A Riddle to be Told (Hermione x Male Reader)

Chapter 7: The Forbidden forest

Excuse me for making you all wait...To those reading, you have my sincerest thanks.

Nonetheless, please do enjoy.

     Explanations for having not done anything wrong in the first place were odd. Tom had explained the situation long ago to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Ron and Hermione wanted nothing of it, and Harry merely followed their lead. Rather quickly, to the whole year group, it became clear; the golden quartet had turned into the golden trio. 

    The golden trio had been ostracised by most from their own house; they were lost to them. Harry even tried to quit the quidditch team. Yet, for Tom, it was the opposite - though he and Draco lost 20 points for Slytherin, the other Slytherins welcomed them back as heroes. They were now first place in the house cup because of their 'heroic' actions of getting the Gryffindors to lose 150 points. Such social power it gave Tom, that the boy began to regret his loss of friendship with the golden trio less and less and less. 

     More, now then ever, Tom was the most popular boy in Slytherin - save for Draco. People kept coming up to him, and talking to him; which was enjoyable for all about 20 minutes. He was socially exhausted past then; his library session during lunchtime couldn't come any quicker. This, in the eyes of the golden trio, seemed to be proof of Tom's betrayal. 

     People kept talking to him again at the Slytherin table during breakfast even a week after the incident, where Professor McGonagall handed him and Draco a note regarding their detention - they were to meet Filch later that day.

     Of course; today Tom had potions with the Gryffindors. Just his luck.

    Snape was in his usual scowling manor, striding up and down the classroom as he watched his students like a hawk...well, not all of them - just the Gryffindors. Ron has already lost Gryffindor 5 points this morning for speaking out of turn; somehow, the other Gryffindors hate him even more now. 

      'now - can somebody tell me the main use of an Abraxan hair?' called Snape.

      'ah yes - Mr Riddle'. 

      'they're used in strong exstimulo potions'. Snape pursed his lips, stomping back to the front of the classroom. 

       'turn to page 394; make notes for the duration of what is left of this lesson'. Hushed groans could be heard throughout the room, as the students opened their comically large potions books. 

     Writing peacefully, Tom relaxed in his chair as he filled his parchment with scribbles of neat notes in angled cursive. Now, the 'golden trio' did not even bother to glance in his direction. Good. After all, Tom planned on being alone, for if these past few days have taught him anything, then he ought to only depend upon himself.

                                                                                                   *

    The forbidden forest; words enough to send shivers down even the most daring Gryffindor - especially at night, on a full moon. Rather literally too, for Neville, Harry and Ron looked paler than Nearly Headless Nick. Hermione, at any second, seemed ready to spew the morning's splendour onto the muddied floor. Draco was no better off, shivering like a particle. 

   The only ones not under fear's spell was Tom and Hagrid, in which the latter looked as if he were going on a calm morning stroll through the countryside with his lantern in one hand, and Fang by his side, and not the forest before them - jagged, rough, dark, and seemingly emanating scariness.