Sorry it took so long. I just needed to sit down and write this which I didn't do for a long time. Anyways you guys are going to love this chapter, I assure you all!

Chapter 6
"Dreadful, absolutely dreadful." Professor Slughorn tisked dramatically as Tom stood rigid as if he were ashamed with himself. This pose was easy for Tom, the way he hung his head even made it more melodramatic. While all the time his eyes were looking harshly at the stone floor, letting his anger find its outlet.

"Why is it, that you had to quarrel with the very person I wanted information from! Tom..." Slughorn's voice went up a few octaves from the shear wonder and disbelieving at the young prodigy's misbehavior. "I just, cannot, will not believe, that you would show any prejudice towards anyone. You're just so gentle and quiet. But I must know why, out of all people, did you pick Hermione Granger to soil your perfect reputation with?"

"I am sorry, Professor. I do not know what came over me. I will try to make amends with her as quick as I can." Tom softly spoke, playing the 'Oh I'm so sorry, I will never do such a thing again' card.
For some odd reason, this isn't what Slughorn wanted to hear. "But that just doesn't tell me why."
Tom looked up from his stone floor, looking abashed. He even added a few fleeting glances. "I-I'm sorry Professor, I just find it hard for me to work someone at my own level." His voice was full of pain, making it husky that would melt even the coldest and cruel heart.

Slughorn's once disapproving stare turned to one full of understanding, even concern? Tom inwardly rolled his eyes. It was clear where this was going. "I see." Slughorn said simply at first. "Tom, have you ever thought of trying to get along with Ms. Granger? Seldom men win over women's hearts by fighting. Specially the intelligent ones like your Ms. Granger." YOUR Ms. Granger?! Tom wanted to rip out his ears at the sound of the words alone. "You must use tact. Tom you have a great brain, use it. Be spontaneous, flattering."

I'll use it to plan your inedible end, Tom's body seethed. "I see. But I'm afraid that's not quite it, Professor." Tom tried to get the very thought of he and Granger as an item from the drunken fools mind.

"Denial, I love it!" The man guffawed. "Tell you what, if you get me some nice and heavy information I will wish you either to be in every class possible until you graduate, or to be out of everyone I can retch you from. Hell, if you get me something extraordinary I will give you that A I promised."
Tom really hoped Slughorn didn't notice the eye twitch he had caused him.

"Good news, Hermione!" Ron greeted happily as Hermione entered their abandoned classroom. "It seems, Ginny has found a very interesting book, that will, what did she say 'ameliorate' our situation?"

"Nice word, Ron." Hermione laughed at his struggle to pronounce it properly.

He brushed her off with a shrug, "Well first before my dearest sister, speaks, I would like to commiserate your detention with Riddle."

"What is this, big word day, Ron?" Hermione asked incredulously. Ginny chuckled more to herself then anything. "What?" She questioned her red-haired friend.

"Ron's just smitten, is all. Apparently, she thinks he might be an idiot because of his 'simple talk'." Though Ginny's words were light, Hermione tried to reason with herself why her heart suddenly felt as light as lead.

"Her name is Elanor." Ron sighed heavily as she entered her mind.

"Believe it or not, she's in Slytherin. But enough of this talk. About the book." Ginny interjected before Ron could even start his sappy story. "Look here, Hermione. See this paragraph and read it. Tell me I am a genius afterwards."

Hermione took the book from Ginny's lap, scrutinizing over the much faded script. 'If one is to talk about wizards or witches whom have arrived out of nowhere with great knowledge, one has to mention Belthia Caldrum. It is said she was schooled by her family rather than attend any great and knowledgeable school. Whatever these members of her family taught her had given her a brand new science that no wizard would have thought of, origins of diseases. Back in the 16th century we were like barbarians. Feeding our people with potions that did not heal and bled them for their common physicals. Belthia was the first to hand out a written book to the public on health, cleanliness, and curing properties and for what illnesses. She often preached to groups of midwives, "Just because one good potion works on the common cold does not mean it will cure your foot rot."'

"Most interesting Ginny." Hermione had to admit.

"If you start at the beginning of the book a read on, many of the wizards or witches stories are the same. They came out of nowhere and made a great leap in magic. Sounds like something we could do if we chose to. I think they used the corridor destination. Because later Belthia disappears out of thin air after a visit to a small village. If we could find that corridor-"

"But Ginny, shouldn't all the corridors be in Hogwarts?"

"The books never mentioned anything like that. The clues might all be here, but the corridors could be all over the place. Think about it, people have shown up out of nowhere helped the world and disappeared down the path of time. Belthia was no different only in this once case, she went to a village and went home or threw the next corridor. We just need to research and we can find out what village she frequently visited and go there and find the corridor." After her long speech the girls face turned red from the lack of air.

Before Hermione could interject, Ron had a revelation, "But if she went home, wouldn't that mean that she found the the forth corridor?"

"What!" Ginny said a little rudely at his words.

"Think about it, we went through Destination, but we have to go through two more before we can find the fourth to go home. If Belthia-"

"Disappeared then she went through the fourth corridor!" Hermione chimed in with his words. "Brilliant, Ron! We can find the one that can take us home! Ginny good work, see if you can find anything else on this Belthia Caldrum. Maybe her past can help us find the next corridor. In the meantime, I must go to detention." The good news kept Hermione's spirits up, despite she had to spend the rest of her evening with Tom.

Hermione climbed the last flight of stairs that led to Mrs. Furwelks office. She wasn't overly surprised the Tom had arrived early, wearing his evening clothing of a white buttoned down T-shirt and his black school slacks. His arms were crossed leaning on a pillar by the window. His gaze was focused on a few strangling students playing a late game of Quidditch. Though Hermione hated to admit it, but at the moment, it was almost as if she were looking at Harry. Tom's relaxed state just made him seem like a normal student, Hermione argued with herself. But in all truth, Harry probably inherited some of Voldemort's mannerisms on the fateful night of Harry's parents deaths.

Tom felt her gaze on him. He turned his head slightly to get a look at her himself. Hermione had a very sad and distant look, which caught Tom a little off guard. Usually when you look at the person you hate, you don't look sad about it. This made him feel a little uncomfortable. He didn't want to even imagine what type of thoughts were crossing her mind at the moment. Languidly, he turned his body off the pillar and gave her a roughish smile. It jolted her back to life nonetheless and she quickly looked away from him.

"Hello, Granger. Were you fancying me?" He mocked at her. "Like what you see?"

"I was just seeing if you ever took care of that zit problem of yours, Tom. The last thing I want tonight is seeing that monster pop."

Tom's grin fell but he added mutually, "Has anyone told you look like bucktoothed beaver?"

"Has anyone told you that you smell bad?" Hermione shot back at him with the ferocity of a bunny. They certainly did not need to make a scene in Furwelks office.

Tom huffed a little. "At least I attempt to groom myself? What's your excuse, your mother was a pig?"

"You two can add two more weeks to your detention time." Furwelks said out of thin air. The two looked for her but it wasn't until a book case swung open did she step out. "I can hear everything you say while in my office for future conduct." Hermione's breath hitched in her throat. Two more weeks with this this...she couldn't even describe what Tom was. What a nightmare. "Now if you please, this way. We have a lot of cleaning to do and we only have three hours left of the night." Furwelks said with complete royal air. Hermione had a feeling she was not going to get along with this teacher at all.

They arrived at the East Wing seeing a dusty and slightly cobwebbed artifacts. "We are to go from room to room going through the crates, sifting and throwing away useless garbage then cleaning the rooms themselves. However for tonight, I think we should just focus on the main chamber and hall. Here's your broom, Hermione and here's your mop, Tom." They both looked at each other and grimaced at the muggle work they were being subjected to. "Now let me tell you this, children. I want full cooperation from the two of you. That means no bickering, no sabotaging or I will see the both of you next year to clean more rooms until you both get along!"

With the end of her speech the two of them melted to the floor, Hermione sweeping a section, then Tom coming in immediately to mop the section. They did it in absolute silence for neither wanted to spend their free time together more then they already had to. At this time, Tom took it to his advantage to think of where the Chamber of Secrets could be located. Mrs. Furwelks had given him an apt opportunity to find his own clues. Tom accidentally bumped into Hermione, she glared at him and remarked, "God gave you eyes, use them."

"What was that Ms. Granger? An insult?" Tom bellowed loudly making Furwelks look at them from her dusting.

"Both of you apologize right now." The teacher saw through both of them quite easily. Both of them muttered sorry and went back to work. No matter what Furwelks told them to do, it didn't change the atmosphere of the place. If they were given a chance they would trip the other into a pile of muck. Hermione in her rage was beginning to forget that this was Mr. Voldemort-Gonna-Be, but she found herself itching ever closer and closer to her wand in her pocket. In all reality, she was just sweeping the floor with one hand doing a poor job. She kept her eyes on the back of Furwelks head.

"Reaching for your wand?" Tom whispered into her ear, his hot breath tingling her neck and warming the chills that were running down her back. "I'm already several steps ahead of you." He jabbed his wand slightly into the middle of her back. Over Hermione's shoulder he kept his gaze at Furwelks as she dusted thoroughly an army of suit of armor. The Professor didn't know what was going on. Tom leaned his head back to her ear, "I've already bewitched her with a minor spell. Making her very absorbed in her work. She won't want to look away from her dusting."

Hermione found her heart beating faster and faster, "What are you going to do?" She said bravely. This time when Tom's spoke again his lips actually made contact with her earlobe. Hermione let out a little gasp as she tried to control her breathing. Every nerve was being over sensitive and she could feel the form of his lips, they were smirking.

"Nothing." he said innocently. He slink his hand to her wrist and wretched her around. Looking at her straight in the eyes. He was glaring a sharply and took pleasure as she recoiled wanting to get away from him. "Let me make this clear. I do not like being spied on." He let her go and grabbed his mop and bucket and went back to work. His spell dispersed moments later and Furwelks turned to check on the two. "Get back work Ms. Granger!"

It took a few moments for her to register that Professor Furwelks had even yelled at. Hermione took her broom and began to sweep half-heartedly. Her mind wandered on how Tom's lips were on her ear. "It's just my hormones." Hermione cried to herself. She didn't really like Tom, it was just her chemical makeup that made her feel haughty. This scared her more then anything yet. Riddle could have done somethig horrible to her and all she could think of was his scent, which despite earlier accusations he did smell good, Tom's body leaning into hers, and his soft lips. Using the only remedy she knew of, Hermione focused on Harry's bleeding body and his fading eyes as they turned lifeless. Like a dose of cold water, Hermione forgot about Riddle's lips, body, and scent entirely.

A loud clang and laughter from the stairwell just about made Hermione jump out of her skin. Furwelks ears perked up and she went into super professor mode. "You two, when I get back you better both be behaving and cleaning!"

Hermione wasn't going to take any chances. As soon as Furwelks was up those stairs, Hermione whipped out her wand and pointed at Riddle, who also had his wand out pointing at her. Tom smirked at her state. She looked disheveled and steamy. He let out a full chested laugh, "Maybe you do fancy me, Granger. Was I a bit too much for your muggle mind to handle?"

"Funny, for someone who is so proud of his blood sure did enjoy getting close to my dirty blood body." Hermione snapped at him.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I quite heard you right. Did you just accuse me of wanting to get close to your body? I think I could find a much better girl than yourself to 'lean' on and terrorize."

Hermione gave him a crooked devilish smile full of hate, "Some terrorizing that was. I guess pressing ones lips to anothers ear caressingly is so supposed to scare them! Sexually harassing-"

Tom let a spell fly, Hermione ducked and let out a scream. The spell hit where Furwelks was cleaning, the suit of armors exploded clanging together as they ripped apart. Riddle's face went pale from what Hermione thought was the trouble they were about to get into. Hermione, still clutching her head, looked over her shoulder. Her eyes widened. There was a a giant serpent 'S' with the lettering 'open' below. "The Chamber of Secrets." She hissed.
- Dedicated to Anubis.

A/N: See it was good, was it not? Anyways review and I am sorry about the lateness.

And answering reviews!

LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL- thank you for liking my writing gives me much joy in hearing that. I hope you loved this chapter as much as the last one.

Charlotte232- Yes and the zit scene had a come back in this chapter too!

- A now they are gonna have detention together for a very very long time!

Moogoo- Your demands have been met. Review you crazy devil.

SKAM- really read it to you as a bedtime story. Was it Moogoo by any chance?

Well see you next time!