Inside the Blackest Heart (Edit, Not Update)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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This chapter ends with questions for readers to answer concerning how the next chapter should be written. I just wanted to do something different and give my own brain a little rest. So make your opinion known on the review board and the next chapter will be written based on the most compelling opinions. Yeah. I'm bailing and putting it squarely in your laps. lol.


Chapter 40 – Hermione’s Dilemma (Reviewer's Choice)


Snape lay on his bed in his small room, his arms locked behind his head, looking up at the ceiling. Even though he was the current Most Favored Deatheater, his lodgings still sucked. He had a twin-sized bed, a dresser, a wardrobe, a wooden chair and an end table. His bathroom had a sink, cheap loo and a shower with a curtain. The walls were bare, and he kept a minimal amount of clothing here. Nothing like Miss Primordial’s lush dwellings.

He wondered how Miss Granger’s breakfast with Voldemort was going. No doubt the Dark Lord was regaling her with his bullshit “Freedom Fighter” spiel. It worked almost every time. He hoped she didn’t fall for it and decide to side with the Dark Lord. He would never be free of the despot if that happened. He turned over uncomfortably in the tiny bed.

Dumbledore would be scouring his rooms for clues by now. He wouldn’t find any. He wouldn’t find any potions of merit either. He had cleared out his stores of his most important brews. His own. If he could ever get free of this insanity, he’d do well selling his work. He’d probably become a rich man and spend the rest of his life fucking the shit out of gold diggers. He could live with that.

So much hinged on Miss Granger coming to full power. Her transformation of the dress had been a good start. He figured Albus would be on them within the next two weeks or so. Snape smirked to himself. He had finally royally fucked the old bastard, and it felt damn good. He suffered greatly because of him, and was never once thanked for it. Just sent back for more of the same punishment. The Headmaster was probably frothing at the mouth to kill him. Hopefully, he would never get the chance. Hopefully Hermione would decide that both he and Voldemort needed to be eliminated, and would do so with dispatch. He thought he might have helped darken that soft soul a bit. She had certainly shown more backbone over the past few weeks.

Imagine, she ordered him to service her. A few weeks ago she would have never dreamed of forcing him to do such a humiliating act. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed it. The Primordial had the sweetest pussy he had ever tasted. It was just the fact that he had to obey her that rankled him so badly. He had told her about the charmed clothing and the aura of carnality, but he wondered if she would still make him sleep in the armchair. Hmm. If he transfigured something into an ottoman, it wouldn’t be so bad actually. Better than the fucking bed he had now.

Suddenly a house elf winked into his room, trembling badly.

“Excuse me, sir, but the Miss would like to see you in her rooms as soon as possible,” Hansel said, ducking his head at giving Snape an order from the witch. Snape had a bad temper, and he had kicked the elf on more than one occasion.

“I’ll be there,” Snape growled at the elf, “Now get out of here.”

Hansel winked out, relief all over his wizened face.

Snape rolled to the edge of the bed and sat up. He stretched and rose.

What did she want now? Hopefully some cock.

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Hermione sat on the sofa in the living room, waiting for Professor Snape to arrive. She needed to talk to him about what Voldemort told her about his past and his motives for fighting against the ‘Light’. She knew the Dark Lord had sugarcoated the truth. She had seen the mutilated bodies of muggles who were used at the Dark Revels, and left in open places to be found. It was horrible to think the torn and broken corpses were actually alive when brought to that condition. And Professor Snape was part of that. She shuddered. But she realized Snape had been immersed in Voldemort’s carnality enhancement spell for many, many years. If he had not been exposed to it, would he be the same man he was today? He’d probably be sarcastic, snarky and cold as that seemed to be his real personality, but not a rapist and murderer. Dumbledore had a lot to do with the way he was, and for reinforcing his cruelty by treating him cruelly as he served the Order.

The door opened and the Potions Master walked in. He was pale, limping slightly, and clutching himself. Hermione immediately rose, alarmed.

“What happened, Professor?” she asked as she walked over and helped him into a soft armchair.

His black eyes met hers. They were accusing.

“What happened, Miss Granger, is that you sent for me when the Dark Lord was being fed. He doesn’t like anyone to see him when he takes his elixir. He has terrible seizures. Even though I created the brew, and have seen the convulsions that occur on numerous occasions, he was not happy with my intrusion and gave me a healthy dose of the Cruciatus curse,” Snape said, grimacing a little as an aftershock hit him.

“Oh, Professor, I’m so sorry,” Hermione said, her amber eyes full of guilt and concern.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it,” Snape said, trying to turn his condition to his advantage, “You should let me fuck you for what I just went through for you.”

Hermione looked at him, her eyebrow arching.

“In your condition?” she asked.

“I don’t mean right now. I mean tonight,” he said, wincing against an aching jolt that shot through him.

“Professor, you just fucked a woman less than three hours ago,” Hermione said frowning at him.

“Yes, but I want to fuck you,” Snape replied, his black eyes hot, before he shuddered and pain filled them.

Hermione was filled with sympathy for the Potions Master, even if he were trying to use guilt to make her spread her legs for him. She hadn’t known Voldemort would Crucio the Professor, but she felt responsible just the same. She placed her hands on his chest.

“What do you think you are doing, Miss Granger?” he growled at her as he spasmed.

“Shhh,” Hermione said as she willed his pain to be taken away. She felt the power flow through her, not so much a raging torrent…more like a stream. Calmer.

Snape stopped shuddering immediately. He looked up at her.

“Your powers?” he asked her, sitting up in the chair straighter as she took away her hands.

She nodded.

“Impressive,” Snape mused, “stopping the effects of the Cruciatus that quickly is a miracle. You are becoming quite powerful if you can neutralize an Unforgivable.”

His eyes swept over her.

“But I still suffered for you. I should be recompensed,” he said, licking his lips.

“You just were. I took the pain away,” Hermione said, turning away and returning to the sofa.

“Yes, but that didn’t cancel out what I went through. You only removed the pain that you caused me,” he said evenly.

“All right. How about this? We’ll see. It’s not a yes, but it’s not a no either,” Hermione said, looking at him levelly. If she did this, she’d make him share her bed too. She didn’t want to be alone. A warm body was a warm body, even if it belonged to Snape.

The Potions Master looked at her, his eyes heated.

“I’ll accept that for now, Miss Granger,” he said, “Now why did you want to see me?”

“At breakfast, Voldemort gave me a version of his history that I have never heard, one that paints him and his deatheaters as being unfairly persecuted for their beliefs, and claimed that persecution caused him to change his tactics and become the Dark Lord everyone initially accused him of being. He was very persuasive, Professor. He cited my own situation, and wants me to join him to fight the Order when it comes for him and me. It makes sense to fight them, Professor. They won’t let me survive,” she said, twisting the hem of her dress between her hands nervously. Snape looked at her, then rose.

“Let me see your conversation with him, Miss Granger,” he said approaching her.

Hermione stood up, and Snape placed two fingers against her forehead for a more secure connection.

“Legilimens!” he said.

Snape stood there a long time watching the conversation between the Primordial and the Dark Lord until it finished. He removed his hand and frowned down at the witch.

“What he told you, Miss Granger, is a very twisted version of the truth. He is no freedom fighter. He wants the wizarding world in chaos so it will be easier to control. ‘To the stronger go the spoils’ simply means he will get everything. If people were allowed to live without restraint, the stronger would prey on the weaker, and enslave them to their own uses. Men are not like animals, Miss Granger. We do not fall into “natural roles’. Animals are content with their lot. Men never are. Voldemort is against government, because it checks and balances power. He is against religion because faith gives people a sense there is something more to life. Many find great inner strength, and are able to recognize and resist evil because of this faith. Miss Granger, do not be swayed by the Dark Lord. He covets your power, and you are in as much danger from him as you are from the Order. He is only another side of the same coin.”

Snape looked down at the witch, and became irritated with the way she was twisting her dress hem in her hands like a nervous child. He pulled the fabric out of her hands with a scowl.

“You cannot become overwhelmed or afraid Miss Granger. You will die if you do, I guarantee this. So will I. And as I have risked everything to bring you to this point, it is my sincere hope my efforts have not been wasted. That you were worth my risk. You told me once you had no intention on being controlled. Stick to that sentiment, Miss Granger. therein lies your answer and your salvation,” Snape said, his black eyes burning into hers.

Hermione turned away from him, from the candor in his eyes. She wished Snape was the kind of man who would hold and comfort a woman. She was very much in need of sympathetic human contact. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her would make her feel so much better. Would make her feel less alone.

Snape looked at her. He had not yet broken his legilimency link and knew the Primordial’s thoughts. He sighed. He was not the kind of man who comforted a woman. He was the kind of man who would fuck a distraught woman into conniptions. If he put his arms around Hermione, it would only be to maneuver her into a position where he could have at her. He was not about to pretend to be what he was not for her. She would have to draw on her own inner strength. It was something that she needed to practice anyway. She really was alone in this. He would not give her the illusion she was not. All he could offer her was momentary escape.

“Miss Granger, I cannot comfort you the way you need. I do not have the emotional ability or the inclination, and I will not pretend I do to bring you a false sense of ease. You must learn to draw on your own strength for comfort. You are truly alone in this. No one can extricate you from your situation but you,” he said, reaching out and taking Hermione by the shoulders and turning her to face him.

“All I can offer you is a temporary reprieve, Miss Granger. And you are well aware how I do that. Brutally, selfishly, and with the goal of my own satisfaction. I am not even able to be gentle with you. But I can take your mind away from this via your body. That is all I have to offer you in your time of need,” he said, his black eyes glinting at her.

Hermione looked up at him, taking in his cold offer of physical comfort. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she gave him a considering look. If he could act with the goal of his own satisfaction, so could she.

“I could order you to be gentle with me, Professor,” she said slowly, “I could even order you to kiss me during the act, and pretend you are my lover. You would have to do it,” she said evenly, “or Voldemort would be displeased with you.”

Snape frowned at her. “You would have me tortured by the Dark Lord if I refused you?” he said, cocking his head at her.

Hermione gave him a small smile.

“Professor, it would be up to you whether or not you incurred Voldemort’s wrath by purposely disobeying him. I heard the conversation, Professor. You said you would keep me happy,” she said. “Not keep me happy on your own terms.”

The Professor scowled at the witch. She was not under the influence of the charmed nightgown, and she was aware of the carnality influence. In all actuality, he had brought up the subject of fucking her to make her temporarily forget he situation. She didn’t have such a thing in her mind before he suggested it. She really was a manipulative little witch at heart. And she was right. If he didn’t obey her, it would be his own fault if the Dark Lord punished him.

Hermione clasped her hands behind her back and began to walk around the Professor slowly.

“Now, the real questions are, would I be satisfied with you pretending to be a gentle, caring lover? Would it feel any less good to me if I knew it was all a lie and you were actually being forced to act in a way that is against your true nature?

Should I take into consideration how you would feel being forced to restrain yourself with me? Should I care about how distasteful it would be for you to have to kiss me? Then I ask myself the question, would YOU care if the situation was reversed?”

She stopped and looked at the Professor with hard amber eyes.

“Answer that question, Professor. If the broom were in the other hand, would you care about such things?” Hermione asked him, folding her arms.

Snape looked at her.

“If my goal was my own self-satisfaction, Miss Granger…I would have to say no. I wouldn’t care about any of that. I would seek out the fulfillment of my own needs, the feelings of the other party be damned.” he replied tightly

Hermione tapped her chin with her forefinger, looking up at him.

“I thought as much. At least you are honest, Professor,” she said as she began to walk around him again.

“So, what do you suppose I’m going to do?” she asked him, quirking her mouth.

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A/N: I thought I’d try something different for the next chapter. Make it a reviewer’s choice and let the readers decide how the next chapter should be written. In other words, give my brain a break. Should Hermione take advantage of this situation or not? Should she force Snape to act the gentle affectionate lover, or should she let him be himself, or should she back out of this situation completely and go read a book or something? Let me know. Please review.