Hermione awoke with a feeling of anticipation, today was the day they would do the exchange and hopefully bring about Voldemort's victory. Hermione wasn't naive enough to believe today's events would end the war completely, but it could do enough to ensure the dark side were eventually victorious. A few rebellions were to be expected but if the main body of the Order could be taken out then the fight and belief would dwindle amongst the others.
Mulling over the potential changes to her life that would happen after the exchange, Hermione got up and got dressed. She then headed downstairs for breakfast, it was slightly later than normal as everyone had been up late the previous night running over plans. Before Draco had been taken a plan was set in place, so although her boyfriend may be missing out on knowing the finer details he would know exactly what was happening at the exchange.
When Hermione arrived for breakfast she found Bella was dining with the family. Giving the witch a big smile Hermione settled down at the table. Unlike the previous morning the atmosphere was lighter and everyone was a lot more relaxed. There was however still an underlying feeling of tension, while the plan was solid there was still a small chance everything would go wrong. They were all pretty confident nothing would go wrong but they would be stupid if they didn't take into consideration that not everything would end up going their way.
After breakfast Hermione was planning on heading upstairs to get ready when Lucius asked to speak to her. Hermione followed Lucius into his study where he produced a little silver box from his desk drawer and handed it to her.
"This is for you." Lucius said. "I want you to wear it this afternoon."
Hermione opened the box, revealing a bracelet shaped like a silver snake. The snake's mouth was open and the body of the snake formed a circle, its tail ending up back in its mouth. The snake's two eyes were glistening emeralds and the sparkled as Hermione picked up the bracelet.
"It's lovely." Hermione exclaimed. "But why are you giving it to me now, it's not my birthday or anything."
"The bracelet is fitted with a teleportation device." Lucius explained. "When you press the eyes of the snake the bracelet will transport you and anyone you're holding onto back to the Manor."
"You want me to run." Hermione looked up at Lucius in surprise. His gift was sounding an awful lot like he was trying to get her to run from the upcoming battle.
"I want you to have an escape route." Lucius responded. "Because we're doing this at Hogwarts, we'll not be able to apparate."
"Does everyone have something with a teleport device in?" Hermione asked, wondering if she was receiving special treatment.
"Narcissa has a locket with the same function." Lucius said. "I want my family to be safe."
"What about Draco?"
"I couldn't do one for him because he was getting captured, I couldn't risk the Order finding it and getting suspicious." Lucius said. "Besides, I doubt he'll leave your side once the fighting begins so if things get tough you can both use the bracelet."
"I'm not running." Hermione insisted. "I'll wear it just in case, but I'm not fleeing like a coward."
"There's a difference between being a coward and being careful." Lucius said. "Don't stay and fight just to prove something."
"I won't." Hermione said quietly.
"Good. Because you'll likely be targeted straight away. Once they realise what you've done and who you really are the Order will be out to get you. The bracelet could prove to be the only way you can escape."
"Thanks, I didn't think of that." Hermione said quietly. Despite knowing the Order would be furious by her betrayal she had never really considered how that would affect the battle, she was now realising Lucius was right, after Voldemort she would be the most wanted person in battle.
"Well make sure you remember it this afternoon." Lucius said. "If anything happened to you or Draco, I don't know what we'd do. No matter what happens you two have to be safe."
"We will, I promise." Hermione smiled at Lucius before giving him a hug.
Lucius returned the hug before releasing Hermione and sending her to get ready. Once she was dressed and ready to go Hermione put the bracelet on and made sure she had Draco's wand. She then turned and headed back downstairs where Voldemort was about to tell the Death Eaters what was really happening.
Draco lay face down on the bed in Gryffindor Tower as he listened to Potter and Weasley discuss what was going to happen at noon, the supposed exchange of hostages. As he listened to the duo gush about how great it would be to have Hermione back he couldn't help but smirk, he was really looking forward to seeing their faces when they realised the girl they thought was their best friend was on the opposing side and had just been playing them.
Deciding he should get up Draco rolled out of bed and stretched, ignoring the dirty looks the two Gryffindors were throwing his way. It took him nearly five minutes to take away the aches of sleeping in the tiny bed and by that time Potter and Weasley had disappeared. One of the things Draco was looking forward to most when he was no longer a hostage was sleeping in his own bed, the beds at school were too little for his liking and uncomfortable. During the normal school year he had his wand to adjust his bed in the Slytherin dungeons to be more comfortable, but here in Gryffindor Tower he was stuck on the small, lumpy bed.
Another thing Draco was looking forward to was a change of clothes. Dumbledore had made Potter, Weasley and Longbottom offer him some of their belongings to wear but Draco had refused, instead he chose to cast several wandless cleansing charms on his own shirt and trousers. Draco's wandless magic was pretty good so he was able to keep his clothing reasonably fresh.
Once he was dressed Draco made sure his sleeves were rolled up before venturing down to the Gryffindor common room. Having his mark on full display was one of the many ways he liked to rile Potter and Weasley, that and constantly referring to Voldemort as The Dark Lord were sure fire ways to get their blood boiling. Draco found it rather amusing that they were so shocked and scandalised when he made his allegiance to the dark side obvious, he thought they would have known him well enough after six years of attending the same school to know that he was a staunch supporter of the dark.
Arriving in the common room Draco found it practically empty. Potter and his little gang were sitting in the far corner while Mrs Weasley was tidying up. When she saw him enter the room Molly stopped her tidying and asked if he wanted any breakfast. Draco had soon realised that the witch didn't approve of the plan to hold him hostage and she tried her best to make him feel comfortable.
"Yes Please, Mrs Weasley. That would be lovely." Draco said to the woman, who immediately summoned an elf and arranged breakfast for Draco.
Draco smirked as he saw Potter and his gang shoot him evil looks, they didn't like the fact he was always polite to Molly. Draco had initially been polite to the witch as she never looked at him as though he was dirt and had done her best to make sure he was okay. Once Draco realised just how annoyed it made Potter and Weasley he turned on the charm with the older witch, now she thought he was a lovely polite boy who was just misguided.
When his breakfast arrived Draco settled down to eat, occasionally stealing glances at the teenagers in the corner. He was fairly certain that they were looking forward to getting rid of him as there obvious plan to make him uncomfortable had failed miserably. Draco had actually enjoyed the past day and a bit as he constantly wound up the group of Gryffindors. Firstly he had annoyed them by not being bothered by his surroundings, they had clearly expected him to be uncomfortable to be in Gryffindor Tower, but instead Draco had remarked how cosy the place was and what magnificent views you got from the windows.
Another great thing to annoy them with was Hermione. One time when they were complaining about what horrid treatment Hermione would most likely to be receiving Draco had informed them that she had an entire room to herself, he'd then added it was next door to his just to wind them up. He then constantly wound them up by saying that maybe she enjoyed it at the Manor, she did after all have a whole house and gardens at her disposal.
After breakfast Draco remained in the common room, just sitting watching the group of teenagers. His very presence was making them annoyed and after nearly an hour they got up en-masse and trooped out of the common room, heading through the portrait hole so he couldn't follow them.
Once the group of teenagers had gone Draco headed back upstairs and grabbed his Death Eater robes. Taking them back to the common room he settled down and waited for someone to come and get him. At half eleven Draco put his black robes on and sat back down until Dumbledore arrived fifteen minutes later.
"It's time to go Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore announced.
"Do I get my wand back now?" Draco asked as he stood up.
"Not just yet." Dumbledore smiled. "I'll give it to you just before the exchange."
Draco nodded and followed Dumbledore from the room, he knew there was no point in arguing about his wand. Silently Draco followed Dumbledore as they made their way to the courtyard. The courtyard was swarming with Order members and Draco was surprised to find Potter near the back of the group.
"Here we are." Dumbledore said, coming to a stop next to the Gryffindor. "You two wait here, until it's time to come forward. I've got to check everyone's ready."
As Dumbledore walked away to check the Order were remaining well back, Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at Draco. Draco rolled his eyes at the other boy but refrained from saying anything, he just stood and looked towards the direction the Death Eaters would be coming from.
Less than five minutes later the first flickers of black were visible approaching the castle. At the sight the Order tightened their ranks and stood firm just in front of the wooden doors leading into the castle. From his position near the back, but off to the side, Draco had a perfect view of his father leading the Death Eaters into the courtyard. Once the Death Eaters arrived they stood exactly like the Order, only instead of blocking the castle they blocked the pathway leading away from the castle.
"Lucius." Dumbledore greeted, stepping forward a few steps.
"Dumbledore." Lucius mimicked the greeting and movement. "Shall we proceed?"
"Indeed." Dumbledore nodded. "Harry."
At Dumbledore's words Harry prodded Draco in the side and ordered him to move.
"You just had to ask Potter, no need to get violent." Draco drawled as he and Harry made their way to stand beside Dumbledore.
Once they were at his side Dumbledore handed Draco back his wand, which he quickly pocketed. Draco then watched as the Death Eaters parted slightly and his mother emerged, Hermione at her side. Once they had joined Lucius the two sides slowly began making their way into the centre of the courtyard. As they walked forward Draco spotted two Death Eaters move so they were standing a few paces in front of everyone else.
"Miss Granger are you okay?" Dumbledore asked when the two groups were inches from each other.
"I'm fine." Hermione replied.
"Enough of the chit chat old man." Lucius sighed. "Let's get on with this, I have plans this afternoon."
"Very well. I suggest we exchange at the same time, you let Miss Granger come to us and you get your son back at the same time."
Lucius nodded and gestured for Hermione to move forward, Dumbledore did the same thing to Draco and the two teenagers walked towards each other. Within seconds they had exchanged places, Hermione immediately ran to Harry and held onto him tightly while Draco briefly greeted his mother before heading to join the rest of the Death Eaters.
Draco took his place beside the two Death Eaters who had moved forward slightly and watched as the action began to unfold in the centre of the courtyard. Narcissa had also retreated to the group of Death Eaters and disappeared amongst their ranks, leaving Dumbledore, Lucius, Harry and Hermione still in the centre of the two groups.
"I think that concludes our business." Dumbledore said to Lucius.
"No, I don't think it does." Lucius drawled.
"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked, paling slightly.
Before Lucius answered a squeak of surprise from Harry caught everyone's attention. Looking around Dumbledore found Harry and Hermione had moved significantly away from everyone else. He was briefly puzzled by this until he realised the teenagers were no longer hugging, Hermione was holding her wand against Harry's throat and had his wand in her other hand.
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Ron called, stepping forward slightly from the gathered group. "Let Harry go."
"I haven't got Harry."
Hermione's voice coming from the direction of the Death Eaters caused confusion, until the Death Eater standing next to Draco pulled down their hood and removed their mask, revealing Hermione. The Order just stared in disbelief, their eyes flicking between the Hermione holding Harry at wand point and the Hermione standing flanked by Draco and an unknown Death Eater. They were all wondering which one was the real Hermione and what the hell was going on?
A/N - The next chapter is the final one and wraps up the story. I know this story hasn't been overly long, but I have several more dark Hermione stories planned and a few of them are pretty long.