The Dark Prince

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Stranger than your sympathy

This is my apology

I'm killing myself from the inside out

And all my fears have pushed you out

I wish for things that I don't need

All I wanted

And what I chase won't set me free

All I wanted

And I get scared but I'm not crawling on my knees

Goo Goo Dolls - Sympathy

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Chapter 1

...things that i don't need...

DEATH EATER'S STRIKE AGAIN!

Hermione Granger sighed and threw the copy of the Daily Prophet she had picked up back down onto her desk. She was tired of looking at the paper and seeing news of another Death Eater attack. Dead tired.

"Morning, Mione. Is that the paper?"

Hermione looked up into the cheerful face of her coworker, Natasha Bennett. The two of them worked in the Mysteries department of the Ministry; Natasha making potions, Hermione gathering information.

"Yeah. It's getting bloody annoying seeing report after report about the Death Eaters."

Natasha picked up the paper and looked at it. "The Hamptons," she said. "A good family."

"The girl was a second year when I graduated."

"So, she'd had been..."

"Sixth year."

"You've been out for four years? I had no idea!"

Hermione frowned at Natasha and nodded. She then looked at her watch and asked, "Want to go get something to eat? It's almost lunchtime."

"Sure. Just let me bottle up this Flame Draught and we're off!"

"Flame Draught?"

"Makes you spit up flames. Perfectly harmless to you but bloody well harmful to anyone else."

Hermione winced then waited as Natasha vanished back down the stairs to the lab. She grabbed her cloak and was just fastening the clasp when the older woman came barreling back up the stairs, swinging her own cloak about her shoulders.

"Let's get out of here, kid!"

"I'm not a kid," snapped Hermione irritably.

"Sure, you aren't," said Natasha.

Hermione scowled at her then headed downstairs. As soon as she passed the first landing, she was walking down into the main lobby of the Ministry office building. The stairs were designed to transport you from your department straight to the lobby after you passed the first landing, a bit disorienting at first but you got used to it.

Natasha suddenly grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her out of the building.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"So, whatever happened to that guy you were seeing, Mione? What was his name? Wesley, Warren..."

"Weasley. Ronald Weasley," said Hermione, stirring the dregs around in her tea.

"Yeah, that's it! What happened between you and him?"

"Broke it off."

"What?" said Natasha. "But you two looked so good together."

Hermione sighed and said, "We just...we weren't right for each other, Tash. Let's just leave it at that."

"Oh. I see."

"See what?"

"You're carrying a torch for another guy."

Hermione looked appalled. "I am doing nothing of the sort!"

Natasha grinned and said, "Now see, that's the reaction I expected. You are carrying a torch, aren't you? Who is it?"

"An old friend."

"Anyone I'd know?" asked Natasha, waggling her eyebrows. Hermione nearly choked on her tea and sputtered for a moment.

"Tash!"

"What? I'm interested."

"Grrr."

"Oh, c'mon, Mione. I'll keep it a secret! The guy'll never know from me." She put two fingers to her lips and twisted them like a key, they threw the so-claimed 'key' over her shoulder. "My lips are sealed."

Hermione sighed and said, "Alright. I'll tell you."

"Yes! Tell, tell, tell."

Hermione arched an eyebrow as the woman in front of her, who, despite being seven years older than herself, was acting like a two-year-old.

"Fine. Harry Potter."

"Sorry, didn't catch that."

"Harry Potter!"

"No need to shout!" Natasha then broke into a grin and laughed, clapping her hands together. "Ooo, he was in your year, wasn't he? Ah, how long have you been carrying a torch for Mr. Potter, Mione?"

"Sixth year."

"And you never told him! Silly child."

Hermione shrugged and said, "I-I wasn't sure if he felt the same way. I didn't want to make a fool of myself."

Natasha smiled and patted her hand. She said, "If there is anything your not, Mione, it's a fool."

"Thanks, Tash."

"Anytime. Soooo, what's was so special about Harry Potter...."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

In the shadows of an alleyway, two dark-robed and hooded figures stood, watching the two women sitting outside the small diner in Diagon Alley. One said, "Ministry. Do we call off the attack?" His voice was slightly muffled by his mask, which was pure white, only showing his eyes through two slits.

The other figure shook its head and said, "Not unless the Prince orders it."

"I don't see why we have to follow his orders."

"Shush! He could be listening to us."

The first one snorted and said, "I doubt that."

"Oh, but it is so true, Thomas."

Both figures turned to see another robed figure behind them, casually leaning against one of the alley walls. The dark wood of his wand could be seen poking out of a holster at his right hip. He wore a white mask as they did but with a slight difference. Over the right eye were three horizontal gold stripes, the middle one longer than the other two.

The two figures bowed and murmured, "Lord Prince."

The figure sneered behind his white mask and snapped, "The plan goes ahead as it was formed."

"But the Ministry workers..." began the first man.

"Silence!"

Both men trembled.

"The plan will go ahead. If it does not, the Dark Lord will not be pleased. Of course, he will blame it on me. And do you know who I will blame it on?"

The two men shook their heads, eyes wide behind their masks. The other man took a step forward, eyes blazing behind his own mask.

"I shall blame it on you two fools. And you will be severely punished. Yes. Very severely. Now go! Tell the others the attack begins in two minutes. And tell them that the two Ministry officials are mine. Anyone that touches them, dies."

The two men nodded and ran. Smirking behind his mask, the Dark Prince watched the two women talking to each other. Still smirking, he whispered, "You are about to get a surprise, my dears. And such a surprise it shall be."

A moment later he vanished into the shadows.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"So, let me get this straight, your old boyfriend Ron got you and Harry Potter past a giant chessboard created by Professor McGonagall?"

"Yep. And I solved Professor Snape's logic puzzle that allowed Harry to go and confront Quirrell and Voldemort for the Sorcerer's Stone."

Natasha chuckled softly and said, "Amazing. Any other stories?"

"Tons. Second year..."

Hermione never finished, as there was an explosion from the other side of the street. The two of them sprang to their feet, drawing their wands as black robed figured appeared.

"Death Eaters!" hissed Natasha, and sprang forward, hurling curses. Hermione followed her, a determined look on her face. Some of the people who had been in the diner and on the street joined them.

"Where are the Aurors?" yelled Hermione as she blocked a hex from a Death Eater and used a Mirror Charm to send it hurtling back at him.

Natasha shouted back, "Obviously they're being very slow today! Ha! Stupefy, you bloody bastards!"

Hermione turned her attention back to the fight then heard a new cry of terror start up.

"The Dark Prince!!"

Hermione looked and saw him, walking calmly through the fighting ranks.

He was coming straight at her!

Natasha screamed, "Run, Mione! Run!"

Hermione was frozen, watching him come on, the three gold lines over the right eye of his mask glittering softly. He stopped in front of her and leaned down so his masked face was inches from hers, their noses almost touching.

"Well, well. You, my dear, are a sight for sore eyes."

Hermione frowned. She knew that voice. She was sure of it.

"Ah, no hello? A pity. I was sure you would remember me."

Hermione shook her head, all the while trying to think of where she had heard that voice.

The Dark Prince smirked behind his mask and said, "Such a pity."

"Ware Aurors!"

The Death Eater's responded to the cry, Disapparating one by one. The Dark Prince stayed for a moment longer, smirking at Hermione from behind his mask. He lifted an elegant hand and ran it across her cheek. Softly, he said, "We will meet again, Miss Granger. I assure you of that."

And then he was gone.

Hermione gaped at the spot where he had been standing, amazed. She had been standing a mere two feet from the Dark Prince, the supposed heir to Voldemort, and was still alive.

Natasha suddenly came running up to her, her dark hair flying out of its tight bun, her face flushed from the battle.

"Mione! Mione, are you okay?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah. I'm...fine."

"He-he didn't do anything?"

"No. He just...talked to me."

"Like he knew you?" asked Natasha with a raised eyebrow." Hermione looked at her in shock for a moment then nodded.

"Yes. Exactly like that."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Oh yeah everything's all wrong yeah

Everything's all wrong yeah

Where the hell did I think I was

Stranger than your sympathy

I take these things so I don't feel

I'm killing myself from the inside out

Now my head's been filled with doubt

Goo Goo Dolls - Sympathy

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Chapter 2

...where the hell did i think i was...

"God, Mione, I just heard. Are you okay?"

Ron ran up to his old school-friend and ex-girlfriend and threw his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. Hermione hugged him back and said, "I'm fine, Ron."

"Are you sure?" Ron's blue eyes were worried as he looked down at her, his arms still around her.

"Yes. He-he just talked to me."

"Talked? How do you know he didn't cast a spell?"

"They checked," replied Natasha, who had come up behind him. "Hello, Natasha Bennett. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting."

Ron freed one of his hands and shook Natasha's hand, keep his other arm about Hermione's waist.

"Ron Weasley."

Natasha's eyebrows arched and she looked at Hermione.

"I see. You and Mione used to date, right? I saw you up in the office once."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, once. I couldn't get in after that."

Hermione smiled and said, "That's because it's the Mysteries department, Ron. Your not supposed to be in there."

"Ah, just like we weren't supposed to go running around Hogwarts under Harry's invisibility cloak?" asked Ron with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Hermione flushed and he grinned.

"Ah-ha! See, I got you."

Hermione punched him on the arm and he winced. "Easy, Mione! I got hit with a Bludger there yesterday. That's why I wasn't here sooner."

She jerked up the sleeve of his robes, scowling at the purple and yellow bruise that. Glaring up at him, she snapped, "You should have dodged!"

"I was paying more attention to the other Bludger that was aimed at my head. If I hadn't ducked that one, I would be talking in a very high, squeaky voice right now."

Natasha burst out laughed and Ron grinned at her. He looked at Hermione and said, "Oh, I like her." Hermione punched him again, this time on the other arm. Ron simply grinned at her.

"Ah, a party. I wonder why I wasn't invited."

The three of them whirled to see the Dark Prince standing there - in Hermione's apartment. Ron moved in front of Natasha and Hermione, who had both drawn their wands, though Hermione looked reluctant to use hers. He snapped, "What do you want?"

The Dark Prince smirked behind his mask and waved a hand. Ron flew through the air then....stopped. Just stopped flying and hovered in midair. Natasha suffered the same a moment later and Hermione was alone. She leveled her wand at his heart, noting that her hand was shaking. The Dark Prince plucked her wand from her fingers and brushed his hand against her cheek - just as he had done the day before in Diagon Alley.

"I told you we would meet again, Miss Granger."

"I didn't doubt it," murmured Hermione, looked at his mask closely, trying to recognize who it was. She knew she knew them. She just knew it!

Finally she simply asked, "Who are you?"

A smile. She earned a smile.

"Why, my dear Miss Granger, you know who I am."

"I-I do?"

The Dark Prince smiled and whispered, "Think hard." He then took a step back and performed a sweeping bow.

"Until we meet again, milady."

And then he was gone again.

Ron and Natasha fell to the floor with two loud thumps and muffled groans. Ron was up first, reached out to pluck at Hermione's sleeve.

"Mione?"

"Hmm?"

"What the hell just happened?"

Hermione looked at the spot where the Dark Prince had stood and saw her wand lying there. She bent to pick it and then said, "I don't know, Ron. I just don't know."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

The Dark Prince returned to the hidden fortress of the Death Eater's, an age-old castle hidden deep in the mountains of Wales. He stalked through the halls, ignoring the Death Eaters who sprang out of his path. After a few moments, he arrived at his destination in time to hear the words "Crucio!" and an unfortunate Death Eater screaming in pain. Shaking his head, he entered the room, keeping near the back in the shadows.

Several Death Eater's were in the room, some crumpled on the floor, others shaking in obvious terror. They were the one's who had gone through with the failed attack the day before. And Voldemort was punishing them.

As another Death Eater writhed in pain at his feet, Voldemort saw a flash of gold in a shadow. He smiled and released the Death Eater from his spell, giving him a sharp kick in the ribs.

"My heir. Come forward." He outstretched a long, ghastly pale hand to the dark figure in the shadows.

The Dark Prince moved forward, the other Death Eater's stepping back away from him. He bowed to Voldemort and said, "My Lord."

"You were in charge of the attack on Diagon Alley yesterday, were you not, my heir?"

"Yes, my lord."

"So," hissed Voldemort, "their failure was your fault?"

The Dark Prince replied calmly, "No, my lord. Their failure was their own fault. They attacked before I signaled them too."

"And you did not punish them."

"I left that honor to you, my lord."

Voldemort smiled, a cold, cruel smile, and placed a hand on the Dark Prince's shoulder.

"An excellent gift you give me, my heir. Go. I shall take care of these. You have other business."

The Dark Prince bowed again and said, "Yes, my lord." With that he turned and left, smirking behind his mask as the words of the Cruciatus Curse rang out again and another man yelled in pain. As the screams rang down the halls that only his boots echoed in, he began to laugh.