Playing with Fire

Chapter 39

Thank you all so much for commenting, voting, and reading ❤ I hope you will love this chapter too, it is probably the darkest one so far.. Enjoy!! XXX

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Hogwarts had changed a lot after Voldemort had won the war. Muggle Borns were still allowed to attend Hogwarts, but they had to 'earn' their wands and they were taught that they were inferior to Purebloods. Most of the Muggle Borns therefore still didn't have a wand, and the slightest cheeky remark from them could result in severe punishments. Hermione was thus far the only exception to the rule. The people who had been most loyal to Dumbledore and Harry had even left the school, McGonagall had fled Hogwarts, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Luna, Ginny... The rest of the Order was being hunted actively by the Death Eaters, and Hermione had heard only recently that Kingsley had been found and killed by Voldemort personally. Lupin, her old Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Tonks had also been found and killed by Bellatrix. And it would only be a matter of time before the rest would be found. The strange thing was, that Hermione wasn't as bothered as she used to be from hearing about the deaths of people she used to care about deeply. They almost didn't matter anymore. She had Barty, and she felt happy with him. He wasn't hurting her anymore, he was treating her like a queen.

Not everyone was treating her like royalty, however. Students would mock her whenever she would pass them, not showing her the slightest bit of respect. Even other Death Eaters, who were all guarding the castle permanently, in case supporters of Dumbledore would attack the school, would still call her names and make rude remarks when they saw her. Never when Barty could hear or see them, though, they were still not brave enough for that. She was only shown respect and deference when she was with Barty, something which annoyed her deeply. Hermione continuously felt the growing need to prove herself, to prove herself worthy of respect, even though she was not a Pureblood. Now she just felt like she was some kind of floozy, a no one. She had never felt the need to have other people bowing for her, or address her with 'ma'am', but now that she was in the center of attention, and seen with an important Death Eater, she felt that it was time that she too would prove herself. People should fear her too. People should bow before her. Although that was hard without a wand, which Barty still wouldn't give to her. It almost scared Hermione, how she had changed. And she wasn't even sure if she had changed for the better or for the worse. All she knew was that she loved Barty, and that she was loyal to him, and that she would make him proud. That was the least she could do for him.

Unfortunately, she was still quite vulnerable without her wand whenever she was alone. The year was almost ending, and still people would say terrible things to her. After dinner, Hermione was just strolling through the courtyard when she heard the most annoying voice she knew behind her.

"Granger!"

It was Pansy Parkinson, together with her two cronies, Zabini and Bulstrode.

"Leave me alone, Parkinson, you have no business here around this time," Hermione said, trying to sound convincing.

"You have no business here at all, Mudblood," Pansy grinned. "The fact that you are shagging Crouch doesn't mean you are suddenly better than us."

"I never implied that."

"You're just a little whore, aren't you?" Pansy taunted her even further.

"Shut up, or I'll..."

"You'll do what, little Mudblood? If we kill you, no one would know who did it and no one would care. And you can't defend yourself."

"Mr. Crouch would care," Hermione snapped, now starting to become angry as she clenched her fists.