A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. I just love playing in J.K. Rowling's World.
A/N 2: Thank you all for reading, and especially those of you who are reviewing! It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Also, feel free to call me out if you think the characters are getting too out of character, obviously they're going to be a bit out of character, but I want to keep them as close to character as possible.
And to my lurkers, I know you're out there. 319 followers and 128 favorites… I want some reviews! Pwease?
Chapter Ten
Hermione was so amazingly warm that she didn't want to move, let alone get up and start her day. She sighed and moved closer to the source of the heat, and then realized that the source was Severus Snape. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around, but tried not to move too much because she could hear the man snoring quietly behind her. How did I get in here? She wondered as she slid away from Severus and turned over slowly, taking great care not to wake him up. Hermione almost gasped when she saw his face. He looked so… peaceful. His face was relaxed and calm, his hair was cast over his face, and a strand lay across his lips. Hermione had to fight the urge to lift it from his pale pink lips and tuck it behind his ears.
He really was a handsome man, if you looked at him and knew why he looked the way he did. His hair was extremely silky because of the vast amount of time he spent standing over cauldrons, and it looked greasy from afar. He was pale, but of course, that was from him spending most of his time in the dungeons. You couldn't blame the man really. He was quite handsome… at least to Hermione. Yes, his nose was rather large, but it complimented his face, and it just fit him. Also, he wasn't nearly as frightening asleep as he was awake. Hermione almost giggled to herself at the fact that she'd admitted, if only to herself, that he frightened her sometimes. He was very scary at times, and she had no doubt that he could be vicious if the situation called for it. He was strong, his entire body rippled with every movement, and she had seen what lay beneath all of the clothing he usually wears.
Hermione was pulled from her thoughts as Severus moved slightly, his eyes opening slowly at first, and then widening as he saw her.
"Can I help you, Miss Gra- Hermione?" He growled, his voice deep and husky with sleep. Hermione about wet herself. Merlin, did he sound that sexy all the time?
"Uh, uhm, no, I just woke up and…" Hermione trailed off as he sat up and stretched his lithe body, the covers pooling at his waist.
"You just decided to stare at me until I awoke. How kind of you. I shall make a note to return the favor at some point." He looked at her with his dark eyes. They were so dark that they were nearly black, but Hermione could see some brown in them. She watched him as he stood up and stretched again, nearly making her swoon.
He started towards the bathroom and stopped, looking back at her and saying, "Well, are you going to lie in the bed all day or are you going to actually do something? I'm heading to Diagon Alley later, and I suppose you could come along. We have to get moving though, the sorting is tonight and I will not be late, under any circumstances."
"Oh, I'd love to come! I need my school supplies. Actually, I never got my yearly letter from Hogwarts. Why is that, do you think?" Hermione asked as she stood up and walked toward the wardrobe.
Severus averted his eyes from his half-naked wife and looked at the floor.
"Albus gave it to me two weeks ago. I took the liberty of having everything ordered. Anything else you need we will pick up today." Severus said, and then he disappeared into the bathroom.
Hermione looked at the shut door and smiled to herself. Well, it wasn't a teddy bear and a box of chocolates, but it would have to do. For now.
Severus was sitting in the living room when Hermione left the bedroom. Severus, of course, was dressed in his usual black robes and Hermione contrasted with him greatly. Dressed in jeans, a bright red shirt, and her Hogwarts cloak, Hermione looked like the complete opposite of her dark and surly husband.
"Must you wear that insufferable color constantly? I know you're a bloody Gryffindor, but you don't have to wear the colors every day." Severus drawled as he stood up and put his cloak on.
Hermione smirked and walked over towards him. "Well, how about we make a deal? The day you wear Gryffindor colors, I'll wear all black or Slytherin colors. Deal?"
Severus scoffed and stepped to the fireplace, grabbing the pot of floo powder that rested there. "Yes, well, we'll see about that. Come along, now. I have many places to visit and I want to be back here before five o'clock."
"Yes, sir!" Hermione said scathingly as she grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fire. She flooed first and Severus followed closely behind. Luckily, when he came through behind her, she had moved out of the way and he didn't run her over.
"Congratulations, Hermione. You finally learned how to floo with someone following behind you." Severus drawled as he wiped some remaining soot off of his clothing.
"Yes, well, I seem to recall you being rather short with me about it a few months ago. I certainly didn't want to repeat that incident." Hermione's reply was a bit haughty, but she looked over and grinned at him to lighten the comment.
They left the floo station and started down Diagon Alley. Severus quickly realized that his young wife had to stop and look at every store window. And he did not exaggerate when he said every store window. After the seventh time they stopped, Hermione looked back at him and saw the look on his face.
"I'm sorry. I just like to look at everything. I know you have things to buy; let's go." Hermione said and, taking one last look at the large leather bound book in the window of the small book shop, she stepped away from the window and stood beside him.
Severus felt a small pang of guilt, but then quickly pushed it away. What the hell do I have to feel guilty about? She's the one that's taking forever. Severus nodded at her and took off at a brisk pace through the crowd, making Hermione have to run to keep up. He came to an abrupt stop at Slug & Jiggers Apothecary and turned to look at Hermione.
"I have to step in here and buy some things. If you wish to look around, you are welcome to come, but if not, I will meet you in Flourish and Blotts when I am done here." Severus told her.
"I'll meet you in Flourish and Blotts. I love browsing the stacks." She said as she glanced almost lovingly at the store.
Severus had a snarky comment and almost said it, but then he just let it go. He loved browsing the stacks as well. "I'll see you in a few minutes." He bowed his head and stepped into the shop, and she walked the opposite way into the bookstore.
Hermione met a few of her fellow Hogwarts students in the store, but not many. Most of them had already done their school shopping, and they didn't necessarily spend their leisure time in the book store. Hermione started off in the History section because she absolutely loved history. She had been browsing for a bit over ten minutes when she heard footsteps behind her. With a large dusty volume in her hand, she turned, expecting to see Severus, but instead saw Rabastan Lestrange. Hermione froze.
"Well, well, well. Look who we have here." Rabastan said quietly, taking two steps toward her and effectively backing her into a corner. "Severus' little bride all by herself."
Hermione could barely form words, but she had enough sense to subtly reach for her wand and have it safely in her grasp.
"He should know better than to leave you all by yourself." Rabastan continued, putting his hands on either side of Hermione's face and leaning toward her. "You might get yourself into trouble."
Hermione leaned her head back, trying to get as far away from the man as she could. She tried to move to the side and away from him, but he grabbed her and held her still.
"Now, now. You don't want to leave just yet." Rabastan wrapped his hand into her hair and pulled tight, making Hermione's eyes water. "I really wanted to marry you, Miss Granger. I wanted to make you pay. The little mud blood friend of Harry bloody Potter who helps him thwart the Dark Lord at every turn. I wanted you to beg for mercy."
Hermione shuddered and closed her eyes, swallowing hard. She was near tears when she heard footsteps, grunts, and fighting. The hand gripping her hair disappeared from her head and Hermione's eyes opened. Severus Snape stood in front of her, his hair slightly disheveled, breathing hard, and his eyes wild. He took two large steps toward her and grabbed her arms.
"Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?" Severus asked urgently, looking her over quickly.
"I'm fine." Hermione breathed, looking at her husband, astonished. "I- he caught me by surprise. I was looking at the books and then he was there."
Severus growled slightly. "Damn that bastard. I knew that he was up to something." Severus put his hand on Hermione's cheek. "I'm sorry. I should not have left you alone."
Hermione was shocked at the amount of concern that Severus was showing. This wasn't like him; he didn't show any kind of emotion, let alone to her. He must have had the same thought because he stepped back from her and straightened his robes.
After clearing his throat he said, "Yes, well, we need to get going. I'll have the other things that I need delivered to the castle."
"No!" Hermione said quickly, grasping his arm as he turned away. "It's fine. I'm fine. We can stay. I need some quills, parchment, and I could do with some bottles of ink."
Severus shrugged her hand off his arm and nodded sharply. "Then we'll head to Scribbulus Writing Supplies."
Hermione followed behind him quietly and quickly, regretting that she had chosen to go to Flourish and Blotts instead of staying with Severus in the apothecary. He had made such progress in the past two days; making jokes in a very subtle way, being semi-nice, and not arguing with Hermione over everything. Hermione could strangle Rabastan Lestrange for causing this relapse. They arrived at the store and Hermione began shopping, forgetting about Severus and Rabastan for the time being. She picked out quills, ink, parchment, and learned a new spell that would allow her to dictate what she wanted to write and the quill would write it for her. It was much more reliable than the Quick-Quotes-Quill and Hermione was quite confident in it, as was the shopkeeper who told her about it. Hermione was aware that Severus was never far away from her in the store, but he was doing some shopping of his own.
When Hermione had picked out everything that she wanted, she proceeded to the counter and had the shopkeeper ring up her things. Hermione reached into her robes to pay, and was pushed slightly to the side by her husband. Hermione looked up suddenly at him and frowned.
Severus put his things on the counter with Hermiones and said, "Add mine to hers and I shall pay for it all. Thank you."
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and almost stomped her foot. "I can pay for my own things, thank you very much."
Severus looked down at her, his eyes glittering. "Yes, well, I will take care of this."
Hermione huffed and stepped back, allowing Severus to pay for everything and then shrink the packages and put them in his cloak. Severus stepped away from the counter and looked at his wife, almost cringing at the livid look on her face. Fuck. Who was I to think that she would find me paying for her things as a good thing? Women.
Severus cleared his throat. "Would you like to get lunch before we head back to the castle?"
Hermione nodded curtly and followed him out of the store and into the alley. When asked if she had a preference in lunch, she said that it wasn't important to her and kept silent during the entire walk.
I have my own money. Does he think that I'm incapable of buying my own things now that we're married? Yes, I suppose he does. He was raised as a Pure-blood and, with all of the money that comes with it, he thinks that no one else can pay for things like he can. Then again, I suppose that since we are married, his money is technically mine… he could have just been being nice. Oh, he's so complicated!
"Hermione? Hermione!" Severus said rather loudly, trying to get her attention.
Hermione jerked and looked up at him. They were in a restaurant and the waiter was staring at her, waiting for her to sit down. She immediately turned red and sat down in the seat quickly. She ordered a glass of water and a simple cold sandwich, and Severus did the same, except he ordered wine as his drink. The meal was mostly silent, with each one averting his or her eyes when the other looked at him or her.
"Will you be riding the train to Hogwarts with the rest of the student body, or would you rather join them when they arrive at the school?" Severus asked towards the end of the meal. "If you want to ride the train, I will need to take you to Kings Cross soon."
"Oh, I never thought about that." Hermione said quietly. "I suppose I'll ride the train. I haven't seen Harry, Ron, and Ginny in a month. I'd like to talk with them."
Severus nodded and they finished their meal in silence. They left the restaurant and stepped into an alley where Severus put his arms around Hermione and apparated them to Kings Cross Station. Platform nine and three quarters was buzzing with activity and many students looked at their Potions Professor oddly when they saw him holding Hermione. Severus stepped back from her and straightened his robes.
"Well, enjoy the ride. I will see you at the dinner tonight. And afterwards, we have to speak to the married students about their living quarters. I'll have to speak to Slytherin house at some point, but you don't need to come with me to that. So..." Severus paused, looking a bit awkward. "I'll see you in a few hours."
"Yes." Hermione said quietly, looking up at him and smiling slightly.
The corners of Severus' mouth turned up and he stepped away, moving towards a corner from which he could apparated. Hermione followed quickly behind him, stood on her tiptoes, grabbed the back of his head, and kissed him. Hard. The man was taken by surprise at first and didn't respond, but after a moment he did. He wrapped his fingers in her hair, gripping it and growling slightly into her mouth. They pulled back after a moment, realizing that they were gaining an audience. Hermione's cheeks were pink and her lips were red.
Severus cleared his throat and Hermione could swear that his cheeks were turning pink… he was blushing. "I'll see you at the feast." He said.
And the he apparated and he was gone.