To a Better End

Chapter 25

December 31st 1943

She knew it. Malfoy knew it. And for all she knew, Alphard Black and another wizard were also aware. So it was about time that she owned up to her mistakes.

She had, indeed, fallen for Tom Riddle.

And the worst part about it was that she knew there was no changing this man. He was on the path to darkness, but a part of her wanted to follow him into the depths. She felt the draw every day with every touch and every kiss.

After the ball, Tom began pulling her into alcoves and empty classrooms almost daily. The first time he did it, he held her face gently, studying her. She had tried to lean in to capture his lips, but he held her still. Her eyes questioned him as he rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks.

"You're more beautiful than I deserve."

And that was the first time he deepened his kiss. It was the first time he pressed his body against hers, arms encasing her body like she was the most precious thing he had seen. She had noticed each time it was harder to pull himself away.

The previous year, Hermione didn't spend more than a few minutes with Tom for his birthday. And while she didn't want to admit it, she still had regrets about not spending more time with him. This birthday would be different.

She went to breakfast earlier than she usually goes on holidays. Malfoy wasn't even waiting for her outside of the common room. After eating her breakfast in a nearly empty Great Hall, the blonde wizard stormed in looking purely frantic and immediately calmed at the sight of Hermione.

"Fuck, Granger," he huffed a sigh of relief as he sat down next to her. Hermione already grabbed him a teacup when she saw him come in.

"What?"

"I waited for minutes, and you didn't come out. So when I went by your dorm and cast a Homenum Revelio and got nothing it scared the shit out of me."

"I don't think you don't get to worry about me, Tonks." She passed him his teacup with one more sugar than Malfoy likes.

"I can't bloody help it, can I?" He took a sip of his tea and let out a shiver. Hermione smiled.

"Well, you obviously don't care enough to let me in on whatever unbreakable vow you created with Alphie."

His eyes widened as he pulled his sugary tea away from his mouth. "Unbreak- How did you-"

"Brightest Witch of Our Age," she said in a mocking tone as she tapped her nose. "I figured it out on my own."

"Right. Of course, you would." Malfoy rolled his eyes. Hermione had to hold down a laugh at the sight of Malfoy looking completely undignified.

"Are you going to tell me about it?" she pushed.

"No." He avoided her eye as he eyed his tea suspiciously before taking another sip.

"Thought so," she said as she wrapped a piece of buttered toast in a napkin.

"Did you put three sugars in this?"

Hermione got up to leave, stopped behind him and lowered herself to whisper in his ear, "Absolutely, I did."

She left before Malfoy could give her any response other than a gruff groan. She made her way back to the common room with an extra pep in her step. Once she made her way back in, she found a seat on the couch and waited.

In less than five minutes, Tom was coming out of the boys' dormitory. He caught sight of her immediately.

"Hermione? You're usually at breakfast this time."