Author's Note: Hello everyone! Welcome to Chapter 7! A bit more Tomione interaction in here for you all, thought not a whole lot. . . yet, that is. Look for that in upcoming chapters! As usual, let me know what you think of the latest chapter by either reviewing or sending me a private message (if that's your fancy). I accept anonymous reviews, so if you're following this story without a FanFiction account, feel free to sill review.
Enjoy! :)
Chapter 7
"Nagini!" Hermione called to her, dashing out of the dormitory and down the stairs at a breakneck pace, doing her best not to slip on the marble and plunge to her death. Maybe that's not such a bad idea after all. . . Hermione thought, sure that dying before her mortification killed her might be a better option than having to listen to Nagini play her childish schoolgirl games. Of all of the people in the world, Tom Riddle Jr. would be the worse one to think Hermione foolish. It portrays weakness, one of the greatest endangerments to Hermione's mission. It would not do for her to be alienated from Tom now, not when she was beginning to get closer to him. Closeness, though probably barely possible, was her best chance to kill Tom. Nagini could not ruin her chances now, "Nagini, wait!" She called again, but there was no reply but laughing. As usual.
"Nagini, I swear! If you. . ." Hermione stopped abruptly, completely out of breath as she reached the bottom of the stairs and arrived in the Common Room. Tom's whole posse (as she liked to call them) was there, staring at her like she grew a third eye. Tom himself stood next to the fireplace, Nagini beside him, staring at her in an amused fashion. After a moment's of awkward silence while Hermione caught her breath, Malfoy asked,
"Miss Blishwick, are you quite alright? You look as if a monster were chasing you, I dare say." He said with mirth in his voice.
"Well, actually I was chasing a monster." Hermione replied in a completely serious tone.
"And pray, who would that be?" Tom questioned, his eyes still slightly amused. Hermione pointed to Nagini,
"That thing that dares to call herself a human." Nagini laughed, grabbing Tom's arm,
"Oh Tom, I must tell you the news! Hermione-"
"Silencio!" Hermione cried, and with a jab of the wand, Nagini fell silents, lips still moving, but unable to speak. After a moment of shock of Nagini actually being silenced, Tom began to laugh. It was such an odd sound to come from a future Dark Lord; it was not the high-pitched, cold laughter that Hermione knew, but genuine, deep, real laughter. Hermione could not stop herself from giggling as well as Nagini shot glances like daggers at her, and the rest joined in soon.
"Blishwick! How could you have accomplished such an impossible feat as to get Nagini to be quiet?" Avery asked, his face turning red from laughing so hard. Hermione tried to reply, but Nagini's shocked expression was just too funny. Finally, after a few more moments of seemingly uncontrollable laughter, Hermione began to force herself to take gulps of air,
"Oh my, I can barely breathe!" She admitted, still chuckling. Tom sat on the couch and gestured to the space next to him,
"We don't need you falling over, Miss Blishwick. Who will get Nagini to be quiet then?" Hermione chuckled a little more before sitting next to him but leaving a comfortable space between them. Nagini shot another death glare at Tom before crossing her arms. Tom smiled at her,
"Come now, Nagini, it's just a bit of fun. The charm is not permanent, and will wear off soon." He coaxed, attempting to smooth her ruffled feathers. It worked only partially; Nagini grudgingly sat down in an armchair, and simply crossed her arms once more.
"Well, I think that this year will go quite well." Lestrange commented, still standing, "Miss Blishwick is a nice addition to Slytherin and the people in our classes seem to be more tolerable than usual." Rosier shook his head,
"That's just because you haven't had Hufflepuffs in your classes yet." He interjected. Lestrange shrugged,
"That may be so. It still does not take away my compliment to Miss Blishwick, however." He pointed out, and Hermione tried her best to look grateful,
"Thank you very much, Mr. Lestrange." She replied, inclining her head. It seemed to fool everyone but Tom, naturally. While the others engaged themselves once more in conversation, he caught Hermione's eye for a moment, inclining his head in much the same manner as she had. Hermione scoffed, annoyed at his mockery, and he snickered quietly before leaning back on the couch, leisurely resting his arm across the back of the couch. At that moment, the door to the common room opened, and in came a man who looked so much like Sirius that it hurt. Hermione remembered him as Alphard Black, but she did not know anything of him otherwise.
"Black!" Wilkes, much to Hermione's surprise, greeted, "How are you, man?" Alphard Black smiled charmingly, nodding towards the group, his eyes lingering for a little too long on Hermione before turning back to Wilkes,
"Hullo, Wilkes! I'm fine, to be sure. A long first day." He replied, joining the group and sitting down in another armchair, stretching luxuriously. Tom gazed at Alphard Black for a few moments, and Hermione sensed a small bit of dislike, but he smiled nonetheless,
"We haven't seen much of you today, Black." He commented in a friendly tone. Once again, Hermione was surprised at how normal Tom Riddle could seem, "Are you enjoying your classes?" Black laughed,
"Me? Enjoy classes? No, not me! Homework on the first bloody day!" He announced dropping his bag on the floor with a loud bang! He looked at Nagini, who was still under the effects of the silencing charm, "And hullo to you as well, Nagini. A little quiet tonight, aren't you my dear?" Nagini looked especially irritated as she gave a half-hearted wave.
"She can't talk. Our brilliant Miss Blishwick placed a silencing charm on her but a few minutes ago." Malfoy supplied, not attempting to hide the glee in his voice. Black laughed again,
"Miss Blishwick, is it?" He asked Hermione, who nodded. He stood up to outstretch his hand and shake hers, "My, you are brilliant indeed! What did our poor Naginski do to deserve such treatment, if I may ask?"
"She was about to share a most unsavory bit of gossip, I do believe." Hermione replied, brushing her hair off of her shoulder, "I do not enjoy gossip, and I dare say she won't attempt to share it again." Tom smiled,
"If you believe that, Miss Blishwick, I am afraid that you do not yet know Nagini." He replied, "It will only make her all the more determined to share whatever bit of unsavory gossip to which you refer." Hermione felt a slight tug on her bushy hair, but ignored it.
"She'll be able to talk soon though, thankfully. It is far too quiet without Nagini." Rosier announced, looking over to Nagini who smiled the smallest bit.
"I agree. The conversation is decidedly dull." Lestrange agreed, sitting down in the armchair beside Black, who was gazing at Hermione. Hermione, slightly uncomfortable by his attentions, looked the other way, over to Nagini, who was also looking at her. More specifically, she appeared to be looked slightly behind Hermione. Hermione felt another slight tug on her hair and turned her head to look behind her. Tom's arm rested across the back of the couch behind her, his fingers gently playing with her hair. Hermione froze for a moment, and then turned her head back once more to find Black looking at her with a serious look that was gone in an instant and Nagini looking at her with raised eyebrows. When Hermione finally mustered up the courage, she turned her head slightly towards Tom.
He smiled that far-too-charming smiled, and twirled her hair around his fingers once more.
* ' * ' *
Her dreams that night were plagued with memories of her friends and her home. The use of the Silencing Charm brought back memories of their school days, where she had briskly instructed Ron to jab the wand rather than wave it. She was utterly homesick, and though the day brought diversions to distract her from it, the night brought it on full force. After tossing and turning for a long time, Hermione threw back her covers and sat up. It was even earlier than the last time she rose early: 6:00. With a sigh, Hermione stood up and proceeded to the bathroom.
As usual, she looked a wreck in the morning. Hermione treated herself to an extra-long shower, attempting to gather her thoughts about Tom Riddle Jr. His flirtatious behavior towards herself was unnerving, to say the least. She seriously doubted that it could be genuine, therefore it probably carried some more sinister motivations. Despite this realization, Hermione could not help but to feel slightly pleased by his attentions. It was nice to be noticed by a boy. No, he's practically a man. Hermione corrected herself as she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. What could she possibly be thinking? This was Voldemort she was thinking about!
After slipping on her uniform consisting of stockings with a longer skirt and a button-up white blouse, Hermione also pulled on her robes embroidered with the Slytherin crest. She still dearly missed her friends and her house. Her current "house-mates" were hardly like her at all in most respects. With a sigh, Hermione picked up her bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, applying the tiniest bit to her bushy hair to tame it. She chuckled as she remembered Harry's eyes practically bulging out of his head at her sleek hair at the Yule Ball their fourth year, and it was all thanks to this potion. . . well, a LOT of the potion. Hermione closed the potion and put it back in her bag before leaving the bathroom.
"Well, you sure took a long time, Blishwick. Pity it doesn't show." Florence Greengrass remarked icily as Hermione exited the bathroom, "But I guess you get something for effort, right dear?" Hermione fixated her eyes on Florence for a moment,
"I suppose so. But don't worry; you would need a lot more than effort to have anything to count." Hermione replied, pondering, "More like a miracle, actually." Florence gasped, her mouth gaping, eyes wide. Hermione simply laughed and pushed past the girl back into the dormitory.
"What was that all about?" Nagini asked sleepily, yawning and rolling over in her bed. Her voice sounded a little scratchy, but otherwise all right. Hermione picked up her bag and began to fill it with the proper books,
"Oh, Florence being a prick, is all." She replied nonchalantly. Nagini chuckled and pulled her covers closer to her face,
"There's a surprise." She said sarcastically, "Well, I'm going back to sleep. Oh, and don't think that I forgot about that spell last night." She warned, but it was in a light tone. Hermione smiled,
"I wouldn't dream of it. See you in a bit." She slung her rather heavy bag over her shoulder and quit the room. It was still early, but breakfast would begin in a few minutes. As she approached the door leading out of the common room, she was hailed by none other than Tom Riddle himself,
"Miss Blishwick, good morning!" He greeted as she stepped off of the dormitory stairs, smiling at her, "Are you going down to breakfast?" He inquired in his usual polite tone. Hermione nodded, still remembering the way he had so easily played with her hair the previous night,
"Yes, I am." Feeling like it was an obligation, Hermione added, "Would you like to join me?" Tom's smile turned into a slight smirk as he replied,
"Yes. Yes, I would. It is a lucky thing that you invited me, though, because it is still a hair early to be our of the dormitories. If you were to go out before now and be without me, you might get house points deducted, or even detention, depending upon the professor who saw you." He said, still smirking out of his own seemingly self-importance. He was baiting her, and Hermione knew it,
"Well, I am very lucky to have you with me, then." She responded easily with her most charming smile.
"Yes, you are." Tom replied matter-of-factly. He extended his arm to her, "Shall we?"
And, for the second time in two days, Hermione accepted it. They proceeded out of the dormitory and began to mount the stairs leading up to the Great Hall.
"I take it you are an early riser like myself?" Tom asked conversationally, walking at a brisk pace. With his legs being much longer, Hermione walked extremely quickly to keep up, but it was a comfortable pace for her.
"Yes, I usually am. I have been waking up particularly early because of an inability to sleep, but that's all right; I like starting out my days early anyway." She replied with a shrug. Tom nodded,
"It must still be the unfamiliarity of Hogwarts dormitories. The inability to sleep, I mean. I suppose the climate might affect it as well? It is considerably warmer in Australia, is it not?" He asked, eyebrows raised, still walking just as briskly and yet intent on their conversation.
"Oh, considerably. I am becoming accustomed to Britain's climate again, though." Hermione said easily, then remarked, "You walked quite fast, Mr. Riddle. I must admit that it provides some vigorous exercise in the morning, going up several flights of steps." She teased, and Tom even chuckled at her,
"Well, intelligent people have been proven to walk faster than non intelligent people." He said haughtily, but then added, "The point is void, however, since you have no trouble keeping up." Hermione glared at him angrily,
"I do not appreciate your insulting my intelligence, Mr. Riddle." She snapped. Tom laughed,
"Oh, do not get upset, Miss Blishwick, it would grieve me to see you upset. It was a joke, that is all." He consoled her, but his voice carried a hint of mockery. Hermione resisted the urge to laugh; Voldemort being grieved at making anyone upset was fairly amusing.
"Do you consider yourself to be intelligent, Mr. Riddle?" She questioned with her sweetest smile. Tom regarded her suspiciously as he replied,
"Yes, I do." Hermione chuckled lightly, still smiling,
"Well, in your attempt to show off your intelligence by walking quickly, you just quickly and oh-so-intelligently walked right by the Great Hall."
Tom scoffed.
* ' * ' *
"Ah, Miss Blishwick, so good of you to come! I trust your first day of term went well?" Professor Dippet asked, offering a courteous smile to Hermione as she entered the Headmaster's office. Hermione received an owl, much to her surprise, naturally, during breakfast which requested her presence for a brief meeting. She suspected it was to be for the purpose of helping her "parents" that were supposedly in Australia.
"Good morning, Headmaster. Yes, it went quite well, thanks. I rather enjoyed my classes." Hermione responded politely, trying desperately to calm her racing heart. Hermione was never much of a liar, and at the moment, that seemed to be all that she could do.
"I dare say Miss Blishwick will be at the top of her class in no time." Said another calming voice. Hermione turned to see Professor Dumbledore entering the room as well, his eyes twinkling, "You needed me, Headmaster?"
"Yes, Albus! Thank you for coming. Both of you, have a seat, if you please." Dippet replied, conjuring some chairs with a wave of his wand. A house-elf appeared with a crack! with a tray for tea. Even if Dippet was not the best Headmaster of Hogwarts to ever hold the position, Hermione thought him to be one of the most obliging. Unfortunately, that also meant that he could be a push-over at times, as she suspected the case was when it came to Tom. After tea was served and the two professors and Hermione were settled, Dippet spoke again, "Now, I have told you of the peculiarity of Miss Blishwick's situation, did I not, Albus?"
"Indeed you did, Armando. My deepest condolences to Miss Blishwick for all of her misfortunes." Dumbledore replied solemnly, the twinkle gone, "Grindelwald is a great wizard, but a terrible one. He has caused many misfortunes." Hermione inclined her head as to accept his thanks, slightly emotional, as the situation seemed almost identical to her own in her own time.
"The occurrence with Mr. and Mrs. Blishwick seems like it might be salvageable, however. It might have been a complex memory charm or potion, but many of those may be reversed in some form or fashion." Dippet continued, taking a sip of his tea. Hermione's blood ran cold; he was going to try and find her parents. Her parents that did not yet exist.
"I understand what you are suggesting, professor, but I am not sure. I am not sure how to even find my parents, and I am concerned that any interference might worsen their condition." Hermione began uncertainly, "At this point, I just wish to see them happy." Dumbledore studied Hermione for a long moment before replying,
"I understand your concern, Miss Blishwick, however, I do believe that we should at least try to save your parents. I doubt that we would worsen their condition by doing so. The worst that would happen, I dare say, is that we would not better it." Dumbledore stated, turning his eyes back to Dippet, "What plans have you for solving this mystery?" Dippet sighed,
"None, at the moment, I must admit." He cleared his throat, "I know you to be quite busy with your duties as Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor House, but I think very highly of you and your abilities, Albus. Perhaps higher than anyone else." Dumbledore inclined his head,
"I thank you much, Armando."
"As such," Dippet continued, "I will ask a favor of you, one that you may decline. I wonder if you would be the one to take over this. . . investigation. I am not as young as I once was, you see, and your brilliance would surely be able to solve this peculiar situation." Hermione could not help but stare at Dippet for a few moments. Dumbledore, investigating her parents that were not even in the same time period? Surely he would find her out, and rather quickly at that! Hermione dreaded the answer even before she heard it,
"Armando, I would be delighted to take on this charge." Dumbledore replied, "I do whatever I can to stop Grindelwald, and my services are always available to you." He accepted the proposition graciously, as expected.
"It is settled, then. Miss Blishwick, you have nothing to fear; we will discover what happened to your parents, and why, I assure you." Dippet said in a tone meant to be comforting. To Hermione, it sounded like a nail in the coffin of her mission. Outwardly, however, she offered a relieved smile,
"Thank you so much, sir! You really think that you can?" She questioned. Dippet smiled as well, Dumbledore studying her,
"Yes, I do. Now, I do not want you to be late for Muggle Studies. Until next time, Miss Blishwick!" Dippet replied with another warm smile before offering a small wave and retreating to his desk. Hermione stood, pulling out her wand to send the chairs away,
"Do not trouble yourself, Miss Blishwick. I have no class at the moment, and cleaning up will not be an issue."
"Oh, thank you, sir! For everything. I'll see you on Thursday!" Hermione bade him good-bye, wishing to get away as quickly as possible. Dumbledore, however, seemed to have more to say,
"Miss Blishwick, I must ask, is there anything you wish to tell me?" Hermione forced herself to meet his eyes,
"No, sir." She replied, trying to sound as honest as possible. In truth, there were a million and one things that she wished to tell him.
"Anything at all?" He pressed further, Hermione feeling as if his eyes were peering into her very soul. Not able to speak, Hermione quickly shook her head. Dumbledore, his gaze unwavering, finally replied:
"Very well. Off you go!"