October 29, 1936- Wool's Orphanage
Tom sat in his usually spot with Peter Pan on his crossed legged lap. The room was quiet. Too quiet. He looked around and noticed that Hermione wasn't here yet. It was unusual for her to be late. In fact, she never went anywhere without Tom's knowledge. He made sure to keep an eye on her even though the two stuck together like glue.
Tom got up and looked out the window to see if she was outside but there was only Billy and friends chasing around girls with fake spiders hanging on a stick. It was two days before Halloween and the orphanage was decorated to the best it could for the children's enjoyment.
Still, Tom never found any joy in the silly holiday. He lefted the room to search for Hermione. She wasn't outside and she wasn't with Mrs. Cole. He checked the den and several of their usual spots including his and Hermione's room but there was no sign of her. Now nervous, he made his way back to their hiding spot and was relieved to find her there.
"Where have you been?" he asked. She was laying on her stomach with Alice in Wonderland opened on the floor.
"Nowhere," she replied with her head low to the floor. Her voice was quiet and shaky. Tom knew it was her upset voice.
"What happened," he asked and sat down next to her. She still wouldn't look up.
"Nothing."
"'Mione," he said with a warning voice. 'Mione; it was her nickname that he invented. He liked it because it sounded like "my only" which fitted well with their friendship. Hermione also liked the short name and had tried dozens of time to give Tom one as well but they only make his face scrunch up in disapproval.
Hermione sighed. She knew she couldn't get anything passed him and hiding would only make him angrier. "Look at me," he said softer.
It took a few moments before she rose her face up to him. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were pink from rubbing her tears away.
"What happened?"
She looked away. "Billy and the other orphans kept trying to scare me with those stupid fake spiders and snakes. They kept putting it in my hair and the legs would get tangled. Then everyone would scream and back away saying that I was diseased because I had "spiders" in my hair." A shiver ran down her body. "I was hiding in the basement trying to get all the stuff out." She held out her hand which held a few plastic spiders.
Tom was furious but he kept it well hidden in case Hermione thought she was the reason for his anger. Billy would pay dearly. This wasn't the first time the boy harassed Hermione to tears. Tom remembered a couple of months ago, Mrs. Cole and a couple of other young women were going to take the kids out to the beach and Hermione, never having seen a beach before, was ecstatic. Unfortunately Billy had a cold and decided to use Hermione's hair as a soft, fluffy tissue. She got Billy's nasty cold and had to stay behind. Tom wanted to stay with her but Mrs. Cole wouldn't allow it. One sick child was bad enough, she didn't need an epidemic. Lucky for Billy, he got better by the time the trip came and Tom spent the day exploring and found a cave. He wished Hermione was there to see it. Maybe next year.
Tom scooted over so that he was right in front of Hermione and got on his belly so that she would be forced to look at him. He peered up and gave her that look that got him out of any trouble. His blue eyes always enchanted her.
"Why did you hide from me?"
"I didn't want you to see me cry," she admitted with shame on her face.
Hermione was always one to think of others first. An admirable trait but Tom never liked it when she kept secrets from him.
"You don't have to worry about putting up a brave face, 'Mione. Next time this happens you better tell me."
"But," she gave him a hesitant look, "I don't want us to get in trouble and I don't want the other kids getting in trouble either."
"They deserved it if they made you cry," he said, anger laced in his voice.
Hermione shook her head. "I don't want anyone to get in trouble, Tom. It would only make me feel worse."
Tom wanted to argue but he knew it would just be endless and redundant. "Fine but tell me next time something like this happens. Better yet, don't go anywhere without me, alright?"
She nodded and went back to her book not wanting to talk anymore. Tom reached over and slid his book in front of him. However, while Hermione read, Tom was scheming revenge. The two sat there for hours in until dinner was called.
"Do you understand?" Tom asked the green serpent hidden in a bush. "When I give the signal you go over to the boy with brown hair and bite him. The harder the better. Once that old hag comes running you come to me and hide in my clothes."
The garden snake nodded and stuck out its fork tongue before slithering back into hiding. Tom ran back inside where he found Hermione perusing through the bookshelf. It was Halloween and she was wearing a makeshift witch hat from black construction paper. Tom was wearing a paper crown that Hermione made with colorful circles for jewels. She liked making things for Tom though he always rejected them. This, however, was an exception.
In the few months that they had been together they had almost exhausted the book supply. Sometime they would reread a book together only to have a discussion about it. It was interesting to hear the other's view. Hermione found Tom's views to be unusual but fascinating all the same.
Hermione finally pulled out a book.
"Macbeth?" he read from behind. She twirled around at his voice and smiled at him.
"Yeah. I tried reading it after you but I found the writing to be a bit difficult. But there isn't much else to read so I thought I'd give it a try again."
He liked that she liked a challenged. "Do you want to read it together then?"
"Really?" she asked with excitement. She liked discussing books as much as he did but it was rare for him to ask her if they wanted to read together. Tom would never admit it but he also had difficulties with the Shakespearean book.
Tom nodded and Hermione beamed up at him. She was always smiling at Tom and it made him feel good, warm, as if she was giving him all the smiles he should have gotten growing up and then more.
Hermione went to make her way toward their spot but Tom got a hold of her arm and pulled her back. She gave him a questionable look but he only smirked.
"Let's read later. I have something fun in mind," Tom said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He took the book and placed it back on the shelf before taking Hermione's hand and leading her outside where all the other orphans were playing. He dragged them to a dark corner near a rose bush.
"What are we doing?" Hermione asked nervously. She didn't like the dark and she like it less with Billy running around just a few feet from her in his monster like costume. Tom sensed her nervousness and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"We're going to play a game."
"What kind of game?" Hermione was now interested. Tom always came up with the best games.
"Well, it's Halloween right? I'm a king and you're my witch. Why don't we cast some magic together?"
Hermione nodded eagerly. Whatever Tom had planned it was sure to be good.
"I'm going to teach you some spells and we're going to punish the stupid troll and his friends and put a curse on them," Tom nodded toward Billy who was wearing horns. "Hold out your hand and repeat after me." Tom made a hissing sound Hermione didn't quite hear but tried her best to mimic it.
"There, we just cast a spell."
"What does it do?"
"You'll see," was all he said. Hermione got a bad feeling at the way he said it. "Now for the curse."
Tom chanted about the Boogie Man and creepy creatures of the night. It made Hermione's skin crawl as she listened and gave her goosebumps to repeat but she did so for Tom. It was all pretend right? Just fun and games.
"There the curse has been set," Tom said with a wicked grin.
"How long will it last?" she asked worriedly.
Tom whipped his head to look at her. Was she actually worried about Billy? He and his goons were the ones that made her cry. They didn't deserve her worry. They needed to pay for messing with what's his.
"Don't worry, the magic only lasts until midnight," he reassured and Hermione let out a shaky breath of relief. He wanted to scowl but bitterly swallowed it back down. He turned his attention back to the screaming children running around. Tom's eyes caught movement in the blades of grass and he smiled to himself.
"Ah!"
Billy stopped dead in his track and looked down to the ground. As the snake slithered up his body Billy was squirming in a funny dance. Tom smiled even wider as he heard Hermione giggle next to him. All the kids watching started to laugh at the bully as he danced across the yard with flailing limbs.
"There's something crawling inside my clothes!" Billy yelled as he twirl frantically. "AH! Something bit me!" The boy dropped to the ground and started to roll as if he was on fire and Hermione was giggling even louder, not sure what was really happening but enjoying the show nonetheless.
"Do you like the spell we casted?" Tom asked looking down to her and Hermione nodded with glee.
"Very much."
Billy was still on the ground now yelling for the other kids to help get whatever was in his clothes out. Two of the boys, Aaron and Kyle, picked up the sticks with the fake spider hanging off the end and started to whack Billy. They obviously didn't want to get too close to the creature under the boy's clothes.
Idiots, Tom thought to himself as he watched Billy's comrades attack him.
"What is going on back here?" Mrs. Cole said from the doorway. She must have heard Billy's roar for help and came running because she was huffing and puffing out of breath. Billy made a sound and squirmed a bit before coming to a complete rest on the cold grass.
Tom let out a small chuckle as he felt the snake coil up his leg for safety. While Hermione was distracted watching the events in front of her, Tom reached over to a bush and the snake slithered back into it's home.
"I said what is going on here?" Mrs. Cole asked in a dangerous voice. "Why are you two hitting Billy to death?"
"It wasn't our fault," one of the boys said.
"Yeah! We were just trying to help Billy."
Mrs. Cole turned to look at Billy who was dusting himself off. "And might I ask what kind of help he needed that would involved getting smacked with a stick?"
"I had something under my clothes and it wouldn't come out," the brown haired boy explained. He was covered in dirt and blades of grass.
Mrs. Cole looked at the children furiously. "Alright everyone back inside," she ordered pointing toward the building. The kids gave out a chorus of "aww" but had no effect on the matron.
Tom turn to Hermione who was picking a small white flower from the garden and took her hand. Both made their way back toward Mrs. Cole who was surprised to see them outside. She gave the two a worried look. Tom knew the look was for Hermione. Who would have guessed that the sweetest little girl would befriend the most troublesome boy? Certainly not the matron.
"Here Mrs. Cole, I picked this for you," Hermione said holding out the white flower. She smiled at the girl and took the plant.
"Thank you deary. Come now, inside you two," she said, her worried looked now replaced by an adoring one.
That was another thing Tom liked: Hermione's effect on the old hag always wiped off her pathetic looks of pity, disappointment, and anger towards Tom. Tom's eyes may enchant Hermione to do whatever he wants, but Hermione always won Mrs. Cole over; something that Tom has yet to accomplish. Mrs. Cole could always see through him and he hated her for it.
When the two got inside, they could hear Billy scolding the other boys in the den. Mrs. Cole was off to finish washing the dishes. All the kids turned their attention to Tom and Hermione when the two walked into the den. Tom smirked at Billy and the boy turned paler than the moon. From that one gesture, Billy knew Tom sent a warning:
Don't mess with Tom's things.
The den was silent as Tom and Billy continued their speechless conversation.
"Alright, off to bed everyone. Billy make sure to take a bath before going to sleep," Mrs. Cole ordered powerfully. All the kids marched upstairs shooting Tom and Hermione fearful looks.
"Tom, Hermione, it's curfew," the woman said when she saw the two children left behind.
Hermione lightly tugged Tom's hand. She was always the rule follower. Tom allowed her to drag him upstairs to their rooms. After changing into their pajamas and brushing their teeth, the two made their way back to their separate rooms. Before Hermione could take a step in, Tom caught her hand and yanked her back.
"Don't go to sleep yet."
"But Mrs. Cole said-" Hermione started but was interrupted when Tom put a finger on her lips.
"I know. But don't you want to see the second half of your magic trick?"
Tom smiled as he saw her eyes register his words of reminder. His smile flickered when he saw doubt was in her eyes as well. Hermione nodded hesitantly. From all the Halloween books she had read, curses were a bad thing. Still, if Tom was able to pull off a magic trick before, she was curious to what kind of "curse" they casted.
Tom gave her instructions to not go to sleep until he tapped three times on the thin wall that separated their room. She nodded obediently and Tom let her escape to her room. Hermione didn't know what would happen tonight but she knew it was going to happen to Billy. She just had a feeling.
Hours had gone by and still no taps from Tom. Hermione's eye lids were become uncomfortably heavy and she wanted nothing more than to just let them close and sink into her dreamland. Seconds passed, then minutes and Hermione's eye lids were starting to win the battle.
I'll just rest my eyes for a second, she thought closing her eyes. In less than ten seconds she was about to fall in the pit of dreams until a scream of the night pulled her back to reality. She shot up and looked at her door. More screams joined in and Hermione instantly scooted up her bed until her back was against the headboard.
"Hermione," she heard the wall whisper. She pressed her ear against it and whispered back,
"Yeah Tom?"
"Go outside."
As soon as Tom finished his order Hermione's door swung open with a crack. Mrs. Cole was standing in the opening with a lit lantern.
"Mrs. Cole?" Hermione called out.
"Hermione, I thought you were the one screaming."
Hermione shook her head. Another chorus of screams cut through the hallway and Mrs. Cole ran upstairs. Hermione knew Billy and the other boys slept upstairs.
By now, everyone was awake and the children made their way to the source of the yelling. Tom came to get Hermione and together they followed the matron who stood at Kyle's door. The woman went to open all the other rooms on the floor and muttered, "Oh my goodness!" when she peered inside. Hermione looked into Kyle's room and found that it was covered in cobwebs that held a few black spiders. Hermione and the other orphans toured the other rooms to find them in the same condition.
This must be the curse, she thought.
Hermione looked up to Tom and was shocked to find a smirk on his face. All suggestion and accusation that Tom somehow did this crossed her mind. She looked at him with fear in her eyes but there was also something else. It was as if she was amazed that this happened at all. When Tom said they were going to do magic she expected just saying a spell and using their imagination. She never expected that something like this would happen. It was amazing but also terrifying.
"Everyone go back to bed, there is nothing to see here," Mrs. Cole shooed waving the bystanders away.
She was in for a rough night of cleaning and getting rid of the spiders. Hermione turned to go back to bed but was stopped after taking a few steps. She was still holding Tom's hand and he didn't seem to show any signs of moving. He was standing in the doorway to Billy's room. Hermione looked inside and saw that the boy was struggling to get cobwebs off of him. Of all the rooms, his was by far the worst.
Billy looked up to Tom and his eyes turned into saucers. Hermione followed Billy's gaze and understood his fearful look. Tom was smiling and it wasn't one of his charming, heart fluttering smiles that Hermione was so used to. This one was cold, lifeless, as if Tom was basking in the moment of glory.
Hermione lightly tugged Tom's hand. She didn't want to be in Billy's presence anymore and less with spiders everywhere.
"C'mon, I don't want to be here anymore." He looked at her for a moment as if deciding whether or not it was time to leave. He gave one final look at Billy and his room before walking off with Hermione. The two made their way down the long staircase to their floor.
"How did you do that?" Hermione asked.
"Do what?" he replied innocently.
"The spiders."
"What makes you think I did anything?"
"Well, earlier we casted a spell and something happened to Billy. And then you told me to not go to sleep. You must have known."
They stopped at Hermione's door.
"Hermione, I had nothing to do with it. How could I even pull something like that off?"
She didn't have an answer and he smiled.
"See? There was no way that I could have done something like that but I am glad that it happened. Now, go to bed, it's late," Tom said gently. He gently pushed Hermione into her room, bid her goodnight and closed the door.
She made her way back to her bed and tucked herself in. Hermione heard three taps on her wall but she was no where close to falling asleep anytime soon.
Tom laid on his bed, looking up to the ceiling with a smile on his face. Today was absolutely brilliant. He always knew he was special but today was something else. He knew he could control snakes and he knew he could control animals but to pull something of this scale off was amazing. He felt proud of his accomplishment and was giddy as the image of Billy's horror stricken face replayed in his head. Tom bit his bottom lip to muffle his laugh.
No one would be able to blame Tom. How could they? He didn't even know how he did it. Mrs. Cole would surely suspect him and Billy and his dogs would blame him but Tom could care less about them. All he cared about was getting revenge. He'll admit that he was slightly disappointed in Hermione's reaction but at least now Billy would leave her alone, and that's all Tom was aiming for. Besides, it was about time Tom reminded everyone who the real "bully" was.
Tom turned on his side and tapped three time on the wall. He assumed that Hermione was already asleep but he did it just in case she was waiting for his signal. Tom turned onto his back and went to sleep as he listened to the frantic scuffing above him like a lullaby.