Chapter 7: And So It Begins
Sun filtered in through the dirty bedroom window. The couple in the bed slept the sleep of the mentally exhausted; the man on his back with an arm thrown above his head, the woman with her head on his chest and a leg flung over the lower half of the man's body.
The previous evening
They had arrived at Spinner's End and said very little. Hermione sat on the dusty sheet-covered sofa with her head in her hands quietly crying. Severus took their trunks to his-no, their-bedroom and unpacked only what he'd need for the night and first thing in the morning. There would be time enough tomorrow to unpack and sort things out. He changed into muggle clothes and went back downstairs to the sitting room.
"There's a corner market a few streets over, I thought I would go pick up a few things. I put your trunk in my bedroom at the top of the stairs. However, if you wish to stay in the spare bedroom, you may move your trunk in there."
"Um, no, I'll stay with you, if that's okay. I won't be able to sleep tonight, and I don't think I want to be alone, either."
"Very good then. I shall return in a bit." He shut the door quietly behind him, hearing Hermione cry again.
When Hermione heard the door click shut, she flopped back on the sofa and cried unrestrainedly. How could her life have become such a mess? Well, that wasn't right either. She had no regrets of her night with Severus, but could one night of passion lead to a lifelong marriage? One that would not be full of hate and bitterness? Granted, they were both intelligent and admired that trait in each other. They had many things in common, as she found when they talked last night. Would Severus be willing to make this marriage work? Would she be willing? These thoughts banged around her brain as she made her way up the stairs to Severus' bedroom.
The room held the barest necessities: a large four-poster bed in the center of the room, two bedside tables flanking the bed. The linens on the bed were adequate, but Hermione knew she would want a new duvet; the blankets covering the bed didn't look like they would be all that warm. There was a double wardrobe and a bureau. The walls were white and there were two single paned windows facing east and west with drab, flimsy curtains covering them.
Opening her trunk, she got out some cotton lounging pants and a shirt. Grabbing some clean under things and something to wear tomorrow, as well as her toiletry bag, she closed the trunk and pushed it to rest at the foot of the bed. She'd ask Severus where to put her other things in the morning.
She went into the bathroom, which was as nondescript as the bedroom. Sink, toilet, and to her delight, a deep claw foot cast iron tub with a DIY shower attachment. She quickly set her things down, changed her clothes, and washed her face. She went back down stairs and stood in the sitting room, looking around at her new home. Bookshelves lined most of the wall space, and the door to the stairwell, as well as over the door, had been crafted to hold shelves. Dust hung thickly everywhere. With a wave of her wand, she began with a few cleaning charms to get rid of the dust. As she was taking the sheet off the old sofa, she heard the door open and looked up to see Severus coming in.
"Can I help you with the shopping?" She asked.
"No thank you, they're not heavy. Why don't you come out to the kitchen with me? I got some meat, cheese, and bread. We can make some sandwiches and talk."
"All right," She finished folding the sheet and dropped it back on the sofa cushions, a small poof of dust issuing from it as it landed with a thud.
As she helped put away the items he had purchased, she made a mental note of ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, homemade bread, grainy mustard, milk, and custard tarts.
"Custard tarts, Severus?" She held the package up and looked amusedly at him.
He smiled sheepishly. "Well, I thought you might be in need of some comfort food."
Hermione's eyebrow rose to her hairline, her eyes sparkling. "If I remember correctly, I seem to remember seeing your plate holding two or three each time they were served at Hogwarts." When she realized what she said, the reminder of the life she was no longer part of, her face fell, the arm holding the box dropping to the counter.
"Hermione, don't," Severus put his hand over hers. "It will not help either of us to dwell in the past." He squeezed her hand and she shook her head.
"Of course, Severus," She straightened her shoulders and looked at the cupboards. "Where can I find plates and glasses? What's in the other smaller bag?" She asked, her voice a little too bright.
"There was a liquor shop next door to the grocery. I hope you don't mind."
"No, I don't. I could use a bit of liquid courage myself this evening. "
Hermione set the table and Severus put out the items for their sandwiches. He then got two smaller glasses to set next to the larger ones Hermione had placed on the table. He filled each small glass with a measure of whiskey. "Not wizard whiskey, but not too bad for Muggles," he said as Hermione filled the larger glasses with water.
They sat and looked at each other. Severus took up his whiskey and indicated to Hermione that she should do the same. With a mock bow of his head, he said "To your health, Mrs. Snape."
She returned the bow and said "And yours, Mr. Snape." They clinked their glasses and threw back the measures.
Severus put his glass down and picked up the bread knife. "Thick or thin?" he asked.
They talked a little over dinner about what the reaction of their friends would be and what they might expect once the news hit The Prophet. Once they cleaned up the detritus of the meal and magically did the dishes, they decided an early night was in order.
Each nervously prepared for bed, which was ironic since they had already seen each other nude. Hermione was already more or less dressed and just needed to brush her teeth. Severus declared he wanted a shower and went into the bathroom while Hermione settled under the covers.
"I didn't know if you preferred a side," she said when he came back into the room dressed in black boxers and a black t-shirt. "I always tended to sleep to the left side in the dorms."
"I actually prefer the right since it's closer to the door. Able to protect my lady's honor should we be attacked and all that." Hermione giggled and smiled. Severus's lips curved into a small smile, and his eyes crinkled in the corner at her reaction.
"I like it when you smile," Hermione said. "You are handsome already, but smiling makes you even more so."
Severus' cheeks reddened slightly. "Be quiet woman and shove over, I believe you are encroaching onto my side." Hermione wiggled over so that she was more firmly on the left side.
Once Severus slid into bed, he extinguished the lights with a wave of his hands. The waxing Gibbous moon shone through the window giving the couple a bit of light to see by. They both lay on their backs not touching. Severus chuckled at this, remembering last night when they had more or less occupied the same spot on his bed at the same time. He rolled onto his left side to look at Hermione, and he could see tears glistening in her eyes. "Are you all right?"
Hermione rolled over as well and looked at him. "No, I am not."
"Come closer," he said, reaching his arm out to gather her to his chest. "I am not all right either Hermione. I still can't quite put my head around what has happened. I suddenly find myself married and jobless."
"Do you regret last night?"
"Truthfully? No, I don't. What I regret is that I've made your life far more difficult that it should be. You should be Head Girl, studying more than necessary for your NEWTs and foisting off the attempts of Mr. Weasley to get into your knickers. You should not be married to a man twenty years your senior with a past more horrific than it should be."
"I don't regret last night either, but like you, I regret that you have lost your job; although, you probably aren't upset to be out of range of Trelawney. Severus snorted at her remark as she continued, "As to your age and past, they are things we can't change, but we can learn to deal with."
Severus kissed the top of her head and then put a finger under her chin to pull her face up. He leaned down and kissed her. The kiss was soft and full of compassion, but not lust fueled like last night. After a few moments, he broke it and said, "Go to sleep Hermione. I am sure we'll have plenty to deal with in the morning."
Severus stirred when the sun shone through the eastern window. He tried to shut his eyes tighter to block out the light but to no avail. Thinking he was still in his rooms at Hogwarts, he was confused. There is no sun in my rooms, he thought. He opened his eyes and yesterday came back with a vengeance. He was in his bedroom at Spinner's End and snuggled up next to him, thoroughly encroaching onto his side of the bed was, he swallowed, his wife. He didn't have much time to think about the situation because the other reason he had woken up came into focus.
On the ledges of both windows sat owls of various sizes, each pecking at the glass in an effort to deliver multi-colored parchments attached to their legs. Severus moaned when he realized the predominant color was red.
"Hermione," he poked the woman beside him. "Hermione," he said a little louder. "Wake up."
Hermione moaned at the intrusion into her cozy halo of sleep. "What is it?" She whimpered.
"Hermione, wake up now!" Severus said in full professor mode. "The owls are bringing us reality."
