Let the Games Begin

The Time Between

Cute fluff chapter with some sadness. I hope you all enjoy! I have a very important note at the end so stay tuned!

Warnings and other information at the end!!

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Chapter 9: Time Between

I wake up warm and cozy but irritated at something ungodly itchy touches my face. I bat at the horrible material to try and shoo the material away, but after three movements my hand is carefully grasped in a firm hold. I whine and all my new appendages appear. "Shhhh, little one. Give me a second, I'll take it off," the pillow under me sifts and I am no longer touching the material or my mate. Before I let out another whine, my cheek is reconnected to the- 

I bolt in surprise and sit up now very awake as I look at the body under me. My tail is puffed up and my ears are alert as I take in my new surroundings. I'm no longer in the ballroom or the study thing my mate brought me to. Instead, I'm in a very comfy bed with my mate lying next to me. He smiles up at me clearly amused with an old-looking book in his hand. I blush and try to say something but all that comes out is, "I- I-"

 A long, pale hand reaches up and brings me back down to where I was laying before. He cards his fingers through my slightly tangled hair as he proposed, "Would you like to talk for a bit?" I quickly nod my head forgetting that it is still on his chest. I look up to make sure he understood as I did not trust my voice just yet, and he only smiles back before continuing, "I don't know what you know about me, but you know enough to have found me. So I'll just start with introductions. I'm Tom Marvolo Riddle, but I have been going by Lord Voldemort for the last few decades. My creature is a Dark Vampire. I have been waiting for you for a very long time."

 "I," he looks down at me as I start to say something, but it gets stuck in my throat, "I- my- my name was Ha- Harry Potter before I changed it." The little confidence that I had left, and I quickly looked away, unable to look my mate in the eyes. I rapidly try to explain that it wasn't me and I was manipulated and that I would never try to hurt my mate, but I started to sod and many of my words were unintelligible. Blood red eyes only stare back at me. 

There is no response, but also no anger. Minutes fly by and then tension grows to the point where I start to climb off of my mate and leave the bed. I lift my leg over my mate and as I am about to step off the bed a long hand gently holds my waist. "I am sorry," I try to question why he would say that but he puts his other hand's finger on my lip and starts again, "I am sorry I was not there or figured it out sooner. I'm sorry I have tried to kill you. I know it doesn't help that I say this, but I was not sane back then. It was not until recently that I have started gaining it back. I assume that has to do with you being closer. I am sorry Hadrian." I can feel my face soften as he explains and by the time he finishes I am purring and laying against his chest. "And I'm sorry that I ever trusted Dumbledore."

 "It's okay, you are still young, little one." "Yeah, but they still have taken so much from me," my mate does not respond, but he does turn the lights off and lays both of us down. We both fall asleep in each other's arms.

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The weeks have been passing faster than ever before. Tom, as he wants me to call him, has shown me around the manor and added an extra room to the family wing. Even though I don't intend to use the spare room, it is a very caring gesture and I can't help but hug my mate in a tight embrace. Mornings I am awakened by Tom's voice telling me good morning and after getting ready we get breakfast in the dining room. Tom has to do work in his office between then and lunch, so I am mostly left to my own devices for a few hours. Sometimes I join Tom in his office or read one of the books in his library. But my favorite activity is spending time in the gardens. Flowers and plants bloom everywhere, both muggle and magical. Butterflies and various insects laze around, and at night lighting bugs float in the slightly cool fall air. It is a peaceful place, and when I can get Tom to join me, I could just spend an hour there with him. Lunches are much the same as breakfast and dinner, but Tom will ask me what I did and interesting questions about recent books I've read. We then make it to the office or family room and talk for hours. My mate continuously asks about things I like and when I ask questions back he answers them tenfold. Conversation can be from serious to playful, and sometimes we just bask in comfortable silence enjoying being near each other. We then have dinner and go to bed and repeat the day. 

But like all good things, it comes to an end. Before I notice, it is already August thirty-first and I am packing my trunk to go to King Cross Station. The next two mornings are spent connected to my older mate. I can do nothing but cry and mourn the time that I will not be with him. Tom holds and comforts me but will not budge on the fact that I had to go because "Education is important." Even as big, fat tears drop to the ground, Tom does not allow any contact until everything is packed into my trunk. He grabs the packed trunk and lays it at the front of the bed before picking me up and getting into the bed. The lights turn off and warm arms wrap around me. Sweet nothings and encouraging words are whispered into my ear, and after many minutes I drift off.

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Warnings: Fluff, some sadness

Words: 1,050 words

Notes:
Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed it, as I said at the start, but I have very important information! Some of you may have noticed this but the tags and number of chapters have changed, along with this being a series. If you have not put this together already, I'll spell it out. This is now a series with at least four of these parts (plus the draft of my original work). This part is officially fully written and will remain on the same update schedule. There will be an end A/N and beginning A/N that is already written making this part thirteen chapters. That endnote will have more details. Can't wait to see you next Monday and thank you for reading!! :)

As always, love you all, and stay safe! <3 <3 <3