Bound To You

Chapter 53: Merging Ritual

Tom looked at Voldemort, rocking back and forth inside the room he and Harry had prepared for him. He was in such a pathetic state, he couldn't look at him anymore. It was just--disgusting. So weak, begging for his magic to come back to him. But he also realized that this was him. The version of him that he'd become had he not met Harry. Had he not helped him that fateful night.

Well, he wasn't ashamed to admit that he got quite the enjoyment from him. He'd been a virgin, both in body and mind, and he wouldn't change that for the world.

Besides, his innocence had helped him regain a body, his craving for love helped him in ways he didn't expect he would ever be helped. At first, he was glad that Harry was quite the gullible little child, and he was easy to manipulate to his whims. But the longer he stayed with him, the fonder he grew of his boy. Him growing to love his ex-nemesis was quite the surprise for him.

Him growing to love anyone was quite the surprise for him, actually.

He and Dumbledore had believed that since his mother used Amortentia to woo his father, and grown up without knowing love had taken away the chance of him to ever get to know what love was.

And yet, years later, a 12-year-old boy had taught him what no one ever would. And he didn't even know about it--he'd done it for selfless reasons, and he loved him all the more for it.

And yet this abominable excuse for a monster had tried to kill him, use him, break him. Granted it was he who'd tried to kill him first, when he was a baby, and back when he was just a wraith living at the back of Quirell's skull. But this pathetic excuse of a monster had used him for his resurrection without thinking about the consequences of his actions, and it was just unforgiveable.

And because of that, Tom let him despair over the loss of his magic. Let him feel the weakness he'd hated so much, a punishment given to him by his lovely Harry. Oh yes, it was a cruel punishment, he knew. But he deserved it.

And yet, sweet, forgiving Harry had told him to end it before a whole day had passed, and he knew that the longer Voldemort was in this state, the more guilt Harry would feel, so he had to oblige. After Harry fell asleep, as soundly as he could make him at least, he'd tucked him in an quickly made his way to Voldemort's room. He relished in the hysteric gasps and moans and wails the other man produced, before even that got annoying.

Sighing, he decided that he'd just get this over with and stood in front of Voldemort.

"Please, please, please," he heard him mutter under his breath, and Tom cupped his jaw, making him look up towards him.

"Do you want your magic back?" he asked, quietly. Voldemort made an odd noise in his throat and wailed a little. Then he stopped, his glazed eyes looking just that little bit less glazed.

"Wh-what's the catch?" he rasped, the first few words he uttered other than pleas to give him back his magic. Well, Tom shouldn't be surprised, he was him, and he'd always looked at the possible motives other people would have behind the things they did. It's just a part of him that's so ingrained that when he'd known all of Harry's thoughts while residing in his mind, he had been surprised that Harry would have no motives behind most of his actions.

"Merge with me."

"What's the point of making Horcruxes when in the end, you'd merge back with all of it?" Voldemort cackled. Tom raised an eyebrow.

"What? So you merged with all the other pieces?" he asked.

"Merged with the Cup a few days ago," he rasped. Tom just shook his head.