Part III, chapter 4
Chapter 23 of 28
averygoodunThe need to survive is ingrained within the human psyche, but where does self-preservation end and self-destruction begin? Hermione is captured by Death Eaters and is held hostage by Snape and Pettigrew, but she comes up with a plan to escape. Not a romance.
ReviewedAN: Thanks, Southern!
Peter returned from his summons looking pale and wan.
“In a bad mood, is he?” Snape asked, looking vaguely amused.
Peter looked daggers at Snape, but then smiled rather nastily.
“Yes, he is, and now he wants to see you.”
Hermione was surprised to see Snape looking mildly discomfited by that pronouncement, but he quickly masked it. He nodded, clothed himself in his robes and was gone within a matter of seconds.
Hermione looked back to Peter who had placed his wand on the table and slumped down into the chair nearest him. She felt a stab of pity at seeing Peter look so drawn and then realized that she hadn't thought of him as 'Wormtail' since the day he'd told her how she made him feel.
“Did he hurt you?” she asked, coming over to rub his shoulders while wondering if she was letting herself get too close to him emotionally.
“Mmm, right there,” he murmured, stretching his neck to the side to accommodate her hands. After a few more noises of contentment, he answered. “Yeah. When he's in a bad mood, he likes to use Crucio on whoever annoys him. I always seem to annoy him nowadays.”
She hummed sympathetically, continued to knead his shoulders until her hands cramped up and then sat beside him at the table.
“Do you know why?” she asked, curious despite herself.
He shook his head mournfully. “No, but I suspect I've outlived my usefulness.” He looked up at her, and for the first time she saw a scared little boy sitting in front of her instead of a weak-willed man. Her chest tightened painfully.
“And there's nothing you can do?”
He shook his head again, his face a picture of bleak resignation. “No. I think the only reason he hasn't killed me yet is because of you.”
Hermione nodded, understanding it had more to do with Harry than her.
“Can't you run away?” she asked tentatively.
He shook his head and unconsciously scratched at the skin around his silver hand. “He'd find me,” he whispered. “He always finds them, the ones who run away. And we've all had to watch what he does to them. It's... it's horrible.”
“What if you went to the Order...” Her voice faded at his pained look.
“And they wouldn't kill me?” he asked bitterly.
She had to concede that point. Even if he returned with her and she told them that he'd rescued her, he wouldn't survive. Harry and Remus would be after blood, and if they weren't, Ron would be. But even if they didn't kill him, it would probably destroy him to find out she'd just been using him.
She must have been looking as grim as she felt because he smiled half-heartedly and said, “It doesn't matter. Don't worry about it.”
“But I do worry, Peter. I don't like to see you hurting.”
He gave her a real smile at that. “You're a sweet girl, Hermione.”
She stood up and took his hand. “Let me make you feel better,” she said, tugging at his hand, but he shook his head.
“I'm too tired, love.”
She smiled coquettishly. “You won't need to do anything but lie down.”
He raised his eyebrows in interest, but then shook his head. “I'm sorry, but I really am too tired. All I want to do is go to sleep.”
She conceded with an easy smile. “Then let's go do that.”
///////////|\\\\\\\\\\\
Potter must be doing something right. I haven't seen the Dark Lord this upset since the Ministry fiasco. I'm surprised Wormtail made it out alive, given the Dark Lord's current temper.
I suppose Wormtail gave the same excuse as I did; the Dark Lord has always had a soft spot for torturing Muggles and Muggle-borns.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Traitor
307 Reviews | 7.44/10 Average
this is such a brave and daring story! i had read it before but i couldn't remember where it was posted so i searched through various sites and finally got lucky. this time i will add it to favourites without delay. thanks again for that jewell!
This was GRIPPING.
Wow! I am utterly and deeply moved. It took me quite a while to figure out what you were aiming at and that was a pleasant surprise in itself. There are not many stories out, where the end is not obvious from the beginning.I also liked to have Wormtail described as a human being and actually getting more than a few crucios out of his actions.Thank you for the wonderful story!
Holy mother of gods. That was just the best story I have read in a long time. I have stayed up till 2am reading this because I could NOT put it down... Your torture of her. The food. The sadistic/masochist tones... my god. Just brilliant. BRILLIANT.I have never read a story with wormtail in this character. I was almost sympathitic toward him.And when Snape finally had her! Why was that sOOOO hot to me? Shell
Wow. Brilliant I would rate this much more than 5...
Like a punch in the guts. Wow. I am breathless, horrified, amazed, marveled, disgusted, touched, numb, exhilarated. Thank you for believing in yourself and sharing your story with us!
How hard for Hermione, to feel that she is using Wormtail. You really depicted that so well. Sigh.
*melted to a puddle on the floor"*GASP!*Oh, Severus, you naughty boy!
Catching up with the story after a loooooong time (RL sucks!). Nice "intermission' chapter!
I don't know if I like thinking of Hermione being genuinely upset about Wormtail or Snape's letter acting like he tried to save Wormtail for her.... I jsut don't know what to think of it all... but regardless, the writing was good :)
It really is quite squicky to think of Peter and Hermione. I keep reminding myself that it is to ensure her escape but she seems to actually have concern for Peter at this point. Not caring but concern. And the fact that Snape doesn't seem to care is icky as well. Peter is so gross I'm surprised Snape didn't rip her off of him jsut out of disgust LOL
ugh... wormtail is soooo creepy. And knowing that HErmione is doing him often is just sickening. I hope she either gains what she's after or comes to her senses and ... I don't even know... jsut stops sleeping with Wormtail LOL
I was recced this... I like dark fics.. but that's a brutal way to start out. Well written and I can't say I'm looking forward to what's to come but I'm... interested??
I ended up reading this whole story in one piece, I just couldn't stop reading! :P I just love the way you writes Snape, he is completely believable in this story and so is the other characters. I think you should be very proud of this story, it was a joy reading it (except from the icky wormtail/hermione parts)!
Wow. I thought I wouldn't be able to go past the squicky parts, but... you got me reading for one hour non-stop. Excellent writing.
:x
I'm wondering if she's pregnant . . .
Wonderful story. I read it in about two hours. Just gobbled it up, really. I especially loved your portrayal of Pettigrew, and the way you ended the whole piece.
Long story short: this is amazing. Short story long: anything by Dickens.
Response from averygoodun (Author of Traitor)
Thank you!
This was a wonderful story - but I might be just dim here when I ask you this question, but my Snape-fangirl-love wants to know who sent the letter? Did Snape truly defect from the Order, or was he happy that she escaped, wanting her to get away all along? Sorry if my Snape-love kept me blinded from any obvious hints you might have left in the story...
Response from averygoodun (Author of Traitor)
Thank you. Snape sent the letter. For answers to the rest, I suggest you read "Closure." It's a little less vague. ;-)
It was the only way what? He wanted her to use Wormtail to escape?
Response from averygoodun (Author of Traitor)
That is the question. What was the only way? How? Why? And, most of all, who?
Response from KarenDetroit (Reviewer)
ARRRGGG!Don't you repect the Geneva Convetions on Torture????
Response from averygoodun (Author of Traitor)
*giggle* Is there such a thing in fiction?
That said, there will be a companion piece called, very appropriately, "Closure" coming up pretty soon. A lot of questions will be answered in there (though it's still vague-ish on that one).
Yowza. The sex with Peter/Wormtail was just so icky. And you got the ick factor just right - along with the reality that it wasn't, of all the things Hermione had to endure, really so awful in the grand scheme of things. And then when Snape watched -well, that was wrong and right and actually quite hot. And through it all you never lost the complexity of the emotions involved, the grey-ness of all the protagonists. Thanks so much for a thought-provoking and entertaining read.
Response from averygoodun (Author of Traitor)
Thank you!!! I... Thank you.
Very well written story the whole way through. I really enjoyed it and was thankfull for the quick updates. The way you ended it was very exciting. Well done job all the way around.
Response from averygoodun (Author of Traitor)
Thank you!
Hi Avery. Now that I have completed Shades (at least on SH and FF), I finally got the courage to read this story from start to finish. Actually, I started reading when you first began posting chapters, but I only got to chapter 5 before I stopped. To be honest, I found it extremely difficult reading. The words painful and profoundly distrubing come to mind. But I suppose that was the effect you were looking for. Don't get me wrong--your writing itself is excellent. Very descriptive, good characterization and not too wordy (unlike me...). I also applaud your emphasis on a strong theme as I think too many fanfiction writers just want to write something fluffy that will be 'popular'. It takes courage to do something like this. What I found most amazing is that my story could inspire such a piece. It is ironic that your Hermione essentilly makes the polar opposite choice from mine. She compromises nearly all her morals and principles in order to survive, making her a traitor not to Harry or the Light, but to herself. It was a weighty piece of work. Good job.Cheers and best wishes,
Response from averygoodun (Author of Traitor)
Response from averygoodun (Author of Traitor)
Hey. Well, thank you for reading it! You're right, I was attempting to write something very painful and disturbing. I've read Stockholm Syndrome stories that really, really romanticize the situation and don't take into account that it is a disorder; the victim is ILL, and it is not a healthy, romantic situation.
What I wanted to explore as much as that, though, is that survival really can outweigh morals when it comes right down to it, and Hermione has not proven herself to be as strong as Harry is under pressure. Hermione will have a hard time of it because she knows she did betray herself, even if the trip to the betrayal was almost invisible.
Thank you both for the inspiration (amazing story, btw!), and for your thoughts!