Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter

Chapter 1

Severus Snape rattled the chains that held him by his wrist against the cell wall and glared at the wooden door as if his acid stare could melt it into a trembling puddle of insecurities. Arithmacy professor Hermione Granger suppressed a sigh and looked at her own set of chains. Really she had completed apprenticeships in Charms, Arithmacy and Transfiguration but while they couldn't stop her from taking every NEWT possible and could only limit her to three specializations, they did not let her teach more than one class. She pouted with all the grace that she thought she could muster and only for a solid week.

A point that Snape continually sneered at her about, but he soon learned that if he made even the most snide comment to her, he was opening himself up to conversation. And she had just so many things to talk about with him concerning her casual potion's study.

She knew that she was an incurable swot. She saw the way that some people's eyes glazed over when she got talking and she really did try to dial it back for those. But it was really hard to reign her enthusiasm in when Snape's sharp black eyes never missed a thing she said. She never had to stop and explain anything and he responded. Actually gave her intelligent and challenging responses; and that was just so damn addictive.

"The charms on these chains are really quite intricate." She said wishing that she didn't sound like an idiot.

"That's because Granger," her never called her anything else "they were hand crafted over a hundred years ago to keep even the most powerful wizards at bay." He said through clenched teeth and not looking at her. Hermione nodded.

"I wonder why Bellatrix tortured me in the drawing room and not here then."

Snape shifted on the ground and the chains rattled once more.

"I was under the impression that Narcissa sealed this part of the basement off soon after her marriage. She never really had a predilection for… these things."

Hermione nodded again.

"How are they all by the way? I heard they moved to France."

"Granger-" he growled.

"You can't do a damn thing right now, Severus. So stop grinding your teeth and talk to me so can forget how utterly terrified I am!"

They scowled at each other from across the dim room until Snape finally looked away and tsked.

"You wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't insisted on going with me to Hogsmead." He said tightly.

"Yes. And if you hadn't pushed me out of the way of that curse and gotten hit instead, you wouldn't have been captured either. So my fault. Fine."

His mouth pressed into a thin line.

"I'm sure you would have been able to defend yourself if I had not fallen on top of you." He said quietly.

"Hmm. Well thanks for that."

They avoided looking at each other as the silence stretched out between them.

"Soooo. Left over Death Eater?" she asked.

"Most likely."

"Angry at me for being one of the Golden trio or you for surviving the snake bite?"

"Does it matter? He got two for the price for one." He spat at her. Hermione took a deep breath and tried not to grit her own teeth. Severus' scowl deepened and he looked like he was about to say something when they heard the door begin to open.

A man in Death Eater robes stood in the doorway and smirked at Snape.

"Hello traitor." He said. Severus looked at the man for a solid thirty seconds.

"I have no idea who you are." He said flatly. The man bristled as his face turned red.

"I am one of the Dark Lord's true faithful and-"

"The dead Dark Lord."

"HE WILL RISE AGAIN!"

Snape snorted and Granger tried her hardest not to giggle. But she did and as soon as her choked chortle made it past her lips the man rounded on her.

"You shut-up, you mudblood whore!" he said grabbing her by the front of her robes and shaking her.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Snape bellowed and they both froze. That man could really make one stop and pay attention when he used his teacher voice like that. The man recovered after a second but did not stand from where he was bending over her nor did he let go of her clothes. He just looked over at Snape who was straining forward against his chains and glaring at him. The man smirked and squatted down on his heels.

"You know I never believed Severus Snape actually fought for your side." He said casually addressing Hermione. "Oh I know he betrayed the Dark Lord but I know that who he is never really changed." He unclenched his fist from the fabric and brought his other hand up to unbutton the first button. Hermione felt her stomach drop as he didn't stop there. She heard the Snape yank at his restraints again but the man kept talking as he undid her outer robes.

"I don't know how he convinced everyone that he was good." He parted the now open robes, revealing the muggle outfit she wore underneath and stared unabashedly at her breasts. Hermione wished she could press herself into the wall and disappear or throw up. Or throw up all over the man in front of her and then escape through the wall. The man dropped his hands and looked up at her face.

"But a leopard can't change his spots." He stood up and turned towards Snape and she could breath again as a couple tears slipped out of her eyes. The man kneeled into the middle of the cell and began to take potion bottles out of his robes and lay them out. He displayed them in front of them like a kid on the playground showing off his toys. Toys that he wanted you to see but wasn't going to let you play with. Snape hissed and some of the items and Hermione assumed they were dark potions but the only one she recognized was the one he was holding up at that moment. The only that swirled in two shades of purple. A lust potion.

"I thought long and hard about a fitting way to punish you Snape." Said the man. "The mudblood was a bonus and I had planned on simply dumping this entire bottle down her throat and waiting for her to have a heart attack from the strain as she tried to satisfy herself on the only men in the room." The man smirked again and the look of murderous rage Hermione saw on Snape's face came in a close second with her renewed terror. Tying for second was her own murderous rage.

"But," said the man "I have a better idea." He picked up a different bottle and Hermione saw Severus' face drain of color in recognition. Silently the man took the stoppers out of both vials and add just a couple of drops to the second potion. Setting it on the ground he sealed the lust potion again and put them all back in his pockets. All except the now laced potion. With a flick of his wand the chains that held Snape to the wall tightened and held him more firmly in place. He tried to kick and jerk his head away but soon enough the man had forced the potion down his throat. Immediately Snape started to make retching noises to force himself to vomit but the man caught on and clamped his hand over Snape's mouth. Anything that came up was forced back down.

Long minutes passed and he stopped struggling and slumped further down the wall.

"What did you do to him?" Hermione demanded in a voice that she wished wasn't shaking. The man laughed.

"It's called laetitia cordis. Remember that when the aurors find you." He tapped Snape's chains with his wand and the manacles popped open. He fell the rest of the way to the ground with a groan and curled into a ball. The man looked at Hermione for a moment then tapped her chains as well but they only got longer.

"That should make things easier." He muttered. She wished that she had something clever to say that would let him know that he hadn't won…even if she was completely useless at the moment and Severus was beginning to shake on the ground.

"I will kill you for hurting him." She said and was partially surprised by how much she meant it. The man laughed as he walked towards the cell door.

"He is not the one you should be worried about." He caught the door with one hand as he walked out and closed it with a click. She stared at the door for a moment then turned her attention back to the man on the floor who was beginning to writhe and make noise.

"Severus?" she called out, moving forward as much as the extended chains would let her. He flinched at the sound of her voice and tried to curl into himself even more, his hands curling into fists in his hair.

"No, no." he muttered "It's not true! I won't believe it!"

Hermione wished she knew what to do. If she could only get his attention maybe he could fight through whatever was happening and tell her how to help.

"Severus?" she called louder. He suddenly scrambled to his feet and made towards the door but his legs wouldn't stay under him and he ended up on his knees with what sounded like a sob. He lifted up his head and she watched as he lost whatever battle he had been fighting and his jaw go slack.

Then he smiled.

Oh, did he smile and the brightness of it transformed his face. Hermione could only describe it as pure joy and looking at it made her chest hurt. Then he turned and looked at her.

"Hermione." He purred and her chest hurt in a whole different way.

A/N: I hoped you liked it so far, this is my first real foray into romance so please tell me what you think. Seriously, reviews mean the world to me and I promise they will help me put up the next chapter. So...review!