Chapter 12: Arrival of Hell
After riding in the carriage for some 3 hours, they arrived at a black gate with two snakes coming together. The gate then opened and they went through. Hermione then felt a little dizzy as she passed through.
Severus noticed Hermione shaking her head and he looked back out his window. He peered over the beautiful gardens and the landscape of the manor he grew up in. Severus hoped that his parents would be nice to his bride and not criticize the situation before it is laid out on the table.
Hermione saw the beautiful landscapes and the gardens of Snape Manor and she thought she was in heaven. Never in her dreams did she ever see a beautiful place. Hermione only hoped that the in-laws she would meet would be nice to her. Unlike her parents who minimumly took care of her and gave her the affection she so desperately craved.
When they finally reached the manor's main entrance and she saw the house-elfs awaiting their arrival. The carriage came to an abrupt halt and the door was opened by the doorman. Severus then stepped out first and walked up towards the house a little. Then he waited for his wife to come out and join him by his side.
Hermione stepped out of the carriage and quickly joined her husband and she decided not to say a word since it was his parents. Hermione just followed partially behind him as they made their way up to the doors.
The house-elf opened the door and Severus walked in and threw his stuff on the ground, " Mom, Dad. I am home, I want you to meet someone."
Hermione could hear footsteps scrambling about upstairs and doors slamming. Then she saw two people walking down the steps gracefully. Hermione had the feeling that she was not going to fit in. She just looked down at the floor acting shy.
Jayla walked up to her son and hugged him. "My dear Severus. How are you doing?And what is this of me hearing that you are now married?"
"Aww.. who is this pretty young lady?" Jayla asked enthusiastically bending down to meet her gaze.
Hermione glanced up at Jayla and quickly looked away.
"Uh, where's Dad?" Severus asked, sounding a little worried.
"He will be home later on this afternoon." Jayla answered. Then she looked at Hermione, " Why don't you come with me for a little while and I will show you around the house. Maybe make you something to eat while I introduce you to all the house-elves. You must go through the initiation ceremony where since you are coming into the family, you must be recognized as family." Jayla said being friendly. "Well, let's start the tour. This is the lobby, where sometimes we will have huge balls like sometime this week, we will take you out for some beautiful dress robes so you can wear to the party. We have to present you formally to the rest of the family. Also, Severus has to go through a tradition where he wrestles with his father to prove he is a man."
Hermione nodded curtly showing that she understood.
"Now, through that door is the kitchen. I am going to join you there in a moment. I just need to check on Severus with something." Jayla said nicely as she pointed at a door behind Hermione.
Hermione just turned around and gloomly walked towards the door and walked into the kitchen.
"Severus, what is her name?" Jayla asked curiously.
"Hermione Granger." Severus answered firmly.
"I thought so, she looks just like her mother. I saw her with her parents in the store in Diagon Alley. They treated her like shit, the poor thing. They hardly supported her plus she was always given second hand. She looks like she doesn't feel accepted, I feel sorry for her. I mean look at her school robes, they are coming up short. Severus, have you taken her shopping at all yet?"
"No. I was going to though. You can take her, I do not mind." Severus said.
" I want you to come with us, too. She is your wife you know. I also understand about the marriage law pulling you two together. So have you consumated yet?"
"No, I have not even given her any type of intimacy."
"Severus!" Jayla esclaimed. " How are you to show her you care for her when you do not show any type of feelings for her. I mean no wonder she is acting the way she does. She is lacking love from what I can tell, let's try to give her all we can muster. You will have to work on it with your father." Jayla told him with a hand on his shoulder.
"I know." Severus said.
Suddenly, they heard the kitchen door bang open.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? GET THE FUCKING HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD."
Severus and Jayla ran into the kitchen to see Tobias Snape cursing at Hermione and throwing trash on her as she ran outside into the grayness crying.
Severus then heard the thunder rolling and he hoped for the time being that Hermione would find shelter somewhere.
"SEVERUS ANTWOINE SNAPE WHO THE FUCK WAS THAT BITCH. I TOLD YOU NO MUDBLOODS IN THIS FAMILY."
"Father, if I may explain, the reason I am married to..." Severus was then cut off due to being hit across the face.
"NO EXCUSES. IN MY OFFICE RIGHT NOW!" Tobias yelled as he stormed into his office and Severus followed his father.
Jayla looked outside the window as it began to rain and hoped that Hermione was going to be ok while her husband and her son talked.
In the office...
Severus stood in front of his father like a man. He was ready to explain everything why Hermione was here.
"SO TELL ME, WHY IS THE MUDBLOOD HERE?" Tobias asked.
"She is here because she is my wife and it is time for her to meet my side of the family." Severus answered.
"WHY DID YOU MARRY THAT MUDBLOOD?" Tobias looked at him skeptically.
"Because of the marriage law. If I didn't marry, I would be in Azkaban for it. I'd prefer a life than be in there with no life and not carry on the family line."
"IS SHE PURE?"
"Yes." Severus answered unsurely.
"..WELL, THAT MEANS YOU WILL BE PUT TO THE TEST. BE READY BY THE END OF THE WEEK. LET'S SEE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR PRECIOUS MUDBLOOD WIFE."
"Another thing I request if I pass this test, I want you to accept her as the family and stop calling her a 'mudblood'." Severus told him broadly.
"DEAL." Tobias told his son. So far he has noticed that Severus is more bold than he was when he last saw him at 17. He then noticed that this would get interesting. He also noticed that Severus has grown more inches and more fuller. He could not wait until the event coming up this weekend.
Severus walked out of the office briskly and searched for his mom.
"Mom, where is Hermione?" Severus asked.
"She ran out in the storm. I hope she is ok, I mean you was in there with your father for a good while."
Severus then grabbed his rain cloak and ran outside on the grounds looking for her. Severus searched by the pond and all over every corner of the lines. As he walked past the pool, he saw the maze and the rain went away. Severus then ran into the maze and looked for her.
Hermione was in the maze lost and upset. She was crying to herself that she could not find the strength to move on, but she gave up because of being lost. She kept running around in circles and into dead ends. So she collapsed into a dead end and began to cry. Hermione was wet and freezing due to the winter weather creeping up on her.
Then a half an hour later, Hermione passed out due to the cold and laid out on the dewy grass.
Severus came around the corner and saw Hermione laying on the ground. Severus rushed over to her and touched her.
"Damn. She is so cold." Severus checked for her pulse and it was weak.
Severus then draped his cloak over her and gathered her up in his arms. Severus then strided through the maze with his signature robes billowing behind him. He then exited the maze with ease and strided more quickly up to the house inwhich Jaylawas waiting patiently for Severus to hopefully find the girl and bring her back.
Severus kicked the door knobdown so that the door wouldopen and Jayla jumped out of her seat in shock at how paleHermione looked.
"Bloody Merlin, Severus. Is she alive?" Jayla asked as she followed Severus up the stairs with a jog due to him skipping steps by 4.
Severus took Hermione into his room and quickly laid her down on the bed. He then wrapped her up in the cloak and began to undo his cuffs.
"What are you going to do?" Jayla asked skeptically as she watched her son undress himself.
"I am going to give her some body heat. In the mean time, go into my lab and get me my bag of potions. My remedy bag for sicknesses." Severus instructed her as he began to work on the buttons of his long form-fitting jacket.
"Ok, Severus." Jayla then scurried out of his room and down the hall to his lab.
Severus then decided to pull his white linen shirt over his head after unbuttoning the first 3 buttons. He then pulled Hermione close to him to where he practically laid on top of her with all his body weight. Severus pulled all the blankets over them both as he pulled Hermione under his body completely.
Severus held on to Hermione and then stared out into space, hoping that she would be ok.