Chapter 122: Harrowing Implications

{A/N: Here's Another Long Awaited Update...late post}

My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

Hermione's Childhood Bedroom, The Granger Residence, London England, Muggle World...

Silence filled the room as Hermione Granger-Snape found herself the only one awake within the confines of her childhood bedroom. The reflection of the horrific trials they had endured due to the meddling of her father and possibly soon to be dead mother in law had far reaching consequences, he had known next to nothing about the twins he had so desperately wished to raise and they were nearing two years of age. She couldn't get over her father's hand in the suffering of her husband as her fury with him persisted. It had taken months for the poor wizard to recover from the first time he'd been subjected to the vile serpent Nagini's venom coursing through his veins and it had been quite a feat for him to even regain as much of himself as he had before the attack. Despite her fears about what he would do both to her father and his own mother in retaliation, she had hoped that he'd find a way to fully heal from all of it. He had deserved at least that much and she planned to ensure whatever years that remained for him amongst the living were filled with the happiness he'd been long deprived of since his birth.

"Hermione." said Snape shifting a bit in bed below the contemplating young witch.

"I'm here, Severus." she softly replied stroking his sallow pale cheeks as she attempted to combat the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

She didn't doubt that he'd been in a good deal of pain and wished so badly to be able to do something about it.

"Hermione." said Snape again seemingly coming around as his dark eyes opened and he found himself once more lying on his back with the witch he loved fussing over him. "How long was I out this time?"

Hermione treated him to a sad smile before meeting his gaze once more.

"A few hours." she said honestly. "It's nearly sundown."

"How are the children?" he asked meeting her gaze as well.

"They were doing well according to your brother and sister in law." replied Hermione. "I haven't been by to see them in days."

"You should go, they are possibly wondering where you are." replied Snape.

He could tell by the way she sat up and wrinkled her nose that she had not been a fan of the idea, leaving him behind in her muggle parent's household while she took off to Malfoy Manor. She had barely gotten caught up to him the last time and with the venom back in his already weakened system there was no telling what might occur in her absence.

"I'm not leaving you..." she began.

"Hermione, it isn't like I could do much in this condition, where do you suppose I'd be able to go?" asked Snape attempting to hide his annoyance, quite badly. "Your father isn't stupid enough to unleash your wrath again and I for one know he isn't willing to invite the harpy here and endanger you or your mother."

"Severus I just got you back..." contested Hermione still with tears trailing down her cheeks.

"And I'll be here." he replied. "I simply need to know how the children are doing, I trust Lucius and Narcissa with my life, but I would like you to check on them none the less...it would..put my already weary mind at ease, not to mention yours."

Hermione looked at the ailing wizard for what seemed like the longest time before nodding. He had been right she was worried sick about how the twins were doing. While she had come to rely on The Malfoys a great deal since marrying Severus, she had missed her children terribly.

"Alright." she conceded. "But you'd better get some rest, your body is going to require a good deal to recover."

Snape nodded.

"Have it your way witch." he said treating her to a rather rare boyish smile despite all that he had been through.

Hermione kissed him on the lips, a sentiment he had been delighted to share before departing with the promise of a rather speedy return.

Snape simply turned his attention to the ceiling. The decor in this place had left a lot to be desired but it was interesting to know what his young wife had valued as a young girl, he would wager she'd been every bit as troublesome growing up under this roof as she had been when she attended Hogwarts.

No sooner had the witch taken her leave of her family residence, the ailing wizard forced himself out of bed. His body still ached and the poison made him sluggish but his rage, his rage at what had been done to him not just as a result of the poisionous venom but his entire life due to Eileen's selfish idiocy had begun to take it's toll, compelling him to seek vengance once and for all. He had hoped that Hermione and his children would be safe in Lucius' care should the worst come to pass but he had every confidence he could snap Eileen's neck for her insolence. She had nearly taken everything from him, even after those years of toil to make amends for his past transgressions.

He had spilled the blood of the man he believed to have been his muggle brute father in retaliation for the loss of a life that had not been lost at all. The dark path set before him had been her doing, and she had watched him stumble into the darkened hellish pits the entire time. No word of comfort nor guidence from the woman whom had been chosen to educate him in the ways of the world, she simply retreated to her library all the while allowing the twisted monsters of his past to beat him into submission and mold a promising young lad with a curious nature into an ebittered shadow of what he could have been.

Yes, Eileen would answer for this, it had been all her doing from the very beginning. And now he would bring about her very JUST end.

Without raising any alarm on the part of his wife's muggle parents, Snape slipped out of The Granger Residence and took off into the night, the demand for blood to be repaid via blood at the forefront of his mind.