Chapter Thirty-six: Feeding the Rumours

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the castle. A castle would be cool though. Especially if it had a moat.

Chapter Thirty-six: Feeding the Rumours

Snape greeted his senior class with an expression betraying none of the sensual pleasure he had enjoyed the night before. His trademark sneer firmly in place, he gestured towards the blackboard and began. "Can anyone identify the potion you are brewing today?"

"As if she wouldn't know. She's shagging him, after all." Terry rolled his eyes as Hermione reeled off the essential characteristics and use for a Truth-Saying Potion, used as a cheaper and less restricted alternative to the Veritaserum they had brewed earlier in the year.

"Don't be so mean, Terry. She would know anyway. Besides, we only have Lavender Brown's word for it. It could just be a nasty rumour. Look at him; he's treating her no differently from usual."

"You were too busy talking to Padma this morning, Mandy. You missed seeing him standing behind her at the Gryffs' table."

"He was probably giving some poor sod detention."

"With his hands on Hermione's shoulders and her leaning back against him with a very satisfied smile? I doubt it."

Mandy's squeal drew the unwelcome attention of the subject of their whispering.

"You have something you wish to share with the class, Miss Brocklehurst?"

"Er... no. Sorry, sir."

"Five points from Ravenclaw for disrupting the class. Any more ridiculous noises and it will be ten. Now, if there are no further questions, begin."

For the next thirty minutes the potion required absolute concentration. Hermione and Blaise diced, shredded, measured, and stirred precisely as the well-oiled team they had become, only relaxing once the potion had reached the simmering stage. Their eyes met over the cauldron as they set down their knives for a moment.

"Well, he's keeping it close to his chest." Blaise nodded towards the man peering into Ron and Harry's cauldron with a scowl.

Hermione muffled her laugh with her hand. "What did you expect, a full-on snogging session in front of the class?"

"No, but I thought he'd at least acknowledge you."

"I didn't. I expected him to behave just as he is."

"Surly and impatient?"

"You know him then?"

Blaise grinned. "All right, you win. Even after being shagged senseless, which I assume you attempted, the Potions master shall remain unmoved."

"Don't believe everything you see, Mr Zabini." Snape's low murmur startled the two students. With an approving nod towards their cauldron, he glided off to the next workstation.

"That's damn near an admission of overwhelming, bone-melting sexual satisfaction, I suspect." Blaise winked at his partner, then turned his attention to scattering ground black beetle eyes over the surface of the shimmering brew in the prescribed fashion.

Across the room, Draco and Neville smirked at each other as they watched Snape circulate the room.

"He's hiding it well."

"Not to me he isn't, Nev. Mind you, I've known him since I was a baby. Look at his hands."

"What about them?"

"See how he's rubbing his thumb against the side of his index finger? That's his tell."

"How do you know that?"

"He always did it at dinner parties at the Manor when he had to perform."

"Perform?"

"Act as if he was a pureblood. You know he comes from a pretty rundown industrial area. Took my parents years to coach him to speak and behave properly in company. Of course, he absolutely detested it."

"Sounds like living with my gran. Poor bastard."

"Now I've heard it all, Neville Longbottom sympathising with his nemesis." Draco snorted. "What brought about that turnaround?"

"Oh, shut it, you gorgeous prat. You know we've had an understanding since I caught him sneaking out of Hermione's room that night."

"Next thing I know you'll be taking tea with him and Granger and discussing the latest potions advances."

Neville shuddered. "Not bloody likely. That's your job."

The indulgent expression on Draco's face softened a lot of the sharp angles. "For you, love, I'll sacrifice myself. Now, have you finished chopping the hellebore root?"

By the end of the double lesson, all speculation as to the relationship between the curly-haired bookworm and the professor had succumbed to the need for concentration and application of techniques learned over the previous six years. After all the samples had been deposited on his desk, Snape watched the students file out of the door.

"A word, Miss Granger, if I may?"

Heads turned and eyes sparked with interest as Hermione packed her bag and walked up to Snape's desk. With a flick of his wand, the door slammed on inquisitive eyes.

"Isn't that a little obvious?" Hermione quirked an eyebrow at her husband.

"Obvious be damned. I've spent two hours waiting for this." With that, he drew her into his arms and captured her lips with his. Several minutes of passionate exploration later, he released her with a sigh. Looking down, he frowned at the jaunty response making itself known in his trousers. "I suppose that will have to wait."

Giving him a gentle squeeze through the layers of cloth, Hermione grinned. "I'm sure you'll manage. At least you only have firsties to terrorise. I have to put up with the stares of whoever is still waiting outside."

With an evil smirk, Snape reached up and ran his hands through her hair. When it was tousled to his satisfaction, he took her mouth in one last kiss, nipping her bottom lip before releasing her. "Now you look suitably ravished."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione chuckled as she hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and headed for the door. "I'll see you later. But for now, my public awaits."

.

***

"If one more Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw asks me whether Severus really shagged me over his desk in the bloody Potions classroom, I'm damned well going to go down there and demand he do exactly that just to shut the little buggers up!" Hermione dropped her bag and flopped onto the bench at the Gryffindor table. She glared up at the staff table where Snape conversed with Pomona Sprout without so much as a hint of concern.

"Well, if you must leave his classroom looking like you did this morning, you can hardly blame them." Ron managed to keep a stern expression on his face until he met Blaise's eye across the table and grinned. "After all, you did give Mandy and Terry quite a show on your way out. And Hannah was there as well."

Hermione laughed as well as she remembered the perfect 'O's' her fellow students' mouths had formed as she met them in the corridor outside the Potions classroom in all her dishevelled glory. "True. I suppose I asked for it. But the looks on their faces!"

"Hey, what's this I hear about you and Snape and lewd activities in the classroom?" Ginny asked as she sat down.

As Blaise and Ron enlightened Ginny, Hermione glanced again at her husband, who now seemed to be on the receiving end of the headmistress's displeasure.

Good. That'll teach him. One minute he's the paragon of self-control, and the next he's playing the lothario. Still, by tonight everyone will know we are Handfasted, and the novelty will wear off soon.

After a quick lunch, Hermione had some time to spare for her next important task. Making her way to a quiet corner of the library, she took out a fresh piece of parchment and a quill.

Dear Mum

I know I'd promised you and Daddy would be present at the ceremony. The only problem is...

After several attempts at explaining how she and Snape had accidentally Handfasted themselves, Hermione finally blotted the parchment and rolled it up to attach to the leg of a sturdy brown owl waiting on a perch in the owlery. Offering the bird a piece of sausage she had saved from lunch, Hermione watched it fly off. A soft hoot drew her attention to the dejected little owl looking at her.

"Oh, hello, Gimpy. Don't be sad; it's too far for you to fly in this weather. I haven't forgotten about you. Here, there's a little sausage left for you too."

After sharing the treat with the little owl who had delivered so many messages to Snape for her, Hermione stroked his feathers for a minute or two before leaving for her next class.

***

"Well, this is it. She'll make the announcement any minute now." Ginny reached under the table and squeezed Hermione's hand. "Did you get a chance to tell Neville and Draco?"

"Yes. After Transfiguration."

"How did they take it?"

Hermione glanced down the table at the two young men in question and shook her head with a smile. "As expected. They took great delight in the fact neither of us realised what we were doing. Draco did manage to splutter out his congratulations between girly giggles though, so I suppose that means he's okay with it. Neville just looked smug. Do you think he knew something already?"

"No idea. You have to watch the quiet ones though. They notice more than you think." Ginny looked up as a sharp rapping sounded from the staff table. "Looks like your moment of fame is here."

Shrinking down in her seat and covering her face with her hands, Hermione groaned. "Is it too late to disappear? You could always say I was held up in the library."

"Like hell. You, my dear friend, have to face up to your sins. And so will he."

Severus Snape was sitting bolt upright in his seat, face inscrutable.

"Oh, Merlin, I wish I could do that." Hermione whispered through her fingers.

"What, look like you have a broomstick up your..."

"Ginny!" Despite herself, Hermione grinned.

"Relax. It'll all be over in a few minutes."

Minerva McGonagall cleared her throat as she stood, catching the attention of the students and staff alike. "Good evening, everyone. Before we begin our meal tonight, I need your attention for a few moments." Her steady gaze travelled around the room silencing the last whispered conversations in its wake. "That's better. Now, it has come to my attention there has been rumour and gossip spread amongst you about a certain member of my staff and one of your fellow students.

"Whilst I heartily disapprove of such ill-mannered behaviour," her steely eyes met Lavender Brown's long enough to set the girl's lip quivering, "it is time to clarify the situation."

All eyes were on the headmistress as she beckoned to Hermione to approach the head table. Meeting the younger woman at the end of the table, Minerva led her to stand beside the Potions professor, who rose to his feet and, with elegant finesse never before suspected by those watching, lifted his wife's hand and brought it to his lips.

Minerva raised her hand as the gasps from the student tables threatened to erupt into a more verbal reaction. "Silence! It is with great pleasure I wish to announce Professor Severus Snape and Miss Hermione Granger were Handfasted last night. With my blessing."

She turned to rest her eyes on her professors. "Miss Granger will remain in all her classes as usual, however, alternative marking arrangements will be made for her Potions work. Now, I believe dinner is about to be served." With an imperious clap, the food appeared on the tables, distracting both teachers and students alike.

"How does she do that?" Ginny stared at the headmistress.

"Do what?" asked Blaise.

"With a few short words, she put Lavender in her place, told everyone she approved of their relationship, and put paid to any suggestion of favouritism. Then had dinner arrive as if nothing unusual had happened."

"That's why she's the headmistress and not you, Ginny."

Ginny shrugged. "I think I'd rather be a mere student and not up there." She tilted her head to the staff table where Snape had pulled out a chair for a very uncomfortable looking young woman.

"I'll drink to that."

***

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door of her bedroom on the ruckus behind it. The makings of yet another celebration had developed with her friends and the rest of the eight-year students breaking open Butterbeer bottles as soon as they had returned after dinner. No-one had seemed to mind Hermione excusing herself to pack after only one drink. Hoots of laughter had followed her down the short corridor to her room along with increasingly ribald suggestions on just how she could ensure their professor's good mood in class.

With an efficiency gained from years of practice, Hermione's wand flicked and swooped her clothes, books, and other personal possessions into her trunk. Once the room was bare, she leaned on the windowsill and peered out into the winter night. The glow of lights from various windows in the castle and the dark velvet waters of the lake below soothed the anxious flutter in her chest as she readied herself to take her place as the Potions master's wife. No matter what upheavals took place in the lives of its inhabitants, the castle itself remained a constant, enduring for centuries as witches and wizards learned and grew, laughed and cried, fought and loved within its walls.

A sudden pop startled her out of her reverie. "Is Mistress Snape ready for removing to the dungeons?"

Hermione smiled at Winky as the little house-elf reached for the trunk. "Yes, thank you, Winky. Are you sure you can manage that? It's awfully heavy."

"No problem for Winky, Mistress." And with another pop, Hermione's possessions had disappeared.

"Well, I suppose it's time." Hermione spoke to the empty room and smiled to herself.

Several hugs, well wishes, and even a few tears later, she found herself standing before the door to her new quarters. As she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open to reveal the smirking face of her husband.

"You do realise you don't need to knock now?"

"I... well... the wards..."

"Already changed to allow you to pass freely. The password is Woman: Unveiled." His smirk morphed into the special smile only she knew.

Hermione snorted. "I hope you don't let passing first years hear that. They might get the wrong idea about you, Professor."

"Or entirely the right one. Come here, wench." He pulled her into his arms, kicking the door closed behind her as he greeted her with urgent lips and questing tongue. Pausing for breath a few minutes later, he shook his head. "What is it about the taste of you? I can't get enough of it."

Hermione reached up and patted his cheek with a smirk of her own. "Addicted, are you? I'm sure there are potions for that."

"If it's an addiction, then an addict I shall be." Snape sighed and released her from his embrace. "I suppose I should allow you to unpack before I drag you to our bed."

"Our bed. I rather like the sound of that."

"You can like the sound of it in due course. You have unpacking and homework to do, and I have marking to finish." Snape scowled suddenly and groaned. "Tell me I didn't just tell my wife to do bloody homework!"

"You did, and you're right. You'll... we'll have to get used to it. I have N.E.W.T.s in a few months, and I have to study. At least we can be together as we work, although no doubt I'll need to spend time in the library as well."

"I wouldn't have you any other..." A loud tapping on the window drew Snape's attention mid-sentence. Opening the window to allow the owl inside, Snape retrieved the missive and settled the bird on the mantle with a treat.

"Mail? At this time of night?"

"Mmm. Not unusual, especially from this source." He handed over the letter for her perusal, an odd expression on his face.

Dear Sidney

William Standish

Boneless fingers allowed the paper to flutter to the ground as Hermione's face lost all colour. "What the hell is he thinking? That's the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard!"

Behind her, Snape's emerging smile withered into a careful study of neutrality.

***

A/N: This was written for shalimar1981 for the TPP Every Flavour Auction. Oodles of hugs to karelia for her awesome beta skills.