CHAPTER 11- Admission
The moment Hermione stepped out of the common room the next morning; she was constantly tailed by an array of Slytherins. Tom had been right. Malfoy had ordered his followers to watch her every move. In addition, Tom had volunteered to follow Hermione under the pretense of making sure Malfoy's Knights do their jobs, but in reality, he was present to protect her, should the need arise. Whenever she saw one of Malfoy's creeps, Tom was there hovering in the shadows. As long as he was near, Hermione knew they wouldn't be able to hurt her. She had no doubts about his magical abilities. No one could stand a chance against Tom. Except me, she mentally laughed.
The next week passed extremely slowly. Hermione spent as much time as she could in the safety of the common room, only venturing out for meals and lessons. Minutes after she would enter the common room, Tom would be right behind her. Rather than being annoying, the fact that Tom cared that much about her safety made her feel wonderful. However, on Friday night, he broke his routine. After dinner, Hermione hurried off to the Head common room as usual, but Tom didn't follow. Finally, after an hour, the portrait hole opened.
"Tom, I was so—Malfoy!" Hermione screamed and tried to pull out her wand, but Malfoy disarmed her.
"Ah. Ah. Ah. Evans," he said with a sinister smile "You're coming with me." He raised his wand and a purple spell shot out of the end and all Hermione could see was black.
TOM
Tom groaned and sat up in a dark broom cupboard. There was a dull ache at the back of his head where something or someone had hit him from behind with a curse.
"Stupid," he whispered to himself. He should have seen that one coming. Now, because of him, Hermione could be in trouble. Tom had no idea how long he had been out and quickly stood up; intent on finding Hermione. Tom stood up and tried the handle of the door. Locked. He chuckled under his breath. Malfoy thought a simple locking charm could hold him hostage? With a casual flick of his wand, the door flew open.
Tom raced down the corridor to the common room portrait and practically screamed the password. He emerged into their plush common room. There was no sign of a struggle, but no sign of Hermione either. Tom stepped further into the room and scanned his surroundings until a dark piece of wood caught his eye. Hermione's wand was lying on the floor by the fireplace. That's when he knew something was wrong. Hermione would never have left her wand in such an unprotected place.
Without another thought, Tom turned on his heel and rushed off to the seventh floor corridor, his face set and determined. Malfoy was going to pay for this. He won't let anything happen to Hermione, she was too important to him. As this thought ran across his mind, he realized it was true. She really was important to him. All his life he had never had anyone to care about, he had always thought caring was a weakness, but ever since Hermione had come she had been wheedling her way into Tom's thought and heart. How had that happened? Tom felt the now familiar pain in his abdomen and gritted his teeth. He won't let that stop him. He will get to Hermione no matter what it takes. Once in front of the stretch of wall opposite the tapestry of trolls dressed in tutus, Tom thought, "Help me save Hermione" and walked past the wall three times. On the third pass, a door appeared. Tom reached out a hand and grasped the door handle. He slowly opened the door and slipped inside the dark torch lit room. Hermione's tortured screams reverberated around the room. Malfoy's back was to the door, his wand held aloft as he tortured Hermione. Tom felt anger course through him, overpowering the burning pain in his stomach.
"Are you ready to talk yet, Evans?" Malfoy spat. Hermione gasped and looked up at Malfoy. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw Tom's shadowy form and quickly flicked back up to Malfoy's face. Tom nodded slowly.
"Never," she whispered weakly.
"Cruc-" Malfoy tried to say, but he was silenced when Tom threw a curse at his back. Malfoy flew into the wall opposite. His head his the stone with a loud thunk and he slid down into a heap on the floor.
Tom rushed over to Hermione and she threw her arms around him tightly.
"Hermione, are you all right?" he said steadily and looked her in the eyes. She nodded. Now that Malfoy was sufficiently incapacitated, Tom felt the fire in his abdomen returning full force. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight it much longer.
"Thank you, Tom," she whispered hoarsely.
"Hermione, I don't know what I would have done if he…," he tried to say, but he suddenly felt Hermione's lips on his. Recovering from his surprise, he returned the kiss before the pain suddenly heightened. Tom gasped and doubled over in pain.
"Tom?" Hermione whimpered.
Gradually, the fire spread throughout his limbs and the rest of his body. The pain became too much for his body to handle and Tom fell to the floor unconscious.
HERMIONE
Hermione watched as Tom fought the pain building inside him, tears streaming down her face. She knew what was happening to him, but that didn't make it any less painful. He hit the floor with a thud, unconscious.
"TOM!" she screamed, sobbing. She had to get him to the hospital wing. She needed help. Quickly, Hermione sent a patronus to the only person she knew who could help, Dumbledore. Sooner than she thought possible, Dumbledore appeared at Hermione's shoulder and took in the situation.
Without a word, he quickly conjured stretchers for Malfoy and Tom and walked out of the room towards the Hospital Wing. Hermione followed in his wake, her mind rapidly conjuring up explanations for the situation.
"Madame Bedford" Dumbledore called into the room.
The woman rushed out of her office with a worried expression on her face.
"These two boys have been rendered unconscious. Can you please take care of them while I speak to Miss Evans?"
She nodded and proceeded to levitate Malfoy and Tom onto beds.
"Miss Evans, I believe we have a lot to sort out. Will you please come to my office?"
Hermione nodded and took one last look at Tom's limp form. He was safe, she told herself. Madame Bedford will take care of him, but she still didn't like to leave him. Hermione knew that at the moment, the pressing matter was speaking to Dumbledore.
Hermione entered Dumbledore office and took the chair opposite him.
"Could you please recount the situation?"
Hermione decided the best course of action was the truth. She told him everything. The Hate Potion, the fact that Tom wasn't the leader of the Knight of Walpurgis, how she was being followed, her suspicions that Tom was the scapegoat for all of Malfoy's crimes, and finally what had happened in the Room of Requirement.
"So you see, sir, Tom really isn't the person that did all those things. Malfoy has been ordering him to take pretend to be the leader."
Dumbledore looked over his half moon spectacles and gave her a look that made Hermione feel like she was being x-rayed.
"It's true, sir"
"I believe you, Miss Evans. I have been known to make mistakes in the past. I am truly glad that Tom was one of them," he said.
Hermione felt relieved at his easy acceptance of her story.
"But I have one question, Miss Evans. Do you believe you have succeeded in your mission? I am right in assuming that it was Tom you were sent to change?"
"I hope so, sir. But now that I know the truth about the Knights, it might not make any difference. Malfoy was the true leader, he could very well take the place of Tom in the future," she said.
"I believe I may have a solution. Being a rather gifted wizard, I have certain abilities that come in handy in situations like these. When Mr. Malfoy, wakes up he will have no memory of his secret organization and neither will any of his knights, except, of course, Tom"
"You would do that, sir?" Hermione said hope ringing in her voice. This would solve all her problems.
"I would ," Dumbledore nodded, eyes twinkling.
"Now, I believe you would like to go and see Tom. He should be awake by now." Hermione got up to leave and was about to open the door when Dumbledore said, "Miss Evans" She looked back. "I believe the worst is over"
"I believe so too, sir," she said.
Tom was sitting up in bed when Hermione walked into the Hospital Wing, looking anxious. He immediately relaxed as he saw her enter the room.
"Where were you?" Tom said huskily. Hermione could sense the worry he had been feeling before she had entered the room.
"I had to speak to Dumbledore."
"What did he want?" Tom said suspiciously.
"I told him what happened. I think he said something about talking to you later, once you're recovered."
"Madame Bedford, told me what's wrong with me," he said quietly looking down at his sheets.
"Oh?" Hermione said shakily.
"Was it true? That I couldn't love, before?" he said without looking up.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Did you give me the potion, Hermione?" Finally, he looked up, searching her face.
"Yes," she breathed
Tom looked back down so Hermione couldn't see his face.
"I didn't know what I was missing. I never had anyone to care about…until you. Hermione, thank you," Tom looked up, all of his defenses down.
Hermione felt tears sliding down her face as he said this. This was more than he could hope for; she had expected him to be at least slightly angry with her for what she did.
"Thank you," he whispered again reached out a hand to cup her face before gently kissing her.
"Tom, I have something to…"
"Now, Mr. Riddle. Time for your potion." Madame Bedford interrupted.
She handed him the little bottle of sleep potion and Tom swallowed it obediently.
Hermione watched as Tom eyes slowly drooped shut and he fell into a deep sleep. Hermione felt slightly relieved at this interruption.
She had been about to confess the truth about herself. Hermione didn't know what to do, she knew it would be hard to keep her secret from him. Tom was so important to her. Instead of hating her for the Hate Potion, he thanked her. She had been so wrong about him. He had wormed his way into her heart like no one else.
"I think I love you, Tom," she whispered into the silence.
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