The hidden pair held their breath beneath the cloak, pressed against each other and not daring to move lest they be seen by the not quite yet headteacher. Hermione was shocked by his appearance but tried to school her features into something more natural. Not that it mattered when she could see how transfixed Tom was by the sudden appearance.

"Miss Ravenclaw." The professor nodded politely.

"Master Dumbledore." The spectre responded in far less cordial tones.

"Quite a night, isn't it?"

"Please ask what you came to ask."

"You wouldn't have happened to see any students around at this hour, in particular a young boy, dark hair." He said it nonchalantly, as though he were discussing the weather. Tom still tensed at the words.

"Why no, professor, I have not seen any students on the astronomy tower tonight. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, just a suspicion. I noticed someone was absent during dinner who usually wouldn't pass up a meal."

Hermione felt Tom tense slightly beside her.

"Oh dear." Said Helena, as though she really didn't think oh dear at all. "I shall let you know if I see anyone up here. You do know how I hate to be disturbed after all."

"Ah, then I shall take my leave. Apologies for the disturbance." He made as if about to leave but then hesitated, suddenly addressing the place at large. Hermione dug her fingers into her robes. "I must merely use all means available to me to protect my students."

"I'm sure. Good evening." She finished curtly.

Dumbledore looked around the tower one last time, eyes not lingering for a second, before descending the staircase once more. Hermione and Tom didn't move for a minute, wanting to make sure he was gone, both not knowing why the other seemed quite so shaken by the sudden appearance of the professor, but both keenly aware that that was the case.

Eventually, Helena broke the silence. "It is safe, you can come out now."

The pair emerged from beneath the cloak, still hyper aware of themselves and the noises around them.

Tom spoke first, turning on his performative charm disgustingly quickly from where Hermione was standing. "We owe you a debt, my Lady. Thank you for sheltering us in our hour of need."

The Grey Lady laughed a delicate pearl of a laugh at his theatrics. "I don't seek to satisfy anyone but myself."

"No please, let us repay the debt. What can we do that would please you?" He asked, smiling indulgently.

"Well…" The Grey Lady started. "A visit from you, Mr…?"

"Gaunt." Tom Hastened. "Tom Gaunt, though you may simply call me Tom."

"Tom. Yes. And a promise that you stay very much in love with this creature. I do so hate to see young hearts broken. And it is a very lonely tower I keep. So there it is. Come visit me, when you can find the time, and share with me your story and your love, as my story has already been told, and love shall elude me evermore."

Hermione couldn't help but pity her then, feeling cruel for their performance, feeling pity that she should be so starved of the love that she lost that she sought it out where it was not.

A sudden sense of foreboding filled her heart at the sight of Tom staring up at the hovering vision of Helena Ravenclaw, and she once again recalled the words she had heard from that very same spectre.

Tom bowed with a devilish smile upon his lips.

"Of course, my lady…"


The Slytherin common room was all but empty. Tom sat on one of the central sofas, with Nott close by, and the further corners were housed by busy students conducting hushed conversations and perusing essays. It was, as it always was, a den of dignity, where privacy was upheld, and ambition bubbled to the surface.

A great fire was crackling in the hearth, enchanted a rich green to suit their liking, while the harsh white glow of the overhead lighting illuminated the space in cool tones. They may not have been renowned for it, but Slytherins unarguably had style.

It was into these flames that Tom stared that evening. Yesterday had been an unexpected success. He had reached a point of no longer caring for the diadem, seeing it through only to play the game. Hermione had to still think that was what he wanted. However, since the night she had attacked him things had rapidly changed. He had had the time now to organise his thoughts, assure himself that the girl had indeed forgotten the events that had taken place that night, and decide what his next steps should be. Last night had only solidified his resolve.

He would continue his "research" on the diadem with Hermione in some way or another, or at least continue correspondence with Helena in case she could further illuminate their search. What he would also do is continue to gain Hermione's trust, and make her give him evidence that she came from the future. He had already seen it in her mind but now he had a way in. It was unmistakable that Hermione had recognised the transfiguration professor, Dumbledore. He could bring that up, question her tension, question her wide eyes, her disbelief. The Dumbledore that had flashed across her mind had been older, which explained her evident shock, but would she see through such an allusion to that?

Merlin, it was all so difficult.

But he knew what he had to do. He would collect her. Already she trusted him, already she came back unhesitatingly, already she had stepped into his world and braved the consequences. It was only a matter of time before she would inevitably fall even further into his grasp. If last night was anything to go by then she was clearly unable to deny her attraction to him…but then there had still been that look, right before he leaned in, where she looked terrified of him.

Why must she be so difficult! Even when she didn't know his true identity, there was still something to be feared in him. But she liked him- have some damn consistency Granger!

Absentmindedly Tom began to tap his finger against the green leather, staring ever more deeply into the flames. Nott looked up from across the space at the sudden noise, used to Tom's inner musing, unused to seeing him brood with such looming intensity. Indeed, Nott had observed Tom in a similar position on many an occasion over the last year, usually followed by some admonishment of one of their little circle of "friends". However the flame manipulation was new. He wasn't even entirely sure if Tom knew he was doing it but there in the flames a small figure emerged, difficult to see even from where Nott was sitting, a young girl with riotous curls.


During their lesson that day, Tom was acting particularly smug. It had been a few days since they had seen Helena Ravenclaw in the tower together. A few days since Hermione had sealed her inevitable fate, but somehow the effects of it were still lingering in Tom's ego.

It bothered her. She knew that he hadn't learnt a lot while she'd been there, but she had also seen the way in which Tom had been able to effortlessly manoeuvre himself into her good graces. Needless to say it made her quite suspicious that he was so shameless pleased with himself. Asking him the reason yielded nothing more than a, "nothing, my dear Hermione," which did nothing but ruffle her feathers further.

Not to mention the entire mockery of a performance they had put on for the ghost.

"My lioness…"

"My queen…"

"My love…"

Hermione growled at the mere thought.

"Alright there, Hermione dearest?" Tom raised an eyebrow.

Her head snapped round to glare at him. "If you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you refrained from using such endearments to address me. One might get the wrong idea after all."

"My, my…someone's upset the lioness today." He smirked, clearly savouring her frustration.

"I mean it Tom." She bit back. "Don't. Test. Me."

Admittedly, she was already in a foul mood. The months had shifted, March had come round, and in the hope filled beginnings of Spring Hermione's already tenuous grasp of a social life was tested once more when Pansy Parkinson decided to pass round that particular article of Witch Weekly.

"Hmmm, sounds to me like someone needs a duel." Tom suggested, already standing and shrugging off his outer robes.

Hermione was about to object when she realised that she really did want to duel. It wasn't something they had really done before, wasn't something she had even done much this year in general. It had been a while since she'd felt the thrill of shooting spells at an actual opponent, someone unpredictable to make her think fast, get the cogs of her brain working. And who better to duel than Tom?

"You know, I think I shall take you up on that offer." She declared, packing away her things and helping Tom to clear a general area in his room.

"Perfect, under one condition."

Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Tom's machinations today. It was bad enough worrying about why he was so pleased with himself without having to contend with deals and demands. "Why must there always be a condition? Can we not go through one day together without trying to gain leverage? Aren't we past that by now?" It was a silly question- she knew they weren't.

"Have a little faith, Hermione. You haven't even heard what my condition is. Besides, we wouldn't have half so much fun if we didn't play these little games, don't you think?"

She couldn't help but smile, seeing that cocky grin pasted across his face. She hated how right he was, understanding that she came back time and time again because despite the stress and lies and fear he was a puzzle to solve, and if Hermione found one thing more engaging than knowledge itself, it was the process of earning it.

"Fine, what do you want now?"

"If I win, you tell me what's bothering you."

That took her aback. He wanted to know what was wrong. That seemed unlikely…

He continued before she could voice her suspicion. "I feel like we've known each other for a while now Hermione, and so I know when something is agitating you. It's almost laughably easy to ascertain, in fact, what with the dark staring into space, the sudden and unexplained irritability when it comes to my good-natured jibing, and last but not least, the wide range of animalistic utterances that emanate from you seemingly uncontrollably. In fact, so obvious is it that I wonder if you don't really just want someone to ask what's wrong in the first place. However, to protect your dignity I'll contend that at least part of my motivation is that I wish to avoid being skewered by you if you should happen to take particular offence at my jesting."

Hermione smiled in spite of herself. He was so infuriatingly right all the time, she wondered if this was how her classmates felt about her, poor souls. "Alright, but what do I get if I win?"

"I'll stop teasing you for a whole week." He said, quite solemnly.

Hermione scoffed. "Hmmm, I think not. For one a world without your small cruelties would unnerve me to no end and for another you and I both know that such a promise is worth nothing."

"On the contrary, it shall take an inordinate amount of effort to stop myself from heckling you Granger dear. Look! There I go again." He smiled sardonically.

"If I win, I want you to tell me why you're so smug today." She asserted.

Tom scrunched up his lips in amusement, trying to stop himself from outright laughing at her directness. He was glad he'd kept her. "Fine, I can't promise you'll be satisfied with the answer though."

"That's for me to deal with." She flicked her wand to send her things back through to her side of the mirror.

The stage was set. A large space had been cleared among the objects that Tom's room was filled with, and Hermione and Tom stood at either end, wands ready by their sides, faces set in concentration, already trying to figure out their opponent's first move.

"It's a deal. Are you ready?" He said, about to raise his wand.

Hermione started. "Wait- rules."

"Nothing you can't heal."

"Agreed. Expeliarmus!"

Tom shifted out of the way seamlessly, caught off guard by her sudden attack, but invigorated by her slight bending of the rules of a duel. "Child's play!" He crowed. "Levicorpus!"

"Protego!"

"Flipendo!"

They continued back and forth in rapid succession, eagerly testing their new opponents, kicking up dust from the furniture as spells were dodged and deflected. It was exhilarating, it was new, it was fun."

She couldn't help but admire his tireless barrage of new and complex spells, the way that they fell off his tongue so fluidly and naturally, the power that each spell radiated when they scattered in static across her defences. He couldn't help but marvel at the way she reacted, with such dexterity, to his onslaught, eyes aflame with the exhilaration, cheeks flushed, hair crackling with her power. Tom continued to goad and taunt her, seeking to rile her into making mistakes, while Hermione silently assessed her opponent, not once letting his provocations land. It was a sight; Tom's cold and confident playfulness as he fired off spells with an elegant laziness; Hermione's heated and determined discipline as she sparingly cast with furious intent. Two sides of the same quite dangerous coin.

Tom's casual arrogance got the better of him, however, and he let down his shield just a second too soon as a slicing hex raced towards his calf. Hermione froze for a second, shocked by her own success, before Tom sent off a round of silent jinxes with a growl.

Unable to ascertain what she was dealing with Hermione shot off a hasty bedazzling charm and ducked to the side. They hit the wall behind her with an unsettling sizzle, creating angry bubbles in the brick.

"Cute distraction." Tom rolled up his sleeves to ease his movement, going back to his cockiness after forcing her to retreat. "What next Granger? Summon some of your friends to come help you?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "What a good idea. Accio books!"

Immediately a flurry of books flew forward from behind Tom, threatening to pummel him mercilessly, but he turned and with one delicate motion redirected them around him, leaving them to continue their flight towards Hermione. Eyes wide, she cast a quick immobulus, suspending the books in the air in front of her before she let them fall to her feet.

"Priceless books, Hermione, tarnished." Tom stated, secretly enchanted with her way of thinking, of resourcefully accessing the world around her in response to her acknowledgement of his more forceful casting. It was a game of thought now. Tom had taught her all these spells after all, even if she was struggling she knew how to deal with them. It was about catching her off guard, just as she had done. "Incendio."

The books at Hermione's feet burst into flames. She squealed and jumped back.

Then, wordlessly, he pummelled her with a reducto, followed by two slicing hexes, but Hermione knew the movements to well, levitating the flaming books to destroy two dangers in one movement. The books burst into flaming scraps at coming into contact with the slicing hexes, obscuring Hermione from view, but Tom was done playing.

He barraged her with several minor spells, taking confident strides forward with each, layering verbal spells upon non-verbals, using the time afforded by her shields to cast darker, more harmful hexes. She was struggling to keep up, unable to take the time to plan her offensive, focusing solely on her shielding. Her heart was beating heavily, adrenaline coursing through her veins in the most invigorating fashion. This was incredible, so much more engaging than the scant duels she'd had in class. She could feel the ways in which Tom had prepared her for this, with all their offensive spellwork and his focus on silent spellcasting- intent was always faster than speech. Though she knew that they were rusty and that there were clear flaws in their attacks it was still a higher level than any of their classmates were at.

She continued to put up barriers and reinforce her defence as he strode forward, a reluctant, frustrated smile blooming as she realised that he was probably going to win when all of a sudden his eyes caught the light and for a second they appeared to her in a violent red. A gear clicked in her brain and she immediately felt very afraid. But that was absurd, Tom wouldn't-

There was a second of hesitation and Hermione stumbled back, unable to keep up her protections. She gasped as she was hit by a blast of magic and was immediately sent into violent convulsions on the floor.


A/N: Really getting back into this story now! So excited for where it's headed. And here we have their first fight! How cute in a disgustingly toxic and heteronormative way. Now that it's gotten to this point I feel like I'm in the right place to really start ramping up the darker aspects of the story that I want to bring in, but I'm really interested to hear what direction you guys want this story to go in and if you're happy with where it's going currently. As always thank you for the follows, favourites and reviews- keep them coming in!

~Mercy.