Bloodbound

A/N: This is easily the longest chapter in the story. I hope you weren’t too disappointed by the wait. As always, please R&R. If you feed my muse, the updates tend to come a little faster

Christmastime Part II

Severus walked up the stairs to the room he was sharing with his wife, intent upon letting her know her behavior was becoming unacceptable. He loved her, but he did not love the person he was becoming because of her. There needed to be order, there needed to be formalities.


She was the first woman to ever make him cry. He did not even cry when Elizabeth had died, and that was considered the worst moment of his life. He just could not wrap his mind around this little witch, and what it was she did to him.


Severus reached the room and turned the handle, entering the room with an air of authority. Hermione was asleep on the bed, a book falling out of her hand, about to land on the floor. Curiosity peaked, and he silently made his way to his sleeping wife, wondering what she had been reading.


Gently, he extracted the book from her hand, expecting her to wake, but she did not. He turned the book over in his hand and read the title. Robinson Crusoe. He had no idea that his studious wife had it in her to read such complete fiction. He always assumed she would be reading textbooks all the time. He raised an eyebrow. It was rather endearing actually, to see her lain out on the bed, soft curls around her face, dreaming about what he could only assume was Crusoe, since she had been so apparently immersed in the book before sleep overtook her.


He watched her eyelids flutter, and her chest rise and fall as she breathed evenly, completely consumed by sleep. Severus felt the urge to touch her face, her soft rosy cheeks. He did not. Such a show of affection was not at all authoritative, and he had come to be authoritative.


Briefly, he considered waking her to let her know he was seriously considering Adrienne for contract. She just looked so peaceful, he steeled himself to resist. Instead, he turned and left the room. He intended to go to the library to look for more classic fiction such as this. He scowled at himself. “It’s not for her,” he lied. “Looking at the cover her of book fueled my appetite for the genre,” he told himself as he made his way to the expansive library.


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Adrienne looked in the basket Baubles had prepared for her and Shanair. There were assorted cheeses, fruit, wine, French bread, and caviar. It really was quite a spread, and the basket was designed to fill with the meal that was to be eaten. Once they had eaten their lunch, the basket would refill with their dinner courses.


Adrienne was not a virgin. She had actually been with twelve partners. Her mother taught her a very valuable, undetectable charm that would reconstruct her hymen, and she had become very skilled in memory charms. Even Sebastian was fooled by the ruse, having examined her himself.


Adrienne had known of Sebastian’s “accident” but also knew of his plans to have his libido restored, so he could perform sexually. She had that affect on men…making them want sex so bad they would go to any lengths to achieve it. It had been nearly a month since Adrienne had last had sex, and she was feeling very randy today, particularly after Severus’ display at breakfast.


She knew it would be so easy to convince Shanair to make love to her. She would then obliviate the incident from his mind, and reconstruct her hymen, no harm done. Smirking to herself she put a little extra swing to her hips as she went to seduce Shanair.


Shanair was sitting on a riverbank ten feet or so away from the picnic basket. Adrienne casually slid next to him, kissing his cheek. Shanair turned and began to kiss her full on the mouth, cupping her face in his hand as he did so.

She moaned softly, reaching a hand down to rub his cock, in attempts to coax it up. She found to her incredible dismay that it was as flaccid as rubber. She looked at him, scandalized. She had never kissed a man, and then touched him when he was soft. Men were always found hardened by the mere sight of her. Shanair caught the flicker of disappointment in her eyes.


“Don’t worry, Love. It’s nothing to do with you,” he breathed into her ear. “Father gave me an impotence potion so we would not be tempted,” he said, smiling at her.


Dammit, she thought scanning him with her eyes. Why would Severus Snape be so concerned about temptation? she wondered to herself. Then it hit her. He wants to take my maidenhead himself, she thought, smirking. The thought of bedding the dark wizard made her feel quite excited.


“Speaking of father,” Shanair said, taking her hand in his, “He wanted to tell you he would like to speak with you tomorrow evening after dinner. He also asks that you exercise discretion around my stepmother, as he would rather she not be privy to the meeting,” he finished leaning forward to kiss her softly.


“Tell him I will be ready after dinner,” Adrienne said after Shanair kissed her. And ready I will be, she thought wickedly to herself.


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Hermione entered the library to find Severus immersed in an early Greek edition of The Odyssey .


“Ah, The Odyssey,” She remarked, looking sleepily at him. “Good book that.”


“You gave me the inspiration with your Crusoe,” he replied, closing the book.


“I hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep, “she said, smiling at him.


At least she is in a better mood, he thought to himself.


“I think you should sit down,” he said, gesturing to an armchair beside the one he occupied. Hermione looked at him suspiciously and took the chair.


“Something wrong?” she asked him.


“In a manner of speaking,” he replied, sweeping his eyes over her frame. “I have decided that unless Adrienne proves impure, she will be contracted to the Snape family. This does mean you will need to put your differences with her aside,” he said, looking to the side of Hermione’s face, rather than directly at her eyes.


“And I suppose her purity test will be every bit as violating and harsh as mine was?” Hermione questioned him.


“Well, no, actually. Tradition dictates that because she is a pureblood witch, she will merely be inspected to ensure the hymen is still intact,” he said, still not quite meeting her gaze.


“And the binding?”


“Also different,” he stated plainly. He was not going to allow this witch to make him feel guilty. Tradition was tradition. Adrienne was a pureblood. She had grown up in the wizarding world, and knew exactly what her place was. There was no sense in wasting two months to accomplish something that had already been accomplished. Besides which, she would be promised to Shanair, who wanted to marry immediately.


“I see,” Hermione said, steeling herself against the tears that were threatening to fall from her amber eyes. “What of her deflowerment?” She asked her husband, who shifted his gaze immediately.


“Also different,” he all but whispered.


Hermione nodded as a tear fell to her soft cheek.


“I guess that’s the price for being a mudblood,” she whispered.


She turned on her heel and left the room, intent upon taking a hot bath to try and forget about the undesirable turn of events.


Severus stared after her, not sure what to say or do. He did not intend upon taking Adrienne’s maidenhead, but he also felt that Hermione had no right to try and stop him, or to even be angry if he chose to. The witch needed to remember who she was dealing with, he thought coldly as he stared after her, feeling somewhat emptier.


When Hermione got to the bedroom she threw herself across the bed, and buried her face into a pillow. The tears came, and they came fast. She cried for several minutes before taking a deep breath and willing herself to go to the bathroom and draw a bath.


She dropped her robes to the cool marble tile, and sat on the edge of the tub as it filled, permeating the room with the scent of jasmine and roses, her favorite combination. She turned her back to the door, and placed her feet in the water, sobbing softly. How had her life become like this?


When the tub was full, she lowered herself into the water, facing the wall. She continued to sob softly, unable to stop the tears from coming.


Severus entered the bedroom, and the smell of jasmine and roses hit him. He could hear his wife sobbing softly from the bathroom. He crept over to the bathroom door, which was open a crack, and peered in.


Hermione sat in the tub, back to him, crying softly. Sighing, he silently divestoed himself and entered the bathroom.


He walked to the edge of the tub and placed a toe in the water.


Hermione looked up at him, startled. She opened her mouth as if she were going to say something, but then closed it again, looking away from her nude husband.


Severus proceeded to climb into the tub with her. Hermione made to exit the tub, when Severus grabbed her wrist, willing her to stay with him in the tub.


His expression softened as he looked at his wife’s swollen red eyes.


“Tradition is tradition. I am in no position to be breaking tradition. You know very well what could be at stake for that,” he said, tipping her chin so she was forced to look at him.


Hermione’s breath caught in her chest. She hadn’t even thought about that. She relaxed a little under his touch. One question still remained for her.


Severus looked at her in acknowledgment. He knew what she was thinking.


“I have no intention of taking Adrienne’s maidenhead the traditional way myself, however you do need to understand that it would be completely appropriate of me to do so,” he said flatly. That was something the witch was just going to have to accept.


Hermione’s expression was unreadable, but Severus knew exactly what she was thinking. She would never be inwardly accepting of his touching another woman. He had no intention to, but did not tell her this.


“You called yourself a mudblood,” he said to her.


Hermione blinked.


“I don’t ever want to hear you refer to yourself in that fashion again, do you understand me?” he said firmly, wiping a tear from her cheek.


Hermione looked at him. His expression was still somewhat cold, but his statement held a warmth she could not fathom. She nodded her head at him in acknowledgement.


Severus bent down and kissed her gently on the lips. She kissed him back, heat passing between them. He drew her into his arms, kissing her neck and caressing her back. She wrapped her legs around his waist, grateful that he was not going to be touching Adrienne. That was at least something to her, and she allowed him to take her, moaning into his chest as he thrust into her.


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Adrienne looked at the strange looking mirror in her hand.


“Sebastian Snape, “ she whispered.


Suddenly the mirror began to cloud, and then Sebastian’s face became visible in it.


“Any progress?”


“I will have him alone tomorrow night, after dinner. I will make sure she sees, so tell Zaraus to be ready for her,” she said.


“Good. The plan is in full force,” Sebastian said, and then blinked out.

Adrienne combed her soft curls and then climbed into the four poster bed, drifting off to sleep.


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The next day, Adrienne and Shanair did not see much of Hermione and Severus, who spent the majority of the day in their bedroom. As dinner neared, Adrienne grew more confident. If all went well, she would be a Snape before the week was out.


Adrienne’s mouth dropped when she entered the Dining room with Shanair. The room smelled lightly of jasmine and roses, and Hermione was a sight to behold. The witch’s hair was cascading down her back in soft curls, and she wore emerald green robes, made of velvet. The neckline dipped low, showing just the edge of her breasts, and the bodice hung to her petite hips quite nicely. Adrienne felt slightly embarrassed by her own attire.


She was not used to being second prettiest woman in the room, and felt very aware that her hair was pulled up off her shoulders, somewhat haphazardly. Her robes were plain pink, and did not hug her as gracefully as the robes Hermione wore. Hermione’s eyes glittered at Adrienne. Adrienne glared.


The meal was taken in silence, and the tension was very palpable. Finally, when the plates were cleared, Hermione took Severus’ arm, intending to lead them back to their bedroom. Severus glanced at Adrienne and then pulled away.


“Sorry, dear, but I have to go do something,” he said, looking at her, expression unreadable.


Hermione looked at him sadly. She had not missed the subtle exchange between he and Adrienne. She murmured and acknowledgement and left the room. She decided to go to the library, to see what other great works of fiction were in their collection.


She was browsing a shelf near the large bay window when she saw movement from outside. Curious, she crept over to the window and looked outside. There was Severus, leading Adrienne by the arm to the garden. Hermione’s eyes narrowed. She had to know what was being said down there.


She crept out the back exit, through the kitchen and silently stole around to the front of the house, praying her movements were silent. She was so shocked to see her husband out in the garden with the woman she had come to despise the most, that she did not take the time to disillusion herself.


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Adrienne stood with her back to the manor, Severus facing her. She wondered how long it would take that nosy little bitch of his to sneak out here to find him.


“Provided you pass the physical exam, to determine that you are in fact a virgin, you will be contracted to the Snape family,” severus said evenly. Adrienne tried to look surprised.


“There are however a few things that need to be discussed,” he continued, looking at her, noticing she seemed somewhat distracted.


Adrienne saw movement a little distance away and suddenly took Severus by the arm.


“Lord Snape, I know why you gave Shanair the impotence potion,” she said, as Hermione moved closer, almost in earshot. “I know you wanted to take my maidenhead yourself,” she continued, as Hermione moved within hearing range.


Severus looked at her, confused. He was about to open his mouth to correct her when she continued.


“I cannot wait to get under you, my lord. I will give you the fuck of your life,” she said, and grabbed him, planting a fierce kiss on his lips. She saw Hermione grow red.


With a loud sob, Hermione turned to run. Severus spun around, still attached to Adrienne, as he watched his wife run away, away from the manor, toward the darkened street.


Severus shoved Adrienne off of his body, casting her a look of utter disgust before racing after his wife. When he finally caught up to her, a form seemed to grow from the ground, and then grabbed his wife, apparating her to an unknown destination. Severus got a good look at the captor’s face.


Zaraus Snape. How he wished he had killed him when he had the chance.