Chapter 12
Severus Snape stood at the front of his Potions classroom, his dark eyes scanning the room as students filed in. Among them, Hermione Granger entered late, her usual air of confidence replaced by a subtle limp and dark circles. Snape noted her condition with a furrowed brow, his suspicions piqued by the unmistakable signs of discomfort she tried so desperately to conceal.
Throughout the lesson, Snape's gaze kept drifting back to Hermione, observing her with a keen eye that missed nothing. Her usual sharpness seemed dulled today, her movements hesitant as if every step caused her pain. Snape knew better than to underestimate Hermione Granger—her resilience was legendary—but something about her demeanor today troubled him deeply.
As the class ended and students filed out, Snape made a decision. He needed to speak with Draco Malfoy. The boy clearly had to be the reason for her current state.
At the end of class, Snape summoned Draco to stay with a curt gesture, his expression unreadable as he waited for the young Malfoy heir to comply. When the classroom was empty, Snape motioned to sit, his voice low and controlled as he broached the delicate topic.
"Draco," Snape began, his voice a cold whisper that filled the room with tension. "I've noticed Hermione Granger's condition in class today. Care to explain?"
Draco leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips that didn't reach his eyes. "I kept her awake all night. What can I say Professor? Hermione and I have a complicated relationship."
Snape narrowed his eyes, his patience wearing thin. "Complicated, you say? Enlighten me, Mr. Malfoy. How complicated is it?"
Draco's smirk widened slightly, a hint of defiance in his demeanor. "From the moment the Sorting Hat placed her in Slytherin, I've been... intrigued by her, to say the least. She needed molding, guidance. I saw potential in her, just as she saw opportunities in me. We've left our marks on each other, Severus, in ways you couldn't possibly understand."
Snape's lip curled slightly at the use of his first name, but he didn't interrupt. He needed to hear more, to understand the depths of this twisted alliance that seemed to bind Draco and Hermione together.
"She uses me, Severus," Draco continued, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "But I allow it because... because when I'm with her, I feel alive. She needs me just as much as I need her. It's a game of power and desire, and we both play our parts."
Snape's expression darkened at Draco's admission. "And what exactly are these 'parts' you play, Draco? Spare me the euphemisms."
Draco's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light as he leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper laced with dark satisfaction. "Oh, Severus, you wouldn't believe the things she lets me do to her. The control I have over her... it's intoxicating. From the moment I first had her in third year, I knew she was mine to protect, to shape, to dominate."
Snape's fists clenched involuntarily at Draco's callous words. He had known the Malfoy family's tendencies toward dominance and power, but this revelation struck a chord deep within him. Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, reduced to a toy in Draco Malfoy's twisted game.
Draco continued, his voice becoming more animated as he recounted explicit details that made Snape's stomach turn. Each word painted a picture of depravity and cruelty, of desires twisted into chains that shackled Hermione to Draco.
As Draco spoke, Snape's thoughts raced. He had suspected the nature of Draco's relationship with Hermione, but hearing it confirmed in such explicit terms chilled him to the bone. What had begun as an alliance of convenience had morphed into something darker, something that threatened to consume them both.
When Draco finally fell silent, his eyes locked with Snape's in a challenge that spoke volumes.
"Be careful, Draco," Snape warned, his voice a low growl that echoed off the walls. "You tread dangerous ground. Hermione may be stronger than you realize."
Draco's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before returning full force. "Oh, I know exactly how strong she is, Severus. That's why I won't let her go. Not now, not ever."
With those words hanging in the air like a curse, Draco stood and swept out of Snape's office, leaving behind a lingering sense of unease that settled like a shadow over the Potions master's thoughts.