The Subjugation of Hermione Granger

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe and all the characters are property of J.K. Rowling and whomever else has a finger in the huge franchise. I do not. I make no money nor do I claim any ownership of the people, places, and things (unless I make them up as we go, like the character Maia Jeinsen). It is only to have some fun do I write this story, in hopes of some entertainment.

Warning: This chapter contains mature subject matter. Reader discretion is advised.


Hermione stared at her plate. Tteamteaming food that had looked so good before now seemed to be quite foul. Her stomach rolled mutinously as she slowly brought her fork to her mouth. Sighing in frustrated hungere yoe young witch slammed the silverware back down onto her plate.

Ron gulped down a bite of his chicken potpie and glanced over to his bushy haired friend. \"I can\'t believe that greasy git gave you a detention.\"

The expression on Ron\'s face was one of disbelief and Hermione would have laughed at it if not for the gnawing fear over what Professor Snape had in store for her. Something like this could ruin her. People would talk and she would be shamed before the entire school. She could be humiliated in front of the entire wizarding community. People would be disgusted. They would throw things at her. She would have to leave this world and return to being just a regular muggle. She would lose everything.

Ron turned to look at Harry. \"Why didn\'t you get a detention too?\"

\"I don’t know,\" Harry said slowly, looking down at the table. His guilt was palpable. It was like everything was his fault. He sighed heavily. \"It\'s like he wants to pick on my friends so they see that they are better off without me or something.\"

\"Oh come off it Harry,\" Hermione exclaimed. Harry snapped his head around and looked at her in bewilderment. \"Not everything is about you. Professor Snape dislikes anyone and anything not associated with Slytherin. I bet he\'s been just waiting for a chance to give me detention. He always says I\'m a little know it all.\"

\"But he might not be so quick to tear you a new one if you weren\'t a friend of mine,\" Harry said, his face tightening up in defense.

\"Am I your friend Harry?\" Hermione asked quietly.

Ron swiveled his head around as each spoke. With the last twist toward Hermione, he yelped and put a hand to his neck. \"Bloody brilliant,\" he cried out. \"I think I gave myself whiplash.\"

Harry grinned weakly. \"Serves you right, you prat. Can\'t keep your nose out of it.\"

Hermione sighed heavily. She stood up and rubbed her fingers over Ron\'s stiff shoulders. \"Next time you know to sit across from us. That way you won\'t have to pull a Linda Blair.\"

\"Who\'s Linda Blair?\" Ron asked perplexed.

\"Sorry,\" Hermione chuckled lightly. \"Muggle reference.\"

Ron relaxed under Hermione\'s ministrations and closed his eyes. \"So did this Linda get whiplash by watching her friends squabble?\"

With an amused smile, Hermione shook her head. \"Actually, she was possessed by an eviiritirit that made her do all sorts of frightening things. It has to be one of the scariest movies ever made. When she was possessed her head spun around and around and around. It was quite disturbing.\"

Ron sat up straight and spun around to look at Hermione in disbelief. \"For real?\"

Laughing, Hermione shook her head. \"No, silly. It\'s just a story.\"

Looking up at the girl, Ron frowned. \"I\'ve heard of that sort of thing happening before actually. Bill told me one time when he was in the catacombs in Egypt, trying to break the curses of the some tomb or o he he ran into this guy who went barmy and spewed blood all over the place and walked on his fingers and toes up the side of a wall.\"

Hermione gasped. \"Linda did that in the movie too! Harry, do you think it could be true?\"

Harry looked suspiciously at Ron, who smiled wide. Shaking his head in amusement, Harry replied, \"quite possibly. I mean something that wild has to come from somewhere. Who would think up something that disturbing?\"

Ron began to shake with his laughter and Harry couldn\'t help the smile from taking over his face. Hermione looked at the two boys in confusion. When Harry broke out in a gale of laughter and pointed at her expression she knew she had been had. \"Why you… \" Hermione cried out as she slapped Ron on the shoulder.

She looked to Harry and he stopped laughing.

Ron rolled his eyes at the awkward silence between his two friends. \"Will you two just kiss and make up already. This is getting ridiculous. Hermione, you say you\'re sorry for asking Harry to do something so mental. Harry, you say you\'re sorry for overreacting to Hermione being so mental. And both of you say sorry to me for putting me in the middle. I hate this.\"

\"Sorry Ron,\" Harry and Hermione said together. They looked at one another quickly in shock and then smiled shyly.

\"Hermione,\" Harry began quietly.

\"Harry!\"

The three Gryffindors turned to see who called out. Hermione noticed with distaste that Harry smiled shyly as Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones and Maia Jeinsen approached. Maia was smiling back as she flicked her hair over her shoulder. Hannah and Susan waved at Hermione and Ron.

\"Are you finished eating?\" Maia asked Harry. Her cheeks turned pink as she looked up at Harry. \"I was just wondering if you would like to go for a walk. The sky is clear tonight and the stars look nice. That is, if you don\'t have any other plans.\" Maia cast a guarded glance at Hermione. The blonde Hufflepuff witch gave Hermione a small smile before turning her blue eyes back to Harry.

Harry\'s cheeks turned red then. The teen looked down at his shoes before looking back to Maia. \"That sounds, um, nice,\" he stammered. He sighed heavily. He turned to face Hermione. \"Unless you want me to come along to Snape\'s?\" Harry blurted out suddenly. At the shocked look in Hermione\'s eyes, he went on quickly. \"I mean, it\'s partly my fault you got in trouble. I should be getting detention with you.\"

Hermione frowned in resentment, shooting the other three girls an angry glance. Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked away and said haughtily, \"Harry, you don\'t have to be a martyr for every little thing. I\'m the one with detention. I really think I can handle it on my own thanks.\"

Frowning, Harry replied crestfallen, \"alright.\"

\"I need to get going before I\'m late,\" Hermione said quickly. She turned and strode away, leaving Harry and Ron looking after her. She shook her head in frustration. \"That was a bit harsh, Hermione Jane,\" she scolded herself as she opened the large doors to the Great Hall. She cast one last look back and saw Harry and Ron talking with the three Hufflepuff witches. She sighed heavily. \"I should have agreed to let him come. Why am I such a fool?\"

\"You are a fool because you associate yourself with foolish people Granger,\" Draco Malfoy said confidently as he stepped out of the shadows by her side, making her flinch in fright.

\"Then by all means Malfoy, bugger off.\"

Putting his hand to his chest, Draco feigned indignation. \"You wound me. I was just answering truthfully your query.\"

\"Of course you were,\" Hermione snapped. She spun on the tall Slytherin and poked him in the chest. \"Why don\'t you just leave me in peace Malfoy? I don\'t need you to make me late for detention. You are not going to have a chance to… play tonight.\"

Draco laughed. \"You\'re in a bit of a snit aren\'t you my dear. Afraid Snape will turn you in for that display in class?\" His smile widened as Hermione shook her head. \"Perhaps you\'re worried that he might like a go.\"

\"What?\" Hermione shrieked. She hadn\'t thought of that. The idea that a professor would take advantage of a student was the farthest thing from her mind, and yet, Professor Dumbledore had done exactly that. Professor Snape was a former death eater, a dark and tortured soul. He took perverse pleasure in making most of the student\'s lives miserable. Could he be like the Head Master and prey on the students?

Her feet stopped moving and she swayed on the spot. Draco turned as he realized she was not walking with him any longer. His smile turned to a leer. \"It seems you are afraid of that.\"

Hermione grabbed his robe and curled her hands into little balls in the fabric. \"You have to come with mleaslease. He won\'t do anything if you\'re there.\"

\"Maybe he\'ll ask me to join him,\" Draco chuckled. \"He knows about the cuGranGranger. He doesn\'t care what we do as long as it\'s not in the class. He said as much.\"

\"Did he mention the spell specifically?\" Hermione asked.

Draco frowned in concentration. \"Well, no. Not as such.\"

\"Isn\'t it possible then, that he just thinks we were up to no good? Perhaps he thinks you have something on me and were blackmailing me to do that.\"

With his hand stroking his chin, Draco thought the matter over. Nodding, he replied, \"That\'s possible I suppose. But highly unlikely. Snape is rather intelligent. And being who he is, I\'m pretty sure he knows the Imperious Curse when he sees it.\"

Hermione gasped. \"What do you mean \'being who he is\'? He’s a teacher.\" What did Draco know about Professor Snape? She didn\'t think it was common knowledge that he wasn\'t just a teacher. Draco couldn’t possibly know the Potion\'s Master was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, but he might know that Professor Snape was a Death Eater. Draco\'s father was, after all, Voldemort\'s right hand man.

Draco paled at his slip. His light skin turned a greyish hue and he turned away from Hermione quickly. His long strides carried him swiftly towards the stairs leading to the dungeons. He stopped at the top and looked back. \"Are you coming Granger? You don\'t want to keep Snape waiting.\"

Hermione swiftly caught up to the young wizard. She looked sternly into his eyes. \"You didn\'t answer my question.\"

Sighing in annoyance, Draco turned to Hermione and glared into her eyes. \"All I meant is that Snape is fascinated by the dark arts. He has been vying for the DADA position for years, so of course he would know all about the spells.\" Draco smiled at his quick thinking. The nod from Hermione made him grin.

They arrived at Professor Snape\'s office. Hermione looked at the black door in apprehension. Behind the thick wood was her future. Professor Snape held her life in the palm of his hand.

Leaning in close, Draco slid his tongue over Hermione\'s earlobe. She shivered, a sigh on her lips. She shook herself and pulled away, a look of incredulity on her face. \"What the Hell Malfoy?\"

Chuckling low, Draco commented, \"This might be my last chance to taste you Granger. Snape may mark you as his property after this.\" Hand and reached out and squeezed her tit through her clothes. He felt the little nipple become hard against his hand. \"It\'s a shame I don\'t have the time to play with my little toy one more time.\"

Trembling, Hermione looked up into Draco\'s eyes, darkened by lust. \"You make it sound like I may never return.\"

\"You may not,\" he breathed against her neck as his lips brushed lightly over her skin.

The door swung open suddenly and Draco and Hermione jumped apart. Professor Snape stood in the doorway, his body filling the frame. He looked down on the students with disdain. \"Mister Malfoy, you are not expected until nine o\'clock tonight.\"

\"Yes sir,\" Draco answered with a tilt to his head. \"I just came along to escort Miss Granger. To make sure she didn\'t try to dash off.\"

Snape snorted in disbelief. \"Run along Mister Malfoy. In Miss Granger.\"

Hermione stepped into the office with growing dread. It was difficult to determine the teacher\'s mood. Professor Snape alwaalways so good at keeping his emotions behind a veil of disdain. He hated everyone equally, some were just more equal than others.

\"Sit,\" Professor Snape ordered and Hermione sank into an uncomfortable wooden chair with the barest of padding tied to the seat. The Potion\'s Master took his position behind hargearge ebony desk and regarded the girl before him. His eyes strayed down her figure, the image of her touching herself in his classroom flicking through his mind. He shook himself and raised his eyes to her. He was thankful she was staring intently at her fingers. \"Do you have any words of explanation for your actions in class today?\ Sha Shaking her head negatively, Hermione opened her mouth and looked up sadly. She so wanted to die right then, mostly from mortification. She had never been so embarrassed. \"No sir. I have no good excuse.\"

\"It is certainly unusual behaviour for you Miss Granger. I would expect arrogant pontificating from you. I would expect boastful answer calling from you. I would not expect an anatomy lesson.\"

Hermione nodded contritely.

\"How long has Mister Malfoy been putting you under the Imperious Curse Miss Granger?\"

Sighing heavily, Hermione pouted at the question. She knew it had been coming. \"A few months or so sir. He… well, we came to an arrangement.\"

\"I see. Who\'s blackmailing whom?\"

\"What?\" Hermione blurted out.

\"I find it difficult to believe that the two of you just bumped into each other and decided, for mutual satisfaction to toy with an unforgivable. I say one of you has some bit of devastating information that could get the other expelled. Or worse.\"

\"I\'m blackmailing him,\" Hermione answered in a whisper.

Professor Snape\'s eyes widened in shock. He was not expecting that. He controlled his reaction immediately and his face changed back to feigned indifference. \"Indeed.\" there was a silence then while Professor Snape mulled over the information. When he spoke again, it was in a tone laced with warning. \"This is a serious game you play, Miss Granger. The consequences of your actions may not be what you are able to bear. Be warned, Mister Malfoy is not the most trustworthy individual.\"

Hermione was shocked to hear Professor Snape talk about Draco in that way. The surprise was evident on her face. The teacher let a small smirk grace his lips. \"I know, he is a member of Slytherin, but his father, as you well know, is a Death Eater for the Dark Lord. Young Draco Malfoy is heading in that direction, with the guidance of his father. They both share the same contempt for others. I\'m very surprised in your choice of partners Miss Granger. I would have expected you to pair off with Mister Potter or Mister Weasley.\" He said each name with obvious contempt. \"Although I\'m positive you could do much better than either of them. You are a bright and clever girl.\"

Another shock! A compliment from Prsor sor Snape. Hermione didn\'t know if her heart could take many more surprises. She gave a little shrug of the shoulders. \"I don\'t think Harry or Ron could give me what I want right now.\"

Professor Snape arched his brow. \"And what is it you want?\"

Hermione looked up into the dark eyes of Professor Snape. They were so deep and rich. It seemed they could pierce her soul. She shuddered lightly. Her mind was a whirl as she thought the question over. It was something she had never put into words. \"I\'m always in control. I don\'t do well to surprises. I make sure I know what\'s going on around me and I deal with the situation accordingly. Yet, because of that, it feels like I\'m missing something. When Draco Malfoy first put me under the Imperious Curse I was very frightened, but also I felt rather free. Like I was finally allowed to feel and see what I\'ve always been missing. It was like my whole body finally came alive.\" Hermione lowered her head and whispered the last part, so quiet Professor Snape had to strain to hear. \"I liked that feeling.\"

Professor Snape nodded, which surprised Hermione. She didn\'t expect him to understand. She hardly understood it herself. \"Yes. Yes,\" he declared. \"I know all too well the feelings involved. It\'s a release, isn\'t it Miss Granger. A sense of being free while someone else makes the decisions for you. The burden is off your shoulders and put on someone else.\"

\"Yes. Exactly. But how do you know? I mean… you… um…\"

Professor Snape actually chuckled, the sound coming from deep in his throat. \"Tut, tut MGranGranger. You don\'t think you are the first to think of such games do you? Are you that naïve? When I was in school here, I myself partook of such pastimes.\"

Hermione sat up straighter, very curious for the older wizard to continue. She so wanted to hear the tale. It might help her figure out her own conflicted emotions. She sat on the edge of the chair and faced the professor. He looked at her with his black eyes, usually cold, but now had a spark to them that made them seem electric.

\"You fancy a story do you? All right. I will tell you, but only on one condition. You must promise never to tell anyone. Not even your two impetuous friends. Can I trust you with that?\"

Not tell Harry and Ron? You weren\'t supposed to keep secrets from your best friends, but then again, here she was letting Draco Malfoy perform the Imperious Curse on her and use her body in such lascivious ways. She hadn\'t told them that. Hermione sighed. It wasn\'t like she had oodles of opportunities to spill her secrets. The row had put a wedge between them for so long. At least things seemed to be smoothing over. Hermione rationalized that what Professor Snape was going to tell her was in confidence. It was his secret to keep.

\"Alright,\" she agreed cautiously.

Professor Snape sat back in his chair and his eyes fixed intently on a time long ago. It was if he went back and relireliving it. \"It is of course no surprise that James Potter and I were not the best of friends. As you undoubtedly know, Potter enjoyed tormenting me to no end. Of course, I could give as well as receive, but it was a young woman by the name of Lily Evans that was what really divided Potter and myself. We both loved her madly and we tried to out do each other constantly to get her attention. Most times, I\'m afraid, it was Potter who won out in that regard. He had the looks, the charm and his friends who were there to encourage him on. I was, if I may say so, the dark mysterious loner who had the reputation of dabbling in the darker arts. That appealed to Lily as much as the pretty boy charm of Potter.

Hermione could almost see Lily Evans and Severus Snape back then. Severus, the snarky boy sitting in a darkened classroom, wanting to be alone while he worked. Lily, a striking beauty with flowing red hair, shyly coming into the room and coughing to get his attention.

Severus looked up and his eyes opened wide at the sight before him. The girl of his dreams was standing in front of him. She wasn\'t wearing her school robes or uniform, but instead had on a pair of tan slacks that hung fetchingly on her hips and a rich green blouse that matched her eyes. It almost took his breath away. \"What do you want?\" he asked quickly, his voice clipped in his confusion.

Lily twirled her finger through her hair and looked down for a moment. Her heart was beating hard in her chest and it made it difficult to think. Severus\' eyes were so dark. She felt like he was trying to look into her mind. \"I was just wondering how you were doing. You know, seeing if you would like to talk. You looked rather lonely sitting in here by yourself.\"

Severus looked back down at his parchment. \"I\'m fine. It\'s easier to concentrate when I\'m alone.\"

Lily was crestfallen. She pouted. From underneath his hair, Severus saw her conflicted expression and slowly raised his eyes to hers. She tried to smile, but gave more of a grimace. He arched his brow at her. \"What are you working on?\"

Sighing, Severus laid his quill on the table gently and rested his hands on the surface. \"I\'m working on an essay for DADA. I\'m arguing that the Imperious Curse is a reasonable measure to ensure obedience.\"

\"Do you know how to perform the Imperious Curse?\" she asked, her face flushing hotly, pink suffusing her cheeks and neck.

\"Indeed.\"

His stare unnerved Lily. Severus was so intense.

\"Can you show me?\"

\"Excuse me?\"

\"Show me,\" Lily repeated stepping closer. Her eyes hinted at mischief.

\"And how, pray tell, would I show you.\"

Lily moved around the desk and stood facing Severus. Her chest heaved with excitement. The young wizard stared at the girl before him. \"Use it on me.\"

\"Are you insane girl?\" Severus yelled, standing up and knocking his chair back. He backed away from the red head quickly but found himself blocked by the wall.

Lily glided up to Severus again and leaned her body into his. His breath caught in his throat as he felt her firm breasts push against his chest. Bringing her hands up his arms, Lily traced her fingers along his shoulders. \"Please Severus. It would be so exciting.\"

\"You\'re mad!\" he exclaimed.

Helplessly, Severus watched as Lily reached into his robe pocket and brought out his wand. She stroked it, running her fingers along its length before gripping it tightly in her hand. With hooded eyes, Lily took Severus\' hand and closed his fingers around his wand. With a slow smooth step, Lily stepped back and undid the top button of her blouse. \"Put me under the spell Severus, and I\'ll do anything you want.\" She licked her lips, her pink tongue running along her full lips. \"Anything.\"

A lecherous smirk grew on Severus\' lips. His eyes darkened from lust. \"You will do every thing Lily. Imperio.\"

Hermione gasped.

Professor Snape blinked. The memory faded and he sighed in resignation. \"Lily came to me many times over the course of the year and I made her perform many different kinds of perversions that suited my appetites.\"

\"Did she have rules?\"

\"Rules, Miss Granger?\" Professor Snape asked with obvious amusement.

\"Yes,\" Hermione replied anxiously. \"Things that you couldn\'t do, or situations that she didn\'t want to participate in?\"

Professor Snape smiled evilly. \"Of course not. She came to me to let go of all control. While she was under the Imperious Curse she was my slave. I did what I pleased.\"

Hermione hung her head and sighed. Is that what she wanted? To be someone\'s slaved? To be Draco\'s slave?

\"Lily spoke often of her need to submit to someone else\'s desires, Miss Granger, their control. It was an exploration of herself and allowed her to face her demons. I realized soon enough that Lily would be mine for only a short time. It was a phase for her. A game.\" Professor Snape appraised Hermione for a moment. His eyes studied her and pierced her soul. \"I suspect it is just a phase for you also. Let me ask you a question Miss Granger. Do you love Draco Malfoy?\"

\"No!\" Hermione answered quickly, loudly. Professor Snape said nothing, only stared at her. Hermione wondered if he wasbingbing her mind. She feared that he could see the truth in her head, even if she couldn\'t. She feared that he could see everything that had transpired over the year. Her face went red with humiliation. \"I don\'t know.\"

Professor Snape leaned forward. \"Why did you choose Mister Malfoy? Wouldn\'t Potter or Weasley be more to your liking? You mentioned rules. They would undoubtedly follow your rules, whereas Malfoy would not.\"

Hermione opened her mouth, and then shut it quickly. She wasn\'t going to tell her teacher that she had tried with Harry and he refused her. She wasn\'t going to tell him that she had almost lost her best friends because of her desires. \"I… I don\'t think Harry or Ron can do the spell.\"

Professor Snape laughed, startling Hermione. She looked up in shock at the teacher. \"The unforgivable curses are much simpler than many other spells. Although I believe your assessment of Weasley\'s talents is accurate, Potter is a much different story. If he can perform the Patronus Charm as well as he can, the Imperious Curse should be child\'s play. However, it does take a certain temperament to perform. The correct attitude I should say. The total disregard for other\'s feelings is needed. You have to want to inflict humiliation and pain on your victim. If you don\'t really have the heart for that, the curse will not be effective.\"

Hermione frowned, lost in thought. She had much to think about now. Not like she didn\'t have a lot to think about before, but now there was some semblance of rationale behind the mire. It was a relief that she wasn\'t the only one to go through these longings. That went a long way to alleviate the stress the young girl had been feeling, to know that she wasn\'t completely batty for being aroused by something so repressive and violent. Hermione suppressed a giggle at the thought of a support group for compulsive Imperious Curse users, but thent gut guilty at the idea. The only other would be member was dead. Lily Evans, no Lily Potter had experimented with the spell. Hermione wondered if James Potter had indulged his wife with the magic. From the stories she had heard about the older Potter she doubted it. From all accounts, Harry was very much like his father. Lily probably just outgrew the darker form of play.

Hermione wondered if she would outgrow it also.

\"Miss Granger,\" Professor Snape said, breaking Hermione out of her reverie. \"Since our nice little chat is over, perhaps you can get down to your detention. I expect those cauldrons behind you to be cleaned before you leave.\" Having given his directive, Professor Snape rose from his seat and swooped from the room.

There were a dozen or so grime covered cauldrons behind her, some were so filthy that the muck and ooze had bubbled over and coated the sides of the cauldrons. Hermione shuddered at the thought of putting her hands in the crusted smelly debris. Hermione stood up, took her robe off and pushed up her sleeve. An idea struck her then and she pulled her wand from her robe pocket. \"Munio Fimus,\" she intoned. The magic enveloped her hands and arms with a protective coating, much like rubber gloves. She smiled at her ingenuity before shoving her hands into the first cauldron.

If only her life could be so readily handled.


Reviews:

spaz141 - you thought were you going to vomit after reading that chapter? harsh. i didn\'t think it was that gross, but thanks for saying i did a good job on the humiliation aspect. i think in order for her to be extremely humiliated she had to enjoy herself, make her feel guilty for the pleasure.

Apollonia - sorry no threesome this time around, but who knows what the future will bring (have to keep you guessing).

Ashes - hmmm a happy ending? what\'s that? hehe.

Miki - you\'re right. the story is now moving away from the title. see what happens when i have to come up with a title before i\'ve written the complete story? i don\'t usually work that way. the story is supposed to be written first and then i figure out a title when i\'ve figured out what the story is all about. sorry for the confusion. i might have to change it. but not yet. people know this title. thanks for a cool alternate title. sorry, no royalties.

autumnphilia - i was hoping people would get a giggle out of imagining snape\'s face. i\'m glad it worked for at least one person. as for snape punishing malfoy, well it is in class after all. you\'re not supposed to do that sort of thing while trying to learn. as for all the people who should know, i have to ask, who are they? you can\'t mean the other students? teenagers aren\'t the most attentive individuals. however, more and more people are beginning to find out. can it be only a matter of time before everyone knows? stay tuned.

jabberwock - well, how was that for more snape involvement? was he helpful or what? as for the outcome to hermione\'s sexual adventures, you won\'t find the end yet. still a ways to go. i\'m hoping it will be satisfying for most everyone. sigh. i know i won\'t be able to please everyone.

dragonlady sakura - thanks for the kind words. just a note, you\'re supposed to be conflicted. i can\'t let you know what\'s going to happen until the very end.

franky - i read every review so you can say and suggest whatever you like and i\'ll definitely consider it. however, i can\'t tell you the outcome of the story. that\'s just not done. where would the surprise be? and if my answer wasn\'t to your liking you would stop reading? i don\'t want that to happen either. sorry you don\'t like most of the chapters. i didn\'t intend this story to be a fluffy little piece, but a dark sexual odyssey for our heroine. i hope you stick around until the end.

ddrinki4 - snape got involved, but i guess not in the way you were expecting, hoping? what did you think of the flash back scene? good? bad? i thought it might be more dramatic then snape reciting what happened. thanks for the review and keep them coming.

traydr vic - are you relieved? hehe. now you know why snape is condoning the curse. i hope that explains a few things. as for the inconsistencies, i don\'t think hermione thinking it rude to eat in front of harry an inconsistency. they aren\'t quite back to where they once were in their relationship and she was hesitant to eat because she thought that harry was expecting to talk. as for harry being panicked, perhaps he was worried about being late, but maybe he was just upset that he had to rush to class instead of talk to hermione. i know i\'m stretching, but when i wrote that i wasn\'t really thinking of him panicked for class, but even though he\'s faced voldemort and countless other things, he\'s still a student and snape is the most intimidating teacher. as for the teenagers thinking about humiliation, rape and revenge, i think they do. way back when i was a teenager i thought about that stuff, i just never did any of it. this is a soap opera. everything is to the extreme. extraodinary characters in extraordinary situations. i know i\'m not giving harry a fair chance. he\'s just too nice a guy for hermione and him to stay out of sorts with each other unless they keep getting interrupted. i promise you that they will make up in the next chapter. how\'s that? i just won\'t promise that it will last. muahahaha.

Marc - boring? ach, that hurts. lol. sorry you feel that way. i\'m trying to make every chapter add something to the overall plot and lead up to the chilling conclusion. try to stay alert for seven or eight more chapters (give or take a surge of creativity) and this will finally end. but then you have to check out the sequel that i have in store.

Juri - thank you so much. one of my best eh? wow. too bad not everyone shares your sentiments. and of course i will review your story. hopefully i renewed your faith in snape with this chapter. i know it wasn\'t totally in character, but i think he has depth. until next time...