I wrote these decades ago and I thought they were once up here. *shrugs* Disclaimer: I own nothing in here. (maybe four characters later in the series, but that's it.) All rights, kudos, and honors go to the great J.K. Rowling for creating these characters, this world and the magic. And for turning a blind eye when we pay in her world. Thank you. WARNING! This is Dramione, and this is incredibly AU. Beyond this point, there be dragons.

She was the first to notice there was something going on. She watched them quietly; every tardy, every stolen glance, every excuse to partner in classes. She watched it all with a personal interest. It was her that first went to the older Head Girl, whispering secrets, gaining her trust, and silently maneuvering them towards each other. It would make her triumph so much easier.

Just as she expected, the Head Girl came to her the day before the battle was to begin.

She was in tears, as she locked the door behind her.

"The war begins tomorrow." The older girl said. She looked up from her book, shuttering her face from the triumph she felt.

"I know." She said quietly. "Tomorrow, our world will crumble. Were going to loose some of our friends."

Tears fell down the older girl's face as she fell onto the bed.

"Ginny, what am I going to do?" She sobbed. "I should be at the front lines with Harry and Ron, I know I should, but I can't bear to see him. I can't bring myself to watch him fall."

Smiling softly, she put down her book, stroking her friend's hair. "Hermione, it will be okay. Are…are you sure about this?"

Hermione looked up at her. "I can't fight tomorrow. I just want to hide. I wish there was a way to stop all of this, make it all go away."

"What if…what if I told you there was a way you didn't have to be at the front lines tomorrow?" She informed her. "What if you could be safe, waiting for him to return?" The brunette's head lifted from the bed, facing her. "You can't do that. Nobody can do that. The war will begin tomorrow."

"But I can take you away from it." She soothed. "Take you to a place where you'll be safe. Hermione, you are too important to us to be slaughtered. Even Harry and Ron would agree. I can take you to a place to wait until this silly battle is over and we win."

Hermione frowned at her. "There's a place? But no matter how much I want to hide, I have to be out there tomorrow."

She shook her head. "No. I'll take you somewhere safe. Somewhere to wait. I can bring him to you after the war. Trust me, Hermione. When has your Ginny ever led you wrong?"

In the end she had talked the older girl into it. That night, the two girls slipped out under the cover of darkness. Through the Forbidden Forest, and out into a clearing where she apperaited them to a house.

As the disorientation wore off, Hermione blinked, glancing around the home.

"Where are we?"

She looked around, smiling at the place. A place she now called home. "We're safe. Here, we wait. Now, let's get you upstairs and to sleep. Tomorrow's very important."

For six days, the war raged on, oblivious to the two women residing in the manor outside Little Hangleton. For six days Hermione live in a potion-induced haze, not knowing how many days had passed.

The sixth day, she felt it. The rush of power that came from the winning side. They had won. And tonight he would be coming home to claim her.

Practically skipping up the stairs, she entered the room where Hermione slept, and woke her.

"Wake up." She said, shaking her shoulders. "It's over." She handed the woman a goblet. "Drink this, it'll revive you."

She drank, and after a few moments the color returned to her cheeks. She handed the goblet back to her and frowned.

"I feel like I've slept forever. What's going on?"

She smiled. "The war's over. Tonight, they're coming home."

She watched as Hermione jumped out of the bed, rushing to grab her toiletries and clothing, then rushing in to the bathroom, before returning to the downstairs rooms.

Tonight her Lord would return and together they would rule the wizarding world.

She paced, anxious. She could feel them coming, but it was taking them forever to get here. Peeking in the sitting room, she spotted Hermione sitting in a chair, reading. Smiling, she leaned against the wall, watching the young woman. Despite all her better judgment, Hermione had become a very close friend to her. Unlike her brother and Harry, she had paid attention to the young Gryffendor when she first started. The only other one who had paid attention to her was her Percy. He had made a promise to her when she was younger that he would watch over her and protect her, and kept his promise he had. When he'd graduated, Hermione had willingly taken over the job of watching over her. Not that she had needed watching over, but it was nice to know one had backup if it were ever needed. Now, she would watch over her Percy as she would watch over Hermione. Make sure they received everything they both desired. No matter what.

Suddenly, a rush of power fell over her and she could hear his voice in her mind.

We are here. Prepare her.

Almost unable to contain her excitement, she rushed into the sitting room, startling Hermione.

"They're here!"

Hermione put down her book, excitement in her eyes, as she watched the door. As the door opened, she ran towards it, adapting the little girl pose she knew he adored on her.

He walked through the door, still bloody from the battle, his cloak black and magnificent against his body. The Dark power swept around him like a blanket, covering everything in its path. She beamed as he turned his eyes towards her.

""My Lord." She murmured reverently. A deep chuckle sounded in his throat.

"My Ginny. We were victorious! The light has been defeated, as has Potter and the others. The day is ours and we shall shape it as we see fit."

He strode into the sitting room, where Hermione sat. Her brown eyes widened, as she sunk into the chair, her eyes tearing up. He looked her over, then glanced back at his consort.

"This is she?"

She nodded. His eyes turned back towards the young woman frozen, terrified, in the chair.

"How ironic the most powerful witch in the school is a mudblood." He stated thoughtfully. "No matter. Loyalty was given and I reward those who are loyal."

She rushed to Hermione's side, touching the still terrified woman on the shoulder.

"Hermione. Look." She whispered. Hermione's gaze moved towards the door, just past the figure of the Dark Lord. Another figure entered through the door, tired, bloody, haggard, his hand hanging limp at his side, still clutching his wand. As he stepped into the light, Hermione gasped, tears filling her eyes, all thoughts of the figure standing before her lost.

The figure looked up at the gasp, his gray eyes widening, as he spotted her. Dropping his wand, he stumbled towards her, finally dropping to his knees before her. Reaching over, she grabbed him before he can fall.

"Hermione?" He whispered. Still in disbelief, she stared at him, as if afraid he would disappear. Finally, reaching out, she pulled him towards her, sobbing openly.

Behind them, the Dark Lord turned to leave the room, his consort following.

"How went the battle?" She whispered, almost scared to raise her voice.

"Long. We lost many good men." He told her, climbing the stairs, with her still following. "Potter and his forces were strong…stronger than I had expected but in the end, they were defeated. Our followers are even now gathering the living from the battle and placing them in Azkaban." He glanced towards her as they entered a room. "Your brother will be there. Ronald, I believe his name is?"

She shook her head. "He chose the wrong side. That was his decision. As long as Percy and Hermione are taken care of and protected, the rest of the world can fall under your feet for all I care."

He smiled at her then, shedding the cloak, suddenly looking very much like her Tom. "They are under your protection, my Dark Lady." He murmured seductively. "It will be known that to harm them is to incur the wrath of you and I."

She beamed at him. "You are too kind to me, my Lord." She said, her voice smooth.

"Not at all. Now, about assisting your Lord to rid himself of this foulness that lingers around him."

Within days, the new order under the iron rule of Lord Voldemort was established and the remaining traitors were rounded up. Those loyal and still willing to serve him were rewarded; his own second in command no exception. Hermione became Lady Malfoy, marrying him in a small ceremony in the garden of the manor house. For the loyal, life was settling down and becoming livable again. For the others, their hell on Earth had just begun.

The new Dark Lady, as she was now being called, stepped down from her chair after the meeting, her attention focused on Draco. He spotted her, finishing his discussion with the man next to him, to turn and bow as she approached.

"My Lady."

She smiled. "I was thinking of visiting your wife tomorrow afternoon. Will she be in?"

He smiled back pleasantly. "Of course My Lady. She spends most of her time in the library nowadays. A visit from you would most likely raise her spirits."

Ginny smirked. "Are you not keeping her content?" She teased. "Satisfying her…thirst for knowledge."

He raised an eyebrow, a smirk appearing on his face. "Of course My Lady. But she grows bored. And as you know, when she's bored, she tends to explore." His face became solemn. "There are…things she does not need to know. And I am having trouble finding things to occupy her time."

She looked at him, her green eyes boring into him. "I would suggest you find a permanent occupation for your wife. Something that will take her mind off of her explorations. Something to keep her too busy to explore or even wish to."

He nodded. "Of course, My Lady."

Less than a year later, Hermione gave birth to a son, whom, after many heated debates, they named Tiernan. She threw herself into motherhood so completely, that all notions of explorations or anything else left her mind.

Tiernan and his father have become her whole world; Ginny noted one afternoon as she sat in the gardens with Hermione. Tiernan slept in the bassinette next to his mother, the soft breeze brushing through his soft tufts of golden hair, as the two women talked.

'So, how's Percy?" Hermione asked. Ginny smiled, her face softening.

"Wonderful. He loves his new job, and it gives him more time to be with Oliver."

She replied.

"They're still together?" Hermione mused, unconsciously rocking the bassinette. "I hardly ever see Percy anymore. This new position must keep him busy."

Ginny nodded, sipping her tea. She'd placed Percy into the new Ministry, giving him the task of research and cataloging artifacts. She knew he'd loved to do that when he was younger, and it perked his interest even now. She couldn't do much about her other problem. Oliver. The strong willed man had been on the opposite side fighting alongside Harry and the others during the battle. If Percy hadn't come to her begging that Oliver's life be spared, and confessing their secret, Oliver Wood would be dead. She loved her brother completely. To take away the one thing he adored would destroy her precious older brother. It was for that reason alone that the ex-Quidditch player still lived.

Hermione saw the look on her face, frowning. "You don't like Oliver." She observed.

Ginny turned her attention back to the woman across from her and shook her head. "Not really. But he makes Percy happy. And that's all that matters." Glancing over at the now still bassinette, she smiled at the little face blinking up at the two women.

"Oh, he's up, may I?"

Grinning like the proud parent she was, Hermione lifted Tiernan out of the bed, handing him over to the Dark Lady she only knew as her closest friend. Ginny took the little bundle, smiling softly at the stormy eyes watching her, trying to figure out if she was interesting enough to pay attention to. Deciding she was, a little hand stretched out, grasping a stray tendril of hair that had escaped her braid.

Ginny laughed, as Hermione winced. "Oh, let me get that. He has a good grip."

"It's fine. Leave him." Looking back down at the bundle, a wave of melancholy swept over her. This was one of the things she willingly gave up to be at the side of her Lord. She would never be a mother. Coaxing her hair from his grasp, she handed the bundle back to Hermione, grinning.
"Here mom, I think the little one is in need of a change."

"My Lady, no!"

"You have no choice."

He looked at her, his gray eyes dark with controlled anger. He still knew whom he was standing before.

"No offence intended, but I will not have her attend." He stated firmly. She glared up at him, here green eyes flashing.

"You have no choice. Our Lord wishes her to be there tonight. It's the High Meeting and it will not be united if she does not attend."
"You don't know what you ask! Ginny, please!"

"Draco!" Her voice could cut steel. "She will be there, either willing or with the Imperious curse. Lord Voldemort has expressed his demands and they will be obeyed."

She saw it then, a flash of pure fear that flashed in his eyes before he pulled his face back into its usual cold mask. Fear. Not for himself for overstepping his bounds, but fear for his wife. What would happen tonight? What could happen? Her expression softened, only a fraction. Taking a step towards him, she held out a small vial.

"Here. I created a potion. Tonight will be no more than a bad nightmare for her. If it works, maybe she'll forget it by tomorrow morning."

He took the vial, nodding towards her. "My apologies, My Lady. You are too kind."

"Draco. I do not wish to see her there either. It ruins my plans as well. But Our Lord was very adamant about this, she is to be there."

That night, she sat in the chair next to her Lord, overlooking the Death Eaters. In the distance, she noticed two cloaked figures emerge into the clearing. Leaning her head towards her Lord, she whispered.

"Malfoy and his wife are here."

The Dark Lord's gaze set on the two. The taller one bowed, the other stood stock-still.

"You have arrived." Voldemort announced.

"As summoned, My Lord." Draco stated. Beside him, the still cloaked figure still did not move.

Voldemort turned his gaze on the other Death Eaters, beginning his speech. Her eyes were still on the two. Draco led the figure towards the back of the circle, hidden from casual view of anyone, but still visible to anyone searching for her. She smiled, he knew how to play the game. Obey without actually obeying.

Leaving her side, he took his place next to the Dark Lord, mask firmly in place. The High Meeting had begun.

She was almost caught up in the revelry, and the blood sport. The Death Eaters had found a pair of wanted traitors hiding on the outskirts of London and had brought them to the meeting. As the couple was thrust into the circle, she glanced over towards the shadow. The hood had fallen off, leaving her the only one other than the couple in the middle not hooded. Her face was a mask of terror, her eyes not moving from a fixed spot in the darkness past the thrones. Her hands were bound into fists so tight, she could see the trickles of blood dripping from them.

Turning back to the couple, she listened as her Lord passed judgment.

"Death by torture."

Like a pack of rabid jackals, the Death Eaters were on them. A scream of terror ripped out of one of the young witch, one of the traitors, as the sounds of ripping cloth and breaking bones were heard. Normally she would enjoy the blood sports of the traitors, but tonight, a small part of her was worried over the small looking figure in the shadows.

Screams echoed off the trees, followed by sadistic laughter. Begging, babbling, screaming, and sobbing, finally after long hours, silence.

The Death Eaters, most covered in the blood of the condemned, returned to their places, leaving the mutilated, broken bodies of the traitors where they lay on the forest ground.

Throughout it all, Hermione never moved, never blinked.

Lord Voldemort spoke again, and then the Meeting was over. Ginny waited until her Lord had left, until most of the others had left, before stepping down, and quickly walking towards the frozen woman, trying not to show her fear as she approached her, tentively reaching out and touching her arm.

"Hermione?" She whispered.

Like a counter curse, Hermione came to life. A scream ripped out of her throat louder than that of the victims, her bloody hands lashing out, and her body in pain from standing frozen for so many hours. Ginny jumped back startled. Before she could even turn to call for him, Draco was at her side, his wife in his arms, holding her to him, muffling her endless scream in his chest. Ginny noticed detachedly that his own cloak was spotless. He had not joined in the torture of the traitors.

Turning slightly, he looked at her, still holding his wife tightly to him. She pulled her wand from her cloak and with a few whispered words, they apperaited back to the manor.

Draco took over immediately, snapping at the house elves to bring a sleeping drought, scooping up his still screaming wife and striding up the stairs.

Shaken, Ginny walked into the sitting room, collapsing into a chair to wait.

She was awakened to the sound of him walking into the room. Sitting up, she rubbed at her eyes quickly, turning her attention to him.

"How is she?"

Glancing at her, he crossed the room, picking up the crystal decanter that was on the desk, pouring himself a drink and drinking it in one swallow.

"She's sleeping now." He told her, offering her a drink, and pouring himself another one. She took it, drinking the amber liquid.

"It took a double dose of the Dreamless Sleep potion before she slept quietly. I healed the rips on her hand and the muscle spasms all over her body." He drank the second glass, before turning his full attention to her. "How long had she been standing there like that?"

Ginny shrugged. "A long while. I first noticed her right before they brought out the traitors."

He cursed, pouring himself another drink, and swallowing it quickly. "They were out there for almost four hours playing with those two." Placing the glass back on the tray, he frowned.

"My Lady, no more. I will take whatever punishment our Lord demands, but Hermione will never go to another meeting. I will not allow it."

Ginny shook her head. "No, she will not. I will tell this to our Lord, and I will make certain she will never even see a hint of anything like this again."

He nodded, his face showing relief. "Thank you…"

Terrified screaming, followed by yelling and the crying of a baby, cut him off.

Terrified, they both ran up the stairs, racing for bedroom. Flinging open the door, they spotted Hermione, standing in the corner of the room, her eyes wild, clutching a crying Terinan to her chest. Standing in front of her, were Terinan's maid and two house elves.

"You'll not have him!" Hermione screamed, her back pressed against the wall. "I'll kill us both before he takes my child!"

As one, they both entered the room, Draco ordering everyone out. The room cleared, leaving the three of them and the crying baby. She looked at them, her eyes unsure, and still terrified.

"You can't have him. He's mine. I'll not have him hurt. They can't hurt my baby. They won't take my baby!" She cried.

Draco took a step towards him, his face soft. "Hermione, you're scaring Tiernan. Let me have him."
Pressing further back, she shook her head, holding Tiernan close to her chest. "No. I…I saw you there."

Her eyes went to Ginny. "Help me, please." She begged.

"Hermione, you're scaring us." She said, using the tone she only used with Hermione and Percy. She didn't care that Draco was in the room; right now her mind was only on one thing. "You're scaring Tiernan. You'll suffocate him if you hold him any closer."

Hermione looked at her, her eyes confused. "I…I saw them." She stammered. "Darkness, and blood. The screams and the laughter, gods, the laughter."

"Hermione, you only had a bad dream." Ginny soothed, stepping closer. "Don't you remember? We had dinner last night and you and I stayed up late telling old ghost stories like we used to." She smiled. "I don't think you husband was too happy about it."

Hermione glanced over at Draco, who was trying to be as non-threatening as possible.

"But, he was there. In my dream. There were people in cloaks and masks."

"I told you those ridiculous things would give you nightmares." Draco stated, joining in the lie Ginny had concocted. Hermione looked at him, the terror in her eyes abating, her death grip on Teirnan, loosening.

"You just had a nightmare. A rather horrible one, from what you've just described." He told her, soothingly.

She shook her head. "No. It was real."

"Love, it only seemed real. It was only a nightmare. You're scaring me, Hermione."

They were now close enough to take Tiernan and force her back to bed if they wished. Hermione frowned, shaking her head. "A dream?" She asked, looking up at her husband. He nodded.

"But it seemed so real."

"It was just a dream, my love."

Still frowning, she suddenly handed the bundle to Ginny, who scrambled to grab the baby, instantly soothing the crying child. Hermione took a step towards Draco, her eyes determined, her hands on her hips.

"Prove it."

He frowned. "What?"

"Prove it. Prove to me it was a dream. Let me see your left arm."

He frowned deepened. "Hermione, this is ridiculous. One little dream and you're accusing me of being a Death Eater?"

"Prove me wrong, Draco. Let me see you arm."

"Do it, Draco." Ginny stated, coming to stand beside him, bouncing the now hiccupping infant. He looked over at her as if she had lost her mind, then shrugged and unbuttoned his shirtsleeve. Ginny whispered a few words under her breath, and he pulled the sleeve up. His left arm was unblemished. Hermione grabbed his arm, looking at it, as he looked over unbelievingly at Ginny. She smiled knowingly. Hermione let go of his arm, throwing herself into his embrace.

"I'm so sorry. But the dream seemed so real. I can still hear them, echoing in my head now." Draco wrapped his arms around his wife, soothing her. Ginny turned away from the couple, giving them their privacy. Walking out of the room, she handed the bundle to the nurse, walking down the stairs to return to the sitting room. This time it was she who poured herself a drink. Draco joined her moments later.

"How did you do that?"

"Simple spell," she replied. "I'll tell you it if you like. It might help if this ever happens again."

He nodded, crossing the room and falling into a chair. He looked up at were she was standing in front of his desk, her eyes far away.

"Will she be okay?"

Ginny turned her attention back to him, shrugging. "I don't know. She might pull out of this, pushing the entire thing out of her mind, believing it to be the product of too much rich foods and a night of scary stories. Or she'll shut down completely. Either way, she'll now deny last night ever happened."

The Dark Lady stepped out of her carrage, looking up at the large manor house. Sighing heavily, she walked towards the door. It was immediately opened by a house elf, who informed her the Lord of the house was in the third floor bedroom with his wife. Shedding her cloak, she climbed the steps to the third floor, walking down the long hall to the door at the end of it. As she reached the door, it opened, and Draco stepped out, holding a three-year-old Tiernan in his arms. Handing the toddler to his nurse, he looked at her.

"How is she?"

He smiled slightly. "Better than last time. She knows where she is. She keeps wondering when you're coming to visit. She also wants to know when you're going to talk Percy into visiting for a bit."
She sighed, closing her eyes briefly. Since the evening of the High Meeting two years before, Hermione had slowly begun to retreat further and further into denial. So far once, that she had spent the entire afternoon believing she was in still in Hogwarts. It seemed the decent into madness had outweighed the logic in this battle.

Stepping into the room, she smiled widely at Hermione who rose to greet her.

"Ginny! You came! I told Draco, your job wasn't that important that you couldn't stop by to visit me."

"I will always make time for you Hermione." Ginny said, slipping into a chair. Hermione followed suit, sitting down on the couch next to her husband.

"I'm glad. Now, when are you going to talk your stuffy brother into joining you? Surely he can take a break to visit an old friend."

Ginny smiled. It seemed a visit to Percy's flat was in order. She needed someone to support her. Her best friend was slowly going mad and there was nothing neither she nor Draco could do about it. It was time to turn in a favor.