He looked different, much different. His platinum blonde hair hung loose, no longer drenched in that horrible grease. It framed his face, and made his icy silver eyes more evident. She had never noticed how beautiful they really were. Then again, the only time she had ever seen them they were looking down upon her with disgust. He gained a sudden interest in the floor.
"Apparently you wont," Hermione replied. Now she was the one looking down on him.
"I feel I must apologize for all the trouble I have caused you," he said as he gained the courage to look her in the eye once more.
"There is little that can be done about it. The past is the past, and under these," she paused. "Newfound circumstances, we have to forget it."
"Thank you, my Lady," he gave her a small smile. "Have you seen the rest of Voldemort's Manor? Father informed me that this was your first full day here."
"No, actually I haven't. All I've seen is the dining room, my bedroom, the dungeons, and this ballroom."
"That's horrid! Come, I'll show you the rest." She stared at his offered arm, then raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner. "Just come on." He leaned in closer to her ear. "It will be better then staying in here with all these people."
Hermione sighed then slipped her arm through his. He lead her the small platform that held to one large chair that Voldemort was sitting in. Lucius Malfoy was standing to his right side.
"My Lord," Draco bowed as Voldemort turned. "My Lady informed me that she has not seen very much of the Manor, I was hoping you would allow me the honor of showing her the rest."
"Of course, Draco," it sounded as though Voldemort chuckled. "You'll save me a bit of time, and I'm sure you'll make it far more entertaining than I ever could. Lucius, you've raised your son well."
"Of course, I wouldn't tolerate any less from a Malfoy. Draco, don't keep her too long. Others, like myself, might just get a little jealous," Lucius smiled at Hermione, then took her free hand and kissed it. "I've yet to be permitted the pleasure of her company," he added as he returned her hand.
"I'll bring her back as soon as she's seen everything," Draco and Hermione bowed their heads graciously as they turned and exited the room. As soon as they were out of sight, Hermione pulled her arm from his.
"You are so charming it literally makes me sick," she stated.
"Get used to it, its how everyone is, especially when Voldemort himself is around. Politeness keeps you alive around here," he turned to her. "Look Granger," he snapped. "Sorry, I mean, Lady Voldemort. I'm trying to teach you what the hell you need to do to save your ass around here, so don't be such a bloody bitch and just listen to," he stopped mid sentence. The look that possessed Hermione's usually pretty face, well it looked like it just might kill him. In all the girls he had seen, he had been with, nothing he had seen was sexier than Hermione that very second.
"How dare you speak to me that way! I might have put up with it in school, but we're not in school anymore. I'm not a stupid little Mudblood anymore. I am the heir of Voldemort, in case you've forgotten already. And your in my house. It might have only been my house for 24 hours, but it's mine, and I refuse to be spoken to in such a disrespectful manner under my roof."She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes when she finished her rant.
"Wow, I never knew you had that in you. Guess I should have been prepared. After all, you are the daughter of our Lord; his wraith is known throughout the world. Maybe you don't need as much help as I thought you did."
"I know how to take care of myself. I've been doing it for years, and I'm not about to start taking advice from the likes of you. You, with your Malfoy Manor, your Malfoy money, and your Malfoy pampered life." She would have continued, but she was interrupted when Draco forcefully pressed her to the wall.
"Shut up," Draco said with an uneasy calm."You've never seen what I have, you've never lived the way I have." His voice was calm, but the fire in his eyes and the way his hands shook as the held her wrists told her he was far from calm. "As much as I'd like to see you try to be me, I pray you never have to experience what I have. Do not speak of what you do not know."
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"You know Lucius, I must find my daughter a bride after she graduates this year. Maybe even before then. The war may happen 5 years from now," Voldemort said. "But it could also happen tomorrow. Those fools in the Ministry will do anything to get to me, and if they do, I may not survive. I know she will catch on to things quickly here, but I also know that many of the men in this room would not accept complete rule of a woman. She's a strong girl. She's powerful, even more so than myself, I believe. You and I both know that if all of the Death Eaters decided to rebel, no ruler would survive their overthrow. A strong husband would keep things under control. She would rule, and he would be there to take care of the few things she could not."
"I understand My Lord," Lucius said. "If something were to happen to you, I would keep watch over her. She will be a strong leader; she will keep hold of the victory you leave her with, if you are…" he dropped his gaze. "Killed."
"Don't worry, I've already excepted that I most likely wont survive the end of the war. She will be an excellent heiress. She only needs to choose a proper husband…. I'm glad that she and Draco seem to be getting along so well."
"Apparently you wont," Hermione replied. Now she was the one looking down on him.
"I feel I must apologize for all the trouble I have caused you," he said as he gained the courage to look her in the eye once more.
"There is little that can be done about it. The past is the past, and under these," she paused. "Newfound circumstances, we have to forget it."
"Thank you, my Lady," he gave her a small smile. "Have you seen the rest of Voldemort's Manor? Father informed me that this was your first full day here."
"No, actually I haven't. All I've seen is the dining room, my bedroom, the dungeons, and this ballroom."
"That's horrid! Come, I'll show you the rest." She stared at his offered arm, then raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner. "Just come on." He leaned in closer to her ear. "It will be better then staying in here with all these people."
Hermione sighed then slipped her arm through his. He lead her the small platform that held to one large chair that Voldemort was sitting in. Lucius Malfoy was standing to his right side.
"My Lord," Draco bowed as Voldemort turned. "My Lady informed me that she has not seen very much of the Manor, I was hoping you would allow me the honor of showing her the rest."
"Of course, Draco," it sounded as though Voldemort chuckled. "You'll save me a bit of time, and I'm sure you'll make it far more entertaining than I ever could. Lucius, you've raised your son well."
"Of course, I wouldn't tolerate any less from a Malfoy. Draco, don't keep her too long. Others, like myself, might just get a little jealous," Lucius smiled at Hermione, then took her free hand and kissed it. "I've yet to be permitted the pleasure of her company," he added as he returned her hand.
"I'll bring her back as soon as she's seen everything," Draco and Hermione bowed their heads graciously as they turned and exited the room. As soon as they were out of sight, Hermione pulled her arm from his.
"You are so charming it literally makes me sick," she stated.
"Get used to it, its how everyone is, especially when Voldemort himself is around. Politeness keeps you alive around here," he turned to her. "Look Granger," he snapped. "Sorry, I mean, Lady Voldemort. I'm trying to teach you what the hell you need to do to save your ass around here, so don't be such a bloody bitch and just listen to," he stopped mid sentence. The look that possessed Hermione's usually pretty face, well it looked like it just might kill him. In all the girls he had seen, he had been with, nothing he had seen was sexier than Hermione that very second.
"How dare you speak to me that way! I might have put up with it in school, but we're not in school anymore. I'm not a stupid little Mudblood anymore. I am the heir of Voldemort, in case you've forgotten already. And your in my house. It might have only been my house for 24 hours, but it's mine, and I refuse to be spoken to in such a disrespectful manner under my roof."She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes when she finished her rant.
"Wow, I never knew you had that in you. Guess I should have been prepared. After all, you are the daughter of our Lord; his wraith is known throughout the world. Maybe you don't need as much help as I thought you did."
"I know how to take care of myself. I've been doing it for years, and I'm not about to start taking advice from the likes of you. You, with your Malfoy Manor, your Malfoy money, and your Malfoy pampered life." She would have continued, but she was interrupted when Draco forcefully pressed her to the wall.
"Shut up," Draco said with an uneasy calm."You've never seen what I have, you've never lived the way I have." His voice was calm, but the fire in his eyes and the way his hands shook as the held her wrists told her he was far from calm. "As much as I'd like to see you try to be me, I pray you never have to experience what I have. Do not speak of what you do not know."
************************************************************************
"You know Lucius, I must find my daughter a bride after she graduates this year. Maybe even before then. The war may happen 5 years from now," Voldemort said. "But it could also happen tomorrow. Those fools in the Ministry will do anything to get to me, and if they do, I may not survive. I know she will catch on to things quickly here, but I also know that many of the men in this room would not accept complete rule of a woman. She's a strong girl. She's powerful, even more so than myself, I believe. You and I both know that if all of the Death Eaters decided to rebel, no ruler would survive their overthrow. A strong husband would keep things under control. She would rule, and he would be there to take care of the few things she could not."
"I understand My Lord," Lucius said. "If something were to happen to you, I would keep watch over her. She will be a strong leader; she will keep hold of the victory you leave her with, if you are…" he dropped his gaze. "Killed."
"Don't worry, I've already excepted that I most likely wont survive the end of the war. She will be an excellent heiress. She only needs to choose a proper husband…. I'm glad that she and Draco seem to be getting along so well."