AN: The fact that I'm actually updating right now is a testament to how much I love you guys. My friend Mary came over today to get me to help her with her wedding invitations, and then I've had some sort of cold/allergy thing going on so I'm really exhausted right now and wanted to go to sleep and instead typed up this chapter just so I could have it posted before 12am. So feel loved, because I really do love you guys. Special thanks to aisha99022, Hyaci, Guest, le-femme-cavalier and oh my tomioness.

Reviews to anonymous replies can be found here **just remove the spaces** fanfiction . net/topic/120357/73482188/1/Ten-Years

You hit me once
I hit you back
You gave a kick
I gave a slap
You smashed a plate
Over my head
Then I set fire to our bed

Kiss with a Fist - Florence + the Machine

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Everything with Hermione, was working so perfectly that for once the smile gracing his face was completely genuine and not just a show. It was almost too easy, she was so naive, so easy to predict, honestly she didn't stand a chance.

Tom continued to walk down the hall feeling quite smug with himself, satisfaction oozing from his very countenance. Yes, what he had planned was starting sooner than he expected but the Halloween party had been too good of am opportunity to resist, almost like it was destiny. Why else would she show up at that moment, the same day that it all started. He could barely contain his glee at the thought of revealing all to her, but first he would have to wait until the his plans reached fruition. Imagining the furious look on her face when she realized just how much of a pawn she had been through the years gavechim a little extra pep in his step. Victory always tasted the sweetest.

"Sir." Crabbe actually gave a deep bow that almost caused him to tip over and would have been worthy of punishment if there had been anyone else in the hallway, Tom almost considered doing it anyway just to get a point across but decided against it. He was a merciful leader after all. "We seized control of Heron United and the ships are being prepared for transfer as I speak. Customs has been infiltrated already so the more. . . less than savory cargo will be overlooked and easier than every to smuggle."

The older man looked pleased with himself, his thin frame shaking in excitement at being the one to deliver the good news to Tom. Every now and then, as he spoke, he would twitch and Tom couldn't help but think that he should really get that checked out, it could give away one day.

"Arcturus, where are we exactly?" Tom looked at him in disdain, his voice coming out dangerous and low.

"Er." The man looked like he was going to piss himself in that moment, his twitching increasing as he realized that Tom wasn't as happy with him as he had expected, he had been so eager to be the first to inform the boss of good news that he didn't stop to think. Tom himself was enjoying the power he held over this weakling, all of them, how they were so easilt terrified of him.

"In the hallway, sir?" His voice was uncertain, as if he could get the answer wrong, which was likely. Tom was known for asking simple questions just to get an excuse to torment someone. Arcturus Crabbe shuddered at the thought, everyone had been at the end of Tom's temper at one point or another, the man was absolutely sadistic and creative in his punishments.

"Gooad job, you realized we're in a hallway." He smiled nicely, "Where anyone could walk in at any moment." He inspected his nails casually, "Remember what happened to Goyle when he thought it would be a good idea to attempt a trade off even though I specifically told him not to?"

Of course Crabbe remembered, Goyle had been told not to do anything because it was currently too dangerous but decided to go ahead and do what he wanted. Tom had been less than pleased. Arcturus began to perspire, the scent of fear heavy in the confined hallway.

"Yes sir, it'll never happen again." His breaths were more shallow and his mouth had gone dry, everyone who worked for Tom knew what happened to Goyle and not one of them who had been there to see it would ever be the same. He let out a shudder of fear and disgust, a chill shooting up his spine at the cruel curl of Tom's mouth.

"As long as we understand each other." Tom's demeanor was back to being open and charming, the perfect example of someone you felt comfortable approaching, "Thank you Arcturus that will be all." The dismissal was obvious and Crabbe was more than happy to leave as Tom continued his way towards Cornelius Fudge's office, how the idiot became minister Tom would never know. The man was a completely imcompetent idiot on a good day, but it was fine with him. It would make his eventual takeover all the easier.

He rapped his hand on the door and entered when he was beckoned to enter, his one solace in being told when he could and couldn't enter a room was that soon he would be the one in power and he would command people and tell them where they could and couldn't go. What they could and couldn't do.

"Oh good, Tom, you're here and right on time as always. I never have to wonder when my favorite assistant would get here." The portly man chuckled before before picking up a stack of papers, "I'll need you to start by filing these away for me. Now, I know filing may seem below you now but one day you may have a lot of your own to do so think of it as practice." He said knowingly, as if he had personally had to file a lot of papers himself.

Tom wouldn't have been surprised if Fudge had ever had to file in years, whether he had secretaries or other interns like Tom, he just didn't seem the type who would want to bother with such a mundane task. Even with the recent budget cuts Fudge refused to do his own scut work, more the reason why Tom considered him a fool.

It was one thing to shove meaningless work on your underlings it was another to give them access to important documents just because you were too lazy to put them away yourself.

"Not at all sir, just glad I could help." He flashed the Minister a toothy smile before leaving with the documents and the key to the filing room. Of course he detested being used as a errand boy, doing all of Fudge's maual labor, but soon his time would come and when it did he already had the man at the top of his list of people to take care of.

Until then he would bear with it and see how much information he could glean from working here and filing away the papers, some of which did look a bit promising. Such as the one concerning import taxes. Looks like the tariffs were going to be raised again, that meant certain products were going to be raised in price again which would eventually sky rocket the overall economy, and not in a good way. Perfect.

It didn't hurt that most prices were already rising to ridiculous heights, especially on produce. Even higher prices would continue to enrage citizens, tempers would rise further, people would become more desperate, violence would increase. It was almost like the universe was working with him, wanting him to succeed in his endeavor, just proving further that this was his destiny. It was how he would finally achieve the greatness he knew he always deserved.

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Hermione was still frustrated over her run in with Tom, even though she kept telling herself she wouldn't let Riddle push her around and that she was just working towards bringing him down and not actually helping him. Yet she couldn't stop this feeling that something more was wrong, why had he approached her now of all times. What was so important that he really needed her help for, because she sure as hell wasn't buying his whole influence story. He could have found someone with way more influence with her, some rich heiress perhaps, that could help him more than Hermione. He had said that her intelligence was an asset, more or less, but for what?

Although she knew it was a bad habit she bit her bottom lip, coffee long forgotten and turning tepid in the cool autumn air. Sighing she tightened the scarf around her neck and pulled the purple, knitted hat further down over her ears, feeling unnaturally cold for this time of year. As much as she hated to admit Hermione considered the option that maybe all the recent stress had been getting to her, with Tom and exams taking up most of her energy she felt exhausted all the time lately. She had barely slept over the last couple of days and had the unnatractive bags under her eyes to prove it.

At this rate she was probably going to be driven to an early grave and it was all his damn fault, she was fine before he showed up in her life again. Oh well, if she did die, she would at least have the pleasure knowing that his plans were ruined and he'd have to find someone else. Hermione had a feeling that he was used to getting his way and would probably be mad at her for daring to die on him before he was done with her. Just imagining it nearly made her giggle aloudnto herself, the only thing that prevented her from doing so was the odd looks she was sure to receive if he did.

Standing up she tossed the half empty coffee cup into the nearest trashbin on her way to the Hogwarts University library, heavy bag slung across her shoulder. As exhausted as she was the urge to study won out over her need to sleep, she could rest up before exam day but right now she really needed to crack down and take as many notes as possible. Besides the huge Hogwarts library was always a sort of escape for her, nice and quiet with almost every book imaginable and a magic quality that seemed to melt away your problems.

And it weas no wonder why, as she pushed open the heavy oak door and stepped inside the cozy warmth it was like a completely different world where you could just lose yourself. It was a three story building and each story had shelves upon shelves of books with an astonashing variety of non fiction and fiction, there were also plenty of desks, tables and chairs where one could sit alone or with others. There was even a sitting area on the first floor with a semi circle of squishy arm chairs around a fireplace that would be lit during the winter. Hermione took a deep breath, savoring this little moment for later, taking in the smells of ink, leather and paper.

It was simply enchanting for the young bookworm, her own little wonderland.

When she was done she immediately headed upstairs to the second floor and found the section with the books she would need, thankful for the Dewy Decimal System since it meant she wouldn't have to run all over the place for everything she needed. Grabbing the books she needed she stacked them in her arms and made her way slowly back downstairs, wishing she had had the foresight to put her bag down at her table first. But, alas, she didn't so she had to wobble over to her favorite studying nook. It was next to a window and fairly out of the way of everyone else allowing her to find her own peaceful place where she could work without interruptions.

Holding back a yawn that was building up she opened up her anatomy text alonmg with Marcello's Complete Human Anatomy Bible with Terminology first, her pen making light scratching noises as she efficiently took notes and cross referenced between the two books and the lecture notes for McGonagall's class.

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It wasn't that Tom was surprised to find Hermione in the library, he knew her well enough to know that she spent most of her time there. No, what really surprised him was that when he found her she was asleep. Hmm, on second though, maybe it was the fact that her large and opinionated mouth was firmly shut instead of arguing with him. Things would go so much smoother for both of them if she made a habit out of it, perhaps he could suggest it to her after she woke up.

Speaking of waking up it would be ungentlemanly of him to just leave her there as she was, slumped all over her books in what was sure to be an uncomfortable position. Waking up from that was bound to leave a few aches and pains. Deciding to be the good boyfriend he had so recently become he leaned over, gently shook her and whispered in her ear, "Hermione, time to wake up."

Her eyelids fluttered a tiny bit and she snuggled further into the arms she had been using to pillow her head. Becoming a bit impatient, for important people like himself should never have to wait on anyone, he decided pretending to be the good boyfriend was over rated, especially with nobody around to witness it. With that in mind he grabbed one of the heavy books laid out on her desk and banged it onto the table close to her head.