3

Severus stood in his sitting room trembling. He'd had visions of Hermione writhing in the pain of Crucio until she became a vegetable like Frank and Alice Longbottom. He had pushed her from him and left the room.

Stunned, Hermione called out after him, "Severus! What's wrong? What did I do?"

She ran to the door, but it shut in her face. She beat her hands on the door and screamed his name. She finally slid to the floor. Why had he left?

Severus now stood staring into the flames. There had to be another way. How could he expose Hermione to that monster? How could he live with himself if they failed and she was punished because of him? He felt out of control and growled with rage.

"Fancy!" he yelled. He could still hear Hermione's sobs.

"Master Snape," Fancy said, appearing in the room. She was trembling. She'd heard Hermione's cries from the basement where she'd been storing food.

"Go to Miss Granger and assure her she did nothing. Tell her I just needed to think. Bring her some breakfast. Have you cared for a woman before?" he asked, trying to bottle up his out-of-control emotions.

"Yes, sir," Fancy said.

"Then you know what she needs. Get her anything else you think she might need...like clothing, personal care products, and potions."

Fancy nodded, backing away, and then she vanished with a pop.

Severus turned back to the fire. If he could not control himself with Hermione around, he would have no hope of defeating Voldemort. She might well be the death of them both. He'd lost himself in her again this morning. The touch and taste of her drove him mad with need. He'd pinned his hopes on her already. She was like food for a starving man, and he had to regain control. He sat in his chair and used the flames as a focus as he built walls around the memories he and Hermione and made this morning. He made the walls so strong and so thick that Voldemort would not be able to see through them. He would not see that Hermione gave him pleasure beyond sexual gratification. He replaced parts of the memories at the front and altered them to make Voldemort think she had not been compliant. He used sounds and screams he had heard during his life. The memory would not hold up to deep scrutiny, but it might give them time. It made him sick to distort the memories, but for Hermione's safety he did it anyway.

Hermione looked up when Fancy entered the room.

"Miss, come get off the cold floor. You're making yourself sick. Master bids me to tell you he is not angry. He needs thinking time."

Hermione got to her feet, and Fancy took her hand. Her leathery, little hand felt almost like a child's hand to Hermione.

"He left so quickly." Hermione hiccoughed and laid a hand against her chest.

"Master Snape is like that. He comes and goes. He not thinking; he seldom is explaining. Why don't you take a bath? I drawing it for you. You soaking for a while, and I bringing more clothes and things you will need. Master bid me taking good care of you."

Fancy went to the bathroom door and opened it. Leaving it open, she set about drawing the bath and even found a scented soap for bubbles. Hermione eyed the bath with real desire and stripped quickly. She was calmer now and buoyed by the words of the little house-elf.

She slipped into the hot water with a sigh. She was quite sore, and the water relaxed her muscles in a way cleansing spells or showers could not. She found Fancy waiting to wash her, and she said, "You go do what you need to, Fancy. I can take care of myself. I don't need help taking a bath."

"You and Master alike then. He no needs Fancy's help either." She turned and left.

Hermione found herself giggling at the thought of Snape's sneer at the offer of bathing help from Fancy. A deep voice from the door startled her.

"And pray what does my little captive find so amusing?"

Severus was leaning against the doorframe to the bathroom. He had his legs crossed, and his arms were crossed against his chest. He wore only his black trousers and white shirt.

Hermione, not used to having male company in the bathroom, squirmed and admitted, "I was just imagining Fancy washing your back for you."

"Not likely," he said with a smirk. He came closer to the tub. "But if you would like some help..."

Hermione handed him her rag and soap and leaned forward. If he wished to be kind, then she would let him.

Severus didn't say anything but got on his knees next to the tub and carefully soaped the rag. Then he began to make slow circles around her creamy, smooth back. He'd not really looked at it before. It was flawless and looked so soft. He leaned in and pressed his lips to the area at the base of her neck.

"I'm sorry I left. My mind often runs in different directions. I needed to think. I'm not used to having someone who cares if I'm there or not."

Hermione was sitting there with her eyes closed just feeling his gentle touch, craving so much more, when his lips touched her neck. She snaked a hand up into his hair, urging him on. She laid her head back, and his mouth covered hers. He was about to slip his arms around her when he gasped, pulled back, and tore the sleeve of his shirt up. Hermione caught sight of the Dark Mark; the snake was writhing.

"No!" he gasped, and his hand flew to his head. "Out!" he ordered her. "We are summoned."

He grabbed his wand and had her dried and clothed in seconds.

She had no time to think about...let alone react to...the fact that she now wore one of the gauzy, white, see-through gowns.

"I'm sorry," he said as he dragged her from the bathroom to the bedroom where he dressed in his Death Eater robes and then unwarded the door and hurried her through the house, giving her instructions as he went.

"Do not look him in the eyes. Prostrate yourself at his feet and kiss the hem of his robes. Do not volunteer anything. If he questions you, answer with as few words as possible and do not show any fondness for me. I am your rapist. Remember that, Hermione, and we may both live to see another day. Remember the words I might say are only to keep you alive. Do not take them to heart." He waved his wand, and Hermione felt pains about her face and body.

They were now out into a small, enclosed yard, and Severus grabbed her about the waist and they Disapparated.

Once again in the span of a couple of days, she found herself at the feet of Voldemort. She realized that Snape was on his knees beside her.

"Severus, stand. It is kind of you to come and bring your little prize with you." His words were nearly a hiss. He seemed less and less human each time. "Are you enjoying your gift, my loyal servant?"

"Yes, Dark Lord, she is a rare prize; your faith in me is humbling. Her screams are gratifying." He looked with disgust at her groveling at Voldemort's feet. He was glad she could not see the look on his face.

"Screams, Severus? You aren't torturing her, are you?" His voice was thick with irony; of course he expected him to mistreat her.

"It would not be fun if there wasn't a little torture," Severus said, his voice filled with such gloating that it made Hermione shiver and cringe away from him. She did not look up; she just stared at the hem of Voldemort's robe and noticed his feet were bare.

Her arm hurt. When she glanced at it, she found bruises that had been placed about her body by Severus' wand. He'd had to make it look like she had been very unwilling.

Voldemort ordered Hermione, "Rise, Mudblood."

Hermione tried to rise to her feet, but her fear was so great that she faltered. Severus grabbed her roughly by the arm and pulled her up.

"Mudblood, did you not hear the words of your Lord?" he hissed.

Hermione found herself standing before many Death Eaters. Her eyes raked over them. They no longer wore masks, they didn't have to keep their identity secret now. They all leered at her near nakedness.

Voldemort, true to his flamboyant ways, swept his hand out to indicate his followers. They stretched back 20 or 30 deep. "See how I am loved." His laugh was a deep, dark thing, and it made Hermione's insides shrink away.

She bit back a nasty reply. Fear is more like it, she wanted to say. He pulled her close, and she smelled his putrid breath. "You're the last of your kind. For now, you will suffer all the things I cannot make Potter suffer. He died much too quickly. Your Order was full of weaklings. All fell against my powers."

Tears leaked from Hermione eyes, and she tried to stifle her sobs. Harry, Ron, Molly, McGonagall... The names of the dead rolled through her mind. If she lived through the day, she would beg Severus to let her help him. She would do anything to stop this monster if only to appease the voices that cried out for revenge in her head.

"You will be a plaything until I no longer find you amusing." He threw her to the ground.

Hermione felt the skin of her knees tear as she landed. She could feel the burn of dirt and smell the rich smell of trees and grass about her.

"Crucio," Voldemort cried, waving his wand.

Severus stood in horror as his vision was realized. It took an iron will not to react.

Pain hit her, and she felt as if her body was plugged into a light socket. Her body writhed, and she screamed. Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

"Severus, take this thing away from me before I kill it. Make sure she continues to suffer, or you will enjoy the same gifts I have for her." Voldemort's voice dripped venom.

Hermione laid on the ground, still twitching from the pain along her nerves. She felt Severus grab her and then Apparation clouded her view.

She couldn't see clearly and felt gentle arms holding her. Then she was being placed on the bed and Severus was shouting, "Fancy, get the emerald green bottle in the bathroom and bring the dittany."

Hermione opened her eyes and saw his face was stricken with fear and self-incrimination. "I'm okay, Severus," she gasped against the pain. "You did what you had to." She saw his face relax a bit.

Severus leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. "Hermione," he breathed. "I vow to you I will kill that monster."

"Let me help," she whispered through her clinched teeth as a spasm hit her legs.

Fancy appeared by the bed, and Severus grabbed the green vial and pressed it to her lips. She drank the bitter liquid. Within 30 seconds, the cramps in her muscles died away, and she felt weak. She vaguely was aware that Severus was healing the bruising and the injuries to her body and knees, but she could not think.

"Sleep," he told her, and she let herself slip into darkness. Severus slumped to the floor and groaned, "That was so close. What can I do to keep her safe?" He didn't realize that Fancy was still standing there watching him.

"Fancy can help," she said.

Severus' head snapped up. "What?" he asked, not really having heard her.

"Fancy can help. Fancy has magic. Fancy can do as her master bids her." The tiny house-elf was trembling, but her eyes were big and honest.

He sat with his back against the bed. "How could you help? Your magic is for household duties."

Fancy got closer, and her eyes became hard and dangerous. "We elves were powerful before your people even came into existence, wizard. We harnessed great magic." Her voice was deeper and had strength.

Severus sat up and looked hard at her. "If that's true," he said, trying to not draw away from the crackle of her magic that suddenly filled the space between them and tingled at his skin, "why have your race not offered help before? Even in the final battle, you used only house and garden tools to flight with."

"We were enslaved by the 'good' wizards of this world. Our people are honorable. Many centuries ago, we had a foolish ruler who wagered with Merlin and lost. We became the servants of wizards. Our magic was bottled up. We only now feel our power returning. We did not know that with the fall of the 'good' wizards, our power would be released to us again."

"Then you affiliate yourself with the Dark side?" He glanced at Hermione and saw that her face was unmarred and she was sleeping peacefully from the drug. He shifted to get more comfortable. He was taken aback by Fancy's intelligent speech patterns. Gone was the pretense of a lesser creature.

"No, sir." Fancy stepped back. "We have observed the wizarding world all these centuries and realized that the future wizards did not know of the wager. They accepted what they assumed was our desire to be bonded, to belong, and to serve. Many of our kind have been treated with respect and kindness, and those of us who have not have been waiting for freedom. Dobby was powerful, was he not? He was able to defy his master and warn Harry Potter. He died for the cause of goodness. I have been charged, as many of my kind has been charged, with seeking out a good wizard who will lead us against this darkness that has taken over. We will help you, sir. This woman whom you protect, though misguided and not aware that it was not time, tried to help us all when she was a child. Her best friend freed Dobby from the Malfoy's cruelty."

Severus said, "I did not know Dobby, but I did hear of him. He was very helpful. But Potter lost, didn't he?" His voice was bitter. "Your Dobby died for nothing. We pinned our hopes on a child...a child who was not up to the task."

Fancy came and touched his arm. "Yes, he died, but he tried with all his heart and mind, and you have his best and dearest friend to protect now. You can do this, sir."

He eyed her suspiciously. "Why come to me, one of Voldemort's right-hand men? I have been given this gift because he thinks me of like mind." He got to his feet, and Fancy scrambled back. He sat on the edge of the bed, and his fingers caressed Hermione's arm.

"Fancy sees that you are not like him. You care for this woman. You brought her back, and you ease her suffering. You despise the devil. You talk about his death. We house-elves want this, too, and we will soon have the power to be of great assistance."

"I do not want to be the slave of another, Fancy. But if you have so much power, why not take over and make those who enslaved you the slaves?" He was trying to gage her true heart.

"It is time for all enslavement to end, do you not agree? Enslavement strangles the lives of people from all realms."

"Yes, Fancy. Do you have your own name?"

Fancy looked at him for a minute and then said, "Arelia, sir."

"Arelia, I am relieved to hear your tale, and I will think on your words. Would you mind going and getting me something to eat? I am going to bathe, and I will be out shortly."

Fancy smiled. "I is going, sir. Fancy will get you a good meal."

Severus said, "You do not have to pretend with me anymore, Arelia."

"It is best, sir, to keep up with pretenses. One never knows who may be lurking."

"No one lurks in my house. But do as you will. Thank you, Fancy." Fancy smiled, and Severus saw the wisdom of centuries in her eyes. He was astonished that house-elves had such a long history, and he felt real hope. It would not just be Hermione and him against the Dark Lord.

He took a long bath, soaking away his soreness and the feeling of uncleanliness. Every time he had to face that snake, he felt dirty. The evilness that exuded from the monster seemed to cover him. He scrubbed and then let his forehead fall on to his drawn up knees. Tears burned his eyes, but he forced them away. Severus Snape did not cry. But now he had so much more to lose. It was overwhelming. He realized he would have to really think this all out if he was to save Hermione. He would die trying to save her; and if he managed to save the Wizarding world, so much the better for both of them. He would wait to tell her about Fancy's army until it was necessary to mobilize it. It was best that she not know their ace in the hole in case Voldemort called them and probed her mind.

He finally got out of the tub and crawled into the bed next to her, his meal forgotten. He slipped in behind her and drew her to him. She made a soft mewing sound and moved back to press herself against him. Now when he needed all his strength, his iron will, she was robbing it from him by her acceptance and need for him. He cleared his mind and forced himself to sleep. He would need to think clearly and sleep would help. He drifted into blackness

Thank you, Lisa. I couldn't do this with out you.

Thank you, writermerrin. I appreciate your help, as well.