A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or anything associated with it.

I have to apologize because this chapter isn't as long as usual. I'm quite occupied currently, but no worries...the updates will keep coming. I may update again before next Wednesday if I find the time to write another chapter because this one was so short. Happy reading!

-Hermione-

I'd been moping around for days. I knew I didn't really have a reason to, but I couldn't help it. Malfoy helped a little at first, but he was still distant. We may have been bonded, but we were not quite friends. I wanted a friend…a confident. Sure, I had Lucius, Narcissa, and even Voldemort and Blaise, but it just wasn't the same. I wanted Harry, but I knew I couldn't have him. I should have been detaching myself from him, not feeling closer. There was the clear chance that he would die, and even if he did live, it would mean my death because I was a Death Eater. He would have no control over it. Sighing, I crawled out of bed to take a shower. There was really no use, but it would at least be a little comforting. Voldemort had called a meeting for around noon, so I still had about an hour. He promised not everyone would be in attendance, which was only slightly comforting.

As I finished picking through the breakfast an elf had left for me when I was in the shower, I decided I wouldn't be too early if I left, so I made my way to the dining room, where the meeting was to be held. I was the only one there, so I took a seat at the far end of the table, away from the head. I still didn't quite understand where I was expected to sit, so I'd just claim a random seat until someone corrected me. I suppose that was one of the downsides of being around the aristocracy when you weren't raised among them. I soon got lost in the patterns on the marble table, and before I knew it, the room had a couple of other occupants. Snape, Lucius, Malfoy, Bellatrix, Dolohov, and Voldemort. It seemed that they were all staring at me by then, so I pulled my knees away from my chest and nodded to show I was paying attention.

"Hermione," Voldemort said.

"Hmm?" I answered.

"Why are you all of the way down there?" He asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice. I looked back at the marble a little sheepishly.

"I didn't exactly know where I was expected to sit," I replied. I could see the humor flash through his eyes when I looked back up, but it was quickly gone as he motioned for Lucius to explain the seating to me.

"During meetings, we sit according to rank. In this case, the Dark Lord will be at the head. As the next two in rank, Bella and I will be on his immediate right and left, followed by you and Draco, and then by Snape and Dolohov," he explained. I nodded in understanding, and moved to sit next to Bellatrix. She no longer made me nervous, so it wasn't really a hardship, although I couldn't say we'd ever be completely comfortable around each other. It was hard to forget what she'd done to me when I was here as a prisoner, and the thought was hardly comforting with Snape sitting on the other side of me.

Seemingly satisfied with Lucius's explanation and my willingness to move, Voldemort sat down himself. I sat silently, waiting for him to get to the point.

"We have a mission that needs to be carried out," he stated. I sighed. Why else would we be here? Just get on with it. "Unfortunately, it is quite dangerous and will have to be carried out with caution." Blah, blah, blah. "It also requires a disguise, which will be explained further shortly to those who will be involved. Not everyone will be privy to the specifics of this mission, but I thought you should all be informed of who it pertained to at least," everyone besides Lucius and myself looked at him curiously. Lucius was obviously already in the know, and I couldn't really care what he was saying at the moment.

"Hermione, Draco, this mission will be yours." At that my attention snapped back to him.

"What?" I asked.

"This mission will be completed by you and Draco," he said, finality in his tone. I didn't necessarily have anything against going with Malfoy, but I'd never been on any sort of mission before, and I didn't know what to expect…especially if it was dangerous. I would probably just end up dragging Malfoy down, if I was being honest with myself. I stared at him blankly.

"Everyone but Hermione and Draco are free to go," he added as an afterthought. Everyone cleared quickly, but I stayed in place, and I could see that Malfoy did the same from the corner of my eye. Clearing my voice, I asked the question that was eating at my mind.

"Why us?"

"Because of your youth," he said, but if I didn't know any better I would have said he wasn't being completely honest.

"Care to explain?" I asked.

"I need you both to go to France. You probably won't be immediately recognized, but you will be given alternate identities, because they will figure out who you were eventually otherwise. There is a group there, claiming to be following me. I normally wouldn't mind the support, but this lot is brutal. You may think we kill a lot of innocents, but we have nothing on them. It's all a game for them, and it has to stop. They are giving the cause a worse name than it already has, and I'm losing valuable support elsewhere because of it. They will accept you much more readily as you are similar in age to them, and you both could be considered attractive. Stop them with whatever means you'd like…just make sure they aren't able to regroup," he finished. I nodded slowly, but Malfoy didn't move. Voldemort directed his gaze at him, and he too nodded.

"You will be Bret Abel and Abella Baudin," he said will no emotion.

"When will we be leaving?" I asked

"Tonight."

"How should we alter our appearances?" Malfoy asked.

"Come to me before you leave, and I'll take care of it."

"Back stories?" He asked. Voldemort's eyes immediately turned to me. I could only imagine what he was thinking. I wasn't good with rude crowds, in fact, I tended to have rather scarring memories of them.

"You were born in France, but both grew up in Germany, which is where you met. You're in a casual relationship, and you wish to join the cause," I nearly flinched at that, but I was able to hold it back. "The rest of the story will be up to the both of you." Malfoy merely nodded, but I was growing more nervous by the second.

"I suggest you two start packing. I'm expecting you to take two to three weeks to get in with them properly. They aren't as smart as you, but they aren't imbeciles. Their trust should be fairly easy to earn if you go about it correctly," he finished with a dismissal. Malfoy and I both took our leave to pack. I rushed to my room, my mind racing. I didn't know if I was ready for this. I couldn't even function properly here, let alone somewhere I've never been with people I don't know, and only Malfoy as support. I thought about that last tidbit for a second, realizing it didn't seem as bad when I was being sent with him. I supposed it was because I knew he would protect me if it came down to it. I wasn't afraid of physical pain, but just knowing that he would help, willingly or unwillingly, was slightly comforting.

Time passed quickly as I got my things together, preparing myself mentally for what I was about to do. Abella Baudin. I could do this.

A/N: I'd like to thank the Guest, shaymars, Snapesbloodredneko, anidot90, BrightestWitchOfHerAge16, and Mrs. A. Drake for reviewing. Also a huge thanks to everyone who followed/favorited.

Just to let you know, no one (outside of those I know away from the internet) guessed the book I was referring to in the previous chapter. You'll find out eventually.

Please leave me your comments/questions/predictions/anything else in a review? Thanks for reading!