A/N: Ok….I know this took forever and I know most of you are probably mad at me…but blame it's delay on school, my best friend, and my life. I have been so crazily busy and I when I would sit down to write, I would be super tired and not want to do it. So I guess my laziness was a problem too, but I'm working on it! I'm sorry this chapter is so short and not all that great, but it will get better, I promise! And the next chapter will be out very soon! I hope I didn't lose any readers! I love you guys and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint too much!
"There you are Tom." Harry called as the pale yet handsome boy entered the Common Room.
"What's so funny?" Ginny asked as she noticed the smirk on Tom's lips.
The ex-Slytherin smiled even more as he tossed his books onto the nearest couch and sauntered over to his friends who were sitting around the warm fire.
"It's just something Snape said." He laughed as he seated himself next to Hermione. His hand slipped into hers and light pink tinge rose up in her creamy cheeks.
"What did he say?" Ron asked while eyeing the hand that had covered Hermione's moments ago.
"He basically warned me against seeing Hermione." Tom told them.
"How is that funny?" Hermione asked while looking at him quizzically.
"He uh…he thinks I am under your thrall, love." Tom said while giggling.
Hermione looked around angrily at her smirking friends.
"I still don't see how that is funny…mental maybe, but not funny."
"Tell us Hermione," Ron joked. "Did you use a love potion or some kind of spell?"
"Ron, even if you did use a spell you couldn't get anyone to fall in love with you." She snapped. Ron frowned at her.
"You didn't need a spell to get me Hermione." Tom whispered in her ear. "Just one look at your soft, pink lips had me bewitched." He ran steady fingers down her arm and felt the shiver race through her. He winked at her and let his fingers continue their exploration until Harry let out a small cough to get their attention.
"All right, enough of that you two." The unruly haired boy laughed. "I don't think any of us want to see a make out session at the moment."
Tom smiled and removed his long fingers from her arm. Hermione was grateful for that when she noticed the annoyed glances they were receiving from Ron.
"Alright, I guess I had better tell you all what I've been meaning to say." Harry said.
The small group moved in closer to each other to keep their conversation more private. Even though there weren't a lot of people in the room, it didn't mean that someone wasn't listening.
"That day when Voldemort possessed me," Harry began quietly, "And Dumbledore and I had that talk, well…he told me how Voldemort is to be destroyed."
Harry had their full attention now as each of them visibly sat up straighter. He saw Hermione slip another hand over Tom's and watched the grateful smile spread across his face as he looked at her. Those two really must be in love, he thought.
"It turns out that everything my prophecy foretold is true. I am the one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord, but not in the way you are all thinking. Tom is the one who must defeat him; I am the one who will allow him to do so." Harry stopped and looked into his friends' confused faces.
"I don't get it Harry." Hermione said. "The prophecy says that you are the one who will destroy the Dark Lord."
"That is what I thought as well, but we were not reading into it enough. It says I have the power to defeat him, but that doesn't mean it will be me who destroys him in the end."
"It will be me…if I change, right?" Tom asked.
"Exactly Tom," Harry replied. "You see, the power that I have that Lord Voldemort knows not is love. Dumbledore explained that if I had not helped Hermione that night, out of love for my friends, then Tom would not be here today." Harry glanced at the brunette.
"I'm sorry I lied to you, Harry." She said while looking at ground. "I just thought that if you came with me then maybe the spell would work better. I didn't want to get you in trouble or anything, but I just needed you there with me."
"There's no need to apologize Hermione." He told her. "I'm glad you did what you did…it was very Slytherin of you if I do say so myself."
He looked at Tom's proud smile and couldn't help but laugh a little.
"Um Harry, you might have to clarify that a little better." Ron said. "I still don't get how you are the one with the power to defeat you-know-who and yet Tom here is the one who will do it."
"Well, Dumbledore believes that I will be the one who discovers the time spell that will send Tom back. Once there, he will be able to start over a new life that hopefully turns out to be Voldemort free."
"So…so he will be going back then?" Hermione asked in a small voice. Harry saw Tom's hand squeeze around hers more securely.
"I'm sorry you two." Harry informed them sadly. "I wish there was something we could do, but he has to go back."
Hermione's face scrunched up a bit as she tried to block out the tears. Even Ron looked upset by this news, which surprised Harry greatly.
"Well this is a happy conversation." Ginny pointed out sarcastically.
Harry cracked a smile and glanced at Ginny. The red head was biting her lip out of nervousness and was twirling a strand of her rosy hair in pale fingers. Harry wanted to be the one who sucked and bit and on that lower lip…but she's Ron's little sister, he reminded himself miserably.
"Well, that's all I really have to tell you." Harry finished somewhat uncomfortably.
"No it isn't." Ron said. "You didn't tell us why Malfoy freaked out like he did."
"Oh right. I forgot about that." Harry felt a little uneasy telling all of them, especially Ron who was known for his lack of good judgment.
"Draco was the one who told Voldemort about Tom." Harry said. "Ron, lose that look all right? Dumbledore said we can not do anything to him, and I gave him my word that we wouldn't." Harry warned.
"What look, I don't have a look." Ron spat.
"Oh sure Ron, that evil eye you are sporting is an everyday look for you." Ginny said while rolling her eyes.
Harry and the others laughed while Ron continued to pout.
"It's ok Harry, I had a feeling it was Malfoy anyways." Tom told him. "I really can't blame him for doing what he did considering who his father is."
"Well at least someone is levelheaded in the group." Harry said.
"I'm levelheaded." Ron added quietly. "And Ginny don't you say anything! I'm sick of all your little remarks."
"What?" Ginny asked innocently.
Ron just rolled his eyes.
"Do you guys mind if Hermione and I take off for a bit?" Tom asked. "I uh…have some homework I need to show her."
The group laughed at his lame excuse and Tom just shrugged his shoulders.
"Sure Tom. You and Hermione deserve some time alone to uh…show each other your homework." Harry teased.
"Oh good Harry, now I can get you to study with me again." Ginny said while standing up.
She walked over to Harry and reached for his hand. As she pulled him up, Harry accidentally tripped a little and landed in her arms for support.
"S-sorry Ginny" Harry stammered, his face very close to hers. "I uh…guess I need to tie my shoes or something." He could feel Ginny's warm breath on his mouth and he was sure he would have fallen over again if he wasn't holding onto her.
"N-no problem Harry," Ginny said. She seemed confused about something as she gazed into his beautiful green eyes.
"Uh Ginny…I think Harry can stand now." Ron said.
The couple broke apart instantly, as if the other's skin had suddenly burnt them.
"I uh…we better go study." Harry stammered while not meeting anyone's eyes.
"Right, study…sure...huh uh…" Ginny added quickly.
Ron arched an eyebrow as he stared at them.
"What in the bloody hell is wrong with you two?" He asked, bewildered by their behavior.
Hermione and Tom were snickering but trying to cover it up.
"Nothing Fon everything's rine…I mean nothing Ron…oh forget it!" Harry exclaimed. "Come on Gin, let's get to work."
Ginny, who had been laughing at Harry's jumbled vocabulary, nodded her head and picked up her books off the couch.
"You two have fun." Ginny said to Tom and Hermione as she followed Harry to a nearby desk.
The couple smiled and waved and looked over at Ron who was looking at his little sister as if he suspected her of something.
"What are your plans for this evening Ron?" Tom inquired.
"I uh…I have some studying to do as well." Ron answered. He hadn't even looked at Tom when he said it for his attention was focused on the couple who had just sat down to study.
"Ok Ron. Have fun." Hermione told him.
"Sure Hermione."
Hermione just rolled her eyes and tugged on her boyfriend's sleeve to get his attention.
"He's probably going to spy on them." She whispered in his ear. Tom snorted and nodded his head.
"I bet not one of them is gong to get much studying done." Tom replied, as the couple watched Ron slip into a chair that was near Harry and Ginny's table. He pulled out some random book from his sack and pretended to read it. Hermione giggled when she saw that the book was upside down.
"Come on love." Tom laughed as he cupped his girlfriend's hand in his. "We have our own studying to do."
Hermione blushed and grinned at the handsome boy who just recently became her first boyfriend…and first love…
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"Severus, I have found out some interesting news." The Dark Lord said while standing above his kneeling servant. "Young Draco came to me today telling me of the relationship between Tom and the Mudblood. You can imagine how disappointed I was to hear that they are now lovers." Voldemort's voice was dripped with revulsion at the mention of the young couple.
"I would hardly call lovers my Lord. Their relationship was made public only this morning, and I waited to tell you because I thought to talk to Tom first…to hear what he had to say."
"And what did he tell you Severus?" Voldemort growled.
Snape lifted up his head and peered at this master through his stringy black hair. "He assured me that he…he…"
"Loves her," Voldemort finished for him. Severus was surprised to hear the disappointment in his master's voice…as if Tom's love for the Mudblood was hurting him.
"Stand up Severus." Voldemort said in a hushed voice.
Snape obeyed and stood before the hideous man without an ounce of disgust on his face.
"You are one of my most trusted Deatheaters Severus. That is why I am having you watch over Tom for me…and that is why I am going to give you this new assignment."
"I will do anything you ask my Lord." Snape said while locking his gaze with the red eyes before him.
"I know you will Severus." Voldemort said while grinning sadistically. He pulled out and vial from a pocket in his robes and held it out for Snape to examine.
"My Lord, is that…Amorea?" Snape asked while gazing at the peach colored liquid in Voldemort's outstretched hand.
"Indeed it is. This is what you are going to use to poison the Mudblood."
"But my Lord, if you want her dead then there are faster working poisons then this that would kill her instantly…this poison will kill her…"
"Slowly…that's the point Severus. I want Tom and his pathetic band of friends to watch her suffer. When that Mudblood dies he will have no choice but to come back to me, and then he will know never to cross me again." Voldemort's red eyes flared and his decaying teeth ground against each other.
Snape took the potion from his master and tucked it into a pocket in his robes.
"It will be done Master."
"Good. Now leave me."
Snape bowed his head and made a swift turn towards the door.
Even after he left Voldemort stood and eyed the door through which he had existed.
"Yes Severus…we'll see how much it gets done." He said to himself. Voldemort pulled up his sleeve and exposed the menacing looking Dark Mark on his right arm. Placing one long, pale finger upon it, the mark writhed and burned as he summoned another servant to his quarters.
"We shall see…"
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Short…I know. Bit like I said before…the next chapter will be out in a jiffy! I am so sorry again about the wait and about this short chapter…just remember that I love you guys! Ok that doesn't make up for it but um…ya… : )