To a Better End

Chapter 22

September 5th 1943

The death of Myrtle Warren rang throughout the wizarding community like a haunting gong. It was terrifying, to say the least. Hermione already was close to death's door once because of that damned chamber; going through it a second time in a different decade was not on her to-do list. Over half of the Muggleborns had been pulled from Hogwarts by their worried parents. It was understandable. Hermione would have pulled herself had she not been on a mission posing as a pureblood witch.

Malfoy and Hermione had spent the entire summer going through their backup plans, fortifying their contingencies. Their small house was quickly resembling the chaos they unleashed in Theo's parlour. Parchment sprawled everywhere. Ink smudges on both of their faces. Exasperated sighs every five minutes. All that was missing was Theo bringing them snacks.

They spent the last week of August cleaning up their home, ensuring everything was ready for their plan.

Plan.

It was a word they used loosely. It was barely a plan.

Tom was already tearing his soul apart, and there was no saying when or if he would stop, or if they had done anything to make this stop. His diary was already a Horcrux. If this timeline was anything like what Hermione went through, then Tom had already killed his father and retrieved the family ring.

Malfoy was tasked with retrieving information from his roommates, which was a fairly easy one given that with enough firewhiskey, Alphie was quite chatty. Draco procured a large staff of alcohol that was sure to last the year. After a few swigs, he was an open book.

Hermione's plan was looser, rules almost nonexistent.

"Gain his trust. Make him believe that you care for him. Make him fall in love with you, if you must. By any means necessary. And I know this isn't ideal, but you can't let slip that you know about the Horcruxes. We cannot risk him changing his items. He's already begun, and you know just as well as I do, if not better, that when Tom wants to do something, he won't stop. He's relentless, Hermione. If he won't stop, neither can we. To whatever end."

"To whatever end."

He was right. Tom wouldn't stop. He was one of the most determined individuals she had ever met. Hermione couldn't help but wonder if that's why they got along so well. Sometimes she felt like they were two sides of the same coin.

I am so fucked up.

The trip to King's Cross was just as stressful as the last time they were there. Too many scared faces. Too many people rushing around to notice two teenagers walking up to a brick wall. They didn't care to linger on the platform. They got into the same compartment they were in a year ago. Malfoy sprawled out on one side, seeming ready to fall asleep. Hermione sat with her back to the window and faced the compartment door. She kicked her feet up on the seat and pulled out her two-way journal, trying to think of what to tell him.

"I wrote to him this morning." His hands were behind his head and his eyes shut. Hermione glared at him and he smiled under her gaze, as though he'd found a way to see through his eyelids. "I can hear you thinking from here, Granger."

"That's impossible," she quipped.

He touched his nose with a grin. "Unspeakable."

"Right." Hermione rolled her eyes and looked back down at the blank journal. She ran through all the things that she could tell him. Instead of writing a full page of notes or a heartfelt letter, she opted for simplicity.

I miss you. -H

Are you having fun? -T

I think I am. -H