Time Changes All Things: Now Complete

Sorry that this is so late in getting posted. Real life has been getting in the way of my writing. I want you to know, that I will finish this story. Please hang in there with me. Be assured that I will not abandon this story. I also want to thank you for all of your wonderful reviews. They keep me excited about writing this story. Anyone want to take a guess at how many chapters this story may end up having?



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TCAT: Chapter 33: Holiday in Albania



Tom quickly tried to ascertain the situation they were in. Hermione was still passed out and not moving. He decided to appeal to their caring side, hoping that they had one. “Can you please help me? My wife needs help; she is pregnant with our first child.” Tom could see the men looking at one another. One man motioned for the rest of them to drop their wands. Another stepped forward to help lift Hermione up. They placed her on a cot in the corner of the room. Tom made sure that she was breathing properly before he turned to the group of wizards.



“Why are you here in Albania?” the obvious leader asked the question. “You do know that we are still at war here in our country.” Tom tried to think of his cover story for their presence in Albania. If it had just been him here, he would have hexed them all and been on his way. With Hermione and his child traveling with him, he had to be careful how he handled this situation.



“I have distant family in the town of Berat that we will be visiting. “The men looked at one another. Hermione stayed quiet, letting Tom take the lead. None of the men really wanted to tangle with Tom. Even though he was still a teenager, he exuded a presence already that commanded respect.



“Well then, you should be on your way.” The leader went over to help Hermione up from the cot. She gave him a kind smile in thanks.



“Good day to you and thank you for your help.” Tom led Hermione out of the small building. “I am going to have a long talk with Abraxas about where he got that port key. I don’t think we ended up where we were supposed to be.”



“At least we made it here in one piece.” Hermione smiled up at Tom and held his hand tightly.



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It didn’t take them long to walk to the small, quaint town of Berat, Albania. It seemed as if time had stood still and people were living a less rushed life here. They came to the bed and breakfast that Abraxas had booked for them and made reservations. It wasn’t quite up to Malfoy standards, but it would be sufficient. As they walked up to the front desk, they were “welcomed” by an old woman who stared at them with uncertainty.



“What do you need?” the old women almost snarled at them.



Tom and Hermione glanced at one another wondering if they really wanted to stay here.



“We are here to stay for a few days,” Tom tried to be polite to the unfriendly woman. “We have reservations under the name Malfoy”.



The woman flipped through an old tome, slowly taking her time. The only sound heard was the turning of the pages and the sound of the old clock on the mantle.



Tom held Hermione’s hand as they stood there waiting to see what the old woman would say next. His patience was wearing thin, and he knew he could not lose his temper out in the muggle world.



“Oh, here we are Mr. and Mrs. Abraxas Malfoy.” The old woman gave them a sweet and slightly wicked smile. There was something that was not right here, but Tom and Hermione could not pinpoint what it was.



“My son will show you up to your room.” The old woman kept glowering at the couple.



Into the front area came three, huge muscular men with the same, unfriendly looks on their faces. The biggest one stepped forward and picked up Hermione’s small bag. He did not say a word and started walking up the stairs. Hermione took one more glance behind her, seeing the old women motioning for her other sons to come over to her. She quickly looked away, very happy to hide away in their room.



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As soon as Tom and Hermione were in the safety of their room, Tom quickly used a silencing charm.



“What was going on down there Tom? I have a very creepy feeling about being here.” Hermione took off her traveling cloak and laid it down on the sofa. She then proceeded to hoist herself onto the bed to rest.



“I was wondering the same thing Hermione,” Tom sat down trying to decipher what had just occurred. “I think that we need to keep a careful eye on the old woman and her big brute sons.”



“Do you think they would try to hurt us?” Hermione protectively put her hand on her pregnant belly.



Tom, at seeing Hermione’s movement of protection for the baby, cursed himself silently at his decision to bring her here to Albania. He hoped that he would not live to regret this decision.



“I am so tired Tom, I need to take a nap,” Hermione lay back with a yawn.



“Sleep, love and we will eat dinner later.” Tom walked over and kissed Hermione’s forehead and rubbed her belly. Hermione smiled and rolled to her side.



After seeing Hermione was soundly asleep, he left their room, warding it against anyone who might want to come into the room while Hermione slept. Tom disillusioned himself and put a silencing charm on his feet. Then he slowly made his way downstairs to investigate the owner of the establishment. They would not be staying here if he found anything that would be a threat towards Hermione or the baby.



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As soon as the young couple had made their way upstairs and were safely in their room, the old woman gathered her sons around her.



“They are lying. That man is not a Malfoy. I have seen a Malfoy before, and they look nothing like this man.” The old woman was quite spiteful as she talked to her sons. “Where ever they go, I want you to follow them. Be careful though, they are magical, and I do not want them to know that we are also like them.”



“What if we are attacked?” the biggest son asked the question.



“You will defend yourself, you fool! Have I not trained you well or not?” The old woman tiring of the somewhat foolish nature her sons often displayed.



“Now, remember the plan and stay cautious.” The old woman smiled in anticipation of getting to the truth behind the young couples false claims.



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Tom stood stiffly alongside the railing, as he listened in to the conversation coming from downstairs. He was not surprised at the revelation that the old woman and her dimwit sons were magical. He could feel their magical essences when he had entered the room. He had not wanted to alarm Hermione at his suspicions, but was relieved to have them confirmed.



He would now have to be even more careful in hunting down the diadem. If he needed to, he would do away with the lot of them. Nothing would stop him now, in gaining Ravenclaw’s treasure for his next Horcrux. They did not know who they were dealing with. He did not want to draw unnecessary attention to himself on this journey, but by the Gods, if they got in his way, they would be dead.



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Hermione woke up after a nightmare; sweating and trembling. She brought her hands to her chest and felt her heart beating so rapidly she thought she was having a heart attack. She kept telling herself to breathe, that it was only a dream.



In her dream, she had seen herself and Tom out in the forest. They had been searching for the diadem. It had not been as easy as they had thought. She had grown tired and had been sitting down on a fallen tree. As Tom found the diadem and held it up for her to see, the people from the Bed and Breakfast jumped out and attacked Tom, killing him; they then attacked her, grabbing the diadem. She was left there, all alone in the forest, bleeding and dying. As she begged for help, she felt herself fading and that is when she woke up. Hermione panicked wondering where Tom was ? She felt like he was in danger, and she needed to tell him about her dream. Hermione jumped out of bed, swaying as she stood. She had been so dizzy lately. Hermione was worried about the baby every day. Opening the door, she looked down the hallway and didn’t see Tom. “Please Tom, where are you? I need you.” She whispered the words hoping that he would feel that she needed him here, right now.



Hermione started down the stairs and bumped into Tom, not being able to see him. He ended the charm and motioned for her to stay quiet. She threw her arms around his waist and snuggled into him as much as she could. Hermione was still breathing quickly, and she shuddered as she stood behind him. She was so relieved to see him, she wanted to cry. Tom started back up the stairs, taking Hermione’s hand as he walked by. They made it back into their room, and he set a Silencing charm in place. Hermione climbed onto the bed and Tom followed. Before Tom could say a word, Hermione climbed on top of him and proceeded to kiss him, not letting him up for air. “I was so worried”, Hermione’s urgency for his welfare showed in her next kiss, “Tom, we are not safe here.” Her lips slid down his neck to rest in the hollow of his throat. Her eyelashes fluttered against his neck, tickling him. Then Tom felt her tears as they trickled down his neck.



He sat them both up, “Hermione what happened while I was gone? Why do you think that we are not safe?” Tom gathered her into his lap, putting his arms around her. Hermione leaned back into the man that she loved. She felt safe for the moment, as Tom’s body was wrapped around hers.



“It was a dream Tom. Actually, it was a nightmare about those people downstairs.” Hermione closed her eyes as she remembered the details from the dream. “They attacked and killed you while we were in the forest.” Tom was stunned to hear about Hermione’s dream.



“Did you hear anything they were saying when you came down the stairs?” Tom figured that she had heard about their plans, as he also had been listening.



“Tom, I heard nothing. I came down to find you to make sure you hadn’t gone into the forest without me.” Hermione clung to his large hands, shaking and not wanting to let go of him.



Tom had seen Hermione worried about him many times before. Her behavior now seemed elevated even more than before. By the way that she was shaking and clinging to him, he knew that this nightmare had been more than just a mere dream. From what he had heard down below, and now Hermione’s nightmare, this was a warning sign for them. They needed to take offensive actions immediately.



“Hermione, these people are not Muggles, they are Magical. They know that we are not Malfoys.” Hermione’s eyes grew wide as she listened to what Tom had found out. “The old woman has ordered her sons to follow us where ever we go.”



“Oh Gods! They are going to try and kill us!” Hermione was panicking and losing control once again.



Tom placed his hands on the sides of her face and leaned in, “Hermione, remember who I am. I am Lord Voldemort! They are the ones who should be trembling in fright. Nothing will happen to either one of us or the baby.” To assure Hermione, he positioned his hands gently on her stomach, “I will let nothing happen to our son.” Tom could see Hermione calming down and taking a deep breath. While gently pressing his lips on her stomach, he felt the swift kicks from his child. There was a powerful child in there. He would rise to greatness and rule alongside his father.



On the outside, he was showing his tenderness for Hermione and his son. On the inside, Lord Voldemort was planning on how and when to murder the fools who would be interfering in his plans.



He helped Hermione back down on the bed. He curled up behind her, as she snuggled up close to him. His hands smoothed her hair down, and then he rubbed circles on her belly as she fell fast asleep. Tomorrow would be the day he would find the diadem. Tomorrow would be the day he would make his next Horcrux. Pity the unwise wizards, who were reckless enough, to take on Lord Voldemort.



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Next: Into the forest they go ...please review!