Chapter 4 The Sweet Freedom of Death

August 1996

She thought his death would make her feel strong, or at least, not weak anymore. Violet shivered as she watched the train zoom by with her uncle under it. All she felt was hollowness.

His arms were around her. They both knew what they had done. It was heinous and unforgivable. Violet did her best to remember how weak Vernon made her feel. Her heart hardened.

"We should go." His voice was soft, comforting, but his sorrow wasn't masked like it usually was.

She had to regain control. Justice was served. She should make him feel like he did the right thing. "I love you."

In that moment, she knew she had him because he froze, and it was clear that he felt the same way, even though he wouldn't admit it. He would always remain by her side.

But then he surprised her and whispered in her hair, "I love you too."

September 1st, 1996

Tom couldn't stop shaking. He didn't know why. Why should he feel guilty? Some could say that Vernon wasn't even a man. He hit me. He choked me. He starved me.

That was the only reason he was shaking, Tom realized. He had been manipulated, manipulated by a little mouse. The shaking was caused by anger, not guilt. He should have seen the manipulation as soon as she opened her sweet little mouth this summer. Because it was something that he would have done.

"Tom?" Dumbledore. As if he needed anything else more nauseating.

"Sir?" His voice was curt, but Tom didn't care. At least it was steady, unlike his hands.

Dumbledore studied him, as if he were some sort of exhibit. "Did you know that Darkness cannot exist without Light?"

Yes. Because he wasn't five years old. Next, he was going to get a lecture about monsters under his bed. Tom rolled his eyes and almost left to go to bed. Dumbledore always knew how to frighten him.

"Vernon Dursley was a man who loved his family," the old man went on.

"Not all of his family." Tom swore under his breath at the slip while Dumbledore continued to watch him grimly. "He was drunk and fell asleep on train tracks. Good riddance."

Dumbledore held up a hand to silence him, even though he had already finished speaking. "I was not finished. There is Light in everyone, as there is Dark. Even the most minuscule amount of Light can flourish in Darkness and overcome it.

"And vice versa." So Dumbledore was talking about Violet, not him. This could be his chance to get rid of her. "You aren't shaking because she manipulated you, Tom. You are shaking because Darkness has taken her over while it is weakening within you."

"She did not manipulate me." Tom had enough. He poisoned a Muggle monster and left him to die on train tracks. So what? He might as well have stepped on a fire ant.

December, 1996

"What is wrong with you?" Tom hissed. He had stunned the dog and dragged her to an abandoned bathroom. To his surprise, she didn't even wince when he grabbed her wrist and squeezed. "You can't take off these fucking glasses! Especially in front of Ginevra."

"You tried to kill her," Violet said venomously. "Four years ago you tried to drain the life out of her!"

"Shut up!" he shouted. Again, she was throwing in his face what he had no recollection of. He covered for her constantly, and this was the thanks he got. "I could have just blown everything because you tried to show her my face!"

"You kissed her," Violet accused. "Are you going to bugger her with those glasses on too?"

That's what this was about? There was one thing about Violet that would never change. She was one of the stupidest people he had ever met. No amount of callousness could change that.

"She kissed me." He didn't have time to reject it either. Like the raving lunatic that she was, Violet almost immediately stomped over and tried to rip his glasses off his face. She could have gotten him sent to Azkaban or worse because of mistletoe. "You're jealous."

Her face hardened, confirming his thoughts. "You belong to me."

Tom tsked and put her chin between his thumb and index finger. "Don't get aggressive towards someone who could kill you in an instant."

She narrowed her eyes. "You said you loved me. When you killed my uncle this summer."

I lied. The nasty words were on the tip of his tongue. Tom could taste their bitterness, and he wanted to relish in the hurt they would cause. For some reason, the words wouldn't come out.

"Tell her you're jealous," he said instead.

"Tell her you love me," she demanded. "Tell Sirius. Tell Dumbledore. Put it in the fucking paper!"

"Do you love me?" he found himself asking. The sound of his own pathetic voice made him wince. Such questions were for the weak. There was no point to love.

Violet grinned, knowing she had him. "You're mine."

She kissed him like she loved him. Her touch was lingering and patient like she loved him. But she didn't say it.

June 30th, 1997

Violet was many things. She was impulsive, desperate, and brave. She wasn't kind, however. Not anymore.

Very few were allowed to worm their way into her heart, and Snape certainly wasn't one of them. The pathetic man was plotting her death, and every once and a while, she could feel it. Her icy heart would crack, and the connection she felt with Tom would dim. Not entirely though, which was unfortunate for Snape.

"What are you doing?" she asked flatly. With her father's invisibility cloak, she had followed the two of them up the Astronomy Tower. Snape had Tom cornered, but he didn't look afraid. He never did.

Snape turned around, and in that moment, Violet knew that he was completely deranged. Blackened fingers curled around his wand. "She wouldn't have wanted this for you."

"Stay away from her!" The sound of panic in Tom's voice was still foreign to Violet. It seemed that the more control she had over her own desperate, weak feelings, the less he had. She supposed she shouldn't care since she was better off for it.

Violet backed into the glassless window of the tower, pretending to be afraid as well. "You need to stop!"

"I've destroyed every one," Snape declared through ragged breaths. "Every last one but you."

She knew what he was talking about. Horcruxes.

They were in Tom's room next to Dumbledore's office, the one place Sirius didn't go. For all her godfather knew, she was sound asleep in her own bed, not giggling while Tom was nibbling on her neck. As soon as they hit the pillows, an Extendable Ear attached itself to their ears. Tom must have charmed them to do so in order for him to efficiently spy on Dumbledore. Violet paused as she heard the Order Meeting below.

"She-she's not corrupting him," Sirius said incredulously. "Are you out of your mind, Dumbledore?"

"As the horcruxes are being destroyed, Tom is letting go of the Darkness within him," Dumbledore lectured. "Their bond is allowing him to cling on the Violet's Light, while she seems to be holding onto the Darkness that the horcrux within her has housed."

"Horcrux?" Violet asked. Tom only shushed her.

"She's not evil!" Sirius spat, but Violet found herself asking, what if she was? What if she wasn't becoming more confident and in control of her own future? What if she was just evil? "He is evil embodied! And you let him prance around like some common schoolboy!"

"I have always believed that both of them have had an attachment disorder." Dumbledore's voice was emotionless. "However, I always believed that because Violet was capable of love, she would be able to overcome it. It seems that she has given Tom the gift and has left nothing for herself."

Tom ripped both of their Extendable Ears off. "He thinks he's a fucking poet."

"What's a horcrux?" Violet whispered, even though no one was within earshot.

"Who cares?" Tom grinned and started to pull down her skirt, but she grabbed his arm. "We'll look into it."

Violet glanced at the door. If Dumbledore was right, she had to make sure Tom was loyal to her, not him. "What if they try to change me back? Back into that pathetic—"

"We'll run away," he whispered in her ear.

They then became lost in each other for the rest of the night. Their passion made Tom forget to be bothered with horcruxes, at least he pretended to. The next day, Violet went to the Restricted Section of the library herself. Her research made her believe everything that Dumbledore said.

The only problem was she didn't care.

"So I'm next?" Violet taunted. "You just figured killing him would be easier than killing me."

"I wanted to kill you both," Snape said hoarsely. "I'm not waiting for you to become what he once was."

Violet grinned. "Avada Kedavra!"

2004

They ran, of course, Imperiousing Muggles left and right to get what they wanted. They were in London, which had so many witches and wizards that it was impossible for the Ministry to trace them during those first few months before they turned seventeen. Years went by before Tom could close his eyes and not see Snape falling out of that Tower. He had never seen Violet kill someone.

"What if they try to change me back? Back into that pathetic—"

"We'll run away," he whispered in her ear.

He regretted that, not because they lived in poverty for the first few years, but because he wanted her back. He wanted the old Violet back even though she was incredibly needy, annoying, and foolish. She was also kind, loving, and brave. Now she was cold.

Or was it him? He was the one who smiled at their neighbors, who loaned them money when they needed to feed their kids. He was the one who clung to her in bed, who waited for her when she was gone for days on end. Now he was incredibly needy, annoying, and foolish.

"Don't go," he said softly one morning. Her look was cold, calculating. She was so far gone that she didn't understand what he was saying.

With a smile, Violet kissed the tip of his nose. "You're right. I'll bring him here."

They sold weapons illegally. That was how they had a halfway decent house now. Because he was a man, and didn't look like he had the strength of a kitten, the local crime boss thought that Violet merely acted as the middle man. She played into it and even wore an apron as she served dinner.

"This is good." Tom didn't even bother to learn the guy's name. Violet must have imperioused him into not bringing any guards. Tom just occasionally drove Violet places and bit his nails in the truck as he hoped and prayed she wouldn't get hurt. She had been letting him do that less and less lately. She didn't trust him to get the job done.

"Imperio." Violet wrinkled her nose cutely. "You're going to turn yourself in along with all your little henchmen that will only be loyal to you."

"Vi—" She was practically giving this man death sentence.

"And…" She summoned a notebook. "You're going to wire all of your money to us."

Tom said nothing as he watched the man numbly write down whatever Violet asked. They became millionaires overnight, and crime in the area skyrocketed under the civil war between the local gangs. He just wanted her back.

"Sirius." They found something while cleaning up Grimmauld. Hermione hoped this would change things.

After Violet fled, Sirius told them everything. Hermione had a feeling that something was up, but she had never guessed this. Leave it to Violet to rashly sacrifice her soul.

Recently, Riddle, no Voldemort, started writing to Sirius. He almost sounded like a normal person. The thought made the hair on the back of Hermione's neck stand up. He asked if there was any hope for Violet but never gave up their location, as sick as it was. Hermione knew in her heart that Violet was the reason for all the Muggle gang wars in London. How many people were dying because of her need for power?

But that wasn't what Hermione was going to talk to Sirius about, for once. She held up a ring that was dangling on a silver chain. "We found this with Kreacher."

Violet just wanted to feel safe. That's what Tom told himself as she hired guards to take her everywhere she went, but he knew better. She was waiting for all the local gangs to weaken, so she could take over and monopolize crime in Muggle London. How many people would she ruthlessly kill like she did Snape?

He was alone again when he got the letter. He vaguely remembered Hermione from school.

Riddle,

I had to hex Sirius into a stupor to send this, so you better read it. I know you aren't going to give her up. You're too selfish, but now that the last horcrux is destroyed, I have a plan. You can kill her without giving her up.

Snape was a Death Eater. One of your followers. Vernon's death was ruled an accident. No one cared about Pettigrew's demise either. Umbridge was never found. We all know what happened, but we'll let it go if you're willing to put an end to this.

I'm sure you've done research on yourself. You know what you have done, and you know it is what Violet will one day do as well.

Meet me at the enclosed address tomorrow at noon.

Hermione Granger

Tom brought his wand, telling himself that he'd kill her if necessary, even if he knew he wouldn't. Something was wrong with him like it was with Violet.

It didn't matter because Granger handed him a box and left. Tom opened it with shaking hands. A basilisk tooth and a vile filled clear liquid. He read the note and knew it would work. He just had to kill Violet.

"To what to I owe the wining and dining?" Violet asked as Tom kissed her. He had been distant over the years, so this was rather refreshing.

Tom forced himself to smile as they backed into the bed. Something was off about him, but she certainly didn't expect him to swiftly stab her in the chest.

She shrieked, becoming more alarmed as thick black smoke billowed out of her mouth. Her skin was cracking as she reached for her wand, but it was already too late. Bright light burned her retinas, and the last thing she heard was the warble of a phoenix.

Violet woke up in a puddle dried puddle of her own blood, which was so dark it was nearly black. Her hazy vision cleared to see Tom sitting at the foot of their bed with Fawkes perched on his knee. The last ten years felt like a dream. What had she done?

"The look on your face says that it worked," he said softly. Fawkes must have believed whatever he was talking about because the bird started singing and flew out the open window. "For a second…"

"I… I killed people," she gasped. Shaking fingers grazed over where the basilisk tooth had lodged itself into her chest. Nothing was there, not even a scar. She should be dead. She deserved to be dead. "Snape, Umbridge, Pettigrew… My uncle. Oh my God!"

Tom shifted and crawled over to the bed so they were face to face. "Well your uncle was me. Even though you thought you were making me."

She had. She was becoming Voldemort. That evil was encapsulating her soul. Tom's was in shredded into so many pieces. She supposed hers was now too. Violet shot out of bed, wanting to run. She didn't know where. Part of her wanted to throw herself at the nearest dementor—

Violet shrieked when her hand touched a patch of sunlight, and her skin started to burn and smoke. "W-what do you do to me?"

"Well I wasn't about to kill you," Tom said calmly. "The wine from last night had vampire venom in it. So after your heart stopped… and started again, Fawkes was able to fix you up before it well, stopped again."

"I-I deserve to die." All she had to do was rip open the shades and bask in the sunlight. Then, she would be a pile of dust. She'd be nothing, like she deserved.

But she didn't move. Tom smirked, guessing her thoughts, and caressed her cheek. "They say phoenix tears can cure anything."

"That's not going to work." Violet swallowed heavily. She was very thirsty, but she wasn't going to give in. Not to that.

Tom merely shrugged. Like it was nothing. She had to become a monster to stop acting like one. "You'll live longer. You can still eat. We can still have children. A unicorn horn ring will let you go out in the sun. So what?"

"SO WHAT?" she shouted. She could hear his heart beating, pumping blood throughout his body. "Don't act like this is nothing! How could you do this to me? You should—"

"What?" he snapped. "Just let you die?"

"Yes." Her voice cracked. "Look at all I've done. And what? We're just going to have a regular life now? Like all the evil we've both done doesn't matter?"

"I couldn't let you go." He thinned his lips. After everything, he still hated to admit weakness. "I needed you."

"We should turn ourselves in." Again, she didn't move. "We both deserve the Kiss."

"Oh really?" He starting kissing her, and Violet found herself sinking deeper into the white sheets. He was manipulating her. What if this whole time he was pretending to have changed? Voldemort had enough evil to consume two people. It was going to start all over again. Just as she was about to push him away, he backed off. "You saved my life. I don't care what we do to set things right, but… I want a life with you. A real life that isn't taken over by greed and power lust."

There was no setting this right. Could she really live with this guilt for the rest of her life? The Kiss would make everything easier. She wouldn't have to feel anything.

"I don't know what to do," she confessed.

Tom cupped her face in his hands. "We'll figure it out."

Ten Years Later…

They couldn't save the world, obviously. As Dumbledore said, all Light had Darkness to it. The only thing they could do was try to add more Light to it.

Right now they had no children in their house. The adopted child they had just went off to college. Both of them managed Muggle group homes. Violet's had ten girls. His had eight boys, but another was due to arrive soon. It was Violet's idea. She said she wanted to spend the rest of her life saving little Tom Riddle's.

Today, they were going to meet another child. One they were considering adopting. Actually, considering was not strong enough a word. Violet said they weren't leaving without starting the paperwork.

"I'm mad," the boy said flatly as they had their first visit at a nearby McDonald's.

"Did they mess up your burger?" Violet asked lightly, even though she knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to scare them away. It might work. With Muggles anyway.

"I can make things move without touching them." He paused, waiting for their reaction. "Once, I even flew onto the roof."

Tom leaned forward and lowered his voice. "We can too."

"I don't believe you," he said in the same dull tone. Violet smiled softly and made his toy levitate out of its box. His eyes widened as he caught it, but otherwise, he didn't react. "I hurt people too."

"We're going to adopt you," Violet said firmly. "So you don't have to do that anymore."

The boy raised his eyebrows, sizing her up. Tom made that mistake before. All those years ago, when he was first reborn. Now she was a vampire and ten times stronger. He didn't say anything and started to eat again.

They had three years before he would go off to Hogwarts. He was going to need a lot of magical psychological care, and Tom was sure that he was going to magically assault the both of them. But they were going to dedicate all their time to him. They were going to make sure he was safe and knew he had a family, so he didn't have to hurt anyone anymore.

He was going to have what neither of them grew up with. They both were starved of it, so much so that Tom had rejected it, and Violet had desperately begged for it. They were going to give him love.

So… I like the ending. The rest may have been better in my head… ;)

Thank you to all the reviewers of chapter 3: A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess, bulldoglover01, semantics, Child of Dreams, Nataly SkyPot, Lola, D C JoKeR H S, LokiGirl, Megafan1, FenneHP, and Faery66!

bulldoglover01: Sorry. :P I was thinking of just making it a two shot to leave it up to interpretation. Unfortunately, I'm a sucker for happy endings.

I have a new fem!Harry/Draco story up called P.S. I Love You. I think in the summer, I'm going to write a new Violet/Tom story, so look out for that!