The Makeover - COMPLETED

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 23 ~ Collections and Statements

Twenty minutes later, Albus, Hermione and about thirty Aurors appeared in the graveyard, and saw the open grave. Albus led the way down, his wand drawn, followed closely by Hermione with the Aurors bringing up the rear.

“Severus?” Albus called as he left the stairs.

“In here, Headmaster,” Severus called back, still thumbing through Playwizard. Peter groaned, and the Potions Master looked over at him for a moment then decided to leave him conscious.

“He sounds all right,” Albus said to Hermione, who looked extremely worried. Still, they kept their wands drawn as they entered the main room.

Peter was rousing, his face badly bruised and his jaw clearly broken. Little birds were hopping about on the scant furniture and floor, some pecking at Peter’s legs.

Hermione looked at the Potions Master with concern, peering at him to see if he had suffered any damages. He was sitting at the table reading…

“Playwizard?” Hermione seethed, “What are you doing ogling naked witches in a situation like this?”

For some reason, the witch was livid. Albus chuckled as the Aurors collected Peter.

“I am not ogling witches. I am reading the articles,” the Potions Master said with a smirk, closing the magazine and placing it face down on the table, then rising. “As you can see, Spells Mistress, I had the situation well in hand. Peter has never been a match for me, mentally or physically. I simply gave him the bird.”

Hermione looked at all the tiny birds hopping about. Severus must have cast a few Avis spells. Then she noticed the black stains on the wall and broken glass. She walked closer to it.

“Blood. It looks like it's been here for years,” she said, examining the wall.

“No, only half an hour. You are looking at the final remains of the Dark Lord. Peter was keeping the blood alive with the elixir I created years ago, probably in the hope of resurrecting Voldemort again,” the Potions Master said soberly.

“And the blood was issuing the Phantom Summons,” Hermione breathed, staring at the black stain. “And when Peter felt the summons from your Mark, he thought it might be the Dark Lord and answered it.”

Albus walked over next to Hermione and examined the blood as well. Then he turned to her.

“I must say, Spells Mistress, you solved the mystery of the Phantom Summons quite well. You and the Potions Master make a good team,” the wizard said, smiling broadly as Hermione scowled.

Severus smirked.

“Yes, and I think we have the potential to make an even better team, Headmaster,” he purred.

Albus arched an eyebrow at the dark wizard.

“Really Severus? How so?” he asked.

Hermione turned and looked at the Potions Master, who rested his eyes on the witch.

“I haven’t quite worked out the details. Miss Granger and I will have to put our…heads together,” he said silkily.

Hermione colored deeply and Albus looked a bit perplexed. An Auror walked up.

“We are going to need a statement from you, Professor Snape as well as you, Miss Granger. Would you mind coming with us down to the Ministry?” he asked.

Severus nodded his assent at the wizard, then looked at Hermione.

“Not at all,” Hermione said, glad to get out of the uncomfortable situation. “I’ll see you back at Hogwarts, Headmaster.”

Albus nodded as Hermione followed the Auror out.

Severus watched her go.

“Quite an amazing young woman, isn’t she Severus?” the Headmaster said, eyeing the wizard. Severus turned and looked at the Headmaster.

She has some good points, Headmaster, though I would hardly call her amazing. Our discovery of this lair was an accident really. If Peter hadn’t answered the call, Voldemort’s blood would have not been discovered,” the Potions Master said.

Albus frowned.

“Give credit where it is due, Severus. If our Spells Mistress had not discovered how to send the summons, Pettigrew would not have appeared. She found a way to end your pain. You should be grateful to her, and show her you are. It’s the least you can do,” the Headmaster said, disapproval in his voice.

Severus’ eyes met the Headmaster’s steadily.

“I will show Miss Granger exactly how I feel in good time, Headmaster…be assured,” the wizard said silkily, striding past Albus. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go file a statement at the Ministry of Nincompoops.“

Severus exited the lair, Albus staring after him, shaking his head.

“I just don’t understand that wizard,” he said.

The Headmaster was in good company.

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Severus and Hermione told of the events that led up to Peter’s appearance, capture and destruction of the Dark Lord’s living blood to the Council. Minister Figglesworth’s brow was creased the entire time. He was trying to figure out how the Ministry could claim some of the credit for the discovery. He frowned slightly because he couldn’t.

The Ministry’s laxness would make the Council look very bad when the story hit the papers. Figglesworth focused on Hermione.

“Miss Granger, why didn’t you summon the Aurors when Peter Pettigrew appeared?” he asked her. “That was the proper measure to take when facing a wanted criminal.”

Severus frowned. It was clear to see the Minister was trying to pin some kind of impropriety on the witch since he couldn’t take any credit.

”There wasn’t time. If I had summoned the Aurors we might not have been able to follow and find him,” the witch responded. “It was a gut reaction.”

“A gut reaction that could have had a very bad end,” Figglesworth said accusingly. “You overstepped your bounds, Miss Granger. You should have left this to the Ministry.”

Hermione stared at the Minister of Magic in disbelief. They had captured Peter Pettigrew and destroyed Voldemort’s blood and he was browbeating her for it?

She was about to defend herself when Severus spoke.

“Minister Figglesworth…it has been very clear to those of us who suffered from the Phantom Summons for all these years that the Ministry had no interest in trying to end our suffering or in looking for the source of it. Albus Dumbledore and Miss Granger took it upon themselves to privately research the problem, seeking to put an end to it. Your administration provided no support whatsoever.”

Severus eyed all the Council members condescendingly.

“You all turned a blind eye to the suffering of a part of the wizarding community. Former deatheaters. This woman, this witch…who is a muggle-born no less, devoted two years of her life trying to find an answer to this problem. She inadvertently drove Peter Pettigrew from underground in the process. Peter was not a wanted criminal. He was presumed dead. None of your Aurors were looking for him. He was not on your ‘Most Wanted’ list. When the Phantom Summons came, I was incapacitated by pain. If Miss Granger had not acted quickly and demanded I follow the wizard, he would have escaped. It is obvious to me sir, that your concern is not about her following proper protocol or procedure…which in fact is not even an issue since you washed your hands of the Dark Mark problem, but about the Ministry appearing lax in its duties…which it was and is.”

Minister Figglesworth turned completely red at this statement. Severus continued.

”Miss Granger made the right decision. If you were looking at the situation reasonably, Minister, you would see this. But then again, it is not the first time you and this Council have made an error in judgment laying blame,” Severus said evenly, thinking how he had been incarcerated and brutally interogated before being freed and given the Order of Merlin.

Figglesworth swelled visibly as he looked at the pale wizard. Severus’ eyes were hard as stones as he returned the Minister’s glare. Another Council member leaned into the wizard and reminded him that most likely both Severus and Hermione would be speaking with reporters. It wouldn’t do for the Potions Master to repeat what he said here to the papers. Figglesworth frowned blackly.

“Very well. Your statements have been duly noted. You are both free to go,” he said in bad temper.

Hermione stared at him. Weren’t they even going to get a ‘thank you?”

The Council stood up and exited the boardroom.

Severus turned and exited as well, Hermione following him and scowling. They left the Ministry building and headed for the public apparition point. Both were silent as they walked. The Potions Master jaw was tight. He was very angry. Fucking idiots.

“I didn’t know the Council was made up of such assholes,” Hermione said suddenly.

Severus looked at her, and his mouth quirked.

“A very astute observation, Miss Granger. The Ministry of Magic is like one huge loo in this respect. Full of assholes and shit,” the wizard said. “They are more concerned with appearances and getting re-elected than governing properly. It has always been that way.”

Hermione nodded.

“Figglesworth sounded as if he were about to string me up,” the witch said.

They stopped, joining the line of witches and witches waiting to apparate. Hermione placed her hand on Severus’ arm. He looked down at her.

“Thank you for speaking up,” she said softly.

He frowned at her.

“I only gave the facts as I saw them, Miss Granger. It was not a rescue,” he said as the line moved up. Then he looked at her consideringly.

“Would you like to apparate with me? I can take you directly into Hogwarts,” he said craftily. Hermione caught the little note in his silken voice and her brow furrowed.

“Can you take me directly to the door to my rooms?” she asked him.

“No, but close,” he replied.

When he apparated to Hogwarts, he always ended up in his bedroom.

“How close?” she asked him suspiciously.

“Reasonably close,” he said obtusely.

Hermione studied him and noticed the glint in his eyes.

“Reasonably close as in your private rooms?” she asked him, her own eyes glinting now. The Potions Master was trying to pull a fast one on her…to get her alone with him. She was tempted, but wasn’t ready for the kind of pressure he would put on her. Not after this morning. Good gods, no.

“Yes, my private rooms,” he replied, looking at her with some heat.

Hermione felt a bit of warmth in her belly. Damn, she hoped she didn’t wet her knickers again. She was going to have to start wearing knicker liners around the wizard if this kept up.

“No, I’ll apparate back solo,” she said.

The Professor shrugged as they stepped into the space for apparition.

“Suit yourself, witch,” he said, then disappeared with a crack of thunder.

Hermione was a little surprised. He didn’t even try to coax her. She thought the wizard would at least ask her once more so she could turn him down again. But he didn’t.

Severus wasn’t a wizard to beg a witch for what he wanted.

Hermione sighed and disapparated, reappearing in front of Hogwarts’ main gates. She looked around. No, the Professor wasn’t here waiting for her. She should have known better. He went directly to his rooms as he planned.

Hermione pulled out her wand, unwarded the gates and stepped through, warding them back and striking off across the grounds.

What a day this had been. Kissed by Severus, capturing Peter Pettigrew, facing the Ministry Council, and almost lured to the Potions Master’s private rooms. She had been tempted to go, but held back. She didn’t think she could survive another kiss from the wizard, much less anything else.

The witch felt a pulse in her lower belly as she considered what ‘anything else’ could be. Unconsciously, she hugged herself as she approached the castle.

No…she probably wouldn’t be able to survive another kiss by the dark, snarky wizard, not intact anyway…but gods, what a way to go.

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In his study, Severus gulped down a shot of firewhiskey, his black eyes a bit angry. He had wanted Hermione to accompany him back to his rooms. He wasn’t planning on fucking the witch, but he would have enjoyed heating her up a bit before tossing her out of his rooms. It was all a part of the delicious game.

The wizard sat down in his armchair, gazing into the flames and thinking about all that had transpired. It had been quite a day. Suddenly the Potions Master realized he really did need to thank the witch.

She had saved his life.

Peter Pettigrew had been about to cast the Killing curse on him, and he was wandless. He could do wandless magic but it took time for his power to build…he would not have been able to focus it in time. If Hermione had hesitated hexing the wizard, he would be dead.

Shit. Not another Life debt. It was bad enough when he had to follow Potter around, saving him from himself. Circe.

Severus scowled blackly for several minutes, then sighed with relief. No, he didn’t owe Hermione a life debt. He had saved her life already by refusing to give her to the Dark Lord. She had simply evened the score. Thank the gods. They were on equal footing.

Until they hit the bed, that is.

Now that he was free from her service…Severus decided it was time to turn up the heat a bit more. In this case, he figured less would be more. The wizard smirked.

He was going to drive Hermione Granger wild.

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A/N: Nice little transitional chapter. Now the way is cleared for Severus to get his groove on. :D Hermione got a little hot over that magazine, didn’t she? "Reading the Articles." Lol. Right. Anyway, please review.