Mrs.Malfoy

Author note: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I can’t stop writing! HAHAHAHAHA!!! My fingers…my poor poor fingers…almost numb…WRITER’S CRAMP! Good thing for you guys it’s not writer’s block!!! LMAO! Ouch…must…keep…writing…Short but (what’s the word?)…Poignant!


Emilia, er Ginny, paced the office floor. She had to get to Hermione. Something inside told her it was a lie, false reporting, mixing up stories…something! Ginny just didn’t think it was true. It was too good to be true. She looked out of the office window overlooking the employees. She saw many shocked faces.

Ginny had had enough. She couldn’t wait any longer. She exited the office and cast Sonorous on her throat. “MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE? After reading this morning’s article, I find myself worried about a close friend who must be going out her mind about now. Therefore, I am taking the rest of the day off and visiting her. You may either stay and continue your work or you may go home. It is entirely up to you. Be sure to lock up.”

She strode to the floo, threw in the powder, and called out, “Malfoy Manor.”

*****

Molly was gingerly sipping her morning coffee, the one that uses about three times the caffeine as muggle coffee, and perused the fresh copy of The Daily Prophet. Arthur was also taking his coffee with a flaky scone. He had just began stirring cream into his coffee when he heard Molly gasp. He looked up to see her with wide eyes, a dropped chin, and the paper facing him. He read the headline, and sequentially, knocked his coffee into the floor on his way to grab his and Molly‘s coats.

“RON! We’re going out!”

*****

Ron entered the kitchen to make himself a snack, of course. He looked out the window to see Harry swirling amongst the tops of the branches of the trees on his broom. Ron plastered a large smile onto his face and went to grab his broom. On his way to the broom closet, he slipped on the wet floor and landed arse first on the ground. He slowly lifted himself up rubbing his bum. Ron’s eyes drifted to the spilled coffee, the overturned cup on the table, and the newsprint that was now turning an even worse shade of brown absorbing what was left of the beverage on the table. Then his eyes caught something else.

He ran as fast as he could out into the back yard. “HARRY! GET DOWN HERE! YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!”

*****

Back at the Manor, a new mother was crying in the arms of the man she came to care so much about. Severus stroked her hair and rubbed his hand against her heaving back gently. He also felt relief, but it was subdued. Always suspicious, he didn’t want to let his guard down until he knew all the facts. It was so sudden.

“Does this…does this mean I can…Am I free?” she stuttered through her teas.

Severus looked down at her and sighed. “No, not yet. There are so many things to do. First, we must find out the truth. You know as well as anyone that that paper is a pack of lies more often than not. We must go the Ministry and figure out what has happened. I can’t help but think that there is treachery afoot. Although, you don’t know how much I want it to be true, Hermione.”

She lifted her face from his tear stained shirt and looked into his eyes when his voice went soft. She saw it there. He didn’t say it, but she saw it. He loved her. It was as if the whole world slowly disappeared from view. It was just Severus and Hermione standing in the kitchen and embracing each other, completely entranced with one another’s eyes.

He lowered his head slowly and gently touched his lips to hers. It was the confirmation she needed. He wasn’t upset about her dubious actions over the last year. He had forgiven her in a way. It was all she needed to know. Her hands clasped the back of his neck and brought him closer, deepening their kiss. His arms instinctively wrapped around her waist and held her close. Their private moment was broken as a cough echoed in the room. They jumped apart to see Emilia standing in the doorway.

Severus became rigid almost immediately, then relaxed as he felt Hermione’s hand in his.

“Ginny, did you hear? Severus has his doubts, but I just can’t believe it!” Hermione said as she let go of Severus and ran to her best friend. Ginny removed the glamour after noticing how withdrawn Severus became.

“Yes, I did!” she exclaimed. She turned to Severus, “How do we find out?”

“If it’s true?” he asked. She nodded. “As I was telling Hermione before we were interrupted, we need to go to the Ministry first and get the story from them.”

Ginny leaned over to Hermione and said in a whisper, “He didn’t look like he was telling you anything.” Ginny giggled as Hermione blushed.

Just then, the floo ignited allowing Molly and Arthur to enter. “HERMIONE!”

The young woman ran to the living room with a finger to her mouth. “Shh! Rabastan is asleep.”

Molly went red with embarrassment. “Oh! I’m so sorry, dear. I hope I didn’t wake the angel.”

Hermione listened for a moment. “No it doesn’t seem so. Please come into the kitchen. Severus and Ginny are here. We’ll discuss what to do next.” The door behind them was immediately shoved open as Ron and Harry ran inside, rushed to Hermione, and enveloped her into a bone crushing hug.

“Boys! Boys! Please, I need to breathe!” she laughed.

“Is it true?”

“Yeah, did you find out anything?”

“What are you going to do now?”

“When is dinner?”

Hermione looked at Ron at that with her brow furrowed. “Ron, honestly. And as for the situation, come with me. Everyone else is here, so we might as well discuss it altogether.”

They entered the kitchen and immediately Harry began shooting daggers at Severus. “What’s he doing here?”

“Acquitted, Harry, now sit down,” Hermione said exasperated. They had discovered that Lucius was polyjuiced as Severus that night on the Observation Tower. His memory was altered as if to look like he was under the Imperius curse when it occurred. Therefore, both men were set free, unfortunately.

“Fine,” he said in a huff and took a seat.

A few hours later, after all the details were resolved, the group went their separate ways. Molly took Rabastan back to the Burrow, while Severus went with Hermione to the Ministry of Magic.

Hermione wanted to walk. It would be the first time she was out in public with Severus without worrying about someone seeing them together. He kept his distance, standing as guard, but it still felt different to Hermione. Obviously, the entire population of Wizarding London had gotten the Daily Prophet that morning. People were giving her slight nods, half smiles, and giving her a wide berth with which to walk.

Finally, she reached the phone booth. “Severus Snape and Hermione Malfoy.” Stating her business, the elevator began going down, stopping on the second level. She approached the receptionist.

“Hermione Jane Granger Malfoy to see the Registrar.”

“May I ask the reason for your visit?”

Severus sneered at the woman. “Have you not seen the paper this morning? Are all the Ministry employees daft? What do you think she’s here for?”

Hermione turned to Severus and laid a hand on his arm to keep him at bay. She then turned back to the woman behind the desk whose face was beginning to redden from anger and embarrassment. “Forgive him. He didn’t get his morning coffee. I would like to file the appropriate paperwork,” Hermione said as she handed the woman a copy of the paper. The woman read the headline and gasped.

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Malfoy. I’ll get the registrar right away.”

A few moments later, a rather stout man was shaking Hermione’s hand. “Mrs. Malfoy, what a pleasure. Please follow me to my office.”

Hermione and Severus did so quietly. When they were both seated and the doors to the office thoroughly sealed with silencing charms and wards, per Severus’ insistence, the man begun, “And what is it I can do for you today?”

Severus sighed. “Illiterate, every one of them,” he thought ruefully.

“I would like to terminate my marriage,” she said without a waiver in her voice.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise. “You…you what?”

Hermione took a deep breath. “Under section twenty-two, paragraph nineteen, clause three, the marriage law clearly states that the marriage contract can be rescinded in the event of death before a second child is conceived. The second child will stands testament to the marriage being a success and both parties will remain contractually obligated to adhere to said law in its entirety. If death or dismemberment resulting in the impossibility to conceive the second child occurs, then the marriage will be reviewed by the Ministry of Magic provided proof the non pureblood spouse did not inflict said damage or death. Proof of spouse‘s whereabouts must be presented before examination of case. You see, sir, Mr. Snape here can testify on my behalf that I was nowhere near Ireland.” With that, she tossed the Daily Prophet down in front of the man. He read the headline.

LUCIUS MALFOY FOUND DEAD IN DUBLIN!

The man’s eyes widened even further if that was at all possible. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione beat him to it putting not only a look of utter shock on the man’s face, but Severus’ as well.

“It is also fact that Mr. Snape is half-blood. Therefore, he is obligated to marry under the law, but has yet been petitioned, a travesty in my opinion. With that said, I wish to file a petition for him. He is my son’s godfather and it would be best to keep him close to my son as his real father is no longer…breathing.”

“WHOA! Wait just a moment, young lady. You cannot petition for a half-blood. You are muggleborn.”

Severus watched as that wicked grin he had seen once before graced her beautiful face. In the next moment, Hermione withdrew a large scroll from her robes. It was a list of names. It was her family tree from the vault. She set it down in front of the man.

“I believe you have the appropriate paperwork, do you not?” she asked as she casually crossed her legs and began to pick a piece of imaginary lint from her sleeve.

Severus smirked. Slytherin, indeed.

AN: yeah WHOA! Um, had this written one way and then well like I said.. I let the plot bunnies loose and twister decided to dominate in the end when I came back to reread it and ended up changing the end of the chapter altogether. It was going to end with the headline, but well, this whole other idea popped into my mind…yeah, I’m happy with this one…I‘m looking smug…Don’t worry…It’s not all roses and champagne from here…there is much more according to the gleam in the Evil Plot Bunny’s eyes.