In Broken Time

Chapter 21

After quitting her job at Flourish and Blotts, Hermione returned to Borgin and Burkes half an hour earlier than usual. It was time to quit she decided. And after her little adventure last night she felt too tired to work. Her belongings were all shrunken down and put into her extended pocket. For the last time as an employee she entered the dark and dreary store. She found Burke looking through a long slip of parchment over near the dusty counter. Burke noticed her and glared at her over his eyeglasses. "What are you doing here so early?"

"I wish to resign, sir."

"Fair enough...you have served us well. You are hereby dismissed from your position." Burke said dismissively before returning to the piece of parchment. Hermione stooped down into a slight bow before turning towards the exit of the store. Unfortunately, she was not early enough as she ran into the person she least wanted to see. "Good morning, Black. You're quite early today. You must've gone to sleep quite early after last night." Hermione caught a mischievous glint in Tom's eyes. Is it possible that he could know? Had she underestimated him? "I slept just fine thank you, Tom. Now if you would excuse me, I need to leave."

"Where would you be going? Isn't it your shift today?" He stared at her with a look of confusion. "I quit. I've had enough of this place. Besides...Lucretia invited me to stay with her. She's engaged." Hermione hoped that he bought into the lie.

"I see...well perhaps I should escort you back to your room? I have a few minutes to spare before I must return here."

"I'm fine."

"No, but I insist. It's not safe around here for a young and pretty lone woman. We also have some matters to discuss...you didn't forget about my task for you, did you?" Hermione froze. "Of course not. I was going to get back to you after Lucretia kicks me out." Hermione's cheeks flushed from her poorly formulated lie. A smirk bloomed on Tom's face. "Ah. I see," He held out his arm for her to take, which she ignored. "You are quite a bad liar, you know." Hermione didn't know if it was possible for her to get redder. They walked on in a minute of silence before Tom broke it. "Even though the locket and the cup has been found, I still need you to find the diadem."

"But I haven't heard anything! How could I possibly find it?" Hermione responded with frustration as they walked through Knockturn Alley. "Oh I think you can, Black. And you will. I just have a feeling that you know where it is." It took only a moment before she felt darkness envelop her.

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Hermione woke in a bed with a pounding headache. Hermione almost jumped when she saw Tom sitting on the chair beside her bed with the locket and cup in his hands. "Thought you could fool me Black? You thought that I didn't feel the after effects of your special little sleeping draught?" His face was contorted into a sneer as he peered down over her.

"I...I...It was just an experiment..."

"DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME! What is this then!?" Hermione froze in fear when she saw what he brought out from his pockets. Hufflepuff's Cup and Slytherin's Locket. "You think I wouldn't go after the cup and locket after Smith stole them from me? I tracked down Smith this morning, only to find out that she and her little elf were obliviated and the objects nowhere to be found. And I know for a fact that the only person capable of that was you. I also happen to know that you would not give them up, seeing how you resigned your position at work and went earlier to do so. Just. What. Are. You. Planning, Black?"

"To keep them from you! Because I know what you are capable of in the future. What world you want to create. And let me tell you that it is hell." Hermione didn't wait for a reaction before she sent a Stupefy at him. He hit the wall, and in the midst of the action, the cup and locket were sent flying across the room. Hermione could only retrieve the locket before Tom got up and sent an unknown spell at her, which narrowly missed. Hermione sent a combination of spells at him while trying to block his own attacks on her. Inch by inch, Hermione made her way towards the cup, while she dueled with Tom. All she had to do now was reach down. With one final Protego, Hermione grabbed the cup and disapparated away.