Chapter 4;

A few days had gone past and Hermione still hadn't plucked up the courage to talk to Tom Riddle yet. She had a dorm room to herself which she didn't mind and she had everything unpacked from her trunk and nothing was messy. She had a small space where she kept her wand and the books she needed for that day but it still didn't look messy. She had such a large space and it was a pity she had no one to share it with. Maybe today would be the day she talked and befriended Tom Riddle. Or at least one of his friends to get her that little bit closer to him.

"Okay Hermione, you don't hate him, you don't hate him, you don't hate him. You can do this." Hermione said gathering up her wand and books. She looked at herself in the mirror reassuring herself one last time that she didn't hate Tom Riddle and that today would be the day she would talk to Tom Riddle.

She walked out of her room and down to the common room. There were a few people standing around the notice board that she had seen before but didn't know. She walked pass them and went straight to breakfast. Her first lesson was potions with professor Slughorn; Tom Riddle is his favourite student and he is probably a part of his little club. Hermione took a seat at the Slytherin table to eat her breakfast. There was barely anyone at the table but she noticed a red headed boy sitting at the Gryffindor table, she looked at him and could hardly hold back her tears; it was Ron's grandfather surely. They looked so much alike. Hermione couldn't help but think of Ron and how much she missed him but she remembered where she was and tried to fight back the tears.

"Miss MacMillan, is it?" Said a voice that sounded slightly familiar to her but couldn't quite put her finger on it

"Ah, yes, it... It is." Hermione said in a shaky voice.

"I am Malfoy. Abraxas Malfoy. Do you mind if I join you?" Said the boy charmingly.

"Please. It would be nice to have a little bit of company once and a while." Hermione said with a warming smile.

The boy sat down beside Hermione. She knew straight away that this was Draco's grandfather because of his surname and when she looked up she knew she wasn't mistaken, they had the same slicked back hair and of course the same Malfoy smirk. Talking to Abraxas took Hermione's mind away from Ron but back to everyone she knew in the future and how much she missed them all; even Draco. Hermione began to laugh to herself a little bit and the boy had gotten slightly confused.

"Err... Could you tell me why you're laughing?" Said Abraxas slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, it's just, you remind me of someone I know." Hermione said with a smile.

Abraxas smiled at this in relief. Maybe he had thought that she was laughing at him. Hermione began to look around the Great Hall, she looked to the top of the table to see a pair of stunning eyes pointing in her direction but then disappearing to another direction. Tom Riddle had been staring at her. 'Surely it must have been Malfoy he was staring at' she reassured herself. Hermione took her gaze off of Tom Riddle and back to Abraxas.

"What is your first class?" Abraxas asked Hermione to start a conversation.

"Potions, with professor Slughorn, yourself?" Hermione asked back.

"The very same. Once we are done eating... Would you like me to accompany you to your class?" He asked sweetly.

"I'd like that. Thank you Malfoy." Hermione said smiling at him.

Even if it was Draco's grandfather she was talking to, she couldn't deny... Abraxas was charming and not bad looking. Abraxas simply just smiled back a genuine smile. Hermione gave one last glance over to the red headed boy sitting at the Gryffindor table to find that he was staring at her and both of them tore their stare away from each other fast.

"Shall we go then?" Abraxas asked holding out his arm with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, sure" Hermione said taking his arm and walking out of the Great Hall with Abraxas.

"We've got a little time to blow off, want to go the long way around?" Abraxas asked smiling at Hermione.

"Yeah, sure, I don't mind." Hermione said blushing slightly.

Hermione began to think that it was a little bit bizarre knowing three generations of the Malfoy's; Abraxas, Lucius and Draco. They all had the same smirk; they were all a ladies' man, from what she could tell anyway. She didn't know if Lucius was like that but she knew that they all despised muggles and muggleborn's. Hermione and Abraxas wondered around school and ended up outside the library with ten minutes to go before class.

"Do you mind if i go in and have a look? I haven't been in there before." Hermione lied.

On her second day of school she was in the library reading all the same books she had read in the future only they weren't as modern in the forties. She had been reading and was rudely kicked out by the librarian. It was just when she spotted a book that could be very interesting. But anyway, Abraxas nodded and let go of her arm to open the door for her.

"Oh, thanks, Malfoy, but..." Hermione said trying to think up something to make him leave. "Don't wait up." She continued. Then realising how rude that sounded she rephrased what she said. "I mean, you don't have to come in with me. I'll see you in potions and I am just checking out a few books."

Abraxas had a confused expression but decided to let Hermione do what she wanted. He didn't really like the library anyway. He nodded his and smiled.

"See you in potions then." He said smiling sweetly walking away from Hermione.

Hermione then darted into the library, she was looking about the shelves very fast when the librarian came over to her and gave her a disgusted look. Hermione remembered that she was in public and couldn't be so reckless. She started to carefully look at the spine of each book to see if she could find the book she was looking for.

"MacMillan." A voice said with no real emotion behind it.

Hermione turned around quickly and was given a shock to see how close the person was. They had sounded very distant from her.

"Oh my god, Tom." She said fast with wide eyes, her heart pounding.

"Indeed. Why are you issuing in muggle and muggle born related topics?" He asked curiously and disgustedly.

"I... I don't know what you mean." She stuttered.

Tom leaned in closer to Hermione so he couldn't be heard. He didn't want people to hear him talking about muggles and muggleborn's. He placed his hand on the book shelf behind Hermione and towered over her. Hermione tried moving back a little bit but was blocked by the shelves. They were really close to each other. Hermione felt a little bit uncomfortable but couldn't help but gaze into his stunning eyes.

"Well this part of the library, it is all things to do with muggles and muggleborn's." Tom said trying to hid his disgust.

"Really? Oh my god, that is just wrong how there is a whole section about them. In my opinion, muggles and muggleborn's shouldn't really be allowed in the wizarding world." Hermione lied.

Hermione had only said that because she knew that Tom Riddle had despised muggles and muggleborn's. She decided now was the time to befriend Tom the best she could. She watched his eyes widen. The look of surprise was plastered on his face. He smiled at Hermione.

"Well, that is a matter of opinion Miss MacMillan." He said to her.

Hermione tried to make sure that she didn't look confused so she stood there with a blank expression.

"An opinion I happen to agree with. Now Miss MacMillan. I am sure we are both supposed to be in class. So let us go there now." Tom said smiling and with that both of them left to go to their classes.