DISCLAIMER: I, no, I totally own HP.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: CROSSROADS
A/N: I've been working on the plot, if you're wondering where I disappeared to.
Tom had seen some bad things in his life- murder and deception. He'd done some bad things in his life- more murder and deception. He'd regretted none of it; he would've done it all again and more of he'd been given the chance, but now the sight before him and the task at hand was too much for him.
"Why?" He asked, turning to face the cloaked man that he'd come to hate more than he ever thought he could, yet somehow respected.
"We need to send a message to the public, we need those inferior to us to notice just how much more powerful we are, how much we can do to destroy them. And of course, to prove your loya-"
"Don't give me that loyalty shit! I've proven enough, I've joined you, you've marked me, I go by everything you say. Isn't that enough?"
"No, child, no it is not enough," the cloak man sighed and took a step towards Tom, "you will be forever proving your loyalty to me. You will do as I say, work in silence, you will die for me, Riddle, and I'll still doubt your loyalty. So shut that mouth of yours and get to work," the man finished and picked up a bat from the ground, holding it out to Tom. "Make it messy," he grinned as Tom reluctantly took the bat and walked over to the other side of the room.
Tom took a deep breath and the stench of blood and grime hit the back of his throat, so he closed his eyes, but the sight of the woman tied to a chair, half naked and crying at the loss of her child was burned into his brain. He swung the bat onto his shoulder and the woman whimpered at his sudden movement. He let out a shaky breath and opened his eyes to look into her doe like ones- eyes that reminded him of someone he hadn't thought about in a while, someone he missed. He wrapped his fingers firmly around the bat, and without another second of hesitation he swung. A scream echoed throughout the cellar. He swung again and again, until the only sound that remained was the sound of the bat whacking against her broken skull and the drip drip of her blood dripping onto the floor.
He dropped the bat and turned to face the cloaked man, not bothering to wipe the blood away from his face. His long hair fell in his face in bloodied strands as he walked over to the man. "Are you satisfied?" He asked.
The man didn't say anything, instead he just smiled and walked up the cellar steps, gesturing at Tom to follow him.
XXX
Alexander sat in his room, awaiting his father's response to his letter. Maybe he didn't read it. He didn't have a reason to doubt that, but he hoped otherwise. He closed his eyes and fingered his newly cut locks, he missed being able to shield his eyes with his hair, but he supposed it looked alright on him. Dorothy said it made his eyes sparkle, which reminded him of how much he hated his eyes, they were just like his father's: blue and so icy nobody ever really wanted to look into them.
As a kid he'd used to sit in front of a mirror for hours on end with his eyes shut so tight he'd see stars, and hope that when he opened them they'd be a different colour, it never worked.
He was thankful that he looked like his mother for the most part, he had her soft face and sharp features, her curly brunette hair, her dimples. He'd never really known her, she'd died under mysterious circumstances when he was three, but he could still remember exactly what she looked like, down to the last freckle on her nose. Sometimes he wished she had killed his father instead of it being vice versa- of course he had killed her, no one dies of drowning in a bathtub by themselves- he believed his life would've been better that way.
Alexander looked up as there was a knock on his door, he didn't have to bother with saying "come in", she was going to anyway. He opened his eyes and sighed, leaning back further in his chair as Dorothy entered the room.
"What do you want?" He asked, turning to face her with a small frown on his face.
"Geiger's here," she muttered placing her hands on her hips and setting her mouth into a small thin line, she hated Geiger and this made Alexander smile, although he despised the man probably more than she did.
"But it's Tuesday," he retorted.
"Yeah well, apparently your father's the one who told him to come, so get off your arse and go," she nodded at the door and Alexander glanced at it reluctantly, he really didn't want to go.
XXX
Abraxas glanced at Hermione awkwardly tapped his fingers on the table before him. When she didn't look up he cleared his throat, when she didn't look up after that he coughed, and when she still didn't look up he purposely hit the heel of his shoe on the table leg to disrupt her from her writing. It didn't work, she seemed to be ignoring him.
"Hermione," he finally spoke. The wild haired witch looked up at him, her tired doe eyes met with his grey ones and for a second he forgot what he was going to say.
"Yes?" She asked.
He wiped his face before he spoke. "So," he sighed and tapped his fingers on the table once more, "during the summer-"
"You're bothered by what happened last night, aren't you?" She sighed and looked up, putting down her pen and closing the book.
"Not, not necessarily," he shook his head.
"Then what is it?" She cocked her head to the side and tapped her fingers on the table.
"I just- why did you-"
"Because I wanted to."
"Why did you wan-"
"Because I don't know, I like you?"
Abraxas shook his head, he looked slightly taken aback. "What?"
Hermione shrugged. "Big shocker, yeah? I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, I just don't see the point in not telling you."
"I just, uh-"
"Abraxas, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to."
He nodded and looked down at the table, tapping his fingers lightly on his thigh. "Last day of school huh," he nodded, and she nodded back. The awkwardness in the air intensified as Abraxas realized the heaviness of the situation. Hermione Bellouve liked him, she fucking liked him. That was absolutely unexpected, what now? He sat in the chair opposite her as she examined her fingernails.
"Abraxas, I'm sorry."
He looked up at her prepared to ask her "for what?" but she'd gotten up from the table and had already begun to leave.
"I'll, I'll see you later." She gave him a soft smile and walked out of the library.
Abraxas stared at the chair she'd just gotten up from, inwardly he scolded himself for holding back the words he'd been holding back for a while, and so he whispered them to himself instead. "I like you too, Hermione."
XXX
Hermione washed her face three times and then looked at herself in the mirror. She felt stupid for what she had said to Abraxas, well, she did like him, actually liked him. But she hadn't forgotten about Tom, their unlabelled relationship had been in the back of her mind for ages, and she still couldn't push him out. Her feelings for Abraxas had hit her suddenly, and she wasn't sure if they existed solely because of the similarities between him and Draco, or if it was something else. Her mind felt torn between thoughts of Tom and the genuinity of her feelings for Abraxas. Overall, it was too much for her to deal with.
She sighed and walked out of the bathroom, she was happy about the summer, it gave her three months to think thoroughly about her situation. The summer also meant three months to find Tom, completely uninterrupted by scheming students. That would be a definite relief.
She resolved to spending the rest of her day in the girl's dorms, amidst the giggles and shouts of girls packing for their summer holidays.
She'd finished packing a while ago, and now had nothing to do. Naturally, she would've gone to the library but memories of Tom and Abraxas were packed full in there. She'd have to cope with the noise.
XXX
Peeves smirked at the ghost in the mirror, Dumbledore would be so pleased.
XXX
Hermione sighed as the carriage bounced and pranced, she looked out the window and gazed at the green countryside. A wave of nostalgia hit her, and she had to look away. She sighed in relief as they reached the station, and she quickly hopped out of the carriage.
Just as Hermione was about to climb into the train, she heard a familiar voice calling her name.
"Hermione! Hermione wait up!" She turned around to find Abraxas chasing her down. She stood still as everyone else boarded and waits for him to reach her, when he did he stood still, seeming to have forgotten his words.
"Hi," he muttered breathlessly.
"Hey," she muttered in response with an awkward tap of her foot.
"I'm, I'm sorry about earlier today. I really didn't know what to say. I just, i really like you too and I, well, y'know." He spoke in a rushed voice, moving his hands about frantically as if that helped his explanation. His pale face was flushed and long strands of his platinum hair fell into his eyes and were blown about relentlessly about by the wind. When he finished, he gave a large huff and ran a hand through his hair, increasing the mess. "I like you too, Hermione."
Hermione stood very still, confused yet at the same time pleased by his words. The train gave a warning whistle, signalling that it was about to leave, and so Hermione did the first thing that came to her mind. She wrapped a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her and quickly kissed him o the lips. She took a step back, pausing to look at his face before turning her back on him and running through one of the open train doors. She paused again to turn and look at him, he still stood in the same place. "I'll write you," she said before turning once again to go and find an empty carriage.
Abraxas smiled to himself after she'd left. She'd kissed him again, and he was beyond pleased. He swiftly stepped onto the train and went off in search of Maximus.
XXXXXX
A/N: Ehem ehem, leave your thoughts in the review box. And please forgive me.