Time curious time.

Give me no compasses.

Give me no signs.

Were there clues I didn't see?

Isn't it just so pretty to think?

All along there was some invisible string, tying you to me.

Taylor Swift

The great hall was in utter chaos and Tom knew that he should get out of there post haste. The problem, however, was that the boy who lived was starring at him in horror and Tom couldn't leave him behind with no answers.

Well, he could, he just knew he would get a lot of flack for it once his witch returned.

So with a look of resignation and in a tone that he hoped would broker no arguments, he said quickly, "Not here, Potter."

The boy swallowed and stood up moving his invisibility cloak over himself. "Let's go."

Tom snorted at his demanding tone and turned to walk briskly out of the hall and then the castle.

He said nothing as he led the invisible boy through the war-torn grounds and into the forest. He stopped just inside the trees and turned left; following a path that most students had never noticed before. He felt his breath leave him in relief once he passed the wards for his cottage.

Of course, he was greeted by general chaos. All manner of creatures had apparently taken sanctuary inside his wards as the war raged around them.

Centaur's were everywhere with Slip moving between them offering medical care.

There were unicorns by the pond being tended to by a witch with long blond hair who seemed to be at home in the forest. He frowned at her as he realized that if she had been able to walk through his wards, she would be related to one of the founders as well.

He would have to ponder that later.

Harry looked around in awe, his invisibility cloak falling to the ground as he took in the sights around him. "What is this place?"

Tom moved up the path a bit, trying to find them some privacy. "My home," he finally said as he gestured for Harry to take a seat. "As I am the heir of Salazar Slytherin, I was able to create my own home along the lei line from the castle. The Centaurs protected it for me while I was unable to do so."

Harry blew out a stunned breath. "So- you have just been here in the forest this whole time?"

Tom shrugged. "In a way."

"Lord Voldemort has just been-"

"Don't be silly Harry, Tom isn't Lord Voldemort." Was said by the blond girl who suddenly seemed to be right beside them.

Tom frowned at her, was the girl Fey too?

Harry turned around and gaped at the blond who was smiling at him. Tom would lay money the girl was a Ravenclaw. She had that rather smug smile he associated with that house about her.

"Luna! What? How?" Harry Potter gapped at the girl for a moment before he collected himself and said concededly. "Of course, he's Lord Voldemort."

Luna (and really wasn't that a good name for this slip of a girl) shook her head and petted a unicorn who had a large scratch on its flank and seemed to be unwilling to leave her side. "Harry, things are really not what they seem. You have a story to hear and I think you had better sit down and listen; because if you don't Hermione will be very upset with you and honestly, that never ends well for you."

Harry bristled at this as Tom tried not to snigger. The boy's face went red as he seemed to remember why he had followed Tom out to the forest in the first place. Harry turned back to Tom and yelled, "Hermione! Give her back!"

Luna laughed and walked over to push Harry down on a mossy log. "He didn't take her from you, Harry."

Harry pulled at his hair and looked up at him his eyes full of worry and shock. "What did you mean when you said she went to save you?" Harry asked after a moment.

Tom Riddle knew his face was pale as he thought about how he could possibly explain all that had happened. "She went back in time to when I was a student and we became-" he paused unsure what he should tell the boy. Hermione had loved him like a brother and it felt almost wrong to be telling him all of this. Hermione would probably want to do the honours.

The girl called Luna smiled at him her eyes twinkling, " They became friends and lovers, Harry. It was their destined fate to love one another. The castle knows the story; it can tell you if you just listen."

Tom flashed the witch a stunned look and then watched as Harry seemed to process what she had just told him.

"Okay-," he said slowly looking between the two of them. "Hermine is your, um, love. But, where is she now? Is she stuck back in time?"

Tom winced at that and then sighed heavily. "No, she was gone from my time before the year was done."

Harry swallowed heavily at this. "How are you here and," he gestured at Tom, "so young? Shouldn't you be older?"

Tom gave him a long look and then sighed. "I should, yes."

"So why aren't you?"

"A spell," Tom said a bit unhelpfully. He was getting a bit fatigued and his worry for Hermione was growing by the second.

"And you are not Lord Voldemort? But you are Tom Riddle? I don't understand that," Harry said his voice rising.

It was Luna who answered her smile serine. "They are two different souls now, Harry. He healed his soul. Very tricky magic, soul magic. And Lord Voldemort didn't."

Harry stood up, recognition flashing in his green eyes. Apparently, the boy knew about soul magic. "You healed your soul?"

Tom gave him a long searching look before he finally answered. "I did. I would call the place I was purgatory and felt like ten lifetimes. I am not sure how to even explain it. I-," he ran a hand through his hair and shrugged his eyes filling with tears. "I had a lot to make amends for. The herd magic kept me in a type of statis charm while I spirit walked-," he shrugged helplessly, "that is the only way I can think to explain it- I had to spirit walk through purgatory and mend my soul." He took a large breath and met the bright green eyes of the wizard who was looking at him with awe and confusion. "I woke up yesterday," he said. "Just in time, it seems."

"Then who was Lord Voldemort?" Harry asked.

"A golem," Tom said quietly. "Hermione and I figured out that somehow a part of my soul was put into a golem. We theorized that I had done so, to maintain the time line. But, it was actually Abraxas Malfoy. He got ahold of my notes and set things up, I think he hoped to control the golem to his own ends, I was away travelling," Tom sighed and felt his guilt and sadness overwhelm him. "I honestly don't think I could have done it, made Lord Voldemort. Hermione showed me what that piece of my soul did," he shuddered and closed his eyes. "So, I was stalling, travelling, and Abraxas found my notes and created the golem on his own. Fate, I suppose." Tom opened his eyes and met Harry's wide gaze. "Once I discovered his duplicity I went into my 'soul sleep' here in the forest."

Harry gapped at him and then looked to Luna who was smiling at them both. "You- you buy this?" He asked Luna.

Luna gave him a funny look and then shook her head. "He isn't selling you anything, Harry. He is simply telling you what happened."

Tom smirked at the blond, he had understood Harry's muggle saying, but she was clearly confused by him.

Harry bristled but then nodded. "What about Hermione? Aren't you worried, Luna?"

Luna shrugged, "Give her time, Harry. She is destined to be here when she gets here."

Harry seemed to want to scream in frustration. "When, Luna? When will that be?"

Luna looked at him startled and gave a small shrug. "Well, I am not fate, Harry. How should I know?"

Hermione was floating.

That is the only way she could think to describe it.

Floating.

There was no pain, no light, no worries.

She was just- there, wherever there might be.

Time seemed to be endless. Every once in awhile she could hear things. People, maybe?

But- for the most part, she just floated.

Her mind was blank. It was rather odd, to be honest. Usually, her mind was full of all kinds of facts, spells, books, ideas, worries.

Not here, however; here she floated.

She tried to count, but the emptiness was distracting. Eventually, Hermione just sank into the nothingness and allowed herself to relax.

Maybe this was heaven?

"Where is she, Bane? It's been two days," Tom asked in a gruff voice as he lay out beneath the stars.

The Centaur beside him shifted starring at the sky. "She is in the meantime."

"What does that mean?" Was asked impatiently by Harry Potter who was also laying on the forest floor looking up at the sky.

"It means we must wait," was said in a dreamy voice by Luna Lovegood.

So- the odd four some did just that.

They waited.

Hermione became aware that the nothingness was fading. Her body felt heavier and she was starting to hold her thoughts again."

The air around her seemed to vibrate before she felt her eyes opening and she was standing in some kind of field of Heather.

Scotland, she supposed.

"Ah- hello, Hermione."

Hermione turned around and let out a small gasp. A beautiful witch was standing there with thick dark curls and dark grey eyes. A witch that looked somehow familiar.

Before Hermione could reach to find her wand the witch held up a placating hand.

"Wait, I will not harm you."

Hermione took in a gasping breath. "Bellatrix, you are Bellatrix Lestrange, are you not?

The witch nodded her face shuttering. "I am, and I have wronged you. I admit I never thought I would have the chance to beg your favour as soon as I am, but- here we are all the same."

Hermione looked around not relaxing but also not feeling as if her life was in danger. "Where are we?"

Bellatrix shrugged. "I am not sure. What you see, and what I see, are probably different and in the end, do not matter in the least."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something and then paused frowning thoughtfully. "Um, I don't understand why you would need to talk to me."

Bellatrix tilted her head her face flushing a bit and regret seeming to flash in her eyes. "I wronged you greatly. I-," she hesitated and then seemed to square her shoulders, "Well, there are many reasons why I was the way I was. But- I am sorry." Bellatrix gestured at Hermione her eyes wide and earnest. "I am sorry for your arm, for your pain, for everything."

Hermione flinched and tucked her arm into her side protectively. "I- I don't know what to say to you. It was healed in the past, I hope it stays healed. Will it?" She asked curiously with a hint of worry.

Bellatrix gave her a gentle smile. "Yes. The curse was removed."

Hermione nodded and looked into the fields of heather, time seemed to float around her. The sky did not darken. There was a slight breeze. It was nice here.

"I don't know what to do," Hermione said finally looking back at the witch who was still standing in the field with her.

Bellatrix shrugged her face kind. "Don't you?"

Hermione frowned and then suddenly she was falling, the field dissolving around her.

.

.

.

She heard yelling and then she landed with a hard thud on a cold stone floor.

"Hermione!"

Opening her eyes she looked into the startled eyes of Minerva McGonagall and let out a sharp breath of pain.

"Am I back?"

"Aye lassie, you are," Minerva said kindly.

Hermione gave a slight nod and then winced, she had probably just broken her shoulder and Merlin her head was killing her.

There was more noise, people seemed to be rushing around her. She tried to keep her eyes open, to focus on what was going on, but she was so dizzy.

When she opened her eyes again it was dark and she knew where she was immediately.

Hospital Wing.

She blinked and tried to focus on the voices. Madam Pomphrey was trying to calm someone down.

"I just want to see her!"

Hermione let out a deep breath, well that would be Harry.

"Mr Potter, as I have told everyone else, my patient is sleeping and I will not have her disturbed. Her body is processing an overload of magic and needs to rest. I just gave her a sleeping drought."

Hermione frowned at that bit of information but drifted back to sleep before she could muster up the energy to demand more information.

.

.

.

The sun was shinning. She could feel it warming her face before she opened her eyes. Slowly, carefully, she opened her heavy eyelids and blinked at the sheer brightness around her. She took a deep breath and smelled the astringent smells of the hospital wing. She could hear people talking softly around her.

"It's okay, Hermione," was said beside her in a lyrical voice she recognized as Luna Lovegood. "No one is here to bother you yet."

Hermione turned her head and blinked until she could focus on the blond in the chair next to her bed, she was framed by the sunlight in the window and looked a bit like an angel.

"Hi, Luna."

Luna's smile was wide and she leaned forward her blue eyes dancing. "Hi, Hermione. Did you have a good trip?"

Hermione smiled back at her. Trip? Only Luna would call what happened to her a trip.

"I- I think I did, yes," Hermione said carefully moving to sit up.

Luna lent her a hand and then handed her a glass of water. "Oh, wonderful. Tom has been very worried, even though he rarely shows it. Harry is a mess without you, but that isn't unusual, is it?"

Hermione choked on her water her eyes going wide and her hand trembling.

Tom?

"Tom!"

Luna smiled at her knowingly. "Yes, Tom Riddle. I rather thought you knew him?"

Hermione stared at her stupidly. "He- is he here, Luna?"

Luna tilted her head giving her a curious look. "Of course he is, Hermione. Where else would he be?"

Hermione had no reply to that, so instead, she sank back onto her pillows and took a gulp of her water. Before she could think of which of the ten questions she had to answer first there was a bellow and Harry skidded to a halt in front of her bed.

"You're awake!"

Hermione smiled at him setting down her glass of water. "Where on earth did you just come from?" She asked looking him over, he looked a bit odd. She couldn't put her finger on why.

He winced and glanced at Luna. "Oh, um, I was in the forest. How are you feeling?"

Hermione glanced at him strangely. "Fine, why?"

Luna spoke up, "you have been asleep for a bit, Hermione."

Harry rolled his eyes pulling a chair over to sink down in. He looked rather pale now. "A bit? Luna, she was 'asleep' for the better part of a year!"

Hermione was glad she had already sat her water glass down. "A year?"

Harry nodded his face full of angst and excitement. "Yeah. Well, apparently time travelling uses a lot of magic, it was dancing all over you," he ran a hand through his hair- oh! His hair was longer. "We couldn't touch you or anything, and Madam Pomfrey had to keep you sedated, but with a potion, not magic."

Hermione looked between the two her face paling in horror. "What?"

Luna patted her arm gently her face calm and her eyes showing concern. "It's okay, Hermione. You are well, the magic simply had to run it's course before it was safe. You're fine now," she patted her arm again, "see I can touch you and not get shocked or anything."

Hermione looked back to Harry who was smiling at her wryly. "Ron tried to hold your hand when you first showed up, he was knocked on his arse."

Hermione blinked at him feeling her stomach flip. Ron, oh no.

Harry seemed to read her expression because he sat forward his tone urgent. "Oh! It's fine, he knows all about Tom, Hermione. Everyone does really. Tom had to go before the Wizengamot, and they had to well-," he shrugged seeming to look for the word, "pardon him?"

Luna snorted and gave Harry an affection smile. "As he hadn't done anything they thought and had subjected himself to soul magic to atone for his other sins, it was a very well deserved pardon. I still think they owe him an Order of Merlin as well as -"

Hermione brought her hand up to her forehead as Luna and Harry continued talking. Tom was here? Tom was out in wizarding society? Tom had subjected himself to soul magic?

"He did it? He healed his soul?"

Harry looked away from Luna his eyes widening and his face apologetic; as if he had just realized that he had forgotten her.

"Oh, well, um, yeah."

Luna stood up suddenly startling Hermione and then she smiled gesturing, "Tom! She is awake now."

Hermione turned her head so quickly she kinked it and then she felt all the air rush out of her lungs.

Standing in the doorway, tall, broad-shouldered, and whole- was Tom Riddle. His hair was a bit longer and he might have gotten taller, but his blue eyes were just the same. His smile was wide and full of relief and love and for once not forced. He strode forward confidently and she pushed herself up.

In a moment she was in his arms and she let out a broken sob of shock and happiness.

Taking a deep breath, she smelled the unique sent that was her wizard and she felt him tremble as he rubbed her back soothingly.

"You did it," she whispered when she finally was able to pry her face from his chest and look up at him. "You are here."

Tom nodded his arms tightening around her. "It was fate," he whispered his voice husky his eyes dancing with happiness.

Hermione grinned back her eyes full of love. "It was destiny," she whispered back.

Tom laughed softly and kissed her, "maybe," he said peppering kisses all over her face, "it was both."

Fin

Author Notes:
I tried so hard to get this out before midnight. I am typing this note at 12:01 am, so I failed.
2020 was awful. I rewrote this chapter so many times I lost count. I hated every twist my muse tried to take.

I honestly have hated everything I wrote this year.

So- maybe it is fitting that I am publishing this one minute into 2021.

I want to thank you all for going on this journey with me. I really do love you all so much. You bring me joy, and hope, and are so kind. Every follow, fav, comment and message you send are treasured.

Please keep finding me on Instagram (crystaljeanred) and thank you, thank you for reading my silly, strange, stories.

Happy New Year!

Cheers,
Cjean