A/N I do not own Harry Potter. JK does and I make no monies. The Future. My Muse allowed me to stray from my original ending and it might seem a bit disjointed. Still, I think this ended well and maybe a sequel in the future.
Act of a Familiar XXV
Hermione yawned and bumped against Severus. She had fallen asleep in his arms on the sofa. "I fell asleep and it's nice to wake up in your arms.
Severus looked out the window, watching the water crash on the shore, salty froth splaying out "I had to take you somewhere to talk Hermione. I know I was selfish in throwing marriage upon you, but our connection….it was something that I could not ignore."
Hermione turned and kissed him deeply, pleased at the response before breaking it. "I don't mind Severus. I already told you last night that I love you though having 100 elves at my command does put a damper on things."
"I knew you would not like it, but maybe you can change one hundred minds and expand out?"
Hermione smiled. "That's a thought."
Severus decided to push the mood, her kiss heating him. He pulled her close against him and kissed her neck lightly. "I love you too. I love having you here against me. I love that you did not abandon me despite my insistence, irritating witch that you are. I love that I am about the same age of you so that we will age together."
"Lots of mention of love Severus. Care to show me more?" Hermione murmured.
He pulled her up and into his arms. "I told you everything Hermione and you still love me." Severus murmured amazed and took her to the unused bedroom suite.
"Then love me." Hermione murmured, silenced when his lips crashed against hers.
He kissed her hard at first, then after a few moments almost languidly.
Hermione noticed the change and melted into his arms, suddenly feeling very hot.
His hands all over her, she did not feel the ease that he removed her dress suddenly realized that she did the same without thought. He paused, lightly tracing the curve of her hip with a finger. You are very soft." He whispered huskily in her ear before gently nipping her neck.
His breath hitched when she leaned into him, her breast pushing against his chest.
Taking the hint continued, light kiss at the nape of her shoulder and continued down.
Moving he found himself at her pert breast, lightly kissing before finding her pert nipple and slowly lapped his tongue, swirling and sucking, holding her as she sagged down in his arms.
Continuing he laid her down on the bed his attention drawn from her breast and moved down to her navel, kissing lightly.
He paused when he felt hesitation from her. "Relax." He whispered. "Spread your legs."
She relented and he found himself at her core and swirled his tongue on her clit and stilled, waiting for a response.
Hearing her moan of pleasure he continued, her moans music to his ears as he continued, sensing she never experienced this.
His thought was answered when he felt her fingers run through his hair before pushing him down, quim arching to him, letting him know she was ready.
He moved quickly and was upon her, not needing to move her legs as she was opened to him. Quickly sliding in, he held her to him, murmuring his love for her and drove in.
He continued to hold her as he thrust in, her eyes burning into him. "Hermione!" He moaned out growing harder when she cried out his name.
Time stilled for him, hot, lithe witch underneath him, and their strange connection thrummed.
"Do you feel Severus? For the first time in your life admit it cold man that you are! I know you are capable…" Hermione whispered feeling him against her.
He continued to drive into her, unwilling to admit it, not wanting a hold of love to him and she shifted, allowing him a depth that he never experienced before.
"Oh gods I feel you Hermione! Yes I feel it!" He shouted out and held her tightly, suddenly realizing all he wanted was underneath him feeling her walls clamp down as he spilled, the witch underneath him milking him in her release.
He shuddered and continued slowing until he was done and rolled off of her and held her tightly to him.
"I love you Hermione Snape." He murmured kissing her neck before he captured her lips and kissed her gently, sleep taking him away but not before he heard her response. "I love you too."
They fell asleep holding each other.
Severus awoke startled and untangled himself from his sleeping witch, no wife and looked down to her, noting that she did not wake. He kissed her cheek gently before throwing a sheet over her supple body before moving to the main room of the hotel, wand in hand and noticed a house elf bowing before him in a tea towel emblazoned with the crest of the House of Prince. "
You woke me up by your Magiks?" Severus inquired standing naked before the elf.
The elf rose. "My Lord, the Seconds, he beese dying and youse needs to be there. I'se be sorry but he calls for you and the Lady..."
Severus cut off the young house elf. "We will be there. Now go!"
The elf wrung his hands worriedly and disappeared with a snap of fingers.
Severus went back to the bedroom and woke his wife gently, smiling down to her when she fluttered her eyes open and smiled back.
"Percius is dying and he requests us. We need to get dressed as it is rude to ignore a Dying request and I find I like my grandfather, much to my surprise." He murmured to her.
Hermione moved out of the bed and he took the time to appreciate the view, lost in it.
Hermione snapped her fingers and broke him out of his reverie. "What am I to wear Severus?"
Just then a House elf appeared and quickly placed a package on the bed stand and disappeared without a word.
Severus opened the package and pulled out fancy robes for a witch. "It seems Percius thought of your dilemma." Holding them out to her.
She grabbed them and rushed to the bathroom.
Meanwhile Severus picked up the crumpled robes of the Lord of Prince on the floor of the bed and dressed using his wand to un-wrinkle his attire along with a quick "Scourgify."
Hermione walked in wearing emerald robes and smiled when Severus looked to her noting her previous crazed hair tamed in curls, looking beautiful.
He moved to her. "You are beautiful." Wrapping his arms around her.
Hermione settled into his arms. "What can I expect?"
"I've no idea Hermione. I've never been a Lord but I know you've read up on the duties." Turning his heel, thinking of destination and Apparated them away.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
They arrived at the doorstep as he planned. "Well?" He inquired.
"I know the most profitable ventures are agreed at wakes and funerals of Lorded families." Hermione admitted.
The door opened and he followed the house elf down the hall where the guest waited and a young wizard announced. "Lord and Lady Prince."
Hermione murmured feeling him stiffen when the room became silent and the guest watched them, some with evident dislike and others in interest. "Be nice Severus. You know this is not unexpected."
He said nothing and then noted Healer Thywaite in a corner trying to get his attention discretely. He ignored him, forcing the wizard to come to him. He moved away from Hermione and listened to the Healers hushed words.
He faced the elite group. "I will attend to my grandfather. Lady Prince speaks for me and she will entertain you."
Hermione kicked his leg discretely to express her distaste at being left in a den of vultures.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Most of them hate you more than I. They hate us as we are not Pure Bloods and now in their world. Have a bit of fun and push for Rights of Magical Creatures and watch how quickly they run away."
Hermione smiled and did as he commanded when he left the room with the healer.
Healer Thywaite led him up to the master bedroom and opened the door. "I'll be outside if you need me."
Severus walked in and noted the man was in worst shape then when he met him.
"Your prediction was absolutely correct in me taking the potion. I've not much time left in this world." Percius croaked out. "Still it was worth it my boy."
Severus sat down on the chair next to the bed. "I'm glad you think it was. I hate that you forced me into this world of Pure Blood nonsense."
Percius chuckled. "I'm sorry for that and not. It was important to your mother but you have a choice Severus. You can go back as you are and ignore your title or embrace it and thumb your nose at those pompous bastards."
Severus remained silent.
"Thank you for allowing me to live Severus. The last three weeks have been the best I've lived in my life, but it is time to travel and I am pleased that my last sight is you. I've down wrong by you my boy, but maybe with your inheritance I made up for that."
Severus watched the old wizard hitched a breath and stilled in death. He reached over and closed his grandfather's eyes and sat back.
After a few moments he called for the healer trapped by an Unbreakable vow and watched the older wizard come in and flicked his wand, whisps of runes floating in a bright red.
"Finally dead." Thywaite growled out. "I began to think that man would outlive me."
Severus stood up. "Your last act is to fill out the Death certificate and stay while the Lords and Ladies view as required. After that you are released."
"One duty that I will be happy to do." Thywaite moved to the bed and began to work.
Severus went back to the Grand hall where the guest waited and stopped, observing everyone at the far end of the room leaving Narcissa Malfoy chatting with Hermione.
"Percius Rualf Prince has passed to the Veil. You may gather at the door to speak your final words." He spoke and had to move aside as everyone except the Malfoys rushed to the door and left.
Lucius walked up and handed Severus a glass of Firewhiskey. "Lady Prince's passionate speech of Magical rights frightened my fellows leaving the House of Malfoy to do business with the House of Prince."
Severus chuckled and drank the full contents of the glass handed to him and moved to the bar and poured another.
"How the mighty have fallen Lucius. You ignored that I survived and yet here with a Half Blood and a one of less than desirable blood status now part of your circle."
Lucius sniffed. "I admit some families are not as forward thinking as the House of Malfoy. I did not ignore you for I was at your wedding. At least you follow the scandalous tradition of your line."
"Hmmm. I see Narcissa is getting along with my wife."
"Narcissa never joined the Deatheaters and maneuvered to keep Draco away from them until I failed and Draco forced in. You know your wife had a hand in that as well as you." Lucius reminded him. "Draco was the only reason Granger got out alive, delaying Bellatrix finding out who they had that night and bought time."
"I believe it's time to pay our respect to my grandfather." Changing the subject and motioned to Hermione to join him.
They walked down the hall with the Malfoys trailing behind and entered the room finding only his mother sitting in a chair silently crying, tears sliding down from her eyes as she dabbed a hankie.
Lucius moved close to his wife and whispered. "They must have come in, quickly presented their respects and rushed off. How rude."
Lucius moved over to Eileen and knelt down and whispered to her for a few moments before standing. "Be well in the Veil Lord Percius Prince of the House of Prince."
Hermione watched the couple depart and conjured up a chair next to Eileen while Severus did the same on the other side and took her hand. "I'm sorry they snubbed our family despite our new world after Voldemort."
Eileen patted his hand. "That was clever of you to run off with Hermione continuing my father's scandalous action with my mother. Clever that Percius advised you of that. At the end I am happy for you both even if the House of Prince has fallen in disgrace with our fellow Houses. The line is saved and perhaps with your union the better for it because it brings a new awareness to those stuck up bastards that those of non-pure blood are not worthy."
Hermione sat lost in thought.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Hermione sat next to Severus at the funeral for Percius. None of the important houses appeared, final thumb at the House of prince but the people that counted the most was there.
Minerva McGonagall sat next to her representing the House of Urquart, along with all of the Weasleys, Longbottoms, and Potters.
After Percius was laid into the ground Severus stood. "Refreshments will be found in the Grand Hall."
All the guests walked slowly toward Prince Manor leaving Hermione and Severus alone at the fresh grave.
He pulled her to her. Any regrets?"
She pulled him down and kissed him gently."
"I think everything happened for a reason and I know what I need to do now. I have a new crusade."
Severus chuckled and held her close to him knowing what she meant. Merlin help the Lords and Ladies that snubbed their family.
He took her arm and slowly trailed the group ahead of them. "All because of an act of a familiar. Who would have thought of everything that has passed, my life renewed and a beautiful witch next to me with the future before us."
Hermione squeezed his arm. "Our future Severus with no one to manipulate it."