A Maid in the Devil's Manor
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
51
Views:
39,387
Reviews:
483
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
51
Views:
39,387
Reviews:
483
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Severus Puts His Plan Into Action
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 7 ~ Severus Puts His Plan Into Action
The next morning Severus awoke early, feeling fully rested and in good spirits. The house elves sent him up a light breakfast of bread, jam, fruit and coffee. He consumed this repast quickly, donned his clothes and informed Eli he would be returning to Hogwarts immediately, but would stop back on Wednesday night to see the progress that was made.
When Severus walked down the staircase to the main hall, he was forced to stop in his tracks and simply stare. The mansion was airy, and full of sunlight, bright rays streaming through all the open windows bringing color to a place that had seemed monochromatic, consisting only of shades of black and gray for many years. The Manor looked as it had when he was a child, and his parents’ marriage was still happy. Memories of running nude, through the brightly lit corridors, pursued by smiling house elves intent on making him bathe returned to him, and he half smiled. He would get filthy exploring the grounds and digging up interesting plants to study, examine and store away. Even as a child he showed a love of harvesting, drying and storing things, almost before he could even talk. He had received a very bad spanking for pulling up all of his mother’s prized roses. The ruined plants had been discovered in his room, spread neatly under his window in full sunlight. He was trying to dry them out. After being punished severely by his father, who was a hands-on kind of man, Severus hated the fragrant flowers from that day to this.
Oh, but those had been such days of happiness, and his heart actually swelled to see the Manor bright again. He swept down the stairs and walked slowly to the main doors, enjoying the revived beauty of his home. The oppressive feeling was gone, and house elves, who had always been notably absent, now walked the halls with small rags, wiping here and there until every object was gleaming. They even waved at their Master, who nodded soberly in return, though he was extremely pleased with his servants. He opened the doors leading out to the grounds, and hesitated for a moment, looking back, his black eyes sweeping the shining hall with satisfaction. Then he apparated to Hogwarts.
*******************************
Once Severus was in his study, he wasted no time gathering parchment and quill, sitting down at the small writing desk and penning a letter to Hermione.
Miss Granger
I have found it necessary to change our plans to meet at the Manor promptly at six on Friday evening. I will instead pick you up at your flat at six and we will have a light supper before heading for the labs. I assume this slight change in plans should not cause you any additional difficulties, since you were going to leave at six to visit the Manor originally. Please send a short reply via Raucous. I will see you on Friday.
Professor Severus Snape
Potions Master
Severus read over the missive. Yes, it was good. It didn’t give her any choice to back out of supper. He whistled and Raucous dropped down from the rafters, landing on the back of his chair, preening Severus’ hair. He had learned long ago not to caw at the Potions Master indiscriminately. Severus rolled up the parchment, and Raucous hopped to the table, sticking out his leg helpfully. The Potions Master tied the message to the Raven’s leg.
“I need you to take this to Miss Granger immediately,” Severus said to the bird. If Severus were able to read bird expressions, he would have seen a look of distaste on Raucous’ face. The bird dutifully hopped to the Potions Master’s shoulder as he opened the study door, walked through his office and opened the door to the corridor.
“Fly, Raucous,” he said to the bird, who took off, soaring down the corridor to the main hall, where he winged out into the open air.
Severus closed the door and returned to his study. As soon as he received Miss Granger’s reply, he could act on the second part of his plan.
******************************
Hermione was sitting at her kitchen table drinking a large cup of black coffee. She didn’t sleep well last night. She kept waking up inexplicably, in a cold sweat. She had no idea why. She thought it could be the excitement of the day. So much had happened. She had received an agreement of sponsorship from her heretofore nemesis, Professor Severus Snape, an agreement her friends would consider tantamount to signing a contract with the devil. She could imagine Ron asking,
“Did he make you sign it in blood?”
She smiled. Both Ron and Harry were married now, and had a child apiece. She would meet up with them at the Ministry cafeteria for lunch at least once a week. They were both Aurors. Normally, she listened to them talk about Quidditch of course (some things never changed), their children, their wives and the latest news. Once in a while they would share some tale of excitement concerning Auror work. Hermione rarely had anything interesting to add to the conversation concerning her life. It was monumentally dull. Harry and Ron were always after her to find a nice wizard, settle down, and make a baby or two, never understanding that Hermione wanted more out of life than to be barefoot, pregnant and blissfully domesticated. She loved both of them dearly, but the fact was, they never really understood her.
The two wizards had even gone as far as to set her up on a couple of blind dates a few years back, which either ended on a low note or in one case, disaster. One wizard, she had to hex. He felt that his spending a couple of galleons on dinner gave him the right to expect a favor of a sexual nature in return. He got quite physical when Hermione refused to let him into her flat, trying to force his way in. She turned him into a stinkbug. He was lucky she didn’t crush him to boot.
Ron and Harry exacted their own painful revenge on the wizard when they found out what he had attempted to do to their friend. The wizard was also an Auror. They had never dreamed he was such a beast, and that was the last time they tried setting up a date for Hermione. But they still kept after her.
“You’re a decent looking sort, Hermione,” Ron said, looking at her with a critical eye, “There’s no reason you couldn’t land a bloke. Maybe you need to tone down the braininess a little…and show a bit more leg.”
Harry had winced at this comment, and bit into his sandwich so his mouth would be full and he wouldn’t be required to add to the statement. He was fervently hoping Hermione didn’t miss Ron and hit him when she threw whatever hex she felt would meet her purpose. But Hermione simply gave Ron one of her scathing lectures about his idiotic insensitivity and left it at that. Poor Ron. His ears were actually smoking when she finished with him. The passing years had made the redhead no wiser when dealing with women. Luckily, his wife was the understanding sort. Ron was so sweet, she could overlook his many blunders as she patiently worked at correcting his misconceptions.
When Hermione heard the tapping on the living room window, she just knew it was that damned bird again. She turned her head, and sure enough, there was Raucous, glaring balefully at her from the other side of the glass. She rose and walked over to the front door, opening it. The bird sailed in, landing on the sofa. Hermione put her hands on her hips and looked at the bird, her eyes narrowed.
“Last time you were here, you shit on my sofa,” she said.
Raucous looked at her as if he had no idea what she was talking about. He stuck out his leg, anxious to get out of there.
“I should really turn you back into an egg,” she said as she walked over and removed the message. “Then, when you hatched, there’d be a chance you’d develop a better personality.”
Raucous clipped his beak at her, quietly. Hermione read Professor Snape’s message. She frowned a little at the fact he didn’t ask her if she wanted to go to supper. But at least he had written her instead of suddenly apparating there without forewarning. She grabbed a quill, and using the same parchment scribbled:
That will be fine, Professor.
HG
She rerolled the parchment and tied it to the raven’s legs. Raucous was looking longingly at a half-eaten piece of muffin on a plate on the kitchen table. Hermione noticed this and glared at the bird for a moment. Then sighing she said, “Go and get it.”
Raucous cawed a thanks and flew over to the table, picked up the piece of muffin in his beak, and flew out the door…leaving no gifts behind this time.
Hermione returned to the kitchen table and finished her coffee.
****************************
An hour or two later, Raucous returned to the dungeons and the Potions Master with Hermione’s reply. Severus quickly removed the message, scanned it, and allowed himself a slow, rather evil smile. He went over to his desk and retrieved another parchment. He sat down and put the quill to work.
Dear Miss Skeeter,
There is a situation happening that I think you would like to investigate. It concerns a Ministry Spell Mistress consorting with a known deatheater. The wizard has been cleared of all charges publicly, but there are those who believe he still maybe loyal to the cause of the Dark Lord, and is merely biding his time while enjoying the protection of Albus Dumbledore. His name is Professor Severus Snape, and the Ministry employee is Miss Hermione Granger. Miss Granger creates spells for Aurors and I am worried that she may be leaking information about what is being developed to Snape, which he may be passing on to rogue deatheaters. As I am also a Ministry employee, I am loathe to report this apparent conflict of interest out of fear of repercussions. She is quite a powerful witch. I was hoping your sense of duty would have you look into this matter, and if you find anything untoward occurring, report it. Miss Granger and Professor Snape will be meeting at the Crowdag Restaurant in Hogsmeade at six this Friday evening. I hope I have been of assistance.
A Friend
Severus grinned at the letter. It was chatty and badly written enough not to be linked to him, and contained all the accusations necessary to start the ball rolling. Once Rita got this missive, she would make it a point to be at Crowdag’s on Friday to snap a picture of them together. She would probably write the article beforehand without a single question. This was Hermione Granger, the bane of her existence. Smearing her name in the mud would bring the reporter orgasmic pleasure.
Raucous hopped nearer to Severus, sticking out his leg. Severus looked at him.
“No, Raucous. Not this time. Someone might recognize you. I have to use the owl post to send this parchment,” he said softly to the bird.
Raucous was not mollified. With an insulted squawk he flew up to the rafters and sat there for the rest of the day sulking. Severus rolled up the parchment, charmed it to open only for Rita Skeeter and deposited the missive in his pocket.
**************************
Severus left the school grounds and apparated to Hogsmeade. It was Sunday and the normal owl post was closed, but special deliveries could be made for a slightly higher fee. Severus paid the cost, and the owl delivered the message to the Daily Prophet
Rita Skeeter happened to be in her office that morning, bemoaning the fact that she hadn’t had a juicy story in weeks. When the owl arrived, she half-heartedly removed the parchment and shooed it away. She unrolled the parchment, adjusted her jeweled spectacles and scanned the message. The heavy jawed blonde raised her even heavier penciled eyebrows, and gave her head a disbelieving shake. The rigid curls didn’t move. Her eyes lit up.
“Bozo,” she called, turning the parchment over in her large mannish hands, “Bozo!”
Her photographer snapped awake. He had been dozing in a chair set in a corner of her small office.
“Yeah, Rita?” he said, yawning.
“It seems we’ve gotten an anonymous tip…yes. Concerning the going-ons of one Hermione Granger. You remember her, don’t you Bozo?” Rita asked in a low voice.
“Sure I do,” Bozo replied, sitting up now, “She made you quit the Prophet for a while, didn’t she?”
“Yes,” Rita snarled, “She blackmailed me, the little chit. Almost ruined my writing career. Good thing I managed to get my job back, after registering myself with the Ministry and paying that huge fine. Set me back for months, it did.”
She tapped one long red fingernail against her temple.
“Keep Friday evening open, Bozo. We have a story to investigate,” she said, her eyes glittering with malice, “and a life to ruin.”
******************************
A/N: Wow. Severus certainly found an ally in Rita. I think he’s going to get away with this. Poor Hermione. Looks like she did sign an agreement with the devil. Like how I worked in why Severus hates roses so much? Please review.
*******************************
Chapter 7 ~ Severus Puts His Plan Into Action
The next morning Severus awoke early, feeling fully rested and in good spirits. The house elves sent him up a light breakfast of bread, jam, fruit and coffee. He consumed this repast quickly, donned his clothes and informed Eli he would be returning to Hogwarts immediately, but would stop back on Wednesday night to see the progress that was made.
When Severus walked down the staircase to the main hall, he was forced to stop in his tracks and simply stare. The mansion was airy, and full of sunlight, bright rays streaming through all the open windows bringing color to a place that had seemed monochromatic, consisting only of shades of black and gray for many years. The Manor looked as it had when he was a child, and his parents’ marriage was still happy. Memories of running nude, through the brightly lit corridors, pursued by smiling house elves intent on making him bathe returned to him, and he half smiled. He would get filthy exploring the grounds and digging up interesting plants to study, examine and store away. Even as a child he showed a love of harvesting, drying and storing things, almost before he could even talk. He had received a very bad spanking for pulling up all of his mother’s prized roses. The ruined plants had been discovered in his room, spread neatly under his window in full sunlight. He was trying to dry them out. After being punished severely by his father, who was a hands-on kind of man, Severus hated the fragrant flowers from that day to this.
Oh, but those had been such days of happiness, and his heart actually swelled to see the Manor bright again. He swept down the stairs and walked slowly to the main doors, enjoying the revived beauty of his home. The oppressive feeling was gone, and house elves, who had always been notably absent, now walked the halls with small rags, wiping here and there until every object was gleaming. They even waved at their Master, who nodded soberly in return, though he was extremely pleased with his servants. He opened the doors leading out to the grounds, and hesitated for a moment, looking back, his black eyes sweeping the shining hall with satisfaction. Then he apparated to Hogwarts.
*******************************
Once Severus was in his study, he wasted no time gathering parchment and quill, sitting down at the small writing desk and penning a letter to Hermione.
Miss Granger
I have found it necessary to change our plans to meet at the Manor promptly at six on Friday evening. I will instead pick you up at your flat at six and we will have a light supper before heading for the labs. I assume this slight change in plans should not cause you any additional difficulties, since you were going to leave at six to visit the Manor originally. Please send a short reply via Raucous. I will see you on Friday.
Professor Severus Snape
Potions Master
Severus read over the missive. Yes, it was good. It didn’t give her any choice to back out of supper. He whistled and Raucous dropped down from the rafters, landing on the back of his chair, preening Severus’ hair. He had learned long ago not to caw at the Potions Master indiscriminately. Severus rolled up the parchment, and Raucous hopped to the table, sticking out his leg helpfully. The Potions Master tied the message to the Raven’s leg.
“I need you to take this to Miss Granger immediately,” Severus said to the bird. If Severus were able to read bird expressions, he would have seen a look of distaste on Raucous’ face. The bird dutifully hopped to the Potions Master’s shoulder as he opened the study door, walked through his office and opened the door to the corridor.
“Fly, Raucous,” he said to the bird, who took off, soaring down the corridor to the main hall, where he winged out into the open air.
Severus closed the door and returned to his study. As soon as he received Miss Granger’s reply, he could act on the second part of his plan.
******************************
Hermione was sitting at her kitchen table drinking a large cup of black coffee. She didn’t sleep well last night. She kept waking up inexplicably, in a cold sweat. She had no idea why. She thought it could be the excitement of the day. So much had happened. She had received an agreement of sponsorship from her heretofore nemesis, Professor Severus Snape, an agreement her friends would consider tantamount to signing a contract with the devil. She could imagine Ron asking,
“Did he make you sign it in blood?”
She smiled. Both Ron and Harry were married now, and had a child apiece. She would meet up with them at the Ministry cafeteria for lunch at least once a week. They were both Aurors. Normally, she listened to them talk about Quidditch of course (some things never changed), their children, their wives and the latest news. Once in a while they would share some tale of excitement concerning Auror work. Hermione rarely had anything interesting to add to the conversation concerning her life. It was monumentally dull. Harry and Ron were always after her to find a nice wizard, settle down, and make a baby or two, never understanding that Hermione wanted more out of life than to be barefoot, pregnant and blissfully domesticated. She loved both of them dearly, but the fact was, they never really understood her.
The two wizards had even gone as far as to set her up on a couple of blind dates a few years back, which either ended on a low note or in one case, disaster. One wizard, she had to hex. He felt that his spending a couple of galleons on dinner gave him the right to expect a favor of a sexual nature in return. He got quite physical when Hermione refused to let him into her flat, trying to force his way in. She turned him into a stinkbug. He was lucky she didn’t crush him to boot.
Ron and Harry exacted their own painful revenge on the wizard when they found out what he had attempted to do to their friend. The wizard was also an Auror. They had never dreamed he was such a beast, and that was the last time they tried setting up a date for Hermione. But they still kept after her.
“You’re a decent looking sort, Hermione,” Ron said, looking at her with a critical eye, “There’s no reason you couldn’t land a bloke. Maybe you need to tone down the braininess a little…and show a bit more leg.”
Harry had winced at this comment, and bit into his sandwich so his mouth would be full and he wouldn’t be required to add to the statement. He was fervently hoping Hermione didn’t miss Ron and hit him when she threw whatever hex she felt would meet her purpose. But Hermione simply gave Ron one of her scathing lectures about his idiotic insensitivity and left it at that. Poor Ron. His ears were actually smoking when she finished with him. The passing years had made the redhead no wiser when dealing with women. Luckily, his wife was the understanding sort. Ron was so sweet, she could overlook his many blunders as she patiently worked at correcting his misconceptions.
When Hermione heard the tapping on the living room window, she just knew it was that damned bird again. She turned her head, and sure enough, there was Raucous, glaring balefully at her from the other side of the glass. She rose and walked over to the front door, opening it. The bird sailed in, landing on the sofa. Hermione put her hands on her hips and looked at the bird, her eyes narrowed.
“Last time you were here, you shit on my sofa,” she said.
Raucous looked at her as if he had no idea what she was talking about. He stuck out his leg, anxious to get out of there.
“I should really turn you back into an egg,” she said as she walked over and removed the message. “Then, when you hatched, there’d be a chance you’d develop a better personality.”
Raucous clipped his beak at her, quietly. Hermione read Professor Snape’s message. She frowned a little at the fact he didn’t ask her if she wanted to go to supper. But at least he had written her instead of suddenly apparating there without forewarning. She grabbed a quill, and using the same parchment scribbled:
That will be fine, Professor.
HG
She rerolled the parchment and tied it to the raven’s legs. Raucous was looking longingly at a half-eaten piece of muffin on a plate on the kitchen table. Hermione noticed this and glared at the bird for a moment. Then sighing she said, “Go and get it.”
Raucous cawed a thanks and flew over to the table, picked up the piece of muffin in his beak, and flew out the door…leaving no gifts behind this time.
Hermione returned to the kitchen table and finished her coffee.
****************************
An hour or two later, Raucous returned to the dungeons and the Potions Master with Hermione’s reply. Severus quickly removed the message, scanned it, and allowed himself a slow, rather evil smile. He went over to his desk and retrieved another parchment. He sat down and put the quill to work.
Dear Miss Skeeter,
There is a situation happening that I think you would like to investigate. It concerns a Ministry Spell Mistress consorting with a known deatheater. The wizard has been cleared of all charges publicly, but there are those who believe he still maybe loyal to the cause of the Dark Lord, and is merely biding his time while enjoying the protection of Albus Dumbledore. His name is Professor Severus Snape, and the Ministry employee is Miss Hermione Granger. Miss Granger creates spells for Aurors and I am worried that she may be leaking information about what is being developed to Snape, which he may be passing on to rogue deatheaters. As I am also a Ministry employee, I am loathe to report this apparent conflict of interest out of fear of repercussions. She is quite a powerful witch. I was hoping your sense of duty would have you look into this matter, and if you find anything untoward occurring, report it. Miss Granger and Professor Snape will be meeting at the Crowdag Restaurant in Hogsmeade at six this Friday evening. I hope I have been of assistance.
A Friend
Severus grinned at the letter. It was chatty and badly written enough not to be linked to him, and contained all the accusations necessary to start the ball rolling. Once Rita got this missive, she would make it a point to be at Crowdag’s on Friday to snap a picture of them together. She would probably write the article beforehand without a single question. This was Hermione Granger, the bane of her existence. Smearing her name in the mud would bring the reporter orgasmic pleasure.
Raucous hopped nearer to Severus, sticking out his leg. Severus looked at him.
“No, Raucous. Not this time. Someone might recognize you. I have to use the owl post to send this parchment,” he said softly to the bird.
Raucous was not mollified. With an insulted squawk he flew up to the rafters and sat there for the rest of the day sulking. Severus rolled up the parchment, charmed it to open only for Rita Skeeter and deposited the missive in his pocket.
**************************
Severus left the school grounds and apparated to Hogsmeade. It was Sunday and the normal owl post was closed, but special deliveries could be made for a slightly higher fee. Severus paid the cost, and the owl delivered the message to the Daily Prophet
Rita Skeeter happened to be in her office that morning, bemoaning the fact that she hadn’t had a juicy story in weeks. When the owl arrived, she half-heartedly removed the parchment and shooed it away. She unrolled the parchment, adjusted her jeweled spectacles and scanned the message. The heavy jawed blonde raised her even heavier penciled eyebrows, and gave her head a disbelieving shake. The rigid curls didn’t move. Her eyes lit up.
“Bozo,” she called, turning the parchment over in her large mannish hands, “Bozo!”
Her photographer snapped awake. He had been dozing in a chair set in a corner of her small office.
“Yeah, Rita?” he said, yawning.
“It seems we’ve gotten an anonymous tip…yes. Concerning the going-ons of one Hermione Granger. You remember her, don’t you Bozo?” Rita asked in a low voice.
“Sure I do,” Bozo replied, sitting up now, “She made you quit the Prophet for a while, didn’t she?”
“Yes,” Rita snarled, “She blackmailed me, the little chit. Almost ruined my writing career. Good thing I managed to get my job back, after registering myself with the Ministry and paying that huge fine. Set me back for months, it did.”
She tapped one long red fingernail against her temple.
“Keep Friday evening open, Bozo. We have a story to investigate,” she said, her eyes glittering with malice, “and a life to ruin.”
******************************
A/N: Wow. Severus certainly found an ally in Rita. I think he’s going to get away with this. Poor Hermione. Looks like she did sign an agreement with the devil. Like how I worked in why Severus hates roses so much? Please review.