Hermione was in a perpetual state of 'what-the-bloody-fuck-have-I-done' and 'I've-mucked-up-the-entire-time-line-because-of-a- stupid-crush-on-a-stupid-boy' for the two weeks that Tom had been avoiding her.
She kept a close eye on him, entirely nervous that he would decide to blow her cover by telling to entire school her secret. Sure, she was considering telling Minerva or Charlus some day, but she was nowhere near ready for that just yet.
On the last Hogsmeade weekend of the term, at the beginning of December, Hermione was brooding and decided to go alone. Dressing warmly in a thick woolen emerald green sweater, long black trousers that she thanked all the higher powers women were allowed to wear during the winter, and a pair of black boots. She donned her winter coat and walked down the long sloping grass towards the Entrance Gate. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts.
It had been nearly four months that she'd been in the past, and so much had already happened. She'd befriended her old enemies grandparents, brought the Dumbledore brothers back together, fought against Grindewald, and managed to somewhat change Tom Riddle.
Then she'd gone and ruined the latter completely.
Now she had to not only deal with the fact that Tom could possibly ruin any chance of living peacefully here, but also deal with the idea that Tom wouldn't want her anymore. That was more terrifying than anything she'd felt in the forties.
Passing the iron gates, she smiled as she remembered the first time she passed those gates. Little bushy-haired Hermione Granger had been shaking with nerves, tightly holding Neville's hand while reciting every spell she'd memorized out loud, thoroughly annoying those around her.
As she neared the town, she couldn't help the worry that settled low in her stomach that something bad was going to happen. Shoving that feeling aside, she hurried down the snow coated cobblestone path towards the Hogs Head. Hermione stomped the snow off her boots before darting inside and sighing with relief as the warmth hit her.
"Mione?"
She grinned at Aberforth, who was busy cleaning the tops of the tables off.
"Hey dad."
He frowned, checking his watch. "What are you doing here so early? Minerva didn't join you?"
Hermione shrugged. "Just felt like being alone."
Aberforth raised a brow expectantly. "What happened?"
She frowned. The man was too observant. Hermione spent the next hour and a half explaining what she'd told Tom, what his reaction was, how she feared he wouldn't change, and her overall feelings about the boy. Aberforth kept giving her hot chocolate while occasionally inputting his opinion, but for the most part letting her get everything off her chest. She had to admit, it worked wonders for her anger.
When she finally left the Inn to go find Minerva she felt much better about her situation. That calm dropped when she caught a glimpse of the town square.
"Ah, Hermione Dumbledore. Just the woman I wanted to see."
She gulped at the chillingly familiar voice that came from the very man that'd torn apart her adoptive family all those years ago.
"Grindewald," Hermione said faintly.
He smirked, eyes lit up dangerously.
Glancing around the square, she noticed that all of the occupants were forced on their knees, most close to tears. Her anger increased when she saw Minerva beside Charlus, Dorea, and John. A little further away were Cygnus, Abraxas, and Orion, all three looking uncharacteristically worried. She kept looking around until she saw Septimus between Cedrella and Druella, both looking frightened out of their wits.
Tom wasn't there. Hermione was unsure if she were relieved or terrified of that.
"How have you been since the last time we saw each other?" the dark wizard asking in a falsely polite voice. "Did you miss me?"
She scowled. "I'd much rather you'd kept far away, actually."
His eye twitched, but nothing else gave away his anger.
"How can you say that?" Grindewald exclaimed cheerfully. "I'm practically family! You really should call me Uncle Gellert dear, it would make me quite happy."
Hermione sneered viciously.
"I can't call you family Grindewald, because I'd quite like to kill you. Or at least lock you away for the rest of your life. Don't you know my middle name? It's Ariana Kendra Jean. I'm partial to the Ariana part, unfortunately for you."
All pretenses of happiness dropped from Grindewald's face as he sneered mockingly at her.
"Is that so? Terribly sorry about that. Such a shame to be named after someone who died at the hands of family," he smirked horribly.
Hermione lifted her chin arrogantly. "I'm proud to have been named after her, she was incredibly brave. Unlike you," she growled. "Who left the moment she died. Guilty conscience, Uncle Gellert?"
The dark wizard smirked maliciously at her obvious sarcasm and raised his wand. She brought hers up, aiming for his chest.
"So sad," he whispered mockingly. "That Albus and Aberforth will have lost another loved one to me. They just don't learn, do they?"
Hermione dodged the curse he sent at her. She knew she couldn't defeat him, it was Albus that needed to win the Elder Wand. Avoiding the next few curses, she managed to find an opening to cast her spell.
"Expecto Patronum," she whispered. Her silver otter bounded out of the tip of her wand, circling around her, as she kept her eyes on the confused Grindewald.
"Grindewald in Hogsmeade, come now."
Flicking her wand, she watched happily as the otter swam as fast as it could towards the castle. Grindewald openly laughed at her.
"What good has that done, child?"
His followers all sneered and chuckled along with their leader while Hermione held a smug smirk plastered on her face.
"It's called a Messenger Patronus," she said, enjoying the incredulous look on Grindewald's face. "Uncle Albus should be here any minute. Won't you say hello?"
With a roar, Grindewald sent a killing curse towards her without any thought. She dodged the green jet of light quickly while sending a spell to clear the crowd behind her, fearing someone would get hit. They managed to be thrown apart just in time and the curse soared by without a hit.
She turned around quickly, all of the anger and frustration that she'd pent up exploding out of her.
"Expulso! Confringo! Reducto!"
He reflected and dodged each of her spells, a smirk glued to his face.
Growing steadily enraged, Hermione cast the curse that had been in the back of her mind without a second thought.
"Sectumsempra!"
Grindewald's eyes grew large as he threw himself out of the way a moment too late. The white jet hit his arm, and the wizard cried out in pain as the curse slashed a giant gash in his arm. Hermione was so focused on Grindewald that she failed to notice his follower point his wand towards her.
"CRUCIO!"
Hermione's knees buckled as the unforgivable crashed into her chest. It was a particularly strong one, but she refused to cry out. Moments passed with pure agony when it suddenly stopped. Confused, she glanced up in time to see an utterly infuriated Tom Riddle blast a simple Stupefy at the caster with such force that he was out cold before he hit the ground. Tom met her gaze, emotions pouring out of them, and nodded in Grindewald's direction. She gave a quick grateful smile before she turned to face the thoughtful wizard.
"A suitor, perhaps? How rude of you to not introduce me, Hermione. I shall have to do it myself," with a snarl, Grindewald turned his wand on Tom, who was busy fighting five of the followers. The familiar bright red light shot towards him, and without any thought, Hermione jumped.
Inhumane screams left her mouth as the Cruciatus stabbed her repeatedly, much more powerful than even the last one. Even Bellatrix's couldn't compare to this pain. Her body jerked off the ground awkwardly and she attempted to curl into a ball, willing the pain away with her mind.
"GELLERT!"
The shout had done its job. Grindewald was distracted enough for Hermione to break free of the spell and roll over, panting heavily as her thoughts jumbled around in her mind. Two strong hands picked her up easily and she buried her face in the person's chest. One small breath let her smell the woodsy cologne that was Tom's.
"Albus!" Grindewald's voice was mocking, but Hermione heard the fear hidden. "How lovely it is to see you. My deepest apologizes about your niece, but you know how teenagers can be, don't you?"
Hermione struggled to roll over in Tom's arms; she wanted to see her Uncle. Tom tightened his grip but helped her readjust. She noticed they were hidden around an alley, but had clear aim in case they needed to help fight once more. She smiled as her Uncle gave a large sweep of his wand and all of Grindewald's men were bound in thick, tight ropes.
"You should not have come, Gellert," Albus said with such clear hatred that Hermione wasn't sure if it was truly him.
Tom nudged her arm, and Hermione glanced to her left, where Aberforth was kneeling and holding his wand offensively. She gave a reassuring smile and the older man gripped her hand tightly before darting off to join the crowd.
"Tom," she whispered quietly. "We need to release those people. Once they start fighting, it will get dangerous."
His brow furrowed in thought. Slowly, very slowly, he nodded his agreement.
Hermione wiggled out of his embrace, steadying herself on a brick wall as her head spun from exertion. Glancing over at Tom she smiled as he watched her protectively. He gave her a small turn on his lips and she knew she was forgiven.
Grabbing his shoulder for support, Hermione leant up on her toes to gently press her lips against his. She turned and darted away before he could change her mind.
"Liberacorpus!" she thought, and was happily surprised to find that the spell holding the crowd down broke. Quickly running around the group, she whispered directions for everyone to move away once the fighting began and to find shelter.
It took half a minute to free everyone of the jinx, just in time, as Grindewald sent a stunner at Albus, who deflected it easily.
Aberforth caught her eye from across the road, already helping hide people in his Inn, and he waved frantically for her to move towards him. She had barely taken a step when Grindewald noticed her presence once again. Her body was knocked back in the force from his Cruciatus, and Hermione's eyes rolled back in her head as the pain torched her body over and over and over again. Screams surrounded her, and she was no longer sure if they were her own.
It stopped after a few more long moments and she lay there, panting heavily and body twitching.
"-failed again, Albus. First it was poor Ariana, now dear Hermione has to suffer at your hand. How can you live with yourself?" Grindewald's voice was soft, persuasive, as though he was trying to get Albus to agree with him. From the silence, it seemed he was so far succeeding.
"Join me. It will be just like old times. You can save Hermione. She will have no better protection. Your sister needn't have died, Albus. If you joined me, she won't have died in vain."
"No," Hermione pushed herself up on her hands shakily. Both men glanced over at her, Grindewald glaring while Albus repenting. "He only speaks lie, Uncle Albus. Don't listen to him. He's manipulating you, just like before. He doesn't care."
Grindewald snarled and sent another killing curse towards her, one that she just barely managed to avoid as it soared past her curls. Hermione was gasping for breath now. Still, she placed a small smirk on her face as she raised her wand.
"You are pathetic, Gellert Grindewald," she breathed out, head dizzying but she pushed through the haze. "You've never deserved my Uncle's friendship. EXPELLIARMUS!"
She obviously caught the elder wizard off guard, as he didn't even manage to raise a shield in time. The scarlet beam forced his wand from his wand and soared in a perfect arc over to her. Hermione caught it with her left hand as she moved towards the now panicked Dark Wizard, who had collapsed on the ground by the force of her spell."
Kneeling, she gripped both wands tightly, pointing them at his blonde head. Grindewald was shaking with both anger and fear.
"I should kill you," she whispered quietly. "I should destroy you, as you've destroyed the lives of so many, as you've destroyed my family once before. But I won't. You deserve to die, but I don't deserve to kill you. Ariana does, my Uncle does, my father does, but not I. You definitely don't deserve this wand."
Hermione stood with a great effort and turned to her Uncle, keeping an eye on Grindewald all the while.
"Nurmengard?" she asked simply. Albus nodded, his eyes on Grindewald's defeated form all the while. "Dad? Can you call the Aurors?"
Aberforth nodded and ran inside his Inn, presumably to floo the Ministry.
Hermione faced Tom, who was making his way towards her, and held out her hand wearily. He laced their fingers together and pulled her close against his chest, rubbing soothing circles across her back. She nodded to her Uncle, who jerked his head towards Hogwarts, and Hermione smiled with relief. Letting Tom pull her out of Hogsmeade she snuggled close into his chest, breathing in his familiar scent. They were silent until they reached the Black Lake.
She held up the Elder Wand, studying it emotionlessly. Tom was watching her curiously.
"This," she said matter-of-factly. "This is the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny. It was supposed to be my Uncle's, but he is far too obsessed with the Hallows for my comfort. I feel it will do its best work here."
With a huge effort, Hermione pushed against the two ends of the wand, and it snapped in half after a few moments. Tom gaped at her. She threw one piece as far as she could to her left and waited a few moments for it to sink, and then threw the other as far as she could to the left.
"Hermione," Tom murmured quietly, his voice wavering in emotion. She turned to him with a thoughtful frown on her face. "I-I think… I think that I might possibly, maybe, quite likely… love you."
She studied his face motionlessly. She already knew how she felt about him.
"I think I love you too, Tom."
The smile on his face blinded her, and her injuries raced to the back of her mind as his lips pressed desperately to hers.
She'd done it.
Thank you all for the reviews and follows and favorites. Seriously, you are all the freaking best. Nothing makes me happier than signing on and reading how much you guys like this.
Don't hate me if you didn't like the end bit about love. In my story, Tom Riddle has the ability to love as much as he has the ability to look as ridiculously hot as he did in Chamber of Secrets. Which, in case you weren't aware, is an insane amount.
Unfortunately, we're nearing an end for this story. I'm trying to draw it out as long as I can, it will definitely have a VERY lengthy Epilogue, so I'm debating splitting that up in a few pieces. Probably 2-3 chapters left until the final one :(
StarGirlPotter- I'm sorry for making you cry! But I'm glad you liked it :)
Lysaia- The remorse scene really just sucked, I'm probably going to go back and re-do it! I had no idea how I wanted it and it was really sudden. I'll let you know when I post it again!
MissMorrigan- Dramione is how I got started too :) I went crazy this past summer, I'd never realized just how big fanfiction was until I googled it... Best choice I've made in a long time. Glad you like the story and the Tomione ship!