Vixen
By
SheriLovingLecter
Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot belongs to me.
Severus thinking to Hermione.
Hermione thinking to Severus.
Chapter 43- Reluctant Escape
Hermione fidgeted restlessly as Severus shot her a glare, one which she returned. Having gotten over the shock of seeing Severus earlier; her ribs were aching again, painful each time she breathed. She didn't tell him though, she had just used half her magical energy to heal him; how she had done that she didn't know. She would be sure to ask him when they got out of here… If they got out of here.
They had, in the hour and a half she had been in the cell with him; formulated a very rough plan. One which would inevitably change as they went, she shot him a look as they heard a door slam somewhere up the long corridor; the door they knew that was the entrance to the dungeon. Severus sent her a sharp nod as he rearranged himself into an unmoving heap on the floor, Hermione clutched her knees to her and began to sob silently, her head bowed as she rocked back and forth, listening to the footsteps approaching.
As said footsteps ceased Hermione forced herself to keep her head bowed.
"Mudblood, the Dark Lord is ready for his… entertainment. It's a shame Severus had to miss it."
She could hear the glee in Lucius Malfoy's voice as he spoke of Severus, Hermione could tell his eyes were on the prone form; she only hoped he could play dead convincingly enough.
She managed not to flinch as he banged the bars again with his cane, though she did clench her teeth; her shoulders still shaking with part real, part staged sobs.
"For Merlin's sake, you are going to pay for making me come in there; sullying myself with the filth…"
Malfoy continued mumbling to himself as he tapped the bars with his wand, stepping through as they parted and approaching her.
"Get up."
She shook her head and continued to sob, this time letting the noise escape her as she gripped her knee's tighter.
"Pathetic, filthy mudblood."
Hermione bit her lip as she heard the snarl and disgust in his voice as he advanced on her.
"Did you get a taste of pure blood when you bit me? You disgusting piece of-"
She heard him as he raised his cane, it was clear he was about to attack her physically and Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, terrified as she awaited the blow that never came. She heard a crash and opened her eyes; across to cell Lucius Malfoy was knocked out, his head bleeding as he lay in the corner. She frowned and looked to Severus, who was standing up, brushing his robes down and extending his hand.
"What happened?"
He rolled his eyes at her.
"You have been through a rather traumatic experience so I will overlook that mildly idiotic comment."
She scowled at him.
"No I didn't mean that, I meant literally… Was there light again?"
He nodded.
"It was exactly the same as when Albus was thrown from you."
She nodded and took his hand, letting him pull her from the floor as Severus lifted the cane lying on the floor and withdrew the wand from it. She sent him a quizzical look before following him up the corridor, trying not to look through the cell's to the bodies lying there.
She failed as a flash of blonde caught her eyes, she turned to see the same child she had sat with; in a disgusting state, she couldn't even tell if he was breathing as she stopped and tugged on Severus' arm. He turned to look at her, frowning before he followed her gaze and sighed.
She pulled him by the hand to the cell, her eyes looking to his as she pleaded with him.
"Severus, let me see if he is alright… We could take him with us."
Severus shook his head at her, before looking through at the child. He tapped the bars with the wand and they parted.
"Check him, heal him. But we can't take him, not now."
She frowned, but moved into the cell to kneel before the blonde boy, biting her lip as she gently turned him over and placed her hand to his neck; looking for a pulse. She found one, it was horribly faint and she couldn't help the sob that left her. The poor child probably wouldn't survive the night, if he survived at all the mental scars would be worse than the physical; Merlin knows what he had been witness too. She looked to Severus who tilted his head at her, motioning for her to leave the boy. Hermione shook her head and turned back to him, stroking his face gently as she heard him mumble something.
"Can you hear me?"
Another mumble and Hermione shifted, gently shaking the boy as his eyes fluttered open; confusion and fear stared back at her.
"Don't hurt me…" It broke her heart to hear this little boy begging her not to cause him pain, and she coughed back another sob.
"I won't hurt you, I promise. What's your name?"
The boy opened his mouth to talk but then he started choking; Hermione gently rubbed his back as she cried silently, seeing the blood on his mouth and chin as he coughed it up. When he was done he spoke croakily, trying to tell her what she wanted to know.
"Michael miss… My name is Michael…"
Hermione smiled gently at the child, tilting her head as she spoke in a soothing tone.
"Hello Michael, I'm Hermione. I sat with you a while ago. Do you remember a fox, outside your cell?"
She asked him, watching as he frowned and nodded, his manner unsure.
"Yes miss, but it was gone when I woke up… I was alone again. Are you saying that was you?"
Hermione nodded and smiled softly, before looking to Severus with pleading eyes; her voice shaking as she stroked the young boy's hair.
"Please Severus."
She saw as his eyes flickered to the child, before he checked the corridor and stepped in bending to kneel before the little boy, whose eyes filled with terror at recognizing him.
"No! Miss he's one of them!"
Hermione hushed him and stroked his hair.
"He is good, I promise Michael; he will help you."
She watched as Severus murmured a spell and the child went to sleep, his breathing deeper and surer.
"We cannot take him with us Hermione, we might be putting him in more danger. He is in a healing sleep at the moment, if we can; we will come back for him."
She nodded in understanding, though her heart wrenched for the child as she stepped away, stroking his hair one last time, and taking note of the intense look Severus sent her before they were again, on their way.
She dared not speak as Severus led the way through the dark halls, his hand holding hers tightly. She frowned as she noticed him falter in his steps, before she too heard the nearing voices and footsteps of people approaching. She was pulled to the side, through a door and to stand up against Severus' chest.
"If Lucius decided to play just when the Dark Lord requested the mudblood he's an even bigger aristocratic idiot than we took him for…"
The voices faded as her breathing quickened and Severus raised his hand to cover her mouth, she frowned wondering what was going on as the Death Eaters had already passed.
She saw the flash of a spell, the light momentarily showing her that they were in a small store cupboard, and that Severus had just stunned two figures. She took a deep breath as he released her to cast a Lumos around them, casting light over the figures and making her gasp.
"What are you two doing here?"
She hissed at the twins lying in a heap on the floor once Severus had cast the spell to bring them round. They sat up and groaned, checking each other for any damage, before looking up to Severus and Hermione.
"Fred…"
"George…"
"Either we hit our heads harder than we thought…"
"Or we've just found the terrible two!"
They then promptly gave each other a high five, which was before they were hauled up from their collars by a disgruntled Severus.
"What are you doing here?"
"So much for gratitude George."
"You said it Fred."
They then shut up at the slight growl of annoyance that came from Severus.
"The whole order is here professor, we are about to attack."
"Exciting isn't it?"
Hermione looked between them, gaping slightly; then she looked at Severus.
"Did you know about this?" He asked her, frowning.
"Of course I bloody didn't, I begged them to help and they refused… I didn't think they actually would!"
Severus then turned back to the twins, his black eyes firmly upon their faces.
"Where is Potter?"
"With Professor Dumbledore somewhere…"
"How did everyone get in?"
They shrugged and looked to each other.
"You'll have to ask Dumbledore, he did something and here we are…"
Severus then let them go, turning around to face her with a serious gaze.
"If Potter has any chance of getting to the Dark Lord, he is going to need a distraction."
Hermione frowned and worried her bottom lip.
"Why do I have the feeling I'm not going to like where this is going?"
-o-
He was getting impatient; he didn't like to wait… He shouldn't have to wait.
"Where is Lucius?"
His tone was deadly, his eyes flashing to show his annoyance as a masked death eater spoke up.
"Yaxley and Figgins have just gone to look for him My Lord."
His red eyes landed upon Bellatrix, she was practically itching to cast; fiddling with her wand, showing the impatience he felt as his eyes cut over the room.
The Death Eaters had gathered to watch the torture of Harry Potter's best friend, as an example. He would not be bested by hormonal teenagers ever again; he was asserting his leadership and could tell his followers were eager to begin the show.
All eyes turned, including his; to focus on the Death Eater escorting the Mudblood; who seemed to be fighting for all she was worth. The masked and robed Death eater threw her to the ground, and turned to join his brothers.
He felt his lip curl upward in a disgusted sneer, the bile rising to his throat as he looked down at the girl before him. Her quivering form only serving to make him want to cause her pain, to hear her tainted cries and take every bit of life from her body.
He would enjoy this, a momentous occasion and example of what was to come; an example of his power.
I struggled with this one, I think because I know the end is nearing my brain is fighting my plot bunnies; it is a bloody battle.
A reader pointed out to me that 'Vixen' is officially are year old! I can't believe I have been writing this for a year of my life!
Please review, even if it is just a 'Happy Birthday Vixen', they make me smile; and in turn write. Thank you.
