Very glad the last chapter was so well-received. I had a bout of inspiration and you are all in for quite the lovely twist my readers. What do you think I am going to do? ;D
Draco stood at the bottom of the stairs and paced as he waited for Hermione. He was terrified of what Potter was telling her but knew that she needed to hear whatever he had to say. This was a crucial turning point in their plan and Hermione had to be in control of her emotions right now. They had been planning this for months; since Harry had seen Hermione through the window of The Three Broomsticks in her nun's habit and told Draco to get her to his Manor.
Hearing the rustle of fabric at the top of the stairs Draco turned quickly and let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. As a vampire he didn't need to breath—it was habit by now to inhale and exhale like warm bodies had need to do. Draco's eyes followed Hermione's petite frame as she descended the stairs.
"Hermione – ". She shut down his apologies with a finger on his lips.
"Don't explain. They should be here soon." Hermione lifted her skirts and made her way to the study, knowing that this is where the guests would be received by the fire roaring in the grate, ready for the Floo. She settled herself on the settee adjacent to Draco's dark oak desk and folded her hands on her lap. Lifting her chin, she put on a hard face, trying as hard as she could to emulate the look Draco had perfected in Hogwarts.
The host of the gathering stepped into the study after her, filling a glass from the drinks caddy near the door. His hand passed over the Firewhisky and settled on a dark red liquid in a crystal decanter. Ignoring the fact that he was drinking blood, Hermione allowed Draco to come up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder.
His grip on her shoulder tightened as the clock struck nine. No sooner had the first tone died out that the flames in the fire flashed green and ejected a darkly clad person. The person was followed by nine others who quickly moved to arrange themselves around the fireplace in a line. One last green flash released a person taller than the rest. He threw back his hood revealing a white face with snakelike features and hollow eyes.
"Draco, it is wonderful to see you feeling so well." Voldemort casually dropped his cloak to the ground and strode towards where Hermione and Draco were sitting. Steeling herself to keep back the waves of terror, Hermione glanced over at the ten Death Eaters removing their cloaks by the fireplace.
She immediately recognized several Slytherins including Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini, and Pansy Parkinson. A chill ran through her veins as she spotted Bellatrix Lestrange hanging back with Antonin Dolohov. The Carrow twins were also visible behind her. The remaining Death Eaters removed their masks and Hermione had to forcibly hold back a hiss of anger. The last two Death Eaters were former Gryffindors from her year; two people she never thought would turn to the dark side of Magic. Neville Longbottom was a lot more muscular than she remembered with his sleeves rolled up to reveal his Dark Mark. Noticing her staring, Neville flashed a set of curved fangs at her with a devious grin.
The woman at his side tossed her long braid over her shoulder and smirked at Hermione's shocked gaze. Lavender Brown had changed between her time at Hogwarts and her arrival at the Manor. A series of three ragged scars ran from her left temple down to her chin. The biggest change, though, was in her eyes. They had gone from the idiotic, vapid stare that Hermione had grown used to to dark pits of cruelty. This was not the same Lavender Brown Hermione had gone to school with.
Lavender raised an eyebrow at Hermione's scrutiny. "Granger." She said coolly, dropping her cloak from her shoulders. Neville caught it quickly and draped it over his arm with his own.
"Brown. Longbottom, Nott, Greengrass, Zabini, Parkinson." Hermione nodded to each of them in turn, never losing her poised appearance. Draco's hand left her shoulder as the Dark Lord moved to the chair across from them and sat down. He crossed his legs and draped himself casually across the chair, the picture of power and evil.
"Can I get you anything my Lord?" Draco asked the dark figure before him, setting his own empty tumbler on a side table.
"No my dear boy but thank you. Tell me how the transformation has been treating you. Neville has been so testy lately. Yesterday he didn't even let the Muggle I gave him plead for mercy. He simply raped and killed her. Very unlike him." Voldemort shook his head in mock disappointment.
Neville snorted from his spot near the fireplace. "Very sorry m'lord." He responded curtly, fingering his wand on his belt.
"It has been a challenge my Lord but nothing I am not afraid to handle. I fear Ms. Granger has borne the brunt of my anger." Draco placed his hand back on Hermione's shoulder drawing attention to the scar on her shoulder from his teeth. His saliva had eliminated the worst of it leaving only two puncture marks where his fangs had first inserted themselves into her flesh.
"As I see. And how has the transformation been for you Ms. Granger? It is always a challenge seeing the ones we enjoy suffering. Or so I'm told." The Dark Lord turned his attention towards Hermione with a smirk. The second his eyes made contact she could feel him prodding at her mental walls. Luckily she had practiced Occlumency and Legilimency in the nunnery in order to stay sharp.
Hermione stared back at him with fire in her eyes. "I am sure that I will learn to enjoy him as he is now more than I ever did before. He is much improved as I am sure you are aware." Hermione's voice was cold as she spoke her first words to the Dark Lord.
Lavender laughed out loud from her spot behind the Dark Lord's chair. "I'm sure your little boy toy has the stamina befitting a whore like you now, eh Granger?"
Draco hissed angrily, baring his fangs at Lavender. A red tinge bled into his eyes as he prepared himself to fight her, instinct taking over. Lavender returned the favor, ripping her wand from its holster on her thigh and pointing it at the enraged vampire, ten different curses on her lips.
"Now now my Death Eaters. No need to fight." The Dark Lord waved his hand to dismiss the fight, sensing the danger in the air for Lavender. The other Death Eaters analyzed Draco's protectiveness of Hermione, plans to bring him down forming in each of their minds. Bellatrix had fallen from grace during the Battle at Durmstrang when she let a professor by, allowing them to send a curse at the Dark Lord. He had not been injured but her inability to fight effectively had earned her a Cruciatus curse and left no love in Voldemort's heart for her.
"M-m-masters Malfoy and Granger? The d-d-dinners is ready." A small house elf pushed his way into the room, wringing his hands nervously.
At the sound of his house elf's stuttering voice, Draco regained control. Straightening his jacket he offered Hermione his arm. She took it and stood gracefully. "Well. Shall we?" Draco gestured towards the door, allowing his guests to exit the room before him.
The house elf led the way to the dining room they would be using that night. Draco seated himself at one head of the table with Hermione to his right allowing the Dark Lord to occupy the other head.
Dinner was a raucous affair with the Death Eaters talking loudly of their escapades to one another. They all hoped that the Dark Lord would hear them speak as the exaggerated their tales of torture and death. However he had eyes only for Draco and Hermione. The pair was silent compared to the rest of the group, conversing occasionally with Bellatrix, on Hermione's right, or Theodore Nott, on Draco's left. They largely sat quietly though, listening to everyone else's stories.
After dinner ended the group retired to the lounge for drinks and stories. Hermione and Draco draped themselves across one couch, Hermione in Draco's lap. They projected the perfect image of a couple in lust.
Voldemort noted this with interest as he watched his Death Eaters gallivant around the lounge. "You are all dismissed." The Dark Lord spoke for the first time since leaving the study, dismissing his Death Eaters with a hand waved towards the fireplace.
Draco nudged Hermione, indicating she should stand and then stood himself. He stood by the fireplace as his guests left, mentally noting that they were going to different places. He nodded towards the door once the last Death Eater left, indication to Hermione that they should leave as well.
"No my dear boy. Stay. And keep that little minx with you." Hermione stiffened as the Dark Lord spoke. She has been steps from the door, so close to freedom. Draco placed a comforting hand on her back as they both turned to face the man in the chair.
"I have need of your…talents. And your home." The Dark Lord stood, walking to gaze out the window at the Malfoy Estate. "I have prisoners that have decided to join us. However I cannot trust them. They have all been given the Dark Mark but they require training and lodgings. That is where you come in." Voldemort turned to look at Draco. "They will be staying in the spare rooms at your manor. You will train them with Blaise Zabini's help. He will floo here daily at six in the morning and will leave promptly at noon. You will train them during that time. Starting at one in the afternoon, Ms. Granger here will then teach them the finger points of war as well as our history. I will provide you with text to teach from Ms. Granger. Do not worry."
Hermione stiffened at her directions. She was going to train new Death Eaters. She never wanted to run so badly but Draco's hand on her back anchored her in place.
"Of course my Lord. We live to serve." Draco bowed his head, taking the Dark Lord's final words as a dismissal. He directed Hermione towards the door, eager to retreat to his wing of the house.
"Oh and one more thing Ms. Granger." The Dark Lord's voice cut through her thoughts like fire as she turned to look at him.
"Yes Lord Voldemort?" Hermione knew that the use of his name would anger him and did so purposefully.
You will, of course, be required to take the Mark. I can take care of that now for you." The Dark Lord held his hand out, his want at the ready.
Hermione's eyes widened in terror. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Live and take the Mark, or die resisting him and kill Draco in the process.
Draco made the decision for her. He pushed her forward, knowing that this was the only way to live.
Hermione struggled to keep her left arm from shaking as she held it forward, wrist up. It was more painful than she imagined to take the Mark. It was a tap of the wand on her wrist, and then the darkness spread throughout her, causing her to gasp. Her eyes were trained on her wrist as the Mark wound its way up her arm. She could feel the snake as it slid out of the skull. And just like that, it was over.
"Congratulations Ms. Granger. You are now a Death Eater." The Dark Lord's laugh was the last thing she heard before passing out.