A/N: Hey everyone! I know it's been almost two years since I updated this! It's never far from my mind. It's actually one of my favorite stories I've ever written (and seemingly haven't finished). I've had chapter 13 and 14 written this whol time but I didn't want to post them up because I wasn't sure this is the direction I wanted to go. But I figure I may as well post it and work around it! Let's hope I get to continuing and finishing this story. Thank all of you readers, old (I hope you still all continue with this!) and the new. Feedback of any sort is always appreciated. Also thank you to my beta Sierra, who did this so long ago! Here now is another chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter Thirteen

Draco woke up and it was slightly colder than the night before. He realized it was because he was alone. Hermione had left. He didn't think about the night before. It was time to let it go. He had to focus on a more serious matter now: getting rid of the enemies, and he was going to start with Astoria.

"Hi, Draco," Astoria said as she passed him in the hallway. "Have a minute?"

Draco tried to avoid her gaze, but he met it and couldn't look away. "You know, I've really got to get to Nott's office. We've got to talk about things."

"Surely you have a minute?" Astoria said eagerly.

"Er, I guess," Draco said.

"So I haven't seen much of you lately," she started. He didn't say anything, so she continued. "I guess I'm just saying that I've missed you." Again, he didn't say anything. "Did you hear that Pansy and Blaise are engaged?"

"No, I did not hear this news, though I don't see how it is relevant…" Draco said slowly.

"Everyone's getting married!" Astoria said in an excited tone. "I think it's wonderful."

"Nott's not getting married."

"Yes, well I suppose it's because he's waiting for the right person?" Astoria replied, waving a hand carelessly. "Anyway, what do you think of coming with me to the wedding?"

"Is there even time for a wedding?" Draco asked. "I mean, we've been so busy."

"Yes, silly. Though, it might not be for a while."

"Then why are you asking me so early?"

"Well I guess the truth is I wanted to know what your marriage plans are," Astoria said finally.

Draco stared at her carefully. "I guess I never thought about it."

"Do your parents like me, Draco?"

Draco hoped the horrific thought in his mind wasn't showing on his face. He had no intentions to take Astoria home to his parents. She was a pretty girl, but even his parents knew that she was not wife material. Rumors about her had even gotten to them.

"They don't really know you all that well," Draco answered.

"I think we should change that," Astoria smiled pleasantly, eyes bright.

Draco just wanted to avoid the situation altogether so he excused himself. "We'll chat about this later, okay? I've really got to talk to Nott."

Looking back now, Draco realized this conversation must have had a lot to do with his parents' death, because it was a week later that they were killed. And he was almost certain now Astoria was behind most of it.

He remembered the night of the explosion bitterly. He'd called the incantation under a Disillusionment Charm from close proximity to the Ministry of Magic. The Dark side had planned the coup on a perfect night. They'd had others from lower divisions take care of ministry officials and aurors that wouldn't be at the Peace Ball. It was so cleverly plotted out and perfect. Draco stood from his post for a moment and saw a glimpse of Hermione and her friends coming in later and promptly decided he didn't want to call it with them in the building. So he did it before they could be harmed by it. And then he ran.

The next morning, Theodore, Pansy, Blaise, Daphne, Astoria, and Draco went to the sight and walked over the ruins of the former Ministry of Magic building.

"Your people took care of the Aurors and officials, correct?" Theodore asked Daphne.

"Yes, they did," she said with a twisted smile. "We've got the important ones taken care of. Those that resisted have been captured. We've got watches on all former important people in the Ministry now, except the few hundred that are on the run. Astoria, where's the list?"

Astoria conjured a piece of parchment with a list of important people they'd gotten rid of to ensure they'd be able to take over that day.

"There's Potter and his friends," Theodore said. "They'll be the hardest to take out. Have them and anyone who isn't crossed off that list hunted. Offer them a spot here as a slave first, and dispose of them if they refuse. But leave the mudblood Granger for me."

Draco didn't think anything of it then – he thought Theodore just wanted the prized number one mudblood for himself – but he realized now that Theodore had a very obsessive claim over her – maybe possibly more. It was in his voice but he was too busy staring at the ruins before him to notice. It was horrible and it was his doing. He couldn't show that it upset him, though. His tough exterior needed to stay up. He needed to survive.

"Pansy, we should have a new building by tonight, correct?" Theodore asked, stepping over broken stones and shards of glass.

"Yes," she nodded. "My department's already on it."

"Good," Theodore said with a quiet satisfaction. "Malfoy, let's take care of politics…"

And the two of them went to finalize their plans to announce their new rule.

The last week that Draco was still at headquarters, he'd had a meeting with Theodore alone. Theodore placed a piece of parchment on his desk. It looked like an ancient piece, ripped out of an even more ancient book.

"Do you know what that is, Malfoy?" he asked.

Draco took a look at the paper and noticed some familiar old dark spells, specifically kept secret within the pureblood society alone. These were secrets even Voldemort knew nothing about. Draco didn't think much of it, except that using any of the spells and rituals on the page would be risking a lot.

"Ancient things, those are," Draco said.

"There's only one more left, and she's the one," Theodore said with a calm satisfaction. "She's always been the one."

Draco gulped. He'd already killed Harry by this point and was planning to leave within a few days. "You mean… the one to sacrifice?"

"Yes. You've heard of the old ancient ritual. If she sacrifices herself willingly, the magic of our people will never be tainted by dirty blood again. We will be protected. And everyone's blood will be pure."

Draco knew from the beginning this whole side was fucked up; the coup and explosion at the Peace Ball and the slavery of those who resisted and constant watches on everyone who was still alive was bad enough, but to sacrifice someone in this very old ritual that was so sick not even Voldemort would've touched it… that was something else. This was pure prejudice and stupidity. They'd all be inbred if there was no one but each other to mate with. What the hell was wrong with Theodore? He'd probably thought that eventually they'd overpopulate enough so that nobody would be inbred, but the hundreds of purebloods alive probably would somehow be related, because they all distantly were already. Draco wondered what made Theodore this evil and realized that some people are just born that way. Of course, Draco didn't say any of this out loud.

"How do you suppose the girl will be willing to sacrifice herself?" Draco asked, trying to keep the horror out of his voice. "The ritual says no Unforgivable Curses may be used. She must believe in what she's doing."

"There will be a way," Theodore answered. "And when it happens, it means absolute victory for us."

Draco felt sick remembering all the bad things that had happened and he knew subconsciously that he would do everything in his power to keep Hermione away from this. He had failed once, but he wouldn't fail again. He had to go back and resume the plan.

Hermione took a deep breath and opened the door. She silently disarmed the man sitting in the chair behind his desk. The room was still a complete mess and nearly without a roof. She locked the door.

He smirked at her. "I knew you'd be back. I just didn't expect it to be so soon."

"Be quiet," she said dangerously. "I'm here to negotiate."

"I hardly think you're in the position to do that." He was amused.

She blasted a few bookshelves in the room then pointed her wand at him. "I think I am, Theo. You're going to listen or I will not hesitate to kill you. And I will do it slowly and enjoy every bit of it."

He raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair. "Talk then, lovely."

"I want you to stop hunting people. I want you to make it public that everyone else can live in peace. Let go of your slaves. Let them live normal lives. You can rule the UK without terrorizing everyone."

"In exchange for you not killing me, you want a word on that?" he asked, a little mockingly. "No matter what you say, you won't kill me. And even if you did kill me, there isn't any knowing what the others will do… so no, baby. You'll have to do better than that."

Hermione knew it would come to this. She had come prepared for it after all. She just hoped this bargaining chip would work.

"How badly do you want me here?"

Theodore's eyes brightened with the faintest satanic glee. "Now you're talking."

"If I stay here with you, without struggle, and do your bidding, you'll stop hunting survivors, including Draco, free slaves, and have a peaceful rule? I mean you and your whole regime, not just you… you'll be fair and let everyone lead happy lives?"

"Any other loopholes you didn't think of?"

She blinked.

"Let me help you out. If you stay here with me, without struggle and to do my bidding, I'll lead a peaceful rule. I'll stop my people from hunting survivors. I'll make peace public. And I won't have anyone going after Malfoy. In fact, he can come back if he pleases. Though, after what he finds out what Astoria did I doubt he'll want to… in any case, I can't promise to not have order. I need to protect this rule from rebellions."

"Fine. That's fair."

"Done then," Theodore replied happily. "You have my word, and I always keep my word."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. Was he really that desperate to have her around?

"Now, Hermione, love, come here," he said. She walked around his desk slowly and stood in front of him, her wand clutched firmly in her hand.

He looked up at her sweetly, "Sit on my lap." She glared at him and then slowly sat down. He wrapped an arm around her, slowly, taunting. He kissed her and she just stared. He pulled away. "You're not going to act rigid when I kiss you. Let's try that again." He kissed her again and this time she responded, opening her mouth for him, allowing him to explore with his tongue while she did the same. He pulled away, satisfied. "That's better, just as I remembered. Now, what I want from you first is simple. You're going to love me. And when I touch you," he let his hands trail along her sides and down to her thighs, "you're going to like it."

Hermione didn't find these requests hard at all. It wasn't as if she didn't miss him touching her. That would always feel good, no matter what, at least in a sick and twisted way. But she supposed Theodore and she were always somewhat sick and twisted from the beginning.

He kissed up and down her neck, moving a hand to the small of her back and caressing. Hermione couldn't help but shut her eyes with anticipation at his touch. His mouth finally reached her ear and he said, "And you're going to pretend that you really did do this for the greater good and being with me isn't really what you wanted," then he said, in a very low and husky voice, "because you know, in truth, that you really did."

He was right. It made her sick but she realized she was sick and she wanted Theodore just as she always had, and no matter what he'd done she always would.

A knock on the door had their moment interrupted. Hermione attempted to stand up, but Theodore just kept her down on his lap.

"Come in," Theodore said.

Pansy walked in and upon seeing Hermione a very disgusted look came on her face. "I see you're little mudblood is back."

"Just like I said," Theodore said.

Pansy smiled very slowly. It was an evil smile. An evil and satisfied smile. And that's when Hermione realized there was something terribly wrong with what she'd decided.

"You know what else you're going to do, Hermione?" Theodore said, tilting her head so they would face each other.

"Your word, Theo…" Hermione said slowly.

"You're going to forget," he said.

Forget?

"Obliviate."

A/N: So the history part of the story is done for the most part. What will happen now?