Changes of the bond Chapter Three
Disclaimer Harry potter does not belong to me, never has never will
The next several weeks, were very difficult for Hermione and Severus. The strain of keeping baby Raven a secret was wearing on them both. Hermione's class work was suffering, and Severus had taken a record number of points from all four houses.
A week after Raven was born, Hermione was running on an average of four hours of sleep per night, and it was showing. The boys had just assumed that she was studying too much, and they kept trying to distract her, causing her to fall behind schedule with her homework assignments. Her hair looked unkept and she was struggling to stay awake in class. At night she would draw her curtains and silence them, so when Bonnie would pop in with Raven, to be fed. He needed to be fed about three times a night. She would read while he fed, and she got by in class by power alone. She was always able to perform the spell on the first try; she and Severus had both gained a large boost in power, and could perform many spells wandlessly.
One day as she was struggling to stay awake, and thinking about Raven as she had seen him last night; she had left him sleeping soundly cradled on Severus's chest, his tiny hand wrapped firmly around Severus's pinky finger. Professor McGonagall slapped her hand down on her desk, looking at her with concern. "Miss Granger please stay awake during my class, did you complete the essay on human transfiguration." Hermione began to reach for her bag, before realizing that she had never even begun it, she had started to read the material during Ravens second feeding of the night, but she had fallen asleep as soon as Bonnie had taken him.
"I'm sorry professor, I didn't complete it. I'm sorry." The class gasped in shock, Hermione Granger not completing an assignment, it was unheard of, and she had handed in every assignment they had ever been given in all six years. McGonagall looked worried, "Miss Granger please speaks to me after class." She nodded and turned back to her book.
As the class left Hermione walked up to the teachers desk, she had always looked up at to the professor as a surrogate mother, and it pained her not to tell her about Raven, but she was just too close to Dumbledore. "Child are you all right, you have never missed an assignment before." She looked concerned. "I am alright professor, some of the events from the final battle hit me hard, and sometimes I have a hard time sleeping." The professor nodded and reached out to pull the girl into a hug, the war had hit everyone hard.
After that incident, Hermione had Bonnie help style her hair, and fix her clothes and nails. She was more put together than ever before, and no one questioned her behavior as she appeared to be back to normal. Her homework problem was solved after a blazing row between Severus and Hermione, in the end Severus won. Hermione's desire to spend time with her baby overruled her argument on Severus completing her homework assignments. He would cast a charm on his hand so he could write using her handwriting, and he would complete her essays, while she played with Raven.
There had been several close calls, where raven was almost discovered. One morning as she had been feeding Raven before class, she heard lavender call for her. She had barely been able to pass off Raven to Bonnie, and adjust herself before Lavender had ripped her curtains open squealing about the days Hogsmeade trip.
One day she was running late to potions and ran into Severus just before he entered the room. She managed to scourgify the baby spit up off the shoulder of his robes before anyone saw it.
Bonnie had become invaluable, and they both knew this would have been impossible without her. As the holidays approached, they had been planning to go to Snape Manor for Christmas. They had been looking forward to really being a family. And Hermione and Severus had been looking forward to spending time alone, like they used to. Unfortunately the headmaster had other plans for them.
During breakfast McGonagall and Snape had approached Hermione, Harry, Ron and the other members of Dumbledore Army. "Come with us the headmaster wishes to speak with all of you." Snape practically snarled as he said the words. She looked at him questioning about Raven. He mouthed "asleep with Bonnie" she inclined he head slightly in a nod and dutifully followed Ron and Harry up the spiral stair case into the headmaster office.
After they all had been seated, Severus chose to lurk in the shadows against the wall. After every Dumbledore had passed around lemon drops and only Hermione and Severus refused the horrid things. The headmaster clapped his hands together eyes twinkling brightly. "I have decided that this holiday we will be having a Dumbledore's Army and Order of the phoenix reunion, Sirius has graciously offered us Grimmauld place to use. The students will go directly from the train, and take a portkey into head quarters. The staff and I will apperated there after getting everything settled there. I expect everyone to attend. We will be there for the full two weeks of vacation and everyone needs to bring dress robes, we will be having a small ball.
With that he dismissed every one while giving Severus a look that said arguing would not be tolerated. Later that night Hermione met Severus in his quarters. She picked up Raven from his bassinet, where he was fussing, she quickly drew unbuttoned her shirt and allowed him to latch onto her breast. She walked over to where Severus was grading papers, and placed herself in his lap. He set his quill down and smiled kissing her on the cheek and offering Raven his finger to hold. He was used to this domestic scene and smiled at her. "We cannot avoid this can we?" he sounded sulky.
She kissed him lightly on the corner of his mouth. "It will be horrible, but it will be good for Raven to be exposed to other people. It will truly hurt to act like he isn't my son though." Snape snorted.
"Oh yes he will be exposed to the likes of Potter, Weasley, and that mangy mutt. I suppose Lupin will not be so bad at least he is intelligent. And you can visit us at night, the Weasley girl never realized you were gone during the summer."
Hermione nodded "drop your glamour, I want Raven to get used to you like this, this is his true daddy." She ran her hand through his hair playing with his long hair. They stayed cuddled together planning how to salvage their holidays. Severus was looking forward to the shock value of him turning up with a son. Hermione had ordered several presents for Raven using Severus's raven Archimedes. Hermione and bonnie packed Raven a bag, Severus was hopeless at packing. They separated at midnight, both unhappy about the stress of the coming day.
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The train ride to London was uneventful, the boys played exploding snap, and Hermione used the time to catch up on sleep. Raven had been more fussy than usual last night, and he had spent the night in Hermione's bed, she had gotten less than two hours of sleep. Harry shook her awake as the train pulled into the station. Sirius was waiting for them with a portkey. They arrived into the kitchen of Grimmauld place, where they were immediately swept into crushing hugs by Mrs. Weasley. She sat them down to serve them lunch and began to divvy up chores. As she sat Fred and George both leaned over and pressed a kiss to each of her cheeks. Bill kissed her head and Charlie drew her into a hug. "All of Dumbledore's army will be sleeping in the attic, there are curtains separating the boys from the girls. This whole house will have to be scrubbed down. I want each of you to pick a room." Bill, Charlie I want you to remove Mrs. Black from the hallway. Sirius and Remus, I want you to prepare the ballroom for Christmas."
They all separated to finish their
jobs as quickly as possible. All of the teenagers headed upstairs,
intent on hiding from Mrs. Weasley. Hermione headed to the potions
lab, and called for Bonnie to bring Raven so she could nurse him. As
Bonnie handed Raven to her she looked around and turned to Hermione
"Mistress this looks like Master Sev's lab, May bonnie clean,
Master Sev's no going to be liking this." Hermione looked around
and nodded. It appeared that Sirius had attempted to brew a potion
and it had gone horribly wrong. Severus would be furious if he saw
it. Bonnie had the room clean in just a minute. As she was burping
Raven she heard the wards alert her that someone was coming down the
stairs. She kissed Raven, handed her to Bonnie, who popped away, and
adjusted herself; she began to set up a cauldron. By the time Sirius
had come down the stairs Hermione had begun brewing.
"What are
you doing down here Hermione, Snivellous will kill you if he catches
you down here." He leaned over and peered into the cauldron. She
slapped his hand away from the stirring rod.
"It's a surprise, and I wouldn't touch it if I was you. And Professor Snape," she put extra emphasis on the title, "won't mind, I will clean up."
Sirus looked intrigued, "what kind of surprise, is it a prank." she leveled him with a fierce glare "Have you ever known me to brew a prank." He raised his hands in surrender. "Molly just sent me down to tell you it's time for dinner." Hermione nodded and added the last dragon's blood and stirred counter clockwise 13 times before lowering the flame and placing the stirring rod down. She quickly wiped down the counter and turned to Sirius. "Okay this needs to simmer for fifty minutes anyway" She set a timer and followed Sirius to the kitchen.
They had barely been seated before the teachers began to floo in. They had all arrived except for Snape. "Where is Severus" Molly Weasley asked. Dumbledore answered. "He chose to apperated, Said he detested floo powder," As if on cue there was a knock on the front door. "That must be Severus, Hermione be a dear and let him in." Hermione nodded as she left the kitchen she heard Ron say "Leave him out there Mione." and heard the crack of Molly whacking him on the back of the head with a wooden spoon. She opened the door to reveal Severus draped in a heavy black traveling cloak. He pressed a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth and pulled the edge of the cloak back to reveal a sleeping Raven cradled in his arm bundled tightly in his black and silver baby blanket. She ran a hand over his head and he dropped the cloak back in place, before striding out of the room Hermione moving in his wake.
He opened the kitchen door and conversation ceased as Severus entered the room. Molly rushed forward to crush Severus in a hug, but he deflected her to one side, but didn't escape completely. Her arm brushed raven as she pulled away from him. Raven began to whimper, and every person in the kitchen turned around at the noise. "What is that my boy," Dumbledore sighed what could Severus possibly have brought; it was probably some kind of horrible animal he had brought to set lose in Sirius's house. Snape sighed, he would have to reveal Raven, his whimpers were getting louder. He looked to Hermione, she was wincing slightly, Ravens cries were making her breasts prickle from the milk begging to be released. She gave him a helpless look.
Severus quickly whipped the cloak off and tossed it to Hermione with a snarled "Hang my cloak Miss Granger" She used the thick cloak to shield her chest. The room was suddenly silent He looked down and realized he had forgotten that he was holding Raven. He snuggled him closer to his body quieting him. Molly found her voice first. "Severus who is this." He hated this part of their story; he would love nothing more than for everyone to know who the mother of his baby was but he could not. "This is my son Raven."
This brought many whispers including Ron's "Who would reproduce with the great bat of the dungeons." He shot Weasley his fiercest glare and watched in satisfaction as he paled. He was forced to pay attention as Dumbledore asked the question everyone wanted the answer to "My boy who is the mother." Severus sneered feeling a pang in his heart as he snarled "She is unimportant she is not around." He pulled the baby closer and glared at anyone who looked as though they were going to question this. Hermione was looking at him pointedly telling him to elaborate on the story. "He is a little over two months old, and he has been living in my quarters with myself and my childhood house elf. And no you may not hold him, he just ate."
When it became clear he was not going to be answering anymore questions Molly began to serve dinner. Hermione sat between Bill and Charlie and asked them if they had had any luck with the portrait. Bill shook his head "Nothing works, I even tried all of the curse breaking spells I know." Charlie nodded "I wanted to burn it off the wall, but the wall is the support structure to the entire entrance hall it is impossible to remove the damn thing." Hermione smiled slightly, when her alarm went off the entire room jumped.
Sirius shot out of his seat "Is it the prank?" Severus smirked "Prank Miss granger"
Hermione leveled Sirius with a glare that forced him back into his seat "It is not a prank you mangy mutt." The last part was muttered quietly, but everyone still heard it. She turned and swept from the room, her everyday robes billowing around her in a more feminine version of Snape's signature walk.
She returned a cauldron levitating behind her glowing with the protective shield incasing it. "Bill Charlie follow me please." They stood, and so did the rest of the kitchen and followed her to the entrance hall. She opened the curtains and motioned to Dumbledore who silenced Mrs. Black. She turned to Sirius "Do you care if the painting is damaged?" He shook his head gleefully "Go for it."
Bill spoke up "we already tried a dissolving potion and it didn't work, what could you possibly do?" Hermione simply smirked evilly and turned to professor Snape. "Professor, you won't want Raven here for this." He nodded and summoned Bonnie with a click of his fingers, he handed her raven and she disappeared with a pop. Hermione nodded "Professor might I use your wand, since I am still underage" her eyes were practically twinkling with mirth as she said this. "If you must, but if you harm it I will have your hide." He held it out to her and she accepted it. No one commented on this, they were too curious about what she was going to do.
She motioned everyone back and stepped towards the cauldron. She removed the shield and the cauldron glowed with a red light. She began chanting in Latin moving the wand in complex spirals and patterns. The contents of the cauldron rose in the air forming a round ball. The potion glowed with what looked like flickering fire. She began chanting quicker and an invisible wind began to whip her hair and robes around, but did not affect anyone else. The ball of fire began to flatten and shape into a thin sheet the exact shape of the portrait, within the sheet there appeared to be chimeras and dragons and many other creatures of fire. She stopped chanting abruptly and with a swift flick of her wand sent the sheet flying into the portrait.
The effect was instantaneous the portrait burst into flames and disintegrated, leaving a pile of ashes, and the wall untouched without even a scorch mark. Bill cautiously approached the wall and touched it. "It's not even warm, Hermione what did you do." She smiled "it's a potion I created in fifth year, it is essentially liquid fiend fire, but it only burns the first thing it touches, and then it extinguishes itself."
Dumbledore smiled brilliantly at her "Well done Hermione, Lets adjourn to the sitting room shall we." He led every one out of the room except for Severus and Hermione. "Extraordinary Hermione" Severus grinned at her, and she handed back his wand.
She smiled and called for Bonnie who handed the freshly changed baby to Severus. They entered the sitting room, and Severus sat in an arm chair cradling raven who was beginning to fuss, Hermione approached him, "Professor Snape, may I hold the baby for a moment."
He turned to look at her "Miss Granger, being a know it all does not qualify you to care for a baby."
She looked up and saw his eyes sparkling with suppressed mirth. " I am certainly qualified to take care of a baby professor. " she gave him a pointed look that said give me my baby now!
He nodded "If you insist miss granger. Do be careful with him." She nodded and slipped her arms under his discreetly caressing his sides, as she cradled the baby. She cooed and snuggled him closer, he stopped fussing immediately and settled into his mummy's arms, grasping a handle full of her robes. She looked up and noticed every one looking at stunned. "What, I used to babysit all the time when I was younger."
She walked over to where the Hogwarts students were sitting and sat on the couch between Ron and Harry. Both looked at her like she was carrying a gridylow not a baby.
She sighed knowing what they were thinking "don't even say anything He's cute and just a baby."
Harry nodded and slowly reached out a hand to touch the baby on his head. Ron stood up with a huff and moved to sit by the other gryffindors. They all sat talking quietly for a few hours, Raven sleeping peacefully. Severus stood up at 8:00 "Miss Granger would you mind putting Raven in his crib."
Hermione nodded "of course professor." She stood and followed Severus out of the room and into his rooms near the potions lab. She set Raven in his bassinet and turned to find Severus without his glamour a hungry look in his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his lips to hers. They kissed softly for a few blissful minutes, her tongue darted out to trace his bottom lip, and he allowed her to slip her tongue into his mouth, they traced and stroked each others tongues for several minutes, before he pulled away with a gasp. "Hermione we need to stop, we can't do this now, it's too fast." She rested her forehead against his chest for several minutes, before pulling away and baring her breast picking Raven up to feed him before bed. "If he needs you during the night, I will send Bonnie for you. She knows to be discreet and call you miss granger." Hermione nodded wrapping a blanket around Raven and placing him gently in his crib. She pressed one last kiss to Severus's cheek before leaving and heading back to the other Hogwarts students.
A little after midnight she and the other girls settled into their cots. Something had been bothering Ginny all night and she took the opportunity to ask it. "Mione how come Snape let you use his wand?"
Hermione sighed she had known someone would ask about that. "I got a new wand over the summer, and it is has the same core as the professor's, I used his wand a few times this summer, when we brought Sirius back." Lavender giggled "you spent time with him, I suppose his kid is cute though, I wonder what kind of pathetic woman would have slept with him though."
Hermione jumped up and stormed out of the room magic crackling around her. The boys sat up as the door whipped open and Hermione stalked out her magic swirling around her. The second she was in the hallway she snapped. "Bonnie" a second later Bonnie popped into the room "Mistress"
"Bonnie bring him to the dueling room immediately." She stalked down the hallway not even listening to see if Bonnie obeyed, desperately trying to reign in her magic.
In another part of the house an alarm went off in Sirius and Remus's Room. Sirius was out of bed in an instant pulling on his robes. Remus jumped up and began dressing frantically "Siri what is it?" Sirius was already headed for the door, it is the magic overload ward, someone with massive magical power is causing it. I'm worried something is wrong with Albus." With that they were out the door and following the ward to the dueling room. They approached the doors, and backed away as they felt the sheer power of the wards protecting the door. Sirus stepped forward slicing his hand on a conjured knife and applied the blood to the door breaking the wards as the head of the house. He and Remus pulled their wands and cracked the door expecting to see Dumbledore.
Hermione and a long haired man were dueling, the strange mans back to them. She and the stranger were dueling fiercely and it appeared that Hermione was fighting with Snape's wand. They watched in awe as the pair fiercely exchanged spells and dodged dueling flawlessly. Suddenly the wand flew out of Hermione's hand and Sirius made to enter the room further, when Remus put a hand on his arm and motioned for him to look.
Hermione was laughing and had a fierce look in her eye. She raised her palm and fired a series of spells wandlessly, the two outside the door stared in shock, as the stranger began to fire back wandlessly as well dropping his wand. As they watched Hermione began to speak, ranting to the stranger. "How dare she insult you? She thinks I'm pathetic how dare she, I will show her how pathetic I am." She fired off a ruthless series of stunners, which the stranger gracefully dodged. He edged closer to her as she snarled "You belong to me." There was a blinding flash of white light and a thunder clap. As the light died down there was the sound of a baby crying and Bonnie popped into the room holding Raven. Sirius and Remus stared in shock as Snape's house elf popped into the room carrying Snape's baby.
Hermione took the baby nuzzling him as the stranger wrapped his arms around her and planted a kiss on her neck. Sirius threw the door open and stormed inside "Who are you Hermione who is this."
Hermione jumped in shock as Sirius entered the room followed by Remus. "Sirius, Calm down I suppose we will have to explain, but if you are not calm I will bind you to a chair." Sirius nodded and watched as the stranger turned to look at them. He had long black hair and an elegant face, he was deathly pale and tall and muscular. There was something familiar about him though. Sirius stared at him for a minute, before the stranger raised his eyebrow at him a sneer on his lips.
"Snivellous"
