Honesty and Absinth, Holly and Anger

"We're having a Christmas ball at our house?!" Hermione hissed at Draco as they approached the mansion sitting opposite each other in a horse drawn carriage on Christmas Eve happy that she was dressed to kill. "House?! You're house is so big, it must have it's own post code!" Hermione laughed. Her gloved hand rested upon his knee. "You'd seriously give this all up for Ginny?"

"Yes!" Draco answered without hesitation. He was dressed in black velvet robes, his growing hair tied at the nape of his neck. "You look amazing Her-"

"Don't call me that. Give me another name." Hermione placed her porcelain goblin mask over her face. The nose shot out beyond the mask, reminding her on a film she saw as a child. Labyrinth? There was a goblin ball. They all wore these masks. "Holly! Call me Holly."

"As you wish Holly. Very festive." The carriage had stopped and Draco had his arm extended to escort Hermione from the carriage to the ball room. Once inside her stomach lurched. Anyone who was anyone in the wizarding world was there. If it was him, how could she kill him and get away with it? "Come this way." He held her shaking hand, leading her to a curtained room that led off from the ball room. The walls were lined with mahogany bookcases. In the centre was a mahogany desk. "I'll go get him. Will you be ok?" Hermione nodded. "It might be a while. Hold tight ok?"

"I've waited long enough. A few minutes more won't make a difference." He stroke her bare face where the mask had stopped. "Forgive me if it's him."

"My condolences if it's not. For your hunt will continue." Draco left through the heavy velvet curtain.

It hit her like a tonne weight. What if it wasn't him? What if it was a V and it was just somebody acting on Voldermort's orders. Lucky she had stolen a small vile of truth serum from Snape's stock during another detention. The cool steel of the dagger itched at her thigh were it was fastened with her mother's wedding garter. The Hermione in the pensive paced. The Hermione watching was growing with fear. Something was wrong. She remembered the encounter. However what came after?

Too late. Lucius entered. An air of superiority that defined him even with the amber mask. Ignorance. Ignorance that was about to get him killed. All the present Hermione could do was watch and attempt to stop her heart from racing. He had no idea why he was here. Draco had told him he would join him in a moment. He hadn't expected the masked young woman. Eyes as stone, staring him down as if he was her prey.

"Child?!" He intoned. Approaching Hermione and the mahogany desk. It was the only thing that was keeping them apart. "My son will be joining me in a moment. We have matters to discuss, please find another hiding place."

"No Lucius. We have matters to discuss." She pinned him delicately to the desk and mounted him as if he was horse. For Hermione watching, she was surprised at how much speed and agility she had. Especially in such a restricting dress. Within the first second she had bound his protesting legs with a spell from her wand. She used the second to drop the contents of the vile down his throat while warning if he didn't drink she would rip out his tongue. By the third she had removed the dagger from her thigh and aimed it at his heart.

"Wh-who are you?" He whimpered uncharacteristically, his own porcelain discarded unintentionally. Hermione used her free hand to remove her mask, her hair falling out of its nest. The back and green feathers disappearing into whips of coloured smoke. Her face looked aged to him. He knew what had happened. What caused this pain on her face. "Granger." He drawled. "Why do I have the pleasure?" She poked him with the point of the dagger piercing the heavy velvet he was wearing. He rolled his eyes. He knew why she was there. "All you have to do is ask." His cold penetrating eyes met hers.

"Did you rape my mother?" She beat away her temptation to cry. She would not show the man underneath her any sign of weakness. He cackled confidently. She bit her tongue and pinned her free hand, her wand hand, to her side. Fingers itching.

"No!" He answered, his stare never altered. He was telling the truth.

"Did you kill my father?" Hermione asked. Frozen in her place. It wasn't him. Who was it? He was there that night wasn't he?

"No." He snorted. He was telling the truth.

"Were you at my house the night my father was killed?" It was heartbreaking hearing his negative responses. So many nights she had the dream of him saying yes. Her ripping his heart out right there and then. Allowing his own heart to be the last thing his dying eyes saw.

"No." He mouthed. "Miss Granger. I may be a cold blooded murderer. But I do have standards.... Raping a mudblood's mother is too low for me." Hermione snapped the dagger slashed the flesh of his cheek. "Ok. I deserved that."

"So. Does it have anything to do with Voldermort?" Hermione returned the blood covered dagger to the man's heart. He nodded. "What?!"

"A contractor and a prophesy ." He blurted and scorned. He was about to betray his master. She looked bewildered.

"Say what?!" Present Hermione cringed, (SAY WHAT?!!!!)

"Voldermort does not allow females to be death eaters. We had to contract one in. She took four of our men. One of them raped your mother, but only at her command." Was the penny dropping. Hermione dug the dagger further into his chest. It bit into the cotton shit. Soon it would be touching flesh. She wanted more. She wanted to know why! "There is a prophesy...." Hermione pressed harder. He growled in pain, he was procrastinating.. "Harry is not the only candidate to stop Voldermort permanently. There is an old prophesy that states a unity of the two great houses of Hogwarts will bring down a great lord." Both Hermione mentally counted to ten.

"I'm guessing this involves me and-"

"Severus. Yes." Lucius winced. "Would you please get off. You're quite heavy. And I really need a drink." Hermione thought for a second and dismounted. After all where could he go with his legs tied? Reminding herself he would pay for the remark. She made sure she clipped his balls with the heel of her shoes as she dismounted. She smiled so vindictively that there was no room for him to say a word

"I swear to you I wasn't involved." He hoped painfully over to a bookshelf where a decanter of green liquid stood. de uncorked it and drank from the bottle. "But I know who was. She was sent to stop your relationship."

"The Countess?" Hermione questioned pulling the bottle from him. She wiped the lip of the bottle dramatically knowing it would piss him off.

"Rebecca Lovelace." Lucius corrected. How could Rebecca have been at two places at once. Rebecca was in New York. Or was that why Hermione was sent to Madison Square Garden? "Amazing likeness isn't she?" He had moved to the curtain. He could sense her thoughts "Before you ask. I don't know how."

"So, you stop a prophesy and regain a minion?" Hermione questioned. Lucius nodded. "One problem. That prophesy is so vague. There have been many dark lords, and as for the house match there must-"

"You were the first in a century." Draco recited. "If you were in his place would you take the risk?"

"If I was him I'd beware a woman scorned!" The alcohol was beginning to take affect. She replaced her mask "Maybe it might not be prophesied that one pissed off woman seeks revenge and still kills him. But it's going in the history books. And believe me they are more reliable."

"Revenge of your mother, father or Severus?" Lucius asked as Hermione removed the spell. She moved into him. Reaching to his ear.

"All three!" Hermione whispered downing the whole bottle. "Stay off the Absinth" Hermione remembered vaguely before her vision went completely blurry.

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A quick clear up charm showed her a catastrophic turn of events she didn't know took place. She sat on the edge of her seat. Each breath catching in her chest....

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An equally drunk Severus had fallen into the curtained room a little while after Lucius had left. The present Hermione was now wondering is Lucius had sent him in to torment her. However he was in no condition.

"Vanessa!" He grabbed Hermione's hand. The present Hermione became worried. Nothing happened did it? "I can't do this." Both Hermione's were confused. "I don't want to propose to you. I love her! I love her!"

"Who?" Hermione had somehow been pined to the wall. She didn't like it at all. He thought she was Vanessa. She didn't feel protected. She felt venerable. It isn't my Severus, Hermione thought. Wishing away his seductive hunting glares.

"I know you look like her. But you're not!" He hadn't heard her. However his response answered her question. "You say she doesn't feel the same? Are you certain?" Hermione didn't answer. His lips were brushing her collarbone. Hermione felt a rush of adrenalin. She felt him rise and harden. Her Severus had never once lost control. He had known she wasn't ready for that kind of relationship with him. How such a chaste secret of his could mean he'd lost his chastity. His attraction of her was no longer of intelligence but of lust. He thinks I'm Vanessa. Hermione argued. "Your skin may feel the same. But you've perfected her body." He ran his hands over her breasts. He really was drunk to not know it was the real Hermione. "I like hers the way it is." He bit her neck softly, then hard. The area became sensative. He blew his hot, sweet breath over the fading wound. Hermione presently stroked her neck were it had happened. She had always wondered.... "And her intelligence. You don't compare!" Hermione had to laugh. If only Vanessa could hear. Or should that be Rebecca? "I'm telling you now. She gives me any hint that she feels the same... It's over." His nose trailed her cheek. "She's more important to me than getting back on the right side of Vold-"

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With the memories bottled she made her way out of her room. Maybe it was too late to stop the wedding. But she could stop the honeymoon and Severus' second initiations as a death eater. Cursing herself for not saying anything sooner, she only prayed she wasn't too late.

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A/N: Hope you like? Nothing more to say.

punkrock pixie: Soon. So very soon.

Slim Shady: Was it worth the wait?

bunnyrabbit228: Naturally gifted I guess. lol. Vanessa is covered in this chapter. But will be fully answered in either chapter 16 or 17. Hope you are having a better gay today.

SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: Hope you like this chapter. Glad I cleared things up.:-)

bastet-the-cat-goddess: I love Sweet November Rain. Love GnR (My Michelle is my favourite) although I must say Areosmith rock. Please read on.

Kelcey2007: Awwww shucks *blushes*

Forever Snape: Please read on. If you get too scared to read on, you could always put your computer in the freezer (Sorry lame F.R.I.E.N.D.S reference) lol

ivre: Hope this has rescued you. Good luck in your exams. I hate science... mainly because I didn't listen and played 21 questions for five years. oooops. Still managed to get a decent grade though. So there is hope for you.

QueenBonnie: Your review is so, so, erm... weird for 3 reasons... (In reference to your reference to laybrinth! lol) 1. I almost bought Labyrinth on DVD today. 2. There is a reference to Labyrinth in this chapter and 3. (Most important) David Bowie is soooo sexy in that film. Don't know if it's the hair or the in your face `bulge` in his trousers but he has be mesmerised. *blushes* Please don't judge. Ps Galaxy Quest is ace.... he's cool in that. As to your questions... All will be revealed shortly. mwhahahahaha

Ok.... In big denial about school work. But after spending almost 2hrs watching Kill Bill when I should have been revising I though. What the hell.

Ps. Good Luck to all those who are revising.

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