Chapter Ten
Chapter 10 of 16
LooneylunaHermione discovers the truth.
ReviewedChapter Ten
A week of her indentured servitude had passed with little fanfare and almost no sign of her tormentor. Aside from greeting her, Severus Snape had made himself so scarce that she hadn't seen him. It was as though he was sequestered himself. There was planning to do; always a list of potions that she needed to brew. She spent her days brewing and her nights writing.
Still unable to sleep, Hermione was halfway through the book that would hopefully redeem Draco Malfoy in the eyes of his wife. Maybe it was the insomnia. Maybe it was the stress. Either way, her creative juices were flowing, and she was not going to look a gift Hippogriff in the mouth.
There had been numerous requests for interviews since she had been revealed as Perdita Winters, but she honored the agreement, granting only one interview with The Quibbler. She only hoped that that interview reached Pansy. According to Draco, she was due in the next few weeks. He was beside himself with worry, and she couldn't blame him or help the guilty pang that settled in her stomach whenever she was around him.
Of course it wasn't her fault. At least that is what she kept telling herself. Hormones and magic were a dangerous mix. Pregnant witches were a dangerous breed, and magical hormones were monitored daily... or they were supposed to be. Like Draco, she had hired a private investigator to find her, but so far the search had come up empty-handed.
It was actually dumb luck and bad timing. Pansy's pregnancy hormones combined with her overactive imagination...
Heaving a heavy sigh, Hermione stared out the window of Gryffindor tower. The treetops of the Forbidden Forest swayed in the distance, and the light of the full moon danced over the grounds. She could see Hagrid's hut from her window and felt a pang of remorse that she had not been to visit him yet, but her time was devoted to serving out her sentence and working on her next novel.
As if bidden by her thoughts, the giant came out of his hut and made his way across the lawn toward the castle. He was not alone.
Hermione squinted, trying to determine who was with Hagrid. Whoever it was wore a black cape and kept their head covered. The person held their stomach as if they had eaten too much. If they had eaten too much at Hagrid's, they would undoubtedly have a stomachache later.
As Hagrid and his guest neared the castle, Hermione opened her window to get a better look. His guest turned toward the tower, and the moonlight illuminated her face.
"Pansy!" she gasped, almost falling out of the window in her effort to gain a better glimpse. "Pansy!" she yelled, her voice echoing against the stone walls of the courtyard below.
The woman yelped and ran into the castle.
--
"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't being totally honest with me?" Arthur Weasley asked Severus before downing the rest of his Firewhisky.
Severus cringed. Having spent the last week with the Weasley patriarch had been a painful, yet necessary evil. He hadn't spent every moment of every day with him, but he had spent enough time around Arthur to gain a new respect for the man.
After the shocking realization that he was in love with Hermione Granger, Severus had made it a point to stay as far away from her as possible. Yes, he wanted to shag the witch senseless, but there was no point complicating his life, much less hers. In an effort to gather some semblance of control over his life, he had sought council with the only married male member of the Order.
Arthur was happily married. Happily. Married. Not two words one usually finds in the same sentence. It wasn't as though he was looking for ways to propose to Hermione. He merely wished to approach her in a non-threatening manner, which was difficult for him to do since he had done nothing but bully her from the moment they had met.
Draining his third Firewhisky, Severus set his glass on the table and looked at Arthur. "You are correct," he replied, his words slightly slurred. "I haven't been very forthcoming."
Arthur nodded. "I see," he said. "Who is she? You haven't been asking me about my courtship with Molly for the heck of it."
Severus poured another shot of Firewhisky and downed it quickly for courage. It was the cowardly way to deal with the interpersonal aspects of his life, but it seemed to work. "Hermione Granger."
The older wizard's slight intake of breath spoke volumes. His wife had obviously confided in him, but of course, Molly only knew half the story. "If you... care for Hermione, then why are you suing her?"
Toasting to nothing in particular, Severus pursed his lips. "The lawsuit has been dropped. Hermione is...helping me brew potions for the Hospital Wing. That was the deal. Instead of monetary compensation she was to be my indentured servant for the summer and help me replenish the supplies."
He sighed and tossed another shot of Firewhisky back. "It's a stupid ruse. She is intelligent and beautiful. I don't know what I was thinking. I had thought that if I got her to come to Hogwarts, I could have a chance with her, but it is unlikely that she will forgive me for..." He clamped his lips shut and started to hum the last part.
"I'm sorry," Arthur said, slurring the second word a bit as he cupped a hand to his ear, for he was pissed as well. "I didn't catch that last part."
Severus closed his eyes and wished for oblivion to consume him, but he knew he would never escape his troubles that way. He grabbed the bottle of Firewhisky and poured his new "friend" more to drink. "When I found out that she had written that... book, I confronted her. I... caused her great distress, and I doubt that she will forgive me anytime soon."
Arthur snorted, giving away that he actually knew more than he was letting on. He had listened to Molly lament about Hermione's woes, but he had thought that his wife had been exaggerating. "Do you mean to sit there and tell me that you actually went to the villa and held Hermione against her will."
Severus shook his head. "I never held her against her will." He defended himself with a hefty sigh. "She was free to leave at any time. I disarmed her... took her wand away. She broke my nose!"
Arthur stared at him, his eyes wide with shock. "What were you thinking?"
Contemplating his answer carefully, Severus fingered his wand nervously. He might possibly have to Obliviate Arthur. "I was furious... at first. I wasn't thinking at all. I wanted to strike out. She... she was making fun of me at my expense. She was mocking me behind my back... Did she really think she was going to get away with it?"
"That's preposterous!" Arthur whispered. "You didn't really think..."
"Please let me finish," Severus replied. "Like I said. I wasn't thinking. I was out of control and... Well, I've never been out of control before. Do you think I would have lasted as long as I did spying if I could not control myself? It was quite unnerving and quite unexpected. I wish I had never read the bloody book. I wish I had never found out who the author was. Life would be so much simpler..."
"I can assure you that Hermione wasn't making fun of you at your expense," Arthur informed him quickly. "You must realize that... she... uh... cares for you. I am often present during her and Molly's brainstorm sessions. In fact, I remember with astute clarity that Hermione would often slip and refer to the character in question as Severus."
The truth of the matter was that somewhere between revenge and resolution, he had discovered that Hermione cared for him. At least, she had cared for him. His behavior had probably ruined any chances that he may have had, had he approached her in a more conventional manner.
"It doesn't matter," Severus murmured, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "She is a Gryffindor through and through. She will never forgive me."
Arthur set his glass down and frowned. "I would take offense to that generalization, but I understand where you are coming from. Molly is not quick to forgive either."
Silence loomed between the two wizards as they contemplated the conversation. Severus cleared his throat. "How do you make amends whenever you wrong your wife?"
Arthur clucked his tongue. "Have you apologized?"
Resting his head on his hand, Severus pushed the Firewhisky away and blinked.
"I take it by your silence that you have yet to apologize to her." Arthur shook his head in astonishment.
Severus was unable to meet the other wizard's gaze, ashamed by his petty weaknesses. He hated apologizing. It wasn't as though he was never wrong. Apologizing was a sign of weakness, and they were pointless. Wounded feelings were not his concern, and if he had to apologize to appease someone's wounded feelings... He would rather cast the Killing Curse on them and put them out of their pathetic misery.
"Please tell me that you apologized to her." Arthur hiccupped.
Severus stiffened. "I have not."
Arthur regarded him, his warm eyes measuring him. Befriending Arthur Weasley had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now he wasn't so sure. Having realized that he required assistance, Severus had sought him out. He was, after all, in a healthy, well-adjusted relationship. Is this not what Severus wanted with Hermione?
The drunken haze of Firewhisky prevented him from answering his own question.
Leaning back in his chair, Arthur shook his head. "You might want to start with an apology."
--
Hermione ran down the stairs to the main entrance, the shuffling sound of her slippers echoing in the hall. She reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped short. Dumbledore sat in what she assumed was a conjured chair in the middle of the grand entrance, sipping tea.
"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Granger?" he asked.
"I saw Pansy," she replied breathlessly. "I needed to talk to her. I needed to..."
"She's resting." Albus stood and Vanished his chair and tea. "She is... ill."
"Is something wrong with the baby?" Tears welled in her eyes, and she took a step backwards. If something happened to Pansy and Draco's baby because of her... "Where is she? I need to see her."
Resting his hand on her shoulder, he tried to comfort her. "The babies are fine. Mrs. Malfoy came to Hogwarts, seeking sanctuary. Poppy is monitoring the pregnancy and..."
"Babies?" The tears fell freely now.
"Mrs. Malfoy is having twins," Dumbledore chuckled, quickly conjuring a chair for Hermione to sit in. "You look pale. Why don't you have a seat?"
Hermione tried speaking, but no words would come out.
The headmaster patted her hand reassuringly. "Pregnancy hormones and magic are a very dangerous mix. Pansy is afraid of Draco right now. Even though I know that Draco would never do the things she has accused him of, I felt it safer for her and the babies to play along with her delusions and paranoia. She'll be fine after the babies are born."
He tapped his chin with his finger. "If I recall correctly, Molly Weasley had this problem when she was pregnant with George and Fred. Either way, Pansy will be right as rain once she has the babies. Well... providing she doesn't have any complications."
She plopped into the chair that he offered to her and buried her head in her hands. "It's all my fault. She thinks Draco is... evil... because of what I've written."
"Actually," Dumbledore murmured, "Draco's personal history affected her more. His father is a convicted Death Eater."
"But my book..."
"Is a work of fiction," he interceded. "Anyone who has difficulty separating fact from fiction requires professional help. I understand that Severus may fall into that category."
Hermione stopped blaming herself and froze. "W-What do you mean?"
Looking away guiltily, Albus cleared his throat. "I owe you an apology. I had no idea that Severus was going to be so daft and frustrating. I'm sorry he ruined your vacation. I was really looking forward to reading Harry and Ginny's book."
"You knew about the villa?" Her voice was a whisper, even though in her head it was an angry shout.
"Well, I knew where he was," he admitted. "I didn't know what he was up to. The island authorities contacted me about the charges you made against Severus. I, of course, vouched for his whereabouts at that time. I..."
"I was beginning to think I had imagined the whole thing, and here you were covering for him?" This time her voice did get louder.
Dumbledore sighed as if there was more to his confession. "That... isn't all, I'm afraid."
She folded her arms across her chest and glared at the headmaster, waiting for him to continue.
"They say that confession is good for the soul..." He gave her a nervous smile, which made him look youthful. "I planted the book. I planted it everywhere. I gave it to his students. I had to get him to read it. I had to get him to realize that you had feelings for him. I didn't realize it would take so long for him to finally get around to reading it.
"I had hoped that he would have realized what the book was...a declaration of your feelings for him."
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and anger.
"I should have realized that he would see it as an attack on his character." Dumbledore fiddled with his beard. "Severus is so used to dealing with absolutes that he seems to get carried away. Sirius and James bullied him horribly. Even before he came to Hogwarts, he was bullied at home. He..."
The colossal door in the main entrance creaked open, cutting off the headmaster's confession. She could feel her heart pounding and her temperature rising as anger flashed through her system. Severus and Arthur Weasley staggered into the hall and stopped. Actually, they didn't stagger. It was more like Arthur staggered while dragging Severus behind him.
Albus rushed toward them. "Mobilicorpus!"
"Put me down," Severus growled. "I can walk! I'm not so pissed that I can't walk."
Albus released the spell, and Severus fell to the floor with an unceremonious plop.
Arthur winced, feeling his newfound "friend's" pain. "You'll be fine once you get some Sober Up Potion. Oh... hello... Hermione."
Hermione stared at the spectacle, and Severus' bleary gazed locked with hers.
"Just the person I needed to see," he mumbled, clutching Dumbledore's sleeve and pulling himself up and onto his knees. "I wanted to apologize for... everything."
Hermione grimaced. "Severus Snape was obviously pissed beyond reason. She didn't know whether to be angry or amused."
Releasing the headmaster's robe, Severus edged toward Hermione on his knees. "I'm an arse. I'm an insensitive arse, and I overreacted."
Albus looked at Arthur. "I get the impression that this is more than the Firewhisky talking."
Shrugging his shoulders, Arthur snorted. "I slipped him some Veritaserum. You were right, Albus. He's been glowering at me all week long, asking me about Molly. I just couldn't take it any more. I followed your orders. I listened to him, and I gave him advice. I have gone above and beyond my duty as a member of the Order and respectfully resign.
"Severus, I hope you find the happiness you deserve." Arthur staggered toward the entrance and hiccupped loudly.
Edging closer to Hermione, Severus ignored his friend's exit and grabbed her robe. "I'm sorry. I apologize for 'ruining your life.' I apologize for my behavior at the villa. I'm sorry that Percy Obliviated his sister. I'm sorry I'm such an arse. Oh wait, I believe I've already covered that."
Hermione looked at Albus pleadingly as she was pulled down to Severus' level. The stone floor was cold, even through the material of her jeans. Severus cupped her cheeks with his hands and gently forced her to look at him. "Please..." His breath was minty fresh, as though he had eaten a whole pack of breath mints to disguise the fact that he had been drinking.
"Please forgive me." His black eyes were wide. "Please tell me I still have a chance with you."
"I..." don't know what to say. "Professor Dumbledore?" she asked pleadingly before she said something stupid. Scenes like this normally wrote themselves.
"I think it's time we help him to the dungeons," Albus stated softly.
--
Severus clung to the beautiful figment of his imagination, unwilling to relinquish hold of her silken curls. He was in his bed, and she was over him.
"You've got to let go of my hair," she whispered, her fingers wrapping around his.
"Are you going to be all right, Miss Granger?" Albus asked from the doorway. "Should I send for a house-elf?"
Severus scowled. He finally had Hermione in his bed. Why was he hearing Albus' voice in the distance? The bloody meddler! Why couldn't he leave well enough alone?
"I'll be fine, Professor," she replied, her breath brushing against his cheek as she leaned over him and tried to free her hair.
"Very well," Albus replied. "I shall retire for the evening. Call Dobby if you need anything."
Severus growled. Why was Albus still here? He had something important that he wanted to tell Hermione, but he was having a difficult time remembering what it was. Blasted Firewhisky!
"Would you be kind enough to set out a Hangover Potion for tomorrow morning?" he asked with a frustrated huff, knowing that wasn't what he wanted to ask her.
"Of course," she replied, her words a little on the breathless side as she continued to try to free her hair.
As she freed the sections of hair, he wound more though his fingers. "I love your hair." He inhaled and kissed some strands. "I especially love the smell of the beach in your hair."
Hermione froze above him, her hips and back protesting the unnatural angle as she hovered over him. What was she doing here? She should have let the headmaster deal with him.
Severus shuddered beneath her. "I close my eyes and imagine burying my face in your hair as I 'slide into you.'"
Her eyes widened, and she felt the answering call of his drunken seduction melt her insides.
"You never did finish writing that scene between Simon and Cassandra," he murmured, his voice a low purr. He abandoned her hair and touched her cheek. "I would bury my cock inside you until I could go no further. I would feel the aftershocks of your previous orgasms surrounding my flesh and would sell my soul to remain thusly. I would smell the ocean breeze in your hair."
Hermione would have twisted away from him in an effort to escape, but the deep timbre of his voice enchanted her so that she couldn't move; could barely breathe.
"I would wrap my arms around you, cradling your stomach with one hand and your breasts with the other."
She whimpered, the liquid ache between her thighs betraying her resolve.
"I would be buried balls deep where I belong. I would nibble on your neck and tell you that I love you."
The admission was like cold water on a raging flame, stealing the life of the fire, but not quite extinguishing it. Grasping hold of her last shred of sanity, Hermione backed away, but he grabbed hold of her wrist.
"I love you," he repeated solemnly. "That's what I wanted to tell you."
After having been shattered into what felt like ten million pieces by him, she didn't trust him and redoubled her efforts to extract herself from his bed.
"I want you," he rasped, pulling her hand against his aching cock.
She gasped, flexing her fingers along the cloth-covered ridge of his arousal. Her body betrayed her. She wanted to take him inside her and realize what it felt to make love to the man she loved.
"Ease my agony, my love," Severus pleaded.
Her stomach churned. This must be another one of his jokes or mechanizations.
He turned them over, and she yelped in surprise. He whispered kisses along her jaw and cheek before claiming her lips. It was a slow, possessive kiss. Sliding tongue against sliding tongue. Captured sighs and anguished groans.
"Please, Hermione," he panted against her lips, rocking his body into hers. They were still clothed, and the frustration mounted. "Forgive me. I love you."
Unchecked tears fell. How could she trust the words she would die to hear from him, whispered in a drunken, deceitful stupor. Severus Snape would no more love her than he would love...
"Veritaserum!" Hermione shuddered beneath him. "Arthur said that he had given you Truth Serum. Is this true?"
He shook his head as if trying to clear it and answered the question truthfully. "I don't know."
Hermione bit her bottom lip, weary and afraid. "Do you love me?" she asked him, the words barely a whisper. Almost a dreamlike quality.
"Yes," he answered, the raw honesty in his opaque eyes luring her into the trap that she found herself in. "I love you."
Hermione moved beneath him, reaching into her jeans pocket and removing her wand. She Vanished their clothing and trembled. "Prove it."
--
TBC
Author's Notes...I can't thank my beta readers enough. Words cannot express my gratitude. The question remains... will they or won't they?
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Latest 25 Reviews for Defamation of Character
248 Reviews | 6.67/10 Average
yea me completed your story...
i did not realize i had not finished it..
thank you for a fun story
waiting for other stories
This was a great story. I had never read read the original but I'm glad you changed it. I was a bit put off over the 'injunction' thing in Chapter 3, it was almost too unrealistic - I know it's silly but I am a corporate litigation paralegal and I am completely aware of how tricky injunctions are in and of themselves simply because of the implications you set forth; an injunction such as that would indeed be illegal and unconstitutional (but I am only familiar with American laws and couldn't speak for the intricacies of British laws) - but I'm glad I kept going.
This was great, I like how you worked the rumor of Albus and Minie in there. I almost wish I could read the novels.
Thank you
Ha! I love this! It's great how the enchanted notebook becomes almost an instant messaging tool, and allows H and S to finally be a little more honest with each other... even if it *is* in a kind of middle school way. I like how pathetic/sweet Severus is in this chapter.I found this story long after you wrote it, but I'm really enjoying it! There are a lot of really quirky deadpan moments in your writing that are completely hilarious. Yay!
Lovely! I like that you didn't rush things, that sex wasn't the cure-all and they still had to work through some issues.
I know I should have reviewed each chapter but I couldn't stop clicking the button to move on to the next chapter. This was a very funny, poignant, sexy and sweet story and I most definitely will be sending the link to my friends and telling them that they HAVE to read it.
I think the thing I liked best was the way you got Severus' voice exactly right. I could hear Alan Rickman's voice as I read the words (I "heard " Mr. Rickman's voice in my head when I first read HP&TPS years before he was cast in the films--go figure).
Thank you for sharing your story with us. It was definitely worth staying up past midnight on a work night to finish reading it.
Response from Looneyluna (Author of Defamation of Character)
Witch-nap! LOL
If I were Albus or Minerva, I would have trick-portkeyed those mixed-up two into the Room of Req. and held them prisoner there to force the two of the them to talk things out once and for all. *exasperated*
Oh! It's not a silly story! You shouldn't say so! I rather like it. Please, post the next chapter soon :)
Regards,
Response from Looneyluna (Author of Defamation of Character)
I am enjoying your story and happy to see an update. Could I put in a request? Please have Hermione stop acting like a rhymes-with-witch. I can't imagine anyone even wanting to share a meal with her like this much less spend the rest of his life. Then again, I don't read romance novels so perhaps a rhymes-with-witch scene is a necessity;). Looking forward to the next bit -- and thanks for your work!
i rather like this story. Can't wait to see what happens now that the ball is in her court.
take it nice and slow, Severus. Nice and slow... He is going to get her, right? *blink*Great chapter, more please!
aww how sweet a romantic kidnapping. I admire you for redoing this story it's very enjoyable.
You may or may not recall that I had some very distinct reservations about your new direction for the story. You've done away with them most admirably; I've enjoyed the last few chapters very much, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this story's going to end. (Eek—that sounds terribly formal. Sorry about that. I've been reading John Donne again; for some reason, his poetry has that effect on me. *Wishes we had a "D'oh!" emoticon*)
On a slightly off-topic note, I agree with you about fan-fiction being AU by nature. After all, the original author writes the real canon, no matter how canon-compliant we try to be. But then, I'm preaching to the choir on this one, eh?
Oh please continue. There has to be a peaceful resolution to this. You made me cry with this chapter and Sev is trying so hard. A little love is really all the poor man needs. I'm such a sucker for happy endings! LOL
hehe!! Too funny! At least he realises it! LOL
Thank you for continuing to write this delightful story! I needed something sweet and funny with just the right amount of angst to tide me over whilst I recover from that which is DH. Sigh. I hope you continue writing, in spite of it all!
Argh! These two need a good smacking! One is so hard headed, while the other is manipulative... Away with false pretence and ego, just get down and boogie! o_O LMAO!Nice chapter by the way... *grin*
At last. I love this story. Looking forward to the next part.Truly
I think he's either going to pass out, or going to throw up as the motion hits him. Either one is not conducive to a romantic interlude. Although the way he talks gets me all revved up--it has to be affecting Hermione because she gets the added benefit of that voice.
Oh, you're wicked! I hope you're madly scribbling on the next chapter.
Response from Looneyluna (Author of Defamation of Character)
I am :).
Oh my. I very nearly fell over when I read that part about Hermione's hair. God, this is hilarious stuff.Thanks for a great story :o) ,Sue.
Woot! I'm doubly impressed that Severus doesn't suffer from Firewhiskey d***!!! Potions' Masters Rule!! I hope Pansy and the babies are okay. I love this story, and I hope you feel better soon!!GG
They had better! Great chapter, even if you left us with a tease of a cliffe.
It's getting awfully hot in here....can't imagine anybody getting that drunk, even with Veritaserum and a massive guilt complex.