Goodnight, Demon Slayer

Goodnight, Demon Slayer
Chapter Twenty:
Veritaserum

Draco Malfoy was damn proud of himself. Not only had he orchestrated this whole thing: a kidnapping, torture, an assembly of all known Death Eaters, but he was going to get away with it! Yes, Draco's little weaseley heart was swollen with misguided pride. True, Pansy and Lavender had nearly fucked everything up, but he'd needed them to gain Hermione's trust. Well, he'd needed Lavender who, it seemed, was a package deal with Pansy, and quite honestly Draco did enjoy Pansy's dealings with packages, so he felt everything had worked out quite well. Humming a creepy little tune to himself, Draco tightened his grip on Hermione's arm and continued on his merry way.

For her part, Hermione took the time to think things through. Being dragged in front of Voldemort was just one of those things Hermione had almost resigned herself to having to go through. As a friend of Harry, a Mudblood, and now apparently Snape's whore, she assumed it was only logical that this was a rite of passage of sorts. She couldn't say why, but she wasn't afraid of the man. Sure, he could kill her instantly or torture her for years if he chose to, but there was some quiet knowledge inside of her that told her she would be fine. No harm would come to her.

Damned teenage invincibility.

Still, at the sight of the assembled Death Eaters, Hermione's heart skipped a beat. There were a lot of them; Hermione could not be sure how many. She was always bad at estimating, and in her state, her likely answer would have been in the millions. But there were lots. Enough to scare the shit out of her. Her brain may be telling her that Voldemort wouldn't kill her, but these Death Eaters would most likely fuck her up.

Entering the circle, Draco handed her over to two of Voldemort's goons, who Hermione assumed were ugly even though they were hooded. In her more lucid moments and most private thoughts, Hermione had concluded that most people became Death Eaters because they never got laid. One on each side of her, the Death Eaters gripped her upper arms tightly, and she was sure there would be bruises in the morning. They dragged her close to Voldemort, but far enough away for her liking. Probably afraid "Mudblood" was contagious or something. As the hooded Death Eaters threw her to the ground in front of the Dark Lord, Hermione whimpered a bit. No matter how immortal she considered herself, it still hurt like a bitch to be manhandled like that. Once in front of Voldemort, Hermione had to admit she was a little spooked, and though she averted her eyes from his intense gaze, she pulled herself up, standing defiantly in front of him.

"Malfoy!" the Dark Lord barked. "Is this or is this not Snape's Mudblood?"

Stepping out of the circle of masked men and women, Lucius Malfoy did his reverance before Lord Voldemort and then moved to stand beside Hermione. Though Draco had handed her over, he was still standing behind her. God, she hated the lot of them, and even though she could not see Lucius' face, Hermione could feel his icy gaze on her and could just imagine the snarl ever present on his face.

She thought she'd add Lucius to her list of people she hated just for the sheer fun of it.

"My lord," simpered Lucius. God, he was a pussy in front of Voldemort, Hermione decided. "It has come to our attention that Severus Snape has been lying to you. In more ways than one, as I imagine you already know."

Hermione's heart began to beat a mile a minute, and she had to physically stop herself from letting her eyes grow wide in shock. They knew. They knew about Severus and they were going to kill him and hurt him. Everything was awful and it was all her fault.

Oh, God. Deep breaths, Hermione.

"Mudblood," Voldemort addressed her. "Is it true that you have spent the summer with Snape?"

Nervously, Hermione nodded and didn't even have time to react before her head was torn apart.

"Crucio!"

She screamed as the pain ripped through her body, and she fell to her knees. As soon as the pain had subsided, however, she was once again on her feet, wondering what had gone wrong.

"When the Dark Lord addresses you, you answer, Mudblood!" snarled Lucius through teeth Hermione could only imagine to be clenched.

"Yes," whimpered Hermione, and once again the searing pain shot through her. She fell again, and this time it was much harder to get up. Again, she could not fathom what she had said.

"Show respect, Mudblood!" spat Lucius, backhanding her across the face, still holding the offending wand.

"Yes, sir."

"Crucio!"

Brought to childlike tears of absolute desperation, Hermione hit the ground once again and decided it may be better to just sit there. Unless they considered that too disrespectful.

"Yes, my lord," Hermione whimpered with all the abject humility she could muster. She d upd up at her captor, though she was not sure why, and was repulsed by the sight of him. Turning her head swiftly, Hermione vomited to one side and heard the very obvious snickers and laughs of the Death Eaters. She really ahd no idea why they were laughing. She just puked in their precious meeting place, after all.

"That's better, Mudblood," Lucius purred wickedly. In front of them, Voldemort was leaning closer and closer to the now very frightened Hermione. There was still a considerable distance between the two, but Hermione shrunk back anyway.

"And tell me, Mudblood. Snape has claimed you as his own?"

Hermione hesitated. Say too much, and they found out she and Severus hadn't consummated the relationship. Say too little, and she looked guilty or defiant.

"Y-Yes, my lord," she stammered, trying desperately not to look into his crimson eyes, but being strangely hypnotized by them at the same time.

"Lucius, if you have gathered us all here for no reason, I shall be very angry."

Yeah! It's his fault! Cruciatify his ass!

"No, my lord. We have very good reason to believe that Severus Snape is a traitor, not only in this matter but to the cause." A ripple of murmurs made its way through the crowd of Death Eaters. There were always rumblings of betrayal among their ranks, but this was the first time Severus had ever been publicly accused. To some, the charge was outrageous, but to most it was long overdue. Underneath their hoods, many of them were smiling, smelling blood in the air.

"Well, then. We have heard two sides of the issue. I think it's time to do the only fair thing."

Well, that was strangely diplomatic for the Dark Lord...

At this, two of Voldemort's goons gripped Hermione by her arms and dragged her closer yet and once again forced her to her knees. Refusing to look up at her captor, Hermione suddenly felt her head tugged violently back, but she was surprised that instead of forcing her to gaze upon His Royal Ugliness, the Death Eaters grabbed her jaw and yanked her mouth wide open.

That action never ends well, was all Hermione could think before she felt the cool liquid pour down her throat.

Oh, shit. Given the choice between a blow job by force and this, Hermione actually would have taken the time to weigh the options.

Veritaserum.

Severus was as good as dead.

But calm down, Hermione! Veseruserum just makes you tell the truth; it doesn't make you volunteer information, so all you have to do is keep your mouth shut and answer with only the bare minimum.

"Name yourself, Mudblood," the Dark Lord demanded.

"Hermione Christine Stephanie Granger. A lot of people ask why I have four names, but the third one is my Confirmation name. It's after my favorite aunt."

Oh, bugger me!

Daring to look into the beady red eyes of the Dark Lord, Hermione was sickened to see the tiny, slow smile stretch across his deathly face.

"You're surprised? Yes, this isn't your regular draught of Veritaserum. It is the most potent version known to the wizarding world. It not only forces the drinker to tell the truth, but the entire truth, including any little bits of information that they may not even consciously believe to be relevant. My top potions master cooked it up for me."

"Severus?"

Voldemort's cold joyless laughter echoed through the clearing. Hermione decided that was not a good sign.

"Oh, Mudblood. You have to know that your precious Potions Master has been under suspicion for some time now. And, honestly, he's not all that good with potions making. There are better in the world, and they are mine. They all serve me. Now, Mudblood. You are dating Severus Snape?"

"Yes, my lord. Since the beginning of last term at school."

"And you and Snape have been intimate?"

Hermione could feel her heart beat through her chest, and tried very hard to formulate a response that would appease Voldemort, but her mouth was quicker than her mind.

"We made out in front of the whole school... my lord."

Nice save, Hermione!

"Ah, yes, I did hear about that, didn't I? Now, Mudblood. The most important question of all. Do you love him?"

"Yes, my lord. With all my heart. I want to marry him. And have lots of sex and babies. And at some point I'd like to stop babbling... my lord."

The entire assembly of Death Eaters sat breathlessly silent, the prospect of a night of violence all but shattered by the girl's profession of love. However, the most breathless and silent of the lot was the Potions Master. The others may have been tricked by the Dark Lord's line of questioning, but Severus knew that love would never be enough to satisfy him. Love was nothing to Voldemort. Love was an idea, an unmeasurable.

And Lord Voldemort never dealt in anything less than fact.

"Severus?" the high-pitched voice called. As reverently as he could, Severus approached the Dark Lord and prostrated himself before him, kissing the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"My lord," Severus breathed, not daring to look at either Voldemort or Hermione. He could feel both of them staring at him, but like the brave little Gryffindor she was, Hermione did not make a sound, only sat proud and strong.

"This Mudblood is in love with you." It was more of an accusation than a repetition of Hermione's earlier claim.

"Yes, my lord," Severus began. "It is most unfortunate. The girl has delusions of grandeur."

"Then you do not have any feelings for the girl, Severus? She means nothing to you?"

"Nothing but a good fuck when I'm desperate, my lord."

Hermione was frozen taking the scene in. She knew Severus had to lie, but to hear them talk about her as if she were a common piece of trash was making her entirely too emotional. She knew Voldemort was probably the best legilimens in the world, and she was trying very hard to keep her feelings under wraps, but after everything she'd been though that day, not the least of which was the severe head trauma, it was very very difficult for her to stay completely emotionally unattached.

Watching Voldemort through her downcast lashes, Hermione followed his gaze from Severus to the now-unhooded Malfoy family. She saw Draco snarl at him and Lucius give a little nod. For a moment she was confused, eyes darting between the blondes and the disgusting Dark Lord. She didn't even attempt to gaze upon Severus; she knew she'd just break down.

The assembled crowd was deathly silent and unmoving. It was unnerving Hermione, and the hot, muggy August air hung heavy and suffocating. That silence seemed to go on for years, adding to the complete and utter feeling of claustraphobia Hermione simply could not fight. It was too much, THIS was too much. She had no idea what was going on or how so many people could be so completely evil. Everything that was happening in her life at that point in time was entirely too much, and she was about to break. She could feel his red gaze on her, but she dared not meet it. Severus did not move. The Malfoys did not move. The Death Eaters did not move. Not even the trees rustled. In fact, Hermione would have bet that the only things moving in the entire clearing were her eyes which would simply not focus on any on thing for too long.

"Young Master Malfoy," the Dark Lord ordered. Quickly and cockily Draco moved forward and did his reverance to Voldemort before standing again. To someone who liked Draco, he would have seemed proud or accomplished.

To Hermione, he looked like a punk-ass bitch with a sickening smart-arse smirk on those girly lips of his.

"You had something to say to me?"

"Yes, my lord," Draco answered, trying his very hardest to at least act humble. Again, it seemed to Hermione that the entire assembly was holding their breath. She had no idea that it was almost unheard of for such a young, unaccomplished member of their ranks to be given personal attention by their master. She just knew it did not look like things would be going well for herself, Severus, or both. Unintentionally, she caught Draco's for for a split second, but cast her eyes to the ground rapidly as she saw the malice and pure evil lurking there. Clearing his throat, Malfoy began again.

"My lord, the girl is a virgin. Snape has been lying to you."

She had no idea what she had been expecting, but Hermione's world immediately crashed around her at the words. It was what she had been fearing ever since this little charade had begun. They would figure him out. They would know about his time as a Double Agent.

And they would kill him. They would hurt him and torture him and make him beg for his own death.

And it was all because of her.

The long unshed tears in Hermione's eyes finally broke loose, and though she hated herself for it, she began to sob in earnest. For the first time since he had been summoned before the Dark Lord, Hermione looked into Severus' eyes. Suddenly she was flooded by the knowledge that this would probably be the last time she looked into those onyx depths, and she simply could not keep herself together.

"Bring her to me."

The same two of Voldemort's lackies then crowded Hermione, one grabbing each of her arms and leading her directly in front of him. She wanted to tell that it was getting a bit old but refrained. Roughly, they forced her to kneel, and she sobbed more loudly as her knees hit sharp, uneven rocks in the ground. Stupid git probably picked that spot to stand just so that everyone who kneeled in front of him tore up their knees...

"Tell me, Mudblood. Is Malfoy's charge true?"

"No," she whispered shakily but was cut off by a sharp pain tearing through her head and practically ripping her eyes from their sockets.

Enough with the crucios! Jeez, learn a new curse!

"What was that?"

"No, my lord."

"Much better, you filthy little Mudblood. But, I'm confused. If the charge is not true, why do you cry?"

"I'm scared... my lord."

"If it is not true, why would you be scared? There would be no reason to hurt you if you are indeed Snape's plaything." Looking up into his eyes, Hermione answered honestly and earnestly.

"You've never needed a reason to hurt a Mudblood before, sir."

Again, the entire collective of Death Eaters gasped momentarily, but soon the clearing was again heavy with silence. No one spoke, or indeed breathed, for what seemed like an etey uny until an unsettling, ear-shattering shriek of joyless laughter cracked the air.

"Snape!" Voldemort ordered after his outburst. "I can see why you like her. A girl as willful as that must be quite forceful in bed."

Hermione's eyes flew to Severus' face. Though the Dark Lord's words suggested he believed Severus, his tone most certainly did not. For a while, Voldemort looked to Severus for an answer, and after little hesitation, Severus answered.

"Yes, my lord, she is."

"Good. Then you won't mind giving us all an example."