The rain poured heavily outside the castle, and Hermione sat by the library window, nose in book. She had been sorted, and a trunk with school robes and course books were placed in her dormitory. But she wished to spend no time getting to know the people of her house, or anyone in the castle for a matter of fact. So she sat in the corner of the library in solitude, which quite honestly wasn't that terrible.
The only thing she missed were her friends, Harry and Ron, who were back in the future. A tear slipped from her eye, but she caught in on her sleeve before it fell onto her book. She glanced up when she saw Tom striding down the isles, scanning the library, most likely in search of her. She held the book in front of her face and sank down in her chair in attempts to hide herself.
"What the bloody hell does he want now?" she whispered into her book.
She could tell he had found her, and she lowered her book with a frown. "I said don't bother talking to me again!"
"Well you can't hide in the library all day! It's your birthday........so" He held out a cake sporting Slytherin colors. "Happy birthday Granger."
"I'm not in Slytherin!" she said coldly, turning back to her book.
"Really?.....well in that case....." this time held a cake with blue frosting and an eagle on it.
"I'm not in Ravenclaw either." She stated simply.
He placed the blue cake next to the other, and pulled from nowhere one with a lion. "Please tell me you were sorted in Gryffindor.....because I didn't bother to make a Hufflepuff cake!"
"Yes I'm in Gryffindor!" She still said nothing more, continuing to read her book, deciding she was not going to let him force her to leave the library again.
"Would you like some of the three cakes I made you?" He asked with one eyebrow raised, even though she didn't look up. He sighed and turned the empty chair by the table around, and sat, leg on either side, arms wresting on the back of the chair. "You won't even look at me for more than two seconds! It was just a trophy!"
This caused her to look up at him, with her eyebrows raised. "You are telling me that you made three cakes?"
"Well no....not exactly me..."
"My point exactly!"
Tom smiled at her hostility and reached for her hand resting on the table. As soon as his fingers touched her skin, she retracted her hand. "For the billionth time......don't touch me!"
"Well what if I want to..." he said with a boyish grin.
Hermione took a second to stare at him, processing what he meant by this. Did he like her.....Hermione jean know it all Granger? Nobody bothered paying attention to her. 'No' she thought. 'He's trying to use you, to find out about horcruxes.'
She held a stern expression, trying not to wince under his gaze. "Well sometimes Riddle....you don't always get what you want!"
"I do." He said with a smirk. "I always get what I want."
There it was....the Voldemort line of thinking he was superior to everything. Hermione bit her tongue, forcing herself not to yell at him. She wished so terribly to wipe the stupid smirk off his face. The only thing that kept her from saying anything, was the idea that giving in to his toying, would give him exactly what he wanted. And Hermione just wasn't about to give Tom Riddle that satisfactory.
She looked back to her book, for what felt like the millionth time since he had been talking to her.
"Excuse me Granger?...it is rude to ignore someone when they are engaging in a conversation with you."
Hermione closed her book in frustration, seeing as she was getting no reading done. "I'm aware." She replied with wit.
"You think you are clever?!"
Hermione placed the book in her bag, and stuffed other small things, such as half used parchment and quills into it as well. She got up from the table.
"Where do you think you are going?!" Tom asked impatiently.
"I'm leaving....and I'm sorry if you thought I was going to hold a conversation with you. Unlike what you said earlier, you don't get everything you want!"
Hermione was satisfied by the grimace Tom held. She waited for him to say some witty remark, but evidently he was speechless. "Good day Riddle." She smiled to rub in her satisfaction before exiting the library.
Stepping into the corridor, she walked almost mindlessly her favorite route about the castle. However even with persuasion, Hermione found the corridors to seem rather gloomy.
Again the idea of her friends ensued her thoughts. What were they doing back in the future? What if she never made it back? And if she never made it back, would they even be her friends? She knew not to think like this, but could hardly help it. Her mind always thought of the worse case-scenario.
What she needed was a distraction. Something to busy herself with.
"Granger." A voice called from behind her.
This jaded her. This was not what she meant by something to busy herself with. Reluctantly she turned around, to face the headstrong teen. The posture he held could be seen as either intimidating, or simply an annoying sign of arrogance.
"What could you possibly want with me now Riddle?" Hermione asked, taking note of the way the nearby torch light exaggerated his jawline.
"I'm bored." He whined.
"Thanks for sharing." Hermione drawled sarcastically.
"Why do I get this feeling you are judging me, before you even know me."
Hermione swallowed nervously. Tom Riddle was a smart man. Did he still have suspicions of how she knew so much about him? "That's because I am." She replied.
"Care to elaborate?" He said coldly with a hint of curiosity.
"Hmm....let me think....I wonder why I could judge you. Let's think. Oh....I got it....maybe it could be the fact that you tried to torture me within five minutes of meeting you!"
"But it didn't hurt....you somehow blocked it."
"That's not the point!....the point is you tried....not that you succeeded."
"Thank you for reminding me how skilled you are with blocking spells. Why exactly is that?"
"Your turning this around on me!?" She yelled.
He glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if the corridor was vacant. Hermione should have noticed why this behavior would be considered odd. But before anything suspicious formulated in her mind, she was already being pulled by her forearm into the nearest classroom. Hermione didn't even bother to take note of the dusty surroundings, and old books piled neatly at the side of the vacant classroom. Instead she yanked her arm away from Riddle, seething with anger.
"What do you think you are doing?!" she piped up, still shocked from the swift....for lack of better words....abduction. She heard the click of the door locking, now panic rising in her chest, for she remembered who she was dealing with.
"Cast a spell." Tom ordered, walking to the opposite side of the classroom.
"What?!....Why?" Hermione asked, confused on his intentions.
"Just do it will you!" he said, a hint of impatience in his deep voice.
"No....not until you tell me why!"
"Granger....I can make you cast a spell the easy way or the hard way."
Hermione raised an eyebrow intriguingly, as a sign that he would have to force her the hard way. She was trying to seem fearless, that she could handle whatever devious means of 'the hard way' but she was internally petrified.
She took in a deep breathe, trying not to falter under his stone cold gaze from across the room. She glanced down for a second, to his pocket with the end of his wand sticking out. It was in this feeble moment she realized the sly movement of his hand, signalling that within just a couple of seconds he would be casting a spell her way.
Her mind raced immediately once she concluded on what his next action would be. He was going to throw a spell at her, expecting her to be off guard, and would revel in his own pride of defeating her. That's why he wanted her to cast a spell....so he could deflect it effortlessly.
She kept his gaze, awaiting the quick movement in which he would be attempting to attack her. And exactly as she predicted, he reached for his wand, pointing it at Hermione, the outline of a spell forming on his lips.
But he was too late. "Expelliarmus!" Hermione's voice echoed across the classroom, the jet of light from her wand struck his, sending it flying in the air. She caught the wand in one swift movement, holding back a foreboding smile.
There stood Tom, across the room, most likely still in shock. Hermione said nothing, for the unspoken silence confirmed that what she had just done, was no average accomplishment. She breathed in the stiff air, her chest rising and falling, whilst studying his plastered face. He was either angered, or impressed. More likely a combination of both. But one thing was certain. Now he was never going to leave her alone.
He began to walk forward, slowly and cautiously, in a rather intimidating stature. "Well done Granger." His voice rang off his tongue, diffusing into the stifled air.
"I'd say thank you, but I hardly believe that was sincere."
"You must know better, to understand that when I see something impressive.....I admit it."
"It's hard to believe you find me as impressive, I would have thought I was considered a threat in your book Tom."
He smiled, finding the comeback's of her dialogue quite satisfying. "Well then...I'll ask you this. Are you a threat Granger?"
"I'm afraid only to your ego." she replied, more lightheartedly, seeing that the danger of the last moment was replaced with harmless banter. However she remained cautious of his movements, wary that he was lulling her into a false sense of security.
He was now only a foot away from her, and Hermione was distracted yet again by his close proximity. "May I have my wand back?" he asked calmly, staring incandescently into her eyes.
"Well since you asked so nicely...."
He moved even closer, subtly taking a hold of her hand, physically removing her prying fingers from around the wand.
"Do you give everybody anything they want if they ask nicely?" He spoke softly, still lingering his fingers over the back of her hand.
"Do you always lock people in classrooms with you, or am I just the unfortunate one?" she asked, aware that he was still holding her hand in his.
"Only the attractive ones."
Hermione tried to bite back her laugh. He was not being subtle at all, if that's what he thought. "Does that usually work?" she asked cocking up an eyebrow.
"Does what work?" He asked innocently, but his smirk gave away he completely realized what he was doing.
"complimenting girls , in hopes they will find you irresistible."
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Well in that case....may I have my hand back?...unlike others, I see right through you Riddle."
"I can't be seen through, I haven't died yet."
"What a shame." Hermione said, causing his face to harden. He dropped her hand.
"I'll be going now." she said with a fake smile.
"The door is locked."
"No it's not." Hermione said swinging open the door, and exiting the classroom after giving him a smirk.
Tom didn't talk to her for the rest of the day, in which Hermione thought should be a good thing, but she wasn't sure. She sat in the great hall, trying to hide her face in a book. The last thing she wanted was to meet more people. She looked up when everyone turned their heads towards the entrance. Of course it was Tom who had entered, gaining practically the whole schools attention. How the bloody hell did he have so much confidence?
Hermione noticed him begin to sweep the room with his eyes, assuming he was looking for some of his cronies, or rather servants. But his gaze was moving towards the Gryffindor table, and in that moment Hermione wished she were invisible. She didn't need Tom strolling up to her, in front of the entire great hall.
As if she remembered she could do magic, she whipped out her wand. Everyone was to busy looking at Tom still to even notice when she cast a Disillusionment charm on herself, disappearing from sight. She didn't move, holding in her breathe as Tom's gaze was stationed on the spot where she was sitting.
He quickly looked away, and started to head over to the Slytherin table. As soon as he did, Hermione clambered off the bench, and exited the Great hall.
Breakfast was soon to be over anyway, so instead of returning to the Gryffindor common room and making a great hike to the tower, she made her way to the dungeons for potions class.
She entered the potions classroom, dark like usual, and somehow there seemed to be even more dust building up on the spare advanced potion making books, which were stacked neatly in the back corner.
Hermione stared at the covers from the doorway, realizing in her own bag was the prince's book. Whoever that was. Apparently Harry found this old book at the beginning of their school year, which had annotations in the margins on the correct recipe.
She found it completely an annoyance , that Harry was using the book, making it seem he, was crafting the potion!
Was she jealous, possibly. But there was still the fact it could be dangerous. So she had taken it from him about a week before she traveled back in time, so he wouldn't use it. Now it still resided in her book bag. And now she was in this potions class, not the one with her friends.
"Why hello." A voice called from the front of the room, pulling her from her thoughts.
Behind the front desk, stood a slightly slimmer version of the professor Slughorn back in her time. He still held the cheeky smile, and stood in a stature where it seemed he was weightless, and could jump 10 ft high if he must. His back was now turned from the chalkboard he was just writing the lesson on.
"Hello sir." Hermione said with a smile.
"Are you the new student Dippet was telling me about?!"
"Yes....I'm Hermione Granger professor."
"Splendid!....class doesn't start until quarter to, but please, your welcome to take a seat until the rest arrive."
"Thank you!" she said looking at the array of stools. Likewise she chose her usual spot in the front.
Some students filtered in, all trying to look at 'the new girl', and it was quite obvious to her when people would glance her way. She caught one boy staring at her, and he looked down with a smirk when she gave him a questioning glance.
"Hi, you must be the new girl.....right?" He asked approaching her.
"I guess that would be me." she said, glancing up at the blonde.
"Mind if I sit here?" he asked, motioning to the stool next to her.
"Well I don't see why n-"
"Hey...." Another student said placing a hand on the blondes shoulder. Hermione clenched her jaw, of course Riddle was in this class. "I already claimed that spot Abraxas.....you know how I like the front." Tom said through clenched teeth.
"Of course my Lor..."
Tom tightened his grip on the boys robes.
"....I mean, Tom."
Riddle loosened his grip, and the assumed Abraxas hurried away to the back of the classroom.
Tom sat down, placing his bag on the table.
"Who was that?" Hermione asked, pretty sure it was one of his cronies.
"Oh him.....Just Malfoy."
Hermione looked over her shoulder at the boy, whom indeed resembled the 'Malfoy' Characteristics. The blonde hair being the most obvious. "One of your servants?" Hermione asked turning back to the front. She had definitely noticed Abraxas was about to say Lord, before correcting himself.
Tom looked at her, panic in his eyes for a second, before he started to chuckle. "You have no idea what your talking about Granger, not yet."
Both of them looked towards the front of the class as Slughorn began to speak. "Ah, Welcome.....it looks like everyone is here, so let's begin..."
"Professor....Longbottom isn't here yet." A girl piped up.
"Thank you....but I've been notified he is recovering from a Doxy bite."
There was a murmur of laughter from around the room.
"Enough, Enough!.....now, where was I?......Today I thought we would do something fun. A sort of....competition one would say." He shifted toward the chalk board. "Here I have a list of potions you can choose to brew, most are things we have learned, and others are a bit more...challenging. You will be working alone, and at the end of class, whoever has the finest potion will win a special prize." He said with a cheery voice.
"You will have the entire period, and can use any ingredients from the store cupboard. You may begin." He said, releasing the class to work. There was an instant shifting of chairs, as students filed into the store cupboard.
Hermione skimmed over the list, landing in particular on the two most difficult. Draught of Peace, and Veritaserum. The two were both equally challenging, but no one in her class had every even come close to Draught of Peace. She knew she wasn't capable of it, and looked for something simpler, maybe amortentia, which she had mastered multiple of times.
"Good luck Granger, you may not know this but I am exceptionally good at potion making." He winked, before strutting off to the back of the room.
Hermione now strongly wished to win. She didn't normally take pride in such things, and was rather modest of her skills. But this was now about something. She had to break his confidence, or she would forever hear how he was superior.
She looked back towards the chalkboard landing again on the Draught of Peace. There was only one way she was going to perfect it, and that was by using the Prince's book. She shook her head. 'That would be wrong Hermione!' she scolded herself. 'I'll just use the book, but not the annotations' She concluded, reaching for the old book.
She flipped to the page reading the instructions for the Draught. It consisted of 42 steps, but the scribbled version was only 27. It would be much simpler to follow the Prince's instructions. Tom had come back with powdered moonstone, syrup hellebore, powdered porcupine, and a mixture of other ingredients. He was brewing draught of Peace as well.
She looked back to the book, which said to exchange powered porcupine, to full quills, and double the moonstones to perfect the shade of turquoise the final product should resemble. 'don't do it Hermione.....just the original instructions!'
She looked over at Tom again, whom was already moving rapidly. She would regret it later, but decided to follow the improved instructions. Riddle wouldn't know what was coming.
It was the last five minutes of class, and Hermione had just finished, tom adding his last ingredient. The other students were still frantically working, some were covered in black soot, and others had singed hair.
"Done already Granger?.....must have been a simple potion than." Riddle said, beaming at his own work.
"Oh it was very simple.....compared to my other brews." She said simply.
Slughorn began to walk around, approaching their table with an exaggerated smile. He peered into Tom's cauldron, his face lit with approval. "Very good Tom....very good indeed....perfect like always." the professor praised, causing most of the class to look towards Tom.
Tom himself stood with his hands clasped behind his back, nose in the air. "Thank you professor, but it was nothing....really."
"Oh don't be so modest Tom.....you know you are one of my best students." He looked away from Tom finally, moving his eyes towards Hermione. "Oh, Ms. Granger, well I suppose I could have a look in yours as well."
He peered into her cauldron, and the humble smile on his face, turned into a look of complete shock. He licked his lips, before he said a very faint "My God..."
Tom furrowed his eyebrows looking over at the cauldron curiously. He had never seen Slughorn act like this before. "What?!" he asked, a bit concerned. What could she have possibly done?
"Miss Granger....where did you learn to do this?" Slughorn said looking from the cauldron to his new student. "I've never seen a more perfect draught in my life! In fact, it may even be of more excellence than the inventor himself!"
"Oh....well....I've read many books." she said simply.
"Well we have a winner!....miss Granger, for a perfect draught of peace!"
The class was dismissed, and Hermione hurried out of the classroom, Tom simply standing there perplexed. She had beat him once again....so it wasn't simply a fluke when she disarmed him. Where the bloody hell did this girl come from?