Severus raised an eyebrow at the request, but granted it nonetheless. He
got up from the seat he was in, putting his book down on a nearby table,
and walked to the fireplace. Picking up some floo powder, he threw it in.
"Professor Una." He called out.
Within seconds, the fire lit up green, and Robin appeared. "Yes Headmaster? Is Hermione ok?" She asked with barely concealed anxiety.
"That's what I want to find out. Will you come to her rooms?" Severus asked.
"I'll be there in a jiffy." Robin said. The fire turned back to its original colour, before turning green once again as Robin appeared. "Is she awake?"
"Yup." Hermione said groggily, relieved that she used the floo network rather than the hallways. Korun would probably have suspected something if she was headed this way. He would have at least asked why she was headed for the rooms.
Upon hearing Hermione's voice, Robin turned and rushed to her bedside. "Oh the gods. Hermione, I was so worried." She hugged Hermione tightly.
"Robin. . .need. . .air!" Hermione gasped.
"Sorry." Robin said, loosening her grip, and taking the seat that Severus had indicated for her. "How are you feeling?"
"It's hard to say. I'm hoping to feel better after this." Hermione said.
"Now that we're all here," Severus said, "perhaps you would tell me what happened."
Hermione lowered her eyes to her hands, which were folded in her lap. Taking a deep breath, she began bluntly, surprising herself. "Korun raped me." She said plainly. The silence in the room made her tense and even more anxious, and she hugged herself. Looking up at Severus, she continued. "I was helping him with his potions yesterday, Severus. We were testing it after the final modifications, and he used the effects of the potion to attack me."
Looking at Robin, she saw the disbelief flicker in her eyes. "Excuse me?" Robin asked standing up. "Is this your idea of a joke?"
Hermione looked at her in shock. "Why the hell would I joke about a thing like this?" She asked in anger.
"Because, Hermione, Korun told me about what happened a last night. He came immediately after you left his office. Saying that you made a pass at him while you were working and he rejected you." Robin said. "And than you told him that he would pay for it because no one rejects a friend of Harry Potter's. Besides, who wouldn't believe a war hero?" She continued with a hiss. "You are one sick human being."
"Than why did he tell Severus that he hadn't seen me since lunch yesterday?" Hermione asked.
"Maybe he was hoping that you would come to your senses and be reasonable." Robin replied, sneering. "Looks like he was expecting way too much." With that, Robin stormed to the door of the room, and left with a slam of the door.
After Robin's abrupt departure, Hermione remained staring in shock at the door.
"Hermione." Severus called gently, and in barely controlled anger. "I'll need you to give me all the details." Hermione came out of her shocked state and looked at him. Eyes downcast, she nodded her agreement.
"We were in the potions lab," she began shakily. "We've been working on a potion that would aid in telekinesis. Yesterday, the experiments appeared to be a success, and he decided to be the test subject for the finished product." Taking a breath, she continued. "He called my quill from across the room, and it went to him. Deciding that I should record the observations, I walked to the parchment when he reminded me that I would need a quill. I turned back to get it, but he held out his hand, and. . .and. . ." Her shaking increased.
Not knowing what to do, Severus reached out to hold her hand, thinking that any other contact may result in the same reaction that she had given him earlier in the evening. "Take the time you need, Hermione." He said. Pushing her would have only made her tense.
"And my wand flew out of my pocket." She said. "How could I have been so careless?" She asked quietly. Since her eyes were still looking down, she missed the look of confusion and anger come across Severus' face.
"What are you blaming yourself for?" He asked.
Hermione looked up. "I've been through war for so many years, have been through so much training. I should have had a better hold on my wand. It shouldn't have been taken so easily from me. I should have been better prepared." Some of the old loathing returned to her voice, head bending back down.
"I will not have this, Hermione." Severus said, sitting on the bed beside her, taking her chin in his hands and gently pushing her to look into his eyes. "As much as you wish you could, you don't know what people are going to do. They are unpredictable and can do things that are completely out of their appeared character." He held eye contact with her. "Understand?" He asked.
She nodded, sniffling slightly as she held his gaze. "I feel so dirty." She whispered. "How can you bare to touch something like me?"
He said nothing, not releasing his hold on her chin, and slowly inching his face to her own. He gently brushed his lips against hers, and she gasped in surprise. Backing away slightly, their eyes locked as he came closer to her again. "Because you are not dirty. You are intelligent, although at times, too trusting. You care, and you're beautiful." Closing the distance, he applied more pressure on her lips, giving her a kiss that was chaste, yet something more than what was shared between friends.
She gently pushed him away, and averted her gaze once again. "I'm sorry, Severus. I can't do this."
He backed away, nodding his understanding, still seated at her side on the bed. "I'm sorry. It was inappropriate timing." He said. "Please, continue."
Taking a deep breath, she remained silent. When it didn't seem like she would say anything, he decided to ask questions to get her talking again. "Where did it happen?" He asked. He didn't want her to relive this, but he would be sure the bastard would get what was coming to him.
"In his office." She replied.
"How did you two end up in his office?"
"He used petrificus totalus to restrain me." She said. "Than he carried me in, and placed me on the desk." She said, still shaking.
"And than?" Severus asked.
Hermione couldn't take it. She couldn't get the words out, and finally broke down, holding her face in her hands. Against his better judgment, he reached for her again, and pulled her to him in a secure embrace. She tensed. "I won't hurt you." He whispered, and she eventually relaxed, bringing her arms around his waist. They sat like that for what felt like a long time, and her breathing began to steady. He loosened his grip on her, looked down at her face to see she had fallen asleep.
~@~
Severus had lowered Hermione down gently, and began to pace. He was furious. He didn't know what he was going to do. It would require thought, and. . .creativity. To think that he was betrayed by someone he thought he could sympathize with. Korun had hit where it hurt. He had been right at the beginning of the school year. Severus was ready to rip someone's throat out.
But damn it all to hell if he wouldn't rip a little something else out while he was at it.
There had to have been some planning in there. Any good potions master would know if a potion was a success or not simply by looking at it. They would never take the chance of testing on themselves unless they were absolutely certain.
After all, they were not stupid.
Planning was one of the things they did well. Potions masters were excellent strategists. Always the calculations had to be done, the ingredients examined before being put in, the timing checked and rechecked. But why was Korun so careless in the aftermath? Sure he had an alibi by going straight to Professor Una. But wouldn't it have been better to go to the Headmaster? Well, no actually. Considering that the Headmaster was also a former deatheater and knew the victim well. It wouldn't have been good for his story.
In his pacings, he began to try and find the warning signs. What oddities in Korun's behaviour would have triggered something that he could have prevented the pain Hermione was going through right now. But not one came across.
Until he thought about his trip to her rooms earlier. Before she broke down. Korun had looked worried, and he almost missed it completely. Just something in the expression. Granted, it was too late by then, but he hadn't given it a single thought. Than guilt ran through his mind.
He'd left Korun ALONE in Hermione's rooms with her just a short while ago. He came back to find him hovering over her. What did he say to her? He must have known she was awake.
He couldn't have done any physical harm to her this time. He would have been caught otherwise. Thinking of physical harm, he ran a charm on her that would indicate any wounds that would need to be healed. None showed, although there was a peculiar scar on her abdomen. He'd never seen it before. It looked like some Greek writing, but none that were familiar to him. When he cast the charm to heal the scar so that normal skin would grow in its place, he was surprised to see that nothing happened.
The scar remained.
He would ask Hermione later how the scar had gotten there (although it was obvious who had done it). He would give her a little time to come to grips with it. In the meantime. . .
There was some ball ripping to be done.
~@~
"So you understand?" A voice whispered.
"Completely. Is there anything else?" Another voice whispered.
"Nothing until I tell you. Is everyone ready?"
"Just about. And there may be a few more who want to join in." The voice chuckled.
"Excellent. The guest of honour will be there. I've made sure of that."
"The traitorous bastard will die. But when we're done with him, he'll wish we killed him sooner."
A/N:
I would like to apologize for the delay. The last few weeks have been hectic, and I haven't been able to get to work on this. Things have calmed down (for now).
I also apologize for the short chapter.
I'm also in need of beta reader. I've been told there are grammar and spelling mistakes in the story. Please keep in mind I'm a Canadian, and therefore use the Canadian spelling (example: Colour instead of color, honour instead of honor, mom instead of mum, and so forth). Please e-mail me or say so in a review.
~@~Aras~@~
Within seconds, the fire lit up green, and Robin appeared. "Yes Headmaster? Is Hermione ok?" She asked with barely concealed anxiety.
"That's what I want to find out. Will you come to her rooms?" Severus asked.
"I'll be there in a jiffy." Robin said. The fire turned back to its original colour, before turning green once again as Robin appeared. "Is she awake?"
"Yup." Hermione said groggily, relieved that she used the floo network rather than the hallways. Korun would probably have suspected something if she was headed this way. He would have at least asked why she was headed for the rooms.
Upon hearing Hermione's voice, Robin turned and rushed to her bedside. "Oh the gods. Hermione, I was so worried." She hugged Hermione tightly.
"Robin. . .need. . .air!" Hermione gasped.
"Sorry." Robin said, loosening her grip, and taking the seat that Severus had indicated for her. "How are you feeling?"
"It's hard to say. I'm hoping to feel better after this." Hermione said.
"Now that we're all here," Severus said, "perhaps you would tell me what happened."
Hermione lowered her eyes to her hands, which were folded in her lap. Taking a deep breath, she began bluntly, surprising herself. "Korun raped me." She said plainly. The silence in the room made her tense and even more anxious, and she hugged herself. Looking up at Severus, she continued. "I was helping him with his potions yesterday, Severus. We were testing it after the final modifications, and he used the effects of the potion to attack me."
Looking at Robin, she saw the disbelief flicker in her eyes. "Excuse me?" Robin asked standing up. "Is this your idea of a joke?"
Hermione looked at her in shock. "Why the hell would I joke about a thing like this?" She asked in anger.
"Because, Hermione, Korun told me about what happened a last night. He came immediately after you left his office. Saying that you made a pass at him while you were working and he rejected you." Robin said. "And than you told him that he would pay for it because no one rejects a friend of Harry Potter's. Besides, who wouldn't believe a war hero?" She continued with a hiss. "You are one sick human being."
"Than why did he tell Severus that he hadn't seen me since lunch yesterday?" Hermione asked.
"Maybe he was hoping that you would come to your senses and be reasonable." Robin replied, sneering. "Looks like he was expecting way too much." With that, Robin stormed to the door of the room, and left with a slam of the door.
After Robin's abrupt departure, Hermione remained staring in shock at the door.
"Hermione." Severus called gently, and in barely controlled anger. "I'll need you to give me all the details." Hermione came out of her shocked state and looked at him. Eyes downcast, she nodded her agreement.
"We were in the potions lab," she began shakily. "We've been working on a potion that would aid in telekinesis. Yesterday, the experiments appeared to be a success, and he decided to be the test subject for the finished product." Taking a breath, she continued. "He called my quill from across the room, and it went to him. Deciding that I should record the observations, I walked to the parchment when he reminded me that I would need a quill. I turned back to get it, but he held out his hand, and. . .and. . ." Her shaking increased.
Not knowing what to do, Severus reached out to hold her hand, thinking that any other contact may result in the same reaction that she had given him earlier in the evening. "Take the time you need, Hermione." He said. Pushing her would have only made her tense.
"And my wand flew out of my pocket." She said. "How could I have been so careless?" She asked quietly. Since her eyes were still looking down, she missed the look of confusion and anger come across Severus' face.
"What are you blaming yourself for?" He asked.
Hermione looked up. "I've been through war for so many years, have been through so much training. I should have had a better hold on my wand. It shouldn't have been taken so easily from me. I should have been better prepared." Some of the old loathing returned to her voice, head bending back down.
"I will not have this, Hermione." Severus said, sitting on the bed beside her, taking her chin in his hands and gently pushing her to look into his eyes. "As much as you wish you could, you don't know what people are going to do. They are unpredictable and can do things that are completely out of their appeared character." He held eye contact with her. "Understand?" He asked.
She nodded, sniffling slightly as she held his gaze. "I feel so dirty." She whispered. "How can you bare to touch something like me?"
He said nothing, not releasing his hold on her chin, and slowly inching his face to her own. He gently brushed his lips against hers, and she gasped in surprise. Backing away slightly, their eyes locked as he came closer to her again. "Because you are not dirty. You are intelligent, although at times, too trusting. You care, and you're beautiful." Closing the distance, he applied more pressure on her lips, giving her a kiss that was chaste, yet something more than what was shared between friends.
She gently pushed him away, and averted her gaze once again. "I'm sorry, Severus. I can't do this."
He backed away, nodding his understanding, still seated at her side on the bed. "I'm sorry. It was inappropriate timing." He said. "Please, continue."
Taking a deep breath, she remained silent. When it didn't seem like she would say anything, he decided to ask questions to get her talking again. "Where did it happen?" He asked. He didn't want her to relive this, but he would be sure the bastard would get what was coming to him.
"In his office." She replied.
"How did you two end up in his office?"
"He used petrificus totalus to restrain me." She said. "Than he carried me in, and placed me on the desk." She said, still shaking.
"And than?" Severus asked.
Hermione couldn't take it. She couldn't get the words out, and finally broke down, holding her face in her hands. Against his better judgment, he reached for her again, and pulled her to him in a secure embrace. She tensed. "I won't hurt you." He whispered, and she eventually relaxed, bringing her arms around his waist. They sat like that for what felt like a long time, and her breathing began to steady. He loosened his grip on her, looked down at her face to see she had fallen asleep.
~@~
Severus had lowered Hermione down gently, and began to pace. He was furious. He didn't know what he was going to do. It would require thought, and. . .creativity. To think that he was betrayed by someone he thought he could sympathize with. Korun had hit where it hurt. He had been right at the beginning of the school year. Severus was ready to rip someone's throat out.
But damn it all to hell if he wouldn't rip a little something else out while he was at it.
There had to have been some planning in there. Any good potions master would know if a potion was a success or not simply by looking at it. They would never take the chance of testing on themselves unless they were absolutely certain.
After all, they were not stupid.
Planning was one of the things they did well. Potions masters were excellent strategists. Always the calculations had to be done, the ingredients examined before being put in, the timing checked and rechecked. But why was Korun so careless in the aftermath? Sure he had an alibi by going straight to Professor Una. But wouldn't it have been better to go to the Headmaster? Well, no actually. Considering that the Headmaster was also a former deatheater and knew the victim well. It wouldn't have been good for his story.
In his pacings, he began to try and find the warning signs. What oddities in Korun's behaviour would have triggered something that he could have prevented the pain Hermione was going through right now. But not one came across.
Until he thought about his trip to her rooms earlier. Before she broke down. Korun had looked worried, and he almost missed it completely. Just something in the expression. Granted, it was too late by then, but he hadn't given it a single thought. Than guilt ran through his mind.
He'd left Korun ALONE in Hermione's rooms with her just a short while ago. He came back to find him hovering over her. What did he say to her? He must have known she was awake.
He couldn't have done any physical harm to her this time. He would have been caught otherwise. Thinking of physical harm, he ran a charm on her that would indicate any wounds that would need to be healed. None showed, although there was a peculiar scar on her abdomen. He'd never seen it before. It looked like some Greek writing, but none that were familiar to him. When he cast the charm to heal the scar so that normal skin would grow in its place, he was surprised to see that nothing happened.
The scar remained.
He would ask Hermione later how the scar had gotten there (although it was obvious who had done it). He would give her a little time to come to grips with it. In the meantime. . .
There was some ball ripping to be done.
~@~
"So you understand?" A voice whispered.
"Completely. Is there anything else?" Another voice whispered.
"Nothing until I tell you. Is everyone ready?"
"Just about. And there may be a few more who want to join in." The voice chuckled.
"Excellent. The guest of honour will be there. I've made sure of that."
"The traitorous bastard will die. But when we're done with him, he'll wish we killed him sooner."
A/N:
I would like to apologize for the delay. The last few weeks have been hectic, and I haven't been able to get to work on this. Things have calmed down (for now).
I also apologize for the short chapter.
I'm also in need of beta reader. I've been told there are grammar and spelling mistakes in the story. Please keep in mind I'm a Canadian, and therefore use the Canadian spelling (example: Colour instead of color, honour instead of honor, mom instead of mum, and so forth). Please e-mail me or say so in a review.
~@~Aras~@~