The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

AN: Thank you to all who have read or reviewed. You guys are amazing. I do not have a Beta, so any/all errors or inconsistencies are mine alone.

Warning: little bit of citrus ahead.

Now we start to see what Tom's been planning….hmmm

Chapter Nine:

Hermione was walking down the hallway of the wing she and Harry were given when she heard sobbing coming from an alcove. She crept forward and found her best friend hunched over and crying.

"Harry? Oh, Harry, what's wrong? What's happened?" she said as she knelt by him and took his shuddering form into her arms.

"I..I went...I asked...Merlin, she hates me now, 'Mione..." he gasped out.

"Who hates you? Tell me..." the young witch asked as she combed through his unruly black hair with her fingers.

"Gin...she hates me now. I went to the school to talk to her. It's this mage thing, Hermione. Riddle found these spells and rituals that he wants us to do...part of his plan for everything. He expects me to...take part..." Harry whispered, raising tear-filled eyes to Hermione to gauge her reaction. The witch just nodded and continued to hold him. "I don't know if I can do it...but I have this...feeling...that I have to...I should...I need to. Riddle was right...it is part of who I am. I felt it, you know? The mage's magic...inside of me. It was the most amazing thing I have ever felt in my life. I can't even describe it. Riddle, he..." Harry broke off, blushing furiously. "Anyway, he told me that I have to...lose my virginity and get comfortable with...you know...because of what I am."

Hermione merely nodded. "It is how Tantric Mages access and use their powers. It may seem unsettling in a lot of ways, but if you plan to follow your inheritance, it is what must be done," she said matter-of-factly.

Tears began to stream down Harry's cheeks once more. "I have loved Ginny for a while. I always wanted her to be my first...the first witch I would make love to, and hopefully the last. I wanted to marry her...have a family. I don't know if I'll be able to marry at all now...one of the books that I read said something about a mage's power diminishing because of the nature of a marriage bond. But...I still want to be with her as much as possible. I went to Hogwarts to see her...I wanted her to be my first. I wanted to have that...just that one thing...that my first time be with the person I love, before I have to be the mage and do...everything. She spat in my face, Hermione. Gin told me that there was no way that she would 'break me in to get it out of the way' so I can go shag Death Eaters."

He crumpled against the slight witch and sobbed until his voice was hoarse. Hermione held him as tightly as she could; trying to hold her friend together under the onslaught of his pain. They had not heard from Ron in days, and now with Ginny turning her back on Harry, Hermione feared that all of the Weasleys would distance themselves from the boy crying in her arms. Harry had already lost one family, and now he may lose another. Neither noticed the shadowy form silently dart down the hallway.

Hermione led Harry to his room and ran a bath for him. He promised to soak for a while and then try to get some rest. "I'll be down in the library if you should need me. Just send a Patronus or ask a house elf to fetch me, and I'll be right her, alright?"

"Sure...thanks, Hermione," Harry rasped. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and disappeared into the steam-filled bathroom.

Harry soaked for nearly an hour; recasting heating charms whenever the water began to cool. He lay back with a washcloth over his eyes, so he never noticed someone entering the room until he felt hands run up his chest. With a shout, he bolted upright and flung the cloth off of his eyes. Squinting from steam and near-sightedness, he was about to call for his wand when he saw a distinctly female shape move closer.

"Mmmmm...I had always suspected, but the reality certainly beats my imaginings, Potter," came a sultry voice.

Harry shook his head and fumbled for his glasses. When he put them on and wiped the lenses, he clearly saw who had joined him in the large tub and was currently sitting between his legs. "Pansy?" he yelled, grabbing a towel and covering his lap under water. "What? How? Why...get out!"

The dark-haired Slytherin girl merely smiled predatorily and ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders. As she did so, her torso came out of the water, putting her breasts on display. "Do you really want me to leave?" Harry's eyes widened and fixated on the flesh before him. "I was told you needed assistance with something," she said, running one hand down between them to grab his straining length. "How about, I help you with this," she purred, tightening her grip, "and you help me scratch an itch I have had since fifth year."

"And what might that be...?" Harry gasped out.

"I have wanted you, Harry...for years now," she whispered in his ear then flicked the lobe with her tongue. Pansy let out a moan when she felt calloused hands palm her breasts. "That's it...just like that.." she breathed.

Harry bit his lip so hard he nearly drew blood. His mind and his heart were screaming in protest; however, his magic was a raging storm within him. It was reacting to Pansy's arousal and was driving him to merge his magic with hers in the most primal way. In the end, Harry lost the battle for control. His magic and hormones were too strong to deny and he crushed Pansy's body to his as their lips met.

Hermione had fallen asleep in the library, curled up on a couch in a hidden corner by a window. She got up, stretched, then made her way to her room to shower and change. She saw that Harry's door was closed and warded with a silencing spell. Shaking her head sadly, she went down to the dining room for breakfast. When she entered, she saw that Voldemort, the Malfoys, Snape, and Harry were already eating. She patted Harry on the shoulder as she passed him on the way to her seat, near the end of the table. Lately, she had little desire to be very social. It was as if a pall had settled upon her, and she did not know what the remedy could be. Sighing, she sipped at her tea and nibbled at a bit of scone, not noticing the scrutiny she was receiving from a few seated at the table.

After a few moments, the group was joined by another as Pansy flounced into the room with a large smile on her face. She greeted everyone aside from Hermione, and with a wink at Draco, sat down next to Harry.

The Boy-Who-Lived blushed heavily when the Slytherin witch kissed him on the cheek and thanked him for the previous night. "I have certainly never experienced anything like it, and if you want to...explore your abilities some more, please let me know," she purred.

Draco sat back and smiled smugly, shooting a glance to Tom, who gave a nod and returned to his quiet conversation with Severus.

Hermione looked on the interaction with shock and confusion. Realization of the nature of the 'experience' between Harry and the previously pug-faced witch dawned moments after. A tumult of emotions hit her at once. Hurt, anger, betrayal, loss, and fear raged through her. Without excusing herself, a pale Hermione rose and left the dining room.

Harry was too lost in his own ruminations to notice his friend leave, but other wizards certainly did, and were concerned with Hermione's state.

"Severus...go see to the girl. I picked up some disturbing thoughts and feelings from her, and she is too important and integral to the future to lose. I would rather have her full cooperation, but I will keep her here by force if need be," Voldemort said, giving the Slytherins at the table a stern look.

Snape nodded and rose to search for the Gryffindor. He went to the library first, rolling his eyes as the predictability of the witch. After walking through the stacks, he located Hermione in a far, nearly-hidden corner, curled up on a couch and staring out the stained-glass window dejectedly.

"Miss Granger? Is there anything wrong?" he asked gently.

"Why do you care?" she asked in a monotone voice.

Severus was just about to snap out 'I do not', when he noticed that the tears running down her cheeks and the dull quality of her eyes stirred something within him. He did care, which shocked him speechless for a long moment. He spoke truly when he admitted that Hermione had always impressed him with her brilliance and drive to learn. His esteem for the young witch had grown over the past few weeks as he witnessed her mind at work and how quickly she grasped the truth of what had occurred, as well as the leaps of logic she made in mere seconds. Her intelligence rivaled that of Voldemort and himself, and it was a heady attraction in addition to what was already a delightful creature. Severus had also begun to notice that Hermione had matured in more ways than intellectually and emotionally. She had the figure of a woman, which was continuing to blossom as she replaced the weight lost during the time the trio was on the run.

"I care, Miss Granger, because I have always cared. It was not wise for me to show preference to any aside from Slytherins, but I did care for all of my students; those who showed promise, like you, especially. I care, also, because you have become a valued addition to our little group here. You are brilliant, discerning, interesting...and I find myself enjoying the conversations we have had when time permitted," he said, sitting at the end of the couch.

Hermione finally looked away from the window and gazed upon her old potion master with sad eyes. She studied his face to ascertain his sincerity, then sighed heavily and dropped her gaze to her hands.

"I just feel like my place in this world is hanging on by a thread...that is, if I even have a place left now. I was only brought here to figure things out. That's the only thing anyone has ever really needed me for; to be the researcher...the brains. I can't read anything they found in the vault, so basically I'm completely useless now. And whilst I hope that Harry will always be the same in essentials…I sense a change in him because he's coming into his Mage inheritance. He's going down a path that I can't follow...and he'll have others beside him now...I'm useless to him too. I have no idea where I will belong in this world. Since I was twelve, I've just been 'the brains' and 'Harry Potter's friend'…I haven't had the time to think of what to do with myself when everything was over, and no one needs me around for anything else, or even sees me as anything else…I just feel scared and lost…And why am I telling you this of all people…you're just going to sneer at me and call me a silly little girl," she said bleakly, turning to the window again.

She stared out the glass, watching the clouds roll through the sky. Hermione had nearly forgotten Severus' presence when the silence was broken by his deep voice.

"I do understand what you mean, Miss Granger. I have often pondered the point of my existence in the world. I did not know what I would do after the war. For too long I was a spy, and I fully expected to be killed at some point, by either side. Then, I did not know where my place in this new world would be. Fortunately…and amazingly enough, I was asked to be an integral part of it. It is good to feel needed, to feel necessary and important. You are a brilliant and talented young witch, Miss Granger. You shall always be needed and necessary. You should not feel otherwise."

Hermione just shrugged and rose to her feet. "If they find something for me to do, I'll be in my room," she muttered and left the library.

Severus sat in contemplative silence for long moments before gracefully standing and striding out of the library. He went to Lucius' study where he suspected he would find the elder Malfoy and Voldemort working on Ministry business. As he was bid to enter, he found both men exactly where he thought they would be.

"Anything to report, Severus?"

"Yes. I believe Miss Granger is suffering from a slight depression as the result of growing isolation, feelings of abandonment, and stagnation."

Tom's brows rose and he sat back in his chair. "Truly? I would think that she was receiving enough social and mental stimulation," he said, slightly confused. "Did she give you any particular reasons why she was despairing so?"

"I believe that Potter's future of being a Mage, and the resultant distance it will create in their long-term friendship, is something that Miss Granger fully anticipates and is already mourning. She is also under the impression that her usefulness and worth as an individual rely solely upon her intelligence and research abilities, and as she is unable to read any of the new materials we found in the Peverell vault, she sees that usefulness and worth at an end. Miss Granger sincerely believes that she has no place here, or in our world in general, at present."

Tom stood and ran his fingers through his hair as he paced. "Silly witch," he muttered. "She is integral to my plans. Miss Granger is not only intelligent, she is powerful...and her potential will only grow as she reaches full maturity. She is talented, attractive, young, and most importantly, fertile."

At this last point, both Severus and Lucius quirked a brow. "My Lord?" Lucius said, looking for clarification.

"The ritual I found...it is one that will help secure the future of our kind. It will promote balance, health, and the strength of future generations." When the other wizards continued to look somewhat confused, Tom said with a smirk, "Well, where do you think the future generations will come from?"

Comprehension dawned and Severus sat down, looking somewhat troubled.

"Yes, Severus?"

"My Lord...do you not think that Miss Granger is slightly young to have children? Especially if childbearing may distract her from more scholarly pursuits?"

"The particular ritual I have found creates a bond between compatible partners. It does not have to immediately produce children, or even be immediately consummated, although with all the energies and magics that would be released and swirling about, bondmates will certainly feel a very strong compulsion to that does not decrease for some time. If Miss Granger is chosen by the ritual to have a bondmate, or mates, as I strongly feel she will, then she will not be forced to have children until she deems herself ready."

"What is the nature of this bond, then? How are partners found compatible?" Lucius asked.

"Upon consummation, it will become a traditional marriage bond. The ritual itself calls upon the magic of each person the rite is being cast upon. Each individual is scrutinized, if you will, and bondmates are chosen among those who are the most compatible intellectually, emotionally, physically, by personality, and by likelihood of creating the strongest and most magically powerful issue."

Lucius furrowed his brow. Tom took note and added, "The ritual may also boost fertility and aid in having a successful pregnancy for an already bonded couple."

Lucius looked up with hope in his eyes. He and Narcissa had tried for years to give Draco a sibling, to no avail. They could not carry another pregnancy to term, and they finally gave up due to the risk to Narcissa's health. Madame Malfoy was still young by wizarding standards, and if there was a chance to increase their family with little to no risk, it was something that Lucius would bring to his wife's attention immediately.

"Do you believe that Miss Granger will submit to this ritual?" Severus asked, his face full of doubt.

Tom sighed and ran his fingers through his hair again. Since regaining his memories and former form; he apparently regained all of his tics as well. "I hope that we will be able to convince her to submit, but I am not holding my breath. As I told you before, Severus, I will not lose Miss Granger, not even to her own stubbornness in this matter. She will take part, even by force. She is too important. The children she is capable of bringing into the world would be remarkable...if they were fathered by a bondmate, they would be beyond exceptional in every way."

"How do you suggest we keep Miss Granger engaged, then?"

"Has she had a chance to go through those items you brought over from the Headmaster's library?"

Severus shook his head. Lucius rose from his chair and went over to a painting on the wall. "I think it would be beneficial to arrange other activities for Miss Granger. If she felt that others desired her company aside from her research pursuits, then it should boost her morale and self-esteem, especially if she is surrounded by others of like intelligence and interests. Miss Granger is a young woman. I feel as if that fact has been somewhat overlooked by most. She needs social interaction. Aside from Miss Parkinson, whom I do not believe would be suitable company in any event, I do not know any other young ladies; however, Miss Granger is comfortable in the company of men, so I would suggest my son to accompany her."

Tom regained his seat and contemplated the idea. After long moments, he nodded. "Please set it up, and I would also suggest that you enlist Narcissa's aid in this endeavor. It is possible that an older witch can fulfill any maternal needs Miss Granger may have."

"Speaking of Miss Granger's company with men, or at least boys, where has the youngest Weasley been lately?" Severus asked. "Not that I am missing his presence in the least," he added with a snort.

Voldemort smiled wickedly. "Oh, the other night I cast a detection charm. It seems that the unlamented Dumbledore did, in fact, cast compulsion charms on those three Gryffindors. Strangely enough, when I broke the spell, a certain Mr. Weasley ceased to call, and neither Harry nor Miss Granger appear all that interested in his continued company."

"It appears that Draco was correct yet again. My son and heir is finally coming into his own."

"You should be proud of him, Lucius. He is certainly proving himself to be a wizard of worth," Tom said with a smile. "Now, tell me about the Weasley children. The one we met at Gringotts is the eldest son, correct?"

"William is the eldest. Bright, charismatic…he was Head Boy of his year. I believe he is recently married," Severus offered.

"Blood rites or fidelity charm?"

"I would not know, but I would assume so. His wife is Fleur Delacour, of Veela blood."

"Ah, yes…a race noted for their temperament and jealousy. He can be discounted, then," Tom said, stroking his chin.

"Charles is next. Also very intelligent…he had decent grades and was a school prefect. He was captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team for a couple of years…He is a bit of a risk-taker; he became a dragon tamer and works at the refuge in Romania. Next son is Percival. Although he was Head Boy, you will be hard-pressed to find a more bland and unimaginative twit. Perfect bureaucratic tool. Then there are the twins…Fred and George. Highly creative, imaginative and intelligent; however, they are consummate pranksters. They own Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, and invited their entire inventory. Next is Ronald," Severus said, rolling his eyes, "then there is the only daughter, Ginevra. Average grades…seemed more interested in Quidditch and boys, but she is a dab hand at jinxes."

"It is unfortunate that there was not another son," Tom said.

"Seventh son of seventh son?" Lucius asked.

Voldemort nodded, "A most auspicious birth. Hopefully we shall see one or two within the next few generations."

"May I inquire as to your interest in the Weasley family, my Lord?"

"Well, Severus…as Miss Granger pointed out, the Weasleys are also of Peverell blood, and they are Purebloods. As the Tantric Mages of the line have only been Halfbloods, if there is to be more in the future, they cannot come from either Potter or myself; leaving the Weasley children as likely stock. As unfortunate as the youngest son is, he should still be kept in the fold, as any of his issue could be valuable. I would like for all of them, eldest son aside, present for the ritual I have planned."

"Just what this world needs…more Weasleys," Lucius muttered, causing the other two men to laugh.

"When are you planning on this ritual taking place?" Severus asked.

"Now that Potter appears to have settled certain things, I hope soon. Very soon."