A/N - Thanks for reading/reviewing!

VII.

"I don't understand why you lied to me."

Tom sighed, his head falling back on the couch as Hermione paced the room. He lowered his eyes to watch her, licking his lips slowly as she lifted her arms to run her hands through her curls. The sliver of skin revealed at her waist seemed to glow in the firelight.

"I didn't lie to you, Granger."

Her eyes were narrow and cold when they locked in on his, her mouth tight and shoulders tense. She was torn between hating him –as she should, really- and the feelings the incomplete ritual left in her. If she tried hard enough, she could ignore them, but his throat looked inviting, and she could see his cock hardening through the fabric of his pants.

"You believed what you wanted to." He lifted one hand from where it rested in his thigh, reaching for her, and rolled his eyes when she shook her head. "Honestly. You read the book. You're intelligent. Do you really mean to tell me that you had no idea the ritual had already started?"

"How would I have known, Riddle? You left the book on the train bench and disappeared. You told me I couldn't ask you about it."

He sat up, frowning disgustedly at her. "The first chapter talks about how only those who desire will see. That only those who's magic align will read and understand. You can't tell me you didn't know what you were doing. You saw my blood on those pages –felt, I'm sure, how that book tried to consume me- long before it started in on you.

"I've allowed you your ignorance and denial, Granger, because I understand that you force yourself to exist in this morally grey world with boring rule and expectations and desires. But, I won't have anymore of it. What's done is done."

She'd stopped pacing, arms folded over her chest as she watched and listened to him.

"Tom," she murmured, and watched him jerk, if only barely, at the sound of his names on her lips. His eyes hardened just before she said, "I feel used. And dirty. You allowed me to believe I had control over this-" she gestured between them "-when in reality, I don't. You initiated. You're in control. I'm…compliant."

"Take control, then."

She twitched. "Excuse me?"

Tom sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I can't believe you pulled me out of bed at two in the morning for this." Again, he reached for her, pulling her into his lap when she was near enough.

"I can't eat. I can't sleep. I can barely even think because I'm so consumed by this. By you. And you act as though this is nothing."

"This is everything to me, Granger. You and I, we share the world now. Can't you feel it?"

She tilted her face up, lips against his throat as she said, "All too well."

.

.

.

"You cheated on me," she accused, her eyes wide and mouth open.

His eyes lifted to her, lids heavy and gaze focused everywhere it shouldn't be. She shoved him, palm and knuckles hard against his chest.

"Hermione-"

"Don't 'Hermione' me! You cheated one me, and you let me befriend the witch. You're sick and disgusting and I can't believe…you cheated."

She plopped back down into her chair.

"Stop fucking saying that, Granger," Tom told her between his teeth. He looked around in the library, but it was too early for even Ravenclaws to be studying. He rounded the table and sat across from her. "I didn't cheat on you. We aren't exclusive. We aren't even dating."

"We're fucking. Not to mention the blood exchange, thing. It's assumed, Riddle."

"Well, you know what they say," he told her, a light shrug in his shoulders.

She used her magic to throw her inkpot at him, watching as he jerked at the last possible moment. It splattered against the window behind him, but a line of inky black stained the chest and shoulder of his quidditch shirt. "Don't do that to me, Tom."

His gaze softened, if only barely.

She felt herself shudder, a shaky breath escaping her, and busied herself by marking up her study guide. "I need to take a step back from this," with her free hand, she gestured between them. "I can't…I will do what I promised. But this has to stop."

"You can't."

"I can't what, Riddle?" Her hand stilled and eyes narrowed.

"You can't stop this. I need you."

Her eyes widened, meeting his heavy gaze. He swallowed. She couldn't believe him. She didn't want to. She knew better.

"Only for carnal purposes. We don't have to hang out or speak or even look at each other-"

"Stop," he hissed.

"And even if you do need me, Riddle, I don't need you," she went back to her work. "That's what you don't seem to get. I don't need you or this. I did you a favor, and I can walk away at anytime."

"Please don't." It wasn't quite a request, but it wasn't a demand, either. He wouldn't beg. She didn't really want him to.

"Why shouldn't I? Because you 'need' me?" She laughed. "I need me too, you know?"

"Are you jealous?"

She wished she had another inkpot. "I'm offended. I'm hurt."

He said nothing, and for a moment Hermione wasn't even sure if he was breathing.

"I don't like sharing," she admitted. "I hate it. I'm not good at it."

He nodded slowly, turning his wand over repeatedly in his hands. "Ok. We're exclusive."

"Until this is over."

His gaze narrowed. "And then you walk away."

"And we're both free to act as though nothing ever happened," she nodded.

"Hands clean."

"Yes." She watched him. She couldn't read him.

He licked his lips slowly. Hungrily. Distractingly. "I need you."

Involuntarily, she inhaled too sharply. Coughed. Felt her hands shaking. "When?"

"Now."

It was her turn to look around the library. They were in the back. No portraits. No students. They'd see anyone before anyone saw them. And, it was still too early, anyway.

He pushed slightly away from the table, waiting. She got up, walked around, and stood next to him hesitantly. This was the first time they'd done anything so publicly.

It almost made it too real. But, the morning light through the old glass of the windows shined lazily and prettily over the area. Leaving a dusty golden glow on them, and it was suddenly unreal. Perfect.

She remembered the day on the train, when all of the shit they were in started, and felt her breath catch again.

He left his wand on the table, unbuttoning her blouse before hooking an arm around her waist. He kissed her stomach and pulled her onto his lap, her knees on either side of his waist.

Their mouths met, forcing themselves on each other. He broke off the kiss, eyes open and staring too deeply into her as he specifically kissed the scar on her bottom lip –a permanent reminder of what they'd done. His tongue swiped over her skin, and she felt his scar pointedly over hers. "Always, Granger."

She felt him against her thigh and ground into him, her fingers wrapping themselves in his curls. She tugged his head back. He shifted his hips against her, his fingers pushing her skirt up her bare thighs and hands gripping at her waist as he pressed her into him.

"Apologize."

His eyes were clouded, lids heavy and cheeks flushed. Even his lips seemed darker than normal, shiny from their kiss. Unable to resist, she leaned down and kissed him again. He undid his belt, and she tugged one hand from his curls to pull his cock from his trousers and massage it slowly. He groaned. She rubbed him against her panties.

"Fuck," he breathed into her mouth.

"Apologize."

"I'm sorry." He kissed her softly.

She pressed him against her thigh, pushing her underwear to the side before rubbing the head of his cock against herself.

He groaned. "I apologize for offending you. For hurting you. Hermione."

She let go of his hair and pressed two fingers into his mouth, adding a third at the last moment. He pressed his tongue to them, sucking gently. She rose off of his lap, tugging her fingers from his mouth and rubbing them against herself as his hands slid up the backs of her thighs and under her panties. He gripped her bum. She sunk down onto him, swallowing his groan of pleasure as she kissed him again.

.

.

.

You're mine. You're mine. You're mine.

A/N - Obligatory reminder that this is a hella long one shot and things don't always add up in them and I was drunk when I wrote this.