A/N: I want to thank the following reviewers: Tokyo no Ecchi, Gaerwen, sweet-essence03, All-American Vampire, shadowglove, Luthien Amarie, professionaldooropener, Twilight Elf-Maiden, Katsheswims, little mimi, Secret Thought, CardboardCreative, lilpeng1, CareBearErin, 404, Norma Leann Zane, PapayaCrazy, CelticRoseOfTheLake, PhanPhic-adict, Kitty0617, Emi-Bum, Sophiax, Shanghai Honey, and coolmarauders. So many reviewers for this chapter... It's no wonder I'm at 208 reviews already! I can hardly believe it and I can't express how much it means to me, I can't thank you all enough!

Well, I suppose that I'll let you all read on now! Hope everyone enjoys the hilarity in this chapter... :D

Chapter 20 – Eggnog and Mistletoe

"Watch your tongue, Abraxas," Tom hissed in a low tone that made even Hermione shiver.

Her shiver turned Lestrange's eyes to her and she pulled her cloak tighter around her as he smirked. Tom stepped closer to Abraxas as he pulled out his wand and continued to threaten him.

"Or you just might lose it," Tom muttered.

With that said, he grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her away from the group of Slytherins. They were soon on their way over to Slughorn who grinned at the sight of his favorite student, Tom.

"Tom, my boy," Slughorn boomed as he clapped Tom on the back. "I see you've found yourself a lovely young lady."

Hermione blushed and felt that she needed to get away as she saw Tom smile over at her. Her heart fluttered. 'What's wrong with me? He just smiled... But, oh, what a smile' Hermione thought dreamily. 'Wait! What! Did I seriously just think that?'

Hermione forced a smile as she saw Tom looking at her in wonder. He turned back to Slughorn and Hermione felt herself exhale. What was wrong with her? Did he really make her that nervous all of a sudden? And what was with those looks and especially Abraxas and them back there?

She shrugged it off and looked to their new guest, Dumbledore. If Dumbledore was there, where was Leo? Hermione looked around and Dumbledore must have sensed her worry as he spoke to her.

"I believe Mr. Witte went to get something to drink," Dumbledore informed. As he did, a Christmas song was struck up by a ghost band. "Ah, I love this song," Dumbledore smiled as he began snapping his fingers and tapping his foot.

Hermione tried not to laugh as she turned to Slughorn and Tom.

"Tom, you should ask your young lady friend to dance," Slughorn suggested.

Hermione felt her stomach tie in knots as Tom turned to her and then looked quickly to the dance floor. He held out his hand to her, not speaking a word and half smirked. Hermione inwardly blushed and giggled as she looked to Dumbledore. It made her feel strange to be treated the way Tom was treating her, like a perfect lady and him a perfect gentleman. Dumbledore nodded as he turned and went to Professor Merrythought, taking her hand and leading her out onto the floor.

Hermione smiled and placed her hand in Tom's, walking swiftly to the floor with him. He gently placed on hand on her side just above her hip and held the other out gracefully in his as though she were delicate glass that would break if he touched her the wrong way. He made a swift turn and Hermione followed, thank Merlin that she learned to dance with Krum at the Yule Ball in her fourth year.

Hermione stared around the room, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as she felt Tom's eyes on her. She turned to him and he nodded politely as he waltzed with her across the floor, unobtrusively passing through other couples. Hermione spotted Dumbledore on her way and he winked, making her smile. She suddenly felt the burst of happiness that comes to one when having fun, the urge to have more fun.

She laughed as Tom spun her around and it made him smile. Hermione wondered why. Had he not had moments like this before? Was it her that made him smile? Or was he simply fighting off the urge to laugh at her schoolgirl stupidity? Whatever it was, Hermione didn't much care as she continued to let him lead her about the floor.

The song was almost over and Hermione was still grinning from ear to ear as she looked around the room. Then she spotted him. Leo. He was watching her and Tom with a broken expression. Hermione quickly lost her smile as she recalled Ron at the Yule Ball when she had been dancing with Viktor. Her heart panged and her stomach clenched.

She swallowed fast to prevent a tear forcing lump in her throat as she let go of Tom and bowed her head. Tom's brow knitted as Hermione turned and walked away. She walked up to Leo and he forced a weak smile as he lifted her head to him. She had a tear in her eye and Leo frowned when he saw this.

"You can dance with him if you like," he whispered. "I'm just going to go over here and talk to Brian and Sandie then."

"But I-"

"No, it's fine," Leo said firmly as he turned and walked away.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said as he walked up and put a hand on her shoulder. "I believe Mr. Riddle is waiting."

Hermione turned and looked to Dumbledore who smiled. She looked past him to Tom who was watching her from just off the dance floor. She suddenly felt very confused.

"Don't worry about Mr. Witte," Dumbledore continued in a hushed tone. "I've told him you have a special mission for me... he understands. He's been on one for me himself. Probably the reason he fears Tom now, really."

Hermione looked quickly to Dumbledore with a furrowed brow. She recalled the way Leo seemed nervous, fidgety, and even fearful around Tom. What had Leo saw while on mission for Dumbledore?

At that moment, it didn't matter as Dumbledore gave Hermione a little pat on the back and nodded to Tom. Hermione cleared her head as she walked over to Tom and forced a well acted smile.

"I thought you wanted to be with your date?" Tom quizzed.

"He's uh... not much of a dancer," Hermione lied. "So he told me to go ahead and dance with you."

Tom didn't believe it for a minute, but he left it go as he changed the subject.

"Drink?"

"Yes, please," Hermione replied.

"Wait right here, then," Tom said as he walked away.

Soon after he disappeared, Hermione was joined by Tiffany. She looked winded; her face red and fanning herself as she pushed stray strands of hair from her face.

"Arnold's quite the dancer," Tiffany huffed.

"I can see," Hermione laughed as she raised her brow in an amused way.

"He's just gone to get drinks... Where's Leo?"

"Over with Sandie and Brian," Hermione replied. "He didn't want to dance."

"So who are you wi-"

"Tiffany Summers," Tom greeted as he handed Hermione a small glass of a milky looking yellow liquid.

"Tom," Tiffany said in an unsure way. "Alice... can I talk to you for a moment?"

Before Hermione could answer, Tiffany pulled her away.

"Are you nuts?" Tiffany hissed.

"What?" Hermione asked innocently.

"That's Tom Ridd-"

"I'm well aware of who he is, Tiff," Hermione interrupted. "And it's fine. Leo said so even."

With that said, Hermione rejoined Tom and Tiffany just stood a few feet away, dumbfounded as Arnold walked up to her with a glass. Hermione winked as Tiffany let Arnold lead her away and then sipped from her own glass. Tom smiled behind his own glass as he watched Hermione sip her eggnog. Tonight was going to go by his plans, that was for sure.

A wooden chair flew across the room and burst into pieces against the wall as Voldemort let out an enraged snarl. He stalked to the window where the noon time sun was being covered by gray clouds. Where was that Granger girl?

How could she just disappear, Lucius?" Voldemort hissed.

"I'm not sure, my Lord, but I have inside information that even the girl's whereabouts are unknown to her friends," Lucius Malfoy informed.

"I want her brought to-"

"What is it, my Lord?" Malfoy asked as he stared at Voldemort's expression in confusion.

Voldemort's face showed realization. But realization of what? Lucius watched a sadistic grin break out on Voldemort's face.

"Leave me, Lucius," Voldemort commanded lightly, with happiness even. "I need to think."

Malfoy bowed himself from the room and Voldemort laughed with mirth. Hermione Granger. Alice Granger. Hermione was missing and the new memories of her supposed grandmother, Alice, came at the same time. It was no coincidence. Hermione. Alice. Hermione was Alice.

So the Granger girl had broken a big rule and went back in time. She wouldn't come back either if he could help it. But the more he thought about going back in time and killing her, the more he felt a strange feeling rise in his chest. It was a pained emotional feeling. And something even stranger, Voldemort felt that he couldn't kill her now that he thought about it.

About an hour and five drinks later, Hermione was feeling quite happy. She was giggling at the least little thing and she couldn't even dance properly anymore. She stood with Tom and Slughorn and another adult who's name she couldn't remember, but she didn't much care.

"Another drink, Alice, darling?" Tom inquired as he took her empty cup from her hand.

"Certainly," Hermione grinned.

Tom walked away and to the drink table, pour eggnog into the cup. He looked from left to right and pulled out his wand, pointing it at Hermione's drink. He whispered a spell, liquid flowing from his wand tip and swirling into the eggnog as he moved his wand in a circular movement. He smiled and picked up the cup, walking back over to Hermione.

He handed it to her and she drank it, not knowing just what he had done. The talked and talked, Hermione laughing at the ridiculous jokes in which Slughorn and his friend were telling. 'She's a poor drunk' Tom thought amusedly as he sipped on his own drink.

His amusement soon ceased though as Hermione shoved her glass into Slughorn's hand and disappeared into the dancing crowd. Was she sick? He seriously hoped not because they could trace the spell and figure out that someone had spiked her drink. And considering that she was with him for some time during the party, they would no doubt blame him. He had to find her.

He excused himself and was entering the crowd of people as a new song started. Then horror hit him. A voice he recognized was singing.

"Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree, for me. I've been an awful good girl. Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight."

Tom turned to the stage and saw Hermione among the group of ghosts. He looked around him, most students had stopped dancing and were watching, smiles on their face. 'Just don't do anything stupid' Tom thought as he himself felt embarrassment for her.

"Santa baby, an out-of-space convertible too, light blue. I'll wait up for you, dear. Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight," Hermione chimed.

Tom's eye brows shot upward on his forehead as Hermione's hips shook from side to side. He crossed his arms and settled himself to watch as her shoulders moved too with the music's rhythm. She could really dance.

"Think of all the fun I've missed. Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed," Hermione said as she winked and blew a kiss. "Next year I could be oh so good, if you'd check off my Christmas list."

Tom felt himself chuckle as Hermione bit her bottom lip and continued to dance. This was quite amusing to him. Then he suddenly stopped laughing as Hermione took off her cloak and threw it aside. 'Good Merlin! Just don't take anything else off, for magic's sake' Tom prayed as he looked at her with worried eyes.

"Santa honey, I want a yacht and really that's not a lot. I've been an angel all year. Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight. Santa baby, and fill my stocking with a duplex, and checks. Sign your 'X' on the line. Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight."

Tom's eyebrow cocked as he watched Hermione. She was beautiful and she could certainly sing and dance. He felt growing jealousy as the other guys on the dance floor eyed her. He wanted to take her away now, where he could be alone with her and keep her away from any other guy.

"Come and trim my Christmas tree with some decorations bought at Tiffany's. I really do believe in you. Let's see if you believe in me," Hermione sang as she looked out at the crowd and spotted Tom. "Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing. A ring. I don't mean on the phone. Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney... tonight!"

Tom chuckled as she finished big and he made his way through the crowd. He met her by the stage and grabbed her cloak, draping it over her as other guys gawked at her. She was more than lovely and Tom would prefer that she kept that a covered secret. At least until he got her out of there.

As they pushed their way through the crowd, Hermione felt the room spinning. She suddenly felt hot and her head hurt badly.

"T-Tom," she muttered.

"I know... c'mon," he urged as he steered her off the dance floor and toward the door.

"Alice!"

Tom turned with Hermione and saw Sandie running up to her.

"What's the matter with her?"

"It's nothing," Tom lied. "I think she just had a little too much eggnog... and the heat and dancing... doesn't mix well," Tom continued.

"Oh, Alice," Sandie sighed. "I do hope you feel better. Would you like me to accompany you?"

"No," Tom waved off. "I can take her... you go to your date. Oh, and tell Alice's date that she'll be fine... I'm just taking her to the hospital wing. We might be back. If not, don't worry, she'll be fine."

"O-okay," Sandie answered as Tom turned and continued to usher Hermione out.

"Hermione," Ron mumbled as he ran his thumb down the frame of a picture of him and Hermione.

It had been taken over the summer after their sixth year. Hermione and Ron had been out back swimming in the pond and their hair was messed. She stilled looked gorgeous to him. He longed to see her again, hold her in his arms.

"Mr. Weasley," a wizened old voice said softly.

Ron looked up from the picture and around his and Harry's bedroom at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. No one was in the room. Ron stood up off his bed and continued to look around the room as he drew out his wand.

"Hello?"

"Over here," someone laughed.

Ron looked in the direction in which the voice had come from and saw only the wall. Upon the wall was a smiling, bespectacled face in an ancient looking frame. It was Dumbledore.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," he said as he nodded from the frame.

"Pro- er... what should I call you now?" Ron asked as he realized that Dumbledore was no longer the Headmaster or even a Professor at Hogwarts.

"Whatever you like," Dumbledore said. "You may even call me an old coot for all I care as long as you're comfortable with it."

Ron half laughed as he shook his head, "I'll stick with Headmaster, then."

"That's fine. So... I see you've been in this room quite a lot," Dumbledore pointed out. "You should be out consoling your friends and family."

"How can I be any consolation when I'm just as upset, if not more," Ron sighed. "I miss Hermione so much."

"Don't worry about her... she's fine," Dumbledore assured him.

"How do you know?" Ron asked curiously. He had a feeling that Dumbledore was hiding something as he smiled down from the frame in a knowing way.

"She's in good care," Dumbledore replied simply.

"What care? Do you know where she is? Tell me so I can bring her back!" Ron demanded.

"Mr. Weasley... please," Dumbledore tried to calm. "She will come back when she's good and re-"

"NO! I want her back now!" Ron bellowed as he stalked up to the frame. "Now! Do you hear? NOW!"

Ron pounded his fists on the wooden frame and Dumbledore shook his head and sighed before leaving the frame.

"DUMBLEDORE! You crazy old coot! Come back here! NOW!" Ron snarled as he tried to pull the frame down, but it didn't budge.

Tom was helping Hermione down the seventh floor corridor, her arm pulled around his shoulder and his arm around her back for support. He was starting to feel something strange. Guilt. He really wished now that he hadn't gotten her drunk. His purpose for it wasn't great enough now that he thought about it.

He had intended to get her drunk and have her take a potion. One special potion to be exact. A Love Potion.

It was true. Tom Riddle had found himself the perfect match, at least in his eyes that's what it was. Not only was she brilliant, but powerful as well. She had to be considering she survived what she did. Tom deserved a girl like that, or so that's what he thought.

And then there was the mystery surrounding her. He had planned to get that out of her when she was drunk as well. A little Veritaserum would assist there.

Now as he helped her down the hallway and saw the frown on her face, he realized he shouldn't have done that. If he truly cared for this girl like he felt, he wouldn't have. That's when he finally realized it. He liked her quite a bit and the guilt he felt was pain for her suffering.

He would mend it all though. He would nurse her once he got her to his dorm. They entered the portrait hole and Tom sat her on the couch. He turned and lit a fire before walking across the room and hanging up their cloaks.

"I-I thought you were taking me to the- hospital wing," Hermione stammered as she held her head in her hands.

"You'll be fine," Tom called over his shoulder. "You just need to get some rest and take a little Pepper-Up Potion. I'll go get that from the school nurse tomorrow morning before you wake."

"Then can you please take me to my common room?" Hermione asked as he came over to her with a steaming cup of tea.

"Just sit tight," he said as he sat the cup on the coffee table and turned to walk away.

"I want... to go back," Hermione grumbled as she tried to stand up.

She struggled for a moment and Tom rolled his eyes as he continued over to the stairs that led to his room so he could get her a blanket.

"Take me back... now," Hermione demanded as she stomped over to him in an unsteady way.

Her heel caught on the carpet and she stumbled, falling and Tom catching her. They stood frozen at the bottom of the stairwell for a moment before Tom stood her upright again, but her eyes were still looking upward. Tom followed her sight slowly and spotted something hanging above them on the archway of the stairwell. Mistletoe.

Tom quickly averted his eyes to the other side of the room. He glared at the other Christmas decorations. The tree that would have no presents under it on Christmas morning. And most of all, the mistletoe which he never got caught under, but always saw lovers under. The cursed berried plant. He hated it right now because Hermione would no doubt turn away from him just as she had that night he was with her in her detention.

Hermione looked at Tom as he glared across the room away from her. They were under mistletoe. He was the first guy she had ever got caught under it with. She blushed and felt the urge to do as the tradition said and kiss him. But he had looked away. Did that mean he didn't want her to? If he didn't, why was he still holding her by the waist then?

She risked it. She cupped his face in her hands and turned him to her, bringing her lips up to his. She pressed gently at first, her body tingling at the light sensation of his lips on hers. Then she pressed more forcefully, wrapping her arms around his neck and standing on tiptoes as his arms wrapped further around her waist, pulling her to him. She could barely breathe as she tilted her head to the side, her lips parting.

He was unsure of what to do. He had never kissed a girl before. He tilted his head opposite hers and hoped that it was as easy as the people he had seen made it look. He prayed he was doing what he was supposed to and doing it perfectly. Tom mimicked her and opened his mouth slightly. He felt the tip of her tongue touch his and closed his eyes tighter.

She smiled against his lips at the innocence between them. She didn't want that moment to end, his kiss was like no other.

Warning for Chapter 21: The next chapter contains scenes of adult content which some may not find suitable. It is advised that if you do not wish to read such adult level content, please skip over the italics in the next chapter and consider yourselves warned. The rating has been raised, and now follows guidlines for the highest rating. Thank you!