Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the story. If I did, it wouldn't be called fan fiction.
Chapter 1: About a Girl
The wind had picked up as the night advanced but she was determined to not let this deter her from pouring over the ancient runic text she was translating. As the candle illuminating her papers flickered she stood up to close the library window. But as her hands rested on the panes to close them a final blow extinguished her candle. She softly cursed and wondered just what had possessed her to stay in the forbidden area of the library and looked in her robe for her wand to light the candle once more. But before she could she heard a click and the warmth of the candle lighting. She turned to face Tom Riddle lighting her candle with a small silver looking device that seemed like a putter-outer. As he straightened himself he looked at her and smiled.
"Should have known it would be you who had that book Minerva." he said as he put the silvery tiny box in his jacket pocket. "Mind sharing it?" he smoothly put his hands in his pockets and leaned against one f the bookcases with a smile. It was easy to see how he got people to bend to his will. To bad it never worked on her.
"Nice try Riddle" she said as she reached for the book closing it and beginning to pack up her notes. "But I got Professor Reinier's permission so you will need a new source for your translation."
Tom chuckled and passed her ink pot. Minerva just nodded and put it away. She pushed the strands of hair that had loosened from her bun and looked at him. They had a strange friendship. After all, his house was the main competition for the house cup. And they where each other's main competition for top marks. Minerva McGonagall paid good homage to her name sake and wasn't just book smart. She had early shown potential to match students from older years and had wit to match her talents. It was to be expected, coming from such a family as hers. Tom Riddle was a prodigy that had taken everyone by surprise, having grown in a Muggle orphanage and never been exposed to the magical world until his arrival to Hogwarts. And his confidence left no doubt he planned on reaching much higher. Formidable opponents to each other and both loved engaging in friendly rivalry through the years. But O.W.L.s meant war and Minerva was not going to let any friendly feeling defeat her purpose. As she went to leave Tom stood in front of her.
"You won't be translating the whole book." he said raising an eyebrow.
"Watch me" said Minerva as she moved to the side only to have him block her again and placing a hand on her book
"A thousand pages of old Nordic runes, I accept your challenge Miss McGonagall."
"I already claimed it Tom, maybe you can take on later medieval script." she said tugging the book from his hand. Once more she moved to pass by him and once more he blocked her pushing her slightly against the book cases.
"There is no claim and Reinier specifically looked at you when he said a maximum of ten pages so share." he said this time grabbing the book with both hands.
"You can be insufferable!"
"And you are being a child!"
"Then be the better man and let me win!"
"Is this still about beating me for last year? I got it fair and square!"
"If you don't mind!" a third voice interrupted the increasingly louder tug of war. They turned to see a Ravenclaw form their year with a thin face and very annoyed expression "some of us still use this library to study; I suggest you join the other hooligans in the main room if you are not such people!'
Using the temporary distraction Tom pulled the book form Minerva's hand and smiled.
"Not to worry Irma, we were just on our way out." and with this he turned and leaved followed by a very angry Gryfindor. Once outside, they were greeted by a rather full library they exited rapidly. Lately it was full day in and day out since the school had been asked by the Muggle authorities to keep the students inside for their protection. It had been a little more than month since term had started and most students were beginning to feel suffocated by the school grounds. And Minerva was one of them. As they exited the library she stretched her hand and pulled hard on the book taking it from Tom's arms. She began walking until she was stopped by him putting a hand on her shoulder.
"You know we will be seeing each other in Prefect meetings." Minerva sighed at this and rested her back against the wall. She looked down hugging the book close. Tom rested against his shoulder looking at her. Persistence and stubbornness was another trait they shared. Finally he sighed and took a small cardboard box from his jacket and the small silvery object she had seen earlier.
"I take it something has changed over the summer..." he said as he took one of those slim cigarettes he had become fond of with time lighting it with the silvery box. Blowing the smoke so the wind would carry it away he turned to look at her. "And I take it it's something you don't want to discuss with your friends."
Minerva sighed and he noticed her body relax slightly. She hated that he was so observant.
"We stopped receiving owls from my brother...dad thinks he's gone."
Tom was mid way of raising the cigarette back to his lips and stop momentarily when he heard her declaration.
"Shit..." was all he could manage to say.
"It was bound to happen...specially now with the Muggles lending a hand." she took a deep breath and straightened up, fixing up invisible loose hair. "If you excuse me Tom, I have some translations to get back too." she gave him a polite nod and walked of, this time unimpeded by him. Tom simply looked at her walk away. She was a Gryffindor to a fault and now that he had brought to her attention she looked in any way out of her normal composed manner he saw her tense even more. Going out of her way to put on a completely calm face. He watched her until she disappeared around a corner.
"Keep staring Riddle and she will make you pay a fee." Tom was jarred out of his thoughts as a hand grabbed for the cigarette in his hand and took a drag. "Still don't know what exactly you see in her." said Avery as he leaned back next to him handing the cigarette back.
"She is unreachable. There is a wall just waiting to be chipped at."
"You would have more luck getting Hooch."
Both laughed at this and Tom threw down the stub he was now holding and put it off with his foot.
"She's perfect...just who I need"
"Best be careful, you are treading on dangerous ground. She is the darling after all."
"Oh no need to worry, Avery." Tome smiled as he said that and put his hands in his pockets as he began walking to their common room. "Those walls will crumble from inside."
I want to thank my friend GinHermi for not only beta-reading this but getting me back to writing fan fiction. Boy did I miss it. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it.
