I woke up to Tom Riddle staring down at me. Of course that scared the hell out of me and I made to bolt upright until both of his hands shoved me down to the mattress.

I had spent a whole night in the room of requirement. The memories of yesterday flooded back to me and I closed my eyes with a sigh.

"Always trying to run away from me aren't you?" He shook his head like a father reprimanding his wayward young daughter.

I opened my eyes.

"You hurt me." My voice was like the rustling dead leaves on pavement. I didn't feel any emotion. It was like I was just as dead inside as he was.

"I dont care about your feelings." He said carelessly. "Just as you don't care about the feelings of your friends."

His words were calculated, a true shock to my system. I had no idea what he meant but still I felt myself sink further into the mattress. Even fully clothed I felt cold. I'd never felt like this.

"What are you talking about?" I barely got the words out.

"Your friends," He repeated. His eyes were shining obsidian. Cruel. Taunting. The room was dimly lit, it was as if his eyes sucked all the light from the room. "Did you know that you have led your precious friends into harms way by disobeying my direct orders?"

I licked my dry lips. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't." He was like my own personal demon. Tall, dark and intimidatingly cruel standing above me and telling me all my supposed transgressions.

"Jade and Shalini. If you didn't come to this school perhaps they wouldn't have suffered as much as they did, amongst countless others who've I dealt to for helping hide you. And Bella Greenwood. Nor would she."

"Bella?" I was confused. "Who is that?"

Tom actually laughed. "You don't even know the name of that gutless Ravenclaw Prefect?"

He smirked at me in that infuriating way I had grown to loathe.

"No...."

I became silent. I didn't even bother to ask her name when she was talking to me. I guess it didn't really mean anything. She sold me out to Tom by running off when he found me.

"You don't care what happened to her?" Tom watched my reaction closely, his eyes honing in on my features.

"Why should I?" I said numbly. "She sold me out. As soon as she saw you she ran off like a coward."

A trace of surprise crossed Tom's features followed shortly by a look of satisfaction I'd never seen him wear.

"You are becoming like me." He sounded pleased. "That is very good."

"No I'm not." I said suddenly.

"Really?" Tom said lowly. "You don't care about anyone but yourself. Deep down you know it. Admit it." He was waiting for my reply.

I thought about it for a moment.

"I care about certain people." I told him. "People that..."

"People that care about you." Tom finished. "Do you care about people that don't care about you?"

"Of course not."

Tom was silent for a moment. It was just my careless words hanging in the air, making our surroundings seem colder than before. It was true. I was like Tom.

Tom withdrew his wand from the sleeve of his cloak and pointed it at me. I looked up at him. I didn't feel fear. I just felt acceptance. He had told me who I really was, and now I had nothing left to fight for.

"If you submit to me right now, completely, I will take the pain away from you."

He had seen my vulnerability and had seized the opportunity to go in for the kill. I was the victim once again and this time I had no strength to oppose him.

"Ok." I said emotionlessly. "I will submit to you entirely. Just take the pain from me."

As soon as I said the words the pain lifted from my entire body. By the end of it my face was wet. Tears? Blood? I didn't know and I didn't care.

"Now get up." Tom stepped back from the old mattress to allow me to stand. I rose, feeling stronger than I'd felt in a long time. The Time Turner beat out of rhythm against my chest, and as I got to my feet I felt different. Stronger. Colder.

"Now, all the idiots asking about what has happened to you have all been seen to my boys. They won't be revealing the truth anytime soon. I suggest you do the same."

"Ok." I cleared my throat. "I won't speak a word of it."

"You are to be relocated to a dorm away from those beloved twins of yours. You three together are trouble. I want to cut it from the root."

"Ok." I said again. I didn't really care what was going to happen. The future was fucked, and I barely had any strength to go on.

We left the Room Of Requirement together, the hall outside was packed with students. Apparently dinner had just finished and students were heading up to their dorms. I looked on emotionlessly.

"You must be hungry." Tom looked down at me. "You haven't eaten in two days."

"Three." I corrected him. "I haven't eaten in three days."

Even though the hall was packed all I could focus on was Tom Riddle and his intimidating look.

"Food fuels the mind, Hermione. If you don't eat I will force you to. And you wouldn't like that at all."

"I'll go down to the kitchens then and get some food."

"Like hell you will." Tom growled. "You're coming with me back to the Common Room to talk. I'll arrange a House Elf to bring you down some food."

Numbly I followed him down the halls, he didn't once look back to see if I was still behind him. He didn't need to. He had won. He had got me at a vulnerable moment and had crushed me. There was nothing left to fight for. I had given up, and I didn't even hate myself for it. I thought of Ron, Harry, Dumbledore, all the people I had failed. Tears sparked to my eyes for only a moment, before I knew it the feelings had gone and I was back to the stone cold numbness that I had grown to know as myself.