The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn by SheWalksWithRavens
A/N: I know I've made you all wait an extremely long time for this chapter and I'm really sorry about that. I just have far too much going on creatively and in my personal life at the moment. But I am not going to make you delay any longer, you will find personal responses to reviewers after this chapter. Take the time out to review you guys and offer suggestions or criticism its all fair game. I don't own anything, I think that's a given. The song, "The Graveyard Waltz" that one is mine though. I hope you enjoy. Also, I had to split this chapter up because it got to be too long. It will be posted tomorrow.
Chapter Ten: With One Single Look
By the time they reached the castle, Hermione didn't have any second thoughts about going to the dance with Connor. He was fun to be around and he was a friendly face in a sea full of strangers that would be surrounding her. Her stomach however was growing increasingly nervous about having to swing dance, I mean, what kid in 1997 knew how to dance swing?
"So, I'll catch you up later..." Connor said once he had seen Hermione safely inside the main hall and on her way to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Yes, of course." Hermione gave him a quick wave and began to walk back down the hall, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
That smile soon faded when she saw Tom Riddle walking directly towards her. Hermione hoped that they would both go their separate ways as had been their pattern of late, but he was only getting closer. He had almost walked into her before he took a step to the side and kept going. Hermione wasn't going to give him a chance to make another remark so she sped towards the staircase. She didn't notice how when Tom walked by her, his wand shot out briefly from the cuff of his robes and he muttered a spell sending the bracelet she wore to the floor.
"Ms. Granger." He called after her, once she had reached the stairs.
Hermione looked up at the sky, wondering what she did to deserve this one before she turned around to see Tom Riddle holding out her bracelet.
"You dropped this. You should be more careful in the future." He said cooly but his eyes were searching hers to the point of where she became uncomfortable.
"Thanks." Hermione said quickly clasping her bracelet back on, not exactly knowing how it fell off.
"Listen...Gr- Hermione, I thought since you were new here that you probably wouldn't have a date to the dance. And that as Head Boy, I should set an example and take you as my date." Tom said confidently.
Hermione however set her hands on her hips, and gave him a glare usually only reserved for her spats with Ron. When Tom saw that look he knew he had miss-spoken and feared, if it were possible Hermione Granger of all people for an instant.
"Though I appreciate you flattering yourself on my account, I hate to inform you Mr. Riddle, that even the fact that I am new, and by your judgement otherwise incapable of getting a date, that somehow, just by a stroke of luck...I HAVE ONE! Can't say the same for you now, can I?" Hermione gave him one last surveying glance, and walked away.
She didn't want to wait around to see his brown eyes turn an almost black, or how his knuckles had turned white as he gripped his wand. She didn't see his jaw set, or him storm away with his robes billowing out behind him as he made his way back to the Slytherin Common Room. Nor, did she see his mask fall back into place as he sought out Bellatrix Black.
He found her lounging in one of the leather arm chairs, as if she was a Queen in her own palace, the other girls being her court. And Tom was her King. Well, at least in social standing if not in relationship status.
"Bellatrix, I need to speak to you alone." He said coldly.
Bellatrix nodded her head and the other girls retreated to the girls dormitory. She gestured to the chair next to her, but Tom did not sit down instead he looked directly at her, with neither kindness in his eyes or a smile on his face.
"You will accompany me to the dance?" It wasn't really a question and both of them knew it.
"Of course." Bellatrix responded.
If Tom asked her to go to the moon, she'd find a way to get there. So it was hardly a chore to be at his arm on next Friday night, especially when the entire school would receive such a wonderful surprise.
We go forward...
Dumbledore had prevented Harry and Ron from seeing the book yet again. He could not risk them trying to stop what he saw to be an excellent opportunity to alter the past. But, Harry and Ron would not be denied forever and they were already beginning to form theories of their own.
"I know there is a reason why Dumbledore won't show us, Hermione..." Harry said as he paced back and forth in front of the Gryffindor fireplace, his appearance looking more unkempt than ever.
"Well, maybe its just boring...nothing worth seeing, ye know?" Ron offered from his spot on the couch.
"No. If it was that, he wouldn't keep it from us. I bet it has something to do with Tom Riddle. But we can't know for certain... we've got to get our hands on that book." Harry said determinedly.
"So we'll be using the invisibility cloak then?"
"No, that won't fool Dumbledore. We need a plan of distraction...and I have an idea of where to start."
We go back...
The moment that Hermione walked into the common room, Gwen came stomping over. She grabbed hold of Hermione's arm, despite her protests, and pulled her into the dormitories.
"Is it true?" Gwen stated through clenched teeth.
"Is what true?" Hermione said trying to remain calm.
"That you used whatever charms you had on Connor and asked him to go to the social. When you knew that damn well I wanted to go with him?" Gwen fumed.
"Who told you this? It's all lies... I swear it."
"Why would Bethen make this up?... So you aren't going with Connor then?" Gwen said after a pause.
"Listen...after you left with William, Connor asked me if I'd like to go with him. I turned him down, you can ask Alicia. Then I left... he followed me. He told me that he only wanted to go as friends, cause you said you were going with William. And that's the pretense under which I accepted... as friends." Hermione clarified hoping against hope that Gwen would not resort to physical violence.
"So, was he upset that I said yes to William?" Gwen's said her features softening.
"Yes," Hermione replied heaving a sigh of relief.
"Perfect." Gwen smiled broadly, gave Hermione a huge hug and left the room.
Hermione waited a moment before she dared to move, and set her bag of clothes down on her bed. Falling back on to the soft mattress next to it, she wished that she could be back home where the only drama that surrounded her, was in fact Harry and Ron's.
Friday seemed to draw closer, and the dance was all that anyone ever talked about. Sure, the professors still realized that this was in fact a school were you were to learn magic not practice social activities but by Friday afternoon they had all given up. Hermione wished they hadn't.
As soon as the last class ended at three, all the girls clamored for the bathroom, fighting over the mirror. The boys on the other hand merely laughed and went about games of Wizard's chess. Honestly, it only took about 20 minutes to get ready and that was including a shower, what were those girls all on about it being hours?
After a few moments of fighting for prime mirror space, Alicia realized that she hadn't seen Hermione amongst the horde of girls. She didn't want to lose her space, but at the same time, if Hermione didn't start now, she would never be ready by eight o'clock. Squeezing her way out of the bathroom, she found that Hermione was lounging on her bed, doing...HOMEWORK!
"Hermione Granger, stop that this instant!" Alicia shouted.
Hermione nearly fell off her bed in shock, the way Alicia sounded it made it seem like Hermione was shooting up or something.
"You are coming with me. We've only got four hours now till the dance, and you look absolutely horrid."Alicia nearly yanked Hermione's arm from the socket as she forced her into the bathroom with all the rest.
"Honestly, why don't we just invade the boy's bathrooms. I am sure they are not in use." Hermione thought as Alicia busied herself by putting curlers in Hermione's hair.
Then Gwen had to hold Hermione's arms to keep her from running away while Alicia used her wand to airbrush make-up on to Hermione's face. Then Alicia put the tip of her wand on the curlers and they began to heat up. Satisfied that it would take care of Hermione for the time being she went back to work on herself. After this, they proceeded to do their nails and talk about their dates.
Hermione really wished sometimes that she had been born a guy and spared this torture. But oddly enough, the boys downstairs were discussing their ladies for the evening as well.
"Wait, so Connor you passed up Gwen to go with Hermione?" Asked Orville Price, a rather pimply looking goof ball.
"Not exactly...but you have to admit, Hermione is a bit of a looker." Connor puffed out his chest trying to defend his manly pride.
"Well, I am going to head off to the showers. Try not to lose too badly..." Connor said over his shoulder letting out his breath as he headed up to the boys dormitories and let Orville and David go back to their game of Wizard's Chess.
When he was out of ear shot, David inclined his head to the direction Connor had gone.
"So, how much do you want to bet Gwen murders him for his little stunt?"
"Two galleons?"
"You are on."
Finally all the girls put on their outfits for the evening, and gave each other a quick hug positively bursting with excitement. Hermione had to admit, she looked as if she belonged in the 40's. Her curled hair bobbed as she walked, and when she saw Connor at the bottom of the stairs she found him to be quite a dapper young man himself. He had slicked back his hair, but a few strands still found their way over his eyes, and he was wearing a white button up shirt with the sleeves scrunched up and black pants. Connor gave her a very pleased smile before reaching out to take her arm.
"Hermione you look amazing."
"Thanks Connor, you don't look too bad yourself." Hermione playfully chucked him on the arm as they walked out of the portrait hall and down to the Great Hall where the rest of the school was already amassing.
In the queue, because regardless of where you are in Britain there are queues, Hermione surveyed everyone around her. She could see Gwen up ahead with William, and she had seen Bethan a few moments before. But she couldn't find Tom Riddle and it almost disappointed her. No, disappointed wasn't the right word, it was simply that she wished to know where he was so she could avoid him.
Once almost everyone was inside, they went about their way of finding tables. The larger house tables had been pushed away, and smaller circular tables now took their place. The tables surrounded the "dance floor" in a horseshoe shape, and what had formally been the staff table now was in fact the stage where a big-band was warming up. Strangely enough, none of the band members actually seemed to be living. Hermione noted that the lead singer was a ghost as was the pianist who's robes seemed to be constantly billowing even though there was no wind in the Great Hall, and that the bassist was in fact a skeleton.
Hermione, Connor, Alicia, her date Eric, Gwendolyn, and William all sat at one table. Poor Bethan had to go elsewhere. They all clapped enthusiastically when Dippet stood at the center of the dance floor holding his hands up for everyone to become silent, though everyone really knew he was soaking in his glorious moment.
"My dear Hogwarts students, its my pleasure to welcome you to our 45th annual Halloween Social. Though the point of this evening is in fact to enjoy yourselves, I ask you to do that safely. Now, without further adieu I give you: Slick Richard and The Graveyard Five."
Everyone started clapping wildly as the ghost loosened his tie and grabbed hold of his mic.
"Now, we are gonna start if off right here boys and girls really slow. I ask you to turn your attention to the dance floor, as the Head Boy and Head Girl do their opening dance."
Hermione's breath caught when she saw Tom and he looked up directly into Hermione's eyes before he took hold of Olivia Bruce's hand and began to elegantly move her across the dance floor to the soft melody of the piano.
Back from the grave,
I came to see,
That all the beauty,
On this earth,
Could never compare to thee,
Hermione was lost in watching them, it seemed that all the world floated away and only Tom remained. Fog began to gently spread out across the floor and Hermione in the back of her mind wished that she had been Head Girl instead of Olivia.
I told you once,
You're the one I adore,
I told you twice,
I could never love you more,
I told you as the fog encircles you,
Couples now began to drift out on to the floor, and Connor gently took Hermione's hand and led her out amongst them. Her eyes however would not meet Connor's, they kept scanning faces for the intensity of Tom's.
A swirl of mist,
A swirl of your past,
Etched into stone,
Your name is unknown,
Weathered in time,
Hermione couldn't figure out why she needed to see him so badly, but she knew it was his eyes. She could get lost in them forever and never know the cause of it. Connor spun her slowly, and Hermione noticed that the pianist had joined in with the singer on the chorus producing a beautiful harmony.
I take your hand in mine,
We'll dance this night,
Spin around once more,
Under the full moon's light,
Spin around once more,
This time we'll take it slow,
We'll do it right,
Spin around once more,
Dance with me now,
On this ground so hallowed.
Connor's hand was beginning to become sweaty and it made Hermione uncomfortable, but the song was not yet ended, and to leave now would not only be rude, but it would make it impossible to find Tom as the fog had risen so high that you could occasionally see a couple's silhouette moving in it. It was actually quite beautiful, and fit the song perfectly so it was obvious that it had been arranged that way.
A swirl of mist,
A swirl of mist,
You twirl around me like this,
A swirl of mist,
The swirl of your gown,
I can't slow down,
I take your hand in mine,
We'll dance this night,
Spin around once more,
Under the full moon's light,
Spin around once more,
This time we'll take it slow,
We'll do it right,
Spin around once more,
Dance with me now,
On this ground so hallowed.
Connor like Hermione, had not tried to make eye contact. He was frantically searching every face for Gwendolyn's. When he saw her dancing with William, he felt what could only be described as a pang of regret and jealousy. He had thought she liked him, but the way she smiled at William only made his stomach twist into more knots.
I told you once,
I told you twice,
Spin around once more,
I told you once,
Spin around once more,
Spin around once more,
Our graveyard waltz goes...
Connor spun Hermione out and she let go of him and ended up crashing into something hard. Her honey colored eyes were met with the ones she had been searching for all this time. Tom did not speak but instead extended his hand to her to finish the dance. Hermione was not sure where Olivia had gone, but she didn't really care. Hermione placed her hand in his as he drew her closer with his hand at her back.
I told you once,
I told you twice,
Spin around once more,
We'll do it right,
Spin around once more,
Spin around once more...
Our graveyard waltz goes...
It goes...
It was only when the fog began to lower itself that she realized who it was that had managed to bewitch her entirely. It made Hermione want to retch at the thought of having been attracted to Lord Voldemort, and she excused herself back to her table where she found Alicia sitting alone. She smiled and waved Hermione over.
"Hey, where's Eric?" Hermione said as she sat down trying to regain her composure.
"He went to go get us some butter beer. You look really flushed, are you feeling okay?" Alicia said slowly.
"I'm fine... I just am not used to dancing." Hermione replied taking a sip of the water on the table.
"Ah, for a moment there I thought it was your partner who got you all worked up..." Alicia gave her a knowing smile before Eric returned with two butter beers in hand.
A few moments later Connor returned and sat next to Hermione running his hands through his hair in a frustrated manner. Hermione knew it was due to Gwendolyn, and she felt horrible that they didn't go together. Then again, just because they didn't come together doesn't mean they can't leave together.
Hermione smirked, as she thought of her plan. Not noticing as Tom Riddle watched her from across the room with absolute intrigue in his eyes. Not noticing as Bellatrix saw the object of his interest as malice filled hers. Hermione Granger would learn her place at Hogwarts, and Bellatrix Black was going to make sure that she did.
A/N: As I said, this bad boy got too long for its own good so it got split up, the rest will be posted tomorrow. Until then let me know what you think. And don't kill me for my horrid song writing skills, I tried...really I did.