"Why the hell did you do that? You didn't have to kill that man!" Hermione shouted angrily at Barty after the apothecary had fallen down on the floor.

Barty ignored her as he walked to the door, so Hermione blocked his path.

"Well?" she questioned him again.

"Out of my way," Barty told her with a low voice.

"You can't just murder people! He didn't do anything wrong!"

Barty let out an annoyed groan and he seized both her wrists and he pulled her out of the way.

"One more word and I'll give you a reason to scream," he growled.

It took a moment for Hermione to find out what he was talking about, but then she remembered that she was still in Diagon Alley, and that the street was packed with children. And Barty was capable of blowing up a couple of shops and he was definitely insane enough for it. So she clenched her jaw tightly to stop herself from yelling at him. She followed him quietly when he went outside, and she prepared herself for the apparition again. But when he grabbed his arm, he didn't immediately apparate them back to Crouch Manor. Instead he raised his wand, pointed it at the sky and he shot Hermione a wicked grin before concentrating on the spell.

"MORSMORDRE!"

The last thing Hermione saw was several frightened faces and she could hear people screaming in horror. People were pointing at the green skull in the sky. The next thing she knew was that everything was calm and quiet again. She was back in Barty's manor.

"You… you… you deranged monster," Hermione said, still trembling.

Much to her horror, Barty was still laughing. He really enjoyed this. And it completely freaked her out. She was so paralyzed that she didn't even notice that she had changed back to her normal form.

"This isn't funny!"

"No… it is very funny. They needed a little reminder. I had to show them what would happen to people who disobey the Dark Lord," Barty grinned manically.

"Well, Voldemort is just as insane as you are," Hermione snapped.

Barty's smile immediately vanished, and his eyes hardened. He took a step towards her, his tongue twitching again. He had been doing that after he had killed Mr. Mulpepper, probably because he was so excited, but right now it probably meant that Hermione had angered him again.

"I don't think you will say that when my master has conquered the whole world. When all Muggles and Mudbloods kneel at our feet. Just like how it is supposed to be. And so will you. You will kneel as well," he told her, dangerously calm.

"I- I won't. Y-you will not win!" Hermione shouted.

"You need to learn some manners. I thought you promised me to be obedient in exchange for that Weasley girl. If you refuse to obey me from now on, if you continue speaking ill of me or my master, then perhaps I will have to pay your beloved parents a little visit…"

"Don't you dare!" Hermione yelled enraged, and she tried to attack Barty.

But of course, she was still unarmed, and therefore she was defenceless. Barty was much stronger than she was, so she found herself pinned against the wall in a matter of seconds.

"Listen to me, witch," he hissed. "You are going to be nice to me from now on. You are going to obey me. And you will definitely not attack me…"

"Let go of me! Please… You are hurting me!"

Barty clenched his jaw, and then he let her go with a disgusted look on his face.

"Bastard…" Hermione whispered, but not softly enough.

"Excuse me?" Barty asked softly, his eyes burning with rage.

"Nothing."

"I heard you."

"Then why do you ask?"

"ENOUGH!" Barty yelled, making Hermione flinch at his sudden outburst. "TO THE LIVING ROOM! NOW!"

He didn't attack her. He didn't try to punish her. He only looked at her with a very intense glare. And for some reason, that was enough to make Hermione run to the living room as fast as she could. Especially after the vague threat he had made concerning her parents. She didn't want to think about what he would do to her parents if she would make him too angry. And he was already beyond furious. She had to be really careful from now on. She had to obey him.

"Sit down," his voice growled behind her when she entered the room.

Hermione choose to sit down on the nearest couch, only to do as she was told quickly.

"I am sorry, Mr. Crouch," Hermione heard her own voice saying.

It was better to betray herself than to endanger the life of her own parents.

"Yes… you will be. I can ensure you that."

"No! Really! I am sorry! I shouldn't have said the things I have said. I will listen to you from now on!"

Barty scoffed, looking down on Hermione. "Afraid that I'll hurt your Muggle parents? I think you are not sorry at all…"

"Please forgive me?" Hermione tried again.

"I don't show mercy. Not towards anyone. Especially not towards Mudbloods."

"No. I know. Not even towards your own father."

"Don't speak about my father in this house! Don't you dare… He deserved to die. He should thank me for killing him quickly," Barty hissed.

Hermione decided not answer him back. If he wanted her not to talk about it, then she should shut her mouth.

"As for why you are here…" Barty said, his voice softening.

Hermione waited for him to continue, but apparently Barty felt the need to sit down next to her on the couch. Very uncomfortably close. Close enough to make Hermione want to stop breathing. She could feel her own breath stocking. Her heart started beating rapidly, and her whole body wanted to leave that couch. But she couldn't just stand up. It would be rude. It would make him angry.

"The Dark Lord wants Potter. He wants the boy alive. And you… you are the perfect bait. Potter is useless without you. The Golden Trio… You are a very important for of that. So as soon as the schoolyear has started, you will send a letter to Potter. Only to Potter. We are under the assumption that he won't be accompanied by anyone from the Order, so he will receive the message alone. And he is probably stupid enough to come for you on his own. With the Weasley boy. And then I will be prepared for them. We catch them, we bring them to the Dark Lord, and then I will decide what to do with you… So basically… you are completely under my mercy. Maybe, if you are really nice to me, then I might keep you alive…" Barty told Hermione.

Hermione felt shivers running down her spine. It was a very simple plan. And maybe because of its simplicity, it would actually work. Harry would really come for her on his own. He wouldn't ask for help from the order. He would think that he could handle everything by himself. He would just go to the manor with Ron and get himself killed.

"This is cruel… you can't make me do that! I can't betray my friends!" Hermione said.

"I admire your loyalty," Barty said with genuine approval. "It is a shame your loyalty lies with the wrong sort of people. Have you forgotten already what I told you?"

"That my life depends on you?"

"Exactly. So be a good girl, obey me, and maybe you will get to live. I can promise you that. And believe me, not many Mudbloods get to live," he sneered. "But I can protect you."

"I don't need protection."

"You do. From me. And from other Death Eaters."

"I would rather have you killing me than that I would have to live here for the rest of my life," Hermione snapped. "Besides, you don't even like me. You despise Muggle-borns. Why would you even want me here?"

"Would you rather be dead? Really?" Barty smirked. "Then you aren't as brave as I thought you were… Guess I still scare you, then?"

"No. You make me want to murder you."

"Murder me?" Barty now laughed, only shifting closer to Hermione. "I thought you were going to be nice to me? Wasn't that what you said only minutes ago?"

"That was before you wanted to keep me here."

Barty bit his lower lip, but Hermione saw that there was a glint in his eyes she hadn't seen before. She then noticed that he was looking her up and down. And she didn't like the feeling of his eyes on her body at all.

"You know what the consequences are if you refuse to be nice to me," Barty said with a slightly hoarse voice.

Hermione had the feeling that he was going to do something to her far worse than torturing her with the Cruciatus Curse. She saw the look in his eyes. It was the same look he had when he had been almost raping Ginny.

"Would you please just… back off?" Hermione asked, trying to move away.

"It is your fault that I couldn't have that Weasley girl," Barty said. "So now I will have to find an alternative."

"I'm a Muggle-born. You don't want me," Hermione tried. She was panicking inwardly.

"I changed my mind. Really, for a Mudblood you are very attractive… and talented. And if you are nice then I won't even have to hurt you," Barty smirked, his hand snaking around Hermione's waist.

"Get your paws off me," Hermione growled, pushing his arm away.

She should have known that he wouldn't react to that well. He grabbed her wrists and he forced her down on the couch, keeping her in place with his own body.

"Be nice," he growled. "Are you going to be a good girl now?"

"Please, Mr. Crouch…"

"No. Call me Barty now. I asked you something."

With tears in her eyes, Hermione nodded. She had to think about her own safety, and about her parent's safety. Maybe if she cooperated, it would hurt less.

"Good…" Barty murmured. "You are not going to leave… you are mine now."

Hermione shut her eyes and decided not to fight him anymore. She would just let him do what he wanted to do with her, if that meant that her parents would be safe. That was the only reassuring thought she had at the moment. She tried to think about anything but the man who was on top of her, anything to distract herself from that gruesome man. But she couldn't. He kept demanding her attention, he was making sure that she felt every moment of it. Hermione didn't know if he did that because he wanted to punish her, or if he did it because he genuinely thought he was pleasuring her. Either way, she hated it. He was not hurting her in any way, but his sickening tenderness only made him more repulsive. She silently vowed that she would kill the Death Eater as soon as she had the chance.