A/N: Many thanks to RachaelLA26 for her beta work! Here it is, the penultimate chapter!

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Chapter 17: The Spectacle

June 2003

Nott Park

Bedfordshire, England

The vows were over, the party in full swing, and Tom found himself handling business. Something he had promised Hermione he wouldn't do. But unfortunately, the world didn't pause just because they had gotten married.

"Take care of it, Flint," Tom hissed. Apparently, their wedding had been gatecrashed. Luckily, Tom's followers valued their lives enough to not fuck up Hermione's wedding day. Not that Hermione was the one they would have been answering too.

"On it," Flint nodded swiftly and hurried from Tom and toward the front gates of Nott Park. Thankfully, the disturbance of the gatecrashers had been kept to the front gate, which was far away from the rest of the party at the back of the estate.

"There you are," Hermione greeted him with a warm smile. Tom felt as if his breath was stolen from him once more. She looked so damned beautiful today. His heart clenched as he realized he would do anything for this witch. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her close for a kiss. One she enthusiastically responded too.

"Can we leave yet?" Tom asked as he kissed his way from her lips to that sweet spot just beneath her ear. The one that made her knees weak every damn time.

"Uh," Hermione groaned. "I think…" she trailed off at just the moment her knees turned to jelly and Tom stiffened his arms, holding her upright.

"Let's get out of here," he murmured.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked. "You never did tell me."

"Because it's a surprise," Tom smirked and was pleased when she returned the smirk.

"I do rather like your surprises."

"Good, let's go then." Tom pulled away from her, grasping one of her hands in his as he headed toward the manor house and the Floo connection. In truth, Theo's wedding gift was where they were headed. Theo had gifted them a house. Tom hadn't even hinted that was what he wanted for his wedding present, although, he was quite pleased with it. He hoped Hermione would be too. He'd had Pansy and Millie furnishing it for the last month. Although, they wouldn't be seeing much of the inside of it that night.

Finally, making their way through Nott Park and to Theo's study. Tom threw a handful of Floo powder into the fire.

"Granger Court," he said firmly and pulled Hermione through the fireplace with him.

"What?" Hermione coughed and stumbled as they stepped out of the fireplace on the other side. "What did you call this place?" She didn't even bother looking around, her eyes were boring into his own and Tom wasn't sure if she was upset or just shocked.

"Granger Court," Tom said, squeezing her hand. He indicated the room they had stepped out in. It was a library, already half-filled with books. "It's our wedding gift from Theo, Draco, Pansy, and Millie."

"This? A house?" Hermione breathed. "Oh, Tom, it's too much!"

"Trust me, it's not too much," Tom chuckled. "It's actually a little on the small side, but I think that's something you will like about it."

"Who contributed what?" Hermione asked as she stepped forward, trailing her hand over the rich leather of a sofa.

"It was Theo's manor. His mother's dowry property I believe. He transferred the deed to you, actually, since I was taking your name, we changed the name at that time. Draco did the furnishings with Pansy and Millie's input on design."

"Wow," Hermione sighed as she turned in a slow circle taking it all in.

"We can check out the house later," Tom told her, stalking forward. He had a very specific set of plans for that evening and wasn't about to be put off over a house.

"Let's go." He entwined his hand with hers again and led her out of their house and to their garden. It was beautiful and in full bloom. Half of the reason Theo had gifted them this specific property lay behind the garden. A very small set of standing stones.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed upon seeing the setup. Tom had Draco out here preparing for the ritual he wanted to complete that night. There was a ring of oak around the outermost ring of standing stones. The inner ring had a ring of salt. On the altar were a bowl of water, a bowl of earth, and their ritual blood bowl and knife.

"Is this…?" Hermione trailed off as she stepped over the pile of wood at the outermost ring.

"A combination ritual," Tom said. "One meant to fuse our souls permanently. And cement our power for eternity."

"Eternity?" Hermione asked. She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised.

"Meaning for as long as we live, and as long as our souls live after our bodies have died a natural death."

Hermione nodded and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. While the idea of living forever had always intrigued Tom, the thought that he wouldn't have Hermione with him someday had put a plug in any sort of immortality plans. He didn't want to live if he couldn't have Hermione. And Hermione didn't want immortality. Tom found he could be reasonable. At least where Hermione was concerned.

"The water…?" Hermione asked.

"From the underground lake in the cave," Tom assured her. "And the earth is from beneath the Mother Oak."

Hermione smiled softly. She snapped her fingers and her beautiful, simple wedding dress slid off her body. Tom was pleased to see she wasn't wearing anything underneath of it. He raked his eyes over her body, unable to believe that this incredible woman belonged to him.

"It seems you are overdressed, husband," Hermione drawled.

Tom's heart beat faster and he quirked an eyebrow at her. He slowly worked off his tie, followed by his robes, suit coat, and shirt. When he was just in his trousers and shoes, Hermione snapped her fingers and Tom found himself naked.

"You're taking too long. Get over here," Hermione said as she picked up the ceremonial knife. She sliced her left palm, allowing the blood to drip into the bowl below. "To all the old gods, whoever may listen, I give you this sacrifice. My body. My blood. To seal our souls and magic. Bless this union."

Tom grinned at her words and closed the final few steps to join her at the altar. The moment he crossed the salt ring, the wood ring leapt up in flame, closing them in. Then the salt ring turned into a channel of water, providing yet another barrier.

Hermione handed Tom the knife still dripping with her own blood and Tom used it to make a wound on his left hand. He repeated Hermione's words and then healed both of their hands with nothing more than the touch of his lips.

"Already, we are so powerful, wife," Tom said to Hermione as he trailed his hands along her shoulders. She shuddered underneath his touch. "Imagine how powerful we will be after this."

A stiff wind split through the fire at the south end of the standing stones circle, causing them both to shiver.

"Tom," Hermione breathed. "Tell me what you want me to do."

"On your hands and knees," Tom told her. Hermione scrambled on top of the altar to comply. She arched her back and Tom admired her form for a moment before he too joined her. He placed on hand on the back of her neck, the other at her hip, slipping it between her folds to test her readiness. "Oh, you are so ready for this," Tom grinned when his hand came back slick. He aligned himself with her and pushed inside.

"Oh," Hermione groaned, pushing her hips back into his. Tom loosened the grip on the back of her neck and tangled his hand in her hair. He pushed her upper back down until she had her chest to the altar and her arse in the air. "Fuck, Tom," Hermione whined.

Tom increased his pace, he wanted her to come quickly and knew this position was good for her. So he wasn't surprised when he felt the tell-tale fluttering of her walls around his cock.

"Come," he demanded, punctuating the command with a sharp snap of his hips. His cock hit her cervix and she groaned loudly as her orgasm washed over her. Tom rocked her through it and when she finally laid limp before him, he pulled out and turned her over onto her back.

"Merlin, Tom," Hermione sighed. Tom smirked at her and placed a soft kiss on her lips, but didn't linger there. Instead, he made his way down her body, pausing for a moment to kiss and lick her breasts. He kissed along her left hip bone before finally settling between his legs. "Tom," Hermione begged as he placed a chaste kiss at the top of her sex.

Her hands tangled in his hair as he licked and kissed her sweet cunt. His cock was hard and begging for relief, but Tom ignored it. It was Hermione's wedding night, he had to make her orgasm as many times as he could before he took his own pleasure.

Putting two fingers inside her slick channel, Tom began alternately sucking and licking Hermione's clit. It wasn't too terribly long before her legs were shaking and she was coming undone at his fingertips. Just as she was coming down, Tom sucked on her clit once more, he sealed his lips around it and tapped it with his tongue causing her to fall apart around him again.

"Tom, please," Hermione urged him up, tugging on his hair. He raised his head and grinned at her. "I need you to fuck me," she told him.

"Your wish—"

"Don't finish that sentence," Hermione warned. She yanked him up and flipped him to his back, straddling his stomach. "It's your turn," she said with a small smirk. Tom grinned at her as she pressed a brief kiss to his lips and then down his chest and finally to the head of his cock. Tom laced his fingers behind his head as Hermione worked. She swirled her tongue around him before sucking just the head in her mouth. Tom grunted and couldn't stop his hips from moving as she slowly took in more and more of him. She'd become quite proficient at deep throating and soon had her nose buried against his lower abdomen. The third time she swallowed around him, Tom reached his hands down and pulled her off of him.

"If you keep that up, I'll come," Tom warned her.

"Later then," Hermione promised and if possible, Tom's cock grew even harder. He moved to rearrange them, but Hermione placed her hands flat on his chest, keeping him on his back. She scrambled to sit atop him and within moments his cock was buried back into her warm cunt. It was impossibly tight and swollen with the number of orgasms she had and Tom almost choked at the feel of it around him. His eyes rolled back in his head as Hermione's hips rolled forward. Tom gripped her hips tightly in his hands as she found a rhythm that they both enjoyed.

"Going to rule the world with you," Hermione grunted. "Mr Granger."

"Mrs Granger," Tom groaned back and flexed his hips. Hermione fell forward at that, sliding her sweet, silky, slightly sweaty skin along his. He wrapped his arms around her and plundered her mouth with a kiss.

"Tom," Hermione cried out as she pulled away from his kiss a moment later. Tom could feel her walls getting impossibly tighter as Hermione's orgasm began building. He helped her move her hips up and down, as he punctuated each movement of hers with a thrust from below. Hermione's neck arched and she let loose a most primal cry as she climaxed and Tom would hold the image of her reaching her pleasure above him in his mind for the rest of his life. He grunted through his own orgasm as his seed spilled inside of her.

June 2003

Diagon Alley

London, England

Three weeks after Tom's wedding found him in Diagon Alley for lunch. Theo was walking alongside him, but Draco was still at the Ministry. A new eatery had opened that Tom wanted to check out before he took Hermione there. Theo was often a silent companion, which Tom appreciated. It let him alone with his thoughts without being completely alone.

Without warning a bright purple spell flew past Tom. He whirled around to find an assembly of Red-Cloaks behind him. All hooded. There were at least fifty that Tom could see and more Apparating in all the time. The Alley was soon filled with Potter's supporters.

"Potter," Tom spat. Despite the hood, Tom recognized the cocky stance of Potter at the front of the group.

"Voldemort," Potter spat back, tossing back his hood. "You do not belong here and I will be the one to put you in your place once more."

"I think you have me confused with someone else," Tom hissed. To Theo he whispered, "Call for backup."

Tom was prepared this time, he'd had his followers warned that a confrontation was likely coming. Theo sent off a Patronus and moments later, the first of Tom's followers began to Apparate into Diagon Alley.

"You poor, deluded bastard," Tom continued. "This delusion that I am Voldemort is getting out of hand, Potter. I'm Tom Granger, originally from Albania, don't you know? I married your best friend after all."

"She is not my best friend! She's as much a traitor as you are!" Potter shouted and threw a hex at Tom. He easily blocked it but didn't return a spell of his own. He didn't think it was possible at this stage, but he'd like to de-escalate this situation without it turning into an actual battle.

"Potter," Tom tried again. But Potter was done talking, he sent a volley of hexes and curses Tom's way, lighting up Diagon Alley with his spell fire. Tom's shield absorbed most of them, and as more and more of Tom's followers Apparated in, the battle between him and Potter splintered off into hundreds of smaller duels throughout the Alley.

Potter ducked behind another Red-Cloak and disappeared into the crowd. Tom growled his frustration and took a moment to glance around. Theo and Draco were both battling a small group of Red-Cloaks and Tom could see other followers of his engaged in their own battles. Shopkeepers were shuttering shops left and right and the goblins had lowered the gate over the main doors of Gringotts. Tom gritted his teeth. He hoped there wouldn't be too many casualties today. The last thing the wizarding world needed was another war.

A slicing hex hit the back of his thigh and Tom grunted, flicking his fingers to heal it before heading back into the battle that raged around him. Tom's last hope before the chaos truly descended and all he could do was work to stay alive, was that Hermione stayed at the Ministry. Safe.

June 2003

Ministry of Magic

London, England

Hermione didn't notice when Pansy left. She'd had her head buried in an old law book from the early 1800s for most of the day. It was almost three in the afternoon when she finally looked up. There was a scuffle outside her office. She stretched and stood from behind her desk. Crossing her office to open the door, she heard the distinct pops of Apparition. The only people who could Apparate out of the Ministry were Aurors. Hermione whipped open her door to find Millie at her desk, clearly fretting, and chaos in the Auror bullpen down the hallway from her office.

"Millie, what's going on?" Hermione asked.

"You are supposed to stay here," Millie whispered.

"Tell me," Hermione demanded.

"There's been a fight in Diagon Alley—"

"Is it still ongoing?" Hermione asked although she knew the answer to that question. Aurors wouldn't be Apparating out of the Ministry if the fight were over.

"Yes," Millie said.

"Fucking, Tom. Let's go," Hermione turned and ran down the hall for the stairs. Fuck the lifts at a time like this, she needed to get out of the Ministry and to Diagon Alley. She knew for certain that Tom would do his best to keep her out of the fighting as some sort of misplaced protection thing, but Hermione was fully capable of taking care of herself.

When she and Millie reached the Atrium, Hermione grabbed her hand. "We'll be going in there blind, I'll Side-Apparate you, so we stay together. In the alley off of Gringotts. Hopefully, the fighting won't be too bad there."

Millie nodded, she looked scared and Hermione squeezed her hand in support before turning to her left and spinning away in Apparition.

When they landed, the air was smoky with spellfire and Hermione and Millie both coughed as they attempted to figure out their surroundings. Diagon Alley wasn't quite a ruin, but it was a near thing. Walls were collapsed all over the place and rubble littered the streets.

Rogue Order members in their wine-red robes were everywhere, with their hoods up. Hermione thought they looked like Death Eaters. The Aurors were surprisingly fighting against the Rogue Order and that had Hermione breathing a small sigh of relief. Her heart swelled with love for Tom, he was the reason the Aurors were fighting against the Rogue Order instead of with them. She searched the crowd, looking for Tom.

Someone in a maroon robe dashed across the alley and Hermione caught sight of Tom at the same time. Tom stood on top of a small pile of rubble, protecting as many people as he could. Meanwhile, the hood fell down on the Rogue Order member and Hermione instantly recognized Harry's black hair.

"No, Tom!" she shouted, knowing that there was no way he could hear her over the noise of the hundreds of battles raging in the small space.

She took off running toward where Tom and Harry were about to collide.

"Hermione!" Millie screamed from behind her, but Hermione ignored her. She didn't think of anything else except saving Tom. She couldn't think of anything else. She dodged bolts of magic and slid around duels and over rubble in her desperate race to get there in time.

Suddenly, she was yanked backward just as a bright blue curse flew by her face. Millie had a hold of her arm above the elbow. "Fucking hell," Hermione panted.

"That was close," Millie agreed.

"Come on, Harry's going for Tom, we have to hurry!" Hermione pointed to the rubble pile where Tom was still dueling. She could just make out Harry through the crowd as he made his way toward Tom from behind.

Hermione took off again, pushing past everyone she could. She shoved someone from the Rogue Order so hard, they fell to their knees. She didn't see, but Millie hexed them so that they would stay down. Diagon Alley was almost unrecognizable at this point, although she did spot the shattered arm from Weasleys Wizard Wheezes as it hung limply from the elbow. If she recalled, Tom was standing just in front of Flourish and Blotts, but smoke from spellfire and dust from the collapsed buildings obscured most of the signage.

All she knew was that she had to get to Tom. She couldn't lose him. Not again. Not only because it would mean her own death, but because they still had so much work to do. She finally felt like they were accomplishing items on their agenda. Items that would make their world a better place. She wasn't about to give that up now, even if it meant spending eternity with Tom. She couldn't give that up. Shoving past one last Rogue Order member Hermione finally was at the base of the rubble pile.

"TOM!" she screamed as Harry tossed back the hood of his cloak and pointed his wand at Tom's back.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Harry shrieked.

"NO! TOM!" Hermione raced forward, trying to get there in time, she just needed to get Tom out of the way of that bright green jet of light that was heading right for him.

Hermione arrived in time to see Theo Nott fall down at Tom's feet. His eyes were glassy and empty.

"No! Theo!" Tom shouted. He dropped to his knees, cradling his friend's head. "Theo."

Hermione's eyes widened at the sight before her. Harry was panting, his wand pointed at the place where Tom had been standing, his eyes round and horrified. Suddenly, his wand arm dropped to his side and his wand slid out of his fingers to become lost to the debris at his feet.

"I didn't mean to…" Harry said.

"You never do," Hermione spat at him. "Tom!"

Tom looked up at her, his eyes full of unshed tears. "Tom, the battle still rages."

Tom breathed out heavily and reached into his pocket for something. Hermione only realized it was a Portkey when Theo's body disappeared.

Harry stood with a blank look on his face, seeming to not comprehend that he'd murdered the wrong man when an Auror tackled him to the ground. He didn't even fight, he just went limp as the Auror hauled him upright, and put a pair of handcuffs on his hands.

"I'm sorry," Harry said quietly as the Auror hauled him away. It wasn't long before the Aurors had control of the scene and the healers from St Mungo's showed up to begin treating injuries. Hermione and Tom helped where they could, especially among those who were Tom's followers. Hermione might dislike the terminology and the meaning behind it all, but she couldn't deny that without them she and Tom both might be dead.

June 2003

Granger Court

Oxfordshire, England

It was surreal to go home that evening. The Aurors had kept them at the Ministry for hours taking their statement and sorting through what was true and what wasn't. Shacklebolt had resigned the moment someone had spotted him trying to stuff his Rogue Order robe into a rubbish bin.

"Are you hungry?" Hermione asked when she and Tom finally arrived back home that evening. The new house didn't feel like home yet, it was still too new, but they'd moved out of Hermione's old apartment and it was all they had.

Tom shook his head and wandered into the library. Hermione followed him and watched with sad eyes as he settled onto one of the sofas. She pointed her wand at the fireplace and lit a fire. It was June, but Hermione's soul hurt and fire always seemed to help. She sat next to Tom and took his hand in hers. She wanted to ask him a million questions, but she didn't. That's not what Tom needed right now.

Soon enough, she'd coaxed him to lie down, his head pillowed on her lap. When the first tears came, she didn't say anything and when he turned to bury his face into her stomach and sob, Hermione just combed her fingers through his hair. She offered him as much comfort as she could. She hoped it was enough. She knew what it was to lose a true friend. She knew the pain of losing one of your first friends. And she knew how much it hurt when a stalwart friend gave up his life for yours. Most of all, Hermione sat there, comforting Tom, and thanking every deity above that he had enough soul to be upset about Theo.