Marriage Law

The Marriage Law Chapter 7






The Marriage Law Chapter 7

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Hermione woke late Saturday morning and smelled bacon. She shook her
head and pulled her bed curtain back. Her drapes were already opened and
sunlight spilled into the room. Her breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, and juice
were sitting on a small lap table next to the bed. A scroll sat next to her
breakfast.

 

Hermione levitated the tray with a wave of her wand. Crookshanks
sniffed at the tray momentarily before Hermione shooed him away. She took a sip
of pumpkin juice and reached for the scroll.

 

Hermione,

I was going to
make an excursion to Hogsmede today to replenish supplies not available to me
last night. You might find it in your interest to join me.

~ Severus

 

Hermione shrugged and looked at a timepiece she kept around her neck.
It was almost 10 o’clock. She wondered
whenplanplanned on leaving. She quickly ate her breakfast and went into her
bathroom. She submerged herself into her tub and began washing her hair. Her
hair was twisted in a towel and she was choosing her robes when there was a
soft knock at her door.

 

“Emicoatus,”
she called out. Severus
walked into her chambers and looked at her. Her hair was wrapped in a white
fluffy towel. Her cheeks were flushed pink from her bath and her eyes were shining.
Her White terry cloth robe stopped mid calf and her legs and feet were bare.
Severus was instantly reminded of young Weasley’s comment earlier, but quickly
pushed it from his mind.

 

“You got my scroll?”
Severus said.

 

“I’m almost ready to
go,” said Hermione. “I just need to get dressed.”

 

“I wasn’t planning to
go until after lunch,” said Severus surprised she was ready to go so soon. “But
we can always get an early start,” he added quickly.

 

Crookshanks jumped off
the bed and began winding his way around Severus’ legs.

 

“I don’t think so,”
Severus said sternly to the cat. “You get to stay here.”

 

Crookshanks seemed to
understand Severus. He stalked off, seemingly annoyed.

 

“I’ll be ready soon,”
Hermione said.

 

Severus gave her a
short nod and left her chambers.

 

***

 

“It’s not even a Hogsmede weekend!” complained Ron.

 

“I know,” said Hermione, trying not to smirk.

 

“Bring us back sweets,” said Harry.

 

“I will,” promised Hermione.

 

“And the new book on Bulgarian Defense Strategies,” said Ron, fishing in
his robes for money.

 

“Never thought you’d ask me to pick up a book for you,” Hermione said
pocketing his coins.

 

“We’ll need it to win the cup from Ravenclaw,” said Ron shrugging.

 

“Just have a good time,” said Harry, ignoring Ron.

 

“I will,” said Hermione, smiling.

 

***

 

Hermione walked through the door Severus was holding open for her and
looked around at the contents of Flourish and Blotts bookstore.

 

She quickly selected the book Ron had asked her to get for him.

 

“What’s that for?” Severus asked. Hermione told him. Severus snorted.

 

“It’s going to take more than that to beat Ravenclaw,” he said.

 

“What makes you say that?” Hermione asked, picking up a book about
Egyptian Hexes.

 

“Connie Watkins’ grandfather used to be the coach for the Hornets,”
said Severus.

 

“Let them think they have a chance,” said Hermione, shrugging. “Is that
the replacement girl?”

 

“Yes,” said Severus picking up a book of Russian history. He tucked it
under his arm. “I looked into her parentage after the game.”

 

“Hello, Severus,” a smooth voice said behind them. Hermione and Severus
turned to see Lucius Malfoy standing behind them. “And
Mistress Snape, what a delightful surprise.”

 

“Lucius,” said Snape nodding curtly at him.

 

“Congratulations on your marriage,” said Lucius. “I would have
congratulated you sooner, of course, had you decided to stay at your own
reception long enough to receive your guests. How like you Severus.”

 

“I thought a couple was allowed a bit of privacy on their wedding
night,” Hermione snapped. Lucius looked at Hermione with mild surprise. To his
horror, Severus felt his cheeks going pink.

 

“It seems I may have misjudged you,” said Lucius to Severus. “It only
makes sense you would retire early. It was a school night, after all.”

 

Hermione felt her cheeks flame with anger. She tasted copper as she bit
her tongue to stay silent.

 

“Arachne sprechen,” said Snape
with a wave of his wand.

 

Lucius opened his mouth to speak a spell of his own, Hermione
suspected, but instead a cascade of spiders fell out of his mouth. They
scrabbled over his waistcoat and down the front of his trousers. He leaped back
in surprise, then glared at Severus.

 

“Watch your tongue when you’re in the presence of a lady,” said Severus
in a low dangerous tone. Lucius glared at the pair of them for a moment before
he stalked off.

 

“What was that?” Hermione asked.

 

“It will wear off in a few hours,” said Severus, apparently satisfied.
“Until then, he won’t be able to speak.”

 

“That could be handy,” Hermione mused to herself,
trying to recall the movements he made with his wand when he uttered the
incantation.

 

“Don’t even think about it,” Severus warned.

 

***

 

“Wow,” said Harry, impressed. He was sitting in a chair in the
Gryffindor common room. Ron and Hermione were sitting in chairs nearby. There
was an odd assortment of sweets spread in front of them on a low table.

 

“Do you remember how to do it?” Ron asked excitedly.

 

“No,” Hermione lied. “It happened too quickly.” She handed Ron a
Chocolate Frog and grabbed her new backpack. She reached into it, past beyond
where she should have stopped. “I got your book.”

 

“Where’d you get the bag?” Ron asked abruptly.

 

“Severus,” said Hermione, handing Ron the Quidditch book he had asked
for.

 

“Severus?” asked Ron. “Getting a bit chummy, are we?”

 

“Ron,” warned Harry.

 

“It’s just a question,” Ron said sharply.

 

“Whether we like it or not, this marriage may last awhile,” said
Hermione, sighing. “This really is the sensible thing to do.”

 

Ron was silent.

 

“Are you going to petition for an annulment in six months?” Ron asked.

 

“Probably not,” Hermione said. Ron looked at her in shock.

 

“Oh, come on, Ron,” Hermione said exasperatedly. “What if I got put in
the hands of a Death Eater? By that time I’ll be in the Order.”

 

“One of us can petition for you,” said Ron, meaning any of the
Gryffindor boys.

 

“That doesn’t mean anything,” said Hermione. “Percy pulled some strings
so I’d get a choice this time, but there’s no guarantee I’ll get a choice next
time.”

 

“She’s right, Ron,” said Harry as Ron opened his mouth to protest. Ron
closed his mouth and shook his head. He threw the unopened Chocolate Frog back
on the table and retreated up the stairs to the Boys Dorm without saying good
night.

 

“It’s a bit difficult for him,” said Harry apologetically.

 

“I know,” said Hermione quietly. “But it’s not that easy on me either.”

 

“I know,” said Harry, getting up and putting an arm around her.
“Probably isn’t all that easy on Snape, either,” he added as an afterthought.

 

“He’s been very generous,” said Hermione, wiping tears away before they
fell. “I have the coolest bathroom in the world.”

 

Harry laughed. “I’ll have to see it sometime. Just make sure he’s in
class so I don’t get punished for traipsing through a teachers quarters.”

 

“OK,” said Hermione squeezing him back. He rose and went back to his
chair.

 

***

 

When Hermione got back to her quarters she found Severus asleep on the
couch under a pile of scrolls and an orange pile of hair.

 

Hermione shook her head and whistled softly. Crookshanks popped his
head out of the pile and yawned widely.

 

“Bed, Crookshanks,” Hermione whispered. As he rose a few scrolls
fluttered to the floor. She cringed, but Severus didn’t wake. She waved her
wand at him and the scrolls gathered themselves up and settled into a neat pile
on the coffee table. She approached his chambers. She looked at the door and
scrutinized it. She had never seen the inside of them, and decided she didn’t
want to challenge any wards he had on the door.

 

Hermione quietly slipped into her room and picked up a grey blanket thrown
over a chair in one of the corners. She slipped back into her receiving room
and covered Severus with her blanket. He shifted slightly as the blanket
settled on him, but stopped moving, momentarily. A lock of raven hair lay
across his forehead, his head tilted back. His face was relaxed in sleep and
Hermione stopped for a moment to look at him.

 

Severus was her husband. He wasn’t unattractive, he was intelligent,
and it could have been far worse. She had enjoyed their day together. They had
browsed bookstores and potion ingredient shops. She hadn’t seen Severus pay for
anything, but watched him sign off invoices wherever they made a purchase.
Maybe it was a form of Wizarding credit.

 

She realized she was staring at him and finally tiptoed back into her
chambers to sleep with Crookshanks.