Disclaimer: these characters are not mine – they belong to JK Rowling
AN: Thank you all for the reviews! I think this is my favorite chapter so far…Poor Harry! (*evil smirk*)
Chapter 10 –"She's my WHAT?!"
Later that evening, Hermione sat in the back of the library finishing her transfiguration essay. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't hear anyone approach, and she jumped a little when someone dropped into the chair next to her at the table.
She looked up sharply, and covered her heart with her hand as she saw Tom smirking up at her.
"That was dirty trick you pulled earlier, Hermione. I really should punish you for your lack of respect..." Tom said huskily as he moved closer to her.
"And by punish do you mean to curse me, or shag me?" Hermione snapped, her eyes blazing defiantly.
"Truthfully? I haven't yet decided." He said with a hint of danger in is tone
"What was that really about earlier, anyway? And don't give me the same flimsy excuse because I'm not buying that at all." Hermione said sharply.
"If you want me to be honest, how about you do the same?" he said challengingly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her against him.
Hermione looked at him in confusion, "What the hell are you talking about?" she spat
"Either you're lying to me or yourself; it's clear from your reaction this afternoon at lunch, that you are not at all pleased that Harry is showing interest in Effy Prewett. I don't think I need to remind you Hermione, that I don't share." Tom said menacingly, a dark look crossing his face as he forced her to look at him.
Hermione's eyes widened. Oh Merlin…he thought…
Hermione laughed. She couldn't help it, but seeing the anger rising on his face at her reaction, she thought it best to try and explain.
"Oh, goodness…you have it all wrong, Tom." She said trying to catch her breath.
"He raised his eyebrow at that, but did not relinquish his grip on her
Hermione flicked her eyes around the room to make sure they were alone, and used her free hand to cast a 'Muffliato'.
"Tom, Effy Prewett is Harry's Grandmother." Hermione said trying to hold in her laughter.
His eyes widened, "You can't be serious." Was all he could say, though she was relieved to feel his grip on her wrist loosen slightly.
"I was trying to see if Harry had any idea that she was related to him this afternoon, but clearly, he hasn't a clue."
"Well, aren't you going to tell him?" Tom chuckled darkly at the revelation.
"Well, it's not as if I can tell him in the middle of the great hall. I have to try and get him alone. I can't have anyone overhearing that conversation." Hermione reasoned.
Tom laughed thinking about how Harry wanted to take his grandmother to Hogsmeade.
"And don't think you're off the hook either." She scolded, and he looked at her in shock.
"Me? What did I do?" he still laughed feeling relieved it wasn't at all what he had thought.
"You and your jealousy almost killed my best friend. I told you Tom, he's like a brother. A brother that I will fight tooth and nail to protect." Hermione said sharply.
Tom leaned in closer to her, brushing his hand across her cheek, enjoying the way her eyes flashed with defiance
"Even from me?" he whispered silkily as he brushed his lips over hers
"Especially from you." Hermione said huskily before she grasped the back of his head and pulled him into a deep kiss.
~~{0}~~
The next morning Hermione took her seat in the stands to watch the first quidditch game of the season. Hermione would by lying if she said it wasn't weird to be sitting in a sea of green and silver rooting for their old rivals, but, this was her life now.
She watched The Slytherin team, with Tom in the lead fly onto the pitch, and the Slytherin side erupted in cheers. A few moments later, the match had begun. Activity was happening almost too quickly for Hermione to track, and she couldn't help but smile as Tom scored the first ten points for Slytherin. A short while later, her eyes found Harry zooming after the snitch with Fleamont hot on his tail. The look on Fleamont's face was murderous, but Harry was too focused on the snitch to notice. Unlike at practice, Fleamont was able to shadow Harry move for move. After a tense hour, and a very dramatic catch by Harry, Slytherin won the match. Hermione waited in the stands until most of the students had filed out, most of them eager to get to Hogsmeade, and she was about to walk over to Harry when she saw Effy Prewett approach him first. She ducked behind the goal post so that she could hear what they were saying.
"You were amazing out there today, Harry." Effy gushed
"Thanks." Harry said awkwardly, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice. Harry had never been smooth when talking to girls.
"Harry, it's a Hogsmeade weekend you know, are you going?" She asked, obviously trying to figure out if he was already taking someone.
"Yeah about that…I was wondering if…youwanttogotoHogsmeadewithme?" Harry said in a rush.
Effy laughed, "Sorry? I didn't quite catch that?"
"Would you want to go? With me, I mean?" Harry asked, looking down at his feet.
"I'd love to." She replied
Harry looked up sharply; he hadn't expected her to say yes. He still had anxiety from his Yule Ball experience from fourth year.
"Brilliant! That's brilliant." he said and smiled at her.
After she heard their voices receding, Hermione was just about to step out from behind the goal post and head to the castle when she heard Tom's voice whisper in her ear.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you that it isn't polite to eavesdrop?"
Hermione spun around to face him, and he pinned her against the goal post with his body.
"Speaking of Hogsmeade, you will go with me." He told her as he leaned in to kiss her neck.
Hermione scoffed, "What am I, a dog? You could ask me you know."
"You are mine, so naturally, you will go with me." He said in a tone that brooked no argument.
"What if I didn't feel like going?" she challenged placing a hand on his chest to make him look at her.
"Hermione…" he said warningly
"I'm not your property, Tom. I won't be ordered about." She said defiantly.
Merlin, she was an infuriating witch.
"You're not going with anyone else." He said sharply.
Hermione chuckled at his possessiveness, "Tom, I don't want to go with anyone else. I would prefer to go with you." She told him.
"So why are you arguing with me then?" he asked exasperatedly.
"Because I want you to ask me, not tell me." She said crossing her arms over her chest.
Tom sighed, "Fine. Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?" he asked flatly.
"No." Hermione said trying to hold in a chuckle at the look of irritation on his face.
"No? Why the hell not?" he asked scowling.
"You didn't say 'please'." She said smirking at him.
He smirked and leaned in close to her to brush his lips against her ear, and he whispered, "Please…"
She smiled against his cheek, and snaked her arms around his waist and said, "Since you asked so nicely, of course I'll go."
He growled and pulled her against him and kissed her, muttering something under his breath about 'insufferable witches'.
~~{0}~~
Hermione walked with her arm through Tom's along the path to Hogsmeade. The leaves were beginning to change, and Hermione couldn't help think about how drastically everything had changed since she and Harry had been flung into the past, and about all the people they'd left behind. They had been here a while now, and were still no closer to finding a way home.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked quietly from beside her.
She looked around, and saw that they were alone and answered him honestly, "I was just thinking about home."
He frowned at that.
"Are you so eager to leave?" he snapped, although she thought she could detect a little bit of worry in his voice.
"I don't belong here, Tom. I had a life back home, family, friends…" she trailed off.
"So what reason do you have to stay?" he stopped walking and looked at her.
She looked down at their joined hands, and said quietly, "I was hoping you would give me one."
His jaw twitched, and he didn't say anything.
She shook her head and suddenly felt silly. She should have expected this; of course he wouldn't stand there and profess his love for her, a mudblood no less. He obviously had an interest in her because it suited his needs, but beyond that, he probably didn't feel anything for her the way that she was beginning to for him.
Not wanting to press the issue and get into an argument, she began walking again, and he followed her into the Three Broomsticks. She walked past several tables of rowdy students, and her eyes landed on Harry and Effy Prewett. They were seated at a table towards the back of the tavern, and they were snogging.
Tom stepped up behind her, wondering why she had stopped when he saw what she was looking at, and he let out a sharp bark of laughter before he could stop himself.
"You really should do something about that." He chuckled into her ear.
She looked at him helplessly, as if to say, what the hell should I do? When he grabbed her hand and pulled them right up to their table and cleared his throat loudly.
"I hope we're not interrupting." Tom said smoothly, trying desperately not to laugh.
Effy pulled away from Harry in embarrassment, a blush coloring her cheeks.
"Tom! Hermione! Won't you join us?" she said politely.
Hermione sat stiffly, trying not to make eye contact with Harry. He was just making out with his grandmother, and he had absolutely no idea. Oh god.
"Right, I'll get the drinks." Tom said awkwardly and stepped away before Hermione could stop him.
Effy smiled and attempted to make small talk about the weather, and the quidditch match, although Hermione could tell, she was clearly mortified by being caught snogging her 'brother'.
"Will you excuse me for just a moment?" Effy said awkwardly and headed for the loo without waiting for their acknowledgement.
Harry's eyes watched her walk away before they snapped back to Hermione, "How's your date with Riddle?" Harry asked tersely taking another sip of his butterbeer.
"Apparently not as good as yours." Hermione said trying hard to not burst out laughing.
Harry flushed at her insinuation, and glared at her.
"Harry, I need to tell you something about Effy." Hermione said biting her lip nervously.
Harry sighed, "Oh come on Hermione, if you have a problem with me seeing Effy, just say so." Harry spat
Getting annoyed at his attitude, she scoffed and said, "As a matter of fact, I do have a problem with it!" She said acidly.
"You're jealous. Just say it." Harry shot back
"Jealous? Hardly!" Hermione sniffed and crossed her arms over her chest.
Harry scowled at her obvious rejection, "Oh, I forgot, you're too busy fraternizing with the enemy!" Harry said accusingly as he took another sip of his drink, slamming it back down angrily
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and whispered in a low voice, "Yeah, well at least I'm not snogging my grandmother."
Harry choked on his butterbeer, just as Tom returned to the table.
"Alright, Harry?" Tom said smirking at him.
Harry glared at Tom, and then he felt a hand land on his arm, "I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long," Effy said politely.
Tom sat and picked up his butterbeer and took a sip, enjoying Harry's discomfort.
"Are you alright, Harry? You look a bit flushed." Effy asked in concern.
"Yeah, suddenly I'm not feeling so well…" he said honestly.
"Oh...we should head back then. Tom, Hermione, see you around." She nodded to them as she helped Harry up from the table and walked out with him.
"How did he take it?" Tom asked smirking.
Hermione glared, "About as well as you could imagine." She said pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Does he know about Fleamont?" Tom asked curiously.
"He worked that one out on his own, the last name was a dead giveaway" Hermione said sarcastically.
"You and I aren't related are we? Not some distant cousin on my father's side, perhaps?" Tom asked quickly looking over at her with wide eyes.
Hermione laughed, "Most definitely not."
"Thank Merlin for that." Tom breathed a sigh of relief.
Hermione laughed. Truthfully, if that bothered him, then he should not be so keen on embracing the purelood traditions since most of them were in fact related.
Despite the tension that had been between them earlier, they enjoyed each other's company while they finished their drinks and then headed back to the castle. She needed to have a long talk with Harry.