Prompt: Children
Pairing: Voldmione
They were just children, three insignificant little pests. His hands clenched, sharp knuckles turning white as he glared at them from across the room. How could he have been defeated by those two idiots and that little chit.
He couldn't believe it when Nagini had been destroyed, leaving him supposedly mortal. He couldn't believe it when his own wand turned on him and struck him down. This time, though, he wouldn't let it happen again. No he knew better this time around. No more making the same mistakes, no more underestimating the lot of them.
A low, deep chuckle left his throat and he drifted away in search of a corporeal form to inhabit, he had a lot of planning to do.
*.*
Voldemort had been defeated for months and the wizarding world was at peace, Ginny and Harry finally got together and so did Ron and Hermione. They were all best friends and they were all incredibly happy, but like all good things it came to an end.
It started with an accident, Harry fell off his broom and broke his neck before anyone realized what happened. One second he was laughing and chasing after the snitch, the next he was gone. Hermione never could forgive herself for that, she was the one who was refereeing and the only one allowed a wand, but she had been too busy reading about arithmancy to notice.
Sadly that was only the beginning of a weird streak of accidents popping up, it seemed like ex Order members were dropping like flies and nothing could stop it. Most of the Death Eaters had been rounded up and sent to Azkaban and the ones still on the loose were in hiding or left the UK.
Soon anyone who supported Harry was a target and it was dangerous to go anywhere without a group of at least three, which was driving Hermione crazy. As much as she loved Ginny and Ron being cramped in with them at the Burrow was driving her insane. Eventually, when she could no longer handle it, she found herself leaving alone to visit one of her favorite book stores, a little place called The Tattered Quill.
When she entered the shop she finally let herself relax, taking in a deep breath as she practically salivated over all the potential knowledge. With a determined air she made her way to the stacks and stacks of volumes, sifting through treasures and trash alike on a quest to find something that could catch her eye; and find something she did.
It was a small brown book about the size of a mans hand, leather, with thick uneven parchment for pages. It was soft to the touch and when she unwrapped the leather cord and opened it to the first page she felt her excitement rise. The Complete Potion by Nineve. TheNineve? The famous witch known as The Lady? This was a special find indeed, her works had been considered less than savory among polite society for quite some time and to find it here was a treat. Turning it over she glanced at the price and blanched, 50 galleons for this one book .
She bit her lip, if she bought this she wouldn't have any book money left for the rest of the month, but if she didn't buy it she may never come across another one and she knew she'd regret it. Mind made up she made her way to the woman manning the front desk, bought it, and made her way out of the shop planning to find the nearest floo and head back to the burrow.
When she opened the door, however, she wasn't exactly paying much attention to where she was going, her mind still firmly revolving around the book she had just bought, and ran into a man and she would have fallen if he hadn't steadied her.
"I'm so sorry." Her cheeks grew red in embarrassment, "I wasn't watching where I was going, are you ok?"
"Fine," He assured her, with a calculating glint in his eyes that she missed, "Are you okay Miss. . . ?"
"Thank goodness." She let out a sigh of relief, "I'm Hermione."
"I know." This time she didn't miss the glint in his eye as he grabbed her, portkeying them both out before she knew what was happening.
*.*
Voldemort watched as one of his new Death Eaters dragged the Granger girl into his, for lack of a better word, throne room. A cold smirk twitched at his thin lips, his red eyes twinkling gleefully at the chance to finally talk to the Mudblood who helped Potter defeat him again. Oh yes, he had heard things about this girl, how she, not Potter, was the real reason why he failed year after year to kill that insignificant little bug. The reason why Voldemort was laughed at, couldn't even handle three children.
Anger flared through him and he pulled out his wand, tapping his thin if mock thoughtfulness, he was really going to enjoy this.
"Leave us" He commanded, waiting for them to be alone before approaching the girl. She was laying on the ground in pain, clutching at an arm that appeared to be dislocated. She would be getting more rough treatment than that very soon. Perhaps she wasn't such a child after all, he noted, taking in her appearance- The deep brown eyes, wild hair and womanly figure.
"Hermione Granger." He circled her before stopping her her head, using his foot to force her face up, forcing her to look him in the eye, "We meet at last."
He could see her pulse thrumming frantically through her jugular, how easy it would be to end her life right here, to slice through it and watch her bleed out. The thought and her fear were like an aphrodisiac, rending him unable to resist getting closer.
He squatted down next to her, dark robes billowed around him, and traced a long, spidery finger down her face until it rested under her chin, "Nothing to say dear?"
"Not to you." She spat out, that Gryffindor stupidity winning out over her fear of him.
"But you will," He leaned down until his mouth was touching the shell of her ear, his voice taking on a silky, sibilant tone, "We have all the time in the world to get to know each other, dearest."
