A/N: Sorry for the long delay, work and a few other things have held me up from writing this chapter, but hopefully things will be looking up soon! I wanted this chapter to be just perfect, especially for how I want this story to go. So without further ado, here is chapter 5!

"... And it's been the ruin of many a young boy.

And god, I know, I'm one."

-'The House of the Rising Sun'

Folk Ballad

A soft pop is heard in the quiet stillness of the overcast afternoon sky, as Hermione apparates in front of the ominous wrought iron gate in front of Malfoy Manor. The bright sunlight that was seen in Diagon Alley, has been replaced with a dark blusterous sky, a few rain drops patter down into the witch's hair. She loosens her grip on Ron's collar and looks longingly at the mansion in front of her.

It looks just as she remembered it. Beyond the massive gate, lined with massive impenetrable hedges along a long gravel path, sits the darkened edifice that is Malfoy Manor. The only sign of life within the minacious mansion is a flickering light in the top furthermost corner of the second floor. As she stares up at the light, the brunette feels the Polyjuice potion wear off. Hermione knew that it was only a matter of time, and was grateful that the potion had lasted as long as it did.

Magically, the gate swings open silently allowing the brunette passage. Casting a silent Levicorpus, Hermione walks through, her eyes glancing back and forth searchingly. Once several metres inside the premises, the gate closes and the light extinguishes from the window on the second floor. The wind blows, causing the leaves to rustle across the graveled path, crunching underneath her boots. These are the only sounds that invade her ears as she walks along the trail, even Ron has given up trying to speak through the silencing spell she had used on him before leaving Gringott's. It was one thing to hear his whining when she had to, but now that she had defected, though the Order has yet to find out unless Harry had escaped, there was no way in hell she would want to ever hear his petulance again.

The brunette has a sneaking suspicion that someone is watching them, as they make their way closer to the Manor. It is a niggling feeling in the back of her mind, but she knows not to dismiss it. If anything, she knows that it is best to show that she is unfazed by the situation at all, so she chooses to ignore it. Whoever was watching her knew who she was and was not attacking her, that was a very good sign.

"So, you came back. I was hoping you would," a voice says from behind her, causing her body to shudder. She knew the voice and loved to hear its venomous charm. It had been weeks since she had heard its melody outside of her own mind and she loved every minute of it.

Losing focus on her spell, Ron falls unceremoniously to the ground with a thud. His pained expression shows his torment as the rocks dig into his already bruised back.

"Black suits you," Bellatrix states with a smile, hoping that the brunette would understand the double, possibly triple, meaning of her words. "The Manor is all a buzz with what happened at Gringott's. I regret to inform you that the boy escaped, but you have gained the attention of the Dark Lord with your plan. He wishes to see you actually," Bellatrix glances behind Hermione and smiles darkly, "I think He will enjoy the gift you brought."

Cackling as the wind steadily increases in ferocity, the raven-haired witch lifts her face towards the sky allowing the pouring rain to fall onto her face. Hermione stares at the woman who had invaded her every dream as well as her every waking thoughts. 'She is absolutely beautiful,' the brunette thinks to herself as she stares longingly at the older woman. The younger witch knows that she took a risk coming back to the place of her torture. The risk wasn't borne of fear from the dark witch beside her, it was the terror she felt for the witch's master. A man who would kill her before looking at her just because of her blood status. If the dark angel beside her said the Dark-Lord's interest has been piqued because of her actions, then she knows that things have changed within the Death-Eaters' ideals.

"The Dark Lord wishes to see me?" Hermione asks, her voice reveals the brunette's excitement and surprise.

"Yes, but of course he does," Bellatrix states as she waves her wand and the red-haired wizard's body rises off the ground, "Yaxley's Patronus arrived shortly before you walked through the gate. He said that there was someone Polyjuiced as me apparating out with a Weasel in tow and I told our Lord that it could only be one person..." the raven-haired witch smiles, creating a slight pause for effect, "You."

The two witches walk silently through the door and into the vestibule before Hermione's curiosity get the better of her, "How did you know it was me? I never told anyone my plan, that is why I was able to execute it as well as I did. Granted, I wasn't able to bring both wizards to the Dark Lord, but I was able to bring at least one of them in. And..."

"Hermione," the older woman starts, "I already knew you would have devised a plan to return to the Manor, I just did not know what exactly you were going to do. I had told Our Lord this much the day you all escaped. Well, I told Him after He calmed down. I knew you could not stay away for too long."

Bellatrix smiles again, this time Hermione notices the predatory way in which the older witch's eyes roam across her body, as if she was being undressed right there in the main entry-way.

Feeling the blush creep upon her cheeks, the brunette shakes her head slightly. The movement allows her to compose herself before she asks, "How did you know that I would come back?"

"I know what you felt the last time you were here. You forget how you turned so easily on those gits when you were writhing under me. I bet ginger here could not tell that your moans were of pleasure, not of pain," the older witch smirks as she sees the wizard in question try to struggle against his bindings as he hears Bellatrix's confession.

"Now, now, Bellatrix. It is not proper etiquette to cause this much discomfort to our honoured guest!" Voldemort says as he glides down the stairs in to the foyer, "Greetings Miss Granger, I am sure that our Bella has told you that I wish to see you. Your cunning display at Gringott's has preceded you," the dark wizard snaps his fingers and two hooded Death-Eaters appear out from the dark corners of the room and roughly grab Ron by his arms, "Come. We shall discuss everything in the study."

In all of her years within the wizarding world, Hermione never thought she would be walking alongside the most notorious of all wizards, but then again, she never thought she would have pined for His lieutenant either. It isn't because she abhorred the dark side of the wizarding world, it is because since she was a muggle-born, she never thought she would quite fit in anywhere. Even the Order made it clear to her that she was nothing more than an insufferable know-it-all who was unfortunately friends with Harry Potter.

She always hated that feeling, the feeling of never belonging anywhere. The brunette felt it in the Muggle world as well. Her eagerness to learn had always marked her as a target for bullying. Taunts and jeers would always follow her around the school-yard and she would race home to crawl under the covers of her bed, tears streaming down her face. Her parents had often contemplated over whether or not to home-school her or send her off to boarding school, but never received a chance. Fate had created another path for the young girl in the form of an invitation of the most prestigious school for witchcraft in the world. Her parents were relieved and so was Hermione, until she found out that it was just like the Muggle world... torments and all.

"Please Miss Granger, have a seat," The Dark-Lord says knocking Hermione out of her musings.

She promptly takes a seat in the closest highback chair that she sees and looks about the room. The room wasn't as she expected. Sure, Hermione knew that the room would have the rich, dark room just like the room she had been in a few weeks prior, but she never realised that the Malfoys would have such a large collection of books.

"It seems as though our young guest enjoys your little library, Bellatrix." Voldemort says as he sits down behind a large dark mahogany desk, "I am sure that Bellatrix would enjoy showing you her collection, but of course, business first."

The Dark-Lord stares intently at the brunette witch sitting across the desk from him, "Miss Granger, I shall be quite frank with you. Your skill as a witch has intrigued me since I first heard of all of your deeds within Hogwarts. You mastered several N.E.W.T level potions within a very short period of time and I also hear you are quite the duelist. But that is not why we are here today, we are here because of the rather surprising turn of events that have recently occurred.

"These events, though quite shocking, were very fortuitous advantages for me. Once I heard of how you tried to capture Potter for us, I had to wonder..." The Dark-Lord pauses slightly to cast a knowing glance towards Hermione, "I had to wonder what exactly caused you to betray him and the ginger that is now within our custody. One hears rumours here and there, and I have never been the sort to stand by what rubbish people want to consider as truths, so that is why I ask you for the truth. Why did you aid us?"

"Well My Lord," Hermione starts, "there are several reasons for my defection from the quote, unquote, light side. The main reason is because they do not understand talent or intelligence, these are two attributes that I know you hold in high regards, My Lord. Time and time again, I have been constantly pushed to the side because they considered my intelligence a hindrance instead of a tool to be used. They would rather allow two dim-witted wizards run about without a clue than someone to calculate every angle before proceeding. It is something that I have abhorred the most, yet could do nothing about without retaliation from the Order."

"It is true, I do hold intelligence and talent in very high regard, but I do not have a problem with defection." Voldemort looks at the young woman with slight disdain, "The Inner Circle used to be fifty of the most powerful and brightest witches and wizards within all of wizarding England, but alas, it is now a mere shell of its former self. Fifteen members only. Sure, during the First Wizarding War and the recent bouts with the Order has pruned a few, how shall I put this, weaker branches from my elite group, desertion has caused majority of it."

The dark wizard notices a slight falter in the younger witch's façade, "Not that I am considering your deviation from the Order of the Phoenix anything remotely similar to the departure of some of my supposed most trusted allies, I just want to know everything that caused your departure for me to consider you as a possible candidate for a new recruit into my own Order."

"Well, My Lord," Hermione starts, "I was never what you would consider part of the Order of the Phoenix in the first place. Harry often thought since he was dragged into situations for the good of the world, we, as his friends, should be brought into the mess too. I would often protest and tell him that whatever is happening does not concern us and that we should leave things well enough alone. That Dumbledore should never allow children to do the work of adults with more experience, but he would never listen. I often tried to keep away from them, but with poor results. He and Ron constantly sought me out of a crowd to tell me the next stupid quest that the Headmaster had conjured up. Every single day, it was the same thing. Hell, I even begged Professor Snape to petition Dumbledore to allow me to change Houses. I would rather have been a muggle-born within Slytherin and constantly harassed about my blood status than to remain anywhere near those two."

"You see My Lord..." Bellatrix says with a smile, "I knew she would be a perfect addition to our group. I see no signs of desertion in her story, but then again," the raven-haired witch bows her head slightly, "You, My Lord, have much better judgement than myself."

"I think I may have to agree with you Bellatrix, but I think one last test is in order," Voldemort nods his head to the older witch and she rolls up the sleeve of her black corseted dress. She glances briefly at the brunette beside her and presses down on the dark mark on the inside of her arm.

Moments later, the same hooded figures that carried Ron off to the dungeons walk silently through the door, "Crabbe. Goyle." The Dark-Lord calls them by name and they look expectantly towards their leader, "Bring the ginger here to the study, I have found the perfect use for him." With a quick nod of their heads the two wizards stalk back the way they came and the door closes softly behind them.

Hermione looks at Bellatrix quizzically as she tries to figure out what exactly the dark wizard had in mind. No matter how her questioning gaze fell upon the dark witch, she could not discern any glimpse into His plan. The brunette even tried Legillimency, but Bellatrix's walls were rock solid and even though Hermione's skills were good, she could never ever crack the older woman's Occulmency shields. Finally tired of her passive attempts at finding out information, the younger woman ventures to ask what she desired to know.

"Sir, if I may ask a question: What is your use for the Weasley boy?" Hermione holds her breath after being so forward with Voldemort.

"Ah, I was wondering when you would stop trying to get past Bellatrix's shields and ask the question out right!" A smile falls upon his thin lips, "I normally feel questions like the one you have just asked warrants a Cruiciatus Curse, but you are not part of the Death-Eaters yet, so I will let this pass. I want to test how far you will go to achieve what you so desire. This Weasley boy... you have known him for quite sometime, am I right?"

"Yes My Lord. I have known him for nearly eight years."

"So, even though you have had your problems with him in the past, one could say you have been somewhat friends with him."

"Yes My Lord, but barely friends."

"Then if that is the case, a person in my position should be somewhat alarmed at the fact that you show up here and offer a part of the Golden Trio, a group that most people consider you the brains of, as a sacrifice to your supposed enemies. I want to see... Ah..." Voldemort pauses when the door to the study opens and Crabbe and Goyle enter the room with a battered, still chained Ron between them, "I see that our test can begin before I am finished properly explaining it to you! Now Granger as I was saying, you bring a member of the Golden Trio into these halls of my inner sanctum as an offering, a show of good-will toward your enemies in hopes that we will allow you to join us, is this correct."

"Yes My Lord."

"Then prove your loyalty to me," Voldemort casts a wordless spell that causes the chains around Ron to unravel from his body until only his wrists and ankles were held within their hold. The chains then bolt themselves to the hardwood floors of the study and shorten so the red-haired wizard could only stand in the spot that Crabbe and Goyle left him. The Dark-Lord stands up from the high-back leather chair and crosses the few metres of space between Him and the younger witch. Walking behind Hermione, Voldemort places His pale long hands on her shoulders and whispers in her ear, "Torture him, then kill him. Afterwards we shall send his body piece by tiny piece back to that horrid house so adequately called 'The Burrow' so the rest of the Weasel family will know that they were wrong in choosing Dumbledore and the Order."

Ron's face pales upon hearing the words that the Dark-Lord had spoken, the whisper, it seems was never a whisper at all, "H-hermione... Y-you wouldn't! I-i have n-n-never done a-anything t-to h-h-harm you!"

Suddenly, Bellatrix lets out a high-pitched laugh causing the young wizard to shudder uncontrollably, "I-i have n-n-never done a-anything t-to h-h-harm you," she mimics the young wizard and laughs again, "You are pathetic! I have never heard anyone sound as horribly pitiful as you have just shown us! Not even my deceased ex-husband sounded as pathetic as you just did when I killed him!"

Hermione, poised to cast her first hex, stops suddenly at the words that fell from Bellatrix's lips, "You killed your husband?"

Bellatrix smirks, "But of course my dear, it would just not do for him to stay alive. It was a marriage of convenience for both of us, but now it was just no longer convenient for me, especially since you are here."

"Ahem," Voldemort clears his throat, "Ladies, I suggest you keep with formalities, at least right now anyway, and besides... shouldn't I hear the boy screaming? If he doesn't start screaming within the next thirty seconds, someone else will start screaming!"

Hermione quickly casts a Cruiciatus curse causing the red-haired young man to shudder in pain, "This is for all those times that you lot bothered me when I told you to leave me alone!"

Her grip tightens on her wand as her anger and the spell grow more volatile making Ron scream out in pain.

"That's more like it!" The Dark-Lord shouts over the noise caused by the tortured young man, an evil smile sits upon his snake-like face.

Hours go by as the late afternoon, turns to night, which in turn, turns back to day. In the early morning light, as the sun rises slowly over Malfoy Manor, the hoarse screams of Ronald Weasley still echo throughout the corridors. Voldemort covers His mouth to stifle a yawn and stands from His seat by the fireplace. Sometime during the night, He decided He would be more comfortable and have a better view of the torture session sitting by the fireplace than behind the large mahogany desk. Bellatrix had fallen asleep on the leather sofa, closest to the bookcases, sometime during the night, tiring herself out taunting Ron with all of the deviant ideas she claimed that she wanted to do with Hermione after he was dead.

"I think you have proven yourself worthy of a position within the Death-Eaters Miss Granger," He says with a smile, "Kill him."

"Avada Kadavra!"