Your Hand in Marriage

Harry left almost immediately after Ron. Once he ascertained that Hermione was going to be alright, he headed off to sort himself out.

Hermione knew this was going to take time, but she also knew Harry would accept it eventually. Ron, however, was a different story. She didn’t know if he was ever going to forgive her or if he was going to try to do something stupid like dueling Severus.

She was sitting, curled up in her chair by the fire place, when the floo turned green. Out of the floo came Severus and when she saw him relief flooded her body.

This was something unforeseen. The unknown bond, held at bay by distance, was so strong now. She could sense his concern, though his face was it’s usual mask of neutrality. He was trying to ascertain her reaction as though he could not fathom that she would still find room to care for him despite feeling her presence through their connection.

Hermione uncurled herself and wiped her tear-tracked face. She got up and walked over to Severus’ stoic personage, and wrapped herself around him in an embrace.

Severus stiffened and she could feel his surprise at her open display of affection. But as he inhaled a breath of her scent he began to relax into her embrace. Slowly he wrapped his warm arms around her, and unconsciously laid a light kiss on her crown.

“Albus has expressed to me Messieurs Weasely and Potter took the news rather poorly, one more than the other.”

Hermione nodded into his chest, “Ron called me a ‘Death Eater Whore’.”

Severus stiffened once more and his hands bit into her back, “Albus failed to mention that, if you’ll excuse me for a moment there is something I must attend to.”

Hermione tightened her grip, “Please don’t Severus, he didn’t know what he was saying. My needs are greater than his well-deserved punishment.”

Severus sighed into her curls, “Very well, but I will make him repent in many ways. A wizard does not disrespect another man’s Witch and get away with it.”

Hermione giggled and placed her chin on his chest so she could look up in Severus’ face, “I love how chivalrous you are. Such a classic man.”

Severus rewarded Hermione with a slight grin, “Thank you little Witch, a gentleman for a lady.” He paused and looked slightly away in discomfort, “I assure you they will both come around eventually. If they don’t they were never truly your friends.”

Hermione buried her head in his robes knowing how much effort took for him to comfort her at the near loss of his most despised students- short of perhaps Neville Longbottom.

“Now my Witch, please tell me it’s true Mister Potter punched that Weasely spawn right in his mouth and made him bleed all over your floor, it would make me feel much better about not going to the Hospital Wing and killing him with my bare hands.”

Hermione looked at him in half irritation, half amusement, “Yes, Harry socked him right in the face for my honor.”

Severus smiled wider at that and pulled her tighter into his chest, “There may be hope for Mister Potter, after all.”




A few minutes of silent comfort later, and Hermione looked up and around her rooms.

“Severus, it occurs to me that we ought not be seen living in separate domiciles. Shouldn’t I be moving in with you?”

“Indeed. I was going to mention it when you were—feeling better. I’ve arranged for the house elves to move your belongings into the extension we have put on my rooms. A private study. You will be staying in my bedchamber.”

Hermione smirked at the finality of that phrase, and Severus cleared his throat.

“I mean to say, that should we have visitors it would behoove us to be residing in the same bedchamber. For—appearance’s sake, of course.”

“Of course,” appeased Hermione, “For appearances.” And she leaned in to take his lips in hers, but was startled by a crack of disapparition.

Hermione jumped and spun with her wand in the air, only to realize she was pointing it two feet too high.

“Dobby!” she exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”

Dobby looked up, a few tattered knit hats falling from his head, “Dobby comes to assist the Misses and the Snape!”

Dobby smiled widely, but it did not reach his eyes which were filled with concern, “Come with Dobby, Misses. Tells Dobby whats to bring.” He tugged Hermione away from a scowling Severus, and she knelt down to speak with him, “What is it Dobby?”

“Dobby wonders why Misses decides to bond with the Snape. Dobby knows the Snape to be a dark, dark wizard. Dobby worries for the Misses sanity.” He ended with his long fingers in his mouth shaking slightly in fear.

Hermione hugged Dobby close to her, “Oh Dobby, Severus can be dark, but he can also be very kind. He is kind to me above all others, you see. He has sworn to protect me. He even makes jokes.”

Dobby’s eyes grew wide, “The Snape makes jokes with the Misses? The Snape makes a funny? Misses is not fevered?”

Hermione laughed and raised Dobby’s hand to her forehead, “Nope. No fever here, Dobby. I’m quite sane.”

Dobby wrung his hand, “if the Misses is sure, Dobby will take her word. But Dobby will be on the looksie for trouble.”

Hermione petted Dobby’s head, “Thank you very much, Dobby. It touches me that you care so much.”

“Dobby watches after Harry Potter’s friends, the Misses and the Wheezy. Wheezy is not so good after he hears about the Snape and the Misses, Dobby regrets having to knock him out with elf magic.”

Hermione’s eyes were sad, “That bad?”

Dobby nodded.

“Well, there’s nothing else I can do for him this morning without compromising my safety. Dobby, will you please have the elves move my personal belongings only, no furniture, into the new study and wardrobe in Professor Snape’s rooms?”

“Dobby will do as Misses says,” Dobby sighed and under his breath he continued, “But Dobby still thinks you is messed in the head.”

Hermione shook her head with a smile and walked back to a sulking Severus. “Done romancing the help then?” He said nastily.

“Yes dear,” smirked Hermione, “I’ve made a date with him for next week, we’re going to clean the common rooms and knit socks.”

Severus tried to fight his lips from quirking, but Hermione caught him easily and took the crook of his arm, “Shall we head to our rooms for breakfast? I doubt anyone of interest will be in the Great Hall on a Saturday.”

Severus nodded, and picked up his wife, “back to the dungeons for you, Witch!”

They strode into the floo laughing, leaving behind a muttering Dobby who was shaking his head at the scene of the strange couple as he apparated her items to the new room.

“Misses has gone batty.”

~ * ~

Well fed and content under a blanket on the lounge, Severus and Hermione were enjoying the silence the dungeons brought. The only sounds were the creaking of the castle, and the rushing of the black lake outside the dungeon walls.

Hermione was thinking she had never felt so content when the floo went off so violently that small pieces of rubble from the fireplace flew every direction.

Hermione dusted stones from her hair, “Dammit Dobby! I said no furniture!”

Before she could realize that a house elf would not send furniture by floo, a tall, cloaked figure came into the room through the fireplace.

The well-built, obviously male person lowered their hood, and a shock of violently white-blonde hair tumbled out.



“Apologies, Madame Snape. My dear friend Severus here must have blocked the floo. No matter, it has been—shall we say—unblocked?”

Hermione looked on in shock and felt Severus reaching for his wand under the blanket.

“I do not believe we have, formally met. I am Lucius Malfoy.”

Hermione’s nose curled up in disgust, “Charmed, I’m sure, Mister Malfoy.”

Severus finally gripped his wand under the blanket, “Lucius, why are you interrupting my Saturday morning tea? Surely you know how I hate being bothered on the weekend.”

Lucius grinned and removed his cloak, “Ah.. but Severus, I had to come and wish your recent nuptials well. It would have been bad form, very bad form. I am, admittedly, a bit sore at not having been invited to the rites. I had half a mind not to come at all.”

“I would have considered that a wedding gift,” muttered Hermione.

Lucius chuckled, “What a firebug you’ve got here Severus, I’d be quite jealous if we weren’t related.”

Severus looked at the man in confusion, “Lucius, we aren’t related.”

Lucius spread his arms wide, “Well of course not, Severus. I was speaking of Hermione.”

Silence rang out. Hermione was staring open-mouthed at Lucius.

“Do close your mouth, child, it’s bad manners you know. It is a shame you never went to a proper finishing school.”

Hermione snapped her mouth shut reflexively, “Pardon me, Mister Malfoy. But what on earth makes you think we are related?”

Lucius’ eyes danced with excitement, “I searched for years, you know. Seventeen years, of combing through records and searching my maps. I was looking in all the wrong places you see, wizarding records. Not even a trace to be found.”

Hermione filled with a sense of dread.

“But then, six years ago I began systematically going through each female in your birth year. I had no name; there was no wizarding record of birth. I looked through each one, and I found my prejudice had gotten the best of me. You see-- I saved muggleborns for last. I never thought your mother would have given up her wand and her fortune to ‘rough it’ with the muggles. But she didn’t give up her name. That’s how I found you some months ago. Your mother Helena died, but I would have recognized her face anywhere. Even… the muggle obituaries. That’s why I made this law, and made sure Dumbledore got word…”

Hermione sputtered with anger, “You intended to marry me off to your son!”

Lucius scoffed, “Nonsense. That would certainly be in bad taste, too close in lineage even for a Malfoy.”

Hermione was taken aback, “Then…why?”

“Because, silly girl, I knew that old fool would direct Severus to take the task of marrying you. And see! Here we are! Severus under the heel of his second master, forced to marry and protect you.”

Hermione stood abruptly as Lucius looked on amused, “I’ll have you know, Mister Malfoy, that I chose Severus for my mate under no influence from the Headmaster at all. I read his name from a list of parchment that could scale these castle’s walls, and I chose him above all others.”

Now Lucius looked slightly disgusted, “Really? Well, there’s no accounting for taste.”

At this, Severus stood up with his wand at the ready, his mask of cool indifference shattered by his angrily shaking wand hand.

“Oh do sit down Old Friend, let’s not make a scene. I was merely jesting.”

Severus sat back down, arms crossed with a small burst of red sparks coming out of his wand unbidden due to his rage.

Lucius relaxed into his chair, “Where was I? Oh yes, you chose Severus fortuitously, as I feel he is the only wizard powerful enough to protect you from the Dark Lord’s growing interest in you.”

Hermione and Severus both gogged at Lucius, “Dear gods, hasn’t anyone taught you manners? You look like a school of fish.” He flicked his wand and their mouths snapped shut.

Hermione leaned forward, “Pardon me, Mister Malfoy. But why in the hell would you want to protect me when I am sworn to fight against you and all you stand for?”

Lucius rubbed his estate ring with his left hand, “You are my niece, dear child. My son and I are the last descendants of Gwenddydd, half-sister to Merlin, your direct descendant.”

He gestured to his forehead and a birthmark in the shape of an inverted crescent.

“My son has no idea who you are or that I have been searching for you, he believes that this law was in an attempt to humiliate you and weaken the Potter boy. While I love my son, he lacks the strength of mind for occlumency. It would not do to have him blabbing all of our family secrets through his weakly shielded mind. He is progressing, so I hope to have him up to speed within a few months.”

Hermione was sitting rigid, “I’m afraid I don’t understand why you would risk everything for me, excuse me, but I haven’t been given much reason to trust you.”

Lucius smirked, “While that is true, I should tell you had I known who you were I would never have put you in harm’s way. There are few things a Malfoy prizes above all others-- power and wealth, naturally. But beyond everything we as Malfoys hold dear, the utmost is Family.”

He flicked his wand at his estate ring, which glowed and projected the Malfoy Crest on the stone wall, ringed in latin.

“Prosapia supremus totus” he intoned, “Family Above All.”

Lucius called off the spell and tapped his shiny boot impatiently, “Now Hermione, I sensed the call of the family blood naught a day ago, so please take off that ridiculous glamour so I may see you in your full glory before you revert back to your true genetic disposition in two days time.”

Hermione paused and wrung her hands, looking to Severus for support. He inclined his head ever so slightly, and she raised a shaking hand letting her glamour melt away.

“Incredible, dear Niece. You certainly do have the genes. I wonder why I felt this pull so strongly, you must be doubly powerful than I had suspected.”

Hermione glanced once more at Severus, “I don’t believe that is the case Mister Malfoy, you see…” and she lifted a hand towards Severus and his glamour melted away, leaving him in all of Merlin’s glory.

Lucius gripped his cane so tightly that in cracked beneath his grip, “I don’t understand… there was never a second son…”

Severus uncrossed his arms, “Of course not, you idiot. We tested via Vinculum Aperio. We were met with Merlin’s Blessing.”

Lucius paled, “this was not expected. This will not do well at all. She will feel your pain, Severus! Every crucio, every flogging! I had intended this for your strength in adversity expecting you to endure pain on her behalf, and now I find she will bear the wrath of the Dark Lord as well?”

He stood and began pacing, “This is not good at all. How can we continue a strong bloodline if she miscarries due to the Dark Lord’s pleasure in torturing his followers?”

“Lucius, we are already aware.”

Lucius spun to face Severus, “Well what are you going to do about it? There is nothing for this, nothing at all. I had hoped it would not come to this.”

He was muttering now, almost incoherently.

Hermione watched him pace…

“Lucius?”

“Lucius.”

“UNCLE!”

That stopped him in his tracks.

“Dear Uncle, please do tell me what you plan on doing?”

Lucius smiled slightly, “I rather like the sound of that, even on the edge of such a sarcastic tongue.”

She stared poignantly.

“It’s simple, child, the Dark Lord’s reign must fall. His ideals, while often in line with my own, now clash with my most important principle. I thought we could simply hide your heritage and pass you off as Severus’ wife while we waged war, but it cannot be that way now, I’m afraid. Not to mention he is becoming more mad and paranoid by the minute. I don’t like the way he looks at my Draco either."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "Mister Malfoy, do you really believe. I mean, were you actually naïve enough to think that for one second I would allow myself to have been holed up while you fought for Voldemort?"

"Bah, that's what imperious is for. But that is neither here nor there. There is much to do, I must be off.”

Hermione's hands were clenched angrily at her sides, and Lucius stood, gathered his cloak, and prepared to leave.

He was standing at the floo with powder in hand when Hermione stood,

“Wait!”

He turned to face her.

“You come in here, spouting about loving your Dark Lord’s ideas, talk about imperiousing me into a subservient breeding mare to continue my family line, yet claim to want to protect me enough to destroy Voldemort? This doesn’t make sense at all! Whose side are you on?!”

Lucius smirked at her, “Easy dear, I am on my side.”

And in a flash of green, he was gone.


A/N: I’m thinking this fic will probably last 20-30 chapters, it really depends on the plot bunny. The layout is in my head, but It’s hard to say how it will be drawn out.