Disclaimer- Thank you J.K. Rowling for granting this indulgence.

Date Modified- Tuesday January 26, 2010

Glimmer

Fear and Uncertainty

~*~

Morning brought with it pain. Opening her eyes only to be met with hate. The bloodshot puffy eyes glowered at her. "What'd you do 6? TELL ME!"

Frightening awareness broke her consciousness, that somehow everything went wrong. Master Mulciber dragged her by the hair off the bed. His fist connected with bony parts as well as soft. Before losing consciousness she was sure he'd kicked her several times.

~*~

Some hours later she still hadn't fully regained consciousness, Number 6 was vaguely aware of lying in pool of her own body fluids. She could find the desire to get up, she drifted back out. It was only at the insistent prodding of the elf that made her decide she wasn't dead yet. Better that she were.

"Miss, I was so worried. Your caller do this?" The elf wrung his hands.

Blurry eyed, Hermione dragged herself to her feet. "No. I must have displeased Master. I can't imagine what I did." Clearing the sleep from her eyes, she focused.

Shaking his head side to side, in horror and disbelief. "Today is not a good day for Master."

"Thank you for the warning elf." Number 6 could see. Quickly she touched her face it felt normal. Number 6 began pacing. What had happened? Number 6 heard shouting in the hall. She stayed perfectly still. "Miss I have to go." the elf disappeared. Looking down at herself, no bruising, she wore the uniform of the night before. 6 discovered with a shock her knickers were still on and unsoiled. She'd never had a customer spend all night who didn't use every inch of her for his pleasure.

The door banged open. Snape strode in followed by Mulciber. "That Mulciber is not your concern, I've already spoke with the Dark Lord." Snape sneered at the other man. "You've been paid, that's all you need concern yourself with. Woman, come. We're leaving."

Without putting on another stitch of clothing or shoes, she bobbed along in Severus' wake. The light was blinding on the pavement. A bitter Late Autumn wind gusted, biting her already freezing skin. Snape turned around, seeing the state the girl was in he picked her up and disapparated.

~*~

The cavernous room was opulent and airy. Snape set her onto her feet. An elf popped up to take his cloak and see to the fire. "What's your name?" He looked to the girl who had her head bowed.

"I was Hermione Granger, Sir." Clasping her hands tightly.

"Come now. Last night you did a very good job, given the circumstance. What is your real name?"

Repeating herself, she met his eyes.

"Hermione Granger is dead. You can play Hermione later, in the meantime I wish to know your name." His tone became harsh.

"Sir, I am Hermione. I received ten outstanding O.W.L.s and one exceeds expectation in Defence Against the Dark Arts. I didn't return for my seventh year."

Snape stood angrily, gripping her upper arms shook her roughly. "Lies," he hissed. For one fleeting moment Snape allowed the impossibility to blossom in his brain. "If you're Hermione you'll be able to give me three ingredients for the Draught of Living Death, which is N.E.W.T. level." Snape waited anxiously behind an unreadable expression.

Hermione screwed up her face in concentration. "Asphodel, infusion of wormwood, and Valerian roots." Hermione begged him to understand, "that's why the Polyjuice didn't work."

Feeling exposed and terribly excited, Snape circled her. Stopping to examine her eyes. Legilimens. Hermione's head was a swirl of memory without the accompanying emotion. Snape's brain went numb when he encountered Hermione's memory of preparing for the Yule Ball. Withdrawing Snape was stunned. "Hermione Granger," he pulled the battered and broken girl into his arms. "How, how is it possible." She couldn't hear him as she buried her face into his chest. Wanting to look at her again, Snape stepped back slightly.

"What will you do with me now?" Vaguely hoping for heavy chores to focus her attention, and earn her keep.

Severus shook his head mutely. Hermione could see that he struggled with this revelation. "I don't know."

Without speaking she reached up to pull him within kissing distance. "I'm yours, you paid for me." She suggested.

It had been the wrong thing to say. Snape pulled back, "I, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have, I'm sorry." Snape swept from the room in a cloud of black robes.

AN/ Cliffy- (Sadist that I am, I love writing them. I even love them in stories I read, guess that makes me a masochist too.) Too much fun! Varity