The death of a git, the rise of a hero...

\"Severussssss.\"

The hiss beckoned Snape out of the darkness, having apparated there just now. He was gulping and sweating madly under his DeathEater robes, his forearm\'s stinging had subsided for the nt. nt.

The castles where they apparated were always new and always untraceable, Snape knew, he had tried to trace it countless times. This one was cramped, the roof almost grazing his head. It was dark as well, barely any candles had been lit and the smell of mold was soon becoming overpowering.

There were a few others DeathEaters around in the room, their heads bowed. Snape stood straight as possible and shakily made his way over to the Dark Lord, bowing to him and stng ong once more.

\"Remove your hoods.\" Voldemort barked, looking to the followers around him, his closest circle. His best. Slowly all DeathEaters, including Snape, lowered their hoods. He took a small glance around the room recognizing many, his eyes falling on Lucius a moment.

Lucius gave a small smirk at Snape as he returned it and looked back to Voldemort, his stomach churning. Where was Miss Granger? A horr tho thought that she just might be dead flashed into his mind. It would be his fault.

\"You\'re just in time Severus.\" Voldemort hissed, his bony frame making its way over to Snape who stood staring into the depths of his ruby eyes. \"I wanted you to be here. I\'ve got a little present for all of my followers tonight.\"

Snape felt his throat closing kne knew all too well what this was going to encompass. The only question was, where was she?

Voldemort gave a small, dry cough as his gnarled body bent over a moment. He was a good six-foot, almost as tall as Snape with a frail body and powerful mind. His sallow face and crooked teeth gave him the appearance of a hideous jack o lantern, and the bulging red eyes did little to deter the image. His rotten breath made its way over to Snape as his eyes watered at the putrid scent of it and he held his breath.

It was then that Snape looked around and noticed that two of the Deatheaters who usually stood in attendance were missing. Smith and Brackton was it? Voldemort saw Snape\'s eyebrow raised in question and gave a small smirk at the sullen man.

\"They failed to retrieve Potter.\"

No more needed to be said, for Snape knew what happened when one disobeyed the Dark Lord. He nodded to his former Master briskly, noticing as the other DeathEaters cowered and Snape felt a jolt of worry go through him. What was he to do when Miss Granger did make an entrance? How would he get her away from them?

\"I heard what happened Master.\" Snape said darkly, \"I was sorely disappointed. I yearn for Potter\'s death.\"

Part of Snape knew that he wanted the little bugger dead, but a small part in him knew that the thought was past wrong. Saying it though brought him some reprieve. Seems that little prat was always getting the glory, his glory, and that in turn had been part of what made him come to rescue Miss Granger.

That and guilt.

Harry Potter was a menace in Snape\'s opinion, a floppy-haired fool who constantly stole the mediocre spotlight that had once shined upon Snape. He still remembered the event in their third year, when he had captured Black and was awaiting to be interviewed from all the wizarding magazines. Finally, he would get his chance. Then of course that stupid little prick and his know-it-all girlfriend Granger had done something, he still didn\'t know what. In the end Black was gone and he was humiliated. His loss at obtaining the Order of Merline hit him hard.

So you see why saying he wanted Potter dead wasn\'t really a weight on his conscience.

Voldemort chuckled darkly, that horrid sound reverberating off the walls around him. \"As do I Severus. But those two morons did bring me back something of momentary amusement. A present for those who had rightfully followed me.\"

Voldemort nodded, gazing at Snape up and down and then looking to the large wooden door that was shut so tightly. He scred, ed, \"Bring the Mudblood in.\"

The doors busted open and two DeathEaters marched in loudly, carrying a wriggling Hermione along in between them. She had a gag in her mouth, her hair a mess and her face tearstained. Snape felt anger course through him, and he knew it was because he had failed Albus. She was glaring at Voldemort, screaming through the gag and then her eyes fell upon Snape.

Her eyes widened in hope, then uncertainty and then fear. He knew she was wondering just what was going to happen, and felt a strange feeling wash over him. Was it pity? Perhaps, she looked so frightened that he almost felt her fear himself. It was suffocating. She looked to him intensely, her heart pounding. No amount of book reading could have prepared her for the feeling that enveloped her as she viewed Snape. It was pure, unabashed fear.

Hermione didn\'t know anything of Snape, plain and simple. The mere fact that he was there, standing in his DeathEater robes staring at her did nothing to soothe her frantic mind. In truth perhaps Snape had really been playing Dumbledore for a fool, truly following Voldemort. How could she know? All she ever saw was a middle aged prick with a bad childhood and a greasy lot of hair. She had respect for him, that was for sure. For all he had done for the Order so far, but she was still constantly wary of the man who lived to humiliate her.

The DeathEaters around stared hungrily at Hermione like a dish of meat to starving men. They were licking their lips and eyeing her as she squirmed in the grasp of the two DeathEaters that had carted her in. She was still, like a deer caught in the headlights as she gazed around at all of them. Snape could almost see her heart stopping.

She had been there a good few hours, locked up in some filthy, God forsaken, dank little hole they had the nerve to call a cell. They had gagged her, tied her arms and left her there...until now.

\"Thissss.\" Voldemort hissed, \"Is a little treat for those of you who have followed me well, I know you\'ll enjoy her. She\'s Potter\'s girl and a Mudblood at that. You can all slum.\"

He eyed Hermione as the guards dropped her and she suddenly fell to the cold, harsh ground, knowing full well it would be futile to run. They had the place surrounded, and that included the doors. The DeathEaters around her were mumbling to themselves, and she felt their beady eyes roaming her shaking body, Snape\'s not included.

She looked to him in panic, suddenly understanding why she was here in the first place. A treat for loyal DeathEaters. Snape suddenly came to a conclusion, the only one available for them at this time. He silently prayed Albus would understand his quandary, and slowly looked to Miss Granger. He gave her a penetrating gaze, and she felt as her eyes locked with his, and suddenly...his voice was in her head, silky and commanding and she stiffened.

Don\'t panic Miss Granger. the voice ordered briskly, I have a plan, it may be unorthodox but its out only choice. Go along with it or we\'ll both be killed.

The voice was gone and Hermione\'s eyes fell to the ground as his left her, tears starting at the back of her eyes, as the floor below her became a blur. God she cried about everything. She berated herself and internally commanded herself to stop, to be in control like Snape was. He had been through far worse, and now he had a plan. She just hoped he\'d act quickly.

\"You may go first Severus,\" Voldemort smirked, his shrill voice permeating through Hermione\'s skull, sending a massive headache scorching through her. She would have felt anger if she wasn\'t so petrified. Voldemort was continuing as Snape stepped a bit forward, looking to Hermione with an unreadable expression.

\"Thank you Master.\"

Even though she was almost positive that Snape was on Dumbledore\'s side, and had saved Harry countless times over the years, she still couldn\'t contain the horror at the sound of him calling Voldemort Master. The mere sight of him brought a chill to her bones, and she refused to meet the red, beady eyes that sought her own out.

Snape had stridden over to Hermione, lifting her to her feet as her dark eyes searched his own, begging him to help with those eyes as he hid his disdain. He knew her as the know-it-all in his classes, the bane of his academic life. Not so brave and knowing are we now, Granger?

\"You are one of my most valuable Severus, and I know how much you hate sloppy seconds.\"

Hermione\'s eyes snapped open as she looked to Snape, the gag muffling her cry. He pinched her a bit on the arm, reminding her of who was in charge. She was trembling under his arm and he released her, trying to hide his disgust at having to be so close to him.

Severus took a deep breath and looked obediently to Voldemort, knowing full well what was to commence. Voldemort stood there smugly, as the DeathEaters around them whistled and hooted like first years at a Quidditch match. His attention fell darkly onto the form of his current student, Hermione Granger.

Albus is going to have my head. Serve it on a platter during the leaving feast. Potter and Weasley\'ll probably be the first to dig in...little buggers.

He reached around her head, much to the chagrin of the DeathEaters and undid the gag, letting it flutter to their feet as she kept her eyes trained on him. He wasn\'t breaking the gaze, and in one fluid movement had grabbed her around the waist, and pressed his hips to her own. She out out a small gasp of surprise as he stared at her, his dark hair brushing against her flaming cheek.

Snape looked to the confused and flustered Hermione disparagingly. Of all the students, why her? The boring, know-it-all bookworm. Why not that sexy little seventh year dish in Ravenclaw? Snape may have been partial to Slytherin\'s as bias, but when it came to sex appeal Ravenclaw seemed to have obtained that in abundance.

She was quite plain he noted, nothing of supreme beauty to bowl him over. (Not that he was really any Gilderoy Lockheart or Victor Krum.)Normal soft looking lips, perk little nose, dark eyes that always seemed to be on the verge of questioning. She bit her lips nervously, and he winced at her obvious flustered nature. Honestly.

She was a deal shorter than him, she was after all practically a child. She wasn\'t thin, nor was she fat. Was hard to tell under the layers of clothing but he assumed she was a bit curvy with newfound maturity. Her pale skin looked even paler with her hair that had darkened over the years, but she didn\'t look gaunt.

She was looking up at him with a twist in her stomach. She saw that Professor Snape was at much too close a proximity to be considered proper protocol and felt her stomach dropping when he had grabbed her around the waist and pressed up to her. He was also staring at her lips and frowning. Oh God. No.

She saw as Snape gave a tense lick of his lips before pingping her roughly about the shoulders. She gave a small little gasp at this contact, his tapered fingertips piercing her upper arms. He viewed her dark eyes growing wide as he crushed his own lips to hers. Very soft lips he noted.

Oh God...of all the people in the world. Why him? Amazed he hasn\'t pierced me with that nose of his...I will never live this down...

Now, Hermione wasn\'t a prude but she most certainly hadn\'t been prepared to be kissed by her Potions Professor. Harshly. Especially one that she had secretly joked about being a vampire with Ron and Harry. This was a man they had all secretly respected but indefinitely loathed for a good six years of their life as he had her. And now that mentioned surly Professor was currently kissing Hermione emphatically as tri tried not to cringe.

This is the most humiliating moment of my entire life.

Her lips hadn\'t even the chance to thin because she hadn\'t reacted fast enough, but she tried. This was evidently vexing him because his teeth were practically grinding against her own. Normally Hermione would have tried to help her Professor in any way, but she drew the line at kissing him back. Not only because the mere thought was sickening, but because well...she didn\'t know how. His own lips were so powerful, taking her own over and trying to guide her unwilling mouth to mimic his.

Voldemort is going to kill us if he thinks we\'re trying to fool him.

So she stood there with that thought in her mind, eyes clamped shut as he thoroughly kissed her, tilting his head and everything as she prayed Voldemort wouldn\'t notice how tense she was. Deciding she\'d have to take action she quickly slid her hand up Snape\'s robe and wrapped an arm around his shoulder as she tilted her head a bit, pursing her lips somewhat.

There. Not so bad.

The worse was yet to come she soon realized, because evidently Snape had decided that the only way to make the entire sham of a kiss authentic was to suddenly thrust his tongue into her mouth. It was long, wet and searching.

That\'ll shut her up for once.

He was so forceful he nearly snapped her head back. Perhaps as a plus to his personal benefit he had decided that he\'d grasp one of her cloth covered breasts and tease until her nipple ached against her blouse. She refused to open her eyes and show her fear and anger. She didn\'t want to die, but she did shiver. No one had ever touched her like that.

Her skin crawled and she held in a gag as his tongue swirled lazily around in her mouth, felt her own tongue desperately sticking to the bottom of her jaw, and then resolutely retreated along with his lips and finally his hand from her breast.

Her face was pale as she gaped openly at him, knowing full well that she couldn\'t wipe her mouth even though she desperately wanted to. She was beyond repulsed. She\'d just kissed the greasy git and he\'d fondled her right in front of Voldemort. Single-handedly the most awkward kiss and grope in history. Snape looked a bit out of sorts himself, dropping her arms as if she were a hot potato and looking to Voldemort with confidence.

\"Impressive Severus.\" Voldemort said dryly, \"But I believe we were waiting for a bit more, interesting developments.\"

\"I know Master.\" Snape croaked as Voldemort slid over to Hermione, his thin arms swinging as he reached her. She trembled under his gaze, refusing to speak this time as the Dark Lord hovered over her. His eyes were sparkling as he beheld her, leering up and down her young body as she cowered next to Snape. He looked down on her frowning, the top of her head almost against his arm.

\"But Master, I have a request, if you would find the time to listen to it.\"

\"Mmmm. Go on.\"

Voldemort was raising his hand, preparing to stroke Hermione\'s cheek. Snape gently intercepted smoothly, elbowing Hermione a bit behind him as he looked to the surprised Dark Lord.

\"I choose this witch,\" Snape hesitated, looking to Hermione meaningfully and pointing behind him. \"To be my mate.\"

The silence was deafening and Snape felt a trickle of sweat go down his back, leaving him shivery and tense. Hermione was gaping at him, looking beyond repulsed and he held in a sneer.

Didn\'t see that one coming, did you Granger?

Hermione was in shock. Snape? Married to her? She couldn\'t contain the bile that rose in the back of her throat as the thought occurred to her. She knew deep down it was a trick on Voldemort, but still the thought was beyond repugnant. The man was barely tolerable in class, imagine him in the morning without his coffee. She shivered.

\"But Severus,\" Voldemort said darkly, eyeing them both. \"She\'s a Mudblood.\"

\"She saw the smoke Master.\" Snape rasped, growing frantic now as one of Voldemort\'s bony fingers stopped on its way to Hermione\'s cheek. He turned, looking to Snape with interest. \"At the hut.\"

\"She saw it?\"

\"Yes.\" Snape nodded, \"That\'s how she knew to run.\"

Voldemort was silent a moment, putting this into his mind as one bony finger tapped his chin absently and glancing at Hermione. She still cowered behind Snape, looking to his back with a tremor of fear. He was tall, broad but no match for a room full of DeathEaters and Voldemort.

\"She is unique.\" Voldemort finally admitted, looking to Hermione boredly a moment before his attention was again on the man before him. \"Perhaps an asset to my army.\"

\"I believe so Master. She is powerful. More powerful than many I have come across.\"

Hermione was dismayed at this, seeing Snape in such a light. Sure he was complimenting her only to save their skins, but the way his sneer went so smoothly onto his face, the way it was so easy for him to lie was disconcerting.

\"You will have to train her,\" Voldemort said dimly, \"She will need to be accepted into our way.\"

\"I understand sir.\"

Suddenly Voldemort was rigid, looking Severus right in the eye as the younger man held in a nervous gulp. That rank breath was upon him again and he almost gagged, still not breaking the gaze.

\"If I find this is a trick,\" Voldemort warned, \"To save your precious student Severus...\" he trailed off meaningfully as the two stood at rapt attention. \"You will suffer the repercussions.\"

\"Yes Master.\"

Voldemort nodded, seeing for himself that Snape was being honest. The man didn\'t lie to him, and Severus over the years had proven to be the most valuable asset to his army, alongside Luciusfoy.foy. He saw Hermione trembling behind Snape and he motioned for Snape to step aside. Snape did so nodding, regretfully leaving Hermione wide-eyed and shaking as Voldemort stared at her.

\"How old are you Mudblood?\"

\"Seventeen.\"

Snape looked to her in surprise, she was sixth year, and supposed to be sixteen. He wondered if she had been held back as a youngster, and it made sense as to why she was so advanced compared to the other students. Voldemort was intrigued, surveying Hermione\'s pale face a moment before looked to Snape dismissively. \"She is too young. You cannot marry under Ministry standards.\"

\"She will be eighteen soon Master, and if all goes as planned perhaps I won\'t have to wait.\" Snape saw the intrigue in the dark wizard\'s eyes and went on. \"You soon will be the Ministry.\"

Hermione was impressed, not only had he bargained with Voldemort, he\'d also complimented him so smoothly it seemed subconscious. She saw Voldemort smirk contemptuously, nodding at Snape then turning his vicious attention on Hermione.

\"And when is your birthday, Mudblood?\"

Hermione gritted her teeth at the insult but bit her tongue for once. She held her head proudly, feeling no shame in her heritage. \"September nineteenth.\"

Voldemort leered at her once more before looking from her to Snape and frowning darkly. There was something amiss, but this young witch before him would prove to be quite the valuable asset. Leverage.

\"Only five months to wait...\"

Hermione wasn\'t glaring at him, but he felt the disdain coming off of her in waves. He could smell the fear. Looking at her severely he noticed her trembling stance, and how she constantly looked up to Snape.

\"How can you be certain she won\'t run off to the Headmaster and confess all of this?\" Voldemort said darkly, \"By the look on her face she\'s terrified of you.\"

Hermione knhat hat this was leading into dangerous territory, and unless she wanted a hex on her head from both sides, she\'d need to act fast. \"He doesn\'t terrify me. Err, I\'ve had a crush on him since my fifth year...I really...like him.\"

Snape gave her a withering look that clearly read; A Gryffindor know-it-all and that\'s all you can come up with? This caused Hermione not only to be flustered, but to do the only thing she knew how when panicked.

\"And well,\" She continued diplomatically, \"You see, sir. I am very interested in becoming a...Deatheater.\" she paused, trying to hold down the gagging reflex as she looked at Voldemort\'s amused face as he stared pointedly at her chest. \"And...pleasing...Professor Snape.\" she was blushing now, far in the back of her mind wondering if death wouldn\'t have been a wiser choice. \"I wo-\"

\"Shut up Mudblood.\"

Voldemort leered at Hermione bemused at her response and decided to end the tedious speech. \"Well Severus...\" he cocked his head to the thoroughly confused Hermione Granger who stood a few steps from Severus. \"...she will do. I give my consent.\"

\"Thank you Master.\" Snape bowed lowly, motioning for Hermione to do the same as Voldemort nodded to their bowed heads, feeling a familiar sense of power going through him.

\"Until September then.\" Voldemort said dryly, \"But 5 months...are you sure you can wait? That fool Dumbledore seems to be very perceptive.\"

It took Hermione a good minute to fully comprehend what they were referring to, and when it did finally come full circle she was beyond horrified. Sex? With Snape? She took a sudden unprecedented look at his trousers and then clenched her eyes shut a moment. Oh God.

\"Why should I wait?\" Snape offered smugly, although Hermione detected quite a bit of strain in the normally languid voice of her feared Professor. Still she was horrified at his blatant lack of tact. Voldemort himself chuckled a bit, nodding and coming over to the -couple-.

Suddenly Voldemort\'s hand was upon Hermione\'s stomach. Her first reaction was to slap it away, but recognition as to who she was dealing with prohibited her from doing so. Instead she clenched her fists and prayed this wouldn\'t go any further. It didn\'t. Moments later Voldemort stood in straight alignmand and looked down at Hermione.

\"She is very fertile.\" his normally shrill voice was husky. \"She will bare many followers.\"

Well that was it. That was bloody well it. Hermione was beyond disgusted now. The horrible image of pale little children with huge noses and mad masses of frizzy hair played about in her mind and she felt sick to her stomach. The mere thought of Snape looking and being...well...down there, was causing her to feel the oddest of repulsed sensations as well as perverse curiosity.

\"And take heed to remember Severus...\" Voldemort said in an almost sing song voice as he leered once more at Hermione. \"Whatever\'s yours is mine.\"

Hermione\'s eyes widened at this and she felt her stomach drop and the ironic thought; Over my dead body. flashed into her mind. It was bad enough that she\'d had to kiss Snape, and pretend to marry him, but now he expected her to be passed around like a...she couldn\'t think of a proper metaphor at the moment. All that mattered was she was vehemently against it. Bad enough she and Snape would have to spend more time than usual.

\"Of course Master.\" Snape said bowing lowly before taking Hermione by the hand and grasping the port key in his pocket. She felt his cold, clammy fingers circling hers as a familiar tug at her navel sent them spinning...

Moments later they were back in Dumbledore\'s office and Hermione was furious. She detached her hand from Snape\'s instantly as he glared at her, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down his long nose at her as she spoke harshly to him.

\"I can\'t believe you.\"

\"What did you intend I do Miss Granger?\" Snape said dropping his DeathEater robes onto the ground with a shudder. \"Let him have his way with you and then kill you? I have certain obligations.\"

\"So instead I have to marry you?\"

\"Honestly Miss Granger.\" Snape said darkly, \"We\'ve five months to think of something better or...\"

\"I can\'t marry you.\" Hermione screeched as he rubbed his temples, looking haggard and exasperated. All he had done and she was throwing it in his face. He should have left her to Voldemort and his amorous henchmen. God she was still talking.

\"I still have a year of school!\"

\"I\'m well aware Miss Granger.\" Snape said crossly, \"And if forced, you shall do so under the rouse of being my wife or hand both our lives over to Voldemort.\"

Hermione was teary now, sniffling and rubbing her eyes angrily as she muttered to herself. \"I\'ll never live this down.\"

\"You won\'t live this down?\" Snape roared, \"A Slytherin marrying a Gryffindor? Me of all people? It\'s my name at stake little girl, not yours!\"

\"I am not a little girl.\" Hermione said in a small voice, looking terrified into the eyes of Professor Snape, her heart racing as he stalked away from her, fuming. He didn\'t answer her comment, only looked around the office in disbelief.

If he didn\'t think of a better plan in five months, Hermione would be a DeathEater plaything, and he would be on his way to Azkaban, or worse, he\'d be dead. Albus was going to kill him as it were. He looked to the trembling girl a few feet away, desperately trying to hold in the desperate tears that threatened to fall. His soon to be wife.

He sneered at the thought and in a flurry of curses and robes he had opened the door, walked out and slammed it so hard behind him, the portraits of past Headmaster\'s awoke with a start.

Hermione stood in the office alone, her fists clenched as she looked to the world suddenly spinning around her. Hermione Snape. This mere thought brought her to her knees as she openly wept, her future and life over.

Harry, Ron, McGonagall and Dumbledore suddenly rushed into the office with boisterous yelling. She felt tears slipping down her cheeks as she looked up to them. Harry and Ron grasped her into a warm embrace as McGonagall and Dumbledore stood off to the side, smiling like idiots and wondering why Snape had left the office in such a flurry.

\"I\'m so sorry.\" Harry said softly, kissing her cheek and tightly embracing her. \"I wanted to go back.\"

\"It\'s alright Harry.\" she said diplomatically, \"We\'re safe now. They would have killed you.\"

\"What happened?\" Ron suddenly interrupted, looking to Hermione intensely. \"Snape wou-\"

Suddenly a sob ripped from Hermione\'s throat as Harry and Ron hugged her tightly, her body racking uncontrollably from the onslaught of emotion. They broke from her, and they stopped the embracing and coddling her.

\"Hermione, it\'s alright now.\" Ron said gently, patting her head stiffly. \"You\'re going to be fine.\"

\"It-t\'s not that.\" Hermione whimpered, her sobs slowing and turning into slight hiccups. \"It\'s...it\'s Professor Snape.\"

Ron and Harry exchanged looks of confusion, looking to Hermione with a small frown. Harry was the first to speak, Ron still looking dumbfounded.

\"What about him Hermione?\"

Hermione looked to her old friends in fear of their reactions. Would she lose all companionship with them once she confessed? One look into each of their eyes secured her fate, and she shakily spoke as McGonagall and Dumbledore listened from across the room.

\"We\'re to be married.\"