A/N: Sorry it took so long my kids had Hand Foot and Mouth- such a pain in the arse- anyone with preschool-aged children will know what I mean!

KNOCK ME OFF MY FEET

"What can we do Tom?" I was almost afraid to ask.

"We need Harry Potter."

"What?" I spluttered while blinking rapidly. Harry? What could Harry do?

"As if Potter would ever step foot in here" I rolled my eyes at Draco's bitter tone, but I agreed with him anyway. "and how the hell would we get him to agree to speak with us without him thinking we aren't imperioused?" My instinct was to jump to Harry's defence, but looking at it from his point of view...we would look a little crazy.

"Well we have his parents I would say that's an incentive" Lucius snorted a laugh at what Tom thought of as an incentive.

"At this stage, we have a pile of bones and Harry would think we are bonkers, besides we would be seen as being unnecessarily cruel that would not endear us to him" I laid a hand gently on Tom's arm.

"I didn't kidnap his parents or kill them I would say that was a plus" I couldn't resist a small smile, at least he thinks not murdering is a good thing.

"That is an excellent point, Tom, and while that may be, however, I think the first thing we need to do is make Harry see that Dumbledore is a man not to be trusted. The man did raise him essentially to be a martyr, a lamb for slaughter offered up to destroy you" the room went quiet for a while, contemplating Severus' point. Putting it that way made it seem more manageable because I knew that Harry did have some doubts whether he shared them or not. I think he just gave up on the idea that his life would be normal or that he would make it to his next birthday.

"As I told Hermione many months ago, we are pawns on Dumbledore's giant chessboard, disposable when we had served our purpose. And I admit I was like that too because I thought that was the only way to beat him. Now...with hindsight and sanity it's time to flip the board, and we do that with Harry" Tom spoke confidently that this was the right course of action assured that everyone would agree with him. Until Draco.

"Do we really need Potthead?" Narcissa poked Draco in the shoulder, getting his attention.

"Can you stop calling him that, my dragon it's so uncouth. And we need to make a better impression; he is the Black Heir through Sirius" I can't believe I had forgotten that...which reminds me. I smiled widely. I'm sure my eyes were twinkling with mirth and mischief.

"Tom" I stroked the inside of his wrist, rubbing circles with my thumb.

"I'm not going to like this am I?" he asked, seeing the sugary smile I had plastered on my face.

"It's never a good sign when a woman gives you that smile" Lucius commented grimacing a little while trying to avoid eye contact with Narcissa.

"You and Harry...are related too" I walked two fingers up his arm and then tapped him on the nose. He grabbed my wrist firmly, stopping any movement.

"How?" it was low and cold, and I was not expecting that reaction. I tipped my chin up stubbornly.

"Really? Did you do any research into the Deathly Hallows?" At his silence, Draco piped up, asking me "Are they real?" I nodded without taking my eyes off Tom.

"Let me guess you just researched the objects but not the people? Harry is a descendant of Ignotius Peverell, the younger brother and you from the middle brother Cadmus" after a few beats something rattled lose in my mind and the pieces started clicking in place.

"Oh..my...god...I can't believe I didn't see this earlier" a sense of urgency came over me, and I felt like I was on the verge of hyperventilation and exploding into a cloud of glitter. It made so much sense or at least a significant part.

I started waving violently, my brain to mouth circuit shorting out in my frantic disposition.

"What is she doing?" Lucius asked, whispering to Narcissa.

"It's a thing muggle girls do when excited...I think" She replied frowning in thought wondering she was indeed correct.

"No, she's having a brain meltdown" Draco interjected into his parents' conversation. I flipped him off, and he laughed. Funnily enough, it helped divert my synapses from their current course, so my mouth would resume functioning.

"No, she's had a revelation. Haven't you, Miss Granger? Calm down and speak!" Severus turned on his teaching voice, pairing it with the stern glare he would give everyone when entering the potions classroom. My inner teacher's pet couldn't help responding. I stared at my unresponsive feet taking a few deep breath's calming my thoughts, trying to organise them as best as I can.

I looked at Tom then everyone when I was ready to present them my working theory.

"I think...I mean you and Harry being related makes total sense...it's almost too good to be true. He must have done a bloody happy dance when it all fell together. He must have started planning this after his initial discovery of you, Tom. I mean this is a long game, forward planning to the max. He must have the patience of a saint. Then there-"

"She's rambling."

"Shh she's formulating, just listen" Draco waved them off while waiting for me to continue.

"Sorry. Let me start again. This begins with the Deathly hallows, he must have researched them with Grindelwald before their falling out or started around that time, but continued trying to track them down in secret. I don't know when he realised that Grindelwald had the wand, we'll probably never know. But, looking back on it fighting him served two purposes- mastering the undefeatable wand and looking like a saviour. That was the beginning of his campaign. But rewinding slightly, him meeting you Tom was a turning point. He saw your power, and he worked out who you were before you did. You were next on the list because that meant getting the resurrection stone" Tom's eyes widen as he could see what I was seeing. "You were so hellbent on destroying your family tree, that he could have dropped hints, but the prophecy either by luck or coincidence ended up doing it for him. It links into to story of the three brothers loosely. It makes sense if you really delve into it."

"What has that got to do with the Potter's?" Narcissa asked curiously.

"The Potter's had the invisibility cloak. Dumbledore couldn't directly get it from them without arousing suspicion. I suppose or risking his perfectly cultivated reputation. Killing them was the only option in the end. I'm not sure why he didn't end up letting Tom do it, perhaps because of Harry or maybe they discovered something. Maybe there was some truth in prophecy. Personally, I think it's complete crap, but regardless... Harry was in the perfect position to be manipulated, abused by his aunt and uncle, desperate for acceptance" I couldn't help looking at Tom when I said that there were so many parallels, "spoke parseltongue" Tom's head snapped up at that, "the difference being that Harry didn't have darkness surrounding him like Tom, Dumbledore didn't sense a threat to his power, only someone he could use to destroy and be destroyed, then ultimately he would have unfettered access to all three deathly hallows and be the master of death, the master of his own universe. It's a work in progress" Lucius just looked stunned.

Tom rubbed his chin, "My little star, your mind is amazing. I think Peter was the scapegoat. He must have seen them killed, then Dumbledore tricked Sirius and being a loyal dog he followed. And Severus, his unwavering love for Lily sucked him into the game of our lives." Severus looked down a light blush dusting his cheeks. Everyone else looked pensive. It was a lot of information to process.

"Then what about you two?" Draco asked, flapping his back and forth between the two of us. Tom smirked flashing his bright white teeth.

"Something he didn't account for. He was desperate, and things were tumbling out of control. If Hermione didn't get sucked into the past, then he would have won. It was Potter's persistence I would imagine on bringing Hermione back that has unravelled everything. If he didn't, I believe he would have left her to her imagined death- yes I am aware everyone would have thought I would kill her and initially it did cross my mind more than once. But she grew on me like a fungus." he reached out and laced our fingers together. I swallowed thickly as he ran his thumb over the ring, that was heavy in symbolism. "His constant underestimation of people is going to be his downfall. But we will have to move swiftly, Harry at this stage is probably only alive because killing doesn't serve his purpose, at least not.Yet." I felt panic and dread wrap around me like a straight jacket. Harry was in a precarious situation. Thinking he was safely tucked away in the Order's safehouse when really it was in the lion's den.

"Ok, I think I understand Dumbles motivation for this long game at becoming the master of death, but how does Harry come into this? Not for his cloak, I mean in our play against Dumbledore." At least Draco could keep up with me, if he wasn't such an arse for the first few years at Hogwarts and the blood prejudice spewing from his mouth every second sentence, then we would have been friends much earlier, and dare I say before Harry and Ron.

"He's the 'boy who lived' it would be a massive scandal if he appeared to switch sides. Harry Potter and Tom Riddle, taking on Albus Dumbledore..." Narcissa was right. It would cause a massive fracture in the wizarding world in Britain at least.

"So another poster boy, for our...your...movement? Political Party?" I could almost see the wheels turning in Draco's head.

"Yes, what are we? What do we call ourselves?" If we wanted to attract people to jump ship or just join, we needed a label.

"Tom, you wanted to focus on politics, is that still the case?" Lucius interjected tentatively.

" Yes, we need to beat him in the political arena. Harry will help draw attention this way, and we bombard the public, not the Wizengamot with our proposals. They will eventually cave under pressure. Albus won't be able to resist to pick a fight." He stared off in the distance smiling to himself with a sadistic gleam in his eyes; he was obviously picturing doing something I would not approve of. Dumbledore was his kryptonite. "But that doesn't matter at the moment. First, we need Hermione walking then operation Potter begins" I snorted a quiet laugh, the absurdity of the situation I think was starting to get to me. Things were moving quickly, much too quickly. I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. I don't even think my ramblings made all that much sense; there were too many variables and unknowns- things we will never know. But irrespective of how we got here, one thing was for sure- Dumbledore wanted control of the deathly hallows at any cost.

"We will continue this conversation later as we have a lot to think about and a lot to do. Lucius and Sev can you bring those ingredients up now and a mobile cart? I want to apply Hermione's first treatment" Tom returned from his dark thoughts, seemingly temporarily sating his bloodlust.

They nodded and filed out of the room, quiet thoughts blaring in the silence. His blue eyes swivelling to meet mine, something tense hung in the air between us.

"Do you need help turning over?" Such an innocent question, but evoked such pointed emotions. Did I?

No. Nope, I can handle this.

I lifted my lower leg of my right limb and crossed the ankles. I managed to shift myself awkwardly, slightly twisting the sheets and not at all in a straight line but I did it. Off to my periphery every time I moved or attempted to, I could see Tom's fingers twitching- itching to assist me.

It made me irrationally irritated, I knew I was being a little silly, but I couldn't stop the well of resentment rising. It really hit home about Dumbledore- how we're just puppets and had no control over our own lives.

I turned my head, so I had a better view of Tom, his face was a stony mask, but his eyes were the giveaway. His eyes were darting all over me, assessing, analysing my every move. He was probably confused by my subtle change in mood.

He went to open his mouth to speak but was stopped, by Severus and Lucius bickering as they rolled the trolley into the room.

"I told you we should have used the other trolley-" as a loud, ear-piercing screech erupted from one of the wheels, then an unmistakable shuddering.

"But this one had the inbuilt mortar and the stove for the cauldron-"

"Yes, but Lucius-" neither man seemed to remember where they were.

"Gents!" Tom snapped out, annoyed but unsurprised by their behaviour. Whereas, I was still baffled by their familiar jesting.

"If I weren't mostly concerned with aesthetics than practicality then we wouldn't have to suffer defective equipment" my eyebrows rose at Severus's passive-aggressive jab at Lucius' expensive tastes.

"Defective? It's a 1657 King Louis XIV custom potion moveable table! Ho-"

"Stop it! You're grown, men!" Tom bit out harshly, he was shorter than the other two, but he somehow towered over them. He did his best to scold them like disobedient children, but neither precisely relented. Both Severus and Lucius ignored Tom; their gazes fixed on each other to see who would break first. Lucius slowly backed out of the room not turning his back, once he reached the threshold, a few beats went by then a slow smug smile upturned the corners of his mouth. He abruptly bolted down the hallway, then yelled out "Narcissa!".

I quietly laughed into the sheets; my bad mood briefly alleviated.

Tom shook his head and ran his hand down his face, "I can't believe I associate with these idiots", disbelief and resignation colouring his tone.

"Yes, we aim to entertain", Severus drawled out grimacing at the thought of entertaining anyone. Tom snorted, and there was a flicker of fondness, that comes over his face for like a -nanosecond. If I had blinked, I would have missed it.

Tom waved his wand and bandages disappeared, most likely to be incinerated by the elves. I was apprehensive about this, as most people would. While I couldn't feel anything from my hips downwards, I was also a little nervous about the paste that was to be applied. Would it hurt? Would it shock the unresponsive nerves with a jolt of something? I closed my eyes and took a deep, steadying breath in, then released it; my eyes fluttered open. I watched silently as Tom and Severus worked seamlessly around each other, creating the paste, adding, chopping, pounding all without words. It spoke volumes to the close relationship the two men had- neither of them will admit that it was anything substantial, but I could see the truth. Tom looked up from lighting the stove for the cauldron, a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips, then he was back to concentrating again.

"Ok nearly done here. Severus keep stirring the paste- don't stop while I apply the thin film of aloe gel on the gashes", Tom hurried over with a small white ceramic bowl and wooden stick similar too what women use to apply wax to their legs. He dipped the stick in and gathered a small amount of the clear gel smoothing it against the side of the bowel, before leaning over and gently rubbing it on my legs. There was a tall mirror perpendicular to the bed, and I could see what he was doing, not that it helped with my nervousness. Severus approached, hovering just off to the side for when Tom was ready. When he was satisfied that the correct amount had covered my gashes, he held the bowel silently out for Severus to exchange. Tom carefully held the concrete looking one which held another wood stick, but this one, when he pulled it out of the bowel, had leaves tied to the end of it.

My head was brimming with questions. I watched him brush over the back of my legs but so far no response.

"Oak leaves" Tom answered.

"I just know your head is about to burst from the burning curiosity Miss Granger", I groaned and buried my head under a pillow until it was done.

I'm not sure how many minutes passed, with my head under the pillow. I relaxed and closed my eyes just listening to the quiet musings of Severus and Tom. I wasn't listening to the words, only their voices.

Later, the pillow was lifted, and I must have briefly fallen asleep. I smiled, lazily at Tom.

"Hey" I blinked sluggishly at him. He was trying to keep a stoic face, but I could see the small twitches of a barely restrained smile.

"Are you going to come out of hiding?" I hummed and pushed myself onto my back. Tom rearranged my legs that were now covered in thick white gauze. He slipped in bed beside me. I hadn't noticed him wearing his pyjamas.

He rolled on to his side, cupping my cheek and stroking my cheek with his thumb. He looked pensive, but his pupils were like saucers. My eyes dropped to his lips which looked pillow-soft and inviting. He rose up and straddled my lap.

Tom POV

As I leaned down to take her mouth, her pink tongue darted out, wetting her lips. I released a growl that I couldn't contain even if I wanted too. She knew what she did to me. Part of me fucking hated her for making me weak like this- for wanting and shifting my world axis for her and debasing myself for carnal desires. Emboldened, she leaned up and kissed me chastely, and I stayed frozen in place, my muscles protesting at the angle I was positioned. But I refused to move waiting to see what she would do. She bit my lip, then ran her tongue along over the punished flesh in a soothing manner.

Damn it she was making lose my mind.

I felt her fingers dip low to the elastic waist of my sleep shorts, "Can you finish what you started earlier?", she whispered against my lips, gripping my length tightly at the base, then stroking slowly to the top.

Fuck.

I swear she would be able to feel me swell painfully in her hand. I didn't resist the small jerk of my hips, trying to get more friction than the lazy teasing strokes- maybe she was trying to drive me to the brink?

The swipe of her thumb over the red swollen tip was my breaking point. I snapped ripping the shirt she was wearing, not caring that I didn't even use magic. I just wanted to touch her skin, make her come undone as much as she was making me lose it.

I slid my hands up her rib cage and over her breasts, her nipples were already taut tempting me to brush a thumb over each making her gasp. I flash her a wolfish grin and drop my head to suck one into my warm waiting mouth. I love the feeling of her pushing her hands in my hair and tugging on my curls. It's that perfect bit of pain, that pulls me closer to the edge.

"I love these", and I do. I can encapsulate her pert little breasts fully in my hands. I tighten my grip, most likely to leave purple smudges haloing her mounds. But instead of pulling away or wincing, she pushes more into my grasp. Another growl erupts from me, and I sink my teeth into her shoulder, " You little tease". I whisper before licking my bite mark. She makes me feel like an animal. She is still stroking me with one hand, squeezing the base, release on the upstroke, then me the bottom of the head, before smearing the pre-cum with her thumb, then downward stroke. It was a perfect rhythm to keep me on edge. My hips where thrusting of their own volition following her lead.

"I want you to suck me deep" I almost didn't recognise my own voice, it was so thick with lust.

"Now?" she whined out as I tugged on her ear lobe with my teeth. I shook my head even though my body was very much on board with that line of thought. Hermione pouts as I pull back and peel her fingers off my dick. I lament the loss, but I need to shuffle down so I can move her legs.

I take great pleasure in relieving her of her shorts and knickers. While she may not be able to feel her legs and only faintly her sex, her body still knows my touch. Hermione is wet, and I can smell her arousal. A sense of manly pride overcomes me. I hitch a leg over my shoulder and apply a wandless sticking charm to stop it from slipping off.

I look up at her, and she is flushed, her eyes ablaze, and chest heaving. I keep eye contact as I drag my tongue up her wet centre, my eyes nearly roll into the back of my head- she tastes fantastic. A moan gets caught in her throat, and I wonder how much she can feel as I continue to lick and suck on her folds, like a parched man dying of thirst.

Her fingers find purchase in my hair again and pull. I moan, her desire dribbling down my chin. My cock is so hard, it aches and weeping an obscene amount of fluid. Her cries are getting more desperate, and I want to push her over the edge. Easing one finger inside her, I curl it upward and stroke the spot I know will set her off. Her fingernails rake against my scalp, and I give her clit a tiny nip with my teeth.

Hermione makes a frustrated noise because I assume she can't quite get what she needs because she can't move her hips. I flatten my tongue and press it as firmly as I can against her and rub it up and down trying to mimic her grinding on my face. It must do something because moments later, she stills and emits a long satisfied sigh.

I immediately release her leg and crawl up her. One hand navigates its way underneath her palming her arse, lifting her slightly to give a better angle with which to slide into her wet heat. I am breathing heavily through my nose and thinking of flubberworm mucous just to stop myself from exploding like a virgin teenage boy. Her inner muscles are still spasming, clenching hard around me. Sweet Jesus, this is torture.

Sweat is beading on my forehead, and some of my hair is plastered to the side of my face. I must look ridiculous. I shift a little moving that little bit deeper, her head is thrown back panting. As she comes down, her fingers begin running all over me, unsure of where to grip.

I can't imagine how this feels for her, but for me, it's incredible. She fits around me as tight as a glove.

She opens her eyes and two deep pools of whiskey latch on to mine.

"Are you okay?" I can't help but rock a little more into her; it's killing me holding back, but I need to know it's okay.

"Yeah..." She captures my lips In a tender but searching kiss. I groan as she sucks on my tongue and licks the inside of my mouth. I move with abandon, pounding into her to reach my release. I won't last long, too far gone. It wasn't supposed to be like this, but damn it I don't care.

My release comes upon me suddenly; all my muscles relax and like a hose that had suddenly become unkinked a tidal wave of unimpeded ecstasy floods my brain, drowning in everything that is Hermione.

I move off to the side, so I don't crush her under my weight. I'm panting hard trying to catch my breath. I pull her close to me, so she's in the crook of my arm and I gently kiss her head.

"How do you feel?", she tilts her head back so she can look me in the eyes. Her face is still flushed, and a sheen of sweat coats her skin, but she has never looked more attractive than she does now.

"Relaxed and tired. I can feel a light tingling in my legs, is that normal?" I moved before answering, lying on my side so we could face each other.

"Yes, that is a good sign that you are feeling it already. In three days we should be able to get you moving around for short periods ", she nods but I could tell she wasn't really listening and I wonder if I had approached our intimate moment incorrectly.

"Do you think about the future? I don't mean the immediate future but fifty years from now" At first a spike of white-hot anger rips through me and I want to tell her to stop this sentimental bullshit. I scan her face for some kind of motive and don't see anything but hope...and resignation. I realise she is expecting something that would cause her disappointment, that maybe perhaps I would run off and make Horcruxes again or at least along those lines. I have listened enough to Narcissa and Lucius to know that I need to reassure because if I don't, I know I will have Narcissa riding my arse- not to mention the elves. I drop my gaze from her face to the ring on her finger, that is on the hand that is clutching the sheet in a death grip. Did I want that? That was the question. I certainly didn't want anyone else touching her, seeing her naked or having in-depth discussions about the more ethical methods of procuring murtlap tentacles. I wanted it all. I was greedy and selfish bastard after all.

"I want this" Her head snapped up eyes wide; she obviously wasn't expecting it. Silly girl.

"Even when I'm old and wrinkly?" It came out breathy like she was afraid even to ask the question.

"You'll still knock me off my feet even when you're eighty-three" she sucked in a sharp breath, and she was blinking back tears. "Ok enough of that you know I hate seei-" before I could finish my sentence how much I hated seeing her cry she yanked me down by my hair and crushed her lips to mine, viciously biting my bottom lip, splitting it open.

"I love you" she whispered against my bleeding mouth. I loved hearing her say those words, but I couldn't get them to pass my lips. I pulled away; seeing her swollen lips smeared with my blood and saliva had me groaning and grasping for some semblance of control. It had been an incredibly long day, and I wouldn't be surprised if she sleeps for most of tomorrow.

Tomorrow the real work begins.