I loud crack and I felt my body slam into the floor, I reached out my hands and staggered to my feet. A soft breeze hit my skin, I looked up to see a blue sky peeking out between a canopy of crisp green leaves. I was in some kind of forest. The only sounds around me the chirping of the birds in the trees and the gentle flowing of water. Suddenly it hit me, what had happened, how I had got here.
"Tom..." I stuttered still somewhat disoriented. I glanced around upon hearing no reply. It was then that my eyes fell upon a tall cloaked silhouette standing just beside the waterfall, his back facing me.
"Tom." I called again, my voice still croaky. No reply. I staggered up the rocky terrain so that I was stood a mere meter below him. For a moment I just watched him, his pale profile. His piercing eyes staring off into the flowing water as it cascaded down the rock face.
"Why?" I breathed, I felt as if I had so much to say and at the same time no words left to say it. He turned his head towards me, I shivered there was a coldness to his presence... an emptiness.
"I thought I had made myself clear to you." his voice was higher than I remembered it... it was definitely still Tom but yet not at the same time.
"Until you killed Lazarus in cold blood and then Wiglaf" I snapped, tears stinging at my eyes. "Did you expect me to just let it go? Let you destroy everything. Let you destroy yourself..."
" I would have thought, would have hoped you would have more sense than to hunt me down but alas perhaps I always knew you could never let the past go."
"You're still Tom Riddle! You can never erase the past!" I stuttered searching desperately for a glimmer of the man I had fallen in love with over all those years but there was nothing, nothing but a flash of anger.
"Tom Riddle is gone and in his stead a yet more powerful ego stands. Lord Voldemort."
"No! Stop this! Please! You can stop this! Let me help you, it doesn't have to be like this." I was begging now, reaching out for any part of Tom Riddle still left. I had lost Wiglaf and Lazarus I could not accept that I had lost him too.
A cold soft laugh echoed quietly around us as he shook his head gently.
"Stupid girl. I do not need your help, I do not want nor will I ever stop." He hissed. It was in those words I felt the finality in his voice... I had truly lost him. I felt my heartbreak, I couldn't breath. The only thing that had kept me going was the slight hope that he could still be saved, that we could still be saved.
"Why do you want this!? Why do you want to ruin everything. Hurt everyone." I shouted, unable to contain myself any longer. "You've left me with nothing! I have nothing left!" the tears streamed down my face as my whole chest felt as if it may explode. It was then that I saw a slight flicker in his eyes, a glimpse of Tom Riddle but it was gone as soon as it had appeared.
"I leave you with your life." He whispered as he took a step back from me. I laughed maniacally throwing my head back.
"My life?" I shook my head. "What use is my life Tom?" I asked, "I can not go on living my life as I watch you destroy the lives of so many... I can not go on living my life as you destroy the only man I have ever loved... you."
"You have no choice." He replied coldly as he turned from me.
"Why won't you kill me like you did Lazarus and Wiglaf. If you want to put an end to your past so much why are you sparing me?"
He paused for a moment he shoulders slumped as if he had just let out an inaudible sigh.
"Do not make me do this." he breathed, his voice had changed again... it was as if the true Tom Riddle was still there just trying to break through.
"No one has ever made you do anything." I breathed withdrawing my wand I threw it to his feet. I was done. I had known all along what this would come to. I had promised myself that I would stop him or die trying.
"I can not fight you like Wiglaf. I could never harm you, kill you... " I shuddered as I took in a deep breath. "but nor can I live knowing I let you walk away, continue this blood thirsty tironey."
"Fight." Tom in frustration. "You have lost your courage." he mocked a nasty smirk upon his face as he attempted to taunt me.
I shook my head with a smile.
"You don't get it do you? I am more courageous now than I have ever been. I hope that you are never able to forget me Tom Riddle." I smiled serenely up at him as I dropped down to my knees.
He stared down at me, a strange look in his eyes as he dropped his wand down his sleeve into his hand. I braced myself.
"I love you." I breathed, a tear fell down my cheek as I prepared myself. It was the end of pain, I would see Wiglaf and Lazarus again... my Father... my Mother... I would find love again. I was never meant for this world.
I opened my eyes staring up at him his wand pointing directly at my chest, a small tear threatened to fall from his piercing eyes which had resumed their icey blue colour.
He narrowed his eyes, tightening his grip upon his wand. "Love is a weakness... I could never allow myself to love you." he averted his eyes from me for a moment. "And that is why I must do this."
"I do not regret our time together," I sighed. "I wish I could have saved you... I do not hate you for what you are about to do... It is I who is sorry." I let another final tear fall down my cheek as I closed my eyes letting memory after memory flood my mind, fill my heart.
Myself and Tom walking slightly ahead, "Glad you came now," I smirked, there was a long pause... he looked on the brink of answering me before Lazarus and Wiglaf caught up with us. Lazarus swung an arm around Tom and Wiglaf placed one around my shoulder. "Well when we are fighting evil together in later life we will look back on today."
"Look at you risking your life for others. When did you get a heart? I thought you did not have a moral code."
"It's a low point in my life, don't hold it against me, I'll most definitely regret it in the morning."
The world seemed to slow down as the only sounds we could hear was the pattering of the rain and the soft distant music of the dance without thinking without knowing what possessed me I slipped my hand into own of Riddles and raised it up into position placing my other arm around his neck to my utter surprise Tom did not protest but hesitated as he slipped his free hand around my back as we began to move to the music.
"The Elite Alleys!"
"I've already given it some thought."
"No!"
"Grisha, He's gone... there's nothing you can do."
"With or without him you will be just fine..."
"But I get it... I suppose... you'd have prefered to be just fine with him.
"I have found that people can stay, leave, save, or destroy you but by far the most dangerous thing they can ever do is come back."
My dress swirled around us like a blood red sea we seemed to move as one, Tom rose my arm and spun me around I tilted my head upwards towards the ceiling as I stared at the falling snow before Tom pulled me back towards him. We were so close now that I could smell his cologne, feel his warmth, the beating of his heart against my own. I was lost within him, sinking, drowning.
His soft lips were against mine. My whole mind went blank, I forgot where I was, what had just happened. The only sense I had was my touch, as I felt his hand move from my jaw to around the back of my neck where it pushed me closer towards him. I should fight back, ask him what in Merlin he was thinking but I didn't... because in all honesty all I wanted to do was melt into him, to give in, finely give in to the pains in my chest, the twisting feeling in my stomach, the burning on my skin at our touch.
"Farewell Grisha."
It was then that the world around me went black, I could no longer hear, or feel... it was over. I was free and so was he... for it was not just I who died that day.
Grisha McLaggen, Heir of Gryffindor. I knew him. I needed him. I loved him and that is our story.
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Thank you so much to anyone who has read this story from the beginning until the end. I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Remember to go and check out 'Voldemort Origins of the Heir' on YouTube if for some reason you haven't already.
If you did enjoy this story. The story is not over yet! Head over to 'From The Devil's Side' to see this story play out through the eyes of none other than Tom Riddle himself!
One final huge shout out to 'princess1284' for being the best friend and inspiration throughout this story.