A/N: One more story needs to get posted after this, and I'm about halfway through a story I'm really enjoying writing for the Prompt Fest!
Chapter Seven
Before the sun even rose, the last house in the row down Spinner's End was already stirring. Breakfast was shortly made, followed by coffee. The coffee was chased with a round of lovemaking, a shower, and finding some decent clothes to wear. Only then did the sun begin to rise over the horizon.
When it finally decided to crest, Hermione and Severus had no idea. They were holed up in his living room, sharing the couch, with a tea service on the table and her legs thrown over his.
"I'm so just bloody relieved," she kept telling him. "The curse was miserable. I felt just so hyperaware, like you had a homing beacon, but I didn't know it was you I was looking for. I'm glad I know now."
He squeezed her leg. "Me too. Though it still feels strange."
"And yet not strange."
Severus nodded his agreement.
"So we agree that while this did not have the more auspicious beginning, the outcome was favorable?" she asked.
"It was. Though I still shudder to think of what may have happened had the cure, so to speak, not been nearby. Sirius shouldn't get away with this." Severus sounded calm as he slowly rubbed her leg, but Hermione could tell there was anger seething just below the surface.
"What do you have in mind?"
"Shouldn't it be you with the plan?" he asked.
"Oh, by all rights I could claim the right to revenge. However, I think that you, the Head of Slytherin, will have a much more…instructional lesson for him.
Severus grinned, giving Hermione a shiver. Sirius wasn't going to know what hit him.
~~HGSS~~
Saturday night supper at the old Headquarters had been a regular event since shortly after the fall of Voldemort and his regime. Sometimes just one or two stopped by but more often than not, a large crowd would gather around the table for some of Kreacher's famous cooking.
Tonight was no different. Harry and Ginny were talking low in the corner, with Ron nearby pretending not to eavesdrop. Sirius was bringing dishes out of the kitchen with Molly helping Kreacher and Arthur looking on. Kingsley poured himself a drink while Severus and Hermione just quietly sat and watched until dinner was set before them.
Sirius hadn't said much to Hermione when she arrived unexpectedly with Severus in tow. Severus dared him to speak out against his presence but the mongrel wisely kept quiet. This may have been his home but lashing out against Severus would have its consequences and he didn't want to fuel the fire…while others were looking at least.
No one knew that tension was running higher than normal between the two men and conversation flowed as everyone was served.
Sirius never saw the bolt that hit him as he returned to the kitchen for the roast, merely thinking he tried over the rug as he stumbled forward, catching himself on the edge of a counter. "I need to secure the blasted thing!" he muttered and gave it no more thought.
"This roast is sublime, Kreacher," Sirius told the elf as he licked his fingers. "It smells absolutely fantastic." He took in a large whiff of the roasted meat and potatoes.
"It is quite good," agreed Arthur. "Almost as good as Molly's."
Hermione glanced at Severus who blatantly ignored her. He hadn't told her what his plan was, but she was forming an idea.
They sojourned for a drink in the drawing room, lounging as old friends do. Severus and Hermione shared a sofa, receiving a questioning look from Harry, only to receive it back as he sat down next to Ginny. Harry shrugged.
Sirius poured a small sniffer of brandy, catching his reflection in the silver platter below. He bent nearer, running a hand through his hair and checking his teeth, seemingly fixated on the image.
"You didn't," whispered Hermione.
"Of course I did," Severus answered. "Why wouldn't I?"
She huffed at him. "But it was such a terrible thing to experience! What if his true love isn't nearby? And what is she is? Then you will give him the same happiness we share and he won't have learned a thing!
"I don't think we have much to worry about," he told her, completely nonchalant at Sirius's impending madness.
The evening progressed and soon it seemed everyone was keeping an eye on their host's eccentric behavior. It was known that Sirius was a bit self centered, but it seemed as though he caught a glimpse of himself in every shiny object he passed. Then there was the awkward moment when he spilt his brandy on his hand and couldn't quit sucking on his fingers.
"Is everything alright there, Sirius?" asked Harry who was still snuggled against Ginny.
"Smashing, Harry. I feel a bit restless this evening though. Anyone else?"
"You know," said Hermione thoughtfully. "I felt like that just last week. It was awful. My skin felt hot and itchy and my skin just crawled. It was awful. I probably would have wound up in St Mungo's if Severus wasn't there to help me out. I certainly hope you didn't catch anything I had."
Harry looked at Sirius, eyes wide. A thundercloud gathered over the older man as the revelation dawned on him.
"Severus was able to cure you, you say?" He glared at his rival. "Maybe I'll have to talk to him later and see what he recommends."
"I'd be delighted," Severus told him with only a modicum of sarcasm.
Sirius quickly moved on to the aural sense. He chatted with everyone mirthfully and even brought out an old family album or two and enthralled his guests with stories of his peculiar relatives.
Hermione wondered if the rate at which each stage of the curse was being fulfilled affected the intensity and time in-between the next one. She remembered having hours, if not a day or two, before the next stage became a nuisance but Sirius was becoming increasing agitated. He began shuffling his feet, scratching at his arms and wiping his face.
"You really don't look well, Sirius. Perhaps you should lie down," Molly offered.
"Nonsense. Just a bit off tonight is all. I'm sure I'll be right as rain in the morning."
Sirius was able to stay calm for a while longer. It wasn't until he brushed a stray hair off his trousers that his will snapped.
"Sirius?" Harry asked.
The man in questioned moaned feebly.
"Severus, we can't just leave him like this!" Hermione exclaimed. "He'll go mad, or even die!"
Severus remained nonplussed. He had no sympathy for the man after what he put Hermione through, even if his suspicion didn't turn out correct.
"Harry," Sirius started. "I think I may need to go to-"
Before he could finish the sentence, there was a soft 'pop'. Suddenly a large black dog had taken the post where Sirius just was.
"Oh my!" exclaimed Molly. "Whatever is the matter with him? Hermione, did this happen to you?"
"No," Hermione told her as the dog ran fitful circles around the room. "Sirius thought that Harry and I should be together. A sort of modern James and Lily. So he cursed me to have desires of the five senses only about to be fulfilled by a man I loved. However, what I don't think he realized is that it had to be my one true love, otherwise I would remain unsatisfied and the symptoms would increase until I would up in the Janus Thickey ward or dead. Thankfully, my love was nearby." It was evident Sirius was trying to listen to Hermione's tale and whimpered as she placed a hand on Severus's leg.
"Severus!" Arthur exclaimed.
Severus shrugged. "You are as shocked as I was. And so, in retribution, Sirius is experiencing the same agony he put Hermione through."
"Hermione, I can't believe you! You know how dangerous it was and you cast it on Sirius?" said Molly, quite indignant.
"Not me," Hermione told her.
"Me," answered Severus.
No one dared argue with him though Molly gave him quite the glare.
Sirius gave one last low whine before sitting on the carpet where he began to thoroughly clean his quite intact canine manhood.
"Oh Merlin," said Hermione, suddenly sick to her stomach. She turned away from the salivating beast on the floor. "This is what you expected wasn't it? That Sirius's true love would be himself?"
Severus just smiled before Apparating the frenzied dog upstairs. "I don't believe we need to see anymore of that.
"That was…that was terrible!" Harry said. "And he was trying to force the two of us to be together?"
Hermione grimaced. "Yes, he tried to set us up."
"Oh no, he didn't," said Ginny. "I'm sorry, Harry, I always knew he was a little strange but I just chalked it up to twelve years in Azkaban. But if he ever tries something like that again, I'll curse him!"
Harry shuddered. "How do you end the curse?"
"Copulation," Severus said flatly.
Harry turned green. "So you mean he has to…and that means you two have…I need to leave."
Harry fled the room and Ginny quickly stood up to follow. "Wait, Harry! I'll go with you!"
Severus and Hermione quickly made their escape, hurriedly explaining that Sirius would be right as rain in the morning, leaving Molly with a rag, frantically cleaning the area Sirius the dog had been in.
"That was truly underhanded of you, Severus," Hermione told her love. "Fitting, but underhanded."
"I may need to pull that memory out for viewing in my Pensieve," he told her with a sly grin creeping across his face.
"I have a better idea," whispered Hermione. "Let's go back to my place and make an even better memory," she said, running his fingers down the thick wool of his jacket.
And so they did.
Finite.
A/N: I completely forgot to mention that this was the product of a challenge set for me by a dear friend. Hermione suffers from a compulsion hex/spell/curse unbeknownst to her. The effect may begin to happen in public, but must be brought to completion behind closed doors as it is of a romantic nature. How romantic is up to you, my dear, of course.
2. Sirius Black is the wizard who set the curse (for her own good of course, in his mind) in order to woo Hermione, who is being courted by none other than the snarky, seductive Severus Snape.
3. Hermione is a freelance curse breaker called to Number 12 Grimmauld Place to do a job for Sirius Black. Run free with the reason she's there.
4. "Oh...Is that velvet?"
5. Severus Snape rescues Hermione from Sirius before she can act on her compulsion with him. How, when , where...I leave to your expertise. Just let Severus wipe the floor with him, in an appropriate fashion of course be it physical or intellectually.
I mostly stuck with the prompt. ^_^
