Marriage Law

AN: Ts tos to all for reviewing. Reviews make me want to
write more :)

Melwasul: I’m adopted, but my mum was Swedish and barely a
teen when I was born. Nordic mythology and history is all I have to go by on
where I came from and why I’m here. It’s a slight obsession. Loki rules.

Megan: Neville is my favorite character. In book 4 I cried
when JKR revealed what happene his his parents. I wanted to leap into book 5
and open a can of whoop ass on Bellatrix in such a bad way I read her parts
shaking, literally, with rage. I hope JKR is half as mean as I am.

GrrArrg: Yup, Tiddles was Mrs. Slocombes pussy :) 10 points
to whatever house claims you.

To those who don’t know who Tom Lehrer is, he’s a geek that
writes funny music. Download his song called ‘Smut.’

To all other authors: watch a movie put out by the BBC
called ‘I Capture the Castle.’ You will die laughing. 50 pages!

Marriage Law Chapter 28

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione woke in St. Mungo’s slowly. Her head felt sluggish
and her bed was surrounded with a white divider, blocking her view of the rest
of the room. She groaned.

“I think I’ve got another one,” Hermione heard an unfamiliar
female voice outside her confines.

The curtain was whipped back and Hermione saw a wide-faced
blonde healer standing by her bed. Hermione smiled weakly.

“Don’t try to move, dear,” said the healer, taking Hermiones
wrist and feeling her pulse.

“Where is - what is – how?” Hermione whispered out of her
lips. Her mouth felt dry, as if she hadn’t talked in awhile.

“Don’t you worry now,” said the healer. “Just save your
strength. You’ve had quite the adventure.”

Hermione rested her head on the pillow behind her and closed
her eyes.

“Am I a widow?” she asked, her stomach churning.

The healer was silent. Hermione opened her eyes and looked
at her.

The healer glanced quickly behind her.

“No dear,” she said as if she felt very sorry for her. “He
woke last week and has been waiting by you. He must have stepped out for
lunch.”

Hermione let out her held breath and smiled contently. How
long had she been here? She found she didn’t care. He had been waiting for her.

“He is a good man,” she said as she relaxed. She closed her
eyes so she couldn’t see the healers’ expression. The healer obviously had been
one of his former students.

A short while later she recognized the tone of his voice on
the other side of the door. There were other beds in her room. She wondered who
was in them.

Severus opened the door to the ward and Hermione’s eyes were
open. She was smiling weakly at him.

“Hello, love,” she croaked at him. Her bottom lip was split
open and greenish fluid seeped from the wound. Her skin tone looked slightly
green.

He took three large steps that covered the distance between
them and took her hand in his. His eyes looked like they were tearing up. He
pressed her hand to his forehead as he knelt by her bed and she felt it
becoming moist. He gently dabbed at his eyes with her sleeve and when his eyes
rose to hers they were dry.

“I thought I might die without you,” Severus said hoarsely,
pressing her hand to his chest. She reached up with her other hand and caressed
his cheek. She pulled him to her and he kissed her gently on the lips,
afterwards taking both her hands and kissing each of her knucklesefulefully.

There was a loud sniffle behind Severus and he turned to see
the blonde healer and a new brown haired healer near her sniffling behind their
charts. He frowned at them sternly. The blonde healer busied herself by scuttling
to one of the covered beds and the other all but ran out of the room.

“I’ve really got to learn how you do thasaidsaid Hermione
softly and trying not to laugh. It hurt too much.

He dipped his head so only she could see his face and smiled
at her.

“No,” he said. “You’ll do it to me.”

“Smart boy,” Hermione said closing her eyes and resting back
on her pillow.

Severus smiled down at her and shook his head. He hadn’t
been called a boy for years and didn’t really mind when she did it. He hoped no
one else heard it. He heard a small noise behind him and turned around quickly.
The blonde nurse quickly darted back behind the partition, silently wiping her
nose.

Brainless twit. Hufflepuff. Class of ’90. Hopeless romantic.
Severus hoped his name wouldn’t be tacked onto a propaganda article on the
Marriage Law. Hopefully with the Ministry trying to piece itself together
they’d drop the whole thing.

No one knew what happened deep in the bowels of the Ministry
when Harry and Voldemort did battle. The backlash knocked people unconscious
for miles. The Ministry was working closely with the British authorities to
cover it up. Some nonsense about a chemical leak, whatever that was.

Most muggles had physical damage and were quickly healed and
their things repaired before they were brought to. Their memories were easily modified.

Voldemorts lifeless body was found near Harry unconscious
form. It was in storage in Gringotts. Severus had no idea the goblins possessed
that type of storage facility. It made him wonder what elsey hey had.

Harry had yet to regain consciousness, but the staff at St. Mungo’s
were in a state of dismay. Harry now possessed slitted eyes and his scar had
spread, getting longer and wider, splitting his face and coming to rest on the
top of one cheekbone. No one had a clue as to the cause or the meaning.

Harry was in a padded room surrounded by aurors, bound to
the table he rested on.

Ginny was missing her little finger on her right hand. She
had gained a blue scar on one arm in the shape of Italy.

Fudge and many members of the Ministry were killed in the
attack.

Mrs. Weasley had managed to keep Percy, Fred, George and
Arthur busy trying to subdue her and they didn’t even become involved in the
combat. She would look back in her later years and be terribly pleased with
herself.

Ron had gained consciousness the same day as the attack and
had been waiting in St. Mungo’s for them to wake for weeks. He knew their
marriage had been consummated, but had weeks to think and his arguments were
weak and unenthusiastic at best when he confronted Severus.

Neville was still unconscious. His grandmother sat by his
side every day telling him how proud of him she was with tears in her eyes.

Bellatrix LeStrange had lost her mind. She was placed in the
same ward as the Longbottoms and for the first time, Alice Longbottom raised
one finger, pointed, and laughed. Her healers said it was the most progress she
had made in years.

The captured Deatheaters were being kept in a secret
location so they could be tried and convicted later.

The amazons had lost thirteen girls. Alexandra had boasted
she had encapsulated seven Deatheaters and drove four more to death by dragon.

The Jotun had asked for the unclaimed dead. The few Ministry
that were left had granted them their request and asked no questions.

The black skinned warrior with hair of adders gave Alexandra
a pendant to give to Hermione. He said it would assist her in her jourand
and
it was hers by birthright. Alexandra had been glad when they retreated into
their mountain and the door had disappeared and knew better than to open a box
not meant for her.

Ron and Severus had sorted out their differences waiting for
her to wake and Ron waited on the other side of the door, probably dancing by
now, waiting for Severus to get him.

Severus had talked to him like a normal human for a change,
while waiting for her to wake. Severus loved Hermione. Loved her more than life
and didn’t think she knew.

Ron watched Severus waiting in the leather chair near her
bed, holding her hand, talking to her each day, looking lost and bleak without
her, and Ron just – let go. If she wanted Severus it was fine. He had more to
offer her anyway, Ron thought bleakly.

Ron walked into the ward, not willing to wait anymore and
saw Hermione’s face light up at him. She winced.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” he said, sitting on the other side of
the bed and taking her other hand. “You look a right wreck.”

“I’ve been here for weeks,” Hermione said. “At least it
sounds like it. Why haven’t I been healed?”

“You got hit with an experimental potion,” said Ron excitedly.
“They didn’t know if healing would complicate things.”

Hermione frowned at this and turned to look at Severus.

“We’ll save a bit of money on food,” said Severus, smirking.

“What happened?”

Obviously it was funny and not harmful. They both looked
like they were trying not to snicker.

“It was for the Aurors, when they have to go on long trips,”
said Ron. “I wish Neville could see you.”

“Neville?” Hermione frowned and looked at Severus.

“You can now photosynthesize,” said Severus. “It’ll wear off
eventually, but you got hit with the full supply. It’s only supposed to be
taken a few drops at a time and the bottle cut you. It got directly in your
bloodstream.”

“You looked really cute a few weeks ago,” said Ron. “You
were really green and your eyebrows looked like grass. Wish I’d thought to have
Colin take a picture.”

Severus couldn’t believe Ron was joking at a thing like
this, but Hermione chuckled and Severus relaxed a bit.

“I hope they were smart enough to observe me and gather more
test results,” said Hermione weakly.

“I ran the tests myself,” Severus said, wiping the tears
trying to seep out of his eyes. Weasley had seen him break down in the last
week, but he didn’t want Hermione to see him like this. “I kept careful notes.
You’d find them very interesting.”

A brown haired healer with a thick German accent bustled in
and told them it was time for Hermione to rest. She should not overtax herself.
Severus tried to protest but the healer finally shooed him and Ron from the
room.

***

Hermione recovered within the week and found herself back in
Severus’ quarters at Hogwarts after a weekend visit to her parents. She found
herself feeling refreshed if she got a good amount of sunlight, but she was
told the feeling would pass.

She had lost so much time she found herself a few weeks
before the start of term before she knew it.

Hermione fouerseerself facing Helga Hufflepuff one morning
as she walked into the receiving room in Severus’ quarters. Her powder blue witch’s
hat was in her hands and her hair looked slightly untidy in a loose bun.

“Your friend has awakened,” Helga said gravely. Helga’s
mirror had been returned to Severus’ quarters, but an empty black canvas had
been placed in Dumbledore’s office so she could take her place with the other
portraits if she so chose.

“Which friend?” Hermione said thinking of both Harry and
Neville.

“The Potter boy,” said Helga.

“How is he?” Hermione asked nervously.

“Alive,” said Helga grimly. “Phineas is reporting to
Dumbledore as he finds out information.”

“How does it look?” said Hermione nervously.

“I’m really not sure,” said Helga. “I wish I had more to
tell you, but Phineas hasn’t come back yet. The boy is fairly groggy.”

“We’ll meet you in the office,” said Hermione as she turned
to get Severus.

***

Severus and Hermione practically ran through the halls of
Hogwarts, including through several hidden passages not included on the
Marauders Map.

“Key-Lime Truffle,” Severus
boomed at the gryphon guarding Dumbledore’s office.

Dumbledore sat in his office, the frame of Phineas Nigellus
levitated near his desk so he may talk to him with ease. His fingers were
steepled and glasses rested on the end of his nose. His eyes moved as Hermione
and Severus entered his room, but he didn’t turn from the empty frame.

Severus sat down in a chair in front of the desk and
Hermione chose the one next to him. They sat in silence. Hermione stared at her
hands, folded in her lap and just wished someone would say something.

Phineas appeared in the mirror and gave a distasteful look
to Dumbledore.

“The boy seems to be, in fact, the boy,” said Phineas with a
sniff. “I don’t think anyone would stop you from going. They’re a pretty
rag-tag group.”

“Thank you, Phineas,” said Dumbledore.

It was the best he was going to get from the painting. It
was best they go to see it first hand. The Ministry needed all the help it
could get.

***

“Hermione,” Harry said smiling.

Hermione smiled weakly at him. Severus stood behind her with
a hand on her shoulder.

Harry looked frightful. His scar cleaved his face in two. His
slitted eyes stared out in the same bright green they had always been, at hfromfrom sockets that crinkled at the corners in a familiar way. Hermione couldn’t
help but think back on the prophecy.

When
the mark of thunder shines upon one

And Darkness retreats into the night to rest

The midnight sun shines bright in the sky

One with fathers taken twice shall rise into the light

Plunging darkness into he will fall

Within him power will grow

Two paths here are laid

Light and Dark will be inside

Cleaving one into two

The answer lies with the givers of life

To show the path

Under the sea

How are you feeling?” said Hermione tentatively as she
approached the bed. The bonds she had heard about were gone, but Aurors still
stood guard out of the room.

“Really tired,” said Harry. “My brain feels slow.”

Hermione sat next to the bed nervously. Severus stood near
the door, arms folded watching them.

“Has anyone told you anything?” asked Hermione, hoping that
was a vague enough question.

 <

<

“I killed him,” said Harry, letting his head fall back on
his pillow. His eyes closed and he looked serene. “Voldemort is dead.”

Hermione reached out and took his hand. It was easier with
his eyes closed.

“Now you’re really a hero, Harry,” said Hermione, quirking a
corner of her mouth at him. He barely lifted his eyelids at her and grinned
cynically.

“Guess I am,” said Harry. “Nice to be able to live up to it
for a change.”

Severus snorted from the doorway.

“Well, you’ll always have people to keep your head from
swelling,” said Hermione shooting Severus a look. He made a face at her.

Harry chuckled.

“Now, what’s so funny?” asked Hermione gently, as she
brushed a wild lock of hair out of his eyes.

“I heard you two fancied each other, but this is funny,”
Harry said. “I never would have guessed.”

“How did everyone find out?” Hermione demanded. “I mean-,”
she spluttered.

“The elves told Charlie,” said Harry.

“Charlie was spreading gossip about our marriage?” Severus
frowned.

“Well, he had to tell Mundungus,” said Harry, beginning to
chuckle. Severus saw where this was going quickly and his cheeks flushed in
both embarrassment and anger.

“Mundungus?” Hermione said confused.

“Well, he was the one running the pool,” said Harry,
laughing and suddenly regretting it as his body was wracked with pain.

Hermione gasped, obviously appalled. If Harry wasn’t in such
a state she would have been shaking him.

“There was a pool?” Hermione managed to squeak out.

“Who won?” asked Severus curiously. Hermione was obviously
upset enough for the both of them and any curses she threw would probably be
overlooked.

“Fred and George,” said Harry.

Severus sniffed.

“You’re all disgusting,” said Hermione, folding her arms.

“I didn’t bet,” said Harry. “And Ron didn’t even know about
it until the end.”

Hermione relaxed a little but would be having a word with
both Mundungus and the twins later. She shivered at the thought of having to
marry the dirty little wizard. What would he have pulled if she was his wife?

“What do you remember, Potter?” Severus said evenly.

&:p> 

Harry took a breath and acted like he was trying the best
way to word things.

“We locked wands and Voldemort tried to get in my head,”
said Harry. “We fought.”

Harry was silent for a time.

Severus knew what had happened. Harry had seen the life of
Tom Riddle and they had exchanged memories. Severus could only imagine what
horrors he had seen, but a part of him vaguely worried about what Harry had
learned about him.

“I believe I won,” said Harry.

Severus knew they’d never get much more of an explanation
than that. He nodded at Hermione and she closed her mouth before she could
persist with any questions.

“Potter, have you seen a mirror?” asked Severus.

“A mirror?” said Harry, confused. “Why would anyone give me
a mirror?”

“Your scar has gotten quite a bit larger,” said Severus.
“I’m guessing it was because of the level of the melding.”

“Well, I’m a hero,” said Harry, feeling like he could rest
for the first time in years. Feeling exceptionally brave enough to be snarky to
Snape. “I don’t have to be pretty.” Harry secretly hoped it made him look cool.

“And your eyes, Harry,” said Hermione trepedatiously. “They
look serpentine.”

Harry reached up to realize he wasn’t wearing his glasses.

“What happened?” said Harry. His face went blank for a
moment. “Oh, that makes sense.”

“What makes sense?” Severus asked warily, taking a step
forward.

“The knowledge of Abraxas would change my appearance and I
am a parselmouth, aren’t I?” said Harry.

This made almost no sense to Severus and he shifted
uncomfortably.

“Knowledge would be enough to change your appearance?”
Severus said heavily.

“This knowledge would,” said Harry placing his hand on the
side of his head.

The door to Harrys ward opened and Dumbledore walked in,
followed by Arthur Weasley and Kingsley Shackelbolt.

Arthur tried not to show anything in his face, but a muscle
in his jaw twitched. Kingsley had been there when Harry woke up so he didn’t
have a reaction to Harry’s appearance.

“Hello,” said Harry, sitting up. “Where’s Ron?”

“In the waiting room with the rest of the family,” said Dumbledore,
trying to look cheerful although worry lines creased his forehead. “We wanted
to see how you were before Molly- had vapors over you.”

Harry chuckled.

“I feel a little tired,” said Harry. “Really groggy.”

“I think the family reunion can wait for another day,” said
Arthur. “You’ve really been through a lot, Harry.”

“I really think he’s right,” Hermione said before Harry
could protest. “Tomorrow will come before you know it and you’ll feel a little
better.”

Harry scrunched his face at her and laid his head back onto
his pillow.

“You’ll thank them later,” said Kingsley, thinking of Molly’s
reaction without being warned gently about Harry’s appearance.

A dark haired healer walked into the room with a gold potion
bottle. Severus stopped him and sniffed the contents of the bottle. The healer
seemed taken aback but allowed the intrusion. Severus nodded and the healer
gave Harry the potion. He fell into a relaxed, dopy state and the healer told
them he would need more rest.

“That’s fine,” said Dumbledore, smiling through a strained
expression. “Thank you.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow, Harry,” said Hermione, smiling at
him in a way she hoped looked normal.

“I promise to be more awake tomorrow,” said Harry sleepily.

“Of course you will,” said Hermione.

***

Molly Weasley spooned chowder into the long line of bowls
running along the counter in 12 Grimmauld place. She had been silent since
Arthur and Dumbledore took her into a quiet room to talk to her about Harry.

Since the destruction of the Ministry, Grimmauld
Place had been used as a place for aurors to
gather information, rest, eat, and plan reconstruction of their department.

The aurors had been a
great help in finally getting the place clean and the dark objects removed or
destroyed. Some of the items were in observation where the Department of
Mysteries had been temporarily located.

“I’ll serve them, Molly,” Remus Lupin said, taking two of
the bowls from the counter. “You sit down. You’ve already done more than your
share.”

It was a sign that not all was right with Mrs. Weasley when
she sat down wordlessly, not even bothering to protest. When Lupin put her bowl
in front of her she ate without making a sound.

Tonks slipped into the room and took a seat beside Molly.

“How’s Harry?” Lupin asked.

“Awake and talking to Dumbledore,” said Tonks. “Harry’s seen
what he looks like.”

“And?” Lupin asked, raising an eyebrow as he placed a bowl
in front of Tonks.

“He seemed to take it well,” said Tonks shrugging. “But you
never can tell.”

Lupin nodded as he laid a basket of bread on the table and
other aurors filed into the room.

Hermione and Severus walked through the fireplace with a
whoosh of green flame. Molly looked up at them and shook her head at Severus.
He frowned at her. How dare the woman insinuate he seduced Hermione? He had
kissed her, he admitted that much, but Hermione had returned it and she was a
perfectly capable, logical young lady. Severus decided not to voice his
opinion. Molly had enough stress and Severus didn’t want to be her target when
she finally snapped.

“Harry’s really awake now,” said Tonks to Hermione and
Severus. Hermione seemed to be happy in her marriage and frankly, Tonks had
other things to worry about. Severus had an attitude but he was mostly bark,
Tonks knew that. Hermione could handle him.

“How is he?” said Hermione as a witch in bright green robes
bustled her way past to get her meal.

“Feeling much better,” said Tonks, waving to a handsome
middle-aged blonde wizard in dark blue robes as he grabbed a bowl and left the
room. “He’s up and talking to Dumbledore.”

“Any insight to what happened to him?” asked Severus,
getting jostled by an ancient little wizard in orange robes trying to balance
four bowls of chowder on a tray for people elsewhere in the house.

“As far as we can tell Voldemorts brain collapsed during
battle,” said Tonks. “Harry got all his memories and knowledge.”

“What?” whispered Molly, looking up from her chowder.

“Voldemorts not hiding in there,” said Tonks. “Dumbledore examined
him extensively. Harry said it was like watching a movie in fast-forward.”

“My God,” Hermione said, collapsing onto the bench across
from Molly and Tonks. The green robed witch sat beside her and started eating
quickly.

“He’ll be alright,” said the auror between mouthfuls of
food. “Listened to some of the interviews. Very informative. We’ll learn a lot
from him.”

Molly sighed and stirred her chowder absent-mindedly.

“He was born to do this, Molly,” said Lupin, handing her a
hunk of bread. “Nothing we could have done. We did try, you know.”

Molly nodded and nibbled at the bread. Hermione reached
across the table and squeezed Molly’s hand. Molly didn’t look up but clutched
Hermiones hand.

Green flames leapt in the hearth and all of them turned to
look at Dumbledore as he entered the kitchen. No one said a word.

“I’ve never seen all of you so glum,” said Dumbledore, a
tired smile playing around his lips. “Harry will recover, although he’s been
through more than anyone should ever have to.”

“He’d been through more than anyone should by the end of his
fourth year,” said Severus under his breath. Only Dumbledore heard him.

“He can see visitors tomorrow,” said Dumbledore looking at
Molly. “Although it is advised he not be excited.”

“I’m sure we can manage to hold it together,” said Hermione
before anyone else could say anything.

Molly sighed resignedly, but nodded in agreement.