PLOT BUNNIES . They're everywhere. I swear this plot just popped in my mind one day... I don't even know what to think of it :/ RIVER is a weird name but whatever :)) Please excuse my lame grammar skills :)) English is my second language :p

I wanted to try a new pairing and since I find Tom rather appealing, I went for tomoine. lol.

I'm not ready to write a novel length fic about Tom. I haven't done enough research yet :)) In the mean time, this oneshot will have to do ;)

Warning : Very, very dark themes again. Run while you still can :O If you don't like it, don't read it ;)

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It was a void of darkness. Strangely similar to that moment when you close your eyes and everything disappears. The world fades and everything turns to black and you're left with nothing but a hollow feeling inside you. It was a void of darkness.

And it scared her shitless.

It was frightening to be here, all alone in this - what was this? a barren wasteland? She couldn't see anything, couldn't feel anything. Nothing. No one. No lights, no sounds. Not even a speck of dust or a breath of air.

Was she dead?

No, she couldn't be. She mustn't be.

Voldemort had penetrated Hogwarts walls. When everyone had thought it was over, when everyone had went on with their lives, thinking they could finally be at peace. Without a warning. Like a stab on the back, or a snake hissing without a sound.

Can you imagine?

Without a single, fucking sound.

None to tell you when he's about to strike. He had pounced like a predator would on its oblivious prey. They had all been unprepared. They didn't even see him coming.

Everyone had been shocked to see a figure standing by the double doors of the Great Hall, a disturbingly handsome teenage boy with a devilish smirk on his angelic face, Tom Marvolo Riddle.

And for a moment, she wondered why she had been so captivated.

She'd been awed by his presence, fascinated by him. She remembered the way he had stood, radiating authority, arrogance and power. She couldn't seem to look away.

The very sight of him made her want to know more, so much more,

About him.

She hadn't known who he was then, no one had. Although Harry and Ginny had known better. They had risen from their seats in panic and shock but it had already been too late before anything else could be done.

"It's Tom Riddle, Hermione!"

The first one to die was Professor McGonagall.

Then another jet of green light had came out of his wand, it froze in mid-air into a ball of green. They had stared at it for a long time, in awe and fear. He had waved his wand again and the ball exploded, sending out numerous green sparks everywhere, devouring half the Hufflepuffs and the Gryffindors, killing everyone in its path.

Then she remembered pure, horrifying chaos.

Harry and Ron had pulled her to her feet. She hadn't had time to think. The Death Eaters had arrived quickly, only in few numbers but enough to inflict damage. She had seen walls crumble and glass windows break. The banners of the four houses that had floated in the air had burned to ash. The long tables and chairs had been thrown off as people ran in different directions, crying, screaming.

Then the Dark Mark had appeared in the ceilings.

She had fought alongside Ron, Ginny and Harry, refusing to back down. She'd dodged curse after curse and sent heaps of her own. They had to hold them off, at least until the Aurors come, at least until they find Riddle. They had to hold them off.

Suddenly there had been too many of them, with their hooded cloaks and masks and their curses flying here and there.

There were more and more bodies on the floor.

She had recalled how Ron had collapsed. It had all seemed like a slow motion scene in front of her eyes. Before she could run to him, she had been blasted to the concrete wall. She had remembered feeling her ribcage break and her head cracking in the impact. There had been so much pain. She knew she had been screaming for Ron but she hadn't heard a sound.

Just her heavy breathing and her heartbeat...

And finally, she'd found him.

Dark eyes. She caught a glimpse of him before she was swallowed by pitch black once more, into a void of darkness...

The Ravenclaws stood and applauded. Hermione saw him walk towards their table confidently, almost with a hint of arrogance, and a sort of grace she only ever saw on Malfoy.

"Don't you think it's a little odd that he transferred here on his final year?" she whispered to Harry, who was seated just beside her.

He nodded, gazing at the new boy for a while. "He probably got in trouble on his previous school." He merely continued eating and shrugged it off.

Hermione stared at the new boy again, only to find him staring back. He looked like he was about to eat her alive. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand.

She didn't look at him again.

There were voices.

From two people, she guessed. They were arguing.

She had tried several times but it was a struggle to move. She'd even tried to open her eyes but every time she had, her vision had blurred and her surroundings had kept on spinning. Her mind was foggy and she was falling in and out of consciousness.

"Let her go Riddle!" someone yelled angrily. It sounded oddly familiar. Blurred images of a scar and green eyes swivelled in her mind.

She could smell smoke in the air and taste something bitter in her mouth. She knew her body was mangled and beaten, to such a great extent that she could feel so much pain just by lifting a finger.

But at least there was something. Pain. At least she knew she was alive.

"I've grown quite fond of your little mudblood friend Potter," said another. "I think I'll keep her."

She groaned at the sudden ache when she tried to move her chest. Oh merlin, The pain was completely unbearable, she felt like her ribs were on fire. "Mmmm." She shut her eyes tight, it seemed to be the only thing she could do.

"Shh," said the same, cold voice, she felt hands brushing her hair soothingly. "You'll be fine." The pain started to lessen, until eventually, it was gone.

Hermione was running towards the library, carrying a load of books in her arms. She was already behind schedule and she hadn't even studied for her exams yet. In her hurry, she accidentally collided with someone.

The impact caused her to yelp and land on her bum, books scattered everywhere.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" said a voice. She looked up and found herself staring at the face of the new bloke. He held out his hand and helped her up.

And for a moment, she wondered why she was so captivated.

He was medium height, almost the same as Harry. He had blonde, messy hair, a straight nose and a slightly tanned complexion. He looked pretty plain and boring.

But she was bothered by his dark eyes. They were cold and intense, making her feel like he was seeing right through her soul. She didn't like the feeling at all.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said, suddenly noticing that she'd been staring at him for a long time. She dusted off her robes. With a wave of her wand, the books piled up and levitated in the air.

"I'm River." He smiled shyly. She merely looked at his out-stretched hand but she didn't reach for it.

There was something really off about him.

"Nice to meet you, River." She walked away hurriedly, books levitating behind her.

"Can you show me around?" His voice called out.

She looked at her head girl badge and cursed under her breath. She tilted her head back. His mouth was curled into a weird, almost wicked, smile,

As if he was daring her to decline.

"Yes, yes of course." Her voice sounded foreign to her ears, a mixture of fear and curiosity.

Dangerous. Deadly combination.

"Mudblood."

She thought she heard him mutter something as he left. She shrugged it off. Very odd indeed.

"How did it get like this?" his voice sounded strained, dry. The Death Eaters, five of them, formed a semi circle just behind him. Harry wasn't the least bit scared of them because he knew all too well that he wouldn't die by their wands. No.

He would die by his wand.

"That's an interesting question," Riddle said leisurely. Harry refused to acknowledge him as anything else. He was Tom Riddle, not Voldemort, not the Dark Lord, just Tom Riddle. Because acknowledging it meant surrender and Harry Potter would never surrender. Not to the likes of him. "I had to kill two of my few remaining followers, but no matter. They had served their purpose."

"I don't understa—"

"A horcrux, Harry," he said impatiently. "An 8th horcrux. A replica of my old diary, but during my last year at Hogwarts. It was a reserve, in case the seven others were destroyed. It was weaker than the other Horcrux because I didn't think I would be needing it, but my mistakes led to such desperate measures."

Harry hated how he was so calm, so certain, as if his victory was already expected.

But wasn't it?

Maybe Riddle had been right all along. Maybe they had deluded themselves into thinking they ever had a chance at winning against him.

"And over there is the Dungeons," Hermione told him irritably, pointing at the dark corridors that led towards the dungeons. She walked fast, wanting nothing more than to get the tour over with.

He had been incredibly silent during the trip. At first, Hermione thought he was just shy.

But the condescending look on his face made her think otherwise. He made her feel like he knew the castle better than she did, like he was belittling her.

The nerve.

"Why do I get the feeling you want nothing more than to get this over with?" Something about the way he spoke made her shiver. He was walking in long strides, trying to keep up with her.

She stopped abruptly to face him. "I'm a very busy person," she looked at him fiercely. "Head Girl duties, exams, homework..."

"Really?" He smiled. A smile that looked innocent but it made her feel rather uncomfortable. "I was under the impression that you don't like me."

He's very observant, isn't he?

"Well," She looked at anywhere but him, trying to think of an excuse. "You're wrong," was all she could come up with.

She sighed. Somehow he knew she was lying.

"Yes." His eyes beamed. "I knew I shouldn't be sorted to Slytherin. The familiarity. I would have drawn too much attention to myself."

He was in Hogwarts?

Riddle had a demented, hungry look in his eyes. "It was me all along, Harry. She simply adored me, loved me. I was there when poor Granger was shoved away because her friends were too busy with other girls and quidditch. I comforted her when she was here in Hogwarts, while her beloved mother and father was somewhere in the world, not knowing they had a daughter."

He was River. Hermione had been seeing him for quite sometime now.

"Oh don't worry Harry, I doubt she knew it was me," he said. Then he laughed rather loudly.

Harry felt something vile rise in his throat and before he knew it, he was throwing up on the floor.

She couldn't find any book on Holcus. They were doing a Revive potion the next day and it was the key ingredient. The stress made her hair even bushier than usual and she felt like her eyes were going to pop out for reading too fast.

A book landed on her table with a thud, making her jump from her seat. Her eyes shifted to the book, then to the person across her table.

River.

"Page 438. Holcus right?" He smiled. "We're on the same class."

How very kind of him?

"Thanks." She nodded weakly, taking the book. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all?

"Smart little girl." Riddle snorted. "She wouldn't trust me. I'm a very busy person River, I have homework, exams, Head girl duties. Why don't you ask the head boy instead River? I don't take well into being rejected Harry. I almost - almost lost my patience."

"Why? Why her?"

"Think of it as a retribution." He smirked. "You took my most loyal follower, it's only fair that I show the same courtesy. And I was going to kill you soon, I needed a, how shall I call this? A prize. Something to remind me of my victory. " He was twirling his fingers around her hair, mocking him. "I thought she would be like stupid Ginny Weasley again, but it turns out the little mudblood was different, better than Ginevra will ever be." Harry clutched a fistful of his robes in anger. "She was very intelligent and she had an uncanny thirst for knowledge, very much like myself.

"Ginny's a better person than you'll ever be! And Hermione's nothing like you!" Harry said in outrage. "She'll never be like you Riddle!"

"Perhaps." He raised an eyebrow at Harry's sudden outburst. "She's far too good for my liking but that can be changed. It was her that helped me create my newest spell after all."

"No,"

"Yes." His dark eyes darted to Harry's clenched fists and his smirk widened. Riddle rested his chin on Hermione's head, as if he owned her. "Isn't it just brilliant? Using your own friend against you, without her even knowing it?"

"What are you doing?" There was a plain, black book in front of him. Hermione could see the ancient runes written inside, runes that would take days, maybe even months to translate.

"Research." He smiled his sweet, innocent smile again. He was always smiling, she noticed, although it never reached his cold, dead eyes. It bothered her a lot. "A spell that splits another spell into greater numbers."

A splitting spell?

"Sounds pretty dark to me." She eyed him suspiciously. She could've sworn she saw his face darken and his eyes flash red but she blinked and he was smiling again.

"No it's not." His voice was calm. "It's not if you use it for good things. Imagine this, a healing charm used only once but covers a great number of people. It saves time and effort, and lives as well, if it was used in a battlefield or something." He frowned a little. "My dad died in the war, you see."

Oh.

"I'm sorry." She really meant it. She felt horrible all of a sudden.

"You don't trust me." There was a sad look in his face.

Well. Yes.

She just couldn't help but feel that something was slightly off. She wasn't so sure why, considering people seem to like him and claim that he's a really nice guy. She didn't know why she didn't bother giving him a chance. Dumbledore would've been disappointed.

She sighed.

"I'm sorry I was being horrible." She said quietly. "How about let's start again." She held out her hand to him. "I'm Hermione Granger."

He gladly shook her hand and smiled once more.

"It took a very long time before little Hermione came through." He kissed the top of her head and Harry looked away in disgust. He felt revolted. "My non-existent father died in the war, Hermione. I just wanted to help, Hermione. Little girls take pity on such pathetic things. She believed my story easily and everything was easy after that."

"You fucking poisoned her!" His voice was rising.

He wanted to curse the bastard for everything he had done.

"What are you going to do about it Harry? Perhaps you're going to try and stop me?"

The Death Eaters around him laughed.

Harry felt the blood boil inside him.

"Well come on, boy. Now we duel." Duel? Riddle didn't even bother to stand up. Harry felt insulted looking at Riddle while he was seated on the chair like a king on his throne. "Bow."

Harry felt his body being forced to bow but he kept his back arched. He would not bow. No matter what.

Harry fired at him, stepping forward every time. His blows getting stronger and stronger.

But it was useless now. He wouldn't stand a chance. He wasn't nearly as powerful as Tom was. And somehow, in the back of his mind, Harry knew it was over. He was much too hurt, too exhausted.

He was thankful for the last year he had. The last year when he was happy and peaceful and he didn't have to worry about destruction and loss.

Yes, his last year had been happy, simply because he was free... free of the responsibilities. Free to live his life without having to worry about murder every night. He was not the 'Chosen one' anymore or 'the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord', he was just...Harry.

...just Harry.

He sent as many curses and hexes he could think of and at one point, he even managed to slice the side of Riddle's arm. He was determined to give his best. Harry would die trying to fight, he would die like his father. Brave. Unafraid.

And he will not bow.

They spent most of their time in the library. Hermione warmed up to him eventually. She was thrilled to have a new friend. They would talk for hours and hours.

He was very hardworking and intelligent. He could keep up with her witty comments, relate to her when she was talking about books, about things that she could never share with Harry and Ron.

There was an air of confidence around him. Always. He was charismatic too, and when he speaks, everyone listens.

Even though he wasn't that good-looking, he had a certain charm that made the other girls swoon.

And he could finish all school work and still have time for his little research about splitting spells.

Splitting spells, the idea was absolutely absurd when he told her about it. But once he explained to her how he would do it, she immediately changed her mind. He made a lot of sense. His magical theories were so complex that she wanted to learn more. She wanted to understand. Maybe it was possible.

Curiosity was always her weakness.

She helped him with whatever he needed, contributed a lot to his ideas, which seemed to surprise him. He didn't show it but she could just tell.

So now they were in a broom cupboard, his arms wrapped around her. He was gentle and absolutely amazing while they kissed.

"I just thought of something." She said before he leaned in again.

Her theory was bordering on insanity: to enhance the Impediment Jinx. There was a rune that could do that. She'd read about it somewhere. If they enhanced the Impediment Jinx it might be able to stop the spell that he cast and he would be able to split that spell immediately.

But to use an Impediment Jinx on your own spell? She must've been mental.

"Hmm?" he murmured in between kisses.

She couldn't help but smile against his lips.

She was going to tell him anyways. His theories weren't quite sane either.

"The rune that strengthens spell — " she managed to say before his kisses left her breathless again. He placed both arms in her shoulders and bit, sucked, licked her bottom lip. Her legs felt like jelly. "the Impediment jinx, we could enhance — "

He pulled away.

"It's mental, really," she said sheepishly. "There are a lot of factors to consider, like the speed of the first spell, it should be slower than the impediment jinx, otherwise it wouldn't hit. You'd have to go to consult Helga Hufflepuff's book on the speed of magic and everything. Then there's also the matter of what kind of spell to use. I dunno, I just think it's easier to split a spell when it's stationary, rather than splitting it before it comes out of the wand, and, and—" She stopped abruptly, "River?"

His face was expressionless but his eyes flashed dangerously. She thought she saw something red. She immediately backed away from him in fear but he pulled her back into another searing kiss, more demanding... almost hungry...

She jerked upward and her eyes fluttered open.

She clutched the first thing she could reach for dear life. A body? A chest? but she was too shaken to care. Her breaths were uneven, palms were sweaty and everything was a blur of confusion around her.

"Ah look, she's awake," said a cold voice very close to her.

"Hermione! Hermione look at me!" she followed the voice hesitantly and saw him on his knees a few feet away from her.

"H-Harry?"

He looked a right mess. His face was smeared with dirt and blood, his clothes were torn and his glasses cracked in one side. His right arm was bleeding. She remembered everything now. This was war. She had been fighting some Death Eaters when somebody knocked her out.

"Where's Ron, Ginny, River?" she asked desperately. "Harry?"

Harry shook his head in response. No. They couldn't be dead.

She heard someone laugh. She shivered at the sound.

Then she finally realized exactly where they were. They were in the Great Hall, and this was the Headmistress' throne-like chair. Her knees were bent on the arm rest and her head was on his chest. She could feel him gently brushing her hair.

She was sitting on Tom Riddle's lap.

A scream escaped her lips and she desperately struggled to get away from him. She punched him, clawed at him, did the best she could to get away.

"There is no River, little girl."

"What?"

"Did you honestly think you and your friends could defeat me? Me, the greatest wizard of all time?"

Harry's eyes met hers, as if he was trying to make her understand, she didn't know what. Then his terribly bruised, bleeding lip began to curl up into one last painful smile.

"You're going to be alright okay?" His gruff voice was full of hope, full of determination, that she believed him despite his bloodied face, despite the hopelessness of it all.

She knew she screamed for him like she did for Ron, like she did for everyone else, but her reality felt so distorted, she couldn't hear her own voice. She trashed violently to reach for Harry. But Tom Riddle just started to mutter sweet nothings in her ear, gently soothing words. "Shh. I'm here."

She almost relaxed at the sickly sweet sound.

No!

Then a jet of green light and Harry Potter was gone.

"NO! HARRY!"

He pulled her hair so she would look at him. She cried in pain at the pull of her scalp. He looked thoroughly pleased with himself, his dark eyes lingering on her. She flinched when his lips touched hers.

When everything is gone, hope still remains, yeah?

But what happens if that's gone too?

"I always win Hermione. Always."

FIN .

I'm so demented but you love me for it :p yay \:D/