you've been intimate with Aurora nearly every day since I put you both on leave." He didn't respond vocally, but he did close his eyes. "Correct me if I have any of your symptoms wrong, Severus. You've had a severe migraine since Tuesday. Your senses heightened nearly around the same time. You've experienced a dramatic increase to your stamina and libido, which it appears you've used frequently. You've noticed that you are unable to control yourself when around Aurora. And I believe the last symptom, the one which brought you here I might point out, is yelling at the top of your lungs towards the poor child you are in charge of that you've been having numerous sexual relations with his Astronomy professor. Is that a fairly accurate catalogue of all your symptoms, Severus?"

"I have also been experiencing hallucinations," he replied quietly refusing to glance at the matron. He could feel her glare on him instantly.

"Ah, lovely, hallucinations on top of all that, and yet you still did not come and see me."

"I was rather busy, Madam."

"Oh, I can see that clearly from my chart, Severus."

"You do realize that you are supposed to act as a professional, Madam Pomfrey?" he replied with a slight growl. He actually was only upset because he felt as if he was dying from embarrassment.

"Yes, and you, Severus, are supposed to listen to your mediwitch when she tells you that you're to see her the moment you start to feel odd. Now, let's see, Severus. Did you do that in this case?"

"No, Madam Pomfrey," he replied quietly. He felt as if he was in Dumbledore's office again getting another lecture again.

"I thought not," she said briskly before setting her hands on her hips and going into full matron mode with him. "No, instead you continued to go about your week as if it wasn't at all odd that you were nearly forcing yourself on the mother of your child at any given time the urge popped up. Instead, you continued about your week as if it wasn't at all strange that you were hallucinating. You just went about your week as if I gave you a pleasure vacation."

"I apologize, Madam."

"Would you like to hear the results of my examination on you?" She didn't even allow him to respond before she started to rattle off her findings. "You had an elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate. You had the beginnings of a mild groin pull starting, which no doubt is from your numerous bedroom activities. Your abdominal muscles received quite the exercise the past few days, didn't they?" He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from flushing. "I found numerous scratches to your back, which I believe would be from Aurora. Your brain activity is quite erratic because you have thousands upon thousands of little hormones shooting through your blood. In fact, it might please you to know this. Your testosterone rates are up by one hundred and fifty percent. Congratulations, Severus," she drawled. "You are now more hormonal than the students are. Would you like to hear the results of my examination of Aurora?" Again, she didn't give him the chance to respond. "I found nearly the same elevated rates, except with her hormones. Her levels are well within the normal range for a pregnant witch. However, the most surprising thing that I've rarely ever seen were the numerous bite marks. I am rather certain that if I compared the marks to your teeth, Severus, that they'd be a positive match. I can understand a little nipping while being intimate, but to leave marks like that." She then slapped him hard in the shoulder. "You are not a vampire! I do not care if you thought it'd be fun to do a little role-playing with her. She is pregnant, Severus, with your child."

"I know, Madam," he replied softly. He hadn't even realized he had bit her. He then scoffed as a smile, a very small smile, flooded his face. Aurora loved vampires. Maybe he'd ask her later—he yelped instantly when a sudden burst of stinging hit his backside.

"Focus on me, Severus," Madam Pomfrey sternly said.

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey." He felt as if he was a student all over again. His dark eyes then glanced around the Hospital Wing. Neither Harry nor Aurora was around, but he guessed they probably knew that Pomfrey wouldn't allow visitors. He then sighed heavily. It was Harry's birthday, and he had probably scarred the poor Gryffindor for life. No child ever wanted to know that.

"Now, I will admit that you have somehow in the past week actually helped Aurora relieve stress. However, I would appreciate it very much if you used another means to do so."

Snape nodded slowly and kept his eyes downcast. He knew he was still acting oddly. It was almost as if he was reverting back to his childhood. He then sighed and glanced up towards Pomfrey.

"Unfortunately, there's nothing more I can do for you. I am going to monitor you, however, in case you suffer another mental breakdown like the one you had earlier. Remain here." The matron then whirled around and briskly walked towards her office.

Snape calmly waited glancing up at the white ceiling. He heard the boots against the floor, which he knew was Aurora approaching. However, he didn't glance at her. After all, what does one say after something like this? Sorry for turning into a sex-crazed lunatic? He then groaned quietly and hoped the cot he was lying on would swallow him completely so he could avoid the entire damn thing.

"You're free to go," Madam Pomfrey stated. "However, I'm ordering you to abstain from sex for at least a month, Severus. If the urge strikes you again, take a cold shower or use other means for release. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," he responded quietly feeling his cheeks flush slightly. He then heard her footsteps retreat, which left him with Aurora. He grimaced slightly before glancing towards her.

"Don't even apologize," Aurora drawled. "It's fine."

"Says you who didn't receive a lecture," he grumbled.

"Oh, please. She gave me the same speech when she saw the marks. You know, I don't think I've ever seen Pomfrey that red before." Aurora then gently rested her hand on his shoulder. "Severus, it's going to be all right. It wasn't you. It was the potion. Harry and I understand that."

"No doubt, he's horrified."

"Actually, he's not really. At least he's not horrified about that. He admitted while we were waiting for you to wake up that he knew we were having sex this past week."

"But my privacy wards—" She silenced him by placing her fingers against his lips.

"Severus, every morning for the past week you've had the same goofy grin on your face when we eat breakfast. I think even Mokai knows what that grin meant." She then knelt down in front of him and locked eyes with him. She could see the remorse and regret in his eyes. "Severus, I love you. I always have and always will love you. Even when I learned you had taken the Dark Mark, a part of me still loved you. It's no different from after this potion leaves your system and you go back to being the same reserved man you've always been. I will still love you." She then sighed before grabbing his hands in hers. "It's a little late now, but you didn't have to take a potion to prove to me that you loved me."

"I wanted you to see my love for you, though."

"Well, mission accomplished," she said with a soft laugh. "But you didn't need to do something this risky. I understand. I understand emotions don't come naturally to you anymore. I get it. I know that because of certain events in your life that you've had to protect yourself with your barriers so that you don't get hurt or so you don't hurt others. I understand, Severus. I really do. But that doesn't mean that I want you to take some potion and let go of who you are just to please me. I can love you if you're a sex-crazed teenager or if you're a cold bastard. I know in my heart that you love me. Do you know why?"

"I do not."

"Because when we made love before the Dark Lord's defeat, you would get this look in your eyes every now and then. At first, I thought it was you trying to imagine me as Lily. It wasn't, though. You knew who I was. You knew what you were doing at least subconsciously." He closed his eyes. "When you came back from those meetings, your eyes were black as night. There was no feeling, no warmth in them, Severus. When we were together, though, I watched it all return." She then smirked softly before affectionately rubbing her flat tummy. "When we made this little one, you whispered my name and thanked me. You still get that same look in your eyes even now, Severus. That's how I know you love me." She then gently kissed his cheek. "Come on. Harry saved you some cake."