Snapey Went A Courting

Snapey Went A Courting


Chapter 10 – Where your Loyalties Lie


It all belongs to Rowling, except what you don’t recognize.

“Ooooh, yes. Ah. Ah. Aaaahoooooh that feels so good.” Hermione moaned.

Snape smirked. “It’s a special lotion I whipped up on the spur of the moment. I had noticed the swelling.”

“Hmmmmm.” Hermione was in seventh heaven. Waldo had been entertained by his father’s silver rattle, freshly diapered and nursed to the point of spitting up. He should be out at least for a good half hour, if not two. She closed her eyes and melted into the couch. “How did you ever learn to massage feet like this?” She purred blissfully.

“Sheer instinct,” said Snape, quite enjoying himself, too. The sweg ofg of her feet and ankles were diminishing and the tweaks he had given to the recipe made it smell like a field of flowers, both restful yet invigorating.

“Don’t ever stop. I want to feel this way forever.” Hermione felt herself drifting off.

Snape allowed his touch to climb a bit higher past her ankles onto her calves. Even clad in Muggle sweatpants, she had very nice legs. Snape would have to take some sort of sedative if hre ere ever to sleep after this encounter. Then inspiration hit.

“Come around and let me massage your neck.”

Hermione opened one eye and then the other. Was it worth it? To get up in order to simply have more pleasure? Could there ever be too much pleasure? She popped up. “How would you like me to be?”

Snape stopped himself from retorting, on your back with your legs up in the air and instead smoothly said, “Please sit with your back to me.” He was quite pleased with himself. The lotion had been no less than a stroke of genius on his part. He hadn’t properly appealed to her sensuous side, in fact he didn’t actually know if Gryffindors had one, but this little one did. She took the bait like a unicorn trots to a virgin’s call.

Hermione, brain happily disconnected, sat with her back to Snape. His long, elegant fingers gently soothed her neck muscles. “You are remembering to use a pillow.”

“Most of the time, yes. If there’s not one in reach though—“

“More pillows then.” He gradually added more pressure to the strokes, feeling the tenseness beginning to ease. The nape of her neck was most inviting and he shifted his weight back to be certain that his burgeoning erection would go unnoticed. He was pleased that she was willing to let him massage her. So much could come of a properly done body massage. In either winning a person, or breaking them, pleasure was so much more effective than pain. His hand worked down to her shoulders, pressing and releasing the muscles. The view down the front of her oversized tee shirt (and how many of the damned things did she own?) was most rewarding.

“I don’t understand you, Professor,” said Hermione from somewhere out in the stratosphere. “I thought I knew you. But now, I don’t know.” She bit back a giggle at the thought of saying it out loud-- Will the real Severus Snape please stand up? But she didn’t say it and her previous statement simply hung there.

Snape swallowed nervously. He recognized a turning point when he saw it.

“You’ve grown up, Hermione. I’m not different, but I am in a different relationship with you,” he forced his voice to sound as warm and fuzzy as pole. le.

“So this isn’t all an act?”

Snape nearly jumped up and ran out the door. When did she become a Legilimens? He continued to rub her neck and shoulders while thinking. The honest answer, ‘of course it’s an act, you stupid girl’ would hardly advance his mission.

“I mean, Professor. If I were to agree to marry you, how do I know you wouldn’t go back to being the old Professor Snape? I shouldn’t like that at all.”

His heart sank. Gryffindors were not supposed to be perspicacious. It just wasn’t right. “You don’t think I would treat my wife and son respectfully?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know you. I don’t know why you became a Death Eater or why you decided to join the Order. I used to think you were part sadist and part psychopath from the way Harry would describe you. Nothing about you makes sense.”

“My reasons for all of that are not your concern because that chapter of my life is forever closed. I’ve paid my debts and that is all you need to know.”

The frostiness of his voice sent goose bumps along Hermione’s arms. She turned to look at him. And became lost him the sadness of his eyes. She felt again that the mask had come down. She sharply drew in her breath just before his lips contacted hers.

It was an awkward position to kiss in, and yet they both found it so satisfying that they stayed at it a little while. He did not try to press his advantage; it was no more than a tender pressing together of their lips.

He pulled away first and continued to knead the muscles in her neck. Hermione felt confused…

As did Sliewynk-- who remembered Harry and Hermione’s earlier conversation about letting Snape down easy…

As did Waldo-- whose potential sibling alarm only rang for a second. His eyes groggily opened and then closed again as he went back to dreaming of floating on lovely, fluffy, white clouds filled with sweet, warm milk.

Hermione was left to ponder how it was that someone like Professor Snape-- slimy, nasty Snape-- could suddenly smell so good, look so good and be such a wonderful kisser.

And exactly where did her loyalties lie?

&&&


“Well, Alicia. Here we arLupiLupin tried to get her to relax and to chat over their drinks. This was his third attempt to get her to converse in fifteen minutes of strained silence.

“I’m sorry? What was that?” Alicia swallowed nervously. She felt so exposed here at The Three Broomsticks. She felt naked. Surely, they would be the gossip of the town tomorrow. She took a small sip of her butterbeer and tried to focus on the Wizard seated across from her.

“Is everything all right?” Lupin couldn’t understand her behavior. She seemed scared. “Are you not feeling well, love?”

“I… I’m just trying to get used to the idea of us being out in public on what I will presume to be a date.”

“Oh. Why did you agree to this if you are ashamed to be seen in public with me.” A small scowl crossed his face.

Alicia nearly knocked over her drink as she started. “No, not you! You are wonderful. Me! You don’t mind being seen with me?”

“There is nothing wrong with you.”

“I suppose not. It’s just the way small towns go-- gossip and all. But, perhaps I’m being silly. I mean, I was glad to not be in the Great Hall tonight. All the returning staff will be showing off all the pictures of their holidays and I’ll just be sitting there… like some great turnip.”

Lupin took her hand. “We can leave if being here makes you nervous.”

Her eyes shining, she said, “No. But does this mean we are couple or are we to act like colleagues?”

He smiled and squeezed her hand, “We are a couple. Just as long as you would like.”

Alicia smiled back, “In that case, I think I know what to order for dinner.”

&&&

“Daisy?” Harry had used the floo to see if she were home yet, but still nothing. Probably out shopping, he thought. He wanted to come over to her place and let her know that it was over between them. He’d pretty much convinced Hermione to do the right thing and he’d be taking over responsibilities as Waldo’s dad.

Harry still had a sinking feeling about it. But he couldn’t let Hermione know or she’d never agree. Waldo deserved a better father than Snape. Harry knew all about what it was like to be raised by horrible, loveless people. Waldo would never be allowed to go through that.

Harry smiled. He knew he could give to Waldo all the love that Harry had never received as a child. It wouldn’t matter if Snape did have visitation rights, Harry would give Waldo so much love that Waldo wo’t m’t mind having a prat like Snape as a father. In fact, Harry would be Waldo’s real dad. He’d teach Waldo to ride a broom and how to play Quidditch like a pro. Snape would never be anything more than a quaint monstrosity in Waldo’s life, a biological footnote. Hadn’t Harry been there for the infant’s labor and birth? He was more his father now than Snape could ever be.

&&&


Creevey found the document he was looking for. It had taken a bit of magic and a bit of bribery, but he and the records keeper at St. Mungo’s had an understanding. There was a transfer of care document taking one Waldo Granger out of a Muggle hospital and giving him over to the supervision of a Poppy Pomfrey. Nice. However, this was no more than a smoking gun as they said in Muggle investigative journalism. He’d need something more than the word of that Hag to connect Granger and Snape.

He was tempted just to go with the out of wedlock birth by itself. But that would only be worthy of a story buried on page five at best. No one cared much if the Muggleborn Witch, even though a friend to Harry Potter, had shown herself to be a slut. And she had ended her work with the House Elves so that was also a dead issue. No, it was the Hogwarts tie in that would sell. Salacious hints about illicit teacher student relations, ah yes, that would sell! And, of course, there was the Muggleborn/Pureblood angle. Innocent Pureblooded Wizard seduced by lascious Muggleborn Witch! It was an old story that never got tired.

Creevey didn’t mind rubbishing Hermione or anyone of the people he once worshiped. After all, what had they really accomplished besides the death of his brother Dennis? What was winning the war to lose such a fine person at such a young age? It was dog eat dog and every Wizard for himself now. Creevey brushed a tear from his eye and returned to the matter at hand. If he could prove rather than merely hint at the bastard having a Pureblood father, sales would increase ten fold easily.

Creevy chewed on the tip of his quill. And then it came to him. Hogwarts! There would be a space reserved for the brat! Now to make up an excuse to go over there and get the real dirt…


&&&

“Miss Hermione Granger!” piped Dobby.

“Oh no, they’ve found me,” said Hermione in near despair.

Hermione jumped up from the couch. “Who told them? Why are they here?” She sat tht the sight of not just Dobby, but Winky as well.

“I thought you might be missing your old friends from Hogwarts,” said Snape sensing that something had gone awry.

Hermione rushed over to the bassinette and protectively picked up her son. “Stay away from him,” she said in a low voice as she pointed her wand at the two shocked Elves.

“Why, Miss Granger,” Dobby said with watery eyes, “Dobby and Winky mean your son no ill. We loves him, we does.”

Snape had had enough. “What is wrong with you, child? You love House Elves. You did all sorts of stupid and annoying things to gain them their rights. You’re as high as Potter in their esteem and you are acting…acting…” Like you are afraid of them, he said silently to himself.

He watched in horror as Hermione flinched and kept her son away from them.

“Hermione?” He stepped to her and protectively took her in his arms. She was trembling. “What has happened? I insist you tell me,” he said, lapsing back into his smooth yet icy House Master tones.

“I can’t. Just keep them away.” She slid to the floor, still cradling the still sleeping babe protectively in her arms.

Snape confronted the Elves. “Well, do you two have an explanation?” The Elves, eyes bulging fit to pop out of their skulls, shook their heads. Snape turned to Hermione and took her by the shoulders and brought her to her feet. He was not the sort to coddle. Seduce yes, coddle no. “Enough of this hysteria. If you wish to be treated as an adult, and not be patronized, act like one. And no sniveling.” He almost casually put her onto the couch. Hermione closed her eyes, refusing to look at the two creatures.

“Have you forgotten your house? Have you no pride to be cowering there so?”

Hermione, shivering, cast a look at sheer hatred at Snape. “I can’t protect him from the House Elves. And you just had to tell them.”

“Have House Elves been threatening you?” his voice was low and quiet.

Hermione nodded.

“Dobs ous outraged! Who? Who would do this to Miss Granger? Not one of us.”

Hermione continued to shake, rocking herself and her child. Snape went to a cabinet which he had investigated while Hermione had been in the bath. He poured a tot of brandy into a glass and thrust it at her.

“Can’t. Breastfeeding.”

“Do as I say. That much will not harm our baby.”

With a trembling hand, she drank the brandy down. Snape took the glass away from her. “Much better. Now, have you been threatened by someone?”

“Yes.”

“A House Elf?”

“Yes.”

Winky made a sound half way between a sob and a wail.

“Who was it?” Snape’s face darkened with anger.

“I don’t know.” Hermione swallowed. “It was hard to tell. There was just a laugh, always that horrid laugh, and sometimes I’d spot an ear or two, but it was invisible for the most part. Every time I’d go into the Wizarding World, I’d get hexed, sometimes my skin would itch or get burns on it. After a while, I just left.”

“And you told no one?”

Hermione shook her head. “No. Once I found out I was pregnant, the fear just grew. I didn’t want it, them, whomever it was to harm my baby.”

Dobby shook his head, “This is very serious, Miss Granger. As you know there is a faction which don’t approve of all the good you’ve done us.”

Dull eyed, Hermione nodded. “They had been quite vocal and aggressive in the past.”

Winky came forward, “We’s nasty creatures, we be! You were right to be scared. Winky scared right now,” she whimpered.

Snape took hold of Hermione’s face and forced her to look into his eyes. “Well, well, a Gryffindor with enough common sense to know she’s outmatched. Are you sure you weren’t supposed to be in Ravenclaw?” He smiled. A shiver went down Hermione’s back. He looked grim and deadly, in spite of the smile.

“Hermione, I swear to you here and now. You and our baby have nothing to fear.”

“That’s right. Dobby will make sure whosoever been hurting you will be found.” He slapped a knobby knuckled fist into his hand. Snape rolled his eyes.

Winky burst into tears.

Then Waldo started crying, thoroughly annoyed at all the ruckus during his naptime.

And finally Hermione broke down, too.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose.

Sliewynk, still invisible, jumped up and down in glee. She had it! She knew what she had to do!


A/N: Many thanks to Spaz141, Mele, NegativeNine, Deb, DMS, and Luna!