Marriage Law

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 16

Chapter 16 ~ Revelations

Despite his lucidity, Severus awoke in the middle of the night groaning and in great pain. Hermione woke up instantly and retrieved Pomfrey, who treated him. The medi-witch made Hermione leave the room while she again worked on his mutilated back and changed the bandages. Hermione returned when the healer was finished.

When Pomfrey and Albus initially returned to check on the couple, and the healer saw the witch curled against the Potions Master, she wanted to remove Hermione from the bed. Albus stopped her, telling her exactly what Severus told his Hermione, that she was his wife and had a right to sleep with her husband. Pomfrey conceded. The next morning, Hermione arose and after losing an argument to Severus, left the infirmary to go to class as he insisted.

As the Potions Master was doing his best to resist eating the gruel Pomfrey was trying to spoon down his throat, Albus came to visit him, granting him a reprieve from the medi-witch’s efforts at feeding him something nutritious. Severus scowled after the healer as she left in a huff, muttering about stubborn, half-dead wizards that ought to be restrained.

“I swear, I think that woman purposely makes that tasteless slop for me and me alone,” the Potions Master said to Albus while making a face. “I am going to get Hermione to smuggle in soup with vegetables this afternoon. Pomfrey’s purposely trying to keep me weak and bedridden.”

Albus grinned and pulled up a chair. He sat down and looked at Severus soberly.

“Severus, while you were absent, the marriage law was repealed. You are no longer obligated to be married to Mrs. Snape. You have until January 15th to annul your nuptials. If you do not dissolve the marriage by midnight of that date, it will become binding forever as all wizarding marriages,” the Headmaster said.

Severus looked at him a moment.

“Hermione is aware of this?” he asked quietly. He knew she was. For some reason he wanted Albus to confirm it.

“Yes, she is,” Albus replied.

“She didn’t say anything about it to me,” the Potions Master said.

“Well, you’ve not been back even a full day, Severus. She probably thought she’d wait to let you know. I imagine you will be pleased to get your life back,” Albus said, his blue eyes twinkling.

Severus didn’t say anything. He was thinking how nice it had been to feel Hermione sleeping next to him last night. It was the first time in his life he had slept with a woman he hadn’t fucked first. And usually the only reason he had slept with a woman after sex was because it was either too late to go home or send her home. Hermione had been the first woman he slept with simply because he wanted to. He wanted to get her used to feeling his body next to hers. Even on his sick bed, he was calculating.

Severus thought at first that Hermione wanted to stay with him last night because of the kiss, but soon decided that she would have stayed with him even if he hadn’t kissed her. The witch had been very concerned about him, and missed him while he was with the Dark Lord. He liked that fact. However, Severus was certain that Hermione wouldn’t have slept in the bed with him if he hadn’t kissed her. She would have stayed in the chair. Now that she knew how he could make her feel, she wanted to be closer to him. Well, if he got his way she would soon get as close to him as was humanly possible.

The only thing about this situation that disconcerted him was the fact that Hermione was a virgin, and didn’t know what to expect. But it was too late, she had already worked herself into his blood, and he had to have her. The truth of the matter was, Severus had not been with a virgin since he was a youth, and almost a virgin himself. He didn’t even remember the girl’s name.

Severus’ first experience had been with a much older witch, who knew what she was about. She was a friend of his mother’s who entered his room accidentally on the night of a party. Severus was seventeen at the time and didn’t attend the gathering. He avoided his parent’s get-togethers like most teens, and remained in his bedroom reading during the entire celebration.

The woman was a bit inebriated when she stumbled into his bedroom while looking for the loo. The witch took one look at him lying in his bed shirtless and in his pajama bottoms, then closed and warded his door. She was a very pretty woman, the kind young wizards wanked off over, so when she started to undress, Severus just watched her wide-eyed and didn’t protest. She did ask him if he was a virgin when she slid into the bed next to him and he told her he was. When she asked him if he wanted to stay a virgin, his black eyes swept over her and he told her no. She then asked him if he could keep a secret, and he told her yes, and that was the magic answer.

What Severus remembered most about the experience was when the woman pulled down his pajama bottoms, exclaimed, then looked at him as if he were the most beautiful creature in the world. Then she told him in a very low and sexy voice that he had been gifted. The rest was a blur of heat, softness, and indescribable pleasure. When he up woke the next afternoon, he thought he might have dreamed the entire episode, but the stains on his sheets and the scratches on his back proved it had been quite real. After that, and the one virgin, all the women he slept with were experienced. Hermione would be the first virgin he ever deflowered as an adult wizard.

Albus cleared his throat. The Potions Master had zoned out on him.

Severus snapped out of his reverie as he realized the Headmaster was looking at him, waiting for a response to his getting his marriage annulled.

“I said, Severus, that I imagined that you will be pleased to get your life back,” the Headmaster repeated.

“Yes,” the Potions Master replied absently. Albus couldn’t help but notice the lack of conviction in his voice.

When the Headmaster left, Severus decided that he would not address the overturning of the marriage law until Hermione did. He would deal with it then.

*****************************

For the four days that the Potions Master remained in the infirmary, Hermione attended her classes as usual, but slept with him every night, securely dressed in her granny gown. She quickly got used to his lean, warm body beside hers and his strong arm encircling her shoulder as she slept. On the fifth day Pomfrey said he could return to his rooms.

“But NO strenuous activities for at least a week and a half!” she chided, looking at both of them sternly.

The medi-witch knew that the dynamic between the Potions Master and his wife had changed significantly, and Hermione’s virginity was marked for death. She just didn’t want her patient expiring with it.

Severus was quite anxious to get at Hermione, but found that he ached terribly around his mid-section if he bent too quickly. He had suffered a lot of muscle damage, and regrettably conceded that Pomfrey was right…he would not be up to par for several more days. He needed to be in tip-top condition for Hermione.

Hermione helped the Potions Master return to their rooms via the floo. It was now the Christmas break, so she could help nurse him back to health. After settling Severus in and making sure he had plenty to eat, drink and read, Hermione took a day trip to London to see her parents and inform them that she would be staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. Her mother and father were very disappointed. She had come home for the holidays every year since starting at Hogwarts.

Her father in fact was suspicious, and asked why she had not yet annulled her marriage. He had learned that the law was repealed and was overjoyed his daughter would be out of the clutches of the dark wizard she married. Ever since he witnessed that kiss at the wedding, Jonathan Granger was sure Severus had designs on doing more than being a husband in name only. He suspected that the Potions Master was stalling the annulment and intent on taking advantage of his innocent daughter. At least he hoped she was still innocent.

“Well dad, he’s…he’s sick right now. I don’t want to leave him while he’s sick,” Hermione told her father, who scowled at this. Her mother, on the other hand, looked at Hermione a bit oddly, her blue eyes sweeping over her several times.

Jonathan swelled with indignation.

“He can get one of those house elf things to look after him. You’re not his nursemaid. Sure, he did you a favor, Hermione…but you’re not obligated to wait on him hand and foot because of it. I want you out of this marriage, young lady,” her father said, his amber eyes narrowed at the thought of Severus having his way with his daughter. “And I want you home for Christmas. That’s it. End of story.”

Hermione’s father gave her a look that clearly said the issue was closed as far as he was concerned. He was the king of this household, and the king had spoken. His subjects must obey.

Hermione hesitated. She had never disobeyed her father openly before. But she wanted to be with Severus more than she had wanted anything in her life. She took a deep breath.

“Dad, I love you, you know that. You’ve always been there for me, always tried to guide me in the right way. And I appreciate it. But dad, I’m eighteen now. An adult. I can make my own choices and my own decisions. You can’t tell me what to do anymore,” she said softly, hating the look on her father’s face as she did so.

Sara walked up and put her hand on her husband’s arm as Jonathan stared down at his daughter, his little girl, and tried to digest her telling him that she no longer needed him. Hermione wasn’t telling her father that, but it was how he felt in his heart. And he lashed out just like everyone else did…at the Potions Master.

“He’s been telling you things like that, hasn’t he?” her father said. “That lecherous bastard. He’s been using his time alone with you to influence you, to tear you away from your family and friends, and keep you locked up in that dungeon with him. Saying you’re all grown up now and don’t need to listen to your old dad anymore, I bet. I’ve got a mind to go to Hogwarts and make him a damn site sicker than he is.”

“Don’t you dare!” Hermione blurted out, shocking her father, her mother and herself. “Severus has nothing to do with this. He has no idea what I am here to talk to you about.”

Hermione looked at her father and her eyes narrowed. She was tired of everyone knocking the Potions Master. It was time to come clean to her parents. About everything.

“Severus is not a lecherous bastard. He hasn’t tried to lay a single hand on me in all the time I’ve been in the dungeons with him. He’s been kind and more than kind. I never told you what almost happened to me. About how I was attacked by a wizard intent on raping me and maybe killing me. Severus wasn’t there…”

Hermione’s mother’s eyes widened in horror, and her father’s face went hard as stone.

“…but once he found out what happened to me, dad, he went out and found that wizard. And he KILLED him, dad. With his bare hands, he killed him for touching me!” Hermione said, tears starting to stream down her face.

Shock registered on both her parents’ faces at this revelation. Hermione continued.

“And then, he was tortured. Not for a minute or an hour, but for days…for days, dad! Because he avenged me. That’s why he’s sick. That’s why I need to take care of him. That’s why I need to stay with him,” Hermione said, wiping at her streaming eyes with her hand.

Jonathan’s arm wrapped around his wife. He drew her in close, as if for support as he listened to his daughter. Hermione’s mother was crying quietly, her blue eyes focused on the witch as she told her story.

“And you know something else dad? Severus did this, and he’s never, ever touched me. Does that sound like a lecher to you, dad? A man that would put his own life on the line to avenge a woman he has never touched? Who would suffer horrible tortures for her honor when he has received no reward?” she said, trembling with emotion.

Hermione sniffed, and stood up straighter, lifting her chin slightly as she faced her parents.

“I don’t know that I want to dissolve this marriage, dad. Not after all he’s gone through for me. You have to agree he’s gone through as much for me as you would have, and I’m your daughter. I’m not saying he loves me, but I think that I love him. I didn’t intend to…but…that’s how it is. And I am staying with him over the holidays…and dad, if he does try to touch me…I’m not sure I won’t let him. He’s my husband and it’s my decision. You’ll just have to learn to live with my decisions.”

Jonathan looked at his daughter, his chest tight as he absorbed all she had told him in one burst. Her mother leaned against him, looking up at him then at Hermione. Her poor child…why didn’t she let them know what had happened to her?

Hermione saw the question in her mother’s eyes.

“Don’t blame the Headmaster. I asked that you not be told what happened. I didn’t want you to come there and see me, then blame everyone at Hogwarts…or blame Severus. You would have tried to make me leave the school. I want to finish my studies, and then go on to university and become a Spells Mistress. There are sick, twisted people in every world, and the wizard who attacked me was a very sick man. It was nobody’s fault. And he’s gone now. Severus took care of him. I didn’t see any reason to get you both involved.”

Jonathan started blinking very quickly. Hermione stared at him, waiting for him to start screaming and ranting as he usually did when he discovered he had been left out of the loop. But instead, her father let go of his wife and opened his arms to his daughter.

Sobbing, Hermione ran to him and he enfolded her in his strong, comforting embrace and held her, saying nothing, rocking her as he used to do when she was a child, quietly mourning the truth that she was a child no longer. Sara moved behind her daughter and wrapped her tiny arms around her as well.

Mother, father and daughter stood like that for a long, long time, drawing comfort and strength from each other.

Then Hermione returned to Hogwarts.

And Severus.