Chapter 6 – On Her Own
It all belongs to Rowling, except what you don't recognize.
Hermione awoke to a woman screaming.
"Lawks, she's gone. Her bed's not been slept in. Oh, I'll catch it fer sure now!" Hermione recognized the voice of Winky.
Hermione was disorientated. Neither in her old room back at Dymchurch, nor in her room in London, it took a moment to realize where she was and that her husband had not returned last night after being called away to help the local minister with 'something'.
She threw on her robe and headed to the hallway. There was Winky-- a transformed Winky, all clean and rather pretty in a new uniform with her hair put up in a ribbon. Hermione was pleased to see just how well she had come together with a little attention.
"Winquella, are you looking for me?" She put her best face on it while realizing that it might seem rather odd that she was now sleeping alone in her husband's bed.
Winky did a double take. "Oh, there you are Lady Snape. Oooh, I'm so sorry for disturbing you and your husband." Winky attempted to sneak a peek past Hermione to see if Lord Snape was indeed, present.
"My husband was called away last night. And you," having spied Potter out the corner of her eye, she turned quickly before he could creep away, "Harry Potter, I want an explanation."
"Um? Your Ladyship?" He looked almost ridiculous with guilt.
"As soon as I'm dressed, I will listen to your report as to where my husband has gone." Hermione had had a lifetime of watching her mother give orders and hopefully had learned how to gain obedience, if not respect.
Potter blushed and mumbled something before dashing down the backstairs. Hermione could only hope that he hadn't chosen to disappear altogether.
&&&
"Now, Mr. Potter, your report." Hermione, completely dressed and having had her tea, reminded herself, yet again, that she was Lady Snape. She had power, she had money, and even though she never wanted either of those things, she could use them. She sat in the parlor, back very straight, and attempted for all her 17 years to look imperious.
Harry had had some time to prepare for this interrogation and yet again swore to himself that he would remain loyal to his Lordship, who had told him not to breath a word of where he was going. After all Lady Snape could not be trusted.
"I am waiting." She met his eyes and they looked at one another. He continued to obstinately say nothing. "If you were in my father's household, you would be horsewhipped for your impertinence."
"Begging your Ladyship's pardon, but I did spend some time at your father's estate and such was not the case and never had." Harry gave a little smile.
Hermione stood up and started to pace. "You are trying my patience. Do you know where Lord Snape is?" Again, silence. "I will whip you myself." Her voice rose in pique.
"Well, I'll go cut a switch for you. Unless you'd prefer me to get Filch's whip, but that one's a might heavy and you could strain yourself with it." Again, their eyes met and the battle of wills continued.
Stamping her foot, Hermione exhaled in exasperation. "Oh, you are really too much. I don't know how he does put up with you! You're not his son by any chance?"
Potter was taken aback. He sat down, not even seeking her approval to be seated. She sensed the change in him and went and sat down by his side. "I'm not his son. I've teased him over the years about it, the hair you know, but when I do so I disrespect my parents. I remember them from before I entered the orphanage."
Hermione was touched. "You were an orphan?"
" I still am my Lady. I became a ward of the state after my parents' died. And then Lord Snape took over that wardship."
"And he treats you as his servant?" Hermione was appalled.
"And why shouldn't he? Once I came of age last year, he could have given me the boot, but he didn't. I get paid very well for my service to him." Potter lifted his head with pride.
"Well, he could have adopted you. It's obvious that you are very close to one another."
"Look, it's none of your business," Potter blushed at his own temerity, "but he did raise me like his own. I didn't wear rags, only the best that money could buy. I played with the other children in the park only from families of quality. And he tutored me here at home. He taught me sword fighting like I was a gentleman. And when I started to best him, he even hired the top swordsman in London to coach me. So I don't think you should be so quick to judge him."
"I can see that you love him very much." Hermione touched the young man's shoulder. She realized at that moment that they were nearly the same age. She hadn't thought of him being so young. "Of course, you want to be loyal to him, but what if he's in danger or in trouble? Shouldn't we be there for him?"
Potter looked at her in shock. "Thunder and turf, you are a clever one! However, Lord Snape can take care of himself."
"Like he did last time, Harry? He nearly didn't come back alive, did he? Is that what you want? Listen to me, we can find him. We can help. You and I working together."
Potter stood up in great agitation. "You are the devil's own at befogging a man. But I'm no flat to be taken advantage of-- my loyalty remains." And he dashed out the door.
Hermione sat as tears of frustration welled in her eyes. She was about to go into a total miff when she remembered the papers she had found in Snape's cloak when he was ill. She collected two French dictionaries and a book on French grammar from the downstairs library and went upstairs to retrieve the letters and do some translating.
&&&
Three days later found the Snape household and Lady Snape, in particular, quite changed. Hermione had diligently and accurately translated the documents proving that indeed her husband was a traitor and a spy. And after two days of brooding and tears, she came to a decision that she would stand by him even if he were destined for the gallows. She loved him and she was his wife. The thought that she might lose him at any time both terrified her and made her determined that even if he were in a dire scrape, she would find a way to save him.
Quietly she sat and mapped out plan after plan. The first was to pay passage for him to head to the New World. With that in mind she queried Potter on Snape's finances and how quickly they could get him money if need be. Strangely, Potter was finally willing to accede to her wishes in this matter, telling her that Snape kept quite a large sum available to him at all times. Hermione relaxed a bit, since it seemed that she was finally getting through the young man's defenses. She then thought of a second plan. Should he be captured, could they not bribe him out of gaol? Finally, she accepted that perhaps he had fled to France because if he had remained on English soil, it would have been the end of his freedom. In which case, if she could get a message to him, perhaps they could live in exile together. Some place interesting, perhaps Greece or Italy?
When she had first realized his perfidy, she thought that she might hate him. But then as the turmoil of her mind settled, it became obvious that even if he were a pirate, slaughtering innocent travelers, though she would never approve of his behavior, she could never condemn him either. Her heart spoke clearly to her on the subject. And if it meant that she was damned for all eternity, then damnation would be her lot-- as long as she could be by his side all things were tolerable! For his sake, she would renounce all her ethics and morality. Her love for her husband was greater than for her country. Oft times she'd take out her copy of Ode to Britannia and cry for her lost virtue and innocence. But she had sworn before God to love and honor him and, by God, so she would!
There were other changes as well. Hermione found that without Snape around her freedoms rapidly increased. Hagrid the chef and Peeves the butler had come down from the Yorkshire estate and were entirely at her disposal. She soon began to make plans for entertaining once the season began. She arranged to update the kitchen to Hagrid's liking and she enjoyed going over meal plans with him. He was a large man, obviously fond of his own cooking and his greatest complaint was that there was insufficient room in the area round back of the house to do his own butchering of cattle and sheep. He was a great believer in freshness and didn't trust the quality of most of what was to be had in London, even though the variety was greater than up north. He kept a chicken roost out back of the house and Hermione had been forced to deal with numerous complaints from neighbors about the cock crowing in the morning. Though she considered it a tempest in a teacup, much time was spent in diplomatically finding solutions for all of Hagrid's needs and the problems that ensued. She was getting to know the neighbors and found herself looking forward to having them to dinner, if anything, to impress them with her chef's culinary talents.
Peeves on the other hand. Well…
Hermione thought back to her search for him and finally going up to the servants' quarters. There she heard a curious sound. She walked down the corridor and soon was able to identify the noise. It was the squeaking of bedsprings. She knew she should have left then, but her curiosity kept her moving forward. Just outside the door she heard a voice:
"Oh Peevy, harder, oh yes, that's my boy. Oh, Lawks, yes."
Hermione rather thought that the bed might actually break for suddenly it wasn't just bedsprings squeaking, but the bed itself started banging again the wall.
Then she heard Peeves' rather high-pitched voice. "Oh lover, Oh Winky do, do let it happen, open up to me." Then he began to grunt.
Hermione felt her whole body flush and begin to tremble. She was becoming increasingly excited by the sounds of her servants' coupling. She felt ashamed, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. She reached up and touched her neck, remembering her husband's breath and how it inflamed her. She missed Severus so much. The noises from the room began to crescendo and Hermione felt the old familiar pulsing between her legs. She pushed herself back against the wall, listening to Winky's whimpers, which were now accompanying Peeves grunts. She began to tighten and relax her own internal muscles in rhythm to the sounds from the room. She closed her eyes and summoned details of her husband. She focused on how his mouth felt pressing against hers and what it was like to have his tongue searching for her tongue. She remembered how he tasted of port. The pressure of his body against hers as he gripped her and held her fast. Finally it happened and, just as Winky screamed, Hermione slid down the wall onto the floor, her body shuddering and spent.
Then came Peeves' loudest grunt and a hoarse low cry from him of "My love, my beauty, ah my love." And silence. Hermione tried to catch her breath and bring herself to her senses. Slowly, breasts still aching with the need to be caressed, she got up and quietly went down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs she passed Harry Potter, who gave her a rather troubled look. Hermione shook her head and directly went to her own room. Throwing herself on the bed, she gave herself over to her tears. Oh, to be cast so low as to violate her servants' privacy. Again, Hermione rued the fact that Severus' spying and treason was coming close to destroying their marriage.
The greatest change though was that Hermione, loner, introvert, bookworm and bluestocking had made a friend!
Hermione had opened the letter with shaking hands:
"Dearest Hermione,
Though I can hardly know where I gained the courage, last night I did it. Sir Lucius came home from Whites yet again in a drunken stupor. I managed to remove his keys and made wax impressions of the ones for the apartment and for his trunk. When I see you tomorrow, we can send Potter to have the keys made and we shall be one step closer to our goals.
I can never express to you what the past few days have meant to me.
Your Loving Friend,
Virginia Weasley'
Ginny had been prepared to force information from Hermione to save herself from a life on the streets. But what she hadn't been prepared for was Hermione's gentle and deep generosity of spirit. Within an hour of their first meeting, Ginny found herself in Hermione's arms, weeping out the miseries of her past six months since running away with Malfoy. Though there was no hope of her salvaging her honor, she was ruined completely and totally, Ginny found solace in her Ladyship's bosom. Hermione was totally forthcoming with information for Malfoy, even though it was all lies to make Ginny look good and keep Snape from the hangman's noose. Together, the two young women began to plot Ginny's escape and revenge on her tormentor.
What neither knew was that Harry Potter had been listening at the door the whole time.
&&&
Lord Snape was bored. He was angry and displeased to say the least. He had thought his talents were needed. However, he sat around day after day while generals of the Allied Forces met time and again with Napoleon's generals. In a few days, Paris would fall to the Allies. Ostensibly, Snape's information would make the end of the war as bloodless as possible; however, Snape felt restless and ill-used. Over and over again in his mind he reviewed his last few minutes with Hermione. How she looked and felt in his arms and how her sweet smell and taste made his senses delight.
He felt the fool being away from his young wife and tried not to imagine what she'd be feeling to have been left in such an abrupt and callous manner. Now that the end of the war was inevitable, he didn't know why he was away from her. His superiors, and he hated to think of them that way, had insisted that he leave London for France immediately and he hadn't had a chance to even write her a note.
A few days, a few days more and I will be with my love again, thought Snape. He never imagined what would be waiting for him when he did return home.
A/N: Many thanks to my reviewers. Thank you Faeschild, Queenie, Her Lover's Spy, Liesl, and Lana!
Cant Glossary:
Lawks = vulgar exclamation
Thunder and Turf = exclamation
Befogging = confusing
Flat = person who is able to be tricked
Miff = bad mood
Scrape = predicament
