Chapter Four
Hermione hurried down the dark corridors, nervous beyond words. How she wished she could have borrowed Harry's cloak. But how could she have asked for it without arousing his suspicions? She felt as though she was being watched and wondered if maybe she shouldn't have gone. But, she simply had to check this out. She desperately needed to speak with her professor and try to get some answers.
She rounded the last corner and at last arrived in front of Snape's door. She paused for a moment to collect herself, and then, softly, knocked twice. The door swung open within seconds, but it wasn't Snape who stood before her. At once, Hermione, recognized the long silvery, blond hair and the nasty sneer as belonging to Lucius Malfoy. The blood from Hermione's face drained, and for a moment she couldn't make herself move. But she quickly snapped out of it and swiftly reached for her wand. Lucius, laughing, uttered the disarming spell, and Hermione's wand flew to his hand. Hermione stared, helplessly, in horror, unable to speak. It then occurred to her that the note must have come from Draco, outside Snape's classroom. How could she have been so stupid and blind? How could she have fallen for such an obvious trick? Lucius pulled her into the room and held her arms painfully tight so she couldn't move.
"Make one sound, and you'll regret it the rest of your life.", he whispered in her ear.
She quickly looked around, taking in as much as she could. The room was large and sparsely decorated. But Hermione couldn't help noticing the room's neatness and elegance. Snape didn't appear to be in the room so Hermione briefly considered shouting for him, despite Lucius' warning. But then a door opened at the other end of the room and out walked her professor holding, what looked to be, floo powder. Hermione knew everything would be okay now.
"Professor, thank goodness you're here!", she nearly shouted, a bit hysterically,"You've got to help me! Lucius took my wand."
Snape, however, completely ignored her, much to Lucius' delight. He laughed loudly at Hermione and put a silencing charm on her. Hermione desperately tried to catch her professors eyes, but he wouldn't look at her.
"Hurry up, Snape! We haven't much time. The Dark Lord is waiting.", Lucius hissed.
This couldn't be happening! Snape worked for the Order, right? Why wasn't he helping her? She had always defended Snape to Harry and Ron, thinking that any Hogwart's teacher could be trusted. Of course, now that she thought of it, Quirrel, Lockhart, Moody, and Umbridge hadn't been the most trustworthy of people. However, Dumbledore surely must have a reason for trusting this man.
Snape grabbed a cape then walked to the fireplace, finally turning around and looking at Hermione, with a strange expression. Was that sympathy, sadness, or maybe even guilt? It couldn't be, she thought numbly. If he felt that way he would protect her and attack Lucius.
"You go first, Serverus. I'll follow, with the girl."
It seemed for a few seconds that he would protest, but he simply nodded his head and stepped into the fireplace. He then opened his mouth to say his location, when Lucius stopped him.
"You fool! Not in front of the girl!"
Then Hermione heard Lucius utter a spell and everything went black. When she woke up she found herself in what appeared to be a forest. She realized that she must have had a body bind cast on her, because she couldn't move. It felt like she was leaning against a tree. In the distance she heard some men talking, though she couldn't make out their words.
The cold air chilled Hermione to her bones. She had no idea how long she had been there, and time was beginning to loose all meaning for her, when she heard footsteps approach where she sat. Someone stepped in her line of vision and murmured the spell to unbind her. It took her body a few moments to return to normal. She had no chance to even consider running when she was, roughly, pulled to her feet. She came face to face with Snape and gasped.
"Professor..", she said in a panicked whisper, after realizing that the silence charm had worn off. But that's as far as she got.
"Quiet!", he hissed at her. "Ms. Granger, there is nothing I can do to help you." he said more softly this time.
Lucius approached them with a smirk.
"Need help, Severus?", Lucius purred.
Snape glared at him and started walking in the direction Lucius had just come from, pulling Hermione with him. There was a large clearing in the woods filled with hooded figures. In the center was a roaring fire. As they drew closer Hermione again gasped. Directly ahead of them stood Voldemort. She had never seen him before but instantly recognized his snakelike face, from Harry's descriptions. Hermione was more terrified than she had ever been in her life, but somehow she was unable to look away from his red, demon like, eyes. Then the Dark Lord spoke.
"So this is the girl closest to Potter. If the prophecy is correct, her child will present a way in which to defeat him." he said in a slow, quiet voice. "Lucius, I have decided to reward you for your services and allow you to father the child. You will do so now."
"My Lord, I humbly thank you for this great honor." he said, though his voice didn't sound as confident as it normally did.
Hermione was in shock and could hardly process a word that had just been said. This was madness! What kind of prophecy was this? Did Voldemort just say that Lucius was to father her child? She wildly looked around for a way out. Her eyes finally rested on Lucius. He was no longer smirking and looked a bit uncomfortable with the task he had just been asked to carry out. He stepped toward her and forced her to the ground. It was then that Hermione began sobbing. The Death Eaters formed a circle around her. She heard Lucius cast a fertility charm on her and he began his task. Hermione cried louder and looked up into the faces of the hooded people surrounding her until she found Snape. He was looking into her eyes, stone faced.
"Professor, please help me, please! I'm begging you! Help me!" He then closed his eyes tightly, as if in pain, and turned his head away from her.
It was then that it finally dawned on Hermione that she was truly on her own and would receive no help from her professor. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to shut out what was happening. She had never felt so scared, humiliated, and alone in her life.
After what seemed like a lifetime, Lucius got up. Hermione covered herself, as best as she could, but remained on the ground. Voldemort again spoke.
"Severus, you will take her back to the school and watch over her. We can't risk any problems with the pregnancy. She will live with you from now on. Her presence there must remain secret from Dumbledore and the rest of the school. Now leave!" And he-who-must-not-be-named turned and with a flash of light disappeared.
Snape bent down and helped Hermione to her feet. Then he put the cape, he had brought, around her shoulders. She wouldn't look into his eyes but allowed herself to be led away. They stopped a few feet from the clearing and Snape cleared his throat.
"I've prepared a port key. Put your hand on this pocket watch."
Hermione silently obeyed and, at once, felt the familiar tugging at her navel. Within seconds she found herself standing with Snape back in his private quarters. Hermione was at the moment going deeper and deeper into shock and though she heard her professor say that he was going to use the fireplace to call Dumbledore she didn't quite understand his words. Snape gently took her hand and led her to a chair. He helped her sit and then went to speak with the headmaster.