A/N: Ducks head to avoid flying objects that are being thrown at me. I know this took forever, but I was rather busy this weekend and then started writing this chapter only to find that I had hit my first case of writers block. It sucks, and what's worse is that there is no medication that one can take for it…lol… I hope this chapter is satisfactory…if not, then blame my muse who seems to have taken a vacation this week! I promise to post more as soon as I can! Until then, here is chapter 16! Oh and by the way…due to some requests I have received, I have decided to change the rating to mature. I only did it just in case, but I don't think anything in the story is going to get into the extreme mature zone so…um…ya smiles….

"I knew it!" Ginny screeched happily. "I knew you too would get together! Harry did too, didn't you?" She asked excitedly.

"It was kind of obvious you two." He said while smiling brightly at them.

Hermione and Tom both had silly grins on their faces as they watched Ginny gloat in being right once again about something.

After the extremely uncomfortable moment with Ron out in the hall, Tom and Hermione had made themselves look more presentable and decided to find Harry and Ginny and tell them the great news; they wanted someone at least to be happy for them.

"And you say that Ron said it was ok?" Harry asked once again. It was hard to believe that Ron would be that accepting of their relationship.

"Oh Harry, you had to ruin this moment by bringing that git up again, didn't you?" Ginny asked irritably. "Why should Tom and Hermione have to be worried about him? It is not their fault that Ron is a prick and always has to make things more difficult." She protested.

"I know I shouldn't let it bother me," Hermione began, "But I don't want him to be mad, and although he acted like it was no big deal…I could tell that he was hurt." Hermione told them sadly.

"He will get over it, Hermione." Harry told her. "We are all best friends and have stayed as such through everything that has happened. Something like this won't ruin our friendships. Trust me." Harry told her with a confident smile.

Hermione let out a small sigh of relief. She would always trust Harry…no matter what.

"Hermione," Tom began, "If you want, we can just act like friends when we are with Ron. That way he won't be uncomfortable around us."

"No Tom," Ginny told him firmly, "Ron will get over it better if he sees you two together and acting like a couple. If you two just act like friends, then it may give him false hope and then he won't get over it."

"Give him false hope for what?" Hermione asked. "You can't mean that…."

"That he wants to be with you?" Ginny finished for her. "Oh come on Hermione, it is blatantly obvious that Ron likes you. I know you try to remain ignorant to it, but you know those feelings are there. Believe me when I say that he will deal with it better if he knows that he can't have you. And besides," she said with a smirk, "I'm sure you and Tom won't be able to keep your hands off of each other anyways…in Ron's presence or not."

Ginny and Harry giggled softly at their friend's reddening faces. "Thanks for that Gin…it's not like I haven't blushed a million times since I've been here anyways, so what's one more time I guess?" Tom told her with a small smile.

"No problem Tom. I do what I can." She said while giving the couple a wink. "But I think I had better be going…I have a lot of homework to catch up on and I need all of the study time I can get."

"At least someone does their homework." Hermione said sternly while looking at Harry.

"I know Hermione, I know. I have to finish mine from before. I was just about to get on it." Harry said bitterly.

"Do you want to come and study with me Harry?" Ginny asked. "I can work better if I have someone there to keep me company."

To Tom and Hermione's extreme interest, Harry's cheeks seem to color slightly at being asked to spend time with Ginny…even if it was just to study.

"U-um sure Ginny," Harry told her. Hermione and Tom noticed how casual he was trying to sound and the couple gave each other knowing smirks.

"Do you want to um…stay in here and do it…I mean study, study." Harry corrected himself quickly. He mentally kicked himself for saying 'do it', even though Ginny didn't catch on.

"Sure, it is quiet in here tonight so we should get a lot done." Ginny replied.

Hermione and Tom watched as Ginny and Harry made themselves comfortable at a table in the far corner of the room. The red head dug right into her work, but Harry seemed to be distracted as he stole quick glances at her from time to time.

"Amazing," Tom muttered to Hermione.

"What is?" She whispered back.

"That girl can read people like a book and can spot impending relationships like it was a sixth sense….and yet, she can't even tell that Harry obviously has a crush on her. How interesting it is going to be when she finds out." Tom chuckled evilly, while arching an eyebrow at Hermione.

Hermione giggled. "Well now, can it be that my incredibly handsome, intelligent, and loving boyfriend has an evil side as well?" Hermione giggled at her joke.

Tom just stared at her, and while he didn't look mad, Hermione worried that she had hurt his feelings by calling him evil.

"Tom I was just joking. I didn't mean…."

She stopped when Tom began to shake his head. "I'm not mad Hermione," he said as a silly grin lit up his face. "You just….you called me your boyfriend, and I liked how that sounded."

Hermione smiled and rubbed her nose gently across his. "Well get used to it, because I will be saying it a lot."

"Good." Tom told her while planting a soft kiss on her lips. Hermione felt her heart speed up once again that evening. Just a simple kiss from Tom made her feel as though a million butterflies were swarming around in her stomach.

"I'm glad you think so Mr. Riddle." Hermione said, as they pulled apart.

"Formalities, Miss Granger" Tom reminded her with a soft smile.

"Oh yes, how could I forget?" Hermione leaned up once more and brought her lips to his. She placed a hand on his chest and felt his heart beating just as fast as hers was.

"Hey! There are young children in here you two!"

Hermione and Tom pulled apart and stared at Ginny and Harry who were watching the couple with beaming smiles on their faces.

"And your one of them Harry." Hermione laughed as Harry scowled at her.

"Maybe next time I will just wolf whistle when I see you two snog." He warned.

"That's fine with me Harry." Tom said while pulling Hermione in for another soft kiss.

Harry and Ginny both starting cat calling and soon the group was laughing and telling jokes as any other friends would when having fun.

Hermione, even though she was having a good time, found that she couldn't enjoy herself fully. There was another friend who needed to be there too…

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"Are you sure about this Hermione?" Tom asked his girlfriend as he walked with her hand-in-hand down the hall.

"Tom, if you ask me that one more time then I am going to kick you in the…"

"Ok, ok I get it." Tom laughed while giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Oh man, I can't wait to see the look on everyone's faces when we walk in the Great Hall!" Harry told them excitedly.

"It will probably be the quietest breakfast ever, because everyone will be looking at you two." Ginny giggled.

"I actually can't wait to see Snape's face," Hermione said as a smirk spread across her lips. "I wonder if he will go paler then he already is?"

The group laughed happily as they continued on their way to breakfast. Tom and Hermione were going to walk in the Great Hall hand-in-hand, and the whole school would know that they were together. It would be sure be one hell of a breakfast for the gossipers who resided in Hogwarts.

"Hey wait up!" A voice called out from behind them.

The group turned around to see Ron running after them. All of them had smiles on their faces as the red headed boy approached them.

"How could you all leave for breakfast without me?" He asked, while panting slightly. "You know how much I love to eat."

Ginny snorted and rolled her eyes. "That's an understatement my dear brother." She told him.

Ron gave her a warm smile and then brought his gaze over to Hermione. They stared at each other for a moment and group fell silent in anticipation.

"Hermione, you are one of my best friends and I…well I just…"

"You're forgiven Ron...as long as you forgive me."" She gave him a hopeful smile.

"What are friends for?" He asked, with an air of casualness. Hermione smiled at him and looked over at Tom who was smiling cheerfully as well.

"Well, are we going to go to breakfast or are we going to stand here and love on one another?" Ginny asked.

"Oh…I want some love." Harry feigned whining.

Ginny stood up on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on Harry's cheek.

"There, now can we go to breakfast?" She asked, not taking notice to how flushed Harry had suddenly become.

"Let's go." Ron said while beginning to walk again. Ginny followed behind him while Tom and Hermione stood there with a now rosy cheeked Harry.

"So…you like red heads, huh?" Tom asked playfully. "Better make sure Dean is out of way before you get in a good snog with her mate."

"TOM!" Hermione yelled at her boyfriend.

"What?" He asked unabashed. "The man deserves a good snog with someone as lovely as Ginny."

Hermione just smiled and shook her head. Boys…

"I don't…I mean I just…oh I don't know." Harry groaned.

"She's just Ron's little sister right?" Tom asked understandingly.

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Harry told him miserably.

"Just give it some time Harry." Hermione told him while patting his shoulder. "Ginny has been getting rather annoyed with Dean lately, so maybe you will get your snog in some time soon." She giggled.

"I think you're influencing her, Tom." Harry smiled.

"I knew she had some Slytherin in her." Tom said, while laughing at the scandalized expression on his girlfriend' face. It melted right off though when he kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Alright you two, go make sweet eyes at each other some other time." Harry said. All of this sweetness was making him rather ill, though, he was unbelievably happy for his two friends.

"We had better get going." Hermione told them. She sounded as if she were headed to her execution.

Tom laughed slightly and pecked her on her cheek. "Don't be frightened love. I won't let anything happen to either of us…I promise."

Hermione loved Tom's voice when it was soft and comforting…it never ceased to send pleasant shivers up her spine.

Grasping his hand again, Hermione and Tom set off after Harry and soon they were facing the doors to the Great Hall.

"Maybe we should go in first." Hermione told the group. "I want to get it over and done with."

She looked at up Tom and he smiled down at her. "After you, my lady," He said while pushing open the doors and waiting for her to enter.

Hermione grasped Tom's hand even tighter as the couple entered the room that was buzzing with the morning activities.

Hermione stalled a bit at the entrance and Harry, Ron, and Ginny gave her a small nudge on the back to urge her forward.

No one seemed to be taking notice of them and Hermione felt instantly relieved. This is easier then I thought it would be, she thought happily.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!"

Hermione groaned. Damn my bad timing, she thought miserably.

The five Gryffindors stopped in their tracks and turned to look at the Slytherin table.

Draco Malfoy was standing up by his seat and was glaring at Tom and Hermione as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

All of the activity ceased as everyone turned to look at what Draco had yelled about. The whole room filled with silence as they gazed from Tom, to Hermione, and then down to their clasped hands.

Hermione's face reddened distinctly, but she was instantly comforted as she felt Tom's hand tighten around hers more securely.

"WHAT IS THIS? YOU'RE WITH HER! TOM, YOU'RE STILL WITH GRANGER!" Draco shouted out his rage.

"What's it to you Malfoy?" Ron spat at him, not caring that the whole school was watching the scene intently.

"Stay out of it Weasel," Draco snarled. "This is between Tom and me."

"Why do you care Malfoy?" Tom asked furiously. "Mind your own damned business."

"Tom, how can you be with her? She's a Mudblood for Merlin's sake!"

A collective gasp reverberated around the room and Hermione glared at the boy who had affronted her in front of the entire school.

Tom, Harry, and Ron all had their wands out in an instant and had them pointed straight at Draco's heart. Many of the Slytherins came to Draco's defense by drawing their wands as well, which caused a great number of Gryffindors to stand up with their wands at the ready.

It looked like a full blown war was about to take place the middle of the Great Hall.

"ENOUGH!" Dumbledore bellowed from the teachers table.

"All of you, put your wands away this instant! Draco, sit down and keep your mouth shut! I will decide your punishment later." Draco, as well as the others, sat down immediately; no one had ever heard Dumbledore speak so forcefully before.

Tom, Harry, and Ron put their wands in their robes. As they walked up the isle, they made sure to walk very close to Hermione Ginny, lest a gutsy Slytherin decided to curse either of them.

They all sat down and got some food on their plates, but no one ate anything.

"I am going to kill that little…" Tom said, but was cut off by Hermione's stern look.

"You are not going to kill anyone Tom." She told him firmly.

"Of course he won't," Ron said angrily, "I'll get to Draco first."

"Ron! You are not helping." Hermione said crossly.

"Why would Draco flip out over this?" Ginny asked, confused. She glanced over at the blonde and saw how disgruntled he looked, even as Pansy was fawning all over him.

"I um…I think I know why." Harry told them quietly. "But I can't tell you guys here. We can meet later in the Common Room. Be there by 4:00."

The others looked at him suspiciously, but agreed all the same.

Hermione looked down at her plate trying to avoid the furtive glances that were being thrown their way by about everyone in the Great Hall.

Tom noticed how miserable she looked and he nudged her slightly so as to not draw any more attention to them.

"Hey, when we get done talking with Harry and the others later, would you like to go to our balcony?" He whispered. "I know its cold, but I know plenty of warming spells, and I bet there will be a million stars out tonight."

Hermione gave him a loving smile and he felt his heart flutter slightly.

"It is our balcony, isn't it?" She whispered happily. Tom couldn't contain his smile.

"Is it a date then?" Tom asked her softly.

Hermione didn't know why, but when he said date she looked over at the Ravenclaw and spotted Bailey almost instantly. The blonde was staring at her as well and gave her a wink and a quick thumps up.

Hermione smiled gratefully at her and brought her attention back to Tom.

"It's a date." She smiled. Tom was so excited about their first date, that he leaned over and gave her a tender kiss on the lips.

The whole room erupted in excited whispers and now it seemed that truly everyone had taken great interest in latest couple.

Hermione looked over at her friends and saw that they were all smiling happily at her…even Ron. Her gaze then traveled up to the teachers table and she let out a slight chuckle.

"I think Snape is about to have a fit." She giggled. Everyone who had heard her turned to look the greasy haired man and saw that he was rather paler then normal and was twitching every few seconds.

Laughter erupted from them all and it seemed to ease a lot of the tension in the room. Many people had came over to congratulate the new couple and a lot of the Gryffindors who knew Hermione best had begun to tease her about her new romance; especially Fred and George who had warned Tom to keep Hermione a decent young lady.

"I don't want to see our little Granger pregnant in a few months." Fred told him. The whole group laughed with the exception of Hermione.

"I don't think it's so funny." She mumbled.

Even with all of the people who were happy for them, there was still a great majority of girls who were glaring at Hermione with the utmost loathing. The brunette just shrugged it off; she was far too happy to let some jealous girls spoil this moment for her and Tom.

Tom himself had never felt happier. He was finally with Hermione and it was out in the open, and yet, nothing bad had happened. He only hoped their good luck would last for the time being…or least until Voldemort found out.

Tom wondered how Dumbledore was taking all of this and he quickly glanced over to the older wizard. To his surprise, he saw that Dumbledore was beaming at him. He would have never thought in all his days that Albus Dumbledore would be smiling so brightly at him.

Tom could have sworn that he saw the headmaster wink at him as well, but when he looked again he saw that Dumbledore was in a conversation with McGonagall, and was no longer looking at him.

Tom didn't know why, but he felt extremely reassured about everything now. He liked having Dumbledore be proud of him…as if he were a father proud of his son.

But what do I know about fathers and sons, he thought to himself.

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"Tom, would you please stay after class for a moment?" Snape asked at the end of the lesson.

Tom nodded and approached his teacher while the other students quickly filed out of the dreary dungeon.

"Tom, I am going to be very frank about what I have to ask."

Tom gave an understanding nod and waited to hear what his professor had to say.

"Why are you with Miss Granger?"

"What?" Tom asked, so taken aback that he forgot to address his teacher properly. Snape didn't seem to notice though.

"I am wondering why you are with Miss Granger, when you must know what damage your relationship will cause."

"And what damage may that be, sir?" Tom asked without a trace of respect in his voice.

"When the Dark Lord finds out about this, he will not be pleased." Snape told him.

"I really don't care if he is pleased or not. My relationship is between me and Hermione, not me, Hermione and Voldemort. Let him find out that I love her…he might even know already." Tom said, sounding completely unperturbed about the situation.

Snape looked at him quizzically for a moment.

"How can you be sure that you are not under some sort of enchantment?" he asked, suspiciously.

"Beg your pardon, sir?" Tom asked confused.

"You could be under some sort of love potion Tom, are you aware of that?"

"A love potion…you think I'm under a love potion? Forgive me sir, but that is the most preposterous thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Mr. Riddle, do not underestimate Miss Granger. She has been friends with Potter and Weasley for five years now and no doubt their influence has had an impact on her. She could have slipped a potion in your juice one morning! You may be under her thrall at this very moment."

Tom stood their in shock for a moment before he began to let out stifled laughs. Snape stood up behind his desk and approached the young man who was still trying to contain his laughter.

"I shall take you to Dumbledore this instant. You are no doubt under some sort of bewitchment."

Tom just shook his head and continued to let out these small gurgling sounds.

"Tom I insist on…"

"P-please Professor," Tom giggled slightly, "I have to…have to meet with my friends. Excuse me."

Tom walked to his desk and gathered his things.

"Tom, please just let me take you to see the headmaster."

"Sir," Tom began, while finally finding his voice again. "I assure you that I am under no such spell and that I love Hermione because I choose to…not because someone is making me. Good evening sir."

Tom existed through the door and left behind a very befuddled Snape standing by his desk.

Suddenly, a burning pain in his arm made him disregard his musings for a moment. The potions professor pulled up his sleeve and gazed at the Dark Mark that was now completely black.

His master was calling him…

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So…I know it wasn't the most wonderfully exciting chapter, but what can I say…writers block! I will get the next chapter up soon guys, I promise! I am again really sorry about the wait….life…sucks!

I love you all so much…I wouldn't even write this story at all if it weren't for all of your wonderful reviews that encourage me to keep going! Double chocoholic chocolate chuck cookies for everyone!