"Hermioneeee" a voice sang from behind her.
A pair of warm hands came and gently rested on her shoulders. She sighed, annoyed that she hadn't been able to finish the book she got yesterday with all the distraction around. She even rushed through dinner and sprinted down the corridors, making sure to slow her pace to something reasonable when a teacher was in sight, until she was standing in front of the library completely out of breath.
"Hermione, please, your book can't possibly be that interesting," the same voice said.
Hermione brought the book up higher to bury her face, hoping, that the person behind her would take the hint and leave her alone with her book. After a couple of seconds without a response, the person behind her sighed and removed his hands from her shoulders. A small smile appeared on her face before the same warm hands snatched her book away from her.
"Hey!" Hermione yelled. She shot to her feet and turned to face the tall, platinum blonde boy who was now standing safely on the other side of the table. He casually sat on the edge of it, opened the book and skimmed through its contents.
"Honestly, Hermione, keep this up and people will think you're a Ravenclaw," the blonde teased.
Hermione reached out for her book but his quick reflexes caused him to jump out arms reach.
He smiled wickedly. Silly of her to try to out snatch a seeker.
Hermione rolled her eyes and leaped for the book once more only to fail again when Abraxas raised the book above his head and out of her reach. He laughed at her feeble attempts and his eyes shined with amusement as her hair bristled with anger.
"Give it here, Abraxas," Hermione ordered. She placed a hand on her hip and held out the other one motioning for her Slytherin friend to listen to her for once and return her book. However, the smile on his face grew wider and she knew that she wasn't going to get her book back anytime soon.
"Well, Hermione, it seems that I now have your undivided attention. So as I was trying to say, could you help me with my Runes essay? I'm having trouble with the current chap-"
"Honestly Abraxas!" Hermione interrupted. A few students nearby shushed the Head Girl harshly for her volume. Hermione turned to a group of second year Ravenclaws before sending a nasty glare. The students immediately turned back to their school work while Hermione turned back to Abraxas.
"First you interrupt my reading and then you have the audacity to ask me for help with your essay which you had all week to do? You can't possibly think that I would help you the day before it is due," she huffed, clearly irritated and unafraid and show it.
"Ah! Hermione, you hurt my feelings," Abraxas said while dramatically placing both hands over his heart and giving her a sad pout. "It was a Hogsmeade weekend yesterday. You can't expect me to focus on homework when I was... preoccupied. Besides, everyone knows that you are the smartest witch... well, aside from Tom of course." Abraxas looked behind him and glance at the pale boy with dark wavy hair, sitting in a corner reading an old looking book. He looked back to Hermione with a smile only to find her frowning at him for his recent comment.
"Well, why don't you ask Riddle then?" Hermione asked, nodding towards the Head Boy who at the time looked up to her with an eyebrow raised. Their eyes met for what felt like minutes and Hermione turned away from him and back towards her arrogant friend.
"He's your friend isn't he? You sure spend quite a lot of time following him, waiting for him to drop a quill so you can kiss his arse."
"Do I suspect a hint of jealousy, Hermione?" Abraxas asked, a hint of amusement in both his eyes and voice. He smiled down to her.
"No. Why in the world would I be jealous of Riddle? Now, can I have my book back?" she asked, clearly annoyed that Riddle was mentioned.
"Honestly, Hermione. Are you sure you aren't supposed to be in Ravenclaw. I think you would fit in well with all those other know-it-alls. Sometimes I wonder how you were sorted into Slytherin."
Abraxas sure knew how to push her buttons. "Are you going to return my book, Abraxas or will I have to hex you?" she threatened.
"Ahh, yes, now I remember how you were sorted into Slytherin."
The boy rubbed the left side of his torso and Hermione smiled as she remember how she hit him with a blasting curse during the dueling club fourth year. Abraxas sent a full body binding curse and she easily blocked it and returned with a stunner that was followed with a "confringo". Abraxas easily blocked the stunner but was caught off guard with the second curse traveling right behind. The curse broke two ribs and it took three days of disgusting bone mending potions to heal.
"Aw c'mon, Hermione. Does our three years of friendship mean nothing to you?"
She clicked her tongue.
"I promise I'll owe you one favor," the blonde coaxed. "Just name it. Flying lessons? You can borrow my house elf for a week."
Merlin, it was like he didn't know her at all. Hermione hated flying after first year when she had trouble summoning her broom. And the idea of having a poor little house elf wait on her while wearing nothing but rags was just barbaric. Using magical creatures as slaves was barbaric itself.
Shaking her head, she said, "No, now give me back my book, Abraxas. You are smart enough to figure out the homework on your own." No way was she going to bail him out again. Abraxas usually gets O's and rarely E's on his assignment anyways. Like his parents would allow a Malfoy to do poorly in school. Abraxas was far from stupid. Lazy? Yes, but not stupid.
She let out a sigh and turned away from the boy, she'll just have to get the book from him tomorrow. Suddenly, Malfoy grabbed her wrist and twirled her around.
"How about this: next Hogsmeade weekend I am supposed to go home and attend a party that is being hosted by someone in the Ministry."
"You know I don't li-"
"Shh, just let me finished," he interrupted. Hermione rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips that said "I'm waiting". Abraxas smiled. "So, how about I take you with me back to my Manor for a day and you can choose to borrow one book to read. I know how much you bookworms love libraries and books," he finished with a teasing tone and a wink.
The Malfoys' library? The Malfoys are one of the oldest pureblood families. They must have some ancient tomes dating back decades in their manor. Books that probably aren't in Hogwarts library, she thought to herself. Abraxas also always talk about being dragged to Borgin and Burkes and how he thought it was ridiculous that his father spent 100 galleons for an old book about old magic, herbs and potions. The books that come out of that store must be rare considering everything brought into that store was probably illegally acquired.
"Hermione?" Abraxas called, snapping her from her daydream. She looked up towards him and he was looking at her with hopeful, pleading eyes. "What do you say? Your help in exchange for a chance to read from the Malfoy library?" the blonde asked.
Should she? No. Oh who was she kidding, this was a chance of a lifetime and she wasn't going to pass it up.
"Fine, Abraxas, you got yourself a deal." She finally said.
"Did I hear that you were going to Malfoy's Manor next Hogsmeade weekend, Miss Granger?" a deep voice behind her cut in.
Hermione turned toward the voice that was the bane of her exsistance to find that Tom Riddle was standing just a few inches behind her.
Sneaky snake, Hermione thought, despite being a Slytherin herself. She cleared her throat and lifted her chin.
"Yes, Abraxas offered to bring me to his library." Hermione said politely, taking a step away so she wouldn't have to crank her neck to look up to his face. She didn't know what it was about Riddle but him being so close to her made her uncomfortable.
Riddle politely flashed his perfect smile. "Well," he began, "I guess I will see you then." With that, he looked at Abraxas and walked out of the library, probably heading back to the Head dorms.
Wait, what did he mean by, "I guess I will see you then"? Hermione turned around to face Abraxas who was now avoiding eye contact with her.
"Abraxas", Hermione said sternly, "is there something you forgot to tell me?" she asked.
"Er...well, funny thing. See-" he paused scratching his head. "Tom kinda... asked me if he could take a look at the library as well," he finished quickly.
"Abraxas!" Hermione exclaimed. How could she enjoy roaming through shelves full of priceless books with Riddle snooping around too?
"Oh come now, Hermione, he isn't that bad," the platinum hair boy defended. "Really, you two are the biggest bookworms I know and I owe him a favor, too."
"Do you always offer your library as a way to get people to do you favors?" Hermione asked.
"Hey, it worked with you, didn't it?" he asked while holding her book out, offering it back to her. She took it quickly and tucked it into her bag before he could steal anymore stuff for ransom.
"Come on, I really do need help with my Runes essay." He picked up one of her hands and led her back to the Slytherin common room. They walked over to a table that had several Runes books that he must have gotten from the library scattered and his essay.
Two more weeks till the next Hogsmeade weekend. Two more weeks and I will be roaming around the Malfoy's magnificent library. Two more weeks and...
Hermione just remembered.
..and I will be with Tom Riddle.