To celebrate the fact that the traffic stats seem to be working again...here's Part One of the Order :)
Damn them. Damn them all.
That had been Severus' first thought when Minerva had broken into the moment with his witch. As if it were any of her business, any of the Order's business who his soul-mate was. Who any witch in his life was. He'd played his part for them. Almost died. He didn't owe them a bloody thing.
His gut had churned. They would all be there, wizards who had offered Hermione sex to distract her from him. And the anger at that, the…pain of knowing they all thought so little of him. That they would deny him happiness after all he had fucking done for them—
But his witch had stood up for him…and his heart had swelled. No one had ever done that. Down the years, he'd treated Hermione abominably…and yet she wanted him, had glared at Minerva —a witch he knew she admired— and basically told her to fuck off.
It had pushed the idea into his mind. They should show them, show them all who much they did want each other. And Hermione had laughed and grinned and agreed with him. Oh, there was a dark streak to this witch that he rather liked…
And so there he stood, in the library of the detested 12 Grimmauld Place with Hermione at his side and him appearing to have been ravaged by a randy little succubus.
Courtesy syphoned the ash and grit of the hearth from Hermione and then himself. The bloody Mutt never kept his fireplaces clean. He offered his arm to her and she slipped her little fingers against the wool of his sleeve. Merlin, it felt right having her there.
She grinned up at him, her brown eyes gleaming with humour. Should he be surprised at her vindictive streak? She had led Umbridge into the Forbidden Forest, after all, and seemed to have no qualms about leaving the foul toad to the…mercy of the centaurs.
Minerva was still thin-lipped and in her cat-form, her back would be arched, her fur spiked. "Miss Granger, you should step away from the Headmaster."
"Severus is my fiancé, Professor."
The old cat blinked and took a step back. "You can't rush into this, child!"
Hermione sighed and rewrapped her fingers against his sleeve, pressing more firmly. "Professor McGonagall. Thank you for your concern, but I am not a 'child'. With the use of the time-turner," Severus heard the unspoken 'which you provided', "I am twenty years old. That's not a child in anyone's world."
She lifted her chin. "I don't want to fall out with you, Professor." A small smile touched her mouth. "In fact I would very much like to apprentice under you. But as you aren't pleased with my decision, I will of course now seek to study under Professor Flitwick."
Minerva's hands shot up in reflex. "Now, Miss Granger –Hermione— there's no need to be quite so hasty…"
Severus bit back a smirk. Yes, there was a thick streak of Slytherin in Hermione's spine. Before Minerva could offer more, a host of Weasleys came tumbling out of the fireplace and the door to the library opened, the other members of the Order no doubt scrambling to the room after Minerva's screeching.
Severus kept a knowing smirk on his face, but he made certain to have Hermione between him and the wall and palmed his wand. With such a pride of Gryffindors in the room, clear thought would be a luxury.
"What's he doing here?" The ginger menace lurched forward, but Arthur and one of the twins caught his arms. His father's low tones had no effect on the thick-headed boy and he struggled in his family's firm, unyielding grip. "Fuck, look at him! What's he been doing?" His gaze shot to Hermione. "Did you do that? You—"
A slice of her wand silenced him and Severus' mouth twitched. He had to remember not to get on the bad side of his witch…though riling her might prove…interesting.
Hermione untangled her fingers from his sleeve. "Excuse me please, Severus."
"Of course, my dear." He stroked a finger along her jaw before he brushed a kiss over her mouth. Her lips curved under his. Yes, she'd heard that collective gasp too.
The smile dimmed, her plumped lips thinning into a whitened line and she stepped away from him. Her wand jerked to the corner of the library. "Ronald. A word."
Arthur looked to him and Severus gave an unconcerned shrug. Hermione could hex the oaf to small ginger bits with her eyes shut. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. And Severus knew when not to interfere. It was her right to curse the boy if she so desired.
Weasley skirted around him. For all his fury there was little threat, it was mostly bluster and disappointment. The boy knew not to cross him.
Still, Severus' spine itched at having an enemy at his back…but Hermione was there. She'd kept Weasley from attacking him. The trust of that moment caught him by surprise. He did trust her. It suffused a pleasant warmth in his belly and brought out a smirk. And that dragged the attention of the others straight back to him.
"Severus Snape, you have no right to that witch!"
"Molly, please…" Arthur's voice was conciliatory. But it wasn't working on the witch. Her face was puce.
"No, Arthur. He's stolen a good witch."
Severus' met Molly Weasley's glare with a cool one of his own. He lifted an eyebrow. "Right from under your nose? Did I spoil your own theft?"
Molly screeched and spluttered and Severus didn't deny his sharp grin. It would keep them distracted from Hermione. And, fuck, it was the most fun he'd had in an age.
Hermione wrapped silence around herself and Ron. She glanced to the rest of the room and shook her head at Molly ranting at Severus. Her wizard was smirking, the light of devilment in his eyes. He was a wicked man. Her wicked man—
"You've fucked him."
She glared at Ron. She supposed she should thank him. Without his ill-considered proposal she might have gone years without knowing Severus was her soul-mate. The thought cooled some of her anger. But only some. He had sent that letter, after all.
"I'm not a right or a reward to him."
Ron crossed his arms. "You weren't that to me either."
She lifted an eyebrow and from Ron's sudden blanching she knew she mirrored Severus. It brought out a matching smirk. "Really? And I quote, 'I think it's right that I be your first. Your reward, Mione. I know you've always fancied me.'"
Ron winced. "I was dosed on potions when I wrote that."
"If you knew you were incapacitated you should've stopped yourself from writing it, don't you think?" She caught her hand in her hair, the heat of frustration and anger rising in her chest again. "Do you know how many 'offers' I got? Hundreds. Because you opened your big mouth—"
"Hey! It wasn't my fault. She got through the wards—"
"Was she pretty?" It was almost a snarl. Ron Weasley turned into a walking talking gland when there was a pretty girl to impress.
He wouldn't hold her gaze. "She was…all right."
"Your talking even had Percy writing to me."
"Percy? You want Percy now?"
Hermione growled under her breath and almost pleaded for Merlin to rise up again and give her patience. "You're not even sorry this time, are you?" Her shoulders squared. "Severus Snape is my soul-mate, Ron. Perfect for me, as I am for him. Maybe others aren't ready to admit that their soul-mate is someone they would never consider…and have a need to run wild. Maybe that's why magic makes this…interruption possible after the kiss." She shrugged and let out a long breath. "I don't know. I do know that I am ready. That I want him. A wizard who is willing to commit to me. Not a half-life of simply…sex."
Ron snorted. "Then you haven't fucked him yet." His mouth twisted into a sneer. "Not worked up the bottle? He's ugly and old. Is that perfect for you?"
He leant in, looming over her, his blue eyes hard. Hermione resisted the urge to step back from him and her hand tightened around her wand.
"You should grab the chance to spread yourself around, Mione. Once Snape fucks you, that's the end of sex with anyone else. Not that he'd have any other offers." His gaze slid over her and her skin crawled at his blatant leer. "But you're exactly what a wizard needs. That's why you had so many offers. Not in looks, though. You're a witch caught between the kiss and the final bond. No chance of kids or commitment. You're the perfect fuck—"
Hermione planted a fist in his face. No thought. No regret. Ron dropped to the carpet.
She staggered back and her spine hit the wall. Her knuckles stung. Bastard. He'd been her friend…but his thoughtless mouth had gone too far this time. She'd become simply a…a hole to him. Bastard.
Strong arms wrapped around her and she buried her face against a warm shirt, the comforting scents of herbs and sandalwood easing the tight ache in her chest.
"Beautifully done, Miss Granger. Have you thought of taking up the sport professionally?"
Hermione half-hiccupped a laugh. "A career of punching thoughtless wizards. I know a lot of witches who'd pay to see that."
"Indeed they would."
Severus' arms, his body –and no doubt his glare— kept the rest of the Order from her. She heard them, Molly's loud fussing, the rapid discussion of whether Ron should go back to St Mungo's…but she didn't care. Whatever their decision, the hearth flared green and the Weasley tribe vanished.
She'd known that the Order had to be faced, they were people deeply entrenched in both hers and Severus's lives. But gods, it was stressful and she wanted her wizard to herself, somewhere quiet, a nice cup of tea and then them both deliciously naked…
"Your thoughts are turning, witch."
She looked up at him, finding a worry and a warmth to his eyes that eased yet more of her jagged nerves. "Peeking, Headmaster?"
"Pressing a little too hard against me, Miss Granger."
She grinned and willed herself to relax. Done. It was done. Finding her soul-mate had cost her her friendship with Ron…but then that was already fracturing. But Harry… Harry.
Her friend was staring straight at her. She pressed her lips together, denying a new ache and fresh tears. No, she couldn't lose Harry too.
Part Two of the Order tomorrow :)
