"

Author's note: Sorry about it taking forever to update. With work, friends, and school starting it's kind of rough. I promise the stories will be updated but at a slower pace. Thank you for your patience!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own nor am making a profit of the Harry Potter franchise! That is all J.K. Rowlings. Plus the poem is by Lord Byron!

Thanks: TO ALL WHO REVIEWED AND GOT MY BUTT TO UPDATING!!

"…But the heart which is thine shall expire undebased,…"

Hermione was out of her seat in a matter of seconds with her hands clamped around Voldemort's flexed fore arm. The hate that swirled in his crimson eyes sent chills of fear running down her spine. He was dangerous. The enemy of everyone she cared for."I want to go," her voice was but a whisper.

He jerked his arm away from her causing her to loose balance and fall back against the chair. Her head bumped the hard wood roughly. A slight cloud glazed Hermione's eyes and she glanced around sickly. Her stomach flipped in nausea as the room began to spin. Sweat broke out across her skin and she knew her lips were white. Shaking a little Hermione reached back to brush the hair away from her neck so that she could cool down when a warm liquid smeared her hands. Furrowing her brow she withdrew the hand and stared blinkingly at the red fingers. The point of the chair had caught the back of her head and sliced it. Suddenly a sharp head ache broke out behind her eyes and tears welled up under the uneven dilation of the pupils.

Trying to stay focused and in control of her body, Hermione rose and called over to Ginny weakly, "lets go! We're walking home," she reached out for Ginny but stopped when she noticed there were two of her, "Ginny you'll have to come to me, my head…."

The young brown haired witch began to sway on her feet as Voldemort tore off toward the steps that led to the crowd. The pain pounding in her head was intensifying, "Hermione, are you ok?" Ginny was watching her friend as her head swiveled on her neck lazily and her eyes closed and opened strangely. Fear imbedded itself into Ginny's stomach as she realized Hermione was badly hurt. Turning on her heels she leaned over the railing and glared down at Voldemort on the steps, "look what you did, Voldemort!!"

His name being yelled brought his attention to the flustered red head glaring down at him. He was furious that Potter would dare come ten feet within him while there was Parlay and the female wasn't helping his anger any,"What!!"

The jar of the table made Ginny spin around. Hermione's skin's color match that of her fiancés. She was trying to hold the table for balance and stability but Ginny could see it wasn't helping any. She turned to Voldemort wide eyed, "Hermione!"

"What are you…" All Voldemort could see was the chestnut brown of Hermione's hair before that disappeared and Ginny was out of her seat screaming his fiancés name. Shaking with rage he tore up the stairs to chase after her but froze when he saw her pale form spread out across the tiled floor. Every part of him locked up seeing her so lifeless on the floor. Something inside of him threw its head back a roared with unbridled pain and furry. Harry's approach meant nothing to him as he took two steps and was at her side cradling her against him. He would never admit that loosing her meant something to him and he would always blame the cup for his actions but the power that coursed off of him sent the whole place into silence. Only Harry, Ron, and the ministry officials who were trying to reach them caused commotion. Hermione's head fell limp and bushed against his hand smearing the ivory skin with blood. Voldemort brought his hand up and examined the bright color before lifting the young witch onto the bench and drawing his wand. Without thought of who was watching he traced it behind her neck slowly, concentrating solely on healing the wound. Ron had slipped away from the officials as they tried to contain Harry and was climbing the steps to where Hermione was. With a short wave of the Yew wand Hermione's eyes fluttered but didn't open. He brought both hands up to frame her face and stroked the soft skin below her eyes with his thumbs, "open your eyes for me, Hermione."

She jerked her face out of his hands and pushed against his chest but he didn't budge, "Why!? I don't want to look at you."

He pulled her closed and nestled his face into the crook of her neck so that he could breath her in. The beast inside of him lowered its head and relaxed but his grip didn't. He knew that the beast inside of him was his power and sanity. He kills now but with it unleashed and wild he would slaughter for no cause what so ever. Hermione felt the strange tension in his body and relaxed against his possessive and protective embrace. Raising his head to look her in the eyes he met frightened golden hazel orbs, "I'm beginning to hate that look on you."

He caressed her cheek before glancing at the corner where she had hit and noticed the small smear of her blood. Still holding her Voldemort took a napkin and cleaned it off while motioning for Draco to take Ginny away. The red head was very reluctant as she watched the steps knowing that her brother was fighting his way to the top and Harry was fighting to get away from Kingsley and some random guy she's never seen before. Wrapping her arms around herself she followed Draco away from the area to the bar where she watched the events from afar. Hermione was shaking with true fear against him. She had the tendency to do that around him often. Taking off his jacket Voldemort carefully draped it around her shoulders and wrapped it around her before pulling her against him again. She didn't react at all and that bothered him more than if she pushed it off. His rage at Potter diminished at her cold refusal, "Hermione?"

Still she didn't answer. Becoming irritated Voldemort jerked her back and glared at her. She flinched away and tried to draw her legs up which made him sigh, "I'm trying."

Those two words struck something in Hermione and she looked up at him with blazing eyes, "I really would have believed that a couple hours ago but I can't any more!" She was so angry that she threw off his jacket and tried to do the same to him, "You scare me! Really scare me and I don't know how to handle that anymore because you….oh! forget it! Let me out I'm going to walk home."

"Because I what?" He snarled back, "haven't changed! Will continue the war! What is it Mudblood!"

Actual tears slipped out of Hermione's eyes as she stared him straight in the eyes, "you have become important to me," her words were whispered but it felt like someone had just slammed a metal fist into his stomach, "I want to go."

She had tried to pull him away with those words earlier and he had thrown her away. Slowly he reached out and cupped her cheek in his palm, "I can't change who I am, Hermione, but I'm asking you to give me more than one or two or three chances because I'm going to screw up a lot. A whole lot."

She pushed against his chest and glared up at him, "I never asked you to."

It was true. She never said anything to him about changing him. He didn't know what to say.

Wiping her eyes Hermione jerked her cheek away and turned her head away from him, "I don't want to be here with you."

She was trying to be hurtful and she was achieving it. He had no words so he bent his head and nudged her cheek with his non-existant nose. She pushed at him but he just did it again but this time he ran his lips over her temple. She glared at him but his eyes were shut as he continued. Gently he drew her closer to him in an even more protective embrace and nudge her face again, "you're reminding me of Crookshanks."

He smirked, "and if I knew you weren't so fond of that fur ball I would get rid of him. I hate competition," he still wouldn't open his eyes.

She was getting a little worried as he continued his ministrations, "Voldemort?"

"Hmm?" His head cocked to the side as he looked at her with his eyelids.

Quickly she grasped his face with her hands, "open your eyes."

"I scare you when I do that, Hermione," he leaned his forehead against hers.

"You creep me out when you do that," she brushed his eyelids with her thumbs, "open them."

Slowly crimson orbs were staring back at her as his hand made soothing circles on her back, "is this better?" His lips traveled down the bridge of her nose where he gently kissed the tip.

"You're being far more romantic than a Dark Lord should," she watched him closely, "showing a lot of emotions in public."

"I need to make up for my mistake," his breath ghosted over her lips and into her senses.

The warm scent was of mint and coffee. She was still cautious of the man but she knew how much it was killing him to act like this in public. Smiling Hermione didn't realize that they were being watched when she slid her arms around his strong neck and closed the space between them with a searing kiss.

He pulled her closer, if it was possible, and kissed back with one hand framing her face and the other wrapped around her possessively. Ron stood by the steps watching the transaction with a gapping mouth. Hermione was kissing the Dark Lord and willingly. Red over took his vision as Kingsley tackled him to the ground, "Hermione!"

Her name being called out shocked her from the amazing dreamy state that his kisses put her in. She pulled away sharply to look at the floor. The furious red headed boy being wrestled to the ground by Kingsley was glaring up at her as if she betrayed him in every blasphemous way possible.

Voldemort's grip on her tightened painfully and she glared at him. He was watching her reactions to Ron and he wasn't comfortable with it. Sighing Hermione relaxed against him, "they'll take him out of here," his grip didn't relax, "you're hurting me."

He released the tight hold and straightened his back letting his arms fall away from her. He watched with narrowed eyes as they literally drug the red head across the ground and hauled Harry off in a struggling fireman carry. How dare he look at Hermione like that! Why did she pull away? He refused to look at the witch next to him as he signaled their companions but Draco was having the same problem. Ginny was shaking and staring after the two boys even after they were gone.

Draco angrily stormed over to the table and sat glaring at everything but the red head. Hermione was the first to notice both of the men's expressions. She turned on them furiously, "Don't you dare look like that!" She rose swiftly and pushed past Voldemort and grabbing Ginny, "You have no clue what on this earth either one of us have gone through! You've lost nothing! We have been doing what we can to cope with the fact that not only have we lost a majority of our family but those people we care about! How would you feel if you were thrust at two people who have hunted and tried to kill you all of your life! Thrust at a Monster!" Her breathing was uneven and tears were running down her cheeks, "a heartless one," before his gaze to avert to her she was spun around storming out of the club with Ginny close behind.

"It was Harry, Hermione," Ginny was in heartbreaking tears, "he was right there in front of me."

Hermione steered her off toward a park and helped her hyperventilating friend down onto a table, "I know," Hermione was holding her tight.

"You had every right to say those things in there, Hermione," Ginny looked up with watery eyes, "they have no clue how hard this is and what we had to give up! It hurts so much to see him!"

Hermione wiped the tears from her friends eyes, "they don't. It does hurt. So much."

Suddenly her strong grip had her wrist and was wrenching her up off the ground painfully. The skin beneath the hand was burning like she had just stuck it to a hot iron, "A monster! I'll show you what kind of monster I am!"

She looked up into swirling blood eyes frightened yet brave, "You've already done that!"

He threw her forward making her trip and fall onto the grass, "Let her go!" Ginny was charging him but she was restrained by a furious Draco who drug her off in another direction.

"What is it, Mudblood!" He stormed toward her, "Don't like what you see! How you're being treated! I'm a Dark Lord! Learn to live with it!" He was towering over her ready to snatch her up again when suddenly her leg lashed back and her heel drove into his shin cutting the material and his flesh.

Forcing herself up she jumped away from him then cradled her arm to her chest, "I'll never learn to live with THAT!" She glared at him, "I never cared about Ron! I never loved him, but what was I suppose to do! Everyone wanted me to be with him! They called me selfish and he proclaimed his love to me ever time I looked at him!" She was shaking and crying, "At least he can love me even if I don't want him! I long fo that look in his eyes not the man with the eyes!"

Voldemort was shaking with rage when he stepped toward her wanting her to back off from her stare down but she took a step forward also, 'Not, scared?" He sneered.

"Frightened! But I'm tired of listening to your excuses and forgiving you!" She covered the distance between them, "Listen to me!"

Fear swirled in her eyes but her shivering came from the cold air biting at her bare skin, "fine!"

She turned and walked away, "walk two feet behind me," he was furious with her but he did as she asked.

"Why?!"

She didn't answer but kept walking through the trees with her arms wrapped around her tightly. The wind rustled the leaves on the trees and small critters scampered across the grass away from the two wonderers. His anger was slowly dissipating as he watched her walk slowly forward. Her body was shaking and her skin was pale. It's been a long night. Soon he was distracted by the stars above them and then the moonlights play on the foliage around them. Sighing he looked back and saw her walking onto a stone bridge arching over a small creak. The moon reflected off of the placid surface just enough light the area. Hermione had walked to the edge and leaned over to look at the silvery reflection below.

He had stopped when her heels began to click on the hard surface where she left him feeling left out. As if he didn't belong in such an amazing picture as what was before him. Looking up she saw him watching her uncertain and she smiled glad her plan had worked Why do I continue to forgive him? She shook her head If he ever intentionally hurts me again I'll face the consequences of never marrying him. Shaking out of her thought she looked over at the Dark Lord who stood just a few feet away from her uncertain of what to do next. Slipping out of her shoes and shivering from the freezing stone Hermione walked toward him slowly with her hips swaying back and forth. The movement hypnotized him and he barely noticed when she was pulling him to the center of the bridge. She was far shorter with the heels off and he found himself preferring her this way. Still slowly, she slid her small hand into his larger one and laid her hand and head on his chest, "we never got to dance."

Taking a deep breath he slid his left arm around her lower back, held her right hand over his black heart, and then began to slowly move them back and forth in a slow dance, "I'm not good at this, Hermione."

She grinned against him, "Hmm, we're dancing on a beautiful bridge in the moonlight," she nuzzled his chest then mumbled comfortably, "your horrible at it but I can honestly say. If you ever, and I mean EVER, lift your hand to me I'll leave you faster than you can draw breath."

"I'm a jealous man," he spoke as if that was valid reason to do what he had done.

"There is no excuse for what you did," she pulled her wrist away from his hand and held it out in the moonlight, "you have no idea what I'm going through and that was NOT the best way to handle it. My emotions are so wild and crazy, no help from today's events, that I'm going to let you know exactly what I think without censor. You scare me, my two best…ex-best friends….stormed into a club to save me, and I don't know what is happening to me," she sighed and went to pull away but he stopped her.

"What do you mean, happening to you?" He continued to move them slowly on the bridge.

She smiled, "I'll tell you after I figure it out," she looked up at him cutting his sentence off, "this I need to discover alone," a sudden shiver went through her body.

Sighing he took his chance to mend things and wrapped her up in his cloak completely dropping the subject before pulling her onto his shoes to protect her feet, "not the best idea to remove your shoes," he laid his head on top of hers.

"You're taking care of it," she curled closer to him.

A sudden thought popped into his mind, "Draco was fairly angry. Should we check on them?"

Grinning she looked up at him, "I'm positive she is perfectly fine," she pulled on his collar to give him a kiss, "lets go. I'm really tired."

He nodded his head then walked her to her shoes before leading her out of the park and to the car. It didn't take long for him to have her back at the cabin and at the front door, "this is going to be harder than I first anticipated."

She nodded her head at him, "yes, far harder."

He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand then kissed her lips gently, "I'm unfamiliar with this gentle nature you seem to bring out in me and I need you to know that you'll be the only one to ever receive its attention."

She grabbed his wrist gently, "I'm fully aware of that."

He nodded his head, "go get some sleep we have a long day ahead of us. If it is going to be hard a lot of time is needed," he stepped down the stairs then looked back up, "Goodnight, Hermione."

She held the door knob and looked back, "Goodnight, Voldemort."