A/N: I'm really sorry this update too so long. My cat totally ruined my keyboard, so I wasn't able to use it at all. I had to wait until I could afford to get a USB keyboard, and that took a while cause I can barely afford my rent. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'll probably be a little faster with the updates from now on. I'm also trying to determine when and how Hermione and Tom should transition to friends. Any ideas, let me know. I have a vague idea in my head about Hermione ending up at Tom's house and seeing Tom Sr. again. Also, I'm trying to decide if I want Hermione to end up with Tom or Alphard. I know I started this as a Tom/Hermione story, but I'm really starting to like Alphard. Let me know what you think
"The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear."
-Herbert Agar
Hermione got over her shock remarkably quick as she ran through the halls. Her entire body was pulsing with rage and anger and in the back of her mind, she thought it might be a good idea to calm down. She couldn't, though. He was so stupid. Did he even think before he released the basilisk.
She burst into the Slytherin common room and stormed up the stairs to the boys dormitory. With one spell, his door was open, with another two he was silenced and bound with ropes.
"You idiot!" she screamed. Tom quickly regained himself and with a nonverbal spell, he was free from his ropes, his wand dangerously aimed at Hermione. Before he could attack, she lashed out, sending a nonverbal body bind, but his shield blocked it.
"What the fuck are you doing, Dumbledore?" Tom shouted as he dodged and blocked every attack that she threw at him.
"You have no idea what you've done! The basilisk will only attack muggleborns!" she yelled just as a flock of canaries burst from her wand. Tom, shocked by what she had just revealed she knew, was unprepared for her attack. He cursed as he was pecked by birds before managing to banish them.
"How do you know about the basilisk?" Tom asked, his voice low and dangerous. He was breathing heavily, his wand still pointed at Hermione. Her eyes widened slightly, thinking she had blown her cover, but then she remembered who her uncle was. And then, she laughed. She laughed until tears streamed down her cheeks and Tom had no idea what to do.
"Hermione!" a voice gasped out from behind her and Tom was dismayed to see both Malfoy and Black join her, wands out and pointed at him.
"What did you do to her?" Black growled as Malfoy prepared to cast some spell. Tom, furious about being interrupted, immediately attacked Malfoy, blasting him off his feet, before preparing to do the same to Black. Unfortunately, that was the action that pulled Hermione back and her eyes narrowed dangerously.
Black and Malfoy watched as Tom was immediately suspended in the air, without Hermione saying a word. Before Tom could retaliate, Hermione let him drop.
"Tomorrow, library, 7 o'clock," she ordered, before turning and leaving the room. With one last glare, Alphard and Abraxus followed her as she left the common room.
"Hermione!" Alphard called out, "what happened?"
"Are you okay?" Abraxus asked her worriedly. That's when she began to laugh again, stopping in the middle of the hall.
"Oh, Abraxus, I'm fine," she giggled. Then, in a complete reverse, she sobered and looked at him. "But, you, Abraxus, you're the one who got hit. Are you okay?"
"Of course, I'm fine," he replied, touched by her sincerity. "What happened?"
"Nothing. Tom and I were just having a little chat."
"Little chat… Are you serious? You really think that after McGonagall is attacked, you can run off, be found fighting Riddle, and not expect us to think you suspect him," Alphard answered dryly. Hermione looked at Alphard, stared right into his eyes for a few seconds, and then everything that had happened seemed to hit her.
"Oh, gods," she moaned before throwing her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. "Oh, Alphard, I am so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
He automatically wrapped his arms around her as Abraxus stood beside them, his hand making small circles on her back.
"Come with me," she finally said, before leading them up to the sixth floor. She paced for a minute, thinking of a place where they could be alone to talk, that was neutral, and where no one would find them. When the door appeared, she pulled the two boys in, while they stared at it, a bit astounded.
"Where are we?" Abraxus asked as he looked around the room. There was a fireplace, where the fire was already roaring, a big squishy sofa, and two squishy armchairs.
"It doesn't matter, just sit," she told them as she herself sunk into the sofa. Just as she was thinking about it, three mugs of hot chocolate appeared on the coffee table. She smiled and took one, drinking as she tried to figure out how to explain herself out of this one. She should have known better than to attack Tom like that. Alphard sat down beside her, placing his arm around her and she leaned into him.
"Hermione, if you don't want to tell us anything, that's okay," Abraxus finally said, as he sat down in the armchair, staring into the fire.
"But," Alphard continued, "maybe we could help you." His eyes met Abraxus' over Hermione's head and Abraxus nodded to him.
"I wish I could tell you what's going on, but I just can't," Hermione finally whispered.
"You don't have to tell us everything, but whatever you feel you can tell us, we'll listen," Abraxus replied gently.
Hermione thought for a minute. She obviously couldn't tell them about being from the future, even though her being there meant nothing was written in stone anymore. Could she tell them about the Chamber?
"I know, but right now I just want to sit here. Can't we talk about school instead? Or anything else, really."
"Of course, Hermione. How's your project with Riddle coming?" Alphard asked.
"He wants to make a mirror that will show the future. It will be a great deal more complicated than if we had gone with something else, but it might be interesting. How about you guys? How are your projects coming along?"
"Well, Potter and I are working on a mirror that can help you communicate with a person who has the corresponding mirror. Since we are only supposed to make one mirror, Sally Turpin and her partner are making the other one. So, we are actually working in a group of four," Alphard told her. She smiled, thinking about the mirror that Sirius would eventually give Harry. It worked the same way.
"Lamport had a similar idea to Riddle's. She said she read some muggle fairy tale when she was young about a mirror that foretold the events of the day, so that is what we're making," Abraxus answered. Hermione was surprised at the lack of anger or emotion in Abraxus' voice when he mentioned Mary's name and muggles.
"So, how are you two getting along with your partners?" Hermione asked hesitantly, wondering if Dumbledore's and her scheme was doing any good.
"Well, seeing as Potter and I have yet to duel in either of our rooms, I'd say we're getting along better than you," Alphard smirked. Hermione let out a little laugh. "In all honesty, Hermione, Potter and I are getting along quite well. He is surprisingly bright and has been contributing quite a bit to the project. He's really not that bad for a Gryffindor."
"Well, there's some progress, how about you Abraxus? Still hate your partner?"
"No. I don't hate her," Abraxus answered. Hermione waited for him to continue, but he didn't.
"Well, how do you feel about her?" Hermione pressed him. He scowled and she was reminded of Draco.
"I don't know, Hermione. You told me to give her a chance, and I did because I couldn't bear to lose your friendship, but you don't understand what it's like for me and people like me. I wasn't raised like you. My parents hate muggles and muggleborns and all I've ever been taught about them is that they're inferior, they're dirty, they're violent, un-sophisticated things. And now suddenly, I'm giving one a chance to prove herself and she's smart, she's funny, she's strong and brave and I don't know what to think. I don't know how to feel about her," he explained.
She listened carefully as his voice betrayed everything he was feeling, his anger, his confusion, his frustration, and she suddenly felt terrible for putting him in this position. She looked up at Alphard and his gaze was far away, but she could see that he knew what Abraxus was talking about. In the Black family, he had surely been raised the same.
"I'm sorry Abraxus. But you must understand that your prejudices aren't benefiting anyone. You and Tom Riddle are the same if you keep your prejudices," she reasoned, but as she said that, Alphard stiffened next to her and Abraxus' expression turned fierce.
"Don't you dare compare me with him," he snarled.
"Abraxus is right," Alphard cut in, "Even if we're prejudiced like Riddle, we're nothing like him. He's evil and wouldn't hesitate to kill us. We just prefer the muggleborns to stay away."
Hermione wanted to get angry and defend Riddle, but they were right. Riddle would kill them. In fact, that's what he was trying to do, releasing the basilisk and all.
"I'm sorry. I know you're nothing like him." As they continued to sit there in silence, Hermione drifted off to sleep, her last thought being how warm Alphard felt.
HGTR
Alphard woke up with a beautiful girl snuggled in his arms. His first feeling was confusion, but after remembering who was in his arms, he felt lucky. The girl he loved was lying in his arms and the night before they had kissed. In fact, Alphard rather thought he was the luckiest man in the world. That is until he remembered Hermione's duel with Tom and the attack on McGonagall and the secrets Hermione had. That was when he realized he had no idea what was going on.
Hermione stirred in his arms, stretching, before opening her eyes and looking up at him. They were, at that moment, the most amazing shade of green swirled with brown and he felt like he was looking into the forbidden forest. If only he could figure out her secrets as easily as he could those of the forest.
He broke eye contact and looked over at the still sleeping form of Abraxus. After last night, he couldn't help but wonder if he and Abraxus were truly becoming friends now. Ever since Hermione came to Hogwarts, he felt himself getting closer to Abraxus, connected by Hermione. But last night, he realized they had an even deeper connection than Hermione, and that was their past, how they were raised and how they were trying to form their own ideas and beliefs. After all, Abraxus admitted last night that he didn't think a muggleborn was all that bad. In fact, he even said nice things about her.
"What are you thinking about?" Hermione's soft voice broke into his thoughts. He looked back down at her. Her one hand was playing listlessly with his robes while the other was resting by his face. He took her hand in his and gave it a little kiss.
"I was just thinking about Malfoy," he replied. She giggled.
"You wake up with a girl in your arms and you think about the bloke across the room?" she asked, a beautiful smile upon her face.
"Is there something wrong with that?" he joked.
"Well, I think I ought to feel insulted."
He suddenly couldn't help himself. He tilted her head up and kissed her, elated when she leaned into it, sighing.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, suddenly backing away. "We've been here all night. My breath must smell awful." She blushed, reaching for her wand to do a quick freshening spell.
"I'd worry more about what people are going to think when they see the three of us still in our dress robes," Alphard responded with a laughed.
"Oh, dear. I suppose that would seem a little scandalous," she smiled.
"Only a little scandalous? Your dress to Slughorn's party was a little scandalous; this would probably make front page news."
"Well, we could transfigure our robes into something more suitable, but wouldn't it be more fun to shock them?" she grinned.
"Maybe for you. Imagine if your uncle found us." The two of them suddenly burst out laughing, waking Abraxus.
"Wha' happened?" he muttered, trying to roll over and almost falling out of his chair.
"Why, Alphard and I were merely discussing the pros and cons of letting everybody see that all three of us are still wearing out dress robes from last night," Hermione told him with a smile, to which he smirked.
"I'm all for it," he agreed deviously.
"And I suppose you're okay with her uncle finding us and assuming something happened?" Alphard asked.
"We can just invite him to join us next time. The more the merrier."
"Eww, Abraxus, that's my uncle you're talking about," Hermione squealed while Alphard burst out laughing. Without waiting for further comment, she quickly transfigured all their robes and performed freshening charms. "Let's go to breakfast. I'm starving."
Hermione sat in between Abraxus and Alphard in the Great Hall, but Artemis quickly moved upon seeing her and sat on the other side of the table.
"Hermione! Where were you last night? You never returned to the dorm after running off," she asked.
"Well, I found someplace else to stay for the night," she said slyly, exchanging glances with Abraxus and Alphard. Artemis' eyes widened as she noticed their little exchange.
"What did you do?" she exclaimed incredulously. Then thinking better about the subject, she continued, "Never mind, I don't even want to know."
"Don't worry, we'll include you next time," Abraxus told her jokingly. To Hermione's surprise, Artemis blushed, her face resembling a tomato.
"Okay guys, that's enough teasing," she said, staring in on her breakfast.
Down the table a ways, Tom Riddle sat and thought about Hermione Dumbledore. After attacking him last night, letting him know that she knew about the basilisk, and therefore the chamber, she then left with two guys, who never returned to the dorm, and then entered the Great Hall with them the next day. He had a lot of questions for her, but he didn't think he was even going to ask about the last thing. However, after her little comment about muggleborns, he had returned to the chamber to lock up the basilisk until he found out what she knew. And he would find out. Hermione Dumbledore was an enigma, but he would find out all her secrets and he would use them how he saw fit.
