A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews, favorites and follows from last chapter! Oh, I have been WAITING for that chapter for the longest time, so I was glad I finally got to share it with you. Huge thank you to lanamarymack and Angela 007 for alpha/beta reading. I'm on tumblr (nauticalparamour).
Please let me know what you thought of chapter forty and be on the lookout for chapter forty-one soon!
As Tom walked from the entrance of the Ministry of Magic to the Chamber where the Wizengamot convened, it was impossible to ignore the flashes from the dozens of cameras that were waiting to capture the first picture of their future Minister for Magic. There was very little that could keep the smile off of his face.
"Mister Riddle, where is your wife?" A question from an intrepid reporter caught his attention.
His steps faltered and for once millisecond, the smile on his face dropped, before he plastered it back on. Little except for questions about Hermione, that is.
"As you know, my lovely wife, Hermione, has had a baby only a few weeks ago, whom she is very devoted to," he lied through his teeth. "She is at home attending to Caroline. I am sure that both my wife and daughter will be joining us for our victory celebration after the election is held."
The blood in his ears began to rush, pulsing loud enough that the follow up questions were drowned out, until he could hear nothing else but his steady breathing. Alone with his thoughts, Tom let his mind wander a bit wondering again where Hermione had gotten to.
The morning after their argument, he'd assumed that she was still furious at him for making a horcrux. He hadn't bothered to tell her he'd actually made three. He had thought she would find the locket to be a sweet gift, showing the absolute depths of his affection for her. But, to his surprise, she'd instead been furious that he'd killed people. As if she didn't already know. She knew what his reputation was.
He had been shocked to find his home absolutely bereft of his family's presence, packed up overnight while he was drinking with Abraxas, taking their house elf with them. So far, Honeysuckle had not responded to any of his orders to return home, so he could learn where they were staying.
But, by the time that Election Day rolled around, he'd begun to believe that this was no longer just about horcruxes, though he wasn't sure what he could have done to send Hermione into hiding. Had Dumbledore done something to her, he wondered? No, he held out hope that she would end this petulance and join him to celebrate his victory once he won the election.
He would have to win the election first though.
When he entered the Wizengamot chambers, most of the members were already there, though they had not yet taken their seats for the proceedings. He quickly caught Abraxas's eye. The blond was standing with other members of his party, like minded purebloods who were sure to vote for him.
Abraxas made his way over to him. "Tom," he greeted with a tight handshake. "Nervous?"
Tom balked at the question. "What would I have to be nervous about?" he asked, staring down at the other man. Abraxas had assured him that his victory was all but certain.
Malfoy swallowed, before giving him a tight smile. "Of course, you have nothing to worry about," he promised, though he didn't sound half as certain as Tom would have liked.
Hermione's warnings echoed in his mind and he was left wondering if he should have listened more closely to his wife after all. Before he could sharply question the now sweating Malfoy, the Chief Warlock called for the voting to begin. The time for speeches and schmoozing was over. There was nothing left for Tom to do except for listen to the Wizengamot decide his fate.
His opponent, Wilhelmina Tuft, was a cheery, feckless witch, who had blundered her way into a decade of prosperity despite herself. She was well-liked, among certain circles, but Tom had heard time and again how stagnant things had become in her administration. People wanted something different and he was certain that he could provide it.
The Chief Warlock called for a voice vote and immediately the votes started rolling in.
"Abbott!"
"Tuft!"
Well, that was not unexpected, seeing as the Abbotts were part of the faction that was heavily influenced by Dumbledore. There was no surprise there that they wouldn't support him.
"Adams!"
"Tuft!"
"Allen!"
"Tuft!"
Starting this way was not in any way reassuring to Tom's newfound nerves. Barely three members in and he hadn't garnered a single vote yet. He turned to glare at Abraxas, who was looking anywhere but at him.
"Avery!"
"Riddle!"
There, one vote for him. But Tom always knew he could count on the Avery family for support, so it was no surprise there.
"Baker!"
"Tuft!"
Another one? Tom didn't know where all of these people were coming from. He swore that he hadn't even spoken with half of them.
"Black, Cygnus!"
"Riddle!"
"Black, Orion!"
"Riddle!"
Two more for him. He suddenly didn't feel so bad. Perhaps he had been too quick to doubt Abraxas after all.
"Bones!"
Here was one he could pick up, Tom thought. After all, Edgar had seemed rather friendly with Hermione. Certainly he'd vote for her husband.
"Tuft!"
His hope was quickly dashed. Bulstrode and Burke went for him, though Brown and Butler went for Tuft. Carrow went for him, but Clark, Collins and Cox went for Tuft.
It was at that point that Tom was beginning to notice a very stark trend. Most of the people who would have voted for him anyway were voting for him, but none of the so-called moderates in the middle had crossed the line to vote for him. And it was becoming quickly evident that there was no way for him to outpace the votes for Wilhelmia Tuft. Hermione had been right.
"Tuft!"
"Tuft!"
"Tuft!"
"Tuft!"
Tom could feel his cheeks go red hot and could hear the blood rushing in his ears as everything else faded away into nothingness except for the name Tuft ringing over and over again in his head. He was going to lose. Salazar, he did not think that his pride had ever taken such a hit as this, and he was left with the knowledge that Hermione had tried to warn him again and again about Abraxas and how he was wrong. But, instead of listening to her, he'd allowed himself to listen to Malfoy's honeyed words and promises.
He couldn't stand knowing that everyone was staring at him, but he also couldn't give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him run away. He forced himself to stay in his seat, despite his embarrassment and listen to the flood of votes come in for that vapid witch Wilhelmia Tuft. How could they all think that she was better than him?
"Tuft!"
"Tuft!"
"Tuft!"
He stayed until the last bitter vote, but did not wait for the vote tally to be read, knowing that he had fully lost the election. He immediately stood from his chair and left the Chamber as quickly as possibly, giving the gathered press a thunderous look and refusing to answer any of their questions on the way out.
He wanted to return home, to Hermione's arms, where he could lick his wounds. He did not like the idea of anyone seeing him this weak, but he knew that he could trust his wife. However, he was quickly reminded that there was no pretty wife waiting for him at his empty home that Malfoy had gifted him. All that he would find there was a cold bed and too much firewhiskey.
Instead, he fled for his regular bar, Bottle & Glass, knowing that the rest of his Knights would surely be there soon to build him back up again. He slunk into his usual booth in the back corner and allowed himself a moment of silence, wondering just how he'd let this all go so wrong.
It did not take long for Edmond to show up with a bottle of firewhiskey and glasses. He opened the bottle and poured them each a hefty measure. Before long, more of his friends began to shuffle in - Alfie, Orion, Antonin, and Evan. However, Abraxas didn't show his ferrety little face, which was probably for the best. Tom wasn't sure what he was capable of with a wand at this moment.
"This is a temporary setback, Tom," Edmond said firmly. "There will be other chances."
"I just don't understand how this happened," he said, finally, hoping that he didn't seem too glum. "Abraxas assured me that we would win. Perhaps I placed my faith in the wrong advisor."
"Perhaps Abraxas doesn't know the Wizengamot as well as he thinks he does," Evan said, snidely. "He's desperate for people to think of his family as established power brokers, but they haven't been able to shake off the nouveau riche label for decades."
Tom could see that perspective, but it was nice to listen to the rest of them trash Malfoy for a while, if it only stopped him from seriously hurting the other wizard. Once they had all said their peace about the annoying upstart, there was a lull.
Quietly, Antonin broached the topic on all of their minds. "Still no Hermione?" he asked, gently.
Despite himself, Tom scowled. "No, still no sign of her," he said, looking around the table. They were all quick to offer wishes that they reunited soon, all surmising that there had been some sort of election related argument, having seen the tensions simmering between Hermione and Abraxas for far too long. And, it seemed most of them were on Hermione's side. Tom just wished he would have figured it out earlier.
Alfie was pointedly looking at his empty glass, doing everything to keep from making eye contact with him. That was... odd.
"You lot shove off. I want to wallow in my self-pity, alone," Tom said, needing to get Nott alone. His friends all wished him well, before one by one standing up from the booth. Alfie was the last one out, so it was easy for Tom to ask him to stay. "Except you Alfie. I have something to discuss with you."
Looking incredibly guilty, Alfie returned to his seat. Tom poured him another measure of firewhiskey. "You know where Hermione is," Tom said matter-of-factly.
Finally, Alfie looked up at him, unsurprised that he had figured things out. "I suppose you had to find out eventually," he admitted.
"Tell me where she is," Tom demanded. "I need to speak with her. I need to see her - to know that she is alright and that Caroline is alright."
Alfie gave him a grim sort of look. "Hermione doesn't want to talk to you right now," he said. "But I can assure you that both she and Caroline are in perfect health."
That sent a knife twisting in his gut, to know that Hermione had gone to Alfred Nott of all people, but not to her own husband. "So, you've seen her then?" he asked, equal parts furious and desperate to see her. He'd do anything to see her again.
"Yes, when I heard that she was missing, I visited her," he explained.
"You know where she is?" Tom questioned, twisting in his seat.
Alfie nodded. "Yes, a while back she approached me about another home," he explained, cautiously. "She said that she was afraid of what Dumbledore might do. She asked me to help her set up a Fidelius Charm and act as her secret keeper. Now I am wondering if she didn't suspect she might need it to get away from you."
The accusation stung. He couldn't imagine that Hermione would have ever thought of him as a threat. But then, he remembered how she'd mentioned hating the idea of living in a home that Malfoy had gifted them. She had wanted him to reclaim his ancestral home. Only why couldn't he remember where it was? Then it clicked.
"She's at my grandparents' home," he said. "Please tell me where it is, Alfie. I have to see her."
Alfie faltered for a moment, enough of a crack that Tom knew he had a chance. "She doesn't want to see you right now," he repeated. "When she's ready...if she's ready, I am sure that she will let you know where she is staying."
Tom rolled his wand in his hand. "You know that I have other ways of asking you," he said, desperation in his voice. He was at the lowest point in his life right now. It felt as though everything had been taken from him - his election, his pride, his family. He needed to start picking up the broken pieces and seeing what could be saved. "Ways that aren't as nice," he added, threatening.
"And you are smart enough to know that a secret keeper cannot be compelled to give up a location," he countered, crossing his arms against his chest. "Hermione put her trust in me. I won't betray her so easily."
"Was Abraxas right about the two of you?" Tom accused, wondering if Nott really was trying to swoop in and steal Hermione right from under his nose.
"Of course not," Alfie said, looking aghast. "I'm just...trying to protect her. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I know that you cannot make it right if she is not ready to hear you. Especially not tonight."
Tom was pleased to know just how cherished Hermione was by his Knights as well. It was good to know that they had grown to approve of her, of his choice. He had always known that they would come to see what an exceptional witch she was.
But, she was his and he was getting her back.
"What if I promise not to go until I've had time to clear my head?" Tom asked, practically begging. "Please, Alfie. You are my friend first," he insisted. "Hermione is my wife and Caroline is my child. Please do not keep them away from me. I cannot right my wrongs if Hermione will not see me."
He waited with baited breath for an answer.
