Authors Note: I don't know if this story's going well anymore. There's only two more chapters after this, maybe an epilogue.

Disclaimer: Yeah, still don't own Harry Potter. Raw Power is a song courtesy of Iggy Pop; way to go Jim!

Eternally Yours

Chapter 23

Raw Power

Severus and Hermione sat in Dumbledore's office. Hermione was in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. Severus paced back and forth in front of the door, rubbing his burning arm. Dumbledore was in the adjoining room, talking heatedly with the minister of magic behind a half closed door.

Hermione glanced back at Severus uncomfortably. "Would you please sit down?"

Severus grunted, but did as he was told; he wasn't in a mood to argue.

There was a slam as Fudge stormed through the door in a huff. He straightened the collars of his robes and gave Severus and Hermione a cursory glance.

"I don't know what he expects me to do," he muttered as he left up the stone passage. "My hands are tied."

Hermione and Severus exchanged a glance; this did not bode well.

Dumbledore returned from the other room and reseated himself behind his desk. He shook his head solemnly, thick silver beard swaying back and forth. He sighed and steepled his fingers on the desk in front of him.

"The Minister refuses to send Aurors in until we have an idea of what it is we're sending them into. I can't say I really blame him, Severus."

Severus hung his head. "You're sending me back in."

Dumbledore sighed and closed his eyes. "I have no choice."

Hermione felt tears stinging in the corner of her eyes, and tried to let rationality take over. "Couldn't we wait: hold off until we have more information? If Severus' dark mark is burning it either means that Voldemort is still in power or that the death eaters have a new leader. Either way, it won't be long until some action on their part reveals which."

"Hermione," Severus said gently, taking her by the hand. "Dumbledore's right; I need to go back. If Voldemort's magic is intact I'll need to try to explain my way back into his good graces; if not, I'll have to curry favor with his replacement. The Order needs to have a spy in Voldemort's ranks; we cannot afford to be unaware of his plans." The prospect that Voldemort was human enough to die made it easier to say his name, especially around Hermione and Dumbledore, who never seemed to quibble with titles.

"But if the potion worked there's no way to know what you'd be walking into. If Lucius Malfoy is still alive he'll have told the other death eater's that you're the one that gave him the potion. They'll be after your head." Hermione was desperate to find some rational reason to make him stay, but the argument sounded weak even to herself.

"Which unfortunately, doesn't change my task any." Severus squeezed her hand. "The Order needs its spy, Hermione. There's no one else."

He got to his feet, gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, and headed for the door.

"What will you tell them?" Hermione asked just as Severus reached the door.

"Oh, I'll think of something," Severus smirked. "Don't you know liars make good spies?"

"Now, Lucius," Severus started, after having apparated beside Voldemort's desk, "I thought that we had any appointment. But, all of a sudden my dark mark starts burning, so I show up here, and see all the trouble you've caused."

Lucius turned to him calmly, wand gripped his hand. "Severus, I'm willing to give you the chance to explain," he said, slowly, "but it had better be good."

Severus grinned at him and sat on the corner of the desk. "You don't honestly think I was just going to let you blackmail me into sleeping with you, do you? You wife is a slut Lucius; she's not worth it."

Lucius frowned and gave Severus a disbelieving look. "Granted, but you're going to have to do better than that."

Severus affected indifference. "I didn't actually think my little potion was going to work, or I wouldn't have given it to you. There's no point in planning an overthrow unless you can reap the benefits." Severus stuck his tongue in his cheek. "I guess I really am just that good though. Lucky for you; you seem to be getting quite comfortable." Severus ran his hand across the top of Voldemort's desk. "Feeling powerful behind this nice big desk? You should thank me. Imagine how I'm kicking myself now. The only reason I gave you my potion was because I figured it would get you in trouble; earn you the reaming you'd intended for me, as it were."

"If that was your plan it seems to have back fired."

Severus shrugged. "Not necessarily. You're no Voldemort. If I can incapacitate him without getting my hands dirty. I don't see why I'd have any trouble with you."

Lucius, a man of action rather than thought, pressed the tip of his wand to Severus' throat. "Or I could kill you now and not have to worry about it."

"That would be a mistake."

"And why is that?"

Severus looked at him steadily. "Well, if you kill me now you'll never have another chance at blackmailing your way into my pants. Oh, and I know something you don't know," he added in a sing song voice.

Lucius lessened the pressure to Severus' neck. "Tell me then, if it's good maybe I won't kill you."

"What was it now? You're going to have to do better than that?" Severus brushed Lucius' wand away. "I want to be your partner."

"What?" Lucius lowered his wand.

"I'm sick of being an underling. I see no reason that we can't share power. I mean, be honest Lucius, there's no way you're powerful enough to take power on your own. There will be upheaval any time now. As soon as the Death Eaters have enough time to work it out you'll have any number of rivals to contend with." Severus leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Together however, we're unstoppable."

Lucius licked his lips. "You could persuade me."

Severus pulled back. "No Lucius." He got to his feet. "By not letting you kill me and agreeing to share power, I am doing you a favor. I'm saving you from certain death in a couple hours when Nott and Macnair, not to mention your dear sister-in-law, decide that they'd rather kill you than take orders from you. Crabbe and Goyle might be able to protect you , but they've always been a little slow on the draw, and are you really ready to trust them with your life. You need an ally." Severus glanced around the room for the first time. "What did you do with Voldemort, by the way? I assume that you killed him."

"Wormtail's dealing with it." Lucius was frowning, trying to work out the best way to get the upper hand.

Severus didn't give him time. "Look, just take care of any dissenters. I have a class to teach."

"You're going back to Hogwarts?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Of course. I'll have to tell Dumbledore something. He'll want to know what the Dark Lord is up to, and we want Dumbledore to think that Voldemort is alive and well."

With that, Severus disapparated, leaving Lucius alone.

Hermione was in the great hall, poking dispassionately at her lunch.

Harry looked up at her. Hours ago she'd been positively ecstatic, now she was being glum again. She hadn't mentioned anything after Snape had barged into the Gryffindor common room, and Harry hadn't pried. But now there was something wrong and Harry felt on obligation, as Hermione's friend to ask the obvious question.

"What's wrong Hermione?" Ron asked, through a mouthful of food, beating Harry to it.

Hermione sighed, setting her fork down. "Can't you swallow before you talk Ron? That's really disgusting."

Ron turned red, swallowing his food before continuing. "Sorry. What's up?"

"Dumbledore thinks that the potion worked; Voldemort might not be able to do magic anymore," Hermione whispered, scanning the table for eavesdroppers.

"WHAT?"

"Ron, shut up," Harry hissed as every head at the table turned to look at them. Harry smiled and waved, and most everybody went back about their business.

"That would be a good thing, though, Hermione." Harry told her, quite rationally. "Shouldn't we all be celebrating?"

"If that's the case Severus is probably dead," Hermione said in a deadened whisper.

"Shouldn't we be celebrating?" Ron asked before he could stop himself, and immediately regretted it.

Hermione turned to Ron, eyes full of rage and tears.

"Ron, why can't you learn to shut your god damned mouth?" Harry asked, glaring daggers. He turned to Hermione quickly, pleading. "Hermione, he didn't mean it."

"Yes he did." Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and cleared her throat. "I'm going back to bed." She was outraged, but she didn't feel that right now was the best time to get into an argument; she might say something that she would regret later.

"I'm sorry," Ron said hurriedly. "Harry's right; I didn't mean it. Just came out."

Hermione shook her head. "I don't care, not right now." She left the great hall quietly, and went down to Severus' office

Harry leaned across the table and hit Ron as hard as he could from the odd angle. "You're an idiot."

Ron clutched his jaw. "You didn't have to hit me."

"You deserved it."

Severus apparated to his house into the foyer and sank down into one of the large leather chairs in the corner.

Shit, his head was pounding.

"Shit!" he said it aloud.

"SHIT!"

Hermione walked through the empty potions room, tears streaming unbidden down her face now.

Why was Ron such an ass? If he was really in love with her she could think of lots of better ways to show it.

She grabbed the jar of floo powder off Severus' desk and threw the entire thing against the bricks at the back of the fireplace. She stepped into the flames and the only thing running through her mind was that she should quit crying, before some of the soot got in her eyes and created lye.

Severus looked up as the fire suddenly roared up. Hermione stepped through the grate and blinked tears out of her eyes at the sight of Severus.

"Oh thank god," she said in an exhale, and ran across the room into his arms.

Severus had been getting up out of his chair, and found himself slammed back into it as Hermione threw herself into his arms and covered him in tears.

"It's okay," Severus said into her hair. "I'm alright."

Hermione gathered herself together and leaned back to look at him. "What happened?"

"The potion worked like we suspected. Lucius killed Voldemort. I convinced him that a mob of death eaters would be sending hexes at him from every direction as they vied for power if he didn't share command with me."

"So, you're the new Dark Lord?"

"Half of him," Severus clarified.

"What are you going to do?"

"Tell Dumbledore, I suppose." He sighed. "It was hard enough being a spy. Staying undercover as the Dark Lord, that tends to get a lot more complicated. I've done horrible things so that I didn't blow my cover, but I still have morals. I just don't know if I can do this."

Hermione was straddling Severus' lap. She shifted her weight forward and planted her lips on his. "I have faith in you."

Author's Note: Well, there's some resolution for you lot. Next chapter will have some more of the fluff you ravel like so much. Please review; let me know what you like and what you don't.

Thanks: I debated whether I should keep doing these now that they have the reply feature, but personalized responses seem to encourage helpful reviews.

RagamuffinSundrop: Mmm smores! Thanks for the advise; I always kind of figured the point of fanfiction was to have the characters a little OOC anyway.

Crownhearthands: What, specifically, struck you as cheesy? Unfortunately, I no longer have a sounding board to eliminate that sort of thing, but I do appreciate constructive criticism. If you could be a little more specific I can cut down on the cheese.

Dream of the Night: Yeah, I still think Sev is friendly too. I'm glad at least one of my original crew is still reading, you guys are the reason I started writing on this again. Guilt can be a powerful motive.

…: What's with the dots anyway? I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I am going to finish even if my only obligations are in my head. It could be a few more weeks though, so you're going to have to bear with me.

Also thanks to, Junsui, KK Duke, notwritten, Artemis-Eureka, and Smiles28. I'm glad you're enjoying my story, and I'll try to keep updating as often as I can.