Solving Riddles

Less Of A Human

A/N: Sorry I've been away for so long.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP. ALL CHARACTERS EXCEPT FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT MENTIONED IN HARRY POTTER BELONG TO JK ROWLING.

CHAPTER TWELVE: LESS OF A HUMAN

Tom stood in front of the diary and smiled, this was the key to his immortality. He could admit to himself that he felt a bit of fear from what he was about to do, he could become disfigured or worse, get the incantation wrong and kill himself. He wouldn't know unless he tried. He picked up his wand and pointed it at the diary whispering the incantation slowly, and then he turned the wand to himself, the incantation was different but yet the same this time, when he was done he felt nothing at first and then the pain began. It felt nothing like any pain he had experienced before. He fell to his knees and felt as if he was being ripped in two, his body was on fire, and he felt for sure that he was going to die, his head felt as if it was going to burst as if a tremendous amount of pressure had been placed on him, he couldn't help but let out the scream that he'd been trying to hold back and when he did thousands of other voices screamed along with him and suddenly it all stopped, everything just ended. He lay on the floor panting, his mind was blank but relieved.

XXX

Hermione had been wary for the past few days, ever since Tom had brought up the idea of a Horcrux in the library, he had said nothing about it but Hermione knew full well that he would make one soon and it'd be his diary, she just had no idea when. She didn't worry herself too much about this though, him being less human didn't affect her in any way all she knew was she'd try to make her plan succeed before he lost his mind and turned inhuman completely.

Hermione looked up as Tom walked into the room of requirement. He looked tired almost, his hair was dishevelled, he held his robe in his hand and the top button of his shirt was undone; for some reason, Hermione found that she preferred him like this when he didn't play the role of mister Perfect Prefect.

"What happened to you?" She asked with a smirk.

He cocked his head at her and smiled with such a crazed look in his eyes that it actually scared her, "I did it." he says, "I Tom Marvolo Riddle has finally done it!"

"Done what Tom?" Her voice trembles, she knew the answer, but she just couldn't understand how much she didn't want it to be true.

He walks over to her and crouches and puts his hands on her shoulders, "I created a Horcrux Hermione, I've finally done it." he gets up and leans against the wall smiling and shaking his head, still with the look in his eyes. For that moment Hermione was stunned, a few hours ago she thought that she wouldn't have minded when she found out that he had created a Horcrux but now she realized how wrong she was. For some reason, this affected her a great deal, and she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why.

"Well," he turns to face her, "aren't you going to congratulate me?"

For what? She wanted to say but instead, she looked up at him and smiled, "Spectacular," she says, "simply spectacular." He nods and laughs, "I know isn't it?"

You're crazy, another thing she wanted to say, you're a sick manipulative bastard that's what makes you what you are, crazy; she knew she couldn't say any of this, and so she kept her mouth shut. One thing she learned about Tom Riddle while she'd been stuck here in the past was that he loved to be praised. She got up from her chair and walked over to him, he stared down at her with a red glint in his eyes that made her want to back away from him, but she stood strong. "Brilliant really, how did you do it?" she asks almost reluctantly and places a hand on his chest. Tom puts a hand under her chin and lifts her face, forcing her to look into his eyes, "Oh I couldn't possibly tell you that." he chuckles moving his hand to cup her cheek. "Why?" she asks.

"I don't want to scare you." he laughs a crazed laugh and kisses her, she wants to pull away but doesn't, she doesn't want him touching her, she didn't like him being close to her while he was like this, but she did nothing, she couldn't. When he pulls away from her she looks at him questioningly, "What do you mean 'scare me'?"

"Oh come on Hermione, you don't really want to hear the tale of how I spilt my soul now, do you?"

"Actually I do."

Tom sighs pushes past her and walks to the other side of the room, "All I can say is that it hurt, a lot but it was worth it because now I can live without fear of death, I've found a way to cheat death Hermione, now be happy and let's start the duel."

He looked overjoyed, she wouldn't have minded this if he didn't look crazy as well, but, she didn't want to make him mad, so she doesn't say a word more about it. And the duel began.

XXXXXXXX

)Hope you guys can forgive me for the crappiness of it. Tell me what you guys thought about it in the review section.