Saving Miss Granger (Small Edit)

Chapter 21 ~ Taking the Plunge

Dumbledore tapped the tips of his fingers together as he absorbed Hermione’s situation. Marcus truly possessed no morals to speak of, but the Headmaster knew that when he hired him. The wizard had come up alone on the streets, ill-treated and homeless, a target for practically everyone before he joined the Eradicators. A young boy needed guidance, direction and love. Marcus Delaluci had nothing but his own wits and an arsenal of defensive spells to get by.

An orphan, he escaped from the wizarding foster system at the age of twelve, before then he had been shuffled from home to home, finally ending up in an orphanage that was more like a workhouse, where he slaved long hours carrying fabrics and weaving carpets that would be made to fly. Little food and many beatings were the order of the day, and when he hexed the Headmaster for caning him for stealing something to eat, that was his last day under anyone’s thumb. He swore he would never let anyone mistreat him again.

The wizard was lucky his mother had the good sense to tell him to hide his dragon ancestry before she died. If it had been found out, he would have been treated even worse by wizarding society and fallen under the same laws as werewolves and house elves, having no human rights to speak of.

Once he became an Eradicator, the core of hatred inside the wizard was fanned. He became a cold hearted killer for the Ministry, clandestinely ridding the wizarding world of any and all who were out of favor, be it adults or children. He was often required to “teach a wizard a lesson” by beating and raping wives, daughters, mothers or whatever female the Ministry targeted for punishment. He did it with dispatch.

When the existence of the Eradicators became public knowledge, and the group was disbanded, the former Ministry strong-arms were being picked off systematically. Marcus was a targeted wizard, and left England to work as a mercenary for Gringotts bank…taking over territories and slaughtering natives in the name of High Finance. Goblins were cruel and calculating. Wherever unclaimed treasure was, they wanted it and weren’t particular how they got it. Marcus was good at his job.

Finally he tired of all the bloodshed and came back to England to try and make an honest living, and was having a bad go of it until Dumbledore showed up at his small flat in Knockturn Alley and offered him the position of Dark Arts teacher, citing his worldly experience as qualification enough. He had been at Hogwarts ever since. He had a thing for dangerous situations…the quiet life bored him. Women were his hobby…the harder they were to get, the more he enjoyed getting them by whatever means he could other than actually forcing himself on them.

Now he had his sights on Hermione. His actions didn’t break any Hogwarts rules because all in all Marcus basically made a suggestion how to end a volatile private situation, and Hermione was given the option whether or not to act on it. It was a lewd, immoral, indecent, and rather threatening suggestion, but a suggestion nonetheless. One that bordered on blackmail, but because he gave Hermione a choice…it wasn’t quite that.

Albus saw immediately that Marcus was using psychological warfare on the witch. Hermione had a very gentle nature overall and would be very upset at the idea of anyone being injured because of her, particularly the Potions Master who she obviously had some feelings for. The witch didn’t know how powerful Severus was as a duelist, and Marcus simply sold himself as being the stronger wizard because of his position.

“Can’t you obliviate him, Headmaster?” Hermione asked the wizard. “If he doesn’t remember ever being with me, he will leave me alone.”

Albus shook his head.

“Obliviation doesn’t work on the wizard, Hermione. He would have all his memories back inside of three days,” Albus said, his eyes dark.

“Can’t you forbid them to duel then?” the witch suggested.

Albus sighed.

“Everyone has a guaranteed right to bear wands, Hermione. Dueling is a wizarding tradition that dates back centuries. It was created to stop wars for the most part with two wizards settling their differences rather than two factions. If Severus and Marcus wish to face each other, I cannot interfere…though I would hate for it to happen. Both are excellent teachers and would be hard to replace,” the Headmaster said, leaning back in his chair.

Hermione scowled at him. Severus and Marcus being good teachers was the least reason for them not to duel.

“Can’t you do something?” she asked the wizard, twisting her hands.

Albus nodded.

“If they decide to duel…yes, I can do something that might help make sure neither of them kills each other. It hasn’t been done in a long, long time here at Hogwarts, but it is an option. But one of them will have to come to me,” Albus said, looking at Hermione meaningfully. “I think you should tell Severus about this.”

Hermione blanched.

“If I tell Severus, he might seek Marcus out immediately,” the witch said. “He has a terrible temper Headmaster…you know that.”

”Yes, but he is shrewd also. I highly doubt he would just charge into the fray. Severus is a cautious man as well, Hermione. He would never have survived his service to the Dark Lord all those years if he flew off the handle at every upsetting situation. Go talk to him, or give him a pensieve of your conversation with Marcus. See what he says.”

More than likely, Severus would be angry that she even went to talk to Marcus instead of coming directly to him immediately. Hermione wasn’t looking forward to that. The Potions Master could be downright abusive to those he felt did something unbelievably asinine. The gods knew he’d dressed down enough students for what he considered blatant stupidity. She wasn’t sure if the wizard’s lust for her could control his wrath. Hermione sighed. She did need to tell him.

“Very well, Headmaster. I’ll go see him now. I don’t think I will give him a pensieve though. I think it would be better if I told him face to face,” Hermione said.

“He’ll appreciate that, I’m sure,” the Headmaster said in an attempt to be supportive.

It was easy to tell she was a bit frightened to face the wizard with this information. He really didn’t blame her. Severus could be quite frightening at times and Marcus’ attempt to blackmail her into intimacy would not be taken well by the wizard. What Severus felt was his, was his. He and Hermione may not have yet physically consummated their relationship on a personal level, but the possessive nature of the wizard more than likely made him feel he had rightful claim to her. That bode ill for Marcus.

Hermione took her leave of the Headmaster, taking his floo directly to her rooms. She didn’t want to run into Marcus. She took a deep breath, exited and walked down the corridor to Severus’ office. She found the door was open, and walked in.

“Severus?” she called, walking through the office and into his classroom. He wasn’t there either. Hermione hesitated and walked toward his lab. The door was slightly cracked. She knocked timidly.

“Go away! I am in the midst of brewing. Come back later and make an appointment according to protocol,” the wizard called out.

“All right,” Hermione said in a small voice, starting to back away.

Suddenly the door to the lab was flung open.

“Hermione? What are you doing here? Come in,” Severus said, opening the door wider then swiftly walking back to his caldron, studying the contents before stirring it four time clockwise and placing the lid on it. He then turned to Hermione.

What was she doing here? It really wasn’t a good idea for the witch to be alone with him, not if she wanted to walk out with the same gait she walked in with. His dark eyes washed over her. She was dressed in her everyday robes and trainers. She probably had on jeans underneath.

“I’m sorry for my greeting. Students have an annoying habit of just barging in on me during the weekends, as if I’ve nothing better to do than waste my free time with them. I have office hours for a reason,” he said snarkily.

He noticed Hermione looked distressed. He immediately pulled a stool around and gestured for her to sit.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked her with concern. He didn’t like the way the witch looked.

Hermione nodded.

“Tell me,” he said, sitting down on another stool and studying her face. Her amber eyes looked up at him for a moment, then flicked away. He knew that look from when she was a student. She was hiding something she desperately wanted to tell.

“Tell me,” he said with more authority in his voice.

“All right. But I want you to promise me you won’t do anything rash until you’ve talked to Albus,” she replied.

Something rash? Albus?

“I assure you, Hermione…I always think before I act,” the wizard said evenly. “Now tell me what is troubling you.”

“Marcus,” the witch said haltingly.

The Potions Master’s brows drew together blackly at the wizard’s name.

“What did he do to you?” Severus asked her through clenched teeth. He better not have touched her.

“He’s done nothing…well not yet. He wants to do something…” she began.

Severus’ face contorted

“I know what he wants to do. Do you want him to do it?” Severus asked the witch jealously. “Because if you do, Hermione…then you…”

Hermione’s eyes turned red as fire as she jumped up off the stool

“How dare you ask me something like that…especially after the wonderful time we had last night! What kind of witch do you think I am? You fucking insensitive git! I should have known better than to come to you!” Hermione screamed at him, running for the lab door and pulling it open.

Severus took off after her like a shot, slamming the door closed before she could exit and spinning the angry witch around to face him, his pale hands clutching her shoulders. Damn, the witch had a temper. He had to defuse this, quick.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry Hermione. Please,” he said. “The thought of that wizard, and how determined he is to bed you makes my blood boil. I didn’t mean to lash out at you.”

Severus had seen through Legilimency the way Marcus took the witch and how she had responded to him. How she had asked him to fuck her. How she had rode his body so hungrily. Hermione had been under the spell's influence but still it made Severus terribly jealous…especially since she believed he was not a creative lover. He felt as if Marcus had outshined him and that the witch might still be attracted to the Dark Arts teacher because of this.

“You need to listen before you speak, Severus. I’m trying to tell you what happened with Marcus today,” the witch said brokenly. Everything felt as if it were coming down on her. Severus walked her back to the stool, sat the witch down on it, then took the stool opposite her.

“I’m listening now, Hermione. Tell me what happened with Marcus,” he said softly.

Hermione gulped down her tears and proceeded to tell him Marcus’ offer to her, that he wouldn’t duel the Potions Master or pursue her if she would sleep with him one time. The look on the Potions Master’s face was terrible.

“And what did you say?” he asked her, his stomach tight.

“I told him I needed some time to think about it. He gave me two days and said if I didn’t give him an answer, he would call you out. Then I went to Dumbledore,” Hermione said.

Severus looked at her, trying to maintain his cool. Marcus had gone too far this time. Much too far.

“Do you think Marcus can outduel me?” he asked the witch.

“I don’t know, Severus. He is the Dark Arts teacher,” Hermione said, her voice faltering, “I don’t want to see you hurt or killed. I haven’t even…I just…please, I don’t want this to happen.”

Severus studied the witch and knew that she had been considering giving in to the wizard for his sake. He couldn’t ever remember anyone willing to make a personal sacrifice on his behalf. No one. He slid a finger under her chin and lifted her face to his.

“Tell me the truth, Hermione. Were you willing to let a wizard have his way with you to protect me?” he asked her in a subdued voice. “A wizard you don’t want anything to do with?”

Hermione didn’t speak for a moment, then said in a small voice, “If I had to, yes. I would have let him do what he wanted.”

“Why?” Severus asked her, “Why would you do such a thing, witch?”

“Because…because I think there can be something good between us, Severus. Something I’ve never had before, and I don’t want you taken away before I find out if I’m right or not,” the witch said, her lower lip trembling like a child’s. “You are so much more than I ever thought you were…and…and I want to know more. If something happens to you, I’ll never know. If it were in my power to stop you from being harmed, then I would gladly do whatever I had to.”

Severus stared at her, feeling something unfamiliar wash over him, something powerful. He stood up, caught Hermione by the arm and swiftly walked her to the lab door.

“You go back to your rooms. I’ll take care of Marcus,” he said to her, pushing her through the lab door quickly. Hermione looked at him with terrified eyes.

“Don’t worry witch. I’m not going to duel him. Today, at least,” he smirked at her.

Then he gave her a quick kiss.

“Now go,” he said hoarsely, closing the door on her.

Hermione stood there a moment, wondering what just happened. She could still feel the warmth of his lips on her mouth. Then she turned and exited his classroom, worried but feeling a bit relieved that Severus knew what Marcus had tried to do and said he would handle it. Hermione believed he would.

Severus sat down on the stool with a groan, resting his elbow on the lab table and resting his head in his hand. He had almost lost it. He had almost let himself loose on the witch. Her admission had moved him and if she had stayed there one moment longer, he would have swept her into his arms, carried her to his bedroom and fucked her until he could no longer move. No one had ever expressed such care for him or been willing to sacrifice something precious for his sake. It seemed he meant more to the witch than her own virtue. What a jewel Hermione Granger was turning out to be. Gods…when he finally got hold of her…

The wizard collected himself. Now wasn’t the time to think about fucking Hermione.

It was time to think about how to deal with a certain violet-eyed pig in wizard’s robes.

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A/N: Man oh man. It’s about to hit the fan isn’t it? Whew, they swung awfully close to the orchard there…but not yet…not yet. Wonder what Dumbledore has up his sleeve? Well let’s see in the upcoming chapters. Please review.