-1The serpents obsession to the lion
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters associated with the book Harry Potter, they of course belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling. If I did own the characters you would probably be reading this in a published book retailing at £7.99 not for free off the internet. I only own the plot. Dark fic ahead
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A.White.Rose
Let us continue my friends…
Chapter 12: Power Games With Your Equals
"Come on Granger, stop wasting time" I carry on walking slowly down the hall way to the front door.
I don't want to go, I can't go and see him.
So you want to stay with Snape?
No, I-- I want to go home, I want to be far away from this evil monster as possible.
"Hurry the hell up" I feel him grab my arm, bruising it before dragging me out the door.
He throws me unceremoniously to the ground and I scrap my hands on the gravel, but then again its not exactly the worst of my pain is it?
Stop thinking like that, stop thinking about pain.
Why shouldn't I? Pain seems like the only emotion I get to feel nowadays.
Just focus on good times
Good times? Can I even remember them? Can I even remember the last time, I actually felt happy and safe?
Just stop this, please
I must be going mad, arguing with myself. I feel the gravel cut into my back and focus on the pain, but its not enough to distract me from the fear running through me. I need to get away from here, I should take every moment as an opportunity to escape.
Seeing sense?
I stand up slowly, the blood rushes to my head making me unsteady. I give Snape one last look, crossing my fingers before I start sprinting to the trees.
Come on, I have to get away from him.
I'm near the tree's when I feel as if an invisible rope has tripped me up. A boot comes down hard on my legs.
Owww
"Don't even try it mud blood." He warns me "You never know you might enjoy what the Dark Lord has in store for you, seeing as you like pain so much"
I know he is referring to my little cutting incident.
Fresh fear pounds through me, what could the Dark L-- Voldemort possibly want me for? Harry's dead isn't that enough? I cant let Snape get to me, I have to be strong, after all if I'm terrified of Snape what am I going to be like round Voldemort?
At last your thinking sense Hermione
"I-- I doubt that very much" I choke out
I cant see his reaction, but do I even want to?
"What was that my little mud blood?" I can tell by the tone in his voice this is going to be another one of his little games.
Power games
Just stay strong
"I know your incapable of the words 'stop' and 'no' but I didn't know you were incapable of English altogether" I spit at him, trying to ignore the panic rising in my chest.
I attempt to stand and find with much self loathing that I stumble and actually grab him to steady me.
"Really mud blood?" I just about manage to look into his face and see that through his mask, his black eyes are glittering dangerously.
"Yes really Severus" I gasp and cover my mouth, I actually said his name, something that I never wanted to do, because it just makes everything too personal between us.
I hear what I said buzz around me, I feel as if that name has burned a hole through my tongue.
"Severus? That must be a first, but you needn't worry Hermione I never want to hear you utter my name again, do you understand?" He actually sounds angry at me.
Why doesn't he want me to say his name?
Power, he wants to be in control, saying his name makes him your equal.
But I am his equal, I am better than him!
Are you? Who is the one in control of this whole situation?
Him
Exactly and he knows it
But I--
Never told?
Brought this on yourself?
No I-- How could I tell someone? He was in the ord--
Was
He was too valuable to loose
Was
I did tell someone Harry!
And look what happened to him. Cold, stiff. Dead.
I sniff trying to stop the tears from falling, I must be going mad for now my mind seems to have turned against me, or maybe I'm the one who is mad and not talking sense?
"Will you let go of me, you pathetic creature" His voice cuts through my thoughts like a sharp knife.
Pathetic creature?
I feel a sting at his cold words, and I hate this so much knowing how his words effect me.
Why do they effect you? Any normal person would ignore him or retaliate.
I-- I don't know why they effect me, they just do.
I let go of his death eaters robe and struggle not to fall over.
"Now lets set some ground rules, shall we?" I can tell that he is wearing that infamous sneer of his.
I look down at my feet, trying to focus on his words. The last thing I want is to make a mistake round Voldemort.
"Right you shall only talk when your addressed, other times keep your filthy muggle mouth shut"
Filthy muggle mouth?
He hasn't been thinking that when he has kissed me.
Power games again
I can feel the anger bubble up inside me, it burns me as it flows through my veins.
"You certainly weren't thinking that every time you pressed your lips against my filthy muggle mouth!" I say with my burning anger. "Every time you stuck your perverted tongue in my innocent mouth, that was the last thing on your sick and twisted mind!"
Oh God
I step back away from him, clamping my hand over my mouth. I shouldn't have said that.
Why not? Why Hermione, why?
"Right" he says advancing towards me, saying that one word with so much malice that its almost inaudible.
Help, Oh God why did I say that?
I try to back away but I reach the wall of the house, the cold seeping through my school robes.
"Right" he breathes again
Oh God I'm trapped, he has closed the space between us. I start to shake and just hope he doesn't hurt me.
Pathetic creature
"Please I'm sorry. I never-- I" I stutter trying to protest my innocence
He presses himself against me, I can feel his chest right against mine, the heat engulfing us.
"Hush mud blood, hush" his voice is low but is full of an unrecognisable emotion.
I chance a look up into his face and see that his eye lids are heavy.
Oh God
I hate this, when he has to turn everything around to suite his sick needs.
But then again what else do I expect him to do?
"I never-- please don't--" I start but he places one long finger on my lips which makes me stop instantly.
"Quiet" Is all he says before looking me into the eyes, directly into my soul.
He breaths out slowly and steps away from me.
What on earth was that about?
Why didn't he punish me?
I feel on edge, which is weird seeing as he didn't do anything.
I lean against the wall feeling confused, its too hard to figure him out some days.
Calm before the storm
But surely he would have don--
"ARGH" I feel a scream being forced out of me. "AHHHHH"
I clutch my left wrist and watch horrified as three fingers appear, tearing through the raw skin.
I stop screaming and start to pant, I stare amazed at my new fingers.
He healed them. Snape healed them for me, but why?
Well that's no surprise seeing as it involved about the same amount of pain you felt when you first lost them.
I wiggle my fingers, transfixed. I jump when a shadow falls upon me.
"Like them?" His voice carries no emotion what so ever.
"Yes" I say quietly and pause before saying "Thank you"
Why are you thanking that sick creep for?
Because he healed me, he could have left me like that but he didn't!
The sunlight falls across me again as he suddenly moves away from me.
"Thank you? Don't get it into your polluted little mind that I did this out of compassion for you mud blood , I was doing the Dark Lord a favour, he does like to see his prisoners in one piece at first" His voice is clipped and business like.
For Voldemort.
Of course Hermione, you didn't really think that he healed you because he felt sorry for you, did you?
How could I be so stupid, as if to think he did that out of kindness.
"Now where were we?, Oh yes if you step out of line, any wise cracks, disobeying the Dark Lord or me, I will personally make sure that your cruciod to hell" He spits at me. "Do you understand me?"
I try to stop the images going through my mind of how this meeting could turn out. I wish I could just go home and only have to worry about homework. But will I ever go home?
Don't start this again Hermione
"I said do you understand me? Answer me mud blood!" His tone is coated in rage
"Yes" I say quickly before he really does hurt me
"Yes?"
Oh God not this again
Power games Hermione, power games
He still surely don't want me to call him 'sir'?
Well what else would a non equal call him?
But I am a equal!
Then why don't you act like one?!
Could I disobey him?
Disobey? I thought you said you were equal to him?
I am, well at least I think I am
Prove it then!
I will
"I'm waiting mud blood" his bored voice rings catches my ears
"Well you can wait all bloody day for all I care" I say before giving him a cocky smile
The smile falls off my face when he points his wand at me.
Oh no, what was I trying to prove?
That your equal to him, I recall
"I would watch your step if I were you, maybe the pain to you isn't enough but maybe it would be more effective if I were to incline it towards, say your parents?"
The blood freezes in my body.
My parents!
God no, he wouldn't?
"Wouldn't I mud blood? wouldn't I?" He answers the question flying through my mind
"Please don't" I beg with him "They don't deserv---"
"Then keep that mouth of yours shut. Now give me your hand" He extends out his own towards me
I instantly move far away from him as possible, but I find that my back hits some sort of invisible wall that throws me straight back at him.
"Come on mud blood, I don't want to play silly childish games with you"
Only mind or power games
But I know there is no escaping the ordeal of seeing Voldemort and his death eaters.
I feel my palm go all sweaty as I slowly reach out to Snape's, my new fingers glistening in the sunlight.
"That's a good girl" I hear him say before I feel as if I'm being compressed into a tight tube, I can barely breath.
It's over as soon as it began and I land on a wooden floor.
I see a pair of feet next to me, I quickly stand.
"Come on mud blood there waiting for you, after all we haven't had guests for a while, Fenir bit the last one"
He laughs when he see's the fear cross my face, I gulp hoping that he isn't there.
I cast a quick look around and I think I'm in some sort of hallway.
There is what I think is a portrait on the wall, but is covered over by a black cloth.
I look to my right and see--
Oh my God! That is sick, that is wrong
Impaled on the wall is a house elf's head. His tennis ball eyes are bulging as if he had been strangled.
"Ahh I see you have seen Wona" Snape's voice echo's in the hallway.
"Wona?" I whisper my throat all dry
"One of the Dark Lord's house elf's, her head is on the wall to remind the other lazy little buggers about the dangers of disobeying the Dark Lord" His voice sounds bored
"That's sick" I choke out, the fear starting to rise as I hear voices
"Maybe so, but it keeps them in line, hmm maybe I should do that to one of your parents the next time you choose to disobey me" He lets out a laugh that bounces off the walls
Sick bastard
How could he joke about my parents that way?
"Easily" He answers reading my mind. "Now remember what I have told you, the Dark Lord takes every opportunity to punish"
Why does he care?
I nearly faint when the door is suddenly opened.
Oh no, not her
Standing in the doorway with a huge smile on her face is Bellatrix Lestrange. He curly black hair is wild and eyes are so wide, that she looks crazy.
But she is crazy.
I start to shake, remembering what she did to Neville's mum and dad.
"Well, well, well" Her voice is high and breathy.
She walks up to me and circles me like a vulture.
I catch a brief contact with her big black eyes and wonder how she ever sleeps at night, knowing what she did.
How do any of them?
"What's the name of this worthless little whore then?" she speaks to Snape and I'm quite glad of it.
"Hermione Granger" he says my name so casually, like I'm just another girl he is forced to endure.
But if only she knew, what he does to me.
Why would she care though? You are just another girl he is forced to endure.
"Hermione Granger" She says my name slowly "Hermione such a pretty name for a plain girl"
I cant help but feel resentment at that, I look up at Snape and see that he has taken off his mask and has one eyebrow raised at me.
"Hermione do you think you're a pretty girl?" My head snaps back at Bellatrix, who has her head on one side studying me.
I don't know how to answer, do I even think of myself as pretty?
Well I know I'm not as pretty as some girls but looks aren't everything right?
"When your superior asks you a question, you should always give an answer mud blood" Her voice gets higher and higher with each word.
God she is just like him, obey your superiors.
"Now mud blood do you think yourself as pretty?"
I better answer her, who knows what that crazy bitch is going to do?
"Yes" I say quickly not believing my answer
I watch as she throws her head back and gives a loud cackle at my answer.
"You? You think your pretty? A mud blood like you? A plain disgusting ordinary mud blood like yourself pretty?" She says out of breath, her black eyes glittering
"Bellatrix" I jump almost forgetting that Snape is in the room with us.
"Come on Severus, look at the little disgusting thing, how could she call herself pretty? Don't tell me you think she is too?" She looks at Snape with admiration.
But I cant help but feel nervous anticipating his answer, a blush starts to creep up to my cheeks.
What is wrong with you?
"Bella why would I think a worthless muggle like her as pretty? I would rather gouge my eyes out that touch that filthy thing. You know that I only have interests in pure bloods"
I hear her high pitched laughter and it pierces me, shattering every confidence I have had in my looks.
I feel unwanted tears spring to my eyes at his answer.
How could he say something like that, the things he has done, the things he has said.
I look at him and find that he is avoiding my gaze.
"What's wrong mud blood you look as if your going to burst into tears, your just another pathetic abomination that should be destroyed" Her voice sounds full of glee but with a hint of bitterness.
The anger rises up again and I wish I could slap that smug smile of that bitches face.
Calm down, she's crazy remember
"So you know mud blood, if I was you I would have killed myself and my parents long ago, because all you lot are is a waste of space"
"So you know, if I was you Bellatrix, I would hang myself than rather look as if I'm on crack cocaine" I should have stopped then but I just couldn't " You act all superior, but your all just jumped up incest's that follow orders from someone else because you have no sense of life"
"Did you hear that Severus?! Did you hear what that stupid whore called us?!" Her voice is filled with anger
I breath slowly, the anger starting to dissolve into fear.
Oh God what have you done?
"Right you little bitch, its time for you to be a taught a lesson about how to treat your superiors" Malice coats her voice
"Bella!" Snape warns her
I watch has Bellatrix shoots a dark look at Snape before spitting in my face.
"You wait till next time, if there is a next time of course"
I wipe the spit away and watch as she walks over to the door and turn around and winks and blows a little kiss a Snape.
"Bye Severus" her voice is low and seductive
"Bye Bella" and I hear the voice Snape uses when me and him are alone together.
Bellatrix casts me one last look before flouncing off leaving me and Snape together.
I turn to look at him, his words buzzing around us. He looks at me for a brief second before walking to the door.
"Come mud blood I think you've wasted enough time"
I wasted time? What about my little interegation by that mad woman?
But of course I don't say this aloud, I'm too busy on not trying to throw up.
I follow Snape has he walks down the corridor to a door on the far right. He knocks on the oak door, I hold my breath.
Please he isn't there
Please he isn't there
Please he isn't there
Please he is--
"Enter" I hear a high cold voice, that make my heart stop beating for a split second.
Oh God
Snape pushes open the door and I cant move, I cant go and see that monster!
"Move mud blood" I hear Snape's warning voice from behind me, but I cant move.
I feel to hands on my back and am pushed roughly into the dimly lit room.
I blink slowly, the fear running cold through my veins.
I look around and see that there is large thrown like black thrown like chair facing a fire in the far end of the room.
Luckily there doesn't seem to be any other death eaters present apart from Snape, but then again if I was lucky, I would be at home safe.
"Come here Missss Granger ssso I can sse you" His serpents tongue speaks out to me.
"Move" I hear Snape harshly whisper into my ear.
I try to walk but my legs are like jelly, I think I'm going to faint.
"Sssseveruss asssit Misss Granger pleasse"
Oh God
"Oh course Mi Lord" I am dragged over to where Voldemort sits, I close my eyes not wanting to look at the monstrosity.
"Open your eyesss little girl"
I shake as I slowly open my eyes, but I cant look at him. I focus on the stone wall at the end.
"Look at me"
No I cant
"LOOK AT ME!"
I slowly move my head to him, and I cant help but let out a tiny scream.
This is what must haunt Harry's dreams every night
Sitting in the chair in front of me, is a very thin chalk white man. He has red snake like eyes, slits for nostrils, there is no hair upon his unnatural head.
"Hermione Granger, Harry'ss friend. How is young Harry?" His voice make Goosebumps erupt all over me.
I know better than to disobey Voldemort.
"Dead" I whisper, the tears leaking to my eyes
"Dead? Ssseverusss what is going on? Why doesss Misss Granger think Potter isss dead?"
What does he mean 'thinks'? I know Harry's dead I saw Snape kill him!
Did you?
"Mi Lord" Snape sweeps forward and kisses the hem of Voldemort's robes.
"Well Ssseveruss?" Voldemort sounds so dangerous
"Well Mi Lord, I told Granger here" They both cast me quick glances before turning back to each other "That Potter is dead so she would be more willing to cooperate"
WHAT?!?
"Really Ssseveruss? It looksss asss if Misss Granger hass sssomething to ssay" Voldemort looks at me with an evil smile
Harry's not dead!
Oh My God!! Harry's not dead. I could cry with relief at this.
But there is something bugging me, why did Snape tell me he was dead?
Power Games Hermione, what else does he do?
"You bastard" I snarl with venom that could rival Voldemort himself.
"But Misss Granger I thought you of all people would be happy Harry isss alive and well?" Voldemort chuckles "Oh dear Ssseveruss what have you done?"
"Evidnetly nothing"
I want to throttle Snape for saying that Harry is dead, I want to kill him for making me going through hell and back about what he said.
"Now Misss Granger, I want to assk you a few questions"
I gulp dreading the answers he could get out of me, Fresh fear rockets through me.
"What isss your relationsship with Harry?"
Why would he want to no that?
Well it must be important if Voldemort has to ask you
Should I tell them?
NO! They could use this information in anyway possible!
"Misss Granger, ansswer me" I lock my jaw and try to think that I should be happy that Harry is alive.
I start feel slightly hot with the fire right behind me, my heart is pounding in my chest God Voldemort isn't going to like this.
"Not going to anssswer, well I have all lifetime for your ansswer Misss Grnager. Sssseveruss take Misss Granger to cell 14, I sshall continue our converssation tomorrow"
The fear ebbs away a tiny bit, but I know I'm just delaying the ordeal.
Snape comes over to me and roughly grabs me by my arm, pressing down on the bruises that were already there.
"Oh and Ssseveruss"
"Yes Mi Lord"
"Crucio" Voldemort says it so casualy it takes a slight second for it to register what he said.
I can hear Snape's screams and it shocks me, how such a person who can deal with handing out pain, cant deal with receiving it.
I look down and see that Snape is at my feet panting, twisted at an odd angle on the floor.
"That isss for being late Ssseveruss, Misss Granger" I shake at the mention of my name, half knowing what he is going to do. I force myself to look in his direction.
"Crucio"
I fall to the floor screaming in agony as I feel my skin being burnt, my bones being snapped into two.
I feel the spell being lifted and I ache all over, I'm out of breath and I notice now I'm at Snape's feet as usual.
I look up into his face and see for a split second that his black eyes are filled with concern, but then he breaks eye contact.
"That iss for calling a death eater a 'bassterd' and for being a worhtlessss mud blood, till tomorrow Misss Granger"
I stand up slowly, my body feeling so weak and follow Snape's billowing robes out of the room.
I can hear Voldermort chuckling manically from his thrown as the door is closed, leaving me a Snape once more alone.
"To cell 14 then" Snape doesn't look at me
I hate him more than ever for what he said about Harry. I look into his smug face but he still doesn't look at me.
Do you want him to? What do you expect to see?
Something, he must feel something if he cant even look at me!
"Come on mud blood" He holds out his hand, still avoiding my eyes.
"You complete and utter bastard, how could you say that Harry is was dead" My voice rises uncontrollably.
"You would find quite easily you little bitch" His face goes blank and then he looks at me. "Keep your voice down, unless you want another meeting with the Dark Lord"
He grabs hold of my hand and leads me off to cell 14.
Harry I love you
'Till tomorrow Misss Granger'
Hoped you all liked it!!
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A.White.Rose