Background Music: Take Me To Church by Hozier

Act IX


October 17th, 1944

TOM


Tom Riddle was enjoying his current predicament.

Defensive spells and mild curses sounded through-out the afternoon class as Tom, Sebastian and Harry versed Hermione and two Gryffindors in their Defence Against Dark Arts class.

Tom, as always, scoffed at the name of the class. There was absolutely no need to defend oneself against Dark Arts. Embracing the wider horizon would be much more efficient and clever. However, he knew if he was to express his opinion, it would only land him a one-way ticket to the notorious and shiver-inducing prison of Azkaban.

Alas, the class wasn't completely laughable purely based on the fact that he was currently sending tricky spells at his counterpart and duel partner, Hermione Guerra.

Brilliant, eye-roll-inducing, self-righteous Hermione Guerra and her questionable skirts and superior scoffs. He wanted to unleash his full power on the witch but that would, indeed, be very foolish. Instead, he send her curses and hexes which only sometimes made his professor eye him cautiously and cause his duel partner to call out: "That curse is barely legal!" or "The point of this task is to learn from your enemies mistakes, not chop their head off with a slashing hex, Riddle!".

Ah, yes. He was most definitely enjoying himself.

Tom also found that if he called out 'Expelliarmus' unexpectedly, it would cause Hermione to roll her amber eyes, bend over to grab her wand and unconsciously flash him the flesh hiding behind her skirt and what a wondrous sight that was, indeed.

He sighed. He was acting like Avery. Damn Avery.

Damn Hermione Guerra to the seventh ring of hell and beyond.

If the girl wasn't as skilled in duelling as she currently was, the session would become very boring and very pointless but alas, her skills could rival even the best of student duellists at Hogwarts. Tom could only imagine how far she could get if they had the freedom to use more notorious curses and hexes as the witch was very clearly holding back.

She was fascinating, hiding her true skills like that. Tom could see right through her little act of innocence and fake laughter and by the way her hand shook as she held her wand, he could also see right through the imbecile act she put up to fool those around her.

At least she could pretend to be dumb; which is more than he could say for other witches currently trying their hardest to find themselves to be 'accidentally' in his personal space.

Hermione had noticed this long ago and so when she rolled her eyes at the desperate witches, he unexpectedly cast another disarming charm and summoned the wand to his hand, watching as Hermione groaned in annoyance at his actions.

"Can't you take this lesson seriously, Riddle?"

"Tom." He corrected her patiently to which she scoffed, just as he predicted she would.

"You're a nuisance, Tom Riddle."

He allowed himself a chuckle. The witch was amusing. "Come and get your wand and we'll continue this pointless duel."

He was aware of Avery and Harry watching them, both wearing different expressions. While Avery looked amused and completely unsurprised, the twin looked simply annoyed.

Hermione reached him sooner than he'd think and just as she reached for her beloved wand, he hung it higher and chuckled again when the witch crossed her arms and a cross expression returned to her face.

"Don't be a prat, Riddle!"

"What was that?"

"Don't be an arse, Tom."

"Ah, okay. You ruin my fun, Hermione. I'm thinking that you're the nuisance in this conversation." She aimed higher when she jumped this time and it made her skirt flare up. She blushed furiously when she caught Tom looking.

"Pig!" A foot stamped down on his and he clenched his teeth, suddenly being brought back to reality.

What was he doing? Flirting with the girl? What – why – Merlin. He was turning into a fool.

Alas, he couldn't keep his eyes from wandering to her legs and the shape of her body as she walked away from him with her wand back in her possession.

"Alright, Tom?" Avery asked, mocking his state.

Tom Riddle did not blush. "Sod off."

Avery laughed as Hermione observed them closely and then sent a nasty jinx at Tom's head.

Tom Riddle did not blush and he most certainly did not write a diary entry about one annoying and brilliant witch during his entire lunch hour.

Definitely not.


HERMIONE


As Hermione's feet carried her towards her last class of the day, her mind began to wander unconsciously and she felt very, very conflicted.

She was told by Harry and other people numerous times, over and over and over again that Voldemort was a bad person. That he was a sociopath who felt no compassion, no love, no sympathy for anyone and that he never, ever had the ability to.

But if that was true (and for the sake of her sanity, Hermione prayed to Yule it was) then how could he laugh so charmingly? How could he blush so softly and how could he not hex Avery whenever the latter teased him or said something argumentative?

He was not the Voldemort she was told about.

He wasn't – he was Tom Riddle. He was yet to turn into Voldemort. And what was that Dumbledore told them? Ah, of course – their mission was to distract him. To change him.

But what did that entail? Did that suddenly make it okay for Hermione's heart to race at the thought of his fingers on her face two weeks ago? Did it make it okay for her to tremble when she imagined his intoxicating aftershave and how although he was painted as a sociopathic monster, he touched her as if she was the most gentle object he could and ever would touch? She didn't even want to think about what that meant to him – what it meant for him to touch her so tenderly.

If everything she had been told was true, then Riddle was definitely acting out of character.

"Oi, Hermione, hold up!" A voice called out and a flash of blonde hair made her grimace and sigh at the same time. "Let me carry that for you. You have Transfiguration, yeah?"

"Yes," She answered and then eyed him, trying in vain for her voice to remain friendly. "How did you know?"

"Oh, just noticed you had the same classes with Tom. What a shame it is I'm stuck in sixth year; I'd be walking you to every class."

Hermione cleared her throat, trying not to laugh. What a shame Draco Malfoy didn't accompany them to the past. He would be having a heart attack just about now. "What a shame it is."

Abraxas grinned then and he looked so innocent and pure and darn it – how did he ever get himself caught up in the pureblood supremacy mania?

She saw Sebastian walking towards them as if he was looking for her and when he saw her, he relaxed visibly, easing his strained smile into his usual easy-going grin. "There's our girl."

Tom who was standing by their classroom along with Harry, the two looking oddly uncomfortable, looked up and eyed Abraxas before he nodded in acknowledgement.

Ever since her attack, they have been watching her around the clock. She begged Harry not to tell Dippet nor any other authorities as it would only bring attention to them and it would not do well to their reputations if they were found to be frauds.

"Boys, really. I can take care of myself," Tom snorted uncharacteristically and then raised a brow when Avery looked between the two uncomfortably, as if knowing picking a side would not do well for his own person. "It is broad daylight, Tom."

Seeing her stress out his name made him narrow his eyes at her but then the ever-charming smile was back on his face – shark-like grin grinding her gears to the notch. Frustrating brat.

"Alright. However, it is only proper for a lady to have an escort to her classes."

"I can have Druella take me."

"Ella can barely cast a curse. She's more of a defensive witch."

"So? I can cast curses just fine. Or was that stinging hex not example enough? Would you like another demonstration?"

Tom tsk'd, stepping closer to the witch. His presence was unnerving. She didn't know whether she was blushing from their closeness or the warmth emitting from his chest. "Duelling in corridors is punishable by detention and suspension."

"I know."

"Sure." And then he grinned crookedly and spun around, entering the classroom again.

Damn Riddle. Complete nuisance.


Hermione had taken a trip to the library after her lesson with Albus Dumbledore to take out an interesting book about time travel (which she cleverly disguised as a regular school notepad) and entered the common room.

What she once thought was cold and sinister was growing on her and she welcomed the green colours and plush sofa's and enchanted fireplace.

If only she could spend more time in the popular room without Riddle and his cronies breathing down her neck. Even Harry was purposefully annoying her these days, as if he wasn't taking his mission seriously at all.

Judging by the hand on Druella's shoulder, he wasn't taking his mission seriously at all.

She looked to the occupied chair by the fireplace where a certain Headboy sat. He held his chin in one hand and had the other hand wrapped around his chest, one leg elegantly draped over the other.

If he wasn't a complete prat, Hermione would be able to see why he was so popular among the female (and even male) population of Hogwarts. But even now, as he watched her with such curiosity and determination, even she could not deny that he was very handsome.

His lips thinned but his eyes stayed on hers, never blinking – never giving anyone a sparing glance. It was him. This was Tom Riddle. The boy who was leaning forward to watch her more carefully, the boy who was clenching his fists and narrowing his eyes and sighing as if she was some complex puzzle he could never figure out.

He was looking at her so intensely with an entirely delicious sinister look in his dark, dark blue eyes. Soon, her feet are moving towards him and like a slap to the face, she is shook out of trance and she stops.

She shakes her head suddenly, her breathing shaky and fragile as she turns to leave the room. As soon as she turns towards the girl dorms, Sebastian stops her. What would have happened is she joined him? What was he doing to her?

What was she thinking?

"You coming to Hogsmeade tomorrow, little bird?"

She clears her throat, avoiding Tom's heated gaze and the way his disappointment showed on his face and turns to her best friend. "Of course. I can hardly wait."

Sebastian sensed her monotone voice but he didn't comment, knowing it would make her uncomfortable. "Right, I'll be waiting at eight then. Are you off to bed? It's only five."

She nodded. "Tired."

He snorted and Tom turned around, facing the rest of his cronies, clearly agitated by her ignoring him. Even Harry looked surprised that they weren't continuing or starting another spat-fest that only ended in both parties unhappy with their insults and screaming.

What was he doing to her?

"I'm looking forward to Hogsmeade, Sebastian," she turned to Harry. "I'll see you at dinner, maybe. I have some studying to do."

Harry rolled his eyes but smiled. "Of course. When are you not studying?"

A playful glare is sent his way and Druella stands from the couch, walking towards the girl. "I'll join you, Hermione. I desperately need advice on what to wear tomorrow!"

The two girls walk off, leaving behind a dumbfounded Harry and unsatisfied Tom.

"Really? Do you really need advice?" Hermione asks as they climb the staircase.

Druella locks their arms and laughs obnoxiously, her wild hair cracking with mischievous magic, only making Hermione fear for what was to come. "Don't be silly, you pretty little thing."

"Excuse me?"

"We're going to talk about the sexual tension currently crackling between you and the Headboy."

Hermione could only groan, too exhausted to argue.


How did my lovely readers like this chapter? It was extremely fun to write. I love writing playful/flirty!Tom. I'm finding it so hard to write him as a complete psychopath. My God. Feedback is appreciated! Cheers xo