Disclaimer: these characters are not mine – they belong to JK Rowling
AN:Once again, so glad you all are enjoying this! Only 2 chapters and possibly an epilogue after this chapter!
~~{0}~~
The next morning, Hermione awoke with an ache between her legs and a splitting headache. At once, three things become agonizingly clear; She was naked in bed with Voldemort. Voldemort was also naked, and cuddling with her. She had lost her virginity last night to the Dark Lord.
Hermine groaned and threw her arm over her face to block out the sunlight.
"Good morning" he said kissing the back of her shoulder
She could feel that he was aroused, and she began to panic a little. Last night had happened, yes, but it was an impulsive decision she had made after consuming quite a bit of wine. Now, in the harsh light of day, she was questioning her mental stability.
She grunted in pain and covered her head with a pillow.
"What's the problem?" he asked chuckling at her while running his hands up to cup her breasts.
When she didn't answer him, he pulled the pillow off of her, and rolled her on her back so he could look at her.
"Don't tell me you regret it already. I did make you come several times last night, if I recall correctly." He said smirking down at her.
Hermione blushed again, remembering how he had been on his knees in front of her pleasuring her with his mouth. She had particularly liked that part.
"No…I don't know. It's hard to think with this headache." She said and pushed the heel of her hands into her eyes.
"Here, let me see." He pulled her hands away from her face, and placed his hands on either side of her face and sent some of his magic into her to get rid of her headache.
"Better?" he asked as he brushed a stray curl behind her ear.
"Much. Thank you." She said as she looked away from him. He was too good looking, and she knew if she kept looking at him, that she would give into him again.
"Good. Now, why are you being weird?" he asked enjoying how he was making her squirm.
"I'm not being weird, I don't know what you're talking about." She said as she sat up and covered her breasts with the sheet.
"Yes you are, you can't even look at me." He said and grabbed her chin and forced her to meet his eyes.
"I'm just trying to process it, is all." She said evasively, trying to pull his hand away from her chin.
"What is there to process? I fucked you, and you liked it. End of story." He said chuckling at her shy behavior.
Hermione scoffed at his insensitivity, though truth be told, she wasn't surprised. She climbed out of the bed, pulling the sheet away from him and wrapping it around herself before striding angrily to the door before turning back towards him
"You're a pig!" she spat before she marched out of the room to the main bathroom to take a shower.
She could hear him laughing all the way down the hall. Pompous git!
~~{0}~~
Severus Snape was sitting in the Headmasters office at Hogwarts when an owl dropped a curious letter into his lap. His eyebrows rose practically to his hairline when he saw who it was from. He read the letter and his eyes widened. He had heard Bellatrix raving about how the Dark Lord had gone missing, and that she had walked in on the Mudblood (Miss Granger) snogging some boy who had somehow gotten his hands on the Dark Lord's wand, and was claiming to be the Dark Lord. None of it made any sense, but truthfully, most of the Death Eaters agreed that Potter and the Order must be behind it, and so not only were they still hunting for Potter, they were also looking for the boy who had claimed he was the Dark Lord as well. Bella had provided her memory to them through a pensive so that knew who they were looking for. Two things though had become clear; no one knew where the Dark lord had gone without his wand, and that the Mudblood had also gone missing. His Dark Mark was still intact however, so he knew that the Dark Lord was still alive somewhere, and now he had proof of Miss Granger's continued existence as well.
He decided to do as the letter had suggested and have a little chat with Wormtail. Of all the Death Eaters, the Dark Lord kept him close. If anyone would know anything, it was likely him.
He stood, and opened the Floo connection from the Headmaster's office, and floo'd directly to Malfoy Manor.
"Severus" Lucius nodded as Severus stepped through the green flames, "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Lucius drawled sarcastically.
"Where is Wormtail?" he spat skipping the fake pleasantries.
"In his room, I expect. He rarely comes out. Not that I blame him, I'm quite frankly surprised Bella hasn't killed him by now.
Snape nodded and made his way towards the small room that Wormtail inhabited. He didn't bother knocking, and used his magic to blast open the door.
"Master Severus! How good of you to visit!" Wormtail simpered with false adoration.
"Cease your blathering. You will tell me what you know." Snape said as he stepped towards him pulling out a small vial of Veritaserum.
Wormtail's eyes widened and he attempted to escape. Snape was quicker though, and whispered incarcerous as invisible ropes burst from the tip of his wand and ensnared the ruddy slob. Snape sat him in a chair, and forced the potion down his throat.
"Now, tell me…Where is the Dark Lord?" Snape hissed
"I don't know." Wormtail answered truthfully.
"What was the Dark Lord doing before his disappearance?" Snape questioned as he shoved his wand into the rats neck.
"He was questioning the prisoner…the mudblood." Wormtail struggled against his bonds and whimpered when he felt Snape's wand digging into his neck
"Tell me everything that happened leading up to his disappearance, and don't leave anything out. Need I remind you that I am a master Legillimens, I can make this very unpleasant." Snape threatened him.
"The Dark Lord called for me to bring the mudblood to him. I went to collect her form the cellar, and Bella was there. She asked what the Dark Lord wanted with the Mudblood, and I told her he wanted to interrogate her. She was jealous, I think. She asked me to get her some whiskey after I delivered the girl to the Dark Lord. I did as the Dark Lord commanded and brought him the girl. Before he dismissed me, he requested that I bring them two glasses of whiskey. I went back to the kitchen, and I added a few drops of the Amortentia potion that I had intended to give Bella to one of the glasses. When I brought the tray to the Dark Lord, he took two of the glasses, and I couldn't be sure which one contained the potion. I panicked and left. I brought Bella her whiskey, but nothing happened when she drank it. Her glass obviously did not contain the potion. The Dark Lord did not request my presence for the rest of the night, so I don't know what took place after that."
Snape rubbed a hand over his face. Merlin's Beard. Amortentia was the strongest love potion in existence.
"Why did you attempt to give Bella a love potion?" Snape asked, out of a morbid sense of curiosity.
"I'm in love with her. I always have been, but she despises me. I thought if I could get her to drink it, she would love me too." Wormtail said desperately, realizing how screwed he was now.
Snape sighed.
"If you value your worthless hide, you won't breathe a word of this to anyone." Snape warned as he released him from the invisible binds.
If he was going to get to the bottom of this, he had to contact Miss Granger. He floo'd from Malfoy Manor to Diagon Alley, and made his way into muggle London through the leaky cauldron. He had transfigured his usual robes to a pair of black trousers, a black button down shirt, and a black blazer. He stepped into one of the red phone booths and pulled the letter from his pocket and dialed the phone number. Luckily for him, he had grown up in a muggle home and knew how to use a telephone even if most wizards did not.
~~{0}~~
Hermione had just finished her shower and wrapped a towel around herself when she heard the phone ring in the living room. Her heart sped up. It had to be Professor Snape; no one else knew that they were there. She clutched the towel to her chest and dashed to the phone as Tom stepped out of the Master bedroom buttoning his shirt the rest of the way.
"Hello?" She answered
"Miss Granger?" the deep baritone voice asked.
She breathed a sigh of relief. She would know that voice anywhere.
"Professor, thank goodness. Has anyone followed you?" She asked worriedly
"No. I assure you, I am quite alone. Please tell me what this is all about."
"Well, I am assuming you got my letter if you are calling me." She said.
"Obviously." He said flatly.
"Right. Well, last week, when I was being held at the Malfoy's, something happened." She began. She felt Tom sit closely behind her leaning over her shoulder so he could hear the conversation, and her heart rate sped up a little from his close proximity. Stupid hormones.
"We had been captured by snatchers and brought to the manor, only Harry and Ron managed to escape with Dobby."
"Who is Dobby?" she heard Tom say into her ear, and she covered the phone with her hand and turned to him in annoyance.
"He's a house elf, now be quiet!" she snapped.
He scoffed and she removed her hand when she heard Snape speak,
"Miss Granger, is someone there with you? I thought I heard another voice." He asked
"Er…yes. I'm getting to that." She told him.
"Anyway, as I was saying, Dobby, the house elf, helped Harry and Ron escape, but he couldn't get to me in time. Next thing I know, after Bellatrix tortured me, I was thrown into the cellar."
"You didn't tell me that Bella tortured you." Tom whispered into her ear again.
Once again, she covered the phone, "Well she did, what does it matter? It's not as if you care." She spat as she moved her hand again and continued.
"Wormtail then came to get me, told me to shower, and then he brought me to Voldemort." She explained when she heard another scoff from behind her.
"What is it now?" she asked impatiently, once again covering the phone.
"You have no problem saying my name when the rest of wizarding Britain calls me 'you know who' yet you can't look me in the eye after sex." He said chuckling.
"Will you stop?! We can discuss this later." She said in exasperation.
"Miss Granger? What is going on there? Who is with you?" The professor asked on the other end of the line.
Hermione glared at Tom, but he took the phone out of her hand and held it up to his ear, "Hello Severus." Voldemort said.
To say that Severus Snape was at a loss for words was an understatement. He stuttered for almost a full minute before he recovered his composure
"How…with….what…How?...Forgive me, My Lord." Severus spluttered.
"I'll let Hermione finish telling you what happened." He said and he handed the phone back to her with a smirk. She slapped his arm and grabbed the phone.
"Sorry Professor, for that rude interruption." She said while glaring at Tom, who only snorted.
"Miss Granger, I highly advise against speaking like that in front of the Dark Lord if you value your life." Severus said as he paled. Did she have a death wish?
Hermione brushed off his warning and continued unperturbed, "As I was saying, Professor. I was brought into the room, and Voldemort asked Wormtail to bring us whiskey, as if it were a social call." She covered the phone again and looked at him.
"By the way, why did you want to have a drink with me? What the hell was that about?" she prodded.
"I was just messing with you. And I wanted a drink. I was pretty certain you wouldn't drink yours anyway, not that I cared." He said as he leaned his elbow on the back of the couch.
"You're an arsehole. I can't believe I slept with you." She said shaking her head turning back to the phone.
Severus' jaw dropped. Did he just hear her say that she had…slept with him? What the hell was going on? Had they all gone mad?
"Sorry about that Professor, I just needed to clear something up. Anyway, he asked for Wormtail to bring whiskey, and a few minutes later he came back into the room with a tray carrying three glasses. Voldemort grabbed two, and Wormtail left the room. I, of course, didn't touch it fearing it would have Veritaserum, but he did take a sip. Next thing I know, he's spouting poetry at me."
Tom rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'rusty needle'.
"She heard Snape coughing on the other end of the line, "Did…did you say he was…spouting poetry at you?" Severus repeated making sure he understood.
"Yes, Shakespeare, actually." She nodded even though he couldn't see her. "That wasn't the strangest part though…" she said
Snape blanched, there was more? What could be stranger than the Dark Lord reciting poetry?
"Eventually, he kissed me, which I must admit caught me quite off guard. After a few moments, I found myself kissing him back, though I really can't figure out why for the life of me. Anyway, a few moments later, he pulled away, and he looked completely different." She explained.
Tom grabbed the phone from her again, "Severus, it's me again. Somehow, whatever type of love potion was in my drink caused me to turn back into my younger self, Tom Riddle. It happened after we kissed. A few moments later, Bella walked in and disarmed me while I was…regrettably distracted. She didn't believe it was me, and when she tried to curse Hermione, Hermione grabbed ahold of me and disapparated us both out of there. We're both wandless, and currently staying in a muggle location to keep a low profile. We need to know what love potion it was so we can figure out exactly how it has affected me. Once we figure that out, we can try to sort this mess out." He explained.
Now it started to make sense, although he'd be lying if he said that the familiarity between the Dark Lord and Miss Granger wasn't utterly disturbing.
"Luckily, I've already ascertained that the potion that you imbibed was Amortentia. It seems your little pet rat was besotted with Bellatrix LeStrange, and attempted to slip her a love potion, only by grievous error, did you end up with it instead. Since Miss Granger was alone with you at the time, that would explain the…ah…poetry. The troubling part though, is how the kiss was able to transform you. This may only be an assumption on my part, but the only way for that to happen would be if-"
Tom cut him off then, "If my soul was somehow restored. Yes, That was my assumption too. However, it is my understanding that only true love's kiss is powerful enough to break even the darkest of curses. Certainly, Miss Granger and I are not…in love." He spat out the last word as if it had done him a personal insult.
Hermione scowled at him. Not because she held any affection for him mind, but rather because he was such a git about it.
"That may be so, however, I recall seeing some fine print under the spell surrounding the Amortentia. If two people are destined to be in love, a kiss shared between them should have the same effect, regardless if they are actually in love at the time of the kiss. If two people are not, and never will feel love for one another, the person who had consumed the potion will eventually die." Severus explained.
Tom's eyes widened at the professor's revelation, "If that were the case though, I wouldn't be restored then, would I?" He asked, anger lacing his voice. As well as he'd done in potions back in his school days, the one area he had avoided like the plague was love potions. His mother had used one on his muggle father, and once it wore off, he left her alone and pregnant. She had died during child birth leaving him to grow up alone in an orphanage. He had no used for love or love potions in his life, thank you very much.
"It's impossible to know, since no one, to my knowledge, has ever been in your unique position before. Only time will tell, I'm afraid." Severus said apologetically.
"How much time do I have then?" he said in a deceptively calm voice.
"Research shows that the process should happen rather quickly. Three weeks at most." He concluded.
Tom closed his eyes and swallowed thickly, "You are not to breathe a word of this to anyone. If I find out that you so much as talked about it in your sleep, I'll kill you." Tom said before he slammed the phone down and hung it up.
Hermione stared after him open mouthed. She hadn't heard all of the conversation at the end, only bits and pieces, but she heard enough to know that something the Professor had told him had deeply upset him, and it sounded like whatever it was would happen within the next two weeks. Hermione let him go, knowing that approaching him when he was angry was a very bad idea, so she retreated to the unicorn room to finished getting dressed.
Once she had finished dressing, she put on a kettle for tea. She was going to bring him a cup, but couldn't find him anywhere. His bedroom door was open, and he was nowhere to be seen. Had he left her alone? The thought left a pit in her stomach that she didn't want to think about too closely.
She looked out the window then, and saw that he was standing alone on the beach, staring out into the water. She threw on her flip flops and made her way down to where he was standing. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard her approach, but didn't say anything, and neither did she. She sat down a few feet behind him and a few moments later he walked over to where she was perched, and sat down beside her.
"Is it bad?" she asked glancing over at him and absent mindedly picked up a seashell from the sand.
"That would depend on your definition of bad." He said in a defeated tone she had never heard him use before. It unsettled her more than it had when he had been reciting poetry to her.
"What did he say?" Hermione asked, not sure if he would even tell her.
"It was Amortentia. It seems Wormtail was trying to use it on Bella, and I grabbed the wrong glass." He said with a self-depreciating chuckle.
Hermione furrowed her brow. That definitely explained the poetry then.
"Yes, but did he know how it was able to change your appearance?" She asked still wanting to understand the situation.
"Apparently, there is a clause on the effects of the Amortentia. It seems that if two people are destined to be in love, regardless if they are in love yet, can reverse any dark curses. In my case, that would mean restoring my soul and voiding my horcruxes. However, if the two people are not destined to be in love, the drinker will eventually die. According to Severus, this will happen in the next two weeks." He sighed and threw a shell into the water, watching it skip.
Hermione frowned, "But we aren't in love…" she said more to herself than him
"Yes, I gathered that for myself." He snapped.
"But would the dark curses still be reversed if that were the case?" she asked him
"That is what we don't know. Severus said there has never been a case like mine before, so we can't know if it would have been reversed either way. It's not as if there has been research on what happens to someone who drinks it that has made horcruxes. The bottom line, is that I may drop dead in two weeks, and there is fuck all I can do about it." He spat
"There has to be an antidote then…" Hermione said thinking outloud. Shouldn't this be good news?
"The antidote would have to be administered before the immediate effects of the potion wears off. As you can see, it's far too late for that." He said acidly.
They sat in silence for a few minutes before she heard him let out a mirthless chuckle.
"What's so funny?" she asked growing a bit concerned for his mental state. Not that it wasn't already questionable to begin with…
"Dumbledore was right. Love conquers all. I bet that bastard is up there smiling right now." He said bitterly.
"We don't know that you'll die. Maybe your horcruxes being wiped out canceled out the process somehow…" she said thoughtfully, and he looked up at her sharply. Maybe she was right?
"I think we should check one of your horcruxes to see if it is still intact or not, just to confirm the theory. Then, maybe we could try a magical library in another country to do some research. I doubt anyone would recognize me, and you are certainly not as recognizable as you used to be." She offered helpfully.
She was right, he would go mad sitting around waiting to see if he would die for two weeks. At least they could be doing something productive.
"Fine. We can go check on Slytherin's locket-"
"No! I mean isn't there another one we could check?" she cut him off nervously.
He looked up her suspiciously, "Why? What are you hiding?"
She stood then, and began to back slowly away from him, "Nothing, why?" she said far too innocently.
"Hermione…lest you forget that I don't need a wand to use Legillimancy…" he threatened
"Fine. That one is already gone. You have like 6 or 7 others anyway." She said holding up her hands in front of her as a shield, as if that would accomplish anything.
"And where, may I ask, has it gone?" he said stalking towards her in a deadly calm voice, which did not bode well.
"Harry and Dumbledore managed to find it, and we tried to destroy it, only we couldn't figure out how until I…well…figured it out. I didn't do it though, Ron did." She answered.
"Consider yourself supremely lucky that I don't have my wand, or you would be dead right now." He spat venomously.
"Well, I hardly think killing me is going to help your chances of me falling in love with you." She shot back and crossed her arms over her chest.
"What did you just say?" he said quickly, his eyes widening in realization
"I said that killing me isn't going to help your chances of me falling in love with you." She repeated again and her hand flew to her mouth.
"That's it, isn't it; all you have to do is fall in love with me." He said smiling as if he had figured everything out.
"Um…that's easier said than done. Besides, I'm pretty sure that Snape said we, which means you also need to fall in love with me." She said smirking.
His face fell at her words. He had never been in love, and wouldn't know what it was if it hit him like a bludger to the head.
"It's more likely that hell would freeze over first." He snapped back at her, wiping the smirk off her face.
Hermione sighed, "Must you be so difficult? Believe it or not, I am actually trying to help you."
He looked at her thoughtfully, and then asked what had had been wanting to know for a while; "Why?"
She couldn't answer right away, because she didn't honestly know. The truth was, the Dark Lord was vulnerable now; he had no wand, and most likely he was mortal again. She had every reason to kill him, and yet…
"I don't know." She answered honestly. "After everything you've done, I should hate you…and I did. But now…" she trailed off not knowing exactly what she felt towards him.
"Things have changed." He finished for her