I think the title of this chapter explains everything. *giggles*
I hope you enjoy this chapter :).
Disclaimer: HP belongs to J.K. Rowling just as some of the lines I copied from the seventh book.
Riddle was still clutching Hermione's hand when he reached the surface of the lake, leading her up too.
Hermione started coughing and trembling from the cold water. She gripped his shoulder with her free hand. Suddenly he let go of her hand and took hold of her waist and drew her closer to him.
She looked into his eyes and wondered why he's so handsome even when he'd just jumped into a freezing lake. A voice in her head told her to stop thinking such things. He's very skilled in Legilimency, she experienced it herself after all.
To her dread, he smirked and said, "Thank you, Hermione," her name sliding from his tongue, making her quiver but this time not from the water. He was clearly enjoying it.
She closed her eyes, slowly exhaled and looked at him again. "I didn't-"
"Don't bother," he interrupted her, still grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "I have that effect on everyone."
"Not everyone. And can we finally get out of here? I'm freezing and I hate being so close to you!"
He faked his hurt pretty well with his pouty lips and eyes diverted, looking down between their bodies. "Do you?" he asked in a quiet voice. However, his actions spoke louder and pulled her even closer. He tried to persuade her into thinking something entirely different.
She tried not to stare too much at any part of his face. Holy Gryffindor! She wanted to punch him, to give him a black eye that would make him uglier.
"We'll see. Come on," said Riddle and swam to the shore.
Harry swam ashore after them, not even noticing the atmosphere between the two enemies. He was disturbed and deep in thought. He was also shaking from the cold water.
Hermione quickly took out dry clothes for him and Ron. She glanced at Riddle and Dolohov but they dried themselves with a spell. Of course.
"Harry?" Ron asked as he started changing. "Harry, what is it?"
"He knows. He knows we're hunting horcruxes. We have to go to Hogwarts, that's where the last one is."
"If it is the last one, Potter," Riddle reminded him.
Harry paused mid changing. He seemed to realise something he hadn't thought of before. Hermione looked even more worried than a minute ago.
"You don't plan on walking around like that, do you?" Dolohov asked Harry, pointing at his trousers, which weren't zipped up.
Harry let out a frustrated sigh and finished dressing up.
"What do you mean, Riddle?" Ron asked the Heir of Slytherin.
"How many horcruxes do you know of?" Riddle answered with a counter question.
"Four," answered Ron frowning.
"Five," said Harry. "There's another one. It has something to do with Rowena Ravenclaw."
"It has to be more than five." Riddle shook his head. He didn't want to believe he managed to make only five horcruxes when he had planned seven.
"We don't have time to think about that now," said Hermione. "Turn around, I need to change."
Everyone, including Riddle, who was a bit reluctant, turned around.
"And don't peek!" Hermione commanded them. "I'm talking to you, Riddle," she added.
Riddle sighed.
"How are we going to get to Hogwarts?" asked Ron. He wanted to distract Riddle from Hermione changing clothes.
"We'll go to Hogsmeade," said Harry, "and try to work something out once we see what protection around the school's like."
They all apparated to night cloaked Hogsmeade High Street. The only light illuminating the street was glowing from the Three Broomsticks. Once their feet touched the ground, a loud scream filled the air. They heard voices from the inn shouting orders to find who caused this alarm. The door burst open and a dozen and a dozen Death Eaters dashed into the street, their wands aloft.
But the people they were looking for were already hidden among stacked tables and chairs.
"Potter! We know you're here! No use hiding from us!" shouted one of the Death Eaters.
"Split up!" ordered another one.
Silence. Then Harry and others heard someone walking in their direction. Ron dared to turn his head to the right to look under the table and saw Riddle and Dolohov crouched one row of tables behind them. If Death Eaters noticed any of them, the two Slytherin boys would be the first.
Ron, Hermione and Harry watched and tried to keep their breathing as quiet as possible.
Two Death Eaters spotted Riddle and Dolohov and immediately aimed their wands at them. But the younger Slytherins were faster. A bright green light conjured from their wands and both Death Eaters dropped dead on the ground. Before Hermione could cry out with surprise, Harry clasped his hand over her mouth.
A silver light shone from somewhere and they all heard screams and words like Patronus and Potter.
"Potter, in here, quick!" said an oddly familiar voice from their left side.
Even though they didn't know who the tall figure was, they only saw his outline and that he had a beard, they followed him into a narrow street behind the stack of tables. This was their only chance. It was either Voldemort's followers or a stranger. The unknown man opened a door and told them to hurry up and to get inside.
They did but he stayed outside and shut the door behind him. They heard muffled voices outside.
"Lumos," said Dolohov.
They stood on narrow stairs. Hermione and Ron looked nervous and Riddle was looking around with unreadable expression. Harry walked down and other followed.
The stairs led to a sitting room with a threadbare carpet, old armchairs and a small fireplace, above which hung a single large oil painting of a blonde girl who gazed out at the room with a kind of vacant sweetness.
"You killed them," said Hermione to Riddle in low voice before they entered the room.
"And Antonin," he reminded her in serious tone. He let out a breath. That's when Hermione noticed how close he stood, just one step above her. Riddle didn't need to put much effort into his intimidating aura. "If we didn't kill them, they would kill us. Followers or not. I don't care." His voice was cold and emotionless.
"Well, at least you did it nonverbally."
"Is that a compliment?" He raised his eyebrows at her again.
"Academic compliment," Hermione corrected him rapidly.
Riddle looked amused for a moment, bent down a bit and whispered, this time more thoughtful, "They would have killed you too."
"I can take care of myself," she whispered back, this time she sounded irritated.
"Can you? If you think yourself so smart, you could have done something at the Malfoy Manor. Take them all down before I could glimpse into your head. I saved you more than once and this is what I get?"
His eyes were shining with anger. He glanced behind her shoulder, put on a calm expression as if what he felt seconds ago, wasn't real. He slid past the Gryffindor girl and on purpose tried to make her feel his lean but strong body touching hers.
"You bloody fools," said the Hog's Head barman, glowering at all of them. But his gaze stopped at Riddle and Dolohov. "Riddle? And you're one of his his lapdogs, aren't you?"
"I'm not his lapdog!" Antonin objected.
Riddle gave him a furious look. "But you are. Do you need me to remind you?"
Antonin let out an awkward laugh and hurried with his explanation, "I just wanted to say that 'lapdog' is a bit demeaning word."
"Is this some kind of a joke?" asked the barman.
"No," Antonin answered.
"Although we wish it was," added Riddle.
"You're Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother," said Harry out of nowhere.
The barman turned his attention to Harry and grunted. That was his only answer.
"How did you get this?" Harry asked him while casting a glance at a small mirror hanging on a wall next to the portrait.
"Bought it from Dung 'bout a year ago," said Aberforth. "Albus told me what is was. Been trying to keep an eye out for you."
"You sent Dobby," gasped Ron.
"Where've you left him?"
"He's dead," said Harry. "Bellatrix Lestrange killed him."
Aberforth's face was impassive, not looking at any of them. He lit up lamps around the room. "I'm sorry to hear it. I liked that elf," he said as he looked out of the window to make sure no one was watching.
Everyone was silent until they heard somebody's stomach rumbling.
"I'm hungry," said Ron defensively as everyone stared at him, except Riddle and Dolohov who sneered.
"I got food," said Aberforth and walked out of the room.
"Oh, do you still have the Dragon's Smoke?" Dolohov shouted after him.
"Yes! I'll bring that too!"
Ron, Harry and Hermione looked at each other confused.
"What's that?" asked Ron.
"Magic cigarettes!" explained Dolohov dramatically. "They differ from the muggle ones only by two things - they don't smell so bad and you don't stink after your finish smoking."
The Gryffindors just gawked at them.
"I've never heard of them," said Ron after a few seconds of silence.
"Of course, you didn't," Riddle spoke up. "Smoking's forbidden at Hogwarts and it's not very common for wizards to smoke. If any decides to smoke, they go for muggle cigarettes. And because the demand isn't high you can only get them here or Knockturn Alley. And you're good boy," he said like it was a bad thing.
"You smoke?" Harry asked both Slytherins. "Wait," he halted, "sure you do. You're Slytherins."
"Just don't tell Slughorn."
Before Dolohov could explain what he meant, Aberforth returned with a tray stacked with a large loaf of bread, some cheese and pewter jug of mead. He went back to get glasses and cigarettes for Riddle and Dolohov.
Ron was the first one to eat. Hermione didn't have the heart to look disgusted by his table manners when she was just as hungry as he.
"Can you imagine Old Sluggy's reaction if he found out we smoke?" Dolohov asked and smiled when he visualised it in his head.
"Tom!" Riddle cried out, grabbed Dolohov's shoulder and looked at him with a shocked expression. "Tom, m'boy! I'm very disappointed in you! I expected something better from you! One point from Slytherin!"
They both burst out laughing. Harry and Hermione couldn't help but crack a smile at the thought of their old professor, Ron was too busy devouring food. Even Albus' younger brother had amused glint in his eyes.
"It's so funny because-"
"Don't," Riddle stopped him, suddenly very serious again. "A joke's not funny when you explain it."
After they finished eating, Riddle and Dolohov lit up each by one cigarette.
Dolohov let out a sigh. "Ah, after so many months with you lot," he glared at the Golden Trio, "I can finally relax for a while."
Hermione eyed Riddle. He looked very elegant, like from an old black and white movie. Harry and Aberforth started arguing whether to leave this place or go to Hogwarts and which would be the best solution for everything. Hermione tried to resist from watching Riddle, it proved to be hard. He had gone to the window and leaned against the stone wall. If he felt her staring, he didn't show it.
She turned her gaze away from him to others. The air started to smell like a cigarette's smoke but Dolohov was right. It wasn't as bad as when Hermione walked down the streets of the muggle world and breathed in the cigarette stench even when she didn't want to.
"You don't understand," said Harry.
"Oh, don't I?" said Aberforth quietly. "You don't think I understand my own brother? Think you knew Albus better than I did?"
Hermione felt his eyes on her. She looked when he was exhaling smoke. It was slowly fading away, making his hungry face clearer and clearer. When did this room get so hot? She felt her face and her core heat up. This time he didn't mock her for blushing. Hermione gulped and quickly looked way.
Riddle turned away to look out of the window and continued smoking. It was better that way. He couldn't stare at her for too long and not get hard. Merlin, he wanted her more and more by each day. But he couldn't lose his focus just because of her.
Instead he pretended he wasn't listening to younger Dumbledore, who talked about his sister now. The girl above fireplace, no doubts. Hermione joined the conversation once she felt like she's able to speak without her voice quivering.
He needed to leave... needed to go to a bathroom.
"Where are you going?"
Riddle rolled his eyes. Weasley afnd his huge prying nose.
"I drank a mead," he told him, speaking to him like to a baby. "Toilet. If you think you should escort me there too just in case I run away, there's something wrong with you."
He blew out a last smoke and threw the cigarette into the fireplace before he left.
Riddle heard a knock on the door right after he finished washing his hands in a dirty washbasin. At least the water was clean enough to wash hands in. He tried to dry his hands on his black trousers. Someone impatient knocked again.
"For Salazar's sake, I didn't jump out of the window. Still here!" he yelled at whoever was standing outside.
Riddle opened the door which showed him angry Weasley.
"Stop doing whatever you're doing to Hermione," said Ron through gritted teeth.
"I'm not doing anything."
Weasley frowned deeper than Riddle thought was physically possible.
"I bet you're always telling that. 'It wasn't me who murdered Myrtle. I haven't done anything, Professor. It was Hagrid's monster. Professor, could you tell me what is a horcrux? It's purely academic," he continued mocking Riddle's fake innocent tone until he was pushed against the wall by his throat.
Riddle leant towards the Gryffindor and whispered into his ear, "Be careful, Weasley. Or I'll make you believe that what you saw before you destroyed the locket, was nothing. I'll make you regret you were born... again. And if Hermione asks nicely, I will force you to enjoy it."
He looked at now frightened Ron and smirked in a devilish manner. Ron grabbed Riddle's wrist, panic in his eyes as he was running out of oxygen.
"Ron, what's taking you so long. We need to hurry!" they heard Harry's voice and slowly nearing steps.
The Slytherin heir let go of Ron and went back to the sitting room.
Everyone was standing in front of the fireplace with their eyes on the painting. Potter was talking to somebody. When Riddle stepped closer he saw that the portrait was actually a secret passage. A beaten-up boy was squatting in it, he could be Potter's age.
"Oh, so you're him?" asked the boy, his voice full of disdain.
Harry said yes.
"Neville!" Ron cried out with surprise when he saw the boy.
"Hi, Ron. You look good."
Riddle glanced at Dolohov. Antonin's face showed Riddle's feelings perfectly. He looked disgusted by this exchange of pleasantries.
"What did Potter tell him?" Riddle asked Dolohov quietly.
"He told him almost everything. Except for your true identity."
Once the crowd in the Room of Requirement settled, Seamus Finnigan asked with a bit of disgust in his voice, "Who the hell are those snakes? Why did you bring them, Harry?"
Riddle, still standing at the entrance, eyed the three Hogwarts houses' tapestries, Slytherin excluded.
"I could ask the same question," he said, then looked at Potter who stared back. "Why did you have to drag us here?"
"You know why." That was the answer.
"That's Tom and Antonin. It's a long story," Harry started to get exasperated. "There's something we - me, Hermione and Ron - need to do."
"What is it?" asked one of the students.
"I - I can't tell you."
"Why? If it's something to do with fighting You-Know-Who, we'll help you."
"We've got to do it alone. We can't tell you."
"Why?"
Harry rubbed his scar that was searing. "Dumbledore left the three of us a job," he said slowly, "and he - he wanted us to do it, just the three of us."
"We're his army," said Neville. "Dumbledore's Army-"
"Dumbledore's Army?" asked Riddle with a sneer.
"It's a DADA club," Luna, standing next to Dean Thomas, started explaining, "Harry's been teaching us to fight against the Dark Arts in the fifth year. We had a bad teacher, you see-"
Luna was interrupted by Ron, "That's enough, Luna, thanks."
Riddle looked like he wanted to burst out laughing right in front of everyone. "I was almost excited to hear more about it until you said Harry was teaching you."
"It wasn't bad," answered Luna with her dreamy voice, "he thought us all sorts of defensive spells and Patronus charm."
"I'm impressed," said Riddle. He did look like it but his voice was hinted with sarcasm. " I'm sure the Death Eaters will appreciate that."
Before Luna or anyone else could say anything else, someone came into the Room. Ginny, Fred and George and Lee Jordan. The Golden Trio looked very happy seeing them. Especially Harry as he was staring at Ginny.
"Your girlfriend?" mocked Dolohov when he regarded the way Ginny and Harry were looking at each other.
"Shut up, that's my sister!" barked Ron.
Ginny glanced the way Riddle and Dolohov were standing and saw young Voldemort. She paled instantly. Ginny was horrified and started to shake. It was unclear if it was from anger of fear.
"What is he doing here?" she asked.
Riddle seemed to be genuinely surprised at her reaction. She, just like the Golden Trio, knew who he was just by looking at him.