Hermione turned her head slowly from the soft wet cloth that was massaging away the tears that just wouldn't stop. Silent now, they continued to run down her face as though they had been built up for years. Her body laid heavily in the supporting arm of the man whose lap she laid across. Too weak willed to give him any assistance in keeping her head above the water that now surrounded them.
"Do you hurt anywhere?" Severus waited with Saint-like patience for a response.
She hadn't shown any emotion since he'd taken her from the bed to his private bath. It had been a challenge with his damaged shoulder and his jaw pulsed from the force in which he'd ground his teeth to get her there. He needed his own potions, salves and care but he'd uncharacteristically set her needs above his own.
Her lack of reaction to his touch was more worrisome than her previous one. He did truly wonder just what was left of the infamous know-it-all. As his hand dipped back into the water to run the cloth over her bruised neck and bony shoulder he tried to remember what she had been like before. His mind tried to pick out anything in his memories of her that made her stand out.
Unfortunately, his mind was unhelpful. He'd so constantly grouped her with Potter that he couldn't think of her as an individual. She was just one of a set. Part of the 'Golden Trio'—true she was the brains but that was all he knew.
His head turned down as he tilted her head back. Her cheek cradled in his palm, he thumbed her cheek before releasing the cloth to gently open one of her eyes. Not too far, just enough to see what color the white was. Her brows furrowed just a little before she willingly opened her eyes further. The iris looked at some obscure place before twitching. He let out a slow breath before her eyes turned upward towards his own.
Defeat looked back at him. The small light that he had seen before had gone, leaving behind a stained red void. He pressed into her mind as gently as possible but found her mind quiet. No small light in the back flickering with hope. No memories whispering in the void.
His hand came down to her chest, resting over her heart. He searched and searched trying to find anything to bring her back to him. Just when he'd thought there was nothing left of her to save, his own voice came through the darkness. Like a gentle caress against weathered skin. She still trusted him, deep down inside her heart, hidden away in the unreachable part of her mind.
Severus blinked slowly, pulling out. His eyes ran down her small frame, his own mind turning with every choice he could possibly make. Her body was healing but it was her mind that worried him so. He couldn't even think of the proper course. Logic did not have a place inside her world. He needed something else, something more, to reach her.
"I am going to free you of the stone inside you today." Severus kept his words soft but there was a hidden tension.
Hermione merely closed her eyes, the tears that had been falling having come to a stop. She could only press her face closer to him, ready to take whatever he had to give, until her last breath.
Severus reclaimed the cloth, wiping away the last of her tears. He had no way to know if what he was doing was right. Only that something needed to be done. A slow breath left his nose as he ran the cloth lower, gently massaging her chest with the soap before going lower into the water. He kept his touch light as he ran it over her waist.
The bruise salve that had been administered had seemingly removed the pain but the large hand prints were still very much visible. It was still hard for him to fathom just how much damage could be done to one person in such a short amount of time but then again—it had taken him mere seconds to dispose of the snatchers who had aided in her capture.
Deciding not to dwell on those thoughts any longer, his hand went lower massaging her most intimate of places. Despite the void inside her mind he could feel her legs twitching against the back of his hand. Eventually, they opened giving him full access to clean her.
He kept his movement gentle but purely clinical, his eyes locked solely on her face. The pleasure that he'd seen there often enough was not present—rather a look of confliction. He didn't linger. Pulling the cloth up to set along the side, he shifted his hold to better pull her up so that he could stand.
"You're... hurt..."
Severus paused to her words, turning his head down to try and see into her face, "I'll be alright..."
"I hurt...you..."
"No, you did nothing of the sort." Severus' heart dropped lower, the soft tone of her words striking something inside.
Hermione swallowed thickly, tilting her head back to where she believed his face to be, "I'm sorry..."
His heart reeled, his first proper, logical conversation with the girl and she was apologizing to him. It hurt more than he could possibly understand, "You have nothing to be sorry for..."
Hermione's tongue stalled in her mouth, her brain desperately trying to cling to his words. She didn't believe him, she couldn't. It was her fault for trying to stand, her fault for being born. The Medicine Man had saved her—she was to blame.
"None of this is your fault..." Severus' tone grew stronger, "I promise you... One day you will understand this." It was a promise he was going to keep until his final breath.
oOOo
"The Dark Lord will not be pleased."
"There is nothing else I can do."
"Why did you use his services at all? You know the dangers he possesses."
"It needed to be done."
"Oh, Lucius..."
Narcissa turned away from her husband with disappointment. She loved him but the choices he was making were going to damn them all. The girl had survived but just barely. She had made sure to do her utmost to make sure of that. Her nose still lingered with the smell of blood and the beds of her pristine nails were stained.
Draco was set to leave for Hogwarts in the next hour but she had to make sure that the girl was secure. It wouldn't do well for any of them should she escape. Or if her insane sister got the bright idea to let off some steam before the Dark Lord had a chance to see her himself.
Her feet took her down the winding steps towards their cellar made prison. Their new gaurd, a man whose name she didn't even want to know, stood relaxed against the door. He was young in the face but his eyes were hard as stone, not a single ounce of empathy inside them.
Her stiff walk and sharp eyes moved the boy from his post without comment. Her eyes instantly turned down the dimly lit stone corridor before lowering down to the small blonde. They'd given her a mattress to lay on and a thin sheet to protect her from the natural dampness of the room. Though much had been done to save her life, basic creature comforts had been barely provided.
The girl was resting, her skin pale but her chest was moving. The meal they had provided, oatmeal with toast, had been partially eaten before the girl seemed to have given up. The elves had mended her clothes and removed most of the blood. The fact that she was breathing was enough for Narcissa. It wouldn't do for her to become emotional in any regard. As long as the girl lived, her family was safe.
oOOo
Hermione felt as though she were wrapped inside of a cloud. The softness and gentle warmth of the blanket that covered her bare body relaxing her mind into a gentle haze. She could hear the Medicine Man moving around the room, doing what she was unsure, but his mere presence was comfort enough.
The lotion he'd put all over her skin made her body feel strong and clean. The small aches and pains had gone; leaving her feeling strong. Her head turned slowly, a new bandage had been placed around it but the salve had loosened her throat allowing her to breathe in his scent deeply.
A warm cloth came over her eyes, releasing a small squeak of surprise but she didn't reach up to pull it away. She merely allowed its warmth to sate the gentle burn that had become so present she hardly remembered to think about it until it was gone. Her mind had started to drift before her ears registered that he was speaking.
His words were lost but her attention had been gathered once again. She felt the blanket that had been wrapped so gently around her coming open and released her hold. The backs of his fingers brushed over her stomach and something warm started to fill her chest. Her head shifted down to follow his movements, the blanket being gently tucked to her sides as the warm air moved over her skin.
Severus was trying to keep his mind as clear as he possibly could. He needed to get the stone from inside her but the way that he had to do it made his stomach churn. It wasn't the first time he had violated her but he surely hoped it would be the last. Of course, he could ask for her consent but she was no where in her right mind to give a proper response. His best course was to do it as quickly and painlessly as possible.
"You may feel discomfort but it's important that you stay exactly as you are." It was at the very least fair to warn her about what he was planning. Though he'd read the information that the book he'd found provided; there had been very little on exactly what the afflicted truly felt from their perspective.
A deep breath cleared his thoughts before his hands came down over her bruised thighs. He couldn't help but stop to compare the size of his own hands to the man who had left his mark on her. Nearly the same, it only made his heart heavier but his will alone pushed the darker thoughts aside. If he survived this war, he was sure to exact his revenge. On simple principle alone; the idea of ridding the world of that vile human made his day just a bit brighter.
His thumb moved slowly over her outer folds. Testing her reaction and comprehension of what he was to do. The tension inside him wound just a bit tighter when her legs opened further and her hips rose. He knew he needed her partially aroused otherwise the half of the dual dragon that he needed to return inside her would be a most unpleasant experience.
While not exactly practiced in the field he was patient and observant enough to adjust his methods to her needs. The cloth he'd placed over her eyes had fallen to the side when her head pressed back into his pillow. A soft noise left her parted lips when he adjusted his hand. He paused only briefly to take some salve onto the tips of his fingers before very slowly pressing upward.
Hermione could feel her world starting to tilt. He was so gentle, so slow. It was like nothing she'd ever felt from him or anyone before. On the other times she could recall, he'd felt rushed but now, it was as though he wanted her to enjoy what he was doing. That he wasn't just healing her but trying to illicit a reaction from her.
Even without the poisons in her body Severus could feel her starting to react to his ministrations. He wasn't exactly sure where her mind was but he wanted to make sure nothing he did reminded her of the men who had abused her. The fact that she was his student and that this was very much happening inside the headmaster's chambers was not lost on him. He was sure he could never raise his eyes to portraits inside the office ever again.
Hermione's toes curled as her heavy body started to arch. The weight that had caused her to completely give up hope was starting to pull away; leaving behind reignited nerves that made her stomach flutter. Her hands came up from her sides, her nails lightly dragging over her chest before raising higher over her head. A small tremor rumbled down her frame before the blackness behind her eyes gave way to a starburst of pleasure.
Severus paused as he felt her inner walls press down around his fingers. His eyes turning up to her face that expressed her pleasure. Her release was soft, gentle like his fingers, but the result was unmistakable. A slow breath released the tension in his jaw as his fingers withdrew.
His eyes turned to the corner of the bed where the two halves of the dragon laid. A quick glance to the text he'd laid there as well brought his hands down. A cursory glance over the two halves made his stomach churn before he pushed the half that had been inside of Granger into the half that he'd taken from Marxan. He turned the pieces, feeling them sliding into place, the locks clicking as the magic inside both started to power down. A small pop of stone settling into a catch turned his head and released his hand from the dragon's head that controlled the inner piece.
A deep red light glowed bright through the carvings along the side before the head began to turn on its own. Another small pop filled the room before a much smaller rod slowly came out. Like stacked cups, the piece came out individually and Severus recognized the rings just under the neck from the book. This was the part that needed to go inside to remove the collar that held the previous version in place.
"Miss Granger?" A soft breathy moan and a turn of her head was his only response. Her face was flushed and her chest was fluttering softly. She hadn't made any noise during her release, just a soft grunt before her body had locked down. "I'm going to remove the stone now...please stay still."
A deep breath brought his mind back into focus before his free hand gently parted her folds. The smell of her release left his head a bit soft. Despite the circumstances, his body's natural reaction to the soft undertones made his throat tight. His jaw clentched as he pressed the smooth rounded end against her, his eyes flicking up to gauge her reaction. There was a bit of a resistance before his previous deed allowed the stone to push in smoothly.
Hermione couldn't stifle the small gasp that passed her lips. Her body arched, the feeling of being full filling a void she desperately wanted filled since he'd removed the stone. Her hips rocked slowly before his hand came down over the bone to keep her still. She whimpered softly trying to understand, when she felt the rounded barbs that had been digging away at her bone, quickly release. There was a pause, then everything inside her was gone.
Severus stepped back, returning the pieces to their proper place. At the final click, the dragon's head opened as though to roar but no sound came out. He pulled the chain from the inside of his shirt snapping the it away. Taking hold of the ring, he let the chain fall to the bed before putting the ring inside the dragon's waiting mouth. A sharp pulse of magic vibrated up his arm when the dragon closed its jaw. The entire torturous device finally in one piece.
Severus knew exactly where he was going to hide the device. Though for right now, he settled it inside a box with enough wards to keep out anything, living or dead. With that secure, he turned his eyes towards the clock knowing that he had other obligations to fill.
The early morning was gone, though there was still enough time to continue with his other plans. A softly whispered cleaning spell over the both of them brought him back over the girl and he started to pull the blanket back over. There were clothes for her in the suitcase. He just had to get her inside without dropping her. The injury to his shoulder was not completely healed but he was sure he had the will enough to push through the pain.
"Do you have any pain?" Severus picked up the cloth he'd placed over her eyes as he spoke, setting it aside. A small shake of her head nodded his own, "I'm going to take you some place safe. After which, I shall give you another potion for your eyes and ears."
"You...stay?"
"I cannot...though I will be nearby. I shall bring you lunch but I want you to continue to drink. There is a loo inside where you will be." He didn't want to make her upset by her accident that morning but the logistics of the situation were as they were. He didn't want to give her anymore potions than what were necessary as it was paramount that she regain control over her body. It was the first step to rebuilding what was lost.
Hermione didn't argue, though her heart ached at the oncoming loss of his presence. When his hands came under she lifted her arms to wrap around his neck, mindful of his shoulder. The soft blanket helped distract from the feeling of being lifted and his smell blocked out all other thoughts.
oOOo
"Any news?"
"No..." Remus hung his head, coming to sit down at the table holding what was left of the Order.
Hermione had been missing since mid-June. No one had been able to find any information one way or the other. Now, it was the end of August. The order had tried to make her a priority but with so many others in danger and the trail having gone cold; they were about to make a most difficult decision.
"Luna has been taken now as well." Mr. Lovegood did not dare to lift his head from his cup of tea. He knew he was to blame for her capture. Having left her home alone that day to try and find more information for the Quibbler.
"You think she's still alive?"
"I've received a letter ensuring her safety as long as I stop writing. They're going to send her to Hogwarts if I promise to keep quiet."
"How are they going to do that?"
"I don't know..." Mr. Lovegood ran his fingers through his hair closing his eyes tightly, "I don't even know where she's being kept..."
"We have eyes inside of Hogwarts...if they did actually follow through... What's to happen if we got her out?" Remus was not following the logic of the compromise.
"They'd find us...and kill us both."