When the feeling of apparation subsided Hermione opened her eyes and found herself standing on what seemed to be the front door step of a house. A very big house. Actually Hermione wouldn't even have called it a house it was more of a mansion. It was grey and had beautiful long windows, with a pointed roof. There were several balconies leading out from some of the windows.
"Miss. Granger," Snape said from behind her. "I will have you know, that despite your assumptions, I am not the man that you may think I am."
"I doubt it." Hermione said, pulling away from him and backing up. "If that were true you would let me go."
"For both our safety, I can not let you go. But from now on you will not be able to apparte out of this house, or outside for that matter. There is a gate surrounding this house and it is open, however the wards go on for quite some miles. You may try to leave but you will most likely die," he said. He looked at her to see if she would try to escape but she simply stood where she was. "Before we go on I must say you are allowed anywhere in this house except for the West Wing. That is off limits."
"What's in the West Wing?" Hermione asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
Severus narrowed his eyes at her. Hermione immediately regretted asking him. "It is none of your business," he hissed. They stood like that for a second, him glaring at her, while she stood frightened before she was able to whisper, "I'm sorry Pr-Professor."
"It's not Professor anymore, either. It's just Snape. Now turn around and go in, there is no point in standing outside the whole day," he snarled.
"Yes… sorry, sir," Hermione stuttered before turning around and opening the door. It swung open to reveal a big airy room. In the middle of it was a grand staircase that split and went it two different directions, one to the east and the other to the west. There were hallways on either side that must have led to different parts of the house. The floor and stairs were entirely white marble with accents of red carpeting. It was nicely decorated and altogether not what she had expected out of someone like Snape.
"It's beautiful." She whispered as she stepped in. "But I suppose I will be staying in the dungeons, or locked up in a dirty old room, so why don't you just throw me in a jail cell before you get my hopes up."
She heard Severus snort, "As I said before, I am not the man you believe I am. If you want to, you can sleep in the dungeons but they are quite morbid," Severus said.
He grabbed her arm harshly and began to drag her towards the left. Hermione instantly felt a sharp pain and her muggle instincts went in. It all happened so fast, but before she knew what she was doing her foot collided with Snape's crotch.
He immediately let of her hand and let out a sharp cry of pain. Hermione blushed and stammered, "I- I'm sorry!"
"That it's!" Snape snapped, with fury in his eyes. "Follow me!" He growled as he turned and stated walking to the right down a long hallway. After several turns, they descended down a flight of stairs and Hermione couldn't help but notice that the walls started to get greyer and dirtier as they descended. As they reached the final steps she saw before her several cells.
"Welcome to the Dungeons, my lady," Severus said as he grabbed her shirt and threw her into one. With one flick of his wand the cell closed and locked itself up. Hermione watched as he laughed and turned around to go upstairs.
"I was kidding! Please! I'm sorry for kicking you in the balls! I was scared and it was my instinct since I I didn't have a wand!" Hermione yelled, grabbing the bars and putting her face in between them. He kept on walking but to both their surprise a loud popping sound echoed through the room and Hermione saw before her 3 house elves. One she assumed was a girl while the other two were boys. One of the boys was very tall and skinny with mischievous green eyes. The other was shorter and fat with very serious cold eyes. The female house elf had very warm, auburn eyes. She had an apron on with flour all over it.
"Master Severus!" The woman house elf squeaked. To Hermione's surprise, and delight, the house elf sounded like she was reprimanding him. Hermione noticed Severus's back stiffen; his severe black robes stopped swirling as he stopped in his steps. He slowly turned around, and Hermione saw that his eyes were narrowed at the three house elves.
"Yes?" he asked through gritted teeth.
"You unlock girl right now!" The women house elf demanded.
"But she wanted to be stay here, Molly," Severus replied, in a tone that Hermione related to whining. This almost made her giggle.
"Master, I will get her myself if you don't," Molly the house elf replied putting her hands on her hips. Severus narrowed his eyes at the small house elf, and Hermione was reminded of Hogwarts and the way he used to look at Neville when he would blow up his cauldrons.
"Fine," he spat through his teeth, glaring at the small house elf. Molly didn't seem to be unnerved in the slightest. Actually she looked more like a mother then ever, and images of Molly Weasley flashed through her mind. His black robes billowed behind him as he marched back over to where Hermione was locked up. She let go of the bars and took a couple steps back as he opened the doors.
Instead of making an immediate get away Hermione started at Snape, to afraid to move.
"Well are you coming or not? I thought you didn't want to sleep here?" He growled.
"Severus! She is a guest! How dare you act like that, apologize to her!" The tall male house elf said, with a slight accent and a voice that was slightly lower than that of a typical house elf.
Hermione was astonished by how these house elves were acting towards him. They were acting as equals, and they had almost perfect speech. Hermione loved it. However, she was still a bit afraid of Severus. The image of Dumbledore dead flashed through her eyes once more, and she took a step backwards.
"Hermione." Severus growled, snapping her back into the present. "Please accept my dearest apologies."
"Well you didn't have to be so sarcastic," the tall thin male house elf said, rolling his big yellow eyes.
"Come on dear." Molly said, brushing her way past Snape and grabbing Hermione's hand. Hermione was surprised at how warm the house elf hand was as Molly led her out of the cell and up the stairs.
"You poor thing, you must have had a terrible day. Would you care for something to eat?" The tall male house elf asked again, as he followed the women up the stairs.
"Lucian, this is my house and you will not offer anything without my consent!" Severus demanded.
"Ah yes, but you forget! I don't follow rules very well," Lucian squeaked back.
"Yes, I know. How many articles of clothing have you received now?"
"I don't know, but enough to clothe a whole family probably!"
"Master, I would never do that to you!" The other house elf squeaked.
"I know, that is why you are my favorite house elf, Horloge," Snape sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Now you're just being rude," Lucian said.
Snape's eyes traveled back to Hermione. "Come, I will show you to your room." He sneered, as he turned around in a wave of black and started up the grand stairs, with his house elves following after him. Hermione looked around nervously for a second before deciding to follow him.
Her eyes fell down as she made her way up the giant stair case. They had a deep red carpet over them which made Hermione smirk because it reminded her of Gryffindor, the house that her former professor detested.
Once at the top of the stairs, Snape turned to east wing and started up that flight of stairs. "Your room will be in the east wing. You are, under no circumstance, permitted to go into the west wing," he reminded, turning over his shoulder to look at her. She was standing at the landing of the stairs staring out at the beautiful room. "Miss Granger?" Hermione's head snapped to look at her professor.
"Sorry, sir," she mumbled, ducking her head and quickly following him once more. Once they reached the top landing Severus set off down the long hallway. The walls were a rich honey color wood and they were lined with beautiful paintings. As she looked around, Hermione was pleasantly surprised to find that, among the many figures moving about in their frames were pieces which stood stark still; muggle paintings.
The dark man finally came to rest in front of a set of mahogany doors. "This is your room for the remainder of your stay here," he said as he pushed open the doors to reveal a breathtaking room.
The walls were a soft blue color that immediately caused her to relax. To the left of the room there sat a large, bed with a blue canopy hanging over it. Next to the bed there was a large wardrobe. Also, on either side of the bed there were small nightstands with candles on the surfaces. Across the room from the doors there was a grand window that led to one of the many decks overlooking the gardens. To the right of the room, the walls were lined with bookshelves, however to Hermione's disappointment they were empty. Well she would change that hopefully. There was also a desk in the corner of the room for Hermione to work at. "It's beautiful." She whispered.
"Yes, well," Severus shifted his eyes to catch a glimpse of her astonished expression, "My house elves are going to be gathering clothes for you to wear. Also, you are required to eat with me at dinners. Dinner tonight is at 7 o clock. That shouldn't be a problem, should it, Miss. Granger?" Her former professor leered down at her. He looked upon her as if she were merely a fleck of dirt on his clothes.
"What if I don't want to eat with you?" Hermione snapped.
"Then you don't eat at all!" Snape yelled as he turned and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Hermione's gaze rested on the door her former teacher had just left. She felt a tear form at the corner of her eye. She quickly wiped the tear away only for more to form and start to roll freely down her face. Sobbing, Hermione made her way over to her bed. She crawled to the center of the bed where she curled up into a ball and cried. She didn't know how long she spent crying, but she figured it had to be a while since her throat was starting to hurt, and her eyes burn. She never bothered to wipe her tears, leaving a wet stain on her pillow. Once she was able to calm herself, Hermione choose to just lay in her bed instead of exploring the house. At some point when Hermione was curled up in a ball, she fell asleep, the tracks of past tears still glistening on her cheeks.
AN: I'M SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IT FOREVER. I have been so busy, and I just haven't been inspired to write. But now since it's summer I'll be able to update every week! :3 yayyy!
Leave me reviews please! If I get 10 more I'll update early! Please though, reviews make me so happy, and actually make me WANT to write.
Thank you to my lovely best friend and beta EMILY! :D