Desperation

25

Chapter twenty five: Separate

1.18.1945

A bright light shone in her face as she lay there, still as a feather. It continued to get brighter and brighter until it was almost painfully bright.

"Oh my dear girl..." A rough wise voice said softly from the white light. Hermione's brows furrowed, she opened her eyes to see Dumbledore standing there. Tears started welling up in her eyes as she figured out what had just happened and where she was. Tears flooded down her cheeks and she choked back a sob.

"Am I dead?" Hermione asked wiping away a stray tear.

"Oh no Miss Granger you are in Limbo." Dumbledore replied looking down gravely at her, but that answer didn't give Hermione any peace at all.

"Limbo?" She asked confused, she had only heard of that term from ancient books about death.

"Limbo is a state of being that exists between life and death. Limbo comes to being inside a person's mind making it both real and unreal at the same time. Its appearance is different for each person who visits it, some Limbo experiences involve loved ones or acquaintances and that is the reason I am here Miss Granger." Dumbledore explained watching the girl thoughtfully. "It's your choice whether you'd like to live or not."

"But I want to professor, I want to see Tom again I want to change him."

"And he wants you back too Miss Granger, but you must wake up wake-"

There was a crackle of thunder and a flash of blinding white light.

•••

"WAKE UP"

Hermione jolted awake she groaned in pain, her body felt achy everywhere. As soon as she had opened her eyes she saw Tom's relief expression, he looked absolutely horrendous. His hair was sticking up in abnormal places and his hands were covered in blood...her blood. Underneath his eyes were dark bags, they were blood shot. He was holding onto her hand with such a tight grip like he thought she would vanish.

"Who's done THIS to you!" Tom yelled, his expression curling into a well known one. He was furious his eyes flashed red as something popped into his mind.

"No Tom don't...please" Hermione whispered squeezing his hand but winced when pain shot up her arm. His expression softened a bit but he was still clearly angry.

"I want to kill whoever had done this to you..." Tom whispered sending a shiver through Hermione. He meant it and she knew that, his expression was glazed over and his eyes unfocused.

"Tom you don't have to be like this, violence won't change anything...please Tom don't do anything...for me please?"

He stayed quiet for a moment, Hermione could tell he was thinking. "Fine, next time you have no say in what I do. I only do what I do in order to protect you." He replied slowly reaching out to her and stroking her cheek. Hermione shivered slightly at his soft touch, goose bumps arousing on her skin.

"Where...where'd you find me anyways?" She asked feeling slightly dazed.

Tom smiled softly stroking her cheek again. "In the females washroom." He replied leaning down lower. Knowing what was about to happen Hermione shut her eyes, she felt his breath on her lips before he pulled away. Someone cleared their throat startling Hermione, her eyes flew open and her face flushed as Alastair stood their his arms crossed and his lips in a flat line.