First and foremost, I would like to point out that though I admire the woman's writing prowess I am not, nor will I ever be J.K. Rowling. So needless to say, I don't own anything Harry Potter, so if you recognize it I probably don't own it
Secondly this is my first ever attempt at a Grape so flamers, go easy.
Thirdly except for a few brief mentions, the life of Tom Marvolo Riddle, a.k.a. Lord Voldemort is completely ignored. Well at least, as of right now I'm not planning on using his name a lot.
Fourthly, 99.987654321% of this story will be in Hermione's P.O.V. Except for a few brief spots of somebody else's.
Fifthly, I will never beg for reviews, but I would greatly appreciate them. I'm all for constructive criticism, and would also greatly appreciate that, but as for my number two, flamers please go easy.
And last, but most certainly not least, Enjoy!
Sorry about the delay. My mind has just been crazy.
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Thank you for beta-ing my story again Aimless.
Deseo del Corazón
Chapter Fourteen
~Severus P.O.V.~
Severus stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the frame for the door into Ginny's room. His eyes watching as Hermione's body moved in her sleep on the bed. He didn't turn when he heard footsteps approaching up the staircase.
"She's going to be angry," he said, unable to stop the smile that twisted his lips.
A hand clapped him on the back and he turned his head to look at the other; who held a steaming mug of black liquid which Severus assumed to be coffee.
"As angry as she'll be," said Harry, "she'll be thrilled with your creativity."
"Is she a morning person?" he asked quietly, so as not to wake the sleeping brunette.
"Usually. She was up at four this morning, but went back to sleep within half an hour."
Severus raised a brow. "What happened?"
"Nothing serious," he said, smiling as he shook his head lightly. "Just a friend who needed some comfort."
When he held out the mug to him, Severus straightened from his position and took it from him.
"If you're serious about waking her up this early you're going to need to give her that."
Severus grinned at him, and when he made his back down the stairs, said, "Thanks Pot... Harry."
"You're welcome, Professor," he called back over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner.
Turning back towards the room, he entered and approached the bed. He held the coffee in his left hand as his right reached forward and shook Hermione's shoulder. "Hermione, time to get up."
She groaned as she rubbed her face against the pillow. "G'way. Lemme sleep Sevvy."
"Sevvy?" Severus's eyebrow shot up.
"Sev I can handle. I can do Toby, even though it was my ass hole father's name," he said, voice shaking with mock anger.
He paused for affect as she looked at him with sleep filled eyes. "But I absolutely refuse to be known by 'Sevvy'."
All he got was a snort before she groaned again.
"What time is it?" she asked softly after several seconds.
"Nearly a quarter after seven. You're late."
It took a while before the words seemed to register in her brain, after which she proceeded to glare up at him.
"When you said be ready at seven I assumed that you meant seven in the evening."
Smirking, he extended the hand holding the mug towards her. "Well, you know what they say happens when you assume."
She giggled as she reached out to take the coffee. "Makes an ass of you and me."
He nodded.
"You have fifteen minutes before I come up with a bucket of ice water." He said, with a smile on his face and a chirp to his voice. Leaving her to beverage, Severus turned and exited the room, making his way downstairs to the join the Weasleys (and Potter).
"How'd it go?" asked Harry as soon as he'd entered.
"Gave her the coffee and told her if she wasn't down in fifteen minutes I'd empty a bucket of ice water on her person."
Harry's eyes widened slightly as chuckling erupted around the table. "That may not have been the best idea."
Severus was about to ask why when he noticed everyone's gazes shift to something behind him. Blinking, he turned around, only to find himself staring down the end of a wand tip. "Wha-"
"Gelidus Aguamenti."
He yelped as he was struck with a jet of cold water. "What the bloody hell, woman!?"
He continued to splutter as she cut the charm off.
"I don't take well to threats, Sevvy."
* Hermione's P.O.V. *
Wand in hand, Hermione made her way down the stairs, not wanting to make her approach noticeable to the occupants in the dining room. Pausing on the last step, she listened carefully to their conversation before Harry said, "That may not have been the best idea."
Finally stepping down onto the landing, she quietly moved into view of the table, in case Severus was facing her direction. Catching Harry's eye, Hermione gave him a grin, and smirked mentally when Severus turned to see what he was looking at.
His cross-eyed expression when he found himself staring down at the tip of her wand was comical.
"Gelidus Aguamenti."
He let out a yelp as the jet of ice-cold water shot out from the tip of her wand and hit him right in the face.
"What the bloody hell, woman!?"
Cutting the charm off she replied simply, "I don't take well to threats, Sevvy."
She watched as the emotions flickered across his face before he smirked menacingly. She took a step back, unaware of how wide her eyes had gotten.
"I don't take well to having icy water shot at me." He pulled a gift bag out of his pocket and held it up for her inspection. "I even brought you a present which, luckily, I cast Impervius on before I came up to get you."
She brightened slightly at that, before taking a step closer.
"I'm sorry for the water." Looking down, she bit on her lower lip lightly as her feet toed the carpet. "That was mean of me after you brought me coffee."
She felt his soft fingers slide under her chin, pushing it up so that her eyes met his obsidian orbs. "Don't apologize, my dear. Would you like your present?"
Her eyes bore into his as if searching for any sign that he was angry. When she found none the corners of her lips turned up. "Only if you're sure that you're not angry at me. I really wasn't trying to upset you, Severus."
He held the little bag out to her. "I promise I'm not angry."
Hermione kept her eyes on his as she put her hand in the bag and pulled out the object inside. She finally broke the gaze, before turning her eyes on the jar she was holding. The first thing that she noticed was the tiny holes in the lid. The second, was the beetle that had distinct markings around it's eyes.
"Holy fuck." Her eyes shot to Severus. "Is this who I bloody think it is?"
"If by that you mean 'Is this Rita Skeeter?', then your answer is, yes."
Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him. "How long have you had her?"
"Since we met at the Hogs Head. Harry saw her try to fly away after you stormed out, and captured her. She has since been under my," he paused as if searching for the word to use, "care."
Hermione glared at the beetle. "She was eavesdropping on our entire conversation?... Even about my parents?"
Severus nodded, and looked around at the room; most of the inhabitants looked more than slightly confused. "Yes. I figured the first place we could stop was at the Ministry of Magic, to turn in an unregistered Animagus."
Hermione grinned.
~Ministry of Magic~
Hermione and Severus walked, hand in hand, towards the lifts at the end of the atrium, ignoring the many that stopped to stare as they went past. Reaching the front desk, behind which, was seated a lanky wizard, they immediately withdrew their wands from their pockets and held them out to be examined.
"Names?" he asked softly, preparing to right them down on a piece of paper.
"Hermione Jean Granger and Severus Tobias Snape," stated Severus.
Finished with his examination, he handed them their wands before slipping the paper onto a long needle that was filled with similar papers. He then told them to go through.
Entering one of the lifts, they were slowly taken down to the level that had the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"Miss Granger?"
Over the low walls of his cubicle, Kingsley looked surprised at their approach. "What are you doing here?"
Hermione smiled at him. "I'm here to report Rita Skeeter as an unregistered animagus. I'd also like to press charges against her for slander."
"Unregistered animagus?" Kingsley raised a brow. "Where is she, now?"
She held up the jar. "Right here."
Kingsley walked around the walls, and gently took the jar from her. "We'll investigate this straight away... though it does explain a lot of things. Thanks for this!"
Bidding him farewell, Hermione and Severus walked back to the lifts, their arms round each others' waist. They took the ride back up to the atrium, before exiting the lift and made for the apparition point, after which, Severus turned and pulled her against him with his hand. "Are you ready for our date, love?"
Though shocked at the new term of endearment, Hermione nodded. Spinning on the spot, they appeared by a creek, under a smoggy sky.
"It's just a short walk away from here."
Keeping their hands clasped as he pulled her on a path that led away from the creek, and into a suburb. Hermione was looking around at the gloomy houses when Severus suddenly stopped them outside of one. "This is where I grew up."
Hermione looked at him, and then at the house they were standing in front of. The outside of the house that wasn't covered with what looked like soot was a deep green.
"It's... charming," she said softly, not wanting to offend him.
He chuckled as he led her up the walkway, he opened the door and they both stepped in, shutting it behind them.
"Master?" Soft footsteps started approaching. "I thoughts you hads a date this mornings."
When the small house elf rounded the corner she froze. Hermione stepped forward with a smile. "It's lovely to meet you, Pipsy."
"Missus Granger, it's nice to meet yous, too." Pipsy glared at Severus. "Master, you could have saids we woulds be having company."
He smiled at her. "Pipsy, I brought company with me."
The little elf walked away muttering, before called over her shoulder,"I wills be bringings the tea."
When Pipsy was out of sight Hermione smacked Severus on the arm. "You shouldn't tease her like that."
He smiled cheekily, something she didn't know he could do, and leaned down to press a soft kiss on her lips. "Maybe not, but she has teased me a lot over the years on how I need to get her a baby and mistress to look after."
Though she was incredibly tempted to attack him with her lips, she decided that asking for a tour would be better. "Are you going to show me around or are we going to have tea standing in the entrance?"
While Pipsy took the time to prepare the tea, Severus led her around the house, showing her every room. It wasn't until he paused outside a particular set of double doors, that she finally raised a brow in question.
"It's my bedroom," he said softly.
Hermione flushed, before gathering her courage, and stepped around him. Reaching out, she grabbed the doorhandles before finally pushing the door open.
So, what did you think? There may be a bit of a time skip to the next chapter. Hogwarts maybe? I don't know, what do you think?