Chapter Five

Author's Note: I hope the length of this makes up for the shortness of chapter 4.

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Chapter 5

Hermione stumbled blearily into her kitchen and set about her morning ritual of making tea. She hadn't been able to sleep the night before knowing that the two men she desired were sharing a bed across the hall from her. Judging by the utter lack of sound emanating from the room, one of them had cast a silencing charm, leaving her to deduct that the two men had spent time getting reacquainted with each other.

Sighing heavily, she threw herself in a chair, her head in her hands. What the hell had I been thinking? she thought helplessly. I can't do this. I can't lie less than four meters from them while they shag and not go crazy. She let her forehead thump against the table, which was followed by a muffled "ow."

"Do you abuse yourself as such often, Miss Granger?"

Her head snapped up at the sound of Severus' voice. Her eyes widened in surprise to find two very fit men clad only in pajama bottoms and looking well-shagged entering the kitchen and joining her at the table. Merlin! I am so screwed Hermione thought, looking longingly from one man to the other, wondering just what had happened in her library last night. She was jarred out of her fantasy by the whistling of the kettle.

"Allow me," Severus said, rising to tend to the tea.

Hermione's eyes trailed his every move, following the long lines of his body as he reached into the cupboard for cups. She remembered the feel of those muscles under her hands, the way he reached to pull her closer that night. The memory of him moving under her, in her, was almost too much, and she could feel herself flush as she pulled her eyes from Severus' back into to knowing gaze of Remus seated next to her.

She unconsciously licked her lips at the sight of the man with tousled hair and bedroom eyes staring back. It was the first time she had seen him shirtless. She was surprised at the broadness of his chest and the firmness of the muscles covering his torso. Like Severus, his skin bore the marks of a hard life, and just like she had with Severus, she found herself wanting to run her fingers over those scars, trace them with her tongue, make him forget the pain they signified.

The clink of china being set before her on the table brought her attention away from her desires and to her tea as Severus settled into a chair across from her, raising his own cup to his lips. She watched, unable to tear her gaze away as his tongue snaked out and traced the remainder of the tea from his upper lip. She gasped involuntarily, startling herself out of her reverie.

"Excuse me," she muttered, racing out of the room.

Once safely ensconced in her bedroom with the door locked and warded, she paced, running her fingers through her hair.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck fuckfuckfuck fuck!" she chanted.

"Calm down, Granger!" she ordered herself. I can do this, she thought. I just need to find myself a diversion. I just need some space.

Deciding to go for a walk ... she wouldn't call it running away ... she quickly dressed in a pair of jeans and knit sweater and bounded down the stairs.

"I'm going..."

The words died on her lips as she found Severus and Remus in a heated embrace; Remus was backed up tight against her refrigerator as both their tongues seemed to be fighting for dominance. Severus' hands were tightly fisted in Remus' hair, controlling the angle of his head, while Remus' fingers stroked under Severus' shirt, pulling him closer.

Remus' moaned at the same moment a whimper escaped Hermione's mouth. Oh, how she envied them, both. What wouldn't she give to have been in the place of either of them in that moment? To have been between them? Her knees threatened to give as she watched Snape's hand trail down Remus' bare chest and disappear into his pants. Remus' answering growl made her shiver with longing. She leaned on the doorjamb for support, unable to move, though she knew she should go; she had no right to intrude on this private moment, yet she couldn't will herself to leave. She bit her lip as Severus slid down Remus' body, taking his pajama bottoms with him, exposing Remus' cock for a brief moment before engulfing it in his mouth.

"Fuck!" Remus gasped, his hands threading through Snape's hair as his hips buck under Snape's ministrations.

The wave of desire that hit Hermione at the sight before her nearly brought her to her knees. She wanted to touch herself, to touch them, to be touched. God, she was so turned on; she had never felt as lustful as she did watching the men in her kitchen.

"Severus," Remus moaned again. Hermione snapped her eyes back to his face at the sound of his voice, only to find open, lust-filled amber eyes locked on hers.

She fled.

She was several streets away and half-way through the park before she stopped running. Full of unrequited lust, shame, and heartbreak, she collapsed under a tree, allowing her emotions free reign as tears streamed down her face.

It was dusk when she stumbled back down the streets toward her home. Not really wanting to go inside, but not having much choice as she had left her wallet in there, she walked up the stairs. Reaching for the door, she changed her mind at the last minute and Apparated away.

She staggered at the force at which she appeared outside of the Burrow. Doubling over, she waited for the nausea and dizziness to subside. When it passed, she stood and knocked on the door.

"Hermione!" Ginny's squeal alerted the rest of the house to her arrival.

After being greeted by Harry and several redheads, Hermione found herself seated in the living room, a cup of tea thrust in her hand and an audience of Weasleys wanting to know what life was like being bound to Severus Snape and Remus Lupin.

"How are you holding up, dear?" Molly asked.

"I'm fine," Hermione answered.

"Must be rather interesting being tied to two men," Ginny said cheekily, causing Hermione to drop her cup.

"Sorry," she muttered as the Weasleys laughed. She whispered a quick Reparo, only the cup flew back together with such force that it shattered again.

"Having trouble with your new magic, Hermione?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"What do you mean 'new magic'?" Harry asked.

"Now that Remus and Severus are bonded to Hermione, their magical power is tied to hers. When she casts a spell, it's not just her magic, but the magical ability of all three of them behind her," Mr. Weasley said.

"You mean I am using their energy?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Yes," Mr. Weasley responded with surprise. "Didn't the Ministry explain this to you?"

"No," she said slowly. "I knew we'd be bound, but ..."

"But you didn't understand what it meant, really," Mrs. Weasley said with pity.

"Hermione," Mr. Weasley started. "Remus and Severus are now bound to you. You have full access to their magic. You control it essentially. You are now the vessel through which they can do magic."

"I don't understand."

"Without you, they would be powerless," he said. "You have the ability to block them from accessing their own magic."

"What?" several voices sounded at once.

"No!" Hermione denied. "No! This can't be true! The Ministry would never..." She looked imploring to Mr. Weasley. "Why? Why did you let me do this?"

"It was the best option," he sighed. "And I knew you would never abuse this power."

Hermione was quiet for a moment, letting the horrified truth sink in.

"Is the reverse true?" Harry whispered. "Can they control her magic?"

"No," Mr. Weasley said. "They are bonded to her, but she is not bound to them."

Hermione was silent as she absorbed this new development. This was wrong. It was all so very wrong. This was not what she wanted; she didn't want to control their magic. She just wanted them safe.

"But, Mr. Weasley, the Minister said it was rather like a marriage bond. Surely, Mrs. Weasley, you don't wield power over Mr. Weasley's magic," Hermione pleaded.

Mr. Weasley sighed as Mrs. Weasley reached out to place a comforting hand on Hermione's arm.

"Oh, child," she said. "You really didn't know?"

Hermione shook her head.

"In the old days," Mr. Weasley began, "men would bind their wives to them in such a way. It assured obedience and gave the husband full control over his wife and her power."

"It was a practice that fell out of fashion in the last century as witches' rights increased," Molly continued.

"I believe many people had forgotten about it until the Ministry stumbled upon it and decided to use it as a new form of punishment," Mr. Weasley continued.

"It's barbaric!" Hermione cried, feeling sick. "I can't believe I did this to them!"

"It was their choice," Harry said. "They didn't have to agree to this."

"And what kind of choice was it, Harry?" Hermione said, standing and then pacing. "Be bound to me or spend life in Azkaban? Oh, god, what have I done?" she whimpered as she collapsed back on the couch.

"I assure you, Hermione," Mr. Weasley said, "both Remus and Severus knew exactly what they were agreeing to."

Hermione took no comfort in his assurance.

~*~

It was nearly midnight when George and a rather drunk Hermione Apparated outside her home.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" George asked.

She smiled at the concern in her friend's voice. She always thought of the twins as her older brothers, and she loved them dearly. The loss of Fred had been just as devastating to her as the other Weasleys. Since then, she'd taken even more of a concern for George; even during her self-imposed exile, she had written him often, even more than Harry.

"How can I face them?" Hermione asked, collapsing on the terrace steps.

"Talk to them, Hermione," he suggested. "They are grown men, and they made their choice. Clear the air between you. Let them know how you really feel."

Hermione let out a loud laugh. "How I really feel?" she said incredulously. "Let's see. How do you think they would react to 'I'm sorry I now control all your magical ability, and by the way, I want to shag you both silly?'"

"You what?!"

Hermione buried her face in her hands, embarrassed at her drunken confession. "I want them, George. God do I want them."

"Remus, and Snape?" he asked surprised.

Hermione looked up at him sheepishly and nodded.

"Damn, girl!"

"And they're already sleeping together."

"Remus and Severus. Are shagging?"

"Yes. I walked in on them in the kitchen today. My kitchen!"

"So why didn't you just join in?"

"Excuse me?" she looked up at him shocked.

"Come on," George chided her. "You're hardly a prude. If you want them, do something about it. I mean, you've already shagged Snape, so you know he's amenable. And Remus was with Tonks, so he can't be completely gay," he reasoned.

"I don't want a pity fuck," she mumbled.

"No, because if that were the case, we'd be taking a tumble right now," George joked as Hermione playfully smacked his arm.

"Just reminding you the option is always there," he said.

"Thanks," she said with a smile, knowing for all their flirting, nothing would ever happen between them. She sighed, struggling to her feet. "I guess it's time to face the music."

"You may be lucky," he said. "They may have already shagged themselves unconscious for the night."

"Goodbye, George," she said with a smile, turning toward the door.

"Bye, Granger," he said, disappearing with a pop as Hermione entered the building.

The house was dark and quiet as Hermione stumbled inside. She paused in the entryway, listening for sounds from her housemates ... Husbands? Prisoners? ... but finding none.

"Silencing charm," she muttered to herself as she battled her way up the stairs and into her bedroom before collapsing onto her bed, fully clothed, and falling into a drunken sleep.

~* ~

"No!" she screamed, shaking with fear as the knife dug deeper into her skin. She tried to twist, to escape, but Bellatrix' grasp was too tight.

Greyback was approaching, licking his lips with anticipation. "I love it when they scream."

He reached for her as the knife bit into her neck.

"Miss Granger!"

Her body automatically responded to the commanding voice of her former professor, and Hermione found herself suddenly awake, sitting up in a bed drenched in sweat, her heart still pounding.

"You were having a nightmare," Lupin said quietly, reaching out to caress her back. "Was it the same one?"

She nodded, not looking either man in the eye.

"He's dead, Hermione. He can't hurt you."

"He already did," she muttered, excusing herself from her bedroom.

Remus sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair. He had held Hermione through many nights like this when they first met up after the war. It had been months, however, since she had had a nightmare. He wondered what had brought this one on and hoped it hadn't been what she had seen in the kitchen earlier.

"What was that about?" Snape asked, reaching over to clasp Lupin's hand in his.

Remus hesitated, unsure as to whether or not to confide Hermione's secret to his lover. Deciding that it was probably best for all involved to know, he told Severus of the torture Hermione had suffered that night at the hands of the Death Eaters.

Severus was pale when Remus had finished.

"Did he... Did he..." Severus was unable to finish the sentence.

"She never said," Remus answered. "I could never push her for an answer."

Severus just nodded. "We should see to her," he suggested, rising from the bed and heading toward the bathroom.

"Hermione?" Snape rapped on the bathroom door.

"Go away," a whimpered voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Hermione, please," Remus tried.

"I want to be alone now."

"Miss Granger! Open the door this instant!"

Remus glared at Snape's demanding tone. Snape looked back and shrugged. "It worked earlier," he whispered. "Perhaps she'll respond now."

"If you do not open up this door, we are coming in!" he threatened louder.

"Severus," Remus pleaded.

"Hermione," Snape's voice softened. "Please let us in. We want to help."

There was a long pause before a soft click signaled the opening of a lock, and the door swung open. Hermione was huddled against the wall between the tub and the toilet, shaking and tearful. Remus rushed to her, cradling her in his arms as he carried her back to her bedroom, Severus trailing.

They held her, one on each side, as she cried herself to sleep; both remained awake hours afterward.

~*~

Hermione awoke to the sensation of swollen eyes and an inability to move, as if some weight were holding her in place. The night before came rushing back to her: the truth about the bonding, drowning her sorrows with George, the nightmare, crying herself to sleep. She groaned at the recollection, waking the men on either side of her.

"Drink this," a gruff voice said as a potion was thrust into her hands.

She downed the hangover potion, frustrated at herself for having a nightmare that she thought she had been over. The horrors of the war had died a slow death, and she was none too happy about their resurrection. It must have been the stress of yesterday, she figured. Great! she thought. I get them in my bed, only to be sobbing the whole time!

"How are you feeling?" Remus' voice was low and soothing.

"I've been better," she said.

Remus smiled at her, and her heart tightened at the memory of what she had done to him and his magic.

"Remus," she said, reaching out to cup his face. "I am so sorry."

"For what?" he asked quizzically.

She scooted up in bed so she could see both men. "Mr. Weasley told me the truth about the bonding last night. I swear I didn't know!"

She watched as the men looked from her to each other and back.

"And what truth is that?" Snape asked.

"That I can control your magic. That I am not bound to you as you are to me," she said guiltily.

"And?" he prompted.

"Isn't that enough?" she asked.

"Hermione, we were well aware of what the bonding entailed before we entered it," Snape assured her.

"Well, I wasn't!" she protested.

"Do you regret it?" Remus asked quietly.

She studied the look of apprehension on his face and Snape's weary expression. "I don't know." She held up her hand to stall their interruptions. "I certainly don't want to see either of you in Azkaban, but I didn't want this either. No one should have control over someone else."

"It's the story of my life, Hermione," Snape attempted to joke feebly.

"That's just it," she continued. "No one should have control over you, not like this."

"Hermione, do you intend to exert your control over us?" Remus asked.

"No, of course not!" she said adamantly. "I would never!"

"We know," Remus assured her. "Why do you think we were so amenable to the idea? We knew you could never use this power to harm us."

"How could you be so sure?" she asked.

"We know you," he continued. "We know your heart."

Hermione turned her pleading eyes to Severus. She knew he spent nearly his entire life answering to one master or another. Would he consider her any different? "Severus?"

He reached out and brushed a lock of her hair from her face. "Do you remember our night together in the pub?"

"How could I forget?" she said, her eyes locked on his.

"You said we all needed to be rescued," he reminded her. "Maybe that's what this is all about."

Hermione looked at him with confusion, but before she could say anything, his lips were on hers, and he was kissing her as he had that night. It was a kiss of passion and promise and a release of regret. Hermione gave in, relishing the feel of his mouth on hers, not wanting it to end.

When they finally broke apart, she looked at him with wonder. "You forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive," Snape said. "After all, it was our idea."

Hermione, instantly reminded of Remus, turned to face the man on the other side of her, afraid of the reaction she might find for just kissing his lover. What she least expected was to have another set of lips crushing against hers as Remus kissed her for the first time. It was surprisingly demanding, and she yielded to his insistent tongue.

He pulled back enough to look at her, one hand clasped in hers, the other reaching out for Snape's. "Is this what you want, Hermione? Do you want us?"

She looked from one to the other, unwilling to believe what Remus was proposing.

Severus wrapped his hand around her free one, completing the circuit. "Do you want us all to be together, Hermione? To truly be together?"

Unable to form words, she just continued staring.

"Do you think us so callous as to just use you to be set free so Severus and I could carry on together? Do you think us that cruel?" Remus chided.

"I... I didn't know what to think. I didn't think," she stuttered.

"I won't deny there is something between Lupin and I," Severus said. "But you can't deny there is something between you and I, between you and him."

Hermione didn't trust what she was hearing. Surely they couldn't mean what she thought. "It was just a one night stand, Severus," she said, trying to keep her voice level.

"Was it?" he purred. "Did you truly never think of me as I have thought of you?"

Choosing to face Remus instead of answering Severus, she asked, "And what about you? You left here to bond Severus to you. Surely you can't want this?"

"Why not?" he asked her. "Why wouldn't I want the two people I love to share my bed?"

"Love?" Hermione choked on the word.

"Love," he said with affirmation. "Can you honestly tell me after all those months together, you feel nothing for me?"

Hermione shook her head, not trusting her words. He loved her?

"Perhaps you need some time to think it over," Severus suggested. "Lupin and I are going to go out for a while to give you some space." He leaned over to kiss her forehead before dragging Lupin from the bed and out the door.

Hermione stared at the door long after the men had left.