I don't own anything by J.K. Rowling. The characters that are in here are entirely her own.

Everything had changed. Voldemort had gained his oh so desired power. The only person lost to the abyss of death during the battle was Harry. He had died heroically with the followers of Voldemort surrounding him, clapping as Voldemort brought the young still blossoming wizard down. There was a resistance somewhere in Europe. Hermione knew it and she wasn't determined to seek it out. She was tired of the fights, she always had been. Ever since that day in the summer before she had turned 14.

The man had approached her and asked her if she liked to fight; if she could fight. Her answer was a sure sounding yes and he asked her what she was capable of. It turned out that she had a natural ability to wield any weapon.

That was when her training started; she became something that would have surprised anyone that crossed her. Trained by a man's name that she never knew, she became an assassin; Hermione Granger had become a hit man. But she hadn't killed anyone until the summer before Voldemort had risen fully and controlled the magical world. No one knew of this and besides if they did they wouldn't believe her. She thought that it would aid her in her ability to wield magic, and it had. Her senses had increased. Her strength increased. And finally her power increased.

Like I said, no one knew about these abilities. The Order didn't know that she could take out a grown man swiftly and silently. She had deceived them for years. She was still the innocent girl, just with an extreme edge. After the defeat of Harry, Hermione crept into her world. She finally left the Order and went off on her own. She never heard from them. In fact, she hadn't been in the magical world for over a year. Little did she know that was about to change … drastically.

Hermione keyed into her house. Careful not to touch anything lest she get blood on it she walked to her bathroom and stripped off her clothes. She turned the shower on and stepped in. Water cleansed the blood and sin away, while her mind turned to the nights events.

The hit had been on an Italian mafia boss. He had been causing problems for the Irish. Well, it wasn't too bad. Hermione had taken a katana to his head and there wasn't anything else to it. It was a bit messy; the blood had splattered on the walls and such.

She didn't reflect on it very much. There was no point, sometimes regrets about taking life would seep into her mind and make her shiver. God if Harry had known, he may turn in his grave. Even worse if Malfoy had known, Voldemort might have wanted her to join or would have thought her a danger and killed her outright. It was true that Hermione wanted power. She wasn't sure that she would kill for it, but what can a person do?

Back to the shower, Hermione had gotten out. She pulled her wand out of the drawer and preformed a drying spell on her hair. Uncontrollable curls and waves spilled down her back and she smiled into the mirror before reaching for a toothbrush and paste to clean her teeth.

A few moments later Hermione was in her room, messing with the radio dial to find the quieter station. Going through the motions of getting ready for bed, she lay down and began to read

"What was all that blood on her?" Draco Malfoy asked to his normally silent friend Blaise Zabini.

"I really have no idea, after all we have been watching this apartment for hours; and that was the first really over the top thing that has happened. Did she put down a sword or something when she walked in?" He replied as he craned to get a good look at her through her blinds.

" You go back and tell the lord what you have seen. I will await further instructions."

Blaise merely nodded and left.

'Bookwork had grown into a dangerous beauty,' Draco thought as the light in the apartment flicked off, 'My lord will be pleased.'

Hermione was having a dream about Harry. He seemed pleased with what he had done. But there were hardships to overcome. He told Hermione that she was going to be great and no matter what she would be fine, no matter what choices she made, it was for the best. At that moment she heard something that wasn't right. It wasn't a dream, it was footsteps. Hermione awoke with a start and automatically reached for a knife that she kept under her pillow. She turned around to see a couple of very startled looking Death Eaters. One quickly awoke from the shock of having Hogwarts brightest witch holding a knife to stupefy her. All Hermione saw was darkness.

She came to on a cold stone floor. Somewhere water was dripping and a mouse scurried to hide in its hole. Ignoring all precaution she sat up and opened her eyes. About thirty or so Death Eaters were surrounding her.

"Shit, you must be breeding like rabbits. There are more of you than I have ever seen." She said as she looked around without fear. If this was death then so be it. Sadistic laughter erupted from behind some of the hooded men. Voldemort emerged in all his dark glory with velvet black robes, and a hood covering his face.

"So have you come to deliver death? I find it rather funny because if you have good sources" her eyes shot to the Death Eaters and she sneered. "I am not a member of any faction against you. Frankly I left the wizarding world." She said completely un-afflicted by the fear that should be inspired by the mere presence of the dark lord.

"You are supposed to be the brightest witch of your year. What happened?" His voice spoke in a mocking tone.

There seemed to be a tension in the room after he asked this and it was all coming from the irritated girl on the floor.

"Nothing happened, just my best friend was taken from me and my parents were brutally murdered. The world fell apart in a single night. But know this my Lord. I am not afraid of death. I am not afraid to die slowly, I am not afraid to die quickly. I have killed too many to count. Death is beautiful as far as I am concerned." She replied without feeling. This surprised many of the Death Eaters, especially those who knew her as a child.

"What do you mean you have killed too many to care? I have recently received information that you came to your flat a few hours ago with blood all over you. Please explain these things." He said with a hiss for emphasis.

Hermione's eyes rolled and she snorted."Since you said please… when I was fourteen I learned to fight in the muggle ways. I became a skilled assassin. I can kill and have killed even for money. Your informant caught me after a grisly job. I had to take out a muggle crime boss. He died quickly; the katana always provides that for me." She said as she looked into his eyes. That was all she could see of his face.

Tension showed. You could tell a smirk was playing across his lips. He had found someone worthy and in the most unlikely blood.

"Prove it." She heard a Death Eater say.

"I'd rather not." She replied as she said as she turned and looked at the Death Eater.

All of a sudden hands closed around her throat. 'God damn it. Can't I get a break?' She thought as she felt the cloth of silk gloves. Hermione reached up and grabbed her attacker and threw him across the room. His mask had come off, revealing a very surprised Lucius Malfoy.

"I told you that I would rather not. It is much harder to hurt a person once you know them. Trust me on that." She said coldly then she returned her attention to the Dark Lord.

"Now Tom, what can I do for you? Would you like for me to die fighting, in submission or are you in need of my services. If it has anything to do with my old acquaintances then it's a no deal. You will simply have to kill me." She said casually.

Voldemort started laughing. Trust the brightest witch to know his true disgusting muggle name. "My court and I have decided to bestow favor on you. You see I am getting along in my years and I need an heir. And I want the heir to have as much power as I have attained and the brightest mind of its time. That's where you come into the picture my dear girl."

Realization dawned on her and her chocolate eyes showed it.

"You want me to carry your child? Are you insane? How is that possible? You are about what? Fifty? Sixty? Can you even get it up?" She yelled at him. Now she was disturbed.

"I think that we will continue this conversation in private. Come with me assassin." Voldemort showed a fuming and slightly nauseated Granger into the anti-chamber. Hermione rounded on him as soon as he closed the door.

"What the hell is wrong with you? I just wanted to be left alone. Why-"She was cut short as Voldemort took off his hood. But what had stopped Hermione wasn't that he was hideous, but he had changed. He looked human and handsome…he looked whole. Dark shaggy hair fell into his eyes which still glowed red.

"I have finally returned to my natural form. It feels good to look human again. But what would feel better is to have an heir. But you must conceive willingly. That is where our problem lies. Please Miss Granger. I want you to do this for me."

She couldn't help but stare for a few moments in bewildered shock. Finally laughter erupted and she doubled over on the floor grasping her stomach. "This… is… bloody… hilarious!"She stopped wheezing and looked up at him. A serious and dangerous expression crossed her features.

"No, I don't want to. You killed my best friend. If you wanted me to take a job on then I might consider it. That is, unless it was someone that I once knew. But since you want me to give life to further your lame ass-." Hermione was cut short when an angry crucio was pointed to her. God it hurt. It was like having needles pierce deep into her skin. It was like having ice run through her nervous system.

"I can make you change your mind. I always get what I want." He said coldly as he held the curse.

"Well, I am glad you passed the formalities. But I really don't think that I want to. You're a bastard." She managed through the pain and gritted teeth. He stopped and Hermione sat up.

"Why is it that you need to have me conceive willingly? You would think that someone as sadistic as you would just rape a girl and then throw her into a cage." She spat at him.

Voldemort turned around and stared out the window for what seemed to be eternity. Finally he did something human. He sighed.

"There is a belief which is more truth than legend. More fact than fiction, that when a man wants a woman to have his child that contains all the traits that his father desires then the woman must be willing in everything. I want my heir to have all my traits. I want you to father my child. You may say that it goes against muggle genetics, but we aren't dealing with muggles now are we?" He said, his voice had become dangerous

"No, I refuse to mother a child that would be cruel, arrogant, hate and never accept people based on their blood lines. You are a bastard to make such an assumption. And I will never give in." Hermione said.

"You will. My child will have my power and he will have your intelligence. He would make a good leader with a mother like you."

"Quit trying to flatter me. You let me go and you will never hear of me ever again."

"Here's a deal. I give you one week to decide. If you agree to my proposal then no harm will come to you. You will become the Dark Lady and the Death Eaters will never touch you. You will be given anything that you have ever wanted. But if you choose to decline then I will have no choice but to kill you. Or let you live a miserable life as a servant when you could have been the greatest. But it is your choice. Good evening my dear." And with that he left her in the anteroom to organize her thoughts.

'I can't stay here. Whether I like it or not this is my last week of freedom. I have to get out of here. Perhaps I can get away for good.' Hermione looked toward the window. If Voldemort didn't want her to escape then she wouldn't be able to get out the window. But she was willing to take her chances either way. She walked over to the window and was surprised to see that the latch came undone. She opened the window and looked around the yard. There was a high brick wall that could easily be scaled, and it was her lucky day. The wall that was next to her was covered in vines so it would be easy to climb down. Hermione placed a bare foot on the sill and was greeted by cold air running through the thin cloth that covered her.

She grabbed a hold of the vine and started to climb down. It wasn't long until she reached the ground. Then she sprinted to the wall and jumped high enough to grab a hold of the ledge. She turned to see a magnificent house that would look cheery if it didn't contain the greatest evil ever known to her. She took one last look then she jumped down the other side and disapparated into the night.