Disclaimer in chapter one
A/N: New chapter :) Originally there was a horrible cliffhanger, but you're lucky, I decided against it ;) Also, there's a quote from book four in this chapter. Can you find it? ^^
Big thank you to all the wonderful people who took the time to review! This really makes writing for this story so much better. Thank you all:
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Chapter Twenty Three: Simple Maid
With a sharp snapping sound, Tom reappeared in the Forbidden Forest outside of Hogwarts' wards. Hermione stood beside him, scanning him with a wary expression. Tom didn't release her but pulled her harshly with him as he strode through the forest.
"When exactly did you run off with Lupin?" he asked, dangerous tint to his voice.
Hermione peered at him searchingly. "Yesterday evening."
"So, you stayed overnight," Tom realized furiously. "Is that right?"
She nodded and Tom's magic raged inside of him. She had stayed with that werewolf all night? He had to hold his magic back so it wouldn't immediately attack the girl. Seething inside, he inquired harshly,
"Where did you sleep?"
Hermione furrowed her brow. "What do you think? In the barracks, of course."
"Alone?"
The Mudblood stared at him for a moment, before she replied indignantly, "Yes."
Tom felt slightly mollified, but his anger still boiled very close to the surface. "I am not very happy with you, Hermione."
His anger only intensified as the girl didn't immediately apologize. Mutely, she walked beside him, not looking very contrite.
"You're never going to do something like this again," Tom ordered irately.
"Okay," was Hermione's non-committal answer.
"I won't have you wandering around like a stray dog," he insisted sharply. "From now on, you are to ask me before you leave the castle. I don't care if you just want to go to the Quidditch pitch with your friends. You're going to find me and I will tell you if it's okay for you to go."
Hermione nodded, face blank, and Tom became more and more annoyed by her closed off demeanour. Magic raging inside of him, he continued his rant,
"After classes are finished, I want you to go to the Heads' common room right away, every day. I told you that before and I don't know why you stopped, but I'm not going to tolerate your excursions anymore. Do you understand?"
This time at least he got a small reaction from Hermione. She peered at him through the corners of her eyes and asked in a detached voice,
"What are you going to do if I fail to abide by your rules?"
Tom glared at her and threatened, "You really don't want to find out."
Hermione gazed at him, her eyes boring into him. It was a strange feeling to be under her scrutiny. Finally, she seemed to come to a conclusion. Whatever it was, though, she didn't voice it. Without saying anything, the Mudblood simply nodded. Fed up by her stoic behaviour, Tom decided acridly,
"And you're going to quit the DADA club."
Hermione finally abandoned her indifferent mask. A sharp frown knitted her brow. She stopped walking and stared up at Tom. He wasn't going to give in and simply glowered back at her.
"But…" Hermione said tightly. "I don't want to quit DADA."
Tom shrugged his shoulders and said meanly, "I don't care."
He continued his way, but Hermione didn't follow.
"Why do you want me to quit?" she asked, voice strained with upcoming anger.
Tom turned around to her and replied frostily, "Because I don't trust you around Lupin."
"Lupin is my friend!" Hermione snapped at him, for the first time raising her voice.
"Watch how you speak with me," he hissed menacingly.
Once again, Hermione did not instantly apologize to appease his temper, but glared belligerently. Tom took a threatening step towards her, invading her personal space. A light pressure on his chest stopped him. As he looked down he saw Hermione's hand lying on his chest. Tom wanted to snap at her that she had no business to keep him at a distance, but was stopped by the surprise on Hermione's face. With wide eyes, she stared at her own hand, before she pulled the offending appendage away from Tom.
"Sorry," Hermione said in a horribly distanced tone.
Why was she apologizing? Tom irately wondered. Did she not want to touch him? Was that it? Maybe she preferred to touch Lupin. The thought made Tom's magic twitch in angry protest. Driven by his fury, he grabbed Hermione by the shoulder and pulled her closer. She flinched at the contact and Tom felt insulted by her lack of trust.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he bit out venomously.
Hermione stared up at him and he could see the distrust on her face.
"As long as I do what you say,", she clinically observed.
Gruffly, Tom pushed her away from him and snarled, "Do I really ask so much of you? You can go to your classes and the library as you please. I'll let you go outside and meet your friends. And I never expected you to do any chores. What more do you want? I don't think you had any of that luxury with the Malfoys."
"No, I did not," Hermione agreed tonelessly.
She seemed to ponder something, but Tom didn't really care what went through her head. The situation was quite clear to him. In a soft voice, Hermione inquired,
"Why did you tell me to stop calling you Master?"
Tom shook his head, feeling frustrated and annoyed. Why was she bringing this up now? Why couldn't she just admit that she was in the wrong here? He certainly was not in the mood to indulge her truculent behaviour. Feeling thoroughly miffed, Tom replied cruelly,
"If you call me Master in private, you'll get used to it and then you'll slip up when other people are around. It doesn't matter how you call me, I am your Master and you need to obey me."
As he spoke the words, Tom could see Hermione's face completely shutting down. Even her anger disappeared behind the expressionless mask and he felt the urge to scream in frustration.
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Hermione didn't know what to do. It was the Monday after her little stunt with the werewolves and Tom had made good on his threat to be stricter with her. Hermione wasn't allowed to do anything without his permission. It was horribly restricting, even worse than Malfoy manner. At least the Malfoys had never cared what she was up to as long as she did her chores. She wished she could talk to someone about it. Unfortunately, Lupin was still back at the barracks and wouldn't return for a week. And Sirius would be arrested should he ever show his face at Hogwarts.
Hermione felt quite alone as she sat in the Heads' common room. Tom wasn't there yet and she had stretched out on the couch. Her back was propped up against the armrest and there was a cup of tea in her hand while she read The Tales of Beedle the Bard. A shame, Hermione thought as she enjoyed the story of Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump, because she couldn't really concentrate on the story. Her thoughts circled around Tom. The whole situation was awful and she desperately didn't want to drop Lupin's class. How to solve the problem though?
'If you want Riddle to treat you differently, you have to stop behaving like his servant,' Lupin might have said, but Hermione was Tom's servant. He was her Master. He had said so himself. What would he do, should she defy him? Beat her? Curse her? Hermione had had enough of that in her life already. She didn't need Tom to add to it.
'You just need to curse him,' was Lupin's advice and Hermione wasn't sure it was a good one. What was her alternative, though? Continue to live in this limbo? She was neither a student nor the slave girl Penny anymore.
'I just needed you to know that we're here and that we want you.'
Hermione groaned as Sirius' voice decided to chip in as well. This was a whole other issue she didn't know how to solve. Maybe Sirius wouldn't even want her in the Order if he knew how she still grovelled at her master's feet.
Hermione was ripped from her depressing thoughts as the door creaked open. She glanced over to the entrance and spotted Tom, his Hogwarts' uniform sleek as always. He truly was a handsome young man. Hermione wanted to jump up from the couch – she couldn't laze around with her master in the same room – but Lupin's words held her back,
'You've got to take that power from him.'
Hermione forced herself to remain lying on the couch, fingers nervously tightening around her book. If Sirius and Lupin could fight for all the Mudbloods out there, wasn't it pathetic that she couldn't stand up for herself?
"Hermione," Tom greeted curtly. "There you are."
"Hey, Tom," mumbled Hermione, feeling jittery all of a sudden.
She forced her eyes back to her book and pretended not to notice Tom anymore. If he was impressed by her lack of interest in his person, he certainly didn't show it. Instead Tom stepped closer to her and stared down at her imperiously.
"We still have to finish that Transfiguration project for McGonagall," he told her commandingly. "I think it's best we start now. Get up, we are going to the library."
Hermione didn't immediately react. Unhurriedly, she finished the page of her book. By then Tom was tapping his fingers irritably against his leg. She turned her head and looked up at him. Tom stared back at her, annoyance smouldering in his blue eyes. Hermione could feel her heart hammering fast in her chest.
"I would really love to do that," she said, not sounding sincere at all. "but I'm busy right now."
With that she returned to her book and took a sip from her tea. Despite that calm display, Hermione couldn't at all concentrate on the text as she nervously waited for Tom's reaction.
"You are not doing anything," he pointed out, suppressed anger leaking through his words. "You are reading a storybook."
As she heard the dangerous tint in his voice, Hermione wanted to flinch away from him. She controlled herself, though, and replied loftily,
"Yeah, well …still busy. Maybe tomorrow."
Tom didn't react at all. Hermione couldn't take it anymore. Cautiously, she peered up at him. Tom's mouth was pressed into a thin angry line and his hands were balled into tight fists. They trembled slightly as if he had to restrain himself. Cold chills darted up and down Hermione's spine as fear bubbled up in her. She forcefully banned all hints of trepidation from her face and blinked up at Tom, seemingly unimpressed by his anger.
After a moment of hovering on the brink of losing his temper, Tom finally pressed through gritted teeth, "Okay. Let's do this tomorrow then."
Hermione barely caught herself from gaping at him. She had been prepared to once again getting crucioed. At the very least, she had expected Tom to yell at her and violently wrench her to the library. She hid her surprise behind a wall of boredom and shrugged her shoulders.
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Tom's lack of reaction to her insolence made Hermione think. She should probably count herself lucky and forget about the whole incident, but it continued to gnaw at her. What would happen, should Hermione follow Lupin's advice and challenge Tom's authority? What would Tom do if he lost his patience with her? How far would he go?
It was self-destructive, but Hermione couldn't help it. Her chance came when Tom was in a meeting with Dippet and she was left to her own devices. History of Magic would start soon, but Hermione didn't want to hear any more of Carrow's unhealthy hero worship of Grindelwald and decided to skip the class.
This is a stupid idea, Hermione thought, exciting tingle running up and down her spine. By now the corridors were deserted and all students were in their classes. Hermione ran a shaky hand through her hair, a ball of fear building in her stomach. Still, there was also a traitorous smile on her face as she stole away from Carrow's class. She had almost reached the Entrance Hall as a sharp voice called her back,
"Hermione?"
She stiffened and then slowly turned around. Supressing a groan, she watched Tom walking towards her.
"Don't you have History of Magic right now?" he chided, reproachful look on his face.
Hermione blinked up at him and shoved all traces of fear into the back of her mind.
"Yes."
Tom scowled at her. "Then, pray tell, why are you here and not in your classroom?"
"Well, you're not there either," she pointed out innocently.
"I'm Head Boy. I had an important meeting with Dippet," Tom said, anger ridging his voice. "Why are you not in your class, Hermione?"
Hiding all signs of her trepidation, Hermione scanned her fingernails in feigned boredom. "Didn't want to go. Carrow's a hag."
The scowl on Tom's face turned into a full blown glare and she could feel his upcoming magic bristling agitatedly around them.
"I don't care what you think of Carrow," Tom hissed dangerously. "You are going to her class. Now!"
Hermione tilted her head, her brow furrowed as if she considered his order. Then she forced out one word,
"No."
It cost her a lot of effort to keep up her nonchalant façade as she saw the anger raging in Tom's blue eyes. Harshly, he grabbed her arm. Hermione shuddered under his tight grip and fought her instinct of cowering away.
"You are going to that class," Tom commanded sharply. "What's got into you?"
The menacing tinge in his voice made Hermione's heart clench. Not waiting for her fear to finally paralyse her, she sent a wave of her magic into her arm. Instantly, Tom let go of her as if he had been burned.
"NO, I'M NOT GOING!" Hermione yelled at him.
Tom's eyes widened slightly as her defiance thundered over him, clearly put off balance.
"Hermione, what's wrong w-"
"Nothing!"
Tom looked at her, outraged. Hermione couldn't blame him. Never in her life had she behaved so childishly. He opened his mouth to either try to reason with her or to curse her. Hermione didn't wait to find out. She turned on the spot and just ran away.
†
Heart still fluttering in her chest, Hermione sat in the grass and looked over the Great Lake. Skipping class. She simply couldn't believe it. It was stupid and pointless and completely immature. A misplaced giggle tore from her mouth. This was in a strange way thrilling. Maybe she could use the time to finish her Arithmancy essay.
Doing homework while skipping class? Hermione laughed.
Her hand went to her left forearm, trying to rub the sting away. Her Dark Mark throbbed forebodingly ever since she had left Tom standing in that corridor. He was angry. Hermione shrugged, reached for a pebble and flipped it over the water. This was way better than listening to Carrow.
For the next half an hour, she idly sat in the grass and observed a group of ducks dipping their heads into the water in search of plants. Hermione thoroughly enjoyed her stolen free time until she was harshly interrupted.
"There you are," a deep voice growled at her.
A hand seized the back of her collar, gruffly pulling her up. Hermione turned her head and found a furious Tom standing by her side.
"Did you think you could hide here?" he snarled. "Intending to skip Transfiguration, as well?"
Ungently, he wrenched her with him towards the castle and continued to rebuke her sharply, "What in Merlin's name are you thinking? After classes today, you are going to seek out Carrow and apologize. I will not have you behaving like this."
Hermione didn't react at all. Just to be obnoxious, she dragged her feet. Of course, Tom was right. Not going to classes was horrible, even Carrow's. But this wasn't about school. This was about Tom and how far he would go to make her obey him.
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The next day, Hermione sat in Potions, rebellious glint in her eyes. Riddle had put a blank piece of parchment in front of her but she was again defying him and did not write down any notes. Her fingers itched for her quill, but she was resisting the urge. She needed to annoy Tom some more and she was being successful, too. An angry vein had started to throb in his temple while he scribbled away on his parchment.
There had to be a breaking point. Hermione was desperate to find it. What would Tom do? What would she do? She was on equal parts scared and curious. Whatever happened, though, at the very least it would finally end this state of uncertainty.
"Work in pairs," Slughorn reminded them at the end of his lecture. "The Memory Potion is very complex."
Tom glanced at Hermione, frightening look on his face. She tried to ignore the trepidation knotting her stomach.
"Start with cutting the dandelion roots," Tom ordered harshly. "I'll get the Jobberknoll feathers."
Hermione shrugged. "Okay."
Tom clenched his jaw in anger at her careless answer and wordlessly disappeared to the potions storage. Hermione leaned back in her seat and eyed the small sachet of dandelion roots. Despite Tom's order, she didn't move to get her knife. Around her the other students set to work, but Hermione just sat there, doing nothing.
After a few minutes, Tom came back with a handful of beautiful blue feathers. His frosty eyes spotted the still untouched dandelion roots while Hermione lounged idly in her chair. Anger twisted Tom's features in face of her disobedience. He didn't say anything, though. Furiously, he slammed the feathers on the table, bending a few, and grabbed the knife to cut the dandelion roots.
Hermione watched him, still acting as if she weren't bothered by Tom's obvious anger. Despite the mounting pain in her Dark Mark, she didn't raise a hand to help him. It was slightly confusing that he hadn't yet yelled at her, but they were in a classroom full of people. Tom probably held back.
For the next half an hour, Hermione languidly flipped through a book while Tom feverishly worked on the potion. He threw her a lethal glare now and then, but she simply ignored him. She could feel the pressure of his increasingly incensed magic, but wouldn't allow it to disturb her. The potion neared its finishing stages as Tom finally lost his composure.
"Are you going to help me at all?" he hissed under his breath, irritation thick in his voice.
Hermione looked up from her book and replied, unconcerned, "No, I don't think so."
"Hermione, I swear to G-"
"Your shrivelfig solution is boiling over," she informed him indifferently.
Cursing colourfully, Tom tended to his potion. For the next fifteen minutes he was too busy to spend any time on Hermione. Hectically, he added ingredients, adjusted the temperature and stirred the potion.
The class was almost over as Slughorn called their attention, "Time to wrap it all up."
Hermione put down her book and for the first time glanced at the potion. She was impressed. It had the right pearly white colour. Tom wiped his forehead while glaring at her. Hermione calmly gazed back at him, hiding the fact that his angry eyes made chills darting down her spine.
Slughorn wandered through the classroom, inspecting his students' work. He was only one table away from her and Tom as Hermione had an idea. She didn't know what drove her – maybe a death wish? – but she grabbed a bezoar. Tom cleared their table, but looked up as she dangled the bezoar tantalizingly over the bubbling potion.
"What the fuck are y-"
Hermione grinned at him widely and let the bezoar drop into the cauldron. The moment it made contact with the white potion a black tinge tarnished it. In seconds it spread until the potion was a sickly grey. Hastily, Tom tried to fish the bezoar out but it was too late. There was a murderous expression on his face as he rounded on Hermione. She actually cringed away from his angry form. Before Tom could do anything, Slughorn stepped over to them.
"Tom," the professor exclaimed in shock as he stared down at the failed potion. "Whatever happened here?"
"Sir, I really don't know," Tom managed to press out, his voice trembling with repressed fury. "I guess the shrivelfig must have been… contaminated."
Slughorn frowned down at the greyish potion, stirring it with the ladle. "Yes. That might have been where the problem occurred."
"I think it was Tom's fault," Hermione butted in, voice sweet as honey.
Slughorn looked at her in confusion while a lethal glare was hidden behind Tom's blank face. Hermione ignored the sharp pain that tugged at her left forearm and concentrated on the professor.
"You see," she said innocently. "I told Tom not to put in so much of the tubeworm secrete." She fluttered her eyelashes at Slughorn. "Professor, you clearly stated in your lecture to only use three drops." Hermione sighed dramatically. "But Tom just wouldn't listen to me and put in a whole ladle."
"Tom!" Slughorn cried reproachfully.
"Sir, I really-"
"No no," the professor cut over Tom, wagging a stern finger. "How very unlike you. I'm afraid I will have to fail you for that potion."
"But, sir-"
"No excuses," admonished Slughorn. Then he turned to Hermione and added, a lot kinder, "Ms Rookwood, I can tell that you tried your best. So, I'll give you an Acceptable for your work."
Hermione smiled at him dazzlingly. "Thank you so much, professor."
Slughorn beamed at her before he continued on with grading the other students' potions. Hermione proceeded to pack away her things, trying to ignore the sinister magic storming around Tom. He looked at her so darkly, it made her tremble in fear. Just a few minutes later, Slughorn concluded the lesson. Hermione hastily grabbed her bag and ran from the room.
Without turning back once, she raced to the Gryffindor common room. Tom would probably kill her if he caught her alone. Even as she hid in the Gryffindor common room, heart still racing in her chest, Hermione felt her Dark Mark smarting with her master's anger.
†
It was dinner time as Hermione reluctantly entered the Great Hall. The hall was crowded with students, reducing the risk of Tom doing anything to her. Hermione could see her Gryffindor friends already sitting at their table. Instead of walking to them, though, she turned left and stalked over to the Slytherin table. Hermione's gaze quickly swept over the Slytherins. Unlike the Gryffindors there was some type of hierarchy underlying the seating arrangements. First years sat at the edge of the table. Some older but unpopular students sat among them, looking glum. The closer the Slytherins sat to the middle of the table, the higher up they were in social standing. All revolved around a group of seventh years sitting right at the centre of the table. Of course Hermione knew them: Dolohov, Rosier, Draco and Bellatrix. They represented the most powerful members of Slytherin house and everybody else threw them jealous glances. The king and leader of them all was still absent, though. Hermione saw an open seat between Bellatrix and Dolohov. With the reverence that they kept it open, it appeared to be more of a throne. Tom Riddle was late.
Probably searching for me.
Valiantly suppressing her fear, Hermione walked towards that unoccupied seat. A few Slytherins noticed her and started to whisper. Hermione ignored their curious glances. With a cheerful smile, she plopped down on the king's seat. Instantly all chatter died down and the Slytherins stared at her. Hermione completely ignored the tense silence but instead reached for a cheese sandwich and said happily,
"Good evening."
"Um…" stuttered Draco, looking quite ruffled. "What are you doing here, Hermione?"
Hermione sent him a bright, but completely fake, smile and explained, "Trying for a bit of house unity?"
"I… er… I see," mumbled the blond.
Regulus, who sat across from Draco, eyed Hermione in concern. He leaned a bit closer and whispered,
"Riddle is searching for you. Maybe it's best you… avoid him."
A small smile appeared on Hermione's face as she heard Regulus' warning. She appreciated his concern. Sadly, it was much too late to save her.
"It's fine really," she lied confidently as she chewed on her sandwich.
Tom's friends, or followers, didn't seem convinced at all. Bellatrix glared hostilely, fingers tightening around her knife. Draco, Rosier and Dolohov eyed Hermione in confusion, obviously not yet having made up their minds about the situation. What Hermione disturbed most was the worry on Regulus' face.
"The last time I spoke with Tom," Bellatrix declared, sadistic glint in her eyes. "He seemed to be really enraged about something."
The malicious sheen remained to glimmer in her eyes, but a disturbing smile curled her lips as she looked at Hermione.
"You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Rookwood?"
Hermione covered all her insecurity behind a fake smile. "No, I really wouldn't. Why shoul-"
"What are you doing here?" an angry voice cut over her.
Hermione turned her head. Tom stood directly behind her. She bit her tongue sharply as she felt his magic painfully reverberating through her Dark Mark.
"Eating?" Hermione replied flippantly.
Through the corners of her eyes she saw Tom's followers tensing at her insolent reply. With morbid curiosity they watched their leader and his defiant girlfriend.
"I see," Tom said, a dangerous edge ridging his tone.
Angry frown in place, he gestured for Dolohov to make room for him. Instantly, the Slytherin obeyed and Tom sat down beside Hermione. A thick aura of dark magic hung in the air and her Dark Mark constantly hurt. Hermione tried to ignore the lethal stare that was directed at her.
"So…" she said lightly, smiling at Dolohov. "Tell me about that secret group you've got going. I take it Tom's your leader?"
Dolohov almost spat out the juice he'd been drinking. Coughing violently, he stared at Hermione. Unaffected, she took a delicate sip from her own pumpkin juice.
"What's your group called?" she asked, deliberately ignoring the panic on the Slytherins' faces. "I bet it's something fancy. Tom's a right drama queen, after all."
Satisfied, Hermione watched all colour leaving Dolohov's face while an angry purple colour appeared on Bellatrix'. Throwing fearful glances at Tom, Regulus bent a little closer to Hermione and whispered urgently,
"Hermione, please. I think it's better you go to the Gryffindor table."
"Nah," she said, unconcerned. "I feel right at home here."
All the time, she could feel Tom's furious gaze boring holes into her. She coldly ignored his anger and smiled at Dolohov.
"Can I join your club?" Hermione asked innocently. "What's your agenda anyway?"
Dolohov cleared his throat and threw a glance at Riddle. He clearly was intimidated with what he found on Tom's face and quickly concentrated on Hermione again.
"Look," he said shakily. "I really don't know what you're talking about. Maybe it's best we don't discuss this here. People might get the wrong impression"
"Why not?" asked Hermione very aware that the Great Hall really was the wrong place to talk. "You're not doing anything illegal, are you?"
Dolohov's eyes widened, panic setting in, while Hermione felt Regulus frantically tugging at her sleeve. It was Tom, though, who spoke next.
"A word, Hermione," he hissed so darkly it made her shudder involuntarily.
Not waiting for a reply, he grabbed Hermione by the arm and wrenched her up. She had no choice but to follow him. As she left, she could hear Draco mumbling ominously,
"Well, that was the last we've seen of her, I'm sure."
Tom pulled her from the Great Hall and into the maze of Hogwarts' corridors. Hermione barely realized where he was dragging her. Her heart was stabbing her chest and her whole body trembled in fear. Tom didn't speak a word. His magic raged around him in a dark angry cloud, telling her of his violent temper.
Finally, Tom stopped. He wrenched open a door and pushed Hermione into the room behind. Ironically, it was Lupin's classroom. Of course the werewolf was no-where to be seen as he was still at the barracks. The trainings hall looked like always, if a bit empty.
Tom slammed the door shut and instantly sealed it with magic. Hermione swallowed nervously as she eyed the angry wizard. This was scarily reminiscent of the time she had been alone with him in the dungeons as he had cursed her with the Cruciatus.
"What are you doing?" Tom snarled at her.
"I don't know what you mean," Hermione replied, fighting to appear calm.
"How you behaved during potions was unacceptable," Tom snapped irately. "And what was that just now? Why are you acting up like this?"
Hermione felt incredibly shaky as she eyed the angry wizard. Like a dark shadow Tom towered over her, his angry eyes cutting into her. Her stomach knotted into a ball of fear. Nervously, Hermione worried her lower lip.
"Look, Tom," she said shakily. "I… I just think this is not working anymore."
Hectically, she gestured between the two of them. It only served to paint a dangerous scowl on Tom's face.
"What are you talking about?"
Hermione gasped as a sharp pain exploded in her left forearm. Delicately, she rubbed it as she peered at Tom.
"The whole thing…" she repeated weakly. "It's just… not working?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Tom demanded to know.
Hermione couldn't hold back anymore. Helplessly, the truth poured out of her, "I can't deal with this insecurity anymore. I don't know what to do. How to behave. The way you treat me, I just can't-"
"The way I treat you?" Tom scoffed incredulously. "This is ridiculous. You are my Mudblood. I can treat you however I want."
Despite her panic, Hermione's temper flared and she snapped heatedly, "Clearly, you want me to be more than just your Mudblood. You wanted me to come to Hogwarts. You told me to pose as a Pureblood."
"Maybe," Tom admitted testily. "It doesn't mean I'll allow you to act up like this."
"It doesn't work like that," Hermione shot at him, getting worked up. "You can't throw me into this situation and expect me to still behave like your servant."
A dangerous look on his face, Tom growled, "You are my servant. You are bound to me."
"Is that so?" Hermione sniped. "And how are you going to ensure my obedience?"
"Well, you're the expert," Tom said, his voice light but there was a sharp edge hidden underneath. "Tell me, what do Masters do with their disobedient Mudbloods?"
In trepidation, Hermione watched as Tom pulled his wand. He casually held it in his hand while he looked at her expectantly, fake smile distorting his features.
"I don't know, Tom," she replied challengingly, trying to ignore her racing heart. "But I can tell you what they don't do." With that she whipped out her own wand. "They don't give them wands."
The casual behaviour dropped from Tom and the scornful smile disappeared. A dark glint entered his eyes and Hermione could feel his magic building up around him. As Tom spoke next, his voice was icy cold and sent unpleasant shivers down Hermione's spine,
"I advise you to drop the attitude or you leave me no choice but to punish you."
Hermione took in a sharp breath of air as she heard that threat. Memories of the Cruciatus Curse crashed over her and she was scared, really and truly scared of Tom and what he could do to her. His powerful magic saturated the air, raging around them both.
Hermione gritted her teeth and took one deep, steadying breath. The wand in her hand calmed her terrified thoughts and she dared to step out of her fear. Unwaveringly, she gazed into Tom's stormy eyes. Then Hermione raised her wand and slashed it through the air. A hex sprang from the tip of her wand. It glowed in a deep red as it dashed towards Tom. His eyes widened in surprise. Then his pale wand flashed and the hex was diverted from its course. Outrage and anger contorted Tom's handsome features.
"Did you just try to hex me?!"
"I did," Hermione whispered, voice firm. "If you want to hurt me, it won't be so easy this time."
With that she raised her wand and fell into her duelling stance. "I'm not going to just accept this situation anymore. If you don't stop with your abuse, I don't see any other option but to leave."
"I never mistreated you," Tom bit out, fury tightly wrapped around each word.
Hermione snorted. "You threw the Torture Curse at me!"
"You deserved that," the dark wizard hissed at her.
Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "How?"
"You were disrespectful and you wouldn't even admit to your misbehaviour." Tom's magic gave an angry budge and pressed painfully against Hermione's own. "By the way, you're very much mistaken if you think you could simply leave me."
With one angry push, Hermione drove his magic away from her person. "I can leave. Right now, I have half the mind to pull through with it."
"You think I will just let you go?" Tom's voice was quiet, but the malice cut relentlessly into Hermione.
This is it, she thought as she eyed the dark wizard apprehensively. After this, she would at last have certainty and know where she stood with him. Scraping together what courage she could find, Hermione opened her mouth and challenged,
"You can try to stop me."
With that she threw another hex at him. Again, Tom batted it away with a flick of his wand. Hermione hadn't expected anything less. Now the ball was in his court.
Unfortunately, Tom did not hesitate long. Sinister glint blazing in his eyes, he slashed his wand through the air and Hermione was confronted with a curse flying her way. Quickly, she conjured a shield. The curse forcefully crashed into the bluish wall and Hermione stumbled a step back.
A sinister smirk curved Tom's lips and he warned, "You better stop this now before you get hurt. You can't win."
The dark look on his face was intimidating, but Hermione knew giving in to him was not an option anymore. Heart fluttering nervously in her chest, she summoned her magic. It flowed through her body and danced in the air around her. Tom's eyes darkened dangerously. He never released her from his hard gaze as he raised his wand, poised to attack. Hermione threw a curse at him. He elegantly twirled his wand, easily warding off the curse. His pale wand again danced through the air and a sickly yellow curse hurtled towards Hermione. Hastily, she erected a shield and winced slightly as Tom's curse slammed into it.
Then Hermione had no time to think anymore. Tom threw curse after curse at her, each one stronger than the one before. In rapid succession, she conjured shields and sent curses of her own after him. Never had Hermione duelled like this. Tom was fast and incredibly powerful. She realised that until now he had always held back when duelling with her. Only grim determination kept her on track as Hermione fought against the dark wizard. She simply couldn't give up.
With frustrating ease, Tom fended off her attacks while Hermione already struggled. Another dark curse detached itself from his wand and slammed into her shield, shredding it. Hermione was hurled away and crashed into the dais, that was usually used for duelling during Lupin's classes. She tried to get up as Tom attacked again. Hermione evaded his curse by throwing herself behind the dais. Tom's curse crashed into it, leaving behind deep cuts in the wooden panelling. Feeling dazed, Hermione cowered behind the dais.
"We are not playing hide-and-seek, Hermione," Tom laughed maliciously. "You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you're tired of our duel?"
Hermione didn't reply to his scorn. Cautiously, she peered at him. Instantly, Tom sent a curse at her. Hermione ducked and pressed her back against the dais' rear panel as the curse thundered over her head. Her breathing was fast and blood rushed in her ears. Tom was too powerful and Hermione didn't know what to do. She stiffened in fear as she heard him walking towards her position. He would get to her; he would curse her. What should she do?!
Helplessly, Hermione crouched behind the dais. Tom had almost reached her as her panicked gaze landed on a row of trainings dummies standing not far from her. Quickly making up her mind, Hermione waved her wand at the dummies. There was a sharp pull at her magic as the spell latched onto the wooden figures. They twisted and transformed. Long, spindly legs formed, attached to thick hairy bodies as each dummy was turned into a giant spider.
The Acromantulas completely ignored Hermione. Razor-sharp pincers shining with venom, the spiders charged at Tom. Hastily, he fired a few curses at the attacking spiders, but the creatures' thick skin easily brushed them away. One spider had already reached Tom. Fangs threateningly raised, it lunged at him. He jumped out of the way, only narrowly escaping the venomous pincers. The spider screeched furiously and attacked again.
Tom raised his hand, palm pointed to the attacking Acromantulas. Suddenly, the angry creatures ran into an invisible wall. They climbed over each other, furiously trying to get to Tom. Hand still raised, Tom's eyes flicked to Hermione. She tensed as a cruel smirk slipped on his face. Tom closed his hand, fingers curling into a fist. With that movement the spiders shrieked in agony. Hermione watched in sickened horror as the creatures shrivelled up and sickly green pus began to ooze from them. Like lumps of rotten flesh they fell to the floor and squirmed in the throes of death. Tom observed the creatures' horrible death and laughed.
Hermione was appalled by the display and angrily slashed her wand in a long arch through the air. The movement resulted in a shock wave. Bristling with raw magic, it rushed towards Tom who quickly erected a thick silvery shield. The shock wave crashed into the shield and shattered it. Tom was forced to drop into a crouch, the curse missing his head by mere inches.
Fury erupting on his face, Tom got up. Fiercely, he slid his wand through the air and attacked. Hermione struggled to defend herself as Tom's curses got increasingly darker. Desperately, she gasped for air as there was a reprieve in this onslaught of curses. Tom's magic crackled in the air with a static hum, but Hermione could feel how he now seemed to draw it back. Warily, she watched how his dark magic condensed around the tip of his wand. A menacing look distorted his handsome features as Tom waved his wand in a complicated set of movements. Ice crystals appeared in a circle around him on the stone floor, painting it with a frosty mosaic. With a final movement, Tom pointed his wand at Hermione and spoke the incantation,
"Boreas."
The frost instantly obeyed him. The diffuse pattern of ice changed direction and rapidly spread, aiming directly for Hermione. The cold was so extreme, the stone floor cracked open at places. One of the Acromantulas was still alive and now tried to crawl away from the frost. It was too slow. In horror Hermione watched as the ice crashed into the legs of the spider. Upon contact, the tissue died. Like glass the spider's legs shattered and the creature fell, frozen into place.
Ice crystals rained from the air as the coldness got closer to Hermione. Quickly, she waved her wand and a domed shield surrounded her. A heartbeat later, the frost crashed into the boundaries of her shield and within seconds covered it completely. Terrified, Hermione noticed how the temperature inside dropped rapidly. Already, she could see her own breath in a white cloud. The absolute cold raged outside and she knew she would freeze to death in a matter of seconds, should her shield fall. Hermione cried out in shock as a curse slammed into her shield, drawing immensely at her magic.
In disbelief, she stared at Tom.
A sadistic look on his face, he threw another curse at her already weakened shield and it flickered dangerously. Hermione shivered violently. Frantically, she sifted through her memories. There had to be a counter spell. Rolls of parchment and countless books flipped by in her mind's eye. She must have seen it somewhere. Mercilessly, the cold cut into Hermione's body and her shield groaned as it slowly surrendered to Tom's brutal attacks. What was the counter spell?!
It was then that a short paragraph of text flickered through Hermione's mind. Her eyes sprang open. Frost covered everything. Her hair, her clothes and skin. Hermione ignored it and twirled her wand in a complex pattern. The draw on her magic was so strong, it sent spikes of pain through her body. Hermione sagged to her knees. Black dots danced in her vision as she frantically tried to complete the curse. Aiming her wand at Tom, Hermione whispered,
"Notus."
The spell burst from her wand towards Tom. Hermione's hand shook so heavily, she needed her other one as well to keep the wand steady. A storm of hot air raged through the whole trainings hall. Viciously, it forced the ice away. Hermione knelt in the eye of the storm, untouched, while the rest of the room was wrecked. Tom's eyes widen in shock and he barely managed to protect himself. Even through his strong shield, Hermione's storm tugged at him, threatening to carry him away.
As soon as the ice and frost had completely left the hall, Hermione's arm fell to her side and her storm broke down. Her whole body trembled in exhaustion. Shakily, she picked herself up from the floor. By now, the surprise had left Tom's face and he glared at her murderously. Hermione stared back at him anxiously. Her magic had curled up in a weak mess.
Despite her state, Tom did not show any mercy. He brandished his wand and suddenly Hermione was exposed to a barrage of curses. Tom's wand was a blur as he slashed it through the air. Hermione raised a shield. The dark curses were incredibly powerful as they pelted on her defensive magic. Desperately, Hermione pointed her wand at her shield, feeding it more of her magic. Tom's brutal assault did not stop and she could feel cracks and fissures in her shield growing. The constant draw on her magic was incredibly strong and it wasn't long that her shield flickered and died.
Tom didn't stop his attack. Already another curse flew at her. Feeling shaky and drained, Hermione weakly brandished her wand. Her magic only sluggishly obeyed and turned into a half-formed shield. With incredible force Tom's curse crashed into her shield. It shattered upon contact and Hermione had to throw herself out of the curse's way. She cried in pain as she slammed into the floor. Her wand slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor.
Her breathing was fast and laboured as Hermione looked up at Tom. His pale wand was threateningly pointed at her and she shuddered at the murderous look on his face. Despite Hermione being defenceless, Tom flicked his wand at her. She hissed in pain as she felt stands of his dark magic wrapping around her so tightly, she could barely breathe.
Fury raging in Tom's eyes, he brought his wand up and Hermione's body was hoisted in the air. Another sharp slash of his wand and she was flung away like a ragdoll. Brutally, Hermione crashed into the wall. She cried out as her head knocked into the stone wall. Then she crumbled to the floor where she curled up into a painful ball.
Helplessly, Hermione watched as Tom strode over to her, fury burning in his eyes. She pressed her body into the wall behind her as he towered over her. His face was unreadable. Only his eyes smouldered threateningly as they wandered over her.
"Hermione."
He spoke her name softly, almost gently. Yet his voice made ice cold chills darting down her spine.
"What am I supposed to do with you now?"
There was a menacing tint in his voice that made Hermione whimper softly. Her wand was gone, she was defenceless, and she knew perfectly well what he would do to her. Abruptly Tom squatted down in front of her. Hermione flinched away from him. He didn't care for her obvious distress at all. Instead, Tom raised a hand and lightly skimmed his fingers over her cheek.
"What do you think I should do with you?" he asked, hard steel hidden behind his warm tone.
Hermione trembled all over. Her whole body hurt and her head throbbed agonizingly where she had been knocked into the wall. Tom's magic was all over the place. While his face was free of any emotion, his magic was not. Furiously it crackled in the air, ripping at Hermione and slicing over her skin. Indeed, what should he do with her? A mirthless laugh escaped her.
"I hear that, me being a Mudblood, you can do with me whatever you want. Master."
Immediately, rage twisted up Tom's face. His magic stormed around him, wrenching brutally at her.
"Shut up!" he yelled at her.
He stood up and for a moment towered threateningly over her as if considering to lash out at her. Hermione stared at him with wide eyes. A frustrated growl left him, then Tom started to pace in front of her.
"Get up," he ordered sharply.
Hermione's heart sank. Would he really pull through with it? Why even bother standing up if his Cruciatus would bring her to her knees anyway? Hermione wondered glumly. Still, with difficulty she fought to get up and leaned against the wall.
"We both know what I should do," Tom hissed at her darkly.
His threat hung in the air and Hermione could feel her stomach twist painfully. A heavy sadness wrapped tightly around her, suffocating her. It even managed to drown her fear and left her feeling completely hopeless.
"If it pleases you, Master," Hermione replied, voice empty and hollow.
She gasped as fingers grabbed her chin and gruffly tilted her face so she had to look at Tom. Hermione winced under his painfully tight grip.
"I told you to call me 'Tom'," he said coldly.
"Does it really matter?" she replied hoarsely, too tired to play any games with him.
Tom abruptly let go of her, making her stagger. Hermione looked up at him, feeling utterly despondent. Lupin had been wrong after all…
"Didn't I give you everything?" Tom bit out, tone hard as stone. "I took you away from the Malfoys. I let you go to Hogwarts. Is this how you repay me?"
Hermione shook her head. It all really didn't matter anymore. He would curse her anyway.
"Maybe you should have left me there."
"Really?" Tom scoffed scathingly.
Hermione gazed at him. "I don't see the difference anymore."
"I should show you the difference," Tom threatened cruelly.
Hermione sucked in a sharp breath of air but did not reply. Tom's wand was still in his hand as he eyed Hermione irately. She pressed herself against the wall and braced herself for the curse that would hit her.
"What are you planning?" Tom demanded to know sharply. "Why the sudden recalcitrance? What are you trying to prove?"
Hermione was still pressed against the wall and gazed at the angry Slytherin. Tom's magic stormed around him and his unforgiving eyes bored into her. Hermione didn't reply. It was no use anymore. As no answer came, Tom raised a hand and angrily gestured at the blood running down the side of her face.
"Is this what you wanted?" Cruel scorn wound around his words. "Because you could have got that easier."
Sadness cruelly cut into Hermione. She knew he would curse her. His magic already viciously ripped at her, eager to punish her.
"No… That's not what I wanted," she whispered, tired of making up false pretences.
Hermione peered up at Tom. Why didn't he just curse her? Did he enjoy playing around with her?
"Then what do you want?"
Voice dull and heavy with sadness, Hermione replied, "I don't want anything, Master."
"Your smart mouth will not save you," Tom snarled at her dangerously. "Maybe it's time to start begging."
He glared at her, jaw clenched angrily. Despite his words, though, he didn't raise his wand at her. Hermione blinked up at him, confused, and slowly realization sank in.
Tom hadn't yet cursed her.
Hermione scanned his angry face. Why didn't he curse her? She was defenceless, wandless. He could easily hurt her. Still, Tom didn't raise his wand.
"I won't put up with this anymore," he instead threw at her.
Hermione stared at him, a tiny hint of hope growing. Cautiously, she pushed herself away from the wall and took a hesitant step towards Tom. He glowered at her warily.
"I…" Hermione felt shaky as she whispered the truth, "I don't want to be your servant anymore."
A flush of his irate magic crashed over her, making Hermione gasp for air. Tom brutally grabbed her by the arm and shook her.
"I told you, I will never let you leave me," he snarled so venomously it made her cringe.
Worrying her lip, Hermione looked up into those frosty blue eyes. Then she replied, forcing calm into her voice,
"You don't understand." Unwaveringly, she gazed into his eyes and repeated, enunciating each word very clearly, "I don't want to be your servant anymore."
Tom's fingers released their tight grip on her. For a moment he scanned her, his face an unreadable mask. Then he decided,
"Hermione, you're mine."
She raised her eyebrows at him. Cautiously, she reached out for him and her fingers curled around his wrist.
"I…" she said softly. "I do know that you saved me from the Malfoys and I really am grateful. But I'm in this school, I see all these wonderful things and I just want to be part of it. Don't you understand? I don't want to be scared anymore."
"There is no need for you to be scared of me," Tom said, irritation in his voice.
Hermione shook her head. "There is. Two weeks ago you threw the Cruciatus Curse at me just because I talked back to you."
"You can't run away from me," Tom insisted stubbornly, eyes glinting with anger.
"I don't…" Hermione hesitated and frowned at him. "Why do you think I would run?"
Tom didn't reply, but simply glared at her, eyes sealed off and cold. Hermione didn't avoid his hard gaze.
"I'm not running," she told him, still holding him by the wrist.
He still wouldn't say anything and Hermione didn't want to coax and beguile him anymore. Her fingers slipped from him and as she spoke next her voice was hard as stone,
"You have to make a choice, Tom."
A small frown appeared between his eyebrows and he inquired tightly, "What do you mean?"
"I can't continue like this," she said decisively. "You have to choose. Either I am Penny or Hermione. You can't have them both."
Hermione stared up into those frosty blue eyes. And if Tom wanted her to be nothing but Penny the slave girl? Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to bear that. Maybe she really would have to run. She balled her hands into tight fists. For a long agonizing moment, Tom said nothing and just gazed at her.
Then he abruptly stepped closer. There was a hand on her shoulder and Hermione gasped softly as she was almost violently pulled against Tom's chest. He held her tightly, almost painfully so. Hermione held completely still only her eyes blinked rapidly. What did this mean…?
"I'll try," Tom's deep voice whispered. "…Hermione."
Hermione released a long breath of air and, finally, she could relax against his chest. Slowly, she raised her arms and wrapped them around his waist to hug him against her.
{{{{{{{{+}}}}}}}}
'You thought her but a simple maid
That roamed the mountain-side;
She put the witch's glance on you,
And so became your bride.'
- Dora Sigerson Shorter
(*1866 † 1918)