Almost one month later: July 13th
Severus Snape woke, he opened his eyes and looked at the familiar dark dark corners of the ceiling and walls. He rubbed his eyes and then sat up. It was early, about four thirty a.m. or so. he slipped his bare feet over the side of the bed and looked around the room. It was almost completely dark.
He got up and walked over to the wall closest to his door. He flipped the light switch on. Severus still still reveled in the fact that his Mistress' house had such a novelty as electricity. He was so used to candles, torches and sconces, that he was still amused.
He blinked at the brightness and walked into his small bathroom and started the shower. He stripped and stepped into the warm water.
*******
Hermione was walking through the small side hall where her servants lived. She heard the shower going in Severus' room and opened the door to his room. She looked around the room and noted that the bound leather journal on the small writing desk was open.
She glided over and sat in the worn leather chair. She traced her fingers along the serpentine script. She began to read.
~July 12th
Life here is pleasant. Far different than my years as a servant to Voldemort. I've grown used to being a servant. Miss Granger is a firm task mistress, she is not like some I have heard about. She has only raised her hand to me once since my collaring. But it was justified, I treated her as a mere student.
Lucius seems to accept his fate but with his son gone he has very little to hope for anymore. Draco wasn't the best of students at times but he did have potential. So many of them did, and so many of them are gone. I do not know what she, my Mistress, has planned for me. Or why she asked for me. Maybe someday she will tell me...~
She heard the shower stop and she stood up. She could read the rest later is she wished. She swept from the room smiling to herself. At least he hasn't written anything atrocious about her.
******
Hermione swept down the hall and to her office. She opened the door to her office and wasn't surprised when she saw a snowy owl perched on her sill. She opened the window, "Hello Hedwig," the owl glided to the desk and dropped a letter there. "Would you like a treat?" She gave the owl a bit of owl treat then sat down at the desk.
She picked up the letter and looked at the address. It was from St. Mungo's, actually it was from Harry, who now worked in St. Mungo's, violent curses and hexes department.
Hermione,
Work here is going well, I wish you would take some time off and visit before you start at hogwarts. I heard you got Snape, Not only that but you paid for him. Why did you go and do something like that? Well it's back to work for me. I'll tell Sirius and Remus you send you're love.
with love
Harry
******
She set down the letter and rubbed her temples. She picked up her quill and slid a piece of parchment in front of her.
Dear Harry,
News travels fast doesn't it? I take enough time off to suit my needs, you don't have to worry about me. And as for Severus, you and I both know that no one else would take him. So I asked for him, even though I had to pay the fee. He may have been the worst teacher you and I ever had, but he did spy for our side and he did save many students. I have respect for the man, and his work. That's why I did it. I have to go, Have to get to work as well.
with love
Hermione.
She signed and sealed the letter and gave it to the still waiting owl. Hedwig hooted and took the letter in her beak, she looked at Hermione once more before flying out the window.
*****
Severus buttoned the last button on his waist coat and looked at himself in the small mirror in the wall. Perfectly presentable, he thought, Miss Granger would have no less. He walked down the servants hall to the kitchen and picked up a cup of tea and a scone. He made his way up to the office where he knew he had a small stack of work he had not finished the night before.
It's still early, no one will be up, he told himself, he opened the door to the office and nearly dropped the cup in his hand. Hermione sat in a large armchair by the large window. "Mistress?"
Hermione glanced at the tall man in the door way, "Severus, It's early,"
"I know mistress, I am always up at this time. I prefer to get an early start at my work,"
"That's why Lucius can never find you in the morning? Because you are here working?" Hermione noted his nod. "I assume that is your breakfast."
He nodded, "It suits me," unlike my collar he thought.
"Well I shall not interrupt your work then,' She said giving him a smile, "Though I may want to start a conversation,"
Severus smiled, "Whatever Mistress wishes," He set the tea down, having finished his scone in the hall way. He sat at the low desk he favored as he took the papers that he had started the day before. He noticed that most of his work had revolved around her potions work. She had accomplished much in the year since graduating. She had written a book on potions, it had done well in selling, hence the large house.
******
Hermione watched the tall stoic man as he started to work, "Severus, why didn't you run when Voldemort attacked? So many others did."
"I, unlike them, and despite my grim exterior, have a terrible sense of honor. My parents taught me that only cowards run, and that it is better to stay, fight and die then to die a cowards death."
"But you now wear a collar, Is that not cowardly?"
"No." Severus watched her, "Everyone had to pay for their crimes eventually, I am by no means a 'Tabula Rasa' I have done atrocities. The collar is just how I pay for my crimes, it is a punishment almost not fitting the crime, though I could still go to Azkaban as a final task if my Mistress wishes."
Hermione didn't know what to say, so she remained quiet and watched him work as the sun rose.
TBC?
A/N: WOW! Thanks for all of the reviews. I didn't think I would get any. Um, let me think. I plan on going into how the war happened and ended and how Hermione exactly acquired Severus. but um yeah I hope you likes this chapter.
Severus Snape woke, he opened his eyes and looked at the familiar dark dark corners of the ceiling and walls. He rubbed his eyes and then sat up. It was early, about four thirty a.m. or so. he slipped his bare feet over the side of the bed and looked around the room. It was almost completely dark.
He got up and walked over to the wall closest to his door. He flipped the light switch on. Severus still still reveled in the fact that his Mistress' house had such a novelty as electricity. He was so used to candles, torches and sconces, that he was still amused.
He blinked at the brightness and walked into his small bathroom and started the shower. He stripped and stepped into the warm water.
*******
Hermione was walking through the small side hall where her servants lived. She heard the shower going in Severus' room and opened the door to his room. She looked around the room and noted that the bound leather journal on the small writing desk was open.
She glided over and sat in the worn leather chair. She traced her fingers along the serpentine script. She began to read.
~July 12th
Life here is pleasant. Far different than my years as a servant to Voldemort. I've grown used to being a servant. Miss Granger is a firm task mistress, she is not like some I have heard about. She has only raised her hand to me once since my collaring. But it was justified, I treated her as a mere student.
Lucius seems to accept his fate but with his son gone he has very little to hope for anymore. Draco wasn't the best of students at times but he did have potential. So many of them did, and so many of them are gone. I do not know what she, my Mistress, has planned for me. Or why she asked for me. Maybe someday she will tell me...~
She heard the shower stop and she stood up. She could read the rest later is she wished. She swept from the room smiling to herself. At least he hasn't written anything atrocious about her.
******
Hermione swept down the hall and to her office. She opened the door to her office and wasn't surprised when she saw a snowy owl perched on her sill. She opened the window, "Hello Hedwig," the owl glided to the desk and dropped a letter there. "Would you like a treat?" She gave the owl a bit of owl treat then sat down at the desk.
She picked up the letter and looked at the address. It was from St. Mungo's, actually it was from Harry, who now worked in St. Mungo's, violent curses and hexes department.
Hermione,
Work here is going well, I wish you would take some time off and visit before you start at hogwarts. I heard you got Snape, Not only that but you paid for him. Why did you go and do something like that? Well it's back to work for me. I'll tell Sirius and Remus you send you're love.
with love
Harry
******
She set down the letter and rubbed her temples. She picked up her quill and slid a piece of parchment in front of her.
Dear Harry,
News travels fast doesn't it? I take enough time off to suit my needs, you don't have to worry about me. And as for Severus, you and I both know that no one else would take him. So I asked for him, even though I had to pay the fee. He may have been the worst teacher you and I ever had, but he did spy for our side and he did save many students. I have respect for the man, and his work. That's why I did it. I have to go, Have to get to work as well.
with love
Hermione.
She signed and sealed the letter and gave it to the still waiting owl. Hedwig hooted and took the letter in her beak, she looked at Hermione once more before flying out the window.
*****
Severus buttoned the last button on his waist coat and looked at himself in the small mirror in the wall. Perfectly presentable, he thought, Miss Granger would have no less. He walked down the servants hall to the kitchen and picked up a cup of tea and a scone. He made his way up to the office where he knew he had a small stack of work he had not finished the night before.
It's still early, no one will be up, he told himself, he opened the door to the office and nearly dropped the cup in his hand. Hermione sat in a large armchair by the large window. "Mistress?"
Hermione glanced at the tall man in the door way, "Severus, It's early,"
"I know mistress, I am always up at this time. I prefer to get an early start at my work,"
"That's why Lucius can never find you in the morning? Because you are here working?" Hermione noted his nod. "I assume that is your breakfast."
He nodded, "It suits me," unlike my collar he thought.
"Well I shall not interrupt your work then,' She said giving him a smile, "Though I may want to start a conversation,"
Severus smiled, "Whatever Mistress wishes," He set the tea down, having finished his scone in the hall way. He sat at the low desk he favored as he took the papers that he had started the day before. He noticed that most of his work had revolved around her potions work. She had accomplished much in the year since graduating. She had written a book on potions, it had done well in selling, hence the large house.
******
Hermione watched the tall stoic man as he started to work, "Severus, why didn't you run when Voldemort attacked? So many others did."
"I, unlike them, and despite my grim exterior, have a terrible sense of honor. My parents taught me that only cowards run, and that it is better to stay, fight and die then to die a cowards death."
"But you now wear a collar, Is that not cowardly?"
"No." Severus watched her, "Everyone had to pay for their crimes eventually, I am by no means a 'Tabula Rasa' I have done atrocities. The collar is just how I pay for my crimes, it is a punishment almost not fitting the crime, though I could still go to Azkaban as a final task if my Mistress wishes."
Hermione didn't know what to say, so she remained quiet and watched him work as the sun rose.
TBC?
A/N: WOW! Thanks for all of the reviews. I didn't think I would get any. Um, let me think. I plan on going into how the war happened and ended and how Hermione exactly acquired Severus. but um yeah I hope you likes this chapter.