Life and Its Mysteries

AN - I own nothing! I’m just borrowing from J.K. Rowling!



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Chapter 4



Inside Albus sat behind his desk, with a very angered look on his face. In his office remained Severus, Minerva, Remus, Tonks, Moody, Lucius, Harry and of course, Ron.



Harry had amount of tears in his eyes, as he still looked angrily at Ron who he had bound to a chair. He also had placed a silencing spell on Ron, who looked like he was trying to scream at the top of his lungs, but obviously, no sound came out.



Harry himself sat in his chair, with his arms crossed over his chest, and his wand clenched in his hand. He was so disgusted at Ron, and most of all, he was angry at himself. He should have believed Hermione since the beginning. Then again, at that time, he couldn’t believe that a friend such as Ron himself would hurt another friend by raping them. Ron never did seem like the guy.



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“You think I could rape Mione?” Ron questioned Harry with a very confused look on his face. “No way mate! I would never hurt her like that, she’s my best friend. She must have been totally drunk off her socks. I swear to you, I didn’t do such a thing. It was consensual.”



“Alright then,” Harry shrugged. “That’s all I needed to hear from you.” He believed Ron’s words right away, with no doubt.



Too much alcohol surely made Ron and Hermione end up having sex but, Hermione was never one to hold her alcohol properly. At times she would seem like she was hallucinating. Maybe she did imagine herself being raped.



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Hermione walked into the room, with Bill holding her, his arm wrapped around her waist. This allowed Hermione to lean on him, supporting some of her weight. Her knee couldn’t carry her well enough anymore because of the pain.



Severus stood from his chair immediately when he saw Bill make Hermione sit down on a chair nearby. Vial in hand, he couldn’t help but feel jealous of the auror that he knew nothing of. He was holding Hermione close to him when they walked in. part of him thought they were more than just friends.



“Comfy?” Bill asked after placing Hermione’s right leg atop a futon.



Hermione just nodded, feeling the slightest bit of relief.



Severus bent down so that he was at eye level with Hermione. He handed her the vial in his hand and then said in a soft voice, “It’s for your knee.”



With a nod, Hermione took the vial and drank the potion down. Right away, she felt some of the pain start to fade away. Never did it fade away completely though no matter when pain killer she took. “Thank you Severus,” she said softly.



Severus’s thumb gently wiped away the drop that was had escaped from her lips, rolling down her chin. “I can always give you more when you need it.”



“Most of the time, I take them at least five times a day,” Hermione informed him. She still remembered that pain potions where not on high stock in his private stores or in the infirmary. There was never a person that needed to take them regularly before.



“Then I will not hesitate to brew some more for you,” Severus said.



Bill watched how the two interacted and talked. He wasn’t blind. The two were still in love. “Professor Snape,” he started, “would you mind sitting with Hermione for a moment?”



Severus looked at Bill, and nodded, with some hesitation. He pulled his chair, placing it right next to Hermione’s before sitting himself down. He noticed Hermione’s eyes were filled with tears of anger as she was glaring at Ron. Her hand was clenching on tightly to the arm rest. Without saying a word, he placed his hands on top of hers, softly holding it. Whatever the problem Hermione was having, he wanted her to know that he was there.



The touch on Hermione’s hand seemed so familiar to her. Her gaze slowly turned, and noticed Severus with soft, black eyes looking at her. She then turned her hand, and allowed their fingers to entwine. The part inside her, telling her that he hated her couldn’t be heard. The love and comfort that she once felt from him, was taking over all her feelings.



Furious and angery, Bill marched towards Ron, with clenched fists. “You motherfucker!” he spat at him, punching right on his already swollen jaw.



Everyone else that was seated in chairs then stood up, except for Harry, Hermione and Severus. Some of them took a step forward, but was then blocked by one of American’s.



“Minister Smith!” Albus addressed aloud. “I must ask you and your men to leave my office right away. You have no reason to be here. Whatever happened, happened long before and is none of your business.”



“I’m sorry Headmaster, but I recently just have learned of the truth from Hermione. And trust me, we have every reason to be here. And if I remember correctly, now that me and my man have been given permission to work in your jurisdiction, we may arrest a criminal, and treat them as they should be treated,” Dean informed Albus as he remained standing in front of Lucius.



“Get out-“



“Oh. I don’t think so,” Dean said as he placed a hand an Lucius’s chest, pushing him firmly when he took a step forward.



“What is the meaning of this?!” Albus shouted. He anger continued to grow all the more. “I will not tolerate anymore violent behavior in my office.”



“Let them be Headmaster,” Harry said firmly, not taking his eyes off Ron.



Eyes met around the room, in confusion. Finally, Albus gave in and sat himself down in his seat as others did the same.



“Time to play, ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop,’” Bill said as he towered over Ron. “Or is it ‘Bad Cop, multiplied by five, or six, if you add Hermione in? Honestly, it’s my favorite game.” He pulled out his wand, and took off the silence spell.



“Fuck you!” Ron spat at Bill. “You don’t know anything! And who the fuck are you to Hermione?! Her boyfriend?!”



“No, I’m just a friend—a very good friend, just like you and Potter should have been to her years ago.”



Harry eyes flinched as if he himself was hit. Bill’s words hurt, but they were the truth.



“Say it Weasley! Do not hide from the truth!” Bill growled.



“I didn’t do anything!” Ron said firmly.



Hermione’s body stiffened at Ron’s words. Her hand tightly holding Severus’s. Damn Ron for denying it again! How dare he!



Severus turned and watched body react. He wasn’t stupid and neither was anyone in the room. They all knew that Ron had hurt Hermione gravely, but how exactly? Whatever the answer was, he already wanted to kill the Weasley.



“Not the answer I want to hear,” Bill stated. With a flick of his wand, Ron’s hands were tied behind his back. Since he was much bigger than Ron, he easily picked him up by his collar. He then slammed him against the wall.



“No more violence, please!” Minerva gasped. “There is Veritaserum.”



“No. I will beat the truth out of him if I have to,” Bill said, not letting go of Ron.



“What exactly happened?” Moody asked. “Hermione, explain it.”



Hermione shook her head stiffly as she whimpered. She couldn’t say it again for it was too painful to talk about.



“It happened the night before graduation-“



“Shut up Potter!” Bill interrupted him.



“He knows the truth,” Lucius stated.



“The truth, which he refused to believe a long time ago,” Dean argued back.



“Harry, believe me!” Ron pleaded. “You believed me before!”



“It was a mistake,” Harry shook his head.



Bill then kneed Ron in the crotch, making Ron groan in pain. “Don’t mess with me!” he hissed in his ear. “Hermione told me the truth. I could really just arrest you right now. We don’t need get rough, but where’s the fun in that? All you have to do is to admit to it. Your torturing will all be over. If not, it will just get worse.”



“It was consensual between us!” Ron shouted. “If you are going to accuse anyone of rape, it should be Snape. He probably drugged Hermione or cast a spell on her. Anything between them would have never been consensual! She was supposed to be mine, not his!”



People gasped around the room, but Hermione reacted differently. She bolted out of chair, kicking the futon aside. She didn’t even bother with her walking cane. Again like before, she pushed against the air sideways with one hand, making Bill move away from Ron. She was using wandless magic.



“You arse!” she shouted as she choked him with one hand. “What Severus and I had was always consensual, and love. I will never love you, or anyone like I loved him, never!” Hermione punched Ron as hard as she could on his jaw, and then ribs, knocking him towards the ground. She fell right on top of him, still continuing to punch him again and again. ”You’re rapist, not him! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!!!” Hermione then started to cry and cry, not stopping her torment on Ron, whose face was already a bleeding, and swollen pulp.



Severus was the one who moved forward as everyone didn’t move towards Hermione. He wrapped his arms around Hermione’s waist, pinning her arms at the sides in the same process, not wanting to have her arms flailing.



Hermione finally shouted ‘I hate you’ one more time before literary spitting on Ron just as she was pulled away. She turned herself in the arms that were holding her. When she noticed that it was Severus, she wrapped her arms him, and cried into the crook of his neck.



“I’m here now Hermione, I’m here now,” he whispered into her ear.



“Take her down to your chambers Severus,” Lucius said as he stood up from his chair.



Not saying another word, Severus lifted Hermione up in his strong arms. He always imagined Hermione to return into his arms, where he felt she belonged, but… not like this. Not this way.



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AN – I know some of you wanted Ron to be beaten by Severus himself. Liked it or loved it still? I hope so… Severus and Hermione talk, next. Review!