Author's Notes: Well, here it finally is, the new chapter of Sleepless! Thank you all for your reviews! I'm so proud, 88 reviews, that's awesome! I'm sorry that the new chapter took so long again sighs Excuses, excuses... But these months were really rather crappy for me, I'd always been busy with real life and, well, I completely forgot about this story for a while.
I also noticed that hasn't been doing scene breaks properly all the time arghs I'm sorry. I'll see that I get these chapters edited sometime soon. I'll use these rulers for scene breaks since they're apparently the only thing that works kicks chapter is very short and I apologize for that. I wanted to write both from Tom and Hermione's perspective, but I couldn't get the Tom perspective right, so I made do with just Hermione. Writing Hermione is easier for me than Tom. On the bright side, I have chapter 6 and 7 finished. Chapter 6 will be Hermione's POV as well and we'll finally get Harry and Ron back into the story. Chapter 7 will be Tom's POV, it's going to be another short peek into the past like chapter 3. I think I might write something with Voldemort and Dumbledore's reactions in chapter 8, but I really don't know. I don't have an idea where to go after chapter 7, to be honest sheepish smile We'll see... But I certainly plan to continue this story, even though updates are painfully slow.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Sleepless
Chapter 5: When wonders will never cease Part 2 - Hermione
Tom lowered the scroll on the possibility of temporal paradoxes created by their encounters slowly. A smirk spread on his lips, a truly malicious one. "Why", he cooed, voice sweet and amused, "of course I was. I'm responsible for this meeting."
Hermione's jaw dropped.
Her mind was wiped completely blank.
Tom Riddle snickered gleefully. He looked as if this was Christmas, Easter and birthday all in one.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle, you're horrible!", Hermione gasped indignantly, though a little smile still played on her lips.
He was a Slytherin, after all, what else could she have expected from him?
This didn't mean, though, that she couldn't give him hell about it. He deserved everything he got.
"Of course I am", he replied sweetly.
Hermione placed her hands on her hips and glared. "So you played me all the time for a fool, didn't you? Talked with me here about my ideas when you knew already the truth!", she said indignantly.
Tom's smile turned somewhat sheepish. "Well, your ideas were interesting and I don't have all the answers, either. Besides, I was curious how far you'd got on your own."
But it's in Hermione's nature to crave answers and this time was no different. No matter how much she thought that Tom deserved a serious scolding, she wanted to have her questions answered. "Well, then tell me already everything you know, Riddle, maybe I'll forgive you then", Hermione said loftily. She glared. "And that better be good, after all my time you wasted already."
To Hermione's immense frustration, Tom didn't looked the least bit bothered either by her scolding or her demand, though. Actually, he still seemed to enjoy himself far too much for her liking. "Let me just give you the book that answered my questions, you'll find it to be more satisfying than my explanations ever could be", he replied smoothly. Tom fetched a black bag out of his pocket, no larger than a purse. After a muttered incantation and a flick of his wand, the purse had the size of a backpack and overflowed with books and parchments. He dragged a book from the very bottom of the bag out and handed it to Hermione. "Actually, you can keep it, if you like", he added generously.
Hermione glanced at the cover, then her lips thinned and she turned her glare back on. "You didn't happen to get this book from the Restricted Section, did you?", she asked, her tone austere, but it sounded more like a statement than a question.
Tom flashed her a smirk. "Well, if it makes you happy…", he drawled leisurely. "Yes, I did get it from the Restricted Section. I'm a seventh-year and Head Boy, remember?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Tom Riddle was a bit too nonchalant about this. And after he had already opened the Chamber of Secrets, Hermione doubted Professor Dumbledore would let him get his hands on a book on Salazar Slytherin's other well-hidden monsters. Actually, she shuddered to think of what evil plans he'd already begun with the help of this particular book. "Did you checked it out? Officially, I mean?"
Tom glared at her, irritated. "What does it matter to you? Just read chapter seven and stop bugging me!", he snapped.
That was all the answer that Hermione needed. She would certainly not keep that book and get blamed for it's theft, she wouldn't let herself be framed the way he had already framed Hagrid 50 years ago for the basilisk attack, friends or no friends. Hermione petted the spine and cover of the book absent-mindedly. "And you're sure that it's not cursed? It won't suck out my life energy, scream or burn my eyes?"
"Do you think I would give you such a book! Just read it, damn it!", Tom growled. Obviously in a huff, he walked to the other side of the Astronomy Tower's platform to watch the stars from there.
Hermione shrugged slightly, she was a bit puzzled by Tom's sudden irritable mood.
But then again, she'd already experienced some of his mood swings. Hopefully, he'd be back to normal or at least back to nice soon.
The question flashed through her mind again that he'd angrily asked her. Would she credit him with giving her a dangerous book?
Sad as it made Hermione to admit it, for she had truly begun to think of Tom Riddle as a friend, the answer beyond doubt was yes.
She couldn't let herself forget that he was the future Lord Voldemort and that he'd already at the tender age of 15 created a soul-sucking diary. He certainly had a history with dangerous Dark books. Besides, no more could she allow herself to forget that she was Muggle-born and just how much Tom hated all Muggle-borns.
She sighed wistfully while she leafed through the book in search for chapter seven.
Tom made it a point to ignore Hermione.
Hermione broke the tense silence with a lazy, "Tom?"
The boy just grunted something unintelligible.
"Maybe this is a bit too straightforward… But I've wondered for a while if you noticed that I'm not from your time and why you didn't said anything about it", she said softly.
"I believe in the time-honoured art and virtue that goes by the name of discretion", he replied wryly.
Hermione snickered, but she couldn't let herself get distracted again. "Be serious, Tom", she said sternly.
Tom lazily peered at Hermione from underneath his dark lashes. He looked absolutely unaffected by her suspicions. "To be honest, when I first caught sight of you, I thought that you were another of the watchdogs that Muggle-loving fool Dumbledore has sent on me", he admitted easily. "Fortunately for us Slytherins, Gryffindors are miserable liars and even more miserable actors who wouldn't know subtlety if it hit them in the face."
Hermione bristled indignantly.
But Tom ignored her righteous anger completely. "And so I figured that you didn't lied flat out. I still believed that you lied to some extent… I'm not a man who believes easily in miracles. But I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and didn't hexed you right into the Hospital Wing for your possible attempts to spy on me." He cocked one eyebrow quizzically. "And when you told me that you're Muggle-born, you convinced me. Dumbledore and his followers know that I feel a certain dislike for Muggle-borns in Hogwarts, no one who would have wanted to get a scrap of information out of me or just have the pleasure of my company for a minute longer would have admitted to be Muggle-born." He flashed Hermione a "duh" look. "And so I came to my temporary conclusion about your motives and intentions – that you were mostly harmless and clueless."
Hermione huffed indignantly. "Neither assumption is flattering", she stated wryly.
"It was not my intention to flatter you", Tom replied.
Hermione rolled her eyes. Sarcastically, she said, "well, aren't we a little ball of happiness tonight."
"We resent that remark, for we are neither little nor spherical", Tom shot back, just as amused as ever.
Hermione felt again that urge to smack him with her wand. She would have never thought it possible that Lord Voldemort could be so annoying. That gave her an idea and a smirk of her own found it's way onto Hermione's lips. Two could play that game… "Funny, Voldemort, very funny", she said with dry humour and raised an eyebrow quizzically. The name of the Dark Lord didn't came as easily over her lips as she would have liked, but she expected Tom to be too shocked that she knew the name in the first place to pay much attention to the tone of voice she uttered it in.
Later, of course, Hermione would wonder how she could have ever been so stupid. But at that moment, she was so tired that she could barely think straight anymore, if she could at all, and just wanted to get a rise out of her apparently harmless friend.
And Hermione wasn't to be disappointed.
Tom Riddle tensed out of the blue, within a moment his stance had changed completely, his face had darkened into a hateful scowl. All relaxation and amusement had vanished, he actually did resemble the Dark Lord more in that moment than he resembled the rather good-natured teenage boy that Hermione had come to know. "Tell me where you learned that name", he ground out. And, worst of all, he had drawn his wand before Hermione had a chance to pick up her own from the floor.
She truly wished now to be able to turn back time.
Or just stop to panic.
Hermione's gaze was transfixed to the wand. Her breath came in small, hitched gasps. "Tom", she pleaded nervously.
"Next time I ask you, it'll be under Imperius", he growled. No… it sounded more like a hiss.
Hermione was reminded of the times that Harry had told her about Voldemort's return. The disfigured face, the hissing voice…
But this wasn't Lord Voldemort. It wasn't. It was her friend Tom Marvolo Riddle, a boy with a ferocious temper, but also one who had never hurt her before, no matter how much she had needled him. Yet… As she raised her eyes to gaze beseechingly into his eyes, all she found was a cold fury.
Hermione's thoughts sped through her mind, many of them too fast for her to grasp and fully process. She could claim that he wouldn't be able to curse her through time, but then this might encourage him to try. And if objects could pass through time, there was a good chance that spells could, too… She could lie, but she didn't doubted that he would cast Imperius on her, not while he was as furious as he was now. He was young, maybe she would be able to throw Imperius off. But if she wouldn't be able to do so in time… Well, he's likely to kill her before she got a chance to explain and convince him that she meant him no harm. But then again, if she told him the truth, would the consequences of that be even worse…?
It took all her self-control not to avert her eyes, but she wanted him to see that she's honest. "Everyone knows, Tom", she whispered. " You have become a rather well-known wizard under that name." It was not enough, he certainly wouldn't be satisfied with it. But Hermione feared that she would only make matters worse the more she told him.
Tom's green eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And how do I know that you aren't lying to me?", he hissed.
Hermione racked her brains for something that his Dumbledore couldn't know. It was the only way to convince him that he's truly a well-known persona at the moment. She just hoped that he wouldn't ask what he was famous for. "You can't, Tom, you'll have to trust me. Everyone knows you, you're famous. Please don't forget that mine is a completely different time. I'm from the year 1996, Tom. There are many books written on your life." And that wasn't even a lie, Hermione thought. "You are a Parselmouth. You're Slytherin's Heir. You opened the Chamber of Secrets at the age of 15 and a girl named Myrtle was killed, she haunts since then the girls' bathroom. You… you charmed a diary to hold your memories. I don't know if you can do that already at this age, but you'll become a powerful Legilimens, too."
"And what have I done that they teach Mudbloods about me?", he sneered.
Hermione felt hurt course through her. The logical part of her mind realised that it's silly of her to believe that the Dark Lord wouldn't call her by that name when regular bullies like Draco Malfoy did. But still…
Well, what had he done?
Killed Muggles and Muggle-borns, killed Harry's family, been resurrected, become the new Dark Lord after Grindelwald… But Hermione realised that if she told him about that, she might actually encourage him to delve at an earlier age into the Dark Arts, which would result in even more deaths. But what good deeds had Voldemort ever done that she could safely tell him about? He would hardly believe her if she told him he discovered the potion to undo Adava Kedavra or became a famous Auror, would he?
"You… you're very powerful", she stammered.
Tom snorted. "You said so already", he snapped impatiently, "now tell me what I'm famous for!"
"Well, you're a Parselmouth and Slytherin's only Heir. You're said to be the most brilliant student to ever attend Hogwarts. You continued to study magic after you graduated." What was it again that Dumbledore had told Harry at the end of second year? "And you underwent many magical transformations."
"You avoid to answer", Tom stated coolly.
Hermione snorted in annoyance. Now that the shock ebbed off, irritation crawled up and Hermione didn't welcomed it at all. She did stupid things when she was both irritated and overtired. Like to call Tom Riddle by the name of Voldemort. This time was no different. Hermione rolled her eyes and groaned in frustration. "You did bad things, okay?", she snapped. "You underwent magical transformations, you became ever more powerful, got extremely good at Legilimency and then you used all that knowledge and talent for evil purposes, in the end you killed yourself accidentally with one of your own spells, end of the story!"
"What a cheerful tale", Tom remarked wryly.
Hermione searched Tom's eyes again, full of hope that this had calmed him down, she tried to gauge his menace-level.
He smirked again. That was good, wasn't it? Or would he cackle in a moment like these movie villains always did before they killed the hero's girl?
"So in a nutshell, I'm a dumb idiot to get myself killed with my own spell?", he added.
Hermione looked very uncomfortable. "Uh…."
Tom smiled and put his wand back into one of his cloak pockets. "Wonderful, you made my life just look that much brighter", he teased.
It was Hermione's turn to narrow her eyes.
He had let her decidedly too quickly off the hook. No matter how much she liked the nicer sides of Tom, she couldn't deny anymore that he was a very dangerous individual. And when he'd been in one moment ready to kill her, he wouldn't be all happy and cheerful again in the next without a good reason.
She replayed the last minute or two of their confrontation. Something must have happened that would have caused Tom's change in mind. And it certainly wasn't her charming personality.
Hermione groaned when she realised what the only logical explanation for Tom's behaviour was. Of course. She had told him that he'd been killed by one of his own spells, but not which spell, when and where. Right away, his demeanour had changed. Now she really wanted to hit him. Preferably with a train, rather than with a wand.
Did he seriously think she was so stupid?
But on the other hand… She couldn't exactly complain. He had let her off the hook, after all. She would just have to be careful and not ever drink anything she was given by Tom, as long as she stuck to that she would be safe because he needed her.
Hermione forced herself to relax somewhat. For the time being, she was safe. And the next time, she wouldn't be caught off-guard like that. Tom Riddle better prepare to face a force to be reckoned with the next time he threatened her with a wand.
Hermione ran a hand through her bushy hair and tucked some wayward strands behind her ear. "So…", she said uneasily. Apprehensively, she glanced at Tom.
"So, I think we discussed my reactions during our last meeting when we were so rudely disturbed", he said smoothly.
"Of course", Hermione muttered. But she didn't knew what else to say. That little temper tantrum of Tom's had certainly ruined the mood for her. She exaggerated a yawn. "Maybe I should go to bed sometime soon. I'm sure it's early."
"Provided that time progresses at the same speed in your time and mine, you have November 22st 1996 and that's a Friday", Tom pointed out reasonably. "Unless you have a Hogsmeade weekend tomorrow, you won't need to go anywhere."
Damn it. She hated smart men.
To be continued…
Review responses:
DarkMage6: Thank you, I'm enjoying writing it as well :-)
melissa: Thank you, it flatters me very much that you read this despite that it isn't your usual ship.
Quill of the Lark: eek! And thank you for telling me about Tom's eyes. I'll change that when I add these scene break thingies.
tickle the dragon: Thank you very much. And by the way, I love your name!
OnlyMe: Thanks!
ClareJ: You flatter me very much! Reviews don't need to be long to make me happy :-)
Miss Elvira Dark: You people make me wonder if I should lock myself in ;-) anxiously looks for people with pitchforks This time it isn't as much of a cliffhanger, so I hope you won't cause me bodily harm ;D
Gah, and just now, Netscape crashed before I could save the update changes and ate a douzen or so review responses grrr Oh well, here goes nothing... Second time's the charm and if I have to do them a third time, then I'll find a way to give my computer that cold I'm having. I really should switch from this Quick Edit which gives me always a hard time to a decent composer or html editor. Talk about being lazy and ending up with more trouble in the end... But when I copy stuff from Word into Netscape Composer, then I end up with a weird letter jungle.
Thank you!
Tomo Star: Thank you, I'm glad you liked the time spell!
Oliver's Quidditch Crazy: Thank you so very much for your reviews! I'm really pleased that you liked the humour in this story, since I'm usually having such a hard time inserting some humour into a story. Or more like, I so rarely have characters to work with who actually possess a sense of humour :-D I'm glad you liked my book, maybe it'll star again in the story in some other context ponders this And you liked my explanation for Tom's behaviour, yay! Now I'm excited already about chapter 7, hoping that you'll like that one as well.
Highlandcoo: Yippie, another person convinced of the goodness of Tom/Hermione! insane cackle
Puh! Netscape just died again on me and I was already convinced that I'd lost the reviews again. Evil browser, it's trying to drive me insane and then it'll take over the world, really...
And again... Now I'll try to use theAOL software, maybe AOL is easier cowed by threats of a computer massacre. The really annoying thing is that Netscape never gives me a hard time, never unless I'm trying to upload a story...
Sabrina-Rosalie: Hi again! I hadn't thought yet of having a confrontation between Tom and Dumbledore, but I really like that idea! I think I'll look for a way to insert that in the elusive chapter 8 :D Or maybe I'll add it to chapter 7, I'm not sure yet. Yay, I'm happy you liked the way I portrayed Tom in his time/had him being seen by the rest of Hogwarts.
I thought since there are some great fics out there where Tom is really popular, it would make for a nice change to have him be scoffed at by the rest of the school and especially his own house. And it also makes it easier for him to hide his plans when other students don't try to always hang out with him but rather don't want to be seen in his company. When his classmates try to be friends with him, they'll mostly do so either for his Head Boy privileges or because he's such a good student and they want him to do their homework or help them prepare for tests, something like that. There won't be many who realize that he isn't just such a good student because he is a nerd, but rather because he's a very powerful and intelligent wizard.
Also, I thought that he would have had better chances of becoming Head Boy when he hid his hate of muggle-borns and it would keep the teachers off his back. Well, except for Dumbledore.
Sakuya Kaleido: Thank you!
NecroLord: Yes, he was responsible just for this one.
Vera-Sabe: First of all, thank you so much that you recommended my story to Oliver's Quidditch Crazy! glomps You make me so happy!
Urghs, and now I lost that long review reply for you as well mostly because I hit the wrong button before I got a chance to copy the text... Today REALLY isn't my day. But since I got so far already, I'm determined to see this through now :D
I'm happy that you liked the way I had Tom figure it out and manage to use the spell as well. I wanted it to be Hermione at first, but then I figured that since Tom had more experience with the Dark Arts, he would have a better chance to get it right. Besides, I'm not sure if Hermione would have used the spell at all, since she was (and still is) struggling with the fact that Tom is the future Dark Lord.
And yeah, Tom definitely is an aggressive person, I didn't wanted to made him all nice and it's actually rather difficult to find the right balance. I'm doubtfulmost of the timeif I get it right, but you people seem to like it, so I guess it's okaysmiles I hope you'll like it as well when he's aggressive in this chapter. He just took over the keyboard and insisted to threaten Hermione with a wand. I had a hard time convincing him not to cast any Unforgivables on her. smirks evilly And now Hermione has got a harsh reminder that he's not all nice, I just couldn't let her become comfortable already in his company.
It's great that you like Tiberius. I'm very hesitant to include OCs in fanfics because of my personal Mary Sue/Gary Stu paranoia, so it makes me really happy that you like the way I wrote him. He'll have another appearance in chapter 7 and he certainly isn't done being an annoying git ;)
And I'm really winging it. I have no more than a few keywords before I start a chapter or some reeeally rough idea what I want to happen in that chapter. Usually, I like to have at least something beforehand, but this story is just too unpredictable to plan anything ahead of time.
And yeah, we'll definitely have to wait and see whether Tom is trying to do something evil. I don't have a clue, either.
ix.dovienya.xi: Thank you!
sexy-jess: Well, all I can tell you is that Dumbledore knows SOMETHING. Whether he's right... we'll see :D Thank you for your review!
Avery-Rose-Rain-Slytherin: Thank you! I'm sorry that the update took so long again. I'm a lazy writer.
Wow: Thanks! It's funny, I never used cliffhangers as much as in this story. I fear there will be another one at the end of the next chapter, because for the life of me I can't figure out where to go with this scene I'm stuck at. laughs That's the real reason for my cliffhangers, I just often don't know where to go from a certain point, so I end the chapter there if it's a halfway good place to stop or I would never get anything posted. I'm just too obsessed with editing for my own good.
hpfanf: Thank you!
scifichick774: Thank you!
black-ranger: Here it is!
Luckylily: Thank you so much for your review and for being the first reviewer again!
GAH: I'm sorry that I missed you when I did the review responses for chapter 4! sheepish I must have been so excited about almost being done that I didn't paid proper attention. Thank you for your review!
As an appropriate finish (or so I hope fervently), Julius Caesar just had to give me a huge scare. I had just saved the update changes when the screen suddenly went black. I'm easily scared, because just a couple of weeks ago, there was some windows error because of which the hard drive had to be wiped, so I'm panicking at every little peep that infernal machine makes now.