"No, please…"
Amidst the darkness revealed two silhouette figures - a petite lady, who was holding on to her baby, staggered backwards as the hooded man advanced threateningly with a wand in his hand.
As though she was able to sense imminent danger, the baby wailed instinctively. Where the silence of death lingered, her cry was distinct and it would have woken up any sleeping soul. But in the middle of the dark forest, her effort was futile.
The lady tried to coo the crying baby despite her own fear towards the threat that stood before them. She did not fear for herself, it was for the baby, her daughter.
"She disgusts me." The hooded man hissed.
"How could you…" The lady was thrown in disbelief with angry tears trickling down her cheek. She pulled her daughter closer to her, "You're nothing but an unfeeling beast. Even after all we have been through, how could you doubt that she is your blood and flesh?"
"My daughter?" the man roared with laughter, "You think I'm still going to believe you after all that had happened like a fool?" He emphasized every word and syllabus with hint of malice. With every advancing step he took, the woman retreated with her baby.
"I shouldn't have trusted you." The woman shook her head, disappointment imprinted upon her face, "I shouldn't have believed even a single word when you said you love me." But deeply, Hermione knew that if time were to reverse, she would still choose to believe in him.
The hooded man burst into laughter; a laughter that filled with agony, absurdity and furiousness, "For you to say that, Granger, is absolutely insulting."
"How could you…" Hermione Granger's eyes were agonized as she stared right back at the man before her. His hood may have hidden his face, but it did not matter to her for she could almost imagine his steel hard eyes glaring back.
"You were the one who did not keep your words, Tom Riddle. You said you will give up your conquest as a Dark Wizard. You said you will drop all pointless killings and live together with me just like any other couples. But those were blank promises." Hermione, overwhelmed by her resurfaced heartbreak towards the man whom she loved so deeply, felt herself trembling, "For you, I am willing to give up returning to the present and stayed on with you. Yet, you betrayed that trust that I held so dearly onto. I am not an idiot, Riddle. I know what you did every night when you sneaked out to the dark forest. You murdered the innocents to stiffen fear among the wizardry world. You selfishly desire to create a name for yourself that everyone feared and will submit to."
"I'm not an idiot either, Granger." snapped Tom Riddle coldly, "I know Dumbledore sent you to the past using the time-turner to try and change me. It's useless Granger and you are overestimating yourself. A mere weak woman like you means nothing to me."
"So you are finally telling the truth?" Hermione barely whispered, her lips trembled as she spoke, "I am nothing to you. I should have known…" Hermione felt as though a knife was driven through her chest, tearing it mercilessly apart. She laughed bitterly and her vision blurred by the mist of her overflowing tears. She was the biggest fool on earth. No matter her status as the smartest witch of her age, all her worthiness she once held with pride vanished. How could she fall in love with this cold-hearted man that stood before her? How could she naively wish to reach out to him even at this second?
So Tom did not know the truth about what had happened back then – about how she was tricked and forced back to the present without a single clue how it even happen. Yet, it seemed to not matter anymore. He had out-rightly declared her zero worthiness to him and nothing she said will do to change this cruel fact.
Hermione's tears that refused to stop flowing streaked along the contour of her cheeks and dripped onto the soft skin of her daughter who stirred. Her eyes were huge and bright with pupils chestnut brown – just like her father. As though the baby could feel her mother's heartache, she stretched out her tiny hands towards Hermione and mumbled in her baby language to console her crying mother.
Hermione slid to the ground and held her daughter closer, "Kira, I'm sorry."
Tom Riddle made no advancement as he watched them both. He could have killed them right this instance and yet, he hesitated just like how his old-self thirty years ago. He was a prideful man and would rather die to admit how much it hurt him when he found out that she had returned to the present without a single word. Every single day for the past thirty years, he had been waiting for her return but she did not. Tom could not help but felt betrayed – a feeling he never once understood before he knew her. Why did she not return to him? She had been the one and only woman he had ever opened his heart to and this was how it was trampled upon?
Tom gripped tightly to his wand but still not making any moves. He glared at the baby that she had held so dearly onto. Once bitten twice shy. Granger had betrayed him once and how could he still believe anything she said? The baby was his own flesh and blood? What a joke. No way was he going to be fooled twice.
Suddenly, there were massive footsteps and the wooden door behind him blasted opened.
Tom snarled and held his offensive position, now facing the door.
"It's you-know-who!" Someone shouted and several footsteps followed after. Soon, the room was surrounded by Aurors with all with their wands out and ready to attack. It has been more than three decades of pursue and they had finally succeeded in cornering him.
Tom Riddle laughed mockingly. Him? The most feared dark wizard of all time getting cornered by these weaklings? What insolent fools.
The Aurors in the room flinched. Without a doubt, no matter what brave-front they held on their faces and postures, their fears for Riddle still lingered. After all, the man before them was Lord Voldemort – one who stirred chaos across the entire wizardry world with the darkest magic ever seen in centuries, one who held no fear and compassion and one who spared no one who stood in his way.
A strong gust of wind swiftly entered through cracks of the shrieking cottage and blew off the Riddle's hood, revealing his facial features. It was nothing short of apprehension as everyone went speechless and could only stare. Instead of the sinister-looking dark lord they once knew, there stood a man, no older than twenty-five, in his well-chiseled, sharp and charming face.
His hardened chestnut brown eyes scanned the cottage and rested on Hermione who stared back in disbelief.
Riddle felt smug and returned his glare back at the Aurors. They would never have guessed that with the horcruxes that he had created twenty years ago, he could maintain his youth for as long as he wanted. That was not all; so long these partitioned souls were not destroyed, he could not be killed.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle." The chief Auror took a cautious step forth with his wand held out, "In the name of the Ministry of Magic, you are under arrest. Resist and we will have to retain you by force."
Hermione watched worriedly at the pair as they exchanged murderous glares; she knew if this continues, it will end badly.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt, aren't you?" Riddle looked dangerously calm and composed, "I have heard of you but aren't you clever to come and challenge me upfront like this?"
"I'll die trying." There was nothing but resolve to kill the fiend in Kingsley's mind, "Avada Kadavr-"
"No!" Hermione acted instinctively. With one hand still clutched tightly onto her daughter, she pulled out her wands from her back pocket, "Expelliarmus!"
Kingsley's wand flew out of his hand even before the killing curse could be casted.
"Granger!" Kingsley roared in fury, "What on earth-"
"Tom run!" Hermione cried and pleaded, "Go now!" Her tears rushed out uncontrollably. She was a fool, she really was. Why would she risk both hers and her daughter's life to save a man who tried to kill them? But Hermione knew deep down, she still loved him and could not bear to see him get hurt.
Riddle was momentarily stunned by what Hermione had done. Of course, he could have easily evaded the killing spell without her help. But for her to defend was unexpected. She had left him for good, so why did she even try to risk her life to save him?
CRACK CRACK CRACK
New figures who were clothed in hoods, just like Riddle, apparated suddenly into the cottage. The death eaters had come to save their Dark Lord.
Within seconds, the packed wooden room was flashed with spells in all directions.
Hermione bent low and shielded little Kira with her body. As though frightened by the sudden commotions, Kira began to cry and this caught Riddle's ear. Whilst knocking several Aurors off their feet with a single flick of his wand, he backed to where Hermione and Kira were.
"Crucio!"
Riddle turned just in time to see a jet red light aiming in the direction where Hermione was. It was conjured by his death eater and he did not have to lift the hood to know who it was. He deflected the cursed spell and stood protectively over her.
"No one touches them" He hissed dangerously and this warning applied to both his death eaters and the Aurors.
"But my Lord-"Bellatrix Lestrange began to protest; her icy cold eyes pierced through the hoods and rested Hermione who had now looked up in utter shock.
"I said no one touches them" Riddle repeated coldly and authority rang in his voice, "They are mine."
No matter how unwilling his death eaters seemed to spare the life of a mud-blood they had despised so much, they knew his command was final.
Riddle's sharp eyes scanned around for other imminent attacks before they met Hermione's. Being extremely egoistical, he hated to admit that despite all that had happened, he still loved her like he did thirty years ago. He had come today to look for her, to see and to seek explanations. But when he saw the baby that she had held so protectively in her arms, he felt betrayed and lost his rationale.
Hermione felt a gush of nostalgia as the image of Riddle standing protectively over her replayed in her mind's eyes repetitively. It felt as if the old Riddle had returned – the one who had protected her in all situations, the one who had risked his life for her and told her it was all worth it.
The one whom she loved and missed dearly.
"Tom Riddle!" Hermione's head pivoted just in time to see Kingsley charged at Riddle with a ready wand in his left hand, "Avada Kadavra! Avada Kadavra!" Kingsley casted the death spell in a repetitive chain at Riddle.
It was a simple feat for Riddle to deflect the killing spell and it barely scrapped him.
From the corner of her eyes, Hermione caught sight of a cautious shadow that crept behind Riddle, maneuvering within the latter's blind spot. It had its wand held out, pointing in the direction of a completely ignorant Riddle...
"Tom, behind you!" In a single quick reflex, she let her daughter down and flung herself between the green jet spell and the man she loved.
It hit her squarely and a shrilling scream followed.
Riddle's body stiffened and turned just in time to see Hermione collapsed onto the cold hard ground with a loud thud.
"NO!"
It was as if every single living soul had been knocked unconscious by the excruciating vocalisation that everything went pitch silence.
Every pair of eyes was on Riddle who was now knelt before Hermione's lifeless body. His face torn in unbelievable pain and his hands clearly trembled as he held her.
"Hermione... Hermione please..." Riddle shook her lightly and his voice pleading.
Hermione stirred and struggled to force open her eyes. It met his.
"Tom..." Hermione's heart clenched. He was in pain. She mustered her remaining strength to raise her trembling hand and placed it on his cheek.
Riddle held her hand and squeezed it tightly, "Why did you do that? Why are you so stupid?"
Hermione smiled weakly, "There you go again, insulting my level of intelligence." Her voice was getting weaker that she barely whispered. She knew it was only a matter of minutes, even seconds, before she has to go. And not being able to see him ever again.
"You know I will never do something I feel is not worth it" Hermione smiled weakly.
"Granger, what is-" Kingsley attempted to take a step forward before Riddle glared murderously at him. Those icy cold eyes were so intense and filled with the desire to kill that it nearly had him knocked out cold.
He knew the only thing that was holding Riddle back was Hermione.
"Tom please don't-" Hermione inhaled and desperately holding on to her consciousness that she felt was starting to slip away, "Can you make me a promise, please?"
Riddle forced his eyes shut to suppress his burning desire to kill. He had almost went on a killing rampage if it was not for Hermione who had held on so tightly to him that he could feel her pleads and desperation. He gritted his jaw and nodded before pulling her in closer till their faces were inches away.
Hermione rested her head on his masculine chest. She could not figure out how long it had been since there were this close. Tears trickled down her cheek and her closed lips trembled as she fought back her emotions.
"Please don't kill anymore." Her voice was getting weaker.
Riddle did not response as he was not sure if he could keep that promise. He could tell that Hermione was struggling to stay awake and the realization struck him hard. She was slipping away and he was never going to see her ever again.
"Don't leave me" Riddle pleaded softly and held her even tighter, "Please"
Riddle had never felt this helpless and lost. With the lifeless Hermione in his arms, his every hatred for her vanished like they had never existed before. No, it was almost certain to Riddle that he had never once hated her. He loved her. Even after she had left him, he missed her. No one could ever imagine how he had lived each day for the past thirty years without her. It was almost a living hell and killing was the only way to keep him going - hoping she would come back after she knew and screamed at him for doing it.
"I won't" Hermione whispered and her voice was getting weaker, "I will always be right here". She mustered her remaining strength to place her palm on his heaving chest, "Take care of our daughter, Tom."
Riddle's grip on Hermione tightened. His hard gaze rested on little Kira who was sleeping soundly on the cold, hard ground a few feet away from where they were.
His daughter.
Their daughter.
"Promise me-" Hermione's breathe was getting rougher and Riddle knew her end was near. He bent his head low and their lips met.
"I love you" Riddle pulled back and his softened gaze bore into hers.
It was only three simple words but it meant all the world to Hermione.
"I love you, Tom"
It was Hermione's last four words ever spoken before her eyes shut close and Riddle knew she was gone, forever. His face wound up in pain as if he was hit by the cruciatus curse and roared – letting out intense mixed emotions; the pain of losing the only woman he loved and the murderous anger to kill the one responsible.
Everyone in the room shuddered and retreated a few steps back. No one dared to approach the dangerous-looking Riddle who was in excruciating pain but at the same time, emitting a warning red sign that he was out to kill – not just the one responsible, but every single living soul here.
After what it seemed to be ages, Riddle finally stood up with the lifeless Hermione in his arms. No one dared to move a limb as he did so. Not even the Auror who had come to capture him.
Something in Riddle's eyes held them back – it was dangerously petrifying and the Aurors finally understood the true essence behind his infamous reputation of being the "most-feared Dark Wizard of all time".
It was definitely not an exaggeration.
Riddle paused in his step in front of his daughter who was still lying on the ground, seemingly asleep and oblivious to the fact that her mother had gone to a faraway land and she would not be able to see her ever again.
He bent low and gently place Hermione on the ground.
But what everyone did not expect was, with both his hands on Hermione and Kira, there was a sudden 'CRACK' and the three of them vanished.
Hi all, this story has been on hiatus for nearly three years but I have decided to bring it back. I have deleted the previous link and started a new page to make some new twist to the story.
And also just a clarification on Chapter One, which some seemed to be slightly confused about. It was a dream to kickstart the story and you will only find out its significance at the later part of the story. Some of you may misunderstood as a premonition to the ending of the story but I assure you it was nothing of the sort.
You may be a little confused and lost at the start but it will get clearer as the story progresses.
Please enjoy the chapter and I look forward to your reviews (it really motivates me a whole lot)!
Cheers,
Sensitiveme