Lend me your love tonight

by Katta (KET on ff.net)

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. They all belong to J.K. Rowling, of course, of course. I'm sorry if I've borrowed them for a bit, but I am making no money from it.

Chapter 7: The devil and the deep blue sea

Hermione drew her wand and threw open the door to Snape's study. She caught one of the Death Eaters with the door and sent him falling flat on his face. Then she shouted 'Expelliarmus!' with all her might. Two wands went flying into the air. The other two Death Eaters managed to hang on to theirs, but were momentarily distracted from the black bundle on the floor. Snape.

'It doesn't matter. We've finished here anyway. Come!' said a voice that was unmistakably Morgan's.

The four Death Eaters raced to the fire place and departed before Hermione was able to stop them. The bundle on the floor moaned. Not sure whether to be relieved he was alive or panicked by his obvious distress, Hermione pointed her wand at him and said hopefully 'Finite Incantatem!'

Nothing happened. This was stronger and darker magic than could be lifted by that spell. Hermione sank to her knees by Snape's side.

'What have they done?' she asked gently.

Snape lifted his head with difficulty and hissed, 'Devil's curse!'

Hermione's hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened in shock. The Death Eaters had done nothing short of call on the Devil himself to curse Snape. It was dark magic of the highest order.

'But that can be lifted … I'll get Flitwick,' she said and jumped to her feet.

'No!'

Snape's cry stopped her halfway to the door and she turned around slowly.

'It would be too late…' he ground out, every word causing pain. 'Besides – I wouldn't ask Flitwick to do that for me.'

Hermione stared at him. And suddenly she realised what a lonely place the world would be if he died. That she loved him, in fact. That she couldn't just leave him like this. That she had to try whatever was humanly possible to save him.

'I know what needs to be done,' she said slowly. 'I haven't done it, of course, or even seen it done, but I've read about it.'

Yes – the curse could be lifted, but it required someone to haggle with the Devil for the cursed soul.

'No!' said Snape, but his strength was fading and it was a mere shadow of a protest.

Galvanised into sudden action, Hermione started reciting the incantation under her breath while she raced around the room finding the things she would need, most importantly something to burn to let off a smell of sulphur. Snape was still trying to protest, but she was no longer listening.

Finally she had it all and placed herself in front of Snape, her arms outstretched.

With a superhuman effort, Snape raised himself on this elbows and said quite clearly, 'Hermione, whatever you do, don't promise Him anything!' Then he slumped back exhausted.

Hermione regarded him for a moment and then she began to intone the incantation in a loud clear voice.

Although she had read about this procedure many times, she wasn't sure how the Devil would actually appear to her. She had rather imagined that He would appear in corporeal form, hoofed and horned, with forked tail, complete with trident in hand.

Instead her eyes clamped shut of their own accord. And in the darkness she saw two burning red eyes.

'Yes,' said a voice inside her head in a slow, cultured, sarcastic drawl. (If you're British, think Jeremy Paxman).

When she remained silent, the voice added with some impatience, 'You've summoned me. What do you want?'

'I want you to release this man who has been given the Devil's curse,' said Hermione with more assurance than she really felt.

The eyes looked away for a moment and then came back.

'Severus Snape … Well, well, well. He used to provide me with some amusement, oh, twenty years ago, but I haven't heard much of him since. And why, precisely, should I forgo the sport of tormenting him now for your sake?'

The voice held such menace that Hermione almost lost heart, but then she remembered that she was a Gryffindor.

'Because this is not fair. He hasn't deserved this!'

'Fair? Fair! What on earth gave you the impression that I care about fairness?' shouted the voice in her head. 'No – if you want to save your friend, you'll have to give me something in return.'

'What do you want?' asked Hermione, quaking in her boots.

'Let me see …' said the voice slowly as if considering the question. 'You are a beautiful young woman. If you would strip for me …'

Hermione considered this. Strip. Take her clothes off. That didn't seem so bad. She could do that and walk away.

'And that is it?' she asked. 'If I do that, you'll release him?'

'Don't promise Him anything,' shouted Snape outside her head.

The eyes turned briefly to look at him and then the voice inside her head said, 'Yes.'

'OK,' said Hermione slowly. She slipped the teaching robe off her shoulders and began to unbutton her blouse. She could hear Snape getting quite frantic outside her head, but she didn't stop. Blouse removed, she took off her shoes and removed her skirt and petticoat. Now she was standing in her bra, knickers and stockings.

Suddenly the Devil made a noise like the Anthony Hopkins does when playing Hannibal Lecter. Hermione froze with terror. The eyes in her head noticed and the voice came back, once more soave and cool.

'Don't stop!' it drawled.

Hermione pulled herself together and removed her underwear. The moment she was naked a strange sensation swept over her body. It was as if the Devil was touching her everywhere all at once. The feeling was incredibly erotic and she felt her mind floating off into a dream of ecstasy. She could feel desire flooding every pore of her body and an irresistible hot wetness between her thighs. Never in her life had she been so turned on.

'Let me take you …' whispered the voice inside her head.

She was floating in a delicious dream and so close to saying yes that the word had already begun to form on her lips.

'No!' Snape cried out with the last ounce of breath in his body.

The cry brought Hermione to her senses. 

'No! That wasn't part of the deal!'

'It wasn't, but don't you want it?' said the voice in her head seductively.

It took all her presence of mind to turn away from the temptation, from the promise of boundless sexual gratification.

'No – I don't want it. I've stripped. I've fulfilled my side of the bargain. Now I want you to fulfil yours!' she cried.

'Humph!' said the Devil. 'Well, never mind. I can come for you some other time!'

And suddenly he was gone in a puff of red smoke.

Hermione began to collapse, but Snape had made it across the room to catch her before she reached the ground.