The Search for The Elusive Killer

Also, thanks to whoever nominated this fic for a Multifaceted Award in the 'Best Snape Fic' and 'Courage' categories, and to everyone who voted! I didn't expect to win...but this won in the 'courage' category! YAY!

Thanks to Nakhash Mekashefah, my wonderfully anal-retentive beta-reader.

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Hermione's first day at work didn't include much work. She began by Apparating to the front of Gringotts bank. She walked inside, and quickly found Bill Weasley, who was talking with one of the goblins behind the counter. He finished what he had to say, then turned and spotted her.

"Hullo, Hermione, ready for your first day?"

"Yes, I am," she answered, smiling at him. It was exciting, knowing that she had been able to get such a good job directly out of school, that it was a job that required skill, that she was trusted enough to have it.

"Let's start with a tour of the labyrinth," Bill said, extending a hand to the hallway at the back of the lobby. Hermione followed him to the waiting cart and then got in with him.

"Ready...here we go!" he exclaimed, tapping the cart with his wand. It shot off at a quick pace, and Hermione's stomach lurched.

*****

Snape was relieved when Dumbledore sent him an owl, contracting him to brew the potions for the Hogwarts hospital wing, just as he had when he taught there. He was worried about Hermione, and found himself checking his wand frequently, muttering the charm to extend awareness to the amulet she wore. The first time, he nearly ran outside the anti-Apparation wards they'd erected to get to her, feeling a terrible lurching sensation. He realised though, that she must be on that damned trolley cart in Gringotts, because he felt excitement – but not fear. Awe, concentration, laughter, and again, she felt awed at something throughout the course of the day. He finally decided that if she were fine once she got to Gringotts, she would be fine until she left work that evening, since if Malfoy did decide to try anything, it most certainly wouldn't be in the bank.

At least he got a good deal of brewing started. Skele-Gro, Analgesics, and Pepper-up Potion took up most of the day. He left the cellar at four to start dinner, then went back to finishing his potions as it cooked.

"I trust your day was productive?" he asked when she walked into the kitchen just after five.

"Mostly, Bill just showed me around today. I start training on some of the other protocols tomorrow, and should be doing something productive by the end of the week. It was actually nice. The goblins aren't very nice, but Bill, and Edgar – he also works there – seem like they'll be a lot of fun to work with."

"Fun...I see." Snape ladled gravy over the mashed potatoes on their plates. "I suppose that is fortunate. It is not often one has a job that is 'fun'."

"No, I suppose not...." Hermione acknowledged as she sat at the table. "And your day?"

"Productive. I'm brewing the potions for the hospital wing at Hogwarts. I should hope some of the other contacts I made will be making orders soon."

"Good to hear, then."

After dinner, Hermione pulled out the box her mother had given her, which was filled with photos and picture frames. In a few hours, she'd framed the ones she liked the best, and had hung them around the house. About that time, she wondered why Severus didn't have any pictures of his childhood or friends. The few paintings that had been in his quarters at Hogwarts had belonged to the school, so they'd remained there when they had moved.

Severus stood behind her as she hung one of the last pictures. She glanced back to see him looking at it. "From our trip to France," she said.

"Obviously." Hermione rolled her eyes; yes, she supposed it was obvious, what with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

"This was just before my third year at Hogwarts. Do you have any pictures you'd want to hang up?" she asked next.

"No. One request: I'd prefer it if you kept pictures of your friends out of our bedroom...I'd rather not have Potter and Weasley gaping at me whilst I'm fucking you. At least most of these pictures are Muggle photos."

*****

Three weeks after starting her job at Gringotts, Hermione was sitting in the living room, frowning at the fire. There was something nagging at her, something she realised she should know about...a connection she needed to make...something Bill had said when they were eating lunch in the break room at Gringotts. They had been talking about the possible identity of the murderer...who was he, or she? Bill had been re-telling a joke someone in his hospital room had told him...and then he mentioned the radio show the nurse seemed to listen to every day: it was about a Muggle crime-fighter who could do a little bit of magic. He mentioned she had been upset the day that everyone had come to visit because she'd missed the show.

Why did that seem so relevant?

A yawn overtook her, and she stretched widely, it was well nigh bedtime. She'd cooked that evening, and it weighed heavily on her stomach. Severus had eaten slowly, and after a while, had said diplomatically, "Perhaps, you should try following recipes from a cookbook, at least, while you're learning to cook; I'm sure you will do well without recipes with some practice."

Well, at least he didn't expect her to be some kind of domestic goddess right away. Okay, so she couldn't cook all that well...yet. Hermione stood, grabbing her wand from the mantle as she started towards the stairs, when suddenly, a high-pitched shriek sounded, something like a train-whistle.

"The WARDS!!!" she yelled. But there was little need for her to yell, as the door from the cellar burst open and Severus came out, brandishing his wand.

"Get upstairs, now," he said loudly. She started to protest, but he turned his wand on her. "NOW! Do not argue with me!" he bellowed. With the shrieking wail of the ward alarms piercing her ears, Hermione ran upstairs quickly and into the spare bedroom. She opened the window and leaned out, looking out over the front garden, pointing her wand along the track of her eyes. Seeing nothing, she ran to their bedroom, opened another window and looked over the back garden. There was little light, and other than the moving shadows amongst shadows of the trees swaying in the slight breeze, she could see nothing out of the ordinary. The wailing alarm stopped, but had thoroughly woken her. Her heart was pounding as she realised that was the sound they had cast for someone trying to physically cross the wards around their garden. It would also produce a stinging sensation on whoever tried to cross it.

Deciding danger had passed, she went back downstairs. When she tried the door, she suppressed a few curses, as she found Severus had locked her inside. Scowling, she used an Unlocking Charm to open the door, and stepped outside quietly. It was very quiet and still, not even the crickets sang. She moved as silently as she could along the front of the house, staying in shadow as much as possible. The moon was a waning crescent; the light was very dim.

The overgrown hedges snagged at her shirt as she moved past them, and then she stepped on a twig. The 'snap' seemed to echo in the night. There was no sign of Severus, and she continued to the corner of the house. She didn't have time to raise her wand to defend herself when a blinding flash of red light shot at her and enveloped her. Hermione fell to the ground unconscious.

*****

Groggily, she opened her eyes, relieved to see the ceiling of their bedroom. She sat suddenly, and found Severus sitting in a chair at the edge of the bed, his arms were crossed and he was scowling at her darkly. She quickly realised that her entire body ached, and there was a dull throbbing in her head.

"I believe I told you to stay inside."

"What happened?" she asked.

"I thought you were a trespasser, and I used a Stunning Spell on you. Be glad I was being cautious...there were many more spells I was preparing to use. However, if you had been in here, as I told you to remain inside, it would not have happened. How am I supposed to protect you if you insist on running around when an intruder is about?"

"Severus..." she sighed. "Listen, not only is this my house too, but if it was that nutter who's out killing off the purebloods married under the Marriage Law, then you're the one in danger, not me. Remember that last one just last week? The wife was taking a bath when her husband was killed. She opened the door and found him not five feet away in a pool of blood."

"It is not your duty to be my protector, Hermione."

Hermione rolled her eyes, sighed deeply, and flopped back onto the bed with an arm thrown over her face. "Severus, just drop it already," she said in an exasperated tone. "Did you find anything?"

"No, my search was cut short by having to carry your unconscious form up here. I had only time to search the perimeter of the house, and part of the garden before then. I will try again in the morning when light might reveal a clue."

"That siren wasn't for an Apparation attempt...someone was trying to physically cross the barrier," Hermione said. She had specifically chosen the wards to make different warning sounds. "There isn't anyone around for quite a ways...and I know I set them not to respond to animals..."

"Someone was there, yes. We can hope it was perhaps some Muggle from the area who might have been poaching...but I doubt it."

"We should call Magical Law Enforcement," Hermione said. "We need to report this. They're keeping track of this sort of thing, and we need to report it to the Order, too."

"Yes. I will go make a Floo call to Dumbledore. How are you feeling?" he asked as he stood.

"Like I've been run over by one of Hagrid's pets." She groaned and squeezed her eyes shut against the headache.

"I will bring you a potion in a moment," he said. She heard his footsteps as he walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

*****

Three days later, Hermione and Severus Apparated to a copse of trees in a park near number twelve, Grimmauld Place. The Order of the Phoenix was meeting again for the first time since the fall of the Dark Lord the previous summer.

They walked into the foyer of the old house, which was now in much better shape than it had been when Hermione first saw it. The situation with Mrs Black's painting had been taken care of by building another wall to cover it. Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Tonks, Harry, Mad-Eye Moody and Sturgis Podmore were already there. They all gathered in the drawing room. Tonks looked up when Hermione and Severus walked in.

"Wotcher, Hermione, Snape, I hear there was some excitement out at your place," said a purple-haired Tonks.

"Yes, a bit," Hermione said, moving to sit beside her. Harry came near and sat beside her on the couch too. "Purple now?"

"Pink was getting old...and y'know, the purple seems a bit too boring, too." She scrunched up her face, and her hair transformed into a kaleidoscope of colours. Hermione laughed.

"So are you okay?" she asked.

"Fine, the person apparently decided to leave after they'd tripped the wards."

Remus Lupin entered soon and smiled at Hermione, then nodded to Severus, who only scowled at him. Soon, Ron, Fred, George, and Bill Weasley arrived too, Ron mentioning their mother had insisted on a family dinner and they would be there shortly. Hermione spent a few minutes catching up with Fred and George, who had just opened up two more locations of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, one in Ireland, and another in France. Arthur and Molly Weasley arrived, and Headmaster Dumbledore called the meeting to order.

Tonks and Shacklebolt stood to give the presentation, which was a listing of all the murders which had taken place in the last six months.

"And you're absolutely certain it's the purebloods who took advantage of the law who are the targets, no doubts at all?" Severus asked.

"Yes, considering the fact that relatively few took advantage of the law...Gregory Ludwig has also compiled statistics based on the interviews he had done of all the couples married under the Marriage Law. In total, there were only forty men who were active in propositioning Muggle-born women. While there were over a hundred-seventy marriages in total, the others were mostly initiated by Muggle-born women who asked men they trusted to marry them to keep them from what they thought would be bad situations. Unfortunately, not all these women were the best judges of character, and it was also discovered that approximately sixty of these women still ended up in very...unpleasant... circumstances.

The murderer has also left a certain...signature, of sorts, which hasn't been reported in the Daily Prophet. Department of Magical Law Enforcement investigators found, at each scene, a number...the first murder was the number of marriages performed under the Marriage Law, and he's counting down--"

"How do you know it's a 'he'?" Harry interrupted.

"We don't," Tonks said before Shacklebolt spoke up. "Personally, it seems to me a woman would be just as likely to do this as a man."

"Yes, that's true," Shacklebolt agreed. "Though, given the way in which the men have all been killed, I believe it's someone who would not be squeamish about blood, and who would be physically strong enough to overpower their victim without leaving signs of struggle. We're still working on how the murderer might be getting around, too," he said, unrolling a map of the British Isles onto the table before him. It was marked with red dots. "These are the locations of the murders. Most have been in or around the London area, but that's also where most of the couples married under the Marriage Law live, as well. The furthest north a murder has been is Thornhill, Scotland. We've been keeping track of Floo registries, and so far no pattern has emerged on Floo usage, so the culprit is either Apparating, flying by broom, or using Muggle means."

"They could be on a Hippogriff or a Thestral," Hermione pointed out.

"They could, but that's unlikely. Hippogriffs are rare, and Hagrid cares for one of the few domesticated groups of Hippogriffs. There are even fewer domesticated Thestrals around."

"Do you even have a list of likely suspects?" Severus asked.

"At this point...no. However, we've been checking a few people. We did think Gregory Ludwig might have been responsible at first, he certainly has motive; however, he's had a solid alibi for at least six of the killings. For now, the MLE and even the Hit Wizards are stretched thin; they've decided to start patrolling the homes of those in danger on a regular basis..."

The meeting wore on, though when it was all through, Hermione felt that not much had been accomplished. She asked Shacklebolt for a copy of the map before everyone left, thinking it would be good to look at it on her own and to think about it a while and see what she could come up with.

Severus agreed to do some of his own investigating through his less than on the up and up contacts, while Mundungus Fletcher would do the same, only with those that were in a lower social rung than Severus would penetrate. Hermione frowned at him when he spoke up, thinking it wasn't right the Order was still including someone who was known to be a thief and who had at one point even tried to hex another of their members when Arthur Weasley had been conducting investigations into controlled items years back.

Still, she supposed that his contacts with the unsavoury characters of Wizarding Britain had its advantages. The crowds he ran with were people she would never see on a social level, nor would most people she knew.

When the meeting had broken up, and Hermione and Severus had Apparated back to their house, Hermione sat at the table looking over the map. Red dots indicated locations of the murders, and blue dots, the locations where all couples married under the Marriage Law were currently living together. She tried drawing lines between the locations, and even started an Arithmancy calculation. Someone might as well have taken a paintbrush and splattered it across the map for all the sense she could make of it. Even with the Arithmancy, she didn't have enough information to make a connection.

*****

August moved quickly into September, and Hermione, finally feeling ready to host a housewarming party now that the house had been nearly completely painted and the bushes tamed, decided to make it on her nineteenth birthday. There hadn't been any murders since the Order meeting, and Hermione began to wonder if the person had decided to stop, or was merely laying low to keep from seeming suspicious. Hermione stayed in contact with Treva through letters, and was relieved to know that the new committee had taken action on thirty more cases of spousal abuse since it had been formed. She was also glad that the support group was working out still from what Treva told her, and that they were now offering individual couples counselling as a part of the efforts to make up for the Marriage Law.

Treva had also apologised that Hermione hadn't been mentioned in the article in the Daily Prophet. Apparently, she had told them, but they hadn't seen fit to keep it in the final edition. And now she was getting out of work, feeling happy at having just exchanged the last three weeks' pay for Muggle cash. She'd deposited her first three weeks' pay, and determined to save half of her earnings, while the other half could be used for what she wanted. And this week, she'd decided to get a few things. She didn't have enough for a computer yet, but did have enough for a CD player, a television, and a VCR player. She had already made a Floo call to Severus, letting him know she would be out for a while running errands and would pick up supper on her way home as it was her night to cook.

There was a shopping district only a few blocks from the Leaky Cauldron, and that was where she made her first stop. She didn't take long to pick out the electronics equipment she wanted, having already perused a catalogue. The boxes were large and heavy, and the salesperson in the store offered to help her carry them to her car, but she assured him she would be fine, and then left the store. She went around the corner between shops, scanned the area to be sure no one could see her, then quickly shrank her purchases to a manageable level and placed them in her large purse she'd brought for that purpose.

She decided to get some CDs next, as well as a few movies. She probably spent a bit more money than she'd intended, but decided she deserved to splurge a bit, especially since her birthday was quickly approaching. Hermione made one last stop at a pizza place to order dinner, then went home.

*****

Severus frowned as he looked over the receipts from Hermione's shopping expedition, unable to keep his teeth from clenching in frustration. She'd spent nearly three quarters of what their monthly rent was. Still, he couldn't hold it against her; he had told her to save her money and spend it on what she liked. The Muggle utilities she'd offered to pay turned out to be cheap since they used magic for most of the lighting and refrigeration. The phone wasn't too expensive, but he wondered if it was really worth the one, short, weekly conversation she had with her mother.

He dropped the receipts back into the dustbin and frowned down at his ledger book, subtracting the amount of the monthly rent, his potions ingredients which he'd purchased more of that day, and the clothing he'd also recently purchased for his gardening and other work around the house. He was able to add a small amount from potions sales to Hogwarts, as well as sales from Slug and Jiggers Apothecary. Still, the amount he added was far, far less than the previous month's expenses.

He rubbed his forehead as he realised that if his potions sales didn't pick up soon, he would run out of money completely in six months. He glanced across the room to the television and music-player Hermione had purchased, unable to hold back a slight feeling of resentment. They had plenty of books; why couldn't she just read a book if she wanted leisure time?

His thoughts drifted then to the phial he'd kept from the night he and Hermione had married which contained the blood of her maidenhead. It was a very hard to acquire ingredient, and would fetch a very high price.... He shook his head, disgusted with himself for that thought. He couldn't use her blood like that. He didn't know what he would use it for just yet, but he would never simply sell it, even though the price could well cover three months expenses. Severus's eyes drifted up to watch her, and he felt an odd lurching sensation in his stomach.

"Severus?" she called, swivelling in her chair to look back at him sitting at his desk. "About this housewarming party...I wanted to warn you I'd be inviting most of my Gryffindor class...and some of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, too. But they'll only be here for one day, not like a week or anything."

"Do as you like; I shall be downstairs brewing potions, and plan to employ a strong Imperturbable Charm on the cellar ceiling and door," said Severus as he looked back down to his ledger.

*****

The party was winding down; most people had shown up and stayed for about four hours, socialising and sharing news of where they were going on to next; and now, her immediate friends were left, sitting in the kitchen and leaning against the counter as she flicked her wand around, cleaning up the after-party mess. She felt good; it had been a wonderful party.

"So, why didn't, um...Professor Snape stick around?" Harry asked.

"He's brewing potions in the cellar...and you know how he is; 'I don't want to socialise with a bunch of dunderheads'" Hermione said, doing an imitation of his inflection in a lowered voice. Neville laughed nervously.

"Yeah...uh, speaking of which, I should probably get home; my Gran gave me a list of things to pick up..."

"I thought you were getting your own place," Ron said.

"I was...but you know...my job isn't paying enough yet..." He was working for a magical plants nursery. It had potential to go somewhere...eventually.

"You can stay with us if you want...I've got two more bedrooms not being used; I was thinking about another housemate or two," Harry offered as he finished off his beer. "Rent wouldn't be too much." Harry had decided to purchase a house near Hogsmeade, using a large chunk of his inheritance, just a few weeks before.

"Hey, that'd be great, Harry; you sure you don't mind?"

"Not at all. I was going to invite someone else too..." He trailed off as Cho Chang walked into the kitchen along with Parvati Patil. Ron smiled at Parvati as she sat down next to him at the table. Hermione thought they were getting more serious, judging by the way they were looking at each other.

"Well, I'll see you all later," Neville said. "Had a good time Hermione, nice place you have...um, I guess I'll not say 'hi' to Professor Snape..." Hermione smiled and went to give him a hug before he left.

"I'll see you later," she said.

Ron and Parvati said they wanted to do something together too, and left soon after Neville, leaving her with Harry and Cho Chang. Harry smiled tightly at Cho.

"So, everything been okay with you?" he asked. Hermione felt the tension level in the room rise uncomfortably, and she wondered what Harry was upset about. She'd thought they were on friendly terms.

"Oh, things are going pretty well. I'm starting next week with the Ministry...working as a secretary for one of Amelia Bones's assistants. Oh, I wanted to tell you congratulations on getting into the Auror Training Programme," she said, smiling. Hermione thought she looked at Harry hopefully.

"Thanks. It's starting off well so far, keeps me busy."

"Well, I should get going then. Thanks for having everyone over, Hermione; I had a great time. Good to see you again, Harry."

"You too," Harry said.

"Call anytime through Floo," Hermione offered.

"I thought you liked her," Hermione said to Harry after she'd left.

"She's okay, I guess," Harry said. "I just...don't want to get involved with anyone now and I get the feeling she...well, before everything got so crazy in sixth year we were dating, but..." he trailed off, shrugging.

"Well, okay. So, you miss any of the old Muggle shows you used to watch?" she asked. "I've gone ahead and gotten a telly."

"Sounds good," he said with a smile. "I hardly know what's on anymore, and really, I didn't watch much growing up at the Dursleys'."

"Let's see what's on...that is, if you don't have to go anywhere?"

"Nah, not tonight. Ron will probably want the place to himself for a while, anyway." He winked at Hermione, and she caught the hint that Ron and Parvati were probably busy with each other.

They arranged the chairs to face the shelves, and spent a few hours in sporadic, light conversation as they relaxed in front of a few old 'Red Dwarf' episodes.

"I see it is now a party of two." Hermione jumped at the deep voice.

"Severus, I didn't hear you coming," she said, turning to face him.

"I wonder why," he mused, looking pointedly at the appliance, the volume of which was probably slightly too loud. "Potter," he said, nodding.

"Hello, Professor," Harry greeted stiffly.

Severus set his lips in a tight line, then went to his desk. Hermione turned around and saw him writing what looked to be a letter, then turned back and continued watching the show.

"Um...I'll get going," Harry said quietly a few minutes later. "Hey, want to come over tomorrow and see my new place?"

"That would be great, yes."

"It's just about a mile off of High Street. Take a turn just before the Three Broomsticks. There are several other houses around there all surrounded by old oaks; out of the way, but not too hard to find. There's a stone arch over the front garden gateway, the only one on the right side; you can't miss it."

"Okay, what time?"

"Anytime after ten in the morning would be good. I'll show you around; we can have lunch...you know, just hang out and stuff." Harry smiled at her.

"Good, I'll see you tomorrow then." She stood with Harry to walk outside with him and give him a hug before he Apparated away. Hermione felt glad that her best friend was still there for her; she couldn't imagine life without Harry there after all the things they'd been through together.

She went back inside and said to Severus, "I'll be gone most of tomorrow, since it's my night to cook I was going to see if we can trade and I'll cook Monday night."

"Very well," he said, glancing up at her. "I hope you'll keep in mind not to give Potter...ideas...which could prove difficult," he said firmly.

"Severus, he's my best friend. He's not like that at all. Just...oh, never mind," she sighed in frustration.

"I have some things to take care of in Hogsmeade tomorrow. I would feel better for your safety if I Apparated there with you. No, Hermione," he cut in before she could protest, "I'm not trying to keep tabs on your activities with your friends; I simply want to be assured of your safety. If you don't plan on Apparating straight home, I would rather you have Potter escort you."

"Well, people brought some presents, some of them for both of us; would you like to see? There are packages from most of the staff at Hogwarts, too; they couldn't come with all the start-of-term things going on. Most of the presents were books. Severus thought it was likely that her friends weren't sure what else to get her.

*****

True to his word, he was prepared to leave and was holding a large satchel the next morning a few hours after breakfast. They Apparated together to Hogsmeade, and he walked with her to Harry's house, and then went his own way once she'd crossed the barrier of the garden walls, which were heavily warded.

Hermione was impressed with his new house; it was one of the largest in the small residential area of Hogsmeade, with a large garden. There were five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a library and a living room. Harry showed her around and talked about how Auror training was going so far. He also mentioned that Ron was away helping Neville pack his things, and they'd be arriving by Floo that evening since Neville couldn't Apparate that far yet. He was living with his Gran just outside Nottingham, so the distance to Hermione's place hadn't been too far for him.

Harry cooked a simple lunch for them while she sat at the kitchen table, and she quickly lost track of time as they passed the afternoon sitting on a couch together in his Library, discussing how much of what they'd learned at school was actually relevant to their lives. Harry admitted that taking Divination had probably been a big waste of time.

Hermione glanced at the clock, and realised it was nearly six. "I should probably get back home soon. I've got to make sure my stuff for work tomorrow is ready."

"I'm glad you could come over...I miss spending time with you." Hermione relaxed as he wrapped his arms around her, folding her in a comfortable, friendly embrace. He didn't let go, and she wasn't inclined to pull away; it felt good. She sighed deeply as she rested her head on his chest and listened to the sound of his heart beating.

"Don't worry, Harry; I'll make sure not to neglect you." Her hand rubbed small circles on his back as they sat together, and she enjoyed the sensation of his fingers running softly through her hair.

Reluctantly, they pulled apart as the sound of crashing came form the living room. They found Ron and Neville in a heap on the hearth, along with a bunch of boxes that had been miniaturised. Neville looked harried.

"Well, I'm glad you were there, Ron," he said. "Gran is easier to deal with in front of other people."

"That was easier to deal with? She tops my mum!"

"Oh, it would have been worse if you hadn't been there. Don't worry, though, I'm sure she didn't mean it...I figure she'll write me back into the will in a few years when she gets over it." He tried to give Ron a confident smile.

"Hullo, Harry, Hermione...I guess I'm home now."

They all laughed together, Harry and Hermione moving to help Ron and Neville get up. She ended up staying a bit longer to help them levitate Neville's things up to his room. It wasn't until Ron mentioned he was famished and that dinner would be a good idea that she remembered she should be heading home. After saying her goodbyes, she Apparated from the street in front of Harry's house to the front garden of her own home.

It was growing dark as she walked inside, and went straight to the kitchen. There was a plate with a Warming Charm cast over it on the table for her, and she sat down and quickly ate the spaghetti and meatballs which Severus had prepared. She went into the cellar when she'd finished, finding him standing at a worktable, stirring a cauldron.

"Thanks for making dinner," she said.

"I was beginning to wonder if you would deign to return this evening."

"I just lost track of time; that happens sometimes when you're with friends, you know. Didn't you ever do that with your friends?"

"Yes. A few times," he admitted.

"Well, I've got to get things ready for work tomorrow. Will you be here much longer?"

"Another hour, then I will join you." Hermione turned to leave. "I'd like you to pull a few things out of the chest," he said. "Nothing too extreme."

Once upstairs, Hermione laid out her clothes for the next day and went over the notes she'd taken about the various protocols and, when she was finished, went to the window-seat chest and looked inside. However, nothing really caught her eye. She was tired and just wanted to go to sleep. When Severus came upstairs a short while later and found her in bed in the darkened room, he slid into bed with her once he'd showered.

"Is there a reason you haven't chosen anything from the chest?" he asked.

"I'm too tired. Tomorrow..."

"Mm hmm, tomorrow then." He scooted up close to her, nibbled her neck for a moment, eliciting a sleepy but pleasant sigh from Hermione, then settled himself to sleep. It wasn't long before he heard her breathing become steady as she fell asleep, and he realised he wasn't really bothered by her putting off their more pleasant activities. He actually found her body against him as she slept pleasant enough, and though his cock hardened, insinuating itself slightly between her upper thighs, he didn't press the matter, and went to sleep himself.

*****

Hermione realised their one year anniversary was quickly approaching, and she wondered if it was something they should try to celebrate, or simply allow to pass by without notice. For one thing, she did at least feel they were getting along. While his particular sexual habits had bothered her at first, she had slowly come to enjoy it. She wondered, though, if he'd tried to cut off her breathing like he had the previous month when they'd first married, how she would have felt about it.

It had been a little scary, but had been quite a rush too, and when he'd closed his hand around her throat, she'd felt completely safe with him. But did feeling physically safe with him mean anything more? After all, she would trust a Healer, or a Muggle doctor or dentist to do things that might be dangerous for others to try, and that meant nothing more than the fact that she trusted in their skill, and in what they'd learned in school. When it came down to it, while there was an intense feeling of sexual excitement with Severus, her trust in him had little to do with any feeling, but rather, the fact that she trusted in his skill, control, and restraint to not cause her harm, just as she would trust a medical professional. She knew that she would be safe in letting go.

She knew by now that for him, there was something very significant to his desire to retain control. She'd been thinking more about that, wondering if his desire for control, especially since he was introduced to it at sixteen, was something that he'd begun to use as a crutch...a way to put himself in power at a time when he'd felt powerless. Certainly, what she'd heard of his youth from other sources wasn't a very bright time for him.

"Hermione, watch out there!" Bill called. Hermione snapped back to attention, realising she was allowing her mind to wander a bit, and aimed her wand at a vault which they were unwarding that belonged to an elderly man who had passed away. Even though it was against Gringotts policy, he'd put a number of his own wards and curses on the vault, and now his heirs couldn't get in. She broke through the last curse, then whispered "Alohomora" once she was sure they were all down. The vault swung open, and Bill went inside. She followed when she heard him laugh.

"Well, I know some people are going to be upset about this one," he said, laughing and holding a note out that had been found on the floor of the very empty vault.

To my gold-grubbing heirs,

I spent it all, and you aren't getting a single Knut!

Hermione shook her head and laughed. "Well, which one of us gets the honour of delivering this?"

"I'll leave that to one of the goblins," Bill said. "That's another great thing about this job, we don't have to actually deal with any irate customers."

"All right. So our next assignment is in the catacombs..."

"Yes, the catacombs...you haven't been there yet. Some of the higher-ranking Ministry officials and older families will pay for the extra security down there. C'mon, let's get that done, then we're done for the day," he said. Hermione followed him to the cart and got in, now rather accustomed to the fast rides. She laughed as the cart plummeted down a steep precipice, nearly in free-fall as they went deep beneath London.

*****

"Severus, in just two weeks, it'll have been a year," Hermione said over dinner in the middle of October. She'd cooked that night; the cookbooks Molly Weasley had sent through Ginny had come in handy, and she was learning quite a few household and cooking charms. Hermione had cast several floating, blue fireballs to hover around the table, as the dreary weather had made it dark before sunset.

"Yes, it will be," he acknowledged. "Have you thought to celebrate the occasion?" he asked in a neutral tone.

"Well, I think, considering the fact that we probably wouldn't have ever been together without that Marriage Law, we're doing okay; don't you?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"Actually, I was hoping we could get to know each other better," Hermione said.

"And we don't know each other now?"

"Not really. I'd like to learn more about you...there's still a lot I don't know, and it just seems like I should. I know you don't think your past is relevant, but it is. I want...what I want is for us to be able to have more...well, than what we've got now," she said awkwardly, looking down at her mushroom and pea soup. She spread the dollop of sour cream around the top and took another bite.

"And what is it you think you need to know?" he asked.

"Well, anything, really. What were your parents like? Who were your friends? I know some things...well, I know you might not want to talk about what being a Death Eater was like, but I'd really like to understand where you were coming from since I know we have a lot of differences in how we grew up. I'd just like to understand you better."

She watched as he poked at his soup with his spoon for a moment, then nodded shortly. "I'm not sure why you think it would make a difference, but if you truly want to know..."

Hermione listened as he talked. It wasn't a detailed account by any means, but she found she was intrigued by what he didn't say as much as she was about what he did say. His father was a manager of a shop in Knockturn Alley, and they'd lived in a ratty flat behind the shop, and his mother hadn't worked. They had been together for three years when Severus was born, and he was an only child. He said only that his father tended to be harsh, and wanted Severus to learn before he went to school, and to further that aim, had allowed him to study Dark Arts books. His father had died when he was in his fifth year at Hogwarts.

After that, he'd spent his summers at Malfoy Manor, and Lucius had taken him in and taught him some of the points of finer society which he hadn't had growing up, as his family was poor because of his father's habit of starting business ventures on the word of dubious sources, and his mother's habit of drinking.

"Severus," she interjected when he'd paused. "What about your mother?" Hermione asked. "I thought both your parents were dead."

"I don't recall saying that."

"I'd assumed if you had family you would have wanted them to be at the wedding...you've never mentioned them as if they were alive..."

"Actually, I don't know if she's dead or alive, and I don't particularly care." Hermione was shocked. "You did ask, Hermione. If the answers I provide bother you so much, you shouldn't ask."

"Severus...she's your mother! How could you not care?" Hermione asked, taken aback.

"She didn't care much for me, and she was a weak alcoholic who wasn't fit to be a parent," he answered sourly. "My father would get angry with her – not without reason, I suppose, she couldn't keep a house clean if her life depended on it – I believe our little flat housed most of the flies and mice in all of Knockturn Alley – and when he yelled at her, or occasionally hit her if he was truly angry, she would drink and cower. She never bothered to contact me after she left, and I never saw the point in trying to find her."

Severus watched Hermione's mouth work open and closed a few times, and he wished he had simply told her she didn't need to know about his life. She couldn't imagine his life, and he hadn't even gone into detail. He stood and took the dishes to the sink, allowing her a few moments to decide if she wanted to continue the conversation or not while he washed them.

"So you really think not keeping a house clean was a good reason for your father to hit her?" she asked as he was putting the now clean dishes back into the cupboards.

He leaned against the counter, facing her as he crossed his arms and answered, "No, Hermione, I don't. I think they were ill-suited for each other, and she irritated him to no end and then was terrified of him when she'd finally pushed him past his limits. It was wrong of him to do that, but he wasn't angry without reason. They were both at fault. Him, for allowing his temper to get the better of him; and her, for not leaving the first time he lost his temper and beat her. She was a weak-willed woman who couldn't handle life on her own, and couldn't handle it with my father either." He watched her closely as she seemed deep in thought, hoping she wasn't now thinking he condoned his father's actions, or worse, thought he could be like that. He stepped forward and crouched in front of her, his eyes level with hers.

"Hermione, my childhood and much of my young adulthood was unhappy. I understand yours was not, and that it would be difficult for you to understand such a different upbringing. I despised my father as much as I did my mother, and vowed long ago that I would not end up like either of them. I've never hit a woman in anger, nor would I do so. I can say with absolute certainty that the...sexual games I enjoy, and that you've come to enjoy, have nothing at all to do with that." He reached up and brushed her hair back from her face, his hand resting on the back of her neck afterwards. "Now, I've told you more than I thought was wise, but I hope you would understand that who my parents were has nothing to do with who I am today. I've had two solid examples of how not to live, and how not to raise a child.

"I think, perhaps now, you might understand why I think it is that we are doing far better together than you seem to think we are. I am quite content, actually. I hope you can be content, as well."

"Contentment is the most you think we should hope for?"

"Contentment is far more than many have," he said softly. He rubbed his thumb along her cheekbone, then leaned forward to kiss her, truly enjoying her lips parting beneath his. He pulled away slightly, speaking with his lips moving against hers, "I have far more than I thought I would have with you. And besides," he added in a husky whisper, "your skills at fellatio, at this point, are unsurpassed in my experience."

Hermione pushed him back, and he landed on his backside with a thump on the kitchen floor. He looked up, and saw her expression warring between trying to look angry, and her trying not to laugh. "Severus," she said firmly, "there really is more to a relationship than fellatio!"

"Your cooking has improved as well," he added thoughtfully. Hermione groaned loudly in frustration.

"Severus...seriously now, please."

"Hermione, jest aside, I believe things between us are quite fine. I am content. For now, I would rather not try to push for something we wouldn't be capable of; it can only bring troubles. Now," he reached up quickly, grabbing her by the front of her robes and pulling her down. They both grunted as she landed heavily astride his hips, "I want to enjoy myself with you, and I want you to do the same. We have ample time for whatever else may come."

*****

Gregory Ludwig was at a cemetery outside Bristol along with Treva Bulstrode. They walked along the aisles of headstones in the grey drizzle, then finally stopped at one. Gregory set a wreath of white roses against the headstone, then laid a single, red rose across the top of it before he knelt in the grass, his shoulders shaking.

Treva rushed forward, putting her arms around his shoulders. "I know it still hurts, Greg," she said softly. "I know..." she trailed off as he threw his arms around her waist, burying his face in the crook of her neck, sobbing loudly. She sat with him, rocking him gently as he cried for what seemed like a long time, holding him and offering an occasional word of comfort. She'd come to greatly admire the man who was doing all he could for the Muggle-born victims of the law.

They worked together often now, and had seen to it that nearly forty men had been sent to Azkaban for spousal abuse, and nearly thirty more had been separated from their unwilling brides pending hopes of finding reversal spells for the very strong Fidelity Charms used on the ill-fated couples. Unfortunately, the widower of Greg's late fiancée had still not been brought to justice. Her cause of death was listed as accidental, and they couldn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it hadn't been murder. She had watched over the months as he held a strong face to the public, to those he worked with, but eventually, his façade had cracked and she'd seen the intense sorrow of a man deep in mourning. She'd become his confidant, and he shared with her the grief and pain he wouldn't allow the rest of the world to see.

"She was so beautiful...she was so lovely...in so many ways."

"I know, and I'm so sorry." She kissed him on his forehead and stroked his shoulders, wishing she could ease his pain. His shoulders shook a bit more with his dry sobs.

He grew very still for a moment. "Tell me, Treva, am I a horrible man for wishing that whoever that killer is had gotten to that bastard she had to marry first?" he asked in a near-whisper.

"No, Greg...no, not at all. I would never think that, you're one of the most honourable men I know," she answered sincerely.

"We're making progress, though...what happened to her, it won't happen again."

"No," Treva agreed, "it won't."

They sat like that, Treva supporting the emotionally drained Greg, for nearly half an hour more. It had begun raining again, and they were chilled, but still, she remained to support him. Finally, he stiffened and pulled himself up, standing and reaching a hand down to help Treva to her feet. "Thank you for being here for me," he said.

Treva and Greg walked to the edge of the cemetery amidst a copse of trees, and he left first, Apparating with a loud crack. Treva looked back towards the headstone where he had poured his heart out to her, which she could barely see between the boughs of a tree. There was a cloaked figure kneeling there now, barely visible through the mist. Just as she was thinking of going to see who it was, the figure stood and walked away quickly in the opposite direction. He disappeared as the rain beat down harder, and she realised it was probably an old friend of hers.

She Apparated back to her house and paused at the bedroom door where she was about to change clothes, when she heard a guttural moan from within. She turned and went into the bathroom instead for a shower to warm up, and she cast a drying charm on the robes she'd been wearing, dressing and going into the kitchen to find something to eat.

As she was eating her sandwich, she heard Barius and his girlfriend talking for a few minutes, and then the loud 'crack' when she Apparated from the house. Barius walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, his hair was tousled and he still had a touch of lipstick on his face. He smiled at her as he went to make his own sandwich, and then sat across the table from her.

"You're home sooner than I thought you'd be," he said.

"We finished early; Greg was having a difficult day. But I think we're a lot closer to getting a lot of this mess sorted out. Next, we have to see about getting a team on reversing the Fidelity Charms."

"Yes, that would be a very good thing. I nearly forgot and slipped with Christine earlier...now that would have been a mood-breaker."

"Yes, be careful there. One of the girls from the support group had boils for nearly a month solid. At least it only activates for intercourse. I'm talking to Greg about releasing the details of the Fidelity Charm, too. He doesn't really like the idea; he's afraid it might cause more troubles than it helps if some of the men get upset about their wives being able to have relations with other men, even if it can only go so far, but I've told a few of the couples I'm working with who I thought would be open to making arrangements with each other."

"Well, even in all this craziness, there are sure to be people upset about infidelity, even if their marriages were only from the law for convenience. I'm glad we could come to an agreement on that. Thanks for being understanding, Treva."

"Quite all right. I'm glad you kept me out of marrying that old prick...his wife still comes to the meetings, she's a nice girl, and from what I can tell he hasn't been terrible to her, but still...." She shuddered. "I'm looking forward to throwing the biggest divorce party possible once they've worked it all out," she told him with a smile. "If you and Christine are still together, we can make it a combination engagement party too."

"I'm sure the family will be absolutely shocked; I don't think there's ever been a divorce in the family before." They laughed, then returned to eating for a while. "So...are you and Greg...?"

"No, he's still too upset over losing Stephanie. Besides, I don't think he would..."

"Get into all that freaky stuff you like?" he finished.

"No, I don't think he would, but I don't think he'll be ready for anything with anyone for a long time." Treva sighed, leaning forward and resting her chin on her arms on the table. "Y'know, it's been a long day. I could really do with a good shag about now."

"I'm sure I can accommodate you," Barius replied with a grin.

"You're still wearing Christine's lipstick," she pointed out with a note of humour.

"Ahh, suppose I'll shower then." He rubbed at his cheek, managing to smear the lipstick more as he exited the kitchen. Treva went to the bedroom and changed the sheets with a few swishes and flicks of her wand. While she didn't mind Barius and Christine using their bed, she didn't particularly want to share the other woman's bodily fluids through him. She had been the one to discover the weak link in the Fidelity Charm by listening to several tales from the support group and private counselling sessions with those married under the law. For the few who had gone too far, the spell hadn't activated until the moment of penetration.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to be the one to try and discover if anal intercourse would activate the spell or not, but a few men and women had found success in oral stimulation and the use of sexual toys, and she had finally decided to share that knowledge with her husband and they had come to an agreement that they could see other people. She wasn't in love with him, but she did care about him as a good friend, and knew well enough that both of them were frustrated with enforced monogamy with someone they wouldn't have chosen to marry had it not been for the law. They thought they might get along better if they could at least have some freedom to see other people. It had worked out well enough so far.

Treva was also feeling edgy. The murderer hadn't attacked anyone in over two months. It was highly suspected that he was the one who had tripped the Snapes' wards, which Hermione had written her about, but she wondered what had happened to cause him, or her, to change their tactics; or if, perhaps, the MLE department's patrols had made a real difference.