Can't run from time

The next morning, Hermione awoke feeling disoriented. The events of the previous night came flooding back to her, and she turned to see Tom watching her intently, his expression unreadable.

"Good morning," he said, his voice unusually soft.

Hermione sat up, clutching the blanket around her. "Morning," she replied, her voice shaky. "Thank you for saving me. again..."

Tom nodded, but his eyes were still hard. "Why did you do it, Hermione? Why did you go to the lake?"

Hermione took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. "I... I don't know. I was sleepwalking, and in my dream, I was searching for something."

Tom frowned. "Searching for what?"

Hermione hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much. "Just something important. Something.."

Tom studied her, his gaze piercing. "You know you should be telling me everything, Hermione."She looked away, feeling a lump in her throat. "It's complicated, Tom."

He reached out and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Complicated or not, I want to know. You are my Dark Lady, remember? We should have no secrets."

Hermione sighed. "I miss my friends, Tom. I'm.. I need to- doing all- to protect- but sometimes it feels like I'm losing myself." her eyes were flooded and she seemed to forget who she was with. She kept murmuring things to herself quietly. 

Tom's expression softened slightly. "You won't lose yourself, Hermione. I won't let that happen. But you need to focus. Stop hurting yourself. And what did I say about crying? Stop being so weak."

Hermione nodded, feeling a mixture of gratitude and frustration. "I know. I just... I need to find.."

She trailed off.

Tom leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear. "Just dont forget that im here okay?."

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Hermione tried to focus on her classes, but her mind kept drifting. That evening, Tom approached her in the library. "Hermione, I need to show you something." She followed him, curiously. He led her to the Room of Requirement, which had transformed into a large, ornate chamber filled with ancient artifacts and tombs.

"This," Tom said, gesturing around, "is where we will create our legacy. This is where we will make history."

Hermione looked around, feeling a mix of awe and dread. "What do you mean?"

Tom walked over to a pedestal holding a dark, ominous-looking book. "This is the key to immortality, Hermione. This is how we will change the world."

Hermione stepped closer, her heart pounding. "What is it?"

Tom's eyes gleamed with excitement. "It's a book of ancient spells, forbidden magic. With this, we can create Horcruxes, and achieve power beyond our wildest dreams. At last! An actual explanation of creating a horcrux!"

Hermione's stomach churned. "Tom, this is dangerous. We can't—"

"We must," Tom interrupted, his voice firm. "For our future. For our power."

Hermione felt a cold shiver run down her spine. "I don't know if I can do this, Tom."

He cupped her face in his hands, his gaze intense. "You can, Hermione." 

Hermione closed her eyes, torn between her loyalty to her friends and her growing bond with Tom. "Alright," she whispered. "For our future."

Tom smiled, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "ha, I dont believe you. Liar.. youre too weak. But I'll help you. You'll be ready soon enough" 

And with that tom left the room, leaving her in darkness.

The next day Tom was nowhere to be found, and the next, and the next. And Hermione had a gut feeling that something would go very very wrong.