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Froth formed around the ship’s bow, and the sails above were billowing, filled with the magically enchanted wind, pushing the full-rigger forward at a brisk rate.
Severus nodded, squinting into the sun, seeing as for once Midshipman Finnigan was able to hold the wind steady. There would be no deviations, no delay on this trip, if he had something to say about it. He’d reach the shores of England before the year 1804 was over.
Glumly, he peered at his passenger, Lady Granger, standing at the prow, chattering animatedly with her lady-in-chaperone Mrs. Lavender Weasley and the gaggle of eager lieutenants swarming around them. They were all there: His reliable first Lieutenant Avery - who should, by the way, be much too old to be swayed by pretty faces - and the young lieutenants Malfoy, Zabini, Nott and Flint, all of them fawning over their young guest and her widowed chaperone.
Lady Granger’s laughter drifted over to him like a sweet caress on the wind, and Severus scowled. His men should be working, not flirting with a girl, no matter how rich and unmarried she was. Without a chaperone, alone on a ship full of men, Lady Granger's reputation would be ruined for all eternity. She needed the presence of another woman to safeguard her virtue. He hoped the chaperone would be on her guard, though the woman seemed to be just as young as Lady Granger. However, from the saucy winks Mrs. Weasley directed at the young gentlemen, he wasn't altogether sure about her vigilance.
Reluctantly, he admitted that Lady Granger was a beautiful girl, a mere 19 years old, with large brown eyes in a heart-shaped face, brown curls peeking through underneath her bonnet. The fashion of the day did nothing to hide her curves, and the dress showed off her bosom to its advantage, the soft green drapings making her look somewhat like a Greek statue.
Severus swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, and shook his head. Grumbling to himself about the silliness of young men - and he was not young, he was almost forty! - he started to pace the deck. If it had been up to him, he’d never have taken on any female passengers. The HMS Relentless, being a fourth rate ship of the line, a two-decker war ship carrying 50 guns, was no place for a woman during wartime. Not at any other time either, he thought wryly, staring at the young gentlemen crowding the two ladies. Well, as the captain, the ladies’ wellbeing was his responsibility, and that included their virtue as well.
The Lady Granger was heading back to England to settle her affairs, having buried her parents in India. Her parents had been Muggle high nobility, while she was also an accomplished witch, schooled at Hogwarts. Well, he’d still have denied her passage, if it wasn’t for a direct order from Sea Lord Dumbledore to take her aboard. She must be influential, maybe even a powerful witch indeed, for the Sea Lord to intervene like this.
Admiral Riddle hadn’t been pleased at all, insisting that he needed Severus and the HMS Relentless for continued patrol in the West Indies, citing the fact that the war with the French was still at full strength, but Dumbledore had been adamant. And here Severus and his ship were, heading for England, making good time through the Indian Ocean, while Riddle was left steaming on his flagship, the HMS Slytherin, a frankly enormous 104-gun first rate ship-of-the-line spearheading the rest of the fleet stationed in the West Indies.
Severus’ calculations told him they’d reach the Cape of the Good Hope around Africa’s southern part in a few weeks, during the storm season of late autumn. The Graveyard of Ships, it was called, and even though Severus had made the trip several times, he always felt a certain apprehension. The area was notoriously stormy, with treacherous reeves and sharp cliffs, waiting to destroy any ships that dared to pass. The lurking specimens of Kraken didn’t help either, though it was more of a problem for the Muggle merchant fleet than a Wizarding ship of the line. Severus felt confident that he could hold the creature at bay by Shielding his ship.
“You should invite her to dinner,” Avery said quietly, falling in step beside him.
Severus grunted, glancing at his first lieutenant. They were both magical commoners, though Avery was a poor Pureblood and Severus merely a Halfblood. Having met at Hogwarts, and later reunited at the Magical Marine Academy, they had been friends for almost as long as Severus could remember. And Avery knew as well as he did that Severus hadn’t the faintest clue on how to entertain a Muggleborn highborn lady. She would hold expectations that he couldn’t possibly fulfill.
Then Avery grinned crookedly at him. “You know, you don’t have to say a word to her. Malfoy is so smitten, he’ll chat through the entire dinner. I wouldn’t be surprised if he asked to court her too.”
And the small pang of resentment Severus felt at that had nothing to do with Lady Granger, of course, and everything to do with the effortless knowledge of etiquette that came with young Draco’s upbringing as the heir of the Malfoy seat.
Later that night, he stared at his own ugly reflection. His abnormally large nose, like a hooked beak, more fit for a bird of prey than a man, the deep-set dark eyes, his gaze much too sharp to be pleasant, the stringy black hair and the uneven, crooked teeth. Yes, his looks were an unholy blend of his father’s features, the coal merchant Tobias Snape, and his mother’s gaunt, aristocratic features. Not at all a look that was favoured by the ladies, and most certainly not something a highborn young woman would care to look at.
Coming to life, his mirror tutted snidely, mumbling to him: “Don’t look so glum. That isn’t an improvement, you know. Whoever she is, she won’t like that moping face.”
Severus grimaced, before going to bed, flicking his wand at the lamps, plunging the cabin into darkness. In a fit of pettiness, he hadn’t given up the captain’s cabin to the ladies. Right now, it felt too vast, like his loneliness was echoing from the wooden walls.
Still, it didn’t stop the faint throbbing in his groin, as if the damned thing between his legs were incapable of understanding that it longed for something silly. Something that would never come to pass. His past had scarred him for all eternity, but he had lived through the ridicule and the mocking as the girl he had loved in his youth had chosen another, telling him that he wasn’t enough. That he’d never be enough.
Xxxx
It turned out, Avery was right. Malfoy talked to her the entire dinner, and Severus only had to toast his guests, saying a few words of welcome. Then he was able to lean back in his chair to watch the young gentlemen and the two ladies to his heart’s content, occasionally tossing in a few comments on wizarding politics in the ongoing arguments between Avery and young Nott.
They weren’t that far off from the Indian coast, and Severus’ manservant Macmillan had done marvels with the food. There was a fish soup for starters, before a leg of lamb with almond sauce, and then a sumptuous cake for dessert, laden with dried fruits and brandy. Severus had granted the company a few bottles of wine from his stores, and pulled out an expensive vintage Port for the dessert.
The silver cutlery glinted in the light from the magical chandelier above, but luckily, it didn’t showcase the tattered hems of the old damask tablecloth, one of the few things his mother had inherited from her parents. Due to the shame she had brought upon the Prince family with her marriage to a Muggle, his mother had only gotten what amounted to leftovers from the great house when his grandfather died. Old-fashioned silverware, an equally old Cursed tea set, old drapes and tablecloths and so on. His father had greedily accepted it all, being much too occupied with money to be a true gentleman, not being willing to acknowledge that the inheritance offered was a slight.
By the dessert, young Malfoy’s blue eyes were swimming with the heady mix of drink and love, and forgetting himself, he straight out asked Lady Granger of her future plans.
There was muted hiss of breath from the other lieutenants at this incredible rudeness, but Severus felt himself leaning forward, eager to see how she’d respond.
“Oh,” she said slowly, toying with her glass of Port, the golden-brown tawny dragging enticingly slow in a circular motion in her glass, but Severus only saw how her pale throat moved as she swallowed - the girl was was clearly made uncomfortable by the question. “Well, my parents … There’s no way to say this, except by being blunt, but … Unfortunately, I have to marry quickly, within the year, or else my fortune will fall to my cousin.”
“Ooooh, marriage,” Malfoy breathed, looking excited, as if he was ready to pop the question just like that. But for nearly the first time during the evening, Severus ventured a question to his guest of honour.
“Does this mean that you would like to marry, my Lady, or is this prospect unpleasant for you, since you mentioned it as … an unfortunate turn of events?”
Looking straight at him, her eyes big and sad, causing a small pang in his heart, she responded: “I’d like a little more time to find the right match. What if I’m tied to a husband who will not allow me to continue my studies, who’ll force me to stop my research and readings? This is important to me, and I … I’m risking it all by a hasty marriage.”
“My Lady!” Mrs. Weasley said, scandalised, as some of the young men tittered. “There’s nothing wrong about being a good wife and the lady of the house!”
Lady Granger grimaced, as if this was a conversation the two of them had had before, and snapped: “Indeed. Still, I’m scared that all I’ll ever be allowed to be is a well-bred lady, caring for the house and a family, and nothing more.”
And Severus could only wonder if she was honest. A noblewoman, born and bred, wanting to be a scholar?
Xxxx
The morning when he found her standing oh-so-innocently beside Midshipman Longbottom, the boy’s calculations on the navigation being miraculously pitch perfect, he began to understand what she had meant during dinner, and also why Sea Lord Dumbledore held her in such high regard.
The weather was fine, wispy clouds racing high in the skies, while the sun beat down on the deck. Severus noted that there was a fair natural wind, and lieutenant Nott was barely casting on his watch, just giving a little extra push to the sails.
The calculations were thorough, accounting for both wind, current and the magical strength of Lieutenant Nott’s Wind Charm, plus the changes in the displacement as the barge was launched, the sailors doing maintenance on the starboard side.
“You never did this yourself, Longbottom,” he said curtly, and the boy looked abashed.
“No, Sir, I didn’t,” he replied, looking shiftily at the girl. She, however, was grinning at him, her brown eyes dancing with mirth.
“Would you take me on as midshipman based on my navigational skill, captain?” she asked playfully with a small pout, and Severus felt almost mesmerised by the contrast between her pearly white teeth and her rosy lips.
“If navigational skills were the only requirement,” he said slowly, “I’d say you pass your exams today. However, the navy - and I - need more than that.”
The girl laughed, while Longbottom looked wide-eyed at her, obviously shocked that anyone would dare to laugh in the presence of their stern captain. “Oh Captain, I am a good duellist, but I suppose my lack of swordplay will be a deterrent.” Picking at her skirts - today they were a pale periwinkle, the wind making her dress cling to her legs in a very becoming way - she added: “And these would hinder me if I were to climb the rigging, wouldn’t it?”
Severus swallowed, thinking about how her arse would look from below in tight trousers when climbing, and how the fabric would hug her hips. Though her dresses weren’t much better. The way women dressed these days after the turn of the century was a far cry from the heavy skirts and corsetted bodices from his youth. The only thing staying the same was the scandalous décolletage of the deep necklines.
For some asinine reason, he felt the need to add a comment, his voice much too sharp, his eyes much too hot: “Not mentioning the devastation you’d wreck on the morale of my crew if I put you in trousers.”
The girl’s face fell, before she slowly flushed, and Severus barked, hiding behind his usual display of gruffness: “Longbottom! Make sure you do your own work from now on. You’ll never pass your lieutenant’s exam if you let a slip of a girl do your tasks.”
Xxxx
The day he Crucio’ed sailor Goyle was much too hot, the man’s hoarse screams as he writhed on the deck seemed so loud close up, but Severus knew it would be feeble and thin from a distance, the desperation and pain getting lost in the vast expanse of the open sea. He had heard screams often enough from Admiral Riddle’s flagship , the sounds of suffering drifting over the uncaring waves. And now, it was his turn to perform the Cruciatus.
Goyle had been stealing his mates’ rum rations, often using brute force, but the crew had enough when they found him raping a fellow young sailor, threatening him to do it again unless he gave all his rum to the abuser. There was nothing to it, Severus had to make an example of it.
The red beam connecting his wand to the thrashing body of sailor Goyle didn’t waver, not even when he saw the pale faces of his crew and the horrified look on the ladies’ faces. He knew well enough that it was occasions like this that made his men fear him, and not only respect him for his leadership. They would talk about his blank expressionless face, the dead look in his eyes, and how the thick, long-lasting beam of the Curse made him into a wizard that they were right to be afraid of, to be wary of, to obey without question. And now Lady Granger would see him the same way too.
For the heck of it - it didn’t matter, did it? - Severus held Goyle under for an extra minute, though it felt like Lady Granger’s eyes cut into him like a knife. She’d never forgive him, would she?
Xxxx
The first day after the Goyle incident, she looked at him with apprehension, but gradually, she seemed to calm down, apparently coming to the conclusion that he wasn’t a crazy madman who’d pull his wand unprovoked.
One day he overheard her asking Malfoy about him:
“So, the Captain … is he so very terrible, or …?” she asked, fanning herself against the hot breeze in the afternoon sunlight, looking up to the tall blonde lieutenant.
“Oh, my Lady,” Malfoy said, leaning down far too much, as if he wanted to whisper in her ear, to get close to her, “not at all. The Captain is stern, but fair, and he always fulfills his duties and obligations. Trust me, it could be far worse. We’ve all seen, or heard, some … things from ships commanded by other captains.”
“I still can’t see why the Cruciatus was necessary. I know the Navy uses it for disciplinary purposes, but it’s outrageous. Surely, there must be a better way to punish someone than by using torture, and I feel the Captain could’ve used another spell,” she said stubbornly, tapping her fan against her palm.
At that, Malfoy said delicately: “My Lady, my conscience forbids me to tell you the exact nature of the transgression, because that’s not for the ears of a lady. Believe me: The sailor deserved every second of that pain. If you knew, I’m sure you’d agree. The Captain isn’t the one who’s at fault here.”
Lady Granger sighed, looking sharply at Malfoy for a while, before a small smile curled around her lips. “Oh Mr. Malfoy, I believe you, you seem so …earnest. As if you truly hold a great deal of respect for the Captain. I should trust in your judgment, shouldn’t I?”
Young Malfoy straightened, beaming at the girl, looking as besotted as ever, but somehow, even though Malfoy had defended his character, Severus felt as if something heavy had landed in his stomach, churning in his guts.
Xxxx
Severus couldn’t help it, he watched Lady Granger far too much. He just couldn’t help it, she proved herself to be intriguingly smart, as well as pretty. Trying to rationalise this sudden interest in the fairer sex, he told himself that it was merely the strangeness of having a lady onboard his ship, and also the fact that it was far too long since he had had a woman.
Slowly, over the days, he became familiar with her clothing - the green dress, the yellow dress, the periwinkle, the pink dress - but his favourite was the white dress, stemming from the time a spray of sea water had drenched her as she stood by the prow, making her dress transparent, clinging to her chest.
To his everlasting shame, Severus had retreated to his chambers, wanking furiously, tugging on his cock, coming after a short minute, his legs shaking as he held himself up by the table in his cabin, his uniform shirt sprayed by the spurts of his own sticky seed. It was too long since he had a whore, too long since he had indulged in the pleasures of the flesh, and yet… Thoughts of prostitutes held little appeal, compared to the razor sharp cleverness in Lady Granger’s eyes.
Whenever the officers instructed the midshipmen, he found her hovering at the back, clearly paying much more attention to the teachings than the young gentlemen did. At times, he would see her literally bouncing, obviously suppressing a strong need to ask questions.
After observing this behaviour for a few days, he walked up to her after the instruction had ended, and said slowly: “Ask.”
Her brown eyes lit up, and the beaming smile she gave him made something warm kindle inside him, and Severus wasn’t sure if it was his heart or his groin - or maybe both. Obviously, she had decided to put her doubts about his character to rest.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, “I have so many questions. The navigational spells are quite old, aren’t they, and some of them, especially the Navigare Nebula, is very much imprecise. Plus, the attempt to Transfiguration violent winds into lesser sounds positively dangerous, unless you have the power level of, say, Sea Lord Dumbledore. Is there any research going on in improving these spells at the Admiralty?”
Severus couldn’t help the tug of his lips, and he answered carefully: “Not at the Admiralty, no. There are others working on it, though.” And he’d be damned if he told her about the current schism between Admiral Riddle and Sea Lord Dumbledore on how to approach storm navigation. That was a can of worms, to be sure.
She continued on with questions - questions that were carefully prepared and well thought out - and he did his best to answer. In fact, he felt increasingly sure that she would be able to fulfill their tasks much better than the midshipmen themselves, if he could only get rid of her cumbersome dresses.
Blinking furiously, Severus tried to rid himself of that very disturbing image - a naked Lady Granger bent over a table, doing navigational calculations, turning her head to give him an enticing, welcoming smile - and anger spiked again, mostly directed at himself, but also at her, for being so alluring, so intelligent, and so very tempting, leading his thoughts astray.
There was a slight wind ruffling the curls escaping her bonnet, flushing her cheeks. And Severus, to his great shame, felt his trousers tighten. With no robes and only his frock coat, the situation would be much too visible if she glanced at his crotch, like a long, heavy ridge underneath the tight uniform trousers - not that a lady would ever do such a thing as peeking at a gentleman's groin, he reassured himself.
The topic of today's instruction for the young gentlemen had been navigation during a battle, and now, the girl steered the conversation to the old argument on the possibility of a magical stabilisation of a ship when a broadside was fired.
“I mean,” she said, her eyes dancing with excitement, “it would be so beneficial, wouldn’t it, for safe reloading and aim, not to mention that it would reduce the risk of accidentally throwing Curses at one’s allies because of the ship lurching from the firing?”
While Severus thought that might be useful, he had long since accepted the arguments against it. Furrowing his brow, he replied curtly: “Why, yes, Lady Granger, but during a battle, I can assure you that the magical power expended to keep a ship still would be better used in the fighting. There isn’t room enough on a ship of war for anyone with such a specialised task.”
“Why,” she said, brow furrowing, “this person could do other things as well, it’s only a question of magical ability, and…”
“Believe me, this has been tried and discarded,“ he said bitingly. “It’s a proven fact in battles, and we need that kind of magical power for the attack.”
Still, she wouldn’t give up, keeping up, prodding for more information, and by now, Severus was fuming. This girl, distracting him with her rosy lips, her rounded arse and the swell of her chest, forcing him to stand here on deck in the open like a fool with his cock at half mast. He needed to finish this conversation, and sooner rather than later.
“Enough with the questions, my Lady! Do you always distrust what you’re told? I imagine your father had his hands full with you, and likely, your future husband will as well!”
The girl stiffened, her eyes blazing, before saying: “My father is dead, so whatever he thought is no longer relevant. My future husband … well, I told you. I don’t want a man who’d try to bend me to his will because he doesn't like the way I think.”
She swirled around, marching off in a huff.
Severus stared at her, feeling a certain regret for his own rudeness. When would he ever get an opportunity to tell her that he quite liked the way her mind worked? But he didn’t at all like the uncontrollable way his body reacted to hers. Just like when he was younger. Young, foolish and ... in love.
Xxxx
His manservant was pleased with the amount of dinner parties he threw, and Severus knew the young gentlemen were equally pleased, giving them a chance to talk to the ladies in polite company. Lady Granger, however, had been somewhat distant towards Severus since his outburst, but she conversed with the young gentlemen, her smiles and laughter being the life of the party.
And Severus … well, he should be content to watch her, because one thing was sure: Such a woman as Lady Granger was not for the likes of him. A long time ago, his childhood love, Miss Lily Evans, had told him that he shouldn't set his hopes too high, that even a commoner like her would always choose a rich nobleman instead of a coal merchant's son. And indeed she had, laughing as she rejected him and accepted the proposal of Sir Potter. There was a lesson in that for him: Do not reach for the stars, because they might burn you. Well, maybe Sir Potter had learned a lesson too: Never provoke a stronger wizard to a duel. He hoped Potter enjoyed life with his remaining limbs. No, it would be better to watch Lady Granger from a safe distance. He shouldn't become too involved.
“This is such a lovely dinner,” young Mrs. Lavender Weasley purred, trying to give him a heated look over her glass of red wine, but Severus deflected her attention with a cool nod. The woman turned to Lieutenant Nott, instead trying to ensnare him, and Severus wondered if the young widow was trying to secure another husband. Most likely, he deduced, because the deceased young Percy Weasely couldn’t have left much behind to his widow, even though he had risen high in the merchant trade in the West Indies. He couldn't fathom how the distinguished Lady Granger had ended up with someone like Mrs. Weasley for a chaperone, but he supposed she hadn't had much choice.
Young Malfoy and Zabini were trying to impress Lady Granger with their magical knowledge, bragging about an infamous theory of Transfiguring animals to increase their size. The theory had been disproved a couple of years ago, and Severus felt sure that the young Lady was fully aware of that.
“No, it isn’t..:” she began, but Zabini smiled indulgently at her, interrupting her:
“My dear lady Granger, this is a most difficult spell to handle for a wizard, nothing at all for a lady, mind you, and I assure you, while there have been multiple accidents, I’m still eager to try it out back home on our Hippogriffs…”
“But the accidents proved that …!” she protested, and Malfoy and Zabini laughed in a way that only could be described as condescending.
“My sweet Lady,” Malfoy said suavely, patting her hand, “Mr. Zabini will be quite up to it, you needn’t worry for his safety.”
“But…,” she tried again, and Severus took mercy on her as the young gentlemen apparently weren’t going to let her speak.
“I think Lady Granger is trying to tell you something important about that particular spell,” he said, his deep voice cutting through the din like a knife. Malfoy and Zabini stared at him, their mouths open, and Severus couldn’t help adding: “Maybe Lady Granger knows more about recent spell research than you do, gentlemen.”
The smile she gave him was blinding, and with a sudden flush to his sallow cheeks, Severus knew she had forgiven him for his awful rudeness the other day.
Xxxx
It was only a fortnight later, when he had been pacing the deck during a moonlit night, unable to sleep in the tropical heat, when he heard muffled laughter through an open hatch and a small, distinctly female shriek coming from below deck.
Suddenly alert - what if someone had been foolish enough to attack Lady Granger? - he rushed below to the cargo deck, using the Homenum Revelio. In a corner, he found Lieutenant Nott buried to his balls inside Mrs Weasley, the woman looking dazed and flushed as the younger man was pumping his cock into her.
Almost rolling his eyes in exasperation and relief, Severus barked: “Nott! On deck! You’ll be doing the night watches for the next four weeks. This isn’t behaviour fit for a man of your standing!”
Nott blushed, tucking himself in, before scampering off without another word.
“Are you quite alright, Madam?” Severus said, keeping his eyes averted as the young woman tried to cover herself up.
“I was, until you came along,” she quipped far too cheekily.
“I beg your pardon?” Severus said with surprise. “Such behaviour will reflect badly on Lady Granger, if people find out that her chaperone performs … indecent acts … on the cargo deck.”
The long, slow chuckle from the woman made him look up, and she grinned at him. “Oh, don’t tell me you wouldn’t want a turn, Captain,” she said playfully, cupping her breasts, almost proffering them to him as she neglected to tie the drawstrings on her dress in favour of playing with her exposed nipples.
Severus swallowed, and against his will, he was again turning hard. The woman eyes him appreciatively, and she mumbled: “Oh, you seem to be big, Captain. I’d love for you to fill me up, I bet you’d be stretching me real good.”
With a snarl, he commanded her: “Cease at once, Madam! If I hear another word of you, I’ll personally put you in chains!”
Turning around, he stormed off. That night, he paced the deck until the morning stars paled.
Xxxx
Lady Granger still took her walks on deck as the weather grew colder, the ship tacking against the winds sweeping up from the southernmost point of the African continent. Soon, they’d reach Cape the Good Hope, or the Graveyard, as the sailors usually referred to it.
“Good morning,” he greeted her in passing, still wondering if he should have told her how her chaperone had acted out. Then again, how on earth would he broach such a subject to an unmarried woman?
The ladies greeted him in turn, though Mrs. Weasley was rather more cold than her protege. Lady Granger gave him a smile as Severus stopped by the ladies.
Reluctantly, he said: “We’re going to enter rough seas and likely strong winds tomorrow. I must insist that the two of you stay below deck until the weather improves.”
“Cape the Good Hope,” Lady Granger stated, the old curiosity coming to life in her eyes again. “Is it true, Captain, that we might expect storms and high seas?”
“We might, unless we are very lucky,” he said gravely, looking straight at her. “Many ships have foundered here. Tonight, we’ll give the men an extra ration of rum, and they’ll likely be singing and dancing into the night.”
The girl sniffed, saying: “Shouldn’t they be resting instead?”
And Severus had to smile. “Surely, my Lady, but the human mind doesn’t always choose the most rational course of action. First and foremost, they want to feel they’re alive.”
“Oh.” Her mouth puckered adorably, before she nodded. “I see… That’s wise of you, Captain.”
On an impulse, he asked: “Please, if you would like to borrow any of my books for the time you’ll be forced to sit below deck, please ask.”
Lady Granger lit up, and Severus felt as if the sun shone through the cracks of his heart.
“I would love to,” she said breathlessly.
Aiming for a brisk nod, not letting the bubbling warmth inside him show, he muttered: “If you would like to, I’ll arrange with my manservant that you can peruse my books this afternoon.”
Xxxx
The winds were howling, and it was safe to say: The passage around the Cape was not going to be an easy one. The rigging was creaking, and sailors yelled to each other as they worked, trying to be heard over the fierce winds and the waves crashing against the hull.
The ship was running before the wind, the hull heaving and pitching as the waves grew to alarming heights. Severus huddled underneath his Impervius, barking orders for the men to trim the sails, only allowing the storm fore topsails. Still, as soon as they turned around the Cape, he knew that the winds would grow unpredictable, often coming from each and every angle, bringing chaos and destruction to ships, and he had to be ready to magically enhance the ship’s steering. His lieutenants stood at the ready, Nott, Malfoy and Zabini being tasked to propel the ship forward if needed, giving the necessary push and speed in the right direction, while Avery was on the lookout for the Kraken.
There were ominous sounds of creaking and snaps from the rigging, and Severus barked for the midshipmen to stand ready to strengthen the masts if needed.
The speed was breakneck, the ship hurtling forward over the tall waves, and as they turned at the point of Cape of Good Hope, chaos broke.
Giant waves came hurtling against them from every direction, tall as the ship itself, and the crosswinds hit them, making the HMS Relentless pitch and roll.
“Steady!” Severus roared, raising his wand, pushing all his power into the helm, keeping it still, while the helmsman held on to the steering wheel for dear life.
His lieutenants righted the ship, propelling her against the wind, the bow cutting through the crashing waves as seawater sprayed over the deck. The Impervius or no, Severus and his men were drenched, water running off the deck as another giant wave crashed over them.
Because there was no such thing as luck in Severus’ life, a giant Kraken rose from the seabed, and Avery fought to hold it off, the seamonster towering above, the monstrous beak gaping as if it wanted to swallow the HMS Relentless whole.
And then the ladies came running on deck - first, Mrs. Weasley, clearly hysterical, screaming that they were about to die: “I don’t want to die locked in a cabin, I don’t want to die, Merlin, oh, I’m too young, please…!”
The Lady Granger was trying to reach her, holding her chaperone back, the two of them sliding and tumbling around on the wet deck as another wave came crashing towards them, the continuous booming of the waves louder than thunder.
The ladies had grabbed hold of the railing, Lady Granger trying to haul her companion back to the relative safety of underneath the deck, but Severus cursed, before striding off towards the ladies, his dragonhide boots proving to be much more surefooted than the dainty slippers of the ladies.
As the waves crashed over them, he grabbed Lady Granger, holding her around her waist, bracing himself against the impact of the crushing seawater by holding on to the railing.
But Mrs. Weasley shrieked as she lost her footing, her wet hands sliding through Lady Granger’s hands, and she fell overboard.
“Man overboard, LEVITATE!” Severus yelled, and sailors came rushing to, trying and succeeding in raising the screaming Mrs. Weasley from the waves.
She was on the way in, Levitated by the power of his sailors, the Lady Granger pitching in her own power - he could feel it, like a deep reverberation through her body, like the tolling of a bell - but then another enormous wave hit the ship, this time from the side.
Severus heaved for breath, seawater filling his nose and mouth, but he wouldn’t let go - he couldn’t, not when he had such a precious thing in his arms - but the sailors had lost their hold on the Levitating spell.
Mrs Weasley had sunk beneath the waves, and the Kraken disappeared too in the hunt for easier prey.
Shuddering, Severus mouthed a quick prayer for the woman into the soaked hair of the sobbing little lady in his arms.
“Avery, man the steering!” he roared, picking up Lady Granger, and sprinting below deck with his charge.
“No,” she sobbed weakly, tears mingling with sea water on her face, her white dress clinging to her frame, “I can’t believe it, she was so scared, and..”
“Please,” he muttered hoarsely, climbing down the narrow steps, “don’t berate yourself. It was an accident, bad luck and bad weather, nothing more.”
She cried freely, hiccuping into his uniform, and he kicked open the door to her cabin, striding inside and putting her down on the bed.
The proud Lady Granger made a pitiful sight, bedraggled and wet, her eyes red-rimmed, and Severus reached out a hand, cupping her soft cheek.
With a sob, she nuzzled against his hand, her whole body shaking, and he said: “Take off your wet clothes, you’ll catch a cold. Rub yourself warm, and stay in bed. It’s not over yet, and I need to go back. I’m sorry, my Lady, but there’s nothing to be done except surviving the storm, now. “
“Of course, I understand, “ she mumbled into his hand, the soft breath against his skin warming him more than any Warming Charms, and he nodded, before walking out, locking the cabin door behind him. She'd be safe for now, and later, he'd have to deal with the fact that she was left on his ship without a chaperone. First, he needed to keep them all alive through the storm.
Xxxx
They had fought through the storm, lasting days on end, and finally, the weather had calmed and Severus was about to collapse on his bed.
The knocking on his door had never been more unwelcome, and he kicked it open, staring threateningly at Malfoy standing outside.
The boy swallowed, looking so young and afraid, and Severus sighed, remembering his own fear of Captain Riddle in his youth. Come to think of it, the man - now Admiral - was still scary.
With a tired sigh, he asked: “Now what, Lieutenant?”
“No matter the …” - young Draco swallowed - “rumours, not even if they were true, which I don’t believe, of course, I’m willing to take responsibility.”
Severus blinked, his tired brain feeling foggy and slow. “Rumours…” he said, his voice gruff. “Whatever this is, come inside, Mr. Malfoy.”
He took a few steps back, beckoning the young man to follow.
Malfoy stepped inside his cabin, looking uncommonly nervous, fidgeting with his cuffs.
“Sir,” he said, his voice broken, “I love her. I can’t stand the thought of her being … slandered like this. She doesn’t deserve that.”
“Her?” Severus said sharply. “Lady Granger?” With a sudden spike of worry, he wondered: Had it already begun? Her chaperone hadn't been gone for more than a few days, and already there was gossip?
“Yes,” Draco mumbled. “Surely you know, or maybe you don’t, but… the men are saying that as soon her chaperone fell overboard, you hauled her into her cabin, threw her on the bed, told her to get naked and…”
“I never…!” Severus said furiously, before he remembered that he had indeed just done that. Carried her, put her down on her bed, told her to undress… And the rest was dirty imagination and gossip, primed to ruin a poor young distraught woman. Ruining her reputation, ruining her life.
Draco looked relieved, exhaling visibly, before he nodded. “With your permission, sir, I’d still like to ask for her hand. She’s compromised, and…”
Severus blinked again, his eyes feeling gritty. Slowly, inside his chest, his heart started to hammer, heavy thuds against his ribcage like from a sledge, like it wanted to break him open. Something flitted across his vision, like glimmering myriads of dark spots, and he grunted.
“Lucius will never stand for this, Draco.”
His Godson looked positively astonished - Severus never acknowledged their familiarity when they were out at sea - but he squared his shoulders. “I think father will accept…”
“Oh, he’ll never. What about your betrothal to the Greengrass girl?” Severus said tiredly, but Draco stubbornly shook his head.
“No, please Sir, let me put the question to her.”
Severus swallowed. So what if he did. She deserved someone like Draco. Young, handsome, rich, from a great Pureblood family… She wasn’t for the likes of him, not for a poor sea captain, who’d maybe hope to inherit a manor when his uncle died someday in the far future. No, if he’d indeed ruined her reputation by making his men talk, then he also owed her the favour of saving it.
His voice sounded almost strangled, as he nodded to Draco. “You have my permission, boy. But don’t be surprised when Lucius suffers a heart attack upon hearing your news.”
Xxxx
He had stumbled in bed, sleeping for well a night and a day, before his manservant woke him up. “I hope you slept well, Captain,” he said, the enticing scent of coffee spreading in the cabin. “Lady Granger has been on the door at least five times to see if you’re awake. She seems very …anxious … to see you, Sir.” Macmillan threw him an accusing glance, as if he fully believed that his captain had caught and raped a young defenseless woman in the middle of a storm. As if he would even have the time to do that - if he had been so inclined - as if he wasn’t fully occupied with saving the ship.
“Out!” Severus barked, sending a startled Macmillan running, before he vaulted himself out of bed, performing a brisk but thorough Tergeo, cleaning his body of the sweaty, stinking mess he had become during the days he had fought the storm.
Now, the sun was playing on the waves outside his cabin, and green forests hugged the far off shoreline as they coasted the southern Africa.
Slowly, he pulled on a clean shirt and trousers, before taking the dainty porcelain cup, drinking the coffee with relish. Whatever Macmillan thought of him, it hadn’t affected his precise care for making a perfect cup of coffee. The black liquid slid down Severus’ throat, making him feel as if he came back to life, his brain waking up from slumber and his body becoming almost painfully alert. Impatiently, he knocked the hardtack biscuit on the table, waiting for the worms to crawl out before he buttered it up.
Within minutes, there was a timid knock on the door, and he sighed. As he called out for the visitor to enter, he braced himself for what would surely be the happy smile of a betrothed Lady Granger. Most likely, she was about to ask him to officiate the wedding.
When she entered, it was immediately apparent that his expectations had been wrong. This was no glowing bride-to-be, instead, she was anxious and pale.
“What’s the matter, my Lady?” he asked formally, and the girl winced. She wore the green dress he liked so well, and scandalously so, there was no bonnet on her head, her long, unruly hair flowing freely down her back.
“Captain,” she began, her voice almost a croak, before she turned to close the door. “I …”
“You should leave the door open,” he pointed out, “you shouldn’t be alone with a man behind a locked door, my Lady.”
“Oh bollocks,” she swore, her cheeks flushing, making him arch his eyebrows.
“Language, my Lady,” he commented, though he almost wanted to chuckle at her outburst.
“I’m sorry,” she said, but she didn’t look even remotely contrite. “I… It doesn’t matter by now, does it? My reputation has been ruined, though no fault of mine, and…”
“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely, “I never meant to put you in harm’s way.”
“No fault of yours, either,” she said with a sigh, “but apparently, the damage is done. What I wanted to tell you, is that I’ve turned down Mr. Malfoy.”
“You have?” he said, and at the same time, a ray of sunlight pierced through the glass of the windows, landing directly on the girl, her hair shining like a halo around her sweet face.
“Yes,” she sighed. “I … It would save my reputation, and it would be advantageous, but… They - I mean his family - would never let me study. I’d be nothing but a broodmare, meant to sit quiet and silent in a corner, never having an opinion for myself. And still, they’d snicker behind my back because of … my parentage.” Her voice caught at that, and a small sniffle escaped her.
And suddenly, he remembered that not only was she exceptionally intelligent and pretty, she was also quite young, having recently lost her parents.
“I see, my Lady,” he said slowly, before pointing to a chair. “Will you sit? I cannot offer you much right now, but there is still coffee left in the pot.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, and he pulled out a chair, inhaling the sweet scent of her soap, before bringing her a cup, pouring her coffee.
“What will you do instead?” he said calmly, though there was something raging inside him, something that wanted out - a shout of exhilaration, excitement - while pouring himself another cup. “It may not be easy for you, when this rumour reaches the shores of England. Will you not consider a marriage?”
The girl took a shuddering breath, her lips almost trembling, before she looked straight at him, clearly determined to speak her piece, though she obviously was nervous: “I would, but not to Malfoy. I could consider a marriage … to someone else.”
The look in her eyes was questioning, asking him to not press her further, but Severus almost couldn't believe it. Surely, she didn’t mean….
Slowly, he offered her the only way out that a gentleman could offer: “Since I am the cause of the … distressing circumstances… would you consider me, my Lady, if you will not accept Mr. Malfoy? I haven’t much to offer you, nothing of what you deserve, but… if you’ll have me, I offer for your hand gladly.”
The gratitude in her eyes was astounding, making heat flood through his veins, his cheeks flushing, and the beaming smile spreading over her lips felt like the first touches of the morning sun. “Yes, if it pleases you, I accept,” she croaked out, her shoulders slumping in relief.
“The marriage should be as soon as possible,” he said, feeling almost dizzy with joy. She was to be his, even though she was young and he was old, she was rich and he was poor, and she was a noble and he was not.
“Today,” she nodded eagerly, before their eyes met, and they both made a small, embarrassed sound of laughter.
Xxxx
The wedding had been surprisingly quick to organise: The girl - his bride - stayed by his side as he called all hands on deck, and gave the ship’s doctor the orders to perform the wedding rites. He managed a few words of consolation to Malfoy, who looked like the sun had gone down, and then the ceremony was completed, his men grinning and cheering, a few daring souls at the back shouting that “the Captain deserves some fun, lads, eh?”
Now, they were back in his cabin, his manservant having quickly packed her belongings and moved them from her cabin to his. Consequently, there were now strange things on the shelves, new books and an entire chest full of clothing beside the bed.
At this point, she looked apprehensive, and his heart sank. Maybe she hadn’t wanted this, maybe she already regretted it, certainly, she wouldn’t want what came next just as much as him anyway. Ladies weren't supposed to enjoy this, were they? At least, that's what they were told.
She licked her lips, like they were dry, before whispering: “I’m … nervous. I don’t know much about this, no one would tell me, and … I couldn’t find any books on it.”
Severus flicked a Locking spell on the door, before turning to her. “I assure you, I’ll take care of you.” He had promised that, just now, to take care of her in any way for the rest of his life, and he intended to keep that.
“Yes… Do you think you could make it quick? The only thing I know is that it’s supposed to be painful the first time. Maybe … just do it quick now?”
Severus shook his head, and that made her bite her bottom lip as he walked up to her, enfolding her in his arms. She was small, light even, like a thing of starlight and feathers in his arms, and with a small sob, she burrowed her face into his uniform robe.
Slowly, he stroked her back, muttering sweet nothings to her, soothing her stiff back, making her become soft and pliant in his arms. “Hush,” he said softly, breathing in her hair, “don’t worry. I’ll teach you all there is to know about this - and there is much, I assure you - and together, we’ll explore this.”
“No, please,” she asked, her voice almost choking, “just … quick, please?”
“I will not indulge you,” he muttered, also feeling strangely excited by the thought that he had the right to decide this for her as her husband.
She took a shuddering breath, her eyes big and dark as she looked up: “Don’t prolong my suffering, please.”
And Severus couldn’t help the shark-like grin flitting over his face. “My sweet,” he almost purred, “I assure you, you’ll be begging for release.”
The girl’s eyes became even wider, her pretty face paling, and she took a small step back. Belatedly, Severus realised that she actually thought it would be painful, and what he had just said … she had interpreted it as if he wanted to torture her, right?
“No,” he said gruffly, taking another step towards her, but she backed up, step by step, until her arse met the table. Her hands clutched the edge, her knuckles whitening as she swallowed.
Well, Severus decided, the best thing was to show her.
Lunging for her, he pinned her in place, grabbing her head, pressing his lips against her mouth for a kiss. She almost whined, trying to pull back, but he held her in place, his mouth moving against her stiff lips, coaxing her to open up.
His fingers traced around her neck, caressing the soft skin beneath her ears. That brought a reaction from her, and with a gasp, she opened her mouth, letting him slip his tongue inside.
The silky wetness of her mouth made shivers race down his spine, his balls tingling in anticipation, and he pressed against her, holding her tighter. The girl in his arms slowly relaxed, letting him explore her mouth, his hands wandering from her neck to her throat, to her shoulders and her chest. She shivered, like this was an unexpected pleasure, and with a soft moan, she finally began kissing him back.
Letting his hands roam her body, tracing her arms, moving to her waist, he suddenly couldn’t wait. He’d have to taste her, to make her ready for him. With a grunt, he lifted her, setting her arse down on the table, and hitched up her skirts.
His young wife squeaked, her arms almost flailing, but he held her steady as he sank to his knees in front of her.
“What are you doing?” she said weakly, her breath coming fast and hard.
“I’m going to make you beg,” he muttered, kissing her stockinged legs, moving up towards the apex of her thighs, his head underneath her skirts. It was dark underneath, but he knew where he was going, pushing her legs apart further. As his mouth met her mound, there was a shocked whine coming from her, and she tried to wriggle away.
“No,” he said firmly, his breath warm against her sex, and he gripped her hips to hold her still, tilting her position to make her more accessible for him. Letting his tongue slide through her slit, there was a string of verbal expletives from his new wife - things a Lady really shouldn’t say - and he chuckled.
“Merlin,” she said faintly, “Morgana’s tits, oh bloody hell, gods, what are you doing… why, and, FUCK, why did no one tell me…”
Lapping at her hardening little nub, tasting the slick that began to ooze from her, Severus would have liked to palm his cock, but she was now writhing like a little snake, and he was fully occupied by holding her still. The little pants and mewls shot straight to his cock, making him throb uncomfortably, straining against his coarse uniform trousers.
It grew hot under her skirts, her sex becoming slicker by the minute as his tongue relentlessly traced her slit, circling her slick little nub, and finally - finally - she started begging: “Oh, please, more, and oh, gods, this is… I don’t know … what’s happening to me, and it’s so good, please more…!”
Her legs twitched, her thighs trembling around his head, her voice rising in pitch as she shuddered, back arching, her sex thrusting against his mouth as she fell off the edge: “Oh, oh ooooh, pleeaseee!”
As the tremors abated, he pulled back, sitting on his haunches, wiping his shining chin with his sleeve.
She was breathing hard, hands still clutching the edge of the table, and then she began to laugh. “You absolute arse!” she wheezed, “why didn’t you tell me that this was what you meant by making me beg!”
Severus gave her a crooked grin, before quipping: “I aim to surprise, my Lady.”
“Hermione,” she corrected him with a small smile, “I’m your wife now, not a lady.”
“You’ll always be my lady,” he muttered. Standing up was difficult, his cock being in the way, but he managed to get up, unbuckling his belt hurriedly. Because he couldn’t wait to take her, not for a second.
“Oh,” she said, the nervousness returning in full force, “is this the … painful part?”
“It might be a little uncomfortable,” he gritted out, “but it shouldn’t be too bad, not now, not after your release.”
Still, she blinked, her body tensing, as he once again hitched up her skirt, positioning himself between her legs.
Pulling out his cock, the head already deeply red and weeping, he steered it to her centre, stroking her slit, coating himself in her slickness.
“Is this… thing going somewhere inside me?” she squeaked, peering down between them with a horrified expression. “It’s much too big, and I certainly can’t…”
“Hush,” he murmured, pressing himself against her, pushing tentatively. “It is big,” - and he had never been more pleased by a woman telling him that, though she had nothing to compare him to - “but you’ll manage.”
The bulbous head slid inside, the squeeze of her opening so delicious around him, and she winced, obviously feeling the stretch. With a sharp thrust, he slid inside her, burying himself in the tight wetness of her core. His lovely little wife whimpered, a soft, broken sound, and he stilled, holding himself still though he wanted nothing more than to pound into her.
“It’ll pass, hush,” he said, kissing her throat greedily, one hand winding into her hair, pulling her head back, “you can take me. Relax.”
Then he couldn’t hold still anymore, the throbbing in his cock and tingling in his balls reaching the limit of his self-control, and he began to move, at first slowly, watching her face carefully. Big brown eyes held his gaze, her mouth slightly open, as she obviously strained to accommodate him, forcing herself to relax.
When she finally relaxed, her walls still gripping him tight, so deliciously tight, he couldn’t take it anymore. With a groan he began to move in earnest, long, slow strokes sliding in and out of her, bottoming in her depths at each thrust.
“My Lady,” he groaned, “my wife, my Hermione…” By themselves, his hips sped up to the natural conclusion, liquid fire raced down his spine as his balls contracted, spasming, sending all he had into her, white light flickering on the edges of his vision, like a lightning storm chasing his ship, but he was flying before it, hurtling through the waves until the swells crashed over him as he came undone, his legs shaking, barely keeping him standing as his cock jerked inside her, pulsing with the last shuddering thrusts.
He buried his face in her shoulder, as the aftershocks rode his body, and her hand patting his head, carding through his hair, was surprisingly gentle.
“My Captain,” she whispered, “my Captain.”