Hermione.
He let it roll over his tongue as though sampling a fine wine, whispering it to himself over and over, trying to catch some hint of familiarity. There wasn't any.
Hermione Granger. Her-mi-o-ne Granger.
Not a well-founded wizarding name. A name, it seemed to him, which did not exist anywhere other than in the room of requirement. A name that lingered in his mind nonetheless. A name that intrigued him all the more for its apparent non-existence.
A Gryffindor. A little assertive. Very passionate. Truly fiery. As annoying as it had seemed at first it was almost admirable how confident she was when she tried. She was smart too, intuitive, thorough in her research as well as her studies if the essay he had caught her working on last time was anything to go by. Powerful too, when her tempers flared, though that was rare. If he were pushed he could even admit that she wasn't altogether the worst person to share such a bizarre connection with.
Though she still didn't trust him.
Not entirely.
Not yet.
But he would make her. And he would get through to what lay beyond.
He thought about what he would say to make her cave as he stalked through the halls, neglecting his followers and their idle chatter. In lessons too he couldn't help but let his mind wander to the frizzy haired enigma. She had let little slip about where she came from. Some mentions of two boys, Harry and Ron, whose notes she sometimes finished looking through before she would grace him with her attention. Occasionally a small rant about the disruptive replacement of DADA teachers would escape her too. But he had yet to find out anything substantial and dared not ask lest she become more suspicious.
He was being good. Being patient. Waiting for her to make the first move. Stretching out his hand as though to a stray cat.
But Tom Riddle disliked waiting.
Especially in the knowledge that she could disappear whenever she chose.
He was scowling the entire way to the room of requirement, thinking of how he could possible gain her trust when a rather too cheery and loud voice emanated from behind him.
"Tom, m'boy!" Cried professor Slughorn, rounding on the talented fourth year with astounding speed. "A word?" He asked, whisking him into his office before he had even registered who he was talking to. With that he shut the door.
Instantly Tom plastered on a smile. "Yes, professor? Is there something I can help you with, sir?"
Slughorn grinned grotesquely, tempting Tom to simply hex him and run. He knew, he just knew, that whatever he was going to be asked would be terrible. "Ah, Tom, ever the diligent student. No, no, nothing like that. In fact I was hoping I might be able to help you." He practically bellowed every word, had he no sense of decorum?
"Help me, sir?" Tom asked.
The professor leaned down conspiratorially. "Yes, you see I noticed you've been rather distracted these past few weeks. Still performing brilliantly of course, but, uh, somehow less active. Even now you only noticed me when I was on your heels. And, in light of this, I can't help but wonder if you're experiencing, as all young men eventually will, dare I say it, lady trouble?"
Tom shook his head incredulously, for once unable to restrain his genuine emotions. "I'm sorry, sir?" Lady trouble? What was he thinking!
"There's no need to be embarrassed, m'boy. I know boys your age start to take their first real interest in the terrifying opposite sex!"
Suddenly Tom was very glad for the privacy of the classroom. "No, really sir. I'm not-"
"Nonsense, boy! I know a love-struck face when I see one!" Evidently he didn't. "Don't think I didn't see you just now, frowning into space. And with a great mind like yours I know it can't be school work troubling you. But I have seen the way the girls have started to take a fancy to you, Tom, and I know that you can't be oblivious to that attention. So if you'll let a nosy old man with a bit of experience have a say, I'd like to give you some advice. Women are fickle creatures, Tom. Beautiful and brilliant but fragile. Now with your talents and your looks I don't think there's any question that you could have any girl you set your heart on but keeping them- keeping them is the difficulty."
"Thank you, sir, but really-"
"Let me finish, boy!" Tom made a mental note to execute Slughorn the second he graduated from Hogwarts. "Women must be treated delicately. To truly win a woman's heart you must be honest unless the truth would hurt them, be gentle until you need to protect them, and above all give them what they want. Even when she is wrong she is right Tom. You must always remember that."
Merlin, Tom had never been more insulted in his entire life, as soon as he got the chance he would make sure that- wait. That could work. It was so obvious but then simple solutions often yielded better results than convoluted plans. "Thank you professor, I will take good care to remember that. In fact," Tom smiled brightly. "I believe you have just taken a great weight off of my shoulders." Yes, that would work.
Slughorn beamed and went on for a few minutes about how it was nothing really, just some useless old tosh, but he was glad he could help, very glad to be of any help, any time, as he ushered Tom back into the corridor.
Give her what she wants…
That was something he could do.
Tom.
Just Tom. She had no way of finding out who he was because she needed the rest of his name. But all she had was Tom.
Despite not being enough to verify his existence, that single syllable was enough to raise her spirits. Over the few meetings they had had so far she had discovered that Tom was actually rather wonderful. Aside from being inhumanly attractive she also came to realise that he was incredibly smart. His manners were brilliant too, though they didn't always seem sincere. He was a Slytherin and so naturally cunning and ambitious. He seemed sure of himself in a way that she hadn't encountered before. Intriguing, confident, contemplative, that's how she had come to summarise his character so far and she had to admit that it wasn't the worst set of characteristics for a relative stranger to have when working on something with them.
She still didn't trust him, however. It was obvious that he just wanted to get through and search for whatever it was that he thought he desired. It was ridiculous in her mind; he was so desperate to get through despite having no idea what he was looking for on her side and ignoring an incredible magical artefact in the process. That was why she always kept her wand up her sleeve. Just a precautionary measure, should he try to catch her unaware.
Logic tried to dictate that, with the way their collaborative research was going, some physical tests would have to be conducted at some point, but Anxiety was holding elections on whether that was a sound idea or not. There was no definitive answer yet but she would have one by the time she saw him that evening.
On the one hand it would be interesting to see what his world was like, what his Hogwarts was like, but on the other she wasn't certain that she really trusted him yet and… Well she also wasn't certain that she wanted to know what lay in wait for her. What if she went through only to discover that what she wanted was- In any case, she was certain she already had everything that she could possibly want; good grades, good friends, good family- good everything really. What more could she need?
But then it wasn't about what she needed…
"That will conclude our lesson for today." Came the voice of Professor McGonagall, clear and assertive as always. It snapped Hermione right out of her thoughts. "And I expect a two foot essay from you all on this particular piece of transfiguration by next week."
Hermione smiled as the class groaned. She would have that essay done by tomorrow, she'd already anticipated it and started it, in fact, and it would exceed two foot because there was simply too much to say. If she hurried she could possibly even ask Tom for his input- he sometimes listened to her theories if he caught her working on something, he would have something good to contribute…
Hermione picked up her bag with a small smile.
"Oh! Before you all leave," McGonagall called, once again dispelling Hermione's thoughts. "you all must attend dinner this evening, Dumbledore is making a special announcement that you will not want to miss."
Damn- was it really the end of October already? She'd forgotten about that. But she was planning on going to the room of requirement. Oh well, she thought, as she hurried to the Great Hall, she wasn't going to ignore the rules just for Tom.
When she arrived in the hall it was abuzz. All the students were whispering excitedly, exchanging theories on what was happening. Rumours of carriages and ships and transfer students and beautiful women charged the air with anticipation. There was quite clearly something big afoot. As she sat down to Harry's anxious face she hoped it would be something to take his mind off of the dreams he kept having. Ron, as always, was oblivious to such details. In a way it was good. He was mindlessly nattering about what was going on, buying in to every single rumour he had heard. It was adorable really…and it seemed to be distracting Harry from his apprehensions.
Suddenly a great hush grasped the room. Dumbledore had stood.
"Good evening students." He said in his soft, yet gripping voice. "As you know I have called you all here this evening to make a special announcement." He paused in his speech, leaving the students leaning forward in their seats, desperate to be the first to hear what excitement lay ahead. How could they all be so excited? For all they knew the school could be being evacuated- it wouldn't surprise her given the incredibly lax health and safety regulations in place.
Harry looked nervous. His hand was clenched at his side. Hermione reached down and lightly pressed his hand, giving him a small smile when he looked up at her.
"This year," The Headmaster continued.
Please not something dangerous, please not something dangerous, please not something dangerous, Hermione chanted.
"We will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament. And as a result of this Hogwarts will be home to more than just you."
That didn't sound too bad…
"So without further ado let me introduce-"
Hermione threw her schoolbag into her seat by the mirror, where it had been moved for ease of discussion with her special little project partner. She wasn't sure that she wanted to deal with him right now, if he was on the other side. Harry would be safe. That was what she had to keep in mind. He wasn't allowed to participate in the tournament, he didn't even seem to want to, unlike Ron. Gosh, she smiled to herself, he had practically fallen off his seat when the students from Beauxbatons walked in, but when Viktor Krum appeared- she was surprised he hadn't fainted. Still, she couldn't believe that Dumbledore would agree to such a dangerous competition. She hoped that deadly was simply a decorative word.
But Harry would be safe.
Hermione sighed and drew her wand from her robe. With a flick of her wrist the tarp covering the mirror was lifted and Tom appeared, sitting in his own chair by the mirror, deeply immersed in a particularly old looking book.
Heat and light swarmed round his feet at her actions and he looked up with a light smile. Show time. "Evening Miss. Granger." He said with a nod.
"Evening, Tom." Hermione blushed. Why did she always blush when he smiled at her? She had to admit that he did look gorgeous just sitting there. Crossed legged with his book held casually in one hand, leaning back in such a relaxed fashion. And for once he wasn't wearing his robes, just his shirt and tie, looking both boyish and mature at once. His looks weren't any excuse to blush, however. He was attractive but only on the surface really, she hardly knew him, she had no right to colour so furiously at the littlest bit of charm he showed.
But his eyes.
He wasn't shy about eye contact, she found. She hated it, she found.
It was a calculating gaze. He seemed to see more than was there. It was almost invasive and yet painfully blank. Dark and invasive and blank and it made her want to get closer so that she could finally identify just what colour his eyes were. What colour it was that made warm chills flash across her limbs. Clearly he was suspect. Those chills were warning her to be on guard. But she found herself craving them, unable to tear away, incapable of even trying. She wanted to want to try, though. And that was why she hated it.
He broke their shared gaze first, secretly scared of its power himself, but hiding it behind his perpetually passive mask. With a snap he closed his book and stood, making Hermione jump. She turned her gaze to the floor for a second before regaining herself. They were there to discuss work after all. "Anyway, since we're both here have you found anything new, anything useful?"
Tom hummed ambiguously as he went to put his book away on the shelf. Unwittingly, Hermione trailed his movements with her eyes, watching the way he carefully slid the book into place, his fingers trailing down the spine as he withdrew. Stop looking at him Granger for Merlin's sake!
"Well? What does hmm mean?" She asked, somewhat irately. Tom raised an eyebrow at her adoption of a rather bossy stance, all furrowed brow and power pose-y. She must be in a bad mood.
"What hmm means, Miss Granger, is that no, no I haven't. We've both scoured our libraries, stumbled upon the same passages from the same books and other inane mentions in various other texts. We've privately theorised, set some boundaries, finely combed our consciousness and our available resources for answers and we have gotten precisely…?" He raised an eyebrow again, expectantly this time.
Hermione folded her arms and pouted somewhat. "Nowhere." She finished quietly. The air around her grew heavier, more charged with her negative energy.
Tom had to hold back a laugh at how easy it was to get her knickers in a twist. Yes, she was very easy, and so interesting when ruffled, so bold, a true lioness. He would entice her out of her cage today and then he would tame her. "Nowhere. That's correct. Ten points to Gryffindor!"
She scowled. "So what do you suppose we do now?" Her mane began to stand on end.
The instant the question left her lips Tom was at the threshold of the mirror, bracing himself against its frame. "I propose a trade."
A thoughtful frown graced her face then. She knew he would ask to come through, there were no two ways about it. She also knew that she shouldn't let him, not with that look in his eyes, that dark spark, that ominous aura. She knew all this… but she wanted to at least hear his terms.
With a gulp, she stepped forward. He was so close now, if she reached out she could touch him, brush back the rogue strand of hair drifting out of place, tuck it in with the rest. Hermione maintained her unimpressed glare. "What, precisely, are you suggesting?"
Tom smirked. "I have something you want, Granger."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat but she kept up her mask. "And what is that?"
He pushed off from the mirror, propelling himself further into his room and rolling up his shirt sleeves for bravado. In spite of herself, Hermione leaned forward. What was he doing? Why did it require such…flare?
A second later she understood, and stood with her mouth ajar. He hadn't drawn his wand, he hadn't said a thing, and the book he was reading earlier flew into his hand.
His strained grimace grew into a smug grin at her reaction. Hook, he thought, with another wave of his hand. She caught the book as it came towards her. Line. She drew in a sharp breath as she took in the title. And sinker.
Tom gave her a minute to process what she had seen, slowly, nonchalantly, striding towards the mirror again. When she looked back up his nose was practically touching hers.
"What I offer you, Hermione, is knowledge."
His eyes were blue, and he was capable of incredible things.
A/N: So this took longer than expected, what with procrastinating and schoolwork and hating the first million drafts of this chapter. But it's finally here, I hope you like it. Hope it upped the ante. Tom can do wandless magic?! Yes because Tom is a GOD! Mwahahahaha! I love him I'm so sorry. And Hermione still battling her innermost desires... what could they be, I wonder. What indeed. Anyway, I promise I will finish this no matter how long it takes me because I love it. And I really enjoy writing it so yeah. Bye for now hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading! ~Mercy.
