He was made to be feared.

She was to become his salvation.

And together THEY made their own story.

Chapter one

It was the last morning of 1937. And Tom Marvolo Riddle was celebrating his 11th birthday by escaping from the wretched orphanage he lived in. If only for a few hours. Few precious hours.

It was unnaturally cold winter for England, it was even snowing in London. The usual raindrops froze high in the sky and pure white snowflakes were covering the earth instead.

The boy's old clothes didn't do much to make him warm. He was covered from head to toe, but he felt unprotected against the elements. He was cold... So very cold. Maybe it was because of his ever present hunger.

Usually, orphanages were not given enough funds to prepare warm and filling meals that could be served every day.

During winter it was even worse. There was never enough food to feed all orphans. And it showed... Tom was tall for his age, but unhealthily skinny. One could count every rib under his woolen sweater.

And even though he was still a child, there wasn't much of the baby fat in his features. Because of that he looked older, more exhausted.

But even the coldness couldn't stop him from escaping that cursed place he was forced to call home. He imagined true home would feel different... But how could he know really. He lived in Wool's Orphanage his entire life.

Tom was quite sure noone would miss him. They would not notice that he disappeared for a day. Sometimes he wished to run away and never return, but he knew he couldn't survive on his own. Not yet at least. He would starve and die, or somebody could hurt him. Some already tried. He protected himself well enough back then, but next time he may not be so lucky.

Deep in thoughts Tom Riddle wasn't paying much of an attention to where he was going. He didn't need to. He knew London streets well enough not to get lost.

There was a sound of some shop entrance ringing as the shop's door were being opened and a small family of three came out.

A man and woman followed by small bushy haired girl that could be Tom's age. The parents were laughing, carrying some sweet looking cinnamon rolls. They were oblivious to the way their daughter stopped in her tracks, when she noticed Tom only few steps away from her.

The girl frowned at Tom.

"What are you wearing in this weather?! Do you want to catch a cold or worse?" She asked sternly.

Tom could only gape at her and stay silent. People usually did not give a damn about him.

"Did you hear me? I asked you a question!" The girl stated bossily. But did not wait for him to reply, she marched up to him, took off here dark green gloves and took his hands in between hers. She cursed under her breath when she felt how truly cold he was.

Normally, Tom would let noone touch him. But this girl was something else entirely and for once, he had no idea, how to react.

"Oh God! You are freezing! Come with me!"

The girl pulled Tom by his hands and took after her parents.

"Mum! Dad! Wait!"

The parents finally noticed that the girl was not right behind them and stopped to look what kept her from following. If they were surprised by their daughter's sudden companion, their faces showed nothing.

"I am going to visit the new patisserie that opened across the street with my friend here. We haven't seen each other for so long and we need to catch-up. I will be home before dark, alright?"

The girl was lying through her teeth, Tom was sure they have never met before.

Why is she lying? He thought. And why in the bloody hell am I not protesting this... this charade?

"Oh Hermione! I thought we knew all your friends! Who is this young gentleman here?" Said the girls - Hermione's - mother.

The girl stayed quiet for once, not knowing his name and being unable to come up with some random name fast enough. Tom, however, for some unknown reason saved the situation.

"My name's Tom Riddle. I haven't seen Hermione since before Christmas and couldn't give her a present. So I thought i would visit her today and wish her Happy New Year."

The parent's were smiling again, the father was taking out some money for his daughter and giving it to her.

"Have some hot chocolate, when you are there and we are expecting you back home by five, Hermione. It was nice meeting you, Tom."

Is this behaviour normal? Tom thought.

But the girl - Hermione - did not seemed surprised. She took the offered money, put it in a pocket of her black coat, bid her parents goodbye and again started pulling Tom away with her.

He chuckled unexpectedly. She is really something else.

Hermione looked at him curiously, but said nothing. Just smiled pleasantly.

Together, they crossed the street and Hermione led him inside one of the shops there.

Tom was hit with a wave of warmth the moment they were inside. And they sit at an empty table next to a hearth.

"Wait here and try to get warm, I will buy you something to warm your stomach as well."

The girl turned and marched away again. Tom was watching her as she talked to an older woman behind the counter and waited for her order to be prepared.

She looked at him, probably making sure he didn't escape her, and smiled at him again.

Tom didn't remember someone's smile to be so sincere and he found himself smiling back at her.

The girl turned away again to take her purchased goods and slowly made her way back to him.

"Here you go! Have anything you want! But start with the drink so you can get warm sooner!"

The girl was being bossy again. And for some unknown reason Tom found himself obeying her.

He took a sip of the brown drink and for the first time in his life tasted hot chocolate.

He hummed in pleasure and even though he wanted this delicacy to last him longer, he was hungry and it tasted heavenly. Like everything sweet in life was just in this one cup.

He was so absorbed in his drink that he didn't notice the speculative way the girl's eyes were watching him.

After he drank it all he felt much better. He felt fuller and warmer than ever before.

And he was so out of his element that he found himself once again doing something unusual.

"Thank you for this. I have no idea why you did what you did, but I am grateful."

The girl only smiled at him again and replied.

"Do not mention it. You looked so cold that I feared you were one minute away from becoming an icicle...

My name is Hermione. Hermione Granger. It is a pleasure to meet you, Tom?"

She said his name as a question and he reassured her immediately.

"Yes, my name's Tom Riddle, I wasn't lying earlier with your parents about my name."

And that is how their unexpected friendship began.

They were talking for many hours. Tom has eaten everything on his platter and Hermione bought more. He really looked starved and it didn't sit well with her.

Tom felt warm and cosy and didn't want this day to end. But it was getting late and Hermione had to go home.

Tom accompanied her home and when she pointed at her house, he knew they had to part their ways. He wanted nothing more than to go with her, but knew it wasn't possible. Her parents would have something to say for sure. And he could never take her to his hellhole of an orphanage. She was too bright for such a place. Too warm.

He shivered just from the thought of leaving her warm presence and Hermione noticed.

"You are cold again. Here, have this! It will keep you warm, before you'll get home!"

And with those words, she took of her pink scarf and neatly put it around his neck.

Before he could protest about the colour, she patted the scarf at his chest and he could feel familiar hum of something only he could make. Well, at least he thought he was the only one who could do this.

He looked at her hands on the scarf and noticed that it changed colour. To dark green, same colour as the girl's gloves.

"I thought I was the only one." He whispered, in awe of this lovely extraordinary girl.

"So you can do magic too! Oh great! Than we will be studying at Hogwarts together, right? That is fantastic! I am so looking forward to September, Tom!"

Hermione was excited and Tom was once again staring at her.

Magic? Hogwarts? What is she talking about?

"Oh Tom! Promise, you will visit me soon! We need to discuss this! I really must be going now, so my parents aren't worried! Please visit me soon, what about next Sunday? You will have time, right?"

Hermiome was speaking rapidly and Tom was still in shock, so he could only reply.

"Yes. Yes, of course I'll visit you."

Hermione laughed out loud and unexpectedly hugged Tom.

"See you on Sunday morning, Tom. I will be waiting here for you! Bye!"

And she trotted away from him, while Tom was still dazed.

Not knowing if it was because of the fact that there was someone with special abilities like his own or because of the girl's hug.

Deep in thought he headed to the orphanage, unwittingly fingering his one and only present the girl gifted him with.

When he finally arrived before the orphanage gates, there were two people waiting for him. Angry looking orphanage's overseer Mrs. Cole and unfamiliar middle-aged man with piercing blue eyes watching him behind half-moon glasses.

"Tom Riddle, where have you been?! You were not given any permission to leave! And you have a visitor here!" Mrs. Cole stated coldly and Tom was sure a punishment was inevitable.

The unfamiliar man spoke suddenly, probably sensing the animosity in overseer's voice.

"Hello Tom. I am professor Albus Dumbledore. And I am here to offer you a scholarship, now that you turned eleven. But let's discuss it inside, the weather is indeed peculiar today."

And with those words, Dumbledore disappeared inside.

Tom was overwhelmed. But the scarf smelled like her and he felt a little warmer just thinking about her.

Hermione. You may be my lucky charm.