Chapter 75: Revel and Rivalry

{A/N: Here's Another Update...}

My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

The Study, 12 Grimmauld Place, Muggle World...

Thick swirling clouds of black smoke accompanied a lone figure as it landed near an entry point to 12 Grimmauld Place. The brisk strides that accompanied the smoke evaporating and giving form to a rather focused Severus S. Snape seemed to part like the notorious billowing of his cape. The Potions Master's dark eyes held not even a flicker of compassion as the landing was completed and his objective to reach the accursed manor of one Sirius Black following the events of his being summoned from Cokeworth. His brisk pace had not slowed as he entered the heavy oak wood doors and made his way to toward the study no one entered in the dead of night. Not one thought crossed his mind as he attempted to keep the images of the transpired events at bay ignoring the blood splattered along his ebony frock coat and shirt sleeve. To those accustomed with the gift, Occlumency was quite a boon when one needed to suppress thoughts or memories that opened old wounds. It was one of the few nights that Severus Snape himself had been grateful to his rather complex mind's ability to block out what unnatural horrors would destroy a lesser mind. As he neared the study, he sensed a familiar presence drawing his wand as he entered the room expecting to find his nemesis aimed to make his night a further living hell only to be surprised by the presence of his concerned young wife sitting alone in the darkness of the study accompanied via the warm orange glow of the fireplace, awaiting his return.

"Hermione?" said Snape looking her over and noting her fear as well as apparent exhaustion.

She let her eyes focus for a bit as he closed the door behind him and warded it to keep prying eyes and ears out of their private conversation.

"Severus!' she said pleased to see him as she nearly leapt out of the chair and greeted him.

Snape had been unable to keep his footing as he found himself tumbling to the floor in the wake of her spirited greeting.

"Hermione...I thought we agreed that it was best you steered clear of me when I return directly from a summons?" he said in a gruff tone.

"I...I had to see if you were alright...I just couldn't take another night of you coming back all bruised and bloodied..." she began before noticing the potions Professor wince in pain for a brief moment. "A-are you hurt?"

Snape did his best to hide the pain to no avail. She was on him with a healing charm in seconds.

"Just the result of a minor scuffle is all." he said putting her already inquisitive mind at ease. "Nothing to worry about that a healing charm or potion cannot fix, I wasn't the one whom had incurred the wrath of the dark lord this night."

While Hermione had been grateful that he'd been better off on this night than previously, she couldn't help but wonder whom had earned the despot's ire in place of her husband. Snape seemed quite attuned to her method of reasoning and smiled briefly.

"No one you know." he replied sensing her relief at his words.

"No reading my mind git." said Hermione narrowing her eyes at him.

"I didn't have to, you are getting to be quite predictable." he said in his own defense.

"I am not." replied Hermione playfully smacking him across the chest, only to recall that he'd been recently injured.

Snape chuckled at this before capturing her lips in a heated kiss before she could feel any guilt about her recent action.

Before the interruption, he had been coming to terms with the possibility of having a future after the war ended. A future with her at his side should she choose to remain his wife when all was said and done. Hermione had not thought much about life after the war until that moment, when the despot summoned her husband and the sinking feeling that there might come a time when he wouldn't return to her before the night was over and it gave her pause when she considered what the outcome would be.

"Severus." she said meeting his gaze in the dim glow of the nearby fireplace.

"Yes witch?" he replied giving her his full attention.

"I would like to remain married to you." she began. "When the war is over...that is to say...I don't want our marriage to end even if it's decreed."

Snape had no words for her as the look of shock filed across his sallow pale face for a few moments. Hermione thought it amusing that she had rendered her Potions Professor husband speechless for the first time since she had known him.

He wondered for a moment if she had been reading his mind.

"Hermione..." he began only to be interrupted via a knock on the door.

They both turned their respective attentions to the belligerent drunkard at the other end of the door in the form of Sirius Black.

"OPEN UP SNIVIELUSSS I KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE!" growled Sirius in annoyance. "COME ON OUT AND FACE ME LIKE A MAN!"

Snape rolled his eyes. The last thing they needed was for the fool hearted drunk to awaken the rest of the house.

Hermione got to her feet and Snape did the same dusting himself off as he noted his wounds were healed and the minor bleeding had stopped.

"Severus..." began the rather nervous young witch before her husband turned his attention back to the door.

"OPEN THIS DOOR SNIVELLUSSS OR I'LL BREAK IT DOWN!" growled Sirius Black further escalating the apparent situation.

Snape's annoyance had gotten the better of him and he immediately opened the door despite Hermione's pleas for him not to.

"What do you want Black?" growled Snape narrowing his eyes at his nemesis.

"Besides you six feet under?" asked Sirius with his own eyes narrowed.

"You first." replied Snape balling his fists as Sirius did the same.

"Only one of us here is a true member of The Order Of Phoenix." replied the drunken wizard. "You're just another death eater playing pretend."

"You're drunk...I suggest you go back to your room and sleep it off." replied Snape attempting to exercise patience.

"How many Muggles did you and your death eater mates kill tonight?" taunted the drunken Sirius. "Arthur said the bodies could fill a small town...so many dead Muggles."

Hermione's eyes widened at the prospect of an entire Muggle town being decimated. She thought briefly of her parents and the danger they would be in if the despot were to ever find them. She turned her attention back to her husband.

"Is this true?" she asked in disbelief. "Did you lot kill an entire town of Muggles?"

"Hermione..." began Snape attempting to reason with her.

"Answer me!?" she demanded feeling a sudden rush of panic.

"I told you, it was no one you know." replied Snape scrambling to put the ever encroaching fear for her Muggle parents to rest. "I didn't actively participate in the events nor did I offer assistance...I am under orders not to interfere..."

"So you let them die?" asked Hermione finding it increasingly difficult to control her outrage.

"Of course he did." chided Sirius relishing this moment to drive a wedge between Severus and Hermione. "That's what death eater's do, they obey their twisted despot master."

Shocked by the news of her husband's latest exploits, Hermione rushed out of the room unable to deal with anymore of the gruesome images that filled her mind. Snape attempted to stop her but found that he had no choice but to let her go and process all of this. He had no doubt that Sirius' words had been an affront to her very intact Gryffindor sensibilities.

Snape turned his attention to the drunken Sirius, his obsidian eyes blazing with fury and his fists balled as the rage coursed through him.

"The day you die will be the happiest day of my life." he said in a cold tone before heading out of the study and out the door back into the night.

Hermione Granger's eyes had not been as green as Lily Evans' but there was no mistaking the similar look of utter shock and horror that mirrored each other when finding out the truly terrible actions he'd been forced to commit for the sake of survival.