This story is part of my request series All About Harry. Do you want to make a request? Look at my bio page for info.

The request for this story was made by Sarsky who wanted a Tom Riddle/Harry Potter story where they are study partners and Harry is a Hufflepuff, as well as some slash or pre-slash. Following the request it became rather AU. Imagine Harry being a student in the same year as Tom and then think up whatever background story you like to account for Lily and James being dead. This is pre-slash.

Sunny Afternoons
Words: 2 952

During the end of the school year, Hogwarts Library sees an almost alarming increase in the number of students who visit. This is however not surprising considering the exams the students are expected to take which are many and extensive. The fifth and seventh year students in particular are expected to prove themselves by presenting all that they have learned over several years over a period of a few short days. The expectations are high, both by professors and guardians. No one wants to fail or disappoint, prompting even the laziest of Gryffindors to frantically hunt through the aisles in the search for a book that will help them succeed.

There was also a steep increase regarding the number of students who belonged to the part of the student population who was well prepared. Following the same pattern they had all year the continued their tireless quest to retain and perfect their knowledge and many a studious Ravenclaw, hardworking Hufflepuff and ambitious Slytherin could be found among the books just as well as the Gryffindors.

A scene which was more uncommon to come across though was the sight of any students from different houses convergence to study together, but more often than not one unlikely duo could be found at a table in the back, near one of the large windows with books spread out in the sunlight.

The duo consisted of the current Head Boy, the Slytherin Tom Riddle and the seventh year Hufflepuff Prefect Harry Potter. They had not been friends for long, around two years, perhaps a little bit more. There were no easy ways for inter house relationships to form. Theirs had been given a chance to evolve when they both returned for their fifth year at Hogwarts having been elected as prefects. Before then they had been rivals rather than friends, often competing for the top spot of their year in the subjects. Once perfect duties forced them together apart from in the occasional class, they had learned to tolerate each other and later as they realized that they could learn from working together they had taken to studying together and as time went by what they had could be classified as friendship.

This afternoon in the middle of May only Harry Potter was seated by their library table, leaning over sheets with diagrams, cross referencing with several books and adding notes in a scrawling script. His black hair was a mess, and it was not made better by the fact that he every now and then would run a hand through it after pushing up his glasses along the bridge of his nose as they kept sliding down. Harry was not left alone for long. At a quarter past three he was joined by his usual companion.

"Hello, Harry," said Tom Riddle smoothly, dropping his school bag in the chair next to Harry who looked up and gave a quick smile.

"How was Herbology?" he asked.

"Fairly interesting considering that it is a class about plants."

Harry snickered. "You did choose to continue the class; you have no one to blame but yourself if you find it tedious."

"I, unlike certain other individuals I could mention, am trying to realize my full potential."

The Hufflepuff scowled at the now seated Head Boy. "You know my reasoning for dropping four classes for my NEWTS. Astronomy and Herbology doesn't interest me and regarding Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes; I had to choose between them and Quidditch."

Tom scoffed. "Idiotic choice. Riding on a broom is not productive."

"The exercise does me good and coaching a team does give skills that you cannot cultivate in a class room."

Even if he wanted to Tom could not argue against that, they were fine points and he was gaining from both. In the future, if Harry could be persuaded to join him in his cause, any leader qualities he possessed would be an advantage and he would not dream of criticizing the toned legs and broad shoulders that many hours of quidditch practice each week had formed. "Fine, as you say then."

"Good," Harry smiled. "What do you say we take this study session outside? I've been inside all morning and it's such a nice day. I'd like to see the sun, and not just through a window."

"I just came from outside," Tom protested.

"We'd be alone outside," Harry hinted innocently. "We could spend some time on extracurricular activities."

"Are you coming on to me, Mr. Potter?"

Harry drew in a quick breath and mock-gasped. "How can you accuse me of such a thing? I was suggesting some nice dueling out of sight, though your suggestion has some merit as well."

Tom shook his head, the smooth parting of dark hair coming lose and falling into his dark eyes. He brushed it away impatiently. "Why do I put up with you?" he asked rhetorically.

"Because you like me," Harry said grinning, "and because I keep you from getting bored."

"That is true enough. You somehow never fail to surprise me."

"I do try. Come on, if we get going we'll have time for all three activates before dinner." Harry got up from his chair, stuffed all his papers and books into his bag and walked off, knowing that the Slytherin would follow. He always did.

Tom sighed, and got up as well. He did not know what it was about Harry that appealed to him. Harry was likable in all the obvious ways, but normally that would not be enough for him. He was not as shallow as the majority of the schools population who flocked around the Hufflepuff simply because he was friendly and good looking. There was more to Harry Potter than that. His fellow student was intelligent and could challenge him academically which was an attribute Tom valued. Harry was also gifted magically and the combination made him a good wizard.

Besides all that they had back stories which were similar. They had both lost their parents, albeit under different circumstances and they had grown up with people who hated them because they were afraid. Magic had been their salvation, Hogwarts their first true home, and experiences such as these provided them with a strong bond.

He caught up to Harry as the other was checking out a book by the front desk and then they walked down and out on the grounds together, discussing the Arithmancy calculation Harry had been working on in the library, going on to discuss the application of Arithmancy in other fields. This was something they were wont to do. They regularly explored the possibilities of how the subjects taught at Hogwarts could be used under different circumstances and how they could be combined.

The Hufflepuff was expressing his belief that Arithmancy apart from being used to predict the future could best be used when calculating how permanent spells should be cast. Tom was more or less in agreement with Harry, though he was arguing for an even broader application of the subject, claiming that consulting the right numbers would be able to make any spell stronger, even if it was not cast with the intention of creating something permanent.

Before long they had exited through the large oaken front gates, walking in the sun down the hill towards the lake. They were intending to go to their usual hideout which was located at the far side of the lake. It was far enough away that students normally did not venture there and there were several outcrops of land into the water in front, hiding them from view which allowed them to do whatever they pleased without curious eyes finding them.

Harry sat down by the foot of a large cherry tree, lounging back in the fragrant grass and watching the dapples of blue sky which were visible through the new leaves of the tree.

Tom remained standing, watching the other wizard placidly. "Are you intending to lazy away our afternoon?" he asked.

"It's all work and no play with you," Harry complained.

"Work is its own reward."

"All I hear is bla, bla, bla. Relax Tom! You will not fail as a wizard if you take five minutes to enjoy the sunshine."

Huffing, Tom dropped his bag in the grass and lay down next to Harry, closing his eyes to protect them from the strong sunlight.

"If I was an animagus, I think I would be a bird," Harry said musingly a moment later.

"Hmm."

"Do you not agree?"

"A peregrine falcon."

"So you do agree?" Harry got up on his elbows and leaned over Tom.

"It is possible."

"And what would you be? Please do not say a snake. Be a bit more original or I might just have to hex you."

Opening his eyes, the Slytherin glared ever so slightly. "What's wrong with a snake?" he asked.

"Nothing, it's just boring is all. You could be a fox, cunning and intelligent or a cat as you are very independent. You could even be a crow." Harry watched different expressions of revulsion pass over Tom's otherwise handsome face. "They are not to your liking?"

"No," he said shortly.

"Fine, whatever! It's not as if we have any say in the matter. Is not even as if we've tried to achieve the transformation."

"It's not a worthy pursuit."

"My-"

"I know about your father and godfather, Harry. Trying to follow in their footsteps is not reason enough to spend endless hours on a transformation which has little use. Why would you wish to be restricted to a single form when transfiguration can allow you to change into whichever animal you wish?"

"An animagus transformation is wandless. It can give you an advantage if you lose your wand."

"Better to train so that you can be certain that such a disadvantage never befalls you."

"Let's agree to disagree, okay?"

"Fine." Tom closed his eyes again.

Silence pervaded for a moment longer. "This weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend," Harry said.

"Hmm," Tom said once more.

"It's our last Hogsmeade weekend. Have you thought about that?"

The Slytherin sighed. "I have."

"And what do you think about it?"

"I don't know. It is difficult to understand that we will not return to Hogwarts as students next year."

"As students?" Harry repeated, catching what Tom had said. This was another thing Tom liked about Harry. He noticed things.

"I did tell you that I have requested a meeting with Professor Dippet, did I not?"

"You did, though you didn't tell me why."

"Professor Merrythought wants to retire and I am going to apply for the position as Professor in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Why? You know that the Ministry would love to have you come and work in any Department. The Junior Undersecretary of the Minister said so himself at the last Slug Club soiree."

Tom sneered, he couldn't fight off the expression and in Harry's company he didn't need to, although he did need to hide some of the darker aspects of his character. "The Ministry is laughable. The construction is stagnant and filled with corrupt old bureaucrats who don't know anything about the real world. They don't care about magic or the advancement of our kind. All they do is to try and hide it, punishing those who they believe are a threat to our secrecy. They don't realize that magic is dying and they don't care. One day they will wake up and then it will be too late. I cannot change the system from within. It would take too long time."

Harry frowned. "So you will try to change the beliefs of the next generation? How is that going to help? The change you can do through teaching will be slower still."

"I know that! Teaching at Hogwarts would allow me time to plan what I need to do. Teaching and helping the young understand our world is still a worthy pursuit, but mainly it would give me the time I need to continue my studies. Hogwarts does have an unparalleled library, at least in this part of the world and though African and Asian wizards have larger collections of knowledge little of it is available to me. Our association has also proved to me that I enjoy teaching. Staying here is the logical choice."

"And you would miss Hogwarts."

"Yes- No!" Tom quickly changed his words, glaring at the Hufflepuff. "This isn't about sentimentality!"

"If you say so."

"You don't believe me."

"I do believe that you want to teach for all the reasons you've said, but I also believe that you would miss Hogwarts. It is home." Harry said it with a finality which brooked no argument and Tom gave up as he did agree even if he did not want to admit it. He would miss Hogwarts once he was forced to leave, if he was forced to leave, which he did not believe. Professor Dippet had only ever had good things to say about him and the old Headmaster recognized that he was skilled; surely he would be thrilled to have a wizard such as Tom Riddle teach his students.

"It's good that you know what you want. I don't."

"You can do whatever you want, Harry."

"But what is that? Once upon a time I thought I'd want to play Quidditch, but I don't want a career which will end before I turn thirty five. Then I thought I wanted to be an Auror as dad and Sirius were, but I don't think that's for me either."

"You could stay here and teach too," Tom said softly.

"And what would I teach? Defense Against the Dark Arts is my best subject and you've already claimed that position."

"You could teach any of the subjects you take, though perhaps not potions. If I were to decide you could take Dumbledore's job and he could disappear off somewhere where I'd never have to see him again."

"You really don't like him, do you?"

"I've never made my dislike for him a secret, just as he's never hid his dislike for me."

"He doesn't dislike you. He's just…"

"Yes? What is he?" Tom prompted.

"Wary."

"Hmph."

"Speaking of which; we have a Transfiguration essay for tomorrow."

"Yes."

"Have you written it?"

"Of course."

"Would you mind having a look at mine then? I am not sure I managed to state how Yvette's Principle for the Conjuring of Metals corresponds with Gamp's Law."

"Give it here."

"Thank you." Harry sat up and leaned over to get his bag, he rummaged though it taking out a roll of parchment and handing it to Tom. Whilst the Slytherin read through his essay Harry took out his text book in potions, having made a promise to Tom to spend in between time on potions as it was his worst subject and any revising could prove helpful.

They sat in silence, the only sounds being the rustling of parchment, the slight breeze sweeping through the trees and the occasional trill of bird song.

"It was good," Tom said when he had finished with the text. "I only think you should state that when conjuring metals gold is exempt as gold has been restricted by Goblin Magic and requires power over the usual to be created and only then can it be transformed not created from nothing."

"Okay, thanks, I'll add that later. Now though I think it's time for part two?"

"Part two?" Tom questioned. "And which part is that?"

"This one." Harry's wand was in his hand and he had cast a nonverbal spell Tom's way. It was red and Tom recognized it as the disarming charm, it was unsurprising as it was Harry's favorite spell and it could be useful from time to time. Tom however preferred more powerful magic and after swiftly rolling out of the way of the spell he cast his own. What followed was a duel which grew more and more elaborate. From using simple spells which would not harm if they got hit they upped the ante until a successful spell would result in a visit to the infirmary. And they did not only use spells. They moved around, dodging and running.

As they both liked to do they also incorporated different principles of magic. Harry conjuring a flock of birds to distract Tom and Tom transfigurating the ground, making the grass turn into sharp blades of metal which would hurt Harry grievously were he to fall on them.

The spells grew more advanced and as Harry pulled on powerful light magic Tom had to starve off from using anything too dark as he did not want Harry to know, not yet, and that put him at a slight disadvantage.

They moved around in a circle, casting spell after spell, slowly gravitating closer to each other until the diameter of their circle only was a handful of feet. Suddenly Harry lunged out, taking Tom by surprise the Hufflepuff kissed him and as Tom gasped against insistent lips he barely noticed a hand removing his wand, but he did not care about the duel any longer.

"I win," Harry breathed against his cheek.

"Only by playing as a Slytherin," smirked Tom.

"Houses aren't everything."

"No, they are not, and you are the proof of it."

Harry chuckled. "I am not sure if I should take that as an insult to my friends or as a compliment." His hand was moving down Tom's chest.

"Compliment," the other answered as that clever hand moved below his belt. "Definitely compliment."

"Good answer."

And so they tumbled to the ground, getting to part three of their afternoon.

The End

AN 22nd March 2014

I wrote this up in one go. There's been no editing. (Two days later: a few spelling errors have been removed) I had missed to put this request in my archive and as I tried to tidy in my inbox I found it and I loved it and I had to write it. There isn't much to be said about this story. It's just a sweet little Tomarry. I hope you enjoyed it.