Chapter 49

A/N: Many thanks to my betas, luvsev and WriterMerrin. This is going to be a difficult chapter, and I hope whoever reads will review, ask questions, etc. This is not a gratuitous chapter. What occurs here will have repercussions that will last for a very long time.

***

Severus left Hermione at Headquarters, refusing to come inside. She didn't dare kiss him, so they parted without an outward goodbye. She watched him Disapparate and felt sad as she entered Grimmauld Place. So much for our romantic Christmas! she thought sadly.

It was dark, but still early enough to rouse Harry and have a decent chat with him in time for dinner. She knocked on his door softly, and there was no answer.

"Come on, Harry," she said impatiently. "I know you're in there." The door wrenched open, and Harry stood there, shocked.

"I thought you were going skiing for the holidays," he said.

"Well, it's really not my thing," she said as she moved a pile of clothes aside so she could sit on his bed. "So I made my excuses to my parents, and here I am!"

She watched as Harry glumly padded around the room. "I came on the Knight Bus," she lied. "Look, Dumbledore told what happened first thing this morning, but I couldn't get away until now. Do you want to tell me why you are holed up here depressed and feeling sorry for yourself?" she asked.

"I'm fine!" he said defensively.

"Don't lie," she said as she crossed her legs. "Don't waste my time. Ron and Ginny said you've been cooped up in here and have been hiding from everyone since you left St. Mungo's."

"Oh, really. If they are all so damned concerned, why don't they talk to me?" he snarled as he turned his back on her.

"Oh, Harry, stop feeling all misunderstood," she said as she huffed. "Look, I know what happened when you eavesdropped with the Extendable Ears at the hospital."

"Really?" he answered back snidely. "Then everyone's been talking about me behind my back, is that it?"

Ginny walked in, and Harry growled low in frustration. "Harry," Ginny said, "we wanted to talk with you, but you've been shutting us out."

"I don't want anyone talking to me!" he shouted.

*"Well, that's pretty stupid, considering I'm the only one around here who knows what it's like to be possessed by You-Know-Who!" she shouted back at him. *

Harry and Hermione looked at Ginny in shock. Hermione had forgotten all about that. That had been a lifetime ago...before she had gone back in time, before everything, it seemed to her.

Harry seemed to get a bit humble. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I forgot," he muttered.

"Well, lucky you," she answered coolly.

"I'm sorry... So do you think I'm being possessed then?" he asked timidly.

*"Well," she said as she sat down. "Can you remember what you've been doing?" Ginny asked. "Are there large chunks of time that you can't remember? Big, blank periods of time you can't account for?" she asked.

"Well," Ginny said as she clasped her hands. "You've got your answer then. When it happened to me, I couldn't remember what I'd been doing for hours at a time. I'd find myself somewhere and not remember how I got there." *

Harry looked hopeful, but then said, "The dream, the snake..."

Hermione interrupted. "Harry, you've had that dream before about being in that same strange room with the doors. It just became more detailed. Then last year, your scar was hurting, and you experienced flashbacks of what he had done."

"This was different," he insisted as he paced the floor. "I was inside the snake. I wasthe snake! What if Voldemort transported me to London?"

"One day," Hermione said as she began to sort and fold the clothes next to her, "you'll read Hogwarts, A History, and you will remember that no one can Apparate or Disapparate on Hogwarts grounds. Even then, he couldn't just compel you from so far away, not with all the magical enchantments surrounding the castle!"

"Right," Harry retorted sarcastically. "Although, I remember being Portkeyed off of Hogwarts grounds during the Tournament!"

Ron had finally come into the room, and he said, *"You didn't leave your bed, Harry. I was there. You were thrashing in your sleep for a minute before we could all wake you up."*

Harry started to pace again. Hermione smiled. Deep down, Harry was a person who could be swayed by logic. Sometimes it was harder and took longer to convince him of something, but in the end he always came around. He finally stopped pacing, and he looked at all of them with his flashy grin that never ceased to remind her of James. He hugged them all, and Hermione's heart swelled. Her brother, that's what Harry was, her brother. He would always be that to her, and she would always look out for him.

***

Christmas morning came with little cheer. Hermione had a nice bunch of presents, but nothing from Severus. She felt disappointed, but she stopped herself. How could he send it without anyone getting suspicious? She'd see him soon enough. She felt a shiver run down her spine. She knew her boy. He would be randy as hell by the time she came back.

Molly was in a right state. Percy sent back his sweater without so much as a by your leave. Hermione sat with Molly as she cried. She wanted to tell her that her son was behaving like a great big pillock, but she held her tongue. The woman had more on her plate than she could handle, with Arthur lying up in hospital.

Sirius was in a horrid mood as well. He spent the morning looking for Kreacher, his house-elf. Harry became worried for his godfather. *"You know, you said to him, 'OUT' the night we arrived. Maybe he took it for real?" Harry asked.

"That's not true, Sirius," Harry contradicted him. "When Dobby came to me to warn me about going back to Hogwarts second year, he left the Malfoys, and he didn't have permission. Of course, he did have to punish himself afterwards..."*

Hermione's radar went up. She followed Sirius into the stairway upstairs. "You'd best hope that little sneak didn't run off and do something dastardly!" she whispered angrily at him. "Why you insist on antagonizing him is beyond me! Kreacher would love to hand our heads on a silver platter for Voldemort."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Hermione, you think too much. *Kreacher's probably tucked away somewhere snogging my mother's old bloomers or something. Or maybe, if I'm lucky, he crawled into a vent and died,"* he replied maliciously.

Hermione looked him with disgust. "You are one twisted freak, you know that?" she said as she bypassed him in the stairs.

"Takes one to know one," he quipped.

Hermione looked around to see if they were alone. "Sirius, you need to grow up. Harry looks up to you, and your cavalier attitude is a very poor example!" she spat at him. Then she strode off into the library.

Sirius followed her and blocked her path towards the bookshelves. "Oh, well, we all can't be as well adjusted as the perfect Hermione Granger-Snape, now can we? I meant what I said too," he said as he walked closer to her. "It takes one to know one. Any witch who would willingly spread her legs for Snivellus has to be either desperate or a freak."

"You are disgusting!" she hissed at him.

"Well at least I'm not the one who gets off on having a greasy slime ball grunting on top of me," he said lazily as he flung himself onto the couch in the library.

Hermione had had enough. She stood over him. "You're just jealous!" she said vindictively as she crossed her arms and looked down at him in the eye. "You're jealous because Severus has a wife, and you don't. He gets to sleep with a young, eager wife every night, and she lets him get his rocks off whenever he wants and however he wants, and that just rips you up inside!" She stormed off to go up to her room to cool off. Damn Sirius Black!

***

She didn't have time to keep on fuming over Sirius. The Weasleys were going to St. Mungo's to visit Arthur, and she and Harry were invited to come along.

Secretly, Hermione was glad. She hoped she could see Broderick Bode and check on his status. Perhaps the shock of seeing someone after twenty years and have them look the same age might dislodge whatever was blocking his speech from forming correctly. It gave her the shakes when she thought about it. Obviously, someone didn't want him talking. It didn't take a genius to figure that out.

After they had visited for a while, they decided to leave Molly to have some alone time with Arthur. They went in search of the tearoom and had an unfortunate run in with their old Defense teacher from second year, Gilderoy Lockhart. He was still as messed up as ever, not that Hermione could really notice. He seemed as self-absorbed as ever. Then, she heard a familiar name, and she, Ron, Ginny, and Harry turned to see Neville Longbottom with his mean, pushy Grandmother.

Hermione blocked out all conversation as she looked at Frank and Alice Longbottom. She choked back her tears. It wouldn't do to start blubbering here. No one knew that I had known them. She never forgot that evening after she had rowed with Sirius over Severus being Head of Slytherin. They both came to her and promised they would back her up. They had been good people who didn't deserve the fate they were given.

The meeting broke up and Remus spoke with James and Lily privately. Frank Longbottom and his girlfriend, Alice Lambert came up to Hermione.

She smiled at them and said as steadily as she could manage, "I thank you, and appreciate your support."

Hermione shook herself out of her remembering as they left. Frank and Alice did not know her or make any attempts to try and guess or figure her out. She felt lost and sad. The only ray of light was that the rest of them felt just as gloomy as she did.

Nearly out of range, she heard Bode's name mentioned. She followed the voice and came face to face with Unspeakable Bode, the nice, sedate wizard who had been so kind to her and Severus whenever they had to meet with Horatius. He had been given a plant for Christmas. She tried to connect with him, but he couldn't make any sense. She was sure he had recognized her.

"Don't worry, Mr. Bode," she whispered to him. "We've not forgotten you. Just hang in there, and we'll find a way to help you."

She had to leave then, and they all made their way back to Headquarters.

***

The next few days passed without incident, with the one exception that Hermione and Sirius were not speaking. No one really noticed. Hermione kept company all the time with either Harry or Ginny. Whenever Harry was visiting Sirius, she would hang out with Ginny. Now that Christmas was over, everyone was anxious for New Year's to arrive so they could all get back to Hogwarts. Arthur would be out of Mungo's soon, so there were no worries about him not pulling through. Hermione began to hope that perhaps Severus might pop in for a visit, but he didn't come.

New Year's was festive and cheery for everyone. There was a lot of drinking and partying for the Order. To Hermione's disappointment, Severus did not come round for the party. She was sorely hurt. She retreated to her room and went to bed early, not wanting to deal with the ringing in of the New Year and not having her husband to snog. She lay in bed feeling guilty as well. After all, how many New Years' did Severus have to spend alone before she had come back into his life? She tried to buck up and remember that in only a few more days she'd be back in his arms, and he was sure to be ready for some really good shagging after being separated for so long during the holidays.

***

At some point Hermione must have fallen asleep. She woke to a warm hand gliding up her thigh and then underneath her shirt. She was still half asleep when the hand grasped her breast. The lights were out, and she couldn't see anything, but all she could think of was Severus. He came to surprise me at last! She felt a warm mouth on hers, and it tasted of alcohol. Is he drunk? she thought. She was waking up now and could still hear the ruckus downstairs.

"Severus?" she murmured sleepily as her shirt was stripped off her.

The man didn't answer. He kissed her again and forced his tongue into her mouth. Hermione wanted to gag. The alcohol on his breath was rank. When she tried to break the kiss, his hands grabbed hers and pinned her arms above her head.

"I know you want this," he growled in her ear.

"Sirius!" she screeched.

He stopped her protests with his mouth on hers. Then he released her lips and forced his thighs between her legs. "I know that if you want that greasy Death Eater, I know you're gonna love this," he said drunkenly as he fumbled with her underwear.

She screamed. "Help! Help me! Sirius, stop. STOP IT!"

He backhanded her across the mouth. "Don't scream," he threatened dangerously as he held the sides of her face in a deathly hand grip. "I'm sure you and Snivellus play Death Eater games all the time," Sirius said against her lips as he barked a laugh. "Tell me, does he call you a Mudblood while he fucks you? Now, be good and just keep still enough for me to get inside you. It has been a long time since I've had a good, long fuck!"

Hermione twisted around and tried to gain leverage to force him off of her. He laughed at her attempts.

"So, this is what you do to get Snape gagging for it? I do love the bucking and struggling. It's pretty hot," he whispered against her lips as his hand clamped down on her breast, squeezing it painfully.

Hermione gasped in pain. She was trapped and couldn't reach her wand. She was growing physically tired of struggling against him. She realized he was really going to do this. She began to cry as he sucked and bit her flesh. "Don't, Sirius," she begged. "I promised Severus I wouldn't ever let another man inside me. Please don't do this to us. Don't!"

He grabbed her hair and yanked her face close to his. "You should have thought twice before mouthing off to me, you cunt!" he snarled as he finally ripped her underwear off her. "How dare you throw Marlene in my face! She was the only good thing in my life, and your precious Death Eater husband stole that away from me. Now, let's see how he handles having what he loves taken from him! Just know I'll be thinking of Marlene while I'm 'getting my rocks off'! Let's see if Snape will want you after knowing I was inside you!"

Hermione grunted and screamed as she tried to stop him from penetrating her. "HELP ME! HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP ME! STOP IT! NOOOO!"

She felt the tip of him grind against the juncture of her thigh and labia. He was so drunk, he couldn't find her vagina, and he was trying to force his penis into her by dragging and pushing it along her sex. She finally gathered all her strength and flipped them over onto the floor. She must have rammed her leg against his penis because he was cursing and whimpering on the ground. Hermione scrambled from him and switched on the light. Sirius was holding himself as he moaned on the floor. She ran out the door and crashed into Remus. He looked at her in shock and alarm. She sank into his arms and cried.

"Hermione? Are you drunk?" he asked as he sniffed her. Hermione didn't feel affronted. She was naked and shaking. Her face was bleeding, and she had red marks on her body. Remus had seen Hermione naked before, so he swallowed and took it in stride. He took off his cloak and covered her in it.

"No...but Sirius...he's in there. He tried to rape me!" she cried out hysterically. Remus' face turned to stone. He said, "Go to my room, and lock the door. Don't let anyone in until I return. Okay?" he said forcefully. "Lock the door!"

Hermione raced to Remus' room and locked the door shakily. She was terrified. She kept on checking it to make sure it was locked properly, not that an Alohomora could just open it anyway. She curled up in the far corner of the room with Remus' large cloak to cover her. She realized it had almost happened again. The flashback of Severus' filthy father pawing her, trying to force her legs open made her ill. She remembered she felt like he had broken her hips once he had pushed them apart. But then Severus had saved her.

She cried uncontrollably. She wanted badly for Severus to be here, to comfort her, but she was terrified of what he would do when he found out. Sirius couldn't be sent to Azkaban. It would destroy the Order.

If only I hadn't taunted him. I threw it in his face that Severus and I were happy and that Severus was having me any way he wanted while he was stuck rotting in this house without any witch to comfort him. He was lonely and angry. I knew he never got over losing Marlene. It's not his fault...it's my fault. I'll tell Remus that, and when Sirius is sober, he'll feel just wretched over it. It'll be okay; I can get Remus and Molly to heal my bruises, and we just won't tell Severus. He'd kill Sirius if he knew and probably would be so angry with me for taunting him. Her mind raced on and on, minimizing and taking the blame for everything that had happened.

Finally, there was a knock on the door. Hermione was ready to jump out of her skin. "W-Who is it?" she whispered.

"It's Remus, Hermione. Open up."

"No," she said. She was so terrified, she couldn't move. Then she heard Moody.

"Granger," he growled. "Open up this damn door, or I'll break it down."

Moody! she thought. He'll keep me safe. But he might blame me too...well, still he won't let Sirius near me.

She opened the door and let Remus and Moody inside. Moody took one of Remus' old robes and shortened it to fit her.

"Go change, and we'll talk," Moody said gruffly.

She obeyed him just she had all those years ago in training. When she came back, Kingsley was in the room as well.

Kingsley smiled his warm, soothing smile and said, "It looks like the four of us are back together again." He offered a chair for Hermione, and Kingsley conjured a chair for himself while Remus and Moody sat on the bed. Kingsley gave her back her wand.

"Thanks," she whispered.

Moody got up and took a look at her face. "Well, there are red marks on your face and neck. We'll have to get Molly to check the rest of you for bruises. So you know, Sirius is locked in your room under magical bonds. He's not going anywhere," he assured her.

Hermione nodded as she kept her head down.

"What happened, Hermione?" asked Kingsley.

Hermione clutched her robe around her tightly. "I was sleeping," she whispered. "I was missing Severus and had been disappointed he didn't come for the party." She started to cry, and Remus handed her a handkerchief. "I was sleeping. It was dark. I felt a man's hand touching me. I was half-awake. I thought it was Severus coming to surprise me. He kept on touching me and taking off my shirt. When he kissed me, I noticed something wasn't right. Then Sirius started talking to me, saying things like I shouldn't have said what I did..."

"What happened earlier?" asked Kingsley.

"We were fighting...Sirius and I never have really gotten along. He had been a bastard in school, and he acts like such a child sometimes. Finally, we argued over Kreacher, and I mentioned he was being a bad role model for Harry, and then it got personal. He said something morbid about Kreacher dying, and I told him he was sick and twisted, and he insulted Severus and our marriage. He said that I was the freak because I liked having a greasy slime ball..." She stopped talking. She was too humiliated to repeat it.

"It's okay, Hermione," said Remus. "We're not going to judge you."

"He said, 'grunting on top of me,'" she whispered. "He said something else, but I-I can't remember."

Kingsley looked at the others and said, "We can get your memory for an Evidence Pensieve," he said quietly.

"It's my fault!" Hermione choked out. "I was so angry he said that about me and my husband that I lashed out. I told him he was jealous of Severus...who had a young witch who he could have any time and any place he wanted, and he was stuck here with no one.

"I'm so sorry. It's my fault! Please don't tell Severus...he'll be so furious!" she begged them.

"Why, Hermione?" asked Kingsley. "Do you think that Severus will be angry with you? Do you think he'll hurt you?"

"I don't know...but I do know that he'll kill Sirius! Sirius can't be arrested. We have to think of the Order!" she said hysterically. "Let's just get me healed, and then I will leave and go back to Severus. I can't stay here," she insisted.

"Well, Snape is coming tomorrow," said Remus. "He's coming to make arrangements to teach Harry Occlumency."

"We can't tell him. Remus, we can't!" Hermione begged.

"Hermione," Moody growled. "The Order must be notified. We'll end this party right now, get everyone sober, and discuss this. Come on. Let's get you to Molly, and she will fix you up."

"Okay," she mumbled.

Remus stopped her and apologized when she flinched at his touch. "Hermione," he said. "You don't think we blame you, do you?" he asked.

She looked at them doubtfully, and Kingsley said, "I don't blame you, Hermione."

She glanced nervously at Moody, and he said, "You were wrong in what you said. You hurt his pride. But that doesn't make what he did your fault, Hermione. You can guilt yourself for the words you said, the temper you lost, but that doesn't give anyone the right to violate a person's body."

She swallowed and nodded her head. She followed them downstairs. The party was over, but people were still drunk and tipsy. Molly administered a sober-up potion to Albus. Remus and Kingsley spoke to him while Moody stood guard over Sirius.

Molly shook her head, and her lips were in a grim line. "I just can't believe it!" she shouted. "Damn that Sirius Black! Just look at you!" she tutted. Hermione looked down and saw hand marks on her breasts and bruises on her arms, wrists, and thighs.

"He didn't violate you...I mean he didn't get you, did he?" she asked, timidly.

"N-no" she whispered. "It was close. If he h-had b-been s-sober," she stuttered as she began to shake.

"Oh, my dear girl!" Molly exclaimed as she applied bruise-healing paste on her. "There. Now stand up, and place your leg up on the table. I need to see your inner thighs. Oh, that bastard! Severus is going to kill him!" she said angrily.

When she was done, Hermione covered herself with Remus' robe. "Molly, Severus can't find out. He can't. He will kill Sirius, and he'll go to Azkaban. Think of the Order!" she implored her.

"All I can think of is Ginny and Tonks! I don't want him around any witch he could get his clutches onto. We'll see what Dumbledore has to say about all this."

Hermione slept in Remus' room with him keeping watch by the doorway. Hermione barely got any sleep, and the quiet around her was unnerving. She knew there was yelling going on in her room, but the Silencing Spell made it impossible to hear.

***

She spent the next day upstairs with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Hermione kept covered up. Her bruises should be gone by evening, in time for Severus to come and give his message to Harry and take her home. She was scared that he wouldn't be told and frightened he would be told. She was petrified that he would want to make love. Each time she thought about it, she would burst into tears. She told a confused Ron and Harry she was on her period and that was enough to stop their inquisitive and nosy minds.

Albus called a meeting between everyone involved: Molly, Kingsley, Remus, Hermione, Moody, and Sirius.

Albus was furious, but he kept a rein on his anger. "I spoke with Kingsley and Remus last night and then this morning with Molly and Sirius separately. I viewed the Evidence Pensieve with the memories given to me by both Sirius and Hermione."

He took at deep breath. "It seems there has been bad blood between Sirius and Hermione for quite a long time. However, what you have done is inexcusable, Sirius!" he said angrily. "How you could even entertain violating another Order member is beyond me."

Sirius was looking sad and miserable. "I was drunk...I am stuck in this fucking house, and I get it thrown in my face every chance Snape comes around. Then she had the nerve to stick the knife in and twist it a bit more! I don't know why I did it. I was drunk and angry," he yelled as he threw up his hands.

Hermione was livid. She thought that was the stupidest excuse she had ever heard. Albus seemed to think so as well.

"Sirius, you drink too much. Every time I come here, you reek of stale liquor and suffer blackouts. Your temper is worsening. It's not our fault the Ministry hasn't seen fit to exonerate you. We have all felt for your situation, but our sympathy is at an end. You will not be sent to Azkaban. It would be too disastrous for the Order. You'll remain here, and you will stay away from any witch that comes into this house. Tonight, Severus will be arriving to talk with Harry about his Occlumency lessons. Then Hermione will be leaving with her husband to return to Hogwarts."

Molly spoke up. "What of Severus? Will he be told?" she asked angrily.

Moody took Sirius up the stairs away from the sensitive conversation.

Albus replied quietly, "I think that decision is Hermione's to make."

Everyone looked at her. She felt a pressure from the men to hold her peace, but she couldn't.

"I wish I could keep silent, but I have to tell him. The thought of having... relations scares me, and Severus would be hurt and confused if I refused him with no reason. If he finds out later I kept this from him, he'd be angrier than if I had just told him in the first place. But I can't do it alone! I need your support. I won't be able to stop him if he decides to kill Sirius. Please, I need you all to be there," she whispered.

"Fine," Dumbledore replied. "Hermione has made her choice. We will return here to meet Severus when he arrives. After he meets with Harry, we will all speak with him. Sirius will be here to face Severus. He has violated both Severus and Hermione and caused damage to their marriage, not to mention nearly destroying one of the most intimate acts between a husband and wife. He will answer to Severus."

Hermione kept her eyes on the wooden table in front of her as Albus spoke. She wished she could sink into the floor. She also felt sorry for Sirius, but she couldn't understand why. She reckoned she was just exhausted. Later, Molly tucked her in bed with a Calming Draught. Molly promised she would stay by her side until she woke up. Hermione curled up on her side in Remus' old bed and listened to Molly read to her from Hogwarts, A History as she fell asleep.

A/N: The sentences in italics with asterisks belong to JK Rowling. The rest belong to me.