If I Had A Heart

Five

Hermione

I dressed with care the following night. Voldemort wanted me dressed in white, and as Narcissa and Alecto, (my maids essentially), helped me into a beautiful beaded mermaid wedding gown, I couldn't help but think that if I chose to do this that I was willingly casting my fate with the deatheaters.

Alecto finished up my makeup when she said, "You're so lucky, my lady, I--"

Narcissa slapped the dour faced witch. "Our Lady did not give you leave to speak, Alec," She sharply chastised her. You know the rules."

Alecto held her stinging cheek, and I said, "It's alright, Cissa.' I'm sure that she was just congratulating me."

"I...Yes, I was," The ugly witch lied.

I smirked. "I'm sure that you were. I think I'm very well in hand for this vow swearing ceremony the Dark Lord has arranged. Is it true that he summoned every deatheater, Narcissa?"

Narcissa smiled, nodding her head. "Oh, yes. But only the Inner Circle can be inside the ballroom to bear witness to it. Does this please you, my Lady?"

I smiled, and hugged the older witch. "It does. I rather like being on this side of the war," I admitted. "Certainly, the revels are barbaric, but what affair is that of mine? The Dark Lord has been nothing if not generous towards me in all the time I have known him."

"Are you certain it is what you want, my Lady?" Narcissa asked gently. "Once you swear the vow, you will be on our side forever."

I sighed, "I know. I want to do this for him. If there is one person that can bring one spark of goodness, of light to him, it's me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do."
"Good. I'm ready to go now."

I was escorted to a glorious golden ballroom. The room resembled a baroque palace inside, complete with an enchanted starry sky above our heads. More than forty deatheaters in the black robes and masks watched as I made my way down an aisle towards my husband. I did not care for him using his public, snake-like glamour, but as very few people knew what he actually looked like, I understood his need to strike fear into the hearts of his followers.

His red eyes softened as I put my hand in his. He smiled, and despite how repulsive I found his glamour, I knew that he had no desire to harm me. Lucius Malfoy was shoved forward, and he looked very worn, and sickly from having just been released from Azkaban.

"Lucius, you will serve as our guarantor," Voldemort ordered.

"You...you honor me, my Lord," Lucius stammered. "I thank you for--"

"Yes, yes, yes! Get on with it," Voldemort said with annoyance. Voldemort took my forearm in his, and Lucius cast the spell.

White tendrils of magic encircled our arms, and Lucius asked, "Do you, Lady Hermione Riddle vow to keep all of the details of our organization secret, and to divulge it to no outside party for the purpose of spying and espionage?"

"I will."

"Do you vow to be loyal only to our cause on pain of death?"

"I will."

"Lord Voldemort," I said. "Do you vow to be loyal only unto me? To have no outside person share in our private, intimate life?"

"I will," He answered.

The magic sealed itself within us, and I thought that the ceremony was done, until he framed my face with his hands, and kissed me. I threw my arms around his neck, and kissed him back. There were murmurs of astonishment at this, but when he broke the kiss, he winked subtly at me. I smiled back, suddenly not afraid of him.