TO MY REVIEWERS:
Yes, I am finally given you the respect and entitlement you deserve. Except Mandy. Love you anyways!
A Perfect Lie: Thanks for the suggestion. And thank GOD some one felt they were in character. It's hard to keep it so when something so…horrific is about to happen to the characters. Hopefully, by the end of the story, you'll still be saying that.
Somebody Special: I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the ideas? I left out an age purposely till the second chapter, just to keep the details vague for a little more time.
A Loving Reader I Love All Of: Um, thanks? As much as your….enthusiasm toward my fanfiction is appreciated, I hope next time you'll tone it down a little, and perhaps actually write a review, not just "OMG OMG OMG" Please don't take this insultingly, I only mean this in good fun, and the good favor of grammar. Thanks for the review anyways!
Bassistwriterchick: Thanks.
ALL RIGHT! NOW ON TO THE STORY. And please remember to click that lovely blue button on the bottom left of the screen. I do LOVE getting reviews.
Also, TO ALL FLAMERS.
If you have something cruel to say, and you can't seem to find a way to say it politely, please email it straight to me, instead of forcing me to go through the process of deleting your review. I understand everyone has a point of view, so lets have a polite debate, shall we, instead of "ur storie sux. Remove it now and go die" and I have seen before. I find no one really takes that seriously, so unless you want to be laughed at and mocked, don't review like that. Thanks.
QUICK TRANSLATION FO RLATER FRENCH:
A bientot: See you later.
CHAPTER 3Hermione gasped and backed away from him, knocking into, and onto, the couch. Tom stepped toward her, a concerned look on his face.
"Ms. Granger? Are you quite all right?" Hermione nodded mutely, but wouldn't let him help her up. In fact, she wouldn't let him within 5 feet of her.
"I, um, think I'm all right. I have f-f-family nearby I can stay with, so you don't have to take care of me. Really." He smiled at her, a smile that Hermione felt was rather scary, and walked toward her slowly, causing her to back up against the wall. He stopped about a foot away from her.
"Nonsense! I can't imagine leaving you to fend for yourself. But, may I ask, why the change of heart? Why did you, upon hearing my name decide you didn't need my help after all?" Hermione gulped and looked at the ground. She knew that no matter what lie she tried to force out, he'd see through it. But then, she realized, there was also the possibility that he wasn't even the Tom Riddle she thought he was. And the only way to find out who he was, was to, well, ask.
"U-u-um, well, you see, this may sound rather odd, but the man behind the attack against my family, well, the man I believe is behind the attack, is named Tom Riddle. Tom Marvolo Riddle, to be precise. And I just find it peculiar that the stranger to come to my aid happens to have the same name." She looked up at him quickly and saw the shock and horror in his eyes. The horror she misconstrued to his horror at being accused of killing her family. She rushed to explain. "Please, don't take disrespect from this incident. I never meant to accuse you of doing it, I just…." She trailed off and looked to the ground again.
Tom was mulling this scenario over in his brain. He had never anticipated that she would know his birth name. True she was a friend of the Great Harry Potter, so chances were he'd told her, but he had never fathomed…. Tom knocked himself out of his oddball train of thought. He needed to come up with a quick plan of action. He could play this.
"Well, it appears that, well, that this man IS me, then. You see, I haven't been completely honest with you, my dear. A few years ago, I appeared just down this street, seemingly from thin air. Before that, I was attending a school in the year 1942 and 15 years old. I'm afraid that I was completely disoriented until very recently, when I managed to secure a job for myself, and this lovely flat. But…I never thought it was possible for me to become such a horrible, horrible, creature in the future." Tom looked close to tears, and he gave himself credit. 'Hmm,' he thought, ''Perhaps I should have become an actor.'
Hermione immediately felt guilty when he lowered his head, tears in his eyes. She found it quite obvious, now at least, that he had no clue whatsoever as to what had happened, outside of what she had told him. She reached out her hand and grasped his, squeezing it in a reassuring manner. Tom smiled slightly to her, took a shuddering breath and stood up straight again.
"All right, well I must be going now, really. I have to find you a place to stay after all, and clothes. If you could give me your sizes, I can go and purchase some clothes for you." Tom saw her nod and turned to walk out of the apartment. "3, 2, 1" he whispered.
"Wait!" Hermione called out. She rushed toward him, and when he turned she flushed. "Um, well, would it be easier if I just stayed here? Then you don't need to trouble some one else with me. That is, I mean, if you don't mind…." She trailed off and blushed the same color as the Weasley family hair. Tom smiled a rather malicious smile and reached out, pulling her into his arms. She was shocked at the sudden contact, but didn't try to move away.
"Well, my dear, that is an idea. You shall stay here, but now I am afraid I must go get some clothes for you. What size did you say you were?" Hermione stuttered the number and he smiled down at her yet again. "Well, then, I must be off. A bientot, dear Hermione." And with a light kiss on her lips that left her stunned, he turned and exited the flat.
Tom Riddle stalked into the Malfoy Manor, a vicious smirk on his face. He was very pleased with the results he had gotten. After all, what evil, psychotic snake man wouldn't like that he had a beautiful, extremely powerful witch begging him to allow her to stay with him? Now that he had her where he needed her, all he needed was a status report from his good little Death Eaters.
He strode quickly into the front room of the most ancient manor and watched as the Malfoy family assembled in front of him. After all three were there, he turned to Narcissa.
"Madame Malfoy, I will be needing some clothing for my guest. I am afraid my clothes wouldn't really be up to par for a young lady of today. Here," He handed her a pouch of coins, "use that to find some clothing for Ms. Granger. And make sure they'd fit her. There's a slip of parchment in there with her measurements on it. Do not fail me."
She nodded and slipped from the room. Tom turned to Lucius next. "I need you to arrange for house elves to come to my flat and prepare food for us. Do you know of any that can be stealthy enough not to hint to their existence?" Lucius nodded. "Good, go, inform them of their new task, and have them ready to prepare this meal when I summon them" He handed Lucius a sheet of parchment, and then, he too, left the room. Now Tom turned to young Draco. He smiled cruelly. He liked how he made the young man quiver in fear.
"Roll up your sleeve, boy." Draco did so, and Tom reached out and slid his finger down the Dark Mark marring Draco's upper arm. Draco screamed in pain as a red-hot sensation seized his arm. Finally, after what seemed like eternity to Draco, Tom removed his hand and they turned to wait for the Death Eaters to start arriving. They didn't have long to wait.
First to arrive was Severus Snape, who knelt before his lord and kissed the hem of his robes. Tom fondly placed his hand on the head of his most loyal follower. After all, Severus had in fact been the one to inform him of Hermione's existence. If it hadn't been for him, he would have possibly never met her and realized her for what she was: the future Dark Lady.
After that, one by one they all appeared, each kissing his robe then taking his or her place in his circle. The only four missing were Lucius, Narcissa, Wormtail, and Bellatrix. All of them, however, where excused, as Wormtail had recently been murdered during his stay at Azkaban, and the other three were on missions set for them by him. He faced them and, smiling again, addressed them.
"My dear Death Eaters. I suppose you are wondering why I called you all here. Well, my answer to that is this: the usual. I need all new information, anything I could possibly need. I will be out of contact with you all for quite sometime. My new little hobby is rather…..time consuming." He grinned evilly, "But, however, if something life threatening to us comes up within the next two weeks, give the information to Lucius and he shall make sure I receive it. Is that clear? Excellent. Now, make your reports quick: I have some one waiting for me at home."
First to step forward was Haden Mathews, a rather unknown death eater who had been recruited only months ago. He cleared his throat. "My Lord. The muggle you gave us, the on whose flat you commandeered? He died this morning, right after screaming that Dumbledore and the Order of The Phoenix would save him. What do you think that means, My Lord?" Tom looked thoughtful at this new tidbit. So they had even planted muggles with the knowledge of their world. Dumbledore really was getting desperate.
"Good, good. Tell me if any of the other muggles do something similar to that." He turned to the rest of the death eaters and listened to their "reports". Most of them, however, were just some facts picked up from gossips on the street, in other words? Not important. This drivel continued for an hour, till Narcissa returned with the clothing he ordered and he took his leave.
Back at the flat, Hermione sat on one of the couches –which were indeed as comfortable as she thought they would be- and flipped through the channels on the tube. She was rather antsy and was on her last nerve, waiting for Tom to come home. At that thought, she stopped herself. 'Snap out of it, Hermione,' she thought, 'this isn't home. You don't have a home anymore. Get used to it.'
She sighed and laid down flat on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Frankly, she didn't know why she was still here. Despite the impressive performance he gave, she didn't know for sure yet that he wasn't Lord Voldemort yet. He might be using her, using her as bait for Harry. She bolted up at the thought. Of course…. No wonder he wanted her to stay here, it made perfect sense. Keep her here, make her feel welcome, then BOOM! One day she'd find herself strapped to a pull, bait for Harry to come to his doom. Oh, how stupid she'd been! She hit herself in the head with a nearby pillow.
How could she have fallen for this trap? She had to get out of here before he returned, before he had the chance to seal her in here. Hermione stood up and went to where her clothes lay in a neat pile. She searched the pockets and was relieved to find her wand still intact and safe. Of course, she couldn't use it till she could have it tested, just to be safe. But she felt much better having it with her.
Hermione turned toward the door, and had taken but two steps when it opened. Tom walked in, whistling softly and carrying a bag full of clothing, shoes and other such things. He smiled when he saw her.
The only thing Hermione could think when she saw him was how his face shown and he smiled. 'NO!' she thought desperately. 'The Dark Lord is not cute! He is evil! He ordered the deaths of my family members!'
Tom seemed to notice her inner dilemma, so he walked over to her and, with his smile still firmly in place, wrapped his arms around her. He looked down at her and noticed her shock. He quickly let go.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. I-I just thought…" Tom was very impressed with himself. Never, in all his life, had he ever stuttered, yet here he was, stuttering like a master, like that fool, Quirrell. He quickly dispelled the thought. For all he knew, she was a closet Occlumency Master and would pick up rather unsavory thoughts of his without trying. Hermione smiled to him.
"It's all right, Mr. Riddle. It's quite all right. I just wasn't expecting it." She internally sighed and decided that she was probably being paranoid. After all, you couldn't feign that sort of insecurity, could you? But just to be safe, she'd keep an eye on him, and the first sign of trouble, she'd be out of there.
"Good." Tom said, moving toward the kitchen. "Then while I make dinner, why don't you go through the bag and find some clothes to wear. I also got makeup and other things you might need or want while you are here." He didn't need to say what, as when she looked in the bag at all the goodies, she squealed hugged him and ran off toward the bathroom to change. Tom smirked. He knew she'd like it, and was glad his plan was working. Now he'd have time to have the house elves make the dinner and then he would continue this game of cat and mouse. He knew that the more muggle he appeared to live, the more she would learn to trust him. He have the house elves leaves the dishes in the sink and on the stove, then after dinner, he do the dishes. Perhaps she'd offer to help and they could bond over that foolish muggle tradition.
OK, that's chapter 3. See? I got it up when I promised to! Lol, now you know what to do:
REVIEW! Heh…that rhymed….
