Can't run from time

Hermione stood in the clearing of the Forbidden Forest, the eerie silence broken only by the rustle of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl. The Knights, cloaked and masked, formed a semicircle around her. She felt their eyes on her, filled with suspicion. 

It had been 3 days since Toms disappearance. And there was a meeting scheduled today. And as an equal she would have to run it..

"Where is Tom?" demanded Avery, stepping forward. "Did you kidnap him, Granger?"

"Yeah, where is he?" another voice echoed, filled with hostility. "We demand to know!"

Hermione took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. "Tom will be here soon," she said, her voice steady. "I assure you, I had nothing to do with him being gone. He's on very important business only I am allowed to know of."

The murmurs of discontent grew louder, and Hermione's heart raced. "YOU ARE CHANGING HIM GRANGER!" "WHERE IS HE?" "I WILL HURT YOU GRANGER!"

 Just as the tension reached its peak, a figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked heavily.

"Now, now," Tom's voice cut through the darkness, smooth and chilling. "Is that any way to talk to your Dark Lady?" The silence pierced through the forest. 

The Knights instantly fell to their knees, bowing their heads. "My lord," they chorused.Tom's eyes glinted under his hood as he turned to Hermione. "And?" he prompted."My lady," they echoed, bowing lower.

Tom walked  through the bowing Knights and stood beside Hermione at the front of the group. She glanced up at him, her concern deepening as she noticed the change in his appearance. His eyes were darker than she remembered, his face thin and deathly pale.

She whispered, "Where were you?" her voice filled with worry.Tom's gaze met hers, and for a moment, he said nothing. Then, without a word, he turned back to the Death Eaters, addressing them with his usual authoritative demeanor. Hermione's mind raced with questions, but she knew this wasn't the time to press him.

The meeting continued, Tom outlining plans and issuing orders, his voice cold and commanding. Hermione tried to focus, but her worry for him grew. Finally, the meeting concluded, and the knights were about to leave when Tom announced loudly "And, I have decided, that from this day forth... we shall not be known as the knights..."  

Hermione took a sharp gasp. No NO NO...

"Knights are slaves. And we serve no one.. no.... From now on, you all shall be known as 'DEATH EATERS'" Hearing this and seeing the pleasure on the dark lords face, the death eaters cheered loudly and bowed to him. Before leaving, whispering in excitement to themselves.

Tom finally put his focus on Hermione, he saw she was facing the trees, her back to him. 

Tears flooded from her eyes but she brushed them away. She is a Gryffindoor at heart. She can't be this weak...

She turned to him, her concern evident. "Tom, when did we discuss thi- okay never mind the main thing is  Where were you?"

Instead of answering, Tom moved towards her and pulled her into a kiss, his lips urgent and demanding. Hermione felt a mix of emotions—relief, confusion, and a growing sense of dread. When he finally pulled away, he whispered, "Trust me, Hermione," before disappearing into the darkness.

In the days that followed, Tom remained darker, his behaviour increasingly erratic. Hermione's concern grew, but he avoided her questions at every turn. Then, one day in Potions class, she noticed something that made her blood run cold. In Tom's bag, half-hidden, was a ring. It looked eerily similar to the Horcrux from her future.

Her mind raced with possibilities. Had Tom already created a Horcrux? Had he killed someone during his mysterious absence? The thought was terrifying, but she needed answers.

After class, she confronted him. "Tom, what is this?" she asked, holding up the ring.He glanced at it, his expression darkened and she heard the rage in his voice. "It's just a ring, Hermione."

"But—" she began, but he cut her off."I said, it's just a ring, I have many" he repeated, "now give it back."

" I like it" she gave a large fake smile. "How come you didn't buy one for me?" 

She turned and began to open it when he lunged at her. She was lucky nobody was nearby to hear as her back crushed against the floor tiles. "Ahh" she winced in pain because of the sudden drop but Tom lay on top of her, increasing the pressure. He grabbed the ring off her and whispered dangerously into her ear "You need to trust me."

Hermione ached with the weight on her back, she muttered a spell under her breath and managed to throw tom of her. She scrambled to her feet but almost fell. She looked at Tom, her eyes pleading  for him to show any emotion, but he turned his back and strode off.

As she lay awake that night, her thoughts consumed by the darkness that surrounded Tom. She winced as she got out of bed. "Lumos"  She muttered as she made her way to the library. She snuck to the back corner, grabbing the latest muggle newspaper and the daily prophet on the way. She flicked through them when she almost dropped her wand in shock.. there in the muggle paper was the headline: 

RIDDLE FAMLILY FOUND MURDERED IN LITTLE HANGLETON

No... no he can't have killed them. He wouldn't.... 

She sat quietly sobbing and cradled herself. 

The darkness was growing, and she needed to understand it before it consumed them both.