The Dark Lord's Mistress

Chapter 10

Hermione's POV

I swept my wand over my body and sighed when the tight dress turned into the loose fitting button down shirt that Snape had given me earlier. I crawled into the spare bed and sighed. I looked at the ceiling as I tried to get some sleep but the night's events kept playing repeatedly in my head.

'He wants me to give him a child.' I thought as I rolled onto my side. 'I'm too young to have a child! How am I supposed to give birth to a child that may very well be as evil as his or her father?' I thought as I turned to my other side.

I groaned aloud as I rolled to my stomach. I couldn't get comfortable. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling again. I sat up, threw the covers off my legs, and slid to the end of the bed. I climbed out of the bed and crept across the room as quietly as I could.

I tip-toed across the room and peeked through his opened door and watched his still dark form for a moment before entering his chambers. I was mentally biting my nails. Any moment he could wake up and either kill me or expel me from his chambers, the latter being the worse possible result.

I crossed the room and gently lay down on the covers and curled up next to my potions master. I could feel him breathing deep and evenly. His heart was beating strong and rhythmically. I yawned soundlessly, curled into his chest, and gently laid my hand across his waist.

I inhaled his scent and sighed mentally before sleep finally claimed me

Snape's POV

I lay in my bed waiting for the ever evasive sleep to come to me with my eyes closed. I hadn't noticed the small form enter and cross my chambers until I felt the bed dip slightly. It took all my strength not to reach up and flip on the intruder.

I felt the intruder snuggle close to me and I looked down to see a head of slightly bushy hair laying against my naked chest. 'What in Merlin's name is she doing in here?' I thought as she snuggled deeper into my chest. I felt her arm fall across my waist and heard her breath deepen then even out in sleep.

I rose my free hand, laid it across her slender waist and laid my head upon hers. 'May as well get comfortable.' I thought sleepily.

The Next Morning

I awoke the next morning in the same position. Hermione was moaning softly in her sleep. Sweat dotted her brow and her breath was coming in heavy pants. I leaned away from her, gripped her shoulder with my hand, and shook her.

'Miss Granger.' I said when she didn't awaken. She let out a small scream before bolting upright. 'Professor?' She asked, looking at me like a caged animal. 'It's alright; you were just having a bad dream.' I said trying to make her feel safe.

'It was so real. It felt so real.' She said before burying her head in my chest. I stiffened for a moment before I gingerly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She sniffled against my chest. 'He wants me to bear his child.' She said softly.

'What?' I asked as I pulled her from my chest and looked into her eyes. She avoided my gaze before I placed a hand beneath her chin and forced her to look into my eyes. I saw pain. I saw fear. 'Please.' She said nodding. I took that as her permission to use legilimency on her.

I watched, as her memories were laid bared before me. I felt rage, jealous, anger rise to the surface. What had given him the right to treat her a little better than breed stock? She was mine and mine alone. I didn't realize I was holding her arms so tightly until she whimpered, breaking me out of my daze.

I let go of her and stood up from the bed in just my linen sleep pants. I ran a hand through my hair and then looked at her. Tears rolled down her cheeks. For just this moment, she looked like a young child instead of the young woman she had become in the last few years.

I sat back down on the bed again and put my hand under her chin again. 'I will care for you no matter what he orders.' I said looking at her again. 'I can't have his child, Professor. I can't bare my child becoming the symbol for everything that is wrong and evil in this world.' She said quietly.

'Severus.' I said suddenly. 'What?' She asked. 'We've been intimate Miss Granger. I think we should be calling each other by our given names, don't you?' I said. She nodded wordlessly. 'I'm to take it that you don't mind me calling you Hermione?' I asked. 'You may call me Hermione.' She said softly.

She leaned against my chest again and sighed deeply. 'I will protect you, Hermione, until my dying breath.' I said softly as I pulled her against my chest. 'What in Merlin's name is happening to me? I've gone soft.' I thought as Hermione fell asleep against my chest again.

Hermione's POV –several hours later

I woke up in Severus' bed alone. The space that he would have occupied was cold indicating he he hadn't been there for at least an hour or two. I sat up, got out of bed and exited the room to find that Severus' chambers were empty.

I retrieved my wand from the spare bedroom and transfigured the shirt into a pair of trousers and a smaller button down shirt. I charmed my hair into a ponytail and let myself out of the chambers. I walked into Severus' private office to find it empty as well. I remembered last night and how when I'd awoken from my nightmare, he'd been there to comfort me.

He was avoiding me. I knew that from the moment I'd woken up in his bed alone. I exited his office and headed up to Gryffindor tower. It was still early yet and not many people would have questioned why I was up so early anyway.

I crossed the great hall and started up the steps to the Gryffindor prefect dormitories. I had a lot to think about and it was plainly obvious that Severus wouldn't be around to help me.

Snape's POV

I sat in the headmaster's office early the next morning. I had to tell him that Hermione had been chosen to bear the child of the Dark Lord. Certainly, he would put a stop to this nonsense right. I looked up at my colleague and friend. The ring was destroying his energy more quickly every day and the potion that I was brewing for him seem to becoming less and less effective.

'My time as headmaster of this school is waning, Severus. You know that better than anyone does. As one of my final acts as headmaster, I want you to keep Miss Granger undercover. She is one of the keys to Tom's downfall, she always has been.' He said.

'Be that as it may Albus, she is still only a child. We can't force her to bear the child of the Dark Lord.' I said reigning my anger at the situation in. 'I know you care for her Severus; your eyes have always betrayed you, dear boy. But if Miss Granger couldn't handle everything that was set before her, I would never have allowed her to become a mistress.' He said.

'She has you to help her, Severus. Even after what needs to be done is done, she'll have you to turn to. Albeit it will be reluctantly at first, but she will learn to trust you again.' He said taking one of his muggle candies and popping it into his mouth.

'I will be going with Harry to find Tom's locket tonight. I plan to send Harry for you when we get back. Draco does not know that you are the one who will be the one to kill me.' He said as I stood to leave. 'I will be waiting.' I said before turning to leave the headmaster's office possibly for the last time.

I didn't think about the Unbreakable Vow I had made with him at the end of the school year last year nor about the one that I'd made with Narcissa a few months later. I only thought about Hermione. How would she react when she learned that I had dealt the final blow that would end Albus' life?

I didn't want to think about it. I couldn't think about loosing her possibly forever. 'Oh, how the mighty have fallen.' I thought as swept down the hallway with my cloak billowing out behind me.

Draco's POV - Midnight Astronomy Tower

'Harry, I need Professor Snape, go and fetch him. Do not let anyone stop you.' Dumbledore was saying. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Tonight would be a test of how well I could act when faced with other Death Eaters.

'Expelliarmus.' I shouted pointing my wand at the headmaster. His wand flew high and landed behind me near the stairs. 'Good evening Draco.' Dumbledore said. I glared at him. 'Are there others?' Dumbledore asked quietly. 'Of course there are others.' I snapped just in case Aunt Bella and the others were near.

'How?' Dumbledore asked. 'The vanishing cabinets in the Room of Requirement. They form a passage. The other one is at Borgins and Burke's.' I said. 'Ingenious.' He said. 'Enough talk. I've come to kill you.' I said my wand shaking only slightly.

'Draco, you don't have to do this. I can protect you and your mother.' He said reaching for me. 'I have to kill you. If I don't, he'll kill me.' I said forcing tears to the surface. 'Well look what we have here. Dumbledore wandless, alone and cornered in his own castle! Well done, Draco!' Aunt Bella said. 'Good evening, Bellatrix. I think introductions are called for.' Dumbledore said. 'Love to, Albus, but I'm afraid we're on a bit of a tight schedule.' Aunt Bella said. 'Do it!' Aunt Bella hissed at me.

'He doesn't have the stomach, like his father. Let me finish him in my own way.' Greyback snarled. 'No! The Dark Lord was clear; the boy's to do it.' Aunt Bella said.

'Lower your wand, Draco.' A voice said from behind the group. The Death Eaters parted to reveal my godfather. 'Severus, please.' Dumbledore said as he and Snape made eye contact. Snape stood still for a moment before raising his wand. 'Avada Kedavra.' He said pointing at Dumbledore's chest.

I watched as the green bolt of light hit Dumbledore square and knocked him over the side of the tower. I didn't feel after that. I knew that Bella had cast the mark over the school and Snape had grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and led me away from the tower.

I briefly remember Potter following us, saying that Dumbledore trusted Snape and that Snape was a coward. They dueled briefly before Aunt Bella grabbed my arm and apparated us away from the castle. I only remember how the castle looked with the giant oaf's cottage burning to the ground.

I remember being marched through the halls of the Manor and kneeling before the Dark Lord. I'd been tortured for failing, but not killed because after all the prime objective of my mission was Dumbledore dying. He dismissed me and I returned to my chambers. I wondered if Potter had already told Hermione about the events of the night and if she truly believed that Uncle Severus was that evil. I hoped to Merlin that she didn't.