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
Insufferable Attraction
Chapter 15
Hermione stared at Harry in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place with wide brown eyes for a long moment before finally saying, "I'm sorry, what?"
Harry took a sip of his tea before saying as he set his cup down, "Daphne is suing Ginny for attacking her and causing damages."
"When did Ginny do that?"
"A week ago. She barged in here demanding to know about the article about my marriage to Daphne and found us post sex. It went downhill from there."
The brunette sighed and rubbed her forehead as she murmured, "I was afraid she'd react badly upon seeing that article on the front page of the Prophet. But is it necessary to sue her?"
Harry sighed and placed his arms on the table, his hands clasped as he spoke. "I wish it didn't have to be done, but she attacked Daphne unprovoked. And as much as I hate doing this to the Weasleys, I will stand by my wife."
Hearing her friend say that so surely made Hermione smile at him and tilt her head to the side. "You really care for Daphne, don't you?"
The bespectacled man blushed a bit before saying, "Well, she's my wife now. We're married and that makes us a team. And yeah, I do like her. She's great, you know? She's not at all like I thought she would be. So yeah, I care for her, but it is way too early to say I love her."
"Understandable. So long as you two get along and are making this situation work, then that is all that matters."
"Exactly. So, can the same be said of you and Snape? How are things going with you two?"
Hermione hesitated to answer and instead took a sip of her tea before saying, "Things are…fine. We don't really talk much still, but we're cordial."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Do you two do anything other than stay in his house?"
"Well, we did go into London and watched a few Muggles put on a play of Macbeth after your bonding with Daphne. We even had a talk about our preferred plays by Shakespeare." A blush suddenly appeared on Hermione's face and she looked down into her teacup.
"Why would talking about Shakespeare make you blush?"
"It doesn't. It…well, our talk was rather intellectual, and I feel as if I kind of…maybe…got a bit of insight to Severus's character a bit more. If you had been there, you probably wouldn't have noticed, but there was some passion behind his words."
Harry was surprised to hear that. "Snape passionate about something other than potions?"
Hermione gave Harry a reprimanding look. "Don't tease him, Harry."
"I wasn't, but I won't in the future," Harry replied, a chuckle in his voice as Hermoine's blush deepened a bit. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that Hermione was becoming rather fond of their former professor. It was probably because of her now close proximity to him with him now being her husband, but he knew for a fact that they hadn't at all bonded like he and Daphne had. Maybe it was something as simple as she was just used to him now, but it didn't stop the thought that maybe Hermione was beginning to—just a little bit—fall for Severus and didn't know it yet. Harry decided he wouldn't bring it up to her, at least not yet anyway.
Decidedly changing the subject, Harry asked Hermione when Snape planned on them moving into his ancestral home as pertaining to the bylaws of the Bloodline Restoration Act. She replied that she didn't know, that Severus hadn't really spoken about it other than telling her a bit about Prince Manor. She supposed that it would be soon, but she just didn't know when. Even though they were talking more and opening up a bit—at least she thought they were—to each other, Severus was still rather secretive and to himself. He liked things a certain way and didn't want anyone or anything interfering. Hell, even now he still wouldn't allow her into his private Potions lab, even after telling her about some of the potions he was working on. Though, she did figure she would sneak in there to see what he was up to while he was gone or asleep taking a nap or something.
Harry and Hermione sat and talked a bit more, Hermione staying a little longer when Daphne returned from meeting with her father and lawyer, before finally leaving to head back to Spinner's End. It still felt weird to call that place her home, even if only temporary. She hadn't been back to her flat outside of grabbing the rest of her things and telling her landlord that she was moving out but would continue to pay rent until her lease was up in the next four months. Leaving Grimmauld Place, Hermione walked down the street a bit before turning down a nearby alleyway and Disapparating away, landing just down the block from Spinner's End. Walking down the steet, Hermione walked towards Severus's home and soon made her way inside the building, shutting the door behind her.
"Severus, I'm back," Hermione called as she took off her coat and hung it on the coat hanger. Walking down the foyer into the living room she called out, "Severus?"
Still no answer. Hermione headed up the stairs to search for her husband, not finding him anywhere up there. Coming back down the stairs, she stepped into the kitchen to see it empty as well. The last place she could think of the Potions lab and she headed to the closed door. She knocked on it and called out Severus's name again, only to still be met with silence. Turning the knob, she opened the door and headed down the stairs, going into the lab to see cauldrons filled with potions, some of them finished, others in a state of stasis. And yet, still no Severus.
Heading back up to the ground level, Hermione closed the door to the lab behind her and frowned before a sudden thought occurred to her. Perhaps Severus has stepped out to meet with someone at the Ministry, or maybe even McGonagall at Hogwarts. Or even out for a walk to clear his head. She didn't know, but that could possibly explain why he wasn't in the house. Believing the man was alright, Hermione walked into the living room and over towards the bookshelf, intent on grabbing a book that peaked her interest to read. However, upon looking at the stuffed bookshelf, she noticed something for the first time. The books were in alphabetical order. That in itself was fine by her, except for one thing: the books weren't in alphabetical order by subject. She could easily spot many different books all pertaining to different subjects—magical, nonfiction, fiction—but weren't together where they belonged side by side.
"Honestly," Hermione huffed with her hands on her hips. "And to think that man is an intellectual. He could at least put the subjects together before alphabetizing them."
With another huff, Hermione took her wand out of her jean pocket and waved it at the bookshelf. All the books moved from the shelves and hovered in the air before dropping to the floor in a massive pile. Bending down, the brunette picked up a book and looked at the cover, an amused smile on her face and a giggle escaping her lips as she read the cover.
"Hogwarts: A History," Hermione read aloud, not helping herself as she giggled more. Severus's copy was well-worn, showing the many years it had on it since Severus was however old upon receiving it.
Taking the book, she set it aside before going through the pile of books, setting them in piles by subject. She stopped momentarily to wave her wand at the old radio sitting on the window, smooth jazz pouring out of the old speakers. With a contented smile on her face, Hermione went back to her task of organizing Severus's book collection. It was soothing for her, and she believed that her husband would be very happy with what she was doing.
Severus sighed as he entered his home, closing the door behind him. He had been at St. Mungo's for the better part of two hours, talking with his client and her Healer about his new Fertility Potion and when it would be ready to be used in a trial run. His client and her husband were very excited for the potion, though the Healer was skeptical of its use just because it was he who had made it. It annoyed him a bit still that people treated him this way even though he was pardoned of all of his crimes, but it didn't matter to some. However, the Healer still couldn't refute that some of their best potions had been brewed by him and he was one of the best Potions Masters out there, still holding the title of the youngest in Wizarding Britain. Though, if Draco kept along with his studies the way he was, he would take the title away from his godfather, not that Severus would give it to anyone else. The couple didn't care about his past crimes and were desperate to be fertile, and thus trusted him immensely to help them become pregnant. In the meeting, he had informed them that the potion would be fully complete by next week and his client could take it then. The couple had been so excited to hear the news, and the Healer was happy to see her patient happy as well before dismissing Severus.
The first thing to catch Severus's attention was the sound of smooth jazz playing. Did Hermione have his old radio on? He never listened to it, but it didn't really surprise him that she was. Walking into the living room, he stopped with wide black eyes at the sight before him. The brunette that he called his wife was standing at his bookshelf. That wasn't odd, though. No, what was odd and beginning to make him ticked off was the fact that said brunette was rearranging his books. What the hell was she doing?
Stepping further into the living room he practically barked, "What do you think you're doing?"
Hermione jumped and turned around to face her husband before smiling and saying, "Hello Severus. Welcome back."
"What are you doing?" Severus asked again.
"Fixing your books."
Incredulous at her answer, Severus blinked before continuing his questions. "Fixing my books? What do you mean by that? They were already fixed."
"If you mean they were alphabetized, then yes, they were. However, you did it wrong, so I'm fixing the error you made."
"The error I made?" Severus was instantly incensed. Stalking over to her, he snatched the book Hermione was about to put on the shelf out of her hand and glared down at her. "Don't you ever touch my bookshelf again."
Hermione looked up at him with shocked eyes before anger overtook her expression. Snatching the book back she retorted, "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Severus. Your books needed proper alphabetizing, and I took the liberty of doing it for you."
"They were alphabetized! What you're doing now is mixing them up!"
"I am not! I'm putting them together by subject! And I'm also alphabetizing them in accordance to subject title! It makes perfect sense the way I'm doing it!"
Severus grabbed the book from her again, only to find her resisting in handing it over. The two of them tugged on the book until they both lost their grip on it and it fell to the floor with the other books Hermione hadn't shelved yet. Looking back at one another, they stood there glaring at each other before Hermione finally huffed at him, her hands on her hips the same way he would see her do to Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley.
"What is your problem?! You should be grateful I even did this for you!"
"Grateful? You've touched my books without my permission! You've rearranged them in a way I didn't ask nor want!"
"I did it the right way! The way you had it was honestly mixed up, especially with so many different books ranging from magical to fiction to nonfiction! As an intellectual, I thought you would have had more sense in how you alphabetized your bookshelf."
Severus ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "There you go, being the insufferable know-it-all that you are. You just can't help but do things your way so long as you are right, can't you?"
Hermione looked absolutely offended and her curly hair looked wild as her face flushed red in anger. "At least this know-it-all knows what she's talking about and isn't a self-loathing prat like you who can't admit that he's wrong!"
"I have no trouble admitting when I'm wrong! And I'm not self-loathing!"
"Yes, you are! And you have just as much pride and stubbornness as I do, maybe even more! Like me, you can't admit when you're wrong but have no issue rubbing it in others' faces when you're right!"
"Yes, that is exactly what you do!"
"I know, but at least I own up to it! Admit it, Severus! You're just pissed because you know the way I'm fixing your bookshelf is a better solution to how you had yours before and you can't find a suitable reason to put it back the way it was other than your hurt pride!"
Both Severus and Hermione were heaving from their shouting, their magic barely containing itself as the fireplace roared a bit near them, the radio spitting static from the window, Severus's cloak floating behind him, and Hermione's wild hair crackling with her magic. Rationally, they both knew this argument was ridiculous, but neither one was willing to back down. Severus, having had enough of the know-it-all's mouth, bent down in her face and growled, "Don't you dare say anything else."
Brown eyes looked into black challengingly. "Or what? You plan on shutting me up?"
Shutting her up was exactly what Severus planned on doing. However, what he did to do so didn't catch up to him until he had done it. With another growl, Severus gripped Hermione's hair in his hand and brought her face to his, fiercely smashing his lips against her plump pink ones. Hermione, completely surprised by her husband's sudden action, found herself relaxing into the kiss and closed her eyes, her hands reaching up to grip Severus's hair as well. In the now two going on three weeks they had been married, they hadn't once kissed. And yet, Hermione found it to be the most heavenly, most pleasurable kiss she had ever had. Severus's lips fit against hers perfectly, as if they belonged there. Severus was having the exact same feeling, and probably would have kissed his wife more, except for one thing. He was kissing Hermione! He was kissing Hermione! Hermione who was his former student! He couldn't do this, he shouldn't have done this!
Quickly pushing the brunette away from him, Severus stared down at Hermione in a mix of horror for what he had done, as well as regret for having to end their kiss. Hermione could see herself that he hadn't necessarily wanted to stop, and yet something had stopped him. Her lips were still tingling from their kiss and she wanted to press her lips against his now kiss-swollen ones, but even she could see he was having an internal freak-out. Reaching a hand out towards him she began, "Severus-"
"I shouldn't have done that," Severus spoke over her, backing away from the brunette. Shaking his head he said, "I'm sorry."
Severus said no more, only turning and quickly fleeing Spinner's End, Disapprating away quickly. As he left, Hermione stood where she was, her face flushed, fingers pressed against her lips, and her heart beating wildly in her chest. That had been her first kiss with her husband, and it had been the most magical thing she had ever experienced in her life.
Author's Note: Thanks so much to Calimocho for the idea of Hermione reorganizing Severus's books as their first fight. I had so much fun writing this chapter and I hope you all enjoyed it as well. Thanks so much for reading and your kind reviews, and I hope you stay tuned for more to come! XOXO, SehunsBae37.