PLEASE READ!

Hey, lol. I just realised after a review that I completely forgot about Remus in the last chapter! lol :L I was too focused on Tom and Hermione that I just forgot :( ... oopsy...

If it's something that will annoy you's when he appears in the next few chapters, then let me know and I'll edit it. If not, then I'll just leave it till it's finished and I can put it in when I edit the entire story at the end :)

Thank you ..X. :D Well spotted, lol

Chapter 25

Hermione looked at the ground hopelessly as Lucius carried her limp body through the hallways of her old school. She'd half expected to be taken down to the dungeons, to where she suspected her friends were being held. Hogwarts had blocked the real dungeons away from students for nearly a century. But obviously, Tom... well, Voldemort, thought it would be the ideal place to hold his prisoners.

No, instead, Lucius carried her up the stairs, so she managed to recognise the direction in which they were heading. The Headmaster's office.

He carried her up the stairs, no pasword being needed due to the fact that the poor gargoyle had been blasted away. Lucius tapped on the door only once.

Hermione didn't hear anything being said from inside, but obviously Lucius had, as he now opened the door and carried her through.

She looked a state as he lay her on the floor and stood back up to await further command.

She lay on her back completely motionless. She was still all made up for Slughorn's dance, the only difference being the two grass stains on the bottom part of her dress from where she had been kneeling down. And the tears smudged all down her cheeks.

Her eyes were wide open, taking in her surroundings.

Everything seemed the same. At least Voldemort had some respect for all the artifacts collected over the years by Dumbledore.

Dumbledore. What had happened to him?

Hermione's eyes found those of Nagini's as the snake slithered past her on the floor. She continued to watch the snake as it made it's way up to the large wooden desk, and over towards the figure that sat on the chair on the opposite side of her.

"You may leave us, Lucius."

Hermione's breath hitched at the voice. He didn't sound like he had when she'd last confronted him in this time. Instead he sounded just like the Tom from his past. Her past.

She felt the magic fall from her body, and knew she could now move again.

Just then, she made the decision she rather liked the comfort of the carpet.

"Get up, Hermione."

The small command was spoken so softly to her, that she found herself easily complying. Sitting up slowly, she looked over to where she knew he was sitting. Her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when they spotted Voldemort. Tears began falling again from her eyes as she stared at him in shock.

It was Tom! Except he was maybe a few years older, but he still looked like his young self.

Voldemort stared at the girl in front of him, sitting on the ground, staring at him in shock.

It was almost painful. Feelings that had hit him full force when his soul was healed, came back. The first thing he wanted to do was lift her onto the chair and comfort her.

He remembered everything that had went down that night, and could remember well the last words she'd spoken to him. He remembered how badly he'd wanted to grab her to him then. He still wanted to. Especially knowing that she'd only spoken those words from so many years ago, ten minutes ago.

He honestly didn't know what he was going to do with her. There was no way he'd allow himself to treat her like the mudblood he would have treated her like, and put her in the dungeons. On the other hand, there was the small case of his followers. They would see him differently as a leader if he chose to treat her as an equal, and let her stay along side him. Yet at the same time, his followers knew she was powerful and intelligent. They wouldn't begrudge him keeping her alive.

He could say to them that she was being used for research.

But that wouldn't be all. He still wanted her with him, and so she would be. He would let things settle down first though.

She still needed to come to terms with things here. And the changes that would be happening around her.

"Take a seat." He gestured to the chair opposite next to her.

Hermione quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, deciding that no more would fall in front of him. She wouldn't admit to him either that all this distance between them that he'd created hurt. She stood up and as gracefully as she could, took the seat offered to her. She looked up at him. He still had the same eyes, except they had tiny flecks of red in them, sorely reminding her that this was still Voldemort. She kept her gaze locked with his, refusing to cower anymore.

"Don't look at me like that, Hermione."

Hermione. Her name was the only endearment she was going to get from him tonight. Or any other day for that matter, she was beginning to think.

"Like what, Voldemort?" Hermione asked him, completely deadpanned.

Voldemort didn't like this. She was speaking to him as if he and his younger self were two completely different people. They were in a way, he supposed, but one thing they did have in common, was that this girl brought out emotions in them. She wasn't being herself. She refused to accept the situation for what it was. He admired her for that in a way. She'd always been stubborn towards him.

"Like I'm your enemy."

He watched as something flashed in her eyes. He could tell she was biting back on the comment that desperately wanted to fly it's way out from her lips. But of course, instead of openly retorting to him like she used to, she knew she was back in a different environment, so held back.

Instead, she took a deep breath, and asked what must have been on her mind for a while now, since Malfoy caught them at the lake.

"What happened to you while I was away?"

Voldemort contemplated not telling her what really happened, but then realised that telling her wouldn't cause any real harm. People knowing about his horcruxes no longer posed any sort of threat, seeing as they were now non existent. And, in a way, he guessed, she deserved to know why he sent men she hated to rrip her away from a world she could be herself in. Where they had her taken away from the man she loved. Him.

"The duel we shared, was made up with so much emotion and raw power, that when we... kissed, it opened up something very deep inside of me, a connection, I suppose, that caused me to gain my memories back from those few weeks."

He went to continue, but her eyes widened shocked, so he stopped momentarily to see if she had anything to get off her chest. Better doing it this way than having her interrupt him later on. He wasn't disappointed.

"Memories? You mean... you mean to tell me you had Snape and Malfoy erase your own memories of me before they returned here?"

Voldemort nodded. "Not just me. It was spell powerful enough, that it erased your memory from everyone's minds. No one knew who you were. Events that would have happened had you not been there, entered there minds instead. Your friend, Minnie, remembers you very well now."

"But why?" Hermione asked, a tad bit desperately.

"I wont mess with time, Hermione. And it just so happens that it works out more to my favour anyway. By erasing all memory of you, I grew up to be the insane monster I was supposed to be and won this war, so I now control Britain. Then, my memories of you resurfaced, among other things, meaning I am now much stronger than I was before, and I no longer look like and inbred snake man." He smirked at her.

She, however, looked positively horrified. She knew that the Tom from her time was still completely different. For one, she would never have heard him say that to her. In fact, if she was honest to herself, she would say she almost had him travelling 'up' a different path altogether. For one, he had chosen to side with her, even after he found out she was only a muggleborn.

She loved Tom Riddle, and still did. She knew he was inside this thing before her somewhere, but she could never settle for this. What was to happen to her anyway?

"How could you possibly be stronger?" Hermione chose to ask instead.

"The connection unlocked something that had been either non existent, or very well hidden before. And what it did, was it repaired my soul. You see, Hermione, as I grew, I created these things called horcruxes, which I hoped would make me immortal. It did, to an extent, but it also left me rather vulnerable, and not as strong. It split my soul. It would never have been repaired, I don't think (to be honest, he did think) that it would have happened, had it not also healed during your stay at the castle."

Hermione nodded. This was too much information to take in all at once.

"I'm sure you're wanting to know what will happen to you now that you are back."

Damn right she did.

"You will be staying here. Something tells me this would be a good place for headquarters right now, until the whole aftermath is sorted. The school's guest rooms are where you'll be staying for now, you will no doubt want a day of rest tomorrow, and you will probably be up for a few more hours tonight anyway. The lowest floor you will have access to will be the library's. All my death eaters are below that, and I very much doubt you want to bump into them. I have yet to address them on your situation."

And what was her situation to them exactly? Hermione thought bitterly. She felt caged already.

"And please don't make any attempts to escape. There are death eaters everywhere, and you will be easily caught."

A place she thought of as home half an hour ago, was now a bloody prison.

Voldemort felt oddly uncomfortable sitting with her now. He'd said everything he'd needed to say, but at the same time he wanted her to respond. He craved the challenging conversations she could always hold up. But then again, could he blame her?

Nope. His stupid, mended soul wouldn't let him place any of the blame on her what-so-ever! He thought, slightly miffed by that fact.

He stood, hating how her gaze followed him blindly (it was rather unnerving). "If you'll come with me, I have someone that wants to see you (well actually demanded to see her, but he'd planned on them talking anyway, so he brushed it off)"

He felt weird. Around everyone, he was Voldemort, but in front of Hermione, emotions stirred and he felt the need to be Tom for her again.

Hermione said and did nothing as she stood and waited him to go ahead.

Not one to forget his manners, he held the door open for her to walk through.

It wasn't long before Voldemort had Hermione in front of McGonagall's chambers.

"I don't mind how long you are in there for, just remember where you are allowed in this castle. I'm sure you know where the guest rooms are." Voldemort looked down at Hermione, but she kept her gaze at the door and away from him.

Voldemort nodded, for what reason he didn't know, and left. Nothing was left for either of them to say that night. He secretly hoped that she got her fire back soon though.

Hermione gently opened the door. She froze in the doorway though when she saw Minerva McGonagall pacing up and down her bedroom floor. The much older woman had stopped almost immediately and stared at Hermione.

And then, as if in slow motion, both of them ran together and gave each other a fierce hug.

Hermione couldn't stop the tears anymore, having barely held out in the Head's office in front of Voldemort. "I-I-I'm so sorr-ry." was all Hermione could choke out between sobs.

Minerva shushed her, and rubbed soothing circles over her friend's back. She herself had tears streaming down her cheeks, but chose to hold strong and let Hermione get everything out of her system.

When Hermione finally stopped crying, she felt a lot better.

"I can't believe you're here. Now." Minerva sighed into her friend's hair, still keeping up the soothing circles.

""Neither can I," Hermione breathed out. This was what she needed. A friend who knew what she had went through, and wouldn't judge her for what direction her feelings chose. "I'm sorry, Minnie. Do you suppose I could stay here tonight?"

Minerva silently cursed the Dark Lord for what he had done. The stupid decisions he'd made tonight rivalled all those he'd made over the years. And that was quite a feat.

"Of course you can."

Voldemort strode purposely towards the doors of the Great Hall. Tonight, he would address all of his followers on the situation concerning Hermione. Opening the doors with a certain, powerful flare to him, he walked up to to where the old Headmaster's seat was positioned and sat down on it. It was raised even higher so he could look down on all his followers that had gathered in the Great Hall.

"My followers. I have gathered you tonight to inform you that I have Potter's mudblood back in the castle."

A few cheers were heard, and he was ever so slightly infuriated by the greedy gleam that appeared in nearly everyone's eyes. All wanting to have a go at the girl who had bested so many of them. This he really could not allow.

"Just know that I am already dealing with her punishment personally." Now a lot of disappointed stares. Good. "However, know this. No one a part from myself is allowed to touch or harm her in anyway." Before the questions and possible protests began, he continued. "You all know that the mudblood is highly intelligent. I have come to the conclusion, that despite her blood, she can still be used. Don't worry, I have every intention to break her beyond repair." In went a little sneer. "But not to the point where she can't be used. If anyone here decides that they do want to touch and harm her, know that afterwards, it will be me dealing with you. Dismissed."

Everyone left the room in a hurry. He, himself left to go to his knew chambers, that were attached to the Head's office.

He hated nearly every word he had uttered in the hall. He hated the looks of glee on his death eaters' face when they pictured a broken and tortured Hermione. The only thing that was keeping them at bay was the torture session they most certainly would receive afterwards from himself.

On his way to his chambers, he came across Severus Snape.

"Snape."

Severus, upon seeing his Lord gave him a bow before standing back up straight and speaking, "yes, my Lord?"

"Were you there in the Great Hall? A few moments ago." He asked almost as if he was making an attempt at conversation.

"Yes, my Lord. I'm sure no one here is willing to go against your word after that," Severus said with a small smirk.

Voldemort smirked back at his most favoured follower. "Yes, well, on that note, I have a new job for you. Tomorrow, I need you to start on creating chambers the will join with the library. This will be where Granger will stay once they're ready. She will be doing a lot of work for me in there for quite some time."

"Of course, my Lord. I will get started first thing tomorow." Severus bowed again, this time waiting to be dismissed.

"Very well, you may go."

A.N.

Yay! Another update! XD I'm on a total role people, lol ;P It's probably better getting in quicker updates though, means no one gets too impatient with me :)

Thank you so much again for your reviews, they get me all warmed up for the next chapter, lol :)

Hope you enjoy this chapter, haven't got a clue what I'm gonna do for the next one though! ;P

loads of love,

Madame Dee! xxx