Title: Persuasions

Author name: Marianne-Wilde

Author email:

Category: Drama

Sub Category: Romance

Rating: R or NC-17

Chapter: 10

Summary: Hermione is kidnapped in the middle of the search of the Horcruxes, she is kept alive in order to serve as a bait. But she finds herself in company of Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy and everything changes when she discovers the truth behind Severus's actions.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's notes: I just wanted to say that English isn't my first language, so is probably that you will find grammar errors. Hope you like it!

Keys:
'thoughts'
"speaking"

~*~ Persuasions ~*~

CHAPTER 11: BAD NEWS

Severus looked at her with intensity. "Dolohov and Nott are planning to pay you a visit." He said. "I'm afraid Draco won't have an option but to let them come inside to not raise suspicious."

Hermione face went pale. "But why? When?"

"You know why Hermione, don't make me tell you." He said as his expression softener. "I overheard them talking last night. They might come today or in the following days, they didn't say it."

Hermione started shaking. "B-but, what will happen when they discover that the marks disappeared? I don´t want to see them, I don't want them to rape me again!" she said as tears started running down her cheeks. "Please sir, you can´t allow it to happen."

Severus didn´t know why or how it happened, but he found himself hugging Hermione and cleaning her face. "Don´t worry, I won't".

"But what about-?" she was interrupted by his finger.

"Shh! You don't have to worry. I won't let anything happen to you." He said softly.

Hermione hugged him tightly, wanting to believe that what he said was true, that he will protect her.

Severus cleaned her face one more time. 'God! She looks beautiful!' He thought to himself before he could get hold of his thoughts.

Hermione was staring at his eyes as she calmed down. Something around them changed and she felt herself closing her eyes and getting her face closer to his.

Severus caressed her cheek gently and before he could control his actions, he bended over and kissed her gently, as if he was afraid of hurting her. He did gave her the opportunity to move away, but when she didn't, he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

Hermione felt something that she hadn't feel before. She couldn't believe that she was kissing the Potions Master and she wasn't about to start complaining about it.

After what felt like years, Severus broke the kiss and looked down at her, who was smiling at him. "Hermione… I'm…" but before he could continue, he was interrupted by a cough at the door.

"Should I leave you two lovebirds alone?" Draco asked arching an eyebrow as he walked toward them.

Severus glared at the young wizard as Hermione blushed ten different shades of red. "What do you want?" he asked.

"I just wanted to discuss the plan with both of you." He said as he sat down next to Hermione. He looked at them seriously. "They are coming tomorrow. They just sent me an owl so I can lower the wards."

Hermione started shaking. "To-Tomorrow? But…"

"Don't worry." Draco said as he put his hand on her knee, but quickly withdraw it when he felt her stressing. "We won't let them touch you." He said.

"But how are you-?" Hermione started to ask but was interrupted by Severus.

"We'll set the plan in motion before than expected, but we don't have an option." He said as he stood up followed by Draco.

"Are you leaving me?" Hermione asked as she stood up. Her courage had left her long time ago.

"We have to get ready." Draco said looking at her apologetically. "Beside, we have to get your wand, don't we?"

Hermione sighed as she sat down on the chair one more time. "If you must." She said resigned.

Severus looked down at her and lifted her chin. "We'll be back soon." He said and, before she could answer, he left the room.

Draco looked at her. "Hermione… do you… do you have feelings for him?" he asked, concerned about both of them.

Hermione blushed and looked down. "I don't know" she whispered.

Draco sighed. "Just be careful… We'll speak when we are safe." He said and walked away, leaving Hermione alone to ponder about her feelings regarding the Potions Master.

~*~ ·0· ~*~

Harry stormed into the house followed by Ron and Lupin. They had been out for about three days trying to locate another Horcrux but they had failed.

Harry was getting more and more frustrated. He wanted to destroy the mirror that he found at his parents' house but he couldn't, not if it represented the only way to get Hermione back.

Which lead to another reason about why he was so frustrated. He had been waiting for more than twenty days to hear some news about her rescue or whereabouts, and so far their search had been fruitless.

"I can't stand it anymore!" Harry said with frustration as he sat down heavily on a chair at the kitchen.

"Tell me!" Ron said as frustrated as Harry was. He was angry with all the members of the Order for failing locating his girlfriend. "How do we even know if she's ok?" he asked. "We haven't hear anything from anyone in a long time!"

"She will be fine Ron" Remus said as he sat down after he made some tea. "We have the mirror and they know it."

"True, but we haven't find any other of the Horcruxes, have we?" Harry said glaring at Remus. "How do we know that HE doesn't have them already?"

Remus looked at him with sadness. "Let's hope that he doesn't for everybody's sake."

Before Harry or Ron could say something else, they were interrupted by Bill. "Oh! Wonderful! I was hoping to find you here." He said as he sat down next to them. He waited for a couple of seconds and took out the mirror from his robes.

Harry's and Ron's eyes went immediately toward it. They had asked Bill to find if the mirror had some kind of curse upon it.

"Well?" Ron asked. "Did you find something?"

Bill sighed and shook his head. "I didn't." he answered, confirming everybody's fears. "I… I don't think this is a real one." He said. Ron's face went pale as Harry's betrayed his anger and frustration. Then Bill continued. "As you remember, Hufflepuff's cup had a serie of complicated curses upon it. The mirror doesn´t. There´s not a single trace of magic in it."

"But the diary and the locket didn´t have them either!" Ron complained. "Maybe it's the same with the mirror!" he hoped he was right.

"I doubt it." Bill answered. "The diary was not only protected by a basilic but also had a powerful charm which allowed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Name to posses Ginny. The locked, if I remember correctly, was protected by Infieri, a poison, a magical boat and the door was hidden." He explained.

"The mirror didn't have any protection at all. It was laying there on the floor." Harry said thoughtfully. "Bill might be right…" he said with regret.

"The only way to be sure is to cast the final spell to break it." Remus concluded.

"But we can't do that! Hermione's life is at risk!" Ron said as he stood up.

"And I assure you that Voldemort won't know if we break it or not!" Remus continued seriously. "It´s the only way to find the truth!" he said.

Ron sighed and looked at Harry. "Please, don't let them…" he begged.

Harry looked at his best friend. "Ron, it's the only way…" he sighed and continued before Ron could say something. "But we won't try it… yet… I need to be sure." He said pleading to Ron with his eyes.

Ron looked at him with anger and disappointment. "You might as well kill her Harry" he said and before anyone could answer back, he stormed out of the room.

Harry stood up to follow him but was stopped by Bill. "Leave him alone. He understands that your mission is important, he just needs time to cool down and come in terms with the idea that his only hope might not be it."

Harry sighed and sat down, making a mental note to go check him later. What he didn´t know was that Ron not only had stormed out of the kitchen, but from the house as well. He also missed the unmistakable sound of an Apparition.

~*~ ·0· ~*~

Draco Malfoy and Severus Sanpe walked inside the private room of the Green Goblet. Severus had told Draco that they will meet with someone who will be able to help them. They both had drink polyjuice potion to prevent to be recognized.

They sat down and they ordered their drinks. Minutes later, they were joined by a man. "The butterfly I saw today was black." The man said without taking his cap off.

"It flew away as the sun set down." Severus answered.

"Sorry I'm late. I had to distract them to get away." Said the young man. "I didn't know you were going to bring the boy."

Draco glared at the man but stayed quiet. He had no idea who the man was, all he could see was shadows under the hood.

"Well, I needed him out of the house as you well know." Severus said with regret.

"So Hermione is going to be alone after all." The young man with the hood said, you could hear the sadness sin his voice.

"It's all part of the plan."

"Plan? What plan?" Draco asked them starting to feel suspicious. "And why does Granger need to be left alone?"

"You'll understand later Draco." Severus sighed. "Let's discuss other matters first." He looked at the other man. "Could you get it?"

The young man nodded and took out a box from his robes. "Here it is. It gave me a lot of trouble, but I managed to get it." He said. "I must say, it's hard to break the Dark Lord's wards. I also had to replace the wand with a face one to not raise suspicious."

Severus took the box and place it inside his robes. "Hermione will appreciate this." He said.

Draco had been watching in complete silence the interaction between the two older men. He hadn't have an idea of how they will obtain Hermione's wand and was glad that Snape had think about it. But, how have the stranger got it? He had no idea.

And then, suddenly, his wand started shaking. "Oh Fuck!" he cursed as he took it out from his robes. He looked with fear at it, then he looked at Severus. "The wards…"

Severus raised from his place. "So it had begun…" he said and before Draco or the other man could say anything he Apparated back to Malfoy´s chateau, after all, he had a promise to keep.