Shadows of Light
Chapter 10
Disclaimer: Khajiit has wares of you have coin human...
A/N: Im baaaaack! Wow its been forever...
I'm sorry for the crazy long wait and the short chapter, life has been crazy and I have found it difficult to actually sit down and getting any writing don-Pleasedontlookatmelikethat
I've been trying to sort out all my old notes and figure out where I want to take things now, I'm playing musical chairs with a number of different ideas but wanted to get out a short update to let you guys know that I am indeed working on this and will update again as soon as I work out the logistics of the next chapter which is going to be a beast. Probably the longest I have written yet, fingers crossed.
I wanted to thank those that took the time to review even though I was MIA, it was those wonderful reviews that helped me to remember the love I have for this story and how much I hated leaving it even if I had to at the time.
I'm sorry for any issues with editing this may have, I'm in a little bit of a rush to get it out before I have to go into work tonight and was eager to map out the next chapter so I could think about it while I worked.
Anyway, all my love and all the feels to the loyal fans of this who have stuck it out, I hope this will make you smile.
Much love,
Kahlan
It's already the time that you hold my mind, it's true
And I've been thinking bout what to say, or what to do
So you wanna be a man about it, do you?
And have you figured out all you wanted, have you?
In the middle of the night, all I think about is you
I trail in all your clouds of glory, it's true
So you wanna be a man about it, do you have to?
And have you figured out all you wanted, have you?
When your heart becomes a million different pieces
That's when you won't be able to recognize this feeling
You'll have me crying out, crying out for more
You'll have me crying out, crying out for more
Tough Love ~ Jessie Ware
The days were slipping through Hermione's fingers. Still Tom acted as if nothing had changed.
As if her life hadn't been turned relentlessly on its head. As if she had not been bound to him body and soul.
He sat in his usual spot every day. wordless in his habitual musings.
She could feel the even ebb and flow of his magic flowing through her. His emotions rarely varied beyond boredom and passing irritation.
Hermione's own emotions were not so stable. Panic, fear, acceptance, hopelessness, all at war within her mind on a daily basis before finally leveling out to calm acceptance.
He didn't push. Didn't so much as ask even a passing question over her reaction to the spell that had torn up the library weeks ago now.
The snow was falling in a way that Hermione could only describe as picturesque that late afternoon that found her once again languishing in the library. Her work for Dumbledore lay finished on the table behind her. Her arms crossed underneath her chin as she watched silently out the window.
Christmas was approaching fast. Tomorrow was the last day for all classes then she would have weeks reserved for her own studies. Faust shuffled on the the sill next to her before settling back against her shoulder, eyes still shut in peaceful slumber. It was that kind of day, most the castle was shut in various classes, completing what ever exams they had left. A hush had fallen over, the snow dampening the ambient noises save for the gentle hiss of the candles surrounding the library.
Tom was in his usual spot somewhere behind her, his emotions so even that she suspected he was falling asleep, draped elegantly over his chair.
Hermione sighed gently, strangely content. After the vision that she had what seemed like a life time ago now, she suspected that she should have seen this coming.
Oh well.
There was little she could do about any of it now. All she could hope for was that Tom would have a different future, one that wouldn't put her in a terrible position. The more she thought on her vision though the more she realized that it was extremely likely.
Hermione worked an arm out from under her to stroke Faust. He made a soft cooing noise, leaning in closer to her.
She had so much to do, so much to accomplish thanks to her demanding studies, there was so little time to think. So little time to work over everything that had been happening. Life seemed like a whirlwind, one minute she was running from death, the next she was thrown into impossible situations with the man that had caused all of it.
So often she missed the little things in life, all the little human interactions that she used to have on a regular basis. She spoke even less unless she had to. That was a small thing that she didn't really mind as much. Less situations to worry about her responses. To worry about how she would be received.
The sound of a door opening and closing pulled her out of her revery. Hermione looked over her shoulder to see a platinum blond man sauntering over to her table with all the self importance of a politician, flanked by two burly looking boys that had rather vacant expressions. She was hit with a strong sensation of deja vu. It had to be a Malfoy. Seems they breed pompous arrogance.
"Tom." The man said sharply, stopping a short distance away from Riddle.
"Malfoy." He said deeply, not bothering to look up from his book.
"We require an answer."
"Is that right..." Tom casually flicked his eyes up to Malfoy and flanking henchmen.
"Tell your dogs to leave, I despise being outnumbered, makes for too much stupid in the room."
Malfoy's face flickered between furious and his carefully constructed mask of control. Hermione tilted her head back towards the window desperate to hide her mirth.
Tom waited until the other two Slytherans' wandered out of the library before speaking, not bothering to give Malfoy the courtesy of eye contact.
"How many times must I repeat myself, I'm not interested in what ever ridiculous power play you or your father have come up with."
"Its not a request Tom, you will join or be dealt with."
"That would be extremely ambitious of you."
Hermione was biting her lip to the point of blood in her mouth in an effort to keep from laughing. She wasn't even concerned that he could feel her internal laughter as strongly as if she had been outright laughing.
Malfoy, clearly having heard enough verbal abuse, turned on his heal and stalked out of the library. She turned then, catching Tom's eyes in a silent acknowledgment. She was proud of him. He was better than them, better than that life. If her unintentional presence had influenced him enough to notice he was above that life and those people then she had no regrets.
She let all her emotions travel freely through there link, not bothering to put a damper on her emotions. She would have him know how proud of him she was. Hermione gave him a slight smirk before turning back to the window. His faint surprise washed over her, making her smile genuinely out to the grounds, her hand resuming her gentle pet of Faust.
"My dear, if you keep that up I fear your chicken may catch fire."
Hermione stiffed a chuckle as she looked up at Dumbledore. "Sorry professor, my mind is elsewhere." She shifted, picking up her fork to actually eat the chicken and put it out of its misery.
"Indeed. You know you can talk to me if you wish"
She sighed, "I cant quite decide if I want to work on becoming an animagus first or work more with elemental magic, I believe I may be close to a concept. Something that can be used in magical dueling but I need some more time to work out the details."
"Mmm." Dumbledore nibbled on a roll, looking pensively up at the night sky though the rafters. "I suggest getting the animagus work out of the way because once thats finished it is done, no more additions will be beneficiary. Working on a new theory however will take much time."
"I should have just asked you to begin with." Hermione grinned at him, picking up her pumpkin juice to take a slow sip.
"Now" He started, absently batting at a floating candle that was getting too friendly with his hat, " It will probably take you a day or two to finish the transformation, have you finished the texts I sent to you over the topic?"
"Yes, I think I will be ready to try at our next meeting."
"Excellent. We will meet then one last time before the holiday truly kicks off in wondrous splend-"
A crash cut the professors attention to the hall, pulling her own from their conversation. At the slytheran table someone had gotten up in enough rush to knock over numerous dishes. Shouting could be herd all the way up to the teachers table, all that Hermione was able to catch were words of blood traitor and mudblood before she saw Riddle descend on the confrontation like a hawk.
With fascination she watched as his mere presence caused the fighting to abruptly end. More words were exchanged, much too quiet for her to catch as far away as she was, and the table settled down again in a tense silence.
Dumbledore sighed heavily next to her. "Politics are starting to saturate even these walls the more that time passes." He looked down at his food sadly, going silent again.
Hermione's thoughts were elsewhere though, such displays were common from where she was from, that was not what held her attention. Across the hall she watched as Tom displayed effortless power and influence over his house with little more than a look. They clearly respected and feared him even if they didn't except him into their social groups.
It had her thinking... maybe his skills could be put to use in other ways, ways that would provide a constant challenge for his mind yet keep him from falling into the state that he had originally fallen victim to.
She would just need to place a hint of idea before him, let him lead himself to a different path.
Perhaps this called for intellectual conversations that she longed to have with him, she just needed to get past her own reservations to start a conversation with him.
With that thought in mind she started planing topics to bring to his attention when next they met. She just hoped this worked.
~3