Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or it's characters. This is merely a work of fanfiction.

House elves bustled around Malfoy Manor, getting all their guests ready to depart. Renata was in Peony's room, helping do her hair, as they had fallen into the habit of.

Renata finished the last curl, "You're done Peony."

Peony looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"Does it feel odd? Looking in the mirror, and seeing something different than you did a few weeks ago?"

Peony shook her head, "Maybe a little, but that all feels like a bit of a fever dream now. I was so lonely, Renata, so miserable. I don't care if I look a little different. It's worth it."

Renata smiled kindly at her as they grabbed their wands, and their purses, and left the room.

"Come here Peony."

Peony joined Tom by the window in the breakfast room. He motioned for her to turn around, and she obeyed.

Tom laid a necklace with large emeralds and gold chainwork over her neck, clasping it in the back. She spun to face him, and he took in the sight of her.

"My witch."

"Yours," she confirmed.

It was a stunning courtship necklace. It must have been from the Slytherin family vaults.

"When did you get this?" She asked.

"A week ago."

Peony smiled as he lifted his hands, until one rested against the small of her back, and the other rested against the back of her neck. Peony could feel the cool metal of the Peverell ring on the nape of her neck.

Tom pulled her close to him, and pressed his lips against hers.

The kiss threatened to drown her under the weight of her own emotions, under the force of his Magic.

She could feel again, she could live again, for this. For this kiss, for his touch, for his soul so similar to hers.

Tom pulled back and looked into her gray eyes.

He was hers. She had laid claim with her words, and won the war with her lips.

Abraxas walked into the room, and cleared his throat loudly. Tom took another step back from Peony but kept her gloved hand in his.

"Are you ready to go?" Abraxas asked.

"Ready."

Tom watched how people stared at Peony as the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

She looked like something out of Witch Weekly. Her pale platinum hair was curled around her face, her lips pink and full, her gray eyes sparkling. Her black dress dipped down just enough to show his courtship necklace. The layers of her skirt arranged themselves perfectly around her.

They looked at her like she was a princess, and she was.

The difference between the Muggle world and Magical could not be more glaring than at this moment. The golden goblets gleamed in the candlelight, a stark contrast to the rubble of a bombed Muggle London, just a few years prior.

Peony would know about the war, of course she would, but few of those from Magical families would know, or care. They had both lived through wars, though hers had been more up close and personal.

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat called out.

Tom smirked as he stood to his feet, and offered an arm to escort Peony to the Slytherin table. As if Heiress Malfoy, his future Dark Lady, the witch that had been molded by a fragment of his soul, could belong in any other house.

She wore her Dark magic like a cloak down her back, but few possessed the gift of magic sensing. They merely saw a pretty, wealthy, Malfoy witch.

Tom deposited Peony in the seat next to him, and retook his seat. He could feel the gaze of the other students and professors on them as Headmaster Dippet continued with his speech.

Peony let her gaze wander over the Head Table. She made sure not to let her gaze rest on Albus Dumbledore. She didn't want to draw his attention any more than she already had, but she couldn't help the resentment that bubbled up at the sight of him.

"What's that about?" Tom whispered as her magic flared angrily.

Peony turned her head so no one would see her whisper.

"I don't like the way Dumbledore looks at you. I've lost enough people due to his meddling."

Tom's gaze flickered up to the Headmaster, then back at Peony. The grief was clear in her eyes. Interestingly enough, she blamed Dumbledore much more than she ever blamed Lord Voldemort for her losses. That much was clear.

"Shall I take care of him for you?"

A small smile pulled at Peony's lips.

"No, Tom. This one is mine."

Peony looked around the dorm room. It was just her and Renata in the Slytherin Seventh Year girls dorm.

There were two large beds that faced each other, with emerald green hangings. Large gilded mirrors stood on opposite sides of the room, besides two matching wardrobes.

"Why is it just us?" Peony asked, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

Renata sat on her bed, facing Peony, and let out a sigh.

"Most Pureblood witches are married off quite young. It's unusual, especially in Slytherin, for a witch to last until her final year. I'm only here because Abraxas insisted. Truthfully, I think he just didn't want to be separated from me."

"The witches can't come back after their bonded but the men can?"

"That's right," Renata confirmed.

"That's not fair."

"That's life. There's a handful of other witches in our year, but that's it. Admittedly I spend most of my time with Brax, and his friends. He likes to keep a close eye on me. He's going to be even worse with you. Not to mention Tom!"

Peony chuckled. It should be an interesting year.

Tom paced the length of his Head Boy dorm.

It was private, a supposed benefit of being Head Boy. Just this summer, before meeting Peony, it had been something he looked forward to.

He used to love solitude, he used to cherish silence. The private quarters would be useful for Knights meetings, he could admit that, but now the silence taunted him.

He missed Peony's peeling laughter, her fleeting touches, her whispered hints of the future.

She had begun to creep her way into his mind, into his heart.

He knew now, in the quiet of his Head Boy's quarters, he would give her everything she wanted in time.

He would make Peony a better world, a better future, where she didn't have to watch everyone she loved die. They would leave behind the black ashes of war, and create a gilded future.

Peony sat between Abraxas and Tom at the Slytherin table.

Abraxas used a duplication charm on his class schedule, and handed one to Renata, and one to Peony.

"What's this?" Renata asked.

"I hope you don't mind, but I asked Headmaster Dippet if your classes could be switched to match mine and Peony's. That way she won't be the only girl in the classes. I figured you wouldn't be heartbroken to miss another year of homemaking classes."

"Certainly not," Renata replied with a gleam in her eye, taking the schedule. "This should be much more interesting. I'm surprised Dippet didn't put up a fight."

"Yes well, a rather sizable donation was in order, but it got done."

Peony chuckled as she looked over the list- Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy, Charms. Peony turned her head to look at Tom.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts?" she whispered in amusement.

"Yes, well, it's not like Dark Arts was an option."

Peony chuckled and sipped her morning cup of tea. This promised to be her best year at Hogwarts yet.

Tom led her into the Potions classroom, leading her to a double desk. Renata and Abraxas took the remaining two seats. Tom and Abraxas expected her to sit with one of them in every class, or Renata. Not that Peony wanted to sit anywhere else.

Peony felt eyes on her, and peeked over her shoulder to see a Gryffindor boy with red hair staring at her. He wasn't the only one. In all of her classes, only the Slytherin's seemed to welcome her and Renata. The rest of the men seemed not to want them there.

"Why are they staring?" Peony whispered to Tom.

"A woman hasn't taken Seventh Year Potions since Heiress Minerva McGonagall graduated three years ago, and that was exceedingly uncommon."

"They should stop staring before I make them."

Tom perked up at that, a smirk crossing his face, as he imagined her hexing the idiots he had to endure as classmates. Peony nudged him to pull him out of his daydreams as Professor Slughorn approached.

His face was a little less wrinkled, his hair a little less gray, but he was still his oversized, cheery, self. Peony found herself surprisingly pleased to see him.

"Heiress Malfoy, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and Heiress Lestrange, what a pleasant surprise to have you in my class."

She curtsied, and was pleased to see his bow. He may be a social climbing snob, but at least he was well mannered and harmless. He had given Tom a chance, when Dumbledore never had.

"The pleasure is mine, Professor Slughorn. I'm looking forward to learning more about Potions."

He smiled at her, his eyes caught sight of her courtship necklace, and his eyes flicked to Tom.

"Lord Slytherin, congratulations are in order. A fine thing, no one more worthy than you to take up the title, and you've already secured the hand of Heiress Malfoy. A wonderful pair. You must be pleased, Lord Malfoy."

He smiled over at Abraxas, whose head was held high in pride.

"Now ladies," Professor Slughorn whispered to Renata and Peony conspiratorially. "If you find the Potions too hard, I'm sure we can find something more simple for you to do. Just let me know."

Peony swallowed her retort, and nodded. Sexism was rampant at the time. She couldn't explode on someone every time they said something.

Tom grabbed her gloved hand under the table, and ran his thumb over her knuckles. He could feel her magic writhing in anger.

"I believe my fiance and sister would at least like to try," Abraxas offered. "We'll let you know if it becomes too much."

That seemed to satisfy him, because he ambled off towards the front of the classroom to begin the class.

Peony's magic settled under Tom's touch, and Peony fought the urge to tell him to wipe that smug look off his face.

Abraxas walked in the Great Hall, as he wiped his hands on a handkerchief, cleaned it with a spell, and stowed it inside his robes. Heir Orion Black had been trusted to escort Renata and Peony to breakfast this morning.

Peony and Renata scooted apart as he approached to make room for him. He dropped a kiss on both of their foreheads as he took a seat between them. Tom strode in a moment later, looking triumphant.

Heir Black hurriedly moved down to make room for him, and he took the spot beside Peony. He pulled her close by the skirts of her dress. She could feel the possessiveness in his magic, as it practically took hold of hers.

Tom kissed her cheek, and she blushed and ducked her head.

"What have you two been up to?" Peony asked in a whisper.

"Tutoring some Gryffindor's."

"I find that hard to believe," she replied, looking at Abraxas. She noticed there was just a spot of blood on his cuff that he had missed. She whispered a quick spell to remove it.

"You can do wandless magic?" Tom whispered, his eyes lit with want.

"Just little things. Summoning, removing stains, practical things. Now tell me where you really were."

"We were tutoring Gryffindor's," Abraxas repeated Tom's excuse.

Peony squinted at Tom, who was watching Heir Septimus Weasley hobble into the Great Hall.

"What did he do?" Peony asked.

"He spent a little too much time admiring how well you fill out your dresses. We were just making sure he understood what would happen if he continued to leer at you."

"And what's that?" Peony asked Tom, a Dark gleam in her eye.

"I think you know, love."

When they walked in the corridors, either Abraxas or Tom escorted her, as if afraid someone would snatch her away from them.

"Why are they like this?" Peony asked on the third day of classes.

"You really don't know?" Renata asked. Peony shook her head.

"There hasn't been a Malfoy maiden for centuries. The last Malfoy maiden, Lyra Malfoy, was exceedingly beautiful, and powerful. Many sought her hand in marriage, but her father doted on her. He declared he would not part with her unless she was in love with the wizard. On her seventeenth birthday Lyra was kidnapped by a Weasley. She killed herself rather than be forced to marry a wizard she did not love. The blood feud over her death continues until this day."

Peony was amazed she had never heard this story. She imagined it wasn't something you just told anyone. No wonder Ron had never told her, it painted his ancestor as the villain.

"They're afraid someone will do the same to me?"

Renata smiled at her, "You are remarkably beautiful, and powerful. It's not outside the realm of possibility. More importantly, you should consider what Tom and Abraxas would do if someone ever tried to take you from them."

Peony sobered immediately. It wouldn't be good.

"You need to be good today," Tom told her as he led her down the corridor. Peony scrunched up her nose and pouted.

"I will if he will. He's a terrible person, and worst of all, a bore."

She had barely resisted cursing at Professor Dumbledore when he suggested that perhaps Transfiguration was too difficult for two young ladies of position, and they might be more comfortable in one of the women's classes. Abraxas had corrected him quickly, and Tom had calmed her down.

"Professor Dumbledore is our Transfiguration Professor. People are going to notice if you hate him for what they perceive as no reason."

"I have reasons."

Tom's gaze swept back and forth down the corridor. Abraxas and Renata walked in front of them. Tom put a hand on Peony's back and guided her into an empty classroom, locking the door behind them.

Peony's breath caught in her throat, as Tom pushed her against the dorr. He cradled her face in his hands, staring into her eyes.

She let go and allowed her magic to caress along his, teasing him. Tom bent down to kiss her. Peony succumbed to the Darkness in his kiss. She could practically taste Tom's obsession with her in his kiss, feel it in the way he touched her.

He pulled back, and looked at her, all starry eyed, and rosy cheeked.

"Now are you going to be a good witch, and play nice, or will I have to make you?"

Peony smirked, "But Tom, I'm not a good witch, I'm a Dark witch."

Tom groaned loudly, and fixed her with a reproachful look.

"Peony," he warned.

"Keep kissing me like that and I'll do whatever you want," she whispered mischievously.

Tom shook his head at her, his jaw clenched in an effort to control himself.

"We have a class to get to, Peony."

"Then let's go."

The first Saturday of the school year dawned, a chill to the air.

Peony pulled on a green wool dress, and the matching gloves. She stowed her wand in the pocket of her dress and left the dorm quietly. Renata still slept, and she didn't want to wake her. Abraxas was usually in the Common Room when she woke.

Peony looked around the Common Room, stumped. The only person present was a Third Year boy, a Carrow if she wasn't wrong. He wasn't in the Knights. He was too young, but he certainly looked up to them.

"Where is everyone?" Peony asked.

He scurried to his feet and bowed respectfully.

"Heiress Malfoy, good morning. Your brother and his friends are at Quidditch practice. They left about half an hour ago."

"Oh, I forgot about that."

Peony found it hard to believe she could forget about Quidditch, but she couldn't play here. Like so many other things, it simply wasn't proper for a Pureblood Heiress to play Quidditch, especially not in public.

Peony looked around the room, fiddling with her glove. Tom didn't play Quidditch. His Head Boy quarters were only a short walk away. Technically it was improper to be alone in his quarters, but no one needed to know.

"If Heiress Lestrange asks, please tell her I will be with Lord Slytherin."

The Carrow boy looked around nervously.

"Let me worry about my brother and Lord Slytherin. I'll be fine."

He nodded unsurely, but let her go. Peony put a silencing charm on her stilettos and hurried through the halls. Tom's quarters were close to the library. The further she got into her journey, the more anxious she grew. She started to think maybe she shouldn't have left the Common Room on her own.

She turned a corner and ran into Professor Albus Dumbledore. Her protection bracelets activated with the contact, dealing him a weak jolt of pain that made him take several steps back. She knew Abraxas would feel their activation.

He'd be here any moment now. He was going to be furious. Anxiety filled Peony's stomach as she waited.

"I apologize, Peony. I didn't see you there."

"Heiress Malfoy," she corrected with a tight smile.

"Of course, Heiress Malfoy. What are you doing out so early this morning, and all on your own? I don't think I've ever seen you without Tom or Abraxas."

She didn't like the twinkling in his eyes. She didn't miss how he dropped their titles. She took a moment to look away and raise her Occlumency shields. He didn't wait for her answers, choosing to speak over her.

"I have been meaning to speak to you, Peony. Your friendship with Tom is most troubling."

"Lord Slytherin and I are courting. He has the enthusiastic approval of my brother, the man I trust most in this world."

"You must consider the possibility that your brother's faith is ill placed. I fear Tom may not be capable of love. What a terrible life that would be for you."

Peony blinked, repressing the urge to punch Professor Dumbledore in the face. That wouldn't be very proper of her, and she was going to be in enough trouble with Abraxas as it was.

She knew Tom was beginning to love her, even if he couldn't admit it yet. She could feel it in the shift of his magic, in the looks he gave her, in the smile he shared only with her.

"You're wrong, Professor Dumbledore."

She wouldn't drop his title, even if he dropped hers, and everyone else's. She was a lady. She was a Malfoy maiden now, and more was expected of her. She cursed herself for wandering out of the Common Room on her own.

"He was conceived under the influence of Amortentia. Those conceived under its influence, are incapable of love."

Peony felt her hand twitch for her wand. Who was he to go around telling students personal business? She should hex him into next week.

"That has never been proven. A son is not guilty for the sins of his mother. Magic doesn't work that way, and you shouldn't go around telling Lord Slytherin's personal business. It's highly improper."

Abraxas came around the corner then. He stopped short at the sight of Peony. She looked ready to kill someone. Peony turned her gaze on him, grateful for his presence. He held a Beaters bat in one hand, and his broom in the other. His cheeks were tinged pink from running.

"What's going on here?" Abraxas asked.

Professor Dumbledore put his hands behind his back and smiled broadly.

"I just ran into Peony on my way to breakfast. We were just having a little chat."

Peony came to stand next to Abraxas. He nudged her slightly behind him with his shoulder.

"I'll escort Heiress Malfoy from here, Professor Dumbledore."

The Professor nodded jovially, as if he hadn't been strong arming Peony a moment before.

"Of course."

Abraxas turned around and led Peony back towards the Slytherin Common Room. They walked in tense silence. Abraxas let her enter first. Renata and Tom were standing in the Common Room. She knew by the look on Tom's face she was in trouble.

She sat down on a long green velvet couch, and watched as Abraxas stripped off his Quidditch pads, throwing them at a chair. His silence was worse than being screamed at, worse than being hexed. It was torture. Tom stood with his arms crossed, stony faced, as he leaned against the wall.

Finally Abraxas stopped and sat down on the short table in front of her.

"You are my sister," he said, his voice steely.

"Yes," she said weakly.

"Look at me."

Her eyes snapped to his, the same shade of gray that she now recognized as her own.

"You are my only family, Peony. My only family. You can not run around this castle like you are some no name from a nothing family. People know who you are. Do you not see how mens eyes linger on you?!"

Peony shook her head as she began to curl in on herself. She could feel Renata at her back, behind the sofa, lending her silent support.

"You are desirable to these men, and not all of them are honorable. You have to let us protect you. If that means you wait ten minutes for Renata to wake up, or fifteen for Tom to collect you, then so be it. I will not lose you like this family lost Heiress Lyra Malfoy. Do you understand?!"

"I understand brother. I'm sorry."

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, stinging her tear ducts. Tom swallowed thickly as he watched her. Abraxas carded his hands through his hair.

"Alright then. I am going to take a shower. You can stay here, or you can go to breakfast with Tom. It's up to you."

Renata told him she would wait till he returned, and made herself busy in another corner of the room. Peony stood and approached Tom slowly. His magic was coiled, as if ready to attack.

"Peony."

"Tom."

Tom looked out the windows towards the Black Lake as a fish swam by. Peony looked up at him, desperation clear on her face. She could tell she had done this to him. He turned his gaze back to her.

He raised one hand to caress her jaw, and Peony leaned into it. He bent down, so he could whisper into her ear.

"I'll give you what you want, Peony. You have my heart. I'll give you everything, but you can't do this again. I would raze this castle to the ground to find you. I would kill anyone in my way. You belong to me."

Peony nodded, and wrapped her arms around Tom in a hug. He stiffened for a moment under her touch, and then relaxed, wrapping his arms around her small form. He dropped a kiss onto her platinum hair.

He meant every word.