Allo! No excuse for being late on updating, just been lazy. But inspiration struck and I wrote around 9 pages in the last two days! So happy! But now I'm totally rethinking Hermione and Severus having sex. I just don't know. Tell me what you think. Personal comments are below. Read, review and have fun.

Chapter 14: There's Something You Should Know…

"Masquerade!
Run and hide -
but a face will
still pursue you!"

-Masquerade, The Phantom of the Opera

The pounding of his weight on his knees as he ran distracted Draco so that at first he was not aware that his mirror had come to life.

"Draco?" A familiar voice called. "Draco!"

He stopped in his tracks. Could it be? He reached down into his bag and removed the mirror. "Severus? Is that you?"

"Who else would it be?"

"It's been awhile Sev, I was starting to think you'd never call me," Severus' face loomed in the mirror.

"Draco this isn't a social call-"

"When is it ever? But you don't need to tell me. Eventually I heard about Hermione getting released. Good job. Is she around?" Draco adjusted the mirror so that he'd be able to see anyone coming around the corner.

"Draco, that's what I have to tell you. She's not here."

The air was knocked out of Draco's lungs, they felt frozen. "What do you mean she's not there? Has she escaped?"

"No, she's here, but she's not with me. Draco, she's with your father."

"She's what? Why didn't you tell me before? Why are you telling me now?"

"Because things have just gotten more complicated. Under Lucius' influence, I'm almost sure Hermione has turned."

"Turned? Are you positive? I mean, perhaps she's just really getting into learning about the Dark Arts. You know how much she craves knowledge."

Severus shook his head. "No, Draco it's more than that. It's not just spells and books she's taken interest in. Lucius seduced her."

"He did what?" That was not what Draco had been expecting. Killed, yes; tortured, definitely. But seduced?

"He slept with her."

"Snape, how could you let this happen? You let Hermione, the Horcrux sleep with my father, the bloody prince of Darkness!" Draco was trying very hard to keep from his mind the fact that Hermione was young enough to be Lucius' daughter.

"I did my best to stop it, but Voldemort's soul is manifesting. She's not the same girl she used to be."

"We always knew this could happen." Draco let out a sigh and ran his hand through his silvery hair. "We always knew about this liability. Are you ready to do what we'd discussed?"

Draco heard the tinkling of broken pottery. It seemed Severus inadvertently sent a salt shaker flying in frustration. "If I was ready, I wouldn't be calling you!"

Draco searched Severus' face. He'd learned the hard way how Snape looked when he was being less than truthful, he could see it now. "There's something you aren't telling me, I can feel it."

"I'm telling you all you need to know."

"I was just making sure you weren't going to do something rash. Now, just wait a minute. Potter, Weasley and I are heading to the headquarters now. Don't do anything before we get there."

In spite of the situation, Snape almost let out a laugh. Who'd of thought he'd see the day when his godson would be consorting with his sworn enemies.

"Shit," Draco hissed and Snape could see a disturbance in the leaves behind him. "I've got to go Severus. Keep in touch. And by the way, if the news will come soon, but I'm dead." And with that, Draco's face faded from the mirror.

There's something you aren't telling me…

It wasn't just Draco he wasn't telling. He was refusing to admit that he had feelings for Hermione. It disgusted him more than he could say. She was housing part of Voldemort's soul. Who knew, perhaps it was that part of her Severus was attracted to.

Snape shook the thought from his mind. He couldn't think like that. But he couldn't stop himself, and the more he thought about it the more he repulsed himself. How could he really ever know after all? He'd only began thinking of her romantically after she'd come to the dungeons, after she'd been infused with the Dark Lord's soul.

But did it matter after all? She'd slept with Lucius. That slimy, old…at least slightly older than himself Snape remembered, that bastard! He had taken advantage of her when she was most vulnerable. The very thought, the image Severus had of their naked bodies entwining in his mind made his blood boil. To think that man had his hands on what was his!

But Hermione wasn't his. She was no one's but the Dark Lord's. And the sooner Snape accepted that, the easier things would be.

LHSLHSLHS

He was losing her, he could feel it. Yes he'd gotten all of her physically, but it was not enough. At the first chance she'd run to her beloved Severus, so there was obviously something wrong. She thought he didn't know, but even in sleep, he could sense her regret.

All things considering, however, the night had gone brilliantly. It wasn't a surprise that Hermione had been a virgin, but the fact that Lucius had been the one to take such a precious thing from her only deepened their bond. And there was one way that Lucius could ensure that she would never want to speak to Snape again. Of course, it also risked their relationship, but that could be dealt with later. What would hurt her more, the fact that her former sworn enemy didn't tell her the truth, or her former and trusted teacher deceived her for more than half a year? Lucius was betting on the latter.

Hermione strolled in, looking as if she was deeply confused. Something had happened between her and Snape, that was for sure. But Lucius could use whatever had happened to his advantage.

"Fancy seeing you here." Lucius' voice shocked Hermione and it was as if they were brought back in time to a few weeks before. She huddled her body into herself before regaining the regal posture she'd picked up from Lucius.

"You scared me," she said lamely. "I didn't expect you."

"Ah, but the things that are most wonderful in life are the things we weren't expecting. Take you for instance."

"Me?" Hermione was the sex kitten of the night before suddenly. "Just what about me surpasses expectations?"

"Did you ever expect to be kept here for no apparent reason?" Lucius probed, steeling himself against her feminine wiles.

"Well," she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I won't lie and say the thought crossed my mind."

"But there was a reason you know. Other than you being Potter's best friend."

Immediately, Hermione became the girl she must've been in school. She was all questions and curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Tell me Hermione, do you ever feel you're not yourself?"

"Speaking in riddles isn't helping Lucius, get to the point!" Hermione was getting annoyed and Lucius saw her eyes flash. They became red and slitted, as if they were the eyes of a snake. She blinked slowly, perhaps even deliberately and her eyes returned to normal.

"But you never lost your love for reading. Perhaps that can help you now." Lucius strolled out of the room, a contented smile on his face. She'd realize it fast enough. All he had to do now, was wait.

LHSLHSLHS

tallgiraffe: Tee-hee. Next chapter!

SugarQuill Cutie: Yeah, Hermione can be quite the skank. As for the ideas, well this story is already a little too much like The Hooker and the Beast, I wouldn't want to add to that. But I do love Draco. And Severus. And Lucius. I LOVE THEM ALL!

Snarky4Severus: Actually, Voldemort is a lot more emotionally invested in this than you might think. He just has a rather quirky way of showing it.