Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter characters; they belong to J.K. Rowling. And I am certainly not making any money off of this story. Check my bank account.
"I trust Luna," Harry says solemnly.
Hermione's normally bright eyes turn red, "So you're going to throw away-"
"I trust you too, Hermione."
Immediately, she holds her tongue and nervously waits, all anger gone in an instant.
Harry messes with his own hair before suddenly grinning. "Hey, worse comes to worse, I know you'll punish Riddle in some cruel way for us, right?" He chuckles, "Like no touching or kissing or something?" He makes a face, "However disturbing that is for me."
Hermione smacks his arm before grinning herself as the nervous tension disappears. He looks at her endearingly and before she knows it, she throws her arm around his neck. "Thank you," she whispers.
Harry shrugs with his arms around her back and kisses her forehead. "I love you Hermione."
Because Hermione is quite content with just having her friend back and squeezing him in a tight hug, she didn't catch the way his body had molded itself intimately against hers and the look in his eyes as he says it.
"I love you too," Hermione replies from his shoulder.
And because Hermione was facing the wall, she didn't see the students who walks in on their intimate scene.
The second Tom turns the corner, Harry's gaze is immediately on Tom's, his piercing green eyes challenging him as Tom walks coolly towards them, not in the least bit showing that he is phased.
And whilst Harry is fully focused on Tom, Tom also hears the soft gasp from the other side of the hallway closer to the couple where the corner meets and looks past him.
The usually unflappable Lenne Truitt's lips are slightly agape as she glances from Harry and Hermione before she settles her glance on him. He purposefully holds her eyes for a moment or two before he refocuses on the Potter boy again.
"Hermione." Tom says, looking hurt.
The moment Hermione turns and sees him, she quickly jumps out of Harry's arms to look at him.
"I...I..." Her mouth gapes and closes as she struggle to find her words.
Lenne chooses this moment to speak. "Hermione! Harry!" she surprises the two of them as they turn in unison to her. "You're talking again!" She pastes a wide smile on her face, walks to them, and hugs Harry as other students from the Great Hall are starting to walk through the hallway now.
Hermione looks lost as she looks between Harry and Tom who still has the look of a very perfectly, hurt boyfriend.
Many girls notice Tom's expression but didn't dare come near. Instead, they chose to stand off to the side as some start to glare at Hermione just to glare at her while others whisper.
"Tom," Hermione finally got her voice back, "Harry is like my brother." She says firmly.
Hermione is the only one to miss the hurt cross over Harry's face before it settles on a grim expression and quiet anger towards Tom. In her defense, her back is towards Harry.
Tom's lips purse as he looks at her and Harry before he steps forward and holds a hand out to her.
Hermione looks back at Harry who stiffly nods once before she places her hand in Tom's. A surprised squeak escapes her as Tom pulls her into a hug, rests his chin atop her head, and he looks at Harry meaningfully before backing away and tilts Hermione's chin up with a hand.
Again, no one misses Harry's hands clench into white knuckled fists but Hermione who is blissfully flushed and dazed as Tom's lips slowly make its descent onto hers.
However, only a very few sharp eyed people on the scene notices that Tom's eyes are not fully on the witch in front of him.