(A/N: I bet you guys are starting to wonder if I will ever continue The Search For Love In the Second War, and the truth is, I haven't really been sparking new ideas… Here's a little one-shot (one of many…) that I wrote to keep you all occupied until I figure out how to write the next chapter in my story… This is an experiment! I've never written anything from this era, so it is going to be increasingly difficult, but I just wanted to try it out! Enjoy!)

Come To Your Senses, My Love

It was time, yet again, for Tom to take his potion. The potion that keeps him enslaved in my love for all eternity…

My name is Merope Gaunt. Tom is my husband, but only by a potion… He doesn't love me; he's just infatuated with the every fiber of my being. I can't stand not knowing if he would love me if I just stopped administering the potion, but I can't stop, not with our baby on its way.

I stepped into Tom's room, the potion vile in my hand, ready to poor it. As I stooped over his drinking glass, my pregnant stomach weighing me further down, I stopped myself. I went to the window and threw the potion vile as far as I possible could manage, then walked steadily from the room feeling quite proud of myself.

I waited for Tom's waking hour, always at nine o'clock sharp. When the clock struck and I spead back to his room, I saw him packing his items.

"What are you doing, Tom?" I asked.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" he inquired back.

"I'm your wife. I bear your child. I inquired what you were doing, Tom."

"I'm leaving this damned place, cursed witch! I don't know why I'm here, but it's not for a humanly natural reason! Get out of my way!" He stormed past me, snatching up his items as he went.

"But Tom, don't you love me?" I asked shakily, thought I knew the answer in my mind.

"Love you? You're that tramps daughter, aren't you? The one who always watched me ride past your hovel that you call a house? No, I don't love you. You hoodwinked me! You tricked me!"

"But you can't leave… I'm having your child. You must stay for the sake of the baby!" I managed.

"That is not my child. You are not my wife! I'm leaving to go back to my real betrothed!" He closed his bag, and rushed out of the room. I heard him mount his horse. I listened until the horse's gallops were nothing in the distance.

I have no idea how long I sat there. I had no thoughts of what had happened, why it had happened, what I had done. I just thought that he betrayed his child; left me for his 'betrothed', did he call her? All of this because of a stupid love potion.

I vowed then and there that I would never practice magic again. I would flee my home, live off the streets until I can have the baby. I wished my baby would be happy, but I knew he never could be.

I had no will left to live. I wanted to collapse and die on the spot, but my body would not comply. Perhaps I would die from a broken heart, from shattered emotions. I knew such things could never happen, but I wanted it to.

After two more months, I paid Borgin and Burks a visit, bringing with me a dear family treasure: Salazar Slytherin's locket. I sold it to one of them, getting ten Galleons for it, more money then I had ever had in my life!

The time for my baby to come into this world was fast approaching, and I quickly made haste to get near and orphanage, for I knew I could not survive the birth. I found a rather nice looking orphanage, or at least well kept. It wasn't five minutes after I got there that my water broke.

I knocked on the door, and was quickly let in by a rather young maid with a round, rosy face. One hour later, my baby, a boy, was brought into this world. His cries pierced the still air around me as I wheezed for air. My life was to be soon over yet.

"His name shall be Tom, for his father, Marvolo, for my father, and his surname shall be Riddle. Tom Marvolo Riddle."

The maid nodded and made note of my requests.

One hour later, a maid who knew there was nothing she could do to save me was tending me. She stood stroking my hand, attempting to coax me into a deep sleep, so my death would be painless. She was unsuccessful, but still, I felt nothing.

The last thought that ran through my mind was about my love, Tom Riddle.

Come to your senses, my love.

(A/N: Well, I'm quite proud of that, actually… it was a good first attempt, wasn't it? Well, tell me what you thought and I'll be happy!

Review not because it will make me happy, but because it will make you feel good!)