"Miss Granger, the book you requested," Severus handed the young woman the tome stiffly. He was out of sorts, he needed to talk to this Gryffindor and convince her to open her stubborn, missing-for-two-years mind and make everything perfect in his own little world. Today was proving to be a difficult one.
"Thank you, Professor. I didn't realize you would be getting the book for me," Hermione accepted the book gratefully, although she was curious as to why the foreboding Potions Master was running errands for Madame Pomfrey, especially as the Dungeons are so far away and the Library is definitely not 'on the way'.
"I had the book in question within my own quarters, Miss Granger, and I needed to speak with you on an important matter, so I simply brought it up to you as you had requested the aforementioned book," Severus felt like he was rambling in a vein attempt to buy himself some time.
"Oh, well, my thanks remains," Hermione looked down at the book in her lap, almost opening its cover before she remembered, "You wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes, Miss Granger, it is about your recovery and reintroduction into society," the Professor nodded.
"Please, Professor, just say what you needed to say, I'm as eager as anyone to leave this place," Hermione waved her hand around the room indicating the Hospital Wing in which nearly everyone attempted to sneak out of early, especially her best friend, who found his way to their current location more often than not.
"As you wish, there are some things we need to discuss, such as, my status in the war as well as some other person's," Severus sat down in the chair next to the young Gryffindor's bed.
"You were a spy, Harry told me," Hermione promptly offered. 'Still attempting to gain the correct answer after all these years,' Severus thought with an internal smirk.
"Yes, I was. I spied for the light under my own free will. However, some people were not so fortunate to chose the side that they were associated with during the war. Some people were manipulated or controlled," Severus started, hoping to narrow down the circumstances enough to eventually allow Miss Granger to figure out the answer on her own as it was much simpler to have her mind jump to the logical conclusion rather than just force her to accept a shift in character with such a person as Lucius.
"Manipulated or controlled? To serve the Dark Lord?" Hermione was already thinking of the different people she thought could have been controlled by Dark Forces.
"Yes, by a binding contract that is signed with a physical signature as well as a magical signature," Severus prompted, hoping like hell that Miss Granger would have lived up to her reputation and would have read something concerning contracts.
"That would be unbreakable, it's a full submission to the contract. Wasn't that ruled as illegal in the Middle Ages?" Hermione's mind was buzzing with a wide variety of thoughts, although she was pleased to be engaged in such a stimulating conversation once more.
"Technically, it was only ruled as inhumane by the Ministry of Britain, they never got around to declaring it illegal, but it was banished from all modern texts. However, the Pureblood Elite still sometimes use it for marriage contracts, especially if one member of a marital union is…unwilling," Severus answered Hermione while she mentally revised her list.
"Right. Well, then the unwilling member would be submissive to the will of the willing participant and thus able to govern such aspects as loyalty and other features of personality, effectively suppressing undesirable traits and promoting the desirable ones," Hermione's list contained only a three names of married Death Eaters that she knew were pureblood.
"Exactly. Therefore, when the person would be released from such a contract they would regain the suppressed parts of their personality almost immediately. However, they would be completely aware of what they may or may not have done while being suppressed. This can cause the victim much guilt and will skew their personality to the public. This creates many problems, especially as to what to trust from the suppressed victim, however the victim is again injured as they are only able to test their own personality out to see who they really are, and then must convince the nearly everyone else of their honesty. Quite difficult, I assure you," Severus finished, hoping that Miss Granger's mind was at least half as sharp as it was previously.
"So during the war, there was a Death Eater," Hermione looked to her former professor for confirmation, which was granted by the Potions Master's nod, "who was not really a Death Eater as they were forced into servitude through an archaic, inhumane marriage contract?"
"Exactly, Miss Granger," Severus nodded approvingly, which shocked the young patient, however she took it in stride.
"Professor, who was it?" Hermione was still not certain whom this Death Eater was, but she was keeping an open mind, despite the shock she was going through.
"It is Lucius Malfoy," Severus responded directly, looking her in the eye. He was able to watch the shock and confusion, followed by disbelief enter her eyes.
"Professor? Malfoy?" Hermione was attempting to process the information. It wasn't particularly surprising after her conversation with the Professor, however it was still unsettling.
"Yes, Miss Granger, Lucius Malfoy," Severus only confirmed, giving her more time to process by merely confirming her statements.
"Professor, why are you telling me this now? I mean, I overheard Madame Pomfrey talking, she said that I was not to be overwhelmed with all of the news that I missed, yet you tell me this?" Hermione's mind was still searching for a logical route that the Professor's information would take.
"Miss Granger, you are aware that you cannot learn of all the events that have occurred in the past two years at once; it would overload your brain and there is no telling the outcome of that. You also know, that you will need company and attention of someone with a minimal medical training, at least. Thus, you will live with myself and Lucius until you are ready to go back into mainstream society." Severus explained, purposefully leaving a detail out.
"Live with you both? Are you two, forgive me Professor, but are you together?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
"Yes, Miss Granger, you are correct is stating that Lucius and myself are together," Severus nodded hoping that the girl would not share the disgust he found prevalent among many muggles when faced with homosexual relationships.
"Oh. Well, good." Hermione nodded, as if she had made up her mind, one way or another.
"Miss Granger?" Upon receiving no other statements, Severus continued, "You will be moved to our quarters tomorrow, if there are no further questions?"
"Can I go down there now?" Hermione asked.
"Now?" after seeing Hermione's nod, Severus responded, "I will just have to inform Madame Pomfrey and Lucius, if you truly are willing."
"Please, Professor, I have been here long enough. I have the book, if you would inform Madame Pomfrey and Mr. Malfoy, I would very much like to leave as soon as possible."
A/N: Please review! :D