Requiem for his soul

Chapter 12

Their footsteps echoed in the vast manor, no portrait or life to be seen around them. Just sheer silence, and when there's silence that's when Hermione's thoughts were the loudest

Voldemort was a half-blood himself, so it was odd that these traditions were drilled into the newer generation of pure-bloods, but they didn't seem to care as they grew older and sought out the truth, whatever reason it may be. But the incentive was there. All Voldemort had to do was promise these blood supremacists that they will rid the Wizarding World of muggle-borns. But his grand scheme of things was always more than that, he had lusted for total control, power, immortality, to lead an army of Death Eaters to do his bidding as he lived forever. It was the incentive, the promise and preaches for what the people wanted to hear, the scheme to use the wealthiest and powerful. It was pure manipulation, it may seem that he had an army who followed his beliefs, but if his beliefs were based on what would allow him to reach his goal with the most favourable outcome, they weren't his anymore, they were the wizards, the purebloods and death eaters. Which made him.....alone.

Perhaps Malfoy's using the same ideology,

Hermione thought to herself

Ever the brightest witch of her age.

Must you come when I am in the middle of something?

I will come whenever I want.

Please leave, you're interrupting my train of thought.

You think too much, you need a distraction from your thoughts.

It's war, there's no time for distractions.

Oh there's always time, with the right kind of distraction

And what would that be?

She heard a faint chuckle at the back of her mind

I will not corrupt your thoughts further... for now.

Theo's voice interrupted the conversation in her head but she didn't mind at all. Talking to the voice reminded her of insanity at its finest. Reminded her that Madame Pomfrey was right. That mentally the war had taken its toll on her. But it kept her from being alone. It kept her from harming herself or collapsing in an enraged panic attack. It comforted her in its own odd way and warned her of danger. Maybe it was her intuition, her selfishness, suppressed all those years as she took care of others, cut up herself and almost died for them, for Ron, even for Harry. Had there ever been a time she cared or did anything for herself? This voice was the only thing that truly cared and understood what happened to her behind closed doors, what happened when she was at her darkest. It would come and go in random bursts, but in all honesty, maybe it wasn't a bad thing after all.

"Tomorrow you're going to be with me until the night, that time Draco has set aside with you for other things," Theo interrupted as they continued their stroll through the Manor

Hermione knew better than to ask questions, she had learned making statements was easier to get what she wanted. "I don't want to be with him."

Theo's step slightly faltered before he masked it with his signature smile "Ooh! You'd rather my company." He seemed giddy.

Hermione rolled her eyes "Even though you are the most irritating wizard I have ever met, I would rather be irritated than enraged."

"Hmm, So you're not frightened of him then?"

She didn't realize she gave off that impression "I know I should be, but I am not."

"Who are you lying to?" Theo asked after a heartbeat.