I'm sorry! I know I'm rubbish and stupid and terrible, but I'm here now...

Disclaimer- I wish I owned it.

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Chapter 12- The Mark

The October holidays passed far too quickly for Holly. It felt like mere minutes after the Branding she was packing up her room in Severus' chambers to pretend she had spent the holidays with her parents. After throwing all her things haphazardly into her suitcase she sat back on her bed and sighed.

"Take anything you want. Within reason, of course." Severus stuck his head around the doorway.

"Thanks." Holly smiled slightly.

"Looking forward to school? I'm sure you've missed potions terribly." Severus asked sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, of course because I love school, especially potions where the teacher hated me and I could never get anything right." Holly yawned lazily.

"Hated?" Severus quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes, I get the feeling that he likes me a great deal more now. I'm still terrible at potions, though. Nothing will change that."

"Ah, well, we'll get you through your OWLs, even if we have to ask Granger for help." Severus laughed.

"I don't think I'm that bad." Holly frowned at him.

"You're right. You're not. I do think you could manage an 'E.' Maybe more if you study properly."

"I always study properly." Holly told him indignantly.

"I'm sure you do." Severus rolled his eyes again.

"Git." Holly glared at him, more jokingly than anything.

"I'll be sure to remember that when I'm marking your next essay." He smirked.

"Alright." Holly shrugged and lay back. "It's not as if Potions is important." She bit her lip to stop herself laughing.

"What did you say?!" Severus demanded, drawing nearer.

"Potions isn't important?" Holly let out a tiny giggle.

Severus quirked an eyebrow. "So if I were to be poisoned, you don't think brewing the antidote would be important."

"I didn't say that."

"No, but it was insinuated."

"I was joking, anyway."

"I know."

Holly sat up and ran a hand through her hair. "Where's Draco?"

"The lab."

"Should've guessed. What does he do in there?!"

"Potions." Severus laughed slightly.

Holly rolled her eyes. "Do I have to go back to school?"

"I'm not even going to answer that." Severus yawned.

"You're tired. You've been summoned again, haven't you?" Holly frowned at him.

Severus though for a moment and nodded slowly. "Last night."

"You should have told me."

"What difference does it make? I wasn't cursed."

"I still like to know."

"You're not my mother."

"I'm your kind-of daughter."

"Good point. I'll tell you next time."

"Thanks."

They sat for a moment in silence and Holly's eyes drifted to the bandage on her arm. She still hasn't seen the Mark. Severus noticed and sat next to her, taking her hand between his long fingers.

"I'll have to take the bandage off when He summons me anyway." Holly sighed.

"Would you like to get it over with?" Severus asked quietly.

Holly nodded slowly.

"Are you sure?" Severus frowned.

"Yes."

Severus nodded and began unwinding the bandage slowly. After a moment he sighed and pulled it off completely.

Holly froze, eyes stuck on the inside of her forearm. "It's… horrible." She murmured.

Severus nodded and squeeze her hand. "You'll have to keep it covered up during school."

"I'm planning to keep it covered as much as I can." Holly mumbled, letting her forehead fall to rest against Severus' shoulder.

The skull grinned up at her, carved in her own skin it seemed worse than the few times she had seen Severus', and the coils of the snake seemed to wind and unwind unceasingly.

"It's not fair." Severus frowned.

"Nothing's fair right now." Holly shrugged. "You shouldn't have to spy, neither should Draco. Harry shouldn't be an orphan fighting for his life and Cedric shouldn't be dead. There's not much we can do but carry on, though."

Severus nodded, winding the bandage back around her arm. "We can fight. And we can't lose, as long as we've got Dumbledore and Potter on our side."

"I'm not as sure about winning. But we can put up a fight, anyway." Holly flexed her fingers watching the Mark pull taught before he covered it up.

They sat in silence until Severus tied the bandage off.

"Any idea when my first meeting will be?" She asked, looking up at him.

He shook his head. "We don't usually get any warning. Soon, probably. Don't worry, he won't hurt you... He won't want Dumbledore knowing you're a Death Eater."

Somehow that didn't make Holly feel any better. "And you'll be there?"

"Definitely." Severus nodded.

That helped a little bit. "Thanks, Sev."

Two weeks later, in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Holly was summoned for the first time.

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DUN-DUN-DUUUUUUUUUN! I do think that last bit could do with a bit of montage music… anyway;

Please review!

I know the story's going slowly but I promise the next chapter will have a bit more action.

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