Taming The Serpent [Tom Riddle/Tomione]

20. Unforgivable

"I beg your pardon?" She mumbled weakly. Tears were welling up on her eyes, ready to fall, but she would not give them the satisfaction.

"Well, Lockhart" said Lestrange, more loudly. "We know your parents are filthy muggles. "

The contents of Hermione's potion had vanished by now; she was left standing foolishly beside an empty cauldron. "You told them..." she whispered. Riddle's lips twitched briefly before he nodded slowly.  

While everyone around her filled their bottles, Hermione quickly cleared away her things, boiling. She took a quick glance at a worried Penelope, who had clearly heard the conversation. Slughorn had now finished aiding Amycus and as he turned around ready to inspect Hermione's potion, he was faced with a large wooden door slamming shut. "Oh dear, what has happened?" He asked confusingly.

Hermione furiously strolled inside the hardly filled Great Hall. The ceiling had turned an even murkier grey during the morning. Rain was lashing the high windows.

"That was uncalled for," said Penelope consolingly, sitting down next to Hermione and helping herself to shepherd's pie. "Those nasty Slytherins never know when to keep their mouths shut; when he called you that, I felt like setting his robes on fire."

"Don't worry, I'm used to that nasty name," said Hermione, glowering at her plate, "I'm upset with something else..."

And it was true; Hermione was used to Draco and the other mean Slytherins calling her those things since she was eleven. What pushed her over the edge was the fact that Riddle had told them. But then again, Hermione almost hexed herself for thinking he wouldn't. Penelope did not say anything and Hermione got up and left.

She walked up the marble staircase two steps at a time, past the many students hurrying towards lunch. The anger that had just flared so unexpectedly still blazed inside her. Hermione spent the rest of the lunch hour sitting alone underneath the trapdoor at the top of North Tower.

"Skipping lunch, I see." A familiar, unwanted, cold voice drawled from behind her. "I ought to give you a detention for that."

"No, you do not." grunted Hermione. Her eyes flashed daggers at him; she was certain that if looks could kill, he'd drop dead in a millisecond, no matter how many Horcruxes he had made.

"You certainly do know how to push your luck, LockHart." He snarled. 

"Go. Just leave, I do not wish to speak to you. " Said Hermione impatiently. Riddle eyed her for a second, before turning and strolling elegantly down the corridor, his long Slytherin robes flying behind him.

As Hermione had predicted, rest of the day was filled with cocky remarks from Slytherins, and cold glares from Tom Riddle. It was a relief to get outside into the greenhouses; they were dealing with more dangerous plants than ever in Herbology, but at least they were still allowed to swear loudly if the Venomous Tentacula seized them unexpectedly from behind.

The post owls arrived, swooping down through rain-flecked windows, scattering everyone with droplets of water. Most people were receiving more post than usual; anxious parents were keen to hear from their children and to reassure them, in turn, that all was well at home. The Williams too, had sent a small letter to Hermione, and she found herself smiling at the piece of parchment in her hand.

"From your parents?" asked Cepheus eagerly. Hermione's smile hastily dropped and a frown replaced it almost instantly. Penelope nudged him on the ribs, causing the green eyed boy to wince loudly. 

"Ouch. What was that for, you lunatic?" he exclaimed, while rubbing his chest. Penelope smiled sympathetically at Hermione, before chewing on a bright green apple.