As always, all things Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling.
A/N: This chapter might be pushing my rating a little, but I worked incredibly hard on it and can't force myself to cut it down for any reason. Its by far my favorite chapter in this story. I know, shows how twisted I am.
Chapter Twenty-One:
Hermione found breathing to be much more difficult as the spookily calm werewolf squeezed harder on her throat, forcing his nasty yellow nails deeper into her skin. Fear was beginning to kick in and Hermione could not take her eyes from Pansy's unmoving form, she had to get loose and get to Pansy. Hermione had a death grip on Fenrir's wrists, digging her nails into his skin, feeling her normally strong nails bend under the pressure as she attempted to burst a vein, anything to loosen his grip on her throat. Pansy was becoming blurry and Hermione only hoped the blue tint to Pansy's lips was only her imagination running through worst-case scenarios.
The flailing girl attempted to bring her knee up, hoping to hit the werewolf hard enough in the groin to loosen his hold on her but succeeded only in her knee brushing against the werewolf's robes.
Fenrir's breath caught and his yellow eyes hardened as he whispered, "So that's how the pretty little girl wants it? You want to play with a beast, my little pretty? Like it rough? I'll give you rough, you little bitch. You are turning Lord Voldemort into a sissy boy intent on making the world a pretty place." Fenrir lowered his face until they were forehead to forehead, his open mouth projecting foul smelling air up her nose as he taunted, "Maybe I won't kill you, maybe I'll send you back to Daddy deformed and broken, show him what his pretty place will be if he keeps going back on his promises."
That had worked in a twisted way, not nearly how Hermione had intended for now he had that gleam in his eye and his breathing was increasing. The werewolf's nails had loosened their grip, sending blood down the girl's neck but at least now, she could breathe. Not daring to imagine what he might do to her she croaked, "You are a twisted monster." Glancing back at Pansy, Hermione was terrified to note it had not been her imagination. Pansy's lips were turning blue.
"Finally figured that out?" Fenrir growled into her ear as he sucked her earlobe into his mouth, not yet biting but Hermione was terrified he was an inch from doing just that. Panicking, she removed her hand from his wrist, jerked the gaudy silver hoop earring Pansy had insisted she wear out of her ear, and jabbed it, piercing post first into the werewolf's jaw. She had been aiming for his temple but the effect was instantaneous.
Fenrir reared back and howled with rage, his face billowing smoke from where the earring still lay lodged in his skin. Hermione raced to Pansy, throwing herself to her knees and reaching out to check the other girl's pulse, it did not look like she was breathing.
Before Hermione could touch the other girl, Fenrir had hauled her to her feet and flung her against the wall with so much force her breath was ripped from her body and Hermione fell to her knees gasping for air.
"You bloody bitch! You asked for it, mutilation and death," he screamed as he pounced, knocking Hermione to her back and wrenching her left knee painfully as her leg contorted underneath his and her combined weight.
Leaning down to lick the blood from her neck, Fenrir growled low in his throat and whispered, "You're a virgin, aren't you, little girl? I smell it on you. I'm going to ruin you, tear you apart, leave your dead body broken and ravished for prissy boy Malfoy. I wish I had a picture of you like this. Scared, fear rolling off you in waves, it smells so exciting. Can you smell it, pretty?"
Hermione was pushing as hard as she could against the large man's chest but he would not budge. As he slid down her body, biting into her robes and ripping little teeth-shaped holes she noticed the earring still lodged in his skin. The skin around the post was still smoking and turning black as Hermione reached up and slapped, hitting the earring with her open palm and forcing it deeper under his skin.
Instead of screaming and backing off her like she expected, he bit down hard and ripped her robes open all the way to her hip. Sitting up and glaring down at her he spit the torn pieces of her robe into her face and held her hands down at her sides. The werewolf was now sitting on her hips and gazing down at her green silk bra. "Surprising is what you are. I expected The Dark Lord's daughter to be tougher. You do move too much though," he said while pulling his wand from a pocket she had not noticed.
"Petrificus Totalus," he intoned and stood up, gazing down at her as she froze. Jerking her stiff body to her feet, he grabbed her roughly with one hand on either side of her head and forced her unmoving mouth open with his tongue. Hermione felt a desperate need to throw up as his rancid tongue began moving in her mouth. His pointy little cursed teeth were scraping over her bottom lip and Hermione fought the full-body bind as hard as she could and was shocked when she felt it drop.
Hermione had jerked and her eyes flew wide-open when she fought off the curse, which drew Fenrir's attention to it. Moving his right hand to her throat he squeezed and pushed her to arm's length as his left hand dropped to savagely tear her bra off. "More powerful than I gave you credit for aren't you, you little bitch," he snarled as his head dropped to her chest and a searing pain surged through her body. The bastard had bit into her left breast. Hermione pushed every last ounce of energy into an ear-splitting scream and seconds later, the air in the room became as cold as ice.
Hermione felt Fenrir stiffen, his arm hairs were even standing on end and she desperately wanted to turn her head to see who was behind her but couldn't. She hoped it was her Father but was torn. Pansy was obviously hurt or worse and she desperately wanted help for her but then again, she was getting light-headed from the blood streaming down her neck and abdomen.
Hermione's sight was swimming and then she heard it, the terrifying voice that should have instilled fear in her heart but instead, renewed her with energy. Her Father had come for her. "Greyback, if you know what is good for you, you will release my daughter right now," The Dark Lord spat in a cold voice full of fury.
Instead of releasing her, Fenrir spun her quickly and jerked her body to his, wrapping one arm around her abdomen which elicited a weak scream from Hermione. His rough robes brushed against the cursed bite wound on her tender breast. "I think not, Lord Voldemort; I'm growing quite attached to this little slab of meat," the werewolf hissed as Hermione's tear-filled eyes locked with her Father's. She felt a slight mental probe but ignored it, keeping her occlumency blocks closed down tight.
Lord Voldemort could not tolerate Hermione's love or joyful feelings but any fear filled him with a power so intense the room's temperature lowered another ten degrees at least. It was now freezing and their breath was escaping in cloudy puffs. Hermione noticed several things while the werewolf and her Father stared each other down. One being Lord Voldemort looked awe-inspiring. His eyes were blazing, like a fire in a room full of ice and the second was that there were no puffs of cloudy air rising above Pansy's mouth.
Hermione whimpered when she felt another mental probe and refused to let down her blocks, fearing Fenrir was a legilimens. Lord Voldemort spoke much lower now; to the point Hermione had to strain to hear his words. "Hermione, relax and let down your blocks. I'm here." She could have kicked herself; of course, it was her Father.
Fenrir heard, and reacted. His hands moved to Hermione's shoulders, digging his nasty nails deep into her flesh amid her cries of protest and a growled, "Oh no you don't. You aren't taking my new toy back. You screwed up this time, you should know better than not keeping promises to dangerous magical creatures." Fenrir was smirking while The Dark Lord projected into Hermione's mind, 'Be ready and jerk away the moment I tell you to, he is planning to apparate and take you with him.'
Lord Voldemort was reading Fenrir's mind, attempting to thwart his escape attempt with Hermione but timing was crucial, and Hermione was exhausted. Her weak voice in his mind cemented his worry. 'I will try, Father, I am sorry I let him catch me off guard.' He would have to convince her that this was not her fault later. Right now, each second was dire.
Sensing Fenrir about to apparate, The Dark Lord projected, 'Be ready!' into Hermione's mind and watched the werewolf smirk. "I promise I'll be gentle with your little girl, you know how I like them young." Before Fenrir had finished his sentence, The Dark Lord sent, 'NOW!' to Hermione and clenched his jaw as the man attempted to apparate away with his daughter.
Hermione gathered the last of her strength and when she felt Fenrir begin turning, jerked as hard as she could against his hands. It was enough, for when you apparate you must have complete concentration and Hermione's sudden movement broke Fenrir's. Hermione fell into her Father's arms with a scream; Fenrir had splinched, leaving every nasty fingernail from his left hand embedded in her shoulder.
Lord Voldemort held his daughter against his chest as he fought to remove his robe with one hand, finally throwing it around her shoulders amid her whimpers when it wiggled the fingernails jutting from the wounds in her shoulder. Hermione's squirming was not helping matters either and he finally snapped, "Hermione! Calm yourself! I'm just trying to cover you."
"Father, let me go! Pansy is hurt, she needs me!" Hermione screamed, thrashing against his hold on her but he would not let go. "You are going to further wound yourself, there is nothing you can do for her, it is too late!" Her Father replied, holding her even tighter.
Hermione jerked harshly, a sudden surge of adrenaline had washed over her body and she just knew she could help Pansy as she helped Peter if he just let her go. Finally freeing herself she scrambled to Pansy on her knees before her Father could stop her and gently clasped Pansy's face, one hand on either side. Laying her forehead against Pansy's she willed the girl to wake up. Screech at her, throw something at her, laugh that insane laugh, anything just to breathe again.
Pansy's skin had felt cold and clammy against Hermione's hands but it was slowly warming under Hermione's touch. Frustrated tears were now falling against Pansy's cheeks, Hermione could not help it, the enormity of the situation was washing over her and if she lost Pansy, she would never forgive herself.
Greyback had come for her, he was after her, Pansy had just gotten in the way and he swatted her away like an annoying fly. Pansy had come to mean a great deal to Hermione over the past few weeks, she was the only one there to talk to about how horribly she missed Lucius. She kept her laughing and even challenged Hermione's intelligence. Once you got past the primping and whining, Pansy was a smart cookie. "Come on, Pansy, wake up! You have to wake up, Peter did! It didn't take this long, wake up!" Hermione cried, her head falling to Pansy's chest as deep hiccupping sobs escaped her body.
Lord Voldemort had watched the entire display emotionless until his daughter collapsed onto the chest of her dead friend sobbing her heart out. He had heard the rumours of Hermione reviving Peter Pettigrew from the dead and knew it could very well be true. Legends of Black women who could reanimate or revive the dead had been whispered for generations. It was one of the reasons he had chosen Bellatrix to birth his child. To see his child this way however, he hoped she did not have the gift. A responsibility this grave in the hands of a young woman was more than he ever wanted his daughter to have to deal with.
The Dark Lord had just stepped up to physically remove Hermione from Pansy's body when Pansy jerked and drew in a deep rattling breath. Lord Voldemort froze and watched both girls collapse to the floor together, crying hysterically.
Shocked, he could only stand and watch as Pansy babbled about seeing the entire display from above Hermione and Greyback but not being able to interfere, like a ghost. Suddenly very glad he had insisted on rescuing Hermione alone he grabbed each girl by the hand and hissed, "Say NOTHING of this to anyone at Hogwarts, that is VERY important and I will not tell you twice," and apparated them all to the hospital wing.
The moment they touched ground in the hospital wing, they were surrounded. Hermione had the impression of being smothered before the crowd thinned for Lucius Malfoy and she was crushed into a desperate embrace. "Oh Merlin, you smell like him. What did that bloody bastard do to you?" Lucius whispered into her ear, Hermione could swear he was shaking.
Hermione was struck dumb by the ferocity in his voice and did not move an inch until his hands hit her shoulder. He was running his hands over her hair, her face, and finally her shoulder, checking her for injuries and the moment those hands that caused her so much pleasure hit her shoulder she let out a pained moan.
Lucius froze and pulled the robe off her shoulder, turning white when he found the nails embedded in her angry skin. With a curse, he spun and headed toward the infirmary door claiming he had a werewolf to kill. Desperate, Hermione tried to yell but it came out a hoarse, "Stop!" Her voice filled with so much pain stopped him but it did not have the power to bring him back. Fresh tears were now cascading down Hermione's face as she whimpered, "Please, Lucius, I need you."
That did it. With an anguished curse, he covered the ground between them in three strides and picked her completely off the floor, cradling her tenderly in his arms. Madam Pomfrey, currently screaming at Lord Voldemort all about how she knew he was no good for this school, gestured to a bed and Lucius sat on it, settling Hermione on his lap with his arms carefully around her and rubbing her thighs soothingly.
Hermione laid her head on Lucius' shoulder and relaxed for the first time since Greyback entered the Spain fortress. She knew she had to think about what had transpired. Today was the second time she had brought someone back to life and that was so against everything she had ever learned about magic. Her Father sounded angry when he said not to discuss it with anyone and she could not help feeling inadequate. It was as if she could do something so wrong and disgusting that it had to be kept secret.
Lucius was mumbling, words like "bloody werewolf", "shoot silver straight up his arse", and "I can't lose you" escaping his lips. His face looked so hard. It always appeared chiselled, like a slab of marble but now his jaw was ticking, his eyes were frosty and his lips were thin. The little tick in his jaw looked like a dimple, complete with a wrinkle at the edges and Hermione reached up to kiss it. "I'll be ok, I promise," she whispered to him and tried to smile but was only capable of producing a pained grimace. Her entire shoulder was on fire and she did not want to see Lucius' reaction to the bite on her breast.
Lucius clearly did not believe her and as Madam Pomfrey stepped up to examine her, he refused to release her or step on the other side of the privacy screen. The irate nurse was not amused and spat, "I can not believe I'm about to say this but I will get Lord Voldemort if you do not vacate this bed and leave me to my patient immediately!"
Lucius grabbed the cane leaning against the side of the bed and within a second, had his wand pointed at the nurse. "I don't give two shits who you get. I do however care about leaving my fiancée and will kill you if you attempt to remove me." Hermione should have been offended on the nurse's behalf but she was not and hid a smile in Lucius' neck. She was delighted when that simple touch raised goose bumps on his pale skin and couldn't help whispering, "I missed you terribly you know." His wand arm jerked but he showed no reaction to her words, he was determined Madam Pomfrey was going to take him seriously and drop this nonsense about him leaving.
Poppy Pomfrey was a stubborn witch but even she would not cross Lucius Malfoy with a wand and spewing death threats. "Fine, but put her on the bed so I can examine her," was the only argument she had.
With a smirk, Lucius sheathed his wand but only scooted back on the bed and settled Hermione between his legs. There was no way he was going far; he wanted to know what that bastard had done to her. Hermione, realizing he was not going far admitted, "Lucius, he bit me but it isn't that bad…" but he cut her off furiously. "He did what? Not that bad? Hermione, have you lost your mind? The moment we are certain you are fine I'm going to find him and I'm going to kill him!"
At that moment, Lord Voldemort stepped around the privacy screen with someone Hermione never thought she would see again. "Lucius, you will do no such thing. The pleasure of killing that traitorous werewolf is mine and mine alone." Lord Voldemort had yet to mention Remus or why he was with him. Said werewolf stood gazing at Hermione with a concerned look on his face.
"My Lord," Lucius interrupted, "What is Remus Lupin doing here?"
Lord Voldemort gave Lucius a penetrating gaze and finally said, "Come outside the privacy screen and I'll explain it all to you. Madam Pomfrey needs to tend to Hermione." Lord Voldemort had seen what Fenrir did to Hermione, and where. He was fairly certain Lucius was better off not seeing that considering his current temper.
Hermione, realizing what her Father was doing, whispered in Lucius' ear, "He is right you know, I'll be fine and make sure you tell me what the deal is with Lupin."
Lucius seemed to consider a moment but finally relented, picking Hermione up as he stood then gently depositing her on the bed. Lifting her hand and brushing a soft kiss on her wrist, he simply stared into her eyes until Madam Pomfrey clearing her throat snapped him out of whatever daze he was in. Jerking straight and grabbing his cane, he stepped around the privacy screen followed by The Dark Lord and Remus Lupin.
Madam Pomfrey vanished Hermione's torn clothing and immediately began diagnostic spells and healing charms. Hermione sighed in relief as the fingernails were pulled out of her shoulder and listened intently to the conversation going on beyond the privacy screen.
"Remus Lupin was working undercover for the Order, living in the underground with the werewolves. Apparently, he did not even know Harry Potter was dead until a week ago. He says he stuck around simply because there was nowhere else to go. Earlier today, he overheard Greyback telling the other werewolves I was not delivering on my promises of bloodshed and rebelling would be the only way for them to survive. He publicly claimed he would kill Hermione and Lupin, knowing Hermione Granger was my daughter, came here to inform Severus." The Dark Lord spoke quietly, but Hermione heard it. It got deathly quiet after that though. Eavesdropping was always so unreliable.
Hermione felt a warm rush of gratitude. Remus could have ignored what he heard and let her die but he had not. She hoped her Father was generous with him for it. A sudden prodding around the werewolf bite had Hermione whimpering, which was obviously the wrong thing to do for it brought Lucius Malfoy around the edge of the screen before she could blink.
Lucius Malfoy stared at her left breast, the tick returning to his cheek and a cloudy haze crossing his gray eyes. Tucking his cane under his arm he pulled a pair of black leather gloves out of his robes and began pulling them on. That task accomplished, he gripped the snakehead of his cane so tightly you could hear leather creaking clear across the infirmary. "My Lord, I have asked few personal boons of you over the years but this time I feel I must request…"
Lord Voldemort had seen Hermione's chest first hand and knew exactly what Lucius had just been faced with, without having to peer around the privacy screen. "Lucius, Greyback is mine to kill. You were not forced to see the bastard's hands on her, I was. If you are going to ask for the right to take his life I'm afraid I'll have to decline."
Lucius Malfoy spoke slowly and in a very cold voice, his eyes never leaving his fiancée's chest. "No, My Lord, I was not going to ask for the right to kill him. I was going to ask to be allowed to watch you torture the bloody bastard."
Lord Voldemort chuckled and said, "Granted, Lucius," before turning back to Remus and saying, "We all owe you a debt for saving Hermione and I would be honoured to offer you sanctuary at Hogwarts for as long as you require."
Remus cleared his throat and Hermione finally heard his soft voice, "I'm grateful for that, Lord Voldemort, but I won't pledge my allegiance lightly. As long as that is understood I'll gladly take you up on that."
Lord Voldemort must have nodded, or agreed in some other quiet way for beyond the privacy screen was silence. Hermione had not taken her eyes off Lucius and his eyes had yet to leave the bite wound on her chest. Madam Pomfrey was standing to the side, clearly not wanting to interrupt lest she find herself on the business end of Lucius' wand again.
Rather quickly, so quickly in fact Hermione jumped, Lucius had her face in his hands and his nose pressed firmly to hers. "If another man so much as breathes on you, it will take more than a desperate plea to keep me from ripping their throats out. You are mine, Hermione, and I always protect what is mine."
If Madam Pomfrey had not been within arm's length desperately trying to avert her eyes and if her Father had not been on the other side of the privacy screen, Hermione would have pulled the cocky bastard onto the bed with her and snogged his arse off. As it was Hermione could only smile and nod, swallowing a lump in her throat. In a normal situation, she would have been furious with the blond acting as if she were his property. After the day she had, she realized she needed this. She needed this man and all the protective fury he could offer. Leaning up to give Lucius a quick kiss she turned to Madam Pomfrey and they began doing all they could to heal the bite on her chest.