Author's Note: LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I HAVE DECIDED TO BE MERCIFUL AND LET SIRIUS BLACK LIVE IN THIS STORY BECAUSE WHO THE HELL DOESN'T LOVE SIRIUS BLACK
I MEAN JESUS CHRIST (also Remus Lupin and Tonks because I literally hate J.K. Rowling for killing Tonks and Lupin, that was so out of line)
And yes, all of the professors are going to be Order members, I mean why the hell not. This is my AU isn't it? Anyway, I actually have no outline or anything written for this so I have no idea where it's going so just. Enjoy. I sort of like where it's going; don't worry though. Eventually I'll sit down and write an outline and take it somewhere. My next chapter for What They Don't Know is ALSO coming along, it's ALMOST finished just adding a few small finishing details and of course, I'm going to edit it. I went through and slightly edited this one, but i'm at work so it's not perfect.
Review and all that junk though! Thanks!
Hermione found that she really enjoyed Ron Weasley and his friend Harry Potter. Ron had given her Harry's life story during Latin, a class which a part of Hermione seemed to question Ron being able to pass at all. His Latin was below-par, and that was for lack of better words. Harry Potter and grown up an orphan, raised by his aunt and uncle who were questionable guardians to say the least. His parent's had been murdered (gruesomely, details which Ron hadn't so politely spared) and his God-Father, a man named Sirius Black, had found him in the morning, sitting in a pool of his parent's blood who had been tortured and killed in his room. He was allowed to spend summers with his god-father. Ron on the other hand, had grown up in a very large family, six siblings and the second youngest with five older brothers (all except his older twin brothers had graduated) and one younger sister (her roommate) who Harry had been dating for a year now.
"Are you here on scholarship as well?" She asked as she packed her bag.
"My mother's family has gone here since it opened, goes back a long way. Her family donated a lot of money back in the day. We've all attended on alumni scholarship, my brothers and me, what about you?" He turned around waiting for Harry.
"I've been accepted on a grade scholarship, my parents still pay a good bit though. They've gone off to Germany, they're dentists." She shrugged.
"What're they going to do in Germany?" Harry asked, his eyebrow raised.
"That's what I asked when they told me they were leaving, beats-"
"Ronald, you haven't introduced us to your new friend." Hermione stared blankly at the boy who had interrupted her.
He was tall, tall enough to where he had a good head on Hermione. His features seemed flawless, and Hermione didn't even quite feel like she was exaggerating. His skin was so soft and sculpted, it was almost ridiculous. He wore a dark blue sweater, the school's emblem stitched onto the right breast side. His muscles were clearly defined underneath it, he wasn't too muscular, but enough to be well defined and broad. His smile was charming and slightly crooked, his teeth perfectly white. The smile he gave Hermione was perfunctory and charismatic, and if Hermione didn't feel like his stare was making her body melt on the spot, she might have smiled back at him.
"Hermione, this is Tom." Ron's voice became short.
"Tom Riddle. It's a pleasure to meet you." His voice was low and smooth, Hermione had the image of liquid gold running through her mind.
"Hermione Granger, thank you." She said quietly, she found it hard to find her voice.
"Don't be rude, introduce yourselves to Miss Granger." Riddle's voice gave way to authority at the boys standing next to him and they jumped, all greeting her at once, though not as politely as he had.
"Draco Malfoy." The boy was tall and lean, his face pointed. He had bleached hair that was cut in a much sculpted haphazard faux-hawk, his sweater pulled up and his oxford folded over it revealing muscular under arms. His eyes had the lightest blue eyes Hermione had ever laid eyes on, if he hadn't looked so haughty, he might have been incredibly attractive.
"Blaise Zabini." A dark skinned boy nodded at her, his face the definition of gorgeous. He was tall and chiseled, with large muscles flexing beneath his navy polo.
"Pansy Parkinson." The girl that shouldered herself between the two boys stood in a way next to Tom that told every girl in the vicinity to keep their hands off. Hermione balked at the sneer that accompanied her tone, what had she done to her?
"I'm the head boy so if you ever need anything, please ask. I'm sure you've met Marietta?" He was so charming and polite Hermione was utterly confused as to why Ron and Harry would hate him so much.
"Yes, of course. She showed me around. I appreciate that very much, thank you." She smiled at him politely.
He smiled back at her and she felt her neck grow hot. He seemed confident in his charm, people around them were walking slowly, watching the exchange carefully. He nodded his head courteously at Hermione before waving his hand and walking off, his friends following in close pursuit. Hermione saw Pansy Parkinson's arm latch onto his, eyeing Hermione behind her back as they walked off.
"Prat." Ron spat.
"He seemed like a real gentlemen, I don't understand." She looked at Ron questioningly, nothing about Riddle's appearance gave way to Ron's description of him.
"He may not act like it, but his "posse" does." Harry joined their chat. "He's their leader or something like that, they follow him around everywhere. Everyone seems to love him, but just him really. Malfoy, well he's an-"
"Asshole, a great big flaming asshole." Ron spoke through his teeth.
"Yes, and well Pansy's a right annoying bit of work as well. Clings to him like she can't breathe when he's not around. They all fancy themselves above everyone here, their parents are all quite powerful-"
"And Rich, incredibly filthy rich." Ron interrupted again
"Their families have gone here through generations, since the beginning. It's a bit of a joke really, they call themselves purebloods. Anyone who's been here for ten years or more, well their half-bloods." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I've been going here for twelve years now so there's that."
"Riddle doesn't really do much to stop his followers from picking on everyone, the way he sits and watches, you'd think he put them up to it, never see him doing anything though. Most of the professors and students fancy him Mr. Perfect. " Ron said as they neared the door to their third class. "There's just something wrong about him."
"You think there's something wrong with everyone." A pretty girl with flaming red hair and freckles put her arm around Harry's waist. "Hello, I'm Ginny Weasley. You must be-"
"Hermione Granger, I'm your dorm mate." She stuck her hand out in a token action, Ginny laughed.
"It's nice to meet you, how do you like it so far?" Her skirt was rolled up so that it rested an inch or two above her knees and she wore her blazer unbuttoned, her oxford untucked out of her skirt. Her long hair stood out wildly against the white and navy of her uniform.
"It's different…the people are very…different." Hermione spoke slowly, unsure of how exactly to word how she felt. "I'll get used to it."
"It'll be alright, and you know you'll do better than most new students. You'll have some people to sit with at lunch so that'll be nice." She shrugged her shoulders. "I have to get to class, Professor Lupin will give me a detention if I'm late again."
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Harry on his cheek and nuzzled his shoulder, waving at Hermione before flouncing off into a thinning crowd of navy. She eyed her course schedule as she walked into the classroom, Greek History and Theory, that sounds interesting. She looked up and found herself staring straight into the eyes of Tom Riddle again, he sat in the back of the classroom, his friends surrounding him laughing, throwing papers, and speaking loudly. He paid them no attention, Pansy sat at the desk behind him, trying to speak into his ear. He looked as though he was barely listening, he nodded his head in Hermione's direction but she made no move back. She quickly averted her gaze, feeling somewhat intruded upon by his look. She looked at the desk sitting at the front of the classroom and read the name plaque, Nyphamdora Tonks. Hermione quickly realized she was going to enjoy this class thoroughly when the professor, a woman in her mid-twenties, walked through the door. Her hair was an inky purple so dark it almost looked black. She taught her class with such enthusiasm and seemed so young, Hermione found it utterly surprising the school had even hired her as a teacher.
She felt relieved by the time lunch came around, her stomach had begun to make noises towards the end of class and the absolute last thing Hermione needed was for her bodily functions to inform the class of her gnawing hunger. She sat next to Ginny opposite Ron and Harry and steadily met their other friends,
"Pleased to meet you!" A rather tall lanky red headed boy sat next to Ron.
"Pleased to meet you!" A completely identical boy slid next to him, Hermione started. The two boys were so absolutely identical, it was ridiculous that anyone could tell them apart, their freckles even seemed to be in the same locations.
"Hermione, these are my brothers, Fred and George." Ginny nodded at each with her head as she spoke.
"So Hermione, what brings you to old Hogwarts? You didn't come here of your own free will of course." George asked.
"No one does." Finished Fred.
"Unless of course, you're into private schools and the rich posh life." George added.
"You don't look the type though, does she George?"
"No, not at all Fred."
By the end of lunch time, Hermione almost felt as if she had known most of the people for her entire life. Hermione felt a weight slowly fall off her shoulders when she realized how easy it was to talk to Ginny and felt relieved that she'd been stuck with such nice dorm mate. She shuddered at the thought of being shoved into a room with Pansy Parkinson, it had only been a day yet throughout lunch she'd caught her sending snide looks over in her direction. Hermione however felt dread and disappointment when she realized that neither Ron nor Harry would be in her next class.
"Is Professor Snape nice?" Hermione immediately regretted asking as soon as she saw the look that passed between Harry and Ron.
"I wouldn't precisely say he's mean…" Harry's voice trailed off.
"God'll be with you in there Hermione." Ron said, shaking his head.
Harry quickly elbowed Ron as he saw the look on her face. She felt anxiety creep into her bones. She stared at the classroom entrance, the lights were off and she could see that a projector or a television was flashing.
"Well, we're watching a movie so it can't be too terrible right?" She looked up hopefully at the boys, they passed each other another look of pity.
"It'll be alright, maybe he'll go easy on you because it's your first day." Harry clapped her on the shoulder as they began to back up with the rushing student body. "We'll meet you up afterwards, good luck."
"Good luck Hermione." Ron waved her off and they disappeared into the sea of bodies in the hallway.
She stared solemnly at the classroom in front of her, why did she ever decide to take Advanced Gothic Literature was beside her. The school advisor had told her it wasn't a very popular course and that it was incredibly hard, but that only made her want to take it even more. She walked inside the classroom and paused momentarily, Tom Riddle sat in the right side of the room whispering to a very large brawny boy whose face seemed to remind Hermione of a gorilla. She looked around but found that the room only held five desks, one for each student in the class apparently, are you telling me no other classes are held in this room? She began to make her way to the other side of the classroom when she heard him call her name.
"Hermione, over here." She flushed and turned, giving him a small smile. Her good formality refused to ignore him and she went and sat next to him.
"How have you enjoyed your first day so far?" He seemed genuinely interested but she was having a hard time believing it after what she'd heard about him so far.
"It's been pleasant enough." She wouldn't look at him, why did she feel so uncomfortable? He had been nothing but agreeable to her since she'd met him. "I quite like everyone I've met so far."
"So, are you from London?" He asked, he began to take his notebooks out of his school bag.
"Yes, I've lived here all my life actually. My parent's just recently moved to Germany, their dentist-"
"Dentist?" He asked intrigued. "I don't mean to be rude, but how are they able to afford Hogwarts if their dentists?"
Hermione blanched, whether or not he meant to be rude, it was certainly a rude question.
"That's a rather blunt question, don't you think?" She didn't exactly feel comfortable sharing her family's finances with a stranger.
"Of course, I apologize. I'm just curious whether or not you're here on scholarship." He was turned facing her, she felt his eyes digging into the side of her head.
"Why would it matter if I was or wasn't?" She asked, turning to face him. His eyes looked inky and black in the darkness of the classroom, the light flashing from the television on his face.
He looked slightly taken aback by her answer. Hermione turned away and opened her notebook and grabbed a pen from her bag. She looked up quickly as a man walked into the room. Hermione looked over and saw that the room had filled up, a girl with long blonde hair and an incredibly dreamy expression sat next to her and a set of twin girls with black inky hair, she had remembered seeing them at lunch. Padma and Parvati Patil, isn't that what Ginny said? She hadn't yet seen the girl with blonde hair before though. If someone had asked Hermione to draw what Depressed and angry looked like, this would have been the man. His hair was chin length and greasy. He had a hook nose that seemed to match the rest of his very sallow bitter looking face. His skin was pale and his entire outfit seemed to reflect his mood. He wore black trousers with a black jacket with no school emblem and a black button up. He stopped and eyed her with a seeming distaste.
"I'll assume you've already read the books and lesson plans for this class?" He set his bag on the desk and pulled out a stack of worksheets. "You'll need to know the material for today. You'll be comparing the book to its play counterpart, The Innocents."
"Sir, you had quite a large reading list, I'd already read many of the-"
"I don't care to hear of your literary achievements Miss Granger. I simply wish to know if you've read the book."
"Which book sir?" She felt foolish asking. Why was he speaking to her as if she should already know all of this? This was her first day, his reading list had over 50 books on it, and she couldn't possibly know which book he was speaking of.
"The Turn of the Screw." His voice sounded incredibly annoyed and he emphasized each word as though he spoke to a dunce. Hermione feared any more questions and he would simply ask her to leave.
She pursed her lips and decided the best course of action in this class was to remain as quiet as possible and perhaps she would make it through alive. She had read the book before, but not for the purpose of this class, only out of enjoyment. She faced downwards, her face burning with embarrassment. She didn't dare turn her head because she could already feel Tom Riddle's eyes boring holes into the side of it. Not only did he think her poor, but stupid. Wonderful.
The rest of class was in silence as they watched the play, which was nearly darker than the book itself. She peaked out of the corner of her eye and saw Tom watching the movie, he was bent over taking notes and looking up at the movie, paying attention closely. Ginny had told Hermione that the entire school was overtly found of Tom Riddle. His grades were nothing but perfect, and professors adored him. Hermione had come to realize that it was only a select few who viewed Riddle the way Ron and Harry did and that it'd be hard to find someone in this school, other than the people she'd coincidentally found herself associated with, who didn't love Tom Riddle.
She was quick to get her things together to leave once the movie had finished, she didn't plan on lingering in this classroom any longer than she would have too, ever.
"You never answered me earlier." Tom stated, as Professor Snape swept out of the room.
"I know that." She buttoned her bag and looked up at him, his face held a small look of frustration. "I didn't have the intentions too."
"That's a tad rude, don't you think?" He cocked his head at her.
"Almost as rude as asking about one's family finances, don't you think?" Hermione smiled at him and walked out of the room. Being a bit smart aren't you?
The rest of Hermione's day swam by in faces and homework, something which Hermione soon realized this school had an abundance of, not that she minded. If anything, Hermione would prefer to sit, read, and do homework rather than go out for a night on the town any day. Harry and Ron introduced her to nearly everyone that they could find. Hermione soon realized that as they pointed people out to her, this school was clearly divided into two groups. Those who families were rich (as in, we breath and bleed money and can smell it from a mile away) and those who were simply like her or a little above. Those who were in the higher categories found themselves situated into groups with Tom and his friends and those just found themselves elsewhere. Hermione sighed heavily when she walked into her room to find her trunks and boxes of her things just lying there. Great, now I get to spend the next five hours sorting and putting all this away.
"Hello!" Ginny burst into the room, nearly frightening Hermione out of her skin. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. Goodness, you've got a lot of stuff, don't you? Need some help?"
"Please?" Hermione pleaded.
Hermione and Ginny spent the next few hours unloading and sorting through nearly all of Hermione's belongings, chatting the whole time. Ginny told her all about her family and their large house which she simply called, "The Burrow." Ginny told her all about her brothers, an older brother Bill who was married to a French model named Fleur Delacour. Another old brother named Charlie, who worked in Romania as a sort of Games Keeper in the Transylvania Forest.
"Do you have any siblings?" Ginny asked, sticking one of Hermione's empty trunks under her bed.
"No, just me. My mum wasn't really able to have any children after me. They didn't really have the time either. I know dentistry isn't really an intense laborious job, but it kept them busy enough to where they really had the time for me and me alone." She shrugged.
"Oh, well it won't be so bad here then. Everyone adored Charlie. Prefect and head boy, and top grades and all. It's hard to live up too," She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't want to be head boy or girl anyway, their always so pompous. It seems like they base who gets it off of popularity rather than grades and morality anyway."
"Tom Riddle seems quite popular, that makes sense." She spoke casually, but felt unusually curious, why did Ginny and her family hate Tom Riddle so much?
"His family has power, loads of it. I wouldn't be surprised if his father had blackmailed Tom into the position honestly. I don't understand how the professors and some of the other students don't find him so…creepy."
"Creepy?" Hermione cocked an eyebrow.
"I mean, his friends, they just follow him around everywhere. It's not like Draco Malfoy or Zabini are pleasant people. Just the other day, I caught Draco Malfoy and his stupid fat friends, Crab and Goyle, beating up on an unfortunate 9th year for being poor. You would think if Riddle was so good he would distance himself from people like that, but no. They're his closest friends, and that's just so odd to me you know?"
Hermione nodded her head, she agreed. It was a little strange that the school's star pupil seemed to be followed by nothing but rich spoiled jerks.
"And you know, Harry is absolutely convinced he's into drugs."
"Drugs?" Hermione's voice was so skeptical, it boarded on the edge or sarcasm.
"Harry just really doesn't like him, Ron hates him more of course. Ron has a temper the size of a pea really, anything'll set him off. He's hated Riddle since third year when Draco Malfoy stuck a dead rat in his bag. He claimed Riddle put him up to it because Ron had accidentally smashed his clay bird." Ginny sounded as though she believed it too.
Hermione decided she'd had enough talk about Tom Riddle, she was going to have nearly every class with him for the next two years it seemed, she could talk about him then.
"How long have he and Pansy been…?" The question slipped from her mouth, she wasn't even aware that she wanted to ask it until it promptly came from her mouth.
"I don't think their actually 'together'. She hangs around him a lot but he doesn't really pay her any attention. It's really a wonder he hasn't met someone, you know the girls here, they're absolutely wild for him. He may be a complete prat, but he's handsome. There's no denying that. I won't lie though, I might find it hard to be around you at all if you somehow found yourself 'in relations' with him." Ginny stood up, looking around the room. "Looks like we're all done, thank god. I have so much homework to do."
Ginny walked over to her desk and began to file out her homework. Hermione pushed the last of her empty trunks away and decided it was time to start on hers too before she went to bed. She needed something to keep her distracted anyway, she barely had friends yet and she didn't exactly want to think about the fact that her parents were actually gone. It wasn't until about two hours later, with Ginny deep asleep, that it finally hit Hermione that she was going to be stuck in this school, with these people, every day and night for the next two years. A part of her began to panic, her stomach curling in on itself with a sense of dread. What was this year going to do to her?
Hermione's first two weeks of school seemed to fly by in a breeze, and she was beyond grateful for it. The classes themselves did seem to be more challenging than what she was used to, but it was nothing she didn't enjoy. It was only her Gothic Literature class where she found herself struggling. She didn't actually believe that Professor Snape was out to get her, however there was something in the deep recess of her mind that felt he hated her more than most of his other students. She enjoyed being around Ron and Harry, they gave Hermione the feeling that she belonged here, although Tom's group of friends didn't seem to forget that she didn't.
She was quick to realize that if you weren't as filthy rich as Tom or his friends, it was completely pointless to try and be friendly, or even social to their group. Although Hermione couldn't tell anyone positively, she had been called Mudblood several times. A term which Ron had explained meant she was poor and new, a name given to only a lucky few students. It was meant to be insulting but Hermione found it inane to say the least. She was however, incredibly positive, that she had been shoved, purposely, bumped into, and tripped on several occasions by Draco Malfoy and a few of his friends (all of course when Tom wasn't around). Nothing seemed to ever happen when Tom Riddle was around.
More along to the fact of Tom Riddle, Gothic Literature also seemed to be the perfect class for Tom to completely pester her with an ungodly amount of questions about herself and where she was from. If Hermione hadn't known any better, she would assume he was trying to write a book about her. Hermione had taken heed from the advice from her new friends. She had no reason to distrust or find fault in anything Ron, Harry, or Ginny had told her so far so she did her best to keep her distance from Tom Riddle. She barely spoke to him, answering his questions in single syllables (if answering them at all) and sometimes just straight up lied to him, which he was somehow (creepily) able to detect immediately.
Tom seemed to have taken this to heart because he had begun to battle Hermione, not physically but mentally. It seemed to Hermione that every class that she had with Tom Riddle had become some sort of academic war, who could answer the most questions, who could turn the quiz in first, who got the higher grade (at the moment, Tom was winning by a measly 2%). Hermione wasn't sure why he had taken such a sudden interest in besting her, or just any interest in her at all.
Professor Snape had left the classroom, he had ordered a new set of books for them to read and they apparently couldn't be delivered without a signature. He had left the small class with a warning and left. Hermione almost groaned aloud, for as soon as he left, Tom Riddle turned in his seat, prepared for their daily talks which always seemed to be along the same lines.
"I'm simply being friendly," Tom remarked, his voice edged with a hindrance of annoyance.
"I don't wish to be friendly." She held her nose up high. Earlier today Draco Malfoy seemed to have find it funny to "accidentally" smack a large pile of papers out of her hand and then stand over a majority of them as she tried to pick them up. He "apparently" couldn't hear her when she repeatedly asked him to move. Hermione had no doubts that Tom knew what his friends were like.
"I've done nothing to you. That makes absolutely no sense." He was becoming more exasperated by the second.
"Honestly, I don't know why you don't give up. I obviously have no intentions to tell you anything about myself."
"You're just being difficult Hermione, I know you want to tell me things, you just won't let yourself be happy." His voice dropped an octave.
"Oh please, are you actually that full of yourself?" She rolled her eyes, why wouldn't he leave her alone. "Do you bother all new students like this, or just the ones that don't tell you their life stories?"
"I won't lie Hermione, I usually get what I want."
"Well Tom Riddle, for once in your life. You might actually have to work for something." She looked him dead in the eyes, a small smile had curled into his lips. Professor Snape walked back into the room, his appearance ending all conversation, but a small smile still played on Tom's lips.
It wasn't just Hermione who had come to notice the silent battle that was happening between Hermione and Tom. Ginny was kind enough to bring it to her attention that Tom rarely spoke to any girl (sans Pansy who was hardly a girl at all from the way she acted) or male the way he bantered with her. Ginny had even gone as far to ask if Hermione had said something to him or if he liked her? Whether or not Ginny believed her when she told her she really had no idea why he was doing what he was, Pansy Parkinson wasn't having it. She went farther than Draco, purposely shoving Hermione into the walls when she walked by or just openly calling her a slut when she happened to pass by. If it hadn't been for the new friends she had acquired, she would have almost felt like she was going crazy from all of it.
"Tom really seems out to show you whose best, doesn't he?" Ron whispered to Hermione during Biochemistry. She was hardly paying him any attention, she glared over in the direction of Tom who had an incredibly smug look on his face.
"I'm not sure why he's so set on proving he's smarter than me, he's acting childish." She scoffed.
"You're not exactly helping the situation by showing him back up…" Ron trailed off, his ears turning a light shade of red.
"I'm not going to sit here and let him make me out to be some kind of dunce!" She whispered back, her voice harsh.
She quickly signed her name on the paper as Tom began walking towards the front of the class room. He was just waiting for me to finish, so he could race me to the front of the room, how absolutely juvenile. Hermione mentally roller her eyes as she reached the desk with Tom standing next to her.
"If it isn't my two brightest students, fighting for the spotlight eh?" Slughorn's loud voice made Hermione blush.
"Hermione has been kind enough to let me tutor her with some of her classes, she's been struggling." Hermione gasped and turned to face him, outraged at his blatant lie.
"I beg your pardon?" She demanded, the small smile on his face sending fire into her veins.
"There's no need to be ashamed Miss Granger, Tom's a wonderful boy! Always helping those who need it!" Slughorn laughed merrily, his voice grating to her ears.
Hermione found herself sputtering in indignation, her face burning with anger. However, any response that could have come from her mouth was hindered by the bell that chimed from the speakers in the classroom, signaling the end of class.
"Really Hermione, it's not lady-like to hold your mouth open like that, you might catch flies." Tom's smile flashed in her direction before he walked out of the room, leaving Hermione boiling in his wake.
"He hasn't really been tutoring you-"
"No Ron! He hasn't!" She burst out, returning to the desk to grab her things.
How dare he just up and lie to the professor like that. He thought he was going to win now, making everyone think he was tutoring her and making her look like she wasn't as smart. She had half the mind to go find him and shove every single paper she'd received higher marks on than him up his arse.
"Hermione, where are you going?" Ron asked suddenly, she'd made up her mind. She was going to find and tell off Tom Riddle.
"I'm going to be late, I'll meet you in a second." She stood on her tiptoes, narrowing her eyes to look for his head.
She spotted him, but he was going downstairs. She watched his head disappear around the corner to the staircase and followed, the bell ringing as lingering students made their ways into their rooms, doors shutting behind them. The hallway was empty and Hermione made it to the staircase and almost shouted. He was standing right there, looking expectantly up at her.
"What in God's name-"She placed a hand over her heart, glaring at him.
"You mean, what in my name?" A devilish smile took upon his face.
"Oh, how charming. You think so highly of yourself don't you?" She spat sticking her finger into his chest. "You need to go back to Professor Slughorn right now and tell him the truth! I have never in my life had a tutor for anything. I don't need some, some stupid preppy rich boy's help in the grade I get. You're just ashamed some poor-"
"So you admit it, you are poor." He smiled, his teeth were pearly white and slightly crooked, Hermione had the urge to punch them all in.
"That's not the point Tom Riddle! What are you even trying to get at? Why in the world are you making all of this some war? Because I won't tell you anything about myself? Will you leave me alone if I tell you?" She felt a shock when she realized her finger was still in his chest and jumped to remove her hand.
"Honestly Hermione, at this point, I'm enjoying myself far too much to just stop and be done. You know you enjoy it too, you wouldn't have followed me to this empty staircase in between classes if you didn't. Really, what will everyone think when they find out that you were alone with me?" His voice was casual but it made Hermione want to strangle him all the more.
"You're crazy Riddle, you need help. Actually, it might be too late for help, have you considered pushing yourself down a flight of stairs?" Her eyes slotted in anger, she couldn't believe he was getting to her this way.
"It all depends, will it be you pushing me? I've often heard love hurts." His smile reappeared, Hermione scoffed loudly.
"Is that why you made me meet you-"Hermione was suddenly cut off by Riddle grabbing her, his lips firmly pressing themselves against hers.
Her eyes widened in surprise, her body going slack from the shock of it. His hands gripped her shoulders fiercely, his lips hot and warm against hers. His breath tasted of mint and tea and his lips were so soft and warm it took her a second to firmly comprehend what was even happening, however, it was too late by then.
"MR. RIDDLE! MISS GRANGER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Hermione jerked away and her stomach dropped into her stomach, Professor McGonagall stood in shock staring at the both of them from the steps below them.
"I-I-"Hermione stuttered, turning to look at Tom, her head whirling to figure out what exactly was happening, what the hell just happened. What in God's name…oh my God. It all clicked when she saw a very confident smug smile pass quickly over Tom's lips at Hermione before turning in mock shock to face McGonagall.
"Professor…I'm so sorry! We were just-"
"I'm not blind Mr. Riddle! You of all people should know better! Skipping class…and for this! Of all things! Detention! For the both of you! And Miss Granger, you've only been here two weeks!" Her voice was stern and Hermione's stomach felt like it was melting into her feet, her mouth remained open in shock. "I'll be calling both of your parents about this! You two should be ashamed of yourselves!"
"Of course…I'm sorry professor." Tom's voice held a fake disappointed tone, he hung his face down in shame. Hermione stared at him, her mouth gaping.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself Miss Granger?" McGonagall turned to her, demanding some sort of apology of explanation, none of which she could muster.
"I…I'm sorry." She hung her head down, but her face burned, not with embarrassment but with such a deep anger it was a surprise to her at all that she wasn't strangling the boy in front of her at this very moment.
"Both of you, off to class! You can both come to my office after lunch. Now off, go!" McGonagall walked them back up the staircase, watching as they made their way up the hallway.
"You are without a doubt, the largest dick I've ever come to know. You did that on purpose, you knew she would be there." Hermione whispered through clenched teeth.
"Oh Hermione, I've only just begun."