Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, no profit is being made, this is just for fun
AN: Here's the next chapter, Dun dun dun!
Hermione stared up at the ceiling, watching the small flock or birds circle above her bed. They often formed, without her even noticing when she was angry.
There was a quiet knock at the door, and she looked over towards it and sighed, "come in."
The door opened, and Albus Dumbledore stepped inside quietly, "I wonder if I might have a word in private?" He asked, his blue eyes seeming to search hers for forgiveness.
She couldn't form the words, so instead she gestured to a nearby chair for him to take a seat.
"I know this has all come as quite a shock to you, Miss Granger, and I truly do feel sorry that I couldn't allow anyone to know about this, especially Harry. The boy has been through so much, and I'm sorry to say, he'll have to shoulder even more before this is all over."
Hermione nodded, her jaw tensing as she gritted her teeth to staunch the angry tirade that was threatening to pour from her lips.
"He won't forgive you for this deception, you know." She said finally, looking into his eyes.
Professor Dumbledore looked more tired than she had ever seen him, "I know, I don't expect he will, but it is a sacrifice that must be made for the greater good." He said
Hermione scoffed, "You know, I often wonder, Professor, who will benefit at the end of all of this; not Harry, not the Weasley's, and certainly not me." She said quietly thinking back to how she had completely removed her parent's memories of ever having a daughter.
"Sometimes, Miss Granger, we must look beyond ourselves. It is the difference in choosing between what is right, and what is easy." He said solemnly, and she knew that he was right.
"Tell me what to do, Professor." She said quietly, looking up and meeting his eyes, which she was relieved to see held the twinkle that she had so missed.
"I shall, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said kindly as he gave her a small smile.
~~{0}~~
Hermione sat dumbfounded in her room long after Professor Dumbledore left her alone with her thoughts. Simply put, the plan was madness. She had argued with him, vehemently, telling him how utterly bonkers it was, and how she thought he was making a huge mistake, but it was already too late; the events had already been set into motion.
After the Professor had explained to her about the unbreakable vow Severus Snape had made to Narcissa Malfoy in order to protect her only son, and at what cost, She understood that he had left explicit instructions with Severus Snape on the whereabouts of his horcrux, and that it was the very same professor who had completed the dark ritual in secret within days of Dumbledore's death, restoring life to his previous body. When he had gone on to explain the rest of his plan, her jaw had hit the floor. He told her how he had also recovered one of Voldemort's horcruxes, the Gaunt family ring, which had cursed his hand when he had attempted to destroy it. He decided then, to keep it hidden, creating a replica of it that appeared to be destroyed that he would give to Harry to convince him that Voldemort's remaining horcruxes would need to be found, and destroyed before Voldemort himself could be defeated. When Hermione had asked why he hadn't destroyed the ring, she spluttered ungracefully at his response.
"I decided to keep the horcrux, so that I might make better use of it. Have you ever heard the expression, Miss Granger, that it is better to fight fire with fire?"
"You can't be serious, Professor, that's reckless, its-"
"I'm quite serious, Miss Granger, it's the one thing he would never see coming."
"But he's evil! Surely you can't trust him!" Hermione shrieked, feeling like Dumbledore's sanity had not returned along with his body.
"Come, Miss Granger, I'll show you." He suddenly stood, and held out his arm to her. She looked up at him in shock, and against her better judgement, she placed her hand upon his arm disapparating with a crack.
When she opened her eyes, she was in a room she didn't recognize, and there was a boy who appeared to be the same age as her sitting at a desk reading a book. She knew who it was immediately, and gripped her wand tightly in her pocket. Her eyes darted between the man she had trusted for the last six years, and the much younger and more human version of her greatest enemy.
"What have you done, Professor?" she whispered in shock, her voice trembling as she met Tom Riddle's obsidian eyes.
"Tom, I'd like you to meet Hermione Granger, she's the brightest witch of her age." Dumbledore said with a light chuckle, his blue eyes twinkling merrily, as if this were all some big joke.
"Charmed, I'm sure." Tom said raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at the wand that was currently pointing at his face.
"There's no need for that, Miss Granger, you can put your wand away; no one is going to hurt you."
Tom scoffed lightly in an arrogant way that only made Hermione more angry.
"Do you have something you wish to say to me?" she snapped, pointing her wand directly into his neck.
He smirked glancing down at the wand pressed to his throat, and then back up to her face, "Yes. Are you always this friendly?" he asked with an air of sarcasm.
When he made no move to pull his wand on her, she growled in frustration and lowered hers.
"Harry's going to hit the roof when he finds out-" she started saying to Professor Dumbledore before he held up a hand
"I'm quite aware that Mr. Potter will disagree with my methods, however, as I said before, he mustn't know…not until the proper time." Dumbledore insisted, looking at her over his half-moon spectacles.
She clenched her jaw, glancing between the two men. Was this really happening?
"Well, I've some business to discuss with my dear brother, I shan't be long. I'll leave the two of you to get better acquainted, since you will be working quite closely together, after all." He stood walking towards the door to the room, with Hermione gaping after him like fish.
"Sir, you can't mean to leave me here with this…this…" She spluttered
"Tell me how you really feel." Tom muttered under his breath, narrowing his eyes at her.
Dumbledore gave her a small smile, and stepped through the door to find his brother, Aberforth, waiting on the other side.
Back inside the room, she turned sharply to face Tom, crossing her arms over her chest, "You, sir, are a…a…" Hermione stammered trying to find exactly the right word to describe him.
"A what?" he mocked, smirking at her and mirroring her stance.
"A murderer! Not to mention a prejudiced fucking arsehole!" Hermione finally shouted.
On the other side of the door, Aberforth chuckled looking at his older brother, "I like her already."
"Miss Granger is indeed a force to be reckoned with." Professor Dumbledore clapped his brother on the back and led them down the hall to a study to talk, unconcerned about the two brightest students he'd ever taught, left alone in a room together.
~~{0}~~
"I'll have you know, that aside from one accidental death, and one in self-defense, I've not murdered anyone, thankyouverymuch." Tom snapped, narrowing his eyes at her.
"But you killed Moaning Myrtle, and…and your father! Not to mention Harry's parents, and whoever else you killed to create all of those other horcruxes…" she accused, still gripping her wand tightly in her pocket in case he tried anything.
"No, I didn't. Murder implies intent. Myrtle Warren was in the wrong place at the wrong time. True, I did release the Basilisk, but I did it to see if I could. The Basilisk killed her, not me. As for my father, well, he pulled a gun on me. What was I supposed to do, just let him shoot me? As for everyone else you mentioned…that happened while I was stuck in that damned ring, so you see, I haven't murdered anyone."
Hermione scoffed, "Semantics. You still shared his hatred, you still want what he wants." Hermione shot back, unwilling to believe his lies.
"Oh? And what do I want, Hermione, please enlighten me, seeing as you clearly know so much about me." He spat sarcastically, they were almost nose to nose now.
"You hate muggleborns, and muggles, and want them all dead. That's your whole plan, isn't it? Rise to power and kill us all." Hermione snapped poking her finger into his chest.
He batted her finger away, and grasped her upper arms bringing his lips close to her ear. She stiffened in response, and he smirked at her reaction to his proximity, "Lest you forget, Hermione, I'm a Half-Blood."
Goosebumps rose on her skin at the way her name rolled off his tongue; it sounded like liquid velvet, and she shivered.
"That didn't stop your counterpart." She said looking up at him defiantly.
"No, it didn't, but once again…I am not him." Tom said meeting her gaze and rendering her speechless.
The door suddenly opened, and she stepped back from him quickly, her cheeks turning pink in embarrassment.
"Ah, I see the two of you are getting along." The professor chuckled as he stepped into the room.
"We haven't killed each other, if that's what you mean." She spat sarcastically.
"Yes, well, its time that I return you, Miss Granger. Tom, I'll be speaking with you soon." He said lightly as he held his arm out for Hermione to take. She took one last glance at Tom Riddle, and the corner of his mouth lifted into the ghost of a smirk just before she disapparated with the Professor.
When she felt her feet touch the floor, and she could see she was back in her room at Grimmauld place. Professor Dumbledore once again took the opportunity to remind her of the utmost need for secrecy.
"Forgive me, Professor, but you keep mentioning 'The proper time'. When exactly would that be?" she asked him.
"We do not want to tip our hand, Miss Granger, if Voldemort believes that we are vulnerable, he'll get careless; he'll make mistakes." Dumbledore explained.
Hermione chewed on her lip thoughtfully, and once again expressed concern for Harry.
"He's withdrawn, Professor. I'm worried about him. He feels as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders, and that he must bear it alone." She said sadly.
"Not alone, Miss Granger. I've no intention of sending the boy to his death. When the time comes to defeat Voldemort once and for all, Tom and I will be at his side."
Hermione nodded, but there was still something bothering her.
"Sir? What does Tom Riddle get out of all of this? Why has he agreed to help us destroy…well…himself?" Hermione asked timidly.
"The Tom you've just met, has not been treated kindly by the world, nor by myself, I regret to say, and he has made some poor choices, but no one is irredeemable, Hermione. Second chances can be a powerful gift, if one is so inclined to change." Dumbledore said cryptically.
"But how do you know that he truly wants to change? What if we go through all of this, and he just does it all over again?" Hermione asked
"Perspective is a powerful thing, Miss Granger, I have found that Death has given me an abundance of it; but to answer your question, if Tom deviates from our agreement, then I shall kill him myself." Dumbledore said with an air of finality that made her shiver.
"Now, if that is all, I must go." He said giving her a small smile
"Sir? You said I will be working closely with Tom Riddle. What will I be doing?" she asked, her brow rising in confusion.
"You will be learning legillimency from him, which in turn, you will teach to the others, once you have mastered it. You will also be monitoring him, and reporting directly to me. Surely you didn't think I'd leave him to his own devices?" The Professor chuckled.
"But what about Hogwarts? I'll be returning to school-" she started.
"Yes, Miss Granger, you will. Mr. Riddle will also be attending Hogwarts disguised by polyjuice potion, posing as a transfer student. The two of you will take on the role of Head girl and Head Boy this year, which I assume is agreeable to you?" The professor smiled at her, his blue eyes giving their incessant twinkle.
"Of course" Hermione said, excited about her new status as Head Girl, and partially discomfited that she'd have to share such close quarters with Tom Riddle.
"I have the utmost faith in you, Miss Granger." He smiled before sweeping from the room leaving her alone with her thoughts.
AN: Horcrux Tom! what do you guys think? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Leave me a review!