When he woke up the next morning, he was shocked to see that Eleanor was no longer beside him. Her scent still lingered in the soft white bedsheets, reminding him that last night wasn't a flight of fancy nor a dream. It had actually happened, no matter how unbelievable it seemed, that enticing floral fragrance all around him confirming that fact.

But the person whom that fragrance belonged to was no longer there.

He sat up exasperated, quickly leaving the bed as he checked the bathroom but found it empty. It could mean two things; either she had broken the time loop and had returned to her time or she had tricked him again and escaped.

But when he thought of those marble green eyes and the cherry pink lips that he had kissed to his heart's content the previous night, he couldn't think that she had left out of her own will. She could not just leave, he had ordered both Roxanne and Abraxas to not let her escape.

That left the other possibility that she must have returned to her own time and the loop must have broken at last.

And that also meant even though he ached to be able to lay eyes on her again, to hold her close and to kiss her again, he had to wait for an indeterminately long time before he would be able see her again.

A disappointed groan escaped him as he fell back on the bed, the sheets still reminding him of her as his grey eyes fluttered shut out of frustration.

And the two names she had given him resonated clearly within his head.

Regulus Black and Esmeralda Troy.

Two of his victims that he had promised her to spare in order to convince her in not killing him. It was supposed to break the time loop and she was supposed to return to her own time, he realized that must have happened and that was why she was no longer beside him.

But he couldn't let go that easily, he couldn't let go of all that had passed in between him and the mysterious woman from the future.

His future. 

And if things continued on track, he would eventually see her again. After how long, he didn't know, but he would make sure of that.

Even if he had to search the entire world for her, he would do so.

And once he set his mind on something, he never backed off until that target was achieved. Just like he had set his mind on gaining immortality and wasn't backing off despite all he had been through due to it.

But the previous night with Eleanor had left him in conflict again, making him realize just how much he had sacrificed in order to achieve immortality.

He had sacrificed each chance he could have had at having a normal life, a family, a home. Every single thing that kept people alive and pushing through even the hardest of times, was what he had discarded first of all.

Yet what had he gotten in return?

Nothing except power over the few of his followers and more knowledge and expertise in the Dark Arts.

But he was so deep in the quagmire of Dark Arts that there was no point of return. He could not abandon everything after all the extremes he had gone to in order to achieve immortality. He would not rest until he reached his goal.

He descended the stairs down to the dining hall of the Malfoy Manor, where Roxanne and Abraxas were having breakfast. 

Abraxas rose from his chair immediately, but Tom dismissed him, though he spoke up, "Abraxas, I want you to gather all my followers here by evening."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Miss Troy has left too, you will no longer have to worry about her."

"Left?" Roxanne was surprised and Abraxas was worried because he recalled clearly that Tom had threatened to kill them if Eleanor escaped.

"Yes. And no, Abraxas, you and your family are in no danger of being punished as of now," he had read the thoughts in his head as he spoke, "continue to be loyal to me and you won't have to worry about anything."

"We are grateful, My Lord," he bowed his head and did not lift it up until Tom left.

He was one of the very few people Tom Riddle trusted completely but even then he had to make sure that he did no such thing that could waver that trust because his life depended on it.

Tom left the Manor shortly after though he did spent the rest of the hours, before his meeting with his followers, in search of Eleanor and as expected there was not a single trace of her. By evening he returned to Malfoy Manor and obtained reports from his followers regarding the tasks he had assigned to them earlier.

A few of them were supposed to look after new recruits, others were distributed into keeping a watch on the Ministry and the Wizengamot, trying to get as many people on his side as possible.

Though as his eyes landed on Silas Avery, he felt a surge of anger shoot up in his veins recalling the time he had seen him with Eleanor at the Leaky Cauldron, but he controlled himself.

"Dismissed," he concluded the meeting and watched the Death Eaters leave however he added, "not you, Silas. I have a task for you."

Silas paused and nodded his added obligingly, staying behind as the rest of the Death Eaters left the room. Tom gestured Abraxas to leave as well, so that him and Avery were alone.

Avery stood respectfully before him as Tom's eyes swept over him in disdain. He had wanted to punish him severely ever since he had seen her flirt with Eleanor but he needed a reason for that.

Avery was one of his earliest Death Eaters, he had been by his side from school years, just like Abraxas had been. He couldn't get rid of him without reason.

But right then, he had found a perfect opportunity.

"What do you know about Eleanor Troy?" He asked in a calm tone, watching as the color drained from the wizard's features.

"Not much, My Lord. I met her a few times at the Leaky Cauldron. That's all."

He nodded, observing the unease depicted clearly on Avery's features. He knew very well that Avery was keeping him in the dark about a lot already.

"I want you to track her out," he assigned the task to him though he knew very well that it was impossible, "you are supposed to bring her to me as soon as possible. And if you fail... The consequences won't be favorable."

"Yes My Lord, I will not disappoint you." Avery bowed his head and Tom dismissed him, watching his retreating figure as a satisfied smile tugged up on his features.

The blonde Death Eater had no idea that he had just been given an ultimate death sentence. And there was no way he could escape that fate.

***