Invictus [Tom Riddle / Tomione]

Cheeky Reunions

Hermione reached out in her sleep, only fractionally lucid as she searched the bed for a warmth that wasn't there.

Then she opened her eyes to the darkness.

Her head split and sobriety washed over her in a disconcerting wave. She realized a moment later, as her hand touched the cold sheets beside her, that she was looking for Tom.

The night came rushing back, and Hermione felt an uneasy turning sensation in the pit of her stomach.

She didn't necessarily regret kissing Gaspard. She liked him. She felt a genuine attraction to him...

But something just felt wrong. She didn't want to cross lines when she wasn't sure yet how she felt about her breakup with Tom.

Her chest tightened. If she hadn't fallen in love with Tom, she would probably have fallen in love with Gaspard. She could see that path so clearly... and it led to happiness.

But unfortunately, she had fallen in love with Tom.

Part of her wanted to let him go. Some part of her wanted to move on with Gaspard... to touch him and taste him... to let him fill her life with peace and safety. To let him protect her in a healthy way, and not in the toxic way that Tom would.

But there was a sharp pricking in the center of her chest, like a chain connected to her heart that Tom himself controlled. She felt it pulling, twisting, tightening.

Every moment of the day, she wondered in the back of her mind where Tom was, what he was doing. She mused as she worked and trained, wondering whether he was learning new forms of magic, or whether he was in Albania searching for the diadem, or whether he was soon to find the locket and cup. Was there a way for her to prevent those things from happening? Did she have that much power over him?

Hermione felt tears rising to her eyes. For a brief moment before she'd ended things, she had almost started to believe there could be a future with him... but every time she allowed herself to picture it, the reality of who he was came crashing down, ripping the beautiful image to shreds.

She didn't want to hurt Gaspard... He'd been hurt enough.

He deserved happiness.

She had told him the truth: that she wasn't ready. He'd been understanding, assuring her that he didn't expect anything...

But Hermione knew he would be hurt if she suddenly put up a wall.

Was she foolish for having kissed him? Or was she simply desperate for someone to break Tom's hold off her heart?

Hermione blinked, and the tears brimmed over, trickling down her cheeks all at once.

She turned on her side, feeling cold, although her flat was warm.

It was too soon. Tom had branded her, like a scar from a badly healed wound. It would take years for him to fade.

If only Tom could change...

But he couldn't. She knew that.

And even if he could, he wouldn't. He didn't want her that badly... not at the expense of his power.

He hadn't even tried, in all honesty.

At first, Hermione had been glad that he kept his distance, giving her space.

But as the weeks dragged into months, Hermione began to feel a bit dejected that she hadn't seen or heard from him. She'd expected him to break down her door... show up at her work... track her down and "drag her back by her hair" as he'd always threatened.