Professor, You're Mine!

Hermione blushed as she looked down at the table. She and Severus were seated at opposite ends of the large formal table that they had just made love on hours before. She was afraid that every time she sat at the table she would remember that this is where she had lost her virginity. She had always planned a nice romantic setting, candlelit dinner with a nice bottle of wine, a romantic walk on the beach, a sensual massage and then making love in a huge, plush, bed with silk sheets wrapped around her legs. Instead, it was a dusty, rickety, old table in the dining room of an equally dusty and rickety house. Her wedding night was not turning out to be what she expected.



She looked down at her plate and pushed the food around. It was some strange concoction covered in a yellow sauce. She had no idea what it was and didn’t care for it. It tasted like it could have been curry, but it was somehow different. It was served with broccoli, which she abhorred, and stale bread. Her goblet was filled with a yeasty brew that she thought had probable expired long ago. She didn’t want to ruin their first night in their new home by complaining so she put a smile on her face and looked down at her husband.



He was scowling at his plate. He must have sensed her eyes upon him because he looked up at just that moment. He tossed his fork down onto his plate, wiped his mouth with a yellowed cloth napkin and took a sip from his goblet. A second later he spit it out and swore. “This is why I never come here!” he stormed. “The house is a disgusting mess, the food is unpalatable, and they serve me beer from last century! I am sorry, Hermione.”



She smiled at him. “It’s alright, Severus.”



“This is your wedding night and you deserve better. Come,” he said standing up. “There is a Muggle village just down the street from here. They have a restaurant there that serves edible food and a grocery store. Perhaps we can pick up a few items for breakfast while we are there.”



Hermione giggled. “Can you cook, Severus?” she queried.



Severus snorted. “I don’t even know where the kitchen is in this dump,” he said holding out his hand to her. “I don’t suppose you can cook?” he asked hopefully.



She nodded. “I can get by. Severus, would you mind if I made a few changes to your home?”



He glanced down at her and shrugged. “As long as you leave my laboratories as they are you can make whatever changes you would like. I think that my grandmother was the last person to make any changes here,” he said in disgust.



Hermione glanced around the dirty room they had just entered and said, “Can we afford to make changes?”



“Potion making is a very lucrative business, Hermione. Spend what you will, you won’t bankrupt me.”



“Will we apparated into town or is it close enough to walk?”



Severus grinned. “Neither. We shall drive,” he said.



“What?” Hermione gasped. “You drive?”



“Let’s keep this our little secret, shall we?” he said leading her down a hall and opening a door that led into a garage.



“Severus!” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe you have a car!” It was nothing fancy, just a mini cooper that was bright red with a few black stripes. It was the idea that the snarky potions professor would own a muggle contraption was shocking to Hermione.



“I find that there are times when acting as a muggle comes in handy. It is a small village and appearing and disappearing without being seen is not always possible. When I am home and want to go to the village, I drive.

I have also found that I am rather fond of my little car.” He guided her to the passenger door and opened it for her. “Shall we?” he asked with raised eye brows.



Still bemused by the whole thing, Hermione allowed herself to be guided into the vehicle. She clicked her seatbelt into place just as he climbed into the driver’s seat. “I would never in a million years have guessed that Severus Snape would own a muggle car,” she said.



“I am sure that you will find a lot of things about me will surprise you, Hermione.”



They drove in companionable silence for less than five minutes when the lights from the village appeared. Hermione smiled as they passed several Victorian style homes, indicating that the village was an old one. “When was this village established?”



“In the late sixteen hundreds. Years ago there was a castle built to guard the English Scottish borders by Lord John Camdon. His decedents held the castle for many years until it fell to disrepair and it was abandoned. They family built a manor house that is still in existence today, however it is no longer owned by the same family.”



“Spinners End?” she guessed.



He nodded the affirmative. “My family purchased it in the early eighteen hundreds when the last member of the Camdon family died.” He maneuvered the little car into a parking spot in front of a well lit pub.



From the window Hermione could see several diners enjoying meals within the establishment even though the hour was late. The tables were all lit with votive candles giving a romantic glare to the room. When he ushered her in the door she could smell the wonderful aroma of food wafting through the air. The room was informal and crowded with old wood tables and a few boots along the far wall. A huge bar lined the opposite wall that looked as if was part of the original furnishings of the pub.



“Will there just be the two of you?” the hostess asked.



Severus nodded. “A booth in the corner, please,” he requested.



“Certainly. Follow me, please,” she said showing them to a table in the far corner of the room. “You’re server will be right with you,” she said handing them the menu’s. “Our special tonight is Salmon encrusted with hazelnuts and covered in a rich dill cream sauce. It comes with a diner salad and your choice of potato or rice pilaf.”



Hermione cringed. She hated hazelnuts. “Thank you,” she said accepting the menu.



Severus accepted the menu but left it unopened on the table. He glanced around the room at each of the other patrons but he did not recognize anyone. He wondered what life with Hermione was going to be like. He had been pleasantly surprised that his virgin bride had been so responsive when he took her. He supposed he could have acted with a little more restraint and actually taken her to the bedroom instead of on the dining room table, but she hadn’t complained and he didn’t want to wait. He knew that if they were caught by Voldemort that their lives would be forfeit and he had decided that he was going to enjoy whatever time he had left.

He had spent years serving the megalomaniac trying to bring an end to the war. He played both sides against the other, not really sure exactly where he fit in. He enjoyed the dark arts and some of the spells and potions that came with it. He abhorred the senseless killing and massacres that the death eaters participated in. He found no challenge or enjoyment of raping women and young girls. He liked the excitement of creating new spells and potions and he liked the money associated with them. He was realistic enough to accept that without the war he would not have made as money with his creations as he would have without the war. The only difference was that while he was lost in his own little world of his making he had no close ties that he had to worry about. If he was killed there would be nobody left behind to grieve for him.



Now, however, he was married. He hadn’t wanted to marry, ever. He never wanted to produce a child and subject it to the misery he had suffered growing up with his poor excuse for a father. He hated children and the more years he spent teaching the ungrateful little wretches the more he knew that. He was afraid of what kind of parent he would be and did his best to stay as far away from any type of serious relationship. If he needed a witch for the night he availed himself upon a professional who did not expect anything from him in return except the bag of galleons he left beside the bed.



Everything had changed the second Hermione claimed him as her own.









Walden McNair sat by his grandfather’s side reading the folder that contained the information on his sister and her get. His grandfather’s breath was labored and he assumed that it wouldn’t be much longer. Every few minutes the old bastard would gasp and sound like he was about to die and then become alert and demand water or other such rot. Walden just wished he would die and be done with it. He had better things to do then sit at the bedside of the shriveled man who had made him miserable more years than he could recall.



He flipped to the second page and smiled. Jane Maria McNair-Page and Theodore Christopher Granger, parents of Hermione Jane Granger. So the Veela was his niece. Interesting. What he found even more interesting was the fact that Severus Snape was her mate. The man was a genius when it came to spells and potions. He leaned back in his chair and wondered how he could use this to his own benefit. Truth be told, he was tired of the Dark Lord’s endless demands and Lucius Malfoy’s constant lording over him because he ranked higher than he did in the inner circle. If he could somehow work this to his advantage he could rid himself of this rotten situation he found himself in once and for all.



Years before he had wanted to end his association with the Dark Lord. When the Potter brat had killed him he thought he was free and rejoiced in having several long years of freedom. When the Dark Lord was reborn that night three years ago he cursed his fate again. He knew that he couldn’t back out then or his life wouldn’t be worth that of a house elf. His days would have been numbered and he would have lived in constant fear of being found and murdered. When the Dark Lord was angry you didn’t cross him.

Walden had suspected that Snape was not all he made himself seem. He had a feeling that Snape was like himself, and only looking out for number one. He thought that Snape would turn his back on the Dark Lord in a minute if he could arrange it. Perhaps they could come up with something. Snape would no doubt do what he needed to do to protect his mate and her family. Perhaps a little bit of blackmail might be in order. His squib sister and her husband in exchange for help in getting away from the Dark Lord once and for all. With the Potter kid, Hermione, the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore, and of course, Snape, they should manage to end the Dark Lord’s rein once and for all.



The only question was how.



“What are you up to?” the old man rasped from the bed.



“Grandfather, save your energy,” he crooned.



“I know that look. You’re plotting,” he said.



“Nonsense, Grandfather. Do you need a drink of water?” he asked reaching for the glass that was on the bedside

table.



“What are you doing with that folder?” the old man demanded, noticing the file on Walden’s lap.



“I was interested in my niece, Grandfather. It seems that the Veela gene was passed to her. She has come into her inheritance and has claimed Severus Snape as a mate,” he said with an evil grin.



“Leave her be, Walden,” the McNair Patriarch demanded.



“I thought I would pay her and my lovely sister a house call,” he laughed.



“No!” the old man said. “You leave them be. I won’t have you tainting her with the Dark Lord’s schemes.”



“Grandfather! Really, you wound me. Would I allow anything to happen to my dear sister or her child?” he asked innocently.



“Walden you will leave them be!” the old man ordered in a raspy voice. “They are to be left alone. We made our choice when Jane was sent to the Muggle orphanage years ago. Leave it alone.”



“You opened this can of worms when you let guilt take over your good sense, old man,” he sneered. “What were you thinking giving her a portion of my inheritance? That squib doesn’t even belong in the same sentence with this family, let alone her half-breed daughter!”



“Hermione Granger is the brightest witch ever to walk through Hogwarts,” the old man argued.



“Are you getting soft in your old age?”



“Albus Dumbledore has told me. You must leave her be,” he croaked.



Walden could tell that the old man was tiring. He thought about continuing the argument and seeing if it would finally kill the old man off but decided against it. He would die soon enough and then if anyone questioned him with vertiserum he could honestly say he had nothing to do with the death. “Relax, old man, I’ll leave her be,” he said, for now, he added to himself.



A house elf appeared bowing in front of Walden. “Masters, sirs, Master Malfoy is calling,” he said.



“Damn! Now what?” he muttered as he stood. He left the file on the chair next to his grandfather and walked towards the door. “I’ll be right back, Grandfather, try and rest.”



The McNair Patriarch watched his grandson leave the room and felt a cold sense of dread overcome him. The boy was up to something no good. He could feel it in his bones. He had to protect his great-granddaughter. “Ash,” he called for his personal house elf.



“Yes, Master,” he said immediately appear before the old man.



“Get my lawyer here immediately. I need to change my will. Hurry, I’m afraid I won’t last much longer,” he hissed.





“Lucius,” Walden said in greeting when he entered his study.



“What have you found out?” Lucius Malfoy demanded, dispensing with any small talk.



“I haven’t found the file yet. He must have moved it,” he lied. He needed a little bit more time to try and make a deal with Severus Snape.



“Find it, McNair. I can’t begin to tell you what will happen if you don’t!” he hissed. “Our Lord will be very angry to be kept waiting.”



McNair swallowed and nodded. “I’m looking. The old man is about to die and I have been stuck at his side. Each time he falls asleep I slip away and then he wakes up and demands my presence again.”



“Just kill him and be done with it,” Lucius suggested.



“I can’t. The will states if I have anything to do with his death I’ll lose everything to my sister,” he said in disgust.



“Allow me to dispose of the problem for you then, my old friend.”



“I can’t. They will use vertiserum on me to make sure I am innocent of any wrong doing. I can’t risk it.”



Lucius stared for a moment and then nodded. “I would hope his end would come soon or you find that file!” he said retreating to the fireplace. “This is not a time to switch loyalties, McNair,” he warned.



“As if I would!” he gasped. Lucius was sneaky and he had to be careful to school his emotions around him.



“I would hope not,” Lucius said walking into the floo.

McNair stared at the green flames until they dispersed and sat down at his desk. He had to think fast!





Lucius returned home and sat in the wing back chair in front of his fireplace thinking about McNair’s strange behavior. If he was a suspicious man he would say that McNair was hiding something. Of course, he was a suspicious man and he knew McNair was hiding something. He must have found the file and found out the Granger chit was his niece. The question was why would he deny it and hide his findings? He should know that he would be killed for double crossing the Dark Lord. The man wasn’t smart enough to do it on his own.



A tapping at the window brought his attention back to the present. He stood and went to allow the owl that hovered there in long enough to deliver yet another message from Draco. Usually all of his son’s missives drove him nuts, but right now he wanted to be kept informed of the happenings at the castle between Granger and Snape. Taking the message he shoved the owl back out the window and slammed it shut. He returned to his chair and read the message.



Dear Father,

Hermione Granger and Severus were married tonight by Dumbledore. I’m not sure why it happened so fast but there it is. They have left the Castle for a week long Honeymoon and will return a week from today. The whole school is up in arms about it and Dumbledore has cancelled potions class while Severus is away. It was not announced where they have gone.

Your Loyal Son,

Draco



“Damn!” he had hoped to get a hold of the Granger girl before the marriage could be performed and the relationship consummated. Once the Veela consummated their relationship their protective instincts would kick in. Getting a hold of her now would be much harder. Now it would be up to the Dark Lord to command Severus to turn her over.



He stood opened a closet, reaching for his death eaters costume. Flicking his wand he was ready to leave within seconds. He called, “Riddle Manor,” and stepped through the green flames to inform his Lord of the current happenings at Hogwarts.