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Contains sexually explicit material. You have been forewarned. :P

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Without You

Chapter 10: Slave To Love

By Elan Aitis

Tell her I'll be waiting in the usual place
With the tired and weary, and there's no escape
To need a woman you've got to know
How the strong get weak and the rich get poor

(Chorus x3)

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"How do I know I can trust you with the mentorship of young Mr. Malfoy, Snape?"

"My Lord, I have fooled Dumbledore for years, kept the boy for your own hands, retrieved the prophecy for you, even killed Dumbledore, leading all the Death Eaters out of Hogwarts, all in your honour. I don't see, my Lord, why you can't trust me." Snape was kneeling at Voldemort's feet.

Tom Riddle looked at the man unconvincingly. "You're hiding something; I can't tap into your mind."

"My Lord, I am ashamed of my childhood. I don't want you to see what I was like at my most vulnerable times."

"You're pathetic! Crucio!" Voldemort shouted as Snape's body bent at odd angles, his bones on fire and his lungs gasping for any breath to hold onto. "Your most vulnerable times should be with me, Severus. Your childhood should be miniscule to the fear you should feel under my power." Voldemort took off the curse and Snape wheezed, attempting to sit up.

"M-my Lord, of course it is miniscule, but I feel shame for my vulnerability at Hogwarts and how I couldn't even stand up properly to that dead-headed prat James Potter."

"If you trust me, you will let me see the humiliation he put you through. If not, than I will be forced to kill you, Severus. I will not hesitate this time, especially with what you put me through last time," Voldemort said coldly, referring to the power Lily had used to save Harry.

Snape trembled. This was it: he was dead. He'd held onto Dumbledore's word as long as he could, and did everything he could have to keep him alive: Lily's son.

Snape tried to allow Voldemort access to only those memories the Dark Lord was seeking, those of his horrendous childhood. Voldemort, however, was too powerful. He broke through to Snape's best hidden secrets.

Red eyes glaring, wand raised, Voldemort pointed at Snape and coolly said the words: "Avada Kedavra." A green light shot out and hit Snape straight in the chest as he fell backwards, eyes open in death.

Voldemort turned to Draco Malfoy who was crouched in the corner. "Dispose of him, boy. I don't want to see his face." Draco nodded silently, damaged emotionally beyond anything he'd ever imagined in his earlier years. This is what Potter must feel like, Draco thought to himself.

"Crucio!" Voldemort shouted in Draco's direction. The young man cried out in agony. "If you're going to be under my rule, you will never compare yourself to the pitiful Harry Potter." The curse was lifted and Draco sobbed, moving toward the body of his beloved Professor.

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"Harry, Hermione! Come help me move this bloody vase!" Ron shouted through the doorway. Harry groaned as Hermione moved from the crook of his arm, sliding out of bed and padding over to the door.

She opened the door to see Ron completely dressed and groomed. "You're up early," she said with a smirk.

"I had a brilliant idea, but you two have to help me. Come on!" Ron ran outside the Room of Requirements again as Harry and Hermione grudgingly followed him. They found themselves in front of the man-high vase again.

"Ron, I thought we already looked in the vase," Harry mumbled, his voice still a bit husky from having just woken up.

Ron gave him a pointed look. "I know, stupid. We have to move it. Now come on, help me!"

"Ron, where are we moving the vase to?" Hermione asked.

"To the Room of Requirements of course," Ron said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. When Harry and Hermione looked at him as though he'd gone mad, he continued. "You remember the mirror of Erised, right Harry? Well-and I'm surprised you didn't figure this one out, Hermione-I think if we move this vase into the Room of Requirements, and wish enough that the cup is in it, it might just appear."

"What makes you think it's going to appear?" Harry asked.

"Well, I think it's too easy for a person to accidentally knock over the vase and come upon it, and I'm sure Voldemort came across the Room of Requirements when he was at Hogwarts. Maybe he put a concealing charm on it and we can only wish it off in the Room of Requirements. I dunno, I just thought it was worth a shot."

"We'll try it, Ron," Hermione tried to sound reassuring. "It's definitely a possibility."

"Well come on then!" Ron pointed his wand at the vase at the same time Harry and Hermione did, their combined powers carrying the vase in the direction of the Room of Requirements. Some Hogwarts students stopped in the hall, awing at the trio, but Harry, Ron and Hermione continued, ignoring the staring students.

Finally they reached the Room of Requirements, opening the door and floating the vase inside. Closing the door behind them, Ron paced back and forth in front of the vase for a bit. Nothing happened.

"Bloody hell, it didn't work," Ron said dejectedly.

"Let's try something else," Hermione suggested. "Harry, you try pacing, and think really hard about the cup. You've seen it, so you know what to look for."

"Right." Harry set to pacing back and forth, picturing the cup and thinking about the time he'd conjured the whistle out of mid air. Suddenly the vase began to shake and the trio ran behind the couch just before it exploded. They peered up and over the couch, and to Harry's amazement, Helga Hufflepuff's cup sat proudly where the vase had just been.

"Bloody hell, Harry, is that…"

Harry nodded. "That's it. Well done, Ron," Harry noted, patting his best mate on the back. Ron, however, couldn't stop smiling. Harry knew he was right proud of himself for figuring this out.

"Oh, my…" Hermione said, drawn to the cup.

She reached for it and Harry nearly tackled her. "Don't touch it, all right?"

She nodded. "I completely forgot! I'm just so…allured by it…"

"It is rather nice-looking," Ron said, his eyes glazing over as he visibly tried hard not to go any nearer to it than he all ready was.

"Just-don't touch it. We don't know whether it's number two or what."

Hermione shook her head, pulling her mind from the beautiful cup that sat before her. "You're right, Harry. Here, let me…" She hesitated for a moment, and then waved her wand in the direction of the cup, putting up a box around it. They all sat in silence, and Harry remembered the look he had seen Voldemort possess in Dumbledore's pensive…the look of desire to touch, to hold; to own the cup for himself.

"Well then," Ron said after a moment. "I guess we ought to be getting back home now that we have the cup." Harry and Hermione nodded silently, retreating to their room and packing everything up.

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"So what the bloody hell are we supposed to do with it now?" Ron asked from his chair in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place. The three of them had returned to Harry's home after a short good-bye with McGonagall, Hagrid…and even Dumbledore.

"Don't give up hope, Harry," were his parting words, and the words that had been swimming through Harry's head the entire day. Don't give up hope. It was so hard, seeing as every day of his life lately, Harry wondered if it would be his last. He wondered if at any moment Death Eaters would attack his home and kill him, Ron…Hermione. Oh, Hermione…

"Well anyway, I'm completely knackered," Ron continued, standing up from his chair. Harry's previous thoughts sent an overwhelming pain through him, wondering if this would be the last time he ever saw his best mate.

Harry stood and crossed the room, enveloping Ron in a tight hug. "Stay safe, Ron," Harry said.

Ron hugged him back awkwardly, though he patted him on the back. "I will, Harry. You take care." With a backwards glance and a smirk, Ron threw a bit of floo powder into the fireplace and stepped into the green flames as he said the name of his own flat.

Harry couldn't stop looking in the direction Ron had just left, and Hermione stood up from her spot on the couch and moved to hug Harry from behind. "What's wrong?"

Harry gripped her hands as he willed himself not to cry. "I-I um…it's-it's nothing."

"Harry, you know that never works on me." She turned him around to face her. "Harry, what is it?"

He hesitated a moment, and then took a deep breath. "I-I um, well, I've been thinking," he said, not wanting to tell her about his previous thoughts, and instead changing the subject to something else he'd been thinking of. "Ever since we went to Godric Hollow that one night, I wonder if I could ever go back…if I'd ever have the strength to go back."

"Do you want to go there right now?" Hermione asked him seriously.

Harry was choking back sobs, forcing himself not to come undone. "S-sure." Hermione nodded and pulled him by the hand out of the drawing room, down the steps to the ground floor. They walked outside together and to a small alleyway where she helped him apparate to a secluded spot near Godric's Hollow.

Harry looked up at the beautiful house that had once been his home. A lump formed in his throat, and he had to push it down as Hermione led him gently towards the house. As she pushed open the front doors, a heart-wrenching rush streamed over him, filling him with emotions he had pushed back since his last visit to this house.

"Come on, Harry. It's all right," Hermione coached as she led him through the front door. Harry was positively shaking at this point, and felt as though his knees were going to buckle.

"Hermione, just-just take me up to my old room. I-I…"

Lily! Take Harry someplace safe. I'll hold him off as long as I can.

"Ngh," Harry moaned as Hermione walked him up the stairs.

James! I-I…

Lily, go! Before he comes!

I love you!

I love you too.

"Aghhhh," Harry groaned, clutching onto Hermione as tears prickled at his eyes.

"Come on, Harry," Hermione whimpered. "Only a little further."

No! Not Harry, take me instead!

Step aside you silly girl.

No, please! Have mercy! Take me instead!

Avada Keda-

"AHHHHHHHH!" Harry screamed as he broke away from Hermione and clawed at the wall. Sliding to the floor and bawling, Hermione kneeled down beside him and took him in her arms, rocking him back and forth.

"Shhhhh," she whispered. "Harry it's all right. It's not happening right now."

Harry continued to shake as sobs wracked his body. She turned him around so that his tears were soaking her shirt and stood up with him, walking him over to his parents' room. He was still sniffling when she pressed her lips to his, tasting the salt from his tears and sucking his lower lip into her mouth. Harry pressed against her, thrusting his tongue desperately into her mouth and pulling her flush against his body.

"Hermione," he sobbed. She shushed him and kissed him again, turning him and leading him back to the large bed. He scooted back until his body covered the mattress, and Hermione followed him, straddling his thighs and moulding her body into his. Harry gasped when she began to thrust her hips against his.

"H-Hermione…what-what are…"

"Shhh," She whispered and then moaned at the contact she was getting from the growing bulge in his jeans. "Harry, I love you, and I want you."

"B-but I thought…"

"Harry, I only wanted to do this with the man I want to spend the rest of my life with." Harry's eyes glazed over. "I didn't think I would know for sure who he was until my wedding day, but I've realized you're that man, Harry. You're the only man I want to kiss and make love to for the rest of my life."

"Oh, God," Harry cried into her shoulder.

"I want to wake up with you every day and have you inside me in the morning. I want my children to have piercing green eyes and call you Dad. Harry, I want to marry you and grow old with you. Is that something you want?"

"Oh, God is it ever," Harry moaned as he flipped her over so that he was on top. He didn't move to kiss her, but stared at her with those beautiful emerald-green eyes that were stained in tears. "Are you saying yes, then?"

Hermione didn't even hesitate. "Yes."

Harry was overcome with all the emotions he was experiencing, and didn't know what else to do other than kiss her. Harry pressed his tongue against her lips and she opened willingly, frantically meeting his pace.

Harry wasn't moving to divest her of her clothing, so she tugged up on his t-shirt, catching it on his glasses and tossing them both aside. He mirrored her action, pulling her sweater over her head and tossing it on the floor beside the bed, never letting his lips move from hers but to divest her of clothing.

Hermione wasted no time in removing his pants and before either of them knew it, they were both naked and Harry was resting between her legs, his shaft at her entrance. Harry almost groaned at the heat that was radiating out of her, making him ache for her.

"Are you sure?" Harry choked back a sob. Hermione only nodded and kissed him soundly as he slipped into her, hesitating at her innocence, but soon breaking through that.

Hermione whimpered.

Harry kissed her face, his old tears mixing with her fresh ones. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "I will be, just…go slow." A fresh wave of tears poured out of his eyes and he couldn't stop kissing her as he pulled out slowly, and pushed his way gently back in.

Harry bit back a groan and Hermione placed a hand on his cheek. "Please, Harry. Let everything go. Let me know how you feel." Harry nodded and sniffled a bit as he continued thrusting into her tenderly. He moaned loudly when Hermione started to meet his hips as she pushed against him. Harry knew this night would never be erased from his memory: the smell of her hair, the feeling of being inside her, knowing they were committing such an intimate act in a place that haunted him for years. That alone made his heart swell and override the terrible memories he'd once encountered in this very house.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione moaned. Her grip on his arms tightened and he started to thrust into her harder, faster. Her moans escalated, and he groaned against her neck, sending her into bouts of shivers at the huskiness in his voice. He continued to pump into her until he felt a pleasurable clench in his lower gut, and felt himself let go inside of her.

For a few minutes, Harry couldn't move. He could vaguely feel Hermione pushing his fringe around from beneath him, and it felt so good to lie in her arms. Harry could feel himself pleasantly sticking to her from the sweat they'd generated, and it sent a jolt through him. They'd just had sex.

Harry propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at Hermione. She looked…so lovely. He couldn't help but kiss her. It was so intimate: holding her tightly to him, both sweaty, kissing lazily and he was still between her legs and inside of her. Never in his life had Harry been so…happy.

"God, I love you," Harry moaned against her lips, moving his head to the crook of her neck.

"Harry?" Her voice was choked and broken. He snapped his head up to look at her face, beautiful and brimming with tears. "Promise me. Promise me that you'll never leave."

Harry smiled sadly. "I promise." Hermione sighed and pulled his head back to her shoulder, before they both fell asleep.

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Thanks again to Rylee! I made so many stupit (haha, irony with the spelling) mistakes before you took a look at it. :P You are my savior!

And thanks to all of you who read! Thanks to those of you who reviewed!

Until 11…

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