The Dark Prince

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The guy who put his hands on you

Has got nothing to do with me

And the bruises that you feel will heal

And I hope you'll come around

We're missing you

Third Eye Blind - Wounded

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Chapter 17

...come around...

Snape waited patiently at the edge of the Forbidden Forest for Moody and the Aurors to arrive. He pulled a pocketwatch out of a pocket in his cloak and cursed.

They were late.

He began to pace, eyes glaring at the gate leading onto the grounds. Suddenly he heard a subtle pop behind him and turned to find Moody and at least seven squads of Aurors standing there. Snape's lip curled as he spat, "Late as usual, Moody."

"We're here, aren't we?" What does time matter?" asked Moody in his habitual growl.

Snape stalked forward and only stopped when his face was mere millimeters away from Moody's.

"In the matter of Ronald Weasley, Natasha Bennett, and Hermione Granger's lives, it matters a great deal. Now follow me."

He shoved past Moody and the Aurors into the forest. Moody scowled for a moment then limped after him, waving at the Aurors to follow him.

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"Where are you leading us, Snape?" growled Moody as he pointed his wand at a length of thorns that had entwined themselves about his wooden leg.

"Into Hell," replied Snape from where he had suddenly appeared to the aged Aurors left. Moody jumped and pointed his wand at the smirking man.

"Now, now," said Snape in light, teasing tone. "Hex me and Mr. Weasley, Miss Bennett, and Miss Granger are as good as dead. I doubt Arthur Weasley would be very appreciative of having to hear that his youngest son is dead."

Moody glared at him but Snape had already turned and moved aside a mound of brush hiding a cave entrance.

"And this leads where?" asked Moody, eying the black maw of the portal that he could make out inside the cave.

"Hell," replied Snape, casting the aged Auror a withering glance before he stepped into the portal.

"Sir," said of the Aurors, eyeing the crevice the portal was hidden in warily.

"We follow," growled Moody to mutters among the Aurors. "Snape wouldn't send himself to his own death. We follow him."

There were quiet grumblings from the Aurors but they all piled into the cave and into the portal, getting a woozy feeling in their heads as they went from the darkness of the Forbidden Forest to the even darker confines of an underground room. Moody peered around in the darkness and growled, "Where'd the bastard go?"

"Quiet, Moody. You'll raise the whole fortress and then where would we be?"

Snape appeared out of the shadows of the room and moved across the room to the iron-inlaid door like a ghost. He opened it then turned to the Aurors behind him.

"If you value your lives, you'll follow me. Don't...and I cannot help you if you are caught."

With that he slinked out into the dank corridor and Moody followed with a growl, the Aurors trailing behind him.

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When the sky gets dark enough

To see the colors of the city lights

A trail of ruby red and diamond white

Hits her like a sunrise

She comes and goes and comes and goes

Like no one can

John Mayer - Neon

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Chapter 18

...she comes and goes...

Hermione paced back and forth across the floor in the green room, eyes darting to the door from time to time. She still could not figure out what had possessed her to sleep with Harry. He was the Dark Prince for Merlin's sake! Voldemort's right hand and murdered of Muggle's and Muggleborns; woman, children, and men.

And she had slept with him.

Because you still love him, said a little voice in her head.

Hermione laughed lightly. Yes, she had slept with him because she loved him. Because she loved Harry.

But he wasn't Harry anymore. And probably had not been for a long time.

Hermione sighed and sat on the foot of the bed, closing her eyes.

But that posed a question. Why had he kissed her? To set her off guard? Or did Harry - the Harry she remembered and had fallen in love with - still exist behind that stark white mask?

And is some smidgen of him remained, could she bring him back from the dark that enveloped his soul?

The questions weighed on her brain and she fell back on the bed, letting them race through her mind, repeating themselves over and over as they ricocheted about.

"What's behind this one?"

Hermione shot up off the bed at the sound of a voice just outside the door. It couldn't be a Death Eater. A Death Eater would know what - and who - was behind that door.

"The Prince's chamber," replied a voice gruffly and Hermione recognized it as Snape. Which meant the other had to be...

An Auror.

"Should we break it down?" asked another voice.

"Do it," growled another.

"Children, children," scolded Snape. "Only a few simple charms line this door. No, fool, don't touch it, you'll alert the Prince. Move aside. I know the charms guarding this room."

"Perhaps because you've slept in it?" growled a gravely voice that Hermione recognized with a shock as Mad-Eye Moody.

"Mayhaps," replied Snape casually, not rising to the old Aurors bait. "Now, will you let me work? Or shall we turn around and go back?"

Moody grunted something Hermione couldn't hear on the other side of the door but she heard the dull thump of his wooden leg limping away. Snape's voice carried through the door only faintly as he spoke several spells, causing the door to glow golden as the wards about it flared and fell apart with a light sound like breaking glass as the edge of Hermione's hearing. As the door swung open, she thought quickly, And Harry said only he could control the wards.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione smiled cheekily at Snape, who was staring at her in a dazed fashion.

"Hello, professor."

"Dare I ask why you are in the Dark Prince's room?" asked Snape, regaining his cold composure as his jet eyes searched her from head to toe.

"I wouldn't answer you if you did," replied Hermione with a glare that could melt stone.

Snape smiled slightly and said, "Then I shall not ask. Come. We must find Mr. Weasley and Miss Bennett before they din out that we are here." He turned with a swirl of dark robes and she saw for a moment a flash of white and gold in one of his cloak pockets.

Two and two came together to make four.