A new chapter, my beloved readers!

There is a rather brutal scene in the beginning though, feel free to skip it if you don't like that as it is only depicturing a dream and is not strictly necessary to understand the subsequent plot. Simply start reading where the italics end.

Thank you for being here!

Dedicated to KagomeLove2 who never forgets to review and gives me so many good ideas!

CHAPTER 11

She hung suspended from the ceiling, her wrists and hands blue and swollen. Still, she didn't feel the pain as much her other injuries and worries.

She had been beaten that day during her interrogation - her captors obviously saw the need to add physical coercion to the the magical one of Veritaserum. It made her more honest as for her opinion of them and it lead to many more bouts of violence on their part.

However, it had a bright side too; they hadn't raped her at least. Those 'visits' usually came later, in the evening or at night.

The door creaked then and she expected a healer or a guard to appear to either put her back into operable condition or feed her.

Although she needed the first much more, she rather hoped the second would appear as the healer made her feel sick only by looking at his face.

The jerk had tried to play a mind game with her, acting as the 'good cop' for a few weeks and he nearly got to her; she had considered him just a harmless and even good meaning pawn instead of an aggressor. But then he raped her when he thought she was unconscious after a torture session, not even bothering to check it, telling her how lucky she was to have 'her angel' lowering to her level to show her his affection. He was a fucking psychopath, probably really believing in his own goodness. He was worse than most of the others

It was someone else this time though.

Bellatrix Lestrange.

What could that woman want with her? Wasn't her interrogation and beating session over for the day?

"Oh, my favourite ickle Mudblood," she baby talked to her, her voice high and taunting. A curse hit her and she found herself Petrified.

No one is interested in her replies this time then.

"I thought I should go and check on you. Make sure they are taking care of you properly," she purred, stroking her cheek lovingly.

Hermione shivered.

"Ah, you have a boo boo there, don't you? I bet you have been naughty to earn that..." the woman trailed off, her hand straying to her chest and cupping her left breast.

"Are you a naughty girl, Mudblood?" she asked affectionately and squeezed her breast, her long sharp nails cutting deep through the tender skin.

Hermione hissed in pain when the witch dragged her hand across her, the five cuts centering on her nipple that she pinched brutally, drawing even more blood.

"I am sure you are. I am sure the boys liked your dirty pussy too. Have they serviced you well enough? Or are you still hungry for more dicks?" she continued, her bloodied hand slipping down, stroking her lower lips and finding it's way into her opening. She thrusted four of her fingers inside of her sharply, wedging her palm in and leaving only her thumb out. Then she clenched her fingers, the nails boring into the delicate flesh inside her and her thumb piercing her clitoris from outside.

Hermione wanted to cry out then, but only a moan left her rigid neck.

Bellatrix smiled indulgently and pulled her hand slowly out, her fingers still clenched and scraping at her walls. When she extracted it finally, Hermione could hear a splash landing on the floor underneath her, the blood the crazy witch had drawn leaving her body as well.

Lestrange observed her hand closely, inspecting the fluids on it with interest.

"Ah, I see they liked you well enough. Not today though. I shall tell them to make it up to you in the evening; we have a gathering so it will be easy. You can thank me later," she gave Hermione another sweet smile and smeared the blood from her crotch and across the front of her body as she dragged her hand back up her skin, stroking her neck and then shoving her bloodied fingers in between her lips.

Oh shit, she should have clenched her jaws closed as soon as she heard the door being opened.

The mixture of blood and sperm got into her mouth and her stomach turned violently. However, Bellatrix had seen it coming obviously and grasped her neck firmly with both hands, pressing so that nothing could come up and suffocating her in the process.

Hermione had never experienced that and it cost every bit of will she had so that she would not breathe in her own vomit and choke in the next few seconds. She fought both for breath and control over her revolting stomach.

"Granger!"

"Has my husband visited you too? He likes his bitches dirty too," the crazy woman whispered seductively into her ear, nearly hugging her while she strangled the younger witch. Then she licked the blood that had been smeared on Hermione's chin and lips. Her stomach turned again and the hands around her throat squeezed more.

"Granger! Wake up!"

"Hmm, I think I taste him there. Has he fucked your ass too?"

She struggled for breath fruitlessly, helpless, scared and feeling herself slowly slipping away.

"It's just a dream! Hermione!" someone urged her.

It couldn't be a Death Eater. But the Death Eaters were all that was left...

She opened her eyes.

It was a Death Eater.

Snape, holding her shoulder as he had been shaking her awake, dressed in his nightclothes and his face only a few inches away from hers looking worried.

She felt her sweaty face contorting and fought the tears, relieved to see him so much it hurt.

It was over. No one was tormenting her any longer. She was safe with Snape.

He looked at loss - that was usual for him in this situation - but after a few seconds he sat on the couch next to her and spread his arms hesitantly, offering her to hug him although he still looked uncomfortable about the gesture.

She smiled wryly, finding him cute even as the tears already started falling from her eyes.

He did so much for her and never asked anything in return.

She wrapped her arms around him slowly and breathed in his smell, masculine and heavy with various herbs and fire smoke, basking in his warmth that seemed seeping from him at all times. He emitted safety and stability, his chest as hard and firm as his character was. Too bad she couldn't detect the warmth of it sooner when he had been so vehemently showing her only the cold stare of his that he had been using to protect himself.

She could feel he was still rather stiff and took a great care not to touch her more than necessary but he was definitely getting better at this. Unfortunately, he still had more than enough opportunities to practice as she kept waking and needing him about every other night.

Wait, had he really called her 'Hermione' a short while ago?

"Do you want to talk about it?" he offered quietly then, stunning her once more.

Was he indeed willing to discuss personal matters and feelings with her?

He truly got a lot better at this.

Still, this dream was nothing she was willing to ever disclose to anyone, the event still scaring and disgusting her whenever she had remembered it.

So she shook his head, knowing he would feel rather than see the movement as her face was pressed into his shoulder.

"No. Thank you though," she whispered into his black cotton shirt when she finally felt capable of speaking in a reasonable manner.

"Do you want me to stay?" he offered as he had so many times already.

She very much wanted him to but also felt guilty about it; if he stayed, he wouldn't sleep at all, keeping vigil over her, and be tired the next day as a result.

There was a solution to it though and it was time she stopped being craven and try it at least.

"I do but you need to rest as well. May I just go and sleep in the bedroom with you?" she asked shyly, not brave enough to look into his eyes and still burying her face into his clothes.

There was a short silence - either he was considering it or too shocked to answer at once. She held her breath.

"I was considering to suggest the same as I supposed it might prevent the nightmares altogether but then I thought you would refuse. You may, of course. I told you you can sleep whenever you wish and come to me whenever you need me a long time ago, including into the bedroom," he told her quietly, his tone reassuring.

She tightened her arms around him shortly before releasing him to give him a grateful smile. He looked tired but not angry at all - he had never complained or even frowned due to being woken and dragged from his bed in the middle of the night to rouse and comfort her.

He still hadn't moved though, just watching her and looking like he really cared.

She took his hand into hers, ignoring the way he startled at it, rose from the couch and pulled at him gently to indicate she was ready to go.

He gave her a look but obeyed, not trying to wriggle his hand out of hers as he followed her to the bedroom.

She slept peacefully next to him for the rest of the night, holding hands.

In a few days, it became as natural as breathing for her.

He had brought her cherries that evening and she gave him - and the big bowl of her most favorite fruit - a radiant smile as soon as she saw it.

Snape kept bringing her 'gifts' each day although he was careful to pretend they just appeared in his way while he was returning back to his quarters. One day it was a book she had asked him about - even if that was a rather specialized Muggle Chemistry text - the other it was a piece of tailor made clothing that fitted her perfectly but usually it was something special to eat as she seemed to be the happiest about those.

He never really treated it as a gift though - he would just put it offhandedly on the counter or on her half of the bed as if it appeared there on itself. He made sure to appear confused whenever she had thanked him for it.

She saw through him though. If she didn't know better, she would say he was courting her in a way.

Yet, the thought was utterly ridiculous. He was simply being an attentive gentleman and not wanting to admit it openly.

"How was your day?" he asked politely while putting the cherries on the coffee table.

"Good enough, I have discovered a reference that I have been searching for but I still need to discuss it with you to be sure. Will you have the time in the evening? And thank you for the cherries," she added, taking the bowl into her lap while she sat on the couch.

He just waved her thanks away, looking uncomfortable.

"Only later in the night if it's not a big problem. I am expecting a visitor in a a few minutes," he informed her and she gave him a piercing look.

They hadn't had a visitor for months.

"Who?" she asked directly, knowing it to be the way he prefered.

"Draco Malfoy. He wanted to come with me but I deemed it necessary to warn you in advance. It would be best if he doesn't see you."

Hermione swallowed with some difficulty, remembering the last time she 'met' a visitor in those quarters and nodded.

"I trust you to know that it's wise," she said instead of 'are you sure it it safe?' or 'are you luring him in here to kill him' that she really wanted to ask. Saying things directly went only that far for her still.

"Draco Malfoy is not his father and he needs me more than I need him. There is no need to worry," he told her, seeming sure about his statement.

She nodded, hoping he was right.

"Alright. Where should I stay to be out of your way?"

"The Living room, if you don't mind, we will keep to the lab."

"Ok. Thank you for telling me and good luck with whatever you are going to do," she said, thinking about the possibilities.

He gave her one of his rare smiles, seeing through her and knowing she was dying to know.

"I will inform you about everything when I return - or rather fill in the gaps of what you won't hear through the door," he promised and she perked up at that. He trusted her and won't keep her in the dark about this.

There was a knock on the door and she heard Snape's footsteps as he went to answer it.

"Draco."

"Thank you for agreeing to this, Severus," the younger voice said, no trace of its snotty tone that had been so typical for him back at school left.

"You can thank me later when it is clear I will be able to help you. What seems to be the matter this time?"

"It's spreading. Mother does all she can but it's spreading in spite of the ritual you recommended."

"Show it to me."

There was a minute of silence.

"I can think of a potion and a few countercourses that might help. But, as I already said, it will never be a permanent solution."

Again, there was a pauze.

"Potter is dead."

"I am well aware of that but I still haven't stopped looking and researching. Furthermore, what doesn't kill him doesn't always make him stronger. It might be enough to sabotage and disable the system enough so he has no power any longer."

"Still, that won't help me with my problem."

"No, it won't. The more the reason to not give up. Take off your shirt and sit there."

For a few minutes, only murmured incantations were to be heard from the lab along with a few gasps of discomfort from the younger Malfoy.

"That's it, it should be enough for a few weeks at least. I will brew the potion and give it to you to administer at home regularly. You should apply it every two days on every discolored part of your skin."

"Thank you. Should I help?"

"No, no need to. You don't know the recipe and would only hinder me by standing in my way. It would take more time to explain it to you than the actual brewing will."

"Fine. I will wait then."

There was a long pause then and Hermione's head swam with questions and theories already.

Malfoy was obviously considering turning against Voldemort as Snape had done, and was having some serious health problem that Snape was helping him with - cleverly not initiating him into the exact procedure of it so he would be always needed...

The silence in the lab got broken then, breaking Hermione out of her ruminations as well.

"My father is after you."

A snort from Snape resounded in the lab.

"I have noticed."

"The meeting you have in Devon next week. Don't go there," Malfoy warned then. Hermione couldn't see what Snape's reaction was. He said nothing that she could hear.

"Is Granger still with you?"

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting to be mentioned.

"Yes," Snape replied reluctantly after a long moment.

"How is she?"

"As can be expected." Snape's voice sounded rather unfriendly, evidently unhappy about discussing her.

"Can I see her?"

"No," Snape refused sharply, this time not hesitating at all.

"Is it her who doesn't want to speak with me or you who doesn't want me to speak with her?"

"You saw her a few months earlier. You know she won't speak to anyone."

"I actually think she does speak to you at least," Malfoy claimed then and Hermione stopped breathing for a while.

"What made you presume so?"

"The book you sent me. There was a slip of paper inserted in it, notes. They were written by her hand and obviously recent as they had mentioned the Dark Lord winning the War and the outcomes of it," Malfoy disclosed and Hermione swallowed thickly.

So that was where the "Rituale of Potente White Magicks" had gone about two months ago. Snape had obviously lent it to Malfoy without warning her and she had left her abstract and observations in between its pages.

Oh, bollocks.

If he spoke about it to anyone, they - and she especially - would be doomed. If he mentioned it to his father, he would paint a huge target on her back too because she would become an easy prey to interrogate and use.

"You either swear and Unbreakable Vow to me now to never disclose this to anyone else or you may say goodbye to your memories of the last year. I am not opposed to killing should you decide to be obstinate about this," Snape threatened darkly, shocking Hermione again by his fierceness.

"You care for her, don't you," Malfoy remarked then.

"Don't change the topic. I am not interested in your prevaricating."

"I will die anyway if you decide not to treat me. I have no reason to betray you. I just want to speak to her. Then I will give you the Vow."

The silence stretched.

"It's up to her to decide that. I highly doubt she will be willing to see you though and I am not about to force her."

"Ask her then."

"I don't need to. She can hear our every word and is free to go in here if she wants."

Hermione's heart hammered in her chest.

She didn't particularly want to see Malfoy but was also reluctant to hinder the negotiation about the Vow. She knew it was necessary as she didn't want Snape killing Draco either - there weren't many people willing to oppose Voldemort.

Still, she was curious as to what he might want to tell her so urgently, especially as she had been quite sure that Draco Malfoy had never raped her although he had been certainly free to. She thought him simply not interested in her and considering her beyond his level since he was calling her a Mudblood openly even before his side had won the War. Maybe he just wanted to gloat but somehow she didn't think it would be the case.

She forced her heart to calm down.

She could do it. She certainly still could talk to people. Besides, Snape wouldn't let anything happen to her and she had her magic now.

She opened the door and two pairs of surprised eyes - one black and one silver - got fixed on her immediately.

Draco looked different; he seemed pale, tired and worn, the same way Snape did, but he had also matured considerably. He was not a boy any longer, lean, higher and with a light stumble on his graceful face.

"I heard you wanted to talk to me," she explained herself even though it was rather unnecessary.

Malfoy nodded, studying and surveying her thoroughly as she had done to him.

"What do you want to discuss then?" she prodded, unnerved by him being silent when he explicitly asked to speak to her.

"I need to talk to you privately."

"There is no way I will let that happen," Snape interjected rather aggressively.

What does he want to tell her that Snape shouldn't hear?

"Take any precaution you deem suitable. I just need a few minutes," Draco offered but Snape still sneered hatefully, obviously not about to concede.

"I am not against that as long as he is restrained," she proposed. Snape gave her an incredulous stare.

"He is not his father. There is no need to worry," she repeated his own words back to him, hoping again that they were true.

Snape grimaced.

"Alright. You have ten minutes," he announced and swished his wand at Draco - first to disarm him, then to tie him tightly to the chair he was sitting on. Then he went to Hermione and took his time to ostentatiously remove the collar around her neck.

She was aware it was only there to show her social standing and was magically ineffective but Draco probably didn't know that. Still, she was used to wearing it and her neck felt strangely barren. Not giving her much time to consider her feelings, he shove his own wand in her hand and gave one last pointed and threatening look to the young blonde on the chair before departing for his quarters, slamming the door behind him.

Malfoy watched the door for a second.

"A Silencio, if you don't mind," he asked, indicating with his head in the direction of Snape's quarters.

She frowned but cast it anyway. She would tell Snape everything later herself. He had promised to keep her informed as well.

"So what it is?" she prodded him impatiently.

"How is he treating you?" he inquired quietly.

"Well enough," she admitted, not wanting to share any details.

"So the event in the Great Hall was just a show? Is he good to you when you are together?"

Hermione nearly blushed at the insinuation.

"Yes, he doesn't hurt me. And we are not 'together', more like lab partners and friends of sorts," she explained, a bit disconcerted.

Malfoy gave her a strange doubtful look.

"He doesn't keep 'friends'."

"Well, he keeps me," she announced the obvious and shrugged, not knowing what else to argument with.

"I could keep you. Just say it and I can Apparate us to my Manor. No one could reach you there, not Snape and not even the Dark Lord. I will even marry you if you want to be free legally too and I will let you keep your magic. You will have everything you'll want," Malfoy offered, taking her breath away.

What the Hell? Where did that come from?

"Are you telling me you are interested in me all of sudden? Why did you not offer earlier when I was free to be taken by anyone?" she asked sceptically.

He looked down and looked a bit ashamed.

Malfoy and ashamed? The Hell must have frozen over that day.

"I was interested but I thought... I thought you are not you any longer," he admitted after a while.

"You were right in that; I am not the person you used to know, not since the War ended. Thank you for the offer but you should better find yourself a pretty undamaged Pureblood girl. I am fine with Snape," she refused politedly, not feeling a tad regretful.

Malfoy would want an heir one day, especially if he were to marry her, and she was not going to live in a cage again, no matter how gold it was. Snape would set her free at any moment she asked.

And Snape didn't rape. He would keep her safe.

She would definitely prefer a bowl of cherries given with no ulterior motive to anything Malfoy could give her to buy her trust and affection. She was no whore, regardless the manner she had been called for a year.

"Are you sure?" he checked.

She nodded resolutely.

"Alright then. Just let me know if you change your mind; the proposal will stand," Malfoy promised, making her feel rather confused with his attitude again.

She gave him a puzzled look, wondering where did all this come from.

Was he fancying himself to be in love with her? Or was it something from school? Had she made an impression while she had been standing up to him as the only girl who had ever dared to? Had their rivalities and competitiveness had another meaning to him?

She was about to ask about it when the door banged open, featuring a pissed looking Snape.

"The ten minutes are up. Time to take the Vow," he ordered and held out his hand to her for his wand although she would expect him to simply Summon it. She gave it to him and turned to leave.

"You can stay if you want to," Snape called after her and she stopped, smiling at him. It felt nice to be trusted.

So she got to watch Draco taking the Vow, acting as the Bonder, and helped Snape finish the potion. They didn't talk much as Snape seemed to be deep in thoughts and rather annoyed and Malfoy - understandably - didn't breach the topic again while Snape was present.

Only when the door closed behind Malfoy did Snape truly look at her again, the question written in his eyes although he hadn't voiced it.

"He asked me to leave you and marry him if you would believe it," she shook her head, half amused and half confused still. She was left forgotten for a year, thinking no one would ever care, and now she had one proposal after another at her feet; first from Snape to get her freedom, then from Malfoy of all people to get the same by marrying him. The world really had gone crazy.

Snape's face froze. She should probably elaborate on that.

"I refused, of course. I said I want to stay with you," she assured him and got to tidy up the lab, not willing to address the ridiculous matter any more. She was much more interested in discussing other things with him - like the reference she had found earlier that day. He had promised her to talk about it as soon as Malfoy would leave and she was not about to delay that conversation longer than necessary.

Imagine my big, sad eyes, pleading humbly for a review...

The next chapter will be uploaded in a few days :-)