Time Changes All Things: Now Complete

A/N: Thanks so much to all of my readers and reviewers. I have two chapters to post and hope you like them. Thanks for hanging in there with me and keeping me excited about writing this story.

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Tom sat in the corner of the library mapping out the trip to Albania. He knew if he was taking Hermione with him, that the plans needed to be detailed and fully thought out. He was still concerned about truly finding the diadem, even with the map that had been provided by The Grey Lady. He also had many concerns about tromping through the Albanian forests with a pregnant Hermione. Tom’s worries would have been greater though, if he had to leave her here where she would be at the mercy of Albus Dumbledore. It had been a week since he had recovered the Gryffindor tie pin from Dumbledore’s chamber; so far they had not seen any sign of trouble from Dumbledore.



“What are you thinking about? You are so lost in your thoughts you didn’t even hear me come up behind you.” Hermione kissed him and then sat down next to him. She subconsciously rubbed her round belly as she smiled at him.”It must be something important if I was able to sneak up on you, Tom Riddle.” Her words were said with a bit of teasing attached.



“I was thinking about you, my beautiful, sassy woman!” he leaned over to tickle her. “I was also thinking about the old fool that we bested last week. “



Hermione’s eyes narrowed as she listened to Tom. “We shouldn’t be talking about that openly. Who knows who could be lurking about and overhear us." Hermione seemed to be on the cautious side since she found out she was pregnant again. “I am worried that it is not over yet. “



“What is not over yet?” Tom looked at her, “He had no idea who any of us were.” Tom seemed a little irritated at Hermione even questioning him. His irritation quickly disappeared as he noticed the loose fitting shirt Hermione was wearing. When she bent forward he could look straight down her shirt and see her rose serpent tattoo on her chest. Tom leaned into Hermione and started kissing her tattoo.



Hermione tried to push him away, “Not in the library, Tom, people are staring.” She looked around sensing other eyes gawking at the two of them.



“I can’t help myself, Hermione. The rose has grown so much since you have been pregnant. It just draws me to your chest.” He gave a wicked grin while she pushed his head up where it belonged.



“What is that list you are writing?” Hermione leaned over Tom’s shoulder trying to peek at what was written on the page. “Why are you hiding it from me?” He tried pushing her back and she kept persisting trying to duck under his arm now.



“Stop, Hermione, I will show you.” Tom took his hands off the paper and turned it over, so she could view it.



“Oh, Tom, we really are going to go to Albania?” Hermione exclaimed loudly in excitement.



“Quiet, woman, no one can know what we are planning. “ Tom gave her a reprimand. “There will be only a few chosen people that will know of our destination.” Hermione started sulking in her chair. “Don’t act like a child, Hermione.”



“You can quit being a bully, you know.” Hermione muttered next to him.



“You know that is who I am, my love, and I will never change.” Tom stood up sweeping his papers into his book bag. “It’s time to get over it and embrace the tyrant I enjoy being.” He kissed her forehead and strutted out of the library.



“What a pompous ass. “ The baby kicked Hermione, hard, taking her breath away, “Well, he really is, little one. You better not grow up to be overbearing like your father. He is so arrogant, and I am sick that I really love it at times.” Hermione sighed, picking up her bag, and lumbered off to her next class.

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Looking out at every one of his Transfiguration students had turned into a game for Albus Dumbledore. One or more of them were responsible for his attack a week ago. No one outside of Hogwarts could have been to blame for the attack. He had checked carefully on the security of Hogwarts that night and the protection around them had not been breached. So it was up to him to figure out who had planned and carried out the attack.



“Just act normal and he will suspect nothing, Hermione,” Tom whispered into her ear. “When you act nervous you look guilty. You will end up implicating all of us.” Hermione tried very hard not to fidget, but Dumbledore’s piercing gaze made her very anxious.



“Mr. Riddle, would you like to share with everyone what is so important that you must talk while I am teaching.” Dumbledore had put Tom Riddle at the top of his suspects list. He was egotistical enough to attack one of his professors and think that he could get away with it.



“No, sir, I was just whispering poetry into the ear of my lovely lady,” The entire class laughed at his explanation. Hermione blushed despite herself, knowing that was not what they had been discussing. Dumbledore’s eyes narrowed at Tom’s response. The battle between them was continually growing.



“I think the both of you can save your romantic interludes until after class. That will be 50 points from Slytherin…for each of you.” Hermione groaned hating the unfairness of it all. It was like being in Snape’s Potions class when he took points away from her for just being Harry’s friend. Now she was being punished for being Tom Riddle’s fiancée. She would never get a break and she hating losing points for her house, even if it was Slytherin House.



Dumbledore kept throwing questions out to the class. His goal was to have every male in the class answer at least one question so he could listen carefully to their voice. He could vaguely remember the men standing above him as he was coming out of his stupor. He had to find out who had set up the attack on him. He still hurt from being cursed consecutively for thirty minutes straight. Even though he was a professor at this school, he would not hold back in his retribution to whoever had assaulted him. It had not only had been an act of deception, but a cowardly act of violence one man against many. No, he would figure this out and then Merlin help the man who chose to strike at Albus Dumbledore.

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“We must go consult with her before our journey.”



“I don’t like her. What does she have to do with us going to Albania?” Hermione sat on her bed feeling very grumpy at Tom. “Why don’t you just go and talk to her by yourself. She does like you better anyhow.”



“Hermione, you are as involved with Flamina as I am.” Tom stopped in front of the bed to look her in the eyes, “She will be offended if I summon her and you are not there as well.”



“I have nothing to say to her...that’s all.” Hermione knew the real reasons why she didn’t want to talk to Flamina and she did not wish to share them with Tom. In fact, Flamina had not wanted Tom to know about her new powers that she had gifted to Hermione. The truth was, she was scared about using the new powers. Flamina had ordered her to only use the new powers to further Lord Voldemort’s work. Ever since she had gotten pregnant again, she had not done much with the powers. She was worried that Flamina would chastise her for sitting on her laurels and not helping Lord Voldemort in furthering his work of domination. The only thing important to Hermione at the moment was taking care of her body and getting her baby here healthy and strong…and safe.



“Hermione, did you hear what I said? You look like you are lost in another world.” Hermione looked up at Tom not having a clue what he had been saying. “Ever since you have been pregnant you have not been the same, Hermione.”



“You try growing a new life inside of your body! It messes with how you feel, emotionally and physically. I can’t think as smartly as I used to.” She glared at Tom. “This is your child after all; you should be more supportive of me.”



Tom held his tongue. Even though he felt that Hermione was acting childish, he would never bring it up to her. She was so sensitive these days and maybe it was the growing child inside of her that was making her a bit temperamental. “It’s time for class now, but we will talk about this later tonight. Spring break is coming soon and that is when we will be leaving for Albania.”



“Tom, how are we going to be able to leave school without giving a good explanation? Neither one of us has family that we would be going to visit over the break.”



“That is where Malfoy is going to help. He is going to be the only one to know where we will really be going. We will leave Hogwarts under the guise of visiting Malfoy Manor over the break.” This produced a smile from Hermione. “Once we are at Malfoy Manor, we will leave to journey to Albania and recover the diadem.”



“It sounds so easy when you explain it, Tom.” Hermione grinned up at Tom.



“Well, love, that is because I am Lord Voldemort. Everything I plan is genius and always works to perfection.” Tom leaned down, kissed Hermione gently, grabbed his book bag and sauntered out the door.



“Gods, I am so glad that he likes himself. It would be a shame if he ever doubted his own abilities. He can be such a snob at times.” Hermione climbed off of the bed, “Come on, baby, or we will be late for class. You can see how your father waited for us. “ She sighed and hurried as quickly as she could, still not convinced Tom’s plan would work.



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Hermione sat dozing on the sofa in the Slytherin common room. Tom and Abraxas had been playing an intense round of wizarding chess for the last two hours. Lucretia had gone off to bed early with a headache. Clarice and Radbourne had secretly gone to spend some time, alone together. Alphard and Casper were off chasing down girls out on the grounds.



“Abraxas, have you decided if you will be helping us over Spring Break?” Abraxas made his next move in the game and then looked up at Tom.



“Yes, Tom, I have consulted with father and he is at your bidding in all things.” Hermione woke up wanting to hear more of the plans that directly would involve her. “You have an invitation to journey to Malfoy manor over Spring Break.”



Abraxas looked over to Hermione and winked. Hermione blushed at receiving Abraxas’s attention. Tom only raised an eyebrow, showing a small bit of annoyance at his best mate.



“We are going to be…somewhere in the castle for a few hours. “ Tom looked down at his feet for a moment, “please try to divert others from knowing of our absence.”



“Where are you going?” Abraxas asked curiously, “I do not want to accidentally send someone somewhere I should not.”



Tom laughed and replied, “I do not think that anyone will be wandering where we are going. In fact, no one knows how to get there.” Tom was trying hard to avoid making eye contact with Abraxas. Hermione glanced over at Abraxas and quickly averted her eyes, looking at her nails instead. Abraxas sensed that Tom and Hermione were hiding something from the way that they were evading his gaze.



Looking from one to the other, it finally came to him, “You are going to see her.” Tom’s head jerked up to meet Abraxas’s accusing stare. “You and Hermione are going to visit Flamina in the Chamber of Secrets.” Tom’s grim look confirmed his guess.



“Yes, Malfoy, and because we are going to the Chamber of Secrets, our visit must remain a secret. “

Hermione, sensing the angry mood Tom was in, stepped back to let the two men discuss Flamina.



“What do you need with her again, my Lord?”



“That’s what I said.” Hermione let her thoughts slip out openly. They were welcomed with a dark look by Tom.



“See, even your mate doesn’t want to meet with her. Why put yourself through another Flamina encounter?”



“I do not need to explain my plans to you, nor to Hermione.” It looked like Tom could not decide who he was angrier with, Abraxas or Hermione.



Abraxas felt that he had pushed Lord Voldemort enough for one night. “I will do as you bid, my Lord. I will keep secret your destination for this evening.” With a nod of his head, he smiled at Hermione and he left the room.



Hermione stepped forward and placed her hand on Tom’s arm, only to have him brusquely shake it off. “Tom, I am sorry…”



Hermione jumped back when Tom suddenly turned and shouted at her, “Where is your loyalty? You do not ever disagree with me in front of one of my followers.” Hermione could feel the baby jumping around inside of her as Tom was berating her. “You need to learn your place in the Dark Lord’s circle; you sit, you listen and you support me.” The sweat was dripping from his face as he was shaking his fists in the air. Hermione was truly afraid of him when he was like this. She had not meant to go against him; she was just worried about meeting with Flamina again in her current condition.



“Yes, Tom…my Lord, I will remember.” Hermione answered with a tremble in her voice, shrinking against the wall.



Tom wanted to say one more thing to her, but he just stared angrily at her,”Oh, why do you always make me so angry!” Hermione stood shaking by the wall, not daring to look at him. Her arms were protectively wrapped around her baby.



“Be ready in thirty minutes to go down to the chamber.” Tom strutted over to her and fiercely grabbed her face, “Do not say a word to anyone about where we are going.” Hermione flicked her head away from his grip and turned away.



“I will be ready. You will have no need to worry about anyone or anything.” Hermione quickly left to calm down in her dorm room. She tried to soothe herself by breathing slowly. If she could have run back to her time, now would have been the moment. This was one of those instances when she knew she was in over her head. How would she ever be able to handle the older Lord Voldemort if she couldn’t even handle the Tom Riddle from 1945?



Sitting on the bed, she felt her world spinning out of control. She needed her old friends right now. Harry and Ron would have known how to comfort her. She hadn’t thought of them for awhile now. An overwhelming feeling of guilt and shame stung her sharply in her soul. Harry would never forgive her for sleeping with his greatest enemy. What would he think of her getting pregnant by him? Gods, Dumbledore had been right and that fact alone made her want to vomit. He had told her she was involved in something she couldn’t handle, but she had dismissed his concerns. It was too late now and there was nothing to do but finish her mission of why she had traveled back through time. The circumstances had changed, but she still could try her best to change history.



Wiping the tears from her face, she cleared her throat and went off to use the loo. Being stuck in the Chamber of Secrets and needing to relieve herself would not be a good scenario. Tom would be here any moment and she did not want to give him another reason to yell at her. Merlin help her tonight as she faced Flamina. She would need all of the help she could get.

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Don\'t we all love angry, pompous men? Only if they have the name Tom Riddle!