"She's in Headmaster Dippets office?" Tom said in a unsuccessful stab at carelessness. If it wasn't for the fury in his eyes I might have thought he wasn't interested at all.

"Yes, she should be there right now." Dumbledore said airily, clasping his ringed hands together. "Why don't you go and have a look since you doubt me."

Tom turned on his heel and began walking down the hall towards the Headmasters office, not without that sort of pissed off arrogance that I came to associate with every annoyed Slytherin. I looked at Dumbledore. What was he doing? He'd just given Tom a false lead.

"Do not take off the cloak, Hermione." Dumbledore said quietly. "He will be coming back. He doesn't believe me."

I froze. How the hell did Dumbledore know these things? How did he even know I had an invisibility cloak? And how the hell did he know it was me?

"Tom." Dumbledore said conversationally.

"You're back."

Sure enough Tom had sauntered back out of the shadows, his pale face an emotionless mask. He was very tall, and distractingly handsome even when he was angry. It was unnerving. I could feel my heart racing. He was after me. He wanted to find me. What was wrong with me? Why did I now want him to find me?

"This isn't the end of this." He said quietly. I noticed how his eyes were looking around and not at Dumbledore standing before him. He knew I was there. There was no other reason for him to have come back other than me, and we all knew it.

"I should hope not," Dumbledore said cheerily. "Violence against students is a very serious matter, Tom."

Tom permitted a half smirk before turning on his heel and walking away. This time he truly did leave, continuing to walk until we couldn't see him at all.

"Keep yourself concealed, and follow me." Dumbledore said very quietly. He began walking up the hall where Tom had been walking only moments before.

"It is not safe for you at Hogwarts anymore. It isn't even safe to discuss this matter now. As soon as we are out of the open I will continue this particular topic."

I followed along behind him, my heart still beating erratically from before. Shalini was now my arch enemy, but seeing her lying on the ground of the girls bathroom writhing in agony was a sight that pained me. I didn't like seeing any sort of violence against anyone. I just wanted everything to stop. I wish it would, but that was of course asking too much. This was my life now. Going to the future was an absolute disaster. I couldn't even think about Ginny without getting crippling anxiety. Last I saw she was stunned. Was she ok now? I clasped the beaded bag tightly to me. Since I had taken a potion for luck I was sure I would be fine. But even with all the luck in the world it always felt like Tom had just that bit more of an advantage.

We arrived in Dumbledores office, I went and had a seat as he closed the door firmly behind me.

"Where is the Time Turner?" Dumbledore walked over and sat down behind his desk, his light blue eyes concerned.

I took the invisibility cloak off, revealing myself finally.

"Tom has it. He took it from me. I think I've done something terrible Professor." I admitted heavily. "I went back to the future and Tom tracked me down. I've ruined everything."

I didn't want to cry but this was one of those moments when I couldn't stop myself. Seeing Dumbledore was reminding me of how he was dead in the present. He didn't even know he was going to die in the future because of a curse. He didn't know any of these things yet, and sitting before him staring at his friendly features was setting me off.

"Tissue?" Dumbledore passed a box over.

"Thank you..."

"I do find Turkish Delight does wonders to cheer me up when I am down." Dumbledore offered me a small powder blue box of sweets. I had to admit they did look quite nice but given the circumstances I was sure if I had one I'd probably just throw it back up.

"Thank you for the offer but no thank you."

"Tell me what it is that has got you upset." Dumbledore clasped his hands together analysing me through his half moon spectacles.

"I have heard most of what has happened but I will not decline a first hand testimony for all the Turkish delight in the world."

I smiled, I couldn't help it. Dumbledore was just as characteristically lightheartedly charming as the time I knew him from.

"Well... Tom is trying to find me because of how I went to the present. I went with a House Elf. Tom and I made a Unbreakable Vow and he was pissed off because I risked his life going to the future when I vowed to be watched over by him."

"Why did you agree to the vow?"

"I didn't." I said simply. "I wasn't in my right state of mind."

"Well. I may be able to weaken the strength of that particular Vow. I won't be able to remove it, however."

"He is extremely angry at me. He wants to kill me." I explained. The anxiety was real and talking about everything was actually a lot more triggering than I thought. Before I knew it I had helped myself to a Turkish Delight. Yum.

"You did defy him." Dumbledore contributed with a heavy voice. "That certainly would not have helped matters."

"I don't understand, Professor. Am I not to defy him?"

"It isn't the wisest thing to do right now." Dumbledore said seriously. "You are risking a lot of lives by acting carelessly. Take my advice, and take sick leave away from Hogwarts while we sort out a plan. In the mean time I want you to go back to Riddle and inform him of what is happening. Tell him that you are staying with a relative. Do not mention my name to him at all."

———————————

I walked into the Slytherin Common Room with the feeling of impending doom. A feeling that only intensified when I saw that Tom was reclining on an armchair by the fire, hands clasped together and head bowed: was he waiting for me?

"Hermione. I've been waiting for you."

Oh shit.

"Well, here I am." I said awkwardly.

Tom shot me a look. "Where the fuck have you been?" He said lowly.

"Where do you think?"

My attempt of vague mysticism seemed to be the trigger, he stood up to his full height and approached me.

"I'm sure you must be having the time of your life running around and upturning order in this place. But I promise you this. Sooner or later I'm going to make you pay for this. And you won't like what I've got in store for you."

"Neither will you." I said abruptly. "I'm leaving Hogwarts, I thought I'd let you know."

"Is that so?" Tom looked momentarily confused but then his face became a mask of indifference. "Who will you be staying with?"

He wants to track you down my mind intoned.

"A relative." I said quickly. "A family friend."

"Who is this family friend?" Tom pressed.

"Do you really need to know?" I said heatedly.

Tom stepped closer, staring me down. "You do realise that I am a Prefect, right? So it is well within my authority to be informed of these things."

"You can go and ask Professor Dumbledore if you have any concerns." I snapped.

At the mention of Dumbledore's name Tom's face became livid.

"Well, I have to go and get my toothbrush." I said quickly. "Bye."

"Accio toothbrush." Tom conjured my toothbrush within 3 seconds. "What are you, a Witch or a Muggle?"

I took my toothbrush back off him without saying a word. Don't kick the hornets nest.