Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery

Chapter 25 ~ Showdowns of a Mixed Sort

Severus managed to return to his rooms without being accosted by an angry Hermione, and sent a very watchful Raucous out to Hagrid’s hut with a message asking him if he would mediate a private difference of opinion between himself and Marcus. The Potions Master worded the message this way knowing that if he had come out and told the half-giant they were going to have at one another, Hagrid would have told half the school. The giant wrote a reply that he would be happy to help them settle their differences. He could find out how when they got there. Basically, Hagrid would hold their wands.

Then Severus went to class.

Hermione had the day off, and would be returning to her duties tomorrow. She had washed her hair, and was curled up in the armchair, sifting through a weeks worth of posts, dressed in a fluffy bathrobe with a towel wrapped around her head. She picked up a complimentary issue of a popular animal magazine that featured extinct birds. She leafed through it, stopped on a page and an evil smile slowly creased her face.

Hermione was almost expert at spell manipulation, intent being the primary force behind a spell. The same vivid imagination that fueled her realistic erotic fantasies with Severus, played a great role in her ability to quickly adapt spells. She quickly dressed, grabbed the magazine and flooed to McGonagall’s classroom, which was empty this morning. She borrowed a niffler to practice a transformation on. After about an hour and a half she had it down pat and returned to her rooms.

She grabbed a cloak and exited the dungeon area, heading up to the owlery.

Raucous had been on the lookout all morning for Hermione, and with the exception of his trip to Hagrid’s stayed very close to his private owlery floo. He preferred to be in the owlery when Severus was teaching class. He liked the fresh air, and the company of the owls, even if they were sleeping. The raven stood on a stone windowsill overlooking the Hogwarts grounds, just enjoying the day. It had been a good one. Shitting on Hermione had been a definite high point.

As Hermione made her way up the stairs to the owlery tower, she disillusioned herself, holding her wand at the ready. She saw Raucous immediately. The raven did not see her. But she couldn’t cast her hex while he was standing in the window. He might fall. As much as she disliked the familiar, she didn’t want to actually kill him, though she thought about it often. So she stood pressed against the wall, and waited for the raven to hop down on to the floor. Raucous stayed in the still for almost an hour before he did hop down and started sifting through the piles of small skeletons littering the owlery floor. He wasn’t looking for anything to eat. He just liked the rattling sounds of the bones.

Hermione aimed her wand at him.

“Raphus cucullatus!” she cried.

Raucous heard her before the spell hit him and he desperately tried to escape, but was too slow. He was covered in a dark gray light. All the owls woke up and made an awful din. Hermione removed the spell surrounding her, looked at her handiwork and collapsed laughing.

“That’ll teach you,” she guffawed, holding her stomach and walking down the owlery stairs, almost in hysterics.

Raucous stood there, glaring after her. He tried to fly to the floo, but he couldn’t. Sullenly, he waddled over to the stairs and attempted to walk down them. He made it to the second step, but couldn’t keep his balance and rolled to the bottom of the stairs. The only thing hurt was his pride. The witch had gone too far this time. Raucous started walking toward the dungeons with a rather rolling gait. His stomach was dragging on the ground. It was going to be a long journey.

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Class was letting out for lunch as Hermione headed for her rooms. The Potions Master emerged from his office just as she was passing. They looked at one another.

“Good morning, Miss Granger,” Severus said, expecting Hermione to launch into a rant about Raucous. To his surprise she didn’t.

“Good morning, Severus,” she said, beaming at him.

There was a little unpleasantness playing about the smile however. Severus immediately began to wonder where Raucous was. He reached out and saw from Raucous’ POV that the bird was carefully taking the shifting stairwells down to the main floor. Why wasn’t he flying?

He looked at Hermione suspiciously.

“How are you feeling? Whole and healthy?” he asked her.

“Like I can take on the world,” Hermione replied. She really did feel good.

Severus’ black eyes swept over the witch. She was in a blue, long-sleeved pullover sweater and blue jeans, her hair falling over her shoulders. The sweater was a very good fit…left little to the imagination.

“You needn’t think about taking on the whole world, Hermione…just one wizard will be challenge enough,” he said silkily in a low voice so no passing students would hear him.

Hermione swallowed and immediately felt heat in her belly. Still she had to respond, not be left speechless by him.

“Really, and what wizard would that be?” she asked him lightly. Severus stepped a bit closer to her. She started a bit at his sudden motion. He liked that.

“You know damn well it’s me, Miss Granger. There is overdue business to be conducted between us, of a most intimate nature,” he said, his eyes now smoldering down at her in a rare display of obvious lust.

Hermione stared at the Potions Master as if hypnotized, her body swaying forward unconsciously. He smirked at her. If he liked, he could make her deflowerment a between-class quickie and hear no complaint from the witch. But no, he wanted the full experience, not her jeans and knickers around her ankles in some dark niche…

Though that was appealing too. He continued baiting her.

“If I didn’t have a previous engagement this evening, Miss Granger, you’d be under me tonight,” he breathed at her. “As it stands you have one more day left as a virgin. I’m not going to wait a night longer. I’m going to get my due from you.”

He turned and walked away from the near trembling witch.

Hermione felt a gush of hotness fill her knickers as Severus moved away, his robes billowing, heading up the hall which was empty of students now. She watched him go, breathing a bit heavily and tingling all over. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder at her.

“I hope that your back is in very good condition,” he said quietly, “If not, I suggest you work on limbering it up. It’s going to be arching quite a bit, I’m sure.”

Severus swept up the hall, smirking. He knew very well the effect his words had on the witch. He could smell her arousal quite clearly when he walked away from her. Gods, he was going to enjoy popping her ripe little cherry.

Hermione looked down at herself, surprised she wasn’t standing in a huge, wet puddle. She was soaked, and needed to change her knickers AND her jeans. She walked to her rooms door and let herself in. She needed another shower. It should be illegal for a wizard to be able to do what Severus could do to her.

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There was a crowd of students gathered at the top of the dungeons corridor, all exclaiming and commenting. Severus pushed his way imperiously through the crowd, the faces of the students contorting in terror as he passed. In the middle of the milling students was an open area. He could hear the comments as he approached the center of the crowd.

“What is that thing?” a sixth year witch asked, amazement in her voice.

“Looks like a bird…but damn, never seen anything like it,” a male voice interjected.

“It sure is ugly,” piped the voice of a first year.

Severus pushed into the crowd and looked down. His eyebrows rose as he took in the creature standing among the students, glaring as it tried to push through them. It looked up at him…then he received an image of Hermione strapped to some kind of contraption that had a huge circular saw spinning at the end, and was cutting through one log in front of her as she was being fed toward the blade.

“Raucous?” he asked in disbelief.

The thing squawked.

Oh no.

“Go to lunch!” the Potions Master bellowed at the crowd of students, who skittered away as if one entity. He leaned down and picked up the transformed bird. It was heavy.

“I told you,” he said to it, turning back toward the dungeons.

The bird squawked miserably.

Severus carried the distraught bird to his Potions office, let himself in then went into his study. He put Raucous on the floor, then went to his bookshelf and selected a large tome on birds. He carried it to his desk, set the book down and began leafing through it, looking at the pictures. After several minutes he stopped, one long finger tracing the spitting image of the bird Raucous had been turned into. He read the text, then looked down at the bird, who was standing by his knee. The Potions Master arched an eyebrow at him.

“Well, Miss Granger certainly got creative this time. Raucous, you’ve been turned into a Raphus Cucullatus or in layman’s terms, a Dodo Bird,” he said. “They’ve been extinct for quite a while.”

Raucous squawked in rage at this terrible designation. A Dodo? That sounded terribly stupid. He fluttered his small flightless wings in irritation..

Severus looked Raucous over. He was large, plump and covered in soft, grey feathers, with a plume of white on his tail. His wings were small, far too weak to lift him off the ground. The raven’s legs were short, stubby and yellow in color. He had four toes, three in front and one thumb in back, all with thick, black claws. His head was a lighter grey than his body, and he had small, yellow eyes. His most distinguishing feature was his long, crooked and hooked beak. It was light green in color. It was the stupidest-looking, most ungainly bird Severus had ever seen. Hermione had certainly done a job on his familiar.

“Well, knowing Hermione, the transfiguration will wear off after a week or two. You certainly won’t be flying anywhere. I’m going to have to put down parchment so you can do your business,” the Potions Master said evenly.

Raucous sighed at this. How humiliating. Having paper spread for him to shit on like some kind of muggle dog. Hermione was going to pay, and pay dearly for this. And to think, he had watched over her night and day! He snapped his long, crooked beak, but it just wasn’t the same.

“Don’t worry Raucous. I’ll add this indignity to the list of wrongs I’m going to pay her back for,” the Potions Master said.

Raucous sent the Potions Master an image of a struggling Hermione manacled and hanging a foot off the ground naked, while Severus, oiled, masked and dressed in a leather harness cracked a bullwhip behind her.

Severus smirked.

“I’m sorry Raucous. She will be punished, believe me, but not to that extreme,” he said to the dodo. Raucous then send an image of a bouquet of flowers.

“Pretty please won’t help,” the Potions Master said, “When I beat her, it won’t be with a whip.”

Severus sent Raucous an image of him fucking Hermione so strongly, her head was banging against the headboard. The bird squawked in approval.

Of course Severus wouldn’t let her head bang against the headboard. He didn’t want a dead witch on his hands. He’d put a pillow there to cushion the blows.

Severus spread some parchment on the floor in his bathroom for Raucous, and ordered some raw fish for him from the kitchens. The book said that was what dodos ate. Raucous looked at the small, glistening fish with distaste.

“I think it best that you stick to the foods dodos traditionally ate, Raucous. Normal food might wreak havoc on your digestive system,” he said soothingly.

Raucous squawked sadly.

“Well I told you she would be out for blood, Raucous. You know she’s evil when she’s on the warpath. You started this. You are the familiar of a Slytherin, and so you are a Slytherin. When you get caught, you suffer the consequences. So eat your fish and buck up,” Severus said a bit severely.

Raucous looked up at him, then slowly started to eat the fish. He looked absolutely disgusted as he swallowed them down one after the other. Severus left him in the study and headed to lunch. As he exited his rooms, Hermione exited hers, her hair slightly damp and smelling of jasmine. She still wore blue jeans, and a red pull-over sweater this time

Severus scowled at her, blackly

Hermione looked up at him.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, walking past him. She was hungry.

“A dodo bird, Miss Granger?” he said to her, his brows drawn together.

“It fit the stupid bird,” she said unconcernedly, “at least I won’t have to worry about him flying at me, dive bombing me with birdshit for the next week or so. I hadn’t even made it to my rooms, Severus. I wish you’d talk to him.”

“Raucous is a familiar, and has his own mind. I wouldn’t presume to tell him what to do,” Severus said evenly. “This is something you two will have to work out between yourselves.”

Hermione looked at the Potions Master, her eyes narrowed.

“Well don’t blame me if you go to your rooms one day and discover a table set for one, serving roasted raven with small garden potatoes and a sweet butter sauce,” she said evenly.

Severus fought back a grin. Hermione would never kill the raven, though she might make him wish he were dead for a while. He looked at the witch and wickedly decided to titillate her a bit more. It would serve as foreplay. He had a feeling he wouldn’t have to spend much time on that the first go ’round.

“Threatening the familiar of a wizard who is going to have you pinned to his bed in less than forty-eight hours is not a wise thing to do, Miss Granger,” he said silkily, “he might feel the need to defuse that threat in a very physical way.”

Hermione looked up at him.

“Are you trying to scare me, Severus?” she asked him.

He leveled his dark eyes at her meaningfully.

“I think, Miss Granger, that you should be somewhat scared. You are a virgin, and have no idea what I am like with a woman. I haven’t fucked in a very long time, and intend to make up for that lapse with you,” he said, his voice taking on a very dark edge. “Just as I am not a kind man, I am not a gentle one either. I will not pretend I am with you despite your innocence.”

Hermione bit her lip as she looked up at him. She was so close to having this wizard the way she wanted, the way she dreamed of, the way she fantasized about. The witch was scared and nervous…but her desire for the dark wizard superseded those feelings. The thought of being in his arms, feeling his desire for her and experiencing his passion just took her over. She didn’t care how threatening he sounded. Nothing would keep her from him when the time came. Even death couldn’t keep her from him. Fear certainly wouldn’t.

“I’m not afraid, Severus. I want this…and I’ll do my best to please you,” she said quietly, dropping her eyes.

Severus felt a powerful pulse in his loins. Hell, she pleased him already.

“Yes, you will,” he said a bit hoarsely. “I’ll show you what to do.”

He said nothing more. His tantalizing of the witch had turned out to be quite tantalizing to him also. Her answer of not being afraid and wanting to please him made him feel like grabbing her and dragging her to his rooms right now. But that would never do.

They turned out the dungeon corridor and walked toward the Great Hall, making a right down the hallway that led to the staff entrance. As they made the final left, Severus saw Marcus. He stopped in his tracks, as did the violet-eyed wizard. Hermione stopped too as she saw the wizard she’d hexed looking at her.

Marcus’ eyes swept over the witch, still a bit hot despite the fact she had turned him into a pig. Then they went cold as they met the Potions Master’s steely gaze. After a tense moment, the wizard entered the Great Hall.

Severus began to walk again.

“What’s going on, Severus? Why did you and Marcus pause like that?” she asked. The tension between the two wizards had been palpable.

“Mr. Delaluci and I have a date of sorts this evening, which is why I do not have a date with you,” Severus replied, “It seems he holds me responsible for his little foray into the animal kingdom. And I am responsible.”

Hermione bristled as she thought about the deal he had made with Marcus. But she had paid them both back. Then she realized the implications of the word ‘date’.

“Are you two going to duel?” she asked, horrified. If wands were drawn, one of them could be badly injured or even die. She didn’t want that.

“Let’s just say we’re going to settle our differences. Physically. No magic,” Severus replied, holding the door open for the witch to enter the Great Hall.

Hermione walked down to her seat and sat down. She looked at Marcus, who was watching Snape, hatred in his eyes. Severus sat down and returned the wizard’s glare with equal dislike.

“They’re going to try to beat each other to death,” Hermione said, mentally comparing the two men.

Severus was tall, lean and muscular the way an athlete was muscular. He had pointed joints as well, sharp elbows and knees. She saw that in the infirmary. He could definitely hurt someone. He was also very tough, due to repeated tortures by the Dark Lord.

Marcus was tall and broad-chested, as if he lifted weights. He was strong, and heavier than the Potions Master. He might be a bit slower, however. Hermione had a feeling that the wizard might be just as dangerous as the Potions Master. There was something decidedly cold and heartless in his gaze despite his apparent friendliness to everyone.

She wondered where and when the fight would be. Severus wouldn’t tell her. He wouldn’t want her to be there, thinking she might interfere. He would never forgive her if she did. This was a man thing, hombre a hombre. Her dad was a macho man. He was rather quiet, but would brawl with the best of them on occasion, especially if it involved someone hitting on his wife. Hermione learned early that women were not to interfere when men were at odds. She would never come between Severus and Marcus, no matter how she felt about the fight. That would settle nothing. It was better to let them finish and end it, than interfere so they had to fight again.

Hermione finished her meal before the Potions Master did. She pulled out her wand, hiding it behind her arm. As she passed the Potions Master she pointed it at him and whispered a small tracking spell. He never knew she cast it.

When he went to fight Marcus this evening, she’d be able to find them

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Ten minutes to seven found Severus striding across the grounds of Hogwarts toward the Forbidden Forest. He wore black trainers, loose fitting black cotton pants, and a black pull-over shirt, as the weather was cool. His hair was tied back in a pony-tail.

Hermione, disillusioned and trailing behind him, thought he looked delicious and dangerous. She had never seen him in a pony-tail, or clothing that flattered his build before. She blushed at the thought her hands would be exploring that strong, lean body tomorrow night…if he wasn’t badly injured by the fight. She wondered if he were wearing a cup. She hoped so.

Severus arrived at the clearing. Hagrid and Marcus were already there. Marcus was dressed similarly to Severus but in white. His hair was relatively short, so he wore no pony-tail. Hermione looked at him. He was very muscular all over. Even his thighs were cut through his pants. He was bouncing about, stretching and throwing a few well placed punches and kicks. He was obviously a martial artist.

Hagrid was watch him, clearly impressed. The half-giant looked up and saw Severus approaching.

“Evening, Perfessor,” Hagrid said, gripping Severus’ hand in his huge one and shaking it firmly. “I dint know this was what ya meant when you said mediate…but it’s all right. Men got to get it offen their chests sometimes. Now, yer wand please.”

Severus handed Hagrid his wand, then walked to the clearing, about thirty meters from where Marcus was standing, and began his own warm-ups. He cracked his neck by leaning his head first one way then the other, then tensed up his entire body and held it like that for several moments.

“Isometrics,” Hermione thought as she watched the Potions Master move through some very practiced martial arts motions. He did a few kicks and stretches. His legs were longer than Marcus’, he had a longer reach as well.

Both wizards watched each other as they warmed up, each trying to gauge the other’s skill. Both were accomplished fighters. Both were dangerous men, even without magic.

Hagrid pulled a huge stopwatch out of his pocket and shook it against his ear. He wound it a little and looked at it until it let out a little ding. He nodded his shaggy head at it, satisfied. Both wizards had stopped warming up, and stood looking at each other narrow-eyed. Hagrid walked between them.

“Now, this here will be a free-style fight. Do ya want it timed or ta just beat each other till someone wins? Obviously Hagrid wanted to time it.

“We’ll fight until it’s over,” Marcus growled.

Severus nodded in agreement. Hagrid looked disappointed.

“All right, but nothing lethal…yer both supposed ta walk away at the end yer know,” the giant said.

The wizards didn’t say anything.

“All right then…thirty meters apart till I say go,” Hagrid said.

Hermione’s stomach was in knots as she watched the wizards pace off, then turn and face each other.

Hagrid looked from one to the other. Both men were set to charge on his word.

“GO!” Hagrid cried.

Marcus and the Potions Master launched themselves at each other, closing the gap between them.

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A/N: Ooh fight! Fight! And some real heat between Hermione and Severus. Poor Raucous. A Dodo Bird. Lol! Anyway, lemons around the bend. 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 26

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