Oh, the things he did for the woman he loved.

Hermione was starting her first day at the Ministry in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She'd been breathless with excitement for days, torn between feeling apprehensive and ready for the opportunity. Tom spent many nights holding her in his arms, softly assuring her there was no one better for the job when her insecurity reared its ugly head. His lovely witch gripped him like her life depended on it, admitting how she felt so...inadequate in comparison to everyone else, most significantly because she was a great deal younger than her colleagues. It'd taken some sweet talking, some of which needed to be firm so she didn't back out at the last minute but he'd done it; this morning, Hermione dressed in her work robes, smiling nervously before she left for the day.

Which brought him to now.

She was concerned how the Mangy Beast would take it. For a while, she worked odd jobs in Diagon Alley and the thing had gotten used to her being around the majority of the time. Now she had a strict schedule to adhere to that would leave her away from the morning until later in the evening. He didn't see why she was so worried how the thing was going to take it.

"He likes routine," Hermione fretted. "Poor thing. He hates change."

Weasley nudged Potter, smirking. "That's not the only thing he hates."

Tom heard that but did not react. He couldn't care less if the thing hated him. He hated it too.

"I should get a sitter," She was murmuring. "There must be someone we know who could watch him."

"My Mum wouldn't mind," Weasley offered.

Hermione gave him a smile, shaking her head. "That's sweet, Ron, but I don't want to take Crooks out of his environment. He always did get fussy going from my parents house to yours."

"You could have someone go to your flat to watch him," Potter said.

Hermione's head bobbed up and down. "Yes, but who?" It was quiet for a moment and Tom found himself grappled with horror when her face brightened up and she turned to him, eyes pleading.

No.

No.

No.

"Tom-" She started.

Potter and Weasley started cracking up.

Absolutely not. He refused. He had a life too! None of which was meant to be a partial cat sitter. No. He was going to have to decline. Be firm and tell her she needed to find someone else.

Tom Riddle did not give in easily.

Tom glared down at the Mangy Beast, resisting the urge to temporarily stun it. It had been howling since he got there, which was an incredibly annoying sound. Evidently, it was just as unhappy with the arrangement as he was.

Good.

That made two of them.

Technically, he could have simply silenced it. Probably the better option as Hermione would want her cat to be in perfect health with no damage whatsoever.

...But surely there could be exceptions?

"Now you listen to me," Tom snarled, pointing a finger at the blasted thing. It momentarily stopped wailing to look up at him. He swore it was trying to test him, challenge him. "I'm not pleased with this either but you will listen to me. Is that clear?"

It stared, unblinking.

"I will throw you out in that rain, understand? Don't test me you infernal creature."

The thing was testing its luck. It hissed at him, jumping onto the bookshelf where Tom kept his prized possessions, some of which were rare artifacts he'd acquired.

"Don't you dare," Tom ground out.

If cats could smirk, this one was doing it. The Mangy Beast let out a meow that was not innocent whatsoever, swiping its paw out. Tom watched as a rare crystal fell to the floor. Thankfully it was saved by the carpet.

"You-you!" Tom was seething. The Beast moved a little further. "No!" He barked. "Don't you even-"

A second item fell.

"How dare you? Do you understand how valuable those items are? Of course you don't! I should destroy you for this. I should pluck all of your fur out and find the nearest bird to devour you," Tom was ranting, his hands curled into fists. All the while, that thing sat there looking unimpressed. "Don't think you're getting away with this. If I had my way you would be outside with the rats for all I care!"

"Tom!"

He whirled around. Hermione stood there, looking extraordinarily upset.

"Hermione," He breathed with his stomach dropping to the floor. She'd heard that-

She rushed past him, bending down to pick up the thing, cradling it against her. It chose that time, naturally, to start whining. "Poor Crooks," She cooed. "It's okay. Everything's alright." She shot Tom a heated glare. "How could you do that? You scared him."

That was preposterous. He very well knew the blasted feline wasn't scared at all, just milking for a reaction from her. Just how was that devil thing so smart?

"Darling, that isn't true," he insisted. "You didn't see what he did! He pushed my-"

"Cats do things like that, Tom," Hermione stressed. "It's natural. I'm really disappointed in you, shouting at poor Crooks like that. He's upset enough with me leaving, he doesn't need you yelling at him too."

"But-"

"It's okay," Hermione gently petted the thing on its back. "You're okay, Crooksey."

Tom could have throttled that thing.

She kissed the thing on the top of its head, turning around to walk away. It had it's head leaning over her shoulder, giving it a full view of Tom.

Tom grit his teeth. The thing was practically flaunting his position as blasted-thing-who-won-this-battle.

Just wait, he thought viciously, you just wait. I'll show you.