Chapter Text

Chapter 1

Draco had been missing for eight months. The once empty Malfoy Manor had become much fuller with life since losing contact with him. Theo was required to be in Paris still most often, but had set up an undetectable floo network between the Zabini Château and Malfoy Manor to make his living arrangements within the manor more accessible. Blaise had moved his things and shut down his store in Paris almost immediately after contact had been lost; his house guests joining him within the manor as well. Bellatrix had been given orders to stay in Malfoy Manor to watch over everything. Hermione had been grateful for the company and the extra help when she'd given birth two months earlier than expected, but everything felt hallow without Draco. Somedays she would sit for hours staring at her wedding ring wondering what Draco might have said to her if they were sitting together. Living in his house meant everything brought her memories of him to the forefront. At night she'd stare at the glowing green bow tattoo wrapped around her pinky and let the small relief wash over her in knowing that at least he was still alive. It had been activated so long she could no longer feel the cold that spread through her hand when she'd first called for Draco to come to her.

Eight months felt like a lifetime.

Hermione looked up at the knock on the door frame to see Blaise standing there. He was covered feet to shoulders in soapy bubbles that seemed only to double the more he tried to wipe them off. “I could use a little help.” He said, wiping a chunk of bubbles from his chest only to have a larger chunk sprout in the opening.

Hermione chuckled in spite of her forlorn mood. “Sorry, I thought Theo was with you.” Hermione said, waving her wand at Blaise to vanish the bubbles.

“He was, but then he was called off and I thought I'd be fine because the twins don't move around yet.” Blaise began explaining.

“Until Alexia covered you in bubbles?” Hermione asked.

“Well, yes. I couldn't even find my wand through them because more just kept appearing. Oh, she thought that was really hilarious. More like Bellatrix every day.” Blaise grumbled.

Hermione gave him a look. “Better Bellatrix than the other one I think.” Hermione said before smacking Blaise upside the head and walking past him.

“Ow! What was that for?” He whined, following behind her.

Hermione turned and gave him a playful smile. “Well it's what Draco would have done if he heard you saying that.” She said as Blaise rubbed his head.

“So let him smack me when he gets back.”

“Don't worry, I'll make sure he knows exactly how many times he needs to smack you while he's been gone.”

“You know, on second thought, you hit harder than him so I think a running count would be unnecessary and not the best use of our time once he's back.”

Hermione laughed, pulling Blaise beside her to link her arm in his. “You're probably right.” She said. “Wait, if you came to get me and Theo had Death Eater business, who've you left the kids with?”

Hermione released Blaise's arm to dart into the much larger nursery. Bellatrix stood between two cribs pointing her wand at the curly black haired child spinning in the middle of the room nearly a foot off the ground. “Don't look at me like that, Granger, I'm not hurting her.” Bellatrix said as Hermione rushed to the cribs.

“Maybe best to release that one.” Blaise said softly, looking at the laughing one-year-old spinning above the ground.

“She tried to cover me in bubbles.” Bellatrix stated as if that was justification for her actions.

“Bellatrix!” Hermione shot.

“Believe me, I was punished much worse than this as a child.”

“Not sure that's really the point.” Blaise said, moving closer to Alexia.

“Doesn't do any good anyway, she's been laughing the entire time.” Bellatrix said and the eye roll behind her voice was palpable.

Bellatrix softly lowered Alexia back to the ground where she tried to take a step toward Blaise, but ended up doing more of a face plant into his hands from dizziness. “Mama! Mama!” Alexia cooed when Blaise had gotten a firm grip on her, reaching out and using Blaise's hold on her as support to jump erratically toward Hermione.

“Just a second, Alexia.” Hermione said to the jumping toddler, then added more firmly, “No more bubbles.”

Alexia made a frown and stopped jumping at this. Hermione peered into the first crib holding a small baby boy. His perfectly placed platinum blonde hair barely shifted as he slept. Even through the baby plumpness his features were undeniably sharp and though his eyes were closed at the moment, beneath his lids held the same grey eyes as his father. He was the exact replica of Draco; Tini and Bellatrix had confirmed as much from the moment he'd been born. Hermione brushed the blonde hair from his forehead before moving to check the second crib. A baby girl slept within this one. She had Draco's platinum hair and his nose, but her hair was already a mess of curls. She looked most like Hermione when she was awake and her matching brown eyes were visible along with Hermione's less pointed features.

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy and Ariadne Eltanin Malfoy had been born in the early weeks of July opposed to the last week of September when they had been expected, due in much part to Hermione's inability to stop letting stress get the better of her. Their birth had been difficult and for the first two weeks of their lives a healer had to be present every moment not just to keep them alive, but Hermione as well. Hermione had fallen into a coma during which she envisioned completing the last months of her pregnancy with Draco beside her. Their births had been perfect and easy with Draco holding her hand and wrapping her curls around his finger like he always did when he couldn't bring himself to voice his feelings.

“A girl! She looks just like you.” Draco had said despite the white curls barely visible on her head.

“Don't be stupid.” Hermione had retorted back, but Draco had simply pressed his lips to hers before letting Hermione hold her and take a good look at their similar features.

“Ariadne seems fitting. A Greek name, just like her mummy. Ariadne Eltanin; so she can be a bit of mummy and daddy, I think.” Draco had said, taking her away from Hermione so that she could prepare for the birth of Ariadne’s twin.

“A boy.” Draco had been less excited to see his son.

“He's perfect, just like his daddy.” Hermione had cooed.

“I'm far from perfect; let's hope he's nothing like me and everything like you.” Draco had said as he passed his tiny replica into Hermione's arms.

“Scorpius Hypherion, so he can be a bit of daddy and a bit of mummy.” Hermione had said looking up into Draco's beautiful face above hers.

“It's perfect. They're perfect. You're perfect.” Their lips met again before everything faded away from her and she finally regained consciousness.

Hermione knew the time in her coma with Draco there hadn't been reality, but something about it felt too real to not give the twins the names that her unconscious version of Draco had approved of. They'd grown significantly since then, even more than was expected of premature twins. She twisted a curl of Ariadne's around her finger to move it from the center of her face and felt that all consuming ache in her chest that seemed to always be around her since she'd realized she wouldn't be able to contact Draco even by means of their love notes.

Hermione moved to retrieve the bouncing once more Alexia from Blaise, but Bellatrix caught her arm. “What?” Hermione asked, stopping to look at Bellatrix.

“The Dark Lord wants to see you.” Bellatrix stated.

Hermione saw Blaise rise with Alexia to his full height and stiffen protectively out of the corner of her eye. Hermione felt the blood rush from her face. “When?” She asked softly.

“Now, ideally. That's why I'm here.” Bellatrix stated.

“Oh.” Hermione said in a gasp.

“You couldn't have given any more warning?” Blaise asked, glaring across the room at Bellatrix.

“She's known he would want to see her. The pregnancy was the only thing keeping her from being carted off the Hogwarts the moment we lost contact with Draco. I've already pushed it out as far as I can. If we get any further into October I can't promise punishment won't be supplied.” Bellatrix said, dancing in circles around the room.

Unconsciously, Hermione gripped her left forearm. She'd neglected taking her potion the last few months and Bellatrix's carving of Mudblood was peaking out from under her hand. Bellatrix's eyes dropped to Hermione's forearm as well.

“Best get that covered up again before you get us both killed. I for one am not going to die because I was harboring a mudblood.” Bellatrix said coolly.

“Right.” Hermione was still a little in shock that she was going to be coming face to face with Voldemort. She was supposed to be Astoria Greengrass after all and frankly she'd not had the greatest experiences in public under her persona. Everyone around her knew she was Hermione, it was hard to pretend to be a dead girl she'd never met. Much harder than she originally planned on it being when she suggested the idea to Draco nearly two years ago now.

“Relax, your occlumency is fine. It's not like the Dark Lord is going to mark you.” Bellatrix said in what Hermione assumed was a comforting way for her.

“He's not?” Hermione asked as relief washed over her.

“Of course not! Why would he?”

“To replace Draco?” Hermione supplied; it had been the question weighing on her mind since she first heard she'd have to pay Voldemort a visit at some point.

“Just because you're married to Draco doesn't mean you're an adequate replacement for him. Remember, Granger, Draco was a weapon, all you've proved to be is highly fertile.” Bellatrix stated and Hermione narrowed her eyes at her.

“Draco is a person.”

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. “Not to the Dark Lord, he isn’t.”

Hermione sighed. “Alright, I need to take my potion and then we can go. Will you be alright?” Hermione aimed the last part at Blaise.

“So long as I don't get covered in bubbles again.” He said, “Will you be alright?”

“Oh, she'll be fine. I haven't killed her yet, have I?” Bellatrix interrupted, but her response only made Blaise looked more concerned at Hermione.

“I'll be fine.” Hermione echoed.

Hermione had the good sense to at least change into a set of black robes before taking her potion and meeting back up with Bellatrix in the foyer. Bellatrix held her hand out for Hermione to take, but Hermione just stared at it reluctantly. “If you want to walk through a mob of Death Eaters to get into Hogwarts, by all means, apparate alone. I'm the only one who can apparate in through all the wards, though, so it might be a faster trip if you start acting like you're not afraid I'm going to skin you and let me apparate you in.”

Hermione didn't need much convincing after that. “You should probably get in the habit of calling me Astoria.” Hermione said as she grasped Bellatrix's hand.

“You should get in the habit of saying 'my Lord' and referring to Tom as the Dark Lord.” Bellatrix retorted.

“Yes, I suppose you're right, but still—”

“I'll be calling you Malfoy, as you are a Malfoy.” Bellatrix interrupted, looping her pinky under the chain around Hermione’s neck and lifting it slightly as if that was enough evidence for Hermione to understand she was being truthful; squeezing Hermione's hand tightly before disapparating them both.

Hermione had never been to the Chamber of Secrets when Harry had first found it to save Ginny; she'd heard stories about how bits of the tunnels leading to the pipes had collapsed, but what she approached with Bellatrix wasn't what she had imagined. Of course, back then Tom Riddle's diary wouldn't have had a throne like Voldemort chose to use. She had been there when the basilisk skeleton lingered behind in the chamber, but noticed it had since been removed. She quickly calmed her mind so she wouldn't shake at the sight of Voldemort before her.

Bellatrix swept into a bow, pulling Hermione with her. “The newest Malfoy, my Lord.” Bellatrix said from beside Hermione.

“Well, not quite the newest, but babies have never done me any good.” Voldemort's voice was more chilling than Hermione remembered it being.

Was that a joke? Was Voldemort attempting to make a joke? Something about that thought made Hermione's skin crawl more than it should have with her void pool in use. Bellatrix didn't seem to think it was funny if it was supposed to be some sort of ice breaking sarcasm. He could have taken some lessons from Draco in the humor department. Bellatrix nudged Hermione ever so slightly to hide the encouraging movement from Voldemort. Apparently Hermione was meant to address him as well.

“It is an honor to meet you, my Lord.” Hermione said, working harder than ever to keep that stoney composure she often saw Draco using.

She hoped her voice had been convincing enough as Bellatrix pulled her back into an upright position with her as well. Hermione felt the claws of Voldemort's mind pressing into hers before she was even standing fully. She winced slightly from the pain of it. Draco had always seemed to melt into her mind, like he was always supposed to be living there. Bellatrix had been more painful about it; intentionally painful. She had declared there was no reason for her to try to break into Hermione's mind if she wasn't going to be also teaching her a valuable lesson while doing so when Draco had fought with her afterwards. That lesson being how to keep her mind locked while in pain. At the time Hermione had thought Bellatrix was using it as a workaround so she could torture her once more, but now she felt differently. As Voldemort's legilimency claws scraped agonizingly through her mind, clawing with ferocity at her void pool, Hermione appreciated the pain Bellatrix had inflicted upon her.

Her pain tolerance wasn't nearly as high as Draco's after all, having spent years being tortured and having his mind ransacked typically in unison. Draco had built up a toughness Hermione thought some days was impenetrable. She wondered if he could even feel Voldemort entering his mind anymore, he'd grown so used to it. Hermione felt it though and the less information he received the more painful it became until finally it stopped. The headache that replaced it was almost as bad as the act itself, as Hermione panted to catch her breath without Voldemort's terrorizing claws inside her.

Bellatrix had left her side at some point during the mind invasion and now stood beside Voldemort on his elaborate snake throne. This was why Slytherins had a bad name. How could anyone expect better of them when this flamboyant asshole was the representation of the heir of Salazar Slytherin himself? Dark clouds blurred the sides of Hermione's vision as a migraine set in, but she remained standing motionless and as expressionless as she could muster before Voldemort.

“Draco has taught you well. What secrets is he keeping within you, I wonder?” Voldemort said in that cold hiss of a voice he had.

“Draco told me it was in case I fell into the wrong hands, any information on our Lord would remain classified. I assumed there were legilimens other than Dumbledore on the resistance side as well.” Hermione said calmly.

Voldemort narrowed his red cat like eyes at her. “Why did Draco take my prisoners with him to Romania?” Voldemort asked and Hermione felt that clawing pressure within her mind.

“Draco doesn't confide in me every detail of his assignments. I was told he was bringing them incase he ran into some hungry vampires. Better them than him given the lack of useful information they were providing.” Hermione replied, fighting to keep her voice as calm as possible despite the burrowing claws of Voldemort's presence.

Voldemort stared at Hermione for a long moment in what she took as an opportunity to try and break her. She simply returned the stare back at him. “Do you think Draco would betray his master?” Voldemort finally asked, withdrawing completely from Hermione's mind again.

“Of course not, my Lord.” Hermione said obediently. “I doubt any amount of torture could ever break Draco.” She added and Bellatrix narrowed her eyes slightly as she caught on to the dig Hermione was throwing toward Voldemort.

Voldemort thought about this for a moment. “Yes, I suppose that's true. Draco wouldn't work with Harry Potter to undermine me, would he?”

Merlin, for being the most powerful dark wizard he certainly was paranoid about Draco. “I daresay Draco would die before working with Harry Potter.” Hermione said honestly.

Truthfully she could think for anything Draco would rather do than join forces with Harry. She'd had to beg him for nearly weeks just to get him to agree to working with Ron and that had gone completely sideways from how she had expected it to go. There was no trusting them after that. Hermione no longer had a place with her old friends and family. She had no place with the Order of the Phoenix. She had no place with the resistance. The only place Hermione still fit was with Draco and he'd been stolen away from her. Kept hidden somewhere for all these months.

“Do you know where Draco is?” Voldemort asked, pulling Hermione from her thoughts.

“If I knew where he was, I'd have brought him back already.” Hermione said darkly then quickly added, “My Lord.” when she caught sight of Bellatrix's face.

“You might not be entirely useless then.” Voldemort stated before he turned to Bellatrix. “Give this one some training; she might very well be the only person who wants Draco's return more than I do.”

“Anything for you, my Lord.” Bellatrix said, bowing her head to Voldemort as he reached out for her hand, but stopped short when he seemed to remember they had company.

“I want that Helios group disbanded.” Voldemort said firmly.

“I want them dismembered.” Hermione muttered to herself and when Voldemort's attention shot back to her she did the best bow she could attempt and said, “Sorry, my Lord.”

To her shock, Voldemort laughed. “Oh yes, you'll do quite nicely.” He said vaguely before something unspoken flowed between him and Bellatrix and she was walking toward Hermione's side again.

Bellatrix bowed her head to Voldemort once more as she took hold of Hermione's wrist and disapparated them back to Malfoy Manor. “Congratulations.” Bellatrix said, releasing Hermione's arm.

“My occlumency worked?” Hermione asked, which seemed a little stupid, but she didn't know why else she'd have been being congratulated.

“You just became a Death Eater.” Bellatrix said with a smirk.