Breaking Hermione

Play The Lover

In total, I spent 10 days in the Hospital Wing. Tom, who had been incessantly bothering Madam Pomfrey for her lack of nursing expertise, had been smartly kicked out of the Hospital Wing until "further notice", as Dumbledore had somberly told me.

"Why is he suddenly so concerned about me?" It was a cold Tuesday morning, and upon hearing the news Tom was demanding Hospital entry yet again, I felt the need to say something. I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"You're a bright, attractive young woman, Miss Granger." Madam Pomfrey had said, staring at me with a stern, almost motherly look. "You know what men become like when they see a damsel in distress. One moment, they're as cold and as distant as a stone, and the next they're as crazed about you as a Niffler trapped in a Gringotts vault, surrounded by mountains of treasures."

I frowned.

"I'm not a damsel, and I'm not in distress!" I said angrily. "Well, I am in a bit of distress. But that's because of him!" I kicked my bed sheets off myself, feeling suddenly trapped beneath the weight of my emotions and Tom's potential deceit.

"Do you really think a man like Tom Riddle believes that you're independent?" Madam Pomfrey sat down on the corner of my bed, placing her hand on mine. "I was under the impression he thought himself with powers superior to everyone. You already know how muggle men can treat women. But wizarding men?" She laughed bitterly to herself. "They think a woman's heart is a Snitch in a goddamn game of Quidditch."

"Not all men." I said, thinking of Ron.

"You're correct. But we are talking about Tom Riddle. And to be quite honest with you here, I think it best if you stay away from him, he strikes me as the type of man who likes to feel like... Well, like he's conquered someone."

"But that's the thing," I said, feeling worse by the minute. "How am I supposed to stay away from him if he won't leave me alone?"

"You're at Hogwarts. There are many hidden places, but only revealed to the most desperate."

"What, there are places asides the Room of Requirement?" I asked in confusion.

Madam Pomfrey paled.

"I've said too much. I actually came in here to tell you that you're free to go. You have actually overstayed two nights, I was reluctant to let you go, I must admit. It doesn't ease my mind in the slightest knowing who you're going out there to."

I froze. I had spent such a long time in the Hospital Wing, relishing in the safety of being out of Tom's sight, that I wasn't really paying attention to what would happen when I had to face him again.

How was I supposed to react to this new Tom? I was so used to treating him as my arch enemy, that it was almost unbearable to think of having him around me, acting like some sort of lovestruck admirer.

Especially considering the fact he is unable to love. My mind chimed in.

I waited until Madam Pomfrey left before I swung myself out of bed. It wasn't easy. I didn't want to move, I sat quietly on the bed contemplating everything, my shoes sitting neatly directly below my feet.

Should I participate in Tom's latest game, and play the lover?

Only if you want to lie to yourself.

But would it be lying if I knew I was uncovering the truth of his actions? I needed to decipher what he was trying to steer me towards.

Why did everything suddenly seem so fucking hard?

I dragged my hair up in a messy bun, and finally collected myself enough to put my shoes on. I wasn't going to be weak, I was going to be strong. It was a choice, after all.