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Serpentine Series	By : HarmonyB Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Hermione/Voldemort Views: 12060 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO THE HARRY POTTER FANDOM NOR DO I MAKE MONEY OFF OF THIS STORY.

Chapter List
- 60
- 61
- 62
Harmony weaved between the bodies of people pressing in on her from all sides. She needed some space to breath. She escaped the hot huddles of the crowd and ambled back over to her group. Mag and Snape must have just finished their heated argument because her professor's face was flushed red and the two men avoided eye contact. When Snape cast his obsidian eyes on her, they were as sharp as daggers, ready to accuse. Harmony inwardly groaned; she could hear the nasally nagging before the words even left Snape's mouth.
"Where have you been?" he snarled, flying up from his chair. "I told you Draco needed to be with you at all times. What if you were snatched up?" He stabbed a glare at Mag. "No one would've been there to save you."
Harmony looked self-consciously around them. Snape was talking down to her like a child and her face burned with embarrassment. She drew close to him so she didn't have to speak loudly. "I only left to get some air. You don't have to worry-"
She was suddenly cut off short when Snape forced his face close to her own. His abnormally large nose was inches from her mouth and she heard his take a great big whiff. His nostrils flared and he straightened himself with a snap.
"You've been drinking," he said slowly. His eyes were narrowed, only slivers of black. "I can smell it on you." He grasped her shoulders and shook her. "If you are intoxicated right now, I swear I will toss you in an Azkaban cell myself!"
Harmony shrugged his hands off and stepped away. "I can still duel!"
"Your pupils are dilated," he cut through. "How much did you drink?"
"One."
"One keg? One pint?"
"One shot."
Snape stared. Then he sighed and brought a pale hand up to message his temples. "One shot," he said with amusement in his voice. He turned away to move his chair closer to the table and he sat back down with a huff.
"You worry too much about me," she said.
He looked up at her as though he couldn't hear her over the music from the dance floor next to them and Harmony edged closer to speak.
"I don't believe I've ever asked you why you care. Why would you risk your life and reputation to make sure I'm safe?"
Snape's eyes focused on a spot of dirt on the table, a thick greasy strand of black hair fell into his face. Without moving it he said, "Because I promised Albus I would protect you. Or I suppose I should say he made me promise."
"You mean before you killed him?"
He quickly twisted to stare up at her with a penetrating gaze, and the strand of hair in his face flew back into place. "I never wanted to be the one to take the Headmaster's life. But I always keep my promises, no matter how ghastly. He wanted it to be done, so I did it."
Harmony knew she had hit a nerve in him and she almost recoiled under his gaze as though he was physically inflicting her.
"However…yes, I promised to protect you before he died. Among other reasons, but those reasons are my own."
She was instantly curious, but Mag rudely cut in from across the table.
"Aw, how sweet." His sharp teeth protruded from behind his tight-lipped grin. "I never knew you were the sentimentalist, Sev."
Snape flew over the table like a shot, closing the distance between himself and Mag in a second. His pale hands curled like deathly claws around the Death Eater's collar in a white knuckled grip, and he pulled Mag toward him until they were nose to abnormally large nose.
"Do not call me that."
His voice made the hairs on Harmony's arms stand.
Mag tried hard not to smile. She could tell he was pleased with this show of emotion from a usually passive Severus Snape. His black eyes grew wide and innocent, even though the corners of his thin lips curved upward in satisfaction.
"Sure thing," he barked in a high tone like he was trying hard not to laugh. He pressed his lips together tightly as Snape scrutinized him.
Snape released Mag and palmed his chest hard to push the Death Eater back into his seat. With eyes still dangerously cast on Mag's smirking face, he spoke and Harmony stepped closer to hear. "Only one person calls me that."
When Harmony tried to think of whom, Mag mumbled, "Called," emphasizing the past tense. Then she knew. She remembered what Harry had told her at Shell cottage about Snape. He had been madly in love with Harry's mother "and still is."
Poor man, Harmony thought, thinking about how Lily Potter was most likely the only woman he had ever loved. He wasn't married, so had he just given up after she was murdered, confident he could never love another human being as much?
Harmony ached for him, and her heart raced when she realized she knew exactly how he felt.
She placed a hand on his shoulder lightly and he let it lay there a moment before he turned away and said, "Leave me be."
Harmony nodded in understanding and reclaimed her hand. An uncomfortable silence settled among the group. She faced away from them. To her right was the crowded bar, another ninety degrees to her right was the dueling stage, and a full circle led once again to the dance floor. Only ten to twenty people took up the large space, a very minimal amount compared to the hundreds that came to the event. Harmony was now acutely aware how alluring the beat and rhythm of the music was, and before she knew what she was doing she took a step closer to the dance floor. A new song had just begun, one with a low bass that rumbled deep in her chest cavity, rattling her heart within its cage. She felt her body sway, moving with the music.
Is winning the tournament so impossible? If and when I win, what then?
Harmony closed her eyes, her head rolling smoothly back and forth to the separate, single, all-consuming beats.
If more Death Eaters are being recruited, they'll all be looking to me for guidance which I don't know how to give.
Her hips swayed, easy and free and she raised her arms away from her body.
Voldemort, the man I belong to body and soul, is only days away from possibly being executed. Will I know the moment it happens? Will it hurt, like having half my being ripped away? My other half…
She raised her arms above her head and ran her fingers through her hair, intertwining them in her curls as though to rip them out of her head. Her eyes scrunched tight as she fought the tantalizing pain of tears wanting to fall.
How did I get myself in this mess?
She thought about the millions of other people that could have been chosen to be Voldemort's heir, and she was the one: Muggle-born, best friend to Harry Potter. The odds seemed so far off it was almost like it was meant to be. She was meant to receive the Dark Lord's Serpentine charm, gain his trust, lose it, and fall unexpectedly for him. This was her burden to bear.
Harmony opened her eyes knowing she had a purpose. She wasn't exactly sure what it may be, but it was definitely there, waiting for her to discover it.
A stranger's arm waved in front of her face and she blinked away her thoughts, looking around. She saw in surprise several more people were now gathered around her, dancing to the music. While they all moved as one, she glimpsed into their faces but didn't recognize any of them. They danced around her freely, not fearful or angry. She wondered if perhaps they were Death Eaters, but they looked like normal people with colorful clothes and bright faces.
Liking this little bit of normalcy, she continued to dance, moving her body between the others surrounding her. The others didn't stare at her, but seemed absorbed in their own world with the music like she had been. One boy caught her attention when he moved in close to her. Their eyes met casually, and he smiled. The boy, who was tall with light blond hair and green eyes, touched her hand. She let him take it, enjoying his friendliness, and he twirled her around their little nook on the dance floor between the other dancers. He gazed into her face expectantly and she knew what he was looking for. She gave him a smile. His face broke out into a grin and he laughed, though it was hardly audible over the music.
After a couple songs, the green-eyed boy moved on to some other girl that danced nearby, but other boys where there to take his place. After a while, Harmony forced herself to forget about everything in that moment except for the lull of the music and easy motion of the bodies dancing. She hadn't had this much fun since the Yule Ball in fourth year at Hogwarts. The atmosphere was the same where she could forget the cares of the world behind. But only for a moment.
A boy whirled her around, grasping her hands, and brought her against his lean body. Harmony knew what he was getting at and let him down easily by releasing his hands and spinning, laughing. She wasn't sure how many times she twirled in her little circles, but she was forced to quit when her shoulders bumped another's. The exertion from dancing left her breathless, and she felt lightheaded. To clear her head, she stopped and stood where she was.
Now that Harmony was still, she now noticed how the number of dancers had greatly increased since she began. Looking around, she saw the crowd moving to the beat expanded all the way to the edge of the dance floor. The bright and colorful lights made her hotter as she was cramped in the middle of all those breathless bodies. With sweat slipping past her hairline and down her back, she started to push her way out. There was a little while before her next duel and she wanted to continue dancing, but she needed some fresh air to cool off.
Harmony reached a break in the mass of dancers and saw a familiar figure standing against the wall before her.
Marek stood alone, leaning back with his arms crossed tightly across his chest. She noticed he placed himself away from the others almost like he wanted to make sure she could spot him easily when she left the dance floor. His strange brown eyes found her the moment she saw him. When he noticed her walking toward him, he immediately straightened and stood erect.
"I was wondering where you were," Harmony said loudly over the music.
He seemed surprised by this, but pleased.
"I knew you were keeping an eye on me," she said as she positioned herself next to him against the wall. "It was only a matter of time until I ran into you again before we dueled."
He looked down and she thought maybe he was embarrassed to be caught in the act of watching her. But when he returned his gaze, his eyes were so fierce she almost took a faltering step away. She remembered when he had shamelessly undone her shirt to reveal her Serpentine charm, and she kept in mind that although he was quiet that didn't necessarily mean he was shy.
"You know, you don't talk much," she said sarcastically, and his eyes narrowed with what she guessed was a smile. The bottom half of his face was still covered with the black cloth.
"You're different from the other Death Eaters," she said thoughtfully, and he tilted his head in mirrored questioning. "I don't remember seeing you before the Battle of Hogwarts, so I just assumed you were new. You're different. I just can't put my finger on how."
She remembered when the two Death Eaters caught her at the inn by the sea. Mag had wanted to take her, but Marek had Apparated them away at the last second. He had saved her. Why?
Mag's words echoed in her mind from that moment: "I know you fancy the girl, Marek."
So he liked her.
Harmony's stomach clenched a little and her cheeks flushed. Marek inched toward her when she looked away. Maybe the reason he let her go was because he saw the misery in her eyes at the prospect of going away to be with the Death Eaters. She should be grateful to him.
Harmony looked up and he was standing uncomfortably close. She gave him a half smile. "Do…" she hesitated, and looked everywhere except his wide eyes. "Do you want to dance perhaps?"
Marek's head snapped back a little at her proposal and his eyes roved over to the dance floor in uncertainty. His reluctance make Harmony push on.
"Yeah," she took a step away and waved him over. "Come on, let's dance. You're way too tense, anyway. You could use some release."
He shrugged one of his shoulders and only leaned back against the wall as though hoping it would suck him in, making him disappear.
Harmony laughed at his unease. "It's just dancing." She took his hand and tugged. "Come on, now."
He gave in a little, letting her guide him a couple steps.
"Oh, you'll want to take this off, it gets really hot in there." She reached for his face scarf, ready to tug it down so he could breathe.
Marek shot away from her hand as though it were an animal rearing to harm him. He tore his hand out of hers and retreated back to the safety of the wall. He brushed his fingers over the cloth that concealed his nose and mouth, assuring himself it was still in place.
Harmony watched this in wonder. She was all too familiar with wearing a face scarf, but she had used hers to protect her identity. He seemed to wear his for a more important reason. Then she connected the dots. Not once since she had been in his company had he spoken a word, not one utter of defiance, victory, or contempt. Like he was physically incapable.
Harmony covered her mouth. "Oh, I am so sorry," she said between her fingers. "I just thought, I don't know, you wore the scarf for some other reason." Her imagination raced as she thought about what he looked like beneath the cloth. She felt bad for almost revealing it, whatever he looked like.
She stepped towards him slowly, like she was assuring him she meant no harm. Thankfully, he let her take his hand again when she reached for it. She pulled him out once more towards the dancers.
"It's okay," she said. "You can wear that if you like. I just thought you might be more comfortable with it off, but it's okay."
His eyes didn't leave her as she led him through the labyrinth of people. She wanted to return to the best spot on the dance floor, at the very heart of the crowd. When they reached there, she saw sweat already breaking out on his forehead beneath his dark bangs, but he didn't seem to mind. She began to sway to the music, but Marek was as ridged as a board. Suppressing a laugh, she placed her hands firmly on his shoulders and delicately moved him from side to side. After a while he rocked by himself without her help. She dropped her hands, but he caught them and wrapped them around his neck.
They danced among the others, moving with the hundreds as one. Marek cast uneasy glances at the dancers around them at first, but he relaxed as the songs went on. The lull and rhythm seemed to have the same effect on him like it had on Harmony, and he moved to the music, giving in to its sweet release. As she watched him, she wondered if it would be at all possible to be this man's friend. Perhaps, somehow, he could be swayed from Mag in order to help her. She sensed a fierceness within him, like he contained a deep power that could maybe come to use to protect her. Could she trust him?
Marek's eyes, which had been closed as he listened to the music, flicked open and focused on Harmony as though he had heard her thoughts. They stared at each other until someone suddenly bumped him from behind. He fell forward, wrapping his arms around Harmony for support. It all happened so quickly. He looked down at her lips and Harmony could see the lust in his eyes. He leaned forward as though to kiss her, but stopped suddenly, remembering that he wore the face scarf.
Harmony pulled away, but Marek was gone soon after. He turned around and pushed his way out of the crowd; Harmony followed with her heart sunken to her stomach. When they were free she hurried up to him and spoke in his ear.
"I'm sorry. I never meant to lead you on, if that's what you were thinking." Of course he didn't reply. Harmony smiled sadly. "The thing is…I'm interested in someone else."
That caught his attention and he looked down at her intently.
"Well," she went on, "it's a bit complicated, a thing of dreams you could say, but I know I belong with him."
His dark eyebrows rose and he tilted his head.
Harmony nodded. "If you're thinking who I believe you're thinking, then yes."
He blinked and she could imagine the hundreds of unspoken thoughts going on inside his head. He took a moment to mull them over, then he slowly nodded.
"Hey, Hangleton!" she heard a familiar voice shout. "Granger!"
She spun around and saw Mag and Snape coming towards them. Mag thrust a thumb over his shoulder.
"You're on soon, my Lady," he said. "You better hurry."
Harmony nodded and with one last glance at Marek, she rushed off to the dueling stage.
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- 62
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Serpentine Series