Disclaimer: don't own.
That's what happened in chapter 9:
"I'm warning you." Hermione growled. "Turn it back now!"
Half the class was now watching them, but Hermione didn't care. Abraxas, however, was flustered.
"vaLIna." And it turned Hermione's hair into a bright pink. Really, she felt like weeping.
"vaLIna." A dark, attractive voice, sounding bored. Hermione didn't have to turn her head to know that it was Tom. Her heart ached. And her hair was back to normal again.
She turned around and smiled a brilliant smile at him. "Thank you, Tom. You are a life-saver."
Abraxas looked thoroughly disgruntled at this.
On with the story:
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Her transfiguration partner had asked Hermione out for a drink in the kitchens and now here she was with Abraxas who was telling her a long-winded story about a luxury yacht, his parents had bought. "And can you believe it – they had redecorated everything in red and gold and…" She was getting drowsy from the butterbeers and from his droning voice, when the door suddenly opened and Hermione jumped.
It was none other than Abraxas' grandson and his newly made "friend" since they had arrived in the past, the golden boy. Harry was clearly uncomfortable, but Draco looked fierce.
"What are you doing here?" he bellowed at Hermione without preamble, glaring at his grandfather.
"I was enjoying a nice and relaxing drink with Abraxas until you decided to butt in." Hermione replied mock-sweetly.
Draco went red and Abraxas laughed cruelly. "Well done, Hermione." he said approvingly. "The question is, however, what are YOU doing here, Lumiere?" he was smirking broadly.
"I was didn't know you were here – or I wouldn't have come – I can't stand your smell." Draco replied acidly.
Against his will, Harry smiled.
"Think it's funny, do you, Delacour?" Abraxas stood up, glaring at the black-haired boy.
"No… not really." Harry chuckled. "But …."
"Come on, Hermione!" Abraxas tore at Hermione's hand. "Let's go! They are not worth our time."
Hermione wanted to say something apologetic to Harry and Draco, but Abraxas had already swept her away, before she could actually decide WHAT she was going to say. Furthermore, she had to play her act well, if she had to seduce Abraxas.
Abraxas was still seething when they made their way down the dungeons.
"You don't smell." Hermione said gently squeezing his hand. "Draco only said that to have a go at you."
Abraxas huffed. "He could have said something else. Anything else."
"I know you don't smell." Hermione smiled. "In fact, I really like your cologne."
"You do?" Abraxas' eyes lit up.
Well, not as good as Tom's obviously, but it was a start. Better than Ron's at least, though he never wore any anyway.
"Yes, it's really nice." Hermione said honestly.
They had reached the Slytherin common room entrance and Abraxas turned to Hermione. She had a feeling that she knew what was coming. "I had a really nice time tonight, thank you, Hermione."
"Me too." Hermione blushed at his compliment. "Thank you too."
"Can I kiss you?" Abraxas asked hoarsely, looking into Hermione's eyes with longing.
"Yes." Hermione whispered.
Part of the seduction plan.
And then Abraxas kissed her. She closed her eyes and – to her disgust – pictured someone else kissing her. Someone with black hair. She clearly remembered when Tom had kissed her and unconsciously compared it to Abraxas. Hermione had to admit that Tom was the clear winner. She forced Tom's image out of her mind and concentrated on Abraxas again. 'Mission Mission Mission!' Hermione shouted in her head. Indeed, Abraxas was quite a good kisser, an experienced one. He held Hermione's waist and she had slung her arms around his shoulders. As if on autopilot, Hermione responded to his kiss and just when she started to enjoy it (a bit), the door of the Slytherin common room banged open.
The couple guiltily jumped apart and Hermione's heart stopped beating for a second.
It was Tom in all his glory. His headboy badge was gleaming, his hair parted to the side, his robes immaculately pressed and clean. Hermione inwardly drooled at the sight of him. Why oh why couldn't she seduce the headboy instead? Abraxas was quite handsome, yes, but compared to Tom, he looked plain and boring.
A muscle was working in his jaw when he saw the pair in front of him. Had he seen them? Hermione dearly hoped not. "Good evening." he said icily. "What are doing in the hallways at this time of the night?" He turned his scorching gaze to Abraxas who seemed to shrink.
The silence was deafening.
"May I talk to you?" Tom said dangerously lowly, addressing Abraxas again.
Talk? Oh no. That didn't sound good.
Hermione shivered.
Abraxas nodded slowly. "Hermione… it was a nice evening with you. Thank you so much for your company."
What could she do? Tom looked ready to kill and Hermione suddenly felt scared for Abraxas.
"Good night, Hermione." Tom said decisively, almost forcing Hermione into the Slytherin common room. "If I see you outside again, I'll deduct every single point from our House."
"But…" Hermione stammered, but Tom cut her off.
"Good-bye, Hermione." His eyes gleamed red for a second and the door swung shut into her face. She turned around and saw a couple of boys sitting in front of the fire, but no one looked her way. Perfect. She wouldn't, she couldn't just leave Abraxas unprotected.
Smiling grimly, Hermione disillusioned herself and stepped out of the door. What she hadn't counted on was that Tom and Abraxas were still outside.
To her horror, Tom looked right at her. "This is getting beyond ridiculous." he said coolly, waving his wand at Hermione, removing the disillusionment charm.
Ooops. Hermione blushed scarlet at having been caught.
"Mc Nair." Tom bellowed loudly. "Accompany Miss Delacour back to her dorm, please."
"Let's go, Malfoy." Tom said shrewdly and turned away from her.
"Hermione." Mc Nair smiled at her, which didn't reach his eyes.
"Mc Nair." Hermione said defeated, following him into the common room. "You don't need to take me to my dorm, I can walk myself."
"But The Da- but Tom said…" Mc Nair began anxiously.
"I got the message, Mc Nair. I'm supposed to stay in my dorm and I will. No need to wet yourself." Hermione growled and turned on her heel.
What was Tom going to do to Abraxas? Hermione suddenly felt sick. If Tom killed Abraxas, then Draco would never be born… the thought was unbearable. She stuffed her fist into her mouth to prevent her from screaming out loud.
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"What did you think you were doing?" Tom asked his most loyal follower coldly. He had ushered Abraxas into a deserted classroom and the Malfoy boy was shivering from fear. Tom was circling Abraxas like a predator, his wand pointing at Abraxas' chest. Unfortunately, Tom had already disarmed him and Abraxas almost felt naked without his wand.
"Answer me! Or do you want another dose of crucio?"
"No, My Lord." Abraxas answered shakily. "I kissed Hermione."
"Why?"
"Because I like her." Abraxas almost sobbed.
"You know we had a deal?" Tom said slowly, his eyes slits.
"Whoever gets her into bed first will be the next Dark Lord." Abraxas answered immediately.
"I never said I would play fair!" Tom laughed his high cold laugh and Abraxas screamed when another dose of crucio hit him.
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"Someone's screaming." Draco said, looking at Harry with wide eyes. They were on their way back from the kitchens to the common room and Draco didn't feel very well after these screams. They almost pierced his soul and he wanted to run away.
"Let's investigate." the Gryffindor boy said bravely.
"What? No!" Draco looked absolutely terrified and looked at Harry as if he was crazy – which he probably was. "That's not our problem… Let's go back to our common room."
"Draco, it's coming from over there… from the classroom on the right." Harry said eagerly. Without further ado, he pushed the door open and was met with a scene, he was not likely to forget soon. Abraxas was on the floor, writhing with pain and screaming his lungs out. Tom was towering over him, putting him under the crucio again and again, his eyes gleaming red and a sadistic smile on his face.
Harry and Draco gasped in unison and Tom turned around, momentarily distracted and removed the spell at once. "What are you doing here?" he said rudely, not bothering to put his mask back on; surely Draco and Harry had already seen him using an unforgiveable.
"We… we heard voices." Harry swallowed in fear.
"Get your head examined, then." Tom spat arrogantly. In the background, Abraxas was slowly stirring.
"Somebody was screaming." Harry went on bravely, or rather stupidly. "We came to investigate."
"You are not to repeat what happened, Delacour. The same is for you, Lumiere." Tom's face was now only inches from their faces, glowering at them. "If you do, I'll know it was you and you'll be in the same condition as our friend Malfoy here." he smiled sinisterly. "Or worse."
In the background, Abraxas slowly got up, straightened his robes and picked up his wand which was lying on the floor.
"I promise." Harry and Draco said dully and in unison.
"Very well…" Tom went on. "But - …"
"Crucio!" a different voice shouted.
Abraxas.
The red spell had hit Tom.
For the first time of his life, Tom was hit with the crucio. It hurt. It really really hurt. A lot. Tom's knees gave away and he sank down on the floor, writhing in pain and screaming his lungs out.
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THE FUTURE
"Your wife?" Dumbledore asked shrewdly. "Who is this?"
Abraxas stared at his former teacher with blatant surprise. "You don't know, Dumbledore?" Abraxas asked incredulously.
"I' sorry, it must have slipped my mind."
"Hermione, of course." Abraxas rolled his eyes.
"Hermione… Delacour?" Dumbledore asked after a heartbeat.
"Well – yes. Although she is called MALFOY now, obviously." Abraxas rolled his eyes. "I repeat: they call me the new dark lord and not because I show mercy or am such a nice person; it's because I mean business." Abraxas straightened up. "You either help me or you'll meet the same sticky end as the Potters' who unfortunately were at the wrong place at the wrong time."
Abraxas smiled sinisterly. "It's not like you have a choice anyway. Our family friend is Fenrir Greyback. Does that name ring a bell? Should you not help me with my task, Fenrir might just visit you and your pupils.""
Ron who was still cowering under the desk, whimpered.
"I prefer not to get associated with that vermin." Dumbledore looked shocked. "I'm rather angry that you let him loose on your family. Doesn't he specialize in children? How old is your daughter Valentina?"
Abraxas sneered. "He would never dare touch a Malfoy. He steers clear of Valentina. He'd better. Now, don't change topics so fast. What do you say, Dumbledore? Help me or a visit from Fenrir?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Fine. I'll help you. But under one condition…"
When the Dark Lord was finally gone, Ron crept out from under the table, shivering from head to foot and almost smiling at Dumbledore. "I'm really relieved… I thought for a moment there, the Dark Lord was about to say Hermione Granger."
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THE PAST
Tom was still writhing on the ground, screaming and begging Abraxas to stop. Draco was shocked to the core and even Harry didn't know what to say. They just stood there, gaping.
"Finite incantatem." A female voice yelled, breaking the spell.
Tom just lay there panting and Abraxas hung his head in shame.
"I'm disappointed in you, Malfoy." Mc Gonnagal said shaken, her shoes click-clacking into the room.
"How dare you use a spell to hurt other people?" Mc Gonnagal looked around at Harry and Draco. "What spell did Abraxas use? I came in too late to actually hear it."
"You…. you didn't know what spell he used?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Why should I?" Mc Gonnagal seemed unperturbed.
"Care to tell me, Mister Delacour?" she asked shrewdly.
"Uhm… no." Harry didn't look at anyone. "I don't know the spell."
"Well…anyway." Mc Gonnagal looked at her wristwatch. "Time to visit the headmaster; it's after hours and you were dueling. Gryffindor will be in the lead again; you'll be losing more than a hundred points from Slytherin. Riddle, Malfoy – Aaaand you two – follow me, please."
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"Miss Mc Gonnagal, it's almost midnight. I would like to sleep." Dippett moaned but ushered them into his office. "It'd better be something important."
"Oh, it is." Mc Gonnagal said briskly, shoving a disheveled Abraxas and almost-dishevelled Tom into the office. "I caught these two dueling – but really dueling. After hours in an empty classroom. And these two…" she gave Harry and Draco a push "were there watching, doing nothing."
"Oh no." Dippett laughed good-naturedly, although there was nothing humorous about this situation. "Tom, myboy, were you showing Abraxas how to duel? Very well – 20 points to Slytherin."
Mc Gonnagal gaped like a fish. The four Slytherins smirked at each other – even Tom and Abraxas shared a look of triumph. "Excuse me?" she said incredulously, but Dippett ignored her.
"Although why you were doing it after hours is a riddle for me… Haha…" Dippett laughed at his own joke. "Whatever, though, you are headboy, Tom, so you are allowed. Now off to bed you go."
Incredulously Mc Gonnagal glared at the boys when they exited the office. "I hate you. I hate Slytherins. ALL of them." And with that she stamped off.
It was silent for a long time and the four students just looked at each other. "My Lord…" Abraxas began after a long while. "I am so sorry. I didn't know why I used that spell on you. It just came over me. I was really really angry at you, because YOU used it on ME for absolute no reason."
"There was a reason – I mean, I can understand that you wanted revenge, Abraxas, but this spell –"
Tom was interrupted by another female voice.
"That's despicable." It was Hermione standing there in just a nightgown, shivering.
"Why are you still up?" Draco asked surprised.
"I was worried about everyone." Hermione said sadly. "And it seems I was right to worry."
"What do you know?" Tom asked icily.
"EVERYTHING." she screamed enraged. "Mc Gonnagal told me everything, because I was looking for you everywhere. And I might not be headgirl, but I'm not as daft as her, I know that you used the crucios. Both of you."
Abraxas and Tom looked down.
"And I know another truth: both of you were trying to win me over; it was a challenge." Hermione went on, glaring at the two people responsible. "I don't like the way you behaved towards each other, so I'm going to tell you something:"
Slowly she walked over to Abraxas and Tom; her face only inches from theirs. "I'm not going to choose any of you. I'm not going to play this game any longer. I'm out. That was it. You both had your chance but you blew it."
She turned on her heel and said in a very final sort of voice: "Good night."
When Hermione was gone, Tom punched the wall in frustration and Abraxas groaned: "What did she just do? Who in their right mind would turn down a Malfoy?"
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