Chapter 9

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Big thanks go to my great betas, whose names will be held until the reveal. You gals rock!

Harry had had enough of the stalling. "Look, Draco, you've paced enough. Out with it already!" he said in annoyance.

Instead of speaking, Draco ran his fingers through his blond locks, tugging slightly. It seemed as though he were in a battle with himself.

Ginny looked at Harry with an arched eyebrow. "Draco, please sit. We're anxious to know what you know, but you're making us worry even more."

"What's going on with Hermione?" Harry asked again.

"I'll have to start from the beginning then. Bear with me," he said, finally stopping to face them. His expression changed into one of pain for a moment. "Have you any port?"

"Firewhisky."

"I suppose that will do," he said, sitting down and waiting to be served.

With a sigh, Ginny got up and went to the cupboard to fetch glasses and the bottle of whisky. As she did this, Harry followed her movements but addressed Draco, "Are you under a spell Draco?"

"Sorry?" the other man asked.

"You look like you're in pain. Are you breaking a vow by talking to us?"

Draco frowned deeply and moaned before he spoke. "I am."

Harry nodded. "I thought so." He took out his wand and flicked it, his expression changing to one of surprise. "Damn. You know, if you go too far and say too much, it could harm..."

"I know."

"Is there a way around it?"

"I'd like to try to explain some things and possibly choose my wording carefully." He relaxed and sat back in his chair.

"Have you been living in France all this while?"

"Yes."

Noting that Draco didn't blanch, he asked another question. "Why have you been missing our meetings?"

"I've had to." He took the proffered tumbler from Ginny and drank deeply. "I'll have to just start from the beginning, all right? I can go back that far without my vow affecting me."

Harry indicated for him to continue and made room for Ginny to sit with him on the couch. He had a feeling that he'd not like what he was about to hear.

"Back when Snape was headmaster at Hogwarts, I overheard a conversation he and my father had. I was shocked, and it confused me even more than I already was. My father and Snape, they were making plans to overthrow Voldemort!"

"Snape was on our side," Harry said forcefully. "Always was."

"I know that. At least... I think I do."

"Sorry?"

Ginny snorted. "Take another drink, Draco. Might lessen your contradiction, there."

"What I mean to say is that I heard the plans they were making, and..."

"So, your father, you're saying, was actually on our side, too?" Harry shook his head. "I find that hard to swallow. He's been acquitted, no need to try to vouch for him now. What are you on about?"

"Shut it, all right?" Draco said with an icy glare. "What I'm trying to tell you is hard enough without you butting in, Potter."

Ginny placed a hand on Harry's leg. "He's right. Let him talk."

"Thank you."

"Right then."

"So, as I was saying," Draco continued, "I overheard my father and Snape talking about how good things would be after the Dark Lord met his demise. I hid below the stairway just under the main part of the headmaster's office. They never knew I was there, and the portraits, they didn't bother to tell them either. I think they wanted me to hear, expected me to do something about it. I can't be sure. So..."

Draco's eyes widened as he heard his father's cold laugh and icy voice.

"It could be no one else."

"That bastard!" Harry yelled. "He's tricked her into doing something for him, carrying on his dirty little work that he started with... Snape, but wait, Snape wouldn't have really condoned this. He was pretending, trying to get on your dad's good side."

"Do what exactly?" Ginny asked, placing her untouched tumbler aside.

"Bring whichever of them that fell back from the dead."

Harry sat back as if he'd been slapped.

"They wanted Voldemort out of the way so that they could take over and be the next Dark Lords. Nearly everyone in the ranks was afraid of Snape, him being their master's right hand and all. My father, he'd lost his clout once he was sent to Azkaban." Here Draco scowled at Harry. "So, naturally, he wanted you to win, Potter. He wanted you to do the dirty work, and then you'd least expect a betrayal much later."

"I don't believe it," he said adamantly. "Snape loved my mother. He wanted to protect me for her. He wouldn't have betrayed me... because of her and his feelings for her."

Draco shook his head. "Believe what you will, but you're missing the point, aren't you?"

"Oh my God!" Ginny said, gasping and bringing her hand up to her mouth, mumbling, "Snape..."

"Caught on, have you?"

"What?" Harry asked, looking between the two of them.

"Granger and my father have been working to bring him back, Snape." Draco stood and quickly moved to refill his glass. "Anyone else?" When nobody replied, he shrugged and placed the bottle down, pacing a few times before returning to his seat.

"No wonder she was so... secretive!" Ginny said, clearly shocked.

Harry stood and walked over to the fireplace.

"And where the bloody hell do you think you're going?" Ginny asked.

"We've got to go over there! Do you know what kind of magic it takes to bring someone back? I saw what Pettigrew had to do to bring back Voldemort's sorry arse. There's no telling what she's had to do!"

"Would you sit down? I'm not done!" Draco said impatiently. "And you can't just show up at our manor either. Our wards wouldn't let you in."

"Why didn't you get her out of there? Why are you saying something now?"

"I tried. I went there and told her to get out of there, but my father, he made me leave, enforced that damn spell. I..." He scrunched his eyes up in pain. "Shite."

"Take your time," Ginny said soothingly. She then eyed Harry and arched an eyebrow. "Come back here and let him tell the story as best he can. We don't want his... death on our hands."

"He won't die," Harry said calmly, though he made his way back to the couch. "It's not that kind of spell. I guess dear old Lucius didn't want to take the chance of killing his son."

"But I'll bloody wish that I had with the pain," Draco said stiffly. "It fucking hurts."

"So what else did you hear that night?" Harry asked.

"That night? Nothing. Those two oafs, the Carrows, barged in to complain about Longbottom." Draco snickered. "They left, and I made my getaway."

"Where does your mother fit into this? She's been in France as well. Separated from your dad," Harry said, crossing his arms.

"They were never separated, Potter. Not in that sense of the word. We were there on holiday." He clenched one of his fists. "She knew... what he and Granger were doing...working to bring Snape back."

"Is-is Snape back, Draco?" Harry asked in a small voice.

"I don't know. The wards haven't allowed me at the manor since that day, and I've tried. My father forced me to write a fake letter of apology to Granger, and then when I told my mother I wanted to talk to you, that it had gone on far enough, she forced me to write that one to you, canceling our meeting."

"Forced?" Ginny asked.

"Imperius," Harry replied, knowing what Malfoy meant.

"Yeah, and I almost bought into it, not even realizing it, but something would always remind me and help me fight it off." He took a small sip of his whisky. "They think they are doing this for the good of the world. They think it's what Snape would have wanted."

"Bringing a man back to life is noble, but going about it in an underhanded way..." Harry shook his head. "I can only imagine what Hermione's been going through."

"She seemed all right, like nothing was wrong," Ginny said. "Did she know she... was being used?"

"No," Draco said immediately. "My father has her thinking they're best mates." At that moment, Draco doubled over in pain, dropping his tumbler on the floor with a loud clang, its contents lost.

"Harry, do something!" Ginny yelled, jumping up to help him.

"I don't know what to do."

"Something for pain, quick!"

Ginny rocked Draco in her arms, not certain what she could do to soothe him or relieve his pain. When Harry finally made it back with a phial of liquid, they had to force it down Draco's throat.

"Brilliant," Harry said, running his fingers through his untidy hair. "He's lost consciousness, and we don't know the rest of the story!"

"Harry! That's cold!"

"It's not what it sounds like. I just..."

"Let's get him to bed for now," she said. "He's doing a lot by just being here and trying to tell us. Whatever vow he took, it's hurting him terribly. Maybe he'll be able to talk more when he wakes."

"Well, I'm not waiting that long. I'm going to talk to Kingsley, and then we're going..."

"Harry, no, you mustn't! We don't know the situation Hermione's in. What if this would put her in more danger? What if... what if we'd go there and mess things up so that Snape can't be brought back?"

"I would want him to live, Ginny, but not at the cost of Hermione."

"What would Hermione want? What would she do?"

"She'd... she'd want to finish what she started." Harry nodded and flicked his wand to lift Draco's unconscious form. They'd just have to wait until they learned more. That was all there was to it.

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

"Still not heeding my warnings about that book?"

His silky voice caressed her like nothing else could. She turned to face him, the tome still clutched to her chest. "It's hard for you to understand. My father..."

"Will be fine." He stood and collected his clothes.

"Bozzy told me that Lucius and Narcissa have returned."

"I think I'll go to greet them and let them know we will no longer be indulging in their hospitality."

"Yes," she said with a nod, "I want to leave this place."

"Get dressed. Come with me."

"I don't want to see him," she admitted. "I can't face him right now, not feeling so confused and foggy inside, knowing that he's done something but being unable to put my finger on it."

"Are you certain?"

"And I don't want to see his wife either!" She shook her head vehemently. "That would just make things worse."

Severus nodded, pursing his lips. "I won't be long."

"Severus," she said, placing the tome aside. "I want to see my father."

"I will come with you."

"No, not this time. I want to tell my mother about us before, all right? It's nothing against you, but this... this will be a shock to her."

"Fair enough," he relented, his eyes narrowing. "You will come back, won't you?"

While his voice was hard, she detected the underlying insecurity and went to him, wanting to comfort him. Placing her arms around his waist and her head on his chest, she said, "We're together now, and while we may not love each other, our paths are intertwined. I won't desert you, will help you with this, and will make the most of this."

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and slid his arms around her body tightly. "I will do my best to give you a contented life, Hermione. Your sacrifice...what you are doing, my loyalty is yours. I swear it."

"My mum is probably a little worried. I won't be long." She smiled excitedly. "I hope he's awake."

Nodding, Severus said, "I'm sure he will be...from what you've said about it." Reluctantly it seemed, he released her and finished dressing while she did the same.

Ten minutes later, she walked into her father's room at the hospital to find his eyes closed, his body still, and her mother sleeping in a chair at his side. She was almost afraid to move. Had there been no improvement? When her mother stirred slightly, she decided to speak.

"Mum?" Hermione asked softly. She moved a little closer and tried again. "All right, Mum?" Her mother stretched and yawned loudly, causing Hermione to grin and rush to her for an embrace. "How's Dad?"

"He woke during the night. All the swelling's gone down, just some bruises left, that's all. He'll be all right," her mother replied, rubbing her eyes. "He asked after you."

"Hermione..."

It was her father's voice, weak and low to be sure, but Hermione had never been so happy to hear it before.

"Dad!" She quickly went to him, tears in her eyes, and took his hand in hers, placing a kiss on it. "You gave us a right scare, old man!" she teased.

"Sorry, poppet, I didn't mean to." He smiled and squeezed her hand. "The two of you, here with me... means a lot to me."

"I should have been here when you woke, but I've been tending to something very important." She closed her eyes guiltily. "Sorry. I don't mean that it's more important than you, Dad. It was a commitment I couldn't walk away from." Literally, she bitterly added to herself.

"No, it's all right," he said.

"Besides, he's not been alone," her mother added. "I've been here with him."

"That's right," he said. "There's something I wanted to ask you about."

"What's that?"

"That bloke who had that row with Arthur Weasley years back... at that bookshop, do you remember him?"

Hermione's stomach twisted. "Y-yes."

"I saw him."

"What? When?"

"Now, honey, you know the witnesses said it was a woman." She turned to Hermione. "The blonde woman that was seen walking in front of your father's car? He..."

"No, it was no woman. It was that man...with the long blond hair, wearing a long cloak. He walked straight towards me and knew exactly what he was doing. If I hadn't swerved, I would have hit him with the car."

Hermione let her father's hand go and stepped back. "Dad, are you certain? I mean..."

"I know what I saw. He had that same cane in his hand with the serpent's head! Why would he do this? How does he know where we even live? Is there something that can be done about this in your world?"

She stepped back and plopped down into the chair her mother had vacated. "We've been working together. He never said anything." Memories assailed her then...his haughty smile, his lips curled in a sneer, cold eyes.

"Place the crown on your Prince, Hermione," Lucius said with a mocking smile.

"Mmmm, Severus will enjoy you," he whispered into her ear. "I know that I most certainly did."

"All right, Hermione?" her mother asked in concern.

"I must go," she said.

"But you've only just got here."

"I have to talk to him. I'll be back... soon." She quickly made her way to the door and stopped once she got there. "There's so much I have to tell you. Things have... changed for me. I'll explain everything as soon as I can. I have to sort something out first."

She Portkeyed to the manor and paced around the room she'd been sharing with Snape in a rage. Lucius Malfoy had caused her father to wreck. And what were these memories coming to her? Were they real? They had to be. Her mind was starting to piece things together finally!

The tome came into her line of vision, and with it, Severus' warning. He'd been right. It had all been a lie. Lucius had somehow tricked her into asking after the tome and then used some magic to make it say certain things. Was Kreacher in on it? He'd been the one to direct her to Lucius! The dreams, they had to have been Lucius' making as well.

But how?

The room began to spin, and she had to sit down on the bed. There were so many thoughts flying through her mind, so many visions. Had she been so easy to hoodwink? But why her?

She thought of Lucius' hands on her naked body, his kiss against her flesh, and his body against hers, and it made her retch. What a fool she'd been! "Severus," she mumbled. "I need Severus. I have to tell him what I've learned!"

"Hermione, remember the tome's words about your blood, your body, and your soul?"

"Neither of us had ever seen this potion before, and the bloody book wasn't very forthcoming, was it? How could we have known?"

"It was all a lie," she said to herself dejectedly. And she'd walked right into it all with her eyes wide open. She was so eager to learn something new, to make a difference, that she never realized what was happening.

And she'd given her body to him. No wonder Snape had been so angry when he'd seen the tome. He must have recognized it for the scam that it was. "He knows most of this." She was certain of it. He'd said that she had a drug in her system...the wine Lucius toasted her with. That had to be it.

"He said that I'll have to put this together on my own. To learn too much at once would be too much for me and could..." She stood and faced the door, wincing at the ache in her head.

That bastard tried to kill my father because he knew I had second thoughts about going through with this. Oh, God, what if those pictures are fakes? What if Ron...

Hermione stormed out of the room, determined to find Lucius and hex him into oblivion. She could always ask questions later. He will pay for what he's done. The fact that her head felt as though it were splitting into two didn't slow her down. Easily, she made her way to his private study, knowing he'd be there.

Before she could barge in, she realized that the door was open, and she could clearly hear raised voices. This prompted her to stop and lean against the wall while massaging her temples.

Lucius spoke then. "Severus, you knew I would choose her, and now you are trying to play the gallant knight? You forget, old friend, that I know you far better than that."

"You went too far with her, Lucius."

There was a loud thud.

"Kicking over my belongings won't change anything."

"Why did you have to bed her?"

"And why shouldn't I have?" There was a chuckle. "Now, now, Severus, calm yourself. You know you can't harm me."

"She is mine."

"Yes, that she is. Trust me, I want nothing more to do with her in that way. She suited our plans, and that's that. Her place is now at your side."

"You speak so calmly about this."

"I followed your orders to the letter. Why should I not be proud?"

"Where is Narcissa?"

"It's of no matter. She knows of it all."

"I see."

"Go to Spinner's End if you want her to feel more comfortable, but you will meet with me regularly. We've much to discuss and many plans to make."

"We'll be leaving shortly."

"Very well. Will you come round tonight for tea?"

"I will."

Hermione backed away in shock. Lucius had been following Severus' orders? But how? Severus had been dead, hadn't he? What the hell was going on? The pounding in her head worsened and threatened to split open. She wondered absently if it was how Harry had felt all those times his scar hurt.

A blurry vision of a blonde-haired woman came into view. The figure spoke in a haughty voice, asking, "Are you eavesdropping?"

Unable to take anymore, Hermione fell to her knees, certain she was crying, and watched her wand roll away from her. She'd been betrayed by them all...even Severus.

"What's going on here?" Severus asked. His boots came into Hermione's line of sight, followed quickly by his kneeling legs and hands, which were touching her face. "What have you done to her?"

"Not a thing," Narcissa said indignantly. "I found her here, looking rather pale and mumbling to herself. I believe she was eavesdropping."

"Fuck!" Snape exclaimed.

"Ah, it looks as if you'll have to explain things to your little wife soon, eh?"

She closed her eyes, unable to look at the light any longer. A moan escaped her lips, and she felt her body being lifted, knowing it was Severus who held her by his scent.

"Your bloody potion has done this!"

"Nothing you can't cure, Potions master." Lucius and Narcissa both laughed. "Shall I still look forward to you tonight? Or would you prefer to wait a day while you tend to her?"

"I will owl you," came Snape's reply, and Hermione heard no more.

AN: Shorter than normal, I know, and I'm sorry, but I can't put more here without going too far. My next update will be sooner. Sorry but RL caught me in its snare.