Chapter Three | Samhain

Hermione laughed despite herself. That did sound rather like the wizard. She could just imagine him in his decrepit old house carving each and every one of these. "It's impressive. Very spooky," she said, looking over her shoulder when she heard a branch snap.

Just as she had almost convinced herself that she was overreacting, something darted out of the trees at her. Hermione screamed as she saw the tall, black figure with a jack-o-lantern head stalk towards her, grabbing her around the waist. Her heart was pounding out of her chest, but she reacted without thinking. She had her wand out in the blink of an eye, jinxing the creature far away from her.

Her blood was surging in her ears, but slowly the sounds of the forest filtered back in. And...laughter?

The creature sat up, pulling the pumpkin off of its neck to reveal a laughing Alfie. "Salazar, Hermione, where did you learn to duel?" he asked, standing up, obviously quite pleased with his prank. "I didn't even see you draw your wand."

"Alfie, you thrice-damned son of a bogart!" she growled, pressing a hand to her chest to slow her heart. A grin grew on her face when he took a step closer to her and threw an arm around her waist again. "You're lucky that it was only a Flipendo!"

[AO3]

Can't help myself — impulsive Thursday afternoon post:

Tribulations | Chapter Two

Trials

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Tom was the last to kneel in front of Hermione. The thought of submitting to anyone in such an overt way would have angered him mightily only twelve months before, but he didn't have a hesitation in kneeling before Hermione. In some perverse way, it almost made him want her more than he already did, something that he did not think was possible.

When he looked up at her, the lingering shadows of the dawn highlighted the hollows of her cheeks, making her look gaunt and otherworldly. With the rising sun behind her like a halo, she was the darkness in the light - a perfect dark priestess. And how eagerly she had filled the role. Her bloody hand pushed back the hair from his forehead before marking him with her rune - ehwaz, if he was not mistaken. Immediately, he felt the rush of magical power that came with completing such a ritual, all the more powerful with her blood.

Standing, he took the chalice from her. Dipping his own finger into the remaining liquid, he wordlessly marked her with the same rune, hoping to solidify their partnership. Because she was nothing if not his equal.

A happenstance meeting between Tom and a mysterious witch named Hermione in Borgin and Burkes sends the pair of them on a tangled path to get what they want - Tom, ultimate power over the wizarding world, and Hermione, to bring down the dangerous wizard at the edges of her mind. Will their magnetic connection help or hinder them in their ultimate goals?

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FFN | AO3

Sneak Peek | Tribulations, 2

Determined not to spend his whole afternoon staring at the witch, Alfie switched his focus to the book in front of him. It kept his attention for long enough, but eventually he heard the grandfather clock go in the front hall, signaling that an hour had passed. Tentatively, he chanced a look at her.

Hermione had made herself at home in the library, laying down on the settee, with the cushion propping up her head, her legs balanced in a v-shape that showed off the delicate curve of her calves, hugged by her muggle jeans. She had the book held in one hand, balanced on her lap, while her other arm rested on top of her head, fingers twirling a delicate curl around and around. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth, tantalizing and plump.

Alfie was struck with the thought that he’d like to bite that lip himself, before shoving the feeling down inside of him.

But, what struck him most of all was the enthralled way that she read the words on the page. Waltheof’s horrid magic had captured every bit of her attention and she wasn’t shying away for an instant. Instead, she was devouring every word, breathless.

The image would be embedded in his mind forever.

Writing Update

Going to try to do these a little differently from now on... I'll probably just edit and then reblog moving forward. Here is the update as of November 2024:

I’d love to hear if you have any of these you are really looking forward to 💕 Or, are there any pairings that you have been missing?

You can see what was completed since last time below the cut:

Sneak Peek | Tribulations

This is a sneak peek to something I'm working on. It's a divergence from Trials where Tom asks Alfie to deal with Hermione when he finds out she is a muggleborn. Alfie is happy to do so, until he sees what promise Hermione has.

I thought this was going to end up being a brief one shot, but the first chapter is already nearing 20k words. I think it will end up being about 5 chapters.

When should I post it? As I finish chapters, knowing that the wait between them could be long? Or, wait until I've finished it all and then post on a regular schedule?

October Update

I’d love to hear if you have any of these you are really looking forward to 💕 Or, are there any pairings that you have been missing?

Chapter Forty-Nine

The curious stares followed Hermione from the moment that she set foot on Kings Cross station that morning. And while she was used to them at this point, having lived as the wife of Minister for Magic Tom Riddle for the past decade, she didn't think that she would ever get used to it.

At least for today she knew that she was not the primary focus, however she didn't know if this should make her feel relieved. The main focus of interest was the gaggle of Riddle children finally all being seen out in public together. It was a very rare occasion that Hermione and Tom brought any of the children out, not wanting them to be exposed to the celebrity of being the Minister's children, knowing that it would probably cause unwanted consequences.

"Why is everyone looking at me, Mum?" eleven year old Caroline asked, taking a step closer to her mother reflexively.

Hermione wrapped a protective arm around her eldest daughter, while relishing in the fact that her girl still needed her.

"Oh, the novelty will wear off quickly, I'm sure," Hermione explained. "But everyone knows what an important wizard your father is, so they are interested in you and me and your siblings as well. They are...curious about us and what we do."

[FFN] [AO3]

Since we are nearing the ultimate end, I wanted to share some of my inspiration for Trials.

Chapter Forty-Eight

When the others realized that the Riddles had arrived, they quickly welcomed them. Edmond held a flower crown made of asphodels in his hand. He held out his arms so that he could place it reverently on Hermione's head, adjusting it until it was just perfect.

"There, now our Queen of the Underworld looks her part," he said, smirking at her. "Doesn't she?"

Hermione flushed at being called a Queen once again, but she could not deny the heady sort of rush she got from the title. A part of her wished to deny it, but the overwhelming feeling that bubbled up in her chest was desire, hunger for the power that she now wielded over these men, whether they realized it or not. Edmond might be half-jesting, but she wondered if they would jump should she command it.

[FFN] [AO3]

Sneak Peek | Trials, Chapter 48

Hermione nodded, before wishing her companions well on their apple harvest. The wind picked up, rattling through the oak’s leaves. It was almost like an embrace, Hermione thought, and she hoped it could be reassurance that she was doing the right thing. That she hadn’t made a terrible mistake. Her heart thudded away in her chest and she just hoped that he would show up in time.

As the morning passed, her calves began to ache from the unusual position that she was left in, unable to move her body as the ropes held her in place. She could still move her head side to side, but she was cautious to not knock the pretty crown from her head.

Periodically, one of the Knights would come, bringing her little bites of sustenance to help pass the time and keep up her strength. Evan cut bits of apple for her, before letting her head the slices one by one, taking her time. Alfie brought her a bit of crusty bread, smeared generously with butter, and a cup of heady red wine to wash it down with. Her heart hammered away in her chest when Tom brought her a bit of honey comb. He held up to her lips and let her take nibbles, before wiping away the excess honey from her lips with the pad of his thumb.

Chapter Forty-Seven

"Are we...are we free to speak here?" she asked, wetting her lower lip nervously. "There are no... unfriendly ears?"

Now, his curiosity was fully piqued. "Yes, you may speak freely," he agreed, turning to look at her. "Whatever you wish to share will remain between the two of us." To make her feel better, he pulled out his wand and put up a few spells designed to prevent eavesdropping, though there was no one else in the Hog's Head save Aberforth, and despite his differences with his brother, Albus did not think he would betray him.

"This will be the second time that I come to you for help, Dumbledore," she said, before taking another draw of her firewhiskey. "Please do me the courtesy of actually listening to me this time. I do not like to imagine what should happen to you if you raise your wand against me again."

Albus scoffed, but then his eyes strayed to the delicate ring that she wore, her fingers toying with it endlessly, twisting the band around and around. "I deserve that," he said, willing to put his pride on the line. He needed to hear what she had to say. "Now, what is troubling you?"

She looked at him with her large, brown eyes widened. "I think that...I think that Tom and his friends have something awful planned for the autumnal equinox," she explained, her voice wavering.

[FFN] [AO3]

Chapter Forty-Six

"We are also looking forward to hosting you again at the equinox," Edmond said, looking out at the members of the Wizengamot, beginning to file away to their seats. "My trees look forward to another offering."

Hermione blushed fiercely, unable to believe what she had done the year before with Tom in Edmond's grove. "I do not know if I will be giving a…repeat performance this year," she stammered out, thinking Edmond rather bold to bring it up in public.

Edmond laughed. "Well, if the mood strikes you," he said with a shrug. "But, I don't think that will be sufficient this year. I understand that you have another kind of sacrifice to bring this year."

"Another kind?" she asked, completely unsure of what he was talking about.

He quirked his lips. "The trees demand blood," he said, cryptically.

[FFN] [AO3]

Chapter Forty-Four

Bones stared at him over top of his glass, trying to get a read on the other wizard. "And how is your wife?" he asked, cautiously. "Last I saw her, she was still pregnant. It seems as if hardly anyone has seen her lately."

Tom bristled, wondering if the other man was accusing him of having injured Hermione in some way. But he forced himself to push that feeling down. "Hermione has found herself enamored with being a mother," he lied, unwilling to reveal the real circumstances of Hermione's retreat from the public eye. "She scarcely leaves Caroline's side, though she is beginning to bring the baby on new outings. So, you might begin to see her around again in the near future."

"Good," Bones said, sounding appeased. "You know, there were some that whispered her disappearance was because of her blood status. It's no secret she's muggleborn. Though, I never believed the rumors," he was quick to add.

[FFN] [AO3]

Chapter Forty-Three

"You are a hard witch to get a hold of, Miss Granger," he said, with a genial smile.

Hermione shook her head. "I've told you before to call me Mrs. Riddle," she insisted. Even though she wasn't happy with Tom at the moment, Hermione had not forgotten that this was a disrespectful act by Dumbledore.

"I'd heard that there was perhaps trouble in paradise," he said, tilting his head to look at her. Hermione shuddered, feeling rather like he was trying to get inside of her head. "Have you not...absconded with your daughter and left your husband behind?"

She knew that she had to approach this situation cautiously. "You obviously have no idea what you are talking about," she said with a sniff. "Tom and I made the decision to move somewhere more suitable to raising children."

"And you chose Little Hangleton," Dumbledore said, looking around the muggle market with a smirk. "I might be mistaken, but I believe that Tom's family lived near Little Hangleton."

[FFN] [AO3]