Chapter 8

Hermione woke in the morning and sighed as the previous night came flooding back to her. She stood and walked over to the floor length mirror in the corner of the room and turned to look at her bottom. There was not one inch of it that wasn't purple, blue or in places black. She wondered how hard he had hit her and if there would be any lasting damage. She ran her hands across her coloured globes and found that Narcissa's salve had indeed taken all the pain out of the bruising even if it did still look painful.

Hermione thought back to last Sunday when she had eyed her cane marks with pride and tried to find some kind of pride in the ugly mass in the mirror and found that it only conjured forth disgust and regret. She shook her head. Maybe she wasn't for this lifestyle after all.

She sighed again and took the belt from her dress using it to tie her hair back from her face before using her wand to charm the mini dress into a flowing maxi dress and her shoes into pretty flats. She went to the bathroom and splashed some water of her face to get rid of the tear tracks, though her eyes were still puffy and her cheek still blotchy.

She grabbed her bag and headed towards the dining room. She had intended to stay for breakfast and thank Narcissa for her assistance the previous night, but when she got to the dining room, she saw Snape sitting next to Lucius, and as he pressed his hand to the chair arms to stand, all she felt was white-hot rage bubble inside. She stalked to him, pulling her first back and feeling a spike of satisfaction as her knuckle connected with his nose and she heard a satisfying crunch.

'BLubby Hell!' he called as he covered his now broken nose as blood spilled between his fingers as she turned on her heal and left the room, heading to the main doors so she could aparate back to her apartment.

Severus slumped back in the chair and Lucius and Narcissa looked on in shock and respect for the young girl. Draco on the other hand was howling with laughter.

'Ohh I feel for you uncle Sev, she has a mean right hook. I bullied her for three years, what did you do?' he laughed as Severus glared at the boy. Watching warily as Narcissa drew her wand.

'Oh, I believe the girl did well enough, I don't plan to hex you, I just don't want blood stains on my table cloth.' She snipped as she healed him and Lucius handed him a hankie.

'I take it back; you need to grovel.' Lucius said as he and Draco stood to go and catch their early morning portkey.

Hermione sighed as she entered her bedroom, glad that Ophelia was still in her bed. She was about to slump into her bed when a soft peck caught her attention. Hermione pouted but let the owl in and too the letter from it.

Hermione,

I am back in England for the month and figured it was time we had a catch up, see you at the hog's head at 11?.

Peace and Love

Luna

Hermione glanced at the clock and cursed it was half ten. She quickly pulled out a pair of jeans and a top and pulled them on, leaving her hair up as she applied a thin layer of make-up, and hurried out of the door. Cursing the last-minute nature that Luna possessed.

Even though she had cursed her friend, she couldn't help but smile when she entered the old pub and found her blonde haired friend waiting for her, a drink already ordered. The girl was weird but a godsend.

'Hermione, I was right you need a friend.' She smiled as she pushed the cocktail towards the bushy haired witch.

Hermione closed her eyes and forced herself to breath. Luna always had a way of knowing things, she wasn't really sure how. 'Thanks, welcome back, how was the amazon?'

''Oh wonderful, but I am more worried about you and your new relationship, there's trouble already?' she asked as she peered at Hermione with those piercing blue eyes, that Hermione often wondered if they could see right into your soul.

'No…Yes…So much so it won't be continuing.' Hermione said. She had made up her mind the moment her fist had connected with his nose. He had hurt her; he had broken her trust and he hadn't even had a glimmer of remorse about it.

She knew her own temper had played a part, but he hadn't given her a change to talk before he had landed his belt across her arse so why should she let him speak now? no he had made his bed, let him lie in it.

There were plenty of men at Violate, she was sure they'd bring her just as much pleasure as Snape had, he wasn't the only man with a palm and a desire to dominate.

'So, he lost his temper. You ought to have known that was a possibility, or did you forget our school years? Were you really expecting anything less from Professor Snape?

Hermione's mouth dropped open. 'How do you do that?' she laughed as the other girl sipped her drink smugly.

'Ophelia may have mentioned it.' Luna said with a smirk.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Of course, Luna would have met up with Ophelia, they had first met after one of the burrows Sunday dinners, a few years ago, they had struck up a friendship, and after one particularly boozy brunch had hooked up. 'I swear that girl's a bigger gossip than Lavender!' Hermione grumbled.

'Oh, she was only being a good sister and asking me what I thought of him.' Luna said patting her hand.

'And you, what do you think?' she asked, worrying her lip between her teeth.

Luna looked at her for a moment before responding. 'I think your sad right now, whatever he did and you don't need to tell me, he hurt you and I think if you want to move on from it, either with him or not, you need to talk to him.'

Hermione shook her head. 'I can't, not right now, it's too raw.' She said wincing as she thought of the purple colour bleeding on her arse cheeks and the reminder of the pain as it blew across each new blow. No, she didn't want to be anywhere near Severus Snape right now.

Hermione and Luna chatted well into the afternoon and were well into their cups by the time Hermione decided she had to leave, she was too drunk and the pair had descended into a giggling fit about Luna's latest dating debacle who had told her he only dated her because he thought she was Lucinda Dale, the latest wizarding world Music sensation. He had thought she was some rich talented witch and had been disappointed when Luna had told him she was a struggling monologist with barely a penny too her name who couch surfed between friends when she was back in the country.

Severus Snape, cursed as his potion combusted and splattered sludge in his hair. 'Fuck!' He muttered angrily and turned to head into the shower before the sludge started to dissolve his hair or something equally unappealing.

It was safe to say Snape was not having a pleasant Saturday. He had expected to wake up to a toughly fucked Miss Granger this morning, instead he had pushed her too far and had woken up alone, with a raging hard on and only a cold shower to cool his ardent thoughts. He had then gone down to breakfast, prepared to apologise to the girl and talk to her with a logical head, and persuade her that it was in both their interests for her to continue her contract with him.

Only to have her storm into the dining room and deliver him a phenomenal right hook, that broke his nose. He hadn't even gotten a word in edge ways before she had socked him and stormed out of the room. He had sent her a long-winded flowery apology in her journal but she had yet to read it, he had even sent a short missive with an owl to ensure she did. He hopped she would respond by this evening. He had no desire to go looking for her at the club and have to face the wrath of Mistress O. No, he would deal with this without that meddling muggle. He cursed himself as he stripped and washed the sludge from his hair and pressed his hand to the cool stone of the tilled wall.

Images flashed before his eyes and shook his head to clear them. Her scrambled movements as she tried to crawl off his lap. Her sobs and hiccups as even in her fear she tried to obey and count his blows. The look of utter terror in her eyes and she stepped back from him and cowered before him like he was some kind of monster. He'd been a fool.

Hermione snorted to herself as she stumbled in the door of her flat and dropped her purse, holding herself up on the wall.

'You have no right to come here and make demands of me, I am free to speak to, play with and fuck who I damn well please!' came her sister's voice from the hallway and Hermione frowned. Why was Lia angry? She kicked off her shoes and staggered to the doorway of the living room.

'He's been here less than a week and suddenly your favouring him? The hell Ophelia? I've been with you for more than three years and you barely touch me when it's not for demos!' Naill stressed and Hermione saw her twin's eyes narrow. Ophelia didn't like to be backed into a corner and that's exactly what Naill was doing to the girl.

'I repeat, I am free to do as I please, I make no promise to you other than that of an employer.' Ophelia said. 'And you'll do well to remember your place, subbie.' She said the last word dripping with venom.

Hermione looked behind her sister to see a dishevelled looking Draco with his shirt unbuttoned and blooming finger prints around his neck.

'Your…s'posed to be in belum.' She slurred pointing at him and swaying slightly.

'Bloody hell! Granger are you drunk?' Draco said his eyes wide as he stepped round Ophelia and catching her as she fell forward. She snorted into his shoulder as he led her to the couch and laid her down.

'I'm not drunk, I am full of fun.' Hermione said with a giggle and watched the trio. 'Looks like you were 'avin fun too M'foy. Was she going for your wand?' She said and then burst into a round of giggles.

'What are you twelve Granger?' Draco snipped his arms crossed but frowning at the fact that the Granger lookalike had indeed been going for his wand before the muggle had walked in.

'I thought you were with Master S?' Ophelia said rolling her eyes at her sister's words.

'Not seeing him, he a stupid Dungeon bat.' Hermione said slurring.

Draco raised his eyebrows in a glimmer of understanding. Had Hermione pushed his godfather's buttons? and in turn had his godfather pushed the Gryffindor too far? Or had their explosive tempers merely clashed and they'd had an argument? He Recalled the Muggle-born's temper from their school days.

'Out.' Ophelia Snapped to Naill, crouching down beside her twin and running her fingers through her hair.

'What HE gets to stay?' Naill snapped glaring at Draco.

Ophelia stood and stalked to the other boy, tugging on the D Ring which was on the black Collar the boy wore at the club. 'Yes he stays, she was at HIS fucking house, he might know what got her in this state, and unlike you he doesn't have a shift to get to unless, I'm to take this as your resignation?' she snapped pushing him away. And retuning to Hermine.

Naill looked cowed and left through the club door, without another word.

'I think you should head down or go home Dragon, I can deal with her.' Ophelia said tugging a blanket over her twin.

Draco shook his head. 'Nah it's demo night, you need to be down there, I can stay with her, I'll get her to bed. Plus, I don't think your Sub likes me very much.'

Ophelia Closed her eyes. 'Naill is not my Sub, he is a Sub whom I play with, the collar he wears is not my own.' Ophelia said as she stood and walked towards her bedroom to prepare for the evening. 'I am not a one Sub woman Mr Malfoy, if you can't accept that, this ends now.' she said as she disappeared.

'She likes you.' Hermione said.

'You think? I don't think she likes anyone.' Draco snorted.

'She let you stay; she doesn't let people stay when I'm hurt.' Hermione sighed as she closed her eyes. Draco blinked and looked at the closed bedroom door. Did Granger have a point? Was that Muggle seeing things That Ophelia hadn't? Sure, he thought the girl was a stunner same as her twin but she had an edge to her that Hermione was missing, something uniquely her own, that he wanted to explore, if she let him.

'Let's get you to bed Granger.' Draco sighed as he waved his hand a righted his clothes, pushing his hair out of his face, as she knelt to lift the Gryffindor into his arms.

Safe to say Sunday was a wasted day for Hermione, she woke up late afternoon with a pounding headache and found that she had been sick at the side of her bed though the night. She groaned flopped back down before grabbing her wand and cleaning the floor, before getting up to go to the loo and get some water. On her return she noticed there were three owls, sitting on her window sill.

'Sorry.' She muttered to the most impatient looking one as it stuck it's foot out with a soft but sharp hoot.

The first letter boasted a familiar slanting script that she immediately threw on the bedside table next to the glowing diary which she glowered at before relieving the next owl of its burden. This one was a quick note from Luna asking if she got home okay and a prayer that Hermione wasn't suffering the same hangover that she was.

Hermione grimaced as she tried to moisten her lips and silently vowed never to get that drunk again. Then again, she had vowed that the day she had caught Ron at it with Lavender, she shook her head, no she didn't want to think about him either right now.

The final letter was from Harry who with a laughing tone informed him that Ginny was now under the impression that they had had sex on his couch and that he had spent Saturday making it up to his heavily pregnant wife. Hermione's face flamed red as she recalled the first part of the treacherous evening, the thing that had been the catalyst for how it ended. She flopped back onto the bed and groaned. If Ginny Potter hadn't hated her before she surely would now, thinking that Hermione had designs on her husband.

She growled again, Damn Severus Snape. She smiled to herself as she recalled the crunch beneath her knuckles as she punched him. Serves him right she huffed and she stood and padded into the living room,

'Dragon Left that for you.' Lia muttered from the couch where she was pouring over paper work, her hand waving towards a small blue filled vial on the breakfast bar.

Hermione smiled she never thought she see the day where she blessed Draco Malfoy as she downed the hangover draught.

The next week flew by for Hermione in a flurry of business meetings and drinks with Luna, Neville and Hannah, and a dinner a shell cottage. She barely had time to think about her disaster of a weekend, or the daily missives that sat unopened from the man who caused it. It was Thursday evening when the third of the day came. She growled at the now familiar owl who dropped the letter promptly before flying off. It probably didn't want to be used as target practise again, she mused as she recalled yesterday's reaction to the fourth letter of the day. When would the git learn she didn't want to speak to him!

'Enough is enough.' She muttered as she bundled up the growing stack of un opened letters and the diary still glowing with an unread message, and through them in a carrier bag. 'Malfoy Manor' As the floo connected she tossed the bag into the flames and watched as it landed on the Persian rug in the Malfoy's drawing room, before she ended the call. Maybe now he'd get the hint.

Lucius Malfoy was signing paper work when a soft tump sounded from behind him, he turned to see a carrier bag, from somewhere called 'Morrison's.' Land on his hearth rug. Blinking he bent to pick it up and pulled out a letter addressed to Miss Granger in his friends' Neat hand.

'Ah.' He said with a sighed as he glanced at the clock and figured it was time to head to dinner anyway, he may as well, hand the letters to his friend then. Dinner was going to be a fun affair, he thought with a grumble. No doubt Severus and Narcissa would bicker the whole way through and by the end of it his wife would be in no mood for a play session. More's the pity, he'd had a day of tough meetings, he could use a good fuck.

He sighed as he entered the dining room, kissed his wife on the check as he passed her and handed Severus his returned letters as he sat down, smiling at his son as he too joined them.

'What's this?' Severus asked opening the bag.

'I believe it is Miss Granger's version of a Break up owl.' Lucius said as he took a sip of the wine the serving elf had just poured him, as Severus pulled out Miss Granger's two-way diary, still glowing with his unread flowery apology.

'More than an argument then.' Draco muttered as he took a long drink and watched his godfather's face go from confession to outright annoyance to was that regret?

'I told you, you had broken her trust, she will most likely contact you when she is ready, if it were me, I'd have sent the bag coated in poison.' Narcissa snipped and motioned for the elves to serve the meal.

Severus Glared at the witch. 'You've put up with far more and yet you remain.' He reminded her.

'True, I also knew what I was getting into, did you ensure she did? Did you assume because of who her twin was, that she was have the first clue? I'll be surprised if she ever set foot in the club again, or takes another play partner, you Severus Snape, scared that girl more that I believe the dark lord ever did and he wanted to kill her not fuck her.'

Severus opened his mouth to respond but closed it with a snap and placed the diary back in the bag, before picking up his fork and tucking into his dinner. If the witch wouldn't open his letters, he'd have to get creative. If she wanted to end their acquaintance that was fine, but he'd be damned if she did it without letting him apologise. She would listen to him and then at the end of it, if she wished to leave them so be it, they could part ways with clear consensuses.

Snape stood outside Weasley, Pitts and Granger Cruse Breaking agency and took a deep breath. They receptionist was busing flicking through a copy of witch weekly and didn't even look up as she asked him if he had an appointment.

'Yes, With Miss Granger' he muttered glaring at the witches bent head, would it kill her to look up when she spoke to him?

'It's three minutes to 12, this is the lunch hour, she doesn't have any appointments for right now, if you're a walk in I suggest you come back after one.' The witch said eyes till glued to her magazine. God what he wouldn't give to pulled her chin up until she met his eyes.

'Yes, she asked me to come in, this was the only time I could make it, it won't take long.' He said in what he hoped was a smooth voice.

The witch sighed and waved her hand to the door that said granger, clicking a switch on a small box. 'Your call in Miss Granger. She said as he turned the knob to the door.

Hermione grumbled to herself trust Mr Shelby to turn up right at the beginning of lunch hour, at least if she was lucky, she could clock off early this evening, if the meeting ran long and she skipped lunch altogether. She closed her diary and sat patiently waiting for the man to enter, no doubt he was eager to hear the state of his family's cursed crypt that no one had been able to get access to in twenty years. his mother had just passed away and he had been hoping to put her in there with her husband, but alas no one could get the doors open.

'Mr Shel…Hermione stopped as she looked at the man she was desperately trying not to think about today. 'Get out.' She said bracing her arm on the desk and glaring at him.

'Miss Granger, if you'd allow me to explain.' Severus began but she scowled at him and interrupted with a harsh scoff.

'Explain? Where was my explanation when you were humiliating me on my friend's couch? Where was the explanation when you were beating my black and blue? You think because I am a sub, because I am that little eleven-year-old that sought approval in your potions class that I will bow to your every whim? No! I am no longer that awe filled 13 year old being saved from a werewolf, I am no longer that 15 year old indignantly defending you to all and sundry because of some school girl crush, I am no longer that war torn 17 year old spreading dittany on your wounds because despite all your sins you deserved to live, I am Hermione Fucking Granger I fought a war to get respect in this world, and I'll be dammed if I let any man be they Ronald fucking Weasley or the infamous Severus Snape walk over me! I am no bloody Door Mat! Now get the Hell out of my office!' she ranted her eyes sparking in anger as she glared at him.

Severus for his part stood mouth parted slightly and eyes wide as he took in her tirade. She had had a crush on him nearly ten years ago? What on earth had she saw in him then? What on earth had she seen in him now? Even in her anger she was glorious. It was at this point Severus knew well and truly he had fucked up, and that there was no hope of her hearing his apology.

'As you wish, Miss Granger.' He said with a bow of his head as her spun on his heal and left the office, the door clicking closed softly as the room filled with silence.

Hermione bowed her head and let out a breath. That was that then. She stared at the hard wood of the table and thought about his face as she ranted at him. At first, he had been indignant that she and interrupted him and them there was a flicker of agreement then there was surprise and utter shock, and finally a deep regret that had almost broke her heart but she had stood her ground and continued to glare at him as she told him to go to hell. Something she had never been able to do with Ron.

She shook her head as she marvelled at how he had just let her be angry. Ron had never done that, he had always had to argue back, and poke the dragon, even when he knew he was in the wrong he'd be picking a fight and only apologise when Harry or Molly made him. Severus had been trying to apologise all week and even when he'd clearly had enough of waiting, he'd been gracious enough to let her speak. And she hadn't allowed him the same curtesy.

Hermione sighed Luna was right, she wouldn't be able to move on until they had talked about what had happened. 'Damn it.' She muttered as she hurried round her desk and threw open her office door.

'WAIT!'