Never Piss Off a House-Elf

Hermione was well-distracted by her engagement ring. It fit her finger perfectly, glinting and winking at her from her hand. She adored the red gold and the sapphire. She smiled as the color winked different shades at her.


It's as mercurial as Severus, Hermione thought. She was on the broom with him again, her face towards him as he guided their broom through the air deftly. They were barely buffeted by the winds, and Hermione found she rather liked flying ~-- this way.


She'd told Severus where her parents' house was located, and he agreed to land a few streets over, in the backyard of a wizarding family Hermione hadn't even known lived there. They landed around nine o'clock, and Severus shrank his broom until it fit in his pocket. He let Hermione lead the way and they quickly crossed streets until they appeared in front of the Grangers'.


"Severus, stay here a moment," Hermione said, her heart in her throat. It was now or never, and she wanted to run away and hide, not tell her parents. "This may not go well."


Severus read her expression. He knew immediately that Hermione already knew how the entire thing would go. He sighed and pretended to be completely without a clue.


"Will I have to ask your father for your hand?" Severus offered, and Hermione shook her head madly.


"No, Severus! I'll call for you in a bit, I promise," Hermione said, heading up the walk. "Just hang out here and try to act the muggle."


Taking a deep breath, Hermione knocked on the door.


"Hermione? What are you doing back here so soon?" Jane Granger asked as she opened the door. She was already in her night-robe, and she looked concerned. "Well, come in. Don't just stand there letting bugs in!"


Hermione swallowed the retort and stepped over the threshold, closing the door behind her.


Severus had heard the greeting and he scowled. He cast a wandless amplification spell on the house that was attuned to his ear only. Usually, a man gives his fiancée's family three strikes before he took them in hand.


Jane and Nathaniel Granger would be lucky to get two.


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"Hermione, aren't you supposed to be with the Weasleys?" Jane Granger said, leading her daughter into the kitchen. "Are they here ~-- did they bring you here?"


Hermione shook her head. "Mum, can we sit and have a chat?"


Jane eyed her daughter suspiciously. "Nate! Hermione's come to call!"


"I thought we might talk a bit first, before you called Da down, Mum," Hermione said, but her father's footsteps were already close. "It's about my engagement."


"Did you find a way out of the law?" Nathaniel asked his daughter, and she shook her head. "Ronald got cold feet?"


"No, it's not that. I am engaged, you see," Hermione said, putting her hand on the table. Her mother blinked at the ring. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Something Ron wouldn't have been able to afford."


"So I take it the rock god on the walk is who plucked you?" Jane said, smiling. "I didn't get a good look, but he seemed tall, dark and dangerous. Not quite your type, Hermione. I thought you liked boys who liked books. And Ron, of course. But you're better off as friends, anyways. So, who's the new man? Seems a bit well-off, if you ask me."


"Mother, money is not the issue right now. Something happened and my plan went . . . awry. I'm dealing with it, but I wanted to let you know sooner rather than later, so that you could cool off," Hermione said, clasping her hands in front of her on the table, careful to show the lavish ring in hopes that would help quiet her parents.


Jane leaned back in her chair. Nathaniel shared a look with her, and Hermione stayed quiet. Jane waited a moment before she spoke.


"Define 'awry', Hermione," Jane said, her voice low and dangerous. She licked her lips and pursed them, waiting for Hermione's answer.


"The letter went to the wrong person, and he signed it without knowing what it was. But we're dealing with it. We've come to terms with the matter, and we're beginning to make our plans. I'm even staying in a room in his manor so that we may get to know one another," Hermione said, dodging the implied question: WHO!?


"Hermione, who are you affianced to?" Nathaniel said, worry in his voice. "How old is he that he has a manor, and why are you staying with him before you're married?"


"Severus Snape," Hermione said in a small voice, and her father laughed.


"Hermione, I know your mother yelled at Ron, but you don't have to play a joke on us to get us to look on your match in a better light," Nathaniel laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. "Snape, indeed. You've hated him from the moment you laid eyes on him, and he's your teacher. Now, where is Ron?"


"I'm not engaged to Ron, or some rock-god. I'm engaged to marry Severus Tobias Snape, Potions Master and Professor of Potions at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Hermione stated, standing up.


"Then he's a bloody pedophile, and we'll have him arrested!" Nathaniel yelled. He was a bear of a man, and he was unhappy. "I have tried all these years to help your mother see the necessity of you living in that world because of your talents, Hermione, but this had gone far enough! Engaged to a teacher. It's wrong, Hermione!"


"Your father's right. You're not leaving this house. You aren't getting married to that old man, and you are not going back to Hogwart's," Jane chimed in, standing as well.


"Old man?! He's almost twenty years older than you himself!" Hermione screeched, pointing at her father. "You have no right to judge Severus like that!"


Outside, Severus had heard enough. This was getting far too close to what Hermione had feared when they set out earlier in the day. He put his wand in an accessible pocket and strode up the walk, commanding the door to open for him.


"Are you quite finished?" Severus Snape snarled at the Grangers as he stormed the kitchen. "Or were you trying to reduce your own daughter to tears? Because that is all you'll accomplish if you continue this way. And I'm not obliged to keep you from harm if you continue to verbally assault my intended."


Jane and Nathaniel Granger stared at the dark wizard. Hermione was already hiccupping, trying not to cry. Nathaniel moved towards Severus, but Hermione came to stand between them.


"No, Father. He only came in here because of how you and Mother were reacting. Severus sensed what you meant to do, and he came in here to stop it," Hermione tried to explain.


"Hermione, he's a pervert. He's twenty years older than you, for Christ's sake! And he took you to his manor to 'get to know you'? He wants in your pants, girl. Don't be so dense," Jane said, all thoughts of what her husband had said a few nights ago gone. "You're lucky he has to marry you, or he'd have you and discard you. You said yourself he hated muggle-born witches and wizards."


"He doesn't! Severus is half-muggle himself!" Hermione said, and Severus scowled at her. "Well, you are! And he was working to destroy Voldemort, the one who would have killed me! Damn it, just try to understand!"


Jane shook her head. "I can't, Hermione. This is sickening. Out. Take your fleabag with you, and get out of my house."


Nathaniel hung his head. "I can't condone this, either. You both need to leave, or we'll call the authorities. Consider yourself a Granger no longer, Hermione Jane."


"Always such a pleasure meeting bigots. Darling, gather your beloved familiar and we shall leave," Severus said. Hermione dashed out of the room, and Severus turned to his supposed in-laws. "You hurt what's mine. I should kill you where you stand. But I wont'. Instead, you can live knowing that every night I will possess her, all the more because you pushed her away. From now Spinner's End is her home. From this day forth, she's a Snape, through and through, and so will be all her children. The grandchildren you'll never see. Ah, she comes. One last parting gift is due, I believe. . ."


"I have him Severus," Hermione breathed, out of breath from her running. "Can we go home now?"


Severus nodded, speaking. "Yes, but we have one last errand. Your hand, my darling?"


Hermione nodded and shifted Crookshanks to one arm. She placed her hand in Severus's, and he drew her to him, crushing his mouth down over hers, taking her brutally, his hands roving up and down over her body, eliciting moans and squeals from her, slipping his hands under her robes and shirt. He pulled back just enough to sneer at the Grangers before disapparating them back to Spinner's End.


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AN: Short, again, I know. And yes, the Grangers were nasty pieces of work. Seems that not even dear ol' da understands completely.


But now how will Severus and Hermione fight that magic when they get back to Spinner's End? Between the magic and the raw emotions running through both man and woman, I smell lemons (but only the really sour ones on aff).


Next chapter: Back at Spinner's End


oh, and for my aff readers: if you can give me your email, I will compile a list to do email alerts