Author's Note: So here's the end. Thanks to all who read and subscribed and reviewed and favorited. It's appreciated. I really don't see a sequel coming up, and I have a lot of other projects to work with, but who knows. Maybe I'll surprise myself one day. Until then, enjoy the epilogue.

Thanks to ozzymandius for beta'ing.

Insurgence of Obscurity

For doorstepofdoom

Epilogue

"Happy birthday, Tommy!"

Tom cast her a disgusted look, but it immediately melted away when he got a good look at her. "I didn't know you were capable of wearing dresses," he said smoothly, reaching around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

"I like robes more, but I felt that since it was your special day, I ought to wear something special." She grinned as she twirled around. "Do you like it? Ginny and Hannah helped me pick it out." Her eyes wandered over to her friends, who were huddled in a corner. She could see little Lavender waving at her, while Ginny just winked. Hermione stuck her tongue out at her before turning her attention back to Tom.

"Do I get a present?" His breath fanned against her cheek, and she smiled up at him, winding her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. "Perhaps, a birthday kiss? I was very good tonight. I deserve a reward."

However, before their lips could meet, someone barreled over noisily. "Hello, you little piece of shit." The person knocked her out of Tom's arms and onto the floor. Hermione glared up at the culprit and found Bella standing there. Hermione had been the one to invite her, though she hadn't been sure if the girl would show up.

"Hello to you too, Bella," Hermione said smoothly. To her surprise, Bella reached down and lent her a hand, pulling her up. Hermione glanced at her and found that the maniacal look that was usually present was missing from Bella's face. Perhaps she had changed as well.

There were no apologies said between the two girls. Bella did not apologize for her behavior towards Hermione for all those years and Hermione did not apologize for knocking her out. But both understood that it was in the past and that some things were meant to be forgotten.

"It's rather big, isn't it?" Bella said, looking around. "I always knew that Rooky had an obsession with big parties, but this is huge." She looked fairly excited. Her new freedom seemed to have treated her well.

"It's actually not Rookwood's party," Hermione said. "It's Tom's birthday. You know Tom, right?" She gestured towards her partner, who was regarding Bella with a smirk on his face. "He was my partner in the Triwizard Tournament. We're co-victors."

"Not exactly," Tom corrected. "Co-victors would symbolize that we are equals, and that we played an equal part in the victory." His lips curled up. "That is not exactly true, is it?"

Hermione smacked his arm.

"That's right. You were in the Triwizard Tournament. Congratulations on your win," said Bella. "I thought that—holy shit you're hot," Bella breathed out as her eyes focused on Tom for the first time. Tom smirked and nudged Hermione with his foot, and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't encourage him," she said. "His ego is huge enough already." She patted his arm fondly. "Though I must say, the buckteeth was a rather attractive look on you. It's a shame you didn't decide to keep them that way."

"You weren't so happy when I learned the incantation and used it on you."

Hermione scowled at him. Unfortunately, he had searched up the spell and had used it on her, and as much as she didn't want to admit, there was truly very little difference. She took pride in her front teeth! She didn't care that they were slightly bigger.

"Go get me a drink." She shoved him away. He chuckled, but complied with her wishes. Bella looked as though she wanted to follow him and looked over at Hermione for permission. Hermione shooed her away; if Tom became interested in another girl so quickly, she would lose all respect she held for him. But she wasn't particularly worried about him. Bella, however, looked as though Christmas had come early and trailed after him like a little puppy.

Hermione looked around the room. She could see Ron and Harry—who she had finally had the pleasure to meet—in one corner, talking with their heads bent together. Charlie Weasley kept loitering near Ginny, although the girl kept waving him away. The entire Weasley family was scattered around the room, testing out the exotic drinks and weird foods that the party offered. She had organized the party, but the beverages and foods were Tom's responsibility. They could be poison, for all she knew. She wouldn't put it past him.

Doing a quick scan of the room, she could see that out of the other four contestants, only Pollux had shown up. He had been the only one she had expected to show up, although she had sent the invitations to the others as well. He smiled at her as she walked up to him.

"Thank you," he said.

"No, thank you," she responded. "You helped me a lot in the court trial. Had you not been there, it would have been much harder, if not impossible, to earn an acquittal."

"Phineas was doing his best to get you a guilty verdict." Pollux shrugged. "I felt it to be only fair if you received my help in return." He paused. "My brother has an arsenal of tactics that are very hard to overcome unless you know just the right way to counter them."

Hermione grinned. "Just know that I really appreciated it." She truly did. She had expected to be alone at the trial. Imagine to her surprise when others, even Dumbledore and McGonagall stood up and to defend her. She was generally not an emotional person, but the scene almost made her cry.

Pollux nodded, and looked around. "He really knows how to throw a party, doesn't he?"

Hermione snorted. "Actually, this was all me." She gestured around. "It was supposed to be a surprise party, though you can see how that turned out." She scowled as Pollux gave her a look. "What was I supposed to do? I didn't know he would come and use Legilimency on me."

"Did you curse him?" He sounded amused.

"Of course I did! It's an invasion of privacy!" she huffed. "However, I couldn't remove the things that he had seen, so I had to deal with it. I originally thought that I would receive more help since he knew, but he has done nothing but distract me ever since he found out." She sighed. "Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother with him."

Pollux's lips twitched upwards. "I'm sure he wonders the same about you."

Hermione's jaw dropped, but he laughed to show he was only kidding. She smacked him on the arm. "I suppose things are getting back to normal now," she said. "Do you think that perhaps we can keep in touch? I would hate to cut it off completely."

Pollux's smile slid off. "Yes, but it will be quite awhile until I am able to communicate with you," he said. "Phineas is not particularly pleased right now, and I have made it my priority to help him out first, no matter how long that will take. It's dangerous for him to tread in the world alone, as his mind is still full of hate and anger. But after he is back to his usual self, it would be my honor."

Hermione beamed at him. He was still the same, looking out and placing his brother in front of his own interests. "I have to say, you pull off the suit quite nicely." Pollux blinked as he looked down. "I've got so used to seeing you with the robes that it looks strange to see you wear anything else."

Pollux's lips curled up. "I seem to remember a certain invitation demanding this attire."

"I wanted to make it both muggle and wizard related." Hermione shrugged, unabashed. "Tom wasn't too pleased with that, but changing the invitation would involve work on his part, so he just let it be." Tom himself was wearing his usual robes, but she supposed that since he was the birthday boy, he could do whatever he wanted.

"You pull off a dress fairly well too," Pollux said, looking at her pink dress. She did a small curtsy and smiled at him. "I still believe robes suit you more, but I won't deny that you look beautiful."

Hermione was flattered. "Thank you."

"I should go before Tom eats my face off." Pollux winked at her. "This is my first party with ladies involved, so I think I shall go enjoy myself." He waved at her as he headed off towards a group of giggling girls. "See you, Granger."

"Go get 'em, tiger," Hermione called after him. She could tell that he was still troubled about his brother, but she hoped that at least for one night, he could enjoy himself and forget about everything that was waiting for him when he got home.

Hermione glanced around. She had talked to so many people since the party had started. She had stayed by Tom's side for most of the night, of course, but occasionally she had wandered off. She had met Harry, and the boy was very pleasant to talk to. He had a strong sense of loyalty, and Hermione found herself liking him already.

Ron was still Ron, of course. It felt so weird to see him in front of her after she had Polyjuiced as him for so long. He was still in good spirits, shoving food down his throat while talking to her with his mouth wide open. She had left him and Harry to their bickering.

She had talked to Ginny, of course, and the other girls who she had worked with at the Rookwood manor. She did not have time after the trial acquittal to go back there, so this was the first time in awhile that she had seen them. They had all been delighted to see her and excited about the prospects of a new life. Hannah, ever the strange one, said she would miss the Rookwood manor and its glamour. However, even she couldn't deny that she was exuberant about her new freedom.

Ginny, while reuniting with her family members, dragged Hermione along. Her parents were first, though Arthur Weasley seemed distracted by his suit. Ginny told her that he was interested in muggle objects, but Hermione didn't think the suit to be particularly fascinating. Arthur Weasley, though, thought differently. After a couple of failed attempts at teaching him how to put on a tie, she left him in Molly Weasley's hands.

Percy was next, and although he reminded Hermione a bit of Umbridge, she eventually warmed up to him. He was a little stiff and awkward, but that was hardly his fault. However, Ginny proved to have little tolerance for her brother because towards the end, she was practically trying to squirm out of his grasp. Percy let her go easily, and resumed his awkward pacing around the room.

Charlie nearly hugged Ginny to the point of suffocation. It was so weird to see him without his accompanying dragons. He had very nearly broken down and cried, though Ginny told him to be a man and swallow his tears. Hermione, personally, didn't find it wrong for her brother to shed a few tears, but Ginny seemed to find it absolutely mortifying.

There had been many females who had come up to Hermione to introduce themselves. However, there were just as many women who kept their distance, glaring at Hermione as they stared dreamily at Tom. She, for the most part, ignored them. However, once in awhile, when Tom wasn't looking, she turned around and gave them the ugliest look she could muster before walking away with her head held high.

She had seen Fred and George, and while she was amused by them and their pranks, Tom downright hated them. They dropped a dungbomb in his drink, and he very nearly whipped out his wand and avada'ed them where they stood.

Hermione was busy looking around, happy to see all the smiles on everyone's faces. It brought her joy to see everyone together, laughing and smiling. All her friends were in this very room, enjoying this new chapter in history.

Hermione was thinking about a date to host another party when she accidentally backed into someone. She was about to turn around and apologize when the person gripped her wrist hard enough to bruise.

Hermione froze. She knew that touch. It had been so long since she had felt it, but she knew it all the same. Get a grip, Hermione, she told herself. You're not afraid of him anymore. You're free. You're better than him now. However, she could feel herself trembling slightly, and she knew he could feel it as well.

Schooling her features, she turned around and nodded politely, making sure not to show any fear on her face. "Hello, sir." She had no idea what to call him. There was no way she was going to call him 'master,' but she felt weird calling him Augustus. Even though they were technically equals now, she sure didn't feel like it.

"Hermione Granger," Rookwood drawled, his eyes shamelessly roaming her body. "Who would have known that you could do all that you did? You were just a pathetic, sobbing, mewling quim." His lips quirked up and Hermione glared angrily at him. "I want you to come back to me."

Hermione blinked, unsure whether or not she had heard him correctly. "Excuse me?"

"You can't deny that you miss the manor," Rookwood said, raising an eyebrow. "You know you want to come home. I can feel it. You were trembling in excitement." More like fear. Hermione snorted. "Come home with me, Hermione Granger."

"That's not my home." Hermione gritted her teeth. "Have you not noticed the recent law that was passed that says that it is forbidden for a man to own a woman as a slave? I have no obligations to go back there, and I was not planning to either. Neither are any of the other girls."

Rookwood scowled at her. "Yes, thanks to your idiocy, you have lost me all my slaves." His eyes narrowed. "You will pay for that, Hermione Granger, and you will pay with everything you have. I have come to collect, and I do not like to be kept waiting."

"If you came to this party in hopes of getting me to return with you, then you will go home empty-handed." Hermione crossed her arms. "I entered the tournament for the sole reason of getting me and everyone else out of that manor. I happened to achieve my goal. What makes you think that I would willingly go back?"

"You should not have been able to compete," Rookwood growled. She knew he was also sour that she had been selected in the first place while he had been trying in vain for so many years. "They should have thrown you out and condemned you to death as soon as they found out you were nothing but a pitiless slave with idiotic dreams. It is all because of that Dumbledore; always the sympathizer." Rookwood sneered, "If it were not for him, you would not even be here."

"Maybe I wouldn't, maybe I would," Hermione said evenly. "It doesn't achieve anything to dwell on the 'what ifs.' I found a lot of help in places I would have never expected to look. However, the important thing is that I am here now, and no matter what you say to me, I will not let any of us go back to that hellhole."

Rookwood snarled and grabbed Hermione's wrist roughly, pulling her towards the door. Her other hand drifted down to a secret wand holster she had strapped around her leg. However, before she could get it out and curse him, another hand clamped down hard on Rookwood's wrist and forcefully dragged it away.

Hermione looked up. Tom was smiling at Rookwood, but there was nothing sincere about the gesture. There was darkness in his eyes as he looked at the older man. As soon as Rookwood stopped touching Hermione, Tom let go of his hand as though it burned. Hermione could see a tad bit of anger in his eyes as he wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist possessively.

"Augustus," Tom greeted politely, though his voice was as sharp as daggers. "How nice of you to join us."

"Tom," Rookwood forced out. "Happy birthday." It was like watching two wolves circling each other, both of them predators and neither one willing to become the prey.

"Thank you." Tom narrowed his eyes. "Now, Augustus, I'm sure you know, but I am a very selfish man."

"At last, you have finally acknowledged it," Hermione muttered.

"It is my birthday after all, so I think that I deserve to get whatever I want." Tom ignored her, smiling eerily at Rookwood. "Don't you think so?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well then, I didn't think it was necessary to tell you, but apparently you are too slow to figure it out." Tom's lips curled into a cruel smirk. "I do not like others touching my possessions."

"I am not a possession!" Hermione interrupted.

Tom continued as though he hadn't heard her. "That being said, should I find out that you bother her again, I might have to pay you a visit." His eyes glinted. "You wouldn't want that, would you?"

Rookwood glared at him, but even Hermione could see that he was very much serious. Finally, after what seemed like eons, Rookwood grudgingly nodded.

"And any one of my friends either," Hermione piped up. "Don't even look at them."

Rookwood looked at Tom, who merely sighed. "I admit that I do not care about what happens to them," he said, and Hermione kicked him in the shins. "That being said, it would make Hermione most displeased if you hurt them, and that I cannot deal with." Hermione beamed. "Though, I suppose it wouldn't be me you would worry about. I heard that she can duel quite well."

Rookwood looked like he wanted to whip out his wand and curse both of them—something Hermione knew would not end well for him—but he took a deep breath and nodded, though it did not escape Hermione's notice that he was still glaring at them.

"Very well," Tom said cheerfully, his voice so sweet that it was anything but sincere. "Thank you for coming all this way, Augustus. I hope you enjoy the rest of the party." With Rookwood glaring holes into their backs, Tom steered her away.

"Where's Bella?" Hermione asked once they were far enough from Rookwood. She was afraid he would go torture Hannah and Lavender, but to her relief, he cast one disgusted look around the room before promptly leaving. She hoped that it would be the last she would see of him.

"Fainted."

"She fainted?" Hermione repeated.

"Yes, she was trying to impress me with her knowledge of all the drinks." Tom smirked. "I suggested that she tasted some, and she did so. I believe she got about halfway through the drinks before she collapsed."

"She is okay, right?"

"I have no idea. I put her in the bathroom somewhere. Someone is bound to find her."

"That's unforgivable," Hermione muttered, but she spotted someone upstairs carrying Bella down the stairs and placing her into a chair, where she slumped over. "Is that your plan? To get unsuspecting girls drunk?"

Tom shot her a secretive smile. "Let's get you a drink, then."

Hermione scowled at him, remembering the last time that she had been drunk. However, she let him pull her over to the drinks bar, where he ordered a bright blue colored beverage for her. She wrinkled her nose, but tried it anyway, deciding against her better judgment to trust him. It was cool with a tinge of orange, and Hermione decided that it was not as bad as she thought it would be.

"Excuse me?" Someone tapped on her shoulders.

She turned around and immediately wished she didn't. "Why…?" she whined. Tom glanced over her shoulder and his face darkened slightly, though she was thankful that he didn't just whip out his wand and curse the man.

"Hermione! Tom! What a pleasure to meet you again," Richard Skeeter, the man who never seemed to know when he was unwanted, beamed at them. "May I have an interview about your blooming relationship? What about your victory in the Triwizard Tournament?" His wretched quill was next to him. "Any comments or statements you can make?"

Hermione opened her mouth to tell Skeeter to find other people to torture, but before she could do so, Tom grabbed the blue drink from Hermione's hand and tipped it forwards. It drenched Skeeter head to toe, and his precious parchment was soaked.

"Oops." Tom smiled. "I apologize. It seems my hand slipped."

"Tom," Hermione reprimanded him. "That was a waste of a good drink."

Tom smirked at her. "If that was all you want from us, we have places to be. My condolences to your parchment."

"Yes, yes, it's very sad." Hermione waved Tom off. "Tom and I would like to request that you please leave us alone for a while."

"Preferably forever," Tom muttered.

"It is a breach of privacy." She smiled brightly at him. "I do not resort to threats, Mister Skeeter, but consider yourself warned." She turned to Tom and dragged him away. "Come on, I need to show the birthday boy his gift."

"My gift?" Tom drawled as Hermione brought them to their bedroom. His eyes darkened as he pressed Hermione against the wall, slanting his lips over hers. He caught her arms and pinned them above her head, closing the door quickly next to him. "I think I'm quite satisfied with it."

"Tom, stop," Hermione pushed him away. As much as she enjoyed the feeling of him, she had more important things to take care of first. "Don't you want to see your birthday gift?"

"I assumed you were my gift," Tom purred. "I was quite content indeed."

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Hermione smacked his arm playfully. "Well, I got another gift for you. I'm sure you'll like it quite a lot."

Tom made a noncommittal sound, but then by the look on his face, he felt it. He glanced down towards his leg and saw an enormous snake winding around his leg, hissing as it continued its way upwards.

"Meet your new best friend," Hermione said cheekily. "Her name is Doom."

Life was not perfect for the two of them. There were many instances where Hermione almost wanted to blast Tom's face off, such as when Tom tried to turn her into a snake 'to see if he could manipulate two female snakes into reproducing with each other.' There was also the problem with Doom herself. At first, Hermione was content to just watch the two of them talk in their weird language. After awhile, however, she began feeling rather left out. She never understood what they were saying, and Tom made it a point to not tell her.

However, she learnt to deal with it, and gradually she began to warm up to the snake. Her life improved slowly, and she became eligible to receive a job. She worked at the Ministry during the day—making sure that fair laws for all people were passed—and she moved in with Tom, whom she spent her evenings with. There were arguments and debates, but they would always find a way to compromise without destroying too many things.

She kept in touch with all her friends. Some of the girls needed a bit of help to get started in their new lives, and Hermione lent a helping hand whenever she could. She met with Ginny, Ron and Harry every Sunday for tea. Bella came over far too often for Hermione's liking, spending a majority of her time staring at Tom, but Hermione eventually warmed up to the girl as well. She held a feast every month at her house where she invited everyone she knew to come and enjoy themselves. It was on their fourth feast that Pollux showed up, looking happier and more carefree than she had ever seen him.

All was well.

In the corner of Hermione's and Tom's bedroom, the Triwizard Cup sat on a cabinet, glittering softly in the darkness.

Fin