Part II, chapter 3

AN: This went through queue at OWL far faster than I thought it would, so here's the next part for your reading... erm, pleasure? Thanks to Southern.

“Get up, Granger,” Snape barked, as Hermione finished off the last of her sandwich.

She got up, put her plate in the sink and moved toward the laundry tub, just like every other day.

“The laundry can wait. Now come,” he said, leaving the room with an imperious swish. Hermione followed, throwing a questioning glance to Wormtail as she left. He seemed tense and was watching her intently.

She followed Snape through the living room and up the stairs to the bedroom, growing increasingly worried about what he had in mind. The fact that they were going to his bedroom made her more than leery; he did not go upstairs until bedtime.

She followed him into the room and was startled when he magicked the door shut behind her. He stood by the bed with his arms crossed, glaring at her.

“Come here.”

She could refuse. She could stand her ground, but she knew that if she did, he would hex her and then get her to do whatever it was he wanted her to do in the first place afterwards. She went to him, stopping when she reached her personal boundary.

“Closer.”

Swallowing, she took two more steps toward him. She was only a few inches away from him, and she could feel the heat of his body. She kept her head held high, but refused to look up at him until he commanded her to.

“Strip.”

Her eyes went wide, and despite her resolve, she glanced up at him. He was staring down at her with a smug look of satisfaction. It was the same look he'd worn when she'd consumed his drugged healing potion.

Mouth dry, she quickly lowered her head again to hide her fear. She closed her eyes and tried to start her rhythmic breathing, but his impatient, “Any day now,” jolted her out of her meditation. Her fingers responded to his voice, though, and started undoing the buttons on the robe.

When it came time to take the robe off, she debated how to go about it. Should she lift it over her head or try to squeeze out of it the other way? It was oversized, so she probably could get it off that way without damaging it, and then she wouldn't put herself into such a vulnerable position.

So, she struggled out of the robe, carefully bringing one arm through the neck, then the other, while trying to avoid touching Snape. She wasn't completely successful in that endeavor, but she managed to keep the contact to a minimum. Then, with her shoulders through the neck hole, the robe slid down until it loosely caught on her hips. She looked up at Snape, who pointedly looked at her hips, then raised an eyebrow at her.

Closing her eyes, she pushed the fabric down, and it fell off of her, gathering in a puddle around her feet.

Fear made her breathe quickly, but determination made her raise her chin, looking at Snape through defiant eyes. He just smirked, then stepped back to look at her body. With slow and deliberate moves, he circled around her, but didn't touch her. She tried not to look at him, but could feel his cold sneer anyway.

He did another half circle, then stopped behind her. She felt him step up behind her, standing so close that his robes were brushing against her shoulders and buttocks. He leaned toward her and, with a very light touch, moved her hair away from her ear.

“Stay exactly where you are,” he whispered, then walked off to the bathroom. He came back after only a couple moments carrying a dark cup full of something, which he then handed to her.

“Drink that.”

The color of the cup masked the color of the potion, so she had no idea what he was giving her, but in her gut she knew it was a contraceptive potion.

Swallowing back her tears, she lifted the cup to her mouth and drank – and found it to be another slow acting healing potion.

A host of possibilities flew through her mind. Was he going to rape her or was he going to beat and torture her and then let the potion do its work? Was there another potion hidden in there? Would she wake up the next morning with no clue as to what he had or hadn't done? She nearly sobbed, upset as much by not knowing what to prepare herself for than by what he could be intending.

He circled once more, then stood in front of her and crossed his arms, looking displeased.

“Well? Get dressed and get to work,” he barked. She looked up at him, astonished. He looked at her as if she were filthy. “What are you waiting for?”

She quickly bent down to gather her robes, as much to hide her trembling lips and body as much as to stave off his impatience. Relief was coursing through her, but so was rejection and humiliation. She was grateful that he hadn't done anything to her, but she couldn't help feeling that he didn't do anything because she wasn't good enough.

She squeezed her eyes shut to try and stop her tears and reminded herself that it was a good thing if he didn't find her attractive. She reminded herself that this was his form of torture. She reminded herself that his intent was to humiliate her, and to do that he would play on her fears and insecurities. She reminded herself that he'd had six years to observe her fears and insecurities.

She was still trembling and on the verge of tears, though, when she stood up and got dressed under his continued scrutiny. She found she couldn't look at him, no matter what she told herself.

“Now come,” he said and led her downstairs to the washtub.

Wormtail was still in the kitchen when they returned. She refused to face him, not wanting to lose the illusion of confidence she'd evoked the night before, but she could feel his gaze on her.

“The Dark Lord is calling me again,” Snape said to Wormtail in a matter of fact voice. “This time, use whatever brains you have before you talk to the prisoner.”

Hermione listened, and her knees shook. Had he stopped only because Voldemort had summoned him? Had he really intended to violate her? She listened for the tiny pop that signaled his departure, then leaned her head against the wall above the washtub.

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She looks like she's been crying. What did Snape do to her? Maybe she didn't do what Snape sent her to do last night.... Why didn't she? Could it be that she actually likes me? Is she actually grateful?

Well, I'll have to make sure not to let Snape turn her against me. I'll get him yet.