Say You Love Me

Chapter Eleven
Dangerous Minds

It was all that Severus could do to restrain himself from using the killing curse on Ecclestia. He was relieved that he had happened along when he did, else Hermione would have fallen into a trap.

He had been returning from a clandestine meeting of the Senior Order members when he'd overheard Ecclestia. Anger had erupted when she'd dare sink her talons into Hermione.

"Let me go, Severus. I'm warning you that I shall have my revenge on you if you continue to anger me."

"Shut up, Witch," Severus hissed. "You take your life in your own hands by issuing threats to me."

"You are my husband," Ecclestia whined. "And you shouldn't be treating me like this.

"Both myself and the Headmaster have warned you to leave the students alone, especially Miss Granger. You have ignored the warnings."

He was so angry that he didn't bother to knock on the Headmaster's door. He slammed it open, and shoved Ecclestia in ahead of him.

Dumbledore was still hard at work, and he didn't seem startled to see Ecclestia being made to stand before him.

With a sigh, he removed his glasses.

"What mischief have you caused this time, Madame Snape?"

"I found her in the upper halls, Headmaster. She was attempting to force Miss Granger to follow her."

The usual twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes was not present as he listened to what Severus had to say. They grew stormy as he glared at Ecclestia, who glared defiantly back.

"Madame Snape, I have been lenient with you so far since you are wed to Severus. However, this incident tonight has tried my patience."

"How dare you speak to me in such a manner," Ecclestia spat. "No one tells me what to do. I am servant of the Dark Lord, and I will do as I please."

"Not while I am in command of this school." Dumbledore's voice was quiet but terrible. "Since you are determined to wander the halls and continue to harass Miss Granger, I have no choice but to ban you from the grounds altogether."

"You cannot do that, Dumbledore. I am wed to Severus, and I will not be separated from my husband."

"The marriage is not consummated, Headmaster," Severus put in.

"In the eyes of the Ministry, a marriage is not fully legal until consummated," Dumbledore said. "All the more reason to ban you from the grounds permanently."

"The Dark Lord will hear of this, and I can assure you that vengeance will be sought," Ecclestia hissed.

"Voldemort is welcome to all the vengeance that he cares to seek. However, even he does not dare to venture onto the grounds of the school."

"You are not invincible, Dumbledore."

"Nor are you, Ecclestia. Severus, I shall accompany you to the gates where we will release her."

Ecclestia began to struggle until Severus bound her feet and gagged her mouth.

"We can't have you escaping, now can we?" he said to Ecclestia as he levitated her and allowed her to float ahead of him.

"Excellent idea, my boy," Dumbledore said as he followed.

When they came to the rear gates of the castle, Severus allowed Ecclestia to float through before the gates slammed shut behind her. Silently Dumbledore mouthed a spell that would keep the troublesome witch out.

"You may release her now," he said to Severus. "She cannot enter these grounds again without my removing the spell."

Instantly, Ecclestia's bonds dissolved, and the witch erupted in rage, screaming curses. As she attempted to touch the gates, electric sparks flew in multiple colors, causing her to howl in pain.

Severus did not hide his amusement and actually cracked a smile.

"Come Severus, let us retire. It has been a long evening," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, Headmaster."

Ecclestia's stream of curses followed them as they left her outside the gates, vowing her revenge.

~*~

Hermione's night was far from restful. Aside from having to heal the cuts in her arm from Ecclestia's nails, the nightmares about Severus returned. It resulted in very little sleep for her, and morning found her having to use a cosmetic spell to get rid of the dark circles under her eyes.

"I look like a bloody raccoon," she muttered, joining Ron and Harry for the walk downstairs to breakfast. It didn't help her disposition any that Ron was feeling particularly affectionate, draping an arm over her shoulders. Hermione was tempted to growl at him and throw the arm off, but she was much too tired.

Severus saw the three enter the great hall, and scowled when he saw Weasley's arm draped around Hermione. It didn't matter that she looked aggravated; Severus did not like the boy touching her. The fork in his hand bent on the handle as his grip clenched it.

Lank hair covering his face, Severus watched the three covertly. Ginny Weasley had joined them, and his temper eased somewhat as Ron removed his arm from Hermione's shoulders. His greedy appetite demanded that he use both hands.

"Imbecile," Severus hissed under his breath, losing his appetite completely as Ron wolfed down a mound of bacon. Hermione, he noticed, barely touched her food as she looked at Weasley in disgust.

"You are disgusting, Ronald," Hermione said after breakfast. Harry had walked Ginny to transfiguration class while Hermione and Ron headed to advanced charms.

"What'd I do?"

"Eating like you've never had a meal before in your life."

"Lay off, Herm. I have to eat so that I can get an offer from the Chudley Cannons once we graduate. That way, you and I can have a good flat and enough blunt to live on."

"Where did you get an idea like that?" Hermione was taken aback that Ron would presume she would move in with him.

"I always thought we might get married and have a flat and some children. Mum has made it clear that she expects all of us to have a big family."

"Firstly, don't you think that you should consider attending University? That way you can at least find a decent job if the Cannons don't ask you to join. And secondly, I have no intentions of marrying you."

"You know you love me, 'mione. You've been after me since third year."

"It was a crush, Ronald! I'm over it now."

"You didn't seem to mind me kissing you on the quidditch pitch," Ron argued. "If the greasy git hadn't stuck that oversized nose of his in, we might have finished what we started."

Hermione flushed at the memory of allowing Ron to grope her breasts.

"Greasy git am I, Weasley? Twenty-five points from Gryffindor and I will expect you to report for detention with Mr. Filch at nine o'clock this evening," Severus said. He'd come upon the two on his way to the dungeons, just in time to hear Ron's description of his person.

Ron started to open his mouth to protest about eavesdropping.

"I would keep your mouth shut if I were you, Weasley. I am being kind in allowing you to get off with only one detention. Now take yourself off to wherever you are supposed to be and leave Miss Granger alone."

Ron gaped at the Professor before taking off and leaving Hermione standing there.

"Are you well today, Miss Granger?" Snape asked.

Hermione backed up a step or two.

"I am fine, Professor, thank you for asking," she replied as she turned and hurried up the hall.

Fine? Something was definitely not fine, Severus thought. The girl was acting as if he were frightening her out of her wits. He'd done nothing to his knowledge to deliberately scare her. He was going to have to find out just what was going on here.

~*~

"You are a poor excuse for a witch," Voldemort snapped as Ecclestia cowered on the ground. "I send you on a mission and you get yourself banned by Albus. You fool!"

"I'm sorry, Master. I was only attempting to......"

"Attempting to what? Have Albus destroy you? Arouse Severus' suspicions that you were after the girl? You have failed me miserably."

"Please, Master, grant me another chance. I won't fail you again," Ecclestia sniffed, tears coursing down her face as she groveled at Voldemort's robes.

"It seems that you have robbed yourself of having a chance at all. You cannot get into the school again. Albus has powerful magic, and if he has banned you, then nothing will allow you entrance again."

"My husband can get me in."

Voldemort made a sound of disgust through his slits that served as nostrils.

"Your husband can do nothing. Even he cannot overcome one of Albus' spells. Wormtail!"

"Master?"

"You are to watch Hogwarts and capture Miss Granger at the first opportunity."

Wormtail giggled maniacally. "Yes, Master. Does Master wish her dead?"

"No, Wormtail. You are to bring her to me unharmed. I need her for several purposes."

"Let me destroy her, Master," Ecclestia said, starting to rise.

"No one gave you permission to stand," Voldemort snapped. "You will not harm the girl. She will be valuable to me." He turned to Wormtail. "Go now, and do not fail me."

"Yes, Master." Wormtail instantly became a rat and scampered off.

Ecclestia attempted to look pitiful, knowing that she had roused Voldemort's wrath. She did not have time to even fear his next command.

"Crucio!"