A/N; Thank you my wonderful Reviewers! You all make me smile :D
After receiving an urgent message from Crabbe senior, a fellow death eater, Severus reluctantly agreed to attend the meeting that would be held later that night.
He had planned on avoiding the event claiming that 'The Prisoner' had been causing him trouble and that to leave her alone would be unavoidable. But, unluckily for him the meeting required he and 'The Prisoner' attend. Fate, it would seem, was not on his side.
As it was, he now stood outside his room waiting for Hermione to freshen up. He had told her that her presence had been requested at the Malfoy manner, for what reason he didn't know, but he was sure he could hazard a guess at why.
"Are you quite ready?" he asked knocking on the door three times.
"No" she called back.
He sighed rubbing his temples, why did she have to take so long? Would this insufferable evening never end?
Just as another sigh began to escape him Hermione popped her head around the door, "is there anything else I can wear?" she asked looking down at her torn graduation dress.
Severus scowled and stormed past her into his room. The marched straight over to the wardrobe and threw it open in one swift movement.
Hermione watched as he took out a white shirt and a black hooded cloak and threw them at her.
"I can't wear these" she said holding them up.
Severus raised his eyebrow at her slightly annoyed.
"Well I can't just wear a shirt, what about pants?" she said going slightly pink.
"My pants would not fit you" he simply said, not believing he was having this conversation with one of his former students.
Hermione looked about nervously, "can you, um, leave then?" she asked.
Severus rolled his eyes and exited the room, once again waiting outside.
When Hermione finally emerged he tired in vain to hide the smirk that tugged at the corners of his mouth at the sight of her. His long dark robe drowned her small figure, the collar making her head look like it had sunken into her shoulders. She had to crane her neck so that she wasn't just a pair of eyes looking over the top.
His white shirt more than made up for lack of a pair of pants. It was so large than it came down to just above her knees easily. Her feet he noticed were bare.
"Well I can't exactly wear my strappy shoes with this can I?" she said noticing his raised brow.
Severus just shrugged and indicated her to follow him down the stairs. He would apparate them both from his parlour, the only place in his mother's home that the wards weren't constantly set.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked
"No" she said quietly, "But I don't have a choice now do I?"
Severus looked at her, "yes you do". He reminded her, if he could force her, she would already be in hiding by now.
"No, I don't" she said closing the subject. She was tired of trying to tell him that he was worth saving and she was going to do it whether he liked it or not.
Severus shrugged; he knew it was no use arguing with her. He held out his arm to her and she grasped it tightly, within seconds they were gone.
Moments later they arrived at the Malfoy manner.
Hermione, having never seen such a huge building before gasped in shock.
"Gaping does not suit you, close your mouth" Severus told her watching her closely.
Hermione's mouth snapped shut. "I knew the Malfoy's were rich" she said still eyeing up the manor, "but not to this extent".
Severus raised a brow at her "yes well, what hey lack in common courtesy they more than make up for in wealth".
"So it would seem".
Still holding onto Severus' arm they made their way towards the house, Severus held one of the large doors open as she walked inside.
Before they got to the drawing room where Severus was told the meeting would take place, Hermione stopped and asked Severus to walk with her into one of the smaller rooms.
Curiously he followed
"I don't feel right" she whispered.
Severus was torn with wanting to take her in his arms and comfort the girl and doing what he thought was appropriate behaviour. He chose to just pat her on the arm; he hoped that would give her some reassurance.
"Its not that I don't want to do this" she told him, and then after some thought "well I don't, but that's not the point. I just feel, I don't know-"
"Scared?" he suggested
Hermione took a deep breath, "I suppose, I guess you find me terribly weak now?" she said looking at her feet.
Severus was shocked; did she actually care what he thought of her? "I think you are the bravest, most genuine person I know" he told her.
Hermione looked up and searched his eyes for any hint of sarcasm or lies, she found none.
"It won't be easy" he continued, "and to be scared is very sensible, you are essentially offering yourself to a powerful psychopath who could and would kill you if he had any doubt of your true alliance. I was scared, sometimes I still am" he admitted.
Hermione looked at him with her big hazel eyes, he was being so honest with her, she suspected he had never confided in someone like this before.
"I cannot guarantee much" he told her, "but I will make sure no unnecessary harm will be inflicted upon you. You must not answer back to the Dark Lord, do exactly as he says and keep your mind clear" he warned.
She nodded and took in a shaky breath.
Stepping out into the hallway, she knew this was it. Her future as of now had dramatically changed. How would her friends and parents take the news that she had received the Dark Mark? She didn't even want think what they would say about Severus. Had she just referred to him as Severus? Strange.
She spotted Draco Malfoy from across the room first. He looked proud to be standing next to his father in Voldemort's circle. Was that how she was supposed to look? Proud?
She glanced up at Severus, his expression unreadable. She chose one of the same. Her face looking calm, bored expressionless.
Voldemort stepped into the centre of the circle. He was just as terrifying this time as he was the last. His red eyes tearing into the souls of those who surrounded him.
"You know why we are here" he hissed, "to initiate a new member. Whilst her blood is impure" he looked at Hermione with disgust as did a few other Death Eaters, "her mind is great, and knowledge is a great power".
Hermione wanted to scream at the hypocritical bastard, but she remained calm. Severus grip on her arm tightened as if for reassurance.
"Bring her forward" Voldemort ordered.
She heard Severus' intake of breath and it calmed her knowing that he was her and he was, despite himself concerned for her.
As she stood in front of the man that had ruined so many lives, she bent down to her knees as she had been told to do. She was playing the part just as Severus did on so many occasions.
"You have trained her well" he hissed congratulations at Severus who bowed his head in response to the praise.
"Now child" he turned his attentions on Hermione who quickly emptied her mind.
"I ask you only once, where do your loyalties lie?"
Hermione felt him penetrate into her mind raping her thoughts and memories. Though she couldn't shield them all she was able to keep back her thoughts of Harry. She would not give him that.
"She is devoted to you Severus" he hissed, almost mocking the man. "How interesting" he smirked.
Severus said noting just kept his head bowed. Devoted to him. What did that mean? Could it be that she harboured feeling for him also? He wanted to ask her, he wanted to know he at least wanted time to think about it, but now was most defiantly not the time.
"Stand" Voldemort hisses at Hermione.
She stood obediently, her head remained bowed.
"Hold out your arm"
She did so without hesitation, he left arm bared. Its pure, smooth skin about to be violated, burned, ruined. Severus didn't want to watch but he did, concern for her safety his top priority at this point.
"This may sting a little" Voldemort sneered as he pushed the tip of his wand deep into her flesh.
Severus could only watch as Hermione arched back, her body twisting in pain. She screamed and it stung Severus' ears. A painful, hopeless, helpless scream.
He stood there like an obedient puppy as her watched her body convulse in agony as she trembled in pain.
He watched as her eyes rolled to the back of her head as The Dark Lord tore his wand over her delicate wrist tracing the outline of the mark. Soon he was done and he tossed her to the floor, used. Her head hit the marble tiled with a thud.
He wanted noting more to reach for her, to take her in his arms and hold her tight, to take away the pain and reassure her that it wasn't that bad. He wanted to comfort her; he wanted her to comfort him, to reassure him she was ok. That her Gryffindor courage and bravery was in fact still there and she was strong enough to deal, to cope with this.
But he couldn't, he could only stand and watch as she quaked on the floor, pain and dark magic forcing its way around her body, consuming her whole.
He could only stand and watch as the tears cam and silently rolled down her cheeks. She didn't cry out loud, she didn't make a sound; she wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
And Severus could only stand there expressionless as the only person he cared about shook and trembled alone and scared at his feet.
A/N; Owww Hermione, what have you got yourself into...?
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