Chapter 14: Mrs. Professor Snape
My thanks to all my readers and reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
Snape's Quarters,Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...
Hermione woke to the sound of rushing water and found that Snape had not been in bed beside her. Sometime in the middle of the night he had been locked in the grips of a night terror and woke her with the sound of his heart wrenching apologies. The bushy haired witch had not been able to awaken him for more than an hour. When he finally did open his eyes he had been utterly confused and completely withdrawn. She made the mistake of touching him in his weary state and he flipped her on her back and aimed his wand at her with a murderous glint in his eyes. If it wasn't for her quick thinking in a bid to seduce him, he might have seriously hurt her.
She had fallen asleep after that.
He had apparently never gone back to bed.
The bushy haired witch sighed and watched as he made his way out of the loo. He had been quite a marvel in the dark, her Severus. His tall, lean frame still pale even in the semi-darkness of his bedroom. He climbed into bed with his skin feeling about as cold as the stone floor. Hermione winced as his cooled skin came in contact with the warmth of her own.
"Miss Granger." said Snape in a low growl.
"That's Mrs. Snape." she corrected him.
Snape rolled his eyes though the gesture had little meaning in the dark.
"Well..."Mrs. Snape", you are on my side of the bed." he said in a gruff tone.
Hermione smiled grateful for the darkness in the room for once. She scooted back to her side of the bed which had grown cold in her absence. Snape layed on his back looking up at the ceiling.
After a moment or two of silence Hermione's mind couldn't let her pass up an opportunity to ask him a question.
"What were you dreaming about?" she asked.
Snape sighed almost as if he had been expecting her to ask such a question.
"None of your business." he replied bitterly.
Hermione sat up looking over his silhouette in the dark.
"Well it must have been quite a frightening experience." she said. "Will you at least tell me why you were apologizing?"
"Are you not familiar with the implication of the term None of your business?" asked Snape annoyed.
"I'm sorry." said Hermione. "I can't help it I was just curious."
"Do you not recall our last discussion about curiosity and cats?" asked Snape.
Hermione considered this for a moment.
"I do but you were intentionally being a git." she replied.
"Unbelievable." said Snape annoyed. "I'm awake and still I find myself trapped in a nightmare."
Hermione rolled her eyes though it had little effect in the night.
"Git." she said.
"Insufferable know it all." replied Snape. "Is there no way to shut you up?"
Before Hermione could offer a retort Snape suddenly flipped her on her back and pulled her close to him. She grew silent as he worked his way between her thighs.
"Hmmm...it seems I've found such a way." he said with a satisfied smirk. "Too bad I can't initiate this during class...It'd be the highlight of my afternoon."
For the next few hours Hermione had been too preoccupied ask questions.
Later...
Hermione made her way down the corridors with a bit of a spring in her step. She had no earthy idea why Severus Snape made her feel so good but she was rather glad she had chosen to marry him. Granted he had his very many faults but this way she could still go to Hogwarts and enjoy her mostly normal life instead of being bound to some senseless death eater only interested in either harming or killing her. The bushy haired with had figured that she had some how lucked out in marrying the snarky Potions Professor as many of the girls her age were either uncertain about their future given the new law or helplessly drawn to boys who did not seem to care for them.
It had only been one week and already Hermione was faring far better than most of the other Hogwarts girls forced into marriage. Just two days ago a Muggle-born Hufflepuff by the name of Farrah Holmes had been murdered by the death eater she was forced to wed. Her body was found decomposing at the bottom of the lake.
Snape may have been a greasy dungeon bat but he was no a man what would harm a woman, least of all his own wife.
The mood in the castle had been ranging from somber to eventful as more and more students fell into the lines of the marriage law. Ron and Harry had been stunned at the number of weddings taking place and grew to be quite concerned for Hermione. It had been almost funny now that she thought about it. Since she got her letter they had hardly said a word about the law and now that some of their other friends are being married off they find the time to be concerned.
She got to class early, and as the first one in she got her choice of seats. As she found herself lost in thought Harry Potter strolled in with a determined and worried expression on his seemingly pale face. It was clear that what happened to Farrah had shaken him up quite a bit.
"Mione." said the voice of Harry shaking her from her thoughts.
"What is it Harry?" she asked taking her books from her knapsack and arranging them for the morning lesson.
"I'm worried about you." he said. "With this new law that means you'll be targeted by death eaters as well."
"You don't have to worry about me Harry." said Hermione.
"What do you mean?" asked the green eyed wizard. "Farrah was killed by her death eater husband and she was Muggle-born like you."
"My husband wouldn't do anything like that." said Hermione defensive.
Harry caught her words.
"Husband?" he asked confused. "Y-You mean you're already married?"
Hermione simply looked at him and averted her gaze.
"Who?" asked Harry growing enraged that someone had married his friend.
"I can't tell you that." said Hermione. "Please Harry, just know that I'll be safe no matter what."
Harry took the books out of her grasp and grasped her by the shoulders.
"Who married you Hermione?" he asked thinking the worst. "Was it Malfoy?"
"No." replied the bushy haired witch. "I already told you I can't say."
"Mione tell me." said Harry now very worried about her choice in husband. "Was it Crabbe or Goyle?"
"No." replied Hermione noting how tight his grip on her shoulders became. "Now kindly take your hands off me."
"No." said Harry defiant. "Not until you tell me what death eater scum has the audacity to marry my best friend."
Hermione's eyes widened when she saw Snape burst into the room. His obsidian eyes flashed a good deal of rage and he drew his wand without thinking.
"Kindly take your hands off my wife Potter or you will find yourself in a world of pain." said The irate Potions Professor.
At the mention of the word wife Harry released his grip on Hermione's shoulders. He whirled around to see Severus Snape standing with his wand at the ready and a murderous expression on his face.
"No." said Harry looking back at Hermione who had a sorrowful expression on her face. "It can't be."
"I'm afraid it is." replied Snape with a smug smirk. "Isn't that right Mrs. Snape?"
Hermione narrowed her amber eyes at her husband appalled by his callous behavior. She had not wanted Harry to find out this way and she could only imagine what Ron and Ginny would have to say about it.
As if trying to rub salt in Harry's wounds Snape confidently strolled over to Hermione and made a show of wrapping his arm around her waist and pressing his body against hers. Harry couldn't believe what he was seeing as Hermione had no other choice but to allow it. Snape smirked at the bewildered look on the green eyed wizard's face and relished it.
"Get to your seat Mrs. Snape." said the Potions Professor in a seductive purr in the bushy haired witch's ear.
Hermione did as she was told.
Harry looked at her with absolute disgust. He could not believe that she would marry Snape of all people. Without another word he sat down and waited for the rest of the students to fill in before the lesson started. He remained silent the whole time Snape taught. Hermione had willed Harry to keep silent about her marriage a little while longer so that she could break the news delicately to Ron and Ginny. The young witch had been furious with Snape for his cruel antics. She had wanted to break the news to Harry herself.
After class, Hermione had been all set to try and explain her marriage to Harry and the others when Snape called her to his desk. Harry shot her a cold look and made his way out of the class as quickly as possible.
When the classroom had been cleared of all remaining students, save Hermione herself, Snape shut his door and cast a silencing charm. Hermione whirled on Snape furious about his earlier display.
"What was all that about?" she demanded enraged. "Harry is my friend you didn't have to be such a cruel jerk to him."
Snape arched an eyebrow at this.
"Have you not met me?" he asked in disbelief.
"It's all an act and you know it." said Hermione folding her arms across her chest.
Snape got to his feet and loomed over the young witch.
"Are you sure about that Mrs. Snape?" he asked with venom in his tone.
Hermione dropped her arms and stared into his cold dark eyes. If she was honest she would have admitted to herself that she was maybe a little afraid of him. He was quite intimidating and known to have something of a cruel streak when provoked.
"Not that it's any of your business." he said still in a venomous tone. "But I was given specific instructions regarding this marriage and Mr. Potter."
"What do you mean?" asked Hermione grateful that there was a point to his cruelty.
"To put it simple Mrs. Snape..." said The Potions Professor. "The more apposed to this marriage Potter is the safer you will be."
"Why?" asked Hermione confused by his words.
"The dark lord has taken a rather healthy interest in you." said Snape plainly. "He was well on his way to killing me before he received information that you, Hermione Granger, friend of Harry Potter had been the muggle-born woman in which I married."
Hermione's eyes widened at the implication of this.
"H-He was going to kill you because of me." she said all her anger dissipating.
Snape had been caught off guard by her sincere remorse for having brought this upon him.
"My point is Mrs. Snape, as long as Potter is adverse to our union you are safe from the dark lord." he finished.
Hermione had not really been listening to him. She had been far too busy going back to the three days when Snape had not returned. It would have been so easy for Voldemort to just get rid of him as if he had been nothing and no one would have been any the wiser. Perhaps it was guilt or sudden fear that drove Hermione to rush over to her husband and wrap her arms around him but the gesture stunned Snape significantly.
The dour man had not been use to anyone actually caring wither he lived or died. Everyone around him had been more interested in wither or not he did his job. "The greater good" or "the will of Voldemort" had been the most dominating forces in his life. He didn't understand how or why anyone like Hermione would bother with a wretched sod like himself. He had after all only married her because Dumbledore forced him to.
"There are rules Miss Granger." he said reminding her that she was not back in his quarters.
She let him go. Slightly embarrassed about letting her emotions run away with her for a second.
"I-I'm sorry Professor." she said.
Snape made a show of straightening his attire.
"Well." he said. "You'd better be off."
Hermione nodded gathering her books. She hoped she had enough time to catch Harry before he said anything.
The Corridors, Hogwarts...
Harry Potter had been enraged that Hermione had been married to Snape of all people. He found himself wishing it had been Malfoy mostly because then he knew Hermione could slug the mouthy Pureblood and he wouldn't actually be able to harm her. But Snape! There was no way Hermione would stand a chance with Snape as her husband. He thought about telling Ron and Ginny but decided against it.
The image of the familiar way Snape had his hand on Hermione's body made Harry's blood boil.
He had no business touching Hermione in that way. He was a Professor for Merlin's sake.
Harry had been well on his way toward the lake when Hermione came running up to him. The bitterness and disgust had been amplified ten fold. She walked over to him with her amber eyes so full of hope and uncertainty.
"Harry." she said softly.
"What do you want?" asked the irate green eyed wizard bitterly.
Hermione had been a bit taken aback by his demeanor but chalked it up to Snape's cruel antics getting the better of him. She had no idea how she was going to face her friends but this was the start she was looking for.
"I-I just want to talk." she said.
"I have nothing to say to you Mrs. Professor Snape." snapped Harry. "And don't worry I won't tell Ron or Ginny how low you've fallen."
"Harry if you let me explain..." started Hermione.
"I have a class to get to." said Harry in a rude manner.
He walked away from her without another word. Hermione had not known what to say. Harry had never really lashed out at her before. She expected Ron to be immature and hurtful to her but never Harry. She sighed noting that she forgot that it was all about his obsessive hatred for her husband. Harry hated Professor Snape and by extension Harry now hated her.
Mrs. Professor Snape.
Holding back her tears Hermione made her way to her next class. She didn't see the figure clad in black standing in the shadows. When she was well on her way he stepped from his hiding spot his short sleek blond hair neat and even. Draco Malfoy's gray eyes glinted at the prospect of what this information represented.
Potter called Granger Mrs. Professor Snape. Then that means...she's married to my godfather.
"This is positively priceless." said Draco Malfoy with a mischievous smile.
There was discord in the Gryffindor Golden Trio.