Hermione had been trying to rest. Her head hadn't stopped pounding even after she'd eaten. She felt extremely satisfied with having left a mark on Snape, though. She hoped it would serve as a reminder to him. That even though she was caged, she was still willing to fight him.

Her resolve, however, was truly wearing thin. The rollercoaster of emotion she'd been riding felt completely out of her control. Her normally keen and logical mind felt as though a few bolts had been knocked loose. She hadn't truly felt right since she woke.

Part of her was missing. She didn't know what it was but she was determined to find out. The time lost was still grating on her senses. For someone as meticulous as she, it was hard to just push it aside. She'd felt better when she had been tasked with completing the spell. Forcing her mind to a task was more cathartic than sleeping.

She was sure she'd lost all privileges now. She had noticed the small addition to the room and it only made her feel more trapped. There was absolutely nowhere for her to go now. The walk between her room and the bathroom had been something to change the scenery but now she had nothing.

She needed to think, she needed to do something. Her arms wrapped tighter around her stomach. Her hand slipped under the white uniform shirt to run over the healed skin of her hip. Trying to unravel the man's true intentions had just left her frustrated.

One moment they were working together. The next moment she was his bloody slave. None of it made sense. She missed Harry and Ron dreadfully. She'd never realized how much she craved being needed. As much as she loathed being a walking library, at least it gave her purpose. At least she was helping someone.

Her mind came to a halt when the handle on the door turned. She pushed herself up into a seated position, her jaw going tight. The way he looked at her when he stepped into the room made her more concerned than afraid. She could almost hear him speaking inside her mind for her to stay still. When he stepped aside, her heart skidded to a halt and so did all logical thought.

Snape kept his surprise hidden; he'd felt her mind switch off. Her expression relaxing. It was that simple all along... Self-loathing filled his vacant mind space but he had to stay focused. The way Lucius was looking at her didn't sit right with him.

"It really is her..." Lucius was a bit awestruck. He hadn't believed Draco when he had told him that Snape's new pet had been the mudblood Bellatrix had tortured. He came closer, fascinated by the way she looked at him with almost child-like innocence. Didn't she recognize him?

Hermione turned her eyes away from the blond, seeking solace in the Professor. His face brought her little comfort but a small voice inside her head commanded her to stay. Her bottom lip trembled as the blond man came closer, her eyes flicking back to his curious expression.

"She's broken." Snape took a step forward. He felt danger filling the air but Lucius' mind was too messy to get an accurate read.

"Obviously..." Lucius felt an anger welling up inside him. His hand shot out faster than either Snape or Hermione could react. The back of it sending her down to the floor with the force of his blow. The stone of his ring leaving a deep gash along her cheek.

Snape grabbed his arm before he could strike her again. His eyes narrowing dangerously when Lucius spit on her.

"Filthy creature! You killed my servants!"

"I think that's enough, Lucius." Snape felt the girl crawl around his leg. Her shaking form taking hold of the trousers. "You can have your revenge on another. This one is spoken for."

Lucius pulled his arm free, leveling himself eye to eye with the ebony haired wizard, "I don't see her mark."

Snape narrowed his eyes and reached down. He pushed her hair that she had released from its braid behind her shoulder and lifted her chin, exposing the side of her neck like some sort of show dog. His will alone made the large S appear and he watched Lucius back off slightly.

"I shall see you tonight." His warning was clear, "I trust you can find your way out?" Snape could feel the blood dripping heavily into his palm from the mark the blond had left behind. Lucius might have been a snake but he was truly a coward by nature. All Snape had to do was give him the same glare he gave his son to send him running.

Snape turned his head down once the arrogant blond was out of sight. Pulling his hand back from her cheek, a scowl formed at the blood that covered his palm. She had cowered behind him. Sought his protection. This was something he could work with. So long as he could keep her as she was. What had Scrimgeour said? Something about stress?

"Let's clean you up." Snape took hold of her arm bringing her to her feet. She had been afraid of the shower in this state before. Perhaps she still was. He could have healed her with his wand, it would have taken him a second to do so but he needed her to stay as she was. Perhaps a little revenge could be had on Lucius if he played his cards right.

He paused long enough to get her steady on her feet. It was odd to have her cling to him after she'd cleaned his clock. She was almost tolerable in this state. He guided her into the main room glancing at the clock, 6:30. He had just an hour and a half to prepare the both of them.

oOo

Ron rolled his shoulder with a grimace. The muscle was still tight but he was able to move well enough. He'd slipped away from the others while they had been regrouping. A series of distress calls coming out over the wizarding wireless. The death eaters were on the move. They hadn't just attacked Shell Cottage, but three villages as well. The list of the missing was staggering.

Ron knew he should have stayed to help but he had other priorities. No one had come to ask him either and thus he had made his quick escape. He'd loaded Hermione's bag with medical supplies, unsure of just what he was going to find when he found her.

Presently, he sat in the darkness of some dingy cottage the Order was using as a temporary base, turning the mirror in his palm. He needed to see her but he feared what the image would bring. He waffled back and forth as the sun continued to set. It wasn't until someone came to sit beside him did he notice the time passing.

"Luna?"

"Hello, Ron." The girl looked better. Her skin had gained some color and the bandage on her arm looked fresh and clean. Her clothes too looked to have been replaced. "Where's Harry?"

"Bloody took off..." Ron grumbled looking back down at the mirror.

"Are you sure?" Luna kept her voice light and gentle. As long as she had known Harry he never struck her as a coward. "Have you checked on him?" She nodded towards the mirror in Ron's hand.

Ron had completely forgotten that the mirror could see anyone they called to it. He'd only been thinking about Hermione when he held it. "No..."

"Shall we see if he's alright before we go to Hogwarts?"

"How did you...nevermind..." Ron gave her a wary look before turning the mirror face up in his hand. "Show me, Harry Potter."

oOo

Snape fought every urge inside him to cease what he was doing. He'd cleaned and partially healed her cheek quickly enough before forcing her to into the shower. She had clung to him desperately, trying to keep herself out of the space but he grossly overpowered her.

Her voice was still gone, though her mouth and mind had begged him. Pleaded with him relentlessly to release her. It was worse than he thought it would be. He'd sealed the door to the small room keeping her inside though he hadn't turned on the water.

He had sent Poppet on a hunt to find her something new to wear as he hadn't removed her clothes prior to forcing her inside the stall. He needed something he could transfigure into a tasteful but well-understood slave outfit. He had recalled the poorly fitted sheet the girl at the manor had been wearing when she set his plate before him but found that it wouldn't suit his tastes.

No, he needed something others would believe him to have her wear. Something tasteful but clearly marking her as his. Something that wouldn't bring her too much attention but would believable.

Poppet popped in with her small arms filled to the brim with all the clothes she could carry with her from the lost and found. Most of which were Hogwarts uniforms. Snape sneered at the idea but accepted the clothing nonetheless.

He sent Poppet away before glancing at the shower. Granger was still lightly thumping her first against the fogged glass. The shadow of her curled form at the bottom of the door. He was partially glad he couldn't hear her sobs but her large sniffles and heavy hiccups told him she was still in distress. Just a little longer.

Snape dug through the clothes picking out what he believed could be easily modified. He wasn't the best at transfiguration but he wasn't the worst either. He pulled a pair of slacks free from the pile and adjusted their shape to fit the curves of her legs and hips. It was a spell that should be even more accurate when she put them on.

He found an old deep green blouse and pulled it up next. The fabric was extremely soft and appeared to have been tailored to the original owner. Largely detailed stitching ran down the button catch on the front giving it a very regal like appearance. It would do nicely.

He adjusted the shirt so that it would fit her tightly. Most of the lower death eaters were very carnal beings, it would serve him to have her covered but shown off in all the right places. His mark was sure to protect her like it had with Lucius but he needed others to talk. He needed word to spread.

He put the clothes on his arm and came closer to the shower, "Remove your clothes."

The shower door was clear near the top and allowed him to see crown of her head through the glass. He could hear her inner turmoil but the brand didn't activate. He stepped back when he noticed she was doing as she had been told and waited.

"Put them over the door."

Snape waited for what felt like an eternity before finally, all layers of her clothes were accounted for. He pulled them down from the top of the door before looking in. He wasn't trying to catch a glimpse of anything he shouldn't.

"I want you to take a shower. Use soap and wash your hair. You're not finished until I return." Snape turned his eyes up to the faucets. The water came on and the girl at the bottom quickly scrambled out of the spray trying to find a safe place to be. That was until her brand activated.

Snape moved back when she started to come to her feet. He turned away banishing the clothes he hadn't used and made his way to the closet. He too, would need something proper to wear.

oOOo

Luna had been unable to convince Ron to go after Harry. Even though she had told him that all the secret ways into the school had been closed off. Aside from the one she had shown him before. She was sure he wasn't going to try there again and it worried her.

Luna watched him leave just as the sun went down but she had her own plan. She owed Harry her life. Not only that, it was much too dangerous for him to be alone. He needed another's ear. He needed a friend. All was lost if he were alone. The only power he held was the strength of his friendships. It was indeed a powerful force.

What bothered her most was that none of the adults around them had taken any notice that he was missing. Luna would have thought he'd have been high on the roll call list. It had sparked her curiosity enough to eavesdrop on two of the elder members of the order who had been coordinating their movements.

She had learned that his 'retreat' had been a planned strategy. That one of the members had dropped him in the middle of the forest near the school. Luna knew the place well. She had often wandered out there during the fall to feed the threstrals.

It served her two purposes. She was sure she could get to Harry first before Ron made it too far into the castle. She just hoped she could get the two of them to see reason and leave before any of them were caught.

With her plan in mind she stepped out through the back door is the cottage, she wasn't old enough to travel via apparation on her own but she was mighty skilled at making portkeys. They took more time to make but they were infinitely more useful as they weren't easily tracked. They wouldn't be useful in a pinch but they were great when she had time. With a tap of her wand to her broken earring, she was gone.

oOo

Snape adjusted his coat one last time. He'd never really had a use for the double-breasted frock coat other than to appear at these so-called 'parties'. He most preferred his high neck frock coat that protected him from neck to knees.

The inner lapel was a deep almost black green and the buttons were a polished silver. He wore a black vest underneath with a white shirt beneath that. The sleeves were shorter than the ones that normally protected his hands, coming to a stop at his wrist instead of his palm. He truly did look like a proper gentleman. Though he'd never describe himself as such.

It had taken only 30 minutes to get the layers in place. He hadn't worn the ensemble for quite some time and had to make a few adjustments. He was usually exempt from these gatherings as his position at the school provided him with the perfect excuse not to attend.

He couldn't really remember the last one he had gone to, he had been young. Perhaps 19 or 20. He had pushed the event so far back into his mind that he was unable to recall it clearly now. He had to be ready for anything.

Snape stepped into the bathroom with a strict face. The shower was still running but he couldn't see the top of the girls head through the door. She was curled back at the bottom presumably having finished with her prior task. He moved over to the door, the smell of his soap was strong and he knew for sure she had done what he'd asked. A wave of his hand shut off the water and he could hear her scrambling up to her feet to try and see him through the glass.

Her eyes were so sad, not scared, but completely submissive. She looked at him as though he held the keys to the world. It was just as uncomfortable as her madness had been. He dried her skin and hair from the door before leaning over to pick up the clothes he'd chosen. Completely overlooking a rather crucial, if small detail, of her wardrobe.

"Get dressed." He pushed the shirt and trousers over the top of the door before turning away to give her the privacy she deserved.

He moved over to the vanity pulling out a chair for her before looking through the drawers for a tie. Her hair was wild at the best of times, he didn't want it to become a problem later. Aside from that, he needed to make sure her neck was visible should the occasion arise.

A soft tapping on the door turned his head just as he located what he'd been looking for. Her eyes watched him from over the fogged glass before he finally released the spell he'd placed on the door.

"Come here." Snape straightened himself up as she scrambled to be free of the shower. The clothes fit well but a few more adjustments were needed. He waited for her to scramble to his side before taking her arm.

He pushed her away just far enough to take her in properly. The trousers were just a tiny bit loose at her waist but clung to every other part with a small flare just below the knee. He adjusted the waist to fit snuggly before looking at her shirt.

The neckline was dangerously low, he could see the scar from her fifth-year clearly along her breastbone. He frowned and ran his wand down the front adjusting it so that it fell just above. His mind ticked at him that she was missing something but he pushed it away to adjust the waist.

She was significantly smaller than the witch the shirt had come from. A few more waves and some shifting by her had the entire shirt in rights. The sleeves were long and tight, her waist dipping into the reinforced fabric at the sides. The bottom hem dipped just below the waist of her trousers. The deep green nearly matching his own.

She hadn't said anything during the entire process, he supposed she was still coming down. He glanced at her splotchy face but decided to leave it. She needed to look tormented.

"Sit down." Snape stood aside while she took a seat on the vanity chair. She was still shaking from her experience in the shower but her sniffles were slowly coming to an end.

He wasted no time in pulling her hair back. His long fingers moved expertly through the mass. He could tell she was starting to relax to his touch and feared that he may trigger her to revert. Not wanting that to happen he purposely pulled hard on her hair tipping her head back to meet his eyes.

"If you're good tonight, I'll make sure you'll get something extra special as a reward." He tried to look and sound as lecherous as possible, turning his eyes from her shocked face to the valley between her breasts, "If not, well, I'm sure you can imagine."

She nodded as best she could with wide eyes, the fear that had been going out rekindled. She didn't want to make him mad, she didn't know what he would do to her if she did, only that she didn't want it to happen.

Snape nodded his approval and pushed her head back to look straight. He used his brush to pull her hair back into a half ponytail. He pulled it tight in a sharp motion making her wince before he took her by the arm again. He was sure that the entire expanse was going to be black before night's end.

"The rules are very simple, do as you're told and speak with no one. You shall answer to me, and only me. Do not look anyone in the eye and keep your head down." He pushed the back of her head to 'show' her the proper level of respect. "You shall answer to Filth or Mudblood. That is your name now."

It hurt so much to say and so much more for her to simply accept it. Her brow was permanently marked with fear now and her hands quivered as they played with the tails of her shirt. He could tell she was resisting the urge to look at him and gently raised her chin, "You may only look at me, touch me."

Granger instantly took hold of the arm that held her chin, her eyes bounced around the room trying to take in everything he'd told her. She didn't fight it but it did put her on edge. Exactly where he needed her to be.

"It's time now." Snape shifted his arm down but allowed her to hold onto him. He glanced at the clock knowing that he would be arriving just a touch early, but it was better than arriving late.

He focused on clearing his mind off all the hurt he had allowed to take up space in his heart. He kept trying to convince himself that he was doing what he was to ensure her safety. His words really didn't come from his heart but her reaction to them was worse. He'd much rather have her sucker punch him again. He could now understand those who became drunk with power. She was completely under his control, she would do and believe anything he said.