Chapter 1
Hermione POV
After revealing her relationship with Tom to her parents, she felt both lightened of some invisible burden, and also more grounded to her present. She hadn't realized how much not confiding in her parents had weighed on her.
Her friends had known about her relationship the past two months, but so far only Ginny and Luna Lovegood had approved. Ginny, a free-spirit had told her to pursue any relationship she felt right about. And when she had met Luna, Luna's cryptic response had been, "His nargyles are a match to yours, people with matching nargyles often have same ambitions." And though Hermione had not stopped to figure out the meaning of Luna's words, in an indirect sort of way Luna had also approved of her relationship.
Ron had acted surprised and awkward when he found out, but he had lost any right to comment on any relationship of hers after the history between them. But Hermione had not expected Harry's reservations, and she recalled what he had said:
"I don't know why, but there is something shady about him Hermione. I think you should rethink this whole thing,", Harry had told her with an oddly uneasy look on his face.
"Is it ... is it our age-gap that you don't like?", Hermione had asked him.
Harry had scoffed, "Of course not! Our wizarding community has couples with twice as much age-gap. It is not about that. There is something so slick and calculating about this man, that I'm not sure about. All I feel Hermione, is that you would be out of your depth with him. You're an open book you know, and this man isn't. If you think you can be with someone like him who hides so much of his motives, then that's up to you, but I don't think he's a safe bet, Hermione."
It was now Hermione's turn to look skeptically at Harry, "Harry, there's no one who would be a safe bet. As for all of your concerns, do you know anything particular against Tom?"
"I don't...it's just that I don't trust that guy."
"So your concern is basically that Tom is a clever and dexterous diplomat. I think that's part of his job-description, being not just the Head of the IMC (International Magical Cooperation), but being a ministerial diplomat as well. Please, Harry, he treats me well, and he literally cares about me, and we have very similar interests. I know if I give up on Tom due to unfounded misgivings, I will regret it for the rest of my life."
"Fine, Hermione. You know I wish you the best, and if you feel that's with Tom, then I don't have anything against it," Harry had finally finished.
Both Harry and Ron had somewhat grudgingly acquiesced to her relationship.
After coming from her parents' house, they had barely reached the apartment, when Tom had been urgently called up to the Ministry. Apparently, a percussion (group) of giants had been sighted crossing into Britain through Ireland, and in violation of the Secrecy Statute, a lot of sightings of the giants by the muggles had caused an international law and order situation.
This entire week, Tom had almost slept in his cabin at the Ministry, and since she had been relatively free after her thesis submission, Hermione had flooed to his office to give him some home-cooked meals. Of the two of them, Tom was a better cook, and while Hermione was by no means a culinary expert, she had been able to cook adequately wholesome pasta dishes, assemble some salads and sandwiches, and had once even managed to bring Tom some pizza toasts, which was an easier version of pizza without the effort of making the pizza dough, but the with the usual pizza toppings and a much quicker recipe to boot.
Whenever she had gone there, Tom had been surrounded by files, and his team of advisors in the IMC department. She had at first felt bashful meeting all those people, but Tom had beaten her to the punch, and he had already told people that she was his future-wife, who was a Healer and a Magical Remedy Researcher. When she had told him in some relative privacy that she was only a trainee for now, had still had some years to earn the badge of Healer, he had given her a confident response that she was already a Healer for him. Tom's confidence in her capabilities certainly boosted her. She also remembered with mirth the incident with Tom's lead advisor Felix Cooper who had been in the office when she had brought the pizza toasts. After Mr. Cooper had stolen one of Tom's pizza toast from his lunch pack he had said, "If Ms. Granger cooks like this, it's no wonder you're getting hitched to her." Mr. Cooper, to the chagrin of Tom had given her a wink after that and quickly departed from Tom's cabin to give them some privacy, leaving behind a fuming Tom who was glaring daggers at the man's back.
Slowly it felt that she was really about to be married to Tom. She had bought some cream and mocha colored sofa throws, and had started giving some personal touches to the apartment like a newlywed would. And for the first time, Hermione had also started using a lot more cleaning spells around the apartment. Somewhere in her mind her aim had become that she wanted Tom to come to a neat and cosy environment when he finally gets free from this brief urgent situation at the Ministry.
---
Tom POV
Just when the final issue of getting Hermione's parents' approval had been sorted, the exigency with the Giants, had required his time and attention at the Ministry. He looked around to his team, young Patrick had been diligently updating him with the documents, Clarissa May who was the liasoning staff on his team had a pinched look on her otherwise blasé face, and though Cooper had annoyed him for his flirting with Hermione these past few days when she had come here, everyone around him sported a tired look. Some splash of pepper up potion in small vials of pumpkin juice had only temporarily invigorated his staff. It was a good thing that a week of the craziest damage control work his department had to do was coming to an end.
He announced a successive compensatory leave to his team. Still spiteful about Cooper's flirting with Hermione, he relegated Cooper's compensatory leave days to second-last position, and Cooper sensing his annoyance, wisely did not question him on this.
Rubbing his temples, Tom looked forward to relaxing during his compensatory leave which he had scheduled at the very end of the cycle.
This past week when Hermione had come to his office, he had read the surprise and in some cases shock from the people around him. They were all curious about the lady who had caught the attention of their boss. Moreover, they had all been almost convinced that he was not human as he had not indulged in any relationships in the whole of his ministerial tenure that they were aware of. They were right in a way. He had had sexual dalliances with some women who had followed his no strings attached policy, and he had always deliberately kept all focus away from his private life.
He had not told Hermione to bring him any meals. She had done that on her own, and he would not deny that he found it unexpectedly pleasing to have her in his office, introducing her to the colleagues around him. Her simplicity and ready smiles had charmed his co-workers. Even now, as he knew from his legilemency, the hot topic of gossip was 'Tom Riddle's fiancé Hermione Granger who was the most eligible bachelorette who had both brains and beauty, and who could also keep a house.' Hermione's meals had been simple, but he attributed all the exaggerated gossip about Hermione's cooking skills to the boasting that Cooper had been doing about eating the meals Ms. Granger had lovingly brought for their boss. Certainly, Hermione's brief appearances had created a lot of buzz about their relationship. After the headlong work throughout the week, he couldn't wait for his comp-leave to start already.
Chapter 2
He apparated to his apartment and rang the bell. It was late night, and Hermione opened the door for him.
She had on an oversized shirt and a loose fit pyjama, blearily rubbing her eyes, she gave him a smile, "Hi. Work done for the day," she asked him.
He couldn't resist pulling her to him and giving her a small peck on her lips. "Yes," he responded, charming his briefcase to his study room.
A short while later, he had showered and climbed into bed with Hermione. She slowly sidled to his side, and just as slowly she put her face on his chest, putting her arm around his middle. He also curled his arm around her back and again her sweet scent of fresh parchment, ink and honeysuckle tantalized his senses.
"I have made you do a lot of work this week with all the food", Tom said, giving a gentle squeeze to Hermione's waist.
She turned around giving him a slightly annoyed huff. "Don't be silly. You had a really busy week, and I had an easy week, giving me some time on my hands, and it just worked out. Besides, we're in a relationship and sometimes you'll be giving it a 70% and I'll be pitching in 30%, and sometimes I'll be giving it a 70% while you're busy. Sometimes we'll both be so busy that maybe none of us could give more than 30% of ourselves. In a relationship, a balancing act of this sort keeps happening."
"Sounds like relationship advice you'd read in a book," Tom murmured.
"Well, this relationship advice came from Kannis' talk show," Hermione told him. Kannis Blakely was a well-known figure, but people either liked her or they found her phoney.
Hearing Kannis' name, Tom got a slight frown as he looked down at the little witch lying beside him, "That woman who spouts some stuff about rainbow drops of love, and whatnot is probably a druggie, Hermione. I'm pretty sure she doses herself on Euphoria Potion before talking about anything, it's quite obvious from her loopy grin and her somewhat unfocused speech."
"Tom, I am not a fan of that woman, but I'm not going to discard sensible words, just because the source is someone sketchy."
At this, Tom gave Hermione one of his rare smiles that was actually genuine, and Hermione missed it in her drowsiness. "True, one can't be at one's 100% best all the time in a relationship, it is a balancing act."
"Yeah...that's what I already said", Hermione mumbled now, losing the battle against her sleep.
Gathering closer the witch nestled in his arms Tom murmured softly, "Sleep princess."
For the first time, as Tom lay with Hermione's warm weight on his bed, he reflected that a sense of insecurity had released him. He realized that Hermione wouldn't leave him just because he wasn't perfect, she was both responsible and mature. From the time he had been small, to the time he had been at The Wool's Boarding School, and almost all through his life, he had carried the sense that he had to be perfect or people would leave him. His grades had to be the best, his behavior the most charming. With that same sense of insecurity he had refrained from developing any deep friendships, or entertaining any tendre for anyone. He had not wanted the needless burden of being the perfect paragon in his private life, after playing the perfect paragon in his other areas of life.
This past week had given him an insight, or rather, Hermione's words right now had. He did not have to be perfect all the time or pitching his 100% all the time, like Hermione had said, it was a balancing act. Had Hermione been awake he would have liked to debate with her that the missing element to the balancing act were the individuals. If the couple did not behave in tandem, or hated each other, there would be no balancing act but a disaster. That was what had happened to his mother who had even been disowned by her family for marrying a muggle, whereas his father had not been as invested in the relationship, divorcing his mother for a wealthy heiress within one year of their marriage. He did not want the kind of fickle relation his parents had had. That's why, as a safeguard, he needed the perform the arcane ritual with Hermione.
Chapter 3
Hermione woke up slowly to the sunlight filtering in through the window. Stretching a bit she patted at her right. Tom wasn't there. He must have left for the office she yawned again. ...office... She shot up in her bed, how had she slept so long. If Tom had already gone, that only meant that she was late for work. What was the time right now. Kicking off the sheet, she rushed to the bedside table for her wand. She cast the tempus charm, it was 8:41am. Her shift began today at 9:30, she really had to rush. She went to the bathroom and starting brushing frantically. Casting a longing glance at the shower area, she knew she wouldn't be able to grab a shower now. She just had time to throw on her clothes and eat something or bathe. And practicality necessitated that she ate now before her day began. After brushing she went to the kitchen to check on the ingredients left. But she stopped short ... Tom was still here. And from the looks of it, he was cracking eggs and whisking them for an omelette.
Still whisking the eggs he turned to her and flashed her his pearly whites, "Mornin, Hermione. Grab a plate for yourself. Toast's almost done."
She did not respond to that. "Why haven't you left for the Ministry yet?"
"The emergency has been handled already, and why would I go on a Sunday," he shot her a perplexed glance.
Looking at her panicked face turn to a round o of surprise, and then her color returning to flush her cheeks, she said, "Of course. Sunday is an off for you."
"You woke up and forgot the day today right?", Tom commented as he went to pour the egg mixture in the pan. "And you also forgot that it's the Second Sunday of the month, so today's an off for you as well, or I would have woken you up earlier."
He turned around to see Hermione with a tomato-red face as she gave a small nod to him. Speaking of tomatoes, the omelette needed some diced tomatoes. Since there wasn't any time to manually chop them up, he quickly summoned a big tomato, and set exsectio charm on it, and the diced pieces fell into the egg mix in the pan.
Hermione fought off her embarrassment. It was a perfectly plausible mistake to wake up and think you were late for work the next day, even on a day off. Shaking that off she looked at the peaceful scene in front of her. Tom cooking their breakfast, and for the first time in a really long time they were both together without the impending pressure of work on their heads. The wave of joy within her at that thought was unmistakable and she scampered to Tom and hugged him from behind. Tom was at least a head taller than her and even standing on her tip-toes, her head only just managed to reach the upper part of his back. "Good morning", she called out happily.
---
Sometime later they had both shared a relaxed breakfast and now with a steaming cup of coffee in both their hands, Hermione had a notepad for the tasks they needed to complete for the day. She crossed off laundry which was the first item as both Tom and she had set up the washing machine some 15 minutes ago. The next item on their list was grocery shopping. Third item was house bills, and fourth was house tidying.
Refreshed with the coffee, they went to the supermarket to fetch the necessities. She lingered on many vegetables, and debated on getting some Korean and Indian spices, then remembering Tom's low tolerance for spice, she instead dropped a box of kimchi just to get some healthy fermented food in their diet. While Tom was weighing options on putting the oolong tea or matcha powder in the cart. The snack aisle with various chips proved very fascinating to Hermione, when had turtle chips been launched, and the concept of popped chips was too intriguing to leave without putting at least one packet of the peri-peri popped chips in her cart.
Grocery shopping took almost half their day, and when they came back to the apartment, by tacit agreement, the first task became putting the grocery in its assorted place. The tea went to its place in the kitchen cabinet. Tom merely raised one brow at the different flavors of popped chips she had bought. Tom wasn't sold on chips, and he was exceptionally disciplined with his food. Once, when she had offered him some chips, he had said he'd just try one, and he had tried one chip, and stopped at that one chip. Had she been in his shoes, she knew she would not have stopped at just one chip, and in this matter she truly found him uncanny, but also admired his discipline and wished she could ditch her habit of snacking on some unhealthy items, including chips among other things.
After sorting out the grocery they were both too tired and slumped on the couch. It was already 6pm, and both did not feel any special need to move any limb for now.
Since they had skipped lunch, they had packed take-out for dinner, consisting of fried rice, tofu burrito bowls, and mushroom soup. The packed boxes were put in a stasis charm on their kitchen counter, but Hermione didn't feel like eating anything. She was a coffee addict, Tom was too, and right now a hot cuppa sounded just about right to her, so she made black coffee for both of them. Tom, who had looked wiped out, again got that authoritative look that meant he was back in action. "Do you want to eat the take-out now?," he asked her.
"Not right now, how about in an hour. I'll just grab a shower," Hermione told him. Some 20minutes later she stepped out of the shower and dried her hair with an excoquatur aqua charm.
When she came back to the drawing room, Tom had a ministerial file in front of him. "The bathroom is free, if you want to take a shower."
Looking preoccupied he just gave a short nod to her and headed to the bedroom.
With Tom taking a shower, Hermione set about setting the kitchen diner with the food, covering the food with plates, and also setting the stasis charm on the food again.
Getting bored, she got up from the table and switched on the radio. Luckily, her favorite song Perfect Strangers by JP Cooper and Jonas Blue was playing, and she couldn't help sashaying and singing off-key to the lyrics "Maybe we're perfect strangers, ..., Maybe the night will change us, ...Maybe we'll stay together...". As she was tapping her feet, Tom came from behind, and taking her arm he swept her into a spin. And without breaking a beat they were both grinning at each other, singing off-key, and dancing along. The next half hour simply went away with both of them immersing in the charm of enjoying songs, and dancing without a care in the world.
After sometime, the dancing had turned into needy kisses, and almost unconsciously they moved to the bedroom.
Hermione did not really remember when she had taken off her clothes, or when Tom had removed his, but now they were both naked on their bed, with Tom trailing light kisses along her neck, stopping just at her collarbone he looked up at her and asked, "Are you afraid?"
"I'm a bit afraid, and you know it's because I've never...", she faltered before completing, "I've never done this before."
The next thing Tom asked was, "Do you trust me?"
Tom's obsidian eyes seemed to be glinting with an inner fire when he looked at her, awaiting her response.
Did she trust Tom, she asked herself. The answer bubbled up in her. While Harry or Ron may not be entirely happy about her relationship with him, and even her parents seemed to like him mostly on superficial aspects like his rise in the Ministry of Magic, and his ownership of this Apartment--all those were valid considerations, but she knew from the time of her thesis submission that Tom would not abandon her in any lurch. Logically she knew that what Harry had told her about Tom, must be true to some extent, but to her, the qualities of being cunning and shrewd were not repelling qualities, after all, without using stratagems where necessary, the world wouldn't hand anyone anything on a platter. She admired his grit, and dedication. But most of all she loved his quiet strength, patience and dedication that always grounded her, which she could rely on in any situation.
Feeling her eyes well up with emotion she gave him her answer. "Yes, yes, I trust you Tom."
---
Tom POV
Much later as Hermione dozed beside him after their intercourse, Tom slowly parted her thighs. There was a bit of her virginal blood there, and dragging his finger through that blood he drew the runes on her abdomen. Ehwaz and Mannaz for marriage and for a balanced partnership, respectively, Jera for fertility and harmony, and finally the fidelity vow written from her virginal blood that would eternally bind her to Tom, Mihi solum corporis amans est Tom Marvolo Riddle.
The runes glowed an iridescent red on her body before they were absorbed in her body leaving no trace behind of their existence. Almost immediately after the runes were absorbed, a ring appeared on Hermione's left ring finger, and another ring appeared on Tom's ring finger. Tom's ring was a gold with a lion's face on it, and small ruby insets as the lion's eyes. Hermione's ring was a silver band which curled into a snake face at the front, with small glittering emeralds as the eyes of the serpent.
His arcane ritual consisted in the maiden willingly entering into sexual intercourse with a wizard, and giving control over her life to that wizard. This was usually a marriage ritual, and for his purposes, Hermione's response of her trusting him had fulfilled the condition of the witch giving control to the wizard, and the second condition of her being willing was already there. Creating a marriage bond was not the only purpose of this ritual. The witch and wizard so intimately tied could access each other's magical core if ever a threat to their lives arose, and alert the other bonded member if their bonded mate faced any danger.
Usually this ritual was practiced with virgins, as a witch's virgin blood was the most potent magical ingredient. Of course, this ceremony had variations which could be performed with a witch who was not a virgin, but the ingredient which triggered the binding was the sacrifice of something which could not be returned. Many dark wizards had performed this ceremony with the substitute of unicorn blood, with witches they wished to marry or bind. But unicorn blood came with its cursed existence, and hence virgin witches were such a prize, and purebloods who knew of these rituals always ensured that their daughters entered their matrimony as virgins.
Tom, had had many opportunities to consummate their relationship, but ever since he knew of Hermione's innocence, he knew he wanted to perform this with her.
Feeling satisfied, Tom gathered Hermione into his arms. Brushing her curls away from her forehead, Tom spoke sotto voce to her sleeping face, 'We will be together as long as we both live, darling. Forever.'
The End