Chapter 6: Bitterness And Resentment At It's Finest
{A/N: Here's Another update...}
My Thanks To All My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
Spare Bedroom, The Potter Residence, Wizarding World...
Upon awakening, Severus Snape had taken into account the strange changes concerning his body as he drifted from pleasant unconsciousness and opened his obsidian eyes. His surroundings had been rather strange as it were. He had been used to finding himself on the creaky hard wood floor back at Spinner's End with a few dozen empty bottles of firewhiskey all around him. On occasion, he would fumble about until he found a half finished one and start his day. This time however, he noticed he had been in a strange bedroom with an even strange set of covers draped over his half naked body. It had not escaped Snape's notice that he had been surrounded by warmth and the overwhelming scent of jasmine as he took in a deep breath. He had not recalled going to bed the previous night, come to think of it he had not recalled very much of what happened the previous night. Not that it had been new to him. Some days he went on a bender only to wake up emptying his stomach of it's contents in some toilet bowl while trying desperately to bury the images of his ex-wife that kept creeping back despite his suppression.
The distinctive feel of his usual aches and pains had been long gone as if he had been trapped in some sort of lucid dream.
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Sitting Room, The Potter Residence, Wizarding World...
The call of nature had shaken him from his thoughts as he fumbled out of the bed and made his way toward the bedroom door. As the Potions Professor stepped into the narrow second story hall, he made his way to what he had guessed had been the loo. His head had been a bit fizzy, but without the all too familiar pain of a headache that usual accompanied a night of drink.
Once he had concluded his business in the loo, he washed his hands noting the strange decor perhaps for the first time as he looked around. This place had been nothing like the brothel he had been use to, the toilets there had been more or less general in accommodation for the clientele and there was never a homely sense about such a place. It had been the kind of place men without families found themselves more often than not. If ever there was a man without family, he had been it.
He splashed some water on his face, wetting his beard and the strands of raven colored locks that dangled in front of his eyes masking his face from his view. He slicked his hair back turned his attention to his reflection. He had seen better days since before the second war's end but it seemed this particular day had been a good one as far as his health had been concerned. The bags had been gone that lined his sullen eyes and he seemed to have a more youthful appearance.
Thinking nothing of it, Snape exited the loo and made his way down the stairs, his bare feet coming into contact with the hard wood floor and finding it had been charmed for comfort. This was most definitely not a brothel. Snape crept into what appeared to be a homely sitting room and heard the voices of the this strange place's inhabitants.
{"All I'm saying is this could be the only chance he's got."} said the voice clearly male and so very familiar.
{"I know."} replied the second voice obviously female. {"It's what he needs."}
Snape's breath had gotten caught in this throat as he recognized the female voice. It had been the same voice that haunted his dreams and waking hours respectively. Hermione Granger, resident bushy haired insufferable know it all.
How dare she?
How dare she interfere with his life after he had gone through the trouble of giving her back her own?!
The male spoke again although, Snape had been too embroiled in his fury to make out what he had said. He recognized the voice as well. His fury seemed to increase as it became all too clear where he had been.
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The Kitchen, The Potter Residence, Wizarding World...
All talking ceased the second Severus Snape entered the kitchen. The eyes of the three former Gryffindor students met those of their former Potions Professor and they could tell he was quite furious with them. Hermione for her part had contented herself to sipping her tea in a bid to distract herself from noting Snape's numerous scars that lined his exposed pale chest as it expanded and contracted with his rabid breathing.
"WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO INTERFERE IN BUSINESS THAT DOES NOT CONCERN YOU!?" he shouted his deep baritone rich voice undoubtedly conveying rage.
"Settle down Severus." said Hermione sipping her tea.
The obsidian eyes of The Potions Master flicked toward his former wife and a look of all out contempt filed across his face. He had no idea why she saw fit to interfere in his life after he had given her what she had wanted.
"Do not presume to tell me what I can and cannot do Miss Granger." he replied coldly.
Hermione's amber eyes flickered with rage as she got to her feet.
"I am trying to keep things civil between us because of Harry and Ginny you stupid git." she replied unable to keep her temper in check. "And what is it about your miserable existence that needs to be kept private given how you've been drinking like a fish and bedding whores like a rutting sixth year!"
"One of the perks of divorce is that I do not have to care about what I do on my own time insulting your delicate little Gryffindor sensibilities." countered Snape.
"Getting drunk and bedding whores from Merlin knows where has nothing to do with my sensibilities or being a Gryffindor." said Hermione narrowing her amber eyes at the half naked git.
"It seem we finally agree on something." said Snape.
Hermione turned toward Harry who shook his head.
The bushy haired witch held her tongue and marched out of the kitchen. She headed up the stairs to her respective room and slammed the door behind her. It wasn't the first time the greasy git and she got into a fight. There had been plenty of those when they were married. The slamming of doors had been common at Spinner's End.
"You didn't have to do that." said Harry with a sorrowful expression on his face. "Mione still cares a great deal for you, Sir."
"I did not ask for her assistance nor yours for that matter Potter." spat Snape in contempt. "Now I demand to know why you thought it your business to interfere in my life for the umpteenth time?"
"Well...to be honest sir...it was the condition of your release from Azkaban that I and Hermione take full responsibility for you." said the green eyed wizard meeting his former Professor's eyes.
Snape had been none too pleased to hear this as it meant that his life had be at the mercy of more meddling Gryffindors, one being the most detestable boy in existence and the other his insufferable former wife.
"I'd rather go back to Azkaban." he muttered bitterly.
Harry smiled not at all taking the older wizard seriously.
"Sorry sir, but given your antics as of late you have no choice but to remain in my sole custody given how Hermione feels about you at the moment." he informed the former Potions Professor.
"You cannot be serious." he said finding himself having his fill of being in the Potter boy's presence.
"I'm afraid I am." replied Harry. "There are wards in place to ensure that you cannot leave without a proper escort be it myself or Hermione...I'm sorry that it's come to this Professor but we are responsible for you and I've allowed you time to yourself thus far."
The embittered wizard knew all too well this mean that it had been Potter that negotiated his minor use of magic given the Ministry of Magic moved to suppress it altogether. It did little to quell the urge to hex the boy into oblivion.
"And where do you suggest I sleep, given this house isn't nearly large enough to accommodate the number of inhabitants and your future child." he spat in a cold tone.
"Well...for now I guess you can have the sofa." said Harry in a pleasant tone. "Hermione will keep an eye on you while I'm at work and Ginny could use the company...she'd love to spend some time with you."
Snape arched an eyebrow at this in his usual inquisitive style. He doubted Ginerva Weasley Potter had been thrilled with his presence in her home. Especially given his history with her best friend Hermione Granger and the friction between the two of them when he served as Headmaster of Hogwarts following Dumbledore's death.
"Somehow Potter, I doubt that." replied Snape in a cold tone before he turned and walked out of the kitchen.
He had gotten half way to the sofa, his apparent new bed in this Potter infested hell and realized that he had been without clothing. The minor oversight had been of little importance as he began to contemplate obtaining his next drink. Potter had dared put him on restriction concerning outside travel so going to a pub had been out of the question.
This was just what he needed. No firewhiskey, no distraction of willing witches, and no way to get away from Hermione Granger it seemed.
