CHAPTER 14

The darkness moved and her body was floating. There was a horrible taste in her mouth - nearly like some potion residue. That was not nice. Dying should not be accompanied by bad tastes, should it?

Probably not, as clear fresh water poured down her throat to wash it out. Good. That would do.

Nothing was hurting her now - she felt good even. This was really worth it.

Gentle fingers were touching her skin and someone washed her with a spell. Do they use spells in Heaven too? Not that she was too religious to know...

Wait. There was someone here with her! This was not right!

She opened her eyes. Everything was rather hazy, but she still could make out the dark figure kneeling by her side. A Death Eater! Snape! Snape was here with her!

She did not die; no Snapes ever could go to Heaven. Snape the Pig managed to mess up with her plan and brought her back to this hellhole of a place! Now he was watching her with a strange expression, probably waiting for what she would do. She knew what she would do!

She wasted no time in searching for what she needed - another glass shard. One of them was sparkling just next to Snape's leg and she moved quickly to take it before he could stop her.

Managing to startle him, he even moved away from her - good job, Hermione!, she told herself and quickly sliced at her freshly healed wrist. He would NOT win this!

But he was there again in a second, squeezing her wrists painfully and making her drop the glass. Did he like hurting her so much even now? No! She needed to finish this!

Now the only thing that she could use were her teeth - if she just managed to bite thought the skin, it may just be enough! She tried that quickly, selecting the same hand in the hopes he would not be able to stop the blood pouring from two separate wounds with one hand.

She never managed to reach the place she had chosen as her arms were twisted painfully and she was turned to face the wall, her hands behind her back. He was so damned strong! And he was touching her! That disgusting Pig!

"No! Let me go! You are the Pig! You are the Pig! Don't touch me! Go away! You are the Pig!", she screamed at him to make him let go off her - how dare he touch her after all he did to her?! He was hurting her again!

"Miss Granger!", he called her name. He dares to call her by her name now? 'Miss Granger!' Like they were in the classroom again and she did not behave herself! That revolting bastard!

He won't get her again. WON'T! Wasting no time, she decided to do what she could, trying to hurt her head, as it was the only part of her that she still could control, at least partly. But again, her attempt was thwarted as he pulled her closer to him, so she could not reach the wall anymore. He was panting now behind her and the sound made her nauseous.

"Miss Granger, stop this nonsense this instant!", he yelled at her and she got angry - NONSENSE?! This is the only way to get rid of you, Pig!

Summoning all her strength to her, she tried to wrestle out of his grasp, his disgusting panting and hands all over her made her even more determined in her efforts.

"Let me go, Pig! Get that filthy hands off me! You are-", but she never finished telling him exactly how repugnant he was as he pushed her bodily to the mattress, burying her face into it and immobilizing her completely with his weight.

No. NO! He was going to rape her again! She failed this! She was too weak, too feeble. He won and would get what he wanted once more!

He Petrified her then - of course, he would need to have his hands free for this, Pig! And he even stopped to seal her wrist. If only he would forget about that and got to do it finally! Maybe she would not even last till he was finished with her and everything would be fine again!

She could hear him breathe heavily; so excited already, you pervert? He obviously liked having to fight for it! She waited for him to push that thing into her and squeezed her eyes, forcing herself not to cry; she won't let him see how much he is hurting her, she just won't give him the satisfaction!

And that was something he evidently wanted to have, as he turned her around to see her face. Like to gloat, Pig? She thought angrily since that was the only thing she could do: thinking, blinking and breathing.

But he never got to it, instead choosing to prolong her suffering by playing the "good Death Eater" and healing her scratches. As if she cared about those! What a stupid gesture! He even tore his shirt again because of this, that wretch!

And then he was done with that and sat by her side, simply staring at her and obviously deep in thoughts. No inspiration for this rape? Or did he just want to ogle her naked body for some more minutes to ready himself?

"Miss Granger? Do you hear me?", he called her again. What? Suddenly feel like having a conversation, Pig?

"Miss Granger, I need you to listen to me for a while.", he repeated. And what else she could do?! It was not like she was able leave the cell and shut the door behind her with a bang!

"Hermione?" What?! He never called her by her given name before! She shot her eyes at him angrily. What a gall this Pig of a man had!

"Miss Granger, I hate forcing you into this," HE MUST BE JOKING!, "but it is crucial for us to talk. Or me to talk first till you are reasonable enough to be released from the curse.", as if he would actually do it! And what could I do to refuse, hmpf? Stare you into oblivion?

"Miss Granger, please...", he said wearily and rubbed his hand tiredly over his face. He really looked unhappy - what about, for Merlin's sake? He had her exactly where he wanted to have her. Bound, helpless, ready to be raped. So why did he appear to be so miserable?

"I am aware that my actions during our last meeting are unforgivable - I lost control over myself. For all they are worth, I offer my apologies again and promise that it won't be ever repeated.", he told her and she would laugh if she could - what a joke! Normal people don't rape anyone they meet because they "lose control", right? What a liar he was, she thought and snorted to let him know what she thought of his apology.

"Indeed, you are right. But I still can promise you to never act like that - or in any physically violent way - when I lose control in the future.", he assured her again and she gave up at any attempt to disagree with him this time.

"I really don't appreciate seeing you bound, Miss Granger. I am willing to cancel the spell on the condition that you promise to discontinue hurting yourself. Blink twice if you agree.", he proclaimed. Now he was talking some sense! If she is free from the curse, she could actually do something. Like knocking him unconscious with something when the opportunity presents itself, taking his wand and fleeing the cell!

That was a plan! It would simply suffice to give him a false sense of security and then she would surprise him. She blinked twice and hoped he would really release her.

He did, although hesitantly, and she wasted no time to get away from him as far as she could; just in case he made up him mind - or "lost control", how he phrased it - and decided to rape her again with no warning at all. She hid herself behind her hands and legs as much as she could, so hopefully her naked body would not tempt him so much, and waited for him to say what he wanted to say. And it was worth it; he was lowering his wand already, his guard down a bit, she thought triumphantly.

"We need to talk.", he said and she could not help but burst into loud laughter - he sounded exactly like her father did when he walked in on her while she was stealing cookies in the kitchen as a small child.

He raised his eyebrows and it looked so funny on his face that she laughed even harder - the man was simply impossible. She nearly expected him to slap her over the fingers! But he was essentially right, she had to admit. They needed to talk - or him to answer her questions at the very least, though he could not be trusted in the slightest. It would still lull him into not paying so much attention to his wand and the heavy metal food plate by her leg...

"Yes, we do. More talking and less raping, if you would. Feel free to start.", she finally told him and waited, half-expecting to get punished for her insolence. But he never even raised his voice...

"Well, I will, if you wish so. First, I want you to know I was forced into this as much as you were.", he said, obviously joking again. Did the man not notice she was not buying this at all? She only laughed again as there was no proper answer to give anyway.

"I beg your pardon, but I don't see anything remotely funny about the situation we are in.", he snapped at her and she finally said what she thought of his assurances.

"Care to explain WHAT is so bad about it for you? That you don't have the time to stop by to rape me during your lunch break at school?", she asked him, making him angry, but she could not help herself any more - he was just so arrogant!

"Contrary to your belief, I don't particularly enjoy having to resort to violence, regardless of its kind.", Snape told her and she could not help but laugh again humorlessly. He simply won't stop playing!

"No one forced or provoked you yesterday and you seemed to enjoy it. A lot. You are a liar.", she told him what should be obvious to anyone, expect him.

"You don't understand the circumstances. I never lied to you, not yesterday and certainly not now.", he proclaimed and her patience with this theater snapped.

"I don't believe you. The boys are probably dead by now but you were just telling me what I wanted to hear. You keep raping and hurting me for the sheer fun of it and to make Voldemort happy. And you most certainly are not helping me, just making sure that I don't die and don't get you in trouble. Don't waste your effort, I am not that stupid and I won't be used any longer. I will find a way to finish this one day.", she informed him - he cannot stay there forever. As soon as he leaves, she will finish this. She will tell Voldemort he is a Snake's shit to his face the next time she sees him. That would be a nice way to go, wouldn't it? Even if she never swore, this would be totally worth it...

Snape rubbed his face once more and his hand disappeared in his pocked. She waited anxiously for him to pull something out and use it against her - another wand? A potion? But he never did. Instead he answered wearily.

"I understand that it might appear that way to you, but it is NOT true. I don't know anything about Potter and Weasley and I am constantly trying to find out how to get you all out of here.", and she could not help it and snorted again. There simply were no words to answer to such incredulous lies.

"So you tell me! Tell me what should I do to make you believe me and stop this suicidal nonsense!", he barked, angry at her.

"Simply do something to prove it! All you do is promise and rape me!", she yelled and flinched as he pulled out his wand - luckily and surprisingly pointing it at the door, not her, an whispering something.

"Should I take you by the hand and lead you out right now?! We both would be killed in a minute, if that's what you really want! The only thing I can do now is promise! I-", he was halted suddenly in his rant and fell silent. What? Out of rubbish to say?

"I can give you an Unbreakable Vow.", he said calmly and she could only gape at him. What?!

"I can give you an Unbreakable Vow, promising I will try to get you and the morons out of here. And that I will find a way to free you from the curse. And I can promise not to lie to you today. All that for a simple assurance that you won't attempt at your life again. If I break any of it, I die and you will be rid of me for good."

I know what an Unbreakable Vow is, she thought indignantly. But... Why? Why would he promise something like that? The Vow can't be faked as far as she knew... Unless he manages to put some loophole in it, it was very certainly something that would kill him if his intentions were what she thought they were...

A loophole...

"Not to lie to me today? Too eager to start again tomorrow?", she asked - he could fool her today and lie to her for the rest of her life!

"Miss Granger, forgive me, but I don't intend to die over a sarcastic quip or hyperbole about the weather. You have the whole tonight for your annoying questions.", he told her. Well, he had a point... She would have to use the time she had to ask what was really important then and see what happens next...

"Fine. But what if the curse can't be broken? You could be "trying" for the next 20 years.", she despaired aloud. She wouldn't be raped until he finds a way to release her!

"If there is one thing I have learned so far, it is the fact that everything can be broken. It is the keeping and mending that's really difficult. I suppose this won't take more than a year.", he said and touched something in his pocket again. Was it the extra wand or potion? Just waiting to kill her if her questions got too close to the point?

"And what if you get bored with me after a year and simply kill me to free yourself? The Vow won't stop you from doing that...", she accused him; maybe he will show her what is that thing he was hiding?

"That would solve your problem too, wouldn't it? But if you insist, I am willing to swear to never harm you intentionally in the future.", he promised, making her unable to form another objection to this. If he was really willing to promise all of that, maybe it was worth trying this... Even for the slight chance that the Vow will kill him today for lying about something insignificant.

"Alright, we have a deal. What do we do now?", she asked, unsure of what to do now - she had read books about the Vow and its effects, but never actually saw it being cast.

He slowly stood up as if it was costing him a lot to do it - was he hurt? She observed him approaching her on unsure feet. Now it would be a perfect time to strike... Except she did not dare. He was too strong and quick and if she tries anything now, he won't give her the Vow - it would be best to wait after that, when he is sworn not to hurt her, in case she does not succeed...

He extended his hand to her - it was all bloody, probably from stopping her bleeding - and she simply watched it, unwilling to touch him even if he were clean. Or as clean as he ever could be.

"Miss Granger, we need to be holding hands for this. It's unavoidable." he prodded her and she took his hand, casting her sentiments away. This was more important now. He pressed his wand to their joined hands, his bigger one enveloping hers easily.

"Now ask me if I will do what we have agreed on. You need to say my name and state the question very clearly and precisely.", he ordered and she focused to not give him any space to spoil this and use it against her. When she was ready, she began asking.

"Severus Snape, will you break the Bonding Curse which was created between you and me within precisely a year from this day?", it was so strange to use his whole name!

"I will.", he answered and a strand of golden light entwined through their clasped hands, startling her - it was like a flame was licking her hand without hurting her! But still, she could feel it seep into her skin. This was the real thing for sure!

He squeezed her hand forcefully and she realized she nearly let go of his hand in her reverie. Merlin! Focus, Hermione!

"Will you do everything in your power to release me, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley from being imprisoned by Voldemort?", she asked and waited.

He flinched for a reason, but answered "I will." Again the light strand! It was so beautiful!

"Will you tell me only the truth to answer my questions tonight?", she requested next.

"I will.", he promised and she exhaled in relief. He kept his word so far!

"Will you swear to not cause me intentionally any injury or harm - magical or other - that would threaten my life in the future?", she stated, careful not to ask him too much - surviving this would be just enough for her!

"I will." he swore and the fourth golden strand sealed their hands, shining brightly.

He released her hand and leaned against the wall; exactly where she needed to have him in case he did something improper and she would need to hit him with the plate before he answered her questions.

I developed a bit of a review addiction, if that even exists... And if it didn't, it does now. So please, indulge me, if you have the time and will :-)