Here I am. Back with a new story while my other sit and wait patiently to be updated. I apologize friends for that. It seems as though lately stories have been popping into my head right and left. Terribly irritating when opening presants but alas, I managed. I hope you enjoy.

When I look back I think of my life in segments.

Before Hogwarts.

During Hogwarts.

After Hogwarts.

And now…

And now… Where am I now? Well I'm here, existing only because he says so. Because he allows it. He reminds me of this every morning and every night. And every time it makes me think about how I got here, how I got to where I am, and it all started at Hogwarts.

When we were in school I acted like it wasn't much. That his abusive ways didn't bother me. But it was always a lie. Every night that he allowed me to be away from him, as if my freedom was a gift only he could give, I would cry myself to sleep. But the nights that he made me stay with him those were the nights I didn't sleep.

Needless to say, I didn't sleep often.

I would lay there awake, staring at his ceiling, he was Head Boy, we were alone, he could do anything. He could literally, do anything. And that terrified me. Not because we were alone, but because if I screamed nobody would come. Why? Because he was Tom Riddle. And nobody messed with Tom Riddle. His room was deeper than all the other rooms in Slytherin. At the very bottom of the school, it felt like the world though. Like I was trapped in some other world and it was just me and Tom.

Me and Tom…

I don't know how it all started. Truth be told I don't know if he would admit that he knew. Other than that he wanted me and he got me. Tom always got what he wanted. Always.

It was our last year.

It was supposed to be the best year.

It was the last year of my life… Or so it felt.

It was my worst year.

It went unnoticed… I went unnoticed.

They only saw Tom Riddle's girl. The happy, go lucky, care-free, smiling girl. Everyone except Professor Dumbledore. It felt like he saw through all of Tom's lies. All of it. But it was too late by seventh year. Tom had everyone hooked.

The Slytherin's knew they had a winner.

The Ravenclaw's knew he was a force to be reckoned with intellectually.

The Gryffendor's respected and liked him.

The Hufflepuff's do what they always do… Swooned over him. Every one.

And I knew that I would never be free. He never said it, but I knew. It was in his eyes, how he held my hand, put an arm over my shoulder or how he took me.

I was his. Forever.

When we graduated he gave me a gift, a diamond ring, told me to always wear it. I said I didn't want to get married. It was the first time I had told him no. It was the last time I told him no. He said fine, but told me to keep it anyways and wear it as a memory of him. A token of affection from him.

Tom doesn't know what affection is.

Everyone thought I was crazy. I had turned down Tom Riddle. He left for a couple of years after that. Nobody heard from him. Or so I thought. His friends, the 'Insiders,' as they were called at Hogwarts. Nobody messed with them.

The Malfoy's, Crabbe's, Goyle's, Parkinson's, Prince's, Black's, and Lestrange's.

Nobody messed with them because they owned the world. They were the hands of power in our world. They were always watching. Always. Combined, they were such a force that everyone got out of their way, gave them what they want, no matter what.

They did what they wanted.

Took what they wanted.

And didn't care.

Even after Hogwarts is was like that. They harassed everyone and anyone. Even the minister of magic, like he wasn't in their pockets to begin with.

After school I went home. It was wonderful but mum and dad died a few months later, leaving me everything. I was alone. The boys kept bothering me, asking for dates, my hand in marriage, anything, even just asking to get a 'piece.' It was disgusting. I went on a trip to get some exotic ingredients when I came back I was wearing Tom's ring. I had hoped that it would deter the advances. I was wrong, it only escalated them, but I was wearing the ring, I couldn't take it off.

I opened up my store. It was my dream and I had always wanted to own my business, it was going well. Everyone always said I wasn't good at anything, especially magic, but that was a lie. I was good at something. Cooking, singing, and writing. I could cook, sing, and write. That was it. It was funny, I was looking through my old Hogwarts photos and saw Tom's picture, as much as it disgusted me it made me think. I named my shop, "Tom's Foolery: A Coffeehouse & Bakery." It was wonderful. After two years, I moved to a larger place and I was happy. I never dated, after my experience with Tom I had no desire to. My heart just wasn't in it. I was content with my baking. That is until I had the idea to have entertainment. I decided to have Friday and Saturday night gatherings, where people could come up and sing, read poetry, or short story. Something to that affect. Eventually I made my up onto the stage and it became a requirement, that I, sing. Any song, as long as I sang. So I do. Every Friday and Saturday I sing. Songs that I write. Songs that are requested, just songs.

And I was happy.

And that's that. Please let me know what you think.