Disclaimer: don't own.
That's what happened in chapter 13:
"Tom isn't boyfriend material. Your sister should be together with someone who is handsome, intelligent, rich, influential and obviously very interested in her." Abraxas said, putting on his sweater. "Someone like me."
Was this all about jealousy? Harry couldn't believe it.
"And you think that Tom isn't? I think it's obvious that they are smitten with each other. You should see the way they look at each other."
Abraxas growled like a tiger and Harry inwardly smirked. Could it be that both Malfoys had a thing for Hermione – Grandfather and Grandson? How weird could it get?
On with the story:
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Hermione and Tom were inseparable for the next few days which made Draco and Abraxas furious and Harry smirk. He was happy that their mission was somehow succeeding, but he feared that Hermione was slowly falling in love with Tom – and that wasn't part of the plan. And apart from that, the constant kissing, holding hands and smiling at each other – it made Harry and the Malfoys sick to the stomach.
"Don't you see that we have to leave this time as soon as Tom is changed?" Harry asked warily, one night, when the common room was only half full.
Hermione felt as if her stomach dropped, but she nodded. "I know… it's just so hard for me. Besides, we don't know exactly WHEN he is changed, Harry."
"You have fallen in love… right?"
"Harry…" Hermione smiled sadly and looked at her best friend who lounged comfortably on the green sofa. "Since when are you so good at reading other people's emotions?"
"It's obvious that you are in love, Mione."
"I can't help falling in love." Hermione murmured.
"Obviously."
"Hello Harry… Hermione" Eileen sat down next to Harry, keeping her face from frowning deliberately.
"Eileen." Harry's face lit up and Hermione doubled back.
'Whoa… Harry.'
"Harry, hermione, Eileen." Draco plopped down next to Hermione, obviously happy that she wasn't in the company of the Dark Lord a rare occurrence and of course Draco used his chance.
"Mione… would you help me with my Potions essay, please?"
Hermione shook her head. "You have to do it yourself or you'll never learn."
"Please?"
At that moment, the door of the Slytherin common room banged open and a large belly walked in… ah… behind the belly was a man… Slughorn. The students all stopped talking at that instant. Next to Slughorn, there was Tom, immaculately dressed in black pressed robes, his hair the perfect style – not a hair out of place, his dark blue eyes searching the room, landing on Hermione and giving her a tiny smile. Hermione's heart leapt.
How could he have that effect on her? Every time she saw him, her heart beat faster and she felt herself blush. Excuse me? That's not ME, Hermione thought frowning. It might be Lavender or Parvati, but not Hermione Granger. Right?
"My dear Slytherin students." Slughorn boomed proudly and Hermione mentally rolled her eyes. Suck-up.
"I will organize a dance for the sixth year Slytherins and above. The Slug Club members of the other houses are also invited, but the sixth and seventh years Slytherins."
The older students cheered at that announcement.
The Slug Club members looked at each other, rolling their eyes.
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"You'll come with me, right, Hermione?" Tom asked possessively, sitting down between Draco and Hermione, slinging an arm around her and giving her a heated, passionate kiss. Hermione deliberately ignored the retching noises coming from Draco and Harry and smiled at her boyfriend. "Of course."
"Perfect." Tom got up swiftly and held Hermione's hand. "I would like to show you something."
Hermione got up with him. "Fine. See you later, Harry… Draco… Eileen."
The three of them seemed to be glad to see her gone… well, her and Tom.
The headboy chambers were hot and stuffy, but very comfortable. Hermione was absolutely thrilled to be back in the familiar rooms.
Tom gave her a kiss before he slowly walked into his own room and Hermione took a seat on one of the squashy couches. "This is for you." Tom said softly, sitting down next to her.
Hermione peeped at the rectangular box and opened it with trembling fingers. What could it be? A curse? She inwardly grinned at her paranoia. Surely, Tom was as besotted with her as she was with him and –
HOLY COW!
A beautiful green and silver snake pendant on a fine silver necklace was carefully embedded on a dark blue velvet cushion. Hermione was lost for words – how could Tom give her such a beautiful present? She had clearly evoked his soft side. "That… that's for me?" Hermione asked disbelievingly. For the first time – ever – Tom's cheeks had turned a faint pink.
"Yes. For you, my love." Tom coughed self consciously. "It shows that you are mine, Hermione. I have the same one – " Tom opened the top two buttons of his white shirt (Hermione had to remind herself not to drool at his muscular chest) and showed her the identical necklace. "Whenever one of us is in trouble, the necklace 'tells' us so that we can save each other."
Hermione had to smile at his thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Tom. It's beautiful and well – helpful."
"I will always take care of you, Hermione. Nothing bad will ever happen with you while I'm around." Tom said smiling and kissing hermione's neck before putting her necklace on.
"I love you." Hermione said and noticed – to her disgust – that she had tears in her eyes. Tears of happiness…
"I love you too." Tom whispered, looking deeply into her eyes. "Would you like to spend the night in my headboy chambers?"
Oh no. Hermione definitely, surely wanted to… but… oh well. Sod it.
"Yes." Hermione said her cheeks burning crimson when she thought of the silk underwear she was wearing. (Why in the world was she wearing silk underwear today? It must have been her only pair anyway. Perfect timing, obviously.)
"Thank you." Tom picked her up bridal style and carried the squealing Hermione into his chambers. Hermione barely had time to admire his room decorated in Slytherin colours, when Tom carefully laid her onto his bed and started kissing her violently.
It was a night to remember – for Hermione and Tom.
This night, they didn't only "share" their bodies (it was their first time), but also their worries, problems and wishes for the future. Although Hermione tried to avoid the topic of her upbringing (obviously because she was a muggle born from the future), Tom told her his secrets about the orphanage and about his despicable muggle father. Oh, and of course, he couldn't help but boast that he was the heir of Slytherin.
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"Good morning, sleepy head." Tom grinned when he saw a tousled Hermione lying in his arms the next morning.
"Morning." Hermione yawned. It had taken her a long time to go to sleep because she had still been so full of adrenaline – mainly because of his love-making, but also because of his secrets he had decided to share with her. "Slept well?"
"I slept fine." Tom gave her a peck on her lips. "If it weren't for your snoring!"
"Hey. I don't snore." Hermione mock punched his shoulder. "I was thinking…"
"About not making too much noise I hope."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, seriously, I was thinking about what you said yesterday."
Tom became as stiff as a board and turned away from her, his expression hard and cold. "Yes?"
"Well – the thing about your father."
"Only concerns me, thank you very much."
"I know, but I had an idea." Hermione said carefully. This was it. Her chance to save the world. With this little plea.
Tom said nothing; he only glared at her. Hermione had anticipated his reaction, but that didn't make it easier for her.
"I think we should visit your father."
Tom's mouth dropped open; he clearly hadn't expected that proposition. "WHAT?"
"We should ask him what really happened when he left your mother. IF he really left her. What if he doesn't even know that she was pregnant? Maybe, he didn't even know he has a son." Hermione said softly.
"I think he knew very well. He left my mother, because she was a witch." Tom spat.
"You don't know that."
"You know nothing about that. You don't know your father's side of the story; you don't even know your mother's side of the story." Hermione reasoned with him. "Just think about it. You would have a father if everything turned out fine. He is probably sorry that you grew up in an orphanage."
Tom snorted. "You don't know my father, Hermione."
"You don't either." Hermione countered. "Please? Just one little visit."
"Why do you care so much anyway?" Tom turned to her, his eyes blazing. "It's all in the past. he didn't want me; he didn't even want my mother. Why should he want to get to know me when I'm 16 and almost grown up?"
Good question. Hermione couldn't very well tell him that in a few years he would murder his father and his grandparents, so she tried a different tactic. "Because I want you to be happy, Tom. No risk no fun. Maybe, you will be happy to have a family. Maybe you won't even have to return to that vile orphanage in the holidays and you can spend some time with your father." Hermione decided to make this as appealing for him as possible. "You will go skiing in the alps, sitting in front of a fire, drinking cocoa and fire whiskey. Or you will go to a hot, tropical beach, getting a tan, sitting on a white sandy beach under the palm trees, eating coconuts, sipping iced cocktails…"
Hermione stopped when she noticed that Tom was laughing. He was laughing so hard that his face was red and he was clutching his side. "Hermione… dream on."
"It might be real." Hermione said miffed.
"Sure… and you want to be part of it,… right?" Tom gasped.
"Uhm… yes." Hermione gave him a light smile. "Really, Tom. Try it."
Tom gave her a nod. "Only, if you organize everything."
Hermione's eyes lit up and she gave him a long kiss. "I will. I think, we should visit your father when Slughorn's party takes place, then no one will miss us and we can creep out of the castle that evening undetected."
Tom raised one of his perfect eyebrows, clearly impressed. "Miss Delacour, you are becoming more and more Slytherin like every day."
"I hang out with the biggest Slytherin in this school, didn't you norice?"
Tom laughed. "You are right. Then everything is settled." Tom pushed her back onto the bed. "It's Sunday today, Hermione. Did you like what we did yesterday evening?"
"Yes, I did." she admitted, grinning. "You?"
"I liked it so much that I would like to repeat it. What do you say?"
"I say, what are you waiting for?"
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"You are doing what?" Draco asked in alarm, getting up from the couch where he had been lounging on. "Riddle is going to meet his father? You can't be serious, Granger."
"Since when do you call me Granger again?" Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"Since you cast me aside for the future Dark Lord." Draco spat.
"Relax, Draco. She only did that because of our mission." Harry replied soothingly.
"Relax, Potter? You must be kidding yourself."
"No, Draco, we'll be going back soon anyway."
"We will?" It was Hermione who looked at Harry perplexed. "How do you know?"
"We completed our task: You seduced him, you showed him love and since you are even going to introduce Riddle to his father I can only say: Task fulfilled." Harry said in an excited voice. "We can go back soon."
"That's wonderful!" Draco said happily, but Hermione felt as though her heart was breaking. She had to leave Tom? Why did she suddenly feel so sad, so incredibly sad? Why did she ever let herself fall in love? From the beginning on, she knew they had to leave again, but during the time she spent with Tom, she didn't remember that they had to go back to the future.
"We can be back together, then." Draco said happily.
"Well…. " Hermione coughed. It was probably true – if the mission really went well, then there would be no Tom, no Voldemort. "That's right, Draco."
He hugged her and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. "Thank you. That made my day."
Hermione gave an unwilling smile in return. "Don't let Tom see that."
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"Are you scared?" Hermione asked in a low voice. Tom was holding her hand as if his life depended on it and she felt his tension and stress, too. They had apparated into a dark ally, where only a dodgy streetlamp cast a soft yellow glow. It was evening and Hermione shivered, although Tom's hand felt very warm to her.
Tom shrugged, pulling the scarf tighter, which was part of his muggle clothes. They couldn't go there, dressed as wizards. "Not really."
Inwardly, Hermione smirked. Men! But aloud she said: "Are you prepared to listen? Whatever he is going to say?"
"Let's go!" Tom answered broodingly and pulled Hermione with him. "I know where they live."
In Little Hangleton, obviously. But in which house? How did Tom know? Hermione pushed the disturbing thought to the back of her mind and followed Tom through the icy darkness.
He came to a stop in front of a white mansion with wrought iron gates. It obviously belonged to wealthy people. The garden also seemed well-kept and expensively decorated and Hermione suddenly felt timid. She hadn't expected Tom's father to live that luxuriously.
Tom took a deep breath and squeezed hermione's finger, although she should have reassured him. "Let's go." she whispered and Tom rang the bell with trembling fingers.