A/N: I'm sure that last chapter got you all hyperventilating! Not that I'd blame you, I mean, they're engaged for Pete's sake! Well, anyway here is chapter 12, which if I may say is HUGE! You all better be happy. In this gigantic chapter we are reintroduced to Kristyn Hansen, remember that girl who walked in on Tom and Hermione? That's Kristyn. And we spend more time with Perry. And Rosier returns, full blast. You will want to kill him very soon. Plus we want to hug Tom more. And one problem solves itself. I'll just start, seeing as you've all proved you don't read the A/Ns anyway. Let me just do a fun disclaimer first.
Disclaimer: Tom: Hansen, you better not bother us again.
Kristyn: It's your fault for proposing in the middle of your common room.
Tom: Well you didn't have to walk in!
Hermione: I'M ENGAGED!
Kristyn: We know.
Tom: Since when do you get to be in the disclaimer anyway, Hansen?
Writer: Ever since her real life counterpart yelled at me for making her a slut.
Kristyn: I'm not a slut!
Tom: Right…
Hermione: I'M ENGAGED!
So anyway, I don't own Harry Potter, or Kristyn or Perry.
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Chapter 12: A Miracle
For some reason Hermione couldn't sleep. She wasn't afraid or uncomfortable, and Tom was calming for her, but she just couldn't nod off.
Instead she curled up on the gray and green couch, a new book from the shelf in hand. Creative Curses and Charms was full of random and strange spells that she was itching to use on someone. Malfoy would have look smashing with a blond afro, but she would have to wait. At least if she ran into Rosier again she would be prepared. Banishing his ears would be fun. Tom would be so proud. Tom. Her fiancé. Cool. If someone had told her a week ago she would be engaged to Tom Marvolo Riddle, she would have personally escorted them to Madame Pomfrey. However, the thought was now wonderful, a happiness that she had not felt for months, perhaps even years. The ring resting on her finger had such an effect on her, she realized as she admired how it reflected her wand light around the dark common room. At least now it wasn't embarrassing to ask Tom to stay with her overnight. It would be immature if they didn't.
Then again, sharing a bed had lead her to realize that if she wanted to spend her life with him, certain… activities would be expected eventually. She winced even thinking about it. You can't even say it, Granger, her Malfoy conscience drawled. Go on, say it. Sex. S-E-X. It wasn't like she didn't want to hake you-know-what, she just wasn't ready. It was only a day or two ago that she had received a kiss she was proud of. But she knew Tom wouldn't pressure her. After all, he was in the same place she was.
"I love that book," announced a small voice from across the room. Hermione snapped her head up. Perry quietly tiptoed across the soft carpet and sat down on the red trimmed couch. "Can't sleep?"
"No," she answered quietly, closing the book and placing it beside her.
"Same here." Hermione didn't need to ask why, nightmares. She had them too, as she expected Tom did as well. They sat in silence, while Hermione twirled the ring around her finger.
"Congratulations, by the way," Perry offered as she stretched out on the sofa, resting her head on a throw pillow.
"On what?"
"With you and Riddle. It surprised me at first, but from what I've seen he seems different around you, mellow." She digested the words; grateful someone other than herself had noticed the change in him. "You seem to click, like Kristyn says I do with-," but her voice broke, and Hermione remembered that Perry's boyfriend was MIA.
"Things won't stay like this for long," Hermione whispered. "I know what you're thinking, but trust me when I say you won't be in the dark for long. This is the worst part." For a moment it seemed Perry would bite back, but she didn't since she knew Hermione had been in this position.
"Thank you. I just hate not knowing. He could be anywhere and I can't close my eyes without seeing him dead or bleeding." Perry rubbed her eyes with her knuckles and stared up at the ceiling.
"It's miserable, feeling hopeless, isn't it?" She nodded.
"I just don't know if I'll ever see him again." Suddenly Hermione had a brain wave. Pureblooded boyfriend named Gabriel…
"Is your boyfriend Gabriel le Soir?" Perry nodded drowsily, closing her eyes. Gabriel le Soir, long running family tree, missing in 1944 and wasn't found until 1962 when his corpse was discovered in a dungeon of the Welsh Castle along the English Channel. Hermione shivered. Died of starvation after being locked up and left… meaning he could still be alive! "I need to see Professor Dumbledore," she told her while hopping off the couch and bolting towards the door.
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"Professor Dumbledore!" Hermione yelled, banging on his office door as it rattled on its hinges. She cursed the late hour and yelled again, "Professor Dumbledore!"
"Ah, Ms. Granger," Dumbledore answered as he pulled the door open to let her in, eyes twinkling as he noticed her red flannel pjs. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I know where Gabriel le Soir is, he's imprisoned at the Welsh castle along the English Channel!" The shock he felt jolt him as she began to pace back and forth across the whirring office was not shown on his face. "I'm not positive, but that seems to add up. Oh I don't know, but you should check. Perry's a mess, I wanted to tell her my theory but I couldn't because she'll want to know how I know and I can't tell her I'm from the future!" Her rant ended and she trailed off, still pacing in circles.
"Thank you for this information, Ms. Granger, I will look into it immediately." She nodded, folding her arms across her chest, shivering in the winter breeze that slithered through the window. His tone was urgent, and she walked back to the doorway, grateful that she had hopefully been able to help. He called her back as she opened the door.
"By the way, congratulations about you and Mr. Riddle. It seems you have accomplished the task my future self assigned you." She smiled warily and bid him good night. The crisp chill that she had felt in the Professor's office stayed with her as she walked in a pair of house slippers back to the head's dorms on the fifth floor. It made the hair on the back of her neck rise as she turned a corner on the sixth floor, and she uneasily sped up her pace. Something didn't seem right, and she pulled her wand from her side pocket and held it behind her back as she plowed onward. She had almost made it onto the fifth floor before she needed to use it.
"Well well well, if it isn't Mrs. Riddle out for a bed time stroll?" She whirled around, wand at the ready, to see a sinister looking Rosier smirking at her as he leaned his back against the wall.
"What do you want," she spat, watching as he ventured forward confidently, his face partially hidden in the shadows.
"Nothing, I just want to talk to you," he drawled, smirking as she shivered again.
"Remember the last time you tried to talk?" His smirk turned to a scowl and he strode forward. Gripping her wand firmly, not backing down, she added, "You ended up bawling like a baby." Her satisfaction didn't last long as he growled and threw her backward against the wall, pinning her against it by her arms. She fumbled her wand, struggling to regain her grip on it.
"I wonder what the half-blood would say if he found out his fiancé was a dirty little slut." She gasped as he leaned down to kiss her roughly on the lips. He pushed against her, forcing the back of her head to grind painfully against the stonewall. Infuriated beyond belief, she took advantage of his sloppiness and kneed him in the groin, causing him to stumble backward, moaning. She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, glaring daggers.
"He'd probably kill you," she retorted, her voice quivering with rage. Walking away, she stepped on the hand of the convulsing figure as she passed him, and didn't slouch off her proud posture until she entered the common room. Thankfully, Perry had gone back to her bedroom, and she didn't have to hide her shaken exterior. Tom didn't wake as Hermione slid under the silk covers beside him, just automatically wrapped his arm loosely around her waist, pulling her closer. Exhausted and upset, she drifted off into a fitful sleep.
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"Let's get out of this room," Hermione suggested as she lay on her back stretched out across Tom's bed. Tom was leafing through a potions textbook at his desk, trying to wake himself up. "Come on, I don't want to miss breakfast on Christmas morning!" He turned, his face stoic, and said,
"I've never eaten in the Great Hall on Christmas." Sympathy form the teen- no man, sitting across from her welled up inside her.
"Well get a move on so we can get there before all the food's gone!" He shrugged and stood up, pulling up his school cloak off the back of his chair. His movements were lethargic for some reason, and his hair was ungelled and limp, though still maintaining a wonderful bed head appearance.
"Why are you so tired?" she asked as he laced up his trainers.
"Why are you so jumpy?" Ah, he'd gotten her. She'd decided not to inform him of Rosier's rebellion from the previous night, as it would drive him to do something rash. It didn't matter; hopefully they could go back to her time soon, once Perry's mess had been sorted out.
"Do you always answer a question with a question?" she bit back as he extended a hand to pull her up off his bed. She took it, and didn't let go.
"Do you?" Damn, it felt nice to have a sparing partner who wouldn't give up and call her a mudblood.
"Ok, ok," she grumbled as he pulled her out of the empty common room and into the hallway.
"Ha ha, I win." He bent down and kissed her temple. "Are you going to sit at Slytherin table with me?" She looked up at him, trying to keep her face blank. Slytherin meant Rosier meant questions meant canceled engagement meant Lord Voldemort.
"Why can't you sit at Gryffindor table with me?" The mere thought made him shiver. She stifled a giggle.
"I can't do that."
"And why not?"
"A Slytherin at Gryffindor table is like a crime! I can't do that!" She scoffed and he continued, bending over slightly so he could hiss, "and you're forgetting about the little fact that I'm heir of Slytherin!" in her ear. She glanced up at him with a bemused expression.
"You do realize that you're probably going to marry a Gryffindor, right Tom? I think I see a flaw in your logic!" He scowled at the floor but didn't let go of her hand.
"I don't mind you, it's everyone else that bothers me."
"You'd better get used to it, since almost everyone at the ceremony will be from Gryffindor." As an afterthought she added, "You can always invite Slughorn if you get lonely." As predicted, he groaned.
"That old codger is still around? Damn him and damn his crystallized pineapple!" He began to muter under his breath and Hermione laughed slightly, but caught him grumble, "No, it is not a DADA project you old fart." She froze but Tom kept walking, only to be pulled backward like a puppy at the end of its leash.
"So you've asked him…" she said quietly to herself.
"What?"
"You've asked him about… about," she couldn't bring herself to say it. Her fiancé's face became ashen as he realized what she was saying.
"Bloody fucking hell, how do you know about that?" She tried to muster a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. "Oh god, did I make one?" She shook her head but it didn't make him feel better. "Shit, I made more than one?" Hermione didn't answer, only looked down at their entwined hands.
"Seven," she rasped, quivering under his probing stare.
"Bloody hell, I was an evil prick. Seven, shit!" She didn't answer, just watched as the small sapphire twinkled like Dumbledore's eyes. "Well don't you worry, because I will never," he stopped to kiss her ear quickly, "ever," he kissed her jaw, "ever make a horcrux." He kissed her on the lips, and she melted into the embrace, as he wrapped his arms around her small waist. She wound her fingers into his silky (gelless) hair, and parted her lips so he could enter her mouth. They both conviently forgot they were in a public corridor, but were suddenly interrupted when a sly voice cut in.
"My, my Riddle, you're getting sloppy." Hermione leapt back from Tom and expected to see Rosier, but was instead greeted by the happy face of the girl who had walked in on them the previous night, walking with the still gloomy Perry. Both Tom and Hermione blushed in unison as the girl raised a shaped eyebrow.
"Hansen," he greeted with a jerk of his chin towards her. "Minella."
"I'm Kristyn," the girl said while stepping forward and extending a hand. Hermione shook it, still red in the face. "Kristyn Hansen." She flipped through her mental encyclopedia. Kristyn Hansen, famous actress and singer. Married Kyle Winter in 1948 and had twins in 1951. Died in 1993 of natural causes.
"I'm Hermione Granger," she said calmly as Tom struggled to keep his face stoic. Kristyn looked down at her left hand and said,
"Don't you mean Riddle?" indicating the ring. Hermione blushed. I guess news travels just as fast in 1944.
"Not yet." Kristyn smiled and Tom shifted from foot to foot nervously. He had never been on good terms with her and hated the petty gossip she had a habit of spreading. To say the least, their situation was awkward.
"I like you, you seem quick," the girl observed. "We were an our way to breakfast, as I assume you two were before hormones kicked in. Would you care to join us?" Hermione had to admit this girl was cool. She got straight to the point, as Ginny used to. The offer was tempting, but she could feel Tom's uncertainty radiating off him. "That is if we can steal her away from you, Riddle?"
"Um…" he hesitated, unwilling to leave Hermione's side. She turned to face him, really wanting some girl time.
"I promise I'll sit at the Slytherin table for dinner," she told him. Kristyn whistled.
"Wow Riddle, that's quite a big sacrifice to make. Don't worry, she won't be blond when we give her back." Tom glared at her, but caved.
"Fine. I'll meet up with you later, okay Hermione?" She nodded and he stalked off, once again feel paranoid.
"Well, he's certainly protective of you, isn't he?" Kristyn observed with an amused tone.
"He can be a little insecure," Hermione responded as they began to walk in the direction Tom had gone. "And we've only been engaged a half a day, you can't really blame him." Kristyn nodded vaguely and Perry trailed after them, looking bored but still listening intently.
"I never would have thought Riddle would pop the question. You must be some girl if he's interested."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Kristyn nodded again.
"You should. Does he treat you well?" she asked. Giggling softly, Hermione remembered falling asleep next to him for the first time. "I'll take that as a yes. Is he a good kisser?" Noticing her new friend's blush, Perry scoffed.
"Kristyn, lay off the girl, you've only just met her!" The blond held her hands up in mock innocence.
"No, it's ok Perry. And he totally is."
"Awesome. You know, he always kind of creeped me out, but I have got to admit he's got that whole bad boy, rebel without a cause thing going on. I bet he's good in bed, right?"
"Kristyn Hansen! You are so bad!" Perry teased, re-entering the conversation. She did, however, turn back to Hermione and ask, "Well, is he?" Hermione blushed.
"Well, I don't know yet. We haven't done… that yet." Perry nodded wisely, but her friend just smirked.
"You guys are so dull. Where's the scandal? The excitement?"
"Merlin, what would your mother say, Kristyn?" Perry retorted.
"She'd probably blink over and over and change the subject. One word about sex and she's all, do not compute!" They laughed and Hermione realized they had reached the great hall.
Kristyn lead the way to the Gryffindor table, which seemed a custom, and sat down across from her and Perry, her back to the Slytherin table. Hermione could see Tom buttering toast as he sat next to Rosier, who leered at her. Actually, everyone in the hall was either staring at her or Tom, but she tried to ignore it. Her ring glittered in the faux sunlight from the ceiling as she poured herself some milk. Kristyn and Perry resumed complaining about their parents and Hermione fell silent. Tom caught her eye and winked at her. She smiled back.
Owl post arrived, bringing a flock of holiday cards streaming through the windows. Hermione watched as a tawny owl dropped a white rose in front of Kristyn along with a note. The blond stood up and blew a kiss to a sandy blond boy at the Hufflepuff table, who mimed catching it with a butterfly net. Perry too received an owl, but it didn't hold a card. She read the scroll in silence as Hermione sampled a warm muffin.
"Oh my god, they found him," she finally whispered to herself, her eyes wide. Kristyn and Hermione both looked up at the trembling girl.
"What?" they said in unison.
"The found Gabriel. Oh my god, they found Gabriel. He's okay, he's in the hospital wing!" She whirled around and pushed herself off the bench. "I've got to see him! Merry Christmas!" She dashed out of the hall, grinning like a Jack-o-lantern, still repeating," Merlin, he's ok!" Kristyn turned to Hermione, saying,
"I guess that gives new meaning to the phrase 'A Christmas Miracle!'"
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"Oh, here's a good one! First kiss?" Kristyn asked her from her position on the gray and red couch. Hermione stretched across the Slytherin sofa and breathed in the familiar scent of the head common room.
"Fourth year, a real meat head quidditch player. That soooo didn't work out," she replied, rolling her eyes at the thought of Victor.
"Oh?"
"Well, he didn't care much for reading and studying, etc. There was too much brawn and not enough brains."
"Now I see why you've chosen Riddle." Hermione tilted her head to watch her new friend as she continued. "He's studious, gets the best grades," Kristyn sighed. "Your turn."
"Same question." The blond grimaced.
"Ah, my first kiss was at a ball that my step father dragged me too, summer before third year. The devil himself cornered me and smooth talked his way into kissing me. I'm assuming you know Abraxas Malfoy?" Hermione gasped.
"Manticore boy? Your first kiss was with Manticore boy?"
"Manticore boy?" Kristyn responded, raising an eyebrow.
"Long story. That must have been horrid, and your first kiss!"
"Well, Malfoy's may be gits, but at least he could kiss well, though not as well as Kyle." In reaction to Hermione's bemused expression she added, "My boyfriend's Kyle Winter. He's a real clown, but he's hot and he takes care of me. Classic Hufflepuff guy." Hermione raised her eyebrows and shrugged.
"That's cool." I guess…
"Okay, my turn. When did you first realize you love Riddle?" Kristyn asked shamelessly. Hermione squirmed uneasily.
"Two days ago, when I was shopping for a Christmas present to give him and I had no idea what to buy. He's unlike anyone I've ever met, and what do you get for someone like that? Then I realized, he was so different from everyone else and yet so much like me. And he's giving up so much for me! I'm muggleborn and a Gryffindor and now all of his friends look down on him! He's one of the only people who really cares about me. And I do really care about him. He makes me forget about my parents and my friends. That's when I realized I loved him. Just like that, on the third day I've known him." Kristyn blinked and sat up.
"You've only known him five days and you're already engaged? Wow." She took a long guzzle of her butter beer. "You know, you just made Riddle seem like a nice guy." Hermione bristled and had to remind herself not to snap.
"But he is a nice guy! When I woke up in the hospital wing on my first day here he was healing my bruises, and was really gentle and considerate. People just have no idea how great he can be. But then when people approach him he goes back to being a brisk Slytherin. The more people push him, the more he closes up." She sighed and smoothed her skirt down.
"Well, I guess you never really know about a person. Your turn."
"Okay, what's your deepest dirty little secret?" Hermione asked with a sly smile. Kristyn glared at her. "That's a completely legal question."
"Fine, promise this won't become pillow talk with Riddle?" Hermione nodded. "Okay. Over the summer I went to a muggle sleep away camp to be a councilor. It was part of my mother's I'm not married to a wizard and I don't have a half-blood daughter plan. Anyway, there was this guy named Josh who I hung out with. One night I got my hands on some contraband beer and we got smashed and I kissed him, I swear that's all we did!" Hermione snickered softly. Kristyn was like Ginny.
"Okay, I believe you. Wow, Kristyn, you have a very scandalous life; I don't see why you were complaining."
"Yes, because living with guilt is just so much fun," she growled sarcastically. "I've got a muggle mother who spaces out, a wizard father who's desperate to play at the Quidditch World Cup, a step father who's in the pureblood social circle, and a boyfriend who doesn't take me seriously."
"Hey, I'm the one who just got engaged to a Slytherin-,"
"Who loved you and whom you love," Kristyn added, but Hermione plowed on, not watching what was coming out of her mouth.
"And I'm the one who got attacked by Rosier last night!"
"Wait just a second, back up there! Rosier attacked you?" Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth. Oops. "Why? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. And I'm sure Rosier was just pissed that Tom proposed to me because I'm muggleborn or something." Kristyn still looked concerned, so she added, "Don't worry about me, I gave him a swift kick in his "area" if you know what I mean."
"Good for you! What did Riddle say when he found out?" Hermione looked down at the floor, still fingering her ring. "You did tell him didn't you?"
"Tell him what?" Tom asked as he slid through the portrait hole. The two girls jumped a foot at the sound of his voice. Kristyn didn't take her eyes off of her, however, as Tom moved to sit down next to Hermione.
"Tell you that-," Kristyn started.
"I prefer your hair when you don't gel it," Hermione interrupted. He raised his eyebrow doubtfully but didn't push the subject, and instead flattened his hair with his palm. Kristyn sighed and continued watching her friend, worried about her lack of honesty.
"Winter is looking for you, Hansen," Tom informed her coolly, startling her. She nodded and stood up.
"I'll see you around Hermione. Later Riddle." He only blinked, surprised by her recognition.
"By Kristyn," Hermione called, as the blond slid through the portrait hole. Finally alone, Rom wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Thanks for giving us some time, I really missed having a good girlfriend to gossip with." He shrugged and played with a strand of her hair.
"I suppose I have to get used to sharing you. Your friends Harry and Ron seem pretty protective of you from what I've seen." She grimaced and wrinkled her nose.
"It's almost like a vacation, not having them around. I miss them, but they don't always know when to back off. I suppose Ron had a reason to watch over me in the short time we were together, but that was only a couple months." They sat in peaceful silence as he ran the lock between his fingers.
"Let's go have dinner."
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A/N: I think this is my longest chapter ever! I hope you all liked it, and that you all enjoyed Kristyn and the mess that she caused. Well, I'm off to make "I hate Rosier" buttons. Anyway, I'll give you a teaser before I go, mkay?
"I'm making you evil! I'm not changing history, I'm following it!"
Gasp from reviewers Don't worry, it all works itself out. Anyway, THANK YOU ALL FOR 100 REVIEWS! WOOOO! Ok, now that that's over, go review! And check out my new story, Magnetic Attraction!
Toodles!
Final word count: 4318 (Defiantly my longest chapter ever! OMG! Fourteen word pages!)