Chapter 8: Owls, Howlers, and Press, oh my!
"What do you mean?" Hermione rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up.
"Look at the windows!" growled Severus. He got up and opened the west window. Owls fell over themselves in an effort to deliver their letters first, and a few fell onto the floor as a result. Severus bent over and, none to nicely, ripped the letters off their legs. The owls flew out of the windows as soon as they were relieved of their burdens. Hermione was on the other side of the room doing the same and occasionally letting loose with an explicative as some of the owls, angry at being left outside so long, bit her.
Severus peered outside the window. "I don't see any reporters; that's good, but there are more owls."
"Can we ignore them?" As she spoke, the first howler went off.
HERMIOINE GRANGER!
HOW COULD YOU LEAVE MY RONALD FOR THAT….THAT MAN! WITHOUT SO MUCH AS AN EXPLANATION EITHER! HOW COULD YOU MARRY A MAN OLD ENOUGH-
"Ah, the dulcet tones of Molly Weasley," Severus muttered.
-TO BE YOUR FATHER? YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME AT THE BURROW OR ANY OTHER WEASLEY ESTABLISHMENT. YOU UNGRATEFUL WHORE! YOU SCA-
At that, Severus set fire to the howler. He looked at Hermione who was really too stunned to say anything or react, nor did she have time to react as the next howler went off
SEVERUS, YOU IDIOT. Lucius Malfoy's indignation was quite evident. A MUDBLOOD SEVERUS, A MUDBLOOD?!
The man in question quickly incinerated that howler as well. "I imagine the rest of these are of a like ilk." Ginny Weasley's howler went next followed by Ron's, Harry's and surprisingly, Neville's. All began the same; full of anger and indignation. They were summarily burned, and before the rest could go off Severus quickly gathered them and burned them.
Hermione bent to retrieve all the other letters. "These, too," she said as she leafed through them. "Here's a letter from The Prophet, that can't be good; one from Luna, several from names I don't know, and a few I recognize from your Death Eater days."
"Destroy them all Hermione." Severus directed. She set them in a pile on the floor and incinerated the lot.
They stood looking at each other. "Well, good morning, wife." Severus smirked.
"Good morning, husband." Hermione smiled shyly. They looked away, and Severus turned to go to the bathroom. Hermione hoped he would hurry; she really had to go. He did, and she hurried in after him.
"I'll go downstairs and make some tea. Are you hungry?" Severus called through the bathroom door as he climbed into a pair of lounging pants.
"No, not really. I'll be down in a minute."
Severus pulled his dressing gown around him and padded downstairs. He saw some owls at the window and sent a spell to zap them, and they flew off, letters undelivered. He did however, allow the bird delivering The Prophet to make the drop. "Might as well know the lay of the land," he grumbled. He grabbed up the paper and walked to the kitchen. He filled the kettle with water and set it on the stove, nudged his wand at the burner to light it and then went to the cupboard to get out the mugs. He placed the mugs, some milk and sugar on a tray, and when the water boiled, filled the teapot with leaves and poured the water over them. Throwing a towel over the pot to keep it warm (no effeminate tea cozy for him), he carried the tray into the sitting room, set it on the sofa table and sat in his chair. He flipped open the paper. The headlines were not pretty. He had just finished reading the first article when he heard Hermione come down the stairs.
"In here, Hermione."
Thanking him as he handed her a mug, she sat down and asked, "Is that the paper?"
"Yes, but I am not sure you want to read it. They shred us both to pieces."
"Well, that shouldn't surprise us." She sipped her tea thoughtfully. "Well, day one of married life-actually day two. What shall we do today?"
Severus swallowed the tea he just sipped and put down his mug. "Well, one thought did occur to me this morning that I need to ask you about. Should I brew you a contraceptive potion?"
Hermione choked a bit on her tea. Once she had recovered from coughing she squeaked, "Oh, my God. We forgot…can you brew me a morning after potion?"
"It's too late for that, I think."
"Hang on, what today's date?"
"The 12th."
"We're all right, I just finished my cycle on the 7th. I've used charms in the past, but which is better?"
"A potion would be more effective."
"Severus, why do you bring this up now?"
"Hermione don't kid yourself into thinking this is going to be all sunshine and daisies. People are not reacting well as evidenced by our wake-up call this morning. Had you become pregnant and were still a student, you would have been vilified as well as expelled. How many single mothers do you know of in the wizarding world? A child right now would, given our circumstances, not be a good idea."
"I agree. I just wanted to get your take on the situation. Frankly, I do not wish to have a child anytime in the next few years."
"Then we are in agreement then. I will brew you a potion; however, it works best if you start it after your next cycle. We can use charms until then if we…" he trailed off.
"If we what, Severus?" She looked at him with concern. What was going on his mind?
"I can't even believe I am having this conversation." Severus huffed as he ran a hand across his face.
"What do you mean?"
"Come on Hermione," he said starting to get agitated. "The other night was fabulous, but did you expect it to happen again?"
Hermione started to get angry. "Yes Severus, I expected the other night to happen again. You told me I would be yours, and I believe I said you would be mine. The inference was that there would be a relationship between us and that included having sex, particularly since now we are married!"
"Okay, okay. Yes, the expectation was that we would have sex again, and we would have a relationship, but I expected we'd take our time getting to know each other to see if we were even compatible for the long run! I never dreamed we'd be married by some ancient bloody magic!" His next statement was under his breath but Hermione still heard it. "I should never have given into temptation."
"So you're saying it's my fault?"
"What?" He stared at her incredulously.
"I heard you; you said you should never have given into temptation!"
He looked at her. "You were my student! I should have never let it get that far!"
"You were my professor! I should have never wanted to let it get that far!" She stomped out of the room and went upstairs.
Sighing heavily, Severus picked up the tea things and took them back to the kitchen. Rather than placing them in the sink as he planned, a howl of rage poured forth from him, and he hurled the entire tray to the floor. Tea, sugar, and milk splattered everywhere. Upstairs, he could hear Hermione slamming the bathroom door shut and then her own howl of rage followed by the sound of glass breaking. He figured the mirror just felt her pain. Looking at the floor, he snorted, said 'Reparo' and the tea things returned to their original shapes. He bent to pick them up and placed them in the sink.
He left the kitchen and went upstairs to their bedroom. He heard Hermione in the shower and sat at the edge of the bed waiting for her to come out. When she did, she was clad only in a towel. They looked at each other. Severus could not deny the witch was gorgeous nor could he deny that her intelligence and sense of humor were a draw for him as well. It was the whole damned reason he was infatuated with her to begin with.
He noticed her hand wrapped in a face flannel. "Did you cut yourself?"
Hermione looked at her hand and smiled apologetically. "Mirrors do tend not like fists in them."
"Come here." Standing, he took her hand in his and couldn't help but laugh when he felt that same electric tingle he felt when he held the same hand just two days ago, again bleeding at the time. "I'd give you hell for dripping blood in my floor, but that's what got us here in the first place," he smiled ruefully.
Hermione looked into his eyes. "I am so sorry this has happened, Severus," she spoke softly. "I never dreamed that being with you would have been so incredible. The memory of the feel of your body against mine won't leave me. I crave it."
Severus snorted at this and after healing her hand, kissed the palm. "That you can crave this body proves you are a remarkable woman. You were more than I expected that night as well. Even if this had not happened, I would have sought you out for more. I meant what I said, I won't let you go."
"I meant what I said as well; you are mine," she leaned forward and kissed him. Far from the other night where their kisses became desperate and hurried this kiss was soft and slow. They savored the texture of their lips before Severus' tongue began to flick her bottom lip and she opened her mouth. Tongues slid and curled around each other. Severus pulled her closer and her arms went around his neck. Hermione broke the kiss and simply held Severus to her. He welcomed the feel of her body as it curved to fit him. Her head tucked easily under his chin. After a few minutes of just holding each other, he untangled himself.
"We must head out to do some shopping. We will need a bit more than just lunch meat to eat, and if I am to brew your potion, I need to go to Diagon Alley. We'll need to go to Gringotts as well to join our accounts, if you're agreeable to that?"
"That will be fine with me." Hermione divested herself of the towel and began to slip her knickers on.
"Green? Just for me?" Severus asked. "And are they all little wispy things as well?"
"All of them are green yes. Do you not like this style?"
"Oh, I do, I just wondered if you bought them like that with me in mind, or if that's what you always wore."
"I used to wear good old cotton white knickers until I began to imagine a certain Slytherin seeing me in my knickers and decided it would be better if they were sexy instead."
"Well, I commend your forethought," he said reaching forward to snap the elastic of her knickers and then slipped into the bathroom to shave and get ready.
The newlyweds were finally ready to floo to Diagon Alley. They agreed to do their Wizard errands first and then head to Muggle shops afterward. Hermione wanted to learn the neighborhood she would be living in, and they agreed to take a walk and shop when they returned from Diagon Alley. They stepped into the fireplace and were soon stepping out into the Leaky Caldron. All conversation ceased when the couple appeared. Severus glared at them all and protectively led Hermione quickly to the back alley that lead to the shopping center. As they stepped through to Diagon Alley Hermione spoke quietly to Severus. "They all know, don't they?"
"I imagine all of Wizarding Britain knows Hermione. It won't have taken long for The Prophet to circulate and the students to write their parents. This will most likely be a very difficult shopping trip. I am used to such reactions; you are not. Are you sure you wouldn't like to go back home?"
"I am not ashamed of you, Severus. I will stay by your side."
"All right. Let's go to Gringotts first; the Goblins do not care about gossip, they only care about money." The couple hurried off. The joining of their accounts did not take long. They reviewed just what their assets were at the moment since that would be all the money they would have until they found jobs. Severus had been smart enough to make several Muggle investments over the years so they would be comfortable, provided they did not buy anything extravagantly expensive for at least the next year.
Trouble began the moment they left the bank. Several reporters were standing outside waiting from them. It seemed that one of the gawking patrons in the Leaky Caldron wasted no time in alerting the press.
"Snape, we understand you've imperioused the girl, is this true?" One shouted.
"Mrs. Snape, what of Ron Weasley's broken heart?"
"Are you a Death Eater's whore? How long have you been having an affair with the student, Professor?"
The swarm of press hounded them as they attempted to make their way to the apothecary. Once inside they slammed the door shut.
"Good gods Severus, you deal with this every time you come here?"
"Most of the time, yes. You just have to ignore it." Severus quickly made his way through the shop picking up the ingredients he needed for Hermione's potion as well as for some healing potions he liked to always have on hand.
"The names they called us…it was evil." Hermione shivered at the remembrance of the taunts shouted at them.
"I've been called them so many times I don't really hear them anymore." He looked at Hermione sadly. "I am sorry, Know-it-all, that you have to go through this."
Hermione was tongue tied at his use of an endearment even if it was the name he always called her in not so nice tones in the past. "It can't be helped," she said. "We'll just have to finish up here as soon as possible and get back home."
"Yes. So let's move onward. Can you find me some feverfew?" Hermione moved along the shelves until she found it.
Once they had everything, they approached to the counter to pay. They could still see the reporters lurking outside.
The owner of the shop came up. He and Severus were friends of sorts given the amount of galleons and time he spent in the shop. The cheerful man never hesitated to strike up a conversation with Severus and trade a joke or two. However, there was a stiffness in the man Severus had never encountered before. He silently rang up the items on the counter.
"Claymore, what's the meaning of this?" Severus asked.
"In light of the change in your circumstances, Sir, I would prefer you didn't come into this establishment anymore. I will accept owl orders from you only."
Sir? Severus was astounded. Even in the depths of his Death Eater days and afterward, even though false rumors flew regarding Severus status during his spy days, he was always welcomed in the shop. "Claymore, you've known me for years. What has changed?"
The shopkeeper looked pointedly at Hermione and said nothing.
"I see." He snatched up his purchases, took Hermione by the hand and left the shop, furious. He hexed the reporters out of his way and pulling Hermione along, quickly made their way up the streets of Diagon Alley. A trip to Flourish and Blotts, the couple's favorite shop, was no better. The press hounded their steps the entire way, and when they went to make their purchases, they were asked again to owl their orders from now on.
Hermione was stunned. The little shopkeeper knew her and Severus well. "But Mr. Blotts, why? Why would you and the owner of the apothecary where Severus has purchased his ingredients for years tell us not to come in anymore?
Feeling sorry for the witch, Mr. Blotts explained. "Certain parties have stated that they will withdraw substantial patronage to any shop that caters to you two."
Severus spoke tersely. "I see. Come Mrs. Snape (and there was a very heavy emphasis on the Mrs. Snape), let's take our needs elsewhere."
"You will have trouble wherever you go in Diagon Alley!" The shopkeeper hollered after them.
Their trip through the Leaky Caldron was tense. Several of the patrons called out lewd comments as they walked through crowd to get to the fireplace. In a flash, they were back at Spinner's End.
Hermione, knowing Severus was furious, made her way quietly to the kitchen. She knew he needed a few minutes to calm down. She put on the kettle and prepared the tea. Severus came up behind her and put his arms around waist, pulling her to him. "I am sorry you had to go through that."
"Will it be like that every time?"
"Only until the furor dies down. Remember Hermione, I not only killed Albus Dumbledore, I've now defiled one of the Golden Trio. Your association with me brands you as no better than what you have been called. I am sure the head of the school board has been exercising his influence in his regard toward me. I am sure he blames me for the death of some of his family members during the war. For now, we can do one of two things. We can cower under the pressure, or we can move onward with life. It's a choice I have had to make every day for twenty years. At least now, I have someone to help me make the choice. Which do you choose, Hermione?"
Hermione took just a moment to kiss his cheek. "You, Severus. I choose you and our life moving forward."
He kissed her head. "Come on; let's have the tea and then we'll go for our walk."
