Remember

CHAPTER 13: Evil Comes to Dinner









The first few days of the holiday went swimmingly. Severus and Hermione were slipping off regularly for a bit of snogging and heavy petting, often thinking they were keeping their activities secreted from Eileen. There was no mistaking their flushed faces and swollen lips, not to mention their mussed clothing and hair, however. She found herself hiding a smirk on more than one occasion.







Oh to be young again. She thought as she finished their Christmas Dinner. She would have made better choices for herself. She would have held out for love, embraced friendship and chosen someone better to father her child than Tobias Snape. The only good thing he had ever given her was the boy kissing the giggling witch beneath the mistletoe in the living room.







“Severus, Hermione! Dinner is on the table!” She called from the doorway, watching them pull apart with guilty expressions. The made their way into the dining room where Severus seated Hermione and his mother before taking up the knife and carving the bird.

It was turning out to be a pleasant holiday, despite the fact that they did not exchange gifts or really celebrate the traditional way.







It was obvious that there was a smitten, magical couple within the house as mistletoe began to pop up randomly throughout. Eileen smiled over her wine glass as the young ones looked up to see sprigs of it sprouting from the light fixture above the table.







“You might as well go ahead; it will only continue growing until you kiss her.” Eileen said with a smile. Severus blushed, then leaned over and gave Hermione a quick buss on the lips so that the wayward mistletoe would begin to recede.







“Well, well, well…the runt came home with a little friend.” Everyone at the table looked up to stare at the man leaning against the doorframe. “And here I thought the little fucker preferred that long haired mate of his from that school, what was his name? Lucille?”







Tobias Snape was a tall, gaunt man with dark hair, dark eyes and a clearly dark soul. Severus looked just like his father with the long, lean build, hooked nose and sharp features. The man sneered at the three of them as he took a long pull from the bottle in his hand and shoved away from the doorframe to saunter over and flop into the chair at the head of the table.







“Fix me something to eat, bitch.” He snapped at Eileen. Hermione and Severus watched as her happy, smiling face fell and the light in her eyes retreated as she complied, fixing a plate for the stinking drunkard she married. “So, Severus, care to introduce me to your little friend?” He asked, leering at Hermione.









“Hermione, this drunken piece of hippogriff dung is my father, Tobias Snape.” Severus said, his voice low and menacing. “And you, Father aren’t worthy of being introduced to her in return.”







“Watch that mouth of yours, boy, before I knock a couple of teeth loose.” Tobias snapped. Severus pulled his wand from his pocket and set it on the table beside his plate, his fingers resting lightly on the ebony handle.







“I want to see you try it.” Severus said darkly, his black eyes narrowed, the look on his face somewhat frightening. “What are you doing here?”









“This is my house, boy.” Tobias said, snatching the plate from Eileen’s hands. “You think about using that stick on me and I will break you.”







Hermione followed Severus’s lead and laid her wand gently on the table within her reach, her fingers resting on the carved, rosewood handle. Tobias snickered, the drink clearly making him bold and fearless.







“You lot are a joke.” He said, shoveling food into his mouth, not bothering to close his mouth as he chewed. “Waving those sticks about expecting someone to be afraid.” He shook his head as he devoured the plate of food in front of him.







Hermione stared at the man in front of her, her lips curling just a bit in disgust. His skin was leathery and yellowed, his liver and kidneys weren’t functioning properly. Hermione noticed that the whites of his eyes were a sick, grayish yellow; the man was slowly dying, killing himself with the liquor he imbibed without restraint.







Tobias finished his meal and shoved the plate aside, knocking over a pitcher of pumpkin juice in the process. He leaned back in his chair and stared at Severus and Hermione while Eileen nervously began to clear the table.







“So you actually like women, do you?” He asked Severus, watching the boys eyes narrow. “If I had known I would have taken you to White Chapel, got you broken in properly.”







“You disgust me.” Severus spat.









“Watch what you say boy, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree you know.” Tobias sneered.







Hermione stood and began to help Eileen clear the table. She could feel Tobias leering at her as she tucked her wand into her pocket and filled her arms with dishes to carry into the kitchen. She walked up to Eileen who was standing at the sink staring blankly out the window into the night and placed a comforting hand on the woman’s shoulder. Eileen looked back over her shoulder at the young woman standing there staring at her with compassion in her eyes.







“I am sorry he ruined Christmas.” Eileen said softly.









“He ruined nothing. For him to ruin something he would have to be worthy of notice.” Hermione said quietly. “It was a wonderful Christmas, ma’am, being here with you and Severus.”







“You care for him very much, yes?” Eileen asked, a soft expression on her face.







“I do.” Hermione answered. Eileen patted Hermione’s hand and gave her a tight, forced smile.







“I better get this cleaned up. You go stay with Severus, you ground him, and you keep his darkness at bay.” She said, turning back to the sink. Hermione realized that Eileen wanted to be alone, so she made her way back into the dining room.







Severus and Tobias both looked up when she entered. She didn’t like the glint in the older man’s eyes as he ogled her. He made her nervous as she walked around the table toward Severus. She jumped when she felt a large hand caress her bum as she walked by. Immediately she rushed to Severus, placing her hands on his shoulders and shoving him back into his chair as she slid onto his lap.







“You bastard!” If looks held the power to kill then Tobias Snape would be lying dead at Severus’s feet.







“Severus, don’t, he’s not worth it; it is alright.” She soothed, shifting so that she was in his line of sight and all he could see was her. She ran her fingers over his hair, keeping his attention focused on her and not the man laughing maniacally behind her.







“No, it isn’t alright.” Severus said, anger vibrating in his voice as he looked around her. “Touch her again and I will kill you.” He whispered low.









“Oh? You going to beat me to death with that little stick of yours?” Tobias taunted. “Come on boy, let old dad show you how to handle the little piece of ass in your lap.”







Severus tried to shove Hermione off his lap as he reached for his wand, but she wrapped one arm around his neck, and the fingers of her other hand around his wrist.







“No, Severus. You will go to Azkaban if you cast an unforgivable on a muggle.” She whispered into his ear. “Don’t…please Severus, ignore him.” She held him tightly until she felt his shoulders begin to relax and his arms go around her waist.







“Pussy whipped already.” Tobias said. “You’ve been a disappointment from the day you were conceived. Never could get decent shag out of that cold bitch unless I beat it out of her first, forced her to fight a little.”







Severus stood, his arms still wrapped around Hermione as he led her from the dining room and into the kitchen. His mother didn’t even look up; she just continued to wash the dishes as though no one else were there. Severus slipped from Hermione’s arms and without a word he grabbed his cloak from the hook and slipped out the back door.







She stood there for a moment rubbing her arms until she could feel the heat of his stare on her back. She turned to look back over her shoulder and the pig had the nerve to wink at her. She didn’t care that it was freezing outside; she opened the door and followed Severus into the snowy night.







He was sitting on the back step staring out into the pitch darkness. She sat beside him and bumped him with her shoulder.







“Hey, you.” She said softly, her arms folded around her body.









“You shouldn’t be out here.” He said. “Go back inside where it is warm.”









“No, thank you. I want to be were you are.” She said. Severus turned his head to look at her.









“You daft witch, you are going to freeze to death.” He said, opening his cloak and wrapping his arm around her, pulling her against him so he could share his body heat with her. “Gods, I am so sorry, Hermione. If I had it my way you would never have come in contact with him.”







“Don’t be sorry, Severus. Your father is a swine.” She said, cuddling into him.







“I should have cursed him for touching you.” Severus said, burying his face in her hair.









“No, because you would have been sent away and it would break my heart.” She said, pressing her cold nose against the side of his throat.







“Not for long. We only have a few months together, then you will leave me.” He said softly. It wasn’t something they talked about, but it was a cloud that loomed over them.









“And you will have no memories of me, Dumbledore will see to it.” She said.









“I don’t want to forget.” He whispered, holding her a little tighter.









“I don’t want to think about it, Severus; I just want to be with you.” She said, slipping her arms around his waist.









“Alright, we won’t speak of it.” He said. “I need you to promise me that you wont go anywhere in the house while he is here without your wand.”









“I promise.” She said. “Kiss me, Severus.” Hermione closed her eyes and raised her lips to his. The events of the evening and thoughts of the future drifted away as they became lost in each other.









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Alright.....because you are all so sweet and complimentary.....a 2nd chapter in one day......enjoy