Chapter 64: Bitterness And The Like
{A/N: Here's Another Update...)
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
Spare Bedroom, 12 Grimmauld Place, Muggle World...
When Hermione Granger arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place, it had been raining. A constant down pour that seemed to reflect the mood she'd been in since having to part with her husband in a bid to keep up appearances. She was question repeatedly when she entered the house and about ready to let loose on a few hexes when both Ron and Harry began grilling her like a pair of mother hens. She explained to the rather nosy lot of them that she stopped by a pastry shop on the way and did a little bit of sight seeing. It wasn't entirely a lie, she simply omitted the fact that she had been to the shop and sight-seeing while traveling with their dreaded Potions Professor. Of course that bit was on a need to know basis and they didn't need to know. As the exhausted young witch made her way to her usual bedroom, she found herself fondly thinking back to the little detour she and Severus Snape had taken on the way. A smiled filed across her face as she entered the room and promptly collapsed onto the bed. She underestimated the impact of the strenuous activity she'd partaken in and simply fell asleep the moment her head hit the nearby pillow. All was quiet in the house as more guests began to arrive and claim their usual bedrooms. At least it was quiet until Sirius Black ventured from his downstairs study to greet most of the guests.
Two Hours Later...
Hermione found herself awakening to the sound of raised voices and constant bickering. She needed no one to tell her what her heart already knew in this instant, she raced out of bed and made her way out into the hall. The semi darkness of the area had been no bother to her as she caught the frequency of a familiar voice as she neared the staircase. A small smile filed across her face as she thought back to the time she'd spent away from this place and the prying eyes and listening ears of her close companions.
"Fuck Off Snivellus!" shouted Sirius Black apparently enraged by the tone of his voice.
"You seem to always have so much to say, Black..." Snape countered "Why not enlighten us on what you are doing for the cause, other than pretending to lend your long dead mother's house as a subsequent headquarters, have you even engaged the enemy at all?...gathered any intelligence?...no of course not...intelligence isn't your strong suit."
There was a violent crash as Sirius Black leapt from his chair and attacked Snape head on. Lupin and Dumbledore set to work attempting to pull them away from one another.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" growled the Headmaster. "Severus..."
Snape rolled his eyes knowing full well that The Headmaster was laying the blame at his feet for this spat, so much like usual in a way.
He'd given as good as he had gotten in that exchange with Sirius Black having his lip busted and leaking blood in the same moment Snape's nose had taken damage. Lupin continued to have a hard time reigning in Sirius whom had been so upset he half shifted into a dog.
Snape made his way out of the meeting room and almost immediately Hermione noticed a difference in his walk and the slower strides he had taken in comparison to the brisk steps he'd been known for. Hermione sighed taking note of his odd behavior and came to the conclusion that she'd seen it before. Severus had been good and drunk as it were and quite agitated about something. He managed to give his report to Dumbledore despite the old fool being to busy fawning over his precious Gryffindors, but he could not stand the snide comments coming from Sirius Black about his marriage to Hermione nor the casual references to the relationship being forced upon her.
When Snape remained silent, Sirius kept going, until he'd gone so far as to mention that the only way the dour wizard could get trim was to marry a student. A reckless comment for sure given that not everyone had known about the arrangement to save Hermione Granger's life.
This in turn caused Snape to ask Sirius what he actually contributed to the war effort other than his cheeky dialogue and the old house that they would have used whither he offered it or not given the location. Knowing all too well that Sirius was feeling useless due to his need to go into hiding, Snape had struck a nerve and the old dog pounced. Of course they had not known that Snape's time after he parted with Hermione had not been filled with empty seconds, he was summoned where he witnessed the punishment of an associate and had to carry out the sentence himself. Having to suppress his emotions while beating a man nearly to death via a magical whip was more than enough to put the dour wizard in a foul mood despite how the day initially began.
"Severus." whispered Hermione finding it quite difficult to stay away from him even in this place. She could tell almost immediately, that he'd been distressed and in need of an escape.
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The images that flooded The Potions Master's mind continued to plague him. He had a rather difficult time quelling his temper and Sirius Black's unwanted comments and goading only intensified his bitter mood. He had not seen Hermione, not at first as he struggled to keep from marching back into the dining hall and put the mangy mutt in his place once and for all. It still enraged Snape that Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban and got to dictate any activity pertaining to the Order of Phoenix but he'd also been running off at the mouth where Potter had been concerned. The idiot boy had been enough to deal with before hand and now with Black filling his mind with whimsical fantasies and delusions of the past there was simply no means of keeping the boy from his lesser nature and ever present quest to attempt to get himself killed.
While Snape had sworn to protect the arrogant little brat, he in no way wished to throw his own life away given the options he now had at leaving this hellish existence behind once and for all.
"Severus." he had heard the voice of Hermione shattering the rising tide of his numerous encroaching thoughts.
He froze, a strange response and one that she had not been expecting.
"What is it?" he managed although his tone held the same icy appeal it had when he'd been arguing with Sirius Black.
Looking around to ensure they'd been alone, Hermione swiftly made her way down the stairs and took him by the hand. Realizing that she'd never let him have a moment of peace until she knew what had been bothering him, he quickly lead her to a nearby study out of the sight and earshot of those whom were none the wiser about their growing attachment to one another.
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The Study, 12 Grimmauld Place, Muggle World...
A sigh of relief came from the concerned young witch as she took a moment to examine the status of her newly returned Potions Professor husband. He had not looked to be any worse for wear at the moment but she had been sure something was bothering him. He'd been quite grumpy as of late and it had not been his natural deposition. Snape sighed making his way over toward the makeshift bar, Hermione had not taken her eyes off him. She'd been in relatively good spirits for much of the day but her concern returned as she watched Snape pour a glass of what she knew right away to be firewhiskey.
"Is there something I can assist you with?" she asked not wishing to pry but still validly concerned.
"No." replied Snape taking a drink until the contents had been gone and pouring another glass. "Just another typical day in this life."
Hermione knew all too well that having to live two different lives had taken something of a toll on him, but living a third life had been even more of a challenge. She'd only had to juggle being a student and keeping her friends in the dark about her marriage thus far. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for him.
Snape drank down the second glass of firewhiskey in record time before pouring another glass.
"While it is good to see that you have made it here safely, Miss Granger." he said without looking at her and slipping back into the persona of a Professor that she knew so well, "I wish to be alone for the time being...as you well know, I have much to do and very little time to do it in."
Knowing that she was being dismissed as if she were at the end of class, Hermione opted not to press him further. His foul temper had been evident even in those moments and she knew better than to press him whenever he had gotten like this.
"Alright." she conceded. "But do try and get some rest...and eat something...for me if nothing else."
Snape nodded in agreement and she left him to his own devices. She'd already gotten the nagging bit about being a wife down it seemed. As the Potions Professor stared down into the bottom of his glass, he noticed that she'd quickly replaced his firewhiskey with water via a mere flick of her wrist.
She was turning into quite the concerned wife indeed. For a moment Severus Snape wondered how Arthur Weasley put up with all the doting and fawning he'd received from Molly. As embittered as he was following his row with Sirius Black, Snape found himself becoming quite fond of the idea that someone had actually cared for him in such a manner. While it was true that Narcissa had fussed over him on occasion, she was Lucius' wife. Snape made his way over to the empty armchair still clutching the water his wife had swapped his drink for.
Perhaps marriage isn't so bad an arrangement after all. He thought before finishing off the water and sitting with his back against the armchair.