Rating: M for safety's sake due to some dark events.

Characters: Hermione Granger, Severus Snape, Lord Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy

Pairing: HG/SS alluded

Warnings: Dark!Hermione, vague sexual references, sado-masochism

Author's Note: This is still a WIP, but shall not probably be more than two-three chapters. I simply don't think it has the capability to go any further. It was intended to be just one chapter, but my muse took over and has allowed it to grow a bit. Comments/Reviews are appreciated, whether good or bad, because either can only serve to make any further chapters/stories better. Thanks.

She steps out of the green flames, a bit disoriented from the floo ride. The floo attendant removes the soot from her clothing by use of a whispered spell. It does not pay to be overly loud when in her Master's domain, even if one is a pureblood and still allowed magic. She glances up to ascertain her surroundings and feels her blood run cold. Malfoy Manor is one of the worst places to be if one is in her situation, as the likelihood of being shared with her Master's servants is greater here than the other places he has appropriated. If it makes her Master happy to share her, however, she will submit willingly to whomever she is passed. She only hopes that it is not Malfoy tonight.

The hall is lavishly furnished, as only the tremendously wealthy can afford, and the large fireplace from which she has emerged is one of several appointed for keeping the cold marble warm in the harsh British winter. At the opposite end of this ballroom-sized entry hall, there is a throne erected, made of the same blue-grey marble as the rest of the hall. Her Master waits for her there as she slowly makes her way toward him, eyes to the floor in deference to his power.

He looks upon her with blood-red eyes, and stands to greet her as she reaches his throne.

"Ah, Mudblood. I see you are early tonight as always. You are so eager to begin service every night. I should reward you for it. Is there something you would like?" The sibilant sounds hiss from his snake-like face, and she kneels obediently, taking his hand in hers and kissing his knuckles in greeting.

"I deserve no rewards, Master, but for your own pleasure, I would request some Sleekeasy potion for my hair. I have run out of the last batch and my hair suffers from its horrible frizzy nature, as you can see. It does not take much to make, Master. If you would grant me the ingredients and a cauldron of adequate size, I would be happy to brew it myself so as not to bother someone else and take them away from other duties you would assign." She dares not hope that her request will be honored, but she knows how he prefers to see her hair and how displeased he can be when it is not smooth and shiny.

She dares a brief glance up at his face and sees that he is contemplating the idea. "Your hair is most displeasing when you do not have the potion." He pauses for a moment. "However, I do not know that I can trust even you with the volatile ingredients needed for such a potion. I will have Severus make it for you. If he desires your company tonight, he may see his way to letting you assist him in the process." He motions to Wormtail and sends him to find Snape.

Her breath catches for a split-second at the prospect of seeing him again after so long. She cannot afford to show her excitement, however, and simply nods her assent to his wishes. She releases his hand and he resumes his previous seat on the marble throne Malfoy had built for him. She remains kneeling with her head tilted toward his feet, waiting for his next instruction.

"You may come and sit next to me, Mudblood. I have other visitors to greet and you are currently in their way."

She moves quickly, yet gracefully to sit on the floor next to him. She tucks her legs underneath her and arranges her skirts so that her legs cannot be seen. She straightens her back to an elegant posture and places her hands in her lap, raising her head so that she can see. There are many of her Master's associates here already, milling around the room in an effort to be social. She sees Lucius standing in a corner, his long blonde hair secured with a black ribbon, and dressed in his finest robes. He is sipping from a glass and talking with Nott and Avery. He catches her glance and nods in her direction with a smirk fixed to his lips. She does not acknowledge his greeting and he does not expect her to. She belongs to their Master, after all. The Dark Lord strictly moderates any communication she has.

She recognizes most of the Death Eaters congregated at this meeting, and inwardly grimaces as she notices some of her old friends in slave attire, serving drinks and appetizers to those they hated and belonged to. Her heart contracts as she sees a familiar redhead stumble and nearly drop a tray full of expensive hors d'oeuvres before regaining her balance. A couple crackers smash to the floor and she knows that her old friend will be punished for the mistake later. She belongs to Draco and he does not give any leeway to his slaves.

From a corner of the room, she sees Snape emerge from a hidden door, and she can tell he is not in good humor. She secretly studies his face as he storms toward their Master. He is essentially unchanged from her time at Hogwarts, but she sees a bit of grey entering the hair at his temples. Her eyes compulsively go to his hands, which are balled at his sides in frustration. She longs to relax those hands and coerce his nimble fingers into action, as they had done so many times before, but knows that she will not get the chance. If he is this angry about being summoned, he will not welcome the intrusion of making her Sleekeasy Potion.

He slows down as he approaches the throne and quickly relaxes his hands before the Dark Lord sees his tenseness. He kneels, as she did, but is not greeted as she was.

"Severus! What say you to my proposition for tonight? Will you assist in the Mudblood's reward?" The Master's red eyes narrow at the perceived tension and awaits yet another excuse for Snape not doing what is assigned to him.

"Master, you know the project I am currently working on is extremely delicate, and in a sensitive time at present. I would like nothing better than to assist your pet in its efforts, but may I ask for an extra week to stabilize the potion you asked for?" Snape tries to placate his Master, knowing that he stalls on his progress as often as possible. In the four years since the Death Eaters won the war, Snape has become the head of a small faction of resistance who are trying to bring wizarding society back to its former state. Dumbledore was a sore loss to them all, and more to Snape than anyone, having been the one to cast the fatal curse. They are doing well, but Snape's revised role of double agent is still trying on his nerves at times.

"There will be no excuses tonight, Severus. I require that the Mudblood has her potion, and you are the only one here tonight qualified to help her make it. If you must, make use of her talents and get her to help on your other project as well. But you will make Sleekeasy tonight. Any other … amusements you see fit to take with her should more than compensate for your lost time."

Snape sighs inwardly and prepares for a long night. "As you wish, Master. Shall I take the Mudblood now?" He resigns himself to his fate.

"Yes, yes. Go." He waves a hand in dismissal and slouches back into his chair.

She stands at this and lowers her head in submission, following Snape back through the hidden door that leads to his laboratory. As they walk through the dark passageway, neither of them speak. Words are unnecessary and dangerous. They reach the door to his lab, and he opens it, ushering her in ahead of him. The door closes and he whispers the words that activate the wards surrounding his delicate work. He adds a silencing charm that not even Voldemort himself could break through and turns to face the dark beauty before him.

"Hello, Hermione."