Author's Note: find me on Tumblr at quitethesardonic. Enjoy!

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She was here.

He caught her watching him over the tip of her sunglasses before slipping into the crowd with a smirk on her face.

She was here, and he thought he would go insane.

"…the war efforts are going well in France, my Lord. My family has been using its influence and prestige to sway the hearts of the …"

Tom couldn't concentrate on anything as his eyes tracked her movement across the Malfoy gardens. She floated effortlessly between groups of people, exchanging pleasantries with the most influential families present. She looked like a goddess in her pale green dress robes that clung to her curves and pooled elegantly at her feet.

Tom smirked to himself; it was his gift to her for Yule two years ago.

Tom continued to watch her and couldn't deny that she was magnificent; she was powerful and Morgana dammit all, she was the most decadent witch he had ever met in his life. The feel of her heady magic wrapped around him despite the fact that she was on the other side of the grounds. He returned the favor, and he saw her shiver as his magic caressed her body seductively. She met his eyes before returning to her conversation.

"My lord?" Abraxas prompted. "Would you like to meet the French Minister of Magic to discuss your plans?"

The Dark Lord glanced at the Malfoy progeny, "Yes. Schedule a meeting within the week," he answered, distractedly.

Abraxas followed his lord's gaze and found the witch that had half of the room enthralled by her. Abraxas squirmed uncomfortably, remembering his unfortunate run-in with the witch while they were still in school and he had called her a Mudblood. He scrambled for an excuse to disappear before the witch could see him again.

"I see that Lady Granger has returned from wherever it is she ran off to."

Silence.

"The ceremony will be beginning shortly, my Lord," Abraxas stated, "I need to go soon."

Tom brushed Abraxas off with a wave of his hand as he continued to watch the witch. Her hands lingered at the nape of her neck as she engaged in a conversation with the Minister of Magic and when she looked over her shoulder coyly at him, he knew that the witch knew what she was doing to him. She was driving him crazy, that's what she was doing.

He tore his eyes away from her as the master of ceremonies prompted everyone to return to their seats. A wedding march began and everyone dutifully stood up as the bride made her way down the aisle. A cousin of Malfoy's. Tom glanced at where the witch was seated and found that she had disappeared. A quick scan of the area and he found her slipping away from the gardens and further onto the Malfoy grounds. Tom quickly excused himself and followed her.

He found her standing in a clearing, birds that she had conjured fluttering around her. She glanced at him as he came and the birds vanished. Just like she had.

Hermione looked at him expectantly.

"You disappeared," he stated.

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because I can. Because I wanted to," Hermione said with a quirk of her lips.

"Hermione," he warned.

"Tom," she shot back playfully. They stared at each other for a minute before she sighed. She pulled at the grass beside her.

"I was trying to find my way back."

"And you didn't succeed."

Hermione scoffed. "Well, obviously. If I succeeded, I wouldn't be here. I'd be home."

She said the last word softly. They sat in an uneasy silence until Hermione broke it.

"I've — I've missed you, my Lord. Please know that I wasn't trying to run away from you. I was — am terrified of ruining the timeline. The consequences are unforeseeable."

"So, Miss Granger, you thought you could waltz back into my life after disappearing for two years? You're an asset, yes, but naive if you think I'd willingly trust you. You could be plotting my death as we speak."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Our unbreakable vow still makes sure that we can't harm each other." She gave a mirthless laugh. "I think Dolohov is still upset we destroyed his family home that one time. But then again, you were terribly wrong on Muggleborn Integration. He had it coming anyway, especially for siding against me to support you."

She huffed as she crossed her arms across her chest.

Tom mulled over her words and glanced at her, thinking of how to respond before he settled on being truthful.

He could never lie to her.

She was his equal.

"I've missed you, too, my Lady."

Hermione glanced sharply at Tom. "Am I?"

"Are you what?"

"Still your lady?"

"You've been mine since I laid eyes on you, Hermione."

"That doesn't answer my question, Tom," she responded curtly.

A pause.

"My intentions have not changed if that's what you are asking me. I still intend on having you by my side."

Hermione snorted softly and didn't answer him. She began pacing the clearing slowly, deliberately, her silk robes trailing behind her.

"There was gossip when you left. People talked."

"Honestly, Tom, you have them all wrapped around your finger, I don't even understand why you're worried at this point."

"They thought I killed you, their beloved reprieve from the darkness."

"Oh."

Hermione gazed at him and watched as he stood up. Her golden eyes shined bright and a soft smile donned her face. She closed the space between the two of them and lightly placed her fingers on his cheeks, watching as he imperceptibly leaned into her touch. He breathed deeply, inhaling her scent. He tilted his head and kissed her wrist softly.

"I love you, Tom Marvolo Riddle. I think – I think I may have loved you from the first time we met. I can't return home. I've tried to search for everything and anything that could bring me back to my time. I've come to accept that I will be here forever. You remember that question you asked me while we were still at Hogwarts, what, seven years ago?"

Tom nodded his head.

"I'll be yours forever if you'll be mine." She whispered.

He smiled at her and her heart fluttered. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer until she felt his heartbeat thrum soothingly against hers. He leaned down to her ear and whispered back to her, "I cannot give you everything you want yet. But we will rule the world, my love, and I'll raze it to the ashes if it meant your happiness. You'll be the finest Dark Lady the world has ever seen."

She pulled away from his chest and smirked at him before standing on the tip of her toes and kissed him squarely on the lips. Tom groaned and the kiss turned raw and heavy as he drowned in the taste of her.

Indeed, they'd be the most powerful and Dark couple ever.

She'd make him a king and he'd make her his queen.