Time Changes All Things: Now Complete

Thanks so much to my great beta Nicole. I also want to thank all of you wonderful readers! You leave such awesome reviews. Keep it up because I love to know what you think about the story. The more I know the better it helps me with my writing.

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TCAT Chapter 31: The Flames of Hell

It was smelly and cold as once again Tom and Hermione entered the Chamber of Secrets. Neither one had spoken a word as they had journeyed to the chamber. Tom had walked ahead of Hermione the whole way there. Now there was one more reason to be sick to her stomach on top of everything else. Having to meet Flamina once again and Tom being angry with her did not help the situation. She had not meant to vocalize her thoughts to Abraxas; the words had just slipped out.



Tom walked quickly leaving a pregnant Hermione in his wake, and she realized that now was not the time to have a heart-to heart with the Dark Lord. Hermione spotted the basilisk skin lying along the side of the pathway. It still made her skin crawl to recall how a twelve year old Harry had fought and killed the enormous basilisk.



When they came to the heart of the chamber, Tom came to an abrupt stop. He ripped his school robes off and next went to the crisp, white shirt. He kicked his shoes off and stripped off his socks and sauntered over to the altar. Kneeling down, he looked over at Hermione with irritation, “Well, disrobe and kneel here alongside me, as I summon Flamina. “



Hermione just stared back at him with a distasteful look. Sending a menacing glare back to her, Hermione quickly struggled out of her robes. Her hands were shaking as she shrugged her robes off. “I am not taking off my shirt, so don’t even ask!” Tom just shook his head at Hermione’s disrespect. Tom’s eyes darted down to Hermione’s feet. He nodded his head in the direction of her feet. Hermione had forgotten to take off her shoes. Kicking off her heels, she hurried and dropped down next to Tom. It was more painful kneeling at the altar this time.



Tom reached up into the air, “Oh mighty Flamina, I am your humble servant.” Hermione jumped next to him, while she felt the child inside of her jumping also. “We are here to graciously ask for your guidance before we set out on our quest. “ Hermione looked down at the altar with an occasional glance at Tom. “Please heed our summons.” Tom almost looked frantic as there was no sign of the Goddess Flamina yet.” The sweat was trickling down his brow and falling into his eyes. Tom searched around the chamber for any sign of Flamina.



Hermione heard Tom muttering, “I wonder what is wrong. Why is she not appearing to us?” Tom then snootily looked over at Hermione, who had her head bent down. She knew what he was thinking, that it was her fault Flamina was not showing herself to them.



As the silence in the chamber grew stronger, a high tinkling laugh broke the stillness. Both Tom and Hermione looked up to see Flamina walking towards them in a shower of silver. As usual, she was so beautiful and striking that she took your breath away. As she swayed her hips and strolled towards them, Tom’s mouth hung open. Once again Hermione’s jealously rose uncontrollably high. She just knew that Flamina derived great satisfaction in making Tom baffled and Hermione enraged.



“Well, well, if it isn’t the happy couple. How is paradise, my pets?” Hermione became even more irate as Flamina talked down to them.



She walked towards Hermione then reached out and patted her pregnant belly. “It’s a shame what having children does to your figure.” Flamina batted her eyelashes at Hermione and smiled towards Tom. “I would not know though, I have never had a child. That is why my figure is still unblemished.” She ran her hands down her breasts, to her waist and over her hips. Ton’s eyes were glued to her every move and curve. Hermione could feel her blood pressure rising. She had to bite her lip so hard so her true feelings would not tumble out. Soon, Hermione tasted blood coming from where her teeth had sunk into her lips. Tom, being distracted by Flamina’s show, didn’t even notice the angst his fiancé’ was going through.



“Why are you summoning me here tonight, Tom Riddle?” She walked right up to him where they were almost nose to nose. “This must be a matter of extreme importance.” Flamina’s hands traveled up Tom’s arms to land around his neck. Her fingers lightly tickled down his cheek with her long, blood-red fingernails. Tom stood frozen staring into Flamina’s eyes, mesmerized by her very presence.



“Albania, Tom, remember?” That is why we are here in this stinky chamber tonight,” Hermione’s loud voice woke up Tom from his “Flamina” daze. Flamina slowly turned towards Hermione and smirked at her.



“Yes, we are traveling to Albania to retrieve another key in helping me gain my ultimate power and control.” Tom puffed out his chest as if to impress Flamina with his greatness.



A smile spread across Flamina’s face. “How did you come by this droplet of knowledge?”



“The Grey Lady, a ghost here at Hogwarts, contacted us and relayed the information.” Tom was eager to share about their success.



Flamina’s face showed her great surprise, “Really? She then told both of you this information?”



“Yes, she told both of us.” Hermione made sure to emphasize the “both” in her statement. She was getting tired of the way Flamina was treating her.



Flamina turned towards Hermione hearing the challenge in her voice.”How dare you speak to me that way?” Flamina’s normal jovial manner suddenly turned black and sour. “You spoiled little witch, you have not lived up to the bargain that you made with me.”



Tom was dumbstruck by the knowledge that Hermione and Flamina had made some kind of a deal. Flamina swirled around with anger and raised her arms high up into the air. The light left the chamber as the torches were extinguished. Before Hermione could scream in fright, a wall of fire encircled her lighting up the room. Hermione could feel the heat as it rotated around her. This fire was vastly different from the Eternal Flame that had previously. encircled Tom and Hermione. Tom ran up to the wall of flames, but was thrown back by an unseen force. He landed roughly on his back, the breath being knocked out of him.



Flamina laughed as she swayed towards Hermione in her miniature, blazing prison. “So, Miss Hermione, do you really think that you can challenge me? Did you really think that I wouldn’t know of your actions?” Flamina walked around the sphere of fire as she berated Hermione. “Or should I say, your lack of action?”



Standing nearby, Tom looked thoroughly confused at the mention of the deal made between the two women. This was frustrating to him that he had been left out in the cold.



Hermione was frightened as the ring of fire grew smaller and smaller. Her greatest fears were coming to pass. She had always known that the day would come when she would have to account for breaking her part of the agreement with Flamina. “Please, Flamina, “she shouted as loud as she could with the flames searing her with intense heat. She knew moment that she would go up into flames. “Tell me what I need to do. Please, for the sake of my child, give me another chance.” The desperation in her voice could not only be heard, but felt by Tom. He had heard many people pleading for something and knew that Hermione was past negotiating and was now begging. With the temperature rising, Hermione was distressed about what the heat was doing to her baby.



Tom sprinted over to Flamina and spun her around to face him, “Dear Flamina, please kill the flames surrounding Hermione, “Flamina gazed at Tom with a defiant stare, “Hermione is pregnant with my child.” Tom licked his lips as he glimpsed at Hermione slumping down with her arms around her protruding stomach. Tom once again glowered at Flamina, “Why are you endangering Lord Voldemort’s child?” Hermione looked up at Tom in disbelief at his boldness. At that moment, it was not Tom speaking, but the majestic Dark Lord.



Flamina scrutinized Tom looking him square in the eye. Unexpectedly, laughter came bubbling out of Flamina, the loud hysterical sounds echoed throughout the chamber. This was what she lived for; power over lowly human beings, and she was more than delighted to have Hermione and Tom at her mercy.



Tom was dumbfounded at the merriment Flamina was deriving from torturing Hermione and his child. Here was someone more twisted than him. His thoughts were broken from the screams coming from Hermione. The flames were now lapping against Hermione’s sides.



“It burns, Tom; it hurts.” Hermione clutched at her arms twisting and turning in great panic. How had this mission to ask for blessings for a successful expedition, to retrieve the diadem, turned into a death sentence for Hermione? The panic was starting to suffocate Tom, as the tormented shrieks continued to ensue from Hermione.



Tom grabbed Flamina by the shoulders and started shaking her, “Release her now!” Tom bellowed to Flamina. As Flamina’s head flopped back and forth Tom didn’t give a damn what she did to him. His fear for Hermione outweighed anything that Flamina could do to him in retribution.



Flamina, startled somewhat by Tom’s bravado in Hermione’s behalf, smirked, and then flicked her hand towards Hermione. “Let it be done,” she said quietly. The flames died down and Hermione fell over on her side, hitting the ground hard.



Tom dashed to Hermione gathering her into his arms. Her skin was red and blistered. “Hermione, love, can you hear me?” She had passed out near the end anticipating the death of her and the child. Tom bent down to softly kiss her sweat stained brow. He then moved his hand to the swell of her belly and willed the child to move. The baby within, as if reading it’s father’s mind, gave a swift kick where Tom’s hand lay. Tears came to Tom’s eyes as he gave a great shuddering breath. He leaned over to where the child was still moving and kissed Hermione’s womb. Tom had never felt such relief in his whole life. The protectiveness he felt for this child had grown exponentially in the last hour. Hermione started stirring as she felt Tom leaning against her. Looking up she observed Tom crying and rubbing her stomach.



“He is fine, Hermione. He moved when I told him to.” Hermione almost laughed aloud. It was just like Tom to think that the child would already respond to his commands. The baby had been very active since entering the chamber. Hermione was not going to spoil the moment of bonding that was taking place between a father and his child. There had been little of this occurring, since she had gotten pregnant, and it was about time for it to start.



“This is all very touching, my pets, but I am a busy Goddess and have more important things to do,” Flamina sighed in a bored voice.



Tom rose with a growl, “You almost killed my future wife and child!” he advanced on Flamina with eyes blazing in a fury.



Flamina was ready for him, “You are the one who summoned me here. I am the one with all the power. Any power that you have is because of me.” She thumped Tom on the chest, “It would be best for you to remember that!” Tom stood there breathing heavily, not letting any more words escape him in exasperation. Hermione could see Tom clenching his jaw muscles and knew how hard it was for him to keep his mouth shut. She dared not move either, for fear of increasing Flamina’s wrath against her again.



Disgusted with everything that had occurred this evening, Flamina made to leave the chamber. She turned back to Tom, “Lord Voldemort, I will overlook your disrespect towards me tonight. You have proven to me over and over again that you command your power diligently over others. “She smiled saucily,”Your mistake tonight was thinking that power extended over me.” She marched back over to Tom, “That will never happen again or I will not be so forgiving.”



Flamina strutted over to where Hermione still lay, “As for you, I am not so forgiving. You are just lucky you have a man like Lord Voldemort to watch over you, or you would be cinders at this point. Remember what you promised, we have an agreement. I expect you to uphold this deal. Do not use this baby as an excuse to overlook our arrangement.” Before Hermione could react, Flamina stood and walked away, “Absisto,” she winked at Tom then shouted, “Sursum Versus” and she went flying up into the top of the chamber and disappeared.



Tom went to Hermione and she groaned in agony. “We need to get you to the hospital wing.” Tom scooped up Hermione in his arms and kissed her gently on the brow. He could see that the ends of her curly hair had been singed.



Hermione laid her head against Tom’s chest, resting her palm over his heart. “Thank you for rescuing me…again.” She weakly smiled up at him. “But, I told you it wasn’t a good idea to come and summon Flamina yet again.” Tom tried to bite back a belittling remark and just raised his eyebrows at her and shook his head. He would not be angry right now. Tom was just grateful they both had made it out of the chamber alive.



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Next chapter: Off to Albania our two lovers go.

Absisto: I am going away

Sursum Versus: To go upwards