Love and Betrayal
A/N: Before you read this chapter, I have several things to say. One: I fixed the mistake I made about Julianna's last name. It was supposed to be Marvolo but I don't know what I was thinking. Two, I know in the chapter that it says that Hermione and Ebony are starting a friendship, well, just yeah. Oh and the thing that will happen in this chapter is very Voldemorty. Yeah. So have fun reading!
Hermione felt a silkiness against her smooth skin. She moved her head but winced in pain as it throbbed horribly. She blearily saw someone's hand push a bottle into her face and help her drink it. Hermione's vision cleared and she saw Ebony. Her eyes were tear-rimmed but her face had a warm smile.
How did she get here? She was last in Voldemort's private library and then that was it?
Hermione pushed a piece of hair out of her face with her left hand but she felt something smooth yet tangible grazed her face ever so slightly. She pulled her hand back and saw to her horror a wedding band of white gold that had a large emerald in the middle flanked by two snakes.
Hermione looked to Ebony who had stood up and walked to the fireplace.
"I haven't been completely honest with you Hermione. Perhaps if I had told you when I met you the entire truth perhaps then you would have listened," Ebony said quietly, her eyes trained on the glowing fire.
Ebony turned to face Hermione. "My mother was a pureblood by the name of Alena Snape. She was a beautiful woman of great pureblooded lineage. She married Nathaniel Slithinm. But she caught the eye of Voldemort as it was and he took her to his bed. And of that she grew pregnant of me. My mother named me Ebony Dionne Riddle. But Mr. Slithinm took care of me. He raised me while my mother tried to get back into Voldemort's bed. Later, Ministry officials found out of her affairs with Voldemort and killed her, those were uncertain times as such. But of course Voldemort didn't care she was dead for he felt no love for her. And I was 7, and I did not care for her either. So you see, my father is a half-blood," Ebony said, her purple eyes downcast.
Hermione arose from the bed and padded over to Ebony. "It is alright. But how could you have prevented my marriage to Voldemort?" Hermione asked rather curious.
Ebony looked to the floor. "I went to Hogwarts like you did but I was in Ravenclaw. I had quite the interest in Divination. And in my sixth year, it was found out that I was a seer. I made a prophesy while speaking to Dumbledore. I even wrote it down. It's in that book over there," Ebony said, pointing to a leather book on Hermione's night table, "But, of course Voldemort found out. It had to do with him after all. I asked Dumbledore if there was a way to prevent it happening. He only said that if the prophesy is set into motion, it will be fulfilled. At first I believed even that Voldemort would never find the woman who was destined to be his wife. But he did, in you. And the first part has come true, somewhat," Ebony finished, tears welling behind her eyes.
Hermione put a comforting hand on her shoulder and gently lead her to the settee.
"Tell me what happened. I only remember speaking to Voldemort about Hogwarts A History," Hermione said.
Ebony sighed. "Well, Voldemort had come up with this potion that is quite like Imperius but instead it is a potion and you think and act normal but the other person has complete control over the drinker's mind. There is a special chamber in this room that bindings were usually held in. I came to your room and you weren't here. So, I went looking around the manor and spotted Crabbe and Goyle Sr. lurking in the hallway leading to the chamber. I approached them when Lucius Malfoy came walking up. The two of them grabbed me and I realized what was happening. I struggled against them until I finally gave in and told them that I would like to stay with you until you woke up. Voldemort allowed such a thing and here I am," Ebony said.
"But," Ebony looked up at Hermione, her eyes having a mysterious glint, "wizarding marriages are never complete until they are consummated."
"Which will of course be remedied," Voldemort said from his place in the doorway.
Both women's eyes shot to him and he smirked slightly.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione and Ebony asked at the same time.
Voldemort laughed. "How sweet, you say things in unison. No, I am here to see my wife," Voldemort replied.
Hermione stood her hands on her hips. "I am not your wife! You married me with some sort of potion and not of my free will! And there is no way our "marriage" will be consummated," Hermione said, her voice rising on wife.
Voldemort's smirk was gone and his eyes full of rage. He stormed over to Hermione and grabbed her arm. "We will consummate the marriage," he hissed in her ear.
Hermione forcefully pulled her arm from his grasp. "You will tell me to do nothing! I am not your puppet and as such you cannot control me."
Ebony finally spoke up. "What are you doing here? Obviously you didn't come here to bicker with your new wife."
Voldemort looked past Hermione at Ebony and sneered. "No I didn't come here to bicker with my wife. I came here to give her this," he said, holding out a large black box.
Hermione eyed it suspiciously. Voldemort huffed. "It's not poisoned nor will it harm you in any way. You're my wife now."
Hermione hesitantly took the box from his hands and opened it. Inside lay a necklace with a snake that had a large emerald in the middle. Ebony looked over Hermione's shoulders and then up at Voldemort.
"That was your mother's necklace," Ebony remarked.
Hermione turned and looked at the portrait of Julianna and saw that the necklace she held was the same that Julianna wore.
"Do you want to put it on?" Voldemort asked though it sounded more like a command.
"Well, if I were to, I would feel as if I belonged to snakes," Hermione replied.
"You do belong to snakes, you belong to me," Voldemort said as he took the necklace and slipped it around Hermione's neck.
Hermione turned to Ebony. "I would like to see that prophesy now," she said.
"She knows of the prophesy. And it will come true," Voldemort said, his voice a hiss and then going back to normal.
Ebony walked to the table and brought the book to Hermione. She pointed at the prophesy which was written in beautiful flowing script.
For a man of darkness,
A wife for him he must have,
That loves him with her heart and gives her soul of both,
Too soon it happens but all is well,
And a light shall shine forth.
"What does it mean?" Hermione whispered to Ebony.
"Oh, well the first three lines are easy to decipher. The first line refers to Voldemort. The second is explanatory, he must have a wife. The third means that his wife must love him and they will have a child. The fourth line I'm not sure and it must be of importance because the fifth line could mean anything but it apparently has something to do with the fourth," Ebony supplied.
Hermione smiled at Ebony. "I think this is the start of a friendship," Hermione whispered.
"I'm glad. I will help you avoid him. We want the marriage to expire," Ebony said….
Meanwhile at Grimmuald Place as Hermione was awakening…
Harry rushed down the stairs as he clutched his scar. The dream he had had was so vivid and it intrigued him. He hoped of course that it wasn't true.
He skidded into the kitchen and everyone looked up.
"Whatever is the matter, my dear," Mrs. Weasley asked.
"I had a dream about Hermione. But, um, Professor Dumbledore do you have a pensive, it would be easier that way," Harry said.
Everyone scrambled around and Dumbledore brought forth his pensive. Harry put his wand to his head and drew forth the memory and dropped it into the pensive.
Professor Dumbledore took out his wand and tapped the surface of the pensive before disappearing….
The Dream:
Voldemort held onto Hermione's arm as they walked to the chamber. Lucius passed by him. "I set everything up my lord," he said as he bowed.
Voldemort nodded and continued on. Crabbe and Goyle Sr. bowed to him and parted to let Voldemort and Hermione through. Hermione smiled and looked up at Voldemort.
They passed into the chamber and the door closed. The old man at the head of the chamber beckoned them forward.
The 'minister' took Hermione's hand and slit her palm open. "Repeat after me my dear," the man said.
"With my blood I do give myself to Tom Marvolo Riddle until such time as death," Hermione said after the man.
The man caught some of her blood in a chalice. Then the man slit Voldemort's palm and told him to repeat after him.
"With my blood I do give myself to Hermione Alyssa Granger until such time as death," Voldemort repeated.
The man caught some of Voldemort's blood in the same chalice. Then the man bound their cut hands together with a piece of cloth.
The man gave Hermione the chalice first. "Repeat after me after you drink," the man said.
Hermione drank some of the blood from the chalice then repeated, "I feel your life, I feel your life, my love in my veins."
Then Voldemort drank from the cup and repeated, "I feel your life, I feel your life, my love in my veins."
"The rings please," the man said.
Voldemort gave him the rings and the man blessed them by the elements before giving them to slip on.
"Now you may kiss your wife but remember you have one month my lord to consummate the marriage," the man said.
Voldemort leaned down and captured Hermione's lips. She leaned closer to him, running her hands through his hair. Finally, he broke the kiss and took her arm.
Voldemort went to the door and opened it to find Lucius facing Crabbe and Goyle while they held someone back.
Voldemort and Hermione walked briskly to the people. Voldemort smirked as he realized that Crabbe and Goyle held back Ebony, his daughter.
Ebony looked up at the sound of footsteps. She struggled against the men. "YOU BASTARD!" Ebony yelled before the memory disappeared.
End of Dream…
Dumbledore came back and everyone looked at him. "Where is the floo? I must tell Serveus of this immediately," Dumbledore said.
Mrs. Weasley pointed to the floo and Dumbledore threw it into the fireplace yelling, "Potion Masters Quarters, Hogwarts,"
Dumbledore talked through the fireplace to Snape before he pulled his head out and Snape appeared behind him.
Everyone in the room looked at the duo expectantly. "It would appear that Miss Granger or Mrs. Riddle now, was under a potion that the Dark Lord recently created. It is called the Consprit Potion and it has some effects of the Imperius Curse but the drinker will act normal. We only know that she was under such a thing because Ebony is the Dark Lord's daughter and my niece. She is a Seer and she told me that she warned Miss-Mrs. Riddle about staying away from dining with the Dark Lord. And Ebony is usually a calm girl and it seems strange that Crabbe and Goyle would hold Ebony back," Snape said.
"Stop calling Hermione Mrs. Riddle!" Harry said angrily.
"Mr. Potter, might I remind you that in the dream you saw the Dark Lord and Miss Granger marry? As such she is Mrs. Riddle. I will find out more today as it is a meeting day and no doubt Mrs. Riddle will be in attendance as the Dark Lord's new wife. And I will speak to my niece. Then I will be able to tell you more," Snape replied and he flooed back to his chambers...
Hermione's Room
Hermione and Ebony sat reading in companionable silence. They looked up as the door opened to reveal Voldemort.
"What do you want?" Ebony asked.
"We have a meeting today and my wife will be in attendance. I will even allow you, Ebony to come and keep my wife company," Voldemort said.
Ebony looked to Hermione. Ebony stood up and grabbed a hold of Hermione's arm and pulled her towards the closet.
"You have to be joking about going to the meeting!" Hermione said once Ebony had shut the door.
"Of course not. We need to go. You are of high position but also my Uncle Serveus will be there, perhaps we or just I could speak with him," Ebony replied.
"I hadn't thought of that. It would be good to know the secrets of Voldemort," Hermione said thoughtfully.
Ebony smiled and brought out emerald robes and black robes for herself.
"You will wear the emerald," Ebony said.
Hermione eyed the gown and slipped it on. She looked in the mirror and saw Ebony grinning mischievously.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"That is the same gown that Julianna was wearing," Ebony replied.
"And you want me to wear it? I look horrible. Look, the tops of my breasts show," Hermione said.
"Exactly the point. We're also trying to distract Voldemort," Ebony replied, linking her arm with Hermione's and walking through the door.
Voldemort eyed Hermione while she rolled her eyes and dragged Ebony towards the door.
Voldemort swept up and took Hermione's arm instead while Ebony stepped back and walked behind them.
They reached the room and the deatheaters bowed as they walked towards their thrones. Hermione was seated and Ebony sat beside her in a chair and then Voldemort took a seat…..