Thank you to Predicted Anomie and ZukoEdward'sAussiegirl for reviewing, and to naudancer and AlecLover for favoriting my story, and to Soaringphoenix7484 for following this story!

And of course, to my amazing beta Alyssa who's still willing to beta for me, even at camp. You're fabulous!

Read on...

2- Omega et Alpha

The train rattled through the English countryside. Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter looked up as the compartment door slid open. A very pleased-looking Ronald Weasley stepped in and took a sea across from Harry. Luna Lovegood, who hadn't looked up from the latest copy of the Quibbler so far, automatically slid over to make room for him.

"What are you so happy about? I thought Lavender dragged you off," remarked Harry.

The thought of Lavender made Ron's grin wider. "We just broke up!"

"And you're happy about this?" Neville looked at Ron, thoroughly confused. Neville thought that Lavender and Ron had always looked happy together. Well, perhaps not happy, but they always seemed to be snogging. They wouldn't snog if they weren't happy, right?

"Of course I am! Ugh. When we weren't snogging-"

"Which was all the time," interrupted Harry.

"-she would chatter on and on about, about girly things! I could never find a break to get a word in. I swear, she doesn't even breathe."

Hermione and Ginny walked in, and they both noted Ron's particularly wide grin.

"Gee Ron, I didn't think you were that happy about seeing Lavender," Ginny sniped.

Hermione simply scowled. Things had seemed to be getting worse between Ron and his little Lav-Lav lately. And that was exactly how she liked it. The sooner that little tramp was away from Ron the better. What had changed? Hermione sought the seat between Harry and the window.

"I was happy to see her, but now I'm even happier to never see her again. We broke up!" Ron beamed. His hopeful blue eyes rested on Hermione, who kept her face straight, but her eyes were shining. This could finally be her chance.

Ginny lightly punched Ron's shoulder as she plopped down beside him. "Good going, Ron. It took you long enough."

Harry commented on the particularly bad game the Chudley Canons, and their conversation quickly turned, and stayed, on quidditch. Hermione rested her head on her hand and gazed out the window, smiling.

Ron noticed.

Steam billowed into the vaulted ceiling of Platform 9 3/4 as the Hogwarts Express pulled into Kings Cross Station. Even though the students on board still bustled about, quickly gathering up their things and getting of the train, the atmosphere on the platform wasn't nearly as cheerful. People shifted uneasily, looking over their shoulders and yelling to their children to hurry up.

Draco finally stood up after Crabbe and Goyle had lumbered out. At his urging, the rest of the compartment's occupants had left. Draco needed time to think and he especially wanted to savor any time he had before going to the Manor. He had the great honor of spending the holidays with the Dark Lord.

I can't wait. Only one thing could make this even better, he thought sarcastically. Aunt Bella and the Dark Lord.

Standing, Draco summoned his trunk and apparated to the gates of Malfoy Manor. The gates sense who he was and automatically opened. A nameless house-elf appeared, took his things, and disapparated as soon as it had come.

The looming building stood unwelcoming before. The grey stone seemed to know of his betrayal to its owner.

Shaking his head at his own absurdity, Draco took a cautious step forward.

Christmas morning was a quiet affair. Draco and his mother exchanged gifts with a murmured 'Merry Christmas' and a 'thank you'. That made up the bulk of their conversation. But, what was there to say? Draco couldn't very well say, "Merry Christmas, Mother. I'm glad Father's in Azkaban. How about you?" Besides, he already knew the answer to the question.

Lucius Malfoy had married and impregnated Narcissa Black out of duty. It was simply what a Malfoy did, and Narcissa knew this. He did what was expected of him, and she did what was expected of her. When Lucius went to Azkaban, she didn't feel a thing. Of course, in public she played the part of a doting and loving wife. She played the part exceptionally well at his trial.

For Narcissa, there was only one bright spot in her endless green and silver life. When Draco was born. No, not because of Draco, but because of Lucius's reaction when she told him that he had a son. What Lucius had wanted most, an heir, had been given to him by her. No longer did he feel any pressure, any strain, upon him. The look that he had given her was filled with a smidge of gratefulness and respect. It was something that pureblooded wives seldom received from pureblooded husbands.

Draco knew all of this. On his last birthday, his seventeenth, Narcissa had explained, in detail, what was expected of him and how it had transgressed between her and Lucius.

As Draco took a sip of tea, the mark on his left arm burned black. Simultaneously, Bellatrix Lestrange flooed in and stood menacing in front of the fireplace.

She nodded at Narcissa, "Sister." Narcissa stoically gazed back.

Bellatrix turned and curled her lip at Draco. "My Lord wishes to see you. Now." She obviously didn't like playing messenger.

Draco stood up slowly, and moved over to Bellatrix, who grabbed his arm and spun on her heel. Soon enough, they were plunged into suffocating darkness.

The snow crunched and crackled as Hermione Granger waded through the Weasley's snow-covered garden from the apparation point. Just as the houselights were becoming visible, a voice from the shadows rang out.

"Who's there? Show yourself!"

Hermione spun to her left to see Ron Weasley aiming his want at her.

As she put her hands up, she said, "Ron, it's Hermione."

"Prove it!"

Hermione sighed. Moody had probably forced his 'constant vigilance' mantra on Ron. Normally, Hermione would have been glad about that, but her socks were currently wet and she wanted to get inside where it was considerably warmer. "My name is Hermione Jean Granger. We became friends when you and Harry Potter saved me, in the girl's bathroom, from a troll in our first year at Hogwarts."

Satisfied, Ron lowered his wand and grinned. "Had to check, didn't I?"

Hermione's smiled back as she made her way over to him. The headed towards the house.

"I was just out here getting carrots for Mum," he stated in explanation. After a moment of silence, he remarked, "I though you were on holiday with your parents, 'Mione. "

"We were just about to leave, when my dad got sick with a stomach flu. Mum was afraid that I'd get sick as well, so she sent me here." Hermione shivered violently as the wind ripped through the garden.

"Come here." He reached out an arm and she walked a bit closer. Pulling her close, Ron said, "I'm sorry 'bout your dad, but I am glad you're here."

Hermione snuggled a little closer. "Me too, Ron, me too."

"Draco..." a voice hissed. "Come forward."

Draco moved forward, knelt, and kissed the hems of Voldemort's black robes. Draco glanced around, not recognized where he was, at all.

"Rise," the high voice commanded.

Draco did so.

"You may leave, Bella."

"As you wish, my lord," she said lovingly.

Voldemort stood and seemed to wander around the room. But Draco knew different. He was circling like a predator. Draco continued to stare straight ahead.

When Voldemort was back in Draco's line of sight, Voldemort remarked offhandedly, "You have displeased me, Draco. Albus Dumbledore should be dead by now." He stopped his pacing and stood directly in front of Draco, his red eyes flashing.

Then, the Dark Lord spoke the three most dangerous words.

"I am disappointed."

And Draco knew what happened when Tom Riddle was disappointed.

Hermione's hand was just about to grab the knob of the kitchen door when Ron spoke.

"Hermione?" Ron sounded uneasy. "Could we talk for a minute?"

Confused, she replied, "Sure."

Ron led her away from the door.

"What do you want to talk about?" Hermione looked up at him curiously.

"Well," he paused and shifted nervously. "Oh. I'm just going to say this. Hermione, I only dated Lavender because I wanted to make you jealous and want me. I've liked you for a long time and-"

Hermione cut him off with her lips.

"Ron, I feel the same way. Completely."

Elated, Ron pulled her closer and moved his lips with hers.

As they kissed, hundreds of miles away, Draco Malfoy screamed beneath the wand of Lord Voldemort.