Chapter 24: The Light of Day
{A/N: Villains...did you really expect to not see one show up? Lol."}
Warning Mild Content ahead (thought not terribly graphic)
My Thanks to all my readers and reviewers Enjoy-S.S.
The Basement, Dumbledore Manor, Wizarding World...
When Severus Snape opened his eyes he found that he had not been alone. The scent of jasmine it him and he had to move to avoid having a mouth full of bushy brown hair. Hermione had been sound asleep not making a sound as she clung to him. The warmth of her body had been a welcome change from his usual cold mornings. The sleeping witch shifted brushing her naked form against his in the process. Snape looked up at the ceiling. It had been a long time since he awoke to the sight of a woman, much less a young witch with intellect to match her beauty. Looking at her seemed to take away those long and painful nights in Azkaban. He recalled just how many times envisioning those amber eyes had saved him from feeling the full brunt of his beatings. He found himself unable to resist the silent compulsion to feel her soft skin against the rough exterior of his fingertips. Slowly, he began to stroke the sleeping witch's back as she continued to sleep. The action did not seem to bother her as she simply nuzzled her cheek against his chest in a bid for more contact.
"You are so very beautiful, Hermione." said Snape in a whisper. "More so than you would ever realize."
The young witch shifted in her sleep. Snape sighed and continued to look up at the ceiling. He had no idea why she was so adamant about helping him that day at the trial. When he first heard what she was being called by the very people she helped to defend he had no words to describe the shock. Hermione Granger was the princess of Gryffindor back at Hogwarts, if not for her, The great Harry Potter would have been dead long before he got out of first year.
Unable to fall back to sleep, Snape gently layed Hermione down on the bed and slipped out from under her. The dour wizard made his way to the loo not at all surprised that he had been sporting a very obvious morning erection. Once his trip had concluded he returned to his bedroom where he found a naked Hermione Granger sleeping on her side. The sheet that had been draped over her skin had come sliding down in the wake of her constant movements and she ended up having it draped down to the flesh part of her unconcealed thigh.
The dour wizard took in the sensual outline of the slender young witch's figure. His already obvious erection seemed to become more blatantly obvious and throbbed rather painfully. The lean pale form of Snape slipped back into bed with her and he curved his body around hers without waking her. He worked his hand underneath her tucked arms and let his fingers roam across her exposed breasts.
Hermione stretched some moaning softly at the contact. Snape pressed his body harder against hers unable to ignore the heat that was beginning to radiate off the young witch as their bare skin made contact. A soft groan escaped his pale lips and he pressed them against her neck taking in the heavy scent of jasmine when he did. Normally, Snape would not have risked a secondary encounter with any witch so soon after the first, it breeds feelings of affection and complicates the situation way to quickly. But to be fair he had been locked away for a little over five years and Hermione was the first witch he had taken to bed since that time. His affection starved body craved her in ways that surprised even himself.
"Hermione." he whispered softly in her ear.
The young witch moaned scooting her slender form into him as he continued to press against her.
"Wake up little fly." he whispered. "You must be awake to be devoured."
Hermione's amber eyes slowly opened as she felt Snape's hand travel down her stomach with the intent of going lower. She let out an soft moan and shifted some in a bid to get her heated body closer to him.
"Severus." she said dreamily.
He kissed her neck, softly biting at the flesh.
"Are you ready for more?" he whispered in a seductive tone.
"Yes." replied Hermione lost in his antics. "I'm ready, Severus."
Snape rolled Hermione onto her back and towered above her in seconds. She felt the fever in his kiss as he entered her in one swift motion. The pale wizard's body flexed like before as he began to thrust into her warm frame.
The Wizengamot courtroom, Ministry of Magic, Wizard World...
Harry James Potter stood before the convinced members of The Wizengamot . His green eyes burned with rage as a result of their short sighted actions in releasing Severus Snape from Azkaban. His chest heaved in ragged breaths as he attempted to reign in his temper. Ron Weasley had been at his side mostly quiet and there for moral support. He had not wished to get directly involved with anything concerning Snape again after it had caused his break-up with Hermione Granger when he sided with Harry over her about what he believed to be Snape's part in the war. The red headed wizard kept a close eye on his friend. He had truthfully felt more sadness than anything else at the way things turned out for the three of them.
Before the war they had been the infamous Golden Trio of Hogwarts, bane of Voldemort since the very first day of school. Harry was the infamous Boy-Who-Lived, Hermione was the brains, and he was the brilliant strategist and muscle of the group. Now they were a group no longer as Harry and Hermione became bitter enemies in the wake of Snape's trial. Ron had not understood why Hermione believed so strongly that Snape was innocent. But to be fair he had not understood why Harry believed so strongly that Snape was guilty. Ron's own issues with the dour Potions Professor had simply be because he was usually a git.
As the red haired young man got older, he realized that if Snape had been a git it was well earned with the way he was constantly belittled and looked down upon. When Harry told Ron about the story of the Marauders picking on the dour man in his youth be sort of understood. He of all people knew what it was like to be poor. Though he had been fortunate, his mother and father loved him and he had other siblings to look out for him. Snape had no one and was beaten on a regular basis.
With a sigh Ron looked down at his feet. For the first time in years doubt crept into his mind about Snape's true allegiance during the war. If the man was a spy it would have been all to easy to fool everyone. No one really liked the man as it was and everyone had been willing to believe the worst of him as soon as they looked at him.
If Hermione had been right about Snape this whole time then they all have made a very grave mistake concerning the Potions Master, one that not a single one of them would ever have the capacity to fix. Still, Harry Potter had been adamant that Snape was the villain in this tragic tale. Then again Snape had always played the part of a villain in Harry's mind. He had not liked the dour man ever since first year. Ron had given it some thought over the years and concluded that it had mostly been his own fault for such a notion.
He had been the one that told Harry upon their arrival to Hogwarts that there wasn't a witch or wizard that had gone bad that wasn't in Slytherin House. With Snape being Head of Slytherin house it would have been plain to a newly arrived Harry that Snape was the baddest wizard next to Voldemort.
"How could you let him get away after everything that he's done?" asked Harry. "He murdered Dumbledore for Merlin's sake!"
"Mr. Potter, The Wizengamot is well aware of what you claim Severus Snape to have done." addressed The Minister of Magic. "However in light of new evidence in Mr. Snape's case, there is no way this government can or will prosecute an innocent man...especially a man that has served five long years in Azkaban with the very criminals he helped to put away."
"Snape's kidnapped my friend and if he does anything to harm her, I shall never forget the lack of interest you have shown here today...Minister Battleby." said Harry.
"Young man you will not presume to tell me how to do my job." warned Battleby.
"Oh no Minister Battleby." said Harry glaring at the older wizard. "I shall never do that...I am merely say that if you cannot do your job efficiently to protect the people of the wizarding community than perhaps we should elect someone who will."
"Wait just a minute..." started Battleby.
"Orenvall Battleby this office here by calls for your immediate impeachment." said an older looking wizard with lengthy raven hair and radiant obsidian eyes.
"Mathias?" said Battleby stunned.
"I have evidence that you have been consorting with known death eaters." said the older wizard known as Mathias his blue eyes gleaming. "A crime that you know is punishable by imprisonment in Azkaban...but in light of your many years of service Orenvall, I simply moved that you step down from the post of Minister of Magic."
Minister Battleby glared at Harry Potter.
"One of these day young man...the world is going to see what kind of person you really are." he said. "On that I day I will be present with a front row seat."
Battleby stood up getting the attention of all around him.
"Let the records show that I Orenvall Battleby hereby step down as Minister of Magic...this day May 19th 2003." he declared. "Also let the record show that Harry Potter is the orchestrated this entire charade...I have not nor will I ever consort with Death eaters...but to appease the ever fickle public I will step down...Honest men have no place in the kind of government you are building...it seems...and my difference of opinion concerning former Headmaster of Hogwarts Severus Sebastian Snape is what lead to this point...the man has committed no wrong and I acted accordingly in the assessment of the law... is out for vendetta against a teacher from his Hogwarts years and I want no part of it."
The crowd only half listened to Battleby's speech. They wanted nothing to do with a man that consorted with death eaters and as far as they were concerned his stepping down proved he had done just that.
Battleby glared at Harry.
"Mark my words Mr. Potter, you will regret this a bully has few friends when he needs them most." said Battleby before he left the podium in a dignified walk out.
The wizard known as Mathias addressed the people who had been murmuring among themselves.
"Ladies and Gentleman, rest assured will get to the bottom of this recent turn of events." he said. "Severus Snape will not get away with what he has done in service to that despot Voldemort, He will be brought to justice and punished accordingly...Miss Granger will be returned to Mr. Potter and the good and gentle Dumbledore shall be avenged...this trickery will not go unanswered."
The people applauded the wizard who turned his attention to Harry Potter.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Potter." said Mathias extending his hand.
"Likewise." he said pleased that someone had managed to hear his side and offer assistance.
"I wanted to let you know Mr. Potter, that I intend to see to the investigation myself." he said. "Severus Snape should pay for his various crimes against the wizarding community, Battleby letting him go after what he did to our beloved Dumbledore was a travesty."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"I just hope he hasn't hurt Hermione." said the green eyed wizard.
Ron Weasley had not taken his eyes off the strange older wizard since he first insinuated himself into the hearing. He clearly was a wealthy individual, no doubt from some prestigious noble wizarding family with a really long line of descendants. The red head wizard noted the awfully familiar obsidian eye color and the raven hair.
"I plan to find him before anything of that nature takes place." replied Mathias. "You have my word Mr. Potter."
Harry nodded once more and shook Mathias' hand.
"Thank you sir." said the green eyed wizard. "I was afraid my friend would be lost to us forever."
"No Mr. Potter...thank you." replied Mathias. "Only you had the presence of mind to continuously remind people what kind of monster Severus Snape truly is...another worthy service to the wizarding community if I dare say."
"I just want to see justice done." said Harry.
"Oh and it shall be Mr. Potter." replied Mathias with a eerily pleasant grin. "And both I and the wizarding community have you to thank for it."
Harry and Mathias parted ways. Ron watched the strange wizard go and walked over to his best friend.
"I'm not too sure about that one Mate." said the red haired wizard. "Something about him kind of rubs me the wrong way if you take my meaning."
"Mathias is not that bad Ron." said Harry. "He's going to help us find Hermione and bring that murderer Snape to justice."
Ron had not been too sure about any of this but said nothing as he quietly nodded in agreement with his friend and looked down at his feet. There was something strange about that wizard Mathias he just knew it but there was no use in telling Harry about it. The green eyed wizard had it in for Snape for so long he couldn't see reason when it came to him.
Ron sighed inwardly and hoped beyond all hope that he had been wrong. He wished then that he could go to Hermione and tell her his suspicions without Harry acting all out of sorts. He hoped that she had indeed been okay even if she had been with Snape.
Snape's bedroom, Dumbledore Manor, Wizarding World...
Hermione Granger had been more than fine when she looked up at the ceiling trying to catch her ragged breath. She had been soaked from sweat and half asleep as a result of a certain Potions Master's antics. The dour wizard himself had dozed off seconds before she had completely spent. The bushy haired witch scooted closer to him but not enough to make him uncomfortable given the state of their hot bodies. She looked over Snape's pale sleeping form. His raven hair stuck to his sweat blasted skin as he shifted in his sleep.
"snart ans." he said still asleep. "bana ans...snart ans."
Hermione smiled and drifted off to sleep letting her soft fingers rest against his. It had been far too hot to curl up under the dour wizard but the touch of their hands seemed to be enough.
Before long they had both been asleep oblivious to the goings-ons in the wizarding world around them. A storm was brewing and wither they knew it or not, sooner or later it was going to come right for them.