Invictus [Tom Riddle / Tomione]

Pen Pals

Hermione stared at the journal. She'd held it in her possession for several days, watching it, thinking about it. She couldn't understand why Tom would have just left it in a stack of books at Malfoy Manor. It didn't seem like something Tom would do... given the obsessive way that he'd protected his horcruxes in her time.

But then again, by that time, he'd gained many, many enemies. Perhaps he was more lax now because he assumed he was off the radar. An almost unknown and undetected magical force, a covert dark lord with his sleeper cell of followers. He likely trusted Malfoy to keep the library locked. After all, he'd entrusted Lucius Malfoy with the journal, hadn't he? Perhaps he'd even entrusted the diary to Abraxas' care at some point, only to have it passed down to Lucius.

Hermione swallowed. She hoped he wouldn't notice the transfigured horcrux. But somehow, she trusted that even if he knew she'd stolen it... he wouldn't be angry at her.

When had she begun to trust him? It was strange to think that he wouldn't place the safety of his horcruxes above her own welfare.

Hermione sighed, and flicked her eyes to the horcrux. How was it possible that part of the soul of the man she'd fallen in love with was encased in that journal. That piece of soul had possessed her friend, reopened the chamber of secrets, tried to kill Harry, hated mudbloods, like her.

She couldn't reconcile it.

How could he be so evil and charming simultaneously? The Tom Riddle that Hermione knew had depth. He inspired her. But more than that... he was so human. There was a humility and a rawness to Tom that Hermione had not expected.

Seductive. That's what he was. No wonder he'd amassed such devoted followers in the future.

She wondered how the journal would interact with her. Hermione knew that she shouldn't write in it. She should pack it away somewhere, hidden, where he couldn't find it. She didn't put it past him not to break into her flat if he suspected she'd stolen it. Could he feel his own horcruxes, as Harry had been able to?

Hermione's eyes flicked back to the journal. She really should kill that basilisk.

She contemplated the fallout. If she killed the basilisk now, would the diary horcrux have still been destroyed in the future? Would they have discovered that basilisk venom destroys horcruxes? If she killed it now, the sword wouldn't be impregnated with the venom.

If she killed it now, it would be up to her to destroy the horcruxes.

Hermione's eyes fell shut. Then her head fell into her hands.

Love. I love him.

She was no better than Bellatrix Lestrange.

She might as well take the dark mark now, because she was fucking pathetic.

I can't do it. I can't destroy it.

She grit her teeth and flipped open the journal.

——————

Tom walked into Borgin and Burkes and waved his wand, flipping the closed sign to open. His employer had gone to a wizarding auction in order to locate more magical artifacts, so Tom would be in the shop alone today. It was still early, so there were no customers yet.

He sighed and tossed the two journals onto the clerk's desk. It had been three days since Hermione had taken his journal and left a transfigured copy in the stack which Abraxas had delivered to him immediately after Hermione left, as Tom had instructed.

Since then, Tom had kept his duplicate journal on him at all times, but the witch had yet to write to him. He was sure that he'd cast the charm correctly.