Prompt: None
Warnings: None
Silence
Tom watched her. He watched her silence. He watched her with a simple, wry smile. And he watched her with wonder. He didn't need to hear her say how incredible this room was. He didn't need to read her body language. All he had to do was look into her eyes and see the brightness. Hermione and Tom both knew that by now, they could read each other perfectly one way or another.
It was just the way it was between them anymore.
Her long, delicate fingers dragged across the various spines of the books that filled the large room's walls, looking all around with a wide, open smile.
The library was a room as big as a master bedroom with every single wall adorning built-in shelves. The shelves were so filled that if Tom were to buy any new books, he would need to expand or start a second library in another room of his house.
On every shelf was a simple, thin wooden ladder reaching to the ceiling and able to roll across the length of the wall it was built on.
In the middle was a large gray rug with a Slytherin crest upon it as if Tom was proud of it being his House. Not that he shouldn't, Hermione quickly decided. Among the rugs was one dark brown leather lounge chair and a matching two-seat couch.
A book caught Hermione's eyes and carefully, she pulled it out from the shelf, looking to the back to read the summary. It was a paperback book, worn from being read so many times. No doubt it was either a favorite or something Tom had come across at one of the secondhand bargain book outlets nowadays.
Quietly, she padded her bare feet across the wooden floor, onto the rug and at the farthest end of the couch, sitting down long-ways so that her back rested against the armrest.
Tom pushed himself off of the library's doorway, walking over to the couch. Beside the couch was a small, mahogany round table with a thick book with a bookmark sticking out of nearly the middle. Before he picked it up, he sat down just as Hermione briefly moved her feet. She went to put her feet on her lap when Tom grabbed her waist rather gently, sliding her around so that she could rest her head on her lap. She did so and opened up the book she chose as Tom grabbed his book, opening it up to continue.
They both read in silence as Tom held the book open near the lamp, the other hand stroking Hermione's hair she had let down at her arrival to his house.
For one moment, he looked at her. And at feeling his gaze, she looked back at him. They shared a small, adoring smile, and returned to their readings.
They read until Hermione's stomach made an angry, hungry growl and Tom finished his book off. Setting it down to put away later and getting up to lead Hermione into his kitchen where he cooked for her as she sat on the counter beside him, watching him work and chewing on a slice of pepper. They shared a few glances here and there, until at the end of the night, they walked into his room and he locked the door shut.