Insufferable Attraction
SeverusxHermione
Rated NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling
Author's Note: I don't know if you all remember, but back in the ninth chapter (labeled Chapter 8) at the end, runes were spelled out along Hermione and Severus's ring mark after their consummation. That will come into play in this chapter. Fair warning, this chapter is a complete turn around from the previous happiness and could possibly be triggering. Please stay tuned for the next one to come. Love, SehunsBae37.
Insufferable Attraction
Chapter 29
Hermione stared up at Ron incredulously, wondering had he lost his mind grabbing her and dragging her into Knockturn Alley of all places. Huffing, she pushed him and asked shrilly, "What is wrong with you?! Why would you grab me like that?!"
Ron glared at her and said lowly, "I'll do as I like. And I find it a good opportunity to get you without your Death Eater husband around."
"If you wanted to talk, you just had to ask. But I don't want to talk with you about anything, Ron. In fact, I have nothing more to say to you after the way you've spoken to and treated me. Now let me pass."
She made to walk past him and out of the hidden alcove, only to be grabbed by her arm once more and pulled roughly back into it. Her back slamming against the stone wall, Hermione gasped and looked wide-eyed at the redhead as he loomed over her, an intimidating and rather frightening aura coming from him. She opened her mouth to speak again, only to be roughly grabbed by her face, Ron's fingers digging into her jaws as he squeezed tightly. She whimpered in pain, her brown eyes watching him intently, fear gripping her heart as she no longer seemed to recognize the man that had once been her friend. However, a tingling around her left ring finger caught her attention, but only briefly before focusing back on the ginger in front of her.
Blue eyes slightly crazed, Ron hissed, "You are mine, Hermione. And soon you and Snape will see it my way, too."
"I'm not yours and will never be! And you leave Severus alone!"
"Oh, come on Hermione! Stop defending him and see him for what he really is: a no good, evil piece of Death Eater scum that should have died when Voldemort tried to kill him."
"How dare you?! Severus isn't like that at all and I won't tolerate you talking like that about my husband!"
The redhead was surprised by just how passionately she was talking about and defending the dungeon bat. Her brown eyes shined and sparkled, and her cheeks were red with a blush, yet determination was present on her entire face. It was almost like…was she in love with that traitor? Oh no, he couldn't have that, and he'd show her just where she belonged.
Ron pushed his lips against Hermione's in a forced kiss, Hermione's scream muffled as she pushed back against him. Taking her hand, she reached up and dug her own fingers into the side of his face, scratching him and drawing blood as he did. He pulled away from her with a cry of pain, followed by another when she punched him in the nose and kneed him in his crotch. As Ron doubled over in pain, the brunette made her break, rushing out of the alcove and towards Diagon Alley. However, just before she exited Knockturn Alley, her wrist was grabbed and she was spun around to face Ron, only to be slapped across the face.
A cry of pain escaped her mouth as she stumbled and fell to the ground. Reaching up to cup her face, Hermione was surprised to feel blood as she did. She made to get up, only to be met with the tip of Ron's wand in her face. Gasping, she looked up at him and cried, "Ron, stop it!"
"He's poisoned your mind, Hermione. He's defiled you. But don't worry, I'll just remind you of what he is and what he does and that he will never truly care for you. I'm sure the Cruciatus Curse will be a good reminder."
Hermione gasped in horror, not believing the wizard before her that was once her friend would even dare to suggest he would torture her. And yet, she knew he would, though for his own misguided reasoning. So frightened and focused on the redhead, neither she nor Ron noticed her ring imprint on her finger becoming more prominent, and the runes that had appeared on her consummation night reappear, glowing bright gold as they did.
Severus's feet hit the floor of the Ministry of Magic, his hand still holding onto umbrella that was the Portkey that transported him to Australia and back. Looking at his in-laws, he asked, "Are you alright?"
Jean's closed eyes clenched tighter for a moment before opening them and looking at her son-in-law. "I feel rather sickly…and a bit weak in the knees."
As she said this, her legs buckled and she almost collapsed, but was caught by Severus at the last moment. Righting her back up again, he said, "Yes, traveling by Portkey is not ideal, but it is faster than by aeroplane. That, and I know Hermione wants you both here for the holidays as soon as possible."
Robert shook his head in an attempt to shake off his lightheadedness before smiling saying, "I can't wait to see my ladybug. Has she been alright since returning to England?"
"I'm sure she has with this fine specimen she calls a husband," Jean said while grinning at the dark man cheekily.
Severus looked off to the side for a moment, his cheeks tinged pink before clearing his throat and telling them he needed to turn in his Portkey. He was gone for no more than three minutes before returning, gesturing them to follow him out of the Ministry. Many witches and wizards looked at them strangely, not believing that Muggles were walking through the Ministry of Magic. Though, considering who it was they were following behind, it was quickly deduced they had to be Hermione Granger's Muggle parents.
Once they were outside, Severus was about to say they needed to find a safe place to Disapparate when his left ring finger suddenly began to tingle, so much so it made him hiss. Looking down at his hand where his ring imprint from his bonding was, he was surprised to see it so much brighter than it originally had been. What got his attention even more though was the golden glowing runes that appeared. He knew these runes or understood them, rather. The runes that stood out to him meant 'Spouse', 'Protection', 'Security', and 'Danger'. His brain whirled with this information and it didn't take him long to understand why they showed up. Hermione needed him; his wife was in danger.
Turning to Robert and Jean, he said, "I need to go, Hermione needs me."
"Hermione? Is she alright?" Jean asked worriedly.
"To be frank, no she isn't."
"Then what are we waiting for? Take us to Hermione," Robert said, his eyes that his daughter had inherited blazing with fire.
Not needing to be told twice, Severus instructed his in-laws to grab hold of his arms, all the while wondering if these runes would take him to his wife since they were letting him know she needed help. Not even a moment following his thought, the three of them disappeared from where they were standing and reappeared on the cobblestone road of Diagon Alley.
Immediately, Severus began walking, his black eyes darting left and right as he searched for his wife. Hearing a familiar cry, he took off towards where it seemed to come from: Knockturn Alley. Why in the world was Hermione in Knockturn Alley? What was she doing there? Whatever the reason, she was in trouble and he needed to save her. Reaching the entrance of Knockturn Alley, his eyes widened at the sight in front of him. His wife was on the ground with a bloody and bruised cheek, held at wand-point by Ronald Weasley. He didn't hear what was said beforehand, but he heard the first syllable of the curse the redhaired wizard was about to use.
"Cru-" Weasley began, but was cut off when Severus quickly shot the Stunning Spell at him.
The power behind the spell threw Ron back several feet, him crashing into the alley wall and knocking him unconscious. As he slumped to the ground, Severus rushed over to Hermione and knelt down beside of her. Gently yet quickly helping her to sit up, he asked, "Are you alright? What did he do?"
Hermione, so happy to see her husband and hearing the genuine concern over her, burst into tears and threw herself into his body, crying into his neck as she desperately held onto him. Severus wrapped his arms around his wife and held her as she cried, gently caressing her brown curls. Footsteps approaching reached his ears and he turned to see the Grangers there. Jean gasped and rushed to her daughter, kneeling next to her and taking her from Severus, holding her closely as she began speaking to her soothingly. Robert on the other hand, had noticed the unconscious Ron and just knew he was responsible. Stomping over to him, he grabbed him by his shirt just as the redhead was waking up, and punched him in his face. Ron, having quickly sobered from the punch despite being stunned, growled and punched the random man back, busting his lip and making him let go of him.
"Daddy!" Hermione cried, not believing Ron had punched her father.
Ron turned to look at the brunette and saw her with who had to be her mother if she was calling this random person 'daddy'. His blue eyes then turned to Severus and sneered at him before raising his wand once more. Glaring hatred at him, he yelled, "Bombarda!"
Severus easily deflected it and shot a spell at him, Ron barely dodging it as he did. Severus didn't let up, continuing to throw spells and curses at the redhead, Ron barely able to block them with his Shield Charms. Catching a break, he hit Severus with a Stinging Hex before shouting one more curse.
"SECTUMSEMPRA!"
"NO!" Hermione screamed, pushing away from her mother and running to save her husband from his own curse. Wand in hand, she threw up a shield as quickly as possible. The curse hit the shield, deflecting from Severus and redirecting towards her. She tried to cast Protego in time, but unfortunately, she was not fast enough.
Gasping in pain from feeling the curse cut into chest and stomach, the brunette looked down at her blouse that was quickly staining from the blood pouring out of her body. Feeling faint from the quick blood loss, Hermione swayed and collapsed on the ground, or would have had Severus not caught her. Her vision swam and became cloudy, her eyes not focusing on anything in particular. She could hear her mother and father screaming, Severus telling her to stay with him as he moved his wand above her, reciting the spell to counter the attack and stop any more bleeding. She heard the sound of Disapparation before looking up at her husband. His worried face looked down at her, his black eyes filled with…was that fear? And guilt? Before she could think on it anymore, her eyes closed as she slipped into the world of unconsciousness.
