Author's Note: There is a trigger warning with this chapter, scroll to the end if you need more detail.
Hermione sat naked on the bed in her parents' guest room, waiting for Draco to come back from the loo. Her body still ached here and there, but the pain was manageable, and receding. She glanced at the doorway. The hallway lighting seemed off, and the shadows cast on the rug by her feet were skewed and unnatural.
Something about the room felt strange, as if she didn't belong here. The guest room didn't seem familiar anymore. She rubbed her eyes, maybe it was an after effect of being tortured – unable to feel safe in the familiarity of her own childhood home.
Hermione heard Draco's footfalls in the hallway and he paused under the doorframe. His black boxers contrasted starkly against the pale shade of his skin, and the light behind him cast a long shadow on the floor of the darkened room. His shadow was odd, it looked as if he was wearing a hooded cloak. She raised her eyes, watching him curiously. His lips pursed as he studied the inside of his forearm and his hair covered his face, she couldn't see his expression.
Or his eyes.
"Is something wrong?"
He rubbed the area of his Dark Mark with his thumb and hissed. "I'm not sure, it's never done this before."
Concerned, she stood up and approached him.
"Here, let me see." Hermione pulled his arm towards her an inspected the dark, scaly skin. "It doesn't look any different."
"It's sensitive. Almost like it itches."
"It doesn't hurt?"
"No." His eyes met hers, brows furrowed in worry. "It... tingles. It's never done that before."
Curious, she leaned over to inspect the brand more closely, turning his arm over. His breathing became heavier while he awaited her verdict. It didn't appear any different. The only sensation he had ever described from his Dark Mark was pain. Gently, she traced the outline of the mark on his skin, and he whimpered.
Hermione looked up sharply to meet his surprised, wide-eyed expression.
"Did that hurt?"
"I...I think..." Draco stammered, and his cheeks flushed. "No, it... I don't understand what's happening."
Over their time together, she'd memorized the shape and outline of the brand, tracing it with her fingers more times than she could count. She still couldn't determine what was so different, so she dragged her fingertip over the outline again.
Draco's eyes fluttered closed and a soft groan escaped his lips. He leaned into her and grabbed her upper arm with his other hand.
Hermione had seen that expression on his face many times before, and was shocked to see it now. "It's erogenous?"
He opened his eyes, ashamed, and nodded wordlessly. Apprehensive at what the shift in sensation meant, she made to touch it again but he grabbed her wrist.
"Don't," his voice was alarmed. "It's not supposed to feel good."
Remembering how Draco had wanted her to hurt him, she understood his concern. The Dark Mark represented the terrible things he did, the bad choices he made, and the horrible sins he committed when having no other choice. He wanted to be punished for them. The burning pain he felt when it was activated served that purpose. If it felt good... it would be a reward, not a punishment.
"I'm sorry, I won't touch it if you don't want me to." Her eyes roamed over the Dark Mark in thought. Draco had changed since his increased usage of Unforgivable Curses. She bit her lip and gazed up at him, horrified at where her thoughts led. "Maybe it is supposed to feel good now."
"What do you mean?" he asked, slightly panicked.
"What if it has something to do with Unforgivable Curses?" She was nearly certain that it did, and worried for him even more. "You've succeeded at all three the day you got me out of Azkaban."
His words came out in a rush. "But I don't want it to feel that way!" he protested, eyes wide in terror. "I want it off of my body! It should – oh fuuuuuck!"
Hermione watched in morbid fascination as he trembled, fingers digging into her arm until his knuckles whitened. She winced and he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, biting down with a whining grunt.
"Hermione," he croaked, eyes closed. "It's... I don't want this!"
She drew her gaze down to the Dark Mark and saw the snake undulating on his arm. She gasped. It could move?
"The Dark Mark is moving, Draco! Has it ever done that before?"
He grunted and bucked against her hip, ignoring the question. "Please!" he pleaded through his teeth. "Get it to stop!"
Draco was hard, and curled in on himself with the exertion of fighting his arousal. He leaned his forehead on her shoulder, panting, and his hot breath fanned across her neck.
"Hold on, Draco."
Trying to stay calm, she grasped his upper arms and leaned him against the bedroom door. He hunched over, quaking, and clutching his forearm. Heart pounding, Hermione ran across the room and grabbed her wand from the night table. Eyes squeezed shut, Draco moaned and cursed under his breath. She ran back to him and, careful not to touch the mark, cast a diagnostic spell that she'd seen Mary perform a few times. Bright lights blinked from the charm. From what she could understand of the readings, everything was normal.
Before she could try anything else, Draco released an agonized cry. Eyes wide in disbelief, he held his shaking hand up to his face.
"It's... the snake!"
The blood rushed to her head, she was so frightened for him. What was going on? She didn't know what the moving mark meant and reached out to pull his arm forward to see what else she could do.
"Yes, I don't know wh–"
Horror struck, Draco sank to his knees with a thud, staring at his arm and gasping for air. Quickly, she knelt in front of him and tried to pull his arm down so she could see. He wouldn't let her. Squeezing his eyes shut, a vein protruded on his forehead and his whole body trembled with the effort of trying to stop what was happening.
As his skin reddened, she knew he was close to climaxing. Holding her wand out, her mind raced through what she knew of counter charms and her limited knowledge of diagnostics, but was at a loss. Horrified, she didn't know what she could possibly do. She didn't even know if she should touch him or not.
"I'm here, Draco," she cried, utterly powerless to stop it. "I'm right here."
Suddenly his eyes rolled back in pleasure and he cried out.
"It's..." he panted and thrust forward, still clutching his arm. "I can't... Ungh!"
Hermione worried Draco might fall over so she held him upright, bracing his body by holding onto his shoulders. Gritting his teeth, he leaned forward, face planted into the crook of her neck, shuddering and she struggled on her knees not to fall backward. Draco grunted a whine and his pelvis jerked as a warm wetness spread on her thigh. She glanced down between them to see that he came in his boxers.
But it wasn't over yet. Draco was still shaking. His shoulder muscles flexed and contracted under her fingers. Suddenly he spasmed, nearly knocking her over. He held his arm up in front of his face again and his eyes widened in terror.
"It's... It's... Oh fuck!"
Hermione had to take him to Mary. He was in trouble and she didn't know what to do. Adjusting her grip on her wand, she readied to Apparate them.
Voice trembling, she reached out to grab his elbow. "Draco, I'm going to take you to–"
"What's it doing?" He cried out, staring at the inside of his arm. She tried to pull it down to see what had him so scared but he wouldn't let her see.
"I can't stop – Hermione, help me!" His pleas grew increasingly desperate.
She pulled him in closer, frightened tears forming in her eyes. "I'm taking you to–"
"Help me! FUCK!"
He quaked violently. Fear shot through Hermione's limbs, she didn't understand what was happening to him and tried to pry his arm down so she could see his mark again. Suddenly, Draco let out a long low agonized groan and threw his head back.
Frozen in horror, she watched as a snake's head appeared between his fingers and slithered down the back of his hand and around his forearm. Hermione jumped back with a yelp and her bum hit the floor. The snake wrapped its long, slender body around Draco's arm, slithering upwards to his bicep, and coiling loosely around his neck, its length still wrapped around his arm.
Hermione watched open mouthed as it reared back its head at her and hissed.
Draco brought his head forward to look at her and slowly opened his eyes, no longer panicked.
"No," she whispered.
His eyes were dark.
The snake raised its head to the level of his ear and hissed at her again.
Her stomach lurched and she tightened her grip on her wand.
"Draco?" she pleaded.
Still trembling, he stood up, lowered his arm, and gazed down at her with an upward turn of his lips. Watching in fear, she struggled to stand as the undulating snake of the Dark Mark pulsed upwards, taking on a three dimensional form and slithering right out of his skin. Draco released a guttural groan, fully embracing the pleasure now. The snake exited his flesh and hung loosely by his leg until it detached, dropping to the floor. Hermione jumped back, but it didn't attack. After hissing at her, it slithered up Draco's leg, wrapping itself around his calf, up past his knee and circling his thigh.
She glanced up at Draco's face to see him watching her with a wicked smile. "One more."
He rolled his eyes back and parted his lips to release a long, low, ecstatic moan. A third snake emerged from his Dark Mark and coiled around his arm, sliding across his chest to wrap around his abdomen. She stumbled back and hit the wall, aiming her wand at him.
"Hold still!" Hermione cried out, her voice shaking. "I can get them off you!"
The corner of his mouth lifted. "I don't want them off me."
The hair stood on the back of her neck as she watched the snakes slither on his body; coiling around his neck, his arms, his torso, his legs. Draco's muscles flexed where they passed around him and he held his arms down at his sides, fingers curled like claws. He inhaled a deep, shuddering breath and drew his gaze back to her.
"They're dark magic," she protested, taking a few cautious steps forward. "They're poisoning you!"
"They are me," he replied with an evil smile. "I like them."
She dug her fingers into her palm, and watched as the snake on his thigh slid underneath the fabric of his boxers. As it passed between his legs, Draco chuckled and groaned. It exited out the other side and coiled down his other leg.
"No," she said, aiming her wand carefully. "No, they're not. I'm getting them off you. Hold still."
Hermione held her breath, hoping she wouldn't hurt him, and flicked her wand, trying to remove the snakes. But nothing happened. She tried again, and again, her movements more erratic as panic set in.
"You can't remove them," he replied calmly.
"Why not?" she asked, voice shaking.
"Dark magic is always stronger. You can't fight it." His body quivered as the snakes slithered up and down, coiling around his limbs. "Why would you want to?"
"No," she flicked her wand again, wondering why it wasn't responding to her. Her heart thudded faster as anxiety squeezed her chest. "That's not right at all. Dark magic only makes you feel stronger. It's an illusion." Her tone rose upward and she tried to conceal the panic rapidly overwhelming her. "You know that, Draco."
Hermione pointed her wand at the window to close it but nothing happened. Her wand wasn't working. Heart racing, she tried to stop, breathe deeply and think, but she couldn't. Why wasn't her wand working?
Draco advanced on her slowly, and she backed away. Her wand wasn't working, and he wasn't himself. He closed in on her and Hermione gasped as her back hit the wall. He reached out to cup her cheek and a snake slithered down his arm towards her face and she flinched. Eyes wide with terror, she tried to hold herself still, hoping it wouldn't come any closer.
His thumb was soft against her skin, and he caressed her cheek, oh so tenderly.
"Draco," she pleaded with a whisper. "Keep it away."
"They won't bite you." She dragged her eyes back up to his face, towering over her. "Unless I tell them too," he taunted. The snake was only inches away from her cheek, hovering above his arm.
"You'd... hurt me?"
Draco always promised that he wouldn't. And he hadn't. But this was different. Hermione had no idea what was going on inside his head. The Draco she knew and loved was completely gone.
"Do you want me to?" His smile was sinister and he dragged his lips back and forth against hers.
"No," she whispered.
As he loomed over, there was hardly any space between her and the snakes. She could feel their movements across his body and she sucked in her stomach, trying not to touch them. Hermione tried to still her shaking limbs, but she couldn't as the adrenaline raced through her. She had to get away, but didn't know how.
Draco laughed softly. "That's not true, Hermione. You enjoy a little pain." His eyes were hooded as the snake on his leg slid underneath his boxers again. "It feels good." He flashed his teeth at her. "Watch."
His eyes opened, dark and dangerous, and Hermione gasped as the snake around his neck reared back and bit the juncture between his neck and shoulder. Draco bucked into her with a groan while a tiny rivulet of blood dripped over his chest.
"I don't want the snakes to bite me."
"The snakes are me," he said, rubbing his length against her. One of the snakes moved against her thigh and she whimpered. "And you like it when I bite you."
He pressed his body into her and the snake on his leg curled around her ankle.
Hermione's blood ran cold at the touch.
"Draco," she pleaded. "Please. Get it off me."
While she was completely paralyzed in terror, it coiled up her calf and upper thigh. She didn't know whether to attempt cursing it off again, or stay still lest it bite her. But it didn't matter what she did. Draco was controlling it, and her wand didn't work.
"They feel good." He rolled his neck and watched her with a wicked gleam in his eye.
Goosebumps spread up and down her limbs as the smooth, dry skin of the snake inched up her thigh, in between her legs, and around her waist. Hermione sucked in a breath as it creeped around her. Her hands shook with the need to shove it off, but she was terrified it would strike.
"Please, Draco." She tried to suppress her shivers of terror as the snake dipped down the middle of her arse, tickling her in a sensual way. "I don't want the snakes."
He raised an eyebrow as it slid down towards the apex between her thighs. She fought the instinct to squeeze her legs together, terrified the snake would bite her. Or bite her there.
"Not this," she begged.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low and sultry.
The snake dipped lower.
"Oh fuck," she exhaled.
Hermione whimpered as the snake pushed against her folds, slithered against her clit and up her belly. The tiny vibrations from its passage spread heat throughout her core, and Draco gazed down at her in triumph.
She shook her head, trembling in fear, desire, she couldn't tell anymore as the tears spilled down her cheeks. "I just want you. Draco, you're not yourself."
"You can't have him."
Her heart stopped at the sound of Bellatrix's voice.
She had been here the whole time, hadn't she? Hermione would never escape her!
Hermione nearly choked, momentarily forgetting the snake circling around her breast. She looked up at Draco. He didn't seem surprised at the presence of his aunt either. Ignoring the snake inching towards her throat, Hermione cast a few curses around his body at Bellatrix's form as she emerged from the shadows in the bedroom door.
Nothing worked. She stared at the useless stick of wood as her stomach twisted in dread. Why wasn't it functioning? Why didn't she have any magic? What was happening?
Why didn't he care?
"Awwwww, little Mudblood," Bellatrix crooned, sauntering over to them. "Did you think he belonged to you?" She paused next to Draco and walked her fingers up his arm and over the hard curve of his shoulder. The snake that was coiled around his neck turned in Bellatrix's direction and she tickled its chin. "He was always one of us."
Draco dropped his hand from Hermione's cheek to her breast, thumbing her nipple. She turned back to him, confused, betrayed, terrified and aroused.
"Draco," her lip trembled, "Why are you doing this?"
A flickering tickle on her breast made her gasp, and she looked down to see the snake's tongue feathering against her areola. Draco pinched her other nipple and she couldn't contain her groan.
His dark eyes flashed and the snake moved down her stomach again. Bellatrix licked her lips, silently watching.
As dread stole the breath from her lungs, Hermione wondered if she was going to die, and if Draco would let that happen after everything he had done. Would he just stand by and watch while Bellatrix killed her? Why else would she be here?
Without a functioning wand, she was trapped, and utterly defenseless.
"Why?" she asked again, sobbing. "You changed!" she cried out, giving up all pretense despite Bellatrix's presence. "I thought you loved me!"
The snake slid between her legs, its head pushed against her folds and a jolt of pleasure jerked her hips forward. Her lips parted, horrified. It couldn't... Draco wouldn't... She didn't know what he was capable of anymore.
The snake's length rubbed against her clit as it coiled around her waist and up between her breasts. She trembled as it's tongue flicked against her, feather-light touches on her skin. Her arousal trailed along with its body, leaving a warm, wet path.
"You abandoned me to Azkaban, Hermione." He raised an eyebrow, rubbing the flesh of her breast with his fingers. "You let the dark take me."
"I didn't! I never wanted that!" She shook her head violently. "I'm trying to figure out – I'm trying to fix it! And Tonks can get you help after the war!"
"It's too late now, Mudblood. He was never yours." Bellatrix scrunched her nose at the snake affectionately, tickling its chin again with her finger. "Enough teasing, Draco."
He turned to face his aunt with a sinister smile and she looked fondly up at him. "One more roll in the mud, Auntie Bella?"
Bellatrix turned back to her and her red lips spread in an evil smile, dark eyes dancing with delight. "If you insist."
The snake slid up from between her breasts and coiled around her neck. Draco leered and reached down between her legs, his finger easily sliding up her passage.
"You're as fucked up as I am, Hermione," he said with a knowing smirk. Leaning down, he spoke against her mouth. "You like it, too."
With a quirk of his lips, he slid his finger in and out a few more times. She moaned as his finger stretched her and the snake rubbed against her nipples and circled her breasts.
"No, I want you. Just you!"
"This is me, Hermione." She didn't recognize his smirk anymore. It was evil, and his eyes were hooded as the snakes coiled around his limbs. Draco shucked off his boxers, kicking them to the side. Hiking up her leg, he wrapped it around his hips and thrust up and into her.
She cried out as he filled her to the hilt, hitting the back of her head against the wall while the snake slid around her neck. Draco pumped in and out of her, watching her gasp.
Hermione whimpered as he pushed into her again. The snake coiled tighter around her neck and tears streamed down her face. Bellatrix's black eyes gleamed. He was going to kill her while she watched.
"Please, Draco!" She looked up and he was wearing his Death Eater mask.
"You let this happen," he replied emotionlessly.
"No," she cried, trying to pry the snake from around her throat without angering it. "Draco, you don't understand! I'm trying to help y–"
He snapped his pelvis into her, cutting off her explanation and she threw her head back with a cry, hitting her head against the wall. When she looked back at him, he was wearing his Death Eater robes, still fucking her against the wall.
She tightened around him. He was going to make her come like this. While his aunt watched, and then they'd kill her. Bellatrix flashed her teeth in anticipation.
"Would you like something else to play with, Ickle Draco?"
He paused in his movements and glanced down at the knife in Bellatrix's palm.
"No!" Hermione pleaded, shaking her head violently, tears streaming down her face. "No! Please not that!"
Ignoring her protests, Draco released his grip on her leg and took the knife, deftly spinning it in a circle on his gloved hand. The merciless mask turned back to face her and he pressed the point of the blade into her breast, making a small incision. Instantly, all the words that Bellatrix had carved up and down her body appeared as if never healed.
Hermione screamed as her skin ripped open all at once.
Dirty.
Filthy.
Vermin.
Scum.
Disgusting.
Mudblood.
Bellatrix cackled and pointed her wand at her. No!
"Crucio!"
She screamed again as pain wracked her body. She would have fallen but Draco pinned her shoulders to the wall. Why wouldn't he help?
"Hermione."
"Crucio!"
She yelled again. Draco just stood, watching from behind his mask as if nothing was happening.
"Draco! Please help me!"
"Hermione."
"Crucio!"
She pleaded with him, but he remained impassive, gazing down through his mask while Bellatrix cackled.
"Hermione!"
She opened her eyes, gasping for air, to see Ginny's worried face above her in the dark.
"Hermione, you're okay. You're safe."
Her chest heaved and she unfisted her quilt. Frantically, she turned to the side, searching her poorly lit bedroom, and then behind Ginny. Draco wasn't there. Bellatrix wasn't there. She was in her tent with Ginny and Lavender.
"You're here with me." Ginny's warm brown eyes studied hers and she brushed Hermione's damp hair off her forehead. "With your friends. You're safe. You were having a nightmare again."
Heart still thundering in her chest, Hermione inhaled a shuddering breath as Ginny tenderly wiped her tears off her cheek.
A nightmare. It was a nightmare.
"You're safe. Here, breathe with me."
Ginny stroked her fingers and counted to four while Hermione inhaled, and then counted to four while she exhaled.
"Mary said you could Occlude, right?"
Hermione nodded wordlessly, breathing in time with Ginny, and picturing snowflakes hitting a frozen pond. Mary had weaned her off of the pain potions and mind-calming charms, but the downside was frequent nightmares, and chronic aches and pains that were taking time to recede.
Ginny held her securely for about ten minutes, until her heart slowed to a steady beat and her breathing was calm.
"Was I screaming again?" Hermione asked in a small voice.
"Mmm," Ginny nodded. "I don't know how Lavender can sleep through it. I swear that woman would sleep right through one of her own explosions."
Hermione pulled her blanket up and dried the remainder of her tears on the fabric. "I should silence myself."
"Don't you dare," Ginny's voice took on a protective tone. "Do you want me to sleep with you again tonight?"
Hermione's tone was soft when she replied. "Would you mind? It helps a lot."
"Of course not, scooch."
Hermione slid over towards the edge of her bed, wincing from the residual pain. Ginny climbed underneath the covers with her. "Big spoon or little spoon?"
"You be the big spoon."
Ginny wrapped her arms around her, pulling Hermione close against her body, and kissed the back of her head. "It'll pass, I promise. Right now it doesn't seem like it'll end, but it will. It will end."
"How long did it take for your nightmares to stop after he possessed you?" she whispered.
"A few months. I slept in Mum and Dad's bed that entire summer. It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"You were eleven."
She heard Ginny's throat swallow behind her. "And I wet the bed for a while."
Hermione turned back to face her. "I never knew that."
"Harry's the only one that knows. Tell anyone and you die."
Despite it all, Ginny brought a smile to her face, even though her brothers were missing. She was a wonderful friend, and once again, Hermione could see why Harry loved her so much.
"We're going to get them back, Ginny." Hermione wasn't sure if that was true. Could the Order mount an attack on Azkaban?
Ginny didn't speak for a few moments. "I don't know," she said. Hermione could hear the strain in her reply. "This time feels different. I don't want to think about it right now."
Maybe she was right.
"Hermione."
"Mmmm."
"Not that I don't want to help you, but... your criminal."
Hermione tensed.
"He should be here for you. I don't care if he wants to keep your relationship a secret. He's a right piece of shit if he isn't here for you when it counts."
Hermione swallowed. She was so worried for Draco, and missed him terribly. He had risked his life to save her, and she didn't know if he had been caught, or paid in some other way. On top of that, he had now performed all three Unforgivable Curses. He needed help, but she didn't know how to give it to him.
"He is, Ginny. He's always here for me. I'm the one that isn't there for him."
TW: About as close to non-con as this story gets. Hermione has a PTSD induced fever dream – where she has sex with Draco while snakes are slithering over them, Bellatrix Crucio's her and he doesn't help.
Next chapter: Another girls night out - the heroes start to regroup!
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