Taming the Snake

Chapter 3

"Severus needs no help, Ms. Granger. In fact, he was just leaving. Right, Mr. Snape?" He said, turning to the man beside him with an evil glint in his stormy eyes. Severus was hesitant to answer or leave, his heart in his throat. This was his beautiful tragic disaster that he had caused. There was nothing he wanted more than to tear Lucius Malfoy bit by bit and spit on his remains. He could be kinder to Peter Pettigrew or the Dark Lord himself than the man standing next to him right now. "Severus?"

"Lucius. Hallway. Now." Severus said, his voice dangerously low. Lucius, still smirking, followed Severus out the door. "What did you do to her?!" Severus whirled on Lucius as soon as the door was shut behind them.

"I did nothing. It was all Bellatrix and Yaxley's idea. I can say for a fact her first sexual experience was with me and Fenrir. It was delectable for us and a privilege for her." Lucius said, triggering Snape's anger even more. The raven-haired wizard's anger flared at the idea of the innocent female being broken by the two disgusting men he had unfortunately come to know.

"You filthy piece of shit! How dare you touch her! You'll pay for every second of her pain! I promise you that! Now I'm leaving and taking her with me!" The man stormed back into the room, scaring the poor girl half to death. He sat on the bed next to her as the girl paled and shied back, remembering the last time she wasn't alone on the large bed. The unshed tears glossing her eyelashes killed Severus internally. "I'm not going to hurt you or...or do what the other men did. I'm not like them. I promise. I'm here to bring you back to where you'll be safe." Snape promised, taking her shaking and skinny hands in his.

"I can't let you do that." Lucius said, blocking the doorway with his wand drawn. The look on the man's face was pure lust and determination. Snape realized that the girl whose hands had intertwined with his was the largest prize to Lucius. The war was a sick and twisted game to the blonde, and she was his reward for winning, or staying alive. Sure, Lucius would have liked to have captured the Potter boy, but with the brunette Lucius could have his way and be more creative with his torture. The girl was now in bad condition, but the teacher was positive if he followed Lucius' directions, she would only worsen. "The girl stays here, you leave. Now."

Knowing he could beat his friend at a duel anyday, Severus wished so desperately to incinerate the man before him, but knew a duel in her bedroom was the last thing the girl needed at the moment. So, instead, he gently untwined their hands, his heart shattering when the girl let out a small squeak of pain. Her wide, helpless black eyes stared up at him, silently begging him not to leave her, but he left the room without meeting her gaze.

Lucius followed him and escorted him out, only stopping when Severus halted in the front doorway. The younger man turned to face his friend, a malevolent look in his stare.

"I will be back for her. I won't allow her to continue the horrendous activities you're performing now." Severus stated, refusing to let the blonde wizard advert his eyes.

"I will not welcome you next time, then. Understand, my friend, that the girl does not remember you or anything of her past. We made sure of that. I don't know why you fancy the chit, she is a filthy mudblood. You're better than her, Severus. Remember that. The last filth patch you fell for left you broken for years, and still there's a hole in your heart that longs for her. Bellatrix disguised as her proved that true." Lucius smirked, remembering how brilliantly the plan had worked. He truly had to repay the dark witch sometime. Severus' face twisted sourly at the sickening thought. He had kissed Bellatrix Lestrange. He had given Hermione up for her. What an arse he was.

"I do not fancy her, Lucius. She is of utmost importance to the newest headmistress and I wish not to get on the bad side of the woman who pays my salary." Severus snapped back defensively.

"Do not lie to me, Severus. I see the way you look at her. She does not fancy you anymore. She doesn't fancy anything or anyone. The girl you saw is not Hermione Granger. I promise you. I don't believe Hermione could be so deliciously seductive, even when forced." Lucius smirked back at his long-time friend. "Now, be gone. I have more interesting and entertaining business to attend to in the girl's chambers."

Severus growled in defiance and went to attack the millionaire when the solid front door slammed abruptly in his face. He hit the door at full speed, breaking his large nose in yet another direction. He cursed the man out silently before deciding it best to return to the castle and inform Minerva before progressing any further.

When the man returned by apparation to the Headmaster's Office, Minerva was very drunk on what appeared to be firewhiskey and was pacing like a lioness in front of the fire. She immediately turned when she heard the pop, her eyes ready to kill. She lightened slightly when seeing her friend in the doorway.

"Where is she, Severus? Resting in her chambers? Or perhaps in yours, so you can keep a close eye on her? Well, I must go see her at once." Minerva said, heading to the door. "I must make sure she is well before I can be alright." Severus stopped her, however, with a strong arm. "What the hell, Severus? What are you doing? Leave me go!"

"She is in neither chambers, Minnie. She is still at the Manor." He said somberly, his face expressionless as usual.

"You left her there?! That's not what I sent you to do! I sent you to retrieve her, not leave her in the fangs of the snakes!" Minerva raised her voice, her normally-pale cheeks inflaming to the color of the Weasley hair.

"She is not in good condition, Minerva. I would have risked her safety and, perhaps, her life, fighting the Malfoy clan and trying to get her out of there at the same time. I despise the current situation as much as you do, but we must wait and act reasonably. You drunkenly staggering into the mansion alone will do no help." Severus said, his aching heart hidden behind his unfeeling veil. He would kill Lucius Malfoy, if it was the last thing he ever did.