Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Rising Above	By : Dryad Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 4323 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
360 hits, and one review....ladies and gentlmen, that's like getting sex once a year.
As always, it doesn't belong to me, that's another redhead.

*************************************************************************

Chapter Four
"Hermione?" a voice, a decidedly feminine voice called out. Hermione and Severus looked up from their notes they had spent the rainy Saturday producing. They looked around, and noticed the flames in fireplace had turned a deep green.
"Bella??" Hermione saw the haunted eyes reflect back out of the flames.
"I don't have much time, Hermione. It was hard to find a secure floo. Not many are hooked up to Hogwarts, as I'm sure you know."
"I never thought of that. I'm glad you found a way to talk with me."
"I have some information for you, Hermione. We must meet. Can you meet me at the Hog's Head? I can be there tonight. I will be dressed as a hag, wearing a purple balaclava."
"I can do that. Nine all right?"
"Time to go...Yes!"
A quiet pop followed her desperate voice and the flames returned to normal.
"The Hog's Head is actually quite secure."
"Have you ever seen Bellatrix look afraid, Severus? She is very scared of something."
"Or someone. We will need to tell Albus."
She touched his arm placatingly, "Of course. We just need to make sure he knows that Order members can't be hanging on our every word. It would create too many problems, and might cause her to run."
"Very well, My Own. We will do this your way."
* * *

"I'll have a Screaming Banshee, please," Hermione asked as she looked around the Hog's Head. It was often difficult to distinguish people in here, as there were so many obscurification spells floating around. No one really wanted to be seen if they were going to the Hog's Head.
There were more than a few useful spies there though. Mundungus often hung out there, and would give up information, but the greatest help was the bartender. His hair was gray, and cut rather short by wizard standards, and he had clear blue eyes. His nose was particularly crooked, but that was to be expected for the number of fights he'd had to break up in his time. No one really knew much about him, except for his brother, Albus Dumbledore.
Aberforth smiled at Hermione as he handed her the smoking green concoction. He turned his eyes to the dark corner of the room. Hermione followed his glance, and saw that Bella was waiting for her.
"Hi," she murmured.
"Hi...I wasn't sure you'd come," a raspy voice answered.
"Is everything all right? You don't sound like yourself." Hermione was concerned. Bella was known for having a high pitched, aristocratic voice, not one that sounded as though it belonged to a troll giving birth.
"There was a small revel...my appearance was requested." She took off the balaclava, and Hermione gasped.
Bella's lower eyelid sagged, as though it no longer had the muscles to hold her eye in. Her other eye had no white in it, but only red, where it looked as though all the blood vessels had popped. There were teeth marks on her cheekbones and slashes over deep purple and green bruises on her throat, which explained for the raspy voice. What was truly shocking however, was the evidence of various scars that marred her face, old scars.
"Why have I never seen those scars before??" Hermione asked amazed.
"Glamours-what else? If I didn't put them on they would; after all, who wants to screw a hag? They work well to hide bruises and regular scars. But they can't be used on open wounds." She carefully took a sip of her drink before slamming the cup down on the table.
"I'm sick of this! I am so bloody sick of this! I don't want my life to be one huge mass of betreatreated like dirt," she spoke brokenly, no longer caring if her words made much sense.
"Is this what I have to look forward too, Bella?" Hermione asked. She knew the answer, but she was trying to make a connection with Bella.
She looked back at Hermione with a haunted gaze. "It will be worse for you, Hermione. You're mu...muggleborn. They don't care how intelligent you are, or even how powerful you are. Actually, they're likely to be harsher because they are scared of you. I want out, Hermione. nt ont out so badly."
"You need to get those cuts taken care of, Bella. Curse cuts are the worst. Do you trust me?"
Bellatrix's eyes narrowed as much as they were able studying Hermione.
"It's been many years since I've trusted anyone. But if I had to choose a person to trust, I guess it would be you."
Hermione nodded in acceptance, realizing that this was a major accomplishment.
"I won't let you regret it." She threw a few galleons onto the table and stood up. Bella slipped the balaclava carefully over her ruined features before standing up as well. She walked slowly and painfully, until Hermione backed up gav gave the woman her arm. Bella jerked in surprise, but accepted the help gratefully.
"Where are you going to take me?" Bellatrix asked quietly once they left the bar.
"You're a smart woman-where do you think I'd take you?"
"Hermione, I can't go to Hogwarts! The moment they know who I am, I'll be avada'd to hell and back!"
"Trust me, okay? I promise, nothing will harm you."
She nodded, "Not that it's much of a trust...I really don't care if they kill me anymore...can't be any worse than what I've been going through."
Hermione nodded again. "Don't be scared, Bella, but Severus is walking behind us. I don't want you to freak and hex him into next week. He'll watch our backs."
"Severus isn't quite like the rest is he?"
"No, he's not," Hermione said with a smile in her voice.
Bella chuckled roughly, "So that's the way the wind blows. Some people have wondered if that was something they could take advantage of."
"Not bloody likely."
Their discussion brought them to the doors of Hogwarts.
"Ready?"
Bellatrix nodded abruptly. Severus had caught up to them, and stood silently behind them. They led her quickly to the Gargoyle that was guarding Dumbledore's office.
"Pixie Sticks," Hermione whispered as the stone statue jumped out of the way. The women slowly rose up the spiral staircase, letting it carry them up, rather than climbing. When they reached the top, they noticed the door had been left open. Albus stood with a smile on his face.
"I see you have brought a guest with you. Please come in!" Bellatrix shrank back, bumping into Severus.
"It'll be okay," Hermione whispered.
"Headmaster, I beg your pardon, but please hear me out before you decide to do anything rash?"
"You have my word, Hermione. I know you would never do anything that would be detrimental to the well being of our students. Please, sit down, sit down." He watched as everyone looked rather tense. "Lemoop, op, anyone?"
Hermione had to repress a chuckle at the complete absurdity of it. Still being very cautious in her explanation, she continued, "atriatrix LeStrange, Albus Dumbledore."
Albus looked over his glasses, his customary twinkle disappearing, but he held his tongue.
"Albus, do you remember what Malfoy did to me? It was not his first time." While Albus already knew this, Hermione felt it was important for Bellatrix to see her explaining. While she wanted her to trust her, she knew what was riding on the outcome of this conversation.
When he looked properly aghast, she added, "repeatedly. Bella needs medical attention...which I was hoping you would allow Poppy to perform?"
Hermione felt Bella tense next to her, before sensing her raising her arms to remove the balaclava.
"Sweet Merlin!" Albus gasped, without any falseness. Even Severus looked stunned.
Bellatrix raised her chin slightly, and while her eyes glistened, she refused to cry. Let them see what her pride had kept hidden. Without another word, Albus rose and moved to the fireplace.
"Poppy! I have need of your assistance immediately in my office." Albus moved away from the fire, and stood before Bellatrix. "If you are to stay, you know that you will have to renounce all Death Eater activity."
"I assumed that after Hermione brought me here, Headmaster. I accepted that when I followed her. They think they own me, but they do not. They will not. I want my life back...and if that means I need to come to you to get it, so be it. But I want my revenge sir."
"Sir?" Hermione asked as she thought rapidly. Albus picked up on her silent question.
"Yes, Hermione, I think that you should."
"I am a spy, Bella."
"Of course you are," Bella laughed harshly. "Not only are the Death Eaters cruel and useless, they're stupid and have far too much belief in their own powers. More power to you, I say. I imagine you already have plans for me."
Hermione sank back down into her chair. "You are a constant surprise, Bellatrix. A constant surprise."
Poppy then appeared, and worked carefully on the Bella's wounds. She tut-tutted and sympathized with the woman, though if someone caught her face when she wasn't looking at Bella, her face was taut with pity.
"I am right in assuming there are more that I cannot see?" Madame Pomfrey asked her.
She nodded abruptly before answering, "Yes, but I have had worse. I will need time to discuss with Hermione, as my time will by needs be short. Perhaps in the morning?"
Poppy looked as though she wanted to argue, and drag her down to the infirmary, but she held her tongue and nodded.
"I am sure you understand, Bellatrix, but you will have to stay with Hermione, at least for a while. You will be kept in her quarters at all times, unless we have called you here. This is not punishment, but to protect you. We cannot let anyone know you are here."
"I understand. I can only stay a few days before I am missed. They are...accustomed to my disappearances after a Revel. So, thank you Headmaster. You have been more than fair. I hope that I can live up to the faith you have in me," she responded sounding a bit more clear after Poppy had repaired the damage to her throat.
Hermione disillusioned Bella before heading toward her quarters near Gryffindor tower.
"Severus, are you coming in?"
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather..."
"No, no. I think Bella would like to hear what we're working on."
"Are you sure that's a good idea? Not that I don't trust you Bella, but we both know how...persuasive He can be."
"You aren't the only Death Eater that is well versed in Occlumency, Severus. Don't you think he would already know about the two of you being spies if I hadn't been?" Bella asked slightly perturbed.
"You said you had a few days, Bella. What do you plan on doing?" Hermione broke in.
"I'm closer to him than you two can be. He trusts you, but you would not have the opportunities I have. We all know how I'm the Dark Lord's whore."
Hermione shuddered. Bella smirked, "It's not as bad as you think. It's nothing in comparison really."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, not imagining what could be worse.
"You forget, I was in Azkaban for 12 years. There is no hell to compare to being raped by a dementor. None."
Severus blanched. "Dementors?"
"We'll leave it at that, won't we?" she grinned maliciously.
"I think that might be best," he nodded slowly.
"So, what's the plan?" she asked briskly, changing the subject.
"We're still researching, but we don't want to kill him," Hermione stated.
"He can't be killed. He can die, but he can't be killed. Malfoy knew this...and Pettigrew, the little piece of filth knew. Well, and my dearly departed husband. The only way he can die is by his own hand, or his own wand. Notice no one ever touches his wand."
Hermione jumped up with glee. "Oh, that is just so perfect!" Severus even had a hard time hiding his smirk.
"Well, share the good news!" Bella looked at the two Cheshire cats.
"Voldemort is immune to the Imperious. So what other way could you make him kill himself?" Hermione asked her, still grinning.
"You can't. It would require guilt, which is something we all know he doesn't have."
"We're working on a potion. One that creates a conscience in a person."
Bellatrix's eyes narrowed, looking at them intently, then widened as much as they were able with her sudden understanding.
It was with a hard voice that she answered, "I want to watch him cry."
*************************************************************************

Muggle induced cheering charm: Leave a review and make me smile all day!

If you like the story, you can check out my yahoo group, as it offers the whereabouts of scads of others. (though, this isn't quite my usual style...not usually quite this dark) http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/DryadStories/

Cheers til the next chapter!
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Rising Above