Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Spells

Parseltongue

Chapter 16

Voldemort's study:

"Princess, I am willing to allow you and Severus to Court, however you must still look over the lists for your hand." Voldemort told his daughter.

"He is right, Love." Severus told her. "I will hand in m formal request for Hermione's hand in marraige." He informed his master.

"Fine, but don't expect me to change my mind." Hermione snapped before sighing. "I will, however, put on a good show, which means I will have to meet all who submit an application. I will request that only your trusted meet with me otherwise you must be with me the entire time, Daddy." She added, an evil glitter in her eyes.

Seeing that his daughter wasn't going to budge on her promise, Voldemort nodded. "We will also have a magical contract keeping them form speaking about you to any not on my side of this war." He stated bluntly.

"My Lord, what should I tell the Headmaster?" Severus asked knowing he would have to report to Dumbledore sometime.

"Tell him I am looking among my people to arrange a marriage for my daughter, and she is unaware of my actions." He ordered his spy. "Severus, if I hear anything about you entering my daughter's personal space, outside of chaste kissing, I will end you." He warned, his red eyes narrowing at the Potion's Master.

"Yes, My Lord." Snape bowed to the Dark Wizard.

"So it is okay as long as you don't hear about it?" Hermione asked looking innocent, she then turned to Snape with a grin before speaking once more. "Come on, Severus, let's go have some fun." She grabbed his arm and started dragging him towards her personal chambers. Voldemort stood there frozen in shock for a few seconds before following them only to find her main door shut. "I'm not doing all the work, take off your robes." He heard his daughter order, causing him to slam the door open and see it was the door to her potion's lab and several cauldrons were set up. When the new couple turned to see who was intruding they began laughing at the expression on the Dark Lord's face.

"What are you doing?" He demanded sharply of the laughing duo.

"Besides teasing you? We are trying to make the Wolfsbane potion not cause pain during the transforamtion." Hermione answered her father with at big smile. "Why do you ask?" She teased happily.

"You know exactly why he asked, Princess." Severus responded, chuckling. "My Lord, I will not go any further than kissing before the contract is approved." He promised seriously.

"I will hold you to that." Voldemort informed his follower. "As for you, Princess, behave." He ordered his daughter, sternly. Her response, giggling at him, wasn't encouraging and he informed her of that fact. Hermione went from a light giggle to a full on laugh at his words.

"Daddy, our robes git in the way of brewing so we generally remove them." She reminded him gently. "May we continue?" She asked her father motioning to the many cauldrons set up. Voldemort nodded his consent and gave his daughter a light glare. "All work, no play." She assured him, causing him to nod and leave, closing the door behind him.

Voldemort returned to his throne room and noticed several scrolls sitting in his daughter's throne. He gathered them and returned to his office to look them over. He compiled a list of all the applicants and sent out a copy to everyone on the list. He then took a copy to his daughter. "Princess, I have the list of my followers requesting your hand." He called out through the closed door.

"Come in." She called out instantly. Voldemort opened the door and entered the room, noticing that both occupants were stirring different cauldrons, moving easily as they finished the potions. When they finished their rows they moved back to the beginning of their rows and began bottling them, vanishing the excess from each cauldron. Hermione moved to her father's side, "May I have the list?" She requested politely, reaching for it as she spoke. He handed it over and watched as she grabbed a quill and inkwell, she then began crossing names out, handing the list back having reduced the original 40 names to 20.

"Why did you cross these specific names off?" He inquired, curious to her reasonings.

"I go to school with most of them and know how they act towards girls. Others have acted viciously towards me since my arrival here during the summer." She answered glaring at the one Elite name she had crossed off.

"What about Dolohov?" Her father asked seeing the name crossed off. "He comes from a rich, pureblood family, high status in both the community and my ranks." Voldemort spoke highly of the man.

"After Sirius was killed and before I came into the main room, while you were following Harry, he shoved me against a wall and tried to pull my pants off." She informed her father tightly. "Nevile came and stunned him, allowing me to escape before he was able to succeed." She looked up into her father's eyes, which were glittering, promising pain for the attack on his daughter.

"He will pay for his insolence." The Dark Lord promised, grimly. "Severus, arm." He demanded sharply.

"Daddy, summon the Elite, please." Hermione requested, her own eyes glowing with her anger.

/Elite./ He called, holding Snape's Dark Mark. /Princess?/ He hissed softly, turning back to find her dressed properly for the meeting.

/I am coming./ She answered his unasked question. /Sieara, Come to me./ She called her familiar, the white serpent quickly slithering up to her mistress. /We are going to a meeting./ She told her familiar.

/May I come as well, Master?/ Nagini asked, having followed the other snake.

/Of course, Nagini./ Both parselmouths answered softly.

/I wanna come too./ A third snake commented as it approached them.

/Who are you?/ Voldemort asked the blood python.

/Don't you recognize me, Uncle?/ Draco hissed with a pout.

/Since when do you call me uncle?/ The Dark Lord asked quizzically.

/Since I am a cute snake and you don't hurt cute snakes./ Draco answered bluntly causing both Slytherin's to laugh.

/He has a good point./ Hermione pointed out to her father. /Question, Draco, can you Speak when in human form?/

/I don't know, how about we try it out./ Draco answered. A glow formed as he retook his human form. "Try?" He asked his cousin.

/Testing one two three./ She hissed playfully.

/Seriously? Is that all you could come up with?/ He answered her, rolling his eyes at her. /Does me calling you Uncle bother you?/ He asked looking sad at the possibility of getting rejected.

/No./ Came the reply. /And you may come as long as it is in your anamagus form./ Draco nodded and returned to his serpent form and waited for them to head down the hall. "Severus, come along now." Voldemort ordered, leading the group to the meeting. He threw the doors to his Throne Room open, causing them to hit the walls loudly. Both he and Hermione entered, moving to sit on their thrones. Severus closed the door behind him, after the 3 serpents had entered the room as well. The familiars moved to their bonded, coiling at their feet, as Draco moved into the shadows off to the side.

"My Lord, Princess, you summoned us?" Lucius asked, wondering what was wrong.

"All of you were present for the battle at the Ministry of Magic, I have just been informed of an attack on my daughter." Shouts rang out in the room at the Dark Lord's words.

"Who would dare, touching the Princess?" Lucius demanded, aggast at the accusations.

"You pathetic little bitch!" Dolohov shouted at Hermione, wand raised against her. Severus was the first to react to the treat towards his witch.

"Crucio." He cast on the other elite wizard. He cut the spell as both leaders stood.

/Nagini!/

/Sierra/

/Attack./ They hissed in unison to their familiars. Both snakes struck, bitting deeply into the Death Eater, injecting enough venom to kill the target in seconds.

"That is for hitting my daughter with a dangerous curse." Voldemort snarled, watching as Hermione moved down from the dias and stopping infront of the dying man.

"This is for trying to RAPE me." She added, punching him in the eye, before turning to Severus briefly. "Uncle, Father, I leave him to one of you." She states before returning to her Throne.

"My Lord, I request the right to kill him, as the Princess's betrothed." Severus spoke up, bowing to his Master.

"Granted, Severus." The Dark Wizard answered his daughter's chosen suitor. The Potion's Master rose and cast one of his own created curses at Dolohov, cutting his head clear off. "Goyle, clean up this mess, the rest of you are dissmissed." The remaining Elite bowed and quickly left the room.

"Shall we leave as well, Father?" Hermione asked, rising once more from her throne. Voldemort stood and escorted her, along with all three snakes, from the room.