It was no accident, me loving you.
Someone had a hand in it.
Long before we ever knew.

Keeper of the Stars

Time Destiny Fate
Chapter 8
Keeper of the Stars

Tom watched the witch on his lap as she slept. They had eaten dinner and then played a game she called scrabble. Why she had such a thing on her person had him smiling as he pushed her soft curls out of her face.

She had of course won and he had been annoyed, something she had found very funny. They had played gin next with a deck of playing cards and he had soundly beaten her.

The wine they had been sipping all night seemed to have finally caught up with her because she had yawned, cuddled into him and fallen asleep an hour ago.

Standing up he carried her over to the large bed and sat her down, frowning at her clothes.

It didn't feel right to strip her.

"Slip?"

The elf popped in and without him even asking snapped her fingers and changed her mistress into a flowing white gown that must be for sleeping.

"Thank you," Tom said hoarsely swallowing a few times as he looked at the beauty in the bed.

Slip gave a brisk nod and was gone again with a soft pop.

Tom walked over to where his clothes had been laid out and changed into soft sleeping trousers. He left off the shirt and climbed into the bed wondering how he would turn out the lights. When just after he thought the question, the lights dimmed and went out leaving only the fire, he smirked and pulled Hermione into his arms.

Magic, Tom thought, was simply wonderful.

OooOoOOo

Hermione woke slowly and then went still as she realised she was not alone and in a strange room. At a soft snore, she turned and then smiled as she saw Tom sleeping next to her and the memories of the previous night came back to her.

Moving her legs she frowned as she felt the soft fabric of her nightgown and must have wiggled enough to wake him up because his arms tightened around her and he nuzzled her neck.

"Your elf changed you. Efficient little thing, isn't she?"

Hermione let out a small breathy laugh and cuddled into him, soaking up his warmth and the scent of him. It was unique, just like the man in her arms.

"She is a bit. Sorry, I fell asleep on you."

She got a soft grunt and his hands slowly moving up her back. "Sore head?"

Hermione titled her head up to see him and frowned. "Hmm?"

His hand was now massaging the back of her neck as he smiled. "You drank rather a lot of wine."

Hermione shook her head and then laughed. "It makes me sleepy but I don't usually get hangovers."

Tom snorted at this and rolled over pulling her onto his chest. "Of course you don't," he said in a matter of fact tone.

Hermione rubbed her nose in his chest and then went still as she suddenly remembered that she was in only her nightdress, in a bed, with a half-naked man.

"We do not need to do anything, Hermione," he said softly.

She looked up and let out a slow breath. "Do you not want to?"

He looked down at her and raised one eyebrow mockingly and she shook her head laughing. "Right, you are male. Of course, you want to."

"Want, but will not unless you wish too as well."

Hermione rested her chin on her hands on his chest and met his intense gaze. "I do want to, Tom. I just do not know what to do and that leaves me feeling rather off-centred."

It was his turn to chuckle his hands tangling in her curls. "I suppose you do not often not know what you are to do."

Hermione mock glared at him and then closed her eyes. "I actually don't know what to do rather a lot. I just hide it until I can research it."

Tom was shaking with laughter as he pulled her up so that he could lay kisses all over her face. "Shall we ask the room for books so that you can research this then?"

Hermione opened her eyes to glare at him but in the face of his mirth found herself smiling too. "Yes, that would be lovely." When his eyes widened she let out a loud laugh and leaned forward to kiss his nose. "Silly, man. I am sure we can figure this out."

Tom seemed to pause for a moment and then he was kissing her and Hermione was sure that she was going to combust. Everything was all at once hot and then cold. He had rolled her over him and one of his hands was at her thigh, raising it so that his hand brushed her bare skin as the skirt of her gown fell up her legs.

Hermione wrapped her arms around him and held on as her world tilted. Seductive. The dark arts had nothing on the feeling she had right now in this moment.

Tom was slender and muscular and she could feel goose pebbles on his skin where she touched him. He sighed into her mouth as she moved her hands down his back.

"How do you feel?"

Hermione shivered as he whispered the question into her ear right before he nibbled on her ear lobe.

"Fantastic, you?" She replied cheekily before catching her breath as he bit down on her ear lobe.

"Cheeky witch," was said with a small chuckle before he moved to kiss down her neck and she lost the ability to think for a moment.

"Hermione."

She looked up and smiled dreamily at him as he bunched her nightgown up and lifted her slowly pausing to kiss her again before he carefully raised her clothing, waiting for her to stop him. When she didn't he went a bit feral and ripped it over her head before he was back to kissing her his body flush with hers.

Hermione hissed as their naked chests met and then arched into him when his hand found her breast between them.

"How are you so soft?" he asked in wonder.

Hermione let out a small gasp and then moaned as he moved down her body. The room was still cast in shadows but the fire had roared to life as if knowing they would need the light and the warmth.

"Why am I the only one naked?" Hermione countered pulling at his sleep pants.

"Witch, can you not give me a moment to worship you?"

Hermione thought that sounded lovely so she dropped her hands and twisted them in the soft sheets beneath her.

Tom gazed down at her breathing hard through his nose as he attempted to calm himself. He had to make this amazing for her. He knew if he didn't she could be hurt and he would not hurt her. He could not hurt her. She was his world. She offered him something he had never thought to gain.

She trusted him. She forgave him.

It was more than he deserved, and after seeing her memories, more than he could ever hope for.

She was soft, beautiful, and belonged to him.

"I have never wanted anything as much as I want you right now," he said huskily moving to kiss her collar bone before taking one of her pert nipples into his mouth and smiling at her gasping moan. "You are beautiful, brilliant, and I will do anything to make sure you are safe."

Her next moan as he moved to her other nipple had him jerking his hips.

"Tom," was said huskily as he moved down her stomach biting softly as he did.

He paused again and then gently let his hand cup her quim. It was hot and he could feel her moistness, a testament to the desire she too felt. He looked up at her and saw that her eyes were closed and a soft smile played at her lips. If she was still nervous, it didn't show.

It was his turn to feel his stomach flip as he settled himself so that he could smell her incredible arousal. Softly he parted her and then licked her clit. She jumped and moaned and he settled into his task. While he had never taken a lover, he had done the research on such things. What the books told, however, was quite different from the actual experience.

Her scent was intoxicating. The taste of her was better than any sweet or wine. The feel of her under him, it was making him dizzy.

What power was this?

He had never thought to do something so carnal solely for someone else's pleasure. But, as he used his tongue and fingers to pleasure this amazing creature beneath him he felt more powerful than he had ever done experimenting with magic.

Twisting his fingers inside of her tightness he let out a long moan and sucked hard at her clit.

"Tom!"

He moved up her body and yanked his hand out of her, kissing away her protest as he pulled off his clothing.

"Inside, I must be inside of you," he said frantically reaching down to line his cock up to her slick heat.

"Yes!"

Tom felt himself slipping inside of her and froze.

She was a virgin. How could he have forgotten what that meant? She was too tight, he would hurt her.

"Hermione! Hermione! Where is a wand?"

She was withering beneath him and it was torture to stop, but he had to, he would not hurt her.

"What? I am on a potion we do not need to do the spell. Tom!"

He shook his head kissing her frantically and gripping her hips to stop her from pushing him further into her. "I don't want to hurt you. There is a spell to numb you so that you do not feel pain this first time."

A small wail left her lips before the little hellcat in his arms managed to yank one of his hands off her hips.

"Yes, I know. It would also mean that I felt no pleasure. Life is not one thing or the other, Tom. Sometimes there is pain before you can feast. Come inside me, just be slow, it will be fine."

Tom hesitate another second before he moved his hands and forced her head to still so that they were looking in one another's eyes. Swiftly he dropped his occlumency walls and let her inside his head; let her feel what he felt as he pushed inside of her. Her eyes went wide with the abruptness of it but the incredible pleasure he was feeling washed over her and she sighed.

"Oh, Tom," she said reaching up to run her hand over his cheek and into his hair. "Thank you."

He nodded and tried to control his trembling. "Can you feel how you make me feel, Hermione?"

She gave a small smile and wiggled. "It doesn't sting anymore."

Tom blinked breaking the connection and kissed her greedily. "I have to move." She buried her face in his neck and he felt her nod and then let out a moan of his own as the little witch bit his shoulder. "Minx," he growled as he pulled out and then moved back inside of her. "Delectable little minx."

Her soft giggle was like a healing balm to his soul.

"Tom, please make love to me."

Holding her tighter to his chest, he did just as she asked.

OooOOooOOOoo

The weekend flew by for the two lovers. They spent most of their time locked in passion in the large bed. Both of them hardly slept. Slip dropped off food that was barely touched. It was as if they knew that once they left the room, they would be unable to regain the intense passion they had now.

Dusk of their last night found them in a large sunken bath that the room had provided. Tom had asked Slip for a few potions that he had dumped into the water before he had picked up his witch and settled her down in the fragrant water to soak with him.

"Are you sore?"

Hermione kissed his neck and shook her head burrowing into him and holding on so that she didn't float away.

"No. Not really. You?"

He snorted and ran his hand from her shoulders to her arse where he squeezed and then playfully swatted her. "'Course not you silly witch." He felt her silent laughter and leaned back closing his eyes. "How do I keep my hands off you tomorrow?"

Hermione stopped laughing and let out a quiet mew of distress. "Tomorrow? How do I sleep without you tonight?"

He snorted at that and pulled her closer to him. "I have a meeting tonight after dinner I can not miss. Dumbledore would know and I don't want him looking too closely at where I have been this weekend."

Hermione shuddered and then nodded sitting up a bit and pulling her hair up and into a knot before she sunk down in the water and grabbed the soap. "Let's get you ready then."

Tom smiled down at her indulgently. "You think to wash me?"

Hermione's grin was wide. "I can call Slip instead."

He snorted at that and lifted her up from under her arms to kiss her deeply. "No elves when we are naked. You agreed."

Hermione giggled before she pulled away and started using the soft sponge on him. "Then that just leaves me to clean you and get you to your Prefects meeting. We can't have the Head Boy late, now can we?"

At the devilish glint in her eyes, Tom realised that he probably, was in fact, going to be late.

But as her small hands moved over him he did not have it in him to care.

OoOOOooO

Hermione looked around her room, thankful that Slip had apparently lit the fire ahead of her arrival. Her hair was still a bit damp from the evening's bath. She had not attempted fellatio on Tom yet, so she wasn't sure where she had found the idea to do so in a bath. Sighing dramatically she hugged herself and spun in a circle. It had been a wonderful idea and the look on his face would forever be burned in her memory.

Turning she walked towards her chair and towers of books. She wanted to look into some potions she remembered reading about. She was rather sure one might work to help make the golem.

She was just two steps away from the chair by the fire when it happened. Her world started to get fuzzy again, static seemed to creep upon her. She blinked and tried to yell out to Slip. But, before she could do anything more than open her mouth in horror- the world went black.

OoOoooOooO

Tom had to work hard not to skip down the halls as he left the meeting and headed back to the Slytherin dormitories. He had decided that he would figure out a way to stay with Hermione tonight.

The closer he got to the dormitories, however, the more his good mood faltered, replaced by intense worry. By the time he made it into the common room, Tom Riddle Jr was running.

He made it to her room within moments and wrenched open the door.

It was empty.

No wards, no books, no Hermione.

He fell to his knees and didn't comprehend what he was seeing for a few moments before his bellow of rage and pain echoed through the girl's dormitory.

Later that night he would tell Slughorn that he had been investigating a strange noise when an old ward had tripped and caused him to feel incredible pain. The old wizard had bought it and sent him to the hospital ward.

Madam Tulle had treated him with a calming drought and sent him on his way with a smile. Never asking about her niece.

No one asked about her.

She had been right after all. Time it seemed, had erased her.

But, he remembered.

It was two days before he made it out to the forest to speak with the centaur.

"You will always remember her, for she is written in your sky as the keeper of your stars," Bane said his eyes for once not mocking him but rather full of what must be pity.

Tom had cried for the first time in his life that night alone in the forest after the Centaur had left him.

He had cried until he thought he might die.

He was heaving in silent sobs when a small hand fell on his head. "Master must not cry. Slip is goings' to help she is. Master needs to come with Slip. Mistress needs us she does."

Authors Note:

If you are wondering how long I have been saving this song to use in a chapter… the answer is, FOREVER!

I loved this song as a girl. It is a lyrical masterpiece.

What has changed over the last 25 years is that I no longer picture a romantic love when I hear this song. I picture my sweet babies. If you follow me on social media or from my other stories you might know this already, but in case you do not:

In October I tried to die again. I was hospitalized and my kids were taken by my husband, their father. As it is a civil matter, there was nothing to be done. I have been separated from them for almost two months now. I have landed in the Midwest in the home of a fellow fanfic author who has decided that I am not allowed to die. She has opened her home and is making sure we figure out what is going on with me. It helps that she is uniquely qualified to do so. She is an amazing nurse. Her husband and she have even bought a small camper trailer for me that the kids and I will be staying in when they come to visit over the holidays, this spring, and this summer.

The PE in October is my sixth clotting incident since my open heart surgery.
My life is really scary right now.
But, through all of this, you all have lifted me up and kept me going.

So, thank you. I appreciate you. And I hope I am lucky enough in life to always have this community of amazing humans surrounding me.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I think there are two more left in this story. I am also working on an Epilogue to Riddle This. ;)

Cheers,
Cjean