Chapter 104: Something Of A Whimsical Social Call
{A/N: Here's Another Update...}
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
Outside, The Granger Residence, Muggle World...
The summer storm provided excellent cover as Severus Snape touched down just outside the Granger residence. He'd been through many a Muggle town in an attempt to locate this place and knew all too well that his young wife would have elected to go home to her family. While he remained quite nervous about venturing toward the house, he knew he had little to no choice. The Dark Lord's brutal moods and hunger for brutality never waned and this place was likely next on his list to destroy. Snape knew all too well that despite being Muggles that the Grangers would recognize him if he arrived without an adequate disguise. He had no plans to fool Hermione, as she was whom he'd come to see in a bid to get her enough time to evacuate her family before his less than savory peers turned their attention to this Muggle town. So far he'd see countless Muggle bodies burn and heard the searing of their flesh as magical elements ripped at every cell. It was quite a sickening display and one he actively grew tired of enduring every second of every day. Hermione had been on his mind an awful lot as of late and with school being closed until the next term, all he wanted was to spend more time with her without prying eyes attempting to gather information. Consumed via whimsical folly as it were, Snape concocted a de-aging potion that allowed him to disguise himself as the appropriate age in order to get Hermione's parents to let him see her. A moment in her presence was far more pleasing than being stuck at Spinner's End with the cowardly traitor Worm-tail, even if subjugating him was amusing at first.
No matter how much he tried to ignore it, Snape could do little, but think about his wife and how much he'd welcome her company at his home if only Wormtail were elsewhere.
He had met the Grangers once before, a parent-teacher conference of sorts to explain Hermione's magical education and what she'd be doing in his class. Mrs. Granger was a nice woman, although she worried if his lessons would put students in harms way. Snape figured they'd be so lucky as annoying as those numerous "attempting to be clever" dunderheads were. Mr. Granger seemed to think he was strange, not that Snape could blame the man, he'd only been looking out for his daughter after all. He didn't have any illusions that they'd willingly accept him being married to their daughter. His age despite being lacking in the wizarding world was still cause for concern in the Muggle world when in comparison to their sixteen year old daughter's.
After much mental debate, Snape finally got up the courage to approach the door, knocking rather steadily despite his nerves being otherwise. He didn't see himself as the marrying type when this all began and now here he was about to be in the presence of his unsuspecting in-laws in a bid to keep them safe. The unwanted memories of how Hermione had reacted when she first found out about his involvement in ending the lives of various Muggles courtesy of that idiot mongrel Sirius Black was at the forefront of his mind as he attempted a second round of knocking.
It wasn't very long before he heard the clicking of locks and the turning of the door nob that signaled that the moment of truth as it were had arrived.
Much to his relief however, it was his wife whom had answered the door. She'd been shocked by not only his appearance, but that he'd bothered to come see her at home of all places. Hermione couldn't stop staring at him. The storm in the background was every bit as enticing as it had been eerie and she could see that the onset of rain had soaked both his raven locks and attire equally. She often wondered what he'd look like at her age, but never imagined she'd get the chance to see it...he wasn't too keen on photographs back then. A cool breeze entered the house just as he stepped inside, but it did little to quell the apparent heat that seemed to come from out of nowhere the moment they were in each other's presence again. Her amber eyes widened as she attempted to recover from her shock and swiftly pulled him further into her home and closing the front door behind her. It took a good deal of self discipline not to pull her into his embrace and kiss her right then. The first month of summer without her had been quite a trying one and as much as he would have liked to pretend otherwise, he wasn't of the mindset to do so.
"What are you doing here?" asked Hermione both pleased to a see him and shocked to see him so young. "And why do you look like a six year student?"
"I came to see you." he replied looking about the place to see if her parents had not been far behind. "Given the situation I thought it best not to make matters worse with your parents learning the nature of our newfound relationship too soon."
"They've gone out for the time being." remarked Hermione taking note of his caution. "I can't believe you've come all the way here."
Snape seemed relieved to hear that her parents were out, it saved him the awkwardness of having to explain himself even with the de-aging potion.
With a flick of her wand, she did away with the unpleasant wetness off his clothes and the puddle he had dripped onto her floor. He seemed grateful for that small mercy at least and the fact that she was standing before him after so long of them being apart since the last term's end.
"Severus." said the elated young witch as she threw her arms around his neck and allowed him to pull her closer as he had longed to do when he first arrived.
The moment their lips met it was as if the entire month separation was akin to awakening from little more than an unpleasant dream.
"Hermione." said Snape in a more serious tone. "I would like to...you have to get your family out of here, there is no telling when the dark lord would descend upon this town and slaughter every Muggle in it."
Hermione sighed. She was growing more tired of hearing about that despot with each passing day. He had in avertedly dominated every aspect of her life from her friendship to her marriage and now here he was invading at the one place his name or lack there of has never been mentioned.
"Severus please not now..." she began only to be silenced by her husband's stern expression.
"It's only a matter of time before he finds this place." warned Snape once again. "You must get your family out of here and soon."
Hermione noted the concern he had and nodded in agreement.
"Is that all you came to tell me?" she asked stroking his cheek which had been just as sallow as it had been before the de-aging potion.
Despite his de-aging, Hermione noted the tell tale flicker of heat behind Severus Snape's very familiar obsidian gaze.
"How long have your parents been out?" he asked looking around for a few moments.
"They've only recently left." replied Hermione as Snape pulled her close to him and he immediately set to work kissing her neck as he always had. "Shopping in town that couldn't be helped."
Hermione gasped as Snape continued with his slow and methodical manipulation of her body. She closed her eyes as she clung to him, missing their inclination to passion filled exchanges all the more ever since the summer began.
It wasn't long before they had forgotten where they were and the need to compensate for a month apart intensified as the moments passed.
"It's been a very long month, Mrs. Snape." whispered the de-aged wizard in a dazed and heavily panting Hermione's ear. "It seems as though it has been as agonizing for you as it has been for me."
Snape took it upon himself to carry his winded wife toward the stairs.
"Which room is yours?" he asked his tone and intent very clear as he sought the prefect place to show her just how much his need for her had increased.
"The one on the left end of the hall." replied a winded Hermione.
The teenaged Potions Professor treated his curious wife to a mischievous smile as he carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom.
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Hermione Granger's Bedroom, The Granger Residence, Muggle World...
Discarded articles of clothing littered Hermione's bedroom floor as swift thinking saw to the door being locked and the room being warded. Snape had gotten a kick out of seeing her childish décor which had been a surprising step up from his own back at Spinner's End and even more telling of the little girl whom had grown up inside of these very walls. Hermione noted his apparent amusement with a bit of embarrassment, he had already thought her childish before but her bedroom in no way reflected the mature adult she'd grown into during their time at Hogwarts. Despite the pink coloration to everything in known sight, she kept her room neat and tidy. A welcome contrast to his own bedroom and the numerous books that lined the walls of his sitting room.
Unbeknownst to his wife, Snape took great pleasure in sullying her innocent image at the moment. He'd been something of a dark wizard after all and despite his lack of enthusiasm for taking lives there were some aspects of his personality that were the reason he'd become Head of Slytherin House after all. Clearing the bed took some doing, as a flick of his wrist saw to the plush pillows and thick duvet falling to the floor as Hermione found her back pressed against the crisp pink sheets her mother had insisted on covering her bed with in her absence. Snape took note that the room smelled of her, the sweet jasmine scent of her hair lingered and added to the mystic that surrounded his young wife ever since she'd been a child.
When he initially began this, he had only intended to use this form to make it easy for his unaware in-laws to deal with his presence around their daughter. Now he'd been quite interested in seeing how much he could get away with playing the role of a wayward teenage boy. He'd seen his fair share at Hogwarts even carted many off to detention for lesser offenses. Try as he might then, he could never understand what possessed a teenage boy to do reckless things in a bid to get the attention of a girl at school. Having recently been married and quite fond of his young wife, Severus Snape in his newly acquired youth had known exactly why many a young lad would risk any sort of confrontation to obtain the affections of any girl he fancied.
Snape positioned himself between his young wife's thighs feeling only the impulsive heat that seemed to drive the both of them shortly before she let out a long and labored gasp. Hermione gripped him tightly as she felt the all too familiar intrusion that she had longed for over the course of a month long separation.
"Severus." she said in something of a breathless whisper.
He had loved the way she said his name, a guilty pleasure if ever there was one on his behalf. Most people looked upon him with disdain and said his name as if it were the very cause of it. Others found their hatred ignited at the very mention of it but not Hermione. His name invoked different feelings on her behalf and he delighted in knowing it.
Being with his wife was a well welcomed change as opposed to being trapped at Spinner's End with only Wormtail for company. He had no doubt that the dark lord sent the little imp to spy on him as trust was difficult to come by when working toward the detriment of others.
Hermione seemed almost desperate in her movements as she continued to cling to her husband not wishing to let him go even after their act had come to an end. She knew what awaited him as much as he did when he returned home and two months remained of the summer before she'd ever get to see him again.
"Severus..." she whispered again in conjunction with his unceremonious groan.
The none too subtle beating of the headboard and the squeaking of bedsprings could be heard through the room but had been limited to the door due to the silencing charm Hermione had expertly applied before hand. Rainfall tapping against the sturdy roof of the house and windows drowned out the noise as well but it offered little in warning for when the Grangers would arrive at their home. Rolling thunder blocked out the roar of the engine of their Muggle car and the footsteps that reached the front porch.
Hermione was preoccupied via her husband's series of thrusts and the intensity of his kiss to question how long they'd been at it. Snape's mind had been on pleasing his wife for as long as he could before his return to Spinner's End and the horrors therein. Both were essentially cut off from the rest of the world, given only to their long ignored passions despite Mr. Granger's key being fitted into the lock of the front door while his wife huddled beside him clutching the bags that were not already at their feet, in a bid to get out of the rain. Despite their best efforts to the contrary, their individual attempts to prolong their union had been unsuccessful as Snape had been pressed for time given the nature of their relationship and the timing of her parents' arrival.
Snape's body grew tense, and Hermione knew all too well what would happen next as she clung to him wrapping her legs around him tighter as he thrust one last time. She barely had any time to consider the implication as she felt her release rip throughout her sweat blasted body. Snape met her gaze finding it increasingly difficult to hold back his own as she seemed to carry him right along with her.
"FUCK!" growled Severus feeling his release in time with his wife's.
The panting couple suddenly took note of the shuffling downstairs as Mr. and Mrs. Granger entered the house after their shopping trip. They had originally hoped to get done before the storm set in, but were unsuccessful. Slowly coming to their senses, both Snape and Hermione realized the compromising position they were in should her parents venture upstairs.
Once more a notion of fear crept in, Hermione's mind seemed intent on returning to the night she first found out about how things had truly been for him when he'd been among the other death eaters. She would have been lying to herself if she had not acknowledged that the twisted monsters had a hold on her husband some how. His behavior after being at a meeting with them seemed to alarm even him whenever he returned. There was a reason he had given in and joined them when he was a boy and she feared it all the more. Snape took note of her notion of fear captured her lips in something of an intense kiss. In his own right, he had feared losing her even above the loss of his own life should the worst come to pass during this upcoming war. He knew first hand that neither she nor Potter truly knew what they were up against and it only served to eat away at him all the more. In truth he was powerless to say or do anything that could even given them an advantage but that did not mean that there wasn't at least some point he could impart enough knowledge in the dark arts and training before the inevitable occurred.
"My parents." said Hermione hearing the commotion downstairs. "They've returned!?"
Snape smirked having finally lived out his wayward teenage boy fantasy as he slipped from beneath the rather nauseating pink colored sheets and began shuffling into his scattered attire. Taking initiative, Hermione began speeding things up via her wand ensuring that they were presentable incase the worst came to pass and that the room didn't give any indication as to what they had been up to while Mr. and Mrs. Granger were away.
"Afraid Mommy and Daddy will find out just how naughty you've been?" he teased only for Hermione to narrow her eyes at him.
It was apparent that youth had a tremendous effect on her husband.
"Git." she said as she approached the nearby window. "They cannot find you here."
Snape arched a brow at this strange turn of events.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" he asked with his arms folded at his chest.
Hermione tried her best not to burst into a fit of giggles despite the absurdity of the scene. His casual appearance a stark contrast from his teaching robes and the deaging potion had not made it any better. It took some doing to get the window open as she turned her attention back to her young husband.
"Quickly, before anyone decides to come upstairs." insisted Hermione.
"I think not." replied Snape not in the least open to the idea of climbing out a window as if he'd been some fugitive.
"Severus!" whispered Hermione rather urgently.
Snape couldn't hide his amusement at her expense despite her urging.
"Why should I have to go climbing out of a window like a common hoodlum?" he asked with a look of annoyance filed across his sallow pale face.
"Because...you love me and you don't want to bring any unwanted attention to either of us." replied Hermione cheekily. "Also I highly doubt you are in the mood to receive a lecture about propriety from my parents."
"You've made your point." growled Snape not at all hiding his annoyance. "And this was beginning to be such a pleasant evening..."
Hermione smiled before leading him toward the window.
"Until next time I suppose, Mrs. Snape." said Severus forgoing his annoyance in the wake of his departure. There was no telling when next they'd have any quiet moment together before all out war began.
"And to you, Mr. Snape." she replied before treating him to one last heated kiss before he leapt out the window and down into the yard.
Snape had a difficult time reaching the ground and nearly slipped off the roof before landing on his feet like the human cat he had been. Hermione gasped when she saw him lose his footing due to the slickness of the rain when on the roof and how he landed virtually unscathed beside some bushes that hid him from his parents view should they ever bother to look out the window. He dusted himself off and bid her farewell.
"The things one does for love." he muttered as he took off into the night the resounding crackle of thunder drowning out his noisy departure.
Hermione closed the window and made her way toward her bed just as her mother reached the door twisting the lock as a book found it's way into the clever witch's hands. To the untrained eye it appeared as if she'd been reading the entire time they'd been out.
"Everything okay in here?" asked her mother looking over her busily reading daughter.
"Hmm?" replied Hermione seemingly ripped from her thoughts.
"Dinner will be ready soon." said her mother.
"I'll see you then." replied Hermione turning her attention back to the book she'd been reading.
Mrs. Granger shook her head. She never had to worry about Hermione especially when she'd been a little girl. Always one for having her nose in a book. Closing the door behind her, Jean Granger made her way back downstairs. She had not seen the look of panic nor the hurried wand movements that came from her only daughter attempting to hide the carelessly left behind Muggle coat her unknown son in law had forgotten when he made his hasty exit via the window.