Twice Bitten ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 41 ~ Facing the Music ala Minerva

Despite Hermione’s wishes, Snape brought her to the Infirmary. As skilled as he was, he was no medi-witch, and Poppy might find something that he could have overlooked. However, bringing Hermione here meant that he would have to face Minerva.

Poppy checked the witch thoroughly, clucking as she waved her wand slowly over the witch’s body. Hermione was still unconscious and Snape hovered rather anxiously. After about fifteen minutes, Poppy turned to the dark wizard.

”Miss Granger is suffering from blood loss and trauma, most likely brought on by exhaustion. I’m also detecting powerful magic that’s been performed on her person, something that has . . . for lack of a better explanation, taken strength from her. But her vital signs are good, and with a bit of Blood Replenisher, rest and nourishment, she should be fine,” the medi-witch said.

Snape nodded, saying nothing at first as he looked down on the unconscious witch.

”When will she awaken?” the wizard asked.

”It’s hard to say. After I’ve treated her, she’s going to need a little time, but I don’t think it will be that long,” she said to the wizard, arching an eyebrow at his concern. Snape usually dropped patients off and kept going, showing no personal interest.

“Do you know what happened to her?” Poppy inquired.

Snape hesitated.

”I’m not sure. I’m hoping to find out when she awakens,” the wizard said.

”Well count on her being out for at least another hour,” Poppy said, exiting the enclosure to retrieve potions the witch would need.

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Snape looked down on Hermione. Her eyes were closed, her skin very pale and her breasts rising and falling slightly. To think, only a few hours ago, they were intimately involved, those amber eyes open and glistening, those arms wrapped tightly around his body. He pushed back the memory as best he could. He bent over her.

”Such a foolish, courageous, infuriating witch you are, Hermione Granger,” he said softly, pulling the covers closer around the witch. “But I am glad you survived your madness. Still, we have issues . . .”

Here the wizard paused, his throat feeling a bit tight.

”. . . issues we will address quite soon,” he finished, straightening.

Poppy returned with the potions and began administering them. Snape watched for a while then walked to the window. It was raining outside, rivulets of water streaming down the panes. The wizard stood there for the next hour, glancing back at Hermione from time to time to see if she had awakened.

Hermione had indeed awakened, but slowly, peering around her. She saw Snape standing at the rain-streaked window, his pale hands clasped behind his back. She watched him for several minutes, knowing he was there because of her, before she closed her eyes and purposely let out a little cough.

The wizard immediately turned and hurried over to her, looking into her face intently for any signs of consciousness. Hermione wriggled her toes a bit first, then scrunched up her face, her nose crinkling. Then she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the pale wizard hovering over her, giving him a small smile. It was clear he had been worried.

”Hello, Severus,” she said softly as the wizard took on a severe look.

”Don’t hello me, witch,” he snapped at her, although he took her hand. “You did something beyond idiotic, even for a Gryffindor.”

”It worked didn’t it? I’m free now,” she said to him, aware of the warmth of his hand, which tightened slightly.

”It appears so, but exactly how is it you are free? I need you to elaborate on what you told me,” he said to the witch, drawing up a chair but not letting go of her hand. It was an interesting mixture of severity and concern.

“The demon wanted my soul. He couldn’t take it if it wasn’t available . . . if it belonged to someone else,” she said softly to him.

Snape scowled at her.

”There is only one way to seal a soul with another. A mutual Binding,” the wizard said, frowning at the witch, wondering how she pulled this off.

”No,” Hermione corrected him, “it doesn’t have to be a mutual binding, Severus. I know that’s what everyone believes, but I always thought if one person’s . . . feelings were powerful enough, they could still bind. Tonight, I tested the theory and found I was correct.”

Snape blinked at her.

“In order to even begin to perform a binding, Hermione you require . . .”

Here the wizard stopped speaking, realizing their coupling had provided everything she needed for a binding . . . except his blood. A binding required the blood of both individuals. She didn’t have it. But somehow, she managed it. The fact that Cerebin didn’t take her proved that.

“So you seduced me with an ulterior motive in mind,” the dark wizard said to her, his face expressionless.

Hermione gave him a wan smile.

”Well, I guess you could say so, but I really wanted to be closer to you, Severus. It was a means to an end, but I would have wanted it even if there were no end,” she said softly.

Snape studied her. Gods, she looked so innocent to be so calculating.

”Very Slytherin. Take that as a compliment,” he said to the witch, a bit of respect in his tone. “Still, I am going to have to inform the Headmistress about your ‘method.’ She is going to be less than pleased, I’m sure.”

”Don’t tell her, Severus!” Hermione exclaimed, trying to sit up.

Snape pushed her back down.

”Sssh, witch. I must tell her. Everything,” he said.

”But she’s going to have Bugbears,” Hermione exclaimed.

”Most likely worse than that, but it can’t be helped, Hermione. I am a member of Hogwarts staff and under her directive to inform her of everything that occurs concerning you. Besides, she will know you were in the Infirmary when she checks Poppy’s records. It must be explained. I can’t ask Poppy to alter her notes. She’s very conscientious and would refuse and be insulted I even asked,” Snape said. “We can only hope the Headmistress will be more pleased that you are free of the demon onus, than by the method it occurred.”

Hermione made a face. No doubt the minute the Headmistress heard about the Binding, she would blame Severus for taking advantage of her.

”Well, at least wait until I can come with you and explain what I did,” Hermione said to the wizard.

Snape shook his head.

”That would be one or two days from now. Minerva expects immediate contact. I imagine she will be quite angry that I didn’t awaken her immediately,” the wizard said.

Hermione stared at him.

”Severus, you could be dismissed,” she said in a low voice.

Snape nodded.

”If I am, it will be blatantly because of Minerva’s outlook. You are beyond the Age of Consent, and there are no rules stating that staff members cannot fraternize with students who are of proper age. If she does decide to dismiss me, I could fight it, although I am not sure I would. It’s hard enough teaching here without having the Headmistress against me,” the wizard said.

”She seems to have a grudge against you,” Hermione said.

Snape nodded again.

”Albus. She loved him dearly although he didn’t return her affections for reasons of his own,” the wizard replied obliquely. “She always hoped she’d get through to him, never understanding it was simply impossible. When I killed him, she felt I had ruined her chances forever. It was easier to accept than Albus wanted no more than friendship.”

Hermione had the distinct impression that there was more to this story than met the eye, but didn’t press. Instead, she said, “Thank you for standing vigil, Severus. It felt good to wake up and see you here.”

Snape looked at her. The situation surrounding them was more than “him being here.” Hermione had bound herself to him. It was almost a one-sided marriage. Bindings were rare these days, usually only performed by young people who wanted to insure they would be together as an act of desperation against pre-arranged marriages, which still occurred among Purebloods.

The wizard stood up and tucked Hermione’s covers around her securely, then on a whim, leaned down and kissed her nose, much as she had done him earlier in the night. It was a rather sweet act, and Hermione was both surprised and rather thrilled. She had believed Severus would take her to task for her actions . . . but he was a true Slytherin. What was good for the gander was good for the goose, although more than likely there would be some repercussions down the line. Right now, the wizard was just glad she survived. Hermione felt safe and warm beneath his gaze.

“Rest now,’ the wizard said softly. “I will inform Poppy you are awake. No doubt she will force that swill she calls nourishment down your throat. Disgusting as it is, drink it. It has nutritious properties despite its flavor.”

Hermione’s face contorted. She had already dealt with Poppy’s gruel, back when she was a second year and was domiciled in the Infirmary for almost a month because of Polyjuice potion gone bad. It had been awful.

”I will,” Hermione replied, wondering if she could somehow summon a house elf to bring her something more palatable from the kitchens.

”I will see you on the morrow,” Snape said, squeezing her hand once more, then exiting the enclosure, passing through the heavy black curtains.

Hermione sighed. The Headmistress was going to give him a hard time, she knew it.

How right she was.

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”She performed what?” an irate Minerva McGonagall said to the wizard sitting in the armchair in front of her desk. “A Binding?”

“No. Actually, a half Binding. She didn’t use my blood, only magical intent. It seems it was enough,” Snape said to the witch.

Minerva was already in a foul mood at being awakened at four in the morning, only to discover her charge had been in the Infirmary since two without being informed. Her displeasure was multiplied when Snape informed her she had met the demon on her own without his protection.

“How did that happen?” she asked the wizard, her face pinched and tight. Clearly Severus was lax in his vigilance.

”She hexed me, with a Soma Mortis spell,” the wizard replied, frowning. He hated to admit Hermione got the drop on him.

Minerva absorbed this, then her face went ashen as she realized exactly what the Binding meant.

”There is no way Hermione could have performed any type of Binding spell, full or partial unless she had your . . . your sexual secretions,” the witch said, enraged.

Snape sat there, not responding.

”I can’t believe you! Severus, you . . . you took advantage of that young witch! You beast! You are out of here. Out of here!” Minerva snarled at him. “You . . . you pedophile!”

”Minerva,” a familiar voice said.

The angry Headmistress turned partially in her swivel chair to look upon the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, who was staring back at her sternly.

“Excuse me for interjecting, but I believe there are some facts you are overlooking. The first of which is Miss Granger is beyond the Age of Consent and can indulge who she chooses,” the portrait said, his blue eyes flicking toward Severus and winking.

“That may be true, Albus, but Severus is a member of staff and should adhere to proper moral standards,” she shot back at the portrait.

”Standards according to whom, Minerva? You?” Albus asked her. “There are no morality clauses in the paperwork teachers sign when they join staff. You cannot arbitrarily impose them.”

Minerva swelled visibly.

“Still, I can reasonably expect my staff to act with restraint,” the witch said, scowling at Severus, who sat stone-faced, offering nothing. He wasn’t about to say Hermione seduced him. That would open a whole other can of Flubberworms.

“Severus has always conducted himself with restraint, Minerva, which is exactly why you should make allowances for his showing he is human. Besides, you are missing the major point of this situation,” the wizard said, his eyes twinkling.

“And what is that?” Minerva snapped.

”That no Binding can occur without ‘True Love,’” the wizard said with finality.

Minerva hesitated.

“But she’s so young. Her emotions could be running away with her,” the witch argued.

Albus shook his head.

”No Minerva. Adolescent emotions are not enough to facilitate a Binding. You know this,” the wizard said softly.

Minerva looked at Snape’s severe countenance. The sallow skin, hooked nose, cruel mouth and greasy hair. How could he have inspired love in Hermione Granger when he was so cold and undemonstrative? But, she had to admit . . . he did just that. There was no other explanation for the half Binding.

”You wanted her saved, Minerva. You know what a brilliant witch she is. She figured out a solution, one that she knew wouldn’t sit well with Severus and took it upon herself to bring it to fruition without either his help or his knowledge. Surely you wouldn’t punish the wizard for that,” Albus said smoothly.

Minerva’s mouth worked silently.

”Still, she is bound to him and he has no responsibility toward her. It hardly seems right,” she said to the former Headmaster.

”That is not his fault, Minerva. It was a matter of survival. I’m sure Miss Granger weighed her options carefully and felt between the choices of demon or Severus, being bound to Severus won out,” Albus said softly.

Severus watched as Minerva’s shoulders visibly slumped. Then she looked at Severus sharply.

”So what are we to do about this situation? You have a young woman bound to you. She will never be with another wizard, never know Love. She’s cursed,” the witch said. “You aren’t a man moved to Love, Severus. Surely you’ll admit that.”

Albus winced in his portrait. Minerva still hadn’t learned to be tactful when feeling great emotion. Snape looked at her calmly.

”All I can say, Headmistress, is that I will deal with the situation as best I can. There is no way to break a Binding other than death, and unless you are suggesting I kill Miss Granger, you are just going to have to trust I will handle this as best I can,” Snape said bluntly, his eyes narrowed.

“That is hardly reassuring,” the witch said pointedly.

”Reassuring or not, Headmistress, that’s just the way it is. Now, if you wish to dismiss me because of the Binding, I am ready to depart. But expect a hefty lawsuit,” Snape hissed at her.

Minerva looked taken aback. Severus would take the school to court? She mentally went over the conditions that led to this, especially her insisting he keep Hermione with him twenty-four hours a day. She would be seen as an accomplice of sorts or at least an Enabler.

”No. You are in no danger of being dismissed, Severus,” she conceded.

”I thought not,” the wizard said snarkily, rising. “Now, I have informed you Miss Granger is out of danger. May I go?”

”Yes,” Minerva spat, furious she could do nothing about this at all.

”Then I bid you goodnight. And you too, Headmaster. Thank you for serving as the voice of reason,” Snape said with a slight bow.

”You’re very welcome, Severus. And I wish you every joy,” the Headmaster responded.

Snape exited the office with a billow of robes, Minerva glaring after him.

”You know, Minerva, you’ve really got to get a hold on yourself. You are far too judgmental. Not a good trait for the Head of Hogwarts” the portrait said to the witch.

”Shut up, Albus!” she snapped, rising and returning to her room and no doubt a very sleepless night.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.