Sadly I own nothing, all rights go to our Queen JKR. I am uploading earlier this week as a treat because I have just been to the HP Studio Tour in London ;] If you can go, do, it is well worth every single penny :]
30th September 1984
"You wanted to see me, My Lord?" Bellatrix spoke as she entered his dusty study at Riddle Manor, not many had been her in the last or so years.
"Where is Hermione?"
"She is with Draco and Narcissa in the gardens."
"Good, good, you have raised her well."
"Narcissa and Lucius mainly, I am the crazy Aunt." She cackled lightly.
"I had a meeting at Gringotts today. An elf told me you are bound to my Daughter... Explain."
"Your wife begged me to create an unbreakable vow when she was dying. She wanted to know Hermione would be safe until your return, she seemed to know you would not be arriving back that night."
"Clever of her." Tom thought for a bit.
"Tell me of my Daughter Bellatrix."
"She is extremely smart, she loves to read, she understand and obeys rules like no other 6 year old, she has a dark sense of humour and she loves to prank adults."
"She loves to prank?"
"Yes, she turned Lucius's hair pink last week because he dropped one of her favourite books on the floor breaking the binding."
Tom chuckled, it sounded like he missed out on so much. He walked towards the window to see Hermione and Draco run around the patio chasing geese that seemed to have gathered nearby.
"My Lord, will you be taking Hermione with you?"
"No Bellatrix, I will have her still reside with Lucius and Narcissa, she will be safer, however, I will be a frequent visitor. I will not miss any more of her life."
"You will be hunted, My Lord."
"Whom by are you speaking of Bellatrix?"
"Aurors, The Order, Dumbledore, Harry Pott..."
"Is alive? How?"
"The Killing curse you cast at him rebound and made you disappear. His Mother's love somehow cast a shield between the two of you protecting her."
"Where is he now?"
"Living with some filthy Muggles, they use him as a house elf."
Tom scowled slightly then schooled his features, he needed to know if old Dumblydore looked after the boy, maybe he could take him and train him himself.
"Draco wait." Hermione shouted as she chased after him into the dusty house. "Aunt Bellatrix said to wait outside."
"Well, Mother came in here."
"That is because he asked her to come."
"How? She doesn't bear the mark?" Draco frowned not understanding.
"I believe he was watching us play, come let us leave."
Draco ignored her warning and opened a door to what used to be an old Gallery. Walking through the portraits all seemed to be still, until the last one. There sat a woman who was thin of body and face, her hair was lank and dull which hung gently down her face. Her eyes, slightly steered in opposite directions. [1]
"Who are you. What are you doing in my house?" She yelled.
"We were only passing through." Draco looked at her and held Hermione's hand.
"Get out you filthy Muggles." She demanded as she began banging on the portrait as if she was trying to escape.
"We are no Muggles Madam." Hermione huffed haughtily at the elder Witch in front of her.
"Well then, if you are not a Muggle who are you."
"Why should we tell you, you have been nothing but rude to us since we arrived."
"I am rude as you so poorly put it because I reside here."
"Well, I may also be residing here." Hermione interrupted.
"Impossible, you can only live her if you obtain Riddle blood within your body." The Witch glared down at Hermione.
"Well I do." and with that, she dragged Draco out of the Gallery ignoring the Witch's pleas not to leave.
"What did I say to you two?" Tom shouted bringing them from their thoughts.
"Sorry."
"My Lord, they are only children, I left them outside when you asked to see me, they will have become bored." Narcissa begged she knew Tom had a temper but did not want the children to witness it yet.
Ton just waved her off and picked his Daughter up.
"Next time dear Hermione, do not disobey your Father, do you understand?"
"I do yes, I have only one question."
"You shall ask only one" He rubbed his hands through her silky hair as they sat down at a picnic table on the terrace.
"Who is the Witch in the Gallery."
"Ahh, you met her did you?"
"She was not pleasant."
"She will not be, to her she has awoken to a dark room and no introduction to whom has entered the house."
"You know her?"
"I know of her, I have no memory of her, for she is my Mother. She abandoned me at an Orphanage."
"That was not nice." Hermione stroked his face; 'just like his wife used to do' Tom thought.
"No it wasn't but under the circumstances, I would have been no better at home either."
"How come?" Draco asked sitting next to them. "My Lord." He added forgetting whom he was speaking to.
"Just you Draco can call me Tom until you come of age. I will only allow you such privilege because with it come great responsibility. I expect you to take care of Hermione when you both arrive at Hogwarts and until then too."
"Thank you... Tom. I will take my new responsibilities with great pride, care and fulfil them to my very best." Draco bowed to the older Wizard.
Tom patted his shoulder. This little Malfoy seemed to cause him such delight. Waiting until the woman had made them self-scarce and Draco was sitting comfortably with them, then and only then did he tell them both what little he knew of the Gaunt family, his Father, Tom Riddle SNR and how he came to be conceived and left on doorsteps off wool's orphanage.
Narcissa and Bellatrix stood further back watching the so called 'Dark Lord' be so gentle with two young children. It was nice to see him seem so 'normal'. Although, they knew the peace would not last, but for now it did.
A/N [1] I always imagined Merope would look slightly like Actress Ruth Wilson.
