A/N:  Here's the next chappie.  I've already started the next chappie so it should be up soon too! 

I would like to thank everyone for their reviews, especially Kris-tina4!  you reviewd so much! THANK YOU!!!!!! You really went into detail about each chapter, so I knew what was good and not so good!

Anyway, enjoy this one, and please R&R!!!  Love, Hedwig!

Chapter 20

Snape made his way swiftly to the kitchens where several house elves were scurrying around preparing the evening's banquet.

When he entered the kitchens, a flustered looking house elf approached him timidly.

"Is there something Tetchey can help you with sir?"

Snape thought quickly about his plan. He had forgotten about the house elves!

"I have left something I need up in my room, I shall return momentarily!" Snape said briskly as he turned and left.

As soon as he was outside the kitchens, he conjured 10 bottles of wine and waved his wand over them, uncorking them all.

He put a measure of the potion he had made into each bottle of wine, and with another wave of his wand, he replaced the corks.

Then, he went back into the kitchens carrying the bottles in his arms.

The same House elf greeted him again.

Snape put on a smile. "I have been saving these for just such an occasion as this evening!" he said rather proudly. "1696!"

The house elf clapped his hands happily. "Oh Sir! Master will like these!"

Snape nodded and gave the ten bottles of red wine to the house elf. "Now, make sure everyone gets a glass!" he told the excited elf.

The Elf nodded and hastened off to get all the glasses for every Deatheater prepared.

Snape noted with great pleasure that the elf poured extra wine into Voldemort's golden goblet, seeing as it was larger.

Then, he turned and left, smirking to himself. That was too easy! Now, all he had to do was wait!

Down in the dungeon, Harry, Ron and Malfoy were getting impatient with being locked up and not knowing what was going on!

Harry stood beneath the window, looking out at the dark sky which was dotted with stars, and sighed heavily.

Ron was watching Malfoy pace back and fourth. He reminded Ron of a caged tiger, snarling and growling.

"This is ridiculous treatment!" Malfoy raged. "I'm a MALFOY for crying out loud!"

Ron shrugged. "That's just the way it goes, mate! They don't care who you are apparently!"

Malfoy let out a furious roar and punched the wall as hard has he could. There was a sickening cracking noise which Ron and Harry clearly heard and winced at.

It was obvious to Harry and Ron that Malfoy had not thought out his actions previously to carrying them out as Malfoy yelled in pain and clutched his hand against his chest.

Harry went to him and inspected his hand, which Malfoy gingerly let him do.

"I think it's broken." He told the distressed Slytherin.

If you think Malfoy was pale enough already, it was nothing compared to how pale he was upon hearing this news.

"Why me!" he you punched the wall, mate!" Ron told him.

Malfoy ignored Ron's comment and looked at Harry instead, holding his hand out limply in front of him.

"What am I supposed to do now!?"

Harry shrugged, giving Malfoy a sympathetic look. "Sorry, I don't know." He said.

"Hermione would know what to do." Ron said sadly.

A depressed silence followed his statement.

"This is hopless!" Harry cried out in frustration.

"I know, Potter." Malfoy said, feeling Harry's pain.

Suddenly, they heard the door being unlocked and flung open!

The three boys ran into a corner and huddled together, squinting in the light, their eyes not accustomed to it.

"Who's there!?" Malfoy demanded. "Answer me!"

"You are required upstairs Mr Malfoy." Came the gruff voice of one of the deatheaters.

Before any of them could register what he had said, Malfoy was grabbed roughly and drug along the floor towards the door.

"Potter!" he yelled.

"Malfoy!" Harry and Ron yelled in unison, reaching out for him, but missing his ankles by inches.

The deatheater drug Malfoy, kicking and yelling out of the cell, slamming the door shut behind them, leaving Harry and Ron in the dark.

"What's the meaning of this!?" Malfoy demanded as he was drug along.

"You'll see." Came the gruff reply.

"I demand that you tell me this instant!" Malfoy snapped, thrashing around in the deatheater's grasp.

"You'll find out soon enough!" The deatheater told him.

Malfoy wriggled around furiously, and suddenly broke free.

Filled with joy, he took off running as fast as he could. He could hear the deatheater chasing him, yelling and panting.

Malfoy fairly flew out of the dungeons and up into the great hall where he spotted his father. He was just about to charge at him, when suddenly he was tackled to the ground.

Realizing it was the deatheater that had brought him from the dungeons, he fought back viciously, punching and kicking as they rolled around on the floor.

Malfoy was about to give the best right hook of his life when he was suddenly plucked up by the collar of his robes, much like a mother cat carries her kittens, and held up in the air.

Voldemort chuckled as he held Malfoy jnr by the collar between his forefinger and thumb. "Fiesty, isn't he?"

The deatheater he had grappled with got up off the floor sporting a bleeding nose and a black eye. He bowed before Voldemort and nodded. "Yes, my lord, he is."

Malfoy kicked out at his father who had come over to them, but all he managed to do was kick the air. This seemed to anger him more and he began to thrash around wildly, causing him to spin around as his robes twisted with his movements.

Voldemort gave a chuckle again. "I say, look at him go!"

Lucius looked so embarrassed by his son's behaviour! He glared at Draco.

"Draco, stop that this instant!" Lucius scolded. "What would your mother think!"

Malfoy tried to kick his father again, just barely missing him this time!

"What would you care!" he spat. "You don't care about anyone but yourself!"

Lucius looked a little hurt at Draco's comment.

"As much as I would love to continue this little chat, we really must get on with things!" Voldemort said, carrying Malfoy cat-style- over to an elaborate four poster bed which had been assembled and pointed at it.

"This is to be your workspace for the evening, Draco." Voldemort told him.

Malfoy quirked an eyebrow. "A bed?" he asked. "What am I supposed to do, sleep?"

Voldemort laughed, sending a chill down Malfoy's spine.

"Dear me, no! Such innocence!" the dark lord chuckled at Lucius, who fake laughed with him.

"Then what else am I supposed to do?" Draco demanded, frowning and folding his arms over his chest.

"Dear me, Lucius! Have you taught the boy nothing!?" Voldemort chuckled cruelly.

"Well I..." Lucius started to protest, but Voldemort held up a hand to silence him.

"No matter, it will be a pleasant surprise for the boy!"

Malfoy was thoroughly confused now as he hung limply by his collar in Voldemort's grasp.

He looked around as all the deatheaters entered the hall. He spotted Snape who gave him the thumbs up! Did that mean he had a plan?

"Let the festivities begin!" Voldemort announced, tossing Draco onto the bed carelessly and pinning him there with a spell.

Meanwhile, up in her room, Hermione had composed herself. The situation seemed hopeless, but she wasn't going to admit that. She completely trusted Dumbledore and the order to get her out of this alive and unscathed.

She walked over to the full length mirror and inspected her appearance. She was impressed, Lucius had done very well, but she wasn't about to admit that either!

She desperately wished she had someone to talk to! She was so worried about what Voldemort had planned!

Suddenly, her door flew open and a deatheater she didn't recognize came in and grabbed her.

Screaming and kicking, she tried to fight him off, but he was stronger and managed to grab her and throw her onto his shoulder, whereupon, he carried her out of the room and down the stairs to the main hall where everyone else was.

"Put me down you horrible thing!" she raged, not noticing where she was. She pounded his back with her fists.

Then, she was tossed unceremoniously onto the bed, where Malfoy was trapped, and was pinned there by the same spell that held Malfoy.
"Hermione!" Malfoy cried happily.

"Draco?" Hermione said confused. "What are we doing here? What are they going to do?"

"I don't know!" Malfoy said sadly. "But I bet it won't be pleasant!"

Hermione looked around at the deatheaters, who were currently munching on dinner. Voldemort had been notified of Snape's 'gift' and suggested that they save the best for last, so they didn't drink the wine with dinner.

They feasted for about an hour, after which Voldemort clapped his hands to hush his crew.

"Bring up the other two!" he announced.

Two deatheaters stood up and dashed for the dungeons.

Malfoy frowned. "Why do they need Potter and Weasley?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know." She said softly.

After a few minutes of deafening silence, Harry and Ron were tossed across the marble floor, sliding several feet and coming to a halt at Voldemort's feet.

Harry stood up and glared. "What did you do with Malfoy? And where's Hermione!?" He demanded.

Ron tried not to look at Voldemort in the eye. Instead, his eyes wandered around the room and came to rest on Hermione and Malfoy.

"H-Harry!" Ron said shakily, pointing at the two on the bed.

Harry followed Ron's finger to where it was pointing and saw the two sitting staring back at him.

Hermione looked relieved that they were still alive. Malfoy just looked confused.

Harry looked back up at Voldemort. "What's the meaning of this?!" he demanded.

"You will see Harry, it's quite simple really!" Voldemort said gesturing at Hermione and Malfoy. Then he turned to his deatheaters and made his big announcement.

"As most of you know, tonight is to be the night I shall produce an heir!" He bellowed proudly. "Seeing as I am rather getting on in years, I can't very well do the job myself now can I? So... without further ado, I give you Miss Hermione Granger and Mr Draco Malfoy!"

The Deatheaters applauded and cat called.

Hermione froze. What did he mean, 'produce and heir!'? surely she had heard wrong?

Malfoy's jaw dropped and he looked at Hermione in shock and dispair.

"I don't understand!" Hermione shouted defiantly.

Silence ensued and Voldemort turned and glided over to the bed where the two nervous students sat and grinned evilly.

"To put it perfectly clear for your innocent ears my dear, you are going to give me an heir!" he said as though talking to a child.

Hermione went deathly pale. "NO!" She cried.

"NO!" Came the unified voices of Harry and Ron. Two deatheaters had to hold them back from running at Voldemort.

"No!" Snape whispered in horror. (he had been one of the deatheaters, including Lucius, who had been kept in the dark)

"YES!" Roared Voldemort victoriously. "And, as I said before, I can't very well get the job done at my age, so young Mr Malfoy will do it for me!"

Malfoy's jaw dropped even lower and he looked at his father.

Lucius looked confused and he stepped up behind Voldemort. "But my lord!" he emplored "Miss Granger is not a pureblood!"

"I know that you idiot!" Snapped Voldemort. "Think of the damage, Lucius!" he added nodding at Harry and Ron. "Don't fret so, Lucius, Draco doesn't have to marry her!"

Obviously not pleased, Lucius reluctantly nodded and backed down.

Hermione had started sobbing uncontrollably. "This has to be, by far, the worst night of my life!"

Voldemort smiled a creepy smile. "There there, my dear, it's not all bad! Hmmn? Look who's going to bestow the necessary means! Draco Malfoy! You couldn't ask for better!" he said in a patronizing tone. "Now, go ahead, Draco, we are waiting!" he added, grabbing Malfoy and tossing him at Hermione.

He landed precisely where Voldemort wanted him to land, right atop Hermione.

They were both terrified and just stared at each other, both thinking the same thing. 'Surely Voldemort wasn't serious! He surely didn't expect them to...to...'

But obviously he did. Voldemort leaned down and peered at Draco.

"What's the matter, don't you know how?" he asked.

Draco looked at him in horror. "You don't seriously expect us to... well, y'know?!"

"I do Draco, I do." Came the reply. Suddenly he was held at Wand point, and Voldemort didn't look like he was jesting as green sparks flew from his wand tip.

"Otherwise, I'll avada you and get Severus to do it for me instead!"

Hermione shrieked in horror and Snape nearly passed out.

"No! Don't, I...I'll do it." Malfoy said in defeat.

Voldemort grinned.

"NO!" Harry yelled again trying to get free from the deatheater that was holding him. "Mione!"

Hermione looked sadly at Harry and Ron, a single tear ran down her cheek.

Malfoy looked at Harry and Ron too, he looked really apologetic. "Sorry guys, I have no choice!"

Defeated, Harry and Ron nodded. They understood.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Voldemort snapped. "Get on with it!"

Malfoy glared at Voldemort before turning to Hermione. "I'm sorry Hermione." He said softly.

Hermione nodded. "I know, me too." She said tearfully.

He leaned in to kiss her, and their lips met in a chaste kiss, a precious moment.

Then Voldemort held up his goblet of wine, and raised it in a toast. "To my hier!" he said.
The deatheaters held up their goblets too and said "To the heir!" in unison.

Then, they all drank.

Snape raised his goblet to his lips and appeared to drink too, only he kept his lips firmly pressed together so no wine passed them, but dribbled down his front instead.

Now all he had to do was wait until the potion took effect and then he could get the students out of here and back to Hogwarts.

Malfoy and Hermione kissed again, only this one was to lead to something neither of them wanted to do.

Suddenly, the doors of the main hall were flung open and a crowd of people charged in.

"STOP RIGHT THERE TOM!" Dumbledore's voce bellowed.

Malfoy and Hermione abruptly stopped kissing and grinned. Help had come! They went limp with relief.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Harry cried happily.

The whole order was there, except Sirius of course. Mrs Weasley gave Harry a warm, reassuring smile.

Dumbledore winked at Harry, before turning his attention and wrath on Voldemort once more.

Voldemort rolled his eyes. "Oh no, what are you doing here?!"

"We've come to put a stop to this!" Dumbledore replied nodding at Hermione and Malfoy.

"I knew you were low, Tom, but I never thought you would....never mind, I take that back!"

Voldemort Sneered. "Well, then, let the battle commence!"