Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I'm borrowing some of JKR's characters and using them for my own twisty plots in an AU Potterverse! Weehee! Too bad no money's to be made.

Thanks go to my brilliant beta, Charmed_Nay, who's been with me since I began writing here in Potterland.

The next few days passed much as the others had before. She helped Snape with potions while he and the others planned the escape of their comrades. She wished there would be a way to tell the Order... or anyone for that matter, but she knew deep down that he was right. Too many coincidences of thwarted plans and Voldemort would be aware that someone was indeed betraying him.

But what if Snape was betraying her? What if he'd not truly given the information he'd promised her to Ron? Was this really a ploy to gain her affection after all? It couldn't be, her mind justified. All that he's said has seemed truthful.

If she dwelled on those thoughts for too long, doubt crept in and drove her temporarily mad. She wanted to trust Snape. Trusting him meant safety and gaining freedom eventually.

"Hermione?"

"Sorry? What was that?"

"Where were you just now?" he asked.

She looked down, realizing her book was in her lap and that she'd been staring off into space. "I was just thinking," she said quickly. "Nothing special."

"I was saying that you should come to bed, as we'll have a busy day tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

He nodded and went to the wardrobe where he began taking off his robes. Hermione did not look away, having become accustomed to seeing him get comfortable...meaning she saw him in a vest and underpants only each evening before he slipped on a nightshirt.

"Lucius and the others will be freed."

Tossing her book aside, she rose and made her way over to the bed, having already changed into her crudely made nightgown before she'd began her book. "And they all have to stay here? With us?"

"It shouldn't be for very long. Lucius will likely take his family and go."

"Bellatrix included?"

Snape nodded. "Yes, she is his family...her and Rodolphus both."

"What of Rabastan?" she asked sharply, eliciting a deep chuckle from him. "What's funny about that?"

"You dislike him, don't you?"

"Of course," she said, gazing at him in disbelief. "You saw what he tried to do to me!"

"He..." Snape shut his mouth and turned his back to her as he slipped off his vest and replaced it with his grey nightshirt.

"He what?"

"He's not as bad as all that most of the time. Plays a good game of chess when he's sober enough."

"Hmph!" She turned away from him and snuggled down into the duvet. The man had bound her and tried to rape her. "Not as BAD as all THAT?" she suddenly yelled, sitting up again.

"Keep your voice down, girl!" he retorted coldly, moving forward as if he were about to throttle her. "You will respect me and learn your place."

She was about to ask what he meant by that when she heard a snide bout of laughter from somewhere beyond their curtain. Hermione had momentarily forgot that they were not alone. "Yes, sir," she said sarcastically instead, hoping he'd infer the meaning behind her words.

The candlelight went out, and a moment later, the bed dipped with Snape's weight, causing her body to roll towards him slightly before she caught herself and scooted back to the edge of the bed.

"Hermione."

His voice was soft and seemed laced with pleading. What was it like to be in his position? How could he have done this all those years ago and survived? How could he do this now and not betray his true loyalties?

He's a murderer!

A hand on her shoulder pulled her onto her back and rested there, holding her down. However, she was not alarmed and waited to hear what he wanted to say.

"Things will be different soon enough. Once we have more privacy, I will tell you more, but do not ask too much of me."

"All right," she agreed honestly. He was right. She shouldn't add more weight to the burden he carried; however, there was something she had to know. "Harry and Ron, have you given them any more information?"

"I've sent them something, yes, but whether they are bright enough to figure it out without you, I am uncertain."

"You might be surprised," she said, a small grin spreading on her face. He'd contacted them again! She knew in her heart that she could believe him.

"Mm," he murmured noncommittally, releasing his hold on her shoulder and turning to lie flat on his back.

"Good night... Severus," she said, calling him by his given name for the first time since he'd forced her to join him in hiding.

"And you, Hermione."

She turned back over unable to quell the feeling of hope and happiness blooming within her chest. Things would be all right. She could feel it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ O ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Snape says I'm in charge while they've gone to bring home my father and the others," Draco said importantly with a smug look on his face.

Hermione gazed from him to Wormtail and shuddered. She disliked both of them, the rodent even more so than Malfoy. "In charge of that maybe," she said, pointing to Pettigrew, "but not of me."

Draco's pale face reddened, and he stepped closer, snarling out, "No one's here to save you if you don't keep that mouth of yours shut now, Granger!"

"Severus would be upset indeed," Wormtail added. "Leave the girl be."

Hermione's eyebrows rose just as much as Draco's. "I don't need your help, you bloody traitor!"

Draco snickered at Wormtail's indignant look and outright roared with laughter when he responded with something that sounded like the angry squeak of a rat.

When Pettigrew stood, he stepped closer menacingly, hands clenched at his side. "You should talk of betrayal, girl. That Weasley boy fancies you, I know, and look where you sleep at night!"

She felt her cheeks heat. "Only because I have to!"

"You want to, I know it!" he said quickly. "I can sense it, you see. You like being here. You want it to be known that someone as powerful as Severus and as high ranking in the service of our Lord is your lover. You..."

The slap that stung his cheek resounded loudly, but it didn't turn his head nearly as much as the second one, which stung his other cheek.

"How dare you!"

"Granger, calm down," Malfoy said, pulling her back and away from Wormtail, who had staggered back.

"That's it!" the man yelled, grabbing for his wand.

"Oi!" Draco warned, raising his. "Mind yourself, Wormtail."

Grateful for his protection, though uncertain why he gave it, Hermione let Draco lead her over to the fire and said nothing as he cast a Muffliato to keep Wormtail from overhearing them.

"You can say thanks now," he said.

"I could have handled myself!"

"With no wand?"

"Thank you, Malfoy," she bit out slowly.

"Look, Granger, I need to ask you something." He looked towards the fuming man across the room and cast a dark look at him.

"What is it?" She could sense that he'd grown serious and felt that something had changed. "Draco?"

His gaze met hers again. "How do you make a Portkey?"

"Sorry?"

"You heard me."

"What for?"

Excitement welled in the pit of her stomach. He wanted a Portkey! That meant that he wanted to escape just as much as she did. An uneasy feeling settled over her as she remembered Pettigrew's words. Did the others truly believe that? Of course, they did, and that was the plan anyway, wasn't it? They were meant to think she was shifting loyalties from Harry and Ron to Snape.

"I know the incantation, but it won't work for me. The place isn't set against using them. The Carrows come in that way, see, and that's how the others will come in once they leave Azkaban after they Disapparate to all different places."

"Maybe you aren't saying it right," she said thoughtfully. "Or perhaps you aren't waving your wand correctly."

"Show me."

"Will you take me with you?"

"What? Are you mad?"

"I won't show you unless I can go. Do you think I like being here any more than you?"

"I... Granger, I can't. I just want something to get my mum out of here. My father, he might not be overly happy with some things that have happened, and..." Draco frowned. "Or maybe he won't mind and might want to get away just as much as me and my mother. Things aren't what..." His voice trailed away, and he looked at her fearfully.

"Things aren't what they'd seemed in the past."

He nodded.

"I will only make the Portkey if you will allow me to go with you. I'm sorry, Draco, but I have to think of myself as well. That's the price if you want the knowledge."

"You don't think I'm going to let you use my wand?"

"What other choice do you have?"

"I can ask someone else!"

"And risk them snitching on you?"

"You... Damn it." His pointy chin quivered with uncertainty before his head bobbed once in agreement. "All right."

"Have you something to use?"

"A flannel in the bathroom would be fine. I'll go in there and leave my wand in the last drawer by the bath." He swallowed nervously. "Make the Portkey with it, and you'd better not try anything, Granger, or I swear I'll say it was all you, and I'm good at Occlumency. They'll believe me!"

"When I make a deal, I don't go back on it," she said honestly. "Make sure you do the same."

He nodded. "Leave the flannel and the wand in the drawer. I'll go back in after and get them. You can tell me later what time it's going to activate if you don't trust me. Then we'll just make plans to be at the same place at the same time."

"Fair enough."

"You'll see when I use the loo. That will be when I'll do it." He flicked his wand, ending the charm. "Fine then!" He stomped off and sat next to Wormtail, grumbling about not being able to persuade her into telling him any of Snape's secrets.

"Stupid boy," Pettigrew said, "I told you where her loyalties are now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ O ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione didn't feel guilty about betraying Snape and making plans for escape with Malfoy. Her freedom was more important to her, as she could be doing more good for the cause if she were actually with Harry and Ron. They needed her help. Though she was loath to admit it, when Snape had commented about them possibly not figuring out whatever clue he'd left them without her, part of her had agreed with him. They'd never been much on researching things or studying. That was her job!

The break from Azkaban had gone smoothly as far as she could tell. The entire gang began to Portkey in at different intervals and a drunken party ensued. Hermione thought it odd that Voldemort hadn't come around to greet his followers, but then someone let slip that he was off on the continent dealing with something personally...some old vendetta. Hermione's heart went out to the person he was after. It wasn't likely he'd escape.

While she was the punch line to a few crude jokes, not many of the people thought much of her being there and mostly ignored her, even Lucius Malfoy, who'd not left his wife's side for a moment since his return. The once lustrous hair was now a little scraggly and dull, and his face didn't have that same handsomeness that it once had. No, there was something different about it...perhaps the look of defeat that had replaced his once arrogant demeanor made the difference notable.

She'd finally told Malfoy what time her Portkey would activate, taking them to Ottery St. Catchpole, near the Burrow. She'd quickly Apparate to the safety of the Burrow's wards while the family went wherever they chose. The tricky part, however, would be sneaking over during the night to grab onto the flannel with the Malfoys without waking anyone else or rousing Snape's suspicions. Had Draco told his parents? None of them let on that they knew anything. Did they mind that she would be fleeing with them? Were they planning on betraying her?

As the hours dwindled down, she began feeling nervous. Once she Portkeyed away, what would become of Snape? Would he suffer for allowing her to escape? Would Voldemort and his followers hunt down the Malfoys and kill them as they'd done to Karkaroff, who'd also fled? It was when she lay next to a lightly snoring Snape that guilt began to settle in the pit of her stomach.

He might be killed for what was about to happen. Could she live with that, being the cause of his death? While he'd not given her solid proof of his loyalties or further explanations on the workings of things, her instinct told her to trust him. Her instinct also told her that she might be signing his death warrant.

Perhaps she should stay... pretend to be surprised when it became known that the Malfoys had fled during the night.

You should talk of betrayal, girl. That Weasley boy fancies you, I know, and look where you sleep at night!

Wormtail's accusations flitted through her mind, slapping her in the face harder than the two blows she'd inflicted upon him. Was he right? No! She'd show him. She'd escape. There was work to be done, and her place was with Harry ... and Ron.

He's not an afterthought, she bitterly mused, remembering Snape's words.

It was settled. She would creep over to the Malfoys near four o'clock and Portkey away with them, guilt or not! Whatever happened just would, and there was nothing she could do about it, as sorry as she felt for Snape's fate. The rest of the lot be damned. They could all rot in hell as far as she was concerned.

When the time neared, she quietly rose, not bothering to change her clothes or to try to take anything with her. She would simply say she was going to the loo if Snape woke or if anyone approached her. As far as she could tell, though, they'd all had a fill of yet another night of celebratory drinks and were sleeping off the aftereffects, giving her a little more confidence.

Halfway across the room to where the Malfoys were, she realized that something was wrong. She could hear fervent whispering, but she was unable to make out the words. One voice belonged to a female while the other was a male. Moving closer, she saw that it was Draco and his mother, both tugging on the flannel. It was apparent that his mother didn't want him to use the Portkey...or that she didn't want to leave her husband behind. Hermione noticed that Lucius was sleeping soundly on their makeshift bed.

"But he doesn't have to know. We'll just put it in his hand and be off," Draco whispered pleadingly. "Mother, we have to. Don't you see?"

"We'll be killed!" she said sharply. "You are only safe under Severus's protection... under your father's care. Why, if I allowed you to... Who's there?"

"Me," Hermione said softly, stepping into the dim glow of wandlight.

"Oh, er... S-she...er..." Draco stammered.

So he hadn't even told his mother that he'd had help making the Portkey.

Narcissa raised her wand and pointed it at Hermione, but Draco spoke. "No, Mum, she helped. She made it."

"She did?" she said incredulously, eyes wide. She forcefully snatched the flannel away from Draco and held it away from him. "It's a trap! Severus will surely know what's afoot!"

"No, he doesn't," Hermione said quietly, motioning for the nervous woman to keep her voice down. She checked her watch and felt her heartbeat quicken. "We've less than a minute! You have to decide what you're going to do!"

"Mother, please, this is the only way," Draco said, obviously not caring that Hermione was witnessing his begging.

"If you don't want to go, hand that over," Hermione added. "We'll take it."

"I can't leave without my mum," Draco said, turning towards Hermione. "That's the whole point. Father... I don't think he'd want to go."

"And with good reason," Narcissa hissed. "He knows the consequences we'll face...either way!"

"No, I know people who can help you. Really." Hermione tried to smile reassuringly. "But first, we'll have to use that Portkey to get out of here."

"I don't trust you," the woman said uncertainly.

"Thirty seconds," Hermione said nervously. "Please."

"I have to talk about this to Lucius. I can't just leave this way."

"Mother!"

"God, twenty seconds, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Lucius," she said softly, shaking his shoulder. "Wake up."

"Mmm?" he mumbled loudly. "What's that, Cissy?"

"Sshh, quiet!" she admonished.

"Ten seconds," Hermione said, stepping closer. She intended to wrench the Portkey from the woman's grasp and be gone...to hell with them if they were so indecisive. She would definitely ream Draco, however, for not preparing his mother sooner. Doing it at the last minute had caused too many problems!

Lucius was sitting up groggily, hand extending to his wife, and Draco jumped closer, pushing his mother towards his father, and then suddenly, there was a faint glow of blue light, and all three of them disappeared. Hermione simply stood there in shock, looking at the place they'd last been.

They'd left without her. The Portkey had activated, and only three of them had been touching. Her heart sunk. She was still Snape's prisoner, and she would likely pay for her part in the Malfoys' departure...worse if they reappeared later and told them all that she had made the Portkey in the first place.

"What is going on here?" asked a silky voice from behind.

She turned around and burst into tears before she could answer. Candlelight began to filter through the room as the others who'd been asleep woke, causing Hermione to sob harder.

"Explain," Snape said, eyes narrowed, face a mask of anger.

"They're gone, the M-Malfoys. Portkey. Left me here."

She was grabbed roughly by the arm and pulled closer to him. "What do you mean by this? Was this a plan? Did you just happen upon them and beg them to take you?"

Wormtail scurried over and said wheezily, "She and the Malfoy boy just a couple of days ago were quite cozy, Severus. She must have talked him into this. They were talking and warded me out of their conversation!" The smug look on his rat-like face and the light shining in his beady little eyes confirmed to Hermione that he'd been biding his time and hoping to pay her back for the way she'd treated him.

"That's a lie!" she said suddenly.

"You filthy little bitch," Bellatrix said. "What's happened to my sister? Where've they gone?"

"I don't know! I was just going to the loo when..."

Bellatrix grabbed a handful of hair and yanked her head back, wand pressed against her back. "Liar! Where?"

"Enough!" Snape said, trying to pull her from the woman's grip.

"No! She's done something to them, this clever little witch, and I intend to find out what." Her voice was shrill and deranged.

"They used a Portkey," Hermione said again. "I swear, I didn't...ouch! Stop it!"

Snape had ripped her away from Bellatrix, but she was certain that some of her hair had remained in the woman's fingers. "There is one way to find out. Legilimens!"

Trying her best to block what had truly happened from her mind wasn't working. Almost immediately she thought of the moment she'd talked to Draco... then her flicking Draco's wand over the flannel to make the Portkey... walking towards the arguing Malfoys... watching Snape undress... slapping Pettigrew...

"Stop!"

He released her quickly, and she tumbled to the floor, tears in her eyes and flesh aching where his forceful grip had been. She could see the glint of betrayal shining in his eyes and closed her own to keep from seeing it. This was it. He would have no choice but to turn her over to Voldemort. She was doomed and would be killed for her part in things.

However, time seemed to stand still for her when he finally spoke, voice hard.

"It appears that she is telling the truth and was merely on the way to the toilet when she wandered over to see what Draco and Narcissa were arguing about."

"My sister would never plan to leave without telling me!"

"Then why has she gone?" Snape queried.

"Lucius did keep plying me with the drink tonight," Rodolphus added. "Might have been the plan all along."

"Azkaban's made him soft, I say," Rabastan put in. "Likely making a run for it."

"I tell you that my sister..."

"Has fled," Snape finished for her with a smirk. "You can make her excuses to the Dark Lord when he returns tomorrow."

Everyone became silent with worry. Snape reached down and yanked Hermione up. "As for you, my dear, we shall return to bed."

Without a word, she allowed him to lead her back to their room where he shoved her onto the bed and blew out the candle next to it. When he lay beside her, she could practically feel the bed shaking with his rage.

"We will discuss this in the morning," he said maliciously. "Then I will decide your fate."

"Severus, I..."

"Silence!"

She knew better than to say anything else. He was displeased, and there was no telling what might happen if she mouthed off. The fear of possibly being turned over to Voldemort made her tremble. What would Snape do with her? He'd lied to them for her so far to cover up her part in things, but would he continue to do so?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ O ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snape and Hermione were outside where they could speak privately. It was the first time she'd been out in many days, and she was trying to soak up as much sunshine as possible. It felt glorious...the heat on her skin, the touch of warmth, the small breeze cooling her.

"What were you playing at?" he asked her bluntly, bringing her attention back to him.

"You never tell me anything!" she accused.

"Idiot!" he said angrily. "I don't tell you much because the Dark Lord would know!"

"But how? I won't tell him. He's not..."

"He will look into your mind each and every time that you are in the same room with him. Surely, you know this!"

"He's c-coming here?"

"We're going to him today, thanks to your little stunt! Someone will have to answer for this."

"Oh."

"I would prefer it to be Bellatrix, who should have known her sister was planning on leaving."

"But she wasn't. Draco, I mean...he was the one. That's why they were arguing."

"I deduced as much." He raised his wand. "I'm sorry, but I have no choice."

"Wait! What are you going to do?"

"I will alter things, make you remember only seeing them fleeing, nothing more and certainly no part you had in it!"

"You can't do that!"

"And risk the Cruciatus for lying for you? For not turning you in? For not controlling you better?" He glared at her for a long moment. "He is not always forgiving, Hermione."

The tone of his voice caused her to swallow. "Will you give this back to me when the time is right?"

He flicked his wand, saying nothing aloud.

Hermione felt dizzy and swayed, blurriness blocking her vision.

"Are you all right?" Severus asked.

"I don't know. I feel odd."

Arms came around her waist and steadied her against a chest. "Perhaps you overexerted yourself. It's been a long time since you've been out. Running around like that isn't very bright, is it?"

"Oh, I feel so nauseated. Maybe I should lie down for a while."

"I'll guide you."

They made their way inside, her arm around his waist and his arm around hers, not caring who was looking on. Once he helped her kick off her shoes and placed her on the mattress, he smoothed the hair away from her face.

"I have to go with Bellatrix to see the Dark Lord. He may want to see you later, but I'm not certain. You will be warded in...alone but safe. All right?"

She nodded and succumbed to blissful sleep.

Southern's Notes: Ah, well, one plan foiled. I wonder if she'll try that again soon? And what's become of the Malfoys? Find out next!