Author's Note:I had a huge writer's block with this. I must've edited and changed it at least ten times, but I still don't like the result. Be nice and review anyways?

Disclaimer:I do not own anything but the plot. Everything belongs respectfully to JK Rowling and I am not using this fanfiction to make money.

Thanks to my beta, AllShadesofGrey, for looking this over.


The fire crackled loudly in the fire place, but Hermione paid it no mind. She was trapped inside a cabinet, and Riddle sat just outside. He was not any scarier to her when she was face to face with him, but confided spaces had always made her uneasy.

"I have something I need to talk to you about."His words echoed in Hermione's brain.

"Yes, of course." Abraxas said, and Hermione detected a bit of concern and worry in his voice. How could he be worried for Riddle? It made no sense. Riddle was evil, and he certainly did not deserve Abraxas's pity. She slowly opened the door and peeked outside. "You know you just have to ask, Tom."

She must've moved, because Riddle narrowed his eyes and whipped around. Hermione quietly closed the cabinet door and held her breath. He seemed to find nothing, and after what seemed like hours, he turned back towards Abraxas. Hermione waited a couple of seconds before risking opening the door again.

"I'm planning to go back to Little Hangleton in a couple of days." Abraxas had a look of confusion on his face, as Riddle sighed. "Little Hangleton is where my father lives, Abraxas. How many times do I have to tell you?" Hermione was surprised to see a mixture of different elements in his voice, none of them too pleasant. It sounded as if Riddle wasn't too fond of his father, but he didn't seem to be fond of anyone else either, so that didn't tell Hermione much.

"I see," Abraxas mused slightly, deep in thought. "What would you require of me, My L-" He suddenly cut off, wrinkling his forehead slightly. Hermione stared at him. His what? Riddle had also looked up when Abraxas had suddenly stopped talking, narrowing his eyes suspiciously, but Abraxas had bluntly avoided his eye, and Riddle had gone back to idly playing with his ring.

The same ring that almost got me killed. It's so small. Looks can be deceiving. And then, rather conceitedly, she thought, Look at me.

"I was wondering if you would like to accompany me," said Riddle in a smooth voice. His head was cocked to one side, but his face portrayed nothing. It sounded like an order rather than a question.

Abraxas stared incredulously at Riddle, who met his gaze head on. It didn't seem as if this kind of offer was made regularly. Abraxas remained silent for a long time, shuffling nervously in his seat. After a few minutes, Riddle cleared his throat and sighed. "Spit it out,"

"Erm, is it money you wanted?" Abraxas asked in a small voice, not daring to meet the other's eyes. Riddle raised his eyebrows. "I know you haven't passed your Apparation test yet," Here, Riddle grimaced, but Abraxas didn't notice. "So it would be awfully expensive to travel to Little Hangleton. I'll make sure to pay for it, but I wouldn't want to bother you with my presence."

Riddle was silent for a while, his eyes trained on the other boy. Abraxas seemed to be incredibly fidgety today. Riddle's face, on the other hand, was far from pleasant. She had expected better behavior from Abraxas, who had talked about Riddle so much pride.

"You know I enjoy your company," Riddle said finally. "Is there a reason you do not want to accompany me?" His voice was calm, but even Hermione could tell that Riddle was angered. Abraxas was in the danger zone now.

Hermione could tell that Abraxas didn't believe it one bit, but he shook his head dutifully anyways. "No, Tom."

Riddle raised an eyebrow curiously. "There's no one around, Abraxas." Riddle's voice was still even, but there was an underlying threat to it.

Abraxas seemed to glance at the cabinet nervously. Hermione thought that her cover had been blown, but Riddle didn't even make an attempt to glance towards her hiding spot. Abraxas took a deep breath, before saying in a shaky voice, "O—Of course. I apologize, My Lord."

My Lord?

Riddle's mouth curled up into a sinister smile. "Very good. I missed hearing you call that." He paid no attention to the other boy, who was clearly uncomfortable. "I will be leaving on Friday, two days from now. I expect you to be all packed and ready to go before noon. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes, My Lord."

Riddle nodded and rose up slowly and gracefully. Abraxas seemed to bow his head slightly, before mimicking Riddle's action. Hermione's brain was swirling with confusion. So many unanswered questions and not enough answers. "I will retire for the night. The journey has tired me greatly." Riddle said, smoothing out his robes. "Good night, Abraxas. I will see you tomorrow."

"Sleep well, My Lord."

Riddle's footsteps got further and further away until Hermione could no longer hear it. Abraxas sank down in his chair and let out a shaky breath, and then a laugh. It wasn't the laugh she was used to hearing. It was coarse and raw.

"Abraxas," she said, stepping lightly out of the closet.

Abraxas must've jumped a mile, whirling around, and his wand pointing towards her chest. Hermione raised her hands, eyebrows raised. It took Abraxas a few seconds to recognize who was standing in front of him. He breathed heavily before he put away his wand.

"Hey," He said quietly, massaging his head slowly. He suddenly looked tired. Dark, hollow circles were under his eyes. "I forgot you were there."

"Evidently," Hermione said, sitting down on his bed. It creaked slightly under her weight, but neither of them paid it any mind. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine." He looked at her, already beginning to calm down. There was little trace of the vulnerable boy that had just been exposed. "Why would you think I wasn't?"

Hermione just stared at him, but he seemed to be perfectly serious. Either that or he was stupider and denser than she thought. Sighing, she changed the topic and asked, "Why are you friends with him?"

Abraxas's forehead creased. "Friends with whom?"

"Riddle."

He blinked; he seemed to have not expected her response at all. He was obviously distracted. "Why wouldn't I be friends with him? He is-" Realization dawned his face. "That wasn't what it looked like."

Hermione crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What wasn't how what looked like?"

"Tom and my conversation." Abraxas closed his eyes and sighed. "There were some parts of that conversation that I didn't want you to hear. So even if you ask me about it, I will not answer, at least not now." He looked at her seriously. "I hope you understand."

Millions of questions were in Hermione's brain, threatening to spew out. However, she wouldn't force him. He would tell her when he was ready, and, well, she always had other methods if he didn't, didn't she? Sighing, she nodded understandingly. A look of relief crossed Abraxas's face.

"Alright, so," Hermione added suspiciously. He was not out of the woods yet. "Nothing's going on between you or Riddle?"

"Yeah. That was one of our better conversations, actually."

Hermione bit back any comment her opinion of what the conversation actually was, and instead said, "Why you were so nervous, then?"

"I told you already. I didn't want you to hear a lot of that conversation, but I couldn't stop it either. It would've looked too suspicious." Abraxas sighed. "I was nervous because you were there. I didn't want you to hear the conversation. It's embarrassing."

"Like the whole 'My Lord' business." She snickered at Abraxas's expression. He looked downright horrified.

Abraxas groaned and buried his face with his hands. "God, you heard that. It's so embarrassing."

"Merlin, you're such a wimp."

Abraxas's eyes flared defensively. "I'm not a wimp. Stop humiliating me." He glared at her.

"You are a wimp. You're the one getting defensive about a single name. I don't see what's so bad about it. A little strange, yes, but it's not something like Valdymart or something." Plus, my father makes me call him "My Lord" all the time.

Abraxas sighed. "Look, Hermione. I'm not who you think I am. I have another side of me, and I'm not proud of it. I'm a liar." He paused and looked at her straight in the eye. His eyes had never been bluer. "And it's up to you to uncover my lies

"Damn it," Hermione hissed as her knife grazed her finger. There was a lot on her mind, and Hermione found it difficult to concentrate on her chores. Abraxas had refused to talk about the subject and after a while, Hermione gave up her prying. She had been very tempted to just probe in to his mind, but for the first time in her life, she decided to be decent and stay out.

Who was Riddle, and what did he want?

"Tough luck," Lavender chuckled, slicing a potato open. She, however, made no move to help Hermione. She scowled and reached for a band aid. "What's on your mind, girlie? You seem to be out of it today."

You have no idea, Hermione thought. Ever since Hermione had agreed to take on some of Lavender's jobs in order to prevent the girl from seeing Gabriel, she had become friendlier, though Riddle had played a huge role in it as well. Lavender had questioned Hermione excitedly about their dark house guest. What made Lavender think that she knew? She certainly hadn't been seeking Riddle's company. In fact, she avoided him whenever she could.

"Nothing," she shrugged. It would not do to waste her time going over such trivial matters. She was sure that Abraxas would spill some time or the other. She would save her amazing full-out investigation skills as a last resort. She could always try begging as well; not many people could refuse her puppy eyes. Then, noticing the girl still staring at her, she added politely, "What about you, Lav? What's on your mind?"

"Two words," Lavender said dreamily. "Tom Riddle."

Hermione looked at her in disgust, but Lavender just giggled. "Do I even want to know?"

"Of course you do. You have to admit you're curious." Lavender winked at her, and Hermione suppressed a groan. She always wanted to know a lot of things. Knowledge was the path to power, after all. However, this was one thing that Hermione could live without.

Lavender took her silence as an approval, when in reality, Hermione just couldn't find enough effort to respond. "I saw Tom Riddle." she said excitedly.

"So?" Hermione said, decidedly bored already. "Is that something special? I see him every day." Unfortunately.

"Of course!" Lavender gushed, not picking up on Hermione's disinterest. "Though, that's not all! He even came over and introduced himself to me. He's so sweet. Have you noticed the way his hair is parted slightly to the side? So handsome." Lavender squealed, and then went on about how attractive he looked in his school robes.

Handsome, Hermione could agree with. Even though she disliked the wizard, Hermione had to admit that the boy was by no means ugly. However, sweet? Riddle? Were they even talking about the same person?

"Oh really." Hermione said flatly. Lavender nodded enthusiastically. "What exactly did you two talk about?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Lavender giggled, causing Hermione to scowl. No, she did not want to know, but she was curious as to why Riddle was suddenly showing interest in Lavender. He seemed like the type of person who would only associate with someone if they had something he wanted.

That's it. Lavender's being used. Hermione glanced at the squealing girl. Is that it, does Riddle just want a quick shag?

"Alright, no need to get angry," Lavender was enjoying this way too much. "We didn't say much to each other. He just introduced himself, and asked how I was." Lavender squealed. "I could listen to his voice all day."

"So, that's it?" Maybe he was preparing himself, luring in his prey before he would strike. It certainly seemed plausible. To be honest, anything was more plausible than Riddle seeking a relationship with Lavender.

Lavender looked offended. "What do you mean, 'that's it?' This is only the beginning! Tom and I will have a beautiful relationship. Just you wait. We'll be happily married before you know it."

Hermione tried her best not to laugh outright. It was rude, but the girl sounded so innocent and naive. She could easily feed Lavender a whole bunch of lies, and she would believe all of them. Hermione wondered if there was anything that Lavender didn't believe. Thinking about it, Hermione missed the days where the world seemed so innocent to her, the days where she didn't fear anything but perhaps who got the last cookie. Not that those days lasted very long.

"Hermione!" The kitchen door burst open, and a very irritated Harry Potter came in, an angry barn owl fluttering behind him. His hair was messier than normal, if possible, and his glasses were lopsided. He was sweating, as if he had just been running. Harry looked extremely pissed off. "Get your damn owl off of me!"

Hermione looked at him, bewildered, then at the owl behind him. It was brown with spots, and looked rather plain. It stared defiantly at her with its beaky eyes. "It's not my owl, Harry. I've never seen it before."

"It has a letter on its leg," Harry growled, and with a closer look, Hermione realized there was. "It wants someone to take the letter off, but it stabs me when I try to take the letter off." To prove his point, he showed them his hands; it was scratches that were evidently caused by the owl's claws. "It looks like it only wants you to open it. It has your initials on the envelope." Indeed it did. 'HG' was written in big letters near the stamp.

"Ooh," Lavender squealed. "Who is this, Hermione? Your secret lover? This is so exciting! Hurry up, open the letter." Her gossip mode was obviously turned on, though Hermione wondered who she would share the information with. Riddle? He seemed like the only other person Lavender associated with. Hermione repressed a snort at the thought of Riddle gossiping.

"You will certainly not be looking," Hermione said firmly, though her mind was distracted. She was as clueless as Lavender. Who could it be? The most plausible guess would be her father, but he wouldn't have been so obvious about his mail. It could be easily intercepted, and he wasn't one to take any chances. Abraxas? No, he could easily summon her to his room. It would take a lot less effort than to write out a formal letter and being the lazy couch potato that he was, he would've just spoken to her in person. Who else was there? If Riddle had decided to write her one, she would rip it into shreds and feed it to the toilet.

"Alright, that's enough. Give Hermione some space." Harry tugged a protesting Lavender out of the kitchen. The girl looked like she was about to throw a hissy fit. "Hermione, if you need anything, we'll just be downstairs. Don't hesitate to ask." He looked at her sympathetically.

She knew what he was doing. He was giving her another space to keep her privacy, yet staying close enough to offer her comfort if she needed it. Hermione nodded gratefully, and Harry closed the door behind him. She could still here Lavender's thumping all the way downstairs, but she didn't pay it any attention. She walked up to the barn owl, which had landed on the stove and was ruffling its feathers. The patterns on its wings were rather peculiar, but Hermione couldn't remember what its proper name was. It looked up with its beady eyes when she approached it, and flinched back slightly when she reached her hand out to pet it. It examined Hermione for a while, before sticking out its leg. She seemed to have passed its test.

"Thank you." She took the envelope. It felt small in her hands, though the blue shading of it was quite pretty. "I'm sorry I don't have any treats here. I'll run to the market later." The owl had simply looked at her, and then entertained itself by pecking at a stray spoon on the counter.

Trembling slightly from anticipation and nervousness, she opened the letter carefully. It had been sealed so perfectly; she didn't want to ruin it. However, she didn't want Lavender to change her mind and come back in either, so she didn't go too slowly. And who was she kidding? She was just as curious as Lavender was.

When she finally opened it, she was greeted with a messy scrawl that was vaguely familiar. Not quite sure what to expect from the content, she leaned back against the sink for support, and Hermione's eyes quickly scanned the lines.


Yo, kiddo!

How are you doing? It's been so long since I have last seen you. Still remember me? I miss you so much. No one here is the same bookworm as you. It's kind of boring, actually. This is the one and only time I'm the smartest, and to be honest, I rather miss the competition. I don't know, there's some thrill in having my butt kicked by you. Call me insane, but it's true.

I've decided to attend Hogwarts this fall. I spent the summer filling out all the paper work and all that crap. Dippet has already admitted me into the school, so I'm good to go. Remember how we used to laugh at the prospect of Hogwarts? It seemed as if a dream so far away. But now, I get to go. I get to be with other wizards and learn about magic. I'm so happy, but I wish you could be here with me, kiddo, to share the joy. I'm still waiting for the day we can walk through the gates together, to do homework together in the library like we used to. I toured the school last week. Remember how we drew what we imagined the library would look like? It turns out we were mostly right. Weird, huh? Now you just have to get your butt over here. Your dream library awaits you. You'll be surprised how many books are that you haven't read yet. The librarian is ridiculously nice here too. I guarantee that the two of you will hit it off quite nicely. Though, once you go in there, I'll probably never going to be able to get your attention ever again.

Now is when you're going to yell at me because I haven't contacted you, right? And this is when I bore you of the details of my incredibly depressing life. I've been mostly on the run since you last saw me. Do you remember Russell? The guy's still chasing after me after all these years. Guess he's really loyal to your dad, eh? Or maybe he just doesn't want to lose to a brat, but he'll never catch me. I'll tell you the whole story later, but basically, I've been jumping from place to place. However, recently, I've settled down in a pureblood home near Hogwarts. He can't come anywhere near the school because of the wards, and neither can any of your father's 'friends.' I would say the same about your father, but if he truly wants something, I doubt the wards could stop him. You know you are free to visit me at any time, and the family I'm staying with invite you to come, though I would appreciate if you didn't let your dad know. He doesn't seem to like me, wonder why? Maybe I spit in his face one time too many. Oh well, I have no regrets.

I can see from some of my spies and contacts that you're still working for your dad. I don't want to interfere, and like you told me more than once, it is your own family. However, I would like to kindly remind you that he doesn't own you. You're a strong, independent person who does not need someone to order you around. In fact, you're the person who is ordering people around most of the time. You're a tiny bit too confident with your wand as well, but if all else fails, remember those tricks I showed you with the gun. Just try not to get at the wrong end of one. Stay safe.

Anxiously waiting your reply, kiddo. Please forgive the poor old man for not contacting you sooner. I hope to hear from you soon.

Lots of love,

Nick

P.S. I told you my owl could find you, wherever you are. He's a smart one.


Hermione read it again. And again. And again, until she memorized every single word of Nick's letter. After all that time, she still couldn't believe what she was seeing. She was still clutching the letter when Harry and Lavender came back into the kitchen to finish making dinner. She was still clutching it when she went into her room afterwards.

It had been three years since he had left her; three years since she had been all alone in the world. However, it hadn't been his fault. Nick was brave. Nick had courage. He was daring enough to break away. Hermione, though, was weak. Whenever things got difficult, she ran back to where she started.

Hermione cried herself to sleep that night. She hadn't cried since she was a baby, and Nick threw her off a cliff to try to get over her fear of heights. Whether she was crying of joy, or from sadness, she didn't know. Her emotions were all jumbled up in a mess. She would not reply to the letter, at least not until she got her own feelings sorted out. Nick's letter stayed hidden under the pillows.

Hermione was back on her dinner shift the next day. While Harry had taken over her shift in order to give her some time with her letter, he wasn't so lenient today. He had promptly thrown her out of the kitchen, using 'Your Prince Charming is worried about you,' as an excuse. As if Harry cared what Abraxas was feeling. Lavender had wisely stayed out of it, staying in her room the whole time squealing Tom this and Tom that.

Why would Abraxas be worried about her? Harry said that because she hadn't been present at dinner nor did she go to his room afterwards that he thought something in the kitchen grew fangs and ate her. Or maybe he thought she had gone to confront Riddle and had gotten killed. That seemed like a much more likely story, and Hermione had no problem imagining Riddle murdering someone. He was definitely a dark wizard.

Then what does that make me?

By the time she got into the dining room, everyone was already seated at the table. Her eyes absentmindedly strayed to Riddle, and she wasn't surprised to see him watching her carefully. His hair was neatly trimmed back, and he wore clean black robes. Quickly, she broke eye contact and scanned around the room again, this time finding Abraxas's. His eyes shone with relief, though his face remained indifferent. She gave him a small smile that was noticeable by no one else, and hurried to serve the family.

"So, Tom," Lady Malfoy purred. Hermione almost gagged; she had never heard the woman use that kind of tone of voice before. It seemed as if Riddle had everyone wrapped around his finger. The said subject was sitting with excellent posture, a polite expression arranged on his face. He tilted his head sideways, an interested look in his eyes. However, everything about it screamed 'fake' at Hermione. "Abraxas tells me that you two will go on a journey tomorrow?"

"Yes, ma'am," Riddle said smoothly. "I'm awfully sorry to be taking Abraxas away from you. I know how much you look forward to him being back at the Mansion during break." He and Abraxas traded a look which Hermione, thoroughly frustrated, couldn't decipher. Riddle eventually smirked and turned back to Lady Malfoy.

"Call me Irma," Lady Malfoy cooed gently. Riddle had simply inclined his head slightly, but didn't respond. "And it's no problem at all. I'm so happy that my little boy is making some friends." She smiled dazzlingly at Abraxas, who turned away, obviously embarrassed by the fuss his mother was making. Riddle snickered softly into his hand.

By that time, Hermione realized that she had to look rather suspicious, eavesdropping in plain sight. Hurriedly, she picked up the heavy bowl of soup, and started serving them before anyone had noticed. Also, she needed something to do with herself or she would start acting like an idiot.

She served Abraxas first, as he was closest to her. With her back blocking him from the rest of the table, he allowed his cold mask to slip slightly. He winked at her, and she had smiled back, before spooning a large spoonful of stew into his bowl. He even had the nerve to nudge her with his foot, and Hermione had to repress a giggle. She had the sudden urge to dump the whole pot on his head, but refrained from doing so, mentally scolding herself. She had managed to conceal her violent side for the most part, but once in a while she had strange urges to hurt someone. She had always been joking, but she had never really understood the dangers of tripping someone down the stairs or pouring soup on someone's head until now.

Walburga had been silent for far too long, so Hermione wasn't surprised when the witch cast a spell. Once a coward, always a coward. Hermione sighed. She only dares to curse me when my back is turned.Hermione heard the spell before she felt it, so she quickly sidestepped. It seemed as if Walburga had tried the same trick again, the same stinging hex, though the curse didn't hit its mark this time. Hermione repressed a smirk, and timidly turned around to face her. However, she hadn't anticipated that Gabriel would join in the fun. The second she turned around, another red spell hit her square in the chest, and she stumbled backwards, but not before dumping hot liquid on Abraxas's head.

Not again, Hermione groaned to herself, but she was happy that it was Abraxas that was the victim, rather than Riddle.

Abraxas had his wand out in seconds and she felt herself being flung to the floor and she groaned softly as her head came in contact with the ground. She had been teaching Abraxas how to do nonverbal spells for a while, and it seemed as if he was improving lots. She tried to keep the prideful shine out of her face, but it didn't matter; all of them seemed to be too gleeful to notice her. She had managed to teach someone else! Only she and Abraxas would know, but it was an accomplishment for her.

Except of course, Riddle, who would not stop staring at her. His eyes were piercing through her, as if he could see all her lies and secrets. Deciding that no one else was looking, she met his gaze coldly. They held the eye contact until Riddle smirked and looked away.

Abraxas waved his wand again, clearing the mess she had created in his hair. Lady Malfoy let out a high pitched squeal. It sounded remarkably similar to Lavender's, though Hermione was sure that neither one of the two females would appreciate the comparison.

"Ooh, honey," she fussed happily. Abraxas looked confused. It didn't seem like Lady Malfoy acted motherly too often. "You learned nonverbal spells. My baby is growing up! I knew they were teaching you well in Hogwarts." She flashed him a dazzling grin, which he returned hesitantly, still slightly confused. Gabriel, who was sitting next to him, ruffled his hair adoringly. Abraxas scowled and slapped his hand away. Riddle seemed genuinely amused by the situation, though it was hard to tell with him.

Hermione stood up, trying to shake as much as possible without hindering her escape. She glanced down and noticed a patch of purple and black beginning to form on her hand. Her fingers ghosted over a bruise, and she winced slightly as she pressed down. Unfortunately, that movement drew everyone's eyes towards her.

"The Mudblood can still stand!" Walburga cackled gleefully. "Why don't you show her how it's done, Abraxas? A little Cruciatus should send her crawling to her room, shouldn't it?"

Abraxas turned towards his brother's girlfriend, a stony expression on his face. Hermione just wanted to leave, but the door was on the other side of the room, and she would get hit by at least five curses before she made it anywhere near the door. "Why would I waste my effort on a Mudblood?"

Strangely, Hermione felt slightly hurt after hearing him say that, even though he was just acting. There had been only two people in the world whose opinion she cared about; Grindelwald and Nick. But now, it seemed, she cared a little about Abraxas' as well.

Riddle was scanning Abraxas carefully. Nothing gets past him, does it? Hermione thought to herself. He seemed to be a mind reader and an encyclopedia, all booked in one. Since he had arrived at the Manor, Hermione hadn't had enough time to really help Abraxas with his homework, but he seemed to have gotten it done faster. When she had asked, he had simply smirked and said Riddle was a better teacher. Hermione had fumed angrily to herself; how could he be smarter than her? It just wasn't fair. She had an inkling he didn't spend a minimum of ten hours in the library each day, so he clearly had not worked as her.

"Aww," Walburga said, trying to convince him. Hermione was sure that if Gabriel had not been between them, she would've draped herself all over Abraxas, boyfriend or not. "Where's the fun in that, Abraxas? Just a little show wouldn't hurt, would it?" Abraxas raised his eyebrows, but didn't respond. "Come on, youngsters these days are so lazy." She sighed dramatically. Hermione suppressed an eye roll; Walburga was only two years older than him. "You're almost as bad as Tom."

Abraxas's eyes quickly flashed to Riddle, whose face was absolutely livid. Abraxas kicked him under the table with his foot, though it was more reassuring than a warning, like he was trying to calm Riddle down. Riddle suddenly seemed to remember where he was. He blinked slowly, calming the dark magic that was swirling around him. By the time Walburga turned around to grin at him, his pleasant mask was already back on. Walburga was the only one who could outright insult someone, and still expect them to like her. Riddle smiled politely at her, but Hermione didn't miss the way he balled his hands into fists under the table.

He beats me in acting as well, Hermione thought furiously. Or maybe he's just better at controlling his emotions than I am. I would've just punched the girl in the face.

"Come on, little brother," Apparently, Gabriel hadn't wanted to be left out of the fun. Either that, or he was willing to do anything his girlfriend wanted. Hermione almost snorted; Gabriel being whipped by his girlfriend? That was news to her. "Do as Wallie says. It's just a little entertainment. It wouldn't hurt anyone either, except for the Mudblood." Gabriel leaned in. "Unless, of course, you care about the Mudblood."

Abraxas stiffened immediately, but Walburga laughed, clutching her boyfriend's arm. It had been meant as a joke, but what Gabriel didn't know was he had hit the truth nail on. Scanning around the table, she found with relief that no one had noticed Abraxas's actions, except for, of course, Riddle. However, Riddle was a lost cause. Maybe Riddle wasn't human.

"Come on, son," Lord Malfoy's voice boomed, speaking for the first time since dinner had started. His voice commanded absolute authority, though it too was laced with excitement. "Just cast the damn curse. Don't keep us waiting. You don't want Mister Riddle to think you're a coward, do you?"

Abraxas turned slowly towards Riddle, but the boy simply shrugged. He seemed indifferent about the whole thing, and he was definitely bored. The members of the Malfoy family, however, were all watching with fascination. Hermione let her disgust show through her eyes. They were just like her father, torturing people for entertainment.

Abraxas turned towards her, his back to his family. She could see the panicking look in his eyes. Though she couldn't send him any signs without everyone noticing, she looked at him defiantly, goading him. Her father always said that her smart tongue and her defiance was going to get her killed one day.

He didn't seem to get her unsaid message, but he seemed to come to the conclusion that he had no other choice. If he didn't curse her, someone else would, and they certainly would not be as lenient. Raising his wand shakily, an apologetic look in his eyes, he drew a deep breath and uttered the horrid word.

"Crucio."

Hermione fell to her knees again. While it didn't even fall on the scale of her father's or even Riddle's, it still hurt like hell. Millions of imaginary fingers, pinched and tore at her skin, and needles stabbed again and again. She regretted training Abraxas, but at the same time, she was also so proud that his magic was improving. A few days ago, his cruciatus curse would've held the same strength as an average stunner.

Abraxas released her after making her writher under his wand for a couple minutes. She didn't seem to be a good enough show, though; Walburga especially was scowling, furious with the lack of sound. Riddle, however, didn't seem surprised. He had merely raised an eyebrow at her, and she glared back. Abraxas himself looked worse than her. He was all shaken up. Hermione guessed it was the first time he used the cruciatus on anyone, and he certainly didn't seem like he enjoyed it.

Another thought flashed in to her mind. But his wand was so steady. So maybe Abraxas had cast the cruciatus before. Where? He didn't look like the type of person who spent their time cursing their house elves.

"Aw, come on," Walburga pleaded as Abraxas calmed himself and went back to eating as if nothing happened. "At least make her beg, will you? That was no fun at all." She pouted; biting her lower lip in what she thought was a look that made her attractive. It didn't, and Hermione caught Riddle's not-so-secretive eye roll. At least the two agreed on something. Gabriel, however, seemed to think differently. He rubbed her arm soothingly, before his hand disappeared under the table, a mischievous grin on his face. The witch leaned into his arm, purring softly.

Hermione was thoroughly disgusted.

"No." Hermione was surprised at how firm Abraxas's voice was. His back was turned towards her, so she couldn't see his expression. "You do not own me, Walburga. You have no right to tell me what to do."

Hermione glanced quickly at his parents, but if they suspected anything, they certainly didn't show it. They watched the conversation volley back and forth with excitement.

Walburga looked hurt. "But Abraaaxxaaas," she whined.

"No." This time, however, it wasn't Abraxas who had spoken. Six pairs of eyes, including Hermione's shocked ones, flew towards Riddle, who was still sitting there calmly, munching on his vegetables. "I don't want her bleeding to death on the floor, and you're making a racket. It's hurting my head." He looked at Hermione, who had managed to stand up mostly unnoticed. His eyes were empty as always. "You are dismissed."

Hermione bowed, eyeing Riddle suspiciously. He merely smirked and went back to his food. Ignoring the glares of the Malfoy family, she scurried away. Was it pity for Abraxas? It seemed more plausible than him having the sudden desire to protect her.

On her way out, she could hear Walburga squawking away, begging Riddle earnestly. And Riddle, who had spent all dinner looking at her, didn't even turn towards her direction as she left.

"Forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive." Hermione said, but Abraxas was shaking pretty badly. All the fear and anger he had bottled up during dinner had been released. He had smashed up his cabinet this time and had fell on the bed, trembling. Hermione had been greeted by the sight when she first arrived in his room, after she finished cleaning the fourth floor.

"Of course there's something to forgive." Abraxas closed his eyes while Hermione stroked his hair quietly. It was slightly awkward for Hermione, having never been in such a moment with a boy before, but it seemed to calm him down. Nick had been against such sentimentals, and if she had gone anywhere near her father's hair, he would've blasted her to America. "There's everything to forgive. I cursed you." He croaked. "I hurt you."

"No," she felt silly, like a mother talking to her son. "I'm so proud of you, Abraxas. That was a really good cruciatus curse."

Abraxas snorted. "Nice try, but no. You didn't even scream. Isn't that the point? To inflict torture on a person so they want to die?"

"Yes, that's the general idea."

"You still didn't scream."

"Do I have to scream?" Hermione sighed. "I can die without screaming, can't I? And besides, not even Riddle could make me scream." She smirked at the memory. It was probably one of the only times she could best the wizard, so she would cherish the moment forever. "I'm a lot tougher than that."

"I've been through Tom's cruciatus before," Abraxas shuddered. "It's terrible. It's like-a thousand bees stabbing you with their stingers while swords and needles stab your insides out."

"Yep, that pretty much sums it up."

"You still didn't scream."

"No, I didn't. I'm not a vocal person."

"Oh really." Abraxas deadpanned, but Hermione could see slight signs of a grin starting to grace his face. She hadn't seen why he was so upset with it; she had dealt with worse. And she was the victim here, not him. She had seemed like the innocent one in this weird relationship, but it appeared as if it was the opposite.

"Have you ever cast the curse before?"

"The cruciatus?" Abraxas replied. "Of course I have. I've lost count of how many times I have, to be honest, so I don't have a number, if that's what you're looking for." He shrugged. "I told you there was a dark side to me."

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "Have you? Do you always tremble so much?" There was a sharp tone in her voice that accidently appeared, and if Hermione wasn't so prideful, she would've apologized when the hurt look arose on Abraxas' face.

Abraxas sighed. "The cruciatus curse only works at its best when you really want to inflict damage on a person. I've never cast it on a person I even remotely cared about."

They sat for a few minutes in comfortable silence. The clock showed it to be five minutes past one, and though the time was quite late, the pair would hear an occasional squeal from Walburga in Gabriel's room. Hermione had once brought up the topic of the two of them eventually marrying each other, but Abraxas had laughed and said,

"It's never going to last. While Walburga has lasted longer than his other conquests, he'll drop her soon. They are so many of them I can't even count them on two hands." He had snorted. "My older brother is such a good example. However, he set the bar so high. I don't think I'll be able to live up to expectations."

Hermione smiled and looked down at the boy next to her. His eyes were closed, and his chest heaved up and down slowly, but Hermione knew he was awake. "Abraxas," she poked him gently. "How many people have you dated?"

Abraxas opened one eye and yawned lazily. He looked curious at Hermione's sudden interest but didn't ask. "Me?"

Hermione scowled. "No, the person behind you." Abraxas looked as if he was tempted to turn around, but decided against it.

"Zero," he added, seeing Hermione's amazed face. "Before you get any ideas, no, it isn't because no one's asked. Because I'll have you know that there have been plenty of offers. I am a rather handsome specimen, after all." He smirked as Hermione rolled her eyes. "I just don't find it appropriate. I'm failing school enough as it is. I don't need extra responsibility. And, I haven't had a friend that I know well enough yet." He shrugged. "I'm not Gabriel. I don't just look for a quick shag. What about you, then?" Abraxas looked up at her curiously, his pale blue eyes unblinking.

"What about me?"

"You and the dating prospect. Any lucky guys yet?" He grinned at her, winking devilishly.

Hermione thought of her father, and what he would do if she ever let herself get that attached to someone right in front of him. "No," she said shortly, her voice sour.

Abraxas shrugged, but wisely dropped the topic. Hermione wouldn't have elaborated, even if he wanted her to. He changed the subject and said seriously, "You should come to Hogwarts."

Hermione simply sighed. "I'm a slave, Abraxas. Slaves do not go to school, nor do they receive proper education." And if were that easy, Grindelwald would've sent her to Hogwarts years ago rather than put up with her constant pleas.

"Didn't stop you, did it?" Abraxas replied cheekily.

Hermione scowled and crossed her arms. As appealing as it was, with Nick and the library there waiting for her, she couldn't do it. Her father would never allow it.

She had lived without Hogwarts for so many years, she didn't have to stop now. And it wasn't like she didn't have books she could access. The Malfoy Manor, combined with the books she had back home, was enough to keep her busy for a lifetime.

"Tell me about Hogwarts," she said softly. Though she had no chance of going, she was still curious. She had gotten a lot of clues out of Hogwarts, A History, but there was only so much she could find out from words alone. And if there was something the book lacked, it was pictures.

Abraxas sighed; Hermione must've had that dreamy look in her eyes again, the one that only appeared when she was thinking about the school. "Hogwarts. It's truly a beautiful place. The Great Hall is like its name suggests: it's pretty great. Capital G. There are four tables for each of the houses, but I'm assuming you know all of this already?" Hermione nodded. Abraxas sighed. "Ever the bookworm."

Hermione grew irritated when he didn't continue. "Why did you stop?" she demanded. "I knew all of that already. Tell me something I don't know."

Abraxas tsked. "Patience, young grasshopper." He thought for a while, and then opened his mouth, only to close it, a devilish grin crawling up his face. He tapped his chin thoughtfully with his hand. "Hm, I don't think I will," he smirked at her. "You'll just have to go to Hogwarts yourself and find out."

Hermione glared at him and he grinned back easily. It didn't seem like he was going to tell her anything anytime soon. Huffing in frustration, she started to tickle him. "Give up," she cackled gleefully as he rolled around helplessly, trying to free himself from her grasp. She knew he wasn't going to be able to get up; she had been trained to be in this position ever since she was born."Tell me everything about Hogwarts and I will stop my fingers,"

"I plead the fifth," he said, trying to sound serious, but failing as he rolled around. Tears were starting to spring in his eyes. Hermione felt rather foolish, and was about to stop when he had the nerve to smirk at her. All thoughts of silliness flew out of her head, and she attacked him more relentlessly than ever.

"You have five seconds," Hermione said, grinning. She could count on one hand the number of times she had failed to maintain a poker face, and this was definitely one of them. "Starting now. One. Two."

"Five seconds or else what?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Hermione replied. "You'll just have to wait and find out. Three. Four. Fiv-"

The door flew open. Hermione was sure she placed a locking charm on the door. It wasn't that strong, but the intruder would have to make some noise if they tried to get in. Were she and Abraxas really that loud? Hermione was all too aware of how her hands were on Abraxas's chest, the two of them tangled in a heap on a bed. Hermione was sure that whatever they looked like, it was far from innocent.

"This certainly is interesting."

Hermione slowly turned herself around, untangling herself from Abraxas and looked straight into the eye of Tom Riddle.

To Be Continued…

P.S. Don't say bye to Nick yet. He'll be showing up real soon.