Minister Riddle Will See You Now

Chapter 10: Depletion and Replenishment

**A mistake that needs corrected in previous chapters: NEWTs occurred Monday-Thursday, Friday was the night the 7th years went out celebrating and drinking. Graduation happened Saturday. Hermione spent Sunday with Tom and then at Malfoy Manor. I could use a Beta reader because I'm forgetting what I wrote when I pick the story back up to write. Feel free to leave a review with continuity errors if you notice any so that I can make a note to fix it. Otherwise, bear with me, please!

"- can't be serious Tom," a voice hissed.

Hermione was sure that she was dreaming on a fluffy cloud so she kept her eyes closed in hopes of falling back asleep.

"-yes I can see that…"

"She's 18, it's not unheard of-"

"The Head Girl, Tom, really? Have you no sense of propriety?"

There was the sound of footsteps and then a door closing.

A soft familiar voice was saying, "-it was just a buildup of magic from the power boost. She didn't use much magic today. I've seen her cast wandlessly before so I am unsure whether she just exorcised too much magic from her body or if it's something else."

Her body tingled for a moment. Then a baritone voice was saying, "Her numbers are coming back up so I'd say that your theory is right on. I've seen this witch cast a lot of magic over the last seven years and she's never had issues with her magic to my knowledge. It won't take anyone with a brain who is above the age of 30 to figure out what has occurred to cause her magic boost. I would keep it quiet if I were you."

Snape!

That meant Tom was the other voice. She opened her eyes and saw them both across the room. They had their backs turned to her.

"It wasn't about the power boost and you know that," Tom insisted quietly. "I hadn't anticipated that. I wouldn't say it wasn't a bonus but it made me no difference at the time. I've not really noticed much difference to my own magic, to be honest. She set my fucking curtains on fire, Severus."

"Did she not like the color?" Severus teased sarcastically.

Tom ran his hands through his hair in the way he did when frustrated. "No, I mean at the moment of the power boost. Once her virginity was gone, I felt the magic in her building along with her orgasm. It was like she had too much power and her body and her mind was...on a temporary hiatus...so she cast a spell to dispel the overflow. I didn't even notice until after my own orgasm."

Hermione flushed at hearing Tom discussing their sex so casually and she wondered what the relationship between them really was if Severus was so used to having to guard the hallway while Tom fingered a witch to the brink or if he had to listen to Tom describing sex with his new "girlfriend."

" She doesn't know anything is different about the situation," Tom stated blandly.

"She hasn't had access to a library yet, you mean?" Severus snarked and Hermione wanted to smile at how strange it was that Severus Snape knew her so well.

A soft chuckle. "Yes, I suppose she'll be reading up on the situation as much as she can after this. I'm not hiding anything from her, I just had hoped to figure out why this situation is so...potent."

Severus sighed, "She's a powerful witch, Tom. I know you're attracted to power and I can't blame you for finding her interesting but fucking Merlin's balls, Tom! She just graduated!"

An unfamiliar feeling of appreciation for her teacher's protectiveness filled her chest. She'd never disliked Snape the way other students had but she'd never really liked him much either. Well, not until the last year she spent working on her project around him.

"What is it that bothers you so, Severus? That she was a student and you feel she's still a witch you should be protecting? Or, is it that I got to her first?"

She could see Severus Snape's mannerisms were jerky in the way he turned to face Tom in anger.

"Perhaps it's that you choose now to have a public relationship and you've chosen a partner only 18, fresh out of Hogwarts, and you're possibly not going to keep her for long! The public outcry when you break her heart is going to ruin your chances for re-election next year."

The room was oddly quiet as both wizards seemed to be calming their anger.

"I'm not sure what I'm doing but I don't plan to toss her aside or treat her cruelly. Okay? Now back the fuck off!" Tom hissed at him at length.

Severus turned to leave and Tom paced to the mantle and leaned his forearms.

Hermione let a minute go by before she used a hand to slowly push herself up to a sitting position. Her vision swam and Tom was instantly by her side.

"Easy," Tom warned her, his eyes intense.

She allowed him to flatten his hand against her back as she struggled to stay upright. Once she was up, the dizziness faded a bit. Looking around she was in an opulent bedroom that she didn't recognize. This must be a room in Malfoy Manor, Hermione realized.

"Drink some water," Tom insisted, handing her a cool glass of water.

She drank deeply, knowing there were lots to discuss when she was done and stalling.

Surprisingly, Tom didn't move to talk about anything after she handed back the glass,

"Did I expel too much magic all at once?" she asked him, sheepishly.

Tom snorted. "That's putting it mildly. You were only supposed to gather up some, the excess. It would have gotten you through the rest of the evening without itching."

She sighed, "Sorry I blew everything."

A hand came up and tucked a curl behind her ear. "Why do you think that?"

"Well...I'm sure having to catch me and take me here to wait for me to wake up was not on the agenda for watching the sunset."

A hollow laugh came from Tom as he ran his hand through his hair. "No, it wasn't. I'll admit it wasn't something I had anticipated happening."

"So...does everyone know why I fainted?"

She could read the answer in the way Tom didn't reply right away. He was calculating a response.

"Well, Severus and Narcissa do and I am certain that if Lucius hasn't figured it out, Narcissa will clue him in. Draco probably will not have come to the correct conclusion. As to Abraxas and Melvinna...they may have figured it out and they may not have. If we can get you out of here without further incident, it will pass and they won't have considered that you expelled too much magic as a result of the power boost that comes from losing one's virginity. They may just think we were practising wandless magic and you made a mistake. They don't know you very well. They might think I was trying to show off by teaching you before you were ready to learn."

She swung her feet over the edge of the bed, her heels were missing. Tom helped her to stand and she was able to walk to the door by herself even though Tom hovered behind her.

"Where are my heels?"

"I have them," he told her, reaching around her to open the door.

Exasperated, Hermione held her hand out expectantly. "Well, may I have them?"

"No," he told her, a look of annoyance on his face.

She was taken aback. "W-why not?"

He swung the door open, pulling her an inch or two towards him to keep her from impeding its projection.

"Hermione," the exasperation was heavy in his voice, "you've just nearly drained your magical core. You're lucky I'm letting you walk on your own."

Glaring, she crossed her arms across her chest. "I can't go out there without shoes on. This isn't the sort of place or company where I can waltz around barefoot."

What she really meant was that she didn't want to be seen as vulnerable in front of the Malfoys. She didn't need to give anyone any more reason to gossip about the cause for her swooning spell.

Reading her mind, Tom rolled his eyes. "You can walk out barefoot or I can carry you."

She narrowed her eyes at him, unsure how serious he was and he grinned at her making an advance on her.

Palms up in alarm, Hermione hastily said, "I'll walk!"

Raising an eyebrow, Tom gestured for her to go first. She stepped out into the hall and was startled to see Severus coming towards them, books in hand.

"Severus, I thought you'd left," Tom grits his teeth.

"I brought a few books for Miss Granger so to save you from her leaving a paper trail at the bookshop linking her name to books on sex magic just weeked before she appears on your arm at the gala."

Hermione turned to Tom with her eyes wide and it was genuine. Sex magic?

"Yes," he ground out, "thank you for thinking ahead. Now I need to get her home and explain everything."

"Sex magic?" she whispered in shock. She didn't know there was a whole branch of magic just for sex!

"Come," Tom said after accepting the books and shrinking them to place in his pocket.

She allowed him to wrap her hand around his arm and guide her down the hallway. She didn't know where she was going so she just followed along. When they reached the stairs she was a little happy she didn't have to wear her heels down them.

Severus followed behind them but she noticed without his teaching robes, he seemed more elegant and less billowy.

When they made it back to the sitting room, Abraxas and Melvinna had retreated for the evening leaving just Lucius, Narcissa and Draco. When they entered the room Hermione realized that Lucius and Narcissa had both indeed figured out what happened. Lucius raised his glass and an eyebrow to Tom and chuckled into his drink in such a manner that Hermione wanted the floor to swallow her whole.

The lady of the manor, however, was giving Tom a bit of a cold shoulder though she seemed to be okay with Hermione.

"How are you feeling, dear?" she fussed, wrapping an arm around Hermione's shoulder and guiding her away from Tom and to sit on the sofa.

"Oh, I'm fine," Hermione reassured, flushing at the attention.

"Seems like there might be a few holes in the Hogwarts curriculum, if you ask me," Lucius drawled.

His wife sent him a glare but honestly, he wasn't wrong. No one had taught her anything about this and it seemed like important information that young witches and wizards should have. Having your magic go wonky because of sexual frustration seemed like it would be dangerous for those who didn't know what was causing it. Who wanted to go to a healer to find out that all you needed to do to solve was masterbate or get laid?

Another snort came from Severus. "I've advocated this several times, Lucius, you know that. I've been ignored time and time again."

That drew Draco's attention as they had just graduated without this knowledge so now he was curious as to what he was missing. He looked between his father and Severus but neither said anymore on the matter. Narcissa rubbed her hand up and down Hermione's arm as if to warm her up.

"I think I should be escorting Miss Granger back home now. It's getting late," Tom announced, holding his hand out to help Hermione stand up.

"Yes, thank your Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy for allowing me to attend your dinner tonight. It was a great meal and great company. Please apologize to...Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy for me. I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodnight," Hermione went through her pleasantries with a smile as she stood and Tom tucked her under his arm.

"Just call us Lucius and Narcissa, please," Narcissa said. "It will simplify things greatly and you're very welcome for the invitation. We were honored to have you in our home."

"Draco, thank you for letting me crash your party," she said to the youngest Malfoy. "Congratulations on your graduation and your accolades. I know you worked hard for it. I'll owl you with details for dinner?"

Remember his manners a minute too late, Draco stood because she had. "Congrats to you as well. Thanks for only letting one of your accolades be known tonight. If you'd shared your others we'd be here all night," he smirked evilly.

Just like that, everyone in the room knew that Hermione Granger had recently lost her virginity at 18 and to the Minister of Magic and was suffering from magical overload and magical depletion. She ducked her head, thinking how stupid it had been to hope Draco wouldn't figure out what was happening with all the talk going on over his head.

Tom sighed. "Let's just go. Draco, congrats on graduation. I look forward to having dinner with you this week, please remember that gossip hurts me as much as it does her."

To his credit, Draco looked hurt at the suggestion that he might share his new knowledge with someone simply to get a dig in at her.

Walking with them to the floo, Narcissa was saying, "I'll owl you with a day and time for us to do your robe fitting for the gala. You are open with your schedule if I can't get cooperation from the store for the night we want?"

She smiled and said, "I'll arrange around you. The only thing I may plan in the evenings is to see my dad and celebrate with him."

A frown marred Narcissa's face. "You haven't seen your parents to celebrate yet?"

"Oh, well, my parents are muggles and they aren't allowed in Hogwarts so he attended a conference this weekend. We planned to meet up for dinner when he's back. I haven't called yet but I think he might have gotten home today."

"And you mother?" Lucius asked, curiously.

"My mother moved to Australia a few years back. I was thinking after I get a job, I might be able to work up to a couple days off and get a port key to visit her and my step-father. I haven't seen them in over a year since I worked this summer."

This didn't seem to answer all of the questions Lucius was thinking but he didn't ask anything else. Tom was frowning as they congratulated Draco again, and thanked the hosts for having them.

Arriving in the grate at Tom's house was a little bit of a tricky landing since she was still a bit light headed, the way it feels after losing a lot of blood. She imagined she would need to wait for her magic to replenish itself before she stopped feeling so light headed.

Tom stepped out of the grate and scooped her up and carried her. She felt so weak by now she didn't even protest. When Tom bypassed the living room and headed straight for his bedroom, Hermione was looking forward to sleep.

He sat her on the chair in his room and knelt down in front of her so she was level with his eyes. He placed his forearms on the arms of the chair, effectively boxing her in.

"How many times a day do we have to have serious discussions?" he joked.

She smiled weakly, shy now about being alone with him with practically the whole Malfoy family aware of what had occurred between them.

"You've had a big day," Tom commented, pushing her curls over her shoulder.

"In less than 24 hours I've shed my virginity, tripled my lifelong record for orgasms, been heard in throes of passion by three different people, nearly been caught red-handed in the act by the mother of my school rival, and most importantly, blackmailed the Minister of Magic. Yes, today has been interesting."

Cocking his head, Tom said, "I don't know where to start. Nearly depleting your magical core didn't even make that list so I don't know if you're too overwhelmed to register the seriousness or if you have misorted your priorities.

Wryly, she grinned, "Yes, who could forget having so big of a power boost that I had to blow something up and deplete myself momentarily. It ranks up there with the blackmail. And with having my virginity status outed."

A V formed on Tom's brow. "What is it you think you've blackmailed me into? What do you, a Gryffindor, even know about blackmail?"

The implication bothered her. Everyone considered the houses of Hogwarts to be very black and white, each house neatly containing those who belonged only to them with no spill over. She had qualities of the other houses just as most people did and to box her in as a Gryffindor, especially when the person doing so meant it as an insult, they were demeaning her capabilities.

"I'll have you know I was a six minute hat stall for three of the four houses equally so you should keep that in mind," Hermione warned him with a glare that failed to pierce his mask.

"Even still…"

"Well, you were very clear that you only take on witches in a sexual capacity with intent to subdue them for your own brand of therapy. I'm not high profile but it seems you've agreed to much more than you intended to when you took me on as a girlfriend."

Tom reached up to stroke her cheek, eyes focused on her. "You are second guessing my ability to be a partner to you?"

Not wanting to give him the wrong impression, she hurried to clarify. "I'm second guessing your motivation to choose me to do so with. There are a lot of witches out there, beautiful ones, who could do for you what you want. Why settle for someone inexperienced as me? Why choose the one girl who could possibly cause bad publication if the public thinks you slept with me just for a power boost? Or me, for seducing the beloved Minister? There are so many risks involved and I don't understand why."

The silence between them rode for a few minutes as they looked at each other. Tom cupped the back of her neck and pulled her into a kiss, deep and longing. When he released her lips, he moved back and stared at her as if willing her to understand.

Hermione could feel her stomach heavy with unease. "Why risk the trouble with your family over something so new and so unsure with me?"

"Do you always think so little of yourself?"

"What?"

"Do you really think yourself so devoid of anything that I might want other than sex? Do you not know how smart, kind, and beautiful you are? There are lots of reasons to make me decide to try the relationship route with you."

She didn't dare to breathe as she listened to him.

"I won't lie, there are plenty of witches, Hermione. Beautiful ones, some smart, some kind, but there has never been a witch like you. I've been through a lot of witches and if I'd found one like you before now, I'd have considered something more. I'm not against relationships because I don't see the point. I've never thought there would be one that I could keep interested in long enough to bother."

A sweet kiss landed on her lips and he spoke to her against her lips.

"You have been intriguing me in a platonic way since I first learned your name. I told you I kept up with you after the Diagon Alley incident with Dolohov? When I actually met you, I was amazed. You were everything I had been told. You were smart, curious, kind, shrewd, and Merlin you were sexy as hell!"

Her eyes widened at his admission.

"You didn't mean to be, I could see the truth in your eyes that you had rushed to get here and I had never seen anyone so alluring without effort. When we touched, though, there was a spark that I've never experienced. I feel it when you're close to me. Don't you feel it?"

She did. Oh did she ever.

Tom's breathing was increasing and his hands settled on her thighs. "I wanted you and I pursued you unapologetically. It wasn't until you admitted to me that you felt like you would get your heart broken that I considered the idea that I could do more. I had put the idea of a relationship out of mind back in my teens, Hermione. Then, here you came, making me want you and then insinuating that you would want more from me. I realized that I wanted to try."

She gasped as he kissed her neck slowly.

"That is why when opportunities presented themselves, I took them. I'm new to this and I've not yet thought through it all but I know that I want to try. I will probably be the worst thing to ever happen to you, though."

She shook her head emphatically as he sucked a spot that sent shivers up her spine.

"How can you say that?" she gasped.

The sucking stopped but his mouth remained. "Because you still haven't seen what I mean when I tell you I'm controlling and power hungry. I limit myself to things I can hide from the public but you will have a front row seat and will no doubt resent the road less traveled by that you've chosen for yourself. Until then, I'm going to enjoy myself."

The last sentence was said with a long swipe of his tongue across the base of her throat.

Hermione clawed at the back of his robes to get a grip on him as she leaned into his touch.

"How do you know you won't get tired of playing house with me and be the first to leave?" she asked in one breath.

Another swipe of his tongue up the other side of her neck. "Because I value and treasure the things I choose to possess and I've chosen you. You may have a hard time getting out of my grip, Hermione Jean," he whispered against her skin, gripping her thighs tightly for emphasis.

She moaned a little as the thumbs on each hand were close to the crotch of her knickers. She arched her back to attempt to get closer.

"Anything else we need to get out of the way before I stip you down and admire you and fuck you?"

The shock of his crass comment was on her face as he peeked up to look at her.

"Oh yes, Miss Granger. You've had me wound up all evening and the best way to help with your depletion is to create a little more magic."

"Snape," she managed to say, "I want to know why you let him hear."

His tongue retreated and he nuzzled the top of her breast that the dress wasn't covering.

"Severus and I have been friends a long time. We were both half-bloods in Slytherin that the Malfoy family adopted. Me officially, Severus unofficially. He's been like a brother to me for over 15 years and as we grew up, we discovered that we share many of the same...predilections."

Unsure she wanted to hear more about her teacher's sexual preferences, Hermione tried to work out why he was telling her this.

"I know Severus better than anyone and he probably knows me better than anyone else as well. He and I have shared a lot over the years. You are something I don't wish to share, though, and I thought perhaps he needed to be aware of the fact that you're mine."

His warning about his possessive streak was ringing bells in her head. She was indignant that she was humiliated simply because Tom wanted to make a point to his friend.

"Think of it as a treat to my brother, if you'd rather. I think if I hadn't made a move on you, he would have eventually."

He laughed again at how easily shocked she was. "It may have been a year or two from now but he would have been looking for a good opportunity. Severus has too much honor to pluck you up the night you graduate. It's the professor in him, perhaps. He would have wanted to let you spread your wings a bit and sample the world before he made an attempt for you."

Slowly, Hermione asked, "But you don't share that honor?"

His face was in front of her again, but his hands were wandering higher up her thigh. "No, I don't. If you sample the world, you might decide you don't want what I have to offer. Instead, I'll sample you while I show you to the world."

They were lost in each other after that. He undid her gown and stood her up, letting the dress fall away. Her bare breasts were exposed and begging for his attention. She shucked his robes over his shoulders as he leaned down and captured a nipple in his mouth. She keened as he licked and sucked, elongated her nipple in his mouth.

His hands reached down blindly and fingered the garter straps from her stockings. He paused his mouth to look down at her, his cock hardening fully at the sight. Hermione felt empty as he stood back to fully appreciate the view.

"You are a Slytherin's wet dream right now, Miss Granger. Wearing only silver and stocking, your perfect tits out for me to suckle," Tom groaned.

She reached for him, feeling a little unstable standing upright. He guided her to his bed and stood back to remove and drop all his clothing to the floor. Licking her lips, she reached down to push down her garter belt.

"No, it stays on," Tom insisted, his eyes impossibly dark.

He looked hungry.

His hands slipped up the back of her thighs and over her arse underneath the garter belt. He pulled her silver lacy thong down and flung it over his shoulder. She didn't care where it landed as she could finally feel his skin on hers and she needed to feel more of him.

Tom must have meant it when he said that he had been wound up for the entire evening. He didn't seem as focused on torturing her with slow foreplay which was fine because she could feel herself getting wetter and wetter at his touch and at the thought that he might actually want her instead of any other witch.

He pushed into her and she arched into, feeling like she'd never be able to get enough of feeling fulfilled when she slipped inside her.

A slower pace than the previous times was what Tom chose. Even though he'd given her an orgasm only hours before, she was starving for another.

"Tom, more!"

His only reply was to keep at the slower pace he was laboring under.

Her fingers dug into his biceps as she tried to tilt her hips up to get more friction. Tom's mouth sought hers and his tongue was hot and insistent. She followed his tongue, slanting her open mouth against his eagerly.

One of his hands tweaked her nipple a bit harder than usual.

"Come on, Hermione. Feel me, all of me. Just. Like. This."

This feeling of growing tighter and higher with need was never going to get old or boring, was what she was thinking as she went over the edge when he angled his hips to hit a spot inside her at the front that did it for her.

"Oh gods!"

"Yeah, baby, come on my cock!"

Tom pumped a few more times slowly before he stilled and closed his eyes in ecstasy.

Gasping, Tom said, "And. That's. Number. Eight!"

She giggled as he pulled out of her and collapsed beside her on the bed. "8 orgasms in 24 hours. Surely that's not normal?"

Leaning up on his elbow next to her, he peered at her through one eye, "Well, it's not unhealthy but no, it's a little excessive for the standard rate."

"A record?"

He opened both eyes. "With you, certainly."

"You've beat 8 with someone else?"

"I've never counted anyone else's orgasms before," he admitted, blowing out a breath. "I never cared to do so before even though I am a generous lover."

Hermione threaded her fingers through his dark hair, loving how it looked when tousled. "Very generous," she agreed with a smile.

He grinned back.

"Tripled it, huh?"

She blushed.

He kissed her cheek. "Don't be embarrassed. I love that you were so innocent. It helps me to know there's no motherfuckers out there that I need to teach a lesson about touching my girl."

She pondered his comment and the implications that anything she had already done before she met him would be metted by his jealousy and she thought perhaps she was starting to see what he meant by his irrational jealous streak.

Soon she was under the covers, naked (Tom having removed her stockings and garter belt for her after a spell to clean her up). Sleep was easy to come to, snuggled up to Tom's chest.

She dreamt of walking in a forest of tall pine trees on an early fall evening. She was hand in hand with someone but his face was blurry. She laughed and scooped up a handful of pine needles, tossing them in the air. The man holding her hand pulled her hard against him and the trees disappeared. She looked up to see him. Dolohov, holding his wand, leveled at her chest with an evil smile on his face.

"Here," she offered him the pile of pine needles. "Take it!"

A dark laugh. "What would I do with that? Those mean nothing to me."

She looked around and panicked.

"You'll just have to give me yourself, Mudblood."

"I can't!" she cried. She looked down and her arms were covered in tattoos that all said the same thing" Tom.

She gasped and opened her eyes to see Tom still sleeping next to her. There was light filtering in from the gap in the curtain. A look at the clock showed it was 6:27 a.m. She was naked except for her jewelry from last night.

Quietly, she slipped out of bed and snagged Tom's shirt from last night. Her thong was nowhere to be seen so she quietly crossed the room to pick up her satchel.

In the bathroom, she went about her morning routine, made a little easier by the hair potion Hop had used last night. She brushed her teeth and dug in her satchel for a clean pair of knickers, a clean bra, and a pair of jeans. Tom's shirt was picked over her own and she left the last three buttons undone so she could tie the tails into a knot.

Satisfied, she snuck her wand out and tentatively summoned her clothing from last night. With that stowed in her stachel, she slung it over her shoulder and put a silencing spell on herself to aid her in sneaking out.

Once safely in the hallway, she made her way to the kitchen where she went about whipping up a breakfast for Tom. From what she'd seen him eat, she was fairly certain a spinach, tomato, mushroom omelette with asiago cheese would be good enough for him. She added some juice and water to the tray bearing the eggs and snuck back into Tom's room.

He was still sleeping, his dark hair stark against the silver sheets which must have been changed after the night before.

Peaceful was the word that came to mind as she looked at him. She almost didn't want to wake him but it was Monday, afterall, and he would be expected at work today. She needed to go back to reality anyway.

Shaking him gently, he started and his wand was pointed at her instantly.

"Sorry," she mumbled as he dropped his arm and ran a hand over his face.

He yawned and looked around, his eyes settling on the tray beside him.

"I made you breakfast before I go," she explained.

That got his attention. He sat up in bed, alert. "Go?"

Frowning, Hermione nodded, "Yes, go. It's Monday morning. You'll be expected at work and I have a new flat to take care of, a job to find, flatmates to see, a father to call, and a dinner to organize."

Tom didn't seem like any of this registered. "You can't do that from here?"

Exasperated, Hermione sighed. "No, I can't. You won't be here anyway so the point is moot."

"Moot?"

"Yes, moot."

"Moot," he said, as if he were trying the word out for the first time.

She laughed at how odd the word sounded after being used so many times.

Suddenly he grinned lasciviously at her. "And there's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

She stood up from the edge of the bed. If he got his hands on her now, she might lose her resolve.

"We both have to face reality for a while."

He wasn't listening. His hands threw back the bedding and she got the full view of Tom Riddle in his glory. She did her best to control her breathing and heart rate but the sight of him naked and pursuing her had her loins stirring.

He was hard, willing, wanting her. When had anyone ever looked at her like this, the way a man looks at a woman? She backed up a step but he only grinned.

"Tom, we can't," she whispered. "You'll be late."

"I'm the fucking Minister. I'm not late, they're early."

Scoffing, she retorted, "That doesn't mean I should keep the Minister hostage."

His grin was lopsided and boyish. "You can hold me hostage anytime."

"Rain check?" she offered.

He stalled, considered her words and looked at his breakfast. "You'll be here this evening?"

Seeing he was offering a compromise, she nodded. "Dinner?"

He rubbed a hand over his scruffy chin. "Okay, but you have to kiss me goodbye."

Smiling, she allowed him to approach her and snog the daylights out of her.

When she arrived back home, she went to the kitchen to get a glass of water and was startled by the sound of something clearing their throat from the dining room.

She turned to see Harry and Ginny both sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal and looking at her, Ginny with a grin and Harry with a look of wary disgust similar to the one he wore yesterday afternoon before she and Tom had left the flat to get ready for the dinner party.

"Good morning!" Ginny said brightly with mischief.

"Oh, good morning," Hermione greeted.

"I'm going to go ahead and head out," Harry muttered, bumping a kiss to Ginny's cheek.

Hermione accepted the wave he gave her as he hurried out the door.

"What's up with him?"

Laughing, Ginny shrugged, "I think hearing you begging the Minister to let you come probably blew his mind. He's never considered you a sexual being before."

Even though Hermione blushed, Ginny was keen on hearing details.

"I'm not sure what I can say," Hermione admitted.

"Why?"

"I signed a vow of silence. He's the Minister of Magic, Ginny. He can't just sleep with someone and expect that she'll be discreet. I imagine there's a lot of witches out there that wouldn't use it against him."

That seemed to make sense to Hermione and she was surprised that the vow let her admit it to her.

"Well, fill me in on what you can. You were a virgin, to my knowledge, two days ago. Now here you are, showing up the day after a long night in his shirt with a love bite on your neck."

She gasped and clutched her throat. She hadn't seen it this morning. Ginny conjured a mirror and pushed her hair back. There on the side of her neck partially hidden by the collar of his shirt, was a deep reddish purple love bite. Her memory recalled him sucking her there as they spoke in his room last night.

Remembering that Tom had adjusted the vow a bit, Hermione cautiously told Ginny the outline: she had gone to Tom's Saturday, after having spent the night there Friday night. She lied that Tom had only admitted that he was new to relationships and that he wasn't sure about the dating thing. Hermione had admitted her virginity only to discover that having one's virginity could be dangerous and Tom agreed to help her out. After that, they were hooked on each other.

"So it was good, then?"

She blushed. "I don't have a frame of reference but I thought it was fantastic."

Ginny blinked at her. "It must have been. Most witches say their first time was awful."

Shrugging, Hermione sipped her water. "I don't know what to say except that I enjoyed it."

"Did he make you come the first time?"

A nod was all Hermione could manage.

"Really? Through penetration?"

Another nod.

"Well, damn! Good looking and he knows what he's doing! Of course, it certainly sounded like he knew what he was doing yesterday in your room."

Groaning, Hermione let her head fall forward to the table while her friend laughed. "That was your fault, by the way!"

"How is it my fault that you sex? And, if so, shouldn't you say 'thank you'?"

"You and Harry knew we were here and didn't use a silencing charm," Hermione explained.

Instead of being embarrassed, Ginny grinned. "So he was paying us back? Touche."

"It's not funny," Hermione hissed. "I was mortified!"

"You didn't know he didn't put one up?"

"No! I wouldn't have...if I'd known," Hermione insisted.

"That's probably why he didn't tell you, then. It gets back at your roommates and pulls you out of your shell a bit."

"If being pulled out of my shell means letting everyone listen to me...orgasm..then I'll stay in it," Hermione snapped.

Laughing, Ginny waved her off. "It's just Harry and I. You've seen worse from us. Besides, you shouldn't have to feel so restrained in bed."

Hermione wouldn't budge and say more about the sex so Ginny stuck to asking questions about the Malfoy dinner. Seeing no harm in those details, Hermione shared how beautiful Draco's house was, how his family was, how Tom had talked her into the gala, meeting Narcissa to go shopping, and the wonderful food.

The redhead listened to her patiently, only asking for clarification here and there.

"How did you go from "not wanting a relationship" to meeting the family? That's what I don't understand," her friend queried.

"Oh...Narcissa nearly caught us in bed yesterday morning."

Ginny sputtered on her juice and Hermione laughed because shocking Ginny was hard.

"Tom is apparently usually awake and when she flooed in to invite him to the dinner, his house elf told her he was sleeping. She insisted on checking on him and was at the door to his bedroom. We had barely managed to get some clothes on before she saw us."

This was something Ginny could commiserate with her about. Being caught by parents was not pleasant as she and Harry had discovered when Molly had found them going at it in the broom shed once last summer.

"I tried to tell him that he didn't have to take me along but he was adamant that I go. He committed to me and I thought it was just a ploy to get Narcissa off his back but he said we'd try. I'm still in shock over it all. I feel like I forced him into it."

"Did you tell him that?"

"Yes," Hermione sighed.

"And…?"

"And, he said he wasn't against relationships just that he had given up on finding someone he would be interested in pursuing one with," she admitted.

"So he realized that he could care about you," Ginny theorized.

Shrugging again, Hermione stood and went to the kitchen to make them some tea. "I still feel like circumstances forced his hand and that he might come to regret it."

She could feel Ginny's eyes on her as she set the kettle down on the kitchen table and levitated two tea cups out of the cupboard. Ginny huffed and retrieved the sugar and milk for herself, knowing Hermione wasn't going to get it since she was always trying to convince Ginny she didn't need it.

Stirring her cup, Ginny said softly, "Relationships are gambles. You don't always date the one you end up with right away. My parents each dated a couple people before finding each other. There's nothing abnormal about dating someone you may or may not have a future with. Only time will tell. In the meantime, enjoy him and enjoy sex and figure out if you could spend your whole life like that. If you ever decide you couldn't deal with him all day every day until you die, then break up. Until then, you try."

Surprisingly, her friend had patted her shoulder and left her alone to think. Hermione had expected more questions and more prying to be directed her way.

Her advice was helpful, though. Enjoy her time with him and try to make it work until she decides she can't do it forever. Or, until he decides he can't deal with her for a lifetime. Her thoughts started to turn dark when Luna came out of her room. It was after 8 and Luna was up and dressed for a day of gathering supplies for her expedition with her father.

"Luna, I wondered if you might have time to have dinner with me and a couple friends tomorrow?"

Her blonde friend poured her own cup of tea and smiled at Hermione. "I'm really not looking for a triad, but I do think you're beautiful."

Shoving her friend on the shoulder she laughed. "I suppose you've mysteriously discovered that I'm officially seeing Tom Riddle?"

Luna was always knowing things that she shouldn't be able to know. Ginny called her perceptive but some of the things Luna knew went beyond perceptive and it often freaked Hermione out since she didn't like not knowing how she was doing it.

"Is it mysterious to overhear your conversation with Ginny?"

"No," Hermione blushed, thinking back on what she had told Ginny. "Please don't share anything I said."

"Of course not," Luna agreed with her big blue eyes staring back at her. "I only heard the gist anyway."

"Well, I had dinner with Tom at the Malfoy's last night and since Draco and Astoria have broken up, his mother was giving him a hard time about not having a date for the Ministry gala that's coming up," the curly haired witch told her friend.

Sipping her tea with a bit of honey in it, Luna smirked. "Yes, after Astoria cheated on him with Adrian Pucey and broke his heart, I would imagine he needs to have a date."

"Exactly," Hermione agreed, "and I was hoping that if I brought him here to dinner with you and Tom and I, you might consider letting him ask you to go to the gala with him?"

A slow smile spread out on Luna's face. "I suppose if he were to ask me, I could be convinced. There'd be plenty to write about and it would give you a friend on the inside while helping Draco out of a tight spot."

This was why she liked Luna. She never had to lay everything out for her. She saw the picture before all the puzzle pieces were fitted together.

"Great, I'll cook dinner tomorrow. You only have to be home for the evening. I'll have food ready for 7," Hermione promised.

She sent an owl to Draco and one to Tom, though she wasn't sure her owl would be allowed to reach Tom at the Ministry. She instructed Plumpie, Luna's owl, to deliver her message to Draco so he would be able to plan his time accordingly.

Hermione had just emptied out her satchel of the clothes she packed for overnight and had made a list of what she needed to buy at the grocer's when an owl tapped at the window. Hurriedly, she let it in since the neighborhood was muggle. Handing the owl one of Plumpie's treats, she took the letter and saw it was from Tom.

Hermione,

First, thank you for an amazing breakfast. Hop admitted that he hadn't made it for me when I complimented him. Brains, beauty, and she cooks? I might keep you.

Please remember that you depleted your magic yesterday. I know you had to apparate this morning but please don't apparate again so soon. I've taken the pleasure of having your floo connected to the network. Your residence is "The Ghetto" as I'm sure you'll appreciate the irony of an aptly fitting name when none of the purebloods or even half-bloods even know what that word means. Use the floo and don't apparate for your own safety. We only temporarily fixed the issue last night and if you do too much magic this soon, you'll relapse. Stick to small first year spells for a day or two. If you threaten your health by doing something stupid I'll be pissed, okay? Be careful and I'll play healer with you later tonight.

Thank you for braving the Malfoy family. It means a lot to me that you attended and even more that you made efforts to be nice to my godson.

I'm ready to go home now but I have meetings all day with magical transportation and Gringotts. I'll be thinking of you and how good you looked yesterday. I can't decide which look was better: you naked, you tied up and underneath me, you in your gown, you in only your garter belt and stockings with my cock buried under it in your tight pussy… I guess I'll have to think on it and make my mind up.

Tom

Her face was hot at reading his words and went back into her room and fished out a fresh piece of parchment to quill a quick letter.

Tom,

Brains, beauty and culinary skills? I'd say it sounds like I've got the whole package but I don't. You do. And what a large package that is ;)

Dinner was not as bad as I was anticipating. It was only my nerves that built it up so negatively. If they are your family then of course I should make an effort to get along with them. Speaking of, tomorrow's dinner here at my place is set for 7 p.m. Can you bring Draco to us? I told him our floo wasn't connected and that you would be able to side-along him but that was before you owled me. I don't want to send Luna's owl out so soon after she returns from Malfoy Manor.

Major magic won't be an issue to be concerned about because I plan to grocery shop and then write some job inquiries. I won't need to do very many spells. Promise.

Looking forward to having my body inspected later...for health reasons, of course.

Hermione

Before she sent the owl, she placed a few charms on it to prevent anyone but herself and Tom from reading it and sent it off with the hope that there was no problem with her reply reaching Tom.

The day dragged. She took her muggle stash of money and shopped. She didn't use magic for much. She cast cooling and stasis charms on the grocer bags and a notice-me-not charm on herself as she stuffed the bags in her satchel. She knew Ginny and Luna weren't going to stock food in the house so Hermione had taken that honor. If Ginny and Luna were going to furnish the common areas of the flat for her, she could buy the first round of groceries.

She decided to do a roast and vegetables for dinner and made sure to get all that she was going to need in addition to breakfast items and tea necessities. From there, she added the usual staples that a flat of three witches would need.

Back in the flat, she put away the food and found the same owl waiting for her with a new message.

Hermione,

I'll collect Draco and arrive before 7.

I'm stuck in the meeting from hell listening to two department heads disagree about trivial details. It's provided me ample time to think about what I want to do to you tonight. Aren't wizarding robes a wonderful invention? None of these idiots realize their minister is sitting near them with a hard on he imagines fucking his new girlfriend's tight, wet, pussy while on the kitchen counter. What I do after that...well… that's a secret you'll have to wait and experience.

Be waiting for me in my kitchen with no knickers on by 5 p.m. so I can have my way with you before dinner and that's a demand.

Tom

Never in her life had she been so turned on and wet with no physical stimulus. She was shocked that Tom was imagining her naked while surrounded by ministry workers.

Tom,

I've never wanted to work at the ministry any more than I do now. How can any meeting with you and your erection be considered boring? The ones I've experienced have all been mind blowing, frankly. Those lucky department heads have no idea what they are missing.

I'm here alone in my room, laying on the bed you tied me to yesterday and that's the only memory I have of this bed so far. It's haunting me and I admit to being possessed with anticipation for what you are planning for us tonight after the kitchen counter. I'm laying here fantasizing about what you might have planned and I can't wait to compare notes later.

Hermione

She wrote out some job inquiries that she planned to send tomorrow. She knew Tom would help her get a job if she asked but she felt that it was important to do this before word got out that she was dating their minister. She hoped one of her previous inquiries would come back today but nothing did.

The third time an owl appeared, it bored a sea foam green parchment that appeared blank except for one phrase: Robert Frost. She held her wand to the parchment and stated, "The Road Less Traveled By" and words blossomed in Tom's handwriting.

Hermione,

I realized that sending owls between us all day long is going to get old quickly. I've enchanted this parchment to be a twin to mine. It will make a sound when I send a message and then you'll only need the password to reveal the message. You can do the password nonverbally if you're in the company of others. To send a reply, write underneath the previous message and it will appear on mine when you say my name. You'll always be able to see your last message and my reply before the parchment will archive it. I'll show you later how to look at our past correspondence in case you want to reread something. No one else can read the parchment, trust me. You can fold it or hide it in a book if you like but I've made sure they are confidential in our best interests.

As to your last owl, I can certainly arrange to have you here with me all day. That would make my day infinitely less stressful to see your beautiful face in my office.

So, you're laying on your bed and thinking of what we did together yesterday? Tell me what part you're remembering and what you're fantasizing about for tonight. If you tell me, maybe I'll make it come true.

Tom

Eager to test out the limits on her new enchanted parchment, Hermione scrambled to her trunk and knelt down with a quill and ink. It took a minute to think of what she wanted to say.

Tom,

These parchments are genius!

I am still awaiting responses to my inquiries. I'm going to take this week to see what comes of them and then I'll consider my other options. I won't, however, accept any help from you to get a job. If you intend for the public to eventually know that we are seeing each other, it will come out how you got me my job and that won't be good for my career down the line when I have nothing else to rely on except my previous job which my boyfriend got me. I hope you respect that. I'm not adverse to finding work in the muggle world if I need to. Right now making rent is what I'm focused on.

Hmm, your question is a tough one. I have only 8 or so instances on which to draw my reply from. I think the part that keeps coming back to mind is having you in me, face to face. I loved having access to your mouth and feeling you in front of me. I felt safe.

The thought that plagues me is not being able to finish what I started in the bathtub. I was just about to achieve something when you stopped me.

Hermione

She was dressing just setting up some wards for the flat, ones that repelled muggles and also a modified notice-me-not so the owls and frequent trips to the alley would go unnoticed by the neighbors, when her parchment emitted an owl's hoot. She giggled at the irony of the sound Tom chose and eagerly gave the password so she could read what Tom had written to her.

Hermione,

Let's agree to discuss your future in person as I have plenty of thoughts and suggestions. Until then, know that I understand and respect your concerns on the matter.

I'm happy you only have 8 sexual experiences so far and I revel in the fact that they all belong to me. Having a witch rely on me completely for her sexual gratification is a powerful and heady feeling that I have been basking in all day. Your pleasure belongs to me. In fact, I command you not to touch yourself. If you are ever in need, you will come to me and allow me the honor of taking care of you.

As to what you started in the bathtub, are you sure you've not done that before? I will never turn that down unless I have plans to fuck you which I do. Those plans are what's keeping me from cursing as I wait for this business day to come to a close. By the time people know we are dating, they will realize why I've been spacey, for lack of a better word, today and in days to come. Your body could keep me entertained in my head for the rest of eternity but since I know the real thing will be waiting for me soon, I'll get back to wrapping up my work.

I can't wait to sample what I've planned for dinner.

Tom

She flooed to Tom's at a quarter to 5 and placed her shoes and satchel in his bedroom. She went into his kitchen and looked around. She looked around at his modern looking kitchen with its black marble countertops and white cabinets. The lack of modern appliances made the room look more like an office or a study but even Hermione could appreciate how nice it was. His cooling cabinet was huge and well-stocked. The flat she was now living in had a refrigerator which Luna and Ginny found strange and refused to use leaving it to Hermione for herself. A spare cabinet had been converted to a cooling cabinet for them to share and already it was entertaining for them to stare at the fridge when they needed something of Hermione's from it.

The stove was new but made to look old. It hadn't taken Hermione long this morning to discover how to use it. She wondered if Tom cooked or if Hop did all of it.

Hearing the floo, Hermione hopped up on the cabinet hastily as Tom had instructed her to be waiting for him. He smiled when he saw her waiting for him, as asked.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Tom told her as he threw his robes over the back of the couch on his way to her.

His eyes never left hers as he walked, pausing to toe off his boots and socks by the end of the couch where he'd tossed his robe. His eyes were burning a hole through her and she crossed her legs from where she was perched.

"Hello, sir," Hermione replied cheekily.

Tom's hands were loosening his neck tie and since he was close enough for her to touch, she reached out to help him. It seemed Tom favored a mixture of muggle and wizarding fashions. He wore the best robes but rather than being commando underneath them like many of the older generation, he wore nice slacks with a leather belt and an oxford shirt with a tie. If he needed to be a muggle businessman, he could achieve it by simply removing his outer robes.

There were no more words spoken as Tom kissed her. Hard. He grasped her hips and dragged her to the edge of the counter. She uncrossed her legs as fast as she could to keep her balance.

His tongue invaded her mouth. Hot. Hungry. She spread her legs a bit to cradle him between her thighs and felt him soft moan in her mouth. She flicked the top two buttons of his shirt undone so she could slide her hand between the collar of his shirt and his neck. Her other hand pulled his loose tie out from under the collar and let it fall to the kitchen floor.

"Salazar you best not be wearing knickers," Tom gasped as he released her mouth, his hands reaching up under her shirt, pulling her breasts against his chest.

Feeling brazen with Tom's desire for her manifesting so obviously, Hermione spread her legs a bit wider in invitation, thankful she'd opted for a skirt that fell to just above her knees and was floaty enough to allow her to sit the way she was. A pencil skirt would never have granted her this much range of motion.

She watched as Tom dropped to his knees and pushed up her skirt. He stared up at her as he licked her inner thigh, making his intentions known. Fire consumed her chest as she realized that Tom had meant this when he'd talked about sampling dinner.

He didn't wait for her to give permission and he didn't stall. He dove in, tongue first. Hermione threaded her hands in his hair as she dropped her head back, awash in the sensation of his tongue licking her slit open. He pushed inside her with it and mimicked penetration before he found his way to her apex. This feeling was so sensitive with pleasure that she felt her legs shake and she found herself gripping his head to hold him in place.

"Uhhh, Tom!"

He attacked more vigorously after her moan and as much as she wanted to be the quiet type rather than a screamer, she could hear her own breathing in the otherwise quiet kitchen. His tongue flattened against her clit and he swiped at it repeatedly and she didn't even have a chance to feel the build up before she was coming.

"I'm…..Tom!"

He went back to licking up her slit, lapping at her like a thirsty dog. The waves of pleasure ebbed to an intense sensitivity and she let go of his head.

His mouth was kissing her and she started to recoil from having him touch her after licking her but Tom's hand wrapped around the base of her skull to hold her in place. It was a little odd but she supposed it wasn't as bad as it could be.

A zip was heard and she knew that Tom had undone his fly. She hooked a leg around his waist as he impaled her.

"Ahh," she moaned, feeling him fill her.

A smack sounded as he pulled his mouth away from hers. He pushed her skirt up all the way.

"Look how good you take my cock."

She looked down and she could see the base of his erection, the little bit of it he hadn't pushed in with yet. She licked her lips and looked at him.

"I want you to watch my cock dissappearing inside you as I fuck you. Watch it and know that it's my cock that's giving you this pleasure," he hissed at her, pulling out of her slowly until only the tip remained.

She ducked her head down and watched fascinated as he pushed back in, a little faster than he had pulled out. Tom had also ducked his head to watch alongside her as he pistoned in and out of her, increasing his speed as he went. His left hand grasped her thigh as it held him to her. His right hand reached between them to circle her clit with his thumb. Her head wanted to fall back at the shock of pleasure but Tom stopped her.

"Watch," he commanded, pounding into her harder than he had before.

The sight of his velvet covered steel disappearing inside her was oddly errotic and she came after another minute of watching as Tom stimulated her.

"Thank Merlin," Tom praised when she pulsed around him.

He had stilled as she rode out the orgasm. Suddenly he resumed pumping a couple more times and then he withdrew all the way. She was fascinated as she watched him pump his cock with his own hand before streams of white semen jetted out of him, splashing all over her sex. He painted her pussy white with his orgasm and Hermione couldn't look away from it. There was something so good about seeing his essence on her. She felt...how did she feel? She liked it, what did it matter?

Panting, Tom said, "Where does this land on the list of 10?"

In her head she counted and realized that these two orgasms brought her up to a total of 10.

"Umm, top two?"

Tom chuckled and used his wand to clean her up before kissing her a little more chaste-like before he helped her hop down.

Tom took her to the living room where he laid down on the couch and pulled her down to lie alongside him. He stroked her spine through her shirt and she snuggled into his chest. She was astonished that only two days ago, she'd been a virgin with no knowledge of sex and Tom was just a wizard she was attracted to.

Everything new she discovered about him was attractive. She didn't want to admit it but his possessive streak was even appealing to her. She may not like everything he demanded, but she did like having him wholly concerned for her well-being and health.

"Perhaps now we can focus long enough to decide some things," Tom told her quietly, his gaze fixed ahead of him.

"Okay."

"I want to hear more about why you can't go to school."

That was not what she had anticipated him asking and she stalled for a second.

"More about how I need to get a job and earn money before I can afford to pay rent and feed myself while taking classes?"

"Yes," he said frankly.

"Oh, well, I need to earn money to afford-"

"Yes, I gathered that much," Tom interrupted. "Your parents have decent jobs which causes me confusion as to why you are practically alone in the world, having to afford everything on your own?"

"Oh."

He was patient as he waited, still stroking her back gently which she was thankful for. She felt like she could trust him with her "story" but she was worried about how he would react and she told him that.

"Why would I react badly to the reason you're not considering university?"

"Not the reason, more or less the fact that I'm not. I don't want you to try to fix it and I worry that's what you'll do."

Tom's hands stroked gently but he said nothing, as if to say that he still expected her to tell him and that he would make no promises.

"My parents are dentists, that is true. They both make a decent amount of money...or they would if they weren't doing a lot of the dental work pro bono."

She could feel his confusion. "They don't get paid for their services?"

Uncomfortable, she shifted in his arms a little. "More like they don't ask for payment for a lot of it. They get paid when people can afford it and they reduce payments from those who can't pay it all. For some who are too poor to pay and in great need of dental work, they do it for free."

He moved the arm under her neck to push her onto his chest. She was now draped across his upper body, her lower half between his legs. He angled his head so he could see her. She ran her fingers up the buttons on the front of his shirt and toyed with one.

"You're telling me your parents aren't as well-off as people think because they do charity services within their practice?" Tom asked evenly.

"Yes, or, well, they did. My parents divorced and my dad had to buy my mom out of her share. There was also a lawsuit that ended badly for Dad. I've been doing my best not to ask him for anything. Mum…" she trailed off debating how to put it so that her mother didn't come across as a terrible person. "Mum remarried and followed him to Australia. I can't always afford to visit her but she's got a new job there and she and her husband seem happy."

To this, he didn't immediately reply. He pushed some curls behind her ear and continued to look at her softly.

"So, you've worked yourself to the bone, paying your own expenses during Hogwarts and to pay for a third of a flat to live in while you do….what?"

"I have many dreams and goals," she admitted while poking her finger through the gaps in his shirt, stroking the skin her fingertips found. "I just can't get to them yet. It feels like there's a few steps between here and there. I'm trying to bridge the gap to make them possible."

"How is a freshly graduated witch, with an Order of Merlin, First Class, not able to reach her dreams?" His tone was incredulous.

She sighed, "Well, I'm currently entangled with the most powerful wizard in England. I have to be careful now what I do."

"Why is that?"

"Are you being obtuse?"

"No," he was serious.

"Well, there will come a day when we aren't...together. When that day comes, I want to be able to keep my job, my career."

He sat up a bit, leaning his upper body against the arm of the couch. She was forced to sit up awkwardly between his knees in the middle of the couch.

"You think I would blacklist you if we were to terminate a relationship between us?"

She shrugged but said, "No. No, I don't think that."

He was getting frustrated. "Then what is it you are trying to guard against."

She looked up at him from under her lashes and she saw his nostrils were flared slightly and his jaw was tense.

"I don't want to get a job due to coercion or undue influence. If I do, it will be the second thing I lose after you dump me," she confessed.

His mouth dropped open and she would ordinarily have laughed a bit at the dumbfounded look on his face, as out of place as it was. At the moment, though, it was not amusing to her.

"You seem set on the idea of a bad break up between us," he stated.

She swallowed. "I don't see that you'll have any reason to stick around for long."

"So this is about your insecurities rather than any judgement on my character?"

"Yes."

The tension seemed to melt off of him slowly. He sat up, putting him close enough to her that she could feel his breath stirring her hair.

"What do I need to do to convince you that you are amazing and that I want to make a genuine effort with you?"

"Time?" she suggested, unsure about what he could do about it.

"Time. Alright, in time you will surely come to agree that I mean what I say about you. Until that 'time' comes, you cannot just bum around London doing part-time jobs that will not further your education or aid your career goals. I promise I will not tell anyone that you're my witch while you are interviewing if you agree to interview and take a job that is worthy of you."

"I haven't heard back yet, though," she chewed her lip. "None of my inquiries have been returned."

"Well, I have a few suggestions, if you'll listen," Tom looked down at her. It was said as though it were a request but she knew it was not.

"Okay."

No warning was given as Tom advanced on her, pushing her upper body backwards so she had no choice but to sprawl on the other half of the couch. Tom held himself up over her body by kneeling between her knees and resting his forearms on the arm of the couch above her. It was a position of dominance that she knew was intended to make her listen to him.

"I understand wanting to get a job on your own merits. I agree not to interfere but you should learn how to stand up for yourself. Your Order of Merlin and your NEWTs are both your own merit. With a proper revision of your CV, you'll have the job offers lined up. I know it's not really in your nature to brag, but when getting a job, you must brag-" he held up a hand when her mouth opened to protest.

He smirked at her, "-but if you won't brag, let someone else do it for you. I know several professors who would willingly write a recommendation for you to whatever job you desire. It's nothing that most of your classmates don't already do. That's how the job world goes. Allow Severus to brag about your potion, Minerva to gloat about your Animagus transformation, you choose based on the job. Seeing their statements will catch their eye."

He was only telling her what she knew was going to be inevitable so she nodded up at him. He kissed her.

"Now, I have an offer for you to consider."

His offer was pretty much what she expected. He wanted to loan her money to go to school to further her education in whatever field of study she desired.

'No," she said.

"You haven't even considered what I offered," Tom rebuked.

"I heard you offering to loan me money," Hermione coughed out. "I don't want to take your money, even on a loan. That would be awkward when... it comes time to repay you."

She didn't say what she had started to say, that when they broke up, she wouldn't want to still be beholden to him. He understood exactly what she had been thinking though.

"Then let us work on getting you a scholarship to allow you to be a part-time student while you take on a part-time job that will somehow be useful to your career," he suggested.

They spent the evening discussing her career options. He listened and gave her insight as to the jobs in the fields of her interest and directed her interest to a few jobs she'd not thought of. Over dinner, it had been decided that she would apply for the scholarship at Oxford, using letters from her professors with her application. She would, according to Tom, be granted the scholarship and start university part-time in the fall. That would leave her to work all summer full-time at a job that she could pull back on her hours when classes started.

Figuring out what job would be conducive to her schedule was the hard part. She admitted that potions research was an interest as was healing. Tom steered her towards a position as a lab assistant at St. Mungo's that he knew Severus would be able to help her get. Not only that, he knew the job would work for a part-time position during classes and would be a credit to her future career.

She felt a lot better after this particular discussion and Tom seemed a bit happier, too.

"You're holding something back," Hermione mentioned as she levitated the dishes to the sink despite his protests that Hop could clean up.

Tom tilted his head. "How do you figure that?"

"Because you're a little tense."

"Well, I wanted to discuss money."

"Money?" she asked incredulously.

"Money," he confirmed, squaring his shoulders to her from where he was leaning against the countertop.

"What about money?" she questioned nervously, not liking where the conversation was going.

"You're dating a man who was once poor," he stated plainly, causing her head to jerk up at his admission.

"Okay…?"

"I was poor and then adopted into a rich family. I have been where you are, somewhat. It's hard to accept gifts and the like when you're not used to having them. I can understand how hard it is to accept so we need to clear the air on how we feel before the issue gets bigger than we are," Tom told her, arms crossed against his chest.

Using the dishes as a buffer, she continued to wash them the muggle way while looking up at him now and then to let him know she was listening.

"For me, my money is more than I need. I have plenty of it between what Abraxas and Melvinna gave me for an inheritance. I earn money that goes into the vault and gets forgotten about because I still don't need it. I could never work the rest of my life and not change my lifestyle a bit and still, I would have the money in my vault to do so"

Pondering that, Hermione softly told him, "For me, I've always been thought of as upper middle class. I never wanted people to feel sorry for me due the divorce or the lawsuit or anything. I don't like to tell people that the profit margin puts me in the lower middle class. Besides, that's my father's money. I want to earn my own and be known as independent. My goal in the wizarding world has always been to be the best witch I can and to help society as much as I can. Having an image as a gold digger or a mooch is not conducive."

Tom walked over to her side and began helping with rinsing and drying the dishes before levitating them to their proper cupboards.

"I understand that but as my girlfriend, I will look bad if I allow you to wear something wrong or to lack for anything. There's a fine line that needs to be found between spoiling you to the point that you look and feel like a… gold digger? Strange term, muggle I assume? I've never heard that one before."

She giggled. "I see you point and I will agree that I will try not to be upset if you need to help out to maintain society's expectations of me to keep yourself from looking bad. I won't be offended if you have to tell me what I have is too cheap or something to be seen. Just...know that it's hard for me to rely on you for it and don't expect me to enjoy it."

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Will you then let me offer to take your blood stone to the jewler and have it set into something? I know you won't have it set into anything for a while due to costs but it's a gorgeous piece and it offers you a bit of protection and something to channel excess into. The sooner the better."

She agreed and he pulled her away from the dishes and into the shower for number 11.