100 Ways to Kill a Weasley

Duel Dancing

by Mistress Starlight



** Sorry, it got a bit long and stuff, but I thought I might submit it anyway. I hope it almost makes up for my lame submission! Thank you, Ms. Figg for being generally awesome. =)**



"Witches and wizards, welcome to the first ever show of Duel Dancing!" Jaunty theme music played as lights swished and cameras flashed towards Vance Violett, the up-and-coming rival of Gilderoy Lockhart. Dressed in robes of sterling blue that matched the mesmerizing color of his eyes, he was as popular with witches as Lockhart had been, although apparently better at \'handling his wand\' than the blond wizard.



"Thank you all for coming, I can promise you a most entertaining night. We are warning you here that things might get very dangerous... death is a possibility. Now, I will familiarize the audience with the rules of the game. There are ten contestants, five men, and five women..."



The show host\'s sonorous voice carried on unheard to the contestants getting ready in the make-up rooms, with beauticians touching up some side curls here, and adding more body glitter there. It was a madhouse, in short.



Hermione Granger fixed her mask, using a quick little Sticking Charm to ensure that it would stay on, no matter how fervently she danced. She was still quite a resourceful witch, despite where she was now, getting ready to participate in a rather surprising event for someone like her. Smiling at her reflection in the mirror, Hermione thought about how she had gotten into this position.



She had always loved dancing, had taken lessons since she was five years old, in fact. It was something that kept her body in shape and graceful, and since Hermione had never enjoyed competitive sports, she was glad she had it as an exercise routine. It wasn\'t a talent that she liked to broadcast, since the witch was a shy person and unused to showing off her moves in public.



But when Ginny, her only true girl friend, learned of Hermione\'s ability, she had constantly been on Hermione\'s back to go out more often and use it.



"You spend too much time with your books, when you could be getting all the wizards you want with those swishy hips of yours," the red-haired girl said. At first, Hermione had been content with her reputedly dowdy persona, and being focused on her job, so she had laughed it off. After all, she was still very young and had plenty of time to work on her career instead of going straight into a Molly Weasley lifestyle. But she had recently hit twenty eight, and suddenly she had found herself getting lonely at night, with only Ben & Jerry to keep her company. Thirty was only two years away, and even though magical folk were blessed with an extended lifestyle compared to Muggles, Hermione could feel her cells screaming for... well, something.



She was tired of gossip talking about how Hermione Granger was on the fast track to spinsterhood. So Hermione had set herself a challenge- to show her other self in a very public way. The Duel Dancing show was perfect for her means.



It was basically an elaborate game show set up by the wizarding world, to be a combination of battle techniques and sexy dancing. Each female contestant would have to display their talents alone, at first, and points would be given for the creativity and sensuality of the presentation. That would be day, or episode one.



Day two would consist of the males getting their share of the limelight. After their presentation, the ten contestants would partner off, one wizard and one witch. The witches would be able to reject or accept any of the wizards they wished. When everyone was paired, the two would have to impress a panel of judges with both their battling and dancing abilities. In all of the events, the contestants were to wear a mask, so that no one knew who was battling who, which gave an air of mystery and intrigue. The dancers would be eliminated one by one, until only two groups remained.



And that was when things would get interesting. Hermione could hardly wait.



*



The huge arena got pitch black. All sounds of whispering died away as the darkness lay eerily still. Then with a little pop, a single flare of silvery light flickered on the lone figure in the middle of the platform.



A female voice broke through the absolute silence, husky and breathtakingly sexy,



"Athena."



Her face masked in a glimmering mask that gave illusions to the face beneath but no real hint. Dressed in a plain black robe, the figure did not inspire much sensuality or excitement. The music was a soft haunting melody, quiet. The audience watched with confusion and with bored faces until suddenly the music escalated into a feverish pitch and the figure started to undulate sensuously.



Despite the ungainly robes, there was something enticing about the hint of lush curves moving in sinuous rhythm beneath them and wizards began to heat up as the witch whirled around, her slim hands running down the front of her robes and through her luxurious curls.



And suddenly, the robes flew off and gave a millisecond of teaser to the audience of the naked body beneath before the witch formed clothes out of thin air, sheer silk scarves that intertwining and constantly moving around her body, as her petite form gyrated in perfect harmony to the music. The men shifted uncomfortably, as their eyes (as well as other things) bulged dramatically, staring out at the unbelievably erotic figure.



Magically induced rain, sparkling like diamonds fell onto her skin and all around her, and the witch blew a kiss out into the audience that turned into millions of tiny fluttering ruby hearts, whizzing around. With a grand finale, she disappeared with a burst of pure blue flames.



*



"Hermione, honestly where did you go for the entire show?" Harry complained, his arm wrapped around Ginny, who winked at her secretively. "I got these tickets for us and they cost an arm and a leg. And you had to go miss it!"



"Sorry, Harry," Hermione said weakly, offering a limp grin. "I wasn\'t feeling too well, I think I\'m down with a stomach virus."



"Oh," her best friend said, his expression contrite. "I didn\'t mean to be a prat."



"No, it\'s all right," she responded hastily, feeling awful at lying to Harry. "Just tell me how the show went."



Immediately, Harry\'s emerald gaze turned dreamy. "Oh, it was amazing. Too bad you missed it."



Ginny playfully punched her boyfriend on the arm. "This little ass was practically falling all over himself when the last act came on." She looked at Hermione, who smiled back ruefully.



"Yeah, that girl sure could dance," Harry said. "Wish Weasleys weren\'t all born with two left feet." He patted the redheaded girl, who scowled back at him.



"As if you\'re any better," she scoffed.



Not listening to her, Harry sighed. "The last girl did this hot trick that turned her clothes into these almost invisible things... it was amazing."



Noticing Ginny\'s ears starting to turn red, Hermione quickly suggested that they go to dinner. But she had a wide grin on her face. She didn\'t notice that Ron did, as well.



*



Ron was used to having girls fall all over him, especially after the Battle of Hogwarts. Everyone considered him a hero, and since Harry was obviously taken with Ginny Weasley, Ron was the only one ripe for the picking. And Ron enjoyed his role thoroughly, often bedding three or more different girls every night, and partying recklessly.



He\'d begun playing for the Chudley Cannons over a year ago, and had actually won a few games with them, which added to Ron\'s popularity. Besides that, though, he was a good catch. Ron Weasley was tall and having grown into it, wasn\'t the lanky and awkward kid he had been throughout most of his Hogwarts years.



His red hair had darkened slightly into a burnished auburn, and his blue eyes were candid, if a bit childish. His freckled skin was less noticeable, Ron being more bronzed now due to long hours of Quidditch practice in the sun. Also, with money in his pocket and robes made by the wizarding world\'s trendiest name brand designers, women hopped to his will with just a snap of his fingers.



In fact, the only witch of his acquaintance that he hadn\'t bedded was Hermione. Not that it should have been a surprise, considering her personality, but it rankled.



It wasn\'t that Ron actually loved Hermione. He thought he did, but if he were honest to himself, Ron just liked the challenge.



The truth was, the real Hermione wasn\'t very exciting to Ron. He thought she should loosen up, wear prettier clothes and dumb herself down. Also if only she would change every particle about herself, Ron felt that he could quite easily marry the witch. She wasn\'t unnattractive after all. She only needed a hairstylist to dye her hair blonde and straighten it, enlargen her breasts a bit, and she\'d be perfect.



But when he had overheard Ginny talking to Hermione about the latter witch\'s plans to enter the Duel Dancing show that was rapidly gaining popularity, Ron\'s interest had been piqued immediately. There was a certain aspect to the show that made him very, very excited... excited enough to try to enter the contest.



It hadn\'t been difficult at all. Ron had slipped the judge a pouch of Galleons, and his signature, signed with a practiced fluorish of his eagle feather quill.



And for such a small price, he would have Hermione where he wanted her. In his bed.



*



"Last night, we were all enthralled by the stellar performances of the ladies. Witches, we thank you for a perfectly dazzling experience," Vance Violett flashed his white teeth at the female contestants, who were arrayed in a cirlce around the large circular platform.



"Today, the witches get their chance to ogle the men." This got a round of laughter from the women, and glares from their respective boyfriends. "I give you the first contestant... Casanova!"



Casanova was indeed a good dancer, if a bit show-offy in manner, Hermione noted with amusement. A lot of girls were swooning as he moved his toned body around the stage, casting sultry looks at the audience. His wandwork needed a bit of work, and he lacked originality. Overall, the judges seemed satisfied, though Hermione would have deemed it barely adequate.



To her surprise, Casanova ended by sending a bouquet of red roses towards Hermione.



Vance spoke to the cheering crowd, "It looks like Casanova has been taken with the very lovely Athena!"



The sounds of approval were loud. Hermione wasn\'t impressed. She didn\'t even like roses. That guy was just so... well, OBVIOUS and cliched. The other witches shot her jealous looks however, contestants and audience both. Casanova was just the kind of guy they liked. Hermione shrugged. They could keep him for all she cared.



The next contestant, who used the code name of Monsieur Le Blanc, was interesting enough. He wore a sharply stylish crimson suit, with a perky top hat. Performing a sexy little strip dance, and utilizing his cane, he sent several women to Mungo\'s with just a flip of his long, romance-novel hero golden hair.



And then... he came.



From the moment he walked onto the stage, he took Hermione\'s breath away. His silken hair, the color of night, was tied back with a sage green ribbon. The effect wasn\'t feminine at all. In fact, the pure masculinity of his features drove Hermione wild. She itched to run her fingers along the line of his jaw, to take off the alabaster mask and gaze upon his features underneath.



Dressed in a simple unadorned shirt of exquisite white linen, open throated and rolled up at the sleeves, along with a pair of plain black pants, the man nonetheless drew the eye. He performed a dance of merciless beauty as he appeared from a cloud of mist, transfiguring a chair into a lovely woman, tilting her into positions of raw sexuality that had Hermione moisten her underwear.



At the end, the woman was changed into a silvery serpent, eliciting gasps as it slithered towards Hermione. She stiffened, her mouth opening into a silent O as the snake wrapped around her like a rope and pulled her into the arms of the silent man. Unsure of what to do, Hermione followed her instincts and simply twirled with the stranger, breathing in his dark musky scent, like herbs and moonlight, feeling her hand heat in his much larger one.



It was so brief a dance, lasting mere seconds, but Hermione felt as if a lifetime had passed, and left the old her in a pile of ashes.



*



After the next two male participants had presented themselves, Vance Violett stepped up to the stage once more, smiling broadly as usual.



"And now, for the pairing of the couples. This should be interesting folks... five lovely ladies, and five very talented men."



Blonde and lushly curvaceous Jewel was courted by Monsieur Le Blanc, and she gigglingly accepted, throwing smug little gestures at the rest of the witches. Hermione rolled her eyes. Honestly, the way some women behaved.



Ashleigh, the cocoa-skinned beauty wearing a skin tight gown of peacock blue accepted the graceful Gregorias, and tiny Dahlia in pink was paired off humorously with the extremely masculine, extremely tall Vincent, who appeared genuinely inamored of the pixielike dancer.



That left only dark haired Isis, who was slim and a wonderful dancer, but had a viciously cruel manner. She wore a slinky black reptilian dress and heels, looking extremely beautiful but extremely dangerous..



Hermione, or Athena as she was acknowledged, looked warily at the two remaining men. They had both expressed their interest in her as a partner, but in honesty, she didn\'t know who to choose. She didn\'t like Casanova at all, but something about the other man made her feel so very odd. And Hermione didn\'t know if she liked it or not.



Casanova walked up to her, chest jutting out arrogantly and his stride langurous. "Let\'s go," he said simply.



She stared at him in disbelief. Could he be any more thick headed?



"Thanks, but no thanks," Hermione heard herself saying. The red-haired Casanova seemed to be gaping at her.



Vance Violett said to her loudly, "Athena, does this mean you definitely don\'t want to partner up with Casanova?"



"Yes," she said determinedly.



"Then would you be willing to accept me as your partner, instead, Miss... Athena?" asked a smooth toned voice, and she turned around to see the black haired stranger once more. And she got dizzy as she remembered exactly where she had heard that voice before.



"I.. yes."



She could have drowned in those eyes. She had done it before, after all.



*





Hermione stumbled as the ground started to shake, and she felt someone lifting her up as the surroudings changed all around her. Thick walls of bushes formed, separating the five couples from each other. She looked up dazedly to see her partner\'s masked visage.



"What\'s going on?"



Her question was abruptly answered.



"The final challenge for the contestants has begun. Only two groups will stay with us after this elimination round. When only two groups are left fighting, the maze will automatically disappear. The two couples who manage to remain fighting the longest will be considered the winners of this level. Only spells that are not fatal will be allowed within the twenty minute period. Good luck!"



Hermione stood dumbly for a few seconds, just staring up at her Potions Master of her childhood, until he snapped at her.



"Are you going to stand there like a dunderhead and let people use your head as a target?"



Still wide-eyed, she said, "That sounds more like you." Then, Hermione shook her head as if to clear away the cobwebs.



"What are you doing here?"



"I could be asking you the same thing," Severus Snape purred at her. "How odd that a bookworm devoted to her cold, lonely bed would venture so far into sin."



She flushed. "My bed isn\'t cold!" Her face reddened more as she realized how stupid that sounded.



To Hermione\'s surprise, he didn\'t laugh. "But it is lonely.. isn\'t it, Hermione."



She was silent. She couldn\'t look him in the face.



Severus said in a very low voice, "I came here to seduce you, annoying little Gryffindor though you are. I know you aren\'t what you seem, Hermione, and neither am I." Hermione couldn\'t breathe. He was inching closer and closer, his scent ensnaring her, his voice like rippling velvet wrapped around her...



No one heard someone murmur a spell towards them, then viciously include, "Let\'s see the little whore act like what she really is."



*



Ronald Weasley was fuming inside. As in, his entire face was splotchy and red. Thankfully, the mask didn\'t show it, or he wouldn\'t have gotten any popularity points at all.



He couldn\'t believe Hermione hadn\'t chosen him to be her partner. Obviously, his routine had been the best. It had been charming, suave, and his moves had been perfect- by far outshining every other male contestant. That was why no one else had even dared to try and get her as her partner.



Damn that black-haired bastard, Ron thought to himself, scowling. If only he hadn\'t come up and done his little magic tricks- all of which had been overdone and just plain STUPID- then Hermione would have fallen into his arms like a ripe fruit.



She had looked so hot, too, wearing that dark green sparkly dress that hugged her subtle curves so deliciously, the rich color illuminating her cinnamon-and-milk skin. The legs that the bulky Hogwarts robes were broadcasted proudly in that dress, which though long, provided many a glimpse of silken thigh.



Ron had wanted to fuck her right then, when he had gotten up on stage, the lights shining on them and fast music playing, her little heels in the air as he pumped into her. He got hard now just thinking about it.



He wondered where that stupid partner of his had gone. Actually, the witch wasn\'t half bad looking.. he might have considered bedding her after the show if he wasn\'t so randy for Hermione.



Suddenly she reappeared.



"Where have you been?" Ron complained loudly. "We aren\'t supposed to separate, you dirty twat."



She gave him a look of deepest loathing and contempt. "You were just sitting there looking at the bleeding daisies," Isis sniffed. "I, on the other hand, actually got some work done."



"Oh really?" he said, interested. "What did you do?"



Isis grinned evilly. "Let\'s just say I left a group in a very vulnerable position... why don\'t you see for yourself?"



Curious despite himself, Ron followed Isis. Gradually, he could hear the sounds of heavy breathing and moans, as well as someone attempting to argue. A grin of delight spread across Ron\'s face.



"You did that?" he asked, and Isis nodded to the affirmative.



"That little whore deserved what was coming to her. Everyone fucking wanted her instead of me, when I am so much better. This little stunt should get her disqualified," Isis purred in a satisfied manner.



"Who are you talking about?" Even as he said this, Ron peered behind the hedge and was shocked to see a fountain of curly brown hair.



*



Hermione fanned her face, feeling her cheeks start to get warm.



"We really should start looking for the others now," the wizard beside her said a bit impatiently. "Can we get a move on?"



The witch was really starting to heat up. She couldn\'t explain why, but her breasts tingled almost painfully to the touch, and her nipples had hardened to such an extent that they could probably slice carrots. Her panties were soaked, sticking to her privates in a very uncomfortable way. All Hermione could think of was sex.



She wasn\'t aware that her lust-filled gaze was practically tearing the clothes off of Severus Snape, but he most certainly did. He was a wizard after all, and had been interested in this little morsel of a witch for a very long time.



When Hermione Granger had started to mature into a woman, swiftly gaining the reputation as one of the most innovative and brilliant young Spells Mistresses the wizarding world had seen for a long time, comparable even to Rowena Ravenclaw, Severus had unwillingly become attracted to his former pupil. It hadn\'t helped that she was enchantingly lovely, despite all the scathing gossip that she was a dumpy little thing. She wasn\'t at all. If Hermione Granger didn\'t slather on arsenic all over her face and wear trashy clothes, that was her prerogative. In fact, Severus rather liked that she chose to remain natural. Although it might not really have been choice... she was probably too busy making spells and furthering magical studies to bother, but that was just the way he himself was, so he didn\'t mind at all.



He had overheard Ginny Weasley talking about Hermione\'s plans to participate in the contest loudly (those red-haired breeders should really learn to shut up once in a while), and had been struck by the perfect chance to show the witch that he wasn\'t just the cold-hearted bat the dungeons. He wanted to show her that he was a cold-hearted bat that could dance.



But now that Severus was here, he didn\'t know if he could withhold from taking her on the spot, bother all the other wizards and witches out to peel their skins off. She was looking at him through heavy lids, her gaze clearly stating her longing to strip him off and eat him with a mountain of whipped cream. His cock hardened at the thought of the petite brunette touching him, her small hands wrapped around the stem of his penis and running her tiny pink tongue over the bursting mushroom head of it.



"Professor, I want you," Hermione breathed, her lovely golden brown eyes fixed on his behind the mask. She itched to take hers off, to rub her sodden core against the bulging hardness that she could detect from the dark pants. To her horror, Hermione found herself doing exactly that, brandishing the glimmering mask off with a flick of her wand and launching herself at the Potions Master.



They tumbled to the ground, her rippling brown hair loose and shimmering around them as Hermione pulled his mask off as well, eager to feel his agile lips on hers. He groaned throatily, his beetle-black eyes darker than the darkest of nights.



"Hermione... I don\'t think this is quite the time," Severus hissed, though all of his anatomy disagreed, as the little minx ground her hips into exactly the right spot.



"But Professor," she sighed luxuriously into his neck, pressing hot kisses into every possible spot she could, "I could show you exactly how well I can dance." Her slender hand worked their way down his stomach, the other running through his hair.



"Nevertheless-" a sudden scream of pain rang through the sky- "look at this, Hermione! This is a battle. I really must insist you stop."



"Mmmm," Hermione murumured, gyrating herself onto the huge hardness of him in a way that had Severus nearly come right then and there.



"I want to ... to wait. Until we get to know each other better," Severus said, panting. He cursed himself for being so ridiculous. He sounded like some prudish chit out of some fictional romance book, and he despised it. But it was the sensible thing to do. Just very difficult, considering the unbelievable sexiness of the witch before him, looking extremely naughty and extremely randy...



Suddenly, Severus frowned. That wasn\'t the Hermione Granger he knew. She would never be so free with herself, no matter how turned on she was. It just wasn\'t her nature to be so easy as to give her body to any man who looked at her the odd way. Which meant it had to be a spell..



"Hermione, what the hell is going on?" the red-haired Casanova shrieked, stumbling his way to her. He pulled her off the other wizard.



"How do you know my real name?" Hermione said, the queerness of the whole situation momentarily striking through the uncontrollable lust she felt. Then she started to feel the waves of pleasure again, the call for completion, and she curled her body around Casanova, not caring who it was. She just wanted to be fucked.



Ron thrilled at her touch, getting ready to drop his pants and do as she willed. Finally, the witch was coming on to him! But the dark haired man grabbed Hermione\'s arm and forcibly pulled her away from Ron, who protested loudly.



Then, Ron noticed that the man\'s mask was off and that it was his former Potions Master he was staring at.



"You fucking lecher! What the hell are you doing with Hermione!" he yelled, grabbing the lapels of the older man\'s shirt and shaking him. Or trying to, rather. Severus Snape merely stood there with a look of disdain on his face.



"Who on earth are you, you foul-mouthed cretin?"



"Ronald Weasley, you perverted bastard!" he cried, pulling off his mask as well. Hermione gasped in surprise.



"Why am I not surprised?" sneered Snape. "But I don\'t have time for you, Weasley. Hermione has been struck with a lust spell." With a quick Finite Incantatem, the witch was freed from the hex and thoroughly embarassed at her behavior of the past few minutes. "Okay, now I\'m ready. I\'ve been waiting to curse you shitless since I saw your unruly arse sitting in my class." He drew his wand, a predatory smirk crossing his pale face.



Hermione screamed, "Stop! Wait a minute!” She turned to Ron with a questioning look. “Why are you here, anyway?”



Putting on a brave grimace, Ron said in a serious tone, “Mione, I love you. I’ve always loved you.. and I thought I would take this opportunity to try to show you just how much...”



“Good God, why don’t you just tell her the bloody truth? That git wanted to get into your knickers and parade around with it,” Severus said. Men like Ronald Weasley sickened him, with their so-called suave ways and narcissistic manner, going through life with the belief that women were either just pussy for the taking or a breeding slave. His hand itched to cut off some of the mountainous ego of the “Casanova” but for Hermione’s sake, his wand remained at his side.



“Fuck off, fuckhead,” was the red-head’s creative reply. “I love you Hermione.”



“Ron, I’ve told you before and I’ll say it again. I don’t love you beyond the call of friendship. Let’s face it... we just don’t get along, even as friends.” She didn’t include the harsher things she could have said, such as the fact that Ron was a player and entirely self-centered.



“You just think you’re too good for me,” Ron ground out angrily, his blue eyes narrowed with hatred. “And I suppose that greasy git is better. Well you know what, good luck with that. I bet his cock’s more shriveled than all the nasty things in his jars at Hogwarts.” He turned to leave, but found he was unable to. To his terror, Ron felt himself being pulled backwards and forced to face the terrible face of Severus Snape.



In that moment, the redhead could see the essence of the Dark Eater within the Potions Master, and it was frightening enough to make him shit his pants.



“Let me go!"



"Do you think you could leave without giving me satisfaction?" Snape said, grinning in a feral manner. "Besides, we are supposed to eliminate other groups, and unfortunately for you, you fit into that unlucky number. Let us duel."



"Not so fast. I fear I must intrude on your little testosterone battle." Isis slid towards them, her eyes slid cuttingly across Hermione, who was huddled to one side. "And all over a filthy little Mudblood bitch."



At that, Hermione stood up with a flash, her face tight with anger. "Say that again." Her wand was pointed straight at the other witch, who laughed from behind her mask.



"If you insist. You\'re a filthy-" She screamed in pain as Hermione cut into her skin with a casual flick of her wand. "Ah, someone\'s got a temper," Isis smirked as blood tricked down her arm. "You\'ll pay for that. Along with you, Severus."



The Potions Master had been observing the witch solemnly, and his face was hard. "Miranda Lestrange. Bellatrix\'s daughter," he murmured quietly.



"The very same," she answered, withdrawing her mask to show the heavy-lids that folded over eyes as crazed as her mother\'s had been.



Before anyone could make a move, Miranda Lestrange shouted, "Accio wands!” and the three wands pirouetted towards her.



“I’ve been waiting to trap you, traitor. Now, I’m going to be fair,” she purred. “I’m going to give you one whole minute of a head start, and you can try to hide as best as you can. But if I find you... well, that’s just too bad, isn’t it? Your sixty seconds begin now!”



Ron, frightened out of his wits ran in one direction while the Potions Master and Hermione hurried their way to another.



“Quick,” he hissed, grasping Hermione. Thrusting his hand in one pocket, he withdrew a cigarette lighter- Dumbledore’s Putter-Outer. “This will take you to safety, Hermione. Go and get help.”



“But Severus where are you going?” she whispered, her eyes terrified.



“I have to try and save that dunderhead, don’t I?” he whispered back. Before she could say another word, he kissed her thoroughly. “I’ll be back. Don’t worry.” And with a click, Hermione was gone.





*



Run, just run, Ron thought as he panted heavily, the sound of his footsteps loudly reverberating throughout the maze.



Goddamnit, if only he hadn’t been trying to get laid he wouldn’t be in this situation now. He couldn’t even send up red sparks for help. All he could do was to keep running, hoping that the bitch he had for a partner wouldn’t go for him first. Maybe Ron would be lucky and he would run into a group of people...



“Accio, Ronald Weasley.”



He felt himself being pulled back, and he tried to scramble desperately, knowing what would happen if he were to be caught, but it was futile.



With a flash of green light and the sounds of insane laughter filling his ears, Ronald Weasley was gone.



*



When the authorities came, magically tying Miranda Bellatrix and carrying her out, they found Severus Snape next to Ronald Weasley’s limp body, without a single scratch on him. His hair wasn’t even rumpled.



Hermione ran up to him, tears dripping down her face, wrapping her arms tightly around the Potion Master’s waist.



“I was so worried, Severus!” she wailed. “And now Ron is dead. Oh god, it’s all my fault!”



Stroking her hair, Severus said, “It isn’t your fault, witch. If anything, it’s mine. I’m the one that drew that bitch here and put all of us in danger.” His face hardened. “She’ll get a lifetime sentence in Azkaban, if it costs me my own life to ensure it.”



Burying her face into his shirt, Hermione wept out her grief and fear, while he just stood there accepting it. Despite all the circumstances, they were beginning to fall in love.



*



Months later, when the two were curled up together under a starry sky, she asked him how he had managed to escape Miranda.



After a short silence, he muttered, “I’m a snake.”



“Stop avoiding the question, Severus. Just tell me!”



Frustrated, he said, “I am telling you! I turned into a snake. I’m an unregistered Animagus.”



“Oh.”



“Now what’ll it cost me to keep you quiet?” he teased, running his lips over hers and caressing her body softly.



“Mm... what you’re doing right now is good enough, but I fear you may have to do it for a very very long time. A lifetime sentence, mind,” Hermione whispered, blushing at her temerity.



“I think I can do that,” Severus sighed, sinking into her warm flesh and eliciting a moan of pleasure, just one of many more to come.