This chapter is dedicated to you, Yew Wand, for your indispensable, invaluable advice.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, this story would be gathering dust without you!
(Draco)
Snape unlocked the door to his private quarters, dragging Draco – still naked and stumbling like a dazed lamb – behind him, a tight hold on his thin wrist, clutching just below his Mark. All the while the ashamed, mortified, chagrined boy muttered expletives and threats under his breath - directed at Snape, of course. The man's keen hearing – which closed further the gap between him and the common bat – was infamous; he heard Draco but was too far buried in his fury and disgust with the boy to pay any attention to the words coming from his mouth. The pair entered his personal laboratory, where he had previously held Harry for those unsuccessful occlumency lessons. Draco turned away from Snape, placed his head in his hands and rubbed his face up and down against them.
'Sit down,' Snape spat venomously. 'And for Merlin's sake Draco, cover yourself with something. I do not want to bear witness to such a disgusting sight as your nether regions, you foul little beast'. Snape caught and threw at Draco an accio'd bed sheet, which landed on his head, giving him the appearance of the common muggle interpretation of a ghost. Whilst Draco struggled to untangle himself from the sheet he was spun around and then pushed down forcefully onto a splintering wooden chair that Snape had summoned from the classroom adjacent to his laboratory. Snape's nails grazed Draco's naked shoulder as he seated him and the younger of the two drew a sharp breath at the sudden, unexpected contact with the chair. His legs and arms flailed comically. At last he managed to yank the sheet off of his person, flustered, panting and dishevelled.
Draco, uncomfortable – to say the least – at being naked in Snape's presence hastily wrapped the starched white sheet around him. When he was modest he looked up hesitantly and awkwardly at his head of house and waited for the man to reprimand him. Snape, arms crossed, stared down at Draco with a sneering, fiery glare that the boy had never before seen on his professor's face; it was one Lucius saved for their House Elves, who he viewed as dirty, stupid, lowly vermin. The low, greenish light of the circular room cast shadows over Snape's face and darkened the lines etched into it, intensifying his sinister expression. Draco – who would have been dead if looks could kill – was truly terrified. He was dizzy and nauseous, his throat was dry and his heart felt as if it would break through his ribcage and fly from his chest if it beat any faster. A solitary bead of sweat formed on his pallid forehead and rolled down his thin nose.
'I would have never thought you had it in you. Rape.' Snape drawled, sounding almost pitiful. He seemed reluctant to utter the last word, which he dragged out for effect. It hung in the air like the smell of rancid meat. Draco grimaced. Snape's anger rose at Draco's gesture and his voice did the same. He bent down to Draco's level and looked him in the eye. 'Yes, Draco! Rape! By far the worst crimea man can commit! Can you even begin to explain to me why you felt the need to violate an innocent, helpless woman in such a fashion?' Every word conveyed complete disgust.
Draco blinked, taken aback. Snape, who loathed Granger with every fibre in his body, had called the girl innocent – and helpless! He opened his mouth, completely lost for words. 'I…' he muttered, his head hung low.
Snape lost control of his anger and without warning slapped Draco hard. His head was driven in an unnatural direction, his neck clicked and spit flew from his mouth. The force of the slap drove Draco backwards and there was enough momentum to send him and his chair crashing to the cold stone floor. His head hit the ground and he felt something in him make a cracking sound. Draco whimpered as dark green static crept into the corners of his eyes and began to spread, covering his vision with a hazy blanket. Draco squeezed them shut, dizzied by the dancing pinpricks before him, fearful that he would vomit. He brought a shaking hand to his forehead, clawed his fingers along his hairline and down the side of his face. Pain radiated through his skull and his bottom lip trembled. Before he could stop himself, Draco let out a small sob. Snape's knees clicked and his robes rustled as he crouched down to hiss in Draco's ear.
'Open your eyes.'
Draco opened them a fraction.
Snape, who was adept at wordless magic, uttered the leglimens spell in his head and allowed himself to become lost in Draco's memories. Draco was only vaguely aware of the sensation of having another inside his mind and did not try to block the Professor from viewing the scenes that flashed by, one after another, inside his head. The scene in the toilets. Hermione's tearful confession in the hospital wing. Lying on his bed, smirking as he rolled a ring around in his fingers, making up his mind about what he was going to do her. Kissing her atop the astronomy tower and watching on as she ran away with a bloodied lip. Being slapped at the breakfast table. Brooding over the situation, and cutting himself to bring her back to his side. Smiling weakly as she tended to his wound, sobbing and shaking. Kissing her again, and being denied his reward. Taking it from her by force.
'You disgust me, Draco Malfoy,' Snape whispered maliciously as he pulled himself out of Draco's memories. 'The Dark Lord places his trust in you, and instead of fulfilling his task you do this? You do not deserve the brand on your arm; you do not deserve to serve him. You are a pitiful excuse for a man – even Potter is more of one than you will ever be, Draco! You will return to your dormitory, dress yourself and personally notify Professor Dumbledore of – of your atrocities. If he does not expel you, you will serve detention with me every weekday evening until the term is over. Fifty points from Slytherin.' He seized the boy by the shoulder and dragged him to his feet. 'Get out!' He spat, spared Draco – who was now whimpering and crying in earnest – a smouldering glare and shoved him violently out of the laboratory.
*
(Hermione)
Harry stumbled bleary eyed, yawning and in his night clothes through the Gryffindor portrait hole, trying to make as little noise as he could – he did not wish to wake the Fat Lady, who was most certainly not good natured when woken from her slumber. His hair looked as though Hedwig had been using it as a nest and his glasses were askew. He turned to his house mistress. She wore a tartan nightgown and slippers and her long salt and pepper hair was pulled into a sloppy bun; she too had evidently been pulled from bed by whatever it was that she needed Harry for. She had sent him a desperate note by owl fifteen minutes previously, instructing him to meet her outside Gryffindor common room as quickly as he could. Harry tapped her cautiously on the shoulder – her chin rested on her chest and she looked like she was about to fall asleep where she stood. Her eyes flew open and she brought a wrinkled hand to her chest, startled.
'Professor?' Harry whispered. 'I got your note… What's wrong? Is somebody hurt? Ron? Hermione?'
'Oh, Potter!' Professor McGonagall muttered in her sharp Scottish brogue, which was a little thick due to the late hour of their encounter. 'Thank goodness you are awake… Madame Pomfrey and I did not know who else to turn to. It's Miss Granger; she is in quite a state… Walk with me, boy, you are needed at the hospital wing.' She paled, and looked very much like a haunted woman.
Harry furrowed his brows and stared at her, puzzled. 'At the hospital wing?' he queried, unsure at the meaning of her statement. 'Professor, I'm sorry, but I'll be of no use to you… You of all pe-' Harry yawned wide. 'Oh, I'm sorry for that. Professor, You of all people should know that healing has never been one of my strong subjects…'
McGonagall stopped walking, tutted impatiently at Harry and looked up at her student, who had also halted his progress down the corridor and was in the middle of another long yawn. 'Don't be dense, Potter… You're not needed for your finesse as a healer! Potter, Miss Granger needs you for your moral support. As I said – although I do not think you were paying attention – she is indeed in quite a state. I will explain when we reach the hospital wing. Now, if you would, please follow me.'
The pair strode briskly and in tense silence through the corridors and down several flights of stairs, the only noises made by the two of them the shuffle of rubber soled slippers and the gentle rustle of fabric. They half ran down the corridor that led to the hospital wing and paused at the door, McGonagall a little out of breath. Her hands shook and she flicked through several facial expressions, deep in thought.
'Master Potter,' she whispered, her tone one that was usually reserved for notifying people of the death of someone close to them, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. 'Master Potter… Master Ma- somebody attempted to rape Miss Granger this evening.'
Harry stared into her crinkling, teary eyes, utterly bemused. The woman's words were like a hard blow to his stomach.
'Raped? But who would do that to Hermione?' He whispered, looking like he was about to cry. Professor McGonagall sighed and shook her head slowly.
'I'm afraid, Potter, that that information is for your friend to divulge, not me. Now, come, boy… She needs you.' She smiled weakly and motioned for him to follow her.
Not wanting to leave Hermione alone any longer he sprinted down the length of the ward and halted, panting, at the end of the bed she lay curled up on, sobbing. Harry placed a hand on the bed's metal footboard and stood frozen, taking in the sorry sight of her. Hermione's robes lay discarded on the floor and someone had taken the liberty to cover her with a large olive green blanket, which she had pulled close to her to comfort herself and to hide her unclothed – bar underwear and laddered stockings – body. Hermione's hair fell over her tearstained face in wet tendrils and stuck to it. Madame Pomfrey gave Harry the same weak smile that McGonagall had, gently rubbed Hermione's heaving back one last time and walked away to join her colleague in her office for a large glass of firewhisky.
Harry shuffled to Hermione's side and sat down, his eyes dead of all emotion. He edged closer to her and reached for her arm. She batted him away at first and he withdrew, hurt by her dismissal, but tried a second time and breathed a sigh of relief when she allowed him to bring her to his person. Harry cradled her, closing his eyes and nestling his head into the crook of her hot, wet neck. Hermione did the same and broke into a very vocal, animalistic set of tears that conveyed the extent of her grief. Harry sobbed once, quietly, tightened his grip around her, stroked her shaking back and made soft shushing, cooing sounds to calm her.
'Come on, Hermione. It's alright, you're with me now. You're safe.' Hermione nodded and sniffled into Harry's shoulder. He pulled her closer to him, and whispered into her ear. 'I'm here for you, okay? If you need me while you're recovering, I'll be there. A shoulder to cry on, a punch bag,' Harry chuckled and Hermione sniffed suspiciously in an attempt to mask her small giggle. 'Or even just someone to vent to.' Harry paused, not sure whether to carry on or not. 'And… If you need me to, Hermione… I can beat up the bastard that did this to you. I can teach him a lesson.' Harry's uncharacteristically harsh words and dark tenor caused Hermione to burst into another torrent of tears and he winced sharply. 'Alright, I won't hurt him… I'll just have a quiet word with him. Yes?' Hermione nodded into Harry's shoulder again.
The two stayed locked in their platonic embrace for twenty five minutes at the least, at which point Harry decided Hermione had calmed down enough to ask her the question that Professor McGonagall had been unable to answer. He pushed her away from him gently, placed both of his hands lightly on her shoulders and looked into her bloodshot eyes. Harry brought a hand to her face to brush away the hair that had plastered itself to her forehead and cheeks when the tears had come, and then smiled at her. She returned it and it made Harry break into an unadulterated grin – it was the first time he had seen her pretty smile reach her eyes in far too long. The moment passed and his face fell a little when he remembered what he now had to do.
'Hermione,' Harry began, in a slow, reassuring voice, his eyes still locked with hers. 'I know that this is going to difficult for you to do, but…'
Hermione, as insightful as ever, pipped Harry to the post. She knew, deep down, that sharing his name with Harry would be the first step on the road recovery. She placed a gentle hand on Harry's left forearm. 'Harry, I know this is going to be hard for you to do, but…' Hermione's voice was shaky and cracking a little. The screaming had caused it to wither and become raw. 'Harry, you have to promise me that you won't over-react. That you'll accept what happened; accept who did this to me.'
Harry smiled encouragingly. 'Of course I will, Hermione.'
Relieved to have his confirmation, Hermione took in a breath and prepared herself for whatever would come next. It was likely that Harry would want her to explain to him the full story of her involvement with Draco Malfoy. Her stomach churned as his name entered her thoughts. She broke away from his gaze and stared down at the floor, not wanting to see the pain and anger in Harry's eyes that would surely be present soon. 'It was Malfoy, Harry. Malfoy was the one who tried – who tried to rape me.' Hermione's words were hollow and bitter. She struggled to fight back tears.
Harry did not leap up from the bed and rage as Hermione had envisioned him doing. No, he was silent – there were no tears, there was no sharp intake of breath, no vengeful words. Hermione found herself looking up at him, worried and morbidly curious.
The anguish and fury in his eyes that Hermione had expected was there, but those emotions were not as strong as she had thought they would be. There was mainly a deep, deep sadness, and mingled in with that was another emotion that worried Hermione the most. One that she had seen all too often in his eyes whenever somebody had mentioned Malfoy of late.
Deep thought.
Harry brought a hand to the back of Hermione's head, touched noses with her and sighed. They shared a tender, grieving moment together and then he softly bid her goodnight, laid her down on the bed and walked back to Gryffindor tower alone.
Plotting.
Thoughts bounced around Harry's head as he walked.
'If you need me to, Hermione… I can beat up the bastard that did this to you. I can teach him a lesson.'
No matter what he had promised Hermione, Harry knew that Draco Malfoy would get what was coming to him.
And by Merlin, was he going to be the one to deliver it.
--
Quite an eventful chapter, I think! So... Snape has a thing against rape... (I'll leave why to your imaginations, I haven't really thought of a reason myself... I just thought it'd be nice if Snape had one redeeming quality, you know? Poor Sevvy. D: Review and tell me why you think he hates it so, I'd like to know what you all think about it!) Draco's secret is out, Snape's seen him naked and he may or may not be getting expelled... Hermione may just be a quivering, broken mess... Harry's got all vengeful...
Dun dun dunnn! Stay tuned for the next chapter, everyone! :D
That one was a real beast to write, I've been feeling quite sick over the past few days... I think I've got a mild case of flu or something. ;-; Still, I soldier on, because I know how you all love quick updates. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, if you did, as a token of thanks to me, PLEASE review this chapter. Love it or hate it. Your reviews light up my day and keep me going they really do! c:
As always, reviewers get special mentions:
x3BrookeElizabeth, SnowCharms, Bananna18, voldyismyfather, purpleeyednekoyoukai (Thank you for your review! It really made me giggle!), Permanent, SaraSyco, Coloring the Sky, EMT official, Queen of Lunacy (Thank you too, you always give the best reviews! c: x), hemery, DragonGirl323, MidnightThief15 (Thank you for the congratulation!), Yew Wand (No love notes from me, no way! Eurch. ;)) I'm home, rosebud23, CyberDog101, mysteryssister, AnnaOtaku
Thank you everyone! Keep reviewing!
And bloody hell, I broke 3000 words for a chapter. Personal record! Yay!
Laura