Amour

CONDIGN

Hermione's life at No.4 Private drive had become,if possible,more excruciating.After the incident with the dementors last year,her aunt and uncle didn't let their precious son anywhere near her and acted as if he would burst into flames if she so much as even set her eyes on him.She wasn't allowed to come down till he had left for his high-school and had to get to bed before he returned after loitering around with his friends or from a date.Hermione used this alone time to get ahead on her studies and chatted with Snape on the phone or exchanged letters with her friends.She was used to pretending she didn't exist in this house but one day while she was cleaning up the plates from the dinner table,her uncle was watching the news.She wasn't paying much attention to the newsreader but looked up when her uncle hooted and clapped at the screen."..notorious mass-murdered Sirius Black,who had escaped from a high-security prison two years ago,has been caught and executed."Her uncle knew very well that he was her godfather but that didn't stop him from giving her a wicked grin and saying,"Justice!"Hermione went about with her work,long since stopping to care about these obnoxious and indiscreet people.But her uncle's cheers died down with the mention of her name on T.V."It appears that a young woman,by the name of Hermione Granger,and some of her friends,who study in the same school,have helped in the capture of another criminal,Lucius Malfoy and also brought to the police's attention about a deadly assassin's rise into action.She has been awarded with an award for bravery.."(That was the muggle way of saying she had won the Order of Merlin,Third Class and also the commoners were alerted about the presence of Voldemort.)The look her uncle had given was priceless and she had set down the plates hard in the sink and gone to her room."But since that day,they would'nt turn on the news when I'm around,so I have to sneak under the window of the living room while I'm outside at the garden to catch scraps of news.Lots of unsolved crimes are taking place in muggle localities it seems.What does the Daily Prophet say?"she said to Snape over the phone."It's just like last time..dissappearings have started.Many who have been confunded are ending up at St.Mungo's.No one knows still how many are working under the Imperius curse.Cornelius Fudge has been overthrown;there's a new Minister for magic."he said.All this was news to her.She wanted to ask after Dumbledore but he cut her off saying,"I wish I could see the look on your uncle's face when he saw his neice on television.Must've been quite a shock for them.I assume they were under the impression that you are a good-for-nothing little brat who goes to a freak school and roams around with other nasty little shits?"Hermione laughed,"Yes,I wish you could be here too.Imagine if you turned up on their doorstep-the caped crusader,come to rescue the damsel in distress.Now that's the look I would like to see on their faces!"He was incredulous,"You?'A damsel in distress'?And more cardinally,me,'the caped crusader'?"She giggled,"What?I always thought-"But she stopped herself.
"What?"
"I dunno-no just let it be."she said,shaking her head."No,tell me."he insisted.She was in her bed,and pulled the covers upto her face as she felt herself flush with shyness and while twirling the corner of the sheet with her finger she wispered,"I feel all men look good in black but you...black makes you look irresistibly sexy."She bit her lip and waited for his reply,but none came except only an audible intake of breath."Hello?"she asked but the line had disconnected.Shit!Did he not like what I said?Is he angry?Is he not going to speak to me again?She got out of bed and started pacing the floor,cursing herself.After a few minutes she ran to the window when she heard the unmistakable crack sound of someone apparrating and a stray cat jumped out of the way,screeching and spitting.Her eyes widened as she saw the pale white figure appear in their alleyway in a whirl of black cloak.She flew out of her room and ran down the stairs,out the main gate,careful not to wake her relatives up.She stood on the pavement in front of the house and watched him come upto her in long strides.But she couldn't place his expression.Is he so angry that he came here in the middle of the night just to tell me off?Or is it a dark intensity I see in his eyes?"Professor Snape,I did not mean to offend-"but she was cut off as he smacked his lips on hers,pulling her into a demanding kiss.Her lips had gone stiff from shock but she easened into it gradually.He held her by the neck and his cloak engulfed her in the cold wintery night."I thought I'll reply to your comment in person."he said,stroking her cheek with the back of his knuckles.She beamed up at him,glad that he was here.Her head was swimming from the suddenness of the act and butterflies fluttered in her stomach;she held onto him to stop herself from swaying.He smirked,"That's the reaction I was aiming for."She pulled him inside the house and he quickly placed a 'muffliato' charm on her uncle-aunt's and brother's bedrooms.He followed her upstairs to her room and saw what a cramped situation she lived in."Still it's better than the cupboard under the stairs."Hermione sighed."Take me away from here.I wanna spend the rest of my holidays with you.""I can't possibly...Hermione it's not safe where I live."he said,absolutely shunning the idea."Then take me to the Burrow.I'm sure Molly would be willing to welcome me.I can't spend another moment away from you all."she said sulking.He thought that idea was better,"But what about your relatives-"She placed a finger on his lips and then placed a kiss on them."I'll leave a note.Its not like they would miss me or anything.".........................................
"I won't hear anymore about it.I'm going to share the prize money with you all and that is my final decision."Hermione said adamently the next day at the breakfast table in The Burrow.Ron was grinning,thankful to get such a big amount of pocket money but Ginny kicked him in the shins prompting him to whimper."But Hermione-"Harry began."No 'buts'!I couldn't have done all that without you and I'm going to divide the money between you,Ron,Ginny,Neville,Luna and myself."she said.Snape shook his head as he sipped coffee and watched his lover in action as she bossed her friends around.They were interrupted by Mr.Weasley,"Hermione,there's a man here who wants to see you.He claims to be Sirius's attorney."Everyone stopped and looked at Hermione.A middle-aged corporate-looking gentleman entered the room with a briefcase and Hermione sat with him on the couch.He opened his case and took out some papers to make her understand all the official documents but her mind had gone completely blank.After moments passed with Hermione just sitting there,not uttering a word,Snape came and sat beside her,firmly holding her hand.
"Professor Snape..."
"It's okay,let me handle this."He skimmed through the papers and told her that Sirius had left her all the money he had left in his Gringotts vault ,along with the house at Grimmauld place.She mechanically signed the documents and the attorney left."I can't..I can't go there alone."she bleated."Do you want me to come with you?"he asked.And so it was decided.They apparated to Grimmauld place and Hermione stood outside,staring at the house,invisible to muggle eyes.Snape took her hand and they entered through the creaking door to an eerily silent house.Her eyes glided over the furniture and the carpets where a thin layer of dust had started to gather."Sirius's body was not left for us to bury.This house feels like his shrine.I can't bear to stay in this house.When the person whom it belonged to is not here,it doesn't feel right.Maybe the Order of the Phoenix can use it for its meetings."she said.Snape strolled into the large room with the long dining table and chairs and agreed,"That's a good idea.It'll probably be convenient to accommodate everyone."Hermione opened the door to Sirius's room.Everything was just as he had left it.There was a half-drunk cup of tea at his bedside table,along with a copy of The Prophet,its pages open.Hermione realised that was how he had left it after he hastily left to go to the ministry,getting the news of their fight with the deatheaters.He had also gotten logs for the fireplace ready for the night,but who knew he was never to return again.Tears filled her eyes but she took deep breaths and fought them back.She jumped when she heard a croaky voice from behind and the cup crashed to the floor."Mudbloods and blood-traitors making this place filthy.Is this what the great house of Black has come to?"She was startled to see the disfigured old house-elf still lurking around the desolate home."I..I.."she stuttered in the face of such direct gripe."If mistress would have been alive she would've blasted the lot of you to smithereens!"he spat."Kreacher!Away with you!"Snape bellowed,arriving at the door."I do not take orders from you."Kreacher hissed."Well,now you have to,from her.Sirius has written this house to her name."he glared down at him."I loyally serve the noble house of Black."Kreacher said puffing up his chest."And now you have to serve her because technically,she is the owner now."he argued but Hermione dragged him away."Don't bother getting into a squaffle with such a petty little creature."They left the place,locking up the door behind them.But in the back of her mind,Hermione was glad atleast someone was there to protect the Black family heirloom.