Mirror, Mirror

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter 14 – In the mood for a Savory?

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

Prof. Snape drank his morning tea and surveyed the chaos of his life. Hermione, the keeper of the menagerie, had insisted that they move everything they owned to the cottage last night, to the falling down, damp, creaky, little cottage. The cottage that she insisted the house-elf would clean up and repair as soon as the house-elf was feeling less depressed. Of course it was all about the creatures. The werewolf was upstairs in the good bed in the master bedroom. Hermione had the sofa in the living room. He had the honor of sleeping on the cot in the kitchen since the other bedrooms were reeking of mildew. Oddly, every time she’d tried to cast Reparo on the cot it had further disintegrated into kindling. The house-elf took one look at it and it was functional again.

Hermione had spent the better part of last evening giving the elf, who said her name was Naani, not Nanani, a pep talk about the joys of being free. Hermione had produced children’s clothes of bright colors and the elf only became more determined not to be freed. Finally Hermione hit on something that the elf wanted, not clothes, but hair. Hermione Apparated off to Muggle London just prior to closing time and returned with more than a half dozen wigs for the elf to try on. The owner of the wig shop had accepted Hermione’s story that the person it was for was too shy to go out to try on wigs, so the arrangement was that any wig they didn’t want could be returned within the week with it’s tag and receipt as long as it was in ‘like new’ condition. The elf wanted to keep all seven wigs, one for every day in the week. Well, Hermione (Messiah of the Elves) was delighted. Finally a deal was struck. Naani would wear clothes and a wig and Hermione would pay the elf wages, just as long as there was no mention of freedom. The now happy elf restored the cottage to structural integrity within seconds and then little things started happening. Wallpaper that was moldering and peeling one minute, another minute appeared like new.

They had gone to bed in a hovel and arose in a warm and pleasant atmosphere. Snape, on occasion, checked in on the werewolf. He, too, seemed to have a second lease on life. The Wizard, ill as he was, was able to use a bedpan so a changing of sheets was not necessary. He was gaining some strength through the soups and potions Hermione was plying him with around the clock. Yes, Granger was in her milieu and was a very pleased Witch. Lupin smiled non-stop and was even able to say ‘thank you’ and ‘bless you both’ to Snape who felt ready to throw up.

Snape was miserable. His job was to get the laboratory ready. He’d already been set upon to use the kitchen to brew up various restoratives for the ex-Marauder who was now in their charge. What was furthering his misery had nothing to do with Miss Granger’s plans, or perhaps it had everything to do with it. He had a secret, a secret about the Werewolf Cure. It was actually within his power to have the cure ready within a few days, but he’d have to make a compromise, a rather large one, which he wasn’t ready to do yet. If he had been left to his own devices he might have worked a miracle and taken all the credit for it. But at this point, he was stymied.

He finished his tea and set off via the floo for Diagon Alley to pick up more supplies for the lab and to trade in the wand that his counterpart had bought. He wondered if Potter the wonder boy had ever recovered his wand, which had been missing since he was held prisoner. However, he was so relieved that Potter had sent an owl to cancel their meeting that he wasn’t going to ask.

Hermione watched Snape leave. She was well aware of his quiet disapproval of everything she was doing. Ever since she had slapped him in the hospice, he’d maintained for the most part a disdainful silence. Hermione wished he could be a little supportive. She wondered if his sneering muscles ever got tired. In fact, she was beginning to realize that the Wizard was a colossal drain of energy. If it weren’t for the cure, he would have gotten the boot from her so damned fast his head would spin. She sighed. Still as much as she disliked this Snape’s personality, she had developed a yen for the other Snape and for some reason her feelings were transferring over. It didn’t make any sense. Like yesterday morning, for example, when she had found herself touching him as she was waking up. Her body wanted him and didn’t seem to care if the man was an odious prat or not.

She looked around the living room, very pleased that Naani was doing an incredible job of restoring the place. All she had needed was some encouragement. She swallowed and shook her head, if only Remus Lupin’s case was so simple. As much as he was feeling better from re-hydration and improved nourishment, it was still obvious that he wasn’t going to survive his next transformation. She blinked back tears, remembering Snape’s harsh words. There was some truth there. Had they been wrong to give Remus false hope, that they’d be able to cure him? He was plainly happy to have the attention and had already tried to tell her in so many words that whatever happened, he was simply grateful not to die in that hospice. Hermione steeled herself that indeed, even if all they accomplished was for Remus to die among friends outside of that place, it was an improvement in his lot.

She continued to sort out books and do housework spells to make the cottage more like home. Snape was in charge of making the shed into a lab and she had given him a good sum of money from her account in Gringotts to accomplish that task. Sadly, almost all of her inheritance was now gone, but if it could help Remus and others like him, it would be worth it.

She went back upstairs to check on her charge. He was sleeping, but there was a small smile on his . H. Her chest tightened at the sight of him. Tonight they would start working on the cure. They would go as far as they could on the Professor’s notes and then do trial and error. Just then Naani materialized by her.

“Yes, Naani?”

“Would Mistress likme tme tea?”

“No, Naani, I’m fine.” Naani looked devastated and Hermione wondered what was wrong. “Is there anything you would like from me?”

Naani’s eyes went wide from shock, “Oh, Mistress Hermione!” and she began to cry. This woke Remus with a bit of a start.

“Her-mione?”

“I’m right here.”

“Bless you.” He tried to take her hand but was still too weak.

Hermione felt a sudden jolt of annoyance. She wasn’t doing anything special, not for either of them. Why was life so cruel? Suddenly she wanted to kick something, maybe Severus Snape, just because life was so damned complicated and he knew it. Was he smirking somewhere, thinking what an idiot she was? She could hear him now, ‘you little, bleeding heart’ and wondering how many other impossible tasks she would take on. Hermione knew she was only tormenting herself, but she’d been through so much recently that she found herself trembling.

“Remus, I haven’t done anything for you that basic human decency didn’t require.” She patted his hand and left him confused and worried that maybe he’d said the wrong thing.

Hermione ran down the stairs, which now had new carpets on them. By the hour, the house was rejuvenating itself and in contrast she felt tired and old.

When Snape returned he went into the shed. It was a good idea that it was separate from the house; if anything toxic exploded, their living space would probably not be affected. He walked in with his purchases and found a sobbing Hermione on the dirt floor.“Mis“Miss Granger, what is the meaning of this?”

Her response was to hysterically sob even harder.

“Hermione?” He knelt down, not even thinking, and took her in his arms. She wrapped herself around him like a piece of Devil’s Snare, and continued to sob even more. “Did you eat anything today?’ She shook her head. “And you didn’t eat anything last night either, did you?” She shook her head again. Snape sighed. “Stupid girl.”

“I am not!” She looked up at him all sniffing and snivelling and he started to laugh.

“Oh, the indomitable Miss Granger.” And he kissed her. He pulled back shocked at himself for the wild impulse, and then he kissed her again, just because he wanted to. Hermione returned the kiss. And then they were sprawled out on the cold, hard ground kissing and pulling at each other’s clothing. It was too cold to be naked so they wound up kicking off only their undergarments and having her cloak spread underneath them and his cloak over them. It was uncomfortable, but they didn’t notice as he kissed her over and over again, grinding his now rigid cock against her thigh.

Her hand reached down and brought up her robes, exposing just the tops of her thighs and her sex to him. He needed no further invitation and he raised his own robes just enough to allow him access to her. He pressed his fingers into her cunny, enjoying the warm slickness and she moaned against his mouth. He moved himself over her and drove recklessly into her, taking little notice of her comfort.

She gasped as he filled her. And she lifted her legs, giving him even deeper access to her body. She was still emotionally overwrought, but this was a release and she suddenly didn’t care how much he’d been a trial to her. The unrealized desire she’d had for his counterpart took over and she thrust her hips up to meet him, wanting him in a primal sense. She bit his neck and then licked over his skin, savoring the flavor and scent of him. She was being pummeled and her breath was forced from her lungs with every stroke. She grabbed hold of his robes for purchase, needing to find her release when the ground swells of her climax began to swoop up and over her. Her orgasm came fast and hard, causing her to scream his name as he bore down and came into her.

He was inside of her, their organs still pulsing, and in an almost gentlemanly way he was carrying his weight upon his elbows. He looked into her eyes and felt almost embarrassed because he was forced to admit to himself that he had been jealous. He had wanted to possess her and now he had. He slowly smirked and she shyly smiled back.

“I guess we both needed that,” said Hermione, trying to somehow recover her dignity.

“Well, I feel just so much better,” he quipped, even though what he wanted was to keep kissing her. He didn’t like her trying to fob it off on something biological, for him it was… mysterious, primitive, dark and well, he had to admit-- biological. It was the same insanity he’d experienced during his stay in the other realm. Only it was with her now. And he didn’t even like her. No, he was quite sure of it, he didn’t like her, not one bit! And yet, if it hadn’t been so cold lying there on the ground, he would have wanted to snuggle a bit and even have a kip with her in his arms.

“I guess we need to get up if we are not to catch a chill,” she said trying to wiggle him out of her.

“Actually, I think we just generated quite a bit of heat,” he moved to stay inside her.

She melted a bit, “Yes, we did.” She reached out to touch his face, but changed her mind. They had so much to get done and he really could be such a selfish prat. Her emotions were swirling about inside her. There was no time, not if they were to save Remus. She gently pushed him away and he took the hint. His face hardened into it’s usual mask as he picked up her knickers and handed them to her. He got up, and set a fire in the brazier.

“Well, back to work,” he said brusquely and began laying out his supplies.

“Yes,” Hermione swallowed and quickly left.

&&&

“Remus, thank you for seeing me,” Lady Snape looked wan and nervous as she led her former professor into her living room. Before they could sit down, Remus took her hand and kissed it.

“It is always a pleasure, Hermione.” Remus was looking extremely healthy and in high spirits. “I owe both of you so much.”

Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m taking you away from your new wife.”

“Actually, she’s off on a job.” A touch of bitterness came into his voice. “She is still the breadwinner, though I am working on building up a business in magical pest removal.”

“Oh,” Hermione wasn’t concentrating.

“I’m sorry for going on.” He reddened. “Please tell me what I can do.”

“I’m not sure. It’s been several days that he’s been avoiding me and I fear he needs to be seen by a doctor.”

“Maybe Harry could help?”

“No. They are polite to each other for my sake alone, and I fear Severus’ state to be fragile.”

“I saw lat late last week. It seemed that you two had been, well, not getting along.”

“That wasn’t him,” Hermione paused, not sure how much to tell him. “There was an Uninvited who took advantage.”

“Oh. Ooooh.” A heavy silence descended as Remus contemplated what most men would consider a threat, for after all how could anyone compete with himself?

“He hasn’t been near me since he found out. At first he’d spend time with Sarah, but then he stopped. I saw him this morning, just before he Apparated. He looked like Hell. He’s not been eating or sleeping.” Hermione started to tear up and Remus gently held her while offering his handkerchief.

“So, he might need a little time at St. Mungos?”

“Oh, I hope not.”

“It’s been known to happen before with Uninviteds. You know the shock of Transconveyance when unprepared, I mean, that’s why the Ministry is very careful to make sure people are ready for it. There’s no shame in seeing a doctor for that.”

“Severus is a very proud man.”

“Insecure, you mean. Remember, I grew up with him. He was afraid of his own shadow for the most part, that’s what made him such a fun target for the others. Oh, he fought back, but he was outnumbered. I tried to stay out of it, when I really should have… done something.” Remus remembered all too well how he’d allowed Sirius and James to tease and gang up on Snape. “You’re right, best to keep Harry and Sirius out of this.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead and stood up.

“Don’t worry about a thing, Hermione, I’ll find him and bring him back.”

&&&

“Well, brother,” said the Wizard in Blue. “I return home with bad news today.”

“Oh, dear.” The Wizard in Red opened a bottle of butterbeer and poured it out into two glasses. “You don’t say.”

“Oh, but I do say. Our Dr. Snape has escaped his exile.”

“Crikey!” He took a sip of the beer and then went in search of food in the cupboards. “In the mood for a savory?”

“How can you think of food at a time like this?”

“And how can you not think of food?” He sat down with some pretzels. “Well, so we must come up with a plan of further punishment. Hmmm, I suggest,” he took another swig of beer, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”

“Sounds familiar,” said the Blue Wizard.

“Oh, yes it should, it’s Muggle.”

“Something Dad would have said.”

“Aye, before the Death Eaters killed him.”

“Another toast?”

“Another toast-- to our dear departed parents and brother!”

“Hear, hear.”

&&&

Dr. Snape didn’t return home that night. He had a feeling that he was being watched. The past few days had been difficult, very difficult, but now he understood. He was no good. Had never been any good. Not for Hermione, not for his daughter. Yes, they’d both be better off without him. He didn’t know where he’d go to or what he’d do. The nightmares had returned-- the very ones that had gone away when Hermione married him and had held him in her arms every night. But were they nightmares? No, they were just memories of all the things that Lucius and Voldemort had made him do. The faces of his victims would float before him in silent accusation, all those children, mothers and fathers. So many dead, so much blood on his hands. He had to stay away from Hermione and Sarah or they’d be tainted too.


A/N: Big hugs and many thanks to: Jkrazed, Deb, FriendlyQuark, LittleBird, Snapaholic and NegativeNine.