A/N: Hi, guys! So...umm...I'm a total loser. I find my life at a loss without this story. I'm not quite ready to start the sequel yet, but I feel so weird when I'm not writing! I think I just miss ya'll, and am having Ashes, Ashes withdrawal;) So, here's an excerpt! Nothing critical or anything, just some more bits a pieces of Hermione and Tom's life that I felt like writing

Disclaimer: It ain't mine. Ya'll know what I'm talking about;)

December 21st, 1998

Hermione shuffled through her notes anxiously, peering at the scribbled writing, in search of a particular page having to do with Slughorn's lesson the previous day. She growled, tossing the crumpled notes onto the floor and slamming her head down on the library table. The sound seemed to echo throughout the room, and quicker than Hermione could count, Madam Pince came flying around the corner, face alit in an expression of outrage.

"Ms. Granger!" She shrieked, loud enough to wake the inferi residing at the bottom of that wretched lake that Harry claimed to have nightmares about so often. "How many times have I told you? Don't throw tantrums in the library!"

"I wasn't throwing a tantrum!" Hermione argued discordantly. "I was just looking for my notes from-"

"-Insolent, disrespectful child-"

"-Wasn't causing any harm! Honestly, you're being louder than I was-"

The sound of someone clearing their throat drew both of their attentions away from the other. Tom stood rather hesitantly between to bookcases, and Hermione immediately recognized his expression as that of one trying to charm the pants off of someone else.

"Sorry...I hate to be a bother, its just...I was trying to finish this book-Romanoff's got some great theories on charm structure-and I was wondering if you two wouldn't mind settling your dispute in a...quieter...level of voice, yeah? I'm sure Hermione's tantrum's can be lowered to a less-disruptive volume, after all." The younger woman watched in disgust as the librarian practically seemed to melt at Tom's words.

"Of course! Don't be silly Tom! We shan't disturb you any longer. You let me know if Ms. Granger gives you any more trouble, and I'll be sure to send her on her way." Tom grinned at her and Madam Pince disappeared once more, muttering things like 'wonderful, studious boy' and 'such a little prince' along the way.

Hermione let out a 'Hmph!' and dropped lower into her seat, lifting her book so that it covered her face. She was not prepared, however, to see Tom's dark eyes peering over the book at her. She swatted at him and he chuckled, dropping into the seat across from her.

"You always get me into trouble," she grumbled, eying him stonily. He seemed relaxed under her fierce gaze, and he even had the gall to lean back, putting his hands behind his head and throwing his feet up on the table.

"But its not my fault you're adept at getting into trouble, my lady," he replied in a reprimanding tone. She kicked his foot under the table, almost knocking him off of his chair. He sat back up, arching a brow at her.

"Don't," she warned. "I wish to be left alone. I can't deal with you right now, Tom."

She felt a pang of guilt when a tiny flash of hurt crossed his eyes, but she dismissed it when he nodded, withdrawing his own book from his bag and relaxing into his chair. She turned back to the pages in front of her, but whatever she had been researching hardly seemed consequential anymore. Sighing in defeat, she pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and her quill. Dipping her quill into the ink, she titled the essay and began to write.

Hermione had gotten almost an entire parchment's length when she felt a barefoot sliding up her calf, tracing patterns on the bare skin there. She looked up sharply, trying to hide the shiver that ran down her spine. Tom was not looking at her, but rather, down at his own book. Shaking her head, she continued to write. Only moments later, however, she was distracted when the foot inched its way up her leg, now resting on her thigh.

"Tom!" she whispered furiously-though why she was whispering, she was not sure. It was Christmas break, and nearly everyone was away for the holidays. "Tommy!" He looked up, blinking at her in an adorably oblivious way, but she didn't buy it for one second. "What are you playing at?"

He frowned, looking baffled. "What do you mean?"

"Oh don't even, Tommy! You know exactly what I mean!"

He blinked again, before a slow, sensual smirk curled the corner of his mouth. "I'm sorry...does it bother you?"

She blushed, looking away from him before turning back to meet his eyes challengingly. "Its just distracting, is all."

"Right," he conceded, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Well...perhaps if you're getting so easily distracted...you should take a break." Before she could respond, he had moved from his seat across the table to the seat that was directly next to hers. He leaned towards her, his hand grasping the back of her chair as he peered at her closely. She could hardly breathe as his dark eyes probed her own, looking for any sign, even a flicker of rejection.

It had been a while, she knew. They had started out slow. She had hardly seen him over the summer, what with the whole recovery of her parents memories, and his trial and all. They had sat together on the Hogwarts Express, and Hermione could honestly say, it had been the most awkward train ride she had ever been on. Neither of them spoke much, and she couldn't even find the bravery to look him in the eye more than once or twice.

They had gotten better. There had been a few subtle steps; a brief squeeze of the hand, a comforting peck on the cheek, but nothing enough to strongly, genuinely communicate "I'm ready."

Tom seemed to jump as the clang of the bell echoed across the grounds, signalling lunch time. He gave her one long, last look before he stood, offering her a hand. He waited patiently for her to gather her things and then easily lifted her bag and draped it over his shoulder. He was surprised when he felt Hermione slide her small hand into his own, interlocking their fingers. He looked down at her, raising his eyebrows with question, but she just shook her head, nodding towards the exit, and after a moment, he complied.

The Great Hall was nearly empty. With it being only a few months after the final battle, students were still eager to spend time with their families, waiting as the wizarding world rebuilt itself. Hogwarts, itself, had been a handful to put back together, but with the help of the Order, Ministry, and many faithful students, it had taken much shorter than anticipated.

Tom and Hermione sat alone at lunch. During the school year, they would usually sit with Luna, or Ginny; house seating was practically ignored after the battle.

After lunch, the two of them wandered out onto the grounds. Hermione was grateful that she was finding it easier and easier to talk to Tom. She was shocked, too, at how their conversations could range from deeply philosophical to entirely mundane. She found herself talking to him about the silliest things, and, even more to her surprise, found herself caring less and less. She couldn't possibly be concerned about making a fool of herself when his eyes, those dark, enthralling eyes, watched her with such devote attention, such careful scrutiny.

The two of them sat in the snow, underneath the beech tree next to the Black Lake. Its murky waters were frozen solid and Hermione squinted as the sun's rays bounced off its glassy surface.

She watched from her peripherals as Tom stretched, his lean body tightening and contracting, wiry muscles flexing against the thin fabric of his shirt. She could see the veins running through his pale skin, from his bicep, branching at his wrist, into his hand, where his long, thin fingers drummed against his knee, entrancing her with their movement.

Hermione blushed as she realized how callously she was studying him. "We should do this more often," she quipped quite suddenly, and he glanced over at her, looking amused.

"And to what are you referring to, if I may ask, my little mouse?"

The familiar pet name almost stopped her short, but she continued without missing a beat. "This whole outdoors thing. You could really use some color, and to be perfectly honest, you look good outside."

He studied her long and hard, the way he did when something she had said threw him off or confused him. "Outdoors thing?" he said finally, as if tasting the words on his tongue. "You know perfectly well that I don't do outdoors often, Hermione."

The way he said her name made her smile. "We'll go camping," she decided quite suddenly. "But, we have to put up the tent by hand, and cook our own food, and everything."

"Hermione-"

"It would put me forever in your debt."

He paused studying her with a slight smirk on his lips. She shivered as he leaned closer to her, lifting a hand and trailing it through her hair. She seemed frozen against him, and pliant to his every wish. The cold didn't seemed to be affecting either of them; both of their cheeks were pleasantly flushed. Hermione let out a wry giggle as Tom pulled her into his lap, gripping her waist gently as he lifted her effortlessly.

Tom's eyes didn't stray from her face. She swallowed thickly as she watched his eyes flicker down to her mouth and back up again.

Not really registering what she was doing, Hermione grabbed his head forcefully by the jaw and tugged his face towards her. His gasp of surprise was muffled by her lips against his. His reaction was immediate. He scooped her up into his arms, pulling their bodies flush against one another as he continued to soften her lips against his. He had forgotten exactly how it felt to kiss Hermione Granger; how it felt to have her fingers running through his hair, sending pleasant sensations down his scalp and through his body.

After a while they broke apart, and Hermione traced the line of his face with her fingers, tracing around his nose, his brow, the sharp line of his jaw, his lips, while he peered at her, head tilted sideways in that signature way of his. Finally, he leaned down, giving her a soft, affectionate peck that seemed to confirm everything that had just happened.

"I've been waiting for that." He told her honestly.

She smiled, reaching up to mess his hair up at bit more than it already was.

"Me too."

A/N: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed! Just a fluffy little excerpt from Tom and Hermione's Hogwarts days. Just to be clear, this is before any of the events in the epilogue! I feel like such a sap for writing that, but I think ya'll need to see the highlights of their relationship, and what really made them such a strong couple in my opinion!

Thanks for reading!

Lots of love!