Oh what will we do with Draco…
usual disclaimer - I own nothing of the story or characters etc
'Sugar Quills' I murmured to the Gargoyle at the bottom of the stairs to the headmasters office and was admitted into the stairwell. Taking two steps at a time I burst in to the headmasters office.
Dumbledore seemed to be expecting me, ever the omnipotent bastard, but Miss Granger was not and all but shot up out of her chair in shock.
'I see that yours and Miss Granger's plan has worked Severus? You have returned to us seemingly unharmed'.
The old man had the nerve to seem pleased with our success but it was Miss Grangers reaction that was unnerving me. She looked ecstatic that I had returned with not only my life but without a customary round of torture too. Caught up in her joy I couldn't help but give her a rare smile, seeing Dumbledores slight confusion at my reaction to her I quickly masked my emotions and sat in the chair next to girl.
'The Dark Lord indeed fell for it hook line and sinker headmaster. I must give Miss Granger the credit for this, her acting skills were impeccable'.
The girl stared at me blushing at my statement, no doubt reliving our encounter in all its graphic detail inside that smutty brain of hers.
'Yes well, Miss Granger has always been exceptional, but is there any other news from Tom? You still seem troubled despite of your success'.
'Should I leave headmaster, if this is about Professors role of relaying information to the order then I will take no offence if you ask me to leave'.
Before the headmaster could agree with her statement I replied quickly,
'No Miss Granger given what I am about to say concerns you then I would prefer if you were present. You have shown yourself to be a mature and capable order member so I have no qualms in you hearing what I am about to say'.
'Very well Severus, I must say I agree with you, especially if you say your news concerns her'.
'The Dark Lord is determined to see Miss Granger out of the equation in this war headmaster, he has cottoned on to the fact that it is her input into Harry's life that resulted in a lot of the boys successes. He wishes to control and destroy her through my assaulting and threatening her.'
Both the headmaster and Miss Granger were silent in response, both no doubt mulling over what the consequences of what this would mean for the girl.
'But that is not what is of my primary concern… Miss Granger and I can stage attacks as we have so proven, of course this is distasteful to me but would be necessary to maintain my cover'.
At that the girl seemed upset, silly girl, of course sleeping with a student would be distasteful to me, I'm her teacher!
'It is the induction of Draco Malfoy into the ranks that concerns me the most, that and the Dark Lords plans for the boy'
Hermione gasped in response, 'Harry was right? Draco's a Death Eater?'.
'Potter! Sticking his nose where it doesn't belong I see, I thought you were supposed to be keeping him out of harms way Miss Granger?'
Ignoring my jibe against her best friend she answered, 'Harry is hard to control professor, he is after all a Gryffindor'.
The headmaster was watching us banter back and forth with his customary level of patience but he soon had questions of his own.
'Are you sure young mister Malfoy is a death eater Severus? He has taken the mark? I don't believe you were aware that there was a possibility this could happen?'
'Unhappy with your spy's performance Albus? No I had no inkling this was coming, for the dark lord to admit a student into the ranks, I thought he would never do so…'
'Severus I was not doubting your abilities to do your mission and do it well, but I am concerned there is a lot that you are not privy to, being a full time teacher you are not present for the inner workings of the sanctum outside of the death eater meetings. Not that you can rectify it but I am aware of our short comings for information based on this fact'.
Sighing I had to agree with the headmaster, the Malfoy Manors comings and goings, the death eater politics, the random interactions with the Dark Lord, all would be valuable information that could prove instrumental in the war effort.
It was Miss Granger that interrupted these musings of both the headmaster and I.
'I don't mean to sound self absorbed but you mentioned Draco may prove a problem for me? What did you mean by that Professor? Am I in danger from Draco?'
I couldn't look at the girl as I said what it was I needed too, so I looked at Albus and I watched him age another ten years before me as I spoke.
'The Dark Lord wants Draco to assist in my subjugation of you Miss Granger. He has been instructed to sexually assault you publicly in the halls of Hogwarts. I am to assist Mr Malfoy in realising his mission of course'.
Miss Granger was uncharacteristically quiet, as was Albus, both were staring at Fawkes as he groomed himself on his perch.
'But Professor, we can't stage that with Draco like you and I can. Will, will you let him rape me?'
'Don't be ridiculous Hermione! I will not see that upstart harm a hair on your head! I am hoping you will use that big brain of yours and come to a solution like you did the last time we had this problem'.
She seemed to calm over my use of her first name and took the challenge to use her brain to heart as I watched the cogs of her mind turn.
Albus had decided that now was a good time to get out his decanter of Brandy and I cursed the old man for not bringing out the booze sooner.
Surprising me Miss Granger sipped at her brandy gratefully and continued in her processing of all the information given to her.
She had obviously finished sorting through what information she had and now decided she needed more as it was question time.
'Professor I have a few questions about Draco.'
'Of course you do Miss Granger, go on then I will answer them without my usual sneer and snark which I'm sure will delight you'.
'Professor you'd be surprised, I just so happen to like your sneer and snark. My first question is how was Draco behaving at this meeting tonight?'
Momentarily stunned by her telling me she LIKED my sneer and snark I was shaken into remembering Draco's behaviour tonight. I had noticed he was acting strangely and forgot to mention it earlier.
'Well to be honest I had noticed he did not seem to be enjoying his time with the Dark Lord, he looked like he was going to be sick. When he heard that I had 'successfully' assaulted you I was surprised he was not physically ill given how green his complexion was'.
'Did he interact with his father at all during the evening?'
'Lucius at one point put his hand on the boys shoulder but the boy seemed intent on distancing himself from his father'
'One more question, how did he react when the plans were reaffirmed by the Dark Lord for Draco's assault of me?'
Puzzled but intrigued by where the girl was going with this line of questions I answered honestly.
'He seemed disgusted and terrified, I was frankly confused by this, my understanding is that Draco and you are not exactly on friendly terms…'
'Draco has actually ignored me for the last year Professor, he hasn't spoken to me at all, not even to call me mud blood under his breath. Often I will catch him looking at me, but with no malice that he so exhibited in his younger years'.
'Where exactly are you going with this train of thought Miss Granger?'