New Colors of Life

Yesss, it’s a stupid Serpie back with that long-promised chapter.

I thank you all for the wonderful reviews you leave, they inspire my twisted little brain to write.

Especially, I would like to thank Nerys, LadyVoldemort87 and Anna Valerious.

The Eloquent Quill- Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I do appriciate critisism and I have nothing against it. However, there are few things I didn't understand in your review. You said that at first you did not know I wasn't a native speaker, and then you asked for how long I've been learning English. I'll take that as a compliment. To answer your question- for more than fifteen years. About the style- well, I write the way I write and I'm not going to change that. If I want to use short sentenses, I will. But, mostly, if I write long ones, it means that I do it intentionally. As Nerys said, Hermione is OOC here, but for many reasons.Just imagine what would have been, hadn't Hermione made friends with Harry and Ron. Thirst for knowledge is a dangerous thing. Think about it. If you have any questions, please ask.

A huge thanks goes to Nerys who constantly reminded Serpie that Serpie had to update. LOL

A/N This chapter takes place in December, so many months have passed since the last chappy. I leave it to your imagination to fill in the gaps.

A/N This chapter is last one before graduation. And then we will have fun LOL

I’ll answer the question in advance- nope, Tom cannot use the Unforgivables on Hermione anymore. The deal.

I'm sure I've made tonns of mistakes here and it's not betaed, so...sorry.

‘Serpie’ - Parseltongue

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

...

Chapter 14.

The Parrot, the Ball and the Star.


Monday.

Hermione shivered from the cold wind that was starting to blow full force. She was deep in her thoughts- she still had to decide what to do about the upcoming ball. Today it was Monday, just days before Christmas and the famous Christmas ball was on Saturday. It was very clear who she would go with, but she still hadn’t decided what to wear. Suddenly, Hermione’s eyes fell on the small shadow on the ground.

“You poor thing,” said Hermione sweetly to the small bird that was looking at her with those big, innocent eyes; begging not to leave it in the frosty white snow to die.

Hermione Granger was walking near the lake when she stumbled upon a small, shivering from the cold bird. The tiny creature was looking so lost and lonely that there was no way Hermione would leave it to freeze outside.

It was really cold, Hermione thought while picking the small creature and holding it tight to her chest. The bird’s eyes were filled with gratitude, as if already knowing that this young lady would not leave it to die.

“What are you doing?” asked a so familiar voice from behind.

Hermione turned around, still holding the shivering bird, to see Tom Riddle standing just a few meters away from her.

“I asked you, Hermione, what you were doing. And I’d like to receive an answer as well,” Tom drawled lazily while eyeing the bird.

Just a few months ago this whole situation would have seen unreal to Hermione- the Dark Lord calmly having a conversation with her near the frozen lake.

Now, however, there was nothing unusual for Hermione.

After that dreadful day in September when she made the deal with Tom Riddle, everything changed.

She really could not say that she had had a lot of friends to talk to before agreeing to help Riddle but now it seemed that she was isolated from everyone. Not that she minded anyway- the Gryffindors did not want to talk to her ever since she was sorted into Slytherin; the Rawenclaws and Hufflepuffs were neutral but also not very friendly; the Slyhtherins, however, treated her differently now.

Tom Riddle made sure that his little ‘gift from the future’ would have no friends and no enemies.

The Dark Lord was the only person Hermione had close contact to.

A very close contact, she reminded to herself.


After that day in September, Tom’s attitude towards Hermione changed dramatically as well.

Hermione could not really understand how one person could be so different- one moment Tom was cruel and merciless, the other moment he was even nice to her. That is if you could use that word when talking about Dark Lords.

One day after another fight with Riddle, Hermione wondered if he had some sort of multiple personality disorder. Unfortunately for her, Riddle was yet again reading her thoughts, so their fight continued for a couple of hours until both of them had absolutely no energy left.

Many months have passed since their deal and Hermione still could not understand how to behave with Tom. On one hand, he was the most interesting person to talk to; he knew so many different things in different aspects of magic and he was definitely charming when he wanted to. A huge plus was the magnificent sex as well as the newly formed weird sense of being protected.

On the other hand, he was a psycho. One moment he could be very calm and even polite, the second moment he could just lose his head in a fit of rage.

To Hermione who loved challenges, he was definitely a very tough one to solve.

“I want to take the bird with me into the room,” calmly replied Hermione looking at Tom.

“You want to take the bird with you? And why is that?” amused, asked the Dark Lord eyeing the shivering creature with disgust. “Not satisfied with Hogwarts’ food, darling?”

“Oh, do shut up. I said I am taking the bird with me, so I am taking it with me. Now step aside,” snapped Hermione angrily. Who did he think he was, telling her what to do or not to do?

Seeing the already familiar glint in Hermione’s eyes, Tom decided that he still valued his nerves to argue with her. Again. Sometimes Tom really believed that she was either sent by Dumbledore to drive him nuts before he could take over the world, or that Hermione was truly related to the old coot. She drove him crazy almost all the time, non-stop; she always had another opinion about already clarified matters; she always argued with him; she was always ready to snap back. That girl was a catastrophe, that Tom was very sure of. However, during those few months that he had to suffer from the know-it-all, the Dark Lord already got used to her crazy persona.

Deciding that there was no need to go deeper into inner musings, Tom took one more look at the bird. It was disgusting, filthy and it was a...parrot? There was no way he was going to allow Hermione take that bird into their room. That was exactly what he told her as well.

“Well, pardon me, Mister Riddle, but my room became our room not because it was me who was the paranoid one.” Sneered Hermione angrily.

Really, first he decided that Hermione should be isolated from the student body and everybody else. The reason- Tom wanted his “crystal ball” only for himself; that was what he told her anyway.

Then, Riddle came up with a brilliant plan to keep an eye on his “treasure chest” all the time. At first, he occasionally started staying for the night. After some time, his little paranoid mind came up with an idea that Dumbledore was waiting for a moment to strike and take Hermione’s memories by force. So, Riddle started sleeping in Hermione’s bed all the time.

Their bickering and fighting only increased in number when Tom completely forgot that the room was actually Hermione’s and not his. Hermione thought that Riddle convinced himself that Dumbledore must be hiding in her closet.

With a fond smile Hermione remembered one of those fights. Riddle was such a sweetie then.


Flashback.

“You are definitely not moving in!” screamed Hermione trying to push Riddle out of the door.

“Yes I am, Granger. I will not have Dumbledore stealing my secrets!” snapped Tom while pushing Hermione back.

“You’re crazy!” angrily said Hermione when Riddle finally won and moved his things into the room.

“Better be crazy than dead,” calmly retorted the Dark Lord while widening the wardrobe and placing his things in there.

‘True,’ thought Hermione eyeing her new roommate.

‘I know,’ smugly drawled her worst nightmare in her own head.

“You know, Riddle. If you want me to be nice to you, you better start staying in your own perverted mind,” snapped Hermione.

“You know, Granger, if you want me to be nice to you , you better shut your trap.”

Hermione was about to snap back when Riddle interrupted her once again.

“And clean the room, woman. Nagini doesn’t like living in a mess.”

To say that Hermione was shocked was an understatement. Tom turned around to take a good look at his quiet, speechless ‘pain in the ass’. However, just when Tom finally started enjoying the view, Hermione opened her mouth.

“What?” she shrieked so loud that the Dark Lord decided to have his ears checked later.

“What did you say, Riddle? That blasted creature will not be living in my room”.

“Our…” started Tom, but he was unable to continue because Hermione turned red in the face and jumped on him.

Their fighting ended up as usual- in bed.

Hermione got so used to the regular wonderful sex that she was now addicted to it.

When Tom undressed them both and started sucking her erect nipples, Hermione forgot about everything.

After long minutes of prelude, Tom kissed Hermione’s lips and started pushing his swollen member into her tight passage.

“What, nothing to say, Hermione?” smugly asked the Dark Lord.

“What? Afraid that Dumbledore might be hiding in there as well?” came a nasty reply from his lover.

For the first time in his life, Tom Riddle could not function. His now flaccid cock was half way into Hermione’s channel. Just a small picture of Dumbledore hiding in there made Tom want to vomit. Or, fuck Hermione so brutally that the old coot’s brains would turn into mashed potatoes, in there . That thought made Tom want to puke as well.

Snickering Hermione did not help at all. It was a fiasco.

End Flashback.


“I will not be discussing my decisions with you, Hermione. We, however, already have one animal in the room; we don’t need the second one.” Tom said after a minute of silence.

He too remembered the day they started to share the room. An untidy room, he had to add.

He had to remind Hermione all the time to clean it, because there was no one else to do it. Only other options were him and Nagini. He would better go to Dumbles and confess his sins that clean the room.

And why there was no one to do the cleaning? Well, that was also why Tom moved in fasted than he had planned to. He simply could not leave Hermione alone, even for a day. One day when Tom was busy with his Death Eaters, Hermione came up with a brilliant plan to free the house- elves. So, understandingly, there were no house-elves that wanted to be anywhere near Hermione.

“I can throw Nagini out, if you wish so,” annoyed, said Hermione. Really, who was he to judge whether she needed a pet or not. He had a snake, she would have a parrot. Big deal.

Everybody in Hogwarts thought that Tom and Hermione were so in love that they couldn’t wait until they graduate to start living together. The Headmaster, after Tom had a word with him, allowed it as an exception for an ‘exceptional’ student. The whole student body believed them soon to be married; the girls were jealous and envious, the boys didn’t really care. Everybody, however, agreed on one thing- there must be something very special about Hermione Escada if she managed to get Tom all to herself in just a couple of months.

Hermione, as well as Tom, agreed not to break the illusion, so that they would get fewer obstacles in the way.

“I thought you started to like her,” amused, Tom asked.

Well, that was partially true, Hermione thought. The creature could be quite nice sometimes. She didn’t hate the snake anymore, but Hermione could not say that she adored the serpent.

They were interrupted by a couple of Hufflepuff’s girls who started blushing and whispering as soon as the saw them.

“Shut up and smile,” sweetly drawled Tom while giving his best Lockhart smile.

Smiling at Tom, Hermione thought that she actually won this fight.


Friday.

Hermione had an Astronomy class, so Tom was all alone in their room. Well, not all alone, considering that Nagini and Dumbl were present as well. Taking a glance at the annoying bird that simply did not know how to keep quiet, Tom proceeded reading his book.

A few minutes passed in silence when Tom noticed that Nagini and that blasted parrot were yet again staring at each other. It would have been a hilarious spectacle, hadn’t Tom known Parseltongue.

The blasted bird spent its free time flying around the castle, listening to conversations and memorizing words. Tom really had no idea where the hell did the bird learn those words, but since Monday its vocabulary expanded dramatically.

“Fu-uckin-ggg slutt!”. Ah, that was something new.

‘Fried chicken’ . His Nagini was much more educated and polite, Tom noted with sick pleasure.

“Hairy bballs!!”. Interesting.

‘I’m not hairy!’ hissed Nagini looking at Tom for confirmation.

“No, you’re no hairy, Nagini,” annoyed, Tom answered in English.

“Who’s not hairy?” asked Hermione as soon as she came into the room. The view was great- annoyed to hell Riddle with a book in lap and two creatures staring at each other and exchanging pleasantries.

Dumbl, seeing that help had arrived happily continued to annoy Nagini. And Tom.

“Ssuckerr!”.

“Tom! Why do you teach him those words? First he chooses a name like that and now he’s swearing like a fisherman!” angrily asked Hermione.

“Me? I did not give him the name Dumbl, if you remember correctly, Hermione. And I certainly do not spend my free time talking to the moronic parrot!” replied Tom standing up from his armchair.

“Morrronic!” the parrot happily repeated.

“You see! It’s all your fault. I can’t even take Dumbl outside because of his name and his behavior”.

“I’m sick and tired talking about your fucking parrot, Hermione,” very quietly whispered Tom while taking a step closer to his companion. “I have another matter to discuss”.

Hermione felt the unpleasant feeling in her chest when Riddle dismissed her concerns and thoughts. He was not supposed to care, but she was already used to the situation when Tom would simply give in. But, she thought, she shouldn’t have forgotten who she was dealing with. Voldemort was no Ronald Weasley.

“I want to talk about the ball. It’s only in few days and you still haven’t chosen what to wear. You know how important the ball is for me. There will be several Ministry workers and other important guests. Since I’m the Head boy and you’re my fiancée,” at that word Tom sneered, “then a lot of attention will be turned to us. I want to see you dressed properly since I don’t want to embarrass myself because your of lack of taste.”

Finishing his small speech, Tom turned around to look at the still bickering animals. Somehow, they reminded him of the two humans in the room. Hermione was the parrot, of course.

Tom’s attention was drawn away from Hermione and he missed the maniacal glint in her eyes that disappeared when he turned back.

“Understood?” the Dark Lord asked.

“Yes, Tom. Understood.” Hermione replied.


Saturday.

It was almost noon and Hermione was still shopping in the Diagon Alley. Tom had stayed at Hogwarts since he did not want to bother his mighty persona with shopping. He already had a really beautiful suit for the evening- elegant, expensive and all in all perfect. Now Hermione had to find a good match to that outfit. Money was not a question since Riddle gave her a lot to spend. Hermione did not want to know where the hell Riddle had gotten all his money, but she guessed he had a lot. He provided her with everything she wanted, and that was enough for Hermione since that was part of their blasted deal.

Tom said that the ball was very important to him. Well, everyone knew who Tom Riddle was. No one, however knew who Hermione Escada was and Hermione was about to change that; she needed to leave an impression. Keeping Tom’s outfit in mind, Hermione stopped in front of a very interesting shop. With a dreamy smile, she stepped inside.


Saturday. The ball.

Tom was pacing in his old room, waiting for Hermione to finally come out. Six hours ago Hermione asked Tom to leave the room because she wanted to surprise him, she said.

Now, six hours later Tom was still waiting for his ‘fiancée’. Even though he had to go alone at first, he wanted to know how Hermione looked like. That nasty feeling in his gut was telling him that he was right in his wish.

Hermione had to join him later in the Great Hall when the celebration begins.

“Tom, I’m not ready. I don’t know which color to choose!” Tom heard a voice from behind the closed door.

“I’ve had enough. I’ll meet you in the Great Hall,” snapped Tom. He was really way too annoyed to listen to that blabbering once more.


Hermione smiled sweetly when she heard Tom leave. She wanted to surprise him, to thank him for every wonderful thing he had done for her.

Putting the lipstick aside, Hermione stood up and conjured a full-height mirror.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Hermione decided that she had done a great job with transfiguration today. Some things were just unavailable in the 40s and Hermione’s outfit wouldn't have been perfect without them. The mirror also reflected the two other occupants of the room.

Nagini resembled a crab- her huge yellow eyes looked ready to fall out of the sockets. Her mouth was wide open- either she had problems with breathing, or she was too shocked by her masters’ fiancée’s beauty, Hermione did not know and did not really care.

Dumbl was quiet. She guessed he was speechless. Looking over her entire look, Hermione decided that she did look smashing.

Checking her watch, the Beauty stepped out of the room and headed towards the Great Hall. There was no need to hurry, she was very late anyway.


Tom Riddle was beyond angry. That bitch still did not show up. He was talking to a Ministry worker and the Headmaster when he heard the heavy doors open. He decided not to turn around since he already knew it was Hermione- everybody else was already here.

Those who stood closed to the exit were the first ones to notice the newcomer. Then the rest of the Great Hall followed. And then there was silence.

Already knowing who the reason was why more that three hundred people stood speechless and petrified, Tom turned around.

And there she was, Hermione Escada, standing in the doorway innocently looking around.

When she finally found Tom’s eyes, she smiled at him.

Tom could not believe his eyes. This was impossible.

Not even quiet whispers could be heard in the dead silence since everybody’s attention was glued to the Beauty.


Hermione looked wonderful in her short purple dress with green circles and orange stones. The golden feathers on the dress matched perfectly with the huge red rose in Hermione’s hair and the glittering blue high-heeled leather boots. Hermione’s make-up brought to light her hidden beauty.

The red, black, green, yellow and silver eye shadows suited her brown eyes; the electric pink blush went well with the yellow-red-glittering lips. The most fashionable asset was the huge shining silver star on the top of Hermione’s head.

In one word, she looked smashing.

Tom was about to quickly leave the fest or at least say that he did not know who that crazy bitch was when he heard the thing he dreaded the most.

“Oh, Tooom!” happily squeaked Hermione waving and smiling at him.

‘You’re so dead, Granger,’ the voice said in her head.

‘Didn’t you like the surprise, sweetie?’ mentally asked the Star.

Tom was about to say what he thought of that surprise but all eyes in the Great Hall were now on him.

‘Fuck the deal, you’re dead,’ he replied in Hermione’s head and forced a smile.

…

A/N those of you who want to know how Hermione looked like- you can check it out here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9_J8vLeFBI and here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8y44Iyk398&feature=related (the star comes from here)

OR, you can also find a singer named Verka Serdjuchka ( Eurovision 2007, Ukraine) ROLF