The two magical prodigies had spent the better part of the day debating the semantics of their marriage. Hermione supplied some of her future knowledge so Tom Riddle understood why she forbade him to create another horcrux.
"Not only are you ugly, you are also insane!"
Tom Riddle bit his lip, deliberated, and then allowed that to go as a clause in their marriage contract.
However he did get her to agree to help him gain power and influence. She would not betray his secrets as long as he never targeted muggleborns, creatures, squibs, and muggles.
It had seemed that Hermione was getting the better end of the deal until Tom demanded that she be unyieldingly loyal to him.
"Don't you think that's rather desperate?"
"I am not asking for much, wife."
"You are sleezy, Tom Riddle. Anything you ask is too much."
In the end Hermione had agreed to the terms set by them both as long as they could be revised whenever a party felt it was necessary.
Because this was the 1940s Hermione demanded that they be treated as equals regardless of blood or gender. Tom Riddle had had no problem with that.
"So I take it you're a mudblood?" He had said, annoying her on purpose. Hermione in retaliation flashed her mudblood scar at him and snarled that yes, she was a mudblood and asked him how low he felt to have her as his salvation.
''I don't.'' Tom Riddle said, as indifferently as Hermione would be if anyone asked her how she felt about a total stranger existing. It set her nerves on fire.
''You don't care about blood?''
''I care about magic. It's the purebloods that care about blood. To promote pureblood supremacy as a halfblood is insane.'' Tom Riddle sneered, asking her how she was so daft to not understand.
Since the one thing Hermione hated more than being insulted for her blood was being told she was stupid she took great pride in saying: ''You promote pureblood supremacy in such lengths that it escalates into terrorism, husband. Your influence and power diminishes and you are killed by school children! Among which I was''
It scorched, the silence between them. His crimson eyes look into her and without hesitation Hermione pulled up her occlumency shields.
The next clause added was that they would not use legilimency on one another.
''How boring.'' Tom Riddle commented. He had nothing to say on her previous outburst, which was good, yet unnerving and left Hermione feeling incomplete.
''I take it you like sex.'' He said to her when they were nearly finished with writing up the magically binding contract.
Hermione had gone red at the calm statement. ''Why is that any of your business?''
''You must be discreet with whatever liaison you may have.'' Tom Riddle stressed. ''It would be unbecoming for your deviance to be broadcast for all to know about and laugh about. The Malfoy name would be tarnished and disrespected. You owe Abraxas this much.''
Halted by this sudden lecture on propriety from a murderer, Hermione found in her curiosity to finally wonder about Abraxas Malfoy's relationship with Tom Riddle.
''Are you lovers? What are you two?''
For the first time since time-travelling in the 40s, Hermione saw Tom Riddle uncomfortable. His body language shifted miniscule to accommodate a small, involuntary shudder.
''We're fond of one another.'' In the end he settled on.
''Why be uncomfortable by that?'' Hermione asked, this time honest and without spite in her tone.
''I'm unnerved by the implications our relationship, as benign as it may be, has on the world around us. Wizards think that blood is important, but you know how much muggles place value on sexuality and nuclear families.''
''Yeah.''
''Sometimes,'' Tom Riddle, allowing exhaustion from having a heated and argumentative conversation with Hermione to shine through, whispered in a low voice so they only heard it, ''it is hard to think like them.'' Hermione heard the omitted names: Antoinette and Abraxas. ''It feels unimaginable to just renounce everything you've been taught for the bigger part of your life.''
''It's not wrong to like a man.''
''No,'' Tom Riddle said without deliberation, ''but nonetheless it is illegal. Power and money make you exempt from the law. As long as Abraxas Malfoy does his pureblood duty to secure the family line he can get away with murder for all anyone cares.''
This was a strange conversation to be having with young Lord Voldemort. Yet here she was!
''You can get away with murder, albeit a bit harder because you're a woman, but a hand has been dealt to you, Hermione Malfoy.'' Tom Riddle smirked at her, advancing towards her with lilting steps, soft and barely heard. ''A hand you must play as best as you can. It is far better than mine.'' His hand rose to caress her cheek and brush a stray lock of hair from her face.
''Envy is slytherin green, then?'' Hermione scoffed and batted away Tom Riddle's hand from her cheek.
''And pride is gryffindor red.'' Tom Riddle whispered, his hot, minty breath too close for comfort. Hermione pushed him away and said that their marriage contract could be closed and concluded.
Malfoy Manor was less frightening while under the rule of Abraxas Malfoy. It had seemed that the gothic architecture of the inside she remembered staring at while under cruciatus had been implemented much later. It stank of Antoinette's doing.
The not yet married couple entered a drawing room and saw Abraxas Malfoy lounging on a Rococo sofa with five peacocks around him. Antoinette Malfoy was sitting on a chaise and reading a magic tome. If the book's menacing energy was anything to go by it was a very dark book with very dark contents.
Hermione watched as Tom Riddle scowled at the peacocks, said nothing, and mechanically (as if having done this before many times) ushered some off of the sofa to sit down next to Abraxas. The Malfoy Lord smiled at him fondly and wrapped an arm around his neck.
Tom Riddle did not protest the gesture, but neither did he look overly happy about it.
Hermione sat on a third chair, away from the three magicals.
"Have you a clause about children?" Surprisingly enough Antoinette was the first to speak and break their monotonous silence. With careful movements she put the book away. Tom greedily took it in his lap to peruse. It crooned when met with the dark wizard's magic, approvingly. Even magical artifacts could tell he was a murdering cunt.
"Yes." Hermione said. It was a purely hypothetical and would probably never need to be utilised, but for the sake of contingency planning it existed.
"And?" Antoinette pressed.
Hermione grimaced.
Tom Riddle answered, not taking his eyes off of the book in his lap. "When we are both satisfied with how much power and influence we have we shall have one child. If it is a girl Hermione names it and if otherwise the honour befalls me."
Abraxas looked at Antoinette and said in french so neither Hermione nor Tom understood them "They thought of this far more extensively than either of us."
Antoinette gave a solemn nod.
"So, when will you have children? Let's time it so ours are the same age!" Abraxas merrily exclaimed.
Hermione looked ill at the prospect. Tom Riddle only scoffed and said that if they ever had that child they would have it when they both wanted one.
"My child will be wanted." Tom Riddle said firmly.
"Fine, but roughly speaking when do you think that'll be?" Abraxas continued pursuing the topic, quickly shifting from amiable friend to irritating fiend.
Tom Riddle looked up from the book for the first time to look at Abraxas hard, not cold or harsh - just very intensely. ''Abraxas, I cannot answer that because neither Hermione nor I care to think about this. Do not ask again.''
Antoinette turned to Hermione and asked her where she would be staying. If it would be the Manor because of her Faux-Malfoyness or in a one bedroom apartment of her husband's that was above Borgin and Burke's.
On one hand - closed quarters with Voldemort did not strike her fancy - on the other to live in a manor where she was tortured by deranged inbred Bellatrix Lestrange? Oof. What a tough choice to make.
''Could dear cousin,'' Hermione addressed Abraxas, smiling, ''lend me some money to rent out a flat of my own?''
When Abraxas sputtered about, trying to figure out why she would not stay with him in Malfoy Manor, Antoinette grinned and said that if her husband would not give his cousin money - then she would certainly entertain this idea of Hermione's.
''Thanks.'' Hermione said, this time genuinely smiling, not having to put up a farce.
Antoinette was too posh to act like a proper person when faced with gratitude, so instead she said: ''Of course.''
The four of them languished in silence for a few minutes until Abraxas inquired when they would hold the ceremony and how they had agreed to let people know.
''I have to get her a ring and propose.'' Tom Riddle said, hating the idea of bending knee to anyone. Hermione had demanded the muggle custom be done if only because she knew it would rile up many of the purebloods' sensitivities.
''I love rings!'' It had elicited a counter reaction from Abraxas Malfoy who clapped his hands once in glee and said that Tom and he would brave jewelry stores while Antoinette and Hermione sought out a wedding robe for Hermione.
''You wed in robes?'' Hermione inquired Antoinette, leaning towards her as if she would a friend in this den of snakes.
''Dresses are gaudy.'' Antoinette merely said and beckoned for Hermione to right her disheveled experience arguing and debate brought upon her. They needed to go through floo into Diagon Alley.
''Not Knockturn alley?'' Hermione snorted, more as a jab at Tom Riddle's darkness and living quarters.
''No,'' Abraxas replied, hideously appalled at her thought process, ''that is where prostitutes and poor people dress, Hermione! Why do you ask?'' A more terrified thought crossed past his lips: ''Is that where people from the future go to dress?!''
''Um, no. No.'' Hermione set the blond man's mind at ease. He let out a sigh of relief Antoinette scowled at him for. There was disdain in this marriage, and tolerance only for the sake of familial duty.
''Besides being dashingly mad in the future, have you anything more to tell me, Hermione?'' Tom Riddle asked, quirked lips and soft tones. He didn't raise his voice, Hermione noticed. It was a crueller type to never yell or shout or show anger. This meant that he seethed like water in rising temperatures boiling an unaware frog.
Hermione pondered, unvarnished finger to her lips. A faraway look in her eyes. Then a glint of unkindness sparked and she said: ''A baby kills you.''
''That is it, we aren't having children.''
Abraxas was the only one devastated by this.
Hermione was dressed in one of Antoinette's dark robes as she still had no proper clothes. Though, this outing would most definitely change that. Now that she was with the pureblood witch, Hermione could relax if only a little. With Tom Riddle away the witch could breathe.
''What colour do you want your dress robe to be?''
''Shouldn't it be white?''
''No.'' Antoinette patiently said.
''Oh, then let's look at blues.''
''Blue?'' Antoinette looked Hermione over and now that it was just the two of them Hermione didn't know why she felt a flutter inside her when the goth witch's attention rested solely on her.
''Yeah?''
''Mh. It suits you, goes well with your pretty hair.''
Antoinette turned away to look for a boutique fit enough for Malfoy money while Hermione struggled to piece together this new enigma she was faced with.
They entered a french boutique, or more precisely - Antoinette grabbed Hermione's hand in hers and dragged the out-of-time witch inside. It was full of wondrous gowns and robes and fabric that made Madam Malkin's look ridiculously cheap and lacking in quality.
Very quickly Antoinette had dismissed the shop girl and said that if they needed her she would be called. The coldness of her tone had Hermione remembering their duel earlier this day. Like a huntress, the frenchwoman had waited and grabbed hold of an opportunity when it presented itself. It wasn't Abraxas Malfoy that had taken down Hermione, rather this witch looking at fabric and commenting in french to herself.
She looked amused by all of this. The shopgirl was called to measure Hermione, but then when the girl tried to get a word in about a suggestion was ignored. Hermione gave her a small smile and the shopgirl had huffed, seemingly put off.
''That was rude.''
''Was it now?'' Antoinette raised her brows and shuffled through blue robes. Some with frills. Some without. Most had a dose of functionality Hermione valued.
''Yes. Why do you act so lordly with no good reason?'' Hermione demanded. She hated people like Antoinette who because they had money decided to be pricks.
Not wanting to waste words, Antoinette summoned the shopgirl to tail them. Five minutes of the girl's incessant talking and gesturing and hinting about expensive fabrics on sale that would look sublime forced Hermione to dismiss her. ''Thanks! You've been helpful but we can take it from here!''
The pureblood witch smirked at Hermione's electrified appearance. Her hair was all over the place and her magic shrouded her like a cloak. ''You look like a cat that's been threatened with water.''
''Gee,'' Hermione said sarcastically, ''thanks.''
Antoinette laughed and tossed a blue robe that was simple to appease to Hermione's practical side yet beautiful enough to appease the purebloods.
''Try it on.'' the french witch ordered. ''The sooner you and that halfblood marry the sooner I can stop listening to my husband bemoaning.''
Even though Hermione did not particularly like how cutthroat and brutal with words Antoinette was - she couldn't deny her impeccable taste.
''Well?'' Hermione twirled so Antoinette could judge her.
''You look splendid.'' Antoinette remarked. Hermione blushed at the abrupt praise.
They bought the robe and many more.
And then Antoinette asked Hermione if she had had a familiar in her time. Hermione spoke about Crookshanks with a sad smile tugging at her lips. It hurt that she would not be with her friends now that peace was there, but if she played her cards right - maybe peace would never be put into question. At least because of Tom Riddle.
They passed by a pet shop and Antoinette asked Hermione if she'd like a cat.
''You can't just buy me a cat!''
''Oh.'' Antoinette laughed dearly at Hermione's incredulous words. ''You may find that I can do quite a many thing.''
Antoinette bought Hermione a small black kneazle that wasn't Crookshanks, but was enough.
''This is absurd.'' Hermione shook her head and carried the kitten in her arms, allowing Antoinette to pet and coo at it.
''You will let me name her.'' Antoinette did not ask and therefore Hermione thought better than to answer back. An exasperated, bewildered sigh escaped her.
The kneazle rubbed against Antoinette's soft palm and meowed lovingly.
''What will you name her then?''
''I'll name the little thing Abyss, don't you think that's a lovely name?''
''That's way too dark for a kitten.''
Antoinette was stone faced and Hermione kept eye contact as they stared one another down. Neither looked about to budge. The kitten wriggled uncomfortably. Hermione adjusted her grasp and it went back to contentment.
It was Antoinette Malfoy that shook her head and snarked out a laugh from her nose. ''I was joking, Hermione. She is your kneazle, you name her.''
Hermione snickered alongside Antoinette and when they returned to Malfoy Manor, Hermione felt happy - sort of. Happier than when Tom or Abraxas were breathing down her neck and asking her questions she had no inkling of answering.
''I want to name her Morgana.'' the brightest witch of her age that learned about gods in her free time for fun finally said.
''The Goddess of Death?'' Antoinette split her face in a bright grin. ''Better than Abyss by far.''
Tom Riddle's robes were procured without fuss (except to tell Abraxas Malfoy that just because the man had worn the most complex and ostentatious robe in existence on his wedding didn't mean that Tom Riddle wanted to compete with such a feat), the ring was procured without fuss (''It's customary to have diamonds, Abraxas.'' ''Diamonds are absolutely cheap let's get this one of a kind gem made out of a piece of Arthur's stone. The same one where the sword was held, you know the tale, yes?'' Tom Riddle had looked at the price tag and asked Abraxas how much money the man had. ''I'll know when I run out.'' ''Abraxas, no. Buy the diamond.'' ''Ugh, fine, Tom.''), and the ministry filed papers for marriage were procured without fuss (A woman in a pink robe that had had the most ardent of crushes on Tom Riddle held onto the papers as if for dear life and wouldn't let them go even when Abraxas Malfoy tried bribing her with an obscene amount of money. ''Riddle, you and I are meant to be!'' ''Dolores Umbridge, give it a rest. Tom is marrying my cousin and you can't do anything about it!'' ''Abraxas, don't antagonize the toad woman.'' - in the end the aurors had been called in to apprehend the woman.)
Upon reaching the safe haven which was Malfoy Manor, Tom Riddle decided that he just wanted to sign the papers and never think about marriage again.
The foyer in which they had apparated in was full of black robes (each somehow darker than the last)
''Antoinette dear, what are you doing?'' asked Abraxas Malfoy.
Tom Riddle collapsed on a couch and startled when a small camouflaged ball of black fur hissed at him from the black couch draped with black robes. It had yellow eyes. ''What is this cat bloody doing here?''
Hermione giggled, leaning in a couch where both witches sat on. Antoinette waved around a glass with champagne and said that they were best friends now. ''Hermione is better than your Tom Riddle. Take that, husband.''
''Tom Riddle is a unique man that cannot be compared to anyone.''
''Abraxas, stop talking about me like I'm a trading card.''
''Tom, she has besmirched you.''
''Both of them are pissed, Abraxas. Leave them be.''
Which was actually true as what the two men were not aware of was Hermione Granger experiencing a bout of pre-marital hysteria and wondering if she was doing the right thing and that this was definitely not something she would have ever wanted for herself.
To which Antoinette Malfoy had replied: ''I felt the same way right before I married Abraxas.''
''How did you cope?''
That was when Antoinette had Dobby bring them a bottle of expensive ad magically strong champagne to drain together. Halfway through the bottle their idea of fun was bringing out Antoinette's clothes to wear around and make fun of their husbands.
''Personally, I find Abraxas liking men a relief.'' Antoinette had explained, her speech slightly slurred. Hermione bobbed her head, allowing physics to do the rest rather than her brain because she was a lightweight and she was pissed. They switched to water when the bottle was done.
''Why's that?'' Hermione blushed from the alcohol and being near such a charming presence. Though everyone was charming when drunk, Hermione found. Except her terrorist husband that wasn't yet a terrorist technically but had the makings of one - fuck what even was her life?
''I like women.''
''OH?!'' This seemed to make Hermione guffaw with joy. ''What are the odds? You're both each other's beards.''
Antoinette smiled and hiccuped out a description that Hermione howled at, scaring Morgana away from their couch to the next one across. ''Abraxas and I are the full facial hair experience.''
''So what's the deal with Tom Riddle?'' Hermione tried to get herself used to saying the name because it would be her husband's.
''His deal?''
''Why this wife hunt?'' she clarified.
''Ah, he doesn't care for sex.'' Antoinette explained. She threaded her fingers through Hermione's hair gently with her free hand.
''Does he really like Abraxas?'' Hermione submitted to the touch and closed her eyes.
''They've been friends since school. It's hard to shake off a relationship that's been there for so long.''
Hermione nodded, remembering Ron, remembering Harry.
''What about you, Antoinette? Can I call you, Tony? Your name is too long.''
''Of course, Herm.''
''Ugh, that is horrible.'' Hermione pressed her face against the cool fabric of Antoinette's robe and inhaled the rich scent of her expensive perfume.
''Tony is worse.'' Antoinette said, though with a smile that painted her not as mad but amused.
''Are you seeing anyone?'' Hermione asked.
Antoinette cheekily grinned and said that the only one she was currently seeing was Hermione Granger.
The brightest witch of her age playfully shoved Antoinette from her and told her that that wasn't what she had meant.
''My apologies. English is not my mother tongue.'' Antoinette ran circles around her words. ''No, I am not seeing anyone. Do you like girls?''
''I've never thought about it.''
''Do you like me?''
Hermione remembered Antoinette's patience with her and her lack of disdain when interacting with her and thought that maybe she did.
''What if I did?''
''Mh.'' Antoinette mused aloud in form of a long hummed sound. ''If is a word for weaklings. I like you, Hermione. Your blood means very little to me when you have shown me your magical aptitude. This morning when you appeared out of thin air and fought a man you knew not in a place you knew not - you intrigued me. Very much. Also Lucius, beautiful name for a boy. I shall make sure to use it.''
''Don't talk about your son to me.'' Hermione said, remembering the way Lucius Malfoy had clutched onto Draco and Narcissa while Bellatrix Lestrange had carved the word mudblood in her arm.
Antoinette's voice softened as she placed a tentative, reluctant kiss atop Hermione's lips.
''Desole'' Then to lighten up the atmosphere, Antoinette raised her arms in the air and announced: ''I shall plan your wedding and it will be the envy of all! It will have live acromantulas and thestrals and dementors in attendance! Walburga Black will weep tears of envy and she will beg me to plan her wedding because it will be too awesome for anyone's comprehension!''
Hermione giggled, properly cheered up. The mental picture wouldn't leave her. With Antoinette making her wedding into a joke she might even survive the ceremony.
Around that time was when Tom Riddle and Abraxas Malfoy appeared to clean up their mess and have the very tipsy ladies put to bed.
Abraxas decided to simply leave Antoinette in the foyer while I am Lord Voldemort tried to control Hermione and have her dragged upright.
''Fuck you Voldemort!'' Hermione exclaimed and swung her closed fist as hard as she could in his face. Tom Riddle's incredible reflexes helped him dodge, but then the witch toppled him down to the ground cause of her lack of balance in the first place.
''Hermione,'' Tom Riddle seethed, ''stop embarrassing yourself.''
''KICK HIM!'' Antoinette shouted from her position, less inebriated than the girl who'd only eaten an ice cream the entire day. ''DESTROY HIM!''
''Yeaaaah!'' Hermione slurred and raised her wobbly fist in the air as if to salute Antoinette.
Tom Riddle made a hand movement, a flick of the wrist, and used wandless magic to push Hermione off of him. He dusted his clothes off and sneered that if he'd wished to marry an alcoholic he'd have stuck by Primrose Parkinson.
In the end, much to the protest of everyone drunk involved - Dobby vanished the girls to their respective rooms.
''So, marriage.'' Abraxas smiled.
Tom Riddle glowered. ''Yes.''
''You'll learn to like it.''
''I do not appreciate having someone I ought to treat as an equal hating me and wishing me death.'' Then anger. ''I have only met her today! How do you expect me to have us sign this ministry issued marriage contract!''
''I met Antoinette on the day of our wedding. Three - now four days ago.''
Tom Riddle didn't wait for Dobby to appear to get himself a drink. He offered none to Abraxas. Sitting down on the still cluttered sofas, he crossed his legs, and tipped the drink. The cat was still there and staring at him. He'd never before felt this off kilter.
''Whose cat is this?'' Tom Riddle asked and poked Morgana, to see what reaction he could get from her. She bit his finger hard and wouldn't let go of it, grabbing his hand with her claws and gnawing painfully. ''Fuck.'' the young dark lord set his drink down to help pry this beast off of him.
''I think marriage will do you good. You need a family.''
''Oh bugger off.'' Tom Riddle hissed and cast a healing charm on his scratched up hand, treating the small inconvenience all pet owners go through like it was the equivalent of someone butchering him with the intent to kill. Morgana jumped off of the sofa and fled up the stairs to find Hermione.
Abraxas took an expensive robe of his wife's from the sofa Tom was on and tossed it heedlessly onto the floor to sit down on it. ''Why is this putting you on edge? Antoinette and I will make sure everything goes smoothly. Weddings and marriage are cause for celebration.''
''I can't continue my plans, Abraxas. All of them have to be remodelled, from the ground up.'' Tom confessed, ''It frustrates me. Obviously I understand why I must do this. Because as Hermione so unkindly reminds me - she helped kill me in the future. I lose and I die.'' That word passed by a bobbing adam's apple hard, feeling like terror at the tip of thantophobic Tom Riddle's tongue.
''Everyone dies.''
''I don't.''
''Hm.'' Abraxas regarded Tom Riddle in this caged light and had nothing inspiring to tell him. Nothing to help ease him into this foreign world of family orphans needed a manual to navigate. All he told him was that thinking about death was counterproductive.
''Counterproductive.'' Tom Riddle tasted the word on his tongue like one would ancient wine from a famous vineyard in a faraway place. ''Sign as my witness, yes?''
Abraxas Malfoy grinned and said that asking him was an insult.
''I'll walk her down the aisle! She is my cousin, after all.''
''Repetition makes truth out of lies.'' Tom Riddle said, having tired of Abraxas Malfoy's constant repeat.
''What do I even tell the knights?'' Tom Riddle groaned and slid into an unflattering position on the couch so he looked up to Abraxas Malfoy miserably and sneered the next words: ''I loathe this personally. This is all unnecessary. To get married at eighteen. My girl isn't pregnant. I'm not rushing off to war. Fuck. Is this how you felt?''
''No.'' Abraxas admitted quietly for a change. ''I felt worse.''
''I'm not having children. Hermione can go fuck off if she wants a child it won't be mine.''
Abraxas maneuvered Tom Riddle so the dark lord sprawled across the sofa with his head in Abraxas' lap. Deft fingers massaged the overwrought scalp of the prodigal wizard.
''Is this about the whole I can't love nonsense Dumbledore has gotten under your skin?'' Softly the Malfoy Lord asked.
Tom Riddle's silence was an undeniable yes. He didn't admit to things with words if they showed weakness, but he did not lie to Abraxas. There had never been need for it. Abraxas had no intention of doing Tom Riddle any wrong.
''I am of the opinion, Tom Riddle, that that is hogwash. All of it. It is untrue and a way for an old man who's hurting to hurt other people around him. No one is asking you to love anyone. That is how we work and I am content with that. Hermione does not love you, but neither you ought to feel obligation towards her. This is a marriage of convenience.''
''Of course.'' came the barely audible reply. Tom Riddle closed his eyes and added, ''She is smart. That's her only saving grace.''
''Yes, Tom, she is. Probably as smart as you, perhaps more, perhaps less. The summoning ritual I conducted would make suitable pairs. Chosen by magic to be one another's pair.'' Abraxas reassured. ''With time Hermione might even like you. You probably did cause her great trauma.''
''Didn't yet happen.''
''Nonetheless she blames you.''
''Emotional cunt.''
Abraxas let out a delighted chortle at the crude tongue. ''Try as I might you still cling to that horrid way of speaking.''
''I'm not posh.''
''No. But you will be when you marry into the family.''
''Pardon?''
''Tom Malfoy, good yes?''
''Hermione RIDDLE, Abraxas.''
''Hmm, no.'' Abraxas pulled his hands to himself and raised a brow.
Tom Riddle breathed out hard from his nose to stifle a laugh bubbling from inside him. ''Oh my god, Abraxas. Let Hermione and I decide for ourselves. You have done enough.''
Tomorrow Tom Riddle and Hermione Granger signed two contracts. One to have the ministry acknowledge their marriage and the other to reinforce their rules of conduct.
All that was left was to act madly in love in public and announce their wedding to the whole of wizarding britain elite.
''Walburga Black is coming to my wedding.'' Tom Riddle said, the thought finally occuring to him. He looked disgusted.
Antoinette was already sketching out how everything was going to go down. There were skulls in her sketches and corpses and fire.
Hermione was tending a hangover. ''We can not invite her.''
Abraxas snorted and asked if anyone had ever heard of what happened to a princess called Sleeping beauty? ''Is anyone familiar with the consequences of not inviting the evil fairy?''
''Walburga's not a fairy.'' Antoinette interjected.
''Walburga is worse than a fairy scorned.'' Tom Riddle described and Hermione didn't know how to feel about Tom Riddle and she having a common person to hate.
''I can't believe everyone hates Walburga Black yet she outlives all of you via painting.''
Antoinette decided. ''We must snipe any painter that comes near her home.''
Tom suggested. ''Poison her progeny.'
''Or we could just not do all of this and invite her because she holds more influence and power than the Malfoy name ever could?'' Abraxas Malfoy said wisely, like a wise person.
''Ugh.''
''Come on Malfoys.''
''Riddles.''
''Malfoys.''
''Hermione are you taking my surname?''
''It's better than Malfoy.'' Hermione said, remembering Draco Malfoy's sneering and taunting and Lucius Malfoy's cold contempt for her mere existence. Riddle was an untainted name all in all.
Abraxas was the only one devastated by this turn of events. ''Betrayal,'' he gasped, ''from my own cousin.''
Hermione exchanged a glance with Antoinette who scowled and gestured flimsily with a hand full of black varnished fingers. ''I married that.''
''Divorce him.'' the brightest witch of her age deadpanned.
Antoinette looked at her husband and jokingly said with a straight face that showed no indication of her remotely joking.
''Collect your peacocks and leave the premises. You are being divorced.''
''Damn.'' Tom Riddle said. ''She sure told you, Abraxas.''
''All of you are terrible and do not deserve me.''
Next chapter: Tom proposes, a wedding is attended - and everyone is gay except Walburga Black who thinks the homosexual agenda is out to kill her and proper pureblood families with good values