A/N: a bit of angst in this chapter….
Disclaimer: I do not own any of J. K. Rowling's characters or any other authors'
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Four hours later, Hermione was in paradise. She just had a spa, a refreshing haircut and now, she was heading towards a bookstore. She was in heaven.
She sighed. "Molly, I'm heading over to the bookstore there. Go and browse for more clothes while I make my choice. Here." She held out Tom's Visa.
Molly pursed her lips. "I don't understand how you got hold of those Visas, Hermione. You're not that rich…"
Hermione cleared her throat. "Molly, I'm not that rich in the wizarding world, but they count 1 snickle as I million dollars here in the muggle world."
Molly brightened. "That makes sense." She bustled off towards Starbucks.
Hermione stared after her and shook her head. She headed towards a Sans Bookshop.
You're enjoying yourself, I see.
She smiled to herself as she pushed open the door to the bookshop.
'I am, Tom. This trip is absolutely wonderful. If only you were here…'
I will be with you, my one. Even if I'm not there in flesh, I'll be there in spirit. A ghra.
She shivered in delight. She plucked a book from a shelf. 'Are you trying to seduce me? Because I assure you, it's not working.'
I won't be so sure of that, my dear.
Something warm brushed against her lips. 'Is that you, Tom? It'd better be.'
He chuckled. That was definitely me. And so is this. He brushed his lips across her forehead.
She sighed and closed her eyes, imagining him standing just in front of her, with his arms wrapped around her and his cheek pressing into her hair.
She felt something solid slid across her waist and she jerked.
Don't worry. I just want to hold you tight.
She immediately relaxed. 'We're in a bookstore, Tom. Someone's bound to see us and deem us as mad people.'
Nobody will notice us, A ghra.
She simply closed her eyes and tentatively hugged him back. She could feel his head resting on top of her hair, his arms surrounding her and his heartbeat beneath her cheek. "Is this real, Tom? I don't want it to end."
"It won't, my love. This will never end, and so will our love for each other."
They were in a world of their own, oblivious to the things happening around them.
He tilted her head up with his finger. "I love you." He gently took her mouth, skillfully arousing her with the gentle slides and plays of their mouths. He needed to sooth, and be soothed. He ran his hands over her body, trying to memorize their curves and textures. He wanted to live with her forever in peace.
He angled his head and took her deeper. She moaned and fisted her hands. He ran his through her hair. She was his love, his only true love, and he didn't want to let her go no matter what. I love you, I love you.
He pulled her up, and changed the mood of the kiss. He feasted on her, and she feasted on him. Their bonding will be complete. They clung to each other and promised themselves of dreams they knew may not come through. They tore at each other's clothes, needing to satisfy the hunger within them, and for Tom, to fill the hole he had in his heart.
Mine. He growled and feasted on her nectar. Forever yours. She gave willingly and took. She arched, and he slid deep into her. I love you. They linked hands and watched each other as they mated. Forever. They came as one, and a bright light engulfed them.
Forever.
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He panted as he brought himself back into his body with an effort. He drew the back of his hand over his mouth. He closed his eyes and tried to bring back the memory of Hermione's laughter. It was there, but it disappeared into dust. He wanted to howl, to grief. It was time. Alkhi prodded at him, his pain evident.
He didn't want to sever the link between the both of them, but he had to, or else when Lucius came back, he would find out about Hermione and kill her. He strained against his bond. Let me savor my last touch with her, for when the time comes, I will break the link. Permanently. Alkhi nodded.
The door to the cell creaked open and Lucius Malfoy stepped through, a whip in his hands.
"You're finally awake, then." He stepped to Tom Riddle and kicked him. He grunted with pain and doubled over.
"Before I'm finished with you, you will tell me the name of your love. This is a direct order, Tom." He crouched beside him.
"Not if I help it." he spat in Lucius' face. Lucius calmly wiped the spit off his face and looked at Tom, disgust on his face. "Then you shall suffer." He stood and brought his hand up.
Slowly, painfully, Tom stood up, his bonds tightening around his wrists and ankles, cutting into the tender flesh as they rose into the air.
Tom looked at Lucius arrogantly. "I will never succumb to you. You are nothing but a demon. A useless thing thrown away by others."
Pain flashed across Lucius' face and he brought the whip onto Tom's sore body. The fresh pain drove through him, and he bit his lip. Blood began to pour.
His master tugged his gloves off and swiped a finger at a trail of blood. He brought the tainted finger into his mouth. He smiled. "It's up to you, my dear, dear puppet. I feel happy now, having tasted your blood. I want more." Fangs flashed and Tom knew nothing but pain as Lucius sank his fangs into his torso. He howled.
Blood dripped from Lucius fangs as he grinned at Tom. "I always like Mudblood's blood. It seems so…delicious, you know."
He whipped Tom, laughing in delight as blood poured from the new wounds. He went at it for hours, splashing water form the Dead Sea onto Tom whenever he passed out.
"Will you tell me your lover's name or not?"
Tom shook his head, fighting against the pain, and the darkness that threatened to suffocate him.
Lucius screamed and raked his claws across Tom's back, venting his anger.
He splashed the water at Tom when his head slumped forward and shrieked in delight when Tom moaned.
He licked the blood off his claw and surveyed the broken man. "Then I will have to enter your mind, and see for myself."
"Never." Tom straightened and snapped the link between Hermione and him, and he slid into darkness as his mind erased all memories of Hermione.
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'Tom?' Hermione looked around. Everything was normal in the bookshop. It seemed as if she hadn't spent the last hour trying to contact with Tom in the astral plane. After their lovemaking, he had disappeared, and he was silent to her calls. And suddenly she was back in the bookshop.
She frowned at the book she held. She placed it back on the shelf and walked to Starbucks. She hadn't dreamt their lovemaking. It was real. But… why was it that she couldn't reach Tom? It was as if he was ignoring her. Perhaps Lucius was with him. Fear coiled in her stomach. She fingered the ring. No, Tom wasn't with Lucius. Maybe he was having a meeting with the Death Eaters and needed full concentration for it.
Still, she felt uneasy. "Hermione?" she blinked and roused herself. Molly looked at her in concern. "Are you okay? I was talking to you when you stepped into the café and you didn't answer me." Hermione smile. "I'm okay, Molly. Really." She added when Molly still frowned.
"Let's go back to the hotel, Hermione. You looked peaked, and you need rest." Molly took her arm and proceeded to drag her across the street. "I-"
Her head spun. She couldn't breathe past the awful pain. It was everywhere, in her head, her body. Tom. The ring shattered, and the chain snapped and she slid into the welcoming arms of the darkness.