Marriage Law

CHAPTER 19

Draco just stared at her. If she did have the blessing of Voldemort, then he couldn’t avenge his father. Lucius’ attack on Hermione had all but ruined the family name. It was his father’s fault of course, but Draco couldn’t see it like that. Whatever reason his father had for going after the mudblood, it probably was a good one, and as far as Draco was concerned, she deserved what she got.

Draco’s gray eyes flicked over the witch. She had become beautiful. He hated that. Just one more charmed thing about her fucking existence. Yes, she probably did wrangle some approval out of the Dark Lord. She was brilliant, exceptional. Voldemort would want someone like that in his ranks, and would even overlook her being filth in order to have her talents.

Draco grimaced at her.

“I’m going to find out if what you say is true, mudblood. If it isn’t, you’d better watch your step around Hogwarts. Accidents can happen anywhere at anytime,” he snarled.

“Are you threatening me, Draco? I’m sure the Professor would be interested in knowing that,” Hermione said, her amber eyes glittering.

“Tell him what the fuck you want. It doesn’t make a difference to me,” Draco retorted, though he did go a little paler.

Hermione frowned up at him before pushing by him, exiting the castle and heading for Hagrid’s. Draco spun and watched her as she exited the door. She thought she was untouchable.

No one was untouchable.

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The injured nifflers weren’t healing fast enough. They weren’t dying, but the combinations of healing potions Severus tried did not seem to be working. He sat down on the stool and stared at the little animals. He decided to try amplification of his situation, a thought process that Hermione said she used when trying to come up with solutions to problems. It consisted of taking a portion of a problem and expanding it, describing the components of it until the main issue is clarified and can be attacked with logic.

All right. His problem was that his body was injured, and his injury was keeping him from bedding Hermione. The reason the injury was keeping him from bedding Hermione was because his body wasn’t healing quickly enough. Yet his body was healing at the proper rate, it was just that the rate was too slow for his liking. Eventually his body would heal completely if given enough time. So his body needed time. Time was the crux of the matter.

Severus sat there a moment, considering this. Time. The passage of time. He needed to find a way to manipulate time in relation to his body. He thought, scowling and tapping one long finger to his temple. Then he paused. And smiled. He walked as quickly as he could to his stores and checked the ingredients he had in supply. Yes! He had everything he needed to brew the potion.

Severus walked back into his lab and retrieved a pewter cauldron from the lowest storage shelf, carrying it slowly to the counter and setting it over the burner, igniting it with a spell and turning the flame low. He scourgified his distillation equipment several times before casting a purification spell on the twisted glassworks. He walked back to his potions stores and picked up a basket. He began to select what he needed. He believed he found the answer. His eyes narrowed as he thought about Hermione. If everything went well, she’d get her ‘measurements” tonight.

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Hagrid was delighted that Hermione was going to decorate the Professor’s rooms. Together they trudged into the Forbidden Forest and selected a nice sized tree. Hagrid shouldered it and carried it back to the castle for her, down to the dungeons and set it up in the study for her. Hermione herself brought some garlands, bows and set about decorating the hearth, stringing the garlands, attaching the bows, and hanging little golden bells that tinkled merrily every few seconds. She listened to them for several moments, then put a silencing spell on them. They would drive Severus crazy and he would probably end up blasting the entire ensemble to charred strings.