InsaneJournal

[Ficlet] Dancers in the Dark (Hermione/Tom, PG)
Title: Dancers in the Dark
Author: Envinyatar (aka envinyatar15)
Pairing: Hermione/Tom
Rating: PG
Warnings: none - except for a bit of cruelty on Tom's part, perhaps
Word Count: 466
Summary: “Tom,” Hermione called out into the forest.

Notes: For freetheelves2 as part of Dezemberträume '06 (translated: December Dreams). The prompt was Hermione/Tom, dancing in the snow. I hope you enjoy! Unbeta'd, so beware - I'm not a native &c. Originally posted here, December 31, 2006.

For 100quills: #37 alone, lions_serpents: #10 water


“Tom,” Hermione called out into the forest. Her voice was beginning to show her nervousness: every time they were dancing this dance, she feared that one wrong step would destroy it all. She was a good dancer, but he was the master, unforgiving and cruel if he thought himself disrespected or slighted. Until now, whenever she had made a mistake and stepped on his toes, he had always accepted her apologies after a long time had gone by and she had begged and begged and begged, but who knew whether he would do that time and time again? Losing balance was so easy with him…He would just let her fall if he was so inclined.

“Tom!” she tried again, this time more loudly. Luck wasn’t on her side today, though; again there was no answer. Panic was creeping up within her. What if she had done something in a way he didn’t want her to? What if the beginning of the game she simultaneously despised and loved so much - both for its danger and the challenge it represented – had been the last time she had seen Tom? What if that kiss he had given her had been the last? She’d known about the possibilities then, but…

She still tended to believe the best of persons. Although she should know better by now; although she knew Tom wasn’t a nice person. Never that.

He was a challenge, and perhaps that was why she loved him so much.

Tears began streaming down her face. Always he tried her the hardest during Christmas time. He knew she would be with her friends if it weren’t for him, so his tests to see whether she really wanted to remain with him became almost cruel. “TOM!” she screamed, her voice breaking as a sob fought its way out into the cold winter air.

Still there was nothing. Desperation took hold of her, and bonelessly, she fell to her knees, her trousers immediately becoming soaked through as the snow on the ground melted to water due to her body heat.

She knew this was it. Never before had he had her waiting this long when she’d finally found his general hiding area. But how, how could she have lost him? What had she done wrong?

A hand suddenly touched her at the shoulder. Hermione scrambled to her feet with a shriek, her wand already out, and turned around to face whoever it was standing there, her mouth hanging open as she realised who it was.

He had come at last.

The dance ended as Tom leaned in and caught her lips in one of those possessive kisses of his. His hands wiped away her tears while he claimed her, and she submitted to him completely.

She hadn’t fucked up after all.