A Riddle to be Told (Hermione x Male Reader)

Chapter 13: Tom's true purpose & End of year Feast

  Tom called out; 'Bruna! there you are!'

   The snale, which had gotten even bigger since he last saw her, slithered cautiously up to Tom, but her tail wiggled as she slithered around the boy's neck and shoulders. 

   'bloody hell, mate! now is not the time to speak parseltongue' Ron complained, as the boys, Ginny, and Lockhart headed towards Professor Dumbledore's office.

   'he called to me...the King of Serpents...but I return faithful' she whispered back.

   A light bulb turned on inside Tom's head; 'of course...King of the Serpents' Tom said.

   'what?' Harry asked.

 'don't worry about it' Tom said

    The group furthered down the barren halls of the castle, with Tom having finally let it slip to Ron, regarding an issue he's always meant to profess.     

   'Ron, my father -- the man who seized Ginny -- is Voldemort, my namesake'

  Tom faced Ron, staring him right in the eye, the boy's face wide open in terrible shock.

   'you what?!' he shouted. 

   Tom turned to Harry, who nodded back to Tom. 'you heard me, Ron. Thought you ought to know, though it goes without saying that you can't tell anyone about this' Tom said.

   'and you didn't tell us?!' said Ron

   'and how would've I done that?' questioned Tom. Ron remained quiet.

   'does Hermione know?' he asked.

   'she found out from Ginny months ago' Harry said, the girl going red.

   'right! that reminds mind, Ginny; how'd you come to get the diary in the first place?' demanded Ron, making Tom stammer at how quickly he went from one thing to another.  

  Ginny kept her gaze down; 'I found it with my stuff on the first night. I was lonely, and so I began to talk with it...and it talked back' Ginny said, ashamedly.

   But Ron too seemed ashamed; he'd failed to look after his own little sister. Tom couldn't imagine the feeling, as he couldn't with most most feelings for that matter, but he could tell it wasn't a pleasant one.

   'what is it, Ron?' asked Tom.

   Ron sighed; 'it's been a bloody long day' he said.

   The group soon got to Professor Dumbledore's office, with Ginny's parents immediately jumping out to hug Ginny, whilst Professor McGonagall looked as if she'd have a heart attack, and Professor Dumbledore with a great twinkle in his eye.  

   'Ginny darling! we were so worried!' Mr and Ms Weasley called, before getting Ron in on their hug. Ms Weasley then soon turned to Harry.

   'thank you dear boy!' she hugged Harry tightly, as well as doing the same with Tom, who merely stood there awkwardly -- not sure what to do or how to respond.

  'how did you save our Ginny?' asked Ms Weasley.

   Harry turned to Ron and Tom, before looking back to Ms Weasley, explaining everything from Aragog to the chamber itself, though leaving the parts about the diary and Ginny out. Tom reserved himself from the conversation, deciding to step outside.

   He knew when Professor Dumbledore would need him; and, as it goes, emotions are far too tricky to deal with a this tiring hour.

  But soon Ginny left, not without thanking Tom once again, towards the informary -- soon followed by Ron with Lockhart behind him; Tom kept his gaze firmly on Ron.