I desperately felt the need to roll my eyes. The absolute absurdity of the scene happening before me was almost too much to handle. Harry, after being antagonized by Riddle, had suddenly punched him. Before long both boys were on the ground, Harry with pure fury in his eyes and Riddle with a little too much glee in his. After a few moments with some frankly childish remarks from both I had had enough, "Levicorpus." Harry and Riddle were suspended in the air by their ankles, "You both should be utterly ashamed of yourselves. What a very muggle-like display," I let the spell go, dropping them without warning, "Now, go clean yourselves up. If I hear one sly comment or if you even look at each other wrong I will send you to the hospital wing, the both of you."

Harry glared half heartedly, while Riddle just looked at the ground in embarrassment. As I waited I let myself grin, it felt good to be somewhere so familiar. Hogwarts had always been a safe place for me, a place where I could get away from my parents and the deatheaters and be with my friends. Sure, most of them were only nice to please Harry, but I never felt like I was in danger. I wish I would pop off to the astronomy tower. It was somewhere Harry and I hung around to get away. It became our place, and it was always there whenever I woke up from nightmares or felt like my world was ending. Even if Harry wasn't there, it was a very comforting place. I needed that comfort, I have since we landed here.

The sudden voice shocked me, "You look better here." I spun around only to see Harry, standing with a fond smile on his face.

I righted myself. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Harry shrugged, "You've been on edge since we got here, this is the first time I've seen you as ease. Why, if you're ok with telling me, did you decide on that look? The longer hair, the freckles, the eyes?"

I had been dreading this question, "Um well, mostly I've just always liked the look. Plus I, well I had always liked the Weasleys. Their hair was just a physical representation of who they are. Hard working and caring people. A little wild, but beautiful all the same."

Harry smiled again, "Really? Well I really like it. I forgot to tell you, but you look more like who you really are underneath all those Malfoy traits you had. You look pretty." I looked at him wide eyed in silence until Riddle walked out.

He looked impeccable, far better than Harry. He must have used a spell, unlike Harry who looked like he had just brushed himself off, "Well, I do apologize for my lack of thought. How do I look now?" He spread his arms at his sides to show himself off.

While I thought he looked hot I couldn't say that, "Like you just snogged the floor. Let's go." I turned on my heel to walk down the hall. Both boys followed me in silence. It felt good, stunning Riddle into silence. Even better Harry was finally not trying to pick a fight with him. I went back into the library, intent on reading before the feast started. I sat down on one of the recliners and pulled out my book. It was a muggle book, Ender's Game. (I know it didn't come out till later but I love the book so sue me)

Riddle and Harry sat at a table nearby. Riddle gave me a strange look when he read the title, "Why are you reading a muggle book?"

I didn't even glance up, "I happen to enjoy the author. So far I am not disappointed." I left it at that, as did Riddle. Hermione had been the one to introduce me to muggle books, including this one. She had said I needed to be exposed to something other than "all that pureblood nonsense". She was right, this allowed me the chance to get to know muggles better than I had before. This book was one I especially enjoyed.

Ender's fight for survival and his stubborn determination was something I could relate to. His cold exterior never stopped him from making connections, and that gave me hope. He was trained to hate and fight, and yet he chose his own path as best he could. He did what was not only best for him, but best for his sister. He thought beyond himself, despite how hopeless his own situation was. It was how I based my own life. My loyalty and my devotion was my own to control and hand out. It truly was an inspired work of fiction.

It was a shame the wizarding world didn't place much value in muggles. Their literature and their inventions were truly splendid. Once I actually took a look, Mr. Weasley's obsession with the muggles was understandable. If more wizards and witches took a longer look Mr. Weasley's obsession would become an epidemic. If only they would open their eyes and see the truth. Alas, that would never happen.

When I looked up the sight left me breathless. Harry had fallen asleep, which was extremely cute, and Riddle had taken to staring at me. While it was rude, and maybe a little creepy if I looked more into it, I couldn't help but feel attraction. It was a confusing mess, being attracted to two boys who hated each other. Perhaps they were too different, or too similar. Yes, similar. That was the most likely of the two. Both were passionate and were very powerful. I could clearly see that even in their personalities they had similar traits, even though they acted completely different at times. Which was true, they were very different. Harry was kind and hardheaded even in his best moments. Riddle was cunning and always seemed to think with a clear head, unless Harry provoked him it seemed.

I broke the staring contest easily, "Do you have a problem with my choice of book?" I glared at him in disdain.

Riddle looked a bit taken aback, but managed to hide it well enough, "Not at all, Pond, I do however have some questions. You are very intriguing." He tucked a hand under his chin, looking every bit the heir of Slytherin he was. He acted with the poise of a trained pureblood, and yet he wasn't. I wondered then how he fared in Slytherin being a halfblood. Sure, there are far more halfbloods then anything else so it would make sense that we had a multitude in Slytherin. However, the purebloods can be extremely hateful towards these Slytherins. We have a degree of loyalty to each other, but Slytherins will believe what they will and are willing to stab each other in the back if it suited them.

I pretended to think over his question, "Then ask away, although I don't know what you are trying to accomplish here. You appear to want to 'get to know me' and yet you have insulted me and keep getting into fights with my friend." Not the best way to phrase it, but I digress.

He stiffened up slightly, "Albott did his fair share of provoking," I waved the comment off, "Besides, I never meant to insult you. I'll start off with something easy. Are you romantically involved?"

Was he hitting on me? The gleam in his eye told me he was joking, but the tone made me pause. I blushed and answered quickly, "N-Not really. Why would you ask that?" That stupid voice really did something to me.

Riddle grinned, "Just messing around. Was Albott right? That you both hated your parents? Why is that, hard to believe someone could hate their own parents." I remembered something that Harry had told me. When he first met Riddle he had called his father a stupid muggle. Or something akin to that. What was truly hard to believe was how Riddle was acting almost normal. He's not even 17 yet, so I supposed even young dark lords have the right to be a kid.

I nodded, "Yes, he's correct. He had his own reasons. Mine are a bit more complicated. You see they practiced dark magic and were very interested in blood purity. They're descendants of a very old branch of pure bloods. They were cast out, but managed to retain their blood purity. I have no idea what family or if that family even still exists. Long story short they were never very nice people. My mother was kind enough, but went along with my father. And him, well he loved to show me just how much of a disappointment I was to him. There's more, but that is the gist of it." I smiled bitterly. Sure the story about blood purity was fake, but everything else was not. It still hurt to remember.

Riddle was obviously taken aback, "that's incredible. Almost too much to even believe." He looked suspicious, which was something I had to rectify.

I shrugged slightly, "Believe what you will. I'm not exactly here to please you and curb your every desire, now am I?" He looked satisfied for now, and more than that he looked further intrigued.