November 30th

Following their tense, but blessedly interrupted breakfast the day before, Hermione and Rodolphus kept their distance from each other. She could tell that he was still angry with her for what she'd said to him in their heated discussion. Not a single word she uttered did she regret. She meant every single one of them. Her concerns for just how Rodolphus ended up in any sort of sexual relationship with Ginny were still valid. Perhaps when tempers weren't quite so high, she would ask her questions again in a more diplomatic manner.

After his long private meeting with her brother-in-law Alexandre, Rodolphus made himself scarce. She didn't see him return for any meals for the remainder of the day. When he wasn't even present for his usual breakfast at eight, she assumed he'd never returned home the night before. Nothing would ever induce her to willingly open his bedroom door to find out if he was even there. He might take it as some sort of encouragement, some hint that she desired to join him in bed. Even the thought of returning there filled her with dread.

It was after lunch before the front door opened again to admit Rodolphus. He looked exhausted. Though her first instinct was to ask him if he'd been able to get any actual sleep when he was with Ginny, she stopped herself out of concern that their row from the day before would only resume. It was likely to get even worse and she doubted her brother-in-law would have such impeccable timing two days in a row. She watched him silently from a chair by the fireplace in the lounge collapse on the sofa.

His eyes never left hers even as neither of them spoke. Hermione was determined that she wouldn't say the first word. All of those years she had it jumbled up in her mind that her relationship with Antonin was the abusive one in her life. It wasn't. Rodolphus could be very subtle when it suited his purposes to be so, but he never shied away from making his anger clear or proving his control of her was absolute. She looked forward to the day she could get rid of the last spell in her mind and kill the bastard. Maybe then she could finally get on with her life.

"Thanks to your lie about Ginny telling you that Aberforth knew I was an animagus, no one in the Resistance trusts her anymore. I've been able to learn nothing new from her."

"That's a pity. I do hope you'll accept my apology."

Hermione didn't understand her need to be snarky in response to his statement. It just sort of happened. At least Rodolphus was in a pleasant enough mood that he didn't feel the urge to launch himself across the room at her throat again. Ginny must've put in extra effort to make him satisfied the night before. She didn't really want to think about their sex life, but at least with Ginny keeping him entertained in the bedroom, her own services were less likely to be needed.

"You really are jealous of her, aren't you? Is it some sort of underlying insecurity rooted at Hogwarts? Because I've never seen you this way around any other woman. Not even Andromeda Tonks."

She really didn't want to get into her history with Ginny. Not with Rodolphus. It was bad enough that twenty years after they were both out of school she still harbored some of the same resentments and insecurities she did as a teenager. She didn't want him to analyze them too.

"How did you first get Ginny to do what you wanted? Was it your idea that she seduce my husband and get pregnant or was that just a happy accident you used to your advantage?"

"A happy accident, but one I couldn't plan any better myself. It worked out perfectly. No one is easier to manipulate and control than a mother. Or rather, I should say a mother who actually cares what happens to their child. That hasn't always been an experience you understood."

Mentioning Oliver even in an indirect way put a foul taste in Hermione's mouth. She didn't want Rodolphus to even think about her son. And she couldn't deny that the reminder of what a shit mum she was always stung. If she had the opportunity in the future, she would try her hardest to be better. Oliver deserved more. It was a shame for him that he'd been cursed with her for a mother. Maybe if he'd been a terror and a nasty kid she might've felt better about the circumstances. Knowing what a sweet, loving young man he was growing into made it all so much worse.

"I would prefer it if we did not discuss my son."

Every word came out through her clenched teeth. She didn't want him to be able to control her with threats against her child. As much as she trusted the fact that Antonin would do anything for his son, she knew that Rodolphus wasn't an enemy they could afford to underestimate. Until he was dead, he was going to be a problem.

"I'm so sorry, my dear. It was never been my intention to make you feel uncomfortable. I just meant that there were many years where you didn't want any reminders that Oliver existed."

He was baiting her, hoping she would make the wrong move due to her emotions. Two could play at that game if she really wanted to go down a path she couldn't return from. All it would take was the mere mention of Bellatrix to set him off. As tempting as it was, Hermione knew she had to remain in control by making Rodolphus continue to believe that he was. Manipulating men was her specialty. She'd been perfecting her craft for years. Men craved power, even if it was just the illusion, just as much as they craved sex. Sometimes more.

"How did you know Ginny was pregnant with my husband's bastard?"

Rodolphus laughed when it was clear she wanted to move along the topic of conversation. No longer appearing to be as exhausted as he was when he first returned home, he seemed ready to tell her whatever she wished to know. It was a fleeting generosity she knew she had to take advantage of while she could. Before she was ready it would likely be over.

"It wasn't difficult to deduce. I knew about the night Antonin cornered her in the Muggle warehouse in London."

"How?"

"I was there, my dear. Saw it all happen. At first I thought I should come to my comrade's aid and help him fight against Ginny."

Hermione scoffed. There was no way she would believe that was true. If Rodolphus saw an opportunity for her husband to possibly get himself killed, he wouldn't have done anything to keep it from happening. He would've been more likely to assist Ginny than Antonin.

"They were fairly evenly matched. She's an impressive fighter, but she made the teeniest mistake and Antonin disarmed her and pushed her against a wall."

A sickening thought crossed her mind.

"Did you imperio Antonin or cast some sort of lust spell on them?"

"Of course I didn't. Amusing thought really, but there was no need. Just when I thought Antonin was going to finish off the witch, they were kissing and ripping at each other's clothes like a couple of randy teenagers. Oh, but I'm sure you don't want to hear the details."

Of course she didn't, but she couldn't deny that she was curious to know how it all happened. Besides, Rodolphus would tell her whatever he wanted her to know. She resolved to show no outward emotion no matter what filth came out of his mouth. It wasn't as if she could really be angry with Antonin for his indiscretions. At that time in their marriage she was doing exactly the same. Probably even worse.

"As you can imagine I was positively scandalized. Who knew that the Resistance's very own Ginny Weasley was so willing to let a Death Eater fuck her in the middle of a dirty, smelly warehouse? And not just any Death Eater, of course, but our Dark Lord's righthand, his most trusted general? If only her little Resistance mates knew what sort of darkness and danger she craved between her thighs."

Hermione knew Ginny's history, though certainly not all of it. Being possessed by the greatest Dark wizard that had ever been born didn't leave the witch unscathed. Ginny sought out danger even when they were still in school. Not nearly as much as her older brother and his two closest friends did, of course, but she was hardly some innocent virgin afraid of the Dark. She'd been consumed by evil when she was young. Was it really any surprise that she would keep looking for it wherever she could find it? Truthfully, it always amazed Hermione that Ginny didn't become a Death Eater. She seemed like a much more likely candidate than even Hermione herself.

"Ginny is very vocal when she is enjoying herself. Sort of like you are, but with her, I don't get the impression she's just doing it for show."

She narrowed her eyes, annoyed that he would say something so crass. Even if he did have a point, it was still unnecessary to mention. Experience taught her that her sexual partners were usually quite willing to believe that they were able to elicit enthusiastic responses with their touch. Maybe that's why Temeritus still fantasized about the night she was drunk enough to let him touch her. It must have been one hell of a performance.

"I remember watching your husband thrusting inside of her with such passion and desperation and thinking that he must've not been getting what he needed from his little wife at home. It made me laugh. Or maybe he just liked the feel of Ginny's cunt better than yours. I confess that it's been so long since I last felt yours that I'm afraid I couldn't be an accurate judge. Perhaps I should ask my nephew his opinion."

A flash of anger that he would bring up the reminder that she'd been with Draco seized her before she could calm herself down enough not to be bothered by his continued disgusting remarks. Hermione knew it was foolish to feel what might have been misconstrued as jealousy. Mostly though, she was angry that Draco had lied to her about his relationship with Ginny. Of course she never believed for a second that there wasn't more to them than just friendship. They'd been too familiar that first night in the tent. And then how she just showed up at his flat after he claimed she'd never been there before? Was there anything he'd told her over the previous eleven months that held an ounce of truth?

"I also must confess that I rather enjoyed watching them. It excited me and I thought that if she was so willing to fuck Antonin, why not me? It took me over a month, almost two, to catch her on her own. She is not an easy one to find. I knew that I couldn't approach her as a human because she would be frightened and possibly try to kill me. But who doesn't love big, fluffy, friendly dogs? When she was scratching me behind my ears, I could smell something off about her, something I hadn't smelled on her before. That's when I knew she was pregnant with Antonin's bastard. From the moment I transformed back into a man, she was mine. I owned her. But, of course, I couldn't bear the thought of actually fucking her while she was in that horrible, foul condition. Had to wait several months, unfortunately, to discover what it was that Antonin liked so much about it."

"You're disgusting."

"No, I'm merely honest. More honest than most men."

"Does it not bother you that Ginny only lets you touch her because she's afraid of what will happen to her daughter if she doesn't?"

There was always the possibility that Rodolphus would be offended by the insinuation that he'd taken Ginny's will and consent away from her like he did the day before. He was very prickly about his personal honor. Never would he wish to be associated with the likes of monsters who had to force themselves on their conquests. Instead of growing angry, he simply laughed again. She was growing weary of the sound.

"Ginny craves danger. It excites her. I've never had to encourage her in any way. She's usually the one seeking me out."

Hermione didn't want to hear anymore. His chuckles echoed in her ears as she made her way up the stairs to her own room.