Their time at Hogwarts passed quickly, and soon the holidays were upon them. Hermione had no one to go to, and Thomas had no desire to return to the place where he'd been born, but most of the other Slytherins were to return to their parents for the break. So it was no surprise when they found themselves in an otherwise empty commonroom.
"Morning, Thomas," Hermione said, hoping her anxiety wasn't holidays weren't the only thing that had snuck up on them. Slughorn's party was coming up, and all his favorite students had been invited.
"Morning, Hermione," Thomas replied, fidgeting nervously with his robes. Slughorn had made it expressly clear that coming without a date would be an unthinkable offense...
He walked over to her. He'd been meaning to ask something about the third Hallow for a few days now...
She couldn't help being nervous as he headed in her direction. When they met, they'd been about the same height, but he'd really shot up since then- she was a good head shorter now.
This wasn't fair! Why did he care if he had a date for Slughorn's stupid party? He didn't even like this girl! He was just getting information from her. She knew things that no one else would ever know. Not in this time, anyway. It made sense to... keep her close.
He looked at her, but when he met her eyes his question was gone.
She looked at him, but when she met his eyes she met a dark, brooding gaze. So mysterious... So...
He found a different question.
"I was wondering if you would-"
"Definitely." Hermione replied instantly, both to save Thomas the trouble of spitting out the whole thing and to do it before he changed his mind.
Thomas breathed out. That was easy. Now he wouldn't get on Slughorn's bad side, he didn't have to go with someone he didn't like... Whoa. Wait. He didn't like this Hermione girl. At all. And he wanted to set that straight.
--
Back in his office, Slughorn smiled. He hadn't planned on making a date mandatory, but really, those two were just so perfect for each other...
--
"...Wake up. Hermione, get up!"
She jerked awake. "What? Thomas? How did you get into the girls'-"
"You're not IN the girls' dormitory. You sort of fell asleep in the commonroom. I didn't want to wake you, you just looked so..." Thomas shifted uncomfortably.
Hermione smiled. "No, that was the right thing to do, I guess. I can be pretty cranky when someone interrupts my sleep..." While this had been true of her for most of her life- something Ron and Harry had learned well- Hermione couldn't help feeling as though she wasn't the same person she had been before this year. There were even parts of her old life she didn't remember anymore. Sometimes that scared her, but when Thomas was around it didn't seem quite so bad.
"So...." he ventured. "Are you glad we've got a break?" He smiled. "I know you love learning and all, but even you have to rest once in a while..."
She laughed. "Believe me, I'm happy. And Slughorn's party is coming up..." Hermione glanced sideways at him, watching his reaction.
"Oh, right, THAT party..." Thomas started to fidget, tapping his wand on the black oak table and accidentally transfiguring it into a bemused looking toad.
She smiled. "Let me help you with that."
No, he reflected as she fixed the table-gone-toad, this was definitely not the Hermione Granger he had met outside the Castle that day.
so the shipping begins! ik it wasnt great, but next chappie will more than make up for it- christmas and the party (and maybe a little snogging...)! R&R!
