Hi everyone, first of all a big thanks to all you reviewers out there :) and now to answer some questions.
Just like Harry who snuck into the restricted section with his invisibility cloak, so did Tom with a disillusionment charm from pretty much day one (well, once he had actually learnt the disillusionment charm that is).
I also mentioned some time before that Tom does actually know of Hermione's power (having overheard her talk to Dumbledore) so yeah.
Thanks again to everyone
~Enjoy
Chapter 17
Her breath was coming in gasps and she leant heavily on the wall for support before knocking on Dumbledore's door almost desperately. No one answered. Swearing under her breath she tried again, knocking more forcefully but she was met with the same silence.
"Miss Granger?" Startled, she turned to see Slughorn looking at her puzzled.
"Do you know where Professor Dumbledore is sir?" She immediately asked him, wasting no time.
"It's just that I need to see him. Urgently," She added when he made no reply.
"Away I do believe," He murmured, his voice bordering uncertainty.
"Is there something I could help you with?" He added, seeing her crestfallen face.
"No sir, but would you know when he's coming back?" Crossing her fingers she prayed to Merlin that he'd be back soon. If anyone was to find a cure it would be him she just knew it.
"I do believe he'll return in a few days, Miss Granger, don't you worry." She stood there, mouth gaping in horror. In a few days? That wasn't enough time, not by far.
"Now run along Miss Granger, your teacher will be waiting for you I'm sure." Nodding absently she walked off in a daze.
She couldn't tell anyone else, they wouldn't believe her let alone help her.
'Well, did they or did they not call me the brightest witch of my age?' With that in mind she made her way to the library, determined to find the cure for certes there was one. She could see Tom again from that night, his eyes and words challenging her, mocking her.
He couldn't help the smirk that plastered itself across his face, he really couldn't.
Just the fact that she thought she could find a cure was enough to set him laughing for hours. He knew she had mastered quite a few advanced spells but that was it. She was a mudblood, magic did not come naturally to her and it was only someone as gifted as himself that would have the power and knowledge to find it. And anyways, she was looking in the wrong section of the library.
Walking towards her he lowered a sandwich before her, breaking her concentration. Jaw gaping as she saw who had offered her food she spluttered for a second before simply whispering a small thank you and reaching for it. Slapping her hand away he smirked.
"That isn't for you Granger, it's for me. You know walking all those stairs up to the library really does tire one," and without further ado he grabbed it and munched happily on it, loving how her eyes flared up in exasperation and anger.
"Really Tom? What are you, a child?"
"Why yes, that is what I am considered to be by others."
Muttering under her breath she continued with her work, making notes and burying herself once more into the tomes.
Smirking at her pitiful attempts he couldn't help but point it out.
"You really think you're going to find something in those books Granger?"
"Of course not," She replied snappily.
Frowning at the strange girl before him he muttered, "Then why are you looking at them?"
"How do you expect me to find a cure for something I barely understand?" Her hand was scribbling furiously on her parchment, her brows furrowed in concentration.
Shaking his head he left her to her own devices, feeling victorious.
Three days had passed and she was beginning to feel the strain of it all. She had swallowed around thirty books already but she was yet to find anything. There was just too much to study. She furiously wiped away her tears of frustration. Where was Dumbledore when you needed him? She refused to see that boy die, especially at Tom's hands.
Ignoring her grumbling stomach, droopy eyes and protesting bladder she continued to fill her mind with the words of wizards and withes come and gone, desperate for the cure.
A week had passed.
Not even bothering to wipe her tears now she tried to focus on the words before her, her mind a frenzied state.
There was probably around three hours left now until his death but she was no closer to finding a cure than she was six days ago.
"I'm the brightest witch of my age Hermione. You have to be able to find this! Now come on! Work faster!"
"You know muttering to yourself is hardly going to make a difference." Jumping at the sudden voice she whipped around to find Tom standing behind her, a mask of indifference ready on his face.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered wearily, head dizzy from the sudden movement.
"Come to see how close you've reached of course," He answered innocently.
"I've reached nowhere," She whispered, head bowing in defeat and exhaustion.
"Well of course you haven't. You've been reading the wrong books this entire week you know."
"WHAT?" She screamed in horror.
Leaning on the chair behind him his lazy smirk did nothing to calm her strained nerves.
"Well what did you expect Granger? You're trying to find a cure for a dark curse and you're looking at what, Inside Creation?" He asked, grabbing one of her books and languidly turning it around for show, sneering at its uselessness.
She was frozen in her seat, disbelief marring her features while self-loathing filled her eyes.
"What?" She whispered, more tears beginning to trek their way down her face.
He shrugged, getting up and moving away back down the aisle.
"WAIT!" She screamed, toppling over the chair in her haste and stumbling to reach him.
"Wait! Tom! Please! Tell me the cure! Please! I beg of you Tom!" She grabbed his shoulder and forced him to stop, running around him to face him.
"Please Tom! Please! Tell me!"
His eyebrow lifted in disdain and he pointedly looked down at his shoulder where her hand still lay, clutching his shoulder painfully tight.
She hastily removed her hand only to place it firmly on his cheek.
"Tom," She whispered, seeing him unresponsive to her, "You're no murderer. Please."
Shaking her roughly away he continued to walk away, his face once more unreadable.
"TOM!" But that was all she could manage to shout before her body shut down, too hungry, too exhausted to continue.
Interesting. He had expected her to follow after him, begging him for the cure. Well, never mind then.
Casting a quick tempus charm he sighed at the time floating before him. There was still twenty more minutes before that useless idiot would die.
It had been amazing really, watching Hogwarts undergo that change; the laughter had ceased, the smiles had disappeared and not one reckless prank had been played all week.
There was only silence. The students had shuffled from class to class and even the teachers had mindlessly lectured the students in class.
It was…nice.
He hated their sickening smiles, their child-like behaviour. He really should curse more of them if this was their reaction. He chuckled as he realised that the Professors hadn't given a second thought about Hermione skipping their classes.
Smiling blissfully to himself he snuggled deeper into his covers, his mind sinking happily into the realms of sleep.
She woke up only to find herself on the floor. Squinting against the stinging of the sun's rays she tried to stand up only to fall back down on her backside, clutching her head painfully as it throbbed pointedly.
Then it struck her. The week was over.
"NO!" Ignoring her headache she forced her feet to work, running towards the Hospital Wing with as much haste as she could muster.
Banging the doors open she yelled for the matron but was met with silence.
"MADAM WEASLEY!" Still nothing. Groaning in despair she fell on a bed, her mind sinking once more into a dark abyss.
His men quickly bowed out of his way as he entered the room. His right hand man bowed his head in acknowledgement before showing him the papers that were splattered everywhere on the table.
"Master, we can't seem to find who it is. All the students that are currently attending Hogwarts have been there from the very beginning."
"Look harder, Flint. Dumbledore would've covered it up."
"Of course."
He walked away feeling tired. He needed to get into Hogwarts, only then would the shadows lead him to the outsider because knowing Dumbledore, he wouldn't be able to otherwise.
Dumbledore stepped back into his office, dusting off the soot from the fireplace, before heading towards his room.
Tired but satisfied, he fell asleep in an instant, Fawkes' soft lullaby soothing his tired mind.
"Last week Raven Greengrass was attacked in the corridors late at night." He stood before them, eyes brimming with joy and lips spread in a smile.
"His attacker is yet to be found however it gives me great pleasure to announce that our very own Professor Dumbledore has found a cure to the incurable."
Gasps were heard all around the hall as students began to whisper excitedly to each other. Quieting them down, Dippet continued.
"Mr. Greengrass is currently at St. Mungo's and will remain there for a further three days. However he has made a full recovery."
Cheers erupted all over from both students and teachers alike.
Except for Tom. He sat there, face unreadable but with eyes burning with anger and hate. That boy had deserved to die.
Sneering he began to clap with everyone else, eyes drilling holes into Dumbledore's.
"Miss Granger? Can you hear me?" Blinking she found herself face-to-face with Madam Weasley who was looking down at her concerned.
"Here, drink this," She offered her a cup brimming with a purple potion and she drunk it greedily, her throat parched.
Just as soon as she could use her voice again she immediately voiced her concerns.
"What happened to Raven? Is he…?"
"No, he's alive and well," She replied beaming. "Professor Dumbledore found a cure and he's simply resting now at St. Mungo's. He will return shortly to Hogwarts."
Beaming from ear to ear she sat up only to fall back into unconsciousness.
He sat there reading in the common room, every once in a while glancing around for that bushy-haired mudblood with no luck.
'Where is she?'
Curiosity taking over he got up and made his way to the library, having no other inkling as to where she might be.
"Granger?"
Silence.
"Granger!" He called out again, peeping around the aisles when he couldn't find her in her usual spot.
"Where is she?" He muttered, his thoughts now wholly focused on her and with a sinking heart he realised that she had probably over-exerted herself this past week. She was probably somewhere out cold now, somewhere between here and the dungeons most likely.
'Who cares?' His mind viciously snapped at him and he froze, realising that he had indeed been close to feeling something that he shouldn't have.
She was below him. She was mud. She was nothing.
He forced himself to walk back to the dungeons, taking the longest route possible.
R&R :D :D :D