Disclaimer:- I do not own this story nor do I earn any money from it. I merely play with borrowed characters on a well written landscape.
sSs
A/N:- Our story is starting to resolve, only a little more to go after this. Again a warning this story is rated M for a reason and this chapter contains more lemons. You have been warned and if you're under the age of consent, go read something else. I love hearing your comments, consider reviewing even if you haven't before. Just one word counts if you're unused to the process.
hHh
Chapter Eleven – Getting Over The Worse
Their reunion and the congratulations were cut short, as Aurors entered the hall to escort Lucius to his hearing. Hermione was growing too loath the sight of them. She watched as the blond wizard blanched and his wife instinctively gripped his arm tighter. Lucius looked to his son, and quietly handed his wife over to him. Her strangled cry of, "No," though it was quiet, echoed around the hall like some unknown precursor of doom.
Lucius and Dumbledore walked forward to meet the uniformed men. The most pompous of which, reminded Hermione of a podgy and balding version of Percy Weasley. It was this man who spoke, "Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, you are to be taken to stand in front of the Wizengamot to answer charges of Death Eater activities."
Hermione looked on in horror as Lucius was all but forced down by rough hands on his shoulders, "On your knees," the Aurors ordered, banishing wands at him. The group watched as the cuff was removed from his wrist. However, the Percy sound alike conjured shackles and tightly latched them around his pale wrists instead.
.
Hermione was livid. What the hell are they expecting? They have the wizard's magic contained and his wand is gone. This is not a man prone to displays of violence. The Gryffindor witch bristled further, at the hiss of pain that escaped between Lucius' teeth as his knees crashed to the stone floor. The merciless way she saw them tightening the shackles, only made her more irrate.
Her mouth opened and words started, "Be careful. Is that really necessary? I think enough damage has already been done to this man by the Aurory." Hermione asserted, eyes narrowed. She felt Severus tighten his grip on her arm.
Harry placed a quiet hand on Hermione's other arm to reinforce Severus' warning to stay silent. Ultimately though, she backed off because Severus' mind was so concerned. Questioning such a man on an obvious witch hunt is not wise, my love, she heard. Both Severus and Harry understood that any out spoken gestures for alleged dark wizards in this political climate might see her in trouble, regardless of who she was.
Harry knew this from watching the wives of alleged Death Eaters, being dragged off with their husbands simply for sticking up for them against the thugs. The poor witches were then put through hell before either being falsely accused, or dumped on the street outside the Ministry. It was very similar to what they'd seen Umbridge doing with Muggleborns before the war, and it made him sick to the stomach.
However, Harry spoke up to support Hermione, "Yes I believe my friend is right, this man is still convalescing." The Auror cast Hermione a glowering stare, she sensed Severus become indignant on her behalf and she squeezed his arm. The Auror slackened the shackles a little, after casting a dubious eye at Harry. He retained ultimate control however, and smiling nastily he attached a chain to the cuffs, and led Lucius away like a dog.
.
Harry felt obliged to warn Hermione about some of the things he'd seen happen, but he tried to get out of Narcissa's ear shot. "They're brutes in their own way," he confided. "The things I've seen, it's unnecessary. Most of them are just little tin gods. What happened to Lucius is common I'm afraid." He shook his head, "I'm troubled that Ron has been taken in by it all," he thought for a moment. "But he never did think like us, did he?"
Hermione could hear the hurt in Harry's voice, from Ron's last betrayal. Harry had overheard Ron bragging in the lunch room at work about what a tosser Harry Potter was and that he, Ron had only remained friends with him because he didn't think he could manage to even get though school, let alone defeat a dark wizard without his help.
Both Hermione and Harry had told the whole group, how much help Ronald had been when the chips were down. He'd cowered behind a tree while Harry had duelled with Voldemort and Hermione had provided him protection. Severus chuckled, "Cheer up Harry, in all likelihood the dunderhead will fall on his own wand and hex himself."
"Severus," Hermione admonished, batting his arm lightly, but when both Harry and Draco laughed, Severus smirked at her in return.
xox
At the Ministry, they had to wait to be seated. The gallery was loaded with reporters, photographers and general busy bodies. Today was the start of the big name Death Eater trials. Hermione felt Severus was very tense as they sat waiting for proceedings to begin.
Dumbledore sat as Chief Warlock once more. Shacklebolt was at the head of the fifty plus strong Wizengamot. It was quite a foreboding sight looking at the members towering over the court room, stone faced, in their plum robes. Hermione leaned close to Severus, "Do you think they practice that look in the mirror before they come."
He chuckled quietly, and murmured back, "No it comes easy after the stick is inserted up their arse." She giggled and cuddled into his arm. Before either had reacted, there was a flash bulb and a puff of smoke. "Well that's done it, we're public now. You might as well finish the job," he sighed.
His mind supplied the picture for her, and she giggled again. Then raised her eyebrow to the photographer and stretching her arm wiggled her fingers to draw attention to the ring. There was a flurry of more flash bulbs and a plume of metallic smelling smoke rising to the ceiling far above.
Severus sighed, "We'll be in for it now, they'll want to know everything," and he discretely kissed her cheek. This caused another bout of magnesium and potassium nitrate to flash and rise skyward.
.
Lucius' was the second case; the first was Walden Macnair. Harry's comments before they'd left came back to Hermione as she watched the accused rise, shackled within a cage. The suave man she remembered was gone. This man had chunks of hair missing, and a huge, fairly fresh bruise blooming inky black around his eye.
Silence engulfed the court as soon as the chain started hauling the cage aloft. There was a rustling of parchment and the pompous voice of Percy Weasley sounded above the hush. He announced the list of charges, and no one disagreed or spoke up. With the silence, Kingsley looked towards his under secretary, and nodded.
Hermione couldn't quite bring herself to feel anything but loathing for the obviously broken man in the cage. The would be killer of Buckbeak - and her mind punched the air in triumph at that little deception - sat motionless and even refused to speak on his own behalf.
Percy's voice rang out in question to the members, "Not guilty?" Silence, "Guilty," he continued after a moment. The vote was unanimous, all hands rose, almost as one.
Kingsley's strong voice boomed, "Life in Azkaban." His hammer fell. "Next." The cage was lowered from view.
.
Hermione heard a sharp, but stifled cry of distress from Narcissa as the cage rose again. They had made Lucius put his prison uniform back on, his head was bowed. There was so much loss in his stance and attitude. Hermione's hand found Severus' and squeezed. Her mind told him how glad she was he hadn't had to endure this.
It was hard to bear, seeing someone you had been conversing with just yesterday in this situation. She internally shuddered at the thought of the man she loved in that awful cage, as she watched Mr. Hornblower presented his evidence. Then Dumbledore explained the position of the order. Looking back at the sea of plum robed members, from what Hermione could see of their body language, they appeared to be a split almost 50/50.
This needed something extra to guarantee it, she waited until Percy asked, if anyone else wished to speak. I'm going to speak her mind told Severus. He squeezed her hand but didn't attempt to stop her, and she rose, "I wish to speak," Hermione stated clearly. There was another commotion of flash powder, and Dumbledore walked around to open the gate for her.
A very shaky Hermione Granger stepped up and sat in the chair, "Are you willing to testify under Veritaserum?" Percy's most pretentious voice inquired.
"Yes," a trembling Hermione nodded.
Percy nodded to the clerk of sessions, who handed Hermione a small vial. She instantly heard in her head, smell it before you drink it. If it smells like dead roses or sickly sweet sugar, refuse it.
It's odourless, Hermione replied.
It's O.K. then, Severus sighed, relieved.
Once the potion had been administered, Percy continued, "Clearly state your name."
Nodding, Hermione swallowed her nerves and took a deep breath. "My name is Hermione Jean Granger, and for those of you who do not know me. I am a Muggleborn witch." There were several gasps from the crowd. "I wish to relate some additional evidence."
Hermione thought about what Harry had said. She was very careful the keep her voice neutral, even though she knew the Veritaserum wouldn't allow her to deviate from known fact. "It is not common knowledge that near the end of the war, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and I were captured by snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor, to face Voldemort."
She stopped to allow this statement to sink in. Nobody spoke so she continued, "It so happened that at that time Voldemort was absent. I can vouch for the fact that Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy were being held prisoners within their own home. Mr. Malfoy was wandless and being taunted by his sister in law Bellatrix Lestrange about his circumstance. Further to this point when, the before mentioned Mrs. Lestrange employed the Cruciatus curse and then a cursed dagger to try and extract information from me. It was his voice I heard, telling her to stop."
A ripple of gasps surged through the ranks of members. "Are you saying young lady, that you were being tortured by a Death Eater, and that, this wizard..." One particularly haughty and sour looking old witch pointed a gnarled finger at Lucius. "This alleged Death Eater, from within their own ranks, he, prevented you from ending up like many others had before you?"
"Yes Ma'am, that's exactly what I'm saying." The witch, whom Hermione didn't know, raised her eyebrows as she spoke to her neighbour.
Hermione could tell she had their attention. "I tell all this to the court, because of an act of concern and compassion directed towards me by the accused, a mere two days ago. It is this act which has direct significance to the experience I detailed." She now started to settle a little as she related the story. "I spoke of a cursed dagger. The before mentioned witch used it to carve a word in my arm." Hermione looked around the sea of plum, stiff upper lips before her. "Soon after the war, I discovered that there was a lingering effect from this punishment."
Hermione glanced at the caged man as she spoke; his eyes finally lifted to meet hers briefly. "Two days ago was the first time I had come into contact with Mr. Lucius Malfoy since the incident in his home. He was lying in the infirmary at Hogwarts after having been beaten in Azkaban. He had just regained consciousness. When he set eyes on me, he became quite agitated. The first thing he said was, show me your arm, have you had it treated? He didn't settle again until my companion at the time, Professor Severus Snape assured him I had been treated, and the curse was removed."
Hermione bravely looked around the faces watching her. "Ladies and Gentlemen I hope you will take these facts into consideration." She took a deep breath. "Being wandless Mr. Lucius Malfoy couldn't have even participated in the final battle. Thank you for listening to me." Hermione rose on even shakier legs. The clerk handed her the Veritaserum antidote, which she drank and made her way back to the gate.
"Well done, Miss Granger," Dumbledore whispered as she passed through.
Taking the final steps back to her seat, Hermione wanted to collapse. She heard Percy rise and question flatly, "Does anyone else wish to speak?" He waited a moment. "Very well." There was a short pause. "Not guilty?" A collective gasp from the crowd, was met by photographers taking more photo, and Severus turned Hermione quickly so she wouldn't miss what she'd achieved; almost every hand was in the air.
"Case dismissed," Kingsley stated, and his hammer fell. They heard the chain on the cage rattle, and saw Hornblower and Dumbledore striding from the room. "We will adjourn for lunch," Shacklebolt added.
.
Before Hermione knew what was happening, Narcissa had grabbed her and was hugging her tightly, "Thank you," the normally haughty witch whispered.
Hermione was still getting use to smiles and hugs from the Pureblood family, but she managed, "You're welcome."
Harry and Draco also pulled her into a hug each as they passed, "That was brave, 'Mione," Harry admitted as he released her.
.
There was no reason to be here now, and the whole party minus Dumbledore filed out into the main atrium. As soon as they saw them, the press descended.
"Miss Granger, is it true you're marrying Professor Snape?" A witch brandishing a purple quill and a note book questioned, giving Snape a dubious look.
"I would have thought that was plainly obvious, I am proudly wearing his ring, aren't I?" Hermione sneered at her.
Suitably chastened, especially when the rest of the group snickered, the young witch, who reminded Hermione of Lavender Brown, quietened. Another question was aimed, this time at Severus. Hermione couldn't help thinking, how stupid are these people, do they not remember who they're addressing?
When the Professor merely stared down his magnificent nose at the witch, she blushed and stuttered, "Sorry." Hermione could have laughed, she was apologising for doing her job.
Another braver one asked again, "Are you going to resume your post as Potions Master at Hogwarts?"
Finally Minerva came to the press corps rescue, "Professor Snape has agreed to come back temporarily, until we can employ a replacement."
"Why! What else has he to do?" A dumber individual piped up.
Minerva chuckled, "You'll have to ask him that." She watched animatedly as the entire entourage shuffled their feet like children.
Finally one bright spark shifted the focus to Harry, "Is it true Mr. Potter that you are returning to Hogwarts to finish you NEWTS?"
Soon Hornblower and Lucius joined them, and Severus quietly pulled Hermione into the floo.
xox
Spilling out on to the hearth of their rooms, Severus was already kissing her, while his wand was reinforcing the wards. "I am so proud of you," he asserted, between kisses. Her tinkling laughter made his heart swell. His lips trailed around to her ear and he whispered, "I haven't seen you naked for almost four hours."
Hermione's giggle turned to a moan, when she then realised they both instantly had no clothes on, and his hands were sweeping her body in long languid strokes. Leaning down without breaking lip contact, the same hands settled behind her thighs and started lifting her. Locking her arms around his neck, Hermione shifted her weight to assist him.
Her legs locked securely around his waist, and a moan escaped her as her already wet femininity brushed his erection when he lifted her.
Craving more contact, she slid down far enough to rub him in her sodden folds. Hermione sighed, and she heard Severus' muffled groan at her attentions, while his mouth was busy on the column of her throat.
She was aware they were moving forward, urgently. She heard him murmur words and found herself resting against something soft. Fighting with her pleasured mind, Hermione opened her eyes. Severus had placed a cushioning charm on the sitting room wall, and was bracing her up against it. "You are so beautiful," he groaned, his mouth latching around a pointed nipple, as he said it.
Hermione inhaled a sharp breath when desire shot through her as a result. Severus chuffed and suckled harder, drawing a deep moan from her when his lips pulled on the dusky flesh. He supplied the same treatment to the other side. The sensation of him sliding up and down her most sensitive flesh as she writhed again him was driving her insane with need.
Snaking a hand down between their bodies Hermione positioned him, and Severus instantly sheathed himself. They both hissed in pleasure. Hermione let go a shuddering breath against his shoulder, the heat of which made him groan and thrust strongly. The Gryffindor witch whimpered in satisfaction and clung to him tighter.
Severus set a staggering pace, driving into her robustly. She met each of his movements with a groan, which grew higher and higher each time he thrust home. The angle was exquisite brushing her clit with every pass.
His mouth descended on hers again and their tongues duelled, mimicking their body's communion. Breaking away from his mouth, Hermione threw her head back against the wall and screeched her approval. Her well cultured nails dug into the flesh of his back, leaving little crescent shaped marks on his pale skin, as her pleasure rose higher.
Eventually, she was incoherent with the building sensations of bliss. Severus felt her walls start to flutter, and increased his efforts. Suddenly her legs tightened around him and she literally yelled. He rode her through her orgasm and into his own. His sinewy, well muscled legs shook under duress but remaining upright, and panting, he hugged her to him in their afterglow, kissing her hair and murmuring words of love. Once he'd recovered enough to walk, they finally made it to the bed.
.
Laying Hermione on the softness of the quilt, Severus climbed on and knelt between her legs. Her soft eyes gazed down at him pulling her legs wider and watching intrigued as his thick white seed dribbled out of her. "We forgot the charm," he said gently, his finger now drawing circles on her inner thigh with the mixture of their pleasure.
"Is that a problem?" Her voice was calm, but inquisitive.
"We probably should get married first." He glanced up at her from the sight that was obviously mesmerising him. "How soon... do you want to?"
Hermione made an inarticulate noise in response to his finger stroking up and down her folds, finally she found words, "What... get married, or have children?"
His eyebrow rose, "Well both, actually. You still have University to go," he added, as if she may have forgotten this fact. His ministrations stilled. His eyes fixed her questioningly, "You do want children, don't you?"
"Yes my love, very much. I can already imagine our beautiful children."
Hermione watched him, and his eyes rose from his study of her, intrigued, "You can?"
"Yes," she smiled. "They will be beautiful," her assertion made him smile and his finger started moving once more.
"As long as they have your nose," he commented, and his smile became devious, "Although this nose does have advantages." Then without further comment, he went back to his observation of her pussy. His nose now brushing her inner thighs, drawing the same circles as his finger had been, closer and closer.
Finally he ended the exquisite torture and his tongue snaked out to taste. "Oh Severus, that is so wicked," but her voice was anything but disapproving. From his vantage point, he saw her pucker in response to the act.
He did it again, "Mmm, we taste good mixed together," he proclaimed, after plunging his talented organ deep inside her and fluttering it. As if to prove this to her, he rose up her body to kiss her, allowing their blended taste into her mouth as well.
.
The lovers, wiled away the afternoon consumed by each other. About four, there was the tapping of an owl on the sitting room window. Hermione was asleep. So Severus quietly disentangled himself and rose. Grabbing his black silk dressing gown he padded bare foot into the next room.
There was a regal looking Eagle owl, now perched on the sill, looking down his rather impressive hooked beak in disgust at having been kept waiting. "Oh you have to belong to Lucius," the Potions Master chuckled, as he let the bird in. It disdainfully held out its foot so Severus could remove its missive.
Directing the bird to the bowl to treats, he chuckled again when Rastus cawed and lunged. Flapping his wings in disgust at the interloper scoffing what he considered his personal property. The owl had obviously been instructed to wait, so Severus sat at his desk to read. He sighed and questioned quietly, "I wonder if Hermione's up to this yet?"
"Up to what?" He felt arms snake around him from behind, and a gentle voice tickle his ear, before kissing it.
"Lucius and Narcissa have invited us to the Manor for dinner," he handed her the note. His mind instantly felt her tense, and he reached around pulling her into his lap. "They will understand if you can't, just yet," Severus' eyes panned up and down her still naked form.
Hermione bit her lip, thinking, "No," she suddenly stated resolutely. "I can't allow one experience, no matter how traumatic it was, to cloud my future. We will go," she proclaimed, in true Gryffindor style. Then she pulled his ear closer to her mouth, "Now send the bird on his way, so I can have you on his chair," she whispered hotly.
Severus grinned and quickly accioed a quill, the bird was dispatched, with a caw of triumph from Severus' familiar. Hermione looked to the still disgruntled bird, "He certainly is entertaining isn't he," she laughed.
"Mmm," Severus replied shooing her off his lap so he could open his robe. "Don't change the subject witch, I believe something about having me on this chair was mentioned." He smirked and stroked himself lovingly while she watched.
Hermione grinned, "You really are lovely to look at my love. Your pale skin..." she caressed his chest, "it's like ivory and so smooth. Even your scars." She started planting kisses on each one of the many scars that littered his torso.
"You flatter me, my darling." His breath escaped him sharply when her mouth closed around one of his flat nipples, and teased it to a peck. Moving lower, Hermione's mouth adored the trail of black hair that started on his stomach.
"I mean too, it's true." Her tongue was slowly descending closer to its goal. His hand grasped the base of his cock and watched as Hermione's mouth engulfed him. Her eyes remained locked with his; her head moved backwards and forwards, up and down his rigid shaft. She thought she never get over how silky and smooth it was, or had magnificent it felt as now or inside her.
.
Kneeling as she was on the floor, Severus watched his witch entranced. She parted her legs further and fingered herself while her mouth worked on him. It was still hard to believe he had only taken her virginity last night. She was so proactive; he hadn't had to encourage her once.
Watching her head bobbing on him, added to the exquisite feelings building in him, Severus realised he wanted to be inside her, immediately. Pushing her away, his voice was rough with desire as he commanded, "On the desk, now witch." A wave of his hand cleared it, and he lifted a grinning Hermione on.
Her legs started drawing him urgently to her, "Severus quickly, I need you," she murmured, and it turned into a squeal of joy when he thrust in, seating himself in one go. The only sounds apart from the disgruntled raven, cawing at the display, were their mixed sounds of enjoyment. Severus' deep grunt each time and Hermione's equally guttural reply to his movement.
The sight of himself disappearing in and out of her tight little passage, and the way her breasts bounced each time he thrust were quickly sending Severus over the edge. He increased the pace, literally pumping in and out of her.
Finally her voice rose higher, and he felt the delicious tightening start. "Come on, come for me sweet girl," he encouraged. It was finally his decadent velvet voice that sent her over the edge. She screamed her approval to the ceiling, and welcomed him when he collapsed on top of her after. Severus tried to keep most of his weight on his elbows. After all, collapsing on her in bed was one thing, but this desk was another.
xox
As Severus expected, Lucius had invited his trusted friends to dinner, with more than one aim. It was obviously his idea of a quiet celebration, for several things all at once. Now safely at home in his Manor once more, some of his decadence had started to rise once more.
The meal had been sumptuous, and the wines breathtaking. Now the moment he had obviously spent hours this afternoon thinking about, arrived. Severus glanced at Hermione across from him. Her green silk gown rivalled their hostess', and clung to every curve. It was making him hard, just looking at her. He couldn't wait to get home and remove her from it.
"My friends." Lucius Malfoy was holding court. This was something he had been unable to do, for a long time. "I thank you all for coming," he glanced around the table at each of them.
Drawing breath, Lucius spoke again, "My dear wife, and I," he kissed Narcissa's hand. "Have decided to say farewell to England for a while. We are hoping that once he has completed his NEWTS, Draco and his partner Harry, will called this Manor home, and run the English side of our family investments, as well as the Black and Potter interests. Narcissa and I will be heading for our home in Switzerland once we have things sorted here."
He now turned to Severus, "Speaking of things to sort out. When are you and this charming witch going to tie the knot?"
Severus graced him with a scowl, "You never could wait to be told could you, Lucius?" Although the corner of Snape's mouth quirked up, "We actually started discussing that very subject, this afternoon." Severus smiled at Hermione, "However, other things took our attention."
"Oh, I can just imagine," Lucius drawled, smirking lecherously at the ripple of chuckles that went round the table. Before smoothing his features again, and asking, "So did you make a decision?"
"Yes," Hermione spoke up, a little pointedly. "We decided next week; that gives us a week to organise a simple ceremony, time for a Honeymoon, then a week and a bit for Severus to organise lessons for the revision school."
.
Both Minerva and Narcissa spoke together, "What do you mean simple ceremony?" They looked at one another, and laughed at having said the same thing.
"Just what Hermione said, we want a simple ceremony, nothing lavish and monstrous." Severus looked at the two witches hard. "So don't get any ideas," he warned distinctly.
Hermione took over the explanation, "I've always thought somewhere wild and gothic," her mind gave Severus the picture she was explaining. "Perhaps, a hillside covered with Heather, or a cliff top, with the sea thundering below."
That's perfect, her mind heard, before her wizard added, "And I know the very place."
"Well no expense shall be spared in securing this place," Lucius announced, as they all rose from the table.
12