Chapter 6: Imminent Harm
{A/N: Here's another update...}
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
The Basement, 12 Grimmauld Place, Muggle World...
Distracted by her current annoyance with her best friends, Hermione Granger had not noticed the ebony clad Potions Master make his way from the basement and into the entrance hall in a bid to exit the door. The dour man looked a good deal better than he had when she had last seen him down in the kitchen, possibly due to the help of a well brewed potion. His obsidian eyes flashed a bit of malice as they landed on the unsettled young witch who's amber eyes met his gaze with all the innocence and clueless nature of a girl of fifteen possessed in terms of how the world truly worked outside of her vast number of books and dealings with idiot Gryffindor boys.
"Y-You seem to be doing well Professor." said Hermione in a bid to make conversation.
Snape narrowed his eyes at the girl as if she were nothing more than a relative annoyance and not the girl who's future depended upon his forced marriage to her. As far as he was concerned engagement not withstanding, he was free to terrorize the intrusive witch as much as before.
"And to what do I owe this unfortunate encounter?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I was just on my way out." said the amber eyed witch not at all hiding her own annoyance with her friends' lack of maturity.
"To where given the nature of your fast approaching situation?" he asked folding his arms across his ebony clad chest. "Summer is always a fond season for hunting Muggle-Borns as far as the dark lord is concerned."
Hermione eyes widened as she recalled the real reason they had all been hold up here in the first place. Voldemort had been on the loose and was turning Summer into a prime season for hunting Muggles and Muggle-borns alike given most were outside of Dumbledore's protection this time of year. It also occurred to her that Snape's skills were most needed during this time given that he had no classes to teach or students to look after. It was clear the despot had total confidence in The Potions Master as the head of Slytherin House and did not wish to impede his progress at Hogwarts but he had little to no confidence in the wizard in terms of overall loyalty and picked this summer as a way of proving wither or not he could trust his most dedicated spy in light of his defection to the Order of Phoenix in the wake of the first war's end.
The Potions Professor had seemed all the more endearing in the eyes of Hermione Granger, given all that she had pieced together about him.
"I suppose you do have a point." She conceded.
"Obviously." replied Snape seemingly unimpressed with her apparent surrender.
"Perhaps you could escort me then?" she asked although she had not considered how her suggestion would cost him.
Before Snape could give her the verbal tongue lashing he felt he felt she was due, Dumbledore interjected on his behalf.
"What a splendid idea." He said in his usual pleasant tone.
Snape narrowed his obsidian eyes at the young witch before turning his vengeful glare upon the Headmaster himself.
"Have you lost what's left of your mind old man?" He asked pointedly.
Hermione had never heard Snape speak in such a casual manner before. She had always assumed him to above such low remarks despite evidence of his biting wit when among the students. Dumbledore had been his employer and as such formalities were expected.
To further the young witch's surprise, Dumbledore chuckled a bit at the younger wizard's reply.
"Ahh, Severus." said the Headmaster fondly. "Have you so little faith in my deductive reasoning?"
Snape rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his ebony clad chest.
"You'd think that was obvious." He muttered in annoyance.
"Severus should accompany you out this evening Miss Granger." said Dumbledore turning his attention to Hermione at last.
"I I don't think that's something he wanted." She attempted to appeal to the Headmaster on her future husband's behalf.
"Nonsense." said the elder wizard with a smile. "You should have some time to get to know one another and with far too many ears wondering about this old house now is the perfect time for it."
"As you say, Headmaster." said Snape dutifully.
There were times when he could hardly tell the difference between one master from the other given their cavalier approach to anything pertaining to his personal affairs.
The Potions Master turned his attention to Hermione. The young witch couldn't get passed the intimidating glare he had fixed on her but she summoned her courage and attempted to weather through it. He was after all soon to be her husband.
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Open Ended Street, Muggle World...
A cool breeze had been blowing as Hermione moved as briskly as she could to keep up with her Potions Professor's lengthy strides. He had made it clear that just because he was forced to accompany her during the walk that he was in no way going to cater to her romantic Gryffindor fantasies.
It had been a rather pleasant night one the less despite Snape going out of his way to make her feel every bit the child he saw her as despite their impending engagement.
"Keep up Miss Granger." said Snape in a low yet clearly frustrated tone.
"I'm trying." she complained unwittingly proving herself little more than the child he saw her as. "Not everyone has tree trunks for legs you know."
Snape rolled his eyes before coming to a complete stop and folded his arms across his ebony clad chest.
"If your legs moved half as much as your know it all mouth we'd be done already." He muttered in furthered annoyance.
Hermione narrowed her amber eyes at the ebony clad git she was do to marry once she came of age. She had always been of a mind to trust him and seek his assistance when needed but he was most definitely grating on her nerves with his abrasive attitude.
"Just because you are having a bad day, it doesn't mean you get to take it out I others." She said showing her own annoyance with his attitude.
Snape was about to let her know the full brunt of his rage when something in the distance caught his eye. Almost immediately, he grabbed the utterly confused young witch and pressed his pale lips to her soft pink ones. The swift change in the Potions Professor's demeanor had caught the amber eyed witch off guard. She attempted to struggle only to be pulled further into his kiss.
"I you wish to live...keep your mouth shut and play along." He said in a dangerously low tone.
As he pulled away, she heard him quickly mutter a charm that took effect in an instant. Snape turned his attention to a thick cloud of black smoke that landed in the distance. Hermione focused on Snape and his seemingly effortless transformation from uptight Potions Professor to resident death eater.
"Ah..." said a gruff voice from behind Hermione Granger. "Brother Snape...I thought that might have been you."
Snape acted as if he had not a care in the world, out late in the night with a young muggle girl no less.
"Is there a reason you are bothering me Xerius?" asked the Potions Master seemingly annoyed by the interruption of his evening.
The death eater known as Xerius smirked with his dark eyes feasting on the sight of the young woman with Snape.
"I apologize brother." He said. "I had no idea you liked to partake in the hunt." He said in awe of Snape for some reason.
"This is merely me blowing off steam." replied Snape as if he had been bored. "I'm due back at Hogwarts after all."
The death eater Xerius nodded in understanding.
"I suppose you wish to indulge alone then?" he asked still eyeing Hermione intently.
"Indeed I do." said Snape narrowing his obsidian eyes at the other death eater. "I did after all go through the trouble of luring her here."
"Of course...of course, brother." said Xerius with a wicked smile. "Indulge away...I suppose I should be heading out."
Snape pulled Hermione close to him, her chest flush with his own as she let out an involuntary moan due to the harsh contact. She had not known it, but Snape was already thinking of her in terms of being his wife...at least as far as her belonging to him. The cranky wizard's unintended possessive streak played rather well into their current situation.
"See you soon, brother Snape."said Xerius and with one last look at Hermione Granger, he was gone in a thick cloud of black smoke much as he arrived.
Once he was gone, Snape continued to hold a now trembling Hermione whom had wrapped her arms around him.
"He's gone Miss Granger." said Snape noting her fear. "If you wish to proceed..."
"I wish to return to the Black manor." She said quickly. "Please...sir."
Snape sighed. He had known all too well that this walk was a waste of his evening.
"Very well, Miss Granger." He grumbled. "Now if you would kindly remove yourself from my person."
"Oh...I'm sorry." said an abashed Hermione as she released the lean pale wizard from her hold. "I didn't realize..."
Snape walked away from her heading toward 12 Grimmauld Place. Rolling her amber eyes at his rude antics. It seemed she was in for an uphill battle as far as her impending nuptials were concerned. Still, Snape had been a far better choice than being married to someone like that Xerius death eater bloke.