Chapter 50

Malfoy was waiting for her outside her apartments when she emerged, ready to go to the festivities organized for the day. She wasn't entirely sure what was on the cards, dinner and a performance of some kind, the missive had insinuated.

"Lord Malfoy," Hermione said, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.

"I thought we could walk together."

The previous day had definitely been a victory for him—and the people of Colmmire. It was deeply unfair if he used such tactics to undermine her defenses, because it had worked. She had more or less fallen into his arms on the show of selfless generosity. And he'd accused her of, through her rewards, forming him into the man she wanted. Was the victory as sweet for him as he'd anticipated?

"I thought it was time to give you your gift."

"Oh?" she said and he opened his hand, filled with glittering sparkle. It dropped and hung off his finger. A necklace with large sapphires. That was much too extravagant.

"Not an heirloom. I had it commissioned. The family jewels will only be yours when you accepted them."

"With some small caveats."

"Yes," he smiled. "But I wanted to give you something. And yesterday, in light of the starvation around it, it seemed inappropriate."

"To remember you by if you died. Yet, if you commissioned it, you'd have to have done so before we even had that conversation."

He moved around her. "Perhaps I wanted to see what you would do." The stones and silver was warmed by his hand and he draped it around her neck. His fingers lightly brushed the back of her neck as he fixed the clasp. "I have never given you anything before."

"You gave me something quite substantial already," she said before she checked herself. His fingers stilled for a moment, resting lightly on her spine.

"A gift I am desperately trying to claim back." Soft lips brushed the skin at the nape of her neck, causing an unexpected shiver. "Some family in Colmmire will dine finely for a while on this commission," he said, changing the subject.

Hermione knew without a doubt he was seducing her and he was so very good at it. She was softening, but it was the deeper transformation in his nature that was devastating to her defenses. He had more or less admitted he was doing these things for the reward she gave him. "Well played," she said in a barely audible voice.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she said and turned. The stones hung around her neck and it very much felt like his stones were hanging around her neck.

"If nothing else, you will remember me when you see this necklace. And you will think of me when you wear it." He smiled. "A small fortune in stones, but all in all, I'd say it's a bargain."

He looked her in the eye and she saw he was pleased with himself. "Careful what you wish for," she said.

"Is it worth doing if the stakes aren't high?"

"Not sure you completely understand what the stakes are."

"You do have me there, but a kiss recently did give me some clue."

He'd liked that kiss, but whether he felt anything more in it than victory, she didn't know.

Holding his arm out for her, he waited for her to take it. A moment of hesitation and she did. This all meant nothing, of course, even if she did bask somewhat in his attention. There was a long, long way to go before she was at risk of relinquishing anything, particularly anything that would come close to risking her family's wellbeing and prospects.

They walked in silence and as they approached, they heard a scream. Both froze. Someone had displeased Voldemort. This signified that he was in a bad mood and was taking it out of someone, or someone had been caught doing something.

Someone came running down the hall, a young man from one of the lesser houses ran straight past them without acknowledgement. There was shock on his face.

It had to be bad. "Perhaps you should stay here," Malfoy said. He released her hand and walked ahead of her, looking back briefly. He looked worried, but then Voldemort in a terrible anger was worrisome to all of them.

Hermione stood in the corridor, watching and listening, but there were no other screams. Ahead, she saw an elf run and disappear around the corner.

What was going on? People didn't normally react like this to Voldemort's outbursts, even if they were murderous. What is Malfoy wasn't coming back?

Unable to stand not knowing, she moved closer. She might not entirely go into the hall, but she needed to know what was going on.

When she walked around the corner, people were milling and exchanging looks, but no one spoke. On every page, she read grave concern. Something terrible had happened. Quickly, her thoughts turned to Malfoy. He hadn't come to seek her.

Approaching the door, she saw more people milling inside. It was very still. No one moved. One woman had her hands over her mouth, her eyes large. Then Hermione saw it, saw Voldemort sitting on his throne. Foam had formed around his mouth and his eyes were half closed. He was dead.

Malfoy stood not far away from him and their eyes met. Voldemort was dead.

The shock of it was dumbfounding. How could this have happened? It hadn't even occurred to her that it could. Voldemort was so strong, so protected—so paranoid, he let nothing near himself. But someone had killed him, by means of poison if she were to guess.

No one knew what to do. A woman appeared in the door, screamed and fainted.

Their leader was dead. The man who had forced them all to live here was dead. He held no power over them anymore. They were free. She was free.

"It must have been done by someone inside the citadel," Malfoy said quietly when he appeared by her side.

"He is so careful."

"It had to be someone he trusted, either as the perpetrator, or the unwitting deliverer of the poison."

Then the guards came streaming into the hall and roughly started pushing everyone out. The ornate doors closed firmly, shutting away the horrible sight of their dead liege. As the shock started to wear off, people were speaking more, the murmur of their voices echoing off the walls.

"What does this mean?" Hermione said, trying to think through the implications. The first instinctive reaction she'd had was that she could go see her son now. There was no one to stop her. But the more considered thought was that they didn't know what this meant. Voldemort was to paranoid to have ever stated or even insinuated an heir in case people had an alternative ruler to focus their hopes, dreams, and manipulations on.

"The guards seem to have taken control for the moment," Malfoy said quietly, his eyes scanning the room.

Terry Booth appeared, dressed in his clerical robes. "Everyone needs to return to their apartments and stay there," he said.

No one argued, even as Terry had no command to tell them what to do. It was just that his voice was the only one speaking up.

Malfoy grabbed Hermione by the elbow and urged her back the way they'd come. They walked with others until they melted away and it was just the two of them.

"For some reason, I have never even considered that Voldemort would be killed," she said quietly.

"This is unprecedented," Malfoy said. "There is no one in charge now."

"Voldemort's administrative arm is stepping in."

"For now," he said. "This is going to reverberate throughout the entire land. The earth has shifted from under our feet, and we need to figure out where we stand. Our alliances may be more important than ever. You need to check yours, particularly Wildersmith, if he is still standing by you."

"I don't think anyone is going to want to made any political moves right now," she stated. "Everyone is in shock."

"Which is really the best time to make a move, a substantial one."

"But Voldemort was at the center of that power structure. Does politics even exist anyone? Does power even exist anymore?"

"We don't know," he said. Hermione had never seen him look worried before, but everything had changed, and no one knew what a world without Voldemort looked like. "Talk to your alliances," he said after a while.

Unexpectedly, he stepped forward and kissed her on the forehead. It was such an intimate and personal thing and it took her entirely by surprise.

Hermione stood by the door and watched him as he continued down the corridor toward where his apartments were. Voldemort had also been her protection from him. What did that kiss mean? Did Malfoy feel protective against her, or was the big opportunity he felt it was time for include a move against her? He was right in that she needed to understand what her alliance stood for now.