Chapter 8: The Chateau
Hermione had been at the chateau for four amazing and beautiful days. She was surprised to find herself relaxed when she had initially thought she would be on edge. Her classmates were so unlike the uptight and serious Slytherins she'd gone to Hogwarts with and instead were very much like a family. And Draco, he was another piece to this confusing puzzle that she hadn't expected. His hardened demeanor was much softer when he was not antagonizing (or being antagonized) by Harry and Ron or being the little ringleader of his housemates. She has always known him to be intellectual but had never been able to speak with him without others interfering. Then there was the overwhelming amount of knowledge that had been kept from her during her education regarding wizarding customs and she wasn't quite sure how she'd go about learning so much in such little time. The early morning sunrise found her perched in a hanging basket on the porch of the chateau and instead of gazing out at the picturesque landscape she had her nose buried in a book on pureblood traditions, specifically the courtship bonds.
It has been proven that regardless of age the magical compatibility does not change. However, due to other potential matches and disease it is widely practiced to begin testing children as soon as they begin displaying magic. Hermione stopped and scratched a note down on her parchment, disease? Then began reading again. While little research, due to obvious restrictions, has been done on the age of the initial bonding, it is assumed there may be some effect, to which no one is sure. Theories on this matter range from higher sexual pleasure, decreased or increased fertility, more awareness of the bond and potential strengthening of the bond. Hermione stopped and began scratching down notes again.
"If you'd like I can answer some of these questions for you." Draco said softly. Hermione jumped but chuckled as she realized how engrossed she'd been in the book she was reading. "Didn't mean to frighten you, I apologize."
"No, no, it's quite alright. I was very focused and just didn't hear you."
He chuckled his response, "I could tell." He stepped around her seat, picking up a few of the books she had next to her, "mind if I join you? The sunset looks beautiful this morning."
"Of course not! Here let me take those." She said reaching out for the books. He simply set the on the table in front of them and gestured his hand forward, the table moving until it was within easy reaching distance of where Hermione sat. "That's quite a display of magic." She said with obvious interest.
"It's useful to know. Do you know wandless and nonverbal magic?"
"Separately but not together, it is something I'd very much like to learn though."
"If you would like I can teach you, in fact I'd insist on it if I thought I could get away with it." He laughed lightly before continuing, "It's something I think we should have all been learning in the last year, especially with the war mounting. My father has had me learning it since fifth year and because of the time I've spent on it I'm very effective, even in a duel against someone with a wand."
"Mmmm," she hummed in recognition and thought, "it's very interesting how much theory application all of you have had outside of Hogwarts. How is it that you all are able to practice magic before the age monitoring is taken off?"
"Honestly? Old wards around the family estates that have remained over the centuries because the ministry knows the old families will not allow interference."
"It seems quite unfair is all. Out of all of the students, the ones from old families seem to need the least practice and yet have access to significantly more in terms of their education. I used to spend hours practicing on my own during the school year because I wanted to get ahead and you all had your entire summers to practice, it's no wonder that children of older families are constantly at the top of their class." She huffed.
"I never said it was fair but it is the case. It's simply one more thing that has changed because of the overall acceptance of halfblood and muggleborn in wizarding society."
"What does that have to do with halfbloods and muggleborns?"
"The laws used to not be like this; children weren't monitored on their magical use, they were allowed to use it freely and should a child act out with their magic, their parents were responsible for reprimanding them. However, with halfbloods and muggleborns, especially muggleborns, they are sent home over holidays and their parents have no way of correcting misuse of magic. Hence the current laws, where no students are able to use their magic, creating an even larger divide and more loss of wizarding customs."
"Hm, I hadn't realized that. There's so much I don't know, so much they don't teach us at Hogwarts and I don't understand why."
"Because it used to be taught by parents and the traditions that you were taught at home carried over into traditions at school. That's no longer the case and instead the more magical children born to non-magical parents who attend Hogwarts, the fewer wizarding traditions are kept at the school."
Hermione starred out across the landscape, her eyes closing as the early sun touched her face. She didn't understand how she had worked so hard trying to prove herself as a strong and capable witch because of her parentage and yet she was still so behind in knowledge. Knowledge she would have grown up knowing if she had been a part of the wizarding community.
"Gods you're beautiful." Draco said quietly.
She turned her head, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I, um, thank you." She laughed. "I'm sorry, not quite used to compliments like that!"
"Well you should be. I've been intrigued with you for a very long time but, unfortunately our social circles and quite frankly, your family members, haven't been very conducive to me ever reaching out to you."
"And what changed this year?" she asked intrigued at his statement.
"You did, as did many of the circumstances that have allowed us to be here today."
"I'm not sure what you mean?" she said, not sure exactly what he meant when he stated she had changed.
He sighed, seeming to try and find the correct words before speaking. "I have always been drawn to you and at this point, I know Daphne has told you why. But this year, you seemed more open, more curious about your heritage and you didn't simply stick to learning that from your fellow Gryffindors. When you and Daphne developed a friendship and you were around a bit more, it became obvious to me that we had quite a bit in common and that, given the chance, perhaps we could be more than just acquaintances. I've just been able to see you differently in the last year is all, I do hope that makes sense, I believe I've rambled a bit." He finished with a crooked smile.
She reached up hesitantly and touched the side of his face, her thumb skimming his defined cheekbone. "And do you still feel as if we can be more than acquaintances now that we've spent this time here?" Hermione asked, her thumb still lightly tracing the definitions of his face. She noted that his breathing pattern had changed, his breath now coming out at a quickened pace. She smiled lightly as he wrapped his fingers around her slender wrist and placed a light kiss where her pulse was.
"Very much so, Hermione. I'd like to make this courtship more permanent, if you'll have it?"
"I think I'd like that." She said quietly. He leaned forward and kissed her, his thumb rubbing circles where his lips had just been moments ago and his other hand cradling the side of her face. She leaned into him, surprising herself at how much she enjoyed the feel of his lips on hers. He pulled back, letting his hand drop from her face and smiled at her.
"You'll want to finish reading that book before we make the courtship official and if you'd like, I know my mother would be more than willing to speak with you on any questions you have."
"That would be wonderful."
* Break *
Hermione gave Daphne a hug before stepping into the fireplace, "Thanks everyone, I'll see you all soon." She said with a smile before tossing the floo powder down, "Hogwarts, Headmasters Office."
She stepped out of the floo, quickly brushing any excess soot off of her robes and looked around the office. Since no one seemed to be here she decided to head to the dungeons, wanting to give Severus an update as soon as possible. Severus, she stopped in her tracks at the thought. What will he think of me? She thought. I accomplished my mission, but, have I don't more than that? No, he said no feelings, he said we couldn't let our emotions change what we're meant to do. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and buck up soldier. Her pep talk over and having gotten her to the dungeons, she reached up and rapped her knuckles against the Potion Masters door.
"I expected you back yesterday." Was the first thing out of the surly man's mouth.
"Well I was delayed, which I expect you'll be thankful for."
"Did you accomplish the first step of the mission, then?" he asked.
"And the second."
"He's…you're courting?"
"I'm meeting with Narcissa tomorrow, after Draco has had the chance to speak with Lucius."
"Did he tell you what type of courtship you'll have?"
"We discussed it some but he thought it'd be best if I speak with Narcissa first, to make sure I know exactly what each type means."
"You realize that…"
"Yes, Severus, I know what's expected of me. I have every intention of pushing for it and to be honest I don't think there will be any struggle, I know it's what Draco wants and I'm sure his mother will prefer it."
"And have you finished reading the book Dumbledore gave you? You know exactly what that bond will mean when you marry?"
"You mean if we marry. If we marry, then yes, I know exactly what the bond will mean." She said, starring him straight in the eye.
"This will have to stop."
"You say that every time I get close to you."
"I mean it Hermione, it will have to stop or else all of this trouble will have been for nothing."
"I love you."
"I know, but you'll love him too."
She shook her head, already having pushed the thoughts away from the chateau. "It isn't him that I want to be bonded to, you know that don't you?"
"It doesn't matter who you want to be bonded to. You need to grow up Hermione, your wants don't matter anymore and until this war ends, your wants won't matter. When you marry him, because I assure you girl taht if Dumbledore has anything to do with it you will marry him, you'll be stuck. You'll be stuck until he dies, if he even dies in this war; Malfoy's are very resilient and tend to slip through any ministry punishment quite easily. This will stop because my little tryst's with you aren't worth my life." He spat out the last part and fixed his stare on her. He expected her lip to tremble, he expected her to scream and rage at him. What he got instead hurt entirely more than pushing her away.
"Your harsh words of protection may have worked on Lily, Severus, but I've got thicker skin, you've made sure of that. By my calculations, if I marry Draco, we have roughly six months to enjoy our comfort in one another before we'll be forced to find solace in our friendship alone. A man I consider to be wise once told me he wanted to live by a new saying, I believe it went something like, "it is better to stoke the fire and experience warmth for a short time, than to freeze to death never knowing how the warmth felt on your face". When he comes round', can you tell him I miss him." And with that she turned on her heel and left him standing in the middle of his rooms. As he heard the door to his private chambers shut softly he growled in frustration, grabbing his fire whiskey and hurling the crystal tumbler into the fireplace. He tossed himself into the wing back chair, realizing how unsatisfying the hissing and popping of the alcohol in the flames actually was. As he looked into the fireplace, he glanced at the rug only a few feet away and swore under his breath, his mind pulling him into the exact moment the girl had just referenced.
* Flashback – Night of Graduation *
He felt her stir underneath his arm as she shifted to put her warmed back against his chest. His fingers began dancing across her cooled bell that had not been exposed to the warmth of the lit fireplace and she let out a light moan, her body tensing as his fingers drew patterns down her body. He placed a kiss against her should, his fingers dipping into her heat and circling her bud, still slightly swollen from only hours before "Severus," she breathed out.
Gods this girl would be the death of him, what was he thinking acting like this, like a sixth year boy. But the way her body responded to him, the way her mind challenged him and the way their souls seemed to constantly know what the other needed. These were not feelings Severus Snape was used to and he'd be damned if he'd give them up before the morning sun rose. She looked up at him, her eyes clouded over, whether from sleep or lust, he wasn't sure.
"Please" she said breathily.
"Please what?" he said, his fingers stroking harder causing her body to arch slightly, trying her hardest to find release.
"I…I need you. Please…" she moaned out. He pushed his fingers into her, thumb quickly find her swollen bud and rubbing circles. He moaned as he walls tightened around his fingers, remembering not hours before how they'd been clenching around him and she'd been begging for release. He withdrew his fingers, much to her displease and crawled down her body.
"What are you…." But she stopped and dropped her head back down to the carpet beneath them as he ran his tongue across her heat.
Sometime later found both of them sprawled across the floor, the fire down low now, having been forgotten during their attention to one another.
"I'm admittedly surprised." Hermione said with a light smile.
"At?"
"This," she said gesturing to the two of them with her hand, " I didn't expect you to, well to want me, I expected to be shoo'd from the office with a promise that you'd never bring up my childish display." She laughed lightly.
"I thought about it. It wouldn't been the smarter thing to do, I only I hope I have not caused either of us undo hardship."
"What changed your mind?"
He looked at the fire, only a few embers still lit but dying quickly. "I have been living my life for others for a very long time and you, this, was my one act of selfishness in this war. There are many days I would like to live my life differently and you have been the single thing that has seemed worth it to try. I believe it may be better to stoke the fire and experience warmth for a short time, than to freeze to death never knowing how the warmth felt on your face. You, Hermione, are a warmth I did not know existed until the these last few months."
* End Chapter *
I'll be going back and piecing together the "past flashbacks" from the ritual to this moment, so hopefully you liked this. I wanted to show a little of the soft side of Severus before the next few chapters took place. Hope you enjoyed it!