Dark Mark

Chapter 15


Barty Crouch Junior was a new man.

Or he felt new, anyway...almost like waking up from a bad dream to realize with a sigh of relief that the monster chasing you wasn't real, with your head on a fluffy pillow and your favorite teddybear nestled in the crook of your arm.

Other than that, and a feeling of mild euphoria, he was basically the same.

"I suspect you'll be wanting to speak with Miss Granger," Dumbledore had said to no one in particular as he left the chamber, not waiting for an answer. Barty shrugged and waited.

When Hermione entered, his face broke into a huge smile that he couldn't control. The girl was lovely, and she was going with him, for all intents and purposes she had been given to him by Dumbledore and now they would be leaving together. If I'd known the good guys were prone to giving away beautiful young girls, I'd have switched sides long ago.

Oops...was that evil?

The girl in question glanced at him with apprehension, rocking from foot to foot and scratching her finger nervously.

"Hello, love," Barty whispered.

Hermione stopped fidgeting and met his gaze. "So...are you still...are you, the same?"

"The same what? Same person? Yes, I think so...no lurking thoughts of death destruction and wanton mayhem but other than that, I feel pretty much like Barty Crouch Junior. With a cherry on top."

Hermione didn't look convinced. "So you're just not...evil...anymore?"

Barty laughed and took a step toward her. Hermione jumped back.

"No missy, I'm not 'evil' anymore..." He looked thoughtful for a moment, the corner of his mouth quirked up in contemplation. "I never really thought of myself that way before, but I suppose now that you put a name on it, yeah I must've been somewhat of an evil personage." He tapped his temple with two long fingers. "But not---"

*tap*

"---any---"

*tap*

---more."

He grinned.

Hermione stared at him.

"For real? Or...did you fake them out, somehow...?"

A wink and an even bigger grin. Barty waved his finger around in a circle, glancing up at the ceiling and tugging his earlobe to indicate someone might be listening. Hermione understood and mustered up her courage to address the issue that was really consuming her.

"I've been told I have to go with you. A marriage of sorts, I suppose...since I'm an orphan now, Dumbledore and Fudge have drawn up papers entrusting me to your custody."

Barty's expression turned sad. "An orphan? What happened to your parents?"

"Car crash, last summer." Hermione looked at the floor to avoid losing her composure. "At any rate, I have to go with you, and I was just wondering...where we'd be going to."

"Hmm, hadn't really thought about that....this has all been a bit sudden. Keep in mind that I'm a marked man now, missy. I might have been saved from the Ministry's execution list, but now I'm on Voldemort's. No way he'll let me live once he finds out I've changed sides."

"But, what will you do then?"

Barty shrugged. "I dunno. Make my way in the world, I guess. We could stay near here, keep Dumbledore in close proximity in case we need him in an emergency. I think he'd help you, being one of his students and all."

Hermione stared at the floor again. "Former student."

Barty approached her, and this time she didn't move away, just stood with her eyes cast downward, a single tear drifting slowly down her cheek.

"I'll take care of you, missy. I promise. You gave up a lot for me, and to be honest I didn't deserve a bit of it. I was here for darker purposes than renouncing my ties to the Dark side...but it was you that made me decide to change my mind. You." He placed a finger beneath her chin and raised her face. "I plan on spending the rest of my life repaying that debt. And making you happy, if I can."

Hermione sniffled a bit, staring into Barty's dark eyes. "You...you really...love me?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do."

"When did this happen?"

"In the Shrieking Shack, I believe...not really certain at exactly what moment the revelation occurred, but if I recall correctly it was at some point between you sliding your lips over my cock and turning around to offer me your bum."

"BARTY!!" Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock, but she found herself unable to keep from giggling. The tension broke and she felt better, slightly less nervous and apprehensive about her situation, at least for the moment. She slapped Barty's hand and shot him her patented Behave Yourself face.

"It just sort of took off from there. In the cell, when you said you loved me..." His eyes were locked on hers, and Hermione noticed for the first time that they were filled with uncertainty. "...I know it might have been the stress of the situation and the need to find a quick winning argument, but hearing you say it...I dunno, it triggered something, and I realized what I'd been missing all these years."

He took her hands, raising them to his lips to kiss them gently.

"Someone to love, and to love me back."

Hermione felt like a heel. She'd said those things to spare him the executioners block, nothing else.

"Barty---"

"Shhh...I know. It doesn't matter." He pulled her slowly to him, wrapping his arms around her to hold her close to his chest. She could hear his heart beating against her cheek, racing crazily. "Regardless of why you said it, you did say it, and it saved me. I thank you for that."

Hermione wrapped her own arms around the former Deatheater and felt herself inexplicably smiling.

"You're very welcome," she murmured.


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