Saving Grace

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. JK Rowling does.

Note: I got a beta, much thanks to GeminiScorp

Saving Grace
Chapter 9

Hermione awoke from an almost comatose state to such a deep burning pain that she was immediately astounded she had slept at all. At first she thought only of the pain emanating from her lower abdomen but in a split second her mind caught up with her and the memories of the night before flashed like lightning in her mind. She remembered the all consuming nameless need that had caused her to writhe in her chair, then suddenly throw herself at Snape. She could practically feel his touch, his lips on her skin, his hot body on top of her as he…

Hermione couldn’t breath, she could feel his body next to hers and she was suddenly afraid. Her mind searched for an explanation for the night before; what had caused her to become so sexually charged? ‘Think Hermione think, when did it start? While I was playing chess. What else were you doing? Drinking! Oh Gods he put something in my drink.’ Suddenly it all made sense; of course he would try something like that! He was a dirty Slytherin and a potions master at that. He put something in the drink to make her act like that. ‘That sick bastard! First he poisons me, then he ties me down and rapes me!’

Hermione suddenly felt so used. She was ashamed of her behavior, and was angry at him for making her lose her virginity like that. ‘It was supposed to be special…not…not animal sex.’ She whimpered not only from the tears streaking down her face and onto the silk green pillow but also from the pain that was getting worse. ‘He didn’t even try to be gentle…I’m married to a manipulative monster…and I had thought…he had acted so nice last night before... but it had all been a hoax.’

Hermione couldn’t stand to lie next to him any longer so she slowly slid out of bed choking back sobs and shuffled to the bathroom. She felt dirty, so she turned to the huge sunken marble tub and turned the water on to a scalding temperature. She got in, not allowing herself to become acclimated and relished the burning sensation. ‘Burn away his touch,’ she thought. She grabbed a coarse bath brush and with a bar of soap proceeded to scrub herself raw. She sobbed quietly as she scrubbed and scrubbed until her whole body was red. Then she just sat in the slowing cooling water, curled into a ball, hugging her knees and sobbing.
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That was how Severus found her.

Severus was usually an extremely light sleeper after a lifetime of constantly being on his guard but after last night he had fallen into a deep sleep. He woke slowly, finally opening his eyes and realizing Hermione had gone, ‘She is not going to be happy,’ he thought with a sigh. But Severus was confident that after he explained about the potion she would understand.

He got out of bed, noticing his muscles were exhausted from their ‘exercise’ last night and put on a pair of pajama bottoms and a shirt. He saw the bathroom light on and went to the door. He knocked but got no answer. He thought he heard something within so he turned the knob and entered. Waves of heat rolled over him; the bathroom was filled with steam. His eyes locked on Hermione immediately. She was still sobbing and he could tell by her reddened skin that she had scrubbed herself raw.

“Hermione, are you alright?” he asked stepping closer to the tub.

“GET OUT YOU SON OF A BITCH! JUST LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!” She looked up at him, eyes wide and crazed and jumped up out of the water.

“What?” Severus stepped back, shocked.

“YOU ALREADY RAPED ME WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?” She screamed lunging at him. She knocked him up against the wall and started raining punches on him wherever she could reach. She got one good one to his nose before he grabbed her flailing arms, turned her and pinned her to the wall.

“Hermione! What in the hell are you talking about?” he yelled as she twisted and turned trying in vain to break his iron grip.

“You know you bastard, you put some potion in my drink last night to make me act like a…a…whore! You hurt me for your own sick fantasies! That was my WEDDING NIGHT and you didn’t even care. You just wanted to make it as easy for you as possible!” she stopped flailing and settled for giving him the most murderous glare she could muster.

Severus was so shocked he let her go and stepped back. Hermione immediately grabbed a towel from the rack beside her and wrapped herself up.

“Hermione, believe me, I did not put that aphrodisiac potion into your brandy.”

“Yeah right! Then who the hell did?”

Snape slumped and shook his head, “I don’t know, but please believe me when I tell you that I did not.”

Hermione still didn’t believe him, “Oh, but you certainly enjoyed the benefits. You went at me like an animal!”

Severus looked away as a wave of shame washed over him. She was right. “I will not lie and say I did not enjoy last night Hermione. But in your state it was all that I could have done to help you. The potion that you consumed would have driven you to insanity if your desire had not been satiated.” She didn’t respond and he knew she still didn’t believe him. “Fine! You require proof? Follow me.” And he stormed out not waiting to see if she followed. He understood her doubt but for his mission to succeed he had to have her utmost trust.

He walked into his private lab and ran his finger down the middle of the smallest cabinet unlocking it and pulled out two small vials, one filled with a completely clear liquid, the other completely black.

“Do you know what these are?” He asked. She only nodded. “Veritaserum and its antidote. I shall drink this and you may ask me if I drugged you, but you may only ask me that.” He explained as he unstopped the clear vial and took a small sip, his eyes closed. When he opened them they had a wide-eyed, glassy appearance.

“Did you put an aphrodisiac potion into my drink last night?” Hermione asked but she had lost her vengeful fire.

Because he had been willing to take the potion she knew he was telling the truth, so she was not surprised when his hollow voice said flatly, “No, I did not.” Hermione nodded satisfied and unstopped the antidote for him. Though she was tempted to ask him more, this surely being a once in a lifetime chance, she knew he would never forgive her if she did and after the pensive experience she wasn’t sure she even wanted to know his secrets anymore. She held the vial to his lips and after one swallow he shook his head and his gaze refocused. “Do you believe me now?” he asked scathingly.

She nodded and her face fell. Tears leaked out of her eyes again and she sat down, crying on his work station. Severus softened and though he had never consoled a person in his life he went to her and pulled her into his arms. She cried onto his shoulder and mumbled incoherently.

After a few moments she straightened, her tears reduced to sniffles. “I’m so sorry; I don’t even know why I am crying. This is all just so…weird.” She knew weird wasn’t quite the right adjective but that was all her dazed mind could come up with.

Severus sat back and stared at his hands. “I know. I understand just how different and hard this will be but we have to accept it. I know love will probably never enter our marriage but I hope for a relationship of trust…and friendship. Despite any and all rumors you may have heard about my conduct with women, I am not a cruel man in this matter…I won’t hurt you Hermione, at least not deliberately.” He looked up to see her smiling at him and he smirked slightly.

“Thank you Prof…” Severus quirked an eye brow and frowned, “ I mean …Severus. That was exactly what I needed to hear.” Severus nodded with satisfaction and watched as Hermione slid around on her stool to stand up. Noticing her wince he immediately jumped to his feet.

“Oh! I should have given this to you much earlier, I apologize Hermione.” He grabbed a vial filled with a watery lilac potion off his desk. “I made this for you, it’s a pain potion meant specifically for a woman’s…first time.” Hermione took the vial and thanked him smiling at his thoughtfulness. She unstopped it and drank it all in one gulp enjoying the sudden rush of warmth through her body. “You need to eat after taking that, breakfast should be set up in the breakfast room by now. I’m going to take a shower; I’ll join you in a moment.”

Hermione stopped mid-nod, “Wait, all of my clothes are still up in my rooms…”

“Your clothes arrived during the ceremony and a house elf put them in my wardrobe. You can go and collect the rest of your belongings later today.” She nodded and he walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Hermione headed over to the huge ornate mahogany wardrobe that was a good foot taller than she was and opened both doors. Unsurprisingly, ‘his’ side of the closet was almost completely black. She smirked to herself, ‘How predictable, I almost wish he had a bright yellow tuxedo hidden in there somewhere.’ She laughed to herself and pulled out a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt. She had expected his rooms to be cold but they were surprisingly comfortable.

She ate breakfast at the bay window, watching the clouds reflected on the lake and the giant Squid swimmingly lazily in the bright sunlight. Severus came in, hair still wet, wearing black trousers and a white shirt. Not speaking he sat down, opened the Daily Prophet lying on the table and read while eating. Hermione just sat and enjoyed the
sun and view for a moment, knowing that it would soon be gone what with winter fast approaching.

She had dazed out when a sharp tapping on the window right by her head made her fall back off the ledge and scream. Severus jumped up, “Hermione! Are you alright?”

“Yes! Just startled, ugh, get the mail” she sat up slowly, nursing nothing but a bruised ego. He opened the window and a huge black owl flew in.

“Ah, Nacroi, here to give me congratulations from my dear friend Lucius eh?” The bird just stood regally holding out its leg and not moving a feather. Snape untied the sealed parchment and the bird lifted gracefully and flew off with perfect poise.

“So that was the Malfoy’s owl?” Hermione asked.

“Yes…they’ve invited us for dinner tonight”

“What? No! I am not going to that…to that…horrid man’s house and pretending like we’re all friends.”

“Hermione we must, this is a test that both you and I must pass”

“What are you talking about?”

“Hermione…There was a reason behind Voldomort’s desire to have you married to a high ranking death eater, other than just cruelty.”

“There was?” Hermione asked alarmed.

“Yes…” and Severus explained Voldomort’s plan to an amazed Hermione.

“So, you’re telling me that his plan is for you to manipulate me and slowly turn me to the dark side so that I will spy on Harry and Dumbledore?”

“Yes, and I have discussed this with the Headmaster and we both feel that it would be invaluable to the Order if you…”

“If I’d what?”

“Played along and became a double agent like myself.” He finished quickly, not knowing what her reaction would be.

Severus received a huge shock.

“Really!!! Finally! I’ve been waiting for this chance, yes, yes, yes I’ll do it. I’ve wanted to be a spy for the Order since fifth year!”

“Hermione! This is not some game, this will be dangerous. Extremely so. You will be forced to witness and participate in many dark rituals if we are to make the Dark Lord believe our ruse. Hermione, you do not know many of the activities that the inner circle participates in…” he said in a low growl.

Hermione only nodded, “I know it will be hard but I can do it. I promise I’ll do anything.”

Severus shook his head knowing that Hermione had absolutely no idea of what she was getting into.

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She spent the next three hours walking back and forth from her Head Girl dorm transporting her belongings. During her second trip Ron and Harry spotted her and sprinted up the staircase to where she struggled with a rather large box of books.

“Hermione! Are you alright? Did he hurt you?” Ron asked obviously checking her over for any apparent signs of abuse as Harry took the box from her.

Hermione sighed in exasperation but guessed that this would be the typical reaction to her marriage. “No, he didn’t hurt me, I’m fine, everything is fine.” She smiled reassuringly. Both boys looked skeptical. She held up her right hand, “Scouts honor.” Harry grinned but Ron, having no idea what a scout was just frowned.

Harry coughed, “Well…how was…you know…”

Hermione blushed a deep crimson, “I am not telling you about Severus’ and my sex life,” she stood straight, willing her blush to recede.

Ron shuddered. “Oh, you and that greasy git in bed…and you calling him Severus. Oh this is foul.”

Hermione swatted his shoulder none too lightly, “Shut up Ron, that’s my husband you’re talking about and he really isn’t that bad. Now, are you going to help me with all this stuff or not?”

They walked down to the dungeons and Hermione touched open the door. Severus had added her touch as a key through the wards after she had stood knocking for 10 minutes after her first trip. Ron and Harry walked in cautiously.

“Oh stop it, it’s not like he is going to pop out from somewhere and curse you,” she scolded.

“Who says?” A silky dangerous voice asked from the doorway. Ron and Harry jumped. “Potter, Weasley, here to check for whips and hooks?” He asked scathingly.

Hermione jumped in before they could reply, “No Severus they were helping with my belongings, and wanted to give us their congratulations…right boys?”

Ron nodded but Harry only looked murderously at Snape. Snape nodded smirking and retreated to his office. The boys put down their boxes and waited till they were out in the corridor before letting out a stream of curses.

“Now both of you just shut up!” They did so immediately, not used to this tone from Hermione.

“I know this is a difficult situation but I won’t have you insulting him around me. I think it would be best if we never mentioned my husband while with each other, fair?” They nodded miserably and there was a minute of awkward silence before Hermione decided that although she loathed it, she would rather have them happily talking about Quidditch than not talking at all.

So for many more trips they chatted amiably about the team’s chances this year. Ron was captain and Harry complained that he was worse than Angelina and Wood combined.

They kept their conversation light and trivial, all three determined not to think about the marriage law…at least for a few hours. They all knew the boys would be facing their own marriages soon, but for the time being it was better and easier not to think about it.

They were descending the dungeon stairs for the last time with Hermione carrying a hissing Crookshanks in his basket, when the one person the boys hated even more than Snape came skulking up to greet them.

“Hello Potter, Weasley…Mrs. Snape,” Malfoy sneered.

“Go away Malfoy,” Ron and Harry said, but Hermione stayed silent.

Draco ignored them and focused on Hermione, “Congratulations on your nuptials Mrs. Snape, I’m sure last night was the happiest of your life!” He cackled.

Hermione held up a hand to quiet the boys as she smiled sweetly, “Yes it was, and thank you for your thoughts, I’m sure I will be seeing you tonight at dinner Draco.” She walked briskly away wondering if the ferret was to thank for the potion in her drink last night. Ron and Harry had to run to catch up with her as stalked away.

“What do you mean you’ll be seeing him at dinner?” Harry asked worriedly.

“The Malfoys have invited Severus and me to dinner.” Before the boys could even begin to exclaim how awful it was she cut them off. “Look, if I let Lucius know how much I hate him he will continue to torment me. Severus and I need to show a united front when dealing with the Malfoys.” Harry and Ron look unconvinced but after a quick shared glance they kept their silence.

Once they had dropped off the last of their boxes and Crookshanks had run off to hide, Hermione bid Ron and Harry good bye and went to unpack. While she was gone Severus had added an identical desk and bookcase to his office for her and had rearranged some of his things to make room for hers. She did not have much, never really being into decorating and it only took a short while to settle in.

When she had finished it was five o’clock and Severus informed her that they would be leaving in an hour and a half. He handed her a money bag and told her to go and purchase something appropriate to wear that evening – “And please, I beg you, nothing pink or frilly.”

Hermione relished the perks of being a teacher’s wife (and of being Severus’ wife in particular) as she apperated from the stone room straight to Diagon Alley. She sighed happily as she found herself out in the world buying a fashionable gown with money Severus has given her. She did not take long to shop, after a half hour she was done and went back home to show her new husband. It was a sumptuous deep green color, made of silk and flowing, it hugged all of her curves in just the right places with a revealing neck line. It fell around her like a Greek goddess’ toga. Snape’s eyes went wide at the sight of her. She had also found a long flowing robe of a darker color and thicker material to keep her warm.

“You look beautiful Hermione, that is perfect,” and for some reason that complement meant more to her than any other before.

She had pulled some of her hair up in a crown like way on the top of her head but left most of it down. She put on a little make-up having never used much so her natural beauty shone through. Severus appeared in a beautiful black suit with a robe to match. She stood to leave but Severus grabbed her arm.

“Wait, Hermione, I thought you would like to wear these.” He pulled out a velvet case. Hermione opened it and gasped. Inside laid a beautiful diamond necklace shaped like a snake and pair of earrings. It looked like a dazzling white serpent coiled around her neck, its head coming to a rest between her breasts. The earrings were similar in style and just as stunning.

“Severus, they’re beautiful, thank you for letting me wear them.” She said, sincerely touched by his thoughtfulness.

“They were my mother’s, and now they are yours, they have been passed down the Snape line for a hundred years.” Hermione nodded understanding the significance and smiled, truly feeling like a wife. He took her arm and led her to his hidden apperation chamber. He held open his arms and she stepped into his embrace. With a pop she felt the world spin and after a moment felt her feet settle on cobble stone. She opened her eyes to realize she was standing in the middle of a circular driveway in front of an enormous mansion. It was dark grey and intimidating with the words Malfoy Manor written across the mantle.

Hermione straightened her spine and took Severus’ arm, “Shall we?”

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Note: Thanks once again to my beta. Readers, please review, it only takes a moment and is the only payment us writers get. Long reviews are especially appreciated.