Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery

Chapter 18 ~ A Quick Return

Both Poppy and Hermione protested as Severus slowly sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Wincing, he looked at Poppy.

“Bandage me up, get me a cane and some clothes, Poppy,” he said, gritting his teeth, “I have to go. The summons is urgent.”

“But Severus, you are in no condi…” her voice trailed off as she saw the look in his eyes. He had no choice, he had to go.

The witch sighed and went to her office, then returned with some bandages. She walked around the cot and started applying them to his torn back. Hermione watched for a moment. Severus’ face was contorting with pain as the Mark pulsed on his arm, a deep angry red. Then she pushed her way through the privacy curtain, ran to Poppy’s stores and picked through the bottles. She selected several, shoved a few in her pockets, then brought the rest back, depositing them on the nightstand near Severus’ bed. She began to open bottle after bottle, and held one up to the pale wizard as Poppy looked over his shoulder.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Stamina potion. The others are pain, pepper-up, and healing potions. If you’re going to go to him at least be in as best shape as possible,” Hermione said, shaking the bottle she held a little.

Severus’ dark eyes swept over her.

“It’s a good idea, Severus,” Poppy said, still applying the bandages.

Albus looked on, his blue eyes worried as they rested on his Potions Master. Voldemort summoning him so soon meant something important was happening.

Severus took the bottle from Hermione and drank it down, his eyes never leaving her face. He thought about what he had seen in her mind as he took the next bottles from her and drained them. She really did care.

Poppy finished bandaging him and left again. Hermione neatly capped all the empty bottles and turned to look at him. His color was better. He was pale, but then again, he was always pale. This was a healthier shade than when he had first returned.

Pomfrey returned with clothing, a set of robes and a silver-tipped cane, similar to the one Lord Malfoy used. Severus started to stand up, then remembered Hermione was there. Delighted as she might be at seeing his assets, he wasn’t ready to reveal them to her yet.

“I suggest you leave now, Miss Granger,” he said, “Unless you want a little peep show.”

He really wanted to say, “Unless you want a little preview,” but that would have alerted Albus to his licentious plans for the witch. He didn’t want the old wizard to know. He would be absolutely insufferable.

Hermione reddened. She was very curious, but in didn’t savor the idea of seeing his goods for the first time in the presence of Poppy and Dumbledore .

“I’ll just wait outside,” she murmured, walking quickly through the curtain. Severus smirked.

In a few minutes, the curtains parted and Severus walked out, assisted by the cane and followed by Albus and the medi-witch. Raucous flew past him and perched on a small ledge about the infirmary door, waiting. Poppy tried to help Severus walk but he shrugged her off.

“You can’t walk me into Voldemort’s presence, Poppy,” he said to her, “Let me be.”

The medi-witch fell back and clasped her hands together worriedly.

“Do be careful, Severus,” she called after him as he walked toward the infirmary doors.

Albus watched him go silently. The old wizard couldn’t speak, his eyes glistening. He was worried that this time the wizard wouldn’t be coming back.

Hermione however, fell in step beside him as he exited the infirmary. Raucous soared out behind them. If the wizard had been in better shape, the raven would have perched on his shoulder. Hermione looked up at the grimfaced wizard.

“Severus, surely you don’t intend to walk back to the dungeons,” she said.

He didn’t answer her. He was in a lot of pain from the mark, but the pain potion Hermione had given him helped. The witch had a pocketful of the potion. She nipped it from Poppy, figuring he would need more.

Severus stopped and began to spasm. Hermione grabbed his arm so he wouldn’t lose his balance. After about thirty seconds, the tremor stopped. Severus looked down at Hermione’s small hands gripping his arm.

“You can let go,” he said darkly.

Hermione released him, and he started walking again.

“Severus, take the floo,” she said, gesturing toward a fireplace up ahead.

Her suggestion made sense and the Potions Master walked over to the fireplace, took some floo powder off the mantle and tossed it in.

“My rooms,” he said to the floo. The flames turned green and he stepped through. Raucous swooped in behind him, followed by Hermione. The three stepped out into Severus’ study. He turned to Hermione with a frown.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have classes to help with?” he seethed at her.

“I just want to see you off,” she said quietly, looking up at him. He was so brave walking back into that despot’s presence. She watched as he spasmed again. He was in no condition to do this.

After the spasm passed, Severus walked into his bedroom, preparing to apparate. Hermione followed him.

“Hermione, stop shadowing me,” he hissed at her, “Get out of my rooms.”

Hermione stood there stubbornly.

He looked at Raucous.

“Raucous, you drive her out of here the minute I’m gone,” he said to the yellow raven, who nodded and glared at Hermione. He owed her. Big.

Hermione looked at the wizard.

“Be careful Severus. Come back to me,” she said softly.

He looked at her, grunted something, then straightened, preparing to apparate to the Dark Lord.

Suddenly Hermione rushed forward and flung her arms around him, clinging to him tightly as he disapparated.

Raucous stared at the empty space with his beak open. Shit. The witch had gone with him. The master was not going to be happy about that.

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Severus and Hermione appeared directly in front of the Dark Lord’s throne. Voldemort looked startled to see two people instead of one, but nowhere near as startled as Severus. Hermione looked at the Dark Lord, still clinging to the Potions Master.

“Who is this, Severus?” the Dark Lord demanded.

Severus scowled down at Hermione. What the fuck had she done?

“A very foolish little witch, my Lord,” Severus replied.

Voldemort lifted his wand and stunned her. Hermione fell to the floor, unconscious.

“Get her wand, Peter, and lock her in one of the back rooms. We’ll deal with her later,” Voldemort said.

“Yes, my Lord,” Peter said, his piggish eyes glinting as he looked down on the beautiful witch.

He approached Hermione, bent and ran his hands all over her body, pretending to look for the wand.

Severus looked down at him, his nostrils flared as the wizard’s pudgy fingers fondled Hermione’s breasts. Voldemort had restored his silver hand back to flesh after the wizard killed a fellow deatheater with it in a decidedly unfair fight having turned the hand into a sharp spear and running it through his unarmed opponent.

“Peter,” Severus said evenly. “Her wand is in her robes pocket. The witch is promised to me. You put your filthy hands on her body again I will cut them off and shove them up your ass.”

Voldemort looked at Severus with interest. Hm. He was interested in a witch? Severus rarely ever indulged himself with women, and when he did the most he would do was let them suck his cock.

“Peter,” the Dark Lord said, “Put her in the back room…untouched.”

“Yes, my Lord,” the wizard replied, removing Hermione’s wand from her pocket and hoisting her over his shoulder, carrying her away. Severus looked after him.

“Why is the witch with you, Severus?” the Dark Lord asked him.

“I think it is because she believes she can help me, my Lord,” he replied.

Stupid little chit. Why had she done this?

“What is her name?” the Dark Lord asked him.

“Hermione Granger, my Lord,” Severus answered.

The Dark Lord looked thoughtful.

“I remember her. She was the most brilliant student to graduate Hogwarts in the last fifty years,” he mused.

“The same, my Lord,” Severus responded.

“Maybe she can help you. We have a problem, Severus. Nagini is dead,” the Dark Lord said, his red eyes on the wizard to watch for his reaction.

Severus’ expression did not change.

“You have my sympathies, my Lord,” he replied.

“I need more than your sympathies, Severus. Without her venom, you cannot make my elixir!” the Dark Lord hissed, “I had Peter cut her glands open to see if we could salvage any, but they had dried up. What am I to do, Severus?”

“Die,” the wizard thought. Then he responded.

“You do not need a feeding for several more days, my Lord. The expedient thing to do would be to find a substitute cobra. But although all cobras are poisonous, their venom has distinct differences. We will have to try and find a match for Nagini’s venom and test each sample by brewing the elixir. Very time consuming work. Miss Granger is quite talented in a number of fields, she may be able to find a way to test the venoms faster, or develop a spell to slow your weakening,” Severus said, trying to find a way to save the witch’s life.

“Then it is very fortuitous for me that she accompanied you,” Voldemort said, “you both will stay here with me and work on creating the elixir with a new venom. I will send all my deatheaters out to acquire snakes for you to work with.”

Peter reappeared with Hermione’s wand and several bottles he had taken out of her pockets. He was disappointed. He had every intention on molesting the witch, maybe even fucking her while she was unconscious. Voldemort had nipped his plans in the bud. Damn Snape.

He walked up, placed the bottles on the table and offered the wand to Voldemort.

“Give it to Severus,” the Dark Lord said.

Peter handed the wand to Severus, who snatched it out of his hand, his dark eyes murderous. He looked in the fat bastard’s mind to see if he had done anything to Hermione in the back room. He hadn’t. That was good for him. Severus planned to bash him in the head with the heavy silver tip of his cane if he had. Peter probably would have died right at the foot of Voldemort’s throne.

Voldemort looked at the bottles.

“What are those?” he asked the wizard.

“I found them in the witch’s pockets. They are mostly pain potions, my Lord,” Peter replied, “a couple of stamina and healing potions too.”

Voldemort’s eyes shifted to Severus and looked him up and down.

“I assume she brought them for you,” he said quietly.

The Potions Master looked a hundred times better than he did when he left a scant three hours ago. The witch must have tended him. How sweet.

“Take them,” he said, “I will have more brought to you as you need them. You must be in a condition to work.”

Severus walked over to the table and pocketed the bottles. Suddenly, he started to spasm, one of the bottles slipping from his hand, falling to the floor and shattering. The Dark Lord watched him. He would be in no condition to brew…his hands shook too badly. The spasms would pass in a couple of days. In the meantime…

“Peter will assist you for the time being,” Voldemort said, “until your ‘condition’ betters. You can bring the witch in later.”

Voldemort wanted to have a talk with the witch before setting her loose in his lab.

Peter blanched as he looked into the dark eyes of the Potions Master. Severus would like nothing better than to get the wizard alone, but he had to think of Hermione, maneuver her into a safer position.

“My Lord, I need a skilled assistant immediately. Peter is very good at brewing, but he doesn’t have the knowledge to explore other options. Miss Granger is more suitable as my assistant if you want results. We can’t waste time, my Lord. She is one of the best minds in the wizarding world,” he said smoothly.

The Dark Lord considered this. What the Potions Master said made sense. He would talk to Hermione as soon as possible. After he gave his orders to the deatheaters.

“Yes. Yes, of course. I will put Peter to work milking the snakes. He has experience in that area,” the Dark Lord replied.

Peter wasn’t wild about the idea of milking cobras, but it was better than being alone with a wizard that wanted to kill him. He bowed to Voldemort.

“Yes, my Lord. I will be glad to do it,” he said.

“Very well. I will summon my deatheaters and give them my orders. Severus, you may go and check on your witch. Peter, set up the lab for him. Make sure he can run several experiments at once,” he commanded.

Both wizards bowed.

“Yes, my Lord,” they said in unison.

Peter headed for the lab and Severus for the back room that contained Hermione.

The Dark Lord watched them go. Severus had to be successful, or he would die. What an unsuitable death that would be. To die because of a snake. Well, if the Potions Master could not create his elixir, Voldemort planned to go out in a blaze of glory.

And like the great kings of old who had many servants, he wouldn’t go into the Underworld alone.

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Severus walked to the back hall and checked each room until he found Hermione, laid out on her back on a small bed. He bristled as he thought of Peter. The randy little bastard wouldn’t have hesitated to fuck the witch while she was unconscious.

Severus himself had caught him at it when a group of muggles were brought in for a revel. He had walked into the holding room to find the wizard on his knees, thrusting between the thighs of an unconscious woman. The wizard said he was just ‘warming her up’ by way of explanation.

The Potions Master scowled. If Voldemort hadn’t intervened concerning Hermione, Severus’ cane would be covered in the wizard’s blood right now.

He pointed his wand at the witch.

“Ennervate,” he said.

Hermione stirred, her eyes fluttering. Then she opened them and looked up at the dark wizard. She sat up in the bed, holding her forehead.

“What happened?” she asked, looking confused.

“The Dark Lord stunned you. You’re lucky he didn’t kill you. What the fuck were you thinking when you grabbed me, Miss Granger? Do you have any idea how much danger you are in?” he snarled at the witch.

“I…you…you weren’t in any shape…” she started.

“So you thought you could save me? You stupid little twit. You’ve just made my job all that much harder. Now I have to baby-sit you while I try to finish off Voldemort,” he seethed.

“Finish Voldemort? How?” she said rather loudly.

“Will you keep your blasted voice down!” he hissed at her, sitting next to her on the bed.

Hermione blinked at him.

“Nagini is dead. She provided the venom for his elixir. Now he has no viable venom to sustain himself. He is going to order the deatheaters to collect king cobras for us. We will use their venom in the apparent hope that we will find a match for Nagini’s. But we won’t,” he said to the witch in a low voice.

“Why not?” Hermione asked him, “the venoms should be close enough in composition to work.”

“Yes, this is true. But the bond is missing. Nagini was bonded to Voldemort, and that is what made her venom viable. King Cobra familiars are extremely rare. It is doubtful he will find one, especially since he is focused on the snakes, and not acquiring another snake familiar. He will die, Hermione. All we have to do is stall.”

Hermione digested this. They could bring down the Dark Lord.

Severus looked at her.

“I hope your occulmency skills are up to par. He will send for you to ‘talk’. Try to feel you out. I had to tell him you were promised to me to keep Peter Pettigrew from molesting you,” he said, “so he will want to know about that. Make something up convincing.”

Hermione looked at him with a small, tremulous smile.

“I won’t have to make anything up. I am promised to you, Severus,” she said softly. Without realizing it she leaned toward him, her eyes on his mouth, her lips pursing.

Severus dipped his head back and scowled at her.

“Look, this is not the time to go hormonal on me, Miss Granger. Both our lives are at risk. Keep your libido on low or you’ll die a virgin, I promise you,” he said, frowning at her.

Hermione stopped moving toward him, realizing what she had been about to do. Her entire head turned red.

Severus stood up.

“I have to go check on Peter,” he said, his eyes darkening even more, “You wait here until Voldemort calls for you.”

Hermione felt her pockets.

“My wand’s gone,” she said.

Severus looked at her.

“I have it, and am going to keep it. I don’t trust you not to play heroine and try to take the Dark Lord out yourself in a sudden flash of Gryffindor idiocy. Just stay put,” he said, leaving the room and locking the door behind him so she wouldn’t leave.

That would be all he needed. Hermione snooping about and running into some uninformed deatheaters. She was a stranger and a muggle-born. They’d be on her like nifflers on gold. He shuddered when he thought about what they would do to her. The witch was insane to have grabbed him and disapparated with him here. What the fuck was she thinking?

Severus paused. He knew the answer.

Hermione was thinking she was in love.

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A/N: Gods. The plot just gets thicker and thicker. Peter is a real perv. Hermione’s insane. I was going to run to the orchards, but then I thought, Severus is in service to the Dark Lord…he needs to be summoned at least once for believability’s sake. Then when he did get summoned, all these situations started popping up in my head. I love killing off Voldemort in interesting ways and freeing the couple up. So sorry to those of you who were panting for lemonade. I promise the stand will be at full swing in a little while if you just stay with me. 🙂 Please review.

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The Burning Pen

Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery
by Ruth Solomon

 

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence. Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately. You are not welcome here. The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

CHAPTER 19

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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