Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Blasted plot bunnies. Just a note - although this centers around Hermione and Tom, they're not going to become a couple. At least in this story, anyway.
I'm so sorry for the wait - real life caused me to be away for a while, so that's why the story was paused. Fortunately I got some time which allowed me to finish this chapter.
Merci beaucoup to Jennifer for so wonderfully betaing this and being such a great friend, to Kris for always encouraging me, and last but not least, to Crys, for helping me with this chapter when I was stuck. This chapter is dedicated to you all :)
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Chapter Five: Confrontation
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What in Merlin's name had he gotten himself into? Harry couldn't help thinking. But it had been worth it; he was now in Hermione's cell, and hopefully, on his way to rescuing her.
If only he knew where she was. He frowned. A niggling thought kept eating at him - what if she was with Tom?
He had to wince at that. It made him want to gag - but knowing her state of mind right now, and Tom - he shuddered. She could be with him, he thought. It was a possibility - and he was sure as anything that wherever her "master" was, Hermione, as his "mistress/slave," would be there with him.
Might as well go look around, he thought, and walked on; every step resolute and making as little sound as possible - as quiet as one could be with sneakers, anyhow.
The air was dank and made him choke. It was like ash or dust to him; idly he wondered if anyone cleaned this hideout. And if they did, they did one horrible job of it.
Then he wondered why he cared - surely his thoughts had to be more interesting than reflecting on whether someone's house, even if it happened to be his worst enemy's, was cleaned properly or not. Harry could have hit himself on the head for thinking such silly thoughts when his mind should have been focused on Hermione…and finding and rescuing her.
His feet took him where his instinct led him; he didn't care where he was going, as long as he found Hermione. And that, it seemed, was far away - far away from and beyond his reach. He wondered uneasily if Tom was purposely keeping Hermione away from him, as far away as possible, so that he could not find her. That was definitely possible.
He was now meeting where four hallways, including the one he was in, intersected. Oh good g - he exhaled. Now wasn't the time to curse Tom's very convenient and carefully laid out maze; he had to figure out which hallway the slick bastard was in.
Okay, let's do eenie minie mo, he thought sarcastically. That ought to help. Automatically he cancelled out the one hallway he was in; his in depth and meticulous searching had led him nowhere, and hadn't given him any clue on where Hermione was...or where she could be.
He gulped silently and took one step forward, being careful not to be heard on the slick wooden floor. I really hope he just hadn't had the floor waxed. That would've been a problem. A very big problem that he wouldn't have had any time to solve.
Stop this mindless thinking Potter, and get to work on finding her, his conscience reprimanded. Great - along with his slowly declining sanity, his conscience had to remind him on why he was here, too. Just lovely.
A sudden, muffled sound caught his attention. Harry paused and held his breath; waiting, waiting for any more signs. And sure enough, he was blessed with another one.
"What did I say, Miss Hermione? Didn't I tell you not to say anything to me unless I speak to you?" A cold steely voice spoke. "Answer me!" Silence.
Harry didn't dare to breathe…or move. Absently he noticed his hands had clenched and that every muscle - what little muscle he had - in his body was tense with both anger and anxiety. What is he going to do with her - he didn't dare think, but stealthily he glided across the floor, swiftly and silently. Almost like a snake, he thought bemusedly.
But he didn't dwell on that now - every part of him was focused on what was happening mere inches away from him.
I've gotta watch and see, he told himself silently. See what he does next, and if it's to hurt Hermione, then it's up to me to stop him. So honorable he was…another sound caught his ears.
"Feh!" Ah, so His Royal Evilness was upset and throwing a tantrum. Harry stopped a snicker from escaping his lips. He didn't want to give himself away…at least, not yet.
"You wretched girl…what use are you? You may be Potter's friend, but you're of no use to me!" A malicious tone could be heard in The Bastard's (that's how he was known in Harry's mind) voice, which was loudly reverberating off the walls.
Methinks he should watch his voice so's he won't get caught, Harry thought absentmindedly.
"But Master -"
Harry stiffened. That's - is that really her? Her voice sounded so…dead. Unfeeling.
Before he could dwell on that more, Tom's oh so lovely voice interrupted his ponderings.
"Silence! I would've thought that Hogwarts' brightest witch," a sneer could be detected very clearly in Tom's voice, "could tell when she could speak and when she could not. Apparently this hasn't sunk into your mind yet, Miss Hermione."
She was quiet. Harry waited in insufferable, silent agony. Please say something, Hermione, he prayed.
"You're very disappointing. Really, I expected you to be better than this." Tom scowled and glared at her. "I doubt if you're even worthy of living and poisoning this earth and everyone around with your foul blood. Especially your lovable friend, Mr. Potter."
Breathe, Harry - don't kill him, He tried to focus his thoughts on something else - or rather, someone else - and control his shaking, as well as his steadily fraying nerves.
I swear, by my parents, that once he reveals himself I will kill him. I will. If it's to save Hermione's life, I will make sure he regrets everything he has done to wizardkind. Everything.
But I…I don't have enough power and experience yet to defeat him. And even if I did have enough magic and skill to defeat him, how can I? He is the most brilliant wizard that Hogwarts has ever seen - as much as I hate to admit it - and I don't have anything that he hasn't already got. I have nothing. Absolutely nothing…
Or do you? His mind asked. Do you really have nothing? You must have something that he doesn't have. He was defeated by you, you know…and when you were a one year old, at that! A baby! Imagine, a baby defeated him - and that baby was you. You can defeat him again, if you realize what he doesn't have, that you have.
Those words stuck in his mind. Realize what he doesn't have that I have. What on earth could that be…?
Think and remember. You know it, what it is…but you just don't realize that you know it. His mind ordered him.
He sighed resignedly, making sure that it was unheard by anyone except himself. He highly doubted that Tom was gifted with ultrasonic hearing…but still…he could never know.
How can I remember? Trust me, I don't know what it is that I have that he doesn't! How in the name of seven hells can I know, can I remember? He thought frantically.
You do know. Just look inside yourself. What is making you look for Hermione and have you wanting to protect her at any cost, even if that cost is your own life?
He looked away.
The answer was so simple…yet he couldn't grasp it himself. Or maybe he refused to - because that would send everything he knew crashing down before his eyes.
Hell, it was as bloody clear as bloody day. Looks like Ron's rubbing off on me, he hid a smile. It faded once he got absorbed in his thoughts. Soon, he would realize, that would be a Big Mistake. A Very Big, Idiotic Mistake.
You are always slow on the uptake when it comes to emotions, aren't you? His mind taunted.
He didn't answer that. Or maybe you're just too afraid?
Too afraid to realize the truth?
You know what it is, Potter. It is the emotion that confounds humans and geniuses alike - by its sheer simplicity and complexity. At the same time, it can be truly understood but at the same time it can't be explained and understood. The mind doesn't recognize it, but the heart does.
You know what it is. His mind taunted him still.
Gods, are you trying to make me suffer because I have something which can help me defeat Voldemort - but…He thought in agony, never finishing the sentence.
…But it can't help you see what you turn a blind eye to? His mind finished it for him.
He couldn't answer that…right now, his main focus was on how to get Hermione out of there, not to realize what he truly felt for his best friend and the turmoil it was causing him.
Focus! He cursed mentally and turned his attention back to the room where Tom's voice was coming from.
Nothing…everything was silent. Strange…wait. The world blurred in front of him and his forehead exploded with excruciating, never-ending pain. Oh gods no, he cursed. No, no, no! Not now! No…
Harry grunted and managed to swivel around, meeting the gleaming eyes of - surprise, surprise - Tom, a.k.a. His Royal Evilness himself, Lord Voldemort. Why does he call himself a lord, anyway? The thought flitted in Harry's mind for a second, and then went.
His eyes darted to his left, Tom's right side, and immediately froze upon the robotic "Miss Hermione."
Oh, blast. She didn't see him, of course, only looked at him with glazed over, cold eyes. Did he program her - Harry refused to use the word "control" now - to hate me? He did a right swell job of it. Shaking himself away from his musings, he managed to find his voice.
Tom beat him to that, much to Harry's displeasure.
"So," he lifted an eyebrow, smiling deviously, "we meet once again, Harry."
" 'Fraid that's a bit overused, Tom," Harry said conversationally, and silently reveled in the dark scowl that crossed the older boy's features. "Although it is nice to see you again."
That's right…as long as I keep cool…or try to, anyway, I'll be fine.
Tom's lip curled. "I didn't ask for your opinion." Iciness shone clear in his voice. "Well, well - it's been, what? Five years since we've last met?" A smirk graced his mouth. "So hard to believe - hopefully you're more experienced now than before, when you were twelve."
"No problem," Harry said evenly. "A bit of experience never hurt anyone."
"I see you've got a smart mouth too, along with experience." Tom's eyes glittered with barely concealed malice. "No matter. We'll finish this in no time - after all, you're a puny boy, so there's no chance you can ever defeat me."
"Let's not let your ego get carried away, Riddle." His mouth was running off more than it should, Harry thought sourly, and waited to see what the other wizard would do next.
"Who are you to talk about ego, Potter?"
"Beats me. It always seems to be man's downfall, in some way or another."
Dark eyes narrowed. "And you think I'm the one who is going to fall? Do you?"
Harry didn't even flinch. "Maybe." There was a tint of wryness in the word.
"Oh, for pity's sake, boy." Tom huffed exasperatedly. "I've had enough with petty games. Let's start and end this duel now. Even though I don't know why I'm wasting my time on you -"
Harry saw his chance. "Expelliarmus!" In grim satisfaction he watched as flashes of panic showed clearly on Tom's face on his wand being gone, but the next minute that panic vanished into thin air, only to be replaced by yet another smirk.
"Did you really think you could defeat me that easily?" He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the most powerful wizard in the world for nothing, you know."
"We know already," Harry muttered. A triumphant grin could be seen on Tom's face. He turned to Hermione. "Ha! See, Miss Hermione? Everywhere I'm feared and everyone knows exactly who I am." He grinned evilly. "They'll know how truly great I am once I beat Potter."
Was it just him, Harry wondered, or had something flickered - very, very briefly - in Hermione's frozen eyes?
He decided it was just his imagination. "Do whatever you want, Tom," he answered, "it's not my problem. You captured Hermione so I could get caught in your trap, didn't you?"
"Ah. So this one is smart," Tom cackled. "Yes, I did. She's pretty useful - too bad you're wasting your time trying to save her when there's nothing ahead for you but doom."
"Uh, no. I'm not sorry to say that you're wrong there." The younger boy coolly said.
"And anyway," Harry continued with a sly look to his eyes, "I don't know what you are planning to do with my friend besides having her be your personal slave, waiting on you hand and foot."
"You really are foolish." Tom was amused. "I would have expected the oh so great Harry Potter to possess some intellect. Oh well, this gives me a perfect chance to kill you." His grey orbs twinkled with hatred.
Hermione's eyes flickered again. This time Harry knew it wasn't his imagination…she was struggling to get out, to set herself free from the control that Tom has put her on, against her will.
Please come out, he begged silently. Please - I - I - we need you back. I - I need you back. Please… His thoughts faded into nothingness once he realized, with numb shock, that Hermione's eyes had a flare in them - an angry flare.
He turned his attention back to Tom, who hadn't noticed anything strange had happened - he still stood there with a smirk adorning his face.
"I do possess some intellect, no need to worry Tom," Harry answered with a smirk of his own.
Grey eyes flashed. "Don't expect me to worry about a pathetic little runt like you -"
"Defindiem!" A voice clearly shouted…a voice that was very familiar, and was definitely not Harry's.
"URG!" A groan escaped Tom as he was hit by a Blinding Spell. An idea came to Harry then - maybe, just maybe, he could knock His Evilness unconscious - even temporarily - if he used the right spell. It was a long shot, but he could try it.
He looked at Hermione hopefully - can you help me cast "Evemio" on him? He doubted trying it on Tom would do anything, but still - he had to try. He had to see.
A nod of Hermione's head was all the answer he needed, and together both raised their wands - Hermione had quickly confiscated hers from Tom's pocket when he had been blinded - and yelled at the top of their longs, "Evemio!" Their magic fused together into one and hit their target.
A harsh scream escaped Tom and he flew back, slamming into a wall, knocking him unconscious.
Harry exchanged looks of relief and triumph with Hermione.
It…it worked. Harry couldn't hide his surprise. The older wizard was now slumped on the floor, unconscious. Maybe we shouldn't've blasted him against the wall like that with the spell - even if it was accidentally. He smirked a little and then was painfully aware of eyes on him.
Looking over at the thankfully still unconscious Dark Lord, he raised his eyes from the floor and met with worried brown eyes - that were alive.
Not blankly robotic; they were shining with worry, worry for him, and most importantly - they were full of life. He gave an uncharacteristic whoop of relief and rushed over to hug her with a strength he didn't know he had, which she gladly returned.
"Are you all right, Hermione?" He asked a minute later, letting go of her. He had no guarantee on whether she was free from Tom's control forever or not, so he decided to take full advantage of this chance…this chance that she had come back to him, to earth, if only for a brief moment.
He forced himself not to think about the future or how much time they - she had, before she went back to her robotic self.
"I'm fine," She nodded. "Let's get out of here - before he wakes up." She gestured to where Tom lay like a limp doll. "…And decides to do something worse."
She smiled tightly, recollecting the vague memories that she had of her control, and it was all she could do to bite back a shudder of disgust at how she had behaved - and what she had done for the malevolent lord of darkness.
"Good point." He offered a comforting smile to her, and together they ran out of the room, heading down one hallway to…an exit, they hoped.
As they meandered down the dark corridor, neither spoke until they reached a door. Hoping against hope that it led outside, they opened it and quickly rushed out, relieved to see that it did lead outside.
Nearby his watching spot, the tree that he had looked at Hermione's cell from, was a bush, and hidden in it was his Firebolt.
Harry gave her a "let's get away here as fast as possible while we can" look, and gestured for her to sit in front of him.
Shakily she mounted the broom, and after making sure they were both secure - which meant Harry had to put his arms around her, and that they wouldn't fall off - unless they were holding on, anyway - Harry took off into the air.
Hermione swallowed back her cries and tried to concentrate on something else - going back to Hogwarts after her capture, which seemed like years ago but in reality had been three days, anything.
As they flew on, some of her courage returned and she dared to look quickly below her. She couldn't hide her amazement - it was so beautiful! Forests and lakes enchanted her eyes with their pristine greenness and sparkling surfaces - what she could see of them, at any rate.
"Wow," she breathed, "I see why you love flying so much, Harry. It - it frees you, doesn't it?"
She could feel him smile in her hair. "You're right, Hermione. It definitely does."
"It's therapy for my soul, you could say," he offhandly added, making her laugh.
- - -
Several minutes later, he broke the comfortable silence between them. "Would you look at that," his face broke out in a grin, "Look to your right, Hermione. Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
Her eyes lit up. "Yes! It's - it's -" She couldn't speak for some unknown reason. "It's Hogwarts," she said at last, feeling a tiny twist in her stomach as she spoke.
"Nervous?" He asked.
"Y - Yes." She tried to smile feebly. "I haven't been here for three days - it's so hard to imagine though…I thought I was there forever." By "there," Harry knew she meant Tom's hideout.
"How did you know where I was?" She suddenly asked.
"Let's just say I saw where Tom's hideout was." Something in his voice told her not to ask any further; he would tell her later.
Then, before she even knew it, Hermione found himself getting off of the broom and landing on firm soil. She gazed in awe at the sight before her - the Hogwarts castle, the lake, Hagrid's hut which she could distantly see…
She turned back to Harry, her eyes shining with bliss and something else…he could closely define it as gratitude. Gratitude that he had come to save her, gratitude that she was home at last.
As if he knew what she was thinking - which he did most of the time, she mused - the words that tumbled out of his lips next was "We're home. At last."
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Author's Note 2: Yes, that sucked beyond belief…I'm sorry. Hopefully the next chapter will be better. And Harry was OOC in this chapter, I know - but it was for a reason. At the end of the fic you'll find out why.
This chapter probably raised more questions than it answered them…
Thank You To:
Crys - I'm really sorry for making you wait so long…do you still love Tom after this chapter? ;)
Jennifer - Thanks so much for being my friend and beta *huggles* I'm sorry about the cliffhangers - hopefully this chapter made you happy and not ready to kill me?
Kris - *blush* Thanks for the compliment! Hope you enjoyed the chapter - and thanks so much for everything *hugs*
bloodloss - *awed* Ai, thanks! I'm glad you enjoy the story - and thank you for the compliment!
tabitoo - Voldemort's plan was to lure Harry to where he was and kill him…and the one who helped do that was Hermione *sheepish*
And actually, while Tom knew Harry would be there, he didn't know that Harry was actually there, because of Harry sneaking in and making sure his presence wasn't noticed. Did that make any sense?
harryherm84 - Thank you for your review! I'm happy you like the story :) Actually, at the beginning I said that Hermione and Tom were not going to become a couple *embarrassed* I'm sorry for confusing you.