Chapter 9: The Bitch Is Hungry

After restraining Harry to his chair, Severus removed the body-bind and tried to assess the degree of damage 'the chosen one' had done to one third of the Golden Trio. As he stepped over to examine him, he heard Harry speak, voice full of loathing and regret.

"Let him suffer, Severus. Let him feel the pain until he can go to trial."

Severus sighed and looked over to the man he was starting to see as more Lily than James. "As much as I would love to do that," He drawled, "I have no intention of letting this go to a trial. I will not put Her… Professor Granger through a trial. She is fragile as it is I do not have the time. I will deal with this filth."

"Severus. I can't let you do this. He may deserve whatever you wish to do to him, but he's family. And Hermione doesn't want anything done to him. She's said so multiple times." Harry tried to reason with him.

"As much as I would love to kill this worthless excuse for a human being," Severus sighed deeply, "I am all too aware she would never forgive me. I intend to remove the memories of the last 5 years from him. Or at least anything to do with her that remains in there."

"Oh. Then I guess you need to heal him? Can't you just plant something there for me to have fought him over, so that he can keep the pain?" An odd hopeful expression on Harry's face.

"As tempting as that is, Potter. I must restore everything. When I am finished you can just tell him he passed out and then tell him you have things to attend to so he will leave. And until you can stomach it, I would recommend you distance yourself from this pig." His tone rang with finality.

"I guess your right…" A sullen and bitter tone escaped and when Severus shot him a look, there were unchecked tears rolling down his cheeks.

It took Severus the better part of 2 hours to sift through the memories, pulling out everything. Then he noticed the way Ron's mind viewed Hermione and he broke that down so that he would no longer desire her. He left a big fight from during the war in its place, where she told him she would never trust him again. When he was finished, he pulled out and sighed. Wishing he could've down what he wanted to the animal, but there was nothing for it.

Harry was out of the restrains and pacing in front of the fire. "You need to get back to Hogwarts. Now. She'll see it soon and need you to help her through this. I can't be there right now, it will only make it worse."

"Potter. What are you babbling on about. I don't have the patience to deal with anything else at the moment." Silently summoning a tumbler full of Firewhiskey.

"Skeeter." Was all Harry said as he pushed the evening edition of the Prophet his way.

War Hero Thrown Over For Dark Spy?

By: Rita Skeeter

Firstly, the celebration ball this year was magnificent. So many people, all happy and free. And to whom do we owe all of this, the Golden Trio. Harry Potter has said on many occasions to all who will listen that he could not have accomplished this without the help of Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry Potter went off to become an Auror and now is one of the prominent figures in the Ministry. Ronald Weasley is the keeper for the Chuddley Cannons and has made quite a name for himself in the Quidditch world. Hermione Granger has become a professor for Hogwarts. Before she did that, she had married Ronald Weasley after the war and they were so happy. Seen in public together all the time their first year together. After that she would remain hidden, while he was still a big celebrity. Then she abruptly leaves him and goes to Hogwarts. My investigation shows that a divorce was filed with the Ministry, citing infidelity and breach of vows. And now after that display at the Celebration Ball, we can see what that meant! Heartbreaker Hermione Granger, formerly involved with Harry Potter, Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory, and Ronald Weasley, has now moved on to the dark and mysterious Potion Master Severus Snape. Former Death Eater turned spy for the Order of the Phoenix. To whom we owe a great deal of the victory (According to some) and who shouldn't be trusted (according to others). Hermione Granger is a former student of the Potion Master and I have been told by a source close to her, that she has long held him in the highest esteem. Perhaps his Order of Merlin spurred her into action after her loss of Ronald Weasley. Or as this writer suspects, the 'Brightest Witch of Her Age' was the cause of the infidelity and Ronald Weasley caught her in flagrante with Severus Snape! (A man old enough to be her own father!) My dear readers, I will continue to follow this story and update you as soon as I know anything more!

Severus threw the paper aside with a growl and stormed to the fireplace to Floo back to his rooms at Hogwarts already worried for the reaction she will have.

When he arrived the first thing he noticed was the sound of broken sobs coming from his bed. Cursing the owl that brought her the paper, he made his way to the little witch and took in the sight before him. Her long hair was a tangled mane, fanned out around her. Her eyes were closed and tears were streaming down, her breathing hitched several times and she hiccoughed to catch her breath. Her entire body was shaking with the force of her sobs and her right hand was clenched around the evening paper.

Severus softly sat beside her on the bed and pulled her into his embrace. Murmuring gently into her hair. "It's okay. Let it out. Shh now. Breathe."

The velvet tones whispering to her made the sobs stop in their tracks and she looked up to him with tears still streaming down her cheeks. It took a few seconds to realize who was holding her, then recognition flashed in her eyes and she started to move out of his arms.

He squeezed her tight for a moment, stopping her movements. "What has you so distraught?" His tone beseeching, silently asking her not to reject his physical comfort.

"Skeeter. She… She just… Every time…" shaking her head she looked up into his eyes and a fire sparked in her depths. "She is going to pay for this one." The change in her tone was surprising and he raised a single eyebrow down at here.

"Well. She is." Hermione sat up straighter and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I refuse to shed one more tear over that beetle bitch."

"Beetle?" Severus asked confused.

"She's and animagus. A beetle. I kept her in a jar one summer. I guess she never learned her lesson." A devious smile played on her lips for a moment, then she frowned and looked up into is face once more. "I guess I should head back to my quarters."

He let her go reluctantly, wanting her to stay, but not willing to put himself out there and be rejected. She stood and turned her back to him for a moment while she straightened her clothing and used a quick cleansing charm on her face to remove the last of her pitiful tears.

"I'm sorry I cried all over you. You must think I am such a basket case." She laughed nervously, hiccoughing again when he placed his hand gently on her elbow. She turned and locked her eyes with his. Trying to decipher what he wanted. She took a quick glance down to his lips then back to his eyes. She licked her own nervously before pulling the bottom one in and worrying it with her teeth, filled with indecision. He noticed her appraisal and felt a rush of heat in his blood when she began to bite her own lip. With his free hand he brought it up to gently cup her cheek, letting his thumb slowly pull the lip softly from between her teeth. He felt her pulse quicken and the quick little breaths she was taking.

"You shouldn't bite your lip like that, it's a very bad habit." He smirked slightly when he felt her shiver because of his voice. He moved his other hand up to hold the other side of her face and gazed back up to her. Watching as she looked down to his lips then back to his eyes once again, almost asking with her eyes from him to kiss her. Just as he began leaning forward, a large silvery horse bounded into the room, causing them to break apart in shock.

"'Mione," the horse spoke with Ginny's voice, "Don't read the paper, I'm Flooing over as soon as I can. I will be there to help you get through this!" The horse turned and disappeared.

"I should be going then." Hermione said quickly. Giving him one last regretful glance before fleeing to her own rooms.