The Sortinghat's Mission

Chapter 20

Tom had had a plan. It had been a brilliant plan. He was going to seduce Hermione, get her to trust her the way only a lover could and then she would spill all her secrets to him. He was sure it would work, it had been easy enough in the library. And given he had put on the amortentia on him while thinking of her and she had sniffed him more than once it was sure to give him the effect he had wanted. He had even managed the special one, earning him at least another month of scents. Because Hermione had kissed him.

One of the more advanced books, in the restricted area of course, had held the knowledge that one could use it as perfume instead of drugging your victim. It was important that those three steps were concluded for it to work though. Putting on, thinking off, and sniffing of the victim. And lucky for him, it had. A little over four months he would still harbor some of the smells she longed for, and it was this that was going to get her to give up her information.

The day after their little get together in the library Hermione didn't show, not even for meals. And this Tom knew because he sat there, reading for the entire of them, keeping a close eye on the entrance of the hall. He wanted to keep seeing her so that he could get on with his plan and gain more information on her. He was fairly certain she wasn't from this time, but a big part of him found it rather impossible. They had banned all long-period time turners for eternity after the incident with Andrea Holmes, the only ones still in use were crafted so that they could only hold the traveler for five hours at tops in the past. So there was the possibility that she just wanted to have one to have her friends and family back, but she didn't strike him as a fool. She ought to have known she couldn't save them now, so long from when they were killed? His thoughts were swirling about in his head throughout the day.

The second day she didn't show either. Tom sat at his spot, overlooking the entrance to the great hall, but he never saw her.

She didn't show the third, fourth, fifth or even the sixth day either. And Tom's patience was beginning to waver. Who was she, making him sit around like a bloody fool, waiting for her to come forth. And where the hell was she? How did she survive on no food?

He contemplated the possibility that she had used a disillusionment charm, but he saw no flickers of lights anywhere. And there was no possibility that she could cast one so good he wouldn't notice it. The thought of an invisibility cloak crossed his mind, but there was no way she could have one, coming from a muggle family. All and all, her disappearance was upsetting him for far more reasons than he cared to admit. He felt utterly betrayed. Snogging with him made her want to hide up in her tower? Snogging with him made her skip out on a week's meal? Was it so awful?

He even went up to Ravenclaw tower in the middle of the night, facing the dumb bird that spit out a question to him. Not even caring to notice he held Slytherin's colors.

"Without a bridle or a saddle, across a thing I ride a-straddle. And those I ride, by help of me, though almost blind, are made to see. What am I?"

He stood there thinking of the riddle for quite some time, far longer than he cared to admit. But he eventually got it.

"Eye glasses" he said smugly.

"Well reasoned." the door said, before opening up to a circular, blue room.

Tom entered after a few seconds of hesitation. Even though he initially had thought of entering the Ravencalw common room solely for the reason of Hermione, he now felt more intrigued than ever to indulge in the secrets. He had never attempted to enter before, and knowing now how easy it was he felt himself quite the fool.

It was a circular room, the walls held big windows that overlooked the grounds. It was a comfortable mix of blue and bronze everywhere. If he looked up, he would have seen a dome giving the impression of a bright, starry evening. But he didn't. All Tom could see was a petite girl, curled up in a cushion armchair, her big mane of curly hair all around her. She was breathing calmly, a faint smile on her lips. She was utterly beautiful. Hermione stirred in her sleep, and it was enough to make Tom retort back to his own quarters in haste. He did not want her to know that he had come to see her. Not when she so clearly wasn't missing his company.