Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or it's characters, this is merely a work of fanfiction.

Peony stood on the veranda with Abraxas and Renata, enjoying the morning sun. They were all going to leave for London as soon as Tom joined them.

"Leave us," a deep voice ordered from behind her.

Abraxas took Renata's hand and led her around the garden, close enough that he could still see Peony, in case she needed him.

"When you say everything, what do you mean?" Tom asked.

"Everything," Peony responded, letting it slip out in Parseltongue. She didn't miss the gleam in Tom's eye, or the way he pulled on his robes to drape over the front of his pants.

"Would it kill you to be more specific?"

This is why he never bothered with women. They were trite, confusing, and infuriating.

Peony turned to him. He pretended not to be affected by how stunning she looked in her emerald green dress.

His color. His house. His witch.

"I want everything Tom."

She stepped closer to him. Tom's jaw tensed at her movement.

"I want your heart…"

She took another step. They were toe to toe now. The front of her green satin heels touched the curve of his oxfords. His blue eyes bore into hers.

"...and your soul…"

She ran her hand over the Peverell ring on his hand. Tom shuddered. He felt her touch through his whole body, straight down to his soul. She felt like power, raw and Dark.

"..and your body."

She rolled onto her tiptoes, and grabbed his arms for balance. She placed a kiss on his cheek, and Tom stood there, unmoving. That was his first kiss. His cheek stung where her lips had been seconds earlier.

"Make me a new future, Tom."

Peony took a few steps backward, smiling.

He heard the crunch of gravel behind him, and knew that Peony had pushed Abraxas too far. It wasn't proper, but she was a Dark witch from the future, and he had a feeling she was used to doing whatever she wanted. Abraxas glared at her sternly, and Peony blushed.

"Are we ready to go?" Renata asked, hoping to diffuse the tension.

"Ready," Peony chimed, taking her hand, and heading towards the Floo.

Tom watched with rapt eyes as Peony tried wand after wand in Olivander's. Each one failed more spectacularly than the last. Debris littered the floor.

He leaned against the wall of the lobby, next to Abraxas. His pose was carefully crafted to appear disinterested, but every bit of his attention was focused on the petite blonde at the counter.

Olivander huffed out an annoyed breath after Peony shattered a glass vase on his counter. His gaze flickered from Abraxas, to Tom, and back to Peony.

"I have an idea. Stay here."

He went deep into the shelves, pulled out a black box, and brought it to the front. Peony recognized that wand. She would recognize it anywhere. She thought perhaps it would be different this time, since she wasn't a horcrux.

Apparently not.

"11 inches, Holly, Phoenix feather core."

Tom stood up straight, taking a step forward towards the counter.

Peony picked it up carefully, feeling a familiar surge of magic flow out from her. It felt like coming home. She felt Tom at her side, and blushed at his attention.

"The core?" He asked.

"You understand correctly, Mister Riddle. Your wands are twins."

Tom looked down into Peony's gray eyes. She stared back undaunted.

"Yes Tom?"

He swallowed, his jaw tight.

His hand twitched as he fought the urge to reach out and touch her. He didn't need her. He didn't need anyone, but he was starting to think that he wanted Heiress Peony Malfoy very much.

Tom and Peony walked in front of Renata and Abraxas on their way to Gringotts.

The chime of a shop door up ahead caught Peony's attention. A much younger looking Albus Dumbeldore walked out of Flourish & Blotts, a book underneath his arm.

Peony tugged on Tom's arm as discreetly as possible. He looked down at her in confusion, and she motioned for the taller man to bend down, so she could whisper.

"Put up your Occlumency shields now."

Tom closed his eyes for half a beat, focusing. Peony had to have a reason. When he opened his eyes he heard the voice of Professor Albus Dumbledore calling to him from down the Alley.

"Mister Riddle, just the man I was hoping to see. May I have a word alone? Head Boy business."

His eyes twinkled with kindness, but Peony was on guard. She didn't trust Dumbledore alone with Tom for a second.

Is that what had caused Tom not to claim his title? Had he met Dumbledore, and been convinced not to? Had Dumbledore Imperio'd him?

Peony would put nothing past the manipulative bastard.

Abraxas bristled at the way Professor Dumbledore ignored his sister. She was due every respect due to a Pureblood lady.

Tom hadn't missed it either. Peony was his, even if he hadn't decided if he could be hers.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I don't believe you've met Heiress Peony Malfoy, she's just returned from seclusion."

Professor Dumbledore's eyes flicked to her. He gave her a small bow, and a dismissive smile.

'Oh right,' Peony thought. 'This must be how he treats girls who aren't the Chosen One. How refreshing, how terrible.'

Peony held Tom's arm a little tighter. He could feel her magic trying to control itself. She truly hated the Professor. Dumbledore looked like he was going to say something else, but Abraxas cut him off.

"Perhaps you could send a letter. We have lunch reservations, and we really must go."

Their group brushed past the Professor, only stopping when they were shown into a private room at Gringotts.

"Do we have lunch reservations?" Peony asked with amusement.

"Sure," Abraxas replied with a shrug. "Not for another hour, but he didn't need to know that. I could tell you were tense."

Peony smiled at her brother. He was incredibly kind. A goblin came in a door in the corner, taking his seat behind a desk.

"You are here to claim a title?" The creature asked in a high pitched voice.

"Yes," Tom said stiffly. "Lord Slytherin."

The little goblin looked at him appraisingly, and pulled parchment from a drawer in the desk. He removed a ritual dagger from a pocket in his cloak, and laid it on top of the parchment.

"Cut your palm and let the blood drip onto the parchment. It will provide us with a family history, and any titles, so we may allocate the assets due."

Tom picked up the dagger and dragged it across his left palm. The blood dripped onto the parchment. Peony watched with rapt attention as the name Lord Tom Marvolo Sytherin appeared at the top.

The goblin took the parchment back, looking at the list of vaults and assets that he would need to get together.

"This will take a few moments, Lord Slytherin. There are quite a few vaults. Is there anything you wish me to bring to you besides an inventory, and your key?"

"A little gold, and the signet ring should suffice."

The goblin nodded and hurried off to his business. Peony looked at Tom with triumph in her eyes. Things were already changing.

"Lord Slytherin," she whispered.

Tom's gaze snapped to her from his position by the desk. Renata watched them with obvious amusement. She would bet all her galleons that Peony would be Lady Slytherin within a year.

"This will be all over the papers by tomorrow," Peony noted. "They'll be scrambling for an interview with the young, handsome, rich, Lord Slytherin. Will you give them what they want?"

Tom looked at her shrewdly, his gaze making her blush.

"Yes."

Peony liked the way Tom walked- head held high, confident.

He wasn't afraid to take up room, something she had shied away from in her past, not that it mattered. Everyone knew the Girl Who Lived.

She supposed she would have to get used to it now.

Head's turned as Tom led her down the street. Word had begun to circulate that the newly found Heiress Malfoy and Lord Slytherin were in the Alley.

"There's going to be press by the time we leave the restaurant," Peony whispered to him.

He paused before they entered the restaurant, something close to concern entering his eyes.

"Does that bother you?"

She shook her head, "I'm used to it."

Tom led Peony into the restaurant. The eyes of the maitre d' grew wide at the sight of the Lord Slytherin ring on Tom's hand. Lord Slytherin, Lord Malfoy, Heiress Malfoy, and Heiress Lestrange. It was a good day for his restaurant indeed.

They were led to a room that Abraxas had reserved, so that they could be alone. Tom held out her seat for her, as Abraxas did the same for Renata. Tom looked between the two girls once the waiter left him alone.

"You should tell her the truth."

Peony fought the urge to kick Tom under the table. Renata looked between them, bewildered.

"Heiress Lestrange is one of the most foolishly kind witches I know. You will need at least one loyal female who knows the truth to help you. Tell her."

Abraxas whispered hurriedly in Renata's ear. Surprise filled her face, then understanding. Peony was filled with gratitude for the kind witch. She hadn't expected to find such a friend so quickly, or at all.

"It's okay, Peony. I knew you were different, now I know why."

"It doesn't bother you?" Peony asked, looking between Abraxas and Renata.

Renata thought for a moment before she shook her head.

"You're a brave witch, to come back all this way. However it happened, you're one of us now. We're going to be sisters. We have to stick together."

"See, now we can all speak openly," Tom provided. Peony looked at him incredulously.

"Well, as open as I'm willing to be, at least. Peony will be incredibly useful to me."

"If you give me what I want," Peony corrected, placing her napkin in her lap primly.

"What is it you want?" Renata asked curiously.

"Oh, everything." Peony mused with a smile.

Renata laughed happily.

"What was that with Dumbledore?" Abraxas asked.

Peony rolled her eyes and took a long sip of her tea.

"He's a Legilimens, almost as good as Tom. You can't trust him. He thought Tom was evil the first time he met him, and that opinion has never wavered, despite all his good cheer."

"You think he wishes to stop me?"

"I know he wishes to stop you."

Tom hummed his acknowledgement, but ended the conversation as a waiter approached. The last thing they needed was to have someone overhear them.

They spent the rest of their lunch in pleasant small talk, Renata filling in Peony on all of the pertinent gossip of the time. When they left the restaurant, there were indeed reporters and photographers.

Peony looked up at Tom, with pride and love in her eyes. That was the exact moment the photographer snapped a photo. By morning, that photo would be seen across the magical world, on the front page of The Daily Prophet.

Late that night Tom entered Abraxas' study. Abraxas set down his ledger book, and looked up at him. Tom leaned with his back against a bookshelf.

"Your sister…"

Tom looked out the window behind Abraxas' study, as if he was struggling with his thoughts.

"Yes, My Lord?"

"You won't allow anyone else to court her."

Abraxas looked at Tom shrewdly. He knew Peony wanted Tom, was in love with him even, but Abraxas was still hesitant. He nodded slowly.

"My Lord, I deny you nothing, but I will not be so forgiving if you hurt my twin. She is our family's greatest treasure. "

Tom scoffed and rolled his eyes, "I'd never hurt Peony. She's mine. As much as I hate to admit it, we are two of a kind. To hurt her, would be to hurt me."

"You understand my concern, since you hand out Crucio's liberally."

"Those people are tedious. Peony is captivating."

"Those people are your Knight's," Abraxas reminded.

"Speaking of…"

"What is it, My Lord?"

"Have you noticed the way Peony tenses when Antonin speaks?"

Abraxas nodded, "I asked her about it. She admitted that she killed him, in the time she came from. It was during the war. Apparently he becomes particularly abhorrent. She detests him."

Tom thought. If he left Peony to her own devices, she would likely maim him before the year was out. That might be for the best.

Antonin was gifted with Dark magic, but he was dumb, and arrogant. Such a combination made for a poor soldier.

"Leave him for now, but keep a close eye on him. If he makes one wrong move, end him."

"With pleasure, My Lord."

The Knights stared at the paper. Tom had been declared Lord Slytherin.

His photo graced the front of The Daily Prophet. Peony smiled up at him like he was her own personal god. Abraxas and Renata stood behind them, looking every bit the royal advisors.

"He's done it," Heir Rosier speculated in wonder.

"It's the dawn of a new age," Heir Black noted.

Peony entered the room with Abraxas and Renata in her wake. Her eyes gravitated towards Heir Black. He looked incredibly like Sirius- black hair that curled at the ends, gray eyes, and a kind smile.

She turned to Heir Rosier next. He was a boy of slight build with dirty blonde hair. He didn't seem as Dark as the rest. He had the air of a Krup puppy that had merely stumbled into this pit of Darkness.

"Don't let Tom hear your tone of surprise, unless you enjoy being Crucio'd."

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

The Knights stood to their feet as Tom entered. A newfound awe filled their faces. They had always had a fearful respect for him, but some had harbored secret grudges in their hearts.

Afterall, he wasn't a Pureblood, not that anyone would dare to say that to his face.

Now, however, he was Lord Slytherin. The title came with a seat on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, a seat of seniority in the Wizengamot, and vaults full of galleons and magical artifacts.

Overnight he had acquired unprecedented power, and garnered the respect of every Pureblood in the country.

Throughout the week Tom tried to corner Peony every chance he got to demand answers about his future, but she demurred, and somehow always got away with a mischievous smile.

He didn't dare try to hurt her, for several reasons.

Firstly, it felt wrong. He had no problems hurting others, that was fine, but the mere idea of causing Peony pain felt blasphemous. In a way, she was him. His horcrux had helped to form her into who she was.

Secondly, he had been reading up on wand lore. He had seen Peony defeat the snake faced facsimile of him. She was powerful. She would protect herself if he attacked, and their wands would make it near impossible for either of them to hurt the other.

It was like Magic itself revolted against the idea. No, he'd have to play her silly games if he wanted to learn anything about the future.

Peony was enjoying his attention. She loved the way his jaw flexed when he was angry, the sparkle in his eye when she was being particularly frustrating.

The Knight's watched with various levels of bewilderment as their fearless leader trailed after the petite blonde.

"Tell me something about yourself," Tom requested.

"I won a war," Peony responded.

"I know that. I saw you murder snake face. Tell me something else."

"I was raised by Muggles. It was a nightmare."

"Yet another thing we have in common. But you don't hate Mudbloods?"

Peony sighed, "Muggleborns are harmless. There's no such thing as good and evil, only power. I know you believe that. Muggleborns have magical power, the same as us. If anything, we should be taking them from their Muggle families, protecting them."

Tom hummed. She wasn't wrong, not really.

"The Knights will be hard to convince," he admitted.

Peony turned to look up into Tom's eyes. She took one of his hands in hers. Her touch burned in the most pleasant way. Tom looked down at her hand, and then back into her gray eyes.

"They will follow Lord Slytherin to the ends of the earth. They will follow you, if you show them a future worth believing in. One free of war and strife."

Tom let go of her hand, and left the room. He needed to think. Peony watched him leave with a wistful smile.

Peony developed a habit of touching Tom over the next few days. She couldn't help it, not when he was right in front of her.

It was nothing scandalous, nothing terribly improper. Just soft, barely there touches, that slowly began to drive Tom mad.

She let their fingers touch when they walked side by side, let her fingertips ghost along his back as she passed behind his chair, let their arms press against each other when they sat side by side.

Tom began to understand how a man could be driven to distraction by a pretty woman.

"It was only a matter of time till someone caught his eye," Heir Rosier provided on the fifth day.

"Didn't think he was capable of it, to be honest." Heir Black replied.

Peony walked into the room then. Tom followed her with a look of apoplectic rage on his face. She had denied his plea for information for the hundredth time.

He had begun to have all these feelings for her. It was terribly inconvenient. Everyday she wore him down a little more with her fleeting touches, cryptic answers, and seductive Dark magic.

Of one thing he was sure. Heiress Peony Malfoy was his in a way that nothing had ever been his before. She belonged to him, had been molded by his influence, but she wouldn't give him everything he wanted all at once.

No, she had to torture him slowly.

"Oh, he's capable of it," Peony responded to Heir Black.

She shot them a wink as she left the room with Renata. Tom let out a yell of frustration. Abraxas closed the door behind the ladies.

"Your sister's infuriating," Tom sneered at Abraxas.

"Oh I'm aware," Abraxas chuckled.

The Knight's didn't know quite what Peony was holding back from Tom, but they knew he had been following her around like a lost Krup. Most speculated that he was trying to get her to accept a courtship.

"Why don't you just make her do what you want?" Antonin asked.

Tom and Abraxas turned their glares on him at the same time, and Antonin withered in his seat. Tom drew his wand and leveled it at Antonin.

"Crucio."

Antonin fell out of his seat and onto the floor. He writhed back and forth in pain.

"Heiress Malfoy is mine. Anyone ever tries to make her do anything, and this is what will happen, if you're lucky. Understood?"

Hurried murmurs of acceptance rang out from the group.

Tom stood in the sitting room, staring out the glass panes of the floor to ceiling windows. The moon streamed in, lighting the space in a cool light. He sipped a glass of firewhiskey as he looked out at the garden.

He asked himself the question that had been hanging in the air for a week.

Could he give Peony what she wanted?

He tossed the question aside, and examined what he wanted. He wanted Peony. He had never felt desire for another, not in this all consuming way. It bordered on obsession.

Possessiveness threatened to drown him.

He couldn't let her slip through his fingers. She was his, and yet it wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Not until she told him everything. Not until she bore his name, and his children, and a fragment of his soul on her hand.

She was full of magic, and secrets that he desperately wanted to discover.

Peony entered the room. Tom felt her presence immediately. Her magic heralded her arrival before she ever said a word. She came to stand at his side, and looked out the window.

"I don't love you-"

"I know," Peony cut off.

To him they had just met. She didn't want to hear him say he couldn't give her what she wanted. If she was being turned down, she wanted it over quickly.

"-yet."

She turned to him, her eyes wide. Tom looked down at her, one corner of his lips lifting in something close to a smile.

"I'm willing to try. Let me court you."

Peony beamed. Tom took her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles. He caught sight of her bracelet.

"Why haven't your protection bracelets been working?"

"Oh, they work, but only against unwanted touches."

Tom's jaw ticked as he shook his head at her. She was a minx.

"You'll have to make a horcrux, Peony. Within the year. I won't give myself to you, and then lose you. It would make me every bit as insane as that version of me that you defeated."

Peony nodded, she had just the person to sacrifice. Dumbledore wouldn't live to meddle in her affairs this time.

Tom lifted her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. Her skin tingled underneath his lips.

"That's your first tip," she whispered to Tom. "No more horcruxes. You go too far, make too many, that's what starts the mental instability. Protect the two you have. They're enough."

Tom smiled, all teeth.

"Thank you, love."