As If In Wonderland

Voldemort chuckled to himself as he watched over the sleeping girl in his library. It had been a week, and he had kept to his word about not torturing or punishing her in any way for not doing her duties, he soon realised this way was much more effective.
He ignored her.
That was it, she was never the centre of attention but he soon found she couldn’t stand to be alone, with nothing to do, her mind doing nothing at all.

It had worked. He knew it was only a matter of time before she got over her little strop and did as she should. He had already noticed her sitting watching him, frustrated as he read when she could not.
He admired her spirit, and didn’t want her as an empty shell, he just wanted her disciplined, so she would do as he said without trouble, but he liked the fiery edge of her…something so unusual for someone in his presence.

He lied when he said she was nothing special, he didn’t like her and felt nothing for her, barely lust. But he recognised she was pretty, the sort of pretty he liked in a woman when he was younger, not so obvious yet still very clear. He liked it even more when she was angry.

He lowered his hand to brush the hair from her face, which lay messily around and over her face. Her eyes opened wide as his fingers brushed her forehead.

“What are you doing!”, she asked nervously, her eyes moving between his wand in his other hand, the hand so close to her face and his eyes…he smirked and settled himself down on an armchair he had gotten during the week.

She sat herself up as he once again started reading, he was doing it on purpose, he rarely read so much normally but he found it entertaining to read up on things as well as frustrate the girl as well. After ten minutes or so in silence she cracked.

“I cant do this a second longer! I cant deal with this silence, being ignored, doing nothing while surrounded by things I love most!”, she cried. “I know I said I wouldn’t give in, but I don’t care, I cant spend my life empty!”

“I understand perfectly”, he spoke to her for the first time in the week, “if you get on with your duties I can reward you”

“I don’t care for rewards, I am bored. I know that must sound silly, but doing nothing at all for a week with no one even to speak too…I cant do it”

“Good, now that your strop is over with you may resume your work, and I may let you pick a book to read later”, he said to her.

“erm…thank you…milord”, she muttered before going to one of the bookshelves to continue sorting and reshuffling. He knew she still hated it, and she hated him, but he also knew she would rather do something she disliked than nothing at all. “Have you always been like this milord?”, she asked after a moment, with turning round to him.

“Explain?”

“Cruel, sadistic, evil, murderous…I could piece together a list if you really wanted”, she said sarcastically making him smirk.

“I have always been myself, I have not changed, I have just got wiser and more powerful by the day. You are interested because?”

“I may hate you but you are the only person to talk to here…I just like to know things and ask questions”

“I know, and you may ask questions, just don’t expect answers”

“why do you hate muggleborns?”

“I don’t, I merely believe the impure should be put in their place”

“So muggleborns”

“No you foolish child. The impure can mean anyone, muggleborn, halfblood, pureblood, squib, muggle etc. Take Sirius Black for instance, he may have been pure blooded, but he wasn’t a true wizard. He did not live up to the standard the rest of his family had”

“because he fought for the light”

“you are beginning to annoy me”

“Im just stating what I think”, the next thing she knew was she was being held tightly by her hair, she let out a yelp but he ignored it before lowering his voice.

“You don’t belong with the ‘light’ anymore, no one is coming to rescue you, they have moved on from you. Don’t ever mention anything that involves the order of the phoenix or similar, you only give opinion when I say you can”, though tears were forming in her eyes she didn’t dare let them fall.

“You may believe those of the order who are still free have forgotten about me, but I know better, you cant take that away from me”, he released her from his grip and sat down facing her as she turn to look at him.
“because milord, if I believed there was no one out there who cared for me, I might as well be dead”

“You rely too much on other people…you may ask questions but I wont be happy if its anything about the order of the phoenix or similar, I will only enjoy it when they are all punished for working against me”

“Do you know what I realised…you seem so normal when I see you now…forget that”, she carried on looking through books, occasionally stopping to read the cover and tap it as if wanting to open it and read its contents.

“Why do you think that?”, he asked an hour later while busily writing notes and letters.

“what do you mean milord?”

“You said I seemed normal”

“Oh…well you just seem normal, sitting in a library, reading and writing. On occasion you talk to me as if you aren’t the dark lord, just a regular person…I guess I find that strange”

“Im not a regular person, I am much more advanced that that…”, he said silkily making her roll her eyes, “but I do do the things a ‘regular’ person would do, you know I like to read and know more things…a bit like you really”

“Are you comparing me to you?”, she asked annoyed

“I wouldn’t even think to compare myself to a dirty mudblood, little slave”

“I don’t know which to be offended by most…the dirty, the mudblood, the little or the slave part…”
“Must I show you some discipline?”

“N-no”, she stuttered.

“Good. Im going to my study, if I am needed for any reason call a house elf…I don’t expect to be disturbed for no important reason”

“yeah, ok…”, she muttered without a care, wishing to finish organising books as soon as possible, though soon seemed so far away, there were thousands and it seemed none had been put in any order over the centuries that had been there.

*

“Its been three days, and still he’s nowhere to be seen”, she noted to herself while scrubbing the libraries wooden floor, a house elf had given her the things she would need after it sent her the message that he wanted the room clean. “Maybe he hasn’t been around because he’s having trouble”, she smiled at the thought, before sitting up to stretch.

“Oh, why did you stop? I was enjoying you on your hands and knees”, a silky voice made Hermione jump, she turned round and then sighed before standing, “No hello?”

“What is it you wanted?”

“You are quite rude for a mudblood slave, especially one who scrubs the floors for the dark lord”, Lucius Malfoy smirked while tapping his cane which hid his wand in so darkly against the sofa. “My, my…you have been degraded into such a pitiful creature…even more so than before”

“What did you want Malfoy?”

“The dark lord asked me to bring you too him-”

“Asked? Or ordered?”, she laughed making Malfoy very angry, though he was on orders like the rest of the death eaters, to not harm her unless in self defence or on orders.
“What does he want from me? I haven’t seen him in days, and frankly ive loved it. I may seem pathetic to you, scrubbing floors, but its no more pathetic than a grown man bowing down and whimpering as soon as another wizard clicks his fingers”

“Why you-”, he had grabbed her shoulder very tightly but released it as soon as he realised what he was doing, straightening himself he took hold of her arm lightly and apparated them into a hallway outside an exquisitely carved door.

“What the-”

“Shut up mudblood. This is the dark lords private room, his study he calls it. You will bow when you enter, and not raise your head until told otherwise…”

“And if I don’t?”, she grumbled before pulling away from his grip.

“Then you will be spending the night with me”, he smirked making her pale, “ah, so not a big fan of me then? I was kidding, as I wouldn’t touch filth willingly, but the dark lord has found it as one of your biggest weaknesses…anyway, my advice is to do as he says”

“Whatever…”, Lucius ignored her and knocked on the door three times before waiting, after a moment or so it opened by itself. As Lucius pushed her in closed the door behind her, she was met by a grand room filled with expensive objects along the walls, at the end opposite her lay a desk in front of a massive window which looked onto a balcony, behind that desk sat the dark lord watching her.

“You will bow, its only out of respect”

“I don’t respect you though”, she was met by the cruciatus, though it seemed crueller than usual, she couldn’t stop the screams from her mouth or the tears from her eyes.

“Bow”, was all he said as she stood weakly, she knew she would lose this battle so slowly lowered her back slightly, “good, you are to do that when you see me. You see, I have been very lenient with you…too lenient, my followers have been speaking and have also been silenced, but that doesn’t stop them thinking”

“Lenient? I have been sorting through thousands of books im not allowed to read, I have scrubbed your floors and cleaned your room even! I have been stuck inside your home for Merlin knows how long, I haven’t even breathed fresh air! You are hardly being lenient!”

“You sound quite selfish and ungrateful. It ends now. Come closer”, she did so until she was within a foot of the desk he sat at. “Remember that night when you first came out of the dungeons…you called me ‘master’, you seemed to know your place then, what has happened between now and then to change things?”

“I realised I was a fool”

“You weren’t a fool, now you seem to be. And you still don’t address me properly, do you enjoy testing me?”

“No milord”

“Then why do you try to?”

“I don’t intend to”

“oh I think you do. Could you pour me a drink”

“what?”, she asked confused

“pour me a drink”, he raised his hand in the direction of a side similar to the one in the private dining room, with a few drinks on in old bottles. “A fire whiskey, I am in no mood for anything else, and be quick”

She hurriedly got to pouring him a drink into a crystal looking glass, before serving it to him by placing it on his desk, “you could have accioed it to yourself”, she murmured.

“True, but why waste my energy when I have a servant here to do it for me?”, he took a sip of his glass, “did you not want one?”

“No milord, its not even legal for me to drink alcohol and I know that even if I could or wanted to, you wouldn’t allow me”

“how old are you?”

“seventeen”

“You are so young, but you are of age. I don’t see any problem with the consumption of alcohol, unless you are thinking like a muggle, but you are correct. I would not allow you to drink for pleasure unless I say.…I believe it confirms the fact also that I was hardly doing wrong when I ‘raped‘ you, you weren’t underage and you just needed the discipline. You are of age, and of an age to work, I don’t see why you have problem with being here”

“because I was forced to be here!”, she cried astonished how stupid he was.

“Actually you agreed, see that mark on your arm? You know it can only be giving it if you are willing, I don’t want to hear any excuses-”, he stop when a small pop announced a house elf holding a tray filled with a variety of plates covered with round lids to keep whatever food lay there warm. Hermione felt a pang of hunger as she smelt it as the elf passed her and laid it on the desk with a bow before leaving. She hadn’t eaten much, just the leftovers from Voldemorts meals it seemed as she only ever received scraps like an animal.

He looked down at the tray for a moment before looking up at her, as if waiting. “Well?”

“Well what milord?”,

“Are you going to serve me my meal or not?”

“Huh?”

“I brought you here to teach you your place, you will comply with any task give you and use your brain a bit and do tasks without needing to be asked”. humiliated, she removed the lids from the plates and lay his food neatly in front of him, trying too blank out how pathetic she must look.
“That wasn’t so hard was it now”, he taunted, infuriating her more than ever,

“You are a wizard, couldn’t you have poured the drink yourself, put the food in front of yourself, even lift the lids?”

“I could, it would be so much easier and quicker”, he said thoughtfully while picking up his cutlery and beginning to eat.

“Are you doing this on purpose to wind me up!”, before she could think she was once again being held tight by Voldemort, this time though he had her arms pulled behind her back and had her leaning over the table.

Whispering in her ear he spoke little, “you belong to me”

“Please let go! My arms!”, she cried as he pulled them back further.

“I gave you these small tasks to see how you act, and I don’t like it. Do you fear me?”, he asked as he dug her more into the table making her wince.

“Please let go, it hurts!”

“You’ve felt worse. Answer the question!”

“Yes…yes I fear you!”, she cried louder than before, “How could I not?”, she whimpered where her hair was caught under his hand as he held her, it pulled on her scalp but he didn’t remove his hand.

“I know you do, I want to know why you don’t show it”

“Because its all I have! The only power I have is that I can show im not weak!”, he released her unexpectedly causing her to fall back slightly. Massaging her arms she looked up at the dark lord nervously.

“You are not weak. You see I will make more use of you than scrubbing floors if you allow me too show you the possibilities…”

“I cant, I cant…please, I cant betray my loved ones! don’t you understand?”

“love is a weak emotion…the order have been rounded up, most of them. You cannot betray them as you have nothing to betray them of”

“Why am I not in Azkaban with the rest of them then? You’ve told me its because im clever, most of them are clever though…”, she said tearfully,

“because you are better, and you are different. I like whatever it is about you, though I may not like you as a person…surely you like something about me?”

“I hate you”

“I know you do, as I you. Though I admire what it is about you”

“I admire your brilliance, the great things you are capable of. I hate how you use it”

“your friends aren’t coming for you, they know you are here, for all they know you are a death eater. Either way, your battle is a lost one with me”

He sat to carry on with eating his meal as she stood for a moment, “I know”, was all she could breathe. Surprised and intrigued, Voldemort looked up with raised eyebrows, “may I sit milord?”

He made a chair appear before his desk and motioned for her to sit, she muttered a quiet thank you before seating herself.
“I know you don’t care…but what am I supposed to do?”, she broke down in tears.

“Do as your told. I treat you well compared to how I could…you think im cruel to you, im not”

“Compared to how you have treated people, I believe you haven’t been as cruel as you could, though its still cruel. Why do you do it?”

He didn’t reply. She wiped her tears while expecting to be punished for how she had spoken to him, “you will follow orders. I am willing to teach you things and allow you to read my books-if you are behaved and accept things”

“So that’s it? Im just going to be another person you can walk all over…am I going to be pushed onto tables or held by my hair often when you aren’t torturing me with your wand? My thoughts are endless-”

She stopped as a knock at the door announced Grindelwald into the room who bowed upon entry.
“Milord, you wished to speak-oh forgive me, I did not realise you had company”, he apologised with a nod to Hermione.

“No, stay. I was just reminding Hermione of what is expected of her, she will be leaving now”

“Ill go back to your library through your bedroom then milord?”, she asked quietly while standing

“You will find your way. Remember my bedroom is charmed so that anything you may touch, would torture you like the cruciatus”

“You told me before milord”, she turned to leave

“you may read one book of your choice, maybe that will motivate you more than the cruciatus”, he muttered.

“Oh…I-erm, thank you”, she said clumsily

“After you have finished whatever you are supposed to be doing though”, she nodded before leaving.


“You like her milord”, Grindelwald assumed with a smug look on his face as he sat opposite the dark lord.

“I do not, she is a mudblood slave who I detest, she would be a death eaters whore if I didn’t admire her brains and magical skill, that is all”

“She is all of that milord, but you have been kind to her, something unusual for yourself if that is not too bold”, he lowered his head in respect slightly. He was the closest thing to a friend Voldemort had, though he had never wanted a friend in his life, there were few he would speak to in a more casual manner.

“That is too bold”, he narrowed his eyes

“I apologise milord”

“I do not like the girl, I have never liked any girl in my life, why would this mudblood be any different?”, Voldemort spat, “she was wasted serving the order of the phoenix, now she seems wasted here scrubbing floors…I believe she has potential”

“Milord, are you suggesting that you may consider…”

“Im not sure of what may happen. She is better tempted with knowledge rather than tortured into something”

“Yes, she is a bright girl. Though she is showing signs of getting on with it, she will lose the will to fight soon enough”

“Possibly”, Voldemort muttered, “onto business…”

“yes milord. Well, first I wanted to ask if quidditch may still be played for leisure, there has been some confusion-”

“-yes its allowed!”, he grumbled knowing he would have to deal with the minor problems as well as the big ones now he was in charge. “The same as its always been, why wouldn’t it be? And if I ever need the entertainment…”

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Note: I just want to say that this story is based on my one-shot, though as it is long, more things will happen of course, and some parts of the story may be slightly different.
If you do not want to know what’s going to happen DON’T READ THE ONE-SHOT!

Please review so i know what people think! Thanks :)
Even if its just a small comment, please it would really help!

And can you guess who the guy with last name Grindelwald is related to? Well its pretty obvious lol