A/N: First off, I would like tp apologize profusely to everyone for taking so damned long to update. I have been suffering from a terrible bout of writer's block that has made me barely able to write a sentence a day for the past several days. It has been agony not being able to write, especially with all of your wonderful reviews and begging for more. Hopefully soon it will break and I'll be updating like a mad woman once again.
litachk9: Yes a terrible dream indeed, and possibly an insight to his deepest and most crippling fear.
Velvet Storm: It's going to be quite the tumultuous ride for our dear pair now, whatever will they do? ;)
decadentserenity: Thank you sweety, it's nice to get some support where Hermione is concerned. I will be the first to admit that I do indeed have trouble writing her, I can't quite seem to grasp her character. But you're right, and as I've said quite a few times now, this is fanfic, and therefore won't always be true to the original characters and setting, and well, no offense to anyone, but this is my story and I will do whatever I please with it. Ahh Lucius, how I love that character, he has the same darkness that draws me to Severus, but absolutely no saving graces, nothing to soften his rough and hostile demeanor, the perfect anti-hero in my opinion, and I can assure you all that he will most definitely be making some more appearances soon. Mmm thank you for the plushies and cut-out... I think I'll hump... err I mean save this for later. :D
Alakasandra: I know this probably isn't the setting you wanted either, but I hope that it once again works for you.
Severus-Fan: Trust me my dear, I wish I could see into the future too, these characters seem to keep running off and doing their own thing with no regard to what I want! However, I am sure it will become clear soon why Severus is doing what he is.
dubtheeunforgiven: Thank you so much, I was rather proud of Chapter 14 myself, not to sound arrogant of course! he he
slytherinsess: Of course it was, it's Severus :D but don't be too rough on him, he can't help being a snarky git.
Fairy of Fire and Furry: No dear, it's angst on romance so don't worry, I promise no imminent death of either of our pair. Who knows, there might even be a happy ending at the other end of the rainbow. And honey, I do hope you weren't crying on account of me! What happened? I hope everything is okay. You can always email me personally if you need to talk. Please do cheerup.. look Hermione and Snape action to make you smile:)
Sammy Cyanide: Oh yes, I definitely hate cameos too, if there is anything I would ask other authors to do, is please, please don't throw in a character (especially one as yummy and delectable as Lucius) simply for filler. These other characters deserve to be fleshed-out and explored just as much as the others, plus I too have a small Lucius obsession. As for Severus' mental health, I think it is safe to assume that it is rather unstable, he's pulled tighter than a rubber-band and ready to snap at any moment. And don't worry, no offense taken at your previous review, I was just a little snippy because I'd had the similar complaint quite a few times around the same time, most of them from my best friend in fact. But no, no offense taken, I appreciate your honesty.
sallene: We won't discover just how angry she is until next chapter, but you can bet Severus is indeed going to be glad that there is a rather thick door between them and she had no wand. Watch out for lots of cursing next time!
SilentWriter 32: Yes it did indeed get darker, and I think unfortunately will continue to do so for a while, now that Lucius is meddling in things it is only a matter of time before things get very nasty, however, never fear, I do plan on making this a happy ending eventually, I'm such a sucker for them he he.
CathRakka: I think you cursed me hun! ha ha I feel awful for taking so long to update, I was beating my head against the keyboard every day and still I couldn't break through the haze. Hopefully it will pick again soon, but also hopefully this gave you a chance to do some work on your own fic. As for Lucius recognizing Hermione, we can all be sure that he did, but well being the calculating and devious man that he is, he is most certainly going to use it to his advantage, just how he does that I won't reveal yet. And I'm sure Hermione's wand will turn up soon enough ;)
TheRealiz: Yes, this was a plot twist I personally wasn't planning on, but well they decided to run off without me and do this, damn characters. I think in his own way Severus already did have a moment of weakness, or several in fact. The little "show" that he put on for Lucius was definitely a weakness, there was no need for him to protect Hermione like that, he simpy could have handed her over to Lucius and be done with it, but instead he chose to stake his claim in regards to her, in a way telling Lucius "hands off." Also the semi-rape scence was most definitely a moment of weakness, probably not the kind you want, but weakness nonetheless. I doubt he will ever completely break down and confess his undying love, simply because I think it's too far of a stretch for the character. He does show softness towards her, but in his own way. And thank you very much for your second review, I really do feel terrible that I made you all wait so long, I was trying every day and achieving nothing and couldn't post just half a chapter. I am fine like I said, thank you so very much for your concern :)
Seph7: Good luck on your fic dear! Hope you get it up soon.
Taste's Like Home: Yes, I feel that his past persona is a very vital part of who he is now. You can't pretend those things just didn't happen and that that part of yourself will simply go away. He does have darkness within him that will never die as well as the goodness too. It is inevitable that everyonce in a while that darkness is going to make an appearance.
Phew! Okay, had a lot of people to thank and many more that I didn't, please don't take offense if I didn't thank you directly. Anyway, I promise I will try not to make you guys wait this long again. Please do keep the reviews coming, each and every one of them makes me smile and I love hearing your thoughts and critiques. So, enough blabbing from me. Enjoy!
Ice-blue, almost grey eyes filled her vision as blonde silken strands flowed over her cheeks, his long feminine looking lashes brushing against her tender flesh as he batted them lazily. Hermione could feel the heat of him pressed to her body, the soft silk of his satin waist coat, the silk of his cravat as it spilled over the velvet lapels of his frock coat. The soft wool of his outer robes slid over the bare skin of her thighs and hips drawing out a long breath from her parted lips. The soft leather of his doe skin gloves drew a tingling line down her arm as he trailed his fingertips slowly down towards her wrist. A small smirk pulled at the corners of his pale, full lips, his eyes glittering dangerously as he observed the emotions reflected in her up-turned face. A shiver ran through her body as he pressed ever closer to her, the silver knotted snake pin on his cravat digging fiercely into her flesh causing her to whimper softly in protest. With a heavily lidded gaze he watched her in a scrutinizing manner, letting the cold smile blossom on his lips as he purred silkily,
"Does it hurt Hermione?" His voice was like a tangible force, a physical touch that played along her skin, flooding her cheeks with heat while her entire body tingled all at once. Nodding slowly in reply she bit back a shuddering moan, her small movement causing his sleek locks to slide from her cheek, draping over the sensitive flesh of her exposed throat. "Good" he continued on in a tone dripping with venom while still sounding seductive and alluring. It took a moment for his response to register, Hermione's mind muddled by the dulcet tones of his voice and the culmination of so many sensations upon her skin.
Her startled response died in her throat as Lucius snaked his tongue across her lips, teasing and nibbling the rounded succulent flesh. Words of protest she had been about to say faded away on the tip of her tongue as her eyes closed slowly, her mind growing numb and quiet as she surrendered to the demanding mouth of the man above her. The feel of his soft leather clad fingers gliding down her arm towards her wrist was faint beyond the burning touch of his lips upon hers, the heated wetness of his tongue grazing across her lower lip blocking out the rest of the world. Sliding his tongue leisurely between Hermione's sweet-tasting lips and into the hot confines of her mouth he pounced upon her lowered guard, his fingers closing gently around her delicate wrist, guiding her arm up and above her head. Continuing to distract her with the stroking movements of his tongue against her own he shifted his weight to his elbow, letting his free hand trail whisper-soft down her other arm.
For several blissfully long moments he continued to explore her lips and tongue, feeling every inch of them with his slithering tongue, drawing the honey-sweet taste of her into his mouth. All the while his fingers gently stroked the palms of her hands, rubbing suggestively over her skin as he sucked her lower lip into his mouth, smiling in immense pleasure when she moaned softly against him. Deciding that the moment was right, that his new toy was ripened enough he swiftly drew her other hand upwards, clasping them both tightly as he muttered a binding charm, her wrists instantly drawn together painfully tight. Chocolate brown eyes shot open in bewilderment as she stared up into the chilling eyes above her, struggling vainly against the invisible bonds.
"There, there Hermione" Lucius crooned softly as he ran a hand down the length of her arm, over her shoulder and along the expanse of her exposed throat, watching with delight as she swallowed hard. "Now it is time for the real fun to begin, aren't you so pleased?" he smirked coolly.
"No!" she screamed in response as she immediately began bucking and kicking beneath him, her legs flailing wildly in an effort to push him away. However, her exhausting efforts were greeted with rich, velvety smooth peals of laughter as Lucius sat back beside her on the bed, resting his weight on his elbow as his hand cradled his head, his shinny spill of hair falling around him in a silken waterfall.
"Ahh, you look absolutely ravishing my dear when you fight so hard" he purred, licking his lips slowly, pursing them briefly in a grin of complete amusement as he reached over, placing a solitary leather covered finger against her lips. "Hush now child, I will not hurt you all that much, besides there is no one to hear your screams, they only arouse my need for you all the more" he said softly, in a tone akin to one you would use to comfort a weeping infant, but his tone meant little when his words were full of such dark promise.
With darkly flashing eyes Hermione glared at him fiercely, a deep heat infusing her cheeks as rage swelled beneath her skin making her feel full and bloated with it. In a sudden movement of her head she caught Lucius' finger between her teeth, clamping down as hard as she could, feeling a small triumph when she heard a growl of strangled pain escape from between his lips. In a flutter of black robes he had straddled her hips, his weight pressing her down into the mattress while his free hand roughly grasped her face, digging painfully into her flesh. All the while however, she continued to bite down on his finger, intent on putting up as much of a fight as she could in her present situation. Slowly an expression of calm spread across Lucius' face, his ice-blue eyes glittering like fresh fallen snow beneath the moonlight as he bent down close to her, his grip upon her face growing ever tighter, his clutching fingers pressing against her teeth through her cheeks causing her brow to furrow in pain.
"I suggest Hermione, that unless you wish me to pull out each of your teeth one by one you release me immediately" he stated in an unbelievably calm voice. He watched with delight as she processed his threat, considering it briefly before slowly opening her mouth and allowing him to withdraw his throbbing finger. "I'm glad to see that you believed me, have no doubt that I would have taken immense pleasure in your pitiful screams of agony, perhaps later we will see just how much you can bare before your Mudblood weaknesses cause you to faint" he hissed cruelly, knowing all too well that the stab at her heritage would wound her tender Gryffindor heart and incite her anger.
Effortlessly he hid his smug grin behind an expression of cool indifference as he watched her eyes flash with fury, a wild fire burning deep within her, a fire he planned to soon taste upon his lips. Lucius paused for a while, waiting patiently for her to throw a barrage of insults and venomous words in his direction and when none came he smiled down at her bitterly.
"No words Hermione? Do you have no insults, nothing you wish to tell me?" Resting back on his heels he looked admiringly down at the young and succulent body trapped between his knees, her back bowed ever so slightly by the raised position of her arms, thrusting her pert little breasts up towards him as if in offering. When it was obvious that she was indeed not going to utter a word he let the smirk of pleasure spread across his lips as he licked them slowly. Leaning over her once more, the shroud of his hair surrounded her so that all she could see of the world was him, he brushed his smooth cheek against hers, feeling the heat of her flushed skin against his own that felt more of carved marble than living flesh. Drawing his mouth close to her ear, he gave the lobe a not-so-gentle nip before whispering,
"If your answer is no, then I think perhaps we should find a better use for that mouth of yours, any suggestions?" A chuckle sounding like so many small tinkling bells filled the room as Lucius sat back on his heels once more, watching with great amusement as one of Dumbledore's oh so valiant warriors trembled helpless beneath him, completely at his mercy, or lack thereof. Moaning softly with half-mast eyes he spoke breathlessly,
"Ah how your fears incites my passion dear girl. Mmm, yes I will certainly enjoy breaking you, again and again…" each repetition of the word punctuated by the unfastening of one of the snake shaped clasps of his robes. Soon his outer robes lay in a crumpled heap upon the bed, his nimble fingers making quick work of the gleaming emerald buttons of his waist coat which soon joined his robes.
Gazing down the long line of his own trim body Lucius admired the sight before him, oh how the image of a trembling and terrified young girl drew out the ravenous beast within him, how he adored their screams, the taste of their fear upon his lips as he tore through their innocence, sacrificing their virgin blood to him. The only problem with that, he had mused on more than one occasion, was it meant they were only good for one session, after that he simply discarded them, casting them to his fellow Death Eaters, leaving them to do the filthy act of killing them, and leaving them to also clean up the mess. All in all, it worked to his advantage quite nicely, he would get exactly what he wanted and not have to deal with any of the following unpleasantness. Swiftly he pulled the dark emerald shirt from his trousers, tearing away the glittering serpent pin at his throat in his haste to loosen his cravat.
Hermione lay panicked and frozen, or at least appearing so, beneath the ominous man quickly stripping above her, all the while her mind racing to desperately conceive of a way to escape her apparent fate. She watched with angry eyes as the dark green shirt soon joined the rapidly growing pile of clothing, Lucius now bare from the waist up, his skin smooth and extremely pale, a fine dusting of blonde hair trailing down his chest and into his trousers, a few small hairs clustered around his dusty rose colored nipples that puckered slightly in the cool air. If he tries to stick… tries to put… put it in my mouth, I… I will bite it off! Hermione exclaimed mentally as she unfortunately drew a blank of what else she could possibly do in her situation. By this point Lucius was beginning to unfasten his trousers, his injured hand grasping her face roughly and jerking her head towards him, forcing her to look directly into his eyes as he hissed,
"Oh and Hermione, if I feel even the slightest scratch of teeth I will break your jaw without hesitation." Squeezing her eyes shut tightly in revulsion Hermione felt his weight shifting onto her chest, his painful grip upon her face pulling her head up towards him, something soft and velvety brushing against her lips as he whispered silkily, "now be a good girl and open wide."
With a sudden sharp scream Hermione sat bolt upright in the dark room, her eyes frantically searching the darkness as she swung her arms around her wildly like a windmill. Heaving breaths burned her throat, her eyes growing moist as she listened intently for the sound of anyone else in the room. The minutes stretched out slowly as she sat stock-still in the tangle of bed sheets, hearing nothing but her own panting breaths and the pounding of her heart in her ears. It soon became obvious that Hermione was thankfully alone, though memories of her disturbing dreams continued to flicker through her mind. Releasing a wavering breath she trembled, instinctively drawing the sheets tightly around her body, the soft kiss of the silk against her skin soothing and yet alarming at the same time.
The soft fragrance of herbs and musk that permeated the bed sheets floated up to her nostrils, flooding her mind with the thought of one man in particular, a man she had learnt to both fear and despise over the years, a man who delighted in torturing her friends, and well really any student, in a blatantly childish display every time he deducted house points. His bitterly sneering face lingered in her mind, the mere thought of it making her own face twist into a sneer of contempt, and yet… she shuddered as thoughts of the previous night crept into her mind. Guilt swept through her like a tidal wave, a flush of embarrassment rising in her cheeks though there was no one there to see it, nor to see how she bowed her head slowly, drawing her silk wrapped legs tightly to her chest. Wrapping her arms tightly around her knees she rested her forehead upon them, her breath hot and heavy as it flowed across her own skin.
It was there, wrapped in her own self-pity and shame that she remembered how the disgusting and frightening dream of Lucius had begun. After Severus had left her alone, weeping loudly and helplessly upon the bed, fighting back the fear of the man in whom her safety had been placed she had curled into a tight ball, burying her face in the folds of the thick velvet duvet. As soon as she had done so, the scent of him had surrounded her once again, the entire room permeated with the raw fragrance of him, one that was uniquely his own. It conjured images of herbs being gathered in the Forbidden Forest by moonlight, the sweltering heat of the dungeons in the summer when a dozen cauldrons brewed, the silken feeling of his fingers across her skin, the heat of his chest against her arm as he cradled her protectively, the dizzying scent that clung to his neck. At that recollection she had frozen like a deer caught in the eyes of its prey, her eyes growing large and filled with surprise at her own traitorous thoughts.
Sweeping the mental images of him aside she had tried to focus upon the revolting, cruel and savage man that he really was, bringing up every memory she had of a cruel word, a chilling look, a scolding glare and vicious whisper. But it did little to sooth the turmoil that had begun in her at that instant, no matter how much she had fought to see him in a dark and unforgiving light she could not forget the feel of his fingers trembling against her, the soft brush of his hair over her cheeks nor the way he had shuddered when she moaned so sincerely at his ministrations. I am going mad! she had exclaimed, I have truly lost my mind. How could I possibly have such thoughts about him? He is vile, wicked and cruel, needlessly so. How could I feel anything but contempt and hatred for such a man, a man that… a man that touched me as no other ever has, a man that made me feel such heat as though I stood in amidst roaring flames, a man… a man that almost raped me! her mind had shot back in defense, trying to rid itself of the passionate thoughts and focus upon the anger that still sat as a heavy knot in her stomach.
"Oh how I hate him" Hermione had growled in anger as she lay back upon the bed, staring up at the ceiling, watching the candlelight flicker across the rough stone. After a short while her eyes became heavy and unfocused as sleep had finally come to claim her. Sinking down into a deep sleep, dreams came fast and quick to smother her…
She awoke with a start, rising slowly from a restless sleep, her entire body aching and sore, eyes squinting against the pale candlelight that continued to dance and jump in the ever-present draft that swirled through the dungeons. With a small gasp she saw Severus standing in the doorway, the long black line of his arm resting on the doorframe while his other hand slowly toyed with the folds in his robes. As Hermione opened her mouth in a vicious warning for him to stay away from her, his lithe hand rose from his robes, a single delicate finger pressing against his thin lips as he whispered,
"Shh, don't say anything Hermione…" his voice trailing away in silken tones. With a loud rustle of fabric, his outer robes slid from his shoulders, piling around his feet in a large black cloud. Hermione sat frozen and speechless as she looked at the man standing before her, the long frock coat clung snuggly to his sleek form, the long tapered sleeves molding to the lithe muscles in his arms, the seemingly unending line of buttons gleaming in the light of the solitary candle. In several long and gliding steps Severus stood within mere inches of the bed, a raw passion emanating from him in rippling waves of power, his eyes alight with a raging fire of need. Hermione's breath halted in her throat as she looked up into his shadowed face, only the glittering surface of his eyes visible as he reached out a lithe and pale hand towards her.
Shuddering from head to toe she exhaled shakily, her eyes unable to leave his as she felt the warmth of his fingers trailing up her extended leg, memories of his touch between her thighs and his breath upon her neck causing her own eyes to flash wildly with passion. Resting one knee on the edge of the bed Severus placed his free hand beside her hip, the thick veil of his hair flying back over his shoulders for an instant as he shook it from his face, the slow movement of his tongue across his lips inciting another gasping breath from her. Her body was like a taunt bow string, thrumming silently to an inaudible symphony, she the instrument and he the extremely skilled musician, playing her so easily. Gently gliding fingers flowed over her creamy flesh, following the curve of her calf, up to the tender spot at the back of her knee that brought moans from her that made his heart tremble and his stomach clench with a consuming desire to devour her. Skipping over her skin like the minute feet of pixies he watched her intently as she shuddered, moaned and strained beneath his ministrations, each soft rush of breath over her lips only drawing him on all the more, feeding the beast that dwelled deep within him, the beast that craved the taste of her, the scent of her flesh and the warm expanse of her thighs wrapped tightly around him.
Emitting a low and rumbling growl he slowly placed his other knee upon the bed and began to crawl towards her, moving with the languid and silken movements of a great cat stalking it's prey, and his expression was not far from displaying that either. He seemed to glide towards her, the fabric of his frock coat drawn tight over his shoulders and biceps like a second skin, easily showcasing the muscles that rippled beneath. In no time at all his knees were pressed between her inner thighs, the rough yet warm fabric of his trousers rubbing against her skin until a deep flush flooded her cheeks and made him smile in dark satisfaction.
"You are mine Hermione" he growled softly, his voice barely above a whisper as he leant down closer to her, his coat brushing over her skin as soft as a kiss while the scent of herbs and musk overwhelmed her senses. Without any thought she found her arms moving of their own accord to encircle his neck, his silken hair flowing through her fingers as she drew him down towards her. She felt the soft rush of his shuddering breath against her face, faintly scented with rich and exotic spices, as the remaining space between their aching lips dwindled quickly. When his lips hovered above hers, painfully close and sumptuous looking in the soft light is when it all changed. Like a ravaging whirlwind everything was different, and horrifyingly so, where once was the black and glittering eyes of the Potions Professor was now the ice cold and haunting gaze of Lucius Malfoy.
Hermione whimpered softly into the safety of her own arms, shuddering with revulsion as she tried to shake the remaining memories of the disturbing dream from her still sluggish mind. Finally with a deep breath to steady her wildly fluttering heart, she straightened gradually until she sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, her eyes flashing darkly with a renewed determination stronger than steel. A scowl of annoyance was set firmly upon her face as she rose to her feet, hands curled into fists at her sides as she stalked across the room towards the door, fully intent on giving Severus a rather large piece of her mind, and then some. However, her plan came crashing down and her determination flared to anger as she closed her hand around the door handle and discovered that no matter how hard she pulled the door refused to budge. With her eyes glittering almost black in rage she pounded a fist upon the cool wooden surface and screamed with all the air in her lungs,
"Professor Snape!"