A/N: Finally getting to some deeper plot in this one! I did warn you it was a slow burn. I am trying for some more action and twists soon I just really wanted a good foundation. As always if you liked please follow and review! Thank you!

Hermione rubbed the bridge of her nose as she put her quill down. The months following the Christmas break the months had sped by. The teachers were starting OWL prep and running them ragged with homework.

Easter break was fast approaching and Hermione didn't feel prepared for testing that would happen after.

She was not the only one buckling down. Tom had also spent countless hours in the library with her, neither was speaking besides to bounce ideas off each other in regards to what they were studying.

Nothing on the Tom front had changed much. They were still friendly with each other, stealing looks and touches frequently but nothing made clear. Druella's favourite late night dorm conversation was what was happening with Hermione and Tom. Hermione thought Druella had a different stake in this as Evan had made it clear he wanted to get to know Hermione more. Hermione had managed to keep him at bay but the girly side of her wondered if accepting a Hogsmeade date with Evan would make Tom jealous.

Hermione had taken to weekly tea times with Dumbledore. It was the one place she didn't have to watch what she said so closely and her brain appreciated the break.

At dinner, the conversation turned to everybody's Easter holiday plans. To her surprise followed by masked horror, Tom was leaving the castle. She played off her shocked expression as having looked forward to being able to study more. He nodded in understanding but informed them that he was visiting some distant relatives during the break. The hair rose on the back of her neck. She knew just what was going to happen and she didn't know how to stop it.

This is when Tom would find out that his Father wasn't a wizard and he kills his grandparents in Little Hangleton. Hermione knew from both the journal and talks she had with Tom that he believed his mother to be the Muggle and his father to be a wizard. His mother had died given birth and viewed her death as a weakness that would have never befallen a witch. Dumbledore had expressly told her that she can use him to change the timeline and she would have no reason to ask Dippet to keep Tom here.

As they walked back to the common room she was deep in thought. Gasping for any idea that would keep him from his horrible path. As they entered most of the group went to their rooms but Hermione sat on the couch still too deep in thought to sleep. She felt the couch dip beside her and looked up and noticed Tom staring into the fire just like he had done so many nights s before.

She waited for him to speak first, wanting him to set the tone of the conversations he seemed to want to have.

She didn't have to wait long to hear him clear his throat, "You seemed to be surprised I was going to visit family this holiday."

She nodded, trading carefully she spoke, " yes, not that it isn't wonderful tom, I was just both taken back that it was the first I had heard of it and disappointed that we wouldn't be together like Christmas holidays. I do suppose that is selfish of me but…" she trailed off.

He seemed to understand the unspoken ending of her sentence, "Yes I was looking forward to that as well but Dippet informed he had found some distant relatives of mine and he arranged it with the orphanage to bring me to meet them, as they are technically my guardians until I become of age as of right now."

Hermione nodded. Her brain hurt, she had so many thoughts and feelings that she didn't know where to start. On the one hand, if she didn't know what she knew was coming, this boy so reminded her of Harry. Horrible childhood but a new guardian that would understand them and love them dangled in front of them, only to be ripped away. On the other hand, she did know what she knew and she knew this is when the boy dies and he comes back as a hollow shell of hate. His muggle father rejecting him and tossing his mother away forcing him to be brought up in these conditions is part of what made him hate muggles and perpetuate the atrocities he does.

Tom nudged her knee, her silence going on too long. She sighed and looked back at him, " I understand I too would give anything to find out I had someone out there. But if I am being honest Tom I worry for you."

This is not what he thought she would say, slight surprise shown through his mask of curiosity.

She went on, "to be blunt, I worry they may not be who or what you envisioned them to be. You might be let down and I know I couldn't take that. I would worry I would something I may regret and I don't want that for you."

There, she said it. She put the seed of doubt in his head and hoped the right message stuck. He looked to be thinking about it.

It was several minutes before he said anything back, "am I a bad person for liking that you worry about me, Hermione?"

This is not what she thought he'd say but she decided she'd go with it, "No I don't think so, I know I'd like it if I knew you worried for my wellbeing."

He nodded in response, "I do like you worrying for me but in this case, it's not warranted I assure you. I am not even going for the whole week. I am only going for the first two days. One to visit one to return here. I have far too much revision to stay away"

Her eyes widened. Surely that was not enough time to kill the three people. He was traveling with a muggle chaperon during this visit as well. Maybe she didn't have to worry this time. Maybe she would still have time to change him before this turning point.

He took her brightened look as a sign she happy and continued on, "Also during this time, I would like to be with you. I fear since new year's my intentions haven't been very clear and I intend to rectify that before Rosier interferes again.

This time Hermione softly laughed, "Druella or Evan?"

This earned a smirk from Tom, "Evan of course. I made it perfectly clear I was courting you and he still stuck his nose into my business."

This genuinely shocked Hermione. "This was you courting me? One kiss then leaving me to wonder where we stood."

He, at least, had the decency to look abashed, "I admit I am not the greatest at it but I acted on instinct during the fireworks then had to work out how I felt after. By the time I realized how I felt revisions had started and knowing we both take school work very seriously I didn't want to distract from studies until we had a break."

She sighed a nodded, "yes I do understand that part," she gave him a sly smile before continuing, "I will have you know that it did cause me undue stress and countless droning conversations with Druella about what it all meant."

He chuckled at that, "for subjecting you to that I do apologise. How about I take you to Hogsmeade when I get back from my visit? 5th years and above are allowed to go down to the village with a professors permission and we both know Slughorn will give it to us no problem."

She did know. These past few months Slughorn had made it very clear that she and Tom were his favourites. She nodded in agreement and stood up, "yes I would like that. Now if you excuse me I am getting rather tired and want to head to bed. I will see you in the morning, Tom." She bent down and kissed him on the cheek before turning around and walking to her bed.

As she got ready for bed and laid down she couldn't help but hope that the little seed of love and care she planted in Tom tonight would be enough to save the world.