Draco Stepped toward Hermione.
You need to do this for her, he told himself
Better you than Bellatrix, he reasoned.
Better you than Greyback.
Better you than Voldemort.
He told himself that he was her best option. It was the truth.
At the same time it was better for her it was worse for him.
I don't want to, his chest ached. I can't hurt her-not again.
You don't have a choice, you owe it to her to protect her, after what she's already been through.
Don't let it be worse.
Don't let them maim her permanently just to save yourself discomfort.
It was more than discomfort. What he had to do tore into him.
Draco closed his eyes for a brief moment and when he opened them he shut his mind down completely.
One by one he cast the spells.
One by one he hurt her to save her.
Each spell, each attack, made her look more bloodied and worn.
Fresh bruises appeared on her skin and despite his mental shut down, Draco felt them echo in his heart.
Bellatrix snake spell rolled over Hermione. Each viper slithered and bit feasting on the pain. It took a moment for Draco to understand that's what the snake enchantments were doing: Feeding on and creating pain. Like fat leaches they fell off one by one when they had bloated sucking up as- much of her agony as their bodies would allow.
She's evil, he thought sparing his aunt a glance only to see her crazed with glee.
You're just as bad as her, his mind echoed back.
Granger's muffled cries gurgled though the spell Voldemort had put on her tongue.
Draco knew those sounds would haunt him forever.
He wanted it to be over, but he couldn't stop, for fear it wouldn't be deemed 'enough'
He had to keep going, keep hurting her so that he could convince the Dark Lord of his hate for the mudblood.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, but in reality was about twenty minute the Dark Lord grew bored of watching and waved his hand for it to cease.
Relief spread though Draco's skin with all the solace of slicing razors.
Draco wanted to vomit.
It took everything he had to control his stomach and maintain the illusion that he was fine and had, had 'fun'.
Snape stood slowly from his place at the table, picking up the camera.
"Hold her," the headmaster said in his usual tone.
Draco picked Hermione off the ground and held her up by her hair.
She so much as flinch or even try to struggle.
"Make her writhe," the Dark Lord ordered.
Draco cast a small curse inflicting just enough pain that strained and wriggled in his arms for the photograph.
You will never be forgiven for this, he told himself, and you don't deserve to be, you're a monster.
Snape's face was placid, his demeanor cool.
Draco couldn't understand how anyone could be so calm watching this all go on.
He knew the photograph would be more than enough to motivate her friends to come save her.
It was enough to make him want to say 'fuck it' and save her.
He hated that she wasn't fighting him, because it felt like she was giving up and that was the last thing that Draco wanted. At the same time he was blissfully grateful she wasn't fighting so he didn't have to curse her again for show.
When the photo was finished Draco dropped Granger unceremoniously and returned to his seat exhausted and drained beyond measure. His elixir from earlier was fading and he wanted to just go to sleep, but he needed to last through this meeting.
Sleep would help him shut out the world.
He prayed that when he did it would be a black dreamless sleep, though he knew he wouldn't be so lucky.
No rest for the wicked...
Draco turned and smiled for the Dark Lord.
'See' the smile seemed to say 'See how I love it, thank you for the pleasure of letting me torture her myself.' He smiled at the room, much more smugly.
His aunt had never looked more proud.
His father would not meet his eyes.
His mother was trying to hide the horror at his vicious actions, and for once was failing to mask her emotions.
She's just a Mudblood mother remember? He wanted to lash out at her for raising him to believe such things.
Even thinking the word now doubled the queasy feeling in his stomach.
He dared a glance at Granger who was laying in a heap on the ground sobbing softly.
Look what you've done.
Look what you've done to the only person who saw you and reached out to comfort you.
"My Lord," said Snape in a monotone drawl after setting down the camera. "If you would permit me, I believe that this is an opportune time for me to utilize some truth serum on the girl."
"Is that so?" Voldemort raised the flesh where a brow should be.
"Yes, my Lord, at a weak and vulnerable state the potion is most potent," he said it as if reciting lines from a lesson.
"Very well, take her into the other room and do what you will," Voldemort waved his hand dismissively. "I don't want to waste any more time on her today."
"Thank you my Lord," said Snape and he waved a wand lifting Granger magically and taking her into the kitchen.
It took everything in Draco not to protest or follow them out.
No more, please just leave her alone.
There was a great buzzing in his ears for the rest of the meeting.
-
Granger felt broken.
In all the time she had been at the manor she had somehow managed to keep it together.
Right now she felt fractured.
There was something about Draco being the one to torture her that made it worse.
Even though he hadn't used the cruciatus curse on her this time, the pain had been real.
He had lashed out again at her face and body, bruising and making her bleed.
Why did it have to be him?
Why do you care? Its torture either way.
Hermione thought of the snakes that Bellatrix had cast and she shivered.
Snape set her down remarkably gently in a chair in the kitchen. Hermione expected him to tie her up, instead he waved his wand and at cloth from the sink and dampened it handing it to her.
Hermione hesitated afraid to accept the kindness.
"If I wanted to hurt you Miss Granger I would have done it already," he said in a voice that was filled with an emotion she couldn't recognize.
"I won't tell you anything," Hermione said, still not taking the cloth.
"You've been away from the order and your friends for long enough none of your information would be useful or up to day regardless."
Hermione frowned.
"Then why pull me away?"
"To spare you from the Dark Lord's attention." Snape gestured to the cloth hanging mid-air and Hermione finally took it, dabbing away at the blood on her face. She hissed in pain as it touched a particularly sensitive cut where one of Bellatrix snakes had taken hold.
Snape drew a vial from his cloak and hesitated for the briefest of moments before speaking
"I cannot heal your wounds-it would be...inappropriate given the circumstances, but drink this," he extended the vial towards her. "It will help with the pain."
"Why are you helping me?" Hermione asked taking the vial from Snape.
"It is best to not ask questions Miss Granger, the less you know the safer you are."
"Do you know if Harry and Ron are okay?"
"What did I just say?" Snape asked turning away. Hermione reached out and grabbed hold of his sleeve gripping the fabric tightly.
"Please..." she begged softly. Something in her tone must have reached the dark haired Headmaster because he answered her.
"You're friends are alive and well..." he paused. "Last I heard."
Hermione let go of Snape's cloak and sank back in to the chair.
They're safe. She closed her eyes as tears of relief slipped from beneath her lids at the knowledge that Ron and Harry were okay.
She opened her eyes to see Snape turn away from her display of emotions.
Hermione's eyes followed his movements and spotted a knife on the counter.
It was nothing special merely a small paring knife.
A thrill of fear and excitement rushed through her veins.
Do it, her mind ordered and her hand darted out, almost of its own accord, grabbing the knife.
She slipped it into her bra facing away from her skin, careful not to cut herself as she did.
"You should drink," Snape said turning back to her.
Not wanting to give away what she had just done Hermione chose to obey his suggestion and opened the vial downing its contents.
Almost immediately a numbing sensation spread through her and she felt her body slump involuntarily.
Her limbs suddenly felt tired and so very, very, heavy, but the pain was gone.
Shock spread through her as she realized she felt nothing. No pain, no physical sensation of any kind. She was well and truly numb. It was frightening and at the same time a blissful reprieve.
Hermione tried to thank Snape but her mouth wouldn't obey. She felt a flair of panic at being immobile.
What does it matter? she asked herself. I'd rather be numb.
Hermione closed her eyes and rested.
I do actually Like Snape. I hope you enjoyed him in this chapter and how I am writing him in general for this fanfiction. If you do let me know in a comment. Cheers.