Chapter 4: Remembrance

The halls of the school were silent. Darkness lurked around every corner Tom and Hermione passed. The soul source of light guiding the way was a few torches flaming brightly along the walls. They walked for what seemed like miles. The paintings were asleep, not even making a sound. It was as if they were taunting her. Hermione allowed her mind to wonder. So many thoughts rampaged through her mind that she couldn't think of a single rational thought. Tom was merely waiting for the right moment. He knew that she was mentally as well as physically exhausted, which was exactly what he needed. She wouldn't resist him when she weak…just as she didn't resist him when she was hurt.

Hermione's pace began to slow and her steps began to stumble. Feeling as if she were ready to pass out, she touched the wall for support. Tom stopped and stared at her with a blank expression on his face. Hermione stared back with her eyes halfway closed. She suspected that it was something he was doing to make her feel so frail. Her face was full of hate and disgust when he looked at her. She wanted to yell at him, scream at him, whatever was humanly possible. But just as she opened her mouth, he beat her to it.

"Its nothing to worry about. Time travel has this effect on many people when they first attempt it." His voice was like silk. He spoke as if nothing had happened and it was the most casual conversation in the world.

"But I am quite experienced at time travel," said Hermione, referring to her third year when she took multiple classes at one time.

"Not over a period of 50 years, you're not," he said.

"It has never had this effect one me before."

Hermione reached into her pocket to search for wand again, only to find it still missing. She wanted to fight in whatever way she could, but knew in the back of her mind that she didn't have the strength. Her knees began to tremble and her body became heavier by the second. Just before her body completely gave way to faintness, Tom grabbed her by the waist and picked her up. Hermione was puzzled by his touch. It felt like he was cradling her.

He reached for the end of a large intricate carpet that hung from the wall and moved it aside with is shoulder. To Hermione's surprise, there was a hallway hidden behind it. It was pitch black and colder than any hallway had right to be. He carried her into a small dark room with hardly any light showing through the glass skylight. There was just enough for Hermione to be able to make out the curves of Tom Riddle's face. He gently set her down to her feet and allowed Hermione to stand. She once again leaned into the wall for support as Tom took a step closer to her. As she turned her head to face his, she saw the expression in his face had changed. It looked as if it were a mix between frustration and concern. Hermione began to feel the nerves in her chest begin to grow when he moved even closer to her…far too close for comfort. She let out a small gasp as he took her wrists and lightly thrust his body weight on her, sending her back into the stonewall. She wanted nothing more than to just let the blackness engulf her eyes and let her fate take control of the moment, but something inside her told to look into his eyes…just look into his eyes to let him know that he can't take away the only thing she had left…her inner power.

"I must admit, I thought the time travel alone back here would be enough to make it all known. Clearly I was wrong."

Hermione couldn't possibly imagine what he was waiting for. Why didn't he just kill her? Strangle her right then and there. He saw this as the appropriate time to talk? But then his words once again began to puzzle her.

"To make what all known?" She said. He was so close that she could feel his heart beat against her chest. 'How could any man such as this even have a heart?' Hermione wondered. But even with everything that was happening in front of her, she felt a calming sensation waft through her body. Something was causing her to let down her guard, and she had no doubt of who or what it was.

Hermione stared into Tom's eyes for a long moment, waiting for him to say something, but no words came. He simply stared back at her. His gaze no longer made her want to panic, but rather soothed her. She rested her head against the wall behind her as Tom did what Hermione never would have expected. He let go of her right wrist, and caressed her hair. He slowly made his way to her face and stroked her soft skin. Then he did the unthinkable. He kissed her. Hermione didn't feel threatened or even scared. Her entire body began to yearn for him as her senses completely left her.

Suddenly, an image began to appear across her mind's eye. She saw two people cuddled next to each other. The smaller of the two was weeping softly into the cloak of the other as he held her tight in his arms. Then the fog lifted and the image became clear. It was her and Tom. It had only been a couple months back, just after her parents had been killed. So many different images swept through her mind at once. He had been visiting her since it had happened. She was not aware of who he was or where he was from, only that he had been there for her. At night when she cried herself to sleep, in the world between asleep and awake…that was where he had met her. That was where she had fallen deep into his arms. That was the place where he loved her. Out of all the kindness and comfort he had shown her, his touch…that was what she remember the most. She never remembered him when she was awake. The only thing she could possibly recall was that there was someone there. There had been someone there with her when she was crying. She never bothered asking herself who it was. It seemed wrong to do so. Until now…

As the images began to fade, she once again felt Tom's lips pressed gently against her own. And to her shock, she was kissing him back. His hand was no longer holding her tightly against the wall, but stroking the sensitive skin on her back. Her hands were around his neck and her body pressed up against his. He parted his lips from hers, allowing them both to catch their breath. Lowering his head, he kissed her neck with intense passion. Hermione couldn't help but moan and hold him closer to her than she thought possible. He slowly made his way back to her mouth and felt himself rise when she pressed hard against his back with her hands.

Hermione's legs began to shake beneath her, but not from ecstasy. Before she knew what had overtaken her, she began to fall from Tom's grasp. He barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground. Her sudden weakness had even surprised him. He lifted her from her the ground and once again began to carry her. He took her out of the room and down the dark hallway. At the end was a long spiral staircase made of stone and windows leading up to a tall wooden door with golden lining. Tom leaned forward and opened the door. When it swung open, Hermione faintly felt a cool breezes awaken her for what seemed like only a moment in time. It appeared to be the guest quarters that Dumbledore had spoken about. It was decorated with pale blues and purples, giving Hermione a feel of the sea, as if it were swaying just outside her window. The light fabric of the curtains blew with the breeze and hit the edge and an enormous bed in center of the room. It too was a light shade of blue with large wooden pillars on each corner. The windows were even more marvelous. Just like the wooden door, they were lined with gold and opened at the middle with Victorian style handles. The view from the balcony showed the spectacular sky with the rolling hills just below.

Tom gently laid Hermione down on the bed and covered her with the warm and heavy comforter. She opened her eyes and waited for his to meet hers. He kneeled down in front of her stroked her cheek with his finger. She adored his touch. It made her long for him even more. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then leaned back again just to look into her eyes.

"You need this time to rest. We can talk things over in the morning. Just promise me that you won't leave this room unless I am with you. It may be a while before you to gain your strength back and I don't want another incident like we had tonight."

"I promise," she said softly. He kissed her gently on the lips and again on her forehead. As he stood up and headed for the door, he heard her try to sit up.

"I told you, you need your rest," he said as he turned to face her. "Lay back down, my love."

"Where are you going?" she sounded almost frightened of him leaving her. Quite a change of perception since a few moments ago…

"I will be back in the morning. I have to see Professor Dumbledore first thing, then I will come and wake you."

"I can't be alone right now," she said.

"You're not. I will see you soon. I am always with you when you sleep, remember."

She nodded in understanding and rested her head back down. Reluctantly closing her eyes, she allowed herself to fall asleep… but not before she lingered on what Tom had said. "My love…" He had called her 'his love'. Tom quietly shut the door behind him, walked down the spiral staircase and back to his own dormitory. He knew that Professor Dumbledore would find out one way or another if he spent the night with Hermione. It was safer for the time being that he sleep in his own Prefect room.

When he finally reached his bedroom, he couldn't be bothered with the thought of sleeping. He took out his wand and lit the fireplace before his bed stand just to watch it flicker. He set his wand on his side stand with Hermione's wand right next to it. The heat from the fire began to surround the room, overwhelming Tom with its warmth. So much still had to be accomplished and mended. Just because she remembered their history didn't mean that other certain memories wouldn't begin to haunt her. He needed to make Hermione his own. He needed her to belong to him. That was the only way he could possibly succeed.