THE WOUNDED
CHAPTER 5
DODGEBALL
Hermione had finished her NEWTS this week. She was taking them months earlier than everyone else. It had been the Board of Governors decision to allow her to graduate early taking into consideration her situation with the death of her family, her attack by He Whom Must Not Be Named and her inability to be safe within the school.
Minerva MacGonagall had petitioned for it herself, due to Hermione's refusal to be transferred to the French school Beauxbaton. She only now had to await her scores and she could take on the teaching position for Potions. Although Slughorn would stay on as Slytherin Head of House until Severus Snape was able to be notified of his pardon and be allowed back his position inside the school.
Yes, Hermione Granger fully knew what it was to be like Severus Snape now.
--
"My Lord," she said bowing before him, kissing the hem of his robe.
"Mudblood, tell me what progress you have made," he hissed at her. The familiar tingling in her mind let her know that he was monitoring her for lies, but not digging into her mind as of yet.
"I have secured pardons for Draco Malfoy, and Severus Snape," she said. "I gave the scroll to Lucius Malfoy earlier this week to bring to your attention. I had not been made aware of your new location yet."
"Have you located them yet?" he said incredulously.
"I have no means to as of yet," she said softly. "I can only hope that Snape becomes infuriated at my replacement of him and comes forward to retake his position. I have been taking NEWTS all of last week. The plan for my early graduation and my apprenticeship with Slughorn went according to plan."
"So you have saved my spy," he hissed at her sweetly. "And become one as well."
"Yes Sire," she said softly.
"I sense fear in your voice," he hissed, his tone was apprehensive. "What do you fear?"
"I fear my usefulness to you if Snape does return," she sighed. "As I have said many times, I am here to survive this war."
"And you shall have more than just survival," he said. "I think I shall arrange a marriage for you, my sweet Mudblood. And your purpose will serve me well to keep my loyal spy, loyal."
"Whatever you deem me worthy of, my Lord," she said with a sigh. "But the Order is beginning to question my loyalties, marrying Snape will only confirm their suspicions. Is there any way I can prove myself to them?"
"Of course," he hissed. "I have prepared for this. Come my sweet. We have much to discuss. Lucius! Come, we adjourn."
Hermione stood and produced her wand and handed it to Lucius, as was the custom. She was not to be armed in her Lord's presence alone.
--
Hermione walked into the cottage. It was still in one piece, and everything seemed in order. She did not hear them moving about, but that was not surprising. With a sigh she moved to the kitchen. It had been recently used, so they were probably still here.
"Snape?" she called down the cellar steps. Nothing.
She turned and headed down to the bedrooms, there she found them. Draco was in his room, asleep. They must have been so bored here. She moved to Snape's bedroom and found him sleeping there.
"Severus?" she whispered. Usually he would wake at the slightest touch, sound or otherwise. Nothing. Worry creased her brow. "Severus!" she whispered harshly. This got his attention and he roused groggily. This was wrong. Something was wrong with this whole situation.
"Granger," he said mockingly. "I thought you had decided to go for good."
"Where is Crookshanks?" she said angrily.
"Probably in with Draco," he said sliding his feet over the edge of the bed and reaching for his wand. "What news have you got?"
"Get up and get dressed, I will talk to you in the kitchen," she said turning on her heel and walking out.
Several minutes later he emerged, dressed only in his shirtsleeves and trousers. His bare feet padded down the hallway, and she heard him stop at Draco's room and rouse him as well before entering the kitchen. She had tea ready that she was sipping quietly.
"Well, Miss Granger, anything of importance?" he drawled as he sat down. She placed a small package before him.
"The Dark Lord wants you back," she said sipping her tea. "I have arranged all I can, including sanctuary and safety for Draco."
"In hiding with the Order, no doubt," he scoffed.
"No," she said smartly. "In school, where he belongs. I have arranged that Draco will no longer be plagued with demands that he join with the Dark Lord as long as he doesn't get in the Dark Lord's way either."
Severus opened the package. She watched his long fingers that were so elegant to working potions work their magic on the seals on the package. Slowly he lifted each sheet of paper inside, his eyes scanning over everything individually before he looked up to her again.
"I have been, pardoned?" he looked at her incredulously. "That undermines everything Dumbledore wanted to happen!"
"I doubt Dumbledore wanted Him to get the upper hand. You have a chance to circumvent that," she said raising an eyebrow. "Dumbledore's plan is now moot. The Horcruxes are in our Lord's hands. Having Harry search for them over the summer was a complete waste of time," she shrugged. "Did he think that Riddle wouldn't go get them once he realized they were being sought?"
"I was sure he would go get them," he said. "But then again, what do you know of Dumbledore's plans even if I didn't?"
"I had to secure your pardon somehow," she said raising an eyebrow. "Dumbledore's penseive was one of the key parts of that evidence."
"I see," he said. "And so I am to go back to teaching again."
"Yes," she said smartly. "As well as a few other modifications to your status. Not that it matters overall."
"What doesn't matter?" Draco said from the doorway.
"The tea kettle is still hot," Hermione said as she stood and took her tea into the living room.
"Apparently she doesn't want to talk to you about it," Snape said. Draco looked dumbfounded.
"All right, I have had just about enough of this attitude of yours Granger!" Draco snapped storming into the living room. She didn't even seem phased. She did not look at him, she did not give one of her snappy retorts, she did not threaten him, or cringe. Something in her eyes was all too familiar. It was the same look his mother's eyes had all the years he was growing up.
"Get your things together Malfoy, pack your trunk. You are going back to Hogwarts," she said sternly. "There is no room for argument."
"Oh yes there is," he said firmly. "I don't know what you have been doing Granger, but it is not going to work. You are playing at something and I won't have it!"
"Oh you will Malfoy," she said as she slowly stood from her seat, setting down her teacup. "Or you will suffer the same fate I have, or worse. Did you know our Dark Lord likes little boys? No, I bet you didn't. He is rather androgynous that way. He'd like nothing more than to see you bent over that neat metal cage he has in his private quarters. Strapped down and wailing like a girl as he anally impales you over and over to his every delight. You are weak, Malfoy, weak and in no way tied to his final plans to conquer the sodding world. So be a good boy, go back to where you are safe, where Professor Snape can protect you from the evils of the world and you can go back to being the Sex God of Slytherin, seducing girls on the weekends and trying to beat Potter at Quidditch!"
"You dare!" he started. "The Dark Lord has no such intentions for me!"
"Oh you are a prat. You do not figure into his plans you insipid child!" she snapped back. "You are nothing to him! You are a pawn, a toy, and a means to an end! And when you couldn't even kill a sick, and poisoned wizard you proved you were fucking useless!" She had smugness in her eyes that dared him to bring it further.
"What? Did you think you would sit at his right side? Did you think you would have a purpose? No, he saw right through your plan to over ride him by divulging his lineage!" Those words made him take a step back. "He is a half blood, you knew that. You were going to use it against him. Damnit you stupid prat, they all knew that!"
"My father will hear of this, Granger," he spat.
"For your sake, he had better not," she said in a low threatening tone. "I am trying to save your skin here Malfoy! The Dark Lord wants the Malfoy line to die out or he wants to control it completely! Greyback thinks you cannot breed, leave it that way!"
He stumbled back, sitting down on the chair like she had struck him.
"Is it true?" he looked at Snape with unshed tears.
"Yes," he said sternly. "He wanted you out of the way. Either dead or in Azkaban."
"Why?" he said. "I wasn't able to even join, how would he know if I was loyal or not?"
"Because you ran your mouth off," Snape said incredulously.
All the scathing comments in Slytherin Common Room had made it back to the Dark Lord. All the things he had said just to make himself look better in the eyes of his peers had cost him his future.
"Why did he take you Granger?" he asked looking back up at her.
"He didn't have Snape on the inside anymore, he needed new eyes," she said waving her had dismissively. "Now that Snape is back, it will be my job to "keep him in line" because you know how badly I hate the man." Her tone was so sardonic it paled what Snape normally used.
Snape turned his head to her sharply. Surely she wasn't implying that she was to keep him in line with the Dark Lord. Then again, that very well may be the case.
"How precisely are you to keep me in line, Miss Granger?" he said raising an eyebrow.
"Well, having a marked Death Eater makes sure I do not miss the meetings when someone cannot be sent to pick me up," she said looking at him. "And for me to be near you when the calls come, I would have to have a reason to live in your quarters. The Dark Lord intends to force us to marry. But because I hate you so much, it would be in name only and would keep other suitors away from me. And keep Ronald Weasley from trying to pursue a relationship with me once I finally heal from my emotional scars of being gang raped by Death Eaters."
Snape gawked. Draco gawked even more.
"So how is it that you were supposed to find me?" Snape questioned. "Or does he know you found me already?"
"I haven't found either of you yet," she said smartly. "But I will. Since I will be tracking Greyback this week, and he will find you."
Draco shivered and turned his head again to Snape.
"No boy, I will not let him near you again," Snape said smartly. "Greyback and I will have a talk about that to the Dark Lord."
"Don't bother, as I said, I bought Draco's freedom as long as he stays out of the way of the Lord's plans and keeps his dick in his pants, because he cannot breed you know," she said strongly.
"Does my father know of Greyback's attack?" Draco said warily.
"He does now," she said waggling an eyebrow at him. "Greyback bragged to the wrong person in the circle, he told Wormtail."
"Who told the Dark Lord," Snape sniggered.
"Now, tomorrow Greyback will be looking for you in the woods near your old home. I suggest you get some rest boys, tomorrow I return Draco to Hogwarts and you will get to deal with the Dark Lord, Snape." With that she left the room to rest.
"When did she get so cocky?" Draco said raising a brow.
"Since she became a woman scorned," Snape answered cryptically.
--
"Granger," he said trudging through the woods, "this area has been searched a thousand times. Why would Snape come here?"
"Because he would think that way," she said raising her finger at him. "Snape would know that we would not search it again. Remember our orders, we cannot kill him," she said warningly.
"Shut up whore," he snapped back at her. "My orders said not to kill, it doesn't mean he has to go back intact. Plus, that boy is here too."
"Remember Greyback, he is mine," she snarled at him. "The Dark Lord promised all you left of him to me."
"Oh I remember," he chuckled. "Hate him so much do you?"
"Oh yes, and then some but he is going to pay slowly for his years of pain he brought me," she said with an evil twinkle in her eye.
They trudged on a bit more before the light from a campfire came into view. Two dark figures stayed near its warmth. Fenrir signaled Hermione to go around, flank them. She moved with a silencing spell to keep the leaves and sticks from making any noise as she went. This was not about to be pretty; Crabbe senior followed her so she had to make this convincing. Once she was in place, Fenrir purposefully stepped down on a stick letting it snap underfoot. Snape's attention turned with haste to Greyback wand in hand. Hermione took the cue and stepped forward in her mask and cloak and hit Draco with a stunning spell. The boy did not have a wand; Greyback had broken it in their last encounter. Hermione raised her wand to Snape, as did Greyback and Crabbe.
"Severus, old friend," the werewolf chuckled darkly. "We have the boy, you can probably save yourself and apparate, but I would not recommend it. Our Lord would like a word with you."
"And why has he not summoned me then?" Severus said incredulously.
"Perhaps he thought to send his latest toy to play with you first," Greyback motioned his wand toward Hermione.
"Crucio!" she spat, and Snape spun to face her before kneeling in pain.
--
It was intense! Who knew that the girl could harbor such hatred! Blood rushed into his ears as he fought not to crumble.
"Sevlicorpa!" she cried out. He felt as if a thousand thorns had been stuck into his scalp, which broke his concentration on the pain wracking his body.
"Crucio!" she cast it just as his concentration broke and he did indeed scream out.
"WHO are YOU?" he snarled as his hands hit the dirt.
"Just someone that missed you Professor," she said with a sneer he could hear in her voice. "Time to pay homage to your true Master."
"I never left his service!" Severus moaned out. "I have been loyal!"
"Oh of that I do not doubt," the girl's voice said loudly. "I am just getting even for six years of insults and self loathing you took out on me."
"We need to go," Fenrir said. "Crabbe, take the boy."
"No, he is mine!" she snarled.
"Yes, yes. You will get him when we get there," Fenrir said. "Unless the Lord said otherwise."
"I have a Portkey to get us there," she said with a hiss. "Take Snape and go, I'm leaving now. Crabbe, bring everything here with you. Leave no trace they were here!" With that, she removed a vial from her pocket and forced it into Draco's hand. With that familiar pull on her navel she was gone with Draco. When she steadied again, feeling tossed and torn from the inside out was never comforting; she was in the bedroom she was allowed to use from her Lord. Draco lay at her feet. He was starting to come around.
"Ennervate!" she said and Draco's eyes snapped open. "Wakey wakey." She said with a snigger.
"Where am I?" he said looking at her. "Who are you?"
"That does not matter," she said smartly. "The Dark Lord will tell you or he will not. He does not wish to see you at this time, and may not wish to see you at all. Be thankful. Usually he does far worse to those that fail him, eunuch."
Draco sputtered and shuddered.
"Your father will be sent here soon," she said firmly. "Might as well get yourself comfortable Draco."
"I do not believe I ever gave you permission to use my given name!" he snarled at her.
"I believe you are in my bedroom, and I will call you whatever I wish, Ferret," she said with such malice it was dripping from her mask.
"Where is Severus?" he said warningly.
"Oh pipe down, you git," she said dismissively. "Probably safer than you are right now. Now just sit back and wait for your father."
Draco sat on the bed, and put his head in his hands. This was all too much. His high status was reduced to nothing now. Snape had not corrected anything that Granger had told him, nothing. That meant that she was speaking the truth, and unless he wanted to give away that he was indeed intact, he had to sit down and shut up. Greyback had done a lot of damage, but he had missed all of the essential parts of his body, but barely.
The knock on the door must have come hours later, but Draco's thoughts raging had made it seem like moments. His captor moved across the room and opened the door, letting Lucius step inside. Draco stood and looked at his father. Lucius looked shocked at the well health of his son. He obviously had expected a lot worse than what was standing before him.
"Father?" Draco said hopeful. Lucius stepped forward and looked over Draco appraisingly. Draco took another tentative step forward and Lucius pulled his son to him. Hermione turned to the window, not to bear witness to the moment between the two.
"Miss Granger," Lucius voice was clear. She turned and Draco's eyes bugged out of his head.
"GRANGER!" he snarled.
"Good job Lucius," she drawled, removing her mask.
"I care not, no one would believe him anyway should he try to tell someone," he said waving his hand dismissively. "I do believe I owe you a debt of gratitude."
"Do not thank me yet, I have to take him back to Hogwarts," she said moving forward.
"Of course," Lucius said stepping back.
"Father! What is the meaning of this? I was supposed to take my place at your side," he said incredulously.
"That is no longer feasible Draco, you could not do the Lord's bidding. It took Miss Granger quite a bit of dealing to get him to leave you alive, be thankful for that," Lucius tone was warning. He did not want to talk to Draco about this now. "I will come see you soon."
"Yes, father," he said lowering his head almost in shame.
"Miss Granger, once my son is back at Hogwarts in the care of the Head Mistress, our Lord wishes to see you," he said sternly.
"Are you to see him again tonight?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, I am to go back there now," Lucius said firmly.
"Tell him please, that I will return after curfew. I cannot get away that quickly or I will be missed," she said with a sharp nod.
Draco looked at Granger in a whole new light.
"When you have finished, you my use the Lord's Floo and come to Malfoy Manor," Lucius said sternly. "There is much I owe you Miss Granger."
"Very well, Mr. Malfoy," she said as she looked to Draco. "We must go. Grab your trunk." She turned back to Lucius. "And that is Professor Granger, by the way."
With his most gentile smirk he gave her a mock bow. "My apologies, Professor."
Draco had gathered his things and was standing near his father now. Lucius turned to his son and embraced him again. Hermione would not call it a warm embrace, but it was probably warmer than Draco was used to. Lucius released Draco to Hermione and stepped back.
"Until later, Miss Granger," he said again with that exceedingly mocking bow and strode from the room.
The next Port Key took them directly to Minerva's office.
--
His mind was reeling. He felt like his scalp had been severed from his head, and the Dark Lord had spent the last few hours ensuring his loyalty, yet again. It was always this way. Pain was the great cleanser of the soul, the great confessor, and the great liberator of sins in the Dark Lord's eyes. And right now, his soul could barely get any cleaner. The only specks of his pain left, and no amount of pain could cleanse them were the Order, and Hermione. Everything else had been laid bare before his Lord. And now, he was given respite from the torture as his confessions had brought his Master's ire upon another, one Fenrir Greyback.
--
Hermione appeared as she had been instructed to just shortly after 10 pm. She moved quickly to the circle to stand slightly behind the other Death Eaters. She was not technically one of them and was not allowed ringside seats to Greyback's punishment. Which overall, was fine with her.
Greyback was writhing in his chains as she approached. But her approach had not gone unnoticed.
"My sweet, do come forward," he hissed reverently. She waited as the two before her stepped aside and allowed her forward. They always stepped aside, they all had this grand idea that if they did they would be in their Lord's better light. Foolish Imps was one name she had called them all on random occasions. She went to her 'Master' and kowtowed to the floor, bowing her head to his robes, rather than pick up the hem and kiss them as the others did. She could fake humility if it ended this damn war sooner. "Look at the two I hold before you. Severus Snape, once loyal spy and member for more years than he has been alive. Fenrir Greyback, once loyal werewolf with many contacts into the werewolves of Europe. Old and very wise of the people of his clans. If I were to offer you one of them to keep, which would you choose?"
"I would choose Severus Snape," she answered coolly. "My Lord."
"And why would you choose him over one as wise as Greyback?" he proffered.
"Why would I wish to take your powerful werewolves from you?" she said still with her head to the floor. "Snape's loyalty may be tense, but with constant supervision, he would not sway. Greyback would sway on a moment's notice if you were no longer his master. I would not deprive you of such a loyal follower this way."
Names and whispers came from the circle around her. 'Mudblood whore', 'Bootlicker', 'Brown Nose', were just a few she caught while straining to hear her 'Master's' voice over their incessant whispering.
"I should belong to Severus Snape," she said quietly. "For he is of purer blood than my own." This shut them all up. As if they could not believe what was being said out of her mouth. "I belong to you My Lord. I will do whatever it is you ask of me."
"Well said," he hissed. "And why are you mine?"
"Because I wish to live through this war, My Lord," she said reverently. "And you will win."
"Good girl. Rise and take him out of my sight. You will tend him, not that incessant nag Pomfrey. If I find that she is tending him, you will be made to pay," his orders were not to be denied. "He is to return loyal to me, and healed to work as the Potion Master he is."
"Yes My Lord," was all she said as she rose to her feet and moved to await the removal of the pierced shackles that held him in place now. Carefully made were these concoctions. A piece of metal that pierced between the bones of the lower arm and the lower legs preventing in totality self-removal even by wandless magic was attached to each of his limbs. Touching the mark to each manacle, Walden MacNair handed her a very broken but alive Severus Snape.
"Mobilicorpus," she cast at him and waited to be dismissed.
"Will you require anything from the Loyal Death Eaters?" he hissed at her.
"Only use of your Floo so I may answer a request to one of them," she answered quietly.
"Which has called upon you?" his tone was jealous and possessive.
"Lucius Malfoy," she said lowering her head reverently like a submissive dog.
"Ah, that is all well," he hissed. There was a pang in his voice that told her that there was something very wrong with this picture. Very wrong indeed. "Use the Floo and be gone."
"Thank you My Lord," she said walking Snape and herself to the fireplace. Grasping up the Floo powder she pulled Severus in with herself with a throw of powder and the announcement. "Malfoy Manor!"
Severus and Hermione stepped from the fireplace in Malfoy Manor to find it was dark, and very quiet. Hermione immediately snapped out her wand and lay Severus on the nearby Chaise lounge. It was too quiet here. This place was much busier than this last she was here.
A moan caught her ear, and she moved tentatively toward it.
"Mimsy?" she whispered. Nothing. Damnit! The moan came again, feminine and agonized. She took another step and heard the 'squish' as her foot settled in something wet on the floor. Oh no no no. This was very bad. "Lumos!" As light filled the room, Narcissa's form lay upon the floor with her back turned to Hermione, the wet material she had stepped in was blood soaked into the rug. Not good at all. Lucius would be back any moment.
"Stassis Corpus!" she cast over Narcissa, it wasn't the most savory of spells but it would keep any more damage from being done. A scratching sound was heard out of the corner of the room, and Hermione spun, casting before the enemy got the chance. "Expelliarmus!" The creature that barely passed as a human being hit the wall hard, his wand flying in the other direction than that of his body. "Accio Wand!" The girl had the creature's wand in hand before gearing up her next spell.
As the creature was recovering, one very perturbed Wormtail skittered and tried to get away by attempting to shift and get away. "Levicorpus!"
The rat quickly found itself being held up by it's back ankle in the air. It hissed and squeaked and carried on, but the spell held. Once assured he wasn't getting away, she turned and moved to Narcissa. She could find no wounds, but there was so much blood. Without a second thought, Hermione cut away the expensive robes from the pale witch and found the blood all over her legs, and apex of her legs. Suddenly Hermione's world got a little bigger, she wasn't alone. With a deep sigh, she began the same spells she had used to save her son on his mother.
It was almost an hour of this when she heard the whoosh of the Floo and turned to see Lucius step from the flames. By this time Narcissa was wrapped up tightly and sleeping soundly. Potions that Hermione always carried with her for her own good now came into play into Narcissa's system.
She was tending Severus, when the heavy thud of Lucius' cane hit the hearth.
"What is the meaning of this?" he snarled.
"I have not had time to seek out your house elves, none answered my call. Your wife was attacked, by Wormtail apparently," she sighed pointing her wand at the dangling rat. Lucius took sight of the dangling man, who had shifted back when Lucius arrived hoping it would break the powerful hold spell, but again to no avail. The rat just whimpered piteously.
"I had orders! She was going behind your back! Sneaking around she was!" Wormtail whimpered horribly. "Seeing a specialist as Saint Mungo's she was!"
Lucius sighed and moved to the simpering man.
"Miss Granger, release him at once," he said sternly. Hermione raised and eyebrow.
"Liberacorpus!" she said with the proper flick of her wand. The man came down heavy on his shoulders.
"You are going to pay for attacking me Mudblood!" Peter voiced rather loudly.
"Actually, you and I are going to see our Lord right now," Lucius said, grabbing up the rat by his ear and dragging him to the lobby.
"Lucius!" he turned to face a red faced Hermione. "The damage was done rather cruelly. I think she is the same as Draco now." Hermione said with tears in her eyes. "I am sorry."
"What!" he looked at the rat again and murder was written in those dark stormy eyes. The 'orders' the rat was under were finally playing out in full in his head. He dropped the rat as if daring him to run. Daring it to give him a reason to kill him on the spot. But wisely the rat did not run. "Shall we go discuss these orders with the Dark Lord then?" The cordial measure in his voice was uncanny. He turned his glare to Hermione, and it softened, only slightly. "You may have use of anything in the Manor you require to tend to my wife and Severus. I shall return soon."
Hermione only nodded as they Apparated.
Hermione went back to Severus and Narcissa. Narcissa was whimpering and her nightmares were horrendous. Hermione wiped her brow with a cool cloth for over two hours. She began to worry what was taking so long for Lucius to return. Surely the Dark Lord did not have plans to kill the man just yet. Severus was awake now, and trying to stretch and use his limbs once again.
"I am sorry you had to wait so long. I could not get away before curfew, Professor," she said quietly.
"How is she?" he asked.
"Her nightmares are stuff the Dark Lord dreams of, I am sure," she sighed. "She will never be whole again."
"What happened to her?" he asked.
"Wormtail removed part of her reproductive system by force," he replied. "And I think Lucius is probably having the same done to him as we speak."
Severus sighed. "Do you know your way around the Manor?"
"No," she said as she pressed the cloth to Narcissa's face again.
"Mimsy!" but there was no response. "Tinks!" Again, there was no response. "Miss Granger, please remove the silencing spell from the room."
"There is none," she answered. "I think Wormtail got rid of them first." She watched as Severus tested his legs and received assurance that Hermione's healing spells and the nasty rejuvenating potion worked completely before he headed down one of the hallways that led from this sitting room of sorts.
Hermione sighed and stood up, stretching out her muscles from sitting on the floor and letting her legs fall asleep. She thought deep about what was going on, if Lucius fell tonight, castrated and tortured or just made a tad bit more loyal through torture it could devastate everything. There was a small tickle on her mind that met up with the firm walls of her Occlumency before she turned on Snape.
"If you want to know, I suggest you ask," she said sternly. "There is no room in my mind for yours." With that she found a chair to sit in and wait while she watched Snape feed potion after potion to Narcissa's unconscious form.
It was a little more than another hour before a 'pop' let her know that Lucius was back. He strode into the living room angry, but apparently intact. She said nothing to him; it could very well be that this was not Lucius at all. Polyjuice was something the Dark Lord kept on hand at all times, she had just brewed some for him less than a month ago.
"How is she?" he set down his cane and removed his cloak. "And where are my servants?"
"I have been tending to Narcissa's wounds, I haven't left this room to find out. Ask Snape," she said with a shrug.
Lucius lay his cloak down on the chair and moved to Narcissa's form, looking it over with intense curiosity to her injuries, but his eyes did not show concern. This unsettled Hermione as she looked to Snape, who was busy studying Lucius. It would seem they both had the same thought.
"Diffindo Dermis!" Hermione called out and Lucius grabbed his face and fell over holding it tightly. "Accio Cane!" she called as Lucius' cane flew to her hand. Blood rolled over Lucius hand; the hex had cut deeply into his face. "Now, who ever you are you will have a deep scar to answer for when you take your true form. Where is Lucius?"
Snape looked at the man lying on the carpet panting for breath. He leaned over him and pulled several vials of polyjuice in their blue bottles from his trouser pocket, and two more that he didn't immediately identify.
"This is a long term job, he has enough polyjuice here to remain Lucius Malfoy for a week or more," he said sternly.
"Can you find out if he knows where Lucius is?" she said raising an eyebrow.
"Can … never… get one… over on you… Hermione…" the panting figure said. "Who would have… thought you … had studied … the man so … much…"
"Snape?" she looked at him and he nodded. They both knew at that moment, Wormtail had tried to turn sides, yet again. The Order was at fault for this and they had Lucius.
"I'll go, I want to know who this bastard is anyway," she said snarling. She walked over the man casting a Mobilicorpus and making him walk with her to the lobby. "Do not leave her alone in case Wormtail comes back. I have a feeling his orders came from somewhere other than the Dark Lord." Snape nodded as she dragged this man out and apparated to 12 Grimmald Place.
--
Moody was a bit alarmed to see a badly bleeding blonde wizard thrown at his feet as she appeared. Her hair wild and her stance incredibly angry, her wand deftly in her hand.
"Who is that?" she hissed angrily.
"What is the meaning of this Granger?" his gruffed back at her.
"Trying to implicate in another spy? Don't you have enough juggling to do? Do I not keep you busy enough?" she huffed angrily. "It took me thirty seconds to realize this was not Lucius Malfoy. How long do you think it would have taken the Dark Lord? You Moron!"
Tonks was already at the blonde wizard's side, tending to the slicing hex that had marred his beautiful face. Further answer that this was indeed not Malfoy. Molly ran in carrying rags and a basin as well as a few potions.
"I am warning you Moody, if you ever believe Wormtail over me again, I am walking on this whole deal. Do you understand me?" she hissed angrily.
"No walking unless you enjoy Azkaban, Miss Granger," he laughed at her. Molly looked at him puzzled.
"What is he talking about Hermione?" she looked at the angry girl before him. "Why are you so angry about this?"
"Sweet Jesus Molly! He hasn't told you anything has he? Of course not, you might not approve," Hermione rolled her eyes at the naïve witch staring at her. She just turned her icy gaze back to Moody. "Now, I will warn you once more, where is Malfoy?"
"Locked up downstairs, under interrogation," he scoffed.
"Great, you do realize that you just made this get ugly, right? You want to make yourself into another Albus Dumbledore you just keep right on going. But I will be smart enough not to kill you Moody. Maim you, probably. You are extremely foolish to try and pull this stunt!"
"Wormtail brought him here," Moody gruffed.
"Wormtail!" Molly turned an evil eye on Moody now. "You let that… that… thing in here?" Molly was rising to her feet. "You are consorting with that bastard! You are daring to use his information to get Lucius Malfoy here?"
"Good thing the interrogation room is soundproof or you may have just tipped our hat Molly," Hermione said firmly. "Now, I am going to 'liberate' Mr. Malfoy. Give him the whole crying spy bit, and you are going to let me. If you don't, I can guarantee you that you will have a hundred Death Eaters here within the hour if they are not already on route. How long do you think your precious wards will hold then?"
"Tom let his rot in prison once, he'll do it again," Moody snorted.
"You fool! No he will not! You have no idea what you are talking about do you? Step away Moody," she said firmly. "Mr. Malfoy needs to be liberated at once or you will not only blow my cover, but Severus' as well. Now step away and do not ever do something on a whim like this again! Where is Wormtail now?"
"Downstairs doing the interrogation," Moody started as he watched Hermione's eyes widen to the size of saucers and her body fly into motion to reach the kitchen and down the stairs. Her footsteps coming in rapid succession as she flew down the narrow steps and rounding the corner of the room behind the furnace. She halted as she saw the once regal Lucius Malfoy, battered and beaten against the wall and a wild eyed Wormtail cutting away the last of his clothing.
"What are you doing?" she hissed, her wand pointing at the rat. Wormtail looked at her with panic, his lip twitching furiously. His silvery hand reaching toward Lucius again as a moan caught her from the corner. Charlie! Damnit Charlie was supposed to be the witness to the interrogation, but Wormtail apparently had his own plans to carry out his orders. Lucius would live, just as his son supposedly was, a eunuch.
"Expelliarmus!" she called out and Wormtail's knife that he was cutting away the fabric with flew out of his hand while his body collided with the hard stone wall. "Levicorpus!" she screamed and again, twice in one night, the rat like man was dangling by his ankle. Moody turned to see the sight before him and drew in a disgruntled breath.
"What is going on here?" he huffed loudly.
"Seems Wormtail is still working both sides of the fence," she sneered. She approached the Rat and tapped her wand to his head despite his desperate flailing. "Obliterate!"
--
Lucius awoke sore and aching all over. Every muscle felt as if it had been torn off and replaced. He was warm, and in his own bed. He started awake suddenly realizing where he had been and where he was now. How did he get here? How had he avoided the attack of Mr. Pettigrew? How had he gotten home without his wand? His eyes peered around the room to find an attentitive Hermione Granger sleeping against the post of his bed, sitting upright with her head lulled off to the side. His wife lay next to him, sleeping seemingly peacefully. Confusion was reigning supreme. The bruises on Hermione's face, the swelling of some of her fingers was the only damage he could see at this point in time. She had obviously been hurt, but by whom? Where was Snape?
He lifted himself from the covers to find himself in one of his dressing robes. He pulled it tighter around his body and moved over to the other side of the bed where Miss Granger obviously was distressingly uncomfortable and sleeping. He started to move his hand toward her and in flash reflexes he would almost applaud he found her wand in his throat. Unseeing eyes began to focus on his face, and she sighed pulling it back.
"Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy," she sighed. "I should not have fallen asleep."
He heard Narcissa whimper then settle back into sleep. He gave an ushering of hands to ask her to step from his room and she nodded getting up and leaving the area quickly so he could dress more appropriately.
Lucius found Severus and Hermione eating in the sitting room, it had been cleaned thoroughly. And now breakfast and tea was laid out. They seemed to have been awaiting his arrival.
"Good morning," he said noncommittally. He took his seat and looked at both of them extremely puzzled. "Do I dare ask how I am to be in my home? And how it is I am healed, and you are not Miss Granger?"
"I used the last of my curative potions on you," she mused. "You were in far worse shape when I got you home. I was healthy at the time."
"How did you come to such injuries?" he inquired.
"Ensuring to the Dark Lord I was speaking the truth about Wormtail's plan against your family," she sighed. "You know the old English adage, if you can't wipe them out, breed them out?"
Lucius knew where this crass conversation was going. "Or keep them from breeding at all." He replied. "Outlive your enemy, it is the sweetest revenge."
"Wormtail convinced the Order you would not be sorely missed, I managed to convince them otherwise. They sent someone here with Polyjuice potion made from your hair to try and be you," she said with a melodramatic wave of her hand.
"I must say, she was quick to react," Severus said smoothly. "She had whomever it was pinned down with a nasty slicing hex before I noticed it was not you."
"It was Shakelbolt," she said plainly. "I delivered him bleeding back to his Master." A wry grin playing across her lips. "I convinced Moody that he was playing this game all wrong. He was sure he had an easy way to lure out You Know Who, and put a quick end to this war."
"Foolish," Lucius rolled his eyes. "These wounds are from our Lord?" He bemused.
"Of course, I must prove my loyalty four times harder than any of you with the Marks. I am after all, Muggle Born," she said indignantly. "This is far less than I have received in the past. It is nothing."
Lucius sat and listened to her tale. He looked to Severus who just seemed to reply with a stern look that said do not challenge this. His eyes drifted back to the Mudblood before him and the question that had plagued his mind came to his lips finally.
"Narcissa…" was all he managed to get out. She looked to him, and for the first time since she had been brought to him, made a toy and a spy, and made to serve he watched the frigid ice melt out of her eyes. Compassion showed in every way to her soft demeanor. And he knew.
"Barren," she said softly. He watched her hand come forward toward his on the table, then recoil back. She placed both hands in her lap and sighed. "She is not unable to …" her eyes drifted to Severus as if she needed help wording this but even Severus did not know what she needed to say. "She cannot birth normally. If she were to conceive, she would require constant bedrest, no use of magic at all, no use of magic on her person, and absolutely no birth. It may very well kill her. She has very large scars, her womb is otherwise intact."
"You did this?" he said softly, almost reverently.
"When one cannot go to the hospital wing, one learns to take care of oneself," she said reassuringly. "I have studied more than most mediwitches or potion masters, present company probably excluded."
"And you are sure?" he sighed. He wished now that he had more children with Narcissa. That they hadn't waited. They wanted to dote on Draco before having any more if they were going to have any at all. They enjoyed their lives without children, but Draco was a necessity. They were not sure they wanted to do this again. Now he hated that they hadn't.
"Lucius, I am sure that a midwife could assist her, but it would be very risky and probably very difficult for her to conceive," she said softly, regret deep in her voice. "I knew something was up when the Dark Lord dismissed me, but it this he had planned. He had a very different punishment in mind for you and had told Wormtail what to do. This was his own doing."
"What was my punishment to be then?" he scoffed.
"You were to find Wormtail raping her, for trying to covet her from him. Not that he wanted her, but he read your thoughts the other night how you would never take the Mudblood. And he realized you had betrayed him in his own quarters when you had mocked his desire to see you take me," she sighed and looked away. There was no need for masks on this. She had been grateful for that night. He had told her how to survive this ordeal, he had told her how to make Voldemort happy. "Most of my bruises were for not telling him what you hadn't done."
He suddenly realized his folly. He remembered when the Dark Lord had probed into his mind that night after he had taken Granger's wand. Damn himself to Merlin's Isolated Hell! He had forgotten about her first nights here. He had forgotten that he was supposed to have already had her!
"I kept your secret," she sighed as she pushed her food away. "I know you would not lower yourself to take something as base as me, but I was grateful for that even if it was a twisted prejudice that caused it. It was not a prejudice that caused you to tell me how to survive. And for that I will always be grateful to you Lucius."
Lifting her tea she watched the fire crackle in the hearth. "The specialist was revealed by Narcissa herself to Wormtail. They apparently were having a discussion as gracefully as Narcissa could manage in his vile presence. Wormtail did not like her "looking down her nose at him" as she put it." She used her fingers to make the accentuation on the quotation marks so he knew they were Narcissa's words.
"Severus is there anything you can do?" Lucius asked almost pleadingly. Having another child without Narcissa seemed the last thing he wanted.
"There is no need, Lucius," Severus said balefully. If they were going to be in this for a knut, Hermione had dug herself in fully for the Galleon.
"What do you mean?" he spoke heartily.
"What he means is, that I was able to fully restore Draco. But no one must know of that, do you hear? The Dark Lord's last report was that he was unable to breed, and that made him angry enough. Give me some time, and I will report that he has sexual function. Your son will not give up his prowess at school, it would be too much of a blow to his Pureblood ego and the children whom have parents at the meetings will taunt him. I do not think Draco is wise enough not to retort and prove his sexual capability especially to Pansy," she said with a deep sigh. "And then he will want proof of it. Draco's child is intended to be his next body."
"What!" Lucius snapped and stood abruptly. This was too much.
"The original plan, or so You Know Who muttered in his pillow talk, was to have Draco succumb to a lust potion locked in a room with Pansy whom would be fed a potion to ensure fertility. Once the child was conceived, Pansy would be taken into seclusion until the child was born, then suffused with our Lord's. Well… shall we say… essence?" she explained as best she could.
"Pansy would be disposed of at this point. He has no need for her and he does not care for her company at all. He Himself is barren because his body is one compilated, not true to life. With a new body that is pure and birthed, he will breed his new line that will rule when his death finally comes, the ultimate immortality."
She thought for a moment before continuing. "Now that he thinks Draco is barren, he had to come up with another plan. Bellatrix is now the one that will carry and he is looking for the stud to his broodmare now," she replied. "He wants power and influence, so I do not know whom he will chose yet. Pansy is supposed to die on the next Hogsmeade trip to save him from having to deal with her betraying nature later."
Lucius looked almost desperately to Severus who simply nodded his reply. "I am afraid my friend, you may have just become said studding stallion. He will know of Narcissa's problem conceiving soon."
"It was already compromised by the champagne served," the Muggle Born replied coolly. "That is why she sought independent assistance and caught Wormtail's attention. I am sure the Dark Lord already knows she was seeing a mediwitch to create a Charm to assist her," she ticked. "I told you I would help you with someone that would keep this a secret," she sighed. "But I realize why you would not trust me."
"I apologize to you Miss Granger," Lucius said with no emotion in his voice. The betrayal read anger deep and fiery in his eyes. "Now, Severus, I will allow you to my private stores and you may tend her wounds if you please." His eyes reminded her of the day in the Department of Mysteries.
"Your house elf Mimsy would not allow me entry earlier," he replied indifferently. "She was quite allowable while she was punishing herself, but now she is adamant that I do not intrude."
"I see, I shall get what you need then," he rose and walked swiftly away.
"You told him too much," he hissed.
"No I did not," she replied. "One thing Lucius prides himself on more than his service to our Lord, is his family title and heritage. The Dark Lord put that in jeopardy, he will be more wary now. And Draco will not be called to become a Death Eater now, which ensures his line. Another thing the Malfoy line is renown for is paying their debts."
"One way or another," he snarled. "A Death Eater's wife belongs to all Death Eaters. Narcissa knows that. Why would he worry about studding stallions now?"
"Because, Lucius' prime hope is that he would take over when our Lord passed on," she smirked. "Now that hope is dashed for yet another child, one that will not know the love that kept Harry Potter in check all this time."
"Of course, it all comes down to Potter, doesn't it?" he sneered.
Hermione just sighed, this was not the time or place for an argument. She was not about to go on defending Harry to Snape, just as she had defended Snape to Harry and Ron. Lucius returned with four vials in his hand and set them before Hermione. She took one of them with her swollen fingers and looked at it. Then passed it to Snape knowing she would be unable to uncork the bottles.
Snape uncorked each one and left them for her to drink down. She did so without a grimace or a frown. The last one tasted wrong, and she turned her eyes to Lucius who sat with a twisted smirk on his face.
"Now Miss Granger, I think we'll have a talk," he sneered at her. Severus just rolled his eyes. "How long have you known my son was alive?"
"Since my first year at Hogwarts," she shrugged.
"That is not what I mean and you know it, now let us try this again," he said melodramatically.
"You know you are indeed even more sexy when you do that Lucius," she said with a wry grin.
"How long have you known he was alive since Albus Dumbledore died?" he asked again.
"Since Albus Dumbledore died, he's a stubborn prat and too much of a thorn in my side to die easily," she said mirthfully.
"Have you been in contact with him the whole time?" he asked.
"No, I have never been in any willing contact of Draco Malfoy. I avoid it whenever possible," she said raising an eyebrow. "And furthermore, I did not know of his condition until later, after…" she shuddered, and took in a sharp breath of air as the antidote coursed through her system. Thank the gods for muggle inventions, false tooth pockets were a common kid gag to use on Halloween for erupting blood from one's mouth, she had just put it to a more practical purpose. Vertiserum antidote instead of the fake blood worked wonders. "After he was pardoned."
"Absolutely amazing," he said with a raised brow. "How do you do that?"
"Do what? Breathe? It is easy, my diaphragm contracts and pulls downward forcing…" she was cut off.
"No, lie under Vertiserum?" he mused looking deep into her eyes. He found himself hitting another stonewall of her Occlumency. "How do you do that?"
She just blinked at him. "Lie? I believe that is firmly impossible to do under its effects."
"When did you find my son injured?" he inquired again.
"I did not, Snape did," she said truthfully. It was Snape that originally had found the boy injured, not her.
"How did you find out about his injuries?" Lucius sneered.
"Wormtail," she said firmly. "Greyback was bragging."
"Ah yes, Greyback. He did brag quite a bit about the attack," Lucius looked at her. "How did you know about Narcissa's attack?"
"I just felt unsettled when our Lord was so willing to let me Floo to your house, he usually would not allow for such a thing. Since it is apparent he did not know about the attack, I can only assume he thought I meant to seduce you," she said raising an eyebrow. "Anything else?"
"Where did you get the evidence to clear my son?" Lucius said quietly.
"Easy, Dumbledore left it behind, and all of this work I do for the Order gets me certain perks, you know," she said waggling her eyebrows. "After all Lucius, I am just a poor eighteen year old Mudblood that they send regularly to our Lord's side for a little pinch and tickle." The venom was thick in her voice. "They do not question my information in the least, or my loyalty. I am after all, a courageous, loyal and stupid Gryffindor who is too young to be messed up in this."
"Indeed," Severus said scathingly.
"Remember Mr. Malfoy, it was you who taught me how to survive our Lord. Do you honestly think me stupid enough to betray him? I like breathing, grown rather accustomed to it over the years," she grinned.
"Do you realize that you have dodged every question I have asked you?" he asked. His arms were crossed over his chest.
"Only way to be a good spy," she said with a smirk. "Severus, grab my index finger and my middle finger and pull please. The Skele-Gro is going to weave them crooked."
Severus pinned down her hand by the wrist and grabbed the two crooked fingers pulling them into place. The harsh snap of one of them made all wizards for miles sit on their hands much the way a man crosses his legs just hearing about someone getting their jewels injured.