{Okay, here's Chapter 5. I hope you like it}

"What are you doing?"

"I'm buying the book you wanted," she said matter of factly. Hermione walked purposely toward the front desk to purchase her selection. His gaze hardened as she finished her transaction.

"What do you want?"

Hermione was confused. "Nothing. It's a gift. I don't expect anything in return. That's usually what one calls a gift." He's never gotten a gift before?

Hermione was still focusing on this new revelation when something, that is to say someone, passed the frosty window on the way into the store. Headmaster Dippet. Hermione froze. This is going to make things a lot more complicated.

CHAPTER 5 - Love, Hate, and Confusion

Just as the Headmaster entered the shop, Hermione roughly pushed Tom behind a handsome display of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. She peered around the display to keep an eye on Dippet, who was now perusing Tomes and Scroll's selection on Thestral breeding. This was not good. Hermione was positive that if they were caught, Tom would never forgive her and she did not want to get on his bad side. She'd seen first hand the things he would grow up to do.

Hermione looked up into Tom's face. He too was staring at Dippet, a slight crease between his eyes, a shadow of apprehension and fear in his dark eyes. Hermione was becoming rather proud of her increasing ability to look past his protective shield and read his emotions. From her crouched position, she looked back to the feeble headmaster and found that he had gravitated closer to their hiding place. Hermione was forced to admit there was no other way out of this situation. She'll have to use the invisibility cloak. Hermione yanked the silky cloak out of her bag and shuffled closer to Tom as she threw it over both of them. If Hermione pressed tightly against his side the cloak just covered both of them. Tom's eyes widened slightly but didn't comment. Hermione clutched his arm tightly and maneuvered him around Dippet and out the door. They didn't take off the cloak until they reached a relatively deserted alleyway.

"Aren't you just full of surprises?" Tom muttered, staring at her like he was trying to solve a mildly interesting puzzle.

"Well, I thought it wouldn't be a great thing if we were caught out of bounds, I had to do something" she said, glancing over her shoulder at the main road beyond, still a little paranoid that would Dippet pop up any second. Her bushy hair seemed to increase in volume in response to her nervousness.

"Why did you do that?" he asked.

"Do what?" she responded, slightly distracted, he was gazing at her with an intense look in his dark eyes. It was enough to make any girl muddled.

"Help me get away from Dippet. Why didn't you run off?" Oh, Merlin. He was genuinely confused why she helped him.

"I couldn't very well let you get caught," Hermione scoffed.

Tom didn't reply but fixed another intense look at her made her feel a bit flushed. A gust of biting wind mixed with the beginnings a rainstorm whipped her hair about her face. Hermione shivered and pulled her coat about her tighter.

"How are you not cold? That cloak can barely keep you warm," Hermione asked eyeing him. Tom's only protection from the wind was his thin uniform while Hermione wore two layers plus gloves and scarf.

Tom shrugged. "I'm used to it." Liar. Probably more used to not showing weakness. Hermione fished about in her bag and pulled out a knitted scarf.

"Here," Hermione pressed the green scarf into his hand. Tom looked down at the scarf in his hand before looking back into Hermione's face.

"Don't tell me the cold has addled your brains, put it on," she said impatiently "Then, we can go to the broomsticks for butterbeer and maybe Honeydukes"

"Thank you," Tom said softly while putting it about his neck. Hermione almost choked in shock.

"Y-your welcome," she replied. Lord Voldemort saying thank you? He just didn't seem like that kind of guy. It was pleasant all the same.

They spent the rest of the day keeping a wary eye out for Dippet while visiting various shops around Hogsmeade. Hermione found that she didn't mind Tom's presence so much. Like she said he wasn't Lord Voldemort yet. He didn't rant about world domination or the attributes of dark magic. From what Harry had told her, Tom Riddle had been horribly manipulative and cunning, using anyone's weakness to his own advantage. This Tom Riddle just didn't add up to the picture Harry had painted. Sure, he did suck up to the teachers, but he mostly kept to himself.

"Evans?" Tom said while they were trudging back through the slightly damp tunnel to the school.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you," he said. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks. Twice in one day?

"Well, I know how it feels to be left out. Honestly, I still don't understand why you didn't find the tunnel before I did. I thought you know more about this school than anyone."

Tom narrowed his eyes. "Who told you that, Evans?"

"Um…people" She really hoped he wouldn't press her for more information. She looked ahead and was relieved to find the end of the passage. Hermione climbed out of the witch's hump into the deserted hallway beyond, Tom right behind her.

"Thank you, Evans" He nodded and walked down the corridor.

Hermione sighed and looked at his retreating form. At least, I've made some progress

She spent the remainder of the day relaxing in the library. Hermione wandered the dusty stacks searching for something interesting to occupy her mind. She ran her finger along the shelf as she read the titles. Asiatic Anti-Venoms. Amortentia. Potion Opuscule. Amortentia? The title stirred something in her memory. Harry had told her that Merope Gaunt, Tom Riddle's mother, had used a love potion on Tom Riddle Sr. to make him fall in love with her.

Amortentia, easily the most powerful love potion in the world, causes a powerful infatuation in the drinker. There are many characteristics that identify Amortentia. The mother of pearl sheen, spiraling steam, and a multi-faceted odor. Meaning the scent of Amortentia varies depending on the smeller. Although Amortentia creates the illusion of love, it can never truly make the drinker feel that emotion. They will never actually love the other under the influence of the potion. Therefore, if the drinker and the object of his affections were to have a child, that child would also not have the ability to love.

Is this why Riddle had turned into Lord Voldemort? His inability to love?

When a person would normally feel the beginnings or feelings of love or affection, the offspring of the potion drinker will instead feel intense confusion, as they don't have the capacity to feel the emotion of love. Until recently, there has been no cure for this emotion deficiency. In recent years, celebrated potioneer Samuel Marsh has developed a procedure to counteract the effects of the love potion on the offspring of the affected and the object of his affections. He experimented with the opposite of the love potion, the Hate Potion. If administered to the affected's offspring, it will slowly re-introduce the emotion of love. The Hate Potion will take many weeks to fully counteract the effects of the love potion. The process can be a painful experience but many agree it is a necessary one.

Hermione's mind was racing with all the possibilities. If she could somehow brew this Hate Potion and slip it into Tom's drink, maybe then going back in time would prove to be successful. It truly explained everything. His total apathy and cruelty in the future. It seemed too easy. If it was the last thing she did, she would make sure Tom Riddle never became Lord Voldemort.

TOM'S PERSPECTIVE

Tom was lying on his bed staring up at the silver and green hangings covering his bed. He didn't understand. Why did Evans help him get to Hogsmeade? It had been something he had been attempting since third year. Why did she even want to bring him along? At the welcome feast, she had been staring daggers at him. Now, this? What had changed? Then, there was when Evans helped him sneak away from Dippet in Tomes and Scrolls. She could have left him the minute Dippet entered the shop. That's certainly what he would have done if their roles were reversed.

He fingered the emerald scarf she had given him as he reviewed the event of the day. The warm scarf also added to his confusion. No one had ever cared for his well-being. It was a strange feeling. He was used to taking care of himself. He had to. At the orphanage, he was alone. The odd, evil child in the midst of many normal, perfect muggles.

Why did she do all this, seemingly wanting nothing in return? Evans confused Tom to no end.

{Please review, and check out my other stories Proven and Evergreen and Rose. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can.}