Invictus [Tom Riddle / Tomione]

Revenge

Hermione awoke feeling refreshed on Monday morning. It was as if the previous night with Riddle hadn't even happened.

She sat at a little round breakfast table by the wall of windows, looking out over the terrace. She usually had her morning tea outside, but it was getting nippier in the mornings, so she sat by the windows, gazing out at the city.

She decided not to think about Riddle today; she needed to focus on her next article. She desperately wanted to write about the breach at Azkaban prison, but the Auror department had warned her editor that publishing any stories about the breach could contribute to civil unrest.

Hermione didn't like it. Journalists shouldn't be able to dictate what the public should and shouldn't be informed about. Isn't this what she'd hated about The Prophet during her time? That the paper had been completely controlled by the Ministry, which in turn, was controlled by whatever political party was in power? Rita Skeeter had published whatever propaganda she was instructed to by the Ministry, and it disgusted Hermione. It had been a publication of lies and deceit, through and through.

Perhaps she would speak with Baumgartner about it. The least she could do was investigate the breach. Supposedly, the first-ever breaches of Azkaban prison had been in her time. First, when a young man escaped, followed closely by Sirius Black. Then, two years later, when many Death Eaters had been released in a series of mass breakouts.

But that wasn't true, was it? This breach was the first, as far as Hermione was aware, but it hadn't been reported on, so no one ever knew about it.

Hermione itched to investigate further.

Hermione dressed for work in a powder blue set of robes and as she walked by the table, she saw Tom's parchment lying there. She smirked and walked right past it, leaving it on the table.

She promptly flooed to Diagon Alley.

Tom Riddle was frustrated.

It was clear that Hermione had no intention of responding to the messages he'd written her on the parchment throughout the morning.

"Do you think to punish me , little witch?" He muttered venomously. "You'll regret that."

If she didn't come to his flat that night as she'd promised, he would go to her penthouse and extricate her himself.

He was in no mood for games.

He growled angrily as he rolled up the parchment and shoved it into the inner pocket of his robes.

No matter, he thought to himself. He needed to stay focused. He had told Borgin that he intended to visit a particular customer of theirs who had extensive knowledge of historical magical objects and relics in order to scope out new acquisitions. What he really intended to do, was find out more about the Ribbon of Life and where he could find one.

Then, later in the week, he had set a time to meet with his old Potions professor. Then, he would have the brewing instructions for the Tears of Adonis potion.

Tom would discover once and for all if Hermione was his soulmate.

One thing was absolutely certain: soulmate or not, Tom had decided that Hermione Dumbledore was his until she drew her very last breath.

Even if he had to shackle her to him.

Hermione sat in the office of Gaspard Dufresne, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He was a tall and imposing wizard with dark hair and large blue eyes. He had the slight shadow of a beard and wore a questionable amount of rings on each hand. He was quite handsome, Hermione mused; she estimated he was likely in his early forties.