The next morning when she woke he was gone. A note was on her pillow from him:

Hermione,

I had to leave early; I couldn't risk being distracted by your morning seductions. I will contact you when I need you. Be careful, be safe. If Zabini gives you flack I'll get him. I was pleased to see him suffering still from his punishment for treating you so badly. If you find anything to assist in my search mail it to me. Summon Wonka and he'll get it to me. Burn this and remember, you haven't heard or seen me since I first returned you.

See you soon, my sweet.
V.

Hermione took her wand and destroyed the letter. So he had tortured Zabini. That explained alot. She got up and stretched before walking to her bathroom. She didn't want to remove his smell from her body, but she had to. She hadn't seen him since January. She had to stick to that story. Once out of the shower she got dressed for class and went to the living room for her books and her bag. Voldemort had bought her everything she needed for school this year. Blaise was also packing up his bag, "What did he do to you?"

Blaise froze. Hermione looked at him, "He obviously did something bad. I know that. But what exactly did he do to you?"

After a deep breath Blaise spoke, "Let's just say he made sure that not only would I be nice to you, he made sure that I couldn't…do anything to you."

"He cut off your…"

"I really don't want to talk about it," he grabbed his bag, "are you ready for breakfast? I'm supposed to look out for you here. Not…not like he does, sure. But I have to make sure none of the Slytherins, or anyone else, hurts you. If they do…well…he said I'd lose what I have left."

Hermione nodded and they walked down to the Great Hall. Voldemort had hurt Zabini more than he'd ever hurt an Order member. He must really care about her.

The first three weeks of school nothing particularly interesting happened. Voldemort sent her a book the first week, but beyond that it was dull. As week four came to a close and the first Hogsmeade weekend grew closer Hermione felt uneasy. She wasn't sure why, but something felt off. As she finished her rounds for the night and walked back to her rooms she was suddenly grabbed from behind. She cried out and struggled against her alleged kidnapper. "Voldemort contacted you yet you say nothing to any of us?" She realized it was Kingsley and struggled against him more, "Whose side are you on Hermione?"

"Let go of me!" She broke free and drew her wand on him, "I get kidnapped less than a year ago and your solution to speak with me is to abduct me? Are you insane?" She moved as far away from him as she could, her wand pointed at him still. "None of you talk to me anyway."

"He sent you something. A book."

"Yeah so what? He likes to send me little reminders that he's…that he's still able to get to me."

"What was in the book?"

"How should I know? I threw it out. I already don't get any trust or respect from my former friends. Why add to that?"

Kingsley looked her over. The girl looked scared and confused. "Fine. You can go."

Hermione went back to her rooms, shaking. She sat down on the couch and Blaise exited his room, "Hermione? Are you alright?" He sat down next to her and ran his hand over her back. She placed her head on his chest and he hugged her, "Did something happen?"

"Kingsley Shacklebolt grabbed me and questioned me like I'm some sort of criminal." Immediately Voldemort appeared, "H-how?"

"Keyword wards," he said, sitting on her other side. Hermione moved to his lap immediately and he held her, "What did he want?"

"The book you sent me," she answered.

"Where is it?"

"I hid it in our bookcase."

"Zabini," he nodded to the bookcase and Blaise grabbed it. Voldemort took it, "I found this in my travels. If they want it that means it's valuable." Hermione just snuggled against him, her head buried in his chest. "Do you want to be a working man again, Zabini?" Blaise nodded and Voldemort smirked. Good. "You will assist Hermione in her search. This way you can both get further in it. Once you find me immortality I will restore your manhood to its original condition."

"Sure."

"I need to see into your mind, Hermione. I need to know what he said." She nodded and looked him in the eye. Voldemort entered her mind. When he pulled out he looked angry. "He just grabbed you like that? He will pay."

"But then they'll know that you're still near me," she said, "they could hurt you."

Voldemort was stunned. She was worried about his wellbeing. He pulled her to him and kissed her fiercely. "You really do love me," he whispered when they pulled apart.

"I told you that," she laid her head on his shoulder, "I've told you that plenty of times."

He thought for a few minutes. He couldn't kill Kingsley. But they clearly suspected he was up to something with Hermione. He needed to throw them off of his trail. "Would you be mad at me if I kidnapped the Weasley girl?"

She looked up at him, "Why would you do that?"

"They need to think my plans are…well different than that which they already suspect. I need suspicion drawn away from you. If I kidnap her, implant some false memories, torture her a bit…well they'd leave you alone. But I don't want to do all that only to have you hate me and refuse me."

"You won't harm her irreparably? Or rape her?"

"Of course not."

"Well I guess I can't be mad at you for that."

"Good," he kissed her, "are you okay?"

"I am with you here now," she snuggled against him again. "Can you stay the night?"

"Sure," he smiled, "but I have to leave tomorrow morning. I wasn't done in Egypt."

"At least stay until I wake up?"

"Sure," he nodded, kissing her again. "Ready for bed?"

"I finished my homework, so yes. But you're covered in filth so we need a bath first." She got up and pulled him with her. He looked at Zabini, shooting him a warning glare as he followed Hermione into her room.

"She has notes in that book, Zabini. Read them tonight. Learn what she knows so far and the two of you can decide where to go from here." Blaise nodded and picked up the book.

In Hermione's bathtub she finally got a good look at him. "You're much tanner now."

"I've been in Egypt for nearly a month, Hermione. I haven't been sitting in a library. I've been exploring." Hermione washed his back and shoulders. "This large tub is very nice," he said.

"I want to hear about your adventures," she kissed the back of his neck. "I'm glad you've kept your hair short."

"I know you like short hair on men. Plus this keeps it out of my way."

"Why don't you care if Blaise sees you like this?"

"He is under my thumb. He won't go against me."

"You trust him?"

"Of course not. But the boy is exceptionally bright. He won't do anything dumb like disobey me."

Hermione ran her hands over his back in a slow massage, "Your back is all clean. Now, tell me about your adventures."

"I went through several ancient tombs, mostly magical. Nothing worthwhile, unfortunately; save for that book that I sent you. The views were beautiful, certainly. Not as beautiful as the woman I had to leave behind though," he turned to look at her and pulled her to him, "I missed you."

She smiled and kissed him, "I missed you too," she whispered, "time to wash your front." He let her scrub him clean. "I want you here when you can be here, please."

"I think that can be arranged. Do you need more details? It was not exciting. Not like this summer."

Hermione thought about it. He wanted to talk about something else. Clearly. She washed him, "What do you want to talk about?"

"I've been celibate the past month and it desperately needs to be corrected. Work can wait until tomorrow. Right now I just want you."

"I want you too," she whispered, leaning in to kiss him. "You make it easy to forget about everything."

"Good," he kissed her, his hands moving over her body. Hermione looked better than he recalled. They kissed and finally moved against one another, "Can't let you get pruny."

"That would be sad," she smiled, watching as he stood. His entire body was tanned. "Did you lay out nude?"

"I didn't want you to make fun of my tan lines," he answered, drying off quickly. He helped her up and handed her her towel. She dried off and reached for his hand, pulling him along with her to her bedroom. He pulled her back against him and they kissed, her arms wrapping around his neck, "You feel so good."

"You feel better," she whispered, smiling when he lifted her up and they fell into the bed.

The next morning Voldemort stretched and turned to hold onto her properly. "Hermione? If you need me I have to go soon." She stretched and reached for him, kissing him sensually. He smiled against her mouth before burying himself inside of her.

After some much needed lovemaking Hermione stretched and smiled, watching him get up. It felt so perfectly normal to have him here with her. "Do you have to leave right away?"

"I have to get back to Egypt, Hermione." He entered the bathroom. His clothes had stayed there the night before.

"But if you stay we can figure everything out here. You could keep an eye on me and something else in me."

"Who'd have thought you'd become such a nymphomaniac," he smirked as he re-entered in his now-clean pants. "I like that. But right now I need to leave you and get back to my search."

Hermione got up, a sheet wrapped around her frame. She walked over to him and they kissed, "Take care, okay? I need you to come back to me in one piece."

"I'm always careful," he kissed her again, "you work with Zabini, figure out how to get me immortality. Then you can have me here anytime. And don't forget to study. I want competition as it pertains to my own scores, which were very high."

"Noted," she whispered, smiling. He liked how she smiled at him after several orgasms. It was true happiness. He'd never seen that with her before she was with him. "I love you," she whispered, watching him finish getting dressed.

Voldemort moved back to her, "Hermione, I'm never as far away as it feels," he kissed her sweetly and she moaned, enjoying it. "You'll know I'm back when the girl goes missing, okay?"

Hermione nodded and he smiled at her, "Go get some breakfast. You need nourishment after our workout."

"So do you," she grinned, watching him disappear. Though she might now be alone, she certainly didn't feel alone. Voldemort's presence was still there. She got dressed and magically made her bed, then headed into the living room. "Did you do the reading?"

"It's interesting. Why Egypt?"

"One of the oldest wizarding populations was there. Since it wasn't in South America, we decided Egypt would be a good bet. He's hoping we find something to narrow his search."

"Well with two of us part-time instead of just you part-time, it should be a bit easier. At the very least, one can read/translate and the other can analyze."

"That's what I'm thinking too," she nodded. "We should walk down for breakfast," she indicated the door. "Nice outfit."

Blaise looked down at his button-down print shirt and smirked, "My mum likes fashion."

"So does Voldemort," she nodded, "he bought me some things this summer."

"That explains your clothing. It's plain, but I can tell it's a higher quality than most people's wardrobes."

"He took me to a special location, we dressed the part. And when we were in South America he bought me a whole bunch more clothes. I couldn't turn him down. He seems to enjoy doing it. I think he looks at it as asserting his ownership of me."

"I can see that," Blaise nodded, opening the portal and exiting with her. "I have to admit, you're pretty smart."

"You're pretty smart too Blaise," she said, waiting for the Centaur to swing back into position. Blaise had hidden the book in his own things so that if anyone came looking for it it was hidden.

They walked down to the Great Hall together, Blaise holding the door for her before they parted and walked to their respective houses' tables. Hermione smiled at the first years as she walked by them. Next Friday was the first Quidditch game of the season between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Hermione walked over to Harry and Ron, "Harry, I have a bet with Blaise that Gryffindor will win on Friday. I have 5 galleons riding on this game. Do win."

"We'll win," Harry said, puffing his chest out. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and sat down to eat. She was hungry. Voldemort always managed to leave her feeling both satisfied and starving.