A/N: Decided to try something different, and today that new thing is a pairing I've seen quite a lot, but never ventured to try out myself. Fem!Harry x Tom. Now to set a president, I don't quite like the massive age gap the pairing would normally hold, so in this story I'm bending two things about the characters. First, the obvious fact that I'm gender-bending Harry into Harriet. And Second, I'm making the age gap smaller, which means they'll only be 4-5 years apart in age in this story. Other than that, enjoy!

~ For the absolutely incredible Elaine ~

Harriet Potter had never met anyone quite like Tom Marvolo Riddle, no one so mysterious and charismatic, while being so cold and seemingly uncaring. He was a change from what she was used to, loud and outgoing Gryffindors who would face dangers head on and not think twice about the consequences. Tom was quite the opposite, quiet and withdrawn, a Slytherin who planned out every detail before facing a problem. He was kind and caring, towards her anyway. He was nothing like she'd ever seen.

He was electric, magnetic, and she could see that everyone knew it. She could see that Tom was torn, split between being the best man he could be, and missing out on all the opportunities life in the Wizarding World could offer someone as magnificent as he was. So in that way, Harriet understood him. Understood his thirst for power, understood what life as a child had done to warp his mind. Yet, that didn't make it any easier to stop loving him.

Harriet wasn't sure she could ever stop loving Tom. Her Tom who was kind, caring, the most lovely wizard she'd ever been introduced to. Who took part in all the playful banter she began during Potions or when they'd study together in the library. He was incredible, a marvelous wizard, a caring boyfriend, and the only person she could invision spending the rest of her life with.

It was just too bad that her life would go on far after his had ended. It had been four years since she'd left Hogwarts, since they'd gotten engaged and began planning the wedding. A wedding they'd abandoned only months into planning - after he'd changed. He thirsted after power, wanted to do something to show he was still alive and she knew he felt like he needed recognition. Recognition she couldn't provide enough of. Not as an Auror.

He quickly changed from her loving, caring fiance, to a man who was pure evil. And yet, for another four months after their wedding was called off, she still tried to bring him back to her. Not that Harriet's attempts were of any use. Tom left in the middle of the night eighteen months after they'd left Hogwarts. It was heartbreaking back then, but thinking of it now two and a half years later, with tears dripping from her emerald green eyes, perhaps him leaving was for the best.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered to the corpse that lay in front of her. She couldn't help but shiver despite the flames that were burning down everything she'd ever loved. Burning down Hogwarts, her home. In her hand are a few diary entries, ones that remind her of Tom, who he was back in Hogwarts when they were still desperately in love. In the entries she found him again, saw him one last time when she'd never get to see him again. Even he couldn't come back from this.

He's gone. The realization brought another wave of grief and anguish to wash over her, and the wind did nothing to muffle her cries. Tom was gone, the only person who had ever really understood her was gone. He knew what she had gone through, knew of being an orphan and living a childhood where no one really cared about you. Tom who had helped her become every bit the witch she was today. Tom Riddle who was her everything - who was now dead. And it was all her fault.

But, staring down at the lifeless face in front of her. Gazing at the ugly, pale, snake-like atrocity that lay cold and unmoving on the ground, she didn't feel any remorse for what she'd done. She did what she had to do. There was no guilt staring down at the man in front of her, no second-thoughts. She would kill him again if she had to, because this man was a dangerous monster. All she felt staring down at him was grief. The thought of never seeing Tom again, never seeing his smile or hearing his laugh tore at her heart. But this man laying on the ground was not the Tom Riddle she'd fallen in love with.

No, that Tom died long before this war had even begun.