A/N I do not own Harry Potter, I'm just borrowing J.K. Rowling's Characters

So sorry it took awhile, it was spring break and it was amazing. Beautiful week in Texas.

Hermione and Tom were walking around the park, eating ice cream while enjoying the parade that was going on. Hermione decided it would be good for Tom to know the muggle world as well as the wizarding world so he could see there was a difference but also how similar they were as well. She didn't want him to be prejudice against anybody or anything and to treat them with respect but, also defend himself when necessary and to not take advantage of people.

Hermione was looking out her window drinking tea when she heard people on the street saying there was a parade going on today and thought it was a good idea to bring Tom today. He was hesitant when she told him about the parade in the muggle world. He finally said yes after Hermione said they were coming back here, she hoped that would change too. A little at a time she thought. Coming here made Hermione feel a little better about this situation, that this could work. Walking over towards the excitement going on she saw the clowns going by and she heard Tom giggle a little, she smiled when she heard it.

Hermione yawned and looked at the time to see it was five and the parade was coming to an end, she decided it was time to go home. It was an early morning since they both got up a six this morning, another thing they had in common; they were early risers. She needed to figure out what was for dinner and thought she might have to go to the grocery store.

Looking down at Tom she smiled as he was looking to his right to see the clowns turn at the corner, disappearing out of sight. People were packing up their belongings and leaving the park and heading home with their families.

"Are you ready to go Tom?" Hermione asked him. He looked up and nodded, grabbing her hand they turned and left the park.

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Hermione had Tom for three months now and she was the happiest she has been. Tom filled her life with joy and laughter she didn't know she still had in her. They've been getting closer and she hoped she was getting to him on how to treat people with kindness and respect. She'd been taking him out to breakfast and dinner to teach him table manners and how to behave in public. He was surprised the first time to go out to breakfast that Hermione felt bad because it was an everyday thing for her family when she was home. They went out at least once a week when she had the chance to come back home from Hogwarts.

The once thing that was hard to get him to do was getting along with kids his own age and listening to other adults, she was afraid of how he'd act in school. She did like how there was a school for magical children before they reached Hogwarts, at least they'd know what to do if some accidental magical happened on accident. Hermione took him to the park and he would argue with the adults and not listen to them when they tried to tell him he couldn't do something, or tried to over power the children and get them to do things for him.

Hermione was worried that he'd never change that she wrote to Dumbledore asking what to do about that. Hermione of course being a girl knew girls and knew what to do with them but with Tom she was clueless. She always worried she was ruining him more instead of making him better. She was waiting for Dumbledore's replay, hoping he knew what to do from a males' perspective.

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It was the time to get Tom's supplies for school. They both went to the open house to meet his teacher; Mrs. Smith. Tom seemed to like her enough that Hermione relaxed and felt comfortable to leave him there when the time came. Meeting his classmates was a different matter all together. She thought that since he had a rough time in the orphanage concerning the other kids that it was going to take some time but he fit in just fine. She was sure it was because these children had magic on their own. They handed out a list to get their students before coming to school and Hermione decided she would go tomorrow.

After having breakfast, getting dressed they both walked out the front door and she picked him up to apparate. Diagon Alley would not have the supplies she needed for his school, she smiled a little thinking how the teacher would react when he walked in with a potion's book, quill and ink.

They appeared in the alley behind the store and Hermione put Tom down, grabbing his hand and walked to the front of the store. Suddenly she felt him grip her hand tightly as they waked through the doors. Hermione looked down and saw he was looking behind him. Hermione frowned and followed his line of sight and gasped when she saw a man who, if he was younger, would be Tom's twin.

Hermione's heart jumped and fear went into her body when the man looked over at them. She saw him look at Tom and move his eyes straight towards her. Hermione was concerned at the confusion she saw in them. Hermione hoped he would not start a scene if he decided to come over. Hermione picked Tom up and held him to her. She looked around and saw there were too many people around for her to do magic if things did get out of hand.

Tom squeezed Hermione and she flinched at the pressure but didn't make him loosen his grip, he was just as afraid as she was. She knew she wasn't making it better but what was she to do? this was very unexpected. All of a sudden he looked disgusted and scoffed at them, went into his vehicle and drove away, he did not look back again.

"Can we go?" Tom asked softly. Hermione closed her eyes at how broken it sounded. She felt the anger rise in her again. Damn you! She cursed silently. She was getting so close to Tom, that he actually was starting to open up to her. She afraid he might close up on her again. She turned around and looked down at Tom. She flinched at the broken look he had in his eyes. She wanted to find him and yell at him and ask why he would do that to a child.

She picked him up and he held on to her while she walked back to the alley and apparated to her flat. Putting him down she looked at him while he looked at the floor with his hands in his pockets. He looked up at her. "I'm tired; I'm going to bed."

"Tom…" Hermione stated.

"I'll be okay." He said and shut his door. Hermione plopped down on the chair and put her face in her hands and started to sob. How can someone hate something so innocent, it wasn't his fault.

She started to shake and furry gripped her body again. She wanted to hurt him, to make him feel pain. She understood he was a victim in this too but being so heartless towards someone who had no control over the situation was ridiculous. Wiping her face with her hands she stood and went to his bedroom and opened the door.

He was laying on his side facing the wall with Richard be his head, it seemed the snake was trying to comfort him. Hermione walked towards him and placed her hand on his back and he stiffened at her touch. Hermione took her hand away. "I'm so sorry Tom." She said.

"I just want to be alone right now," he said without looking at her. Hermione nodded.

"Okay." She said and let his room and shut the door.

She slid down the door and wrapped her arms around her knees. Tears falling down her face. She didn't know what to do, she never experienced this kind of thing before. Sure she seen movies about this but they didn't come close to what just happened. Standing up she went to the kitchen to make some tea when she saw an owl flying towards the window. She opened it so the owl could come in for a treat and water.

She read opened the letter and read it,

Miss Granger,

You are doing great with Tom. You will have a few bumps in the road but you are going to have to accept that and try even harder on certain areas in his life. I do have time left over I will visit since school does not start for another month. Relax and breath miss Granger, welcoming to parenting.

Albus Dumbledore.

Sighing out loud, after everything that just happened she couldn't feel happy right at the moment. She should be excited about going to Hogwarts to teach but she just couldn't do it right now. Feeling lost, not knowing what to do, she grabbed a piece of parchment paper and a quill and started writing to Dumbledore.

If one thing that made her happy was going to Hogwarts. She hoped the Dumbledore would accept her proposition about Tom going with her so she could help the other professors get their classrooms ready. She hoped it would help him, and prayed Dumbledore would approve her visit.

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Hermione didn't get any sleep last night; she was listening for Tom. She heard him get up and use the bathroom but went back to his room, shutting the door gently to not wake her up. Feeling worried because he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning, she tried but he said he wasn't hungry. Wrapping it up and putting it in the fridge for later she stayed in the kitchen thinking about the situation.

She sighed and leaned her elbows on the table and rubbed her face in her hands to get the sleepiness from her eyes. She didn't hear his door open or the foot steps that were making their way into the kitchen. Hermione looked up and saw him, jumping up and opened her mouth to speak but he talked first.

"That man… he's my father." It wasn't a question so Hermione nodded at him. She started making him coca and sat it down on the table for him. He came, sat down and drank it.

"Who is my mother?" He asked.

"Her name was Merope Gaunt. She lived in Little Hangleton, that's where she met your father." Hermione stated.

"He said she bewitched him. Why?"

"She didn't have a good life Tom. She was abused by her father and brother that when it came time to escape she took it. She used your father to escape that life and hoped that he would stay with her and love her."

"He didn't."

"No. Your father grew up wealthy and was raised thinking he was better than everybody else. Your mother looked past that and loved him anyway but I guess that wasn't enough."

She knew she was keeping a lot of things out but she didn't want to let him the whole truth, especially now since he was so young.

"I really am sorry Tom." Hermione said in a pleading voice, she hoped he would forgive her.

He looked up at her and he must of saw something there because he smiled a little at her. "its not your fault." He said, shrugging his shoulders.

Suddenly the fire place lit up with green flames. Hermione jumped up as did Tom. Hermione stood in front of him blocking his view. She relaxed instantly when she saw the purple robes and the red beard.

"Professor Dumbledore." Hermione said and she heard Tom gasp and run out in front of her. He looked amazed at what he saw. Hermione smiled at him while Dumbledore wiped the ash from his robes.

"Excuse my sudden appearance miss Granger, but it had come to my attention that there was a little boy who wanted to go and see Hogwarts, am I correct?" Dumbledore said, while looking down at Tom. He has a smile on his face when Tom looked at him in disbelief. He looked up at Hermione and looked back at Dumbledore and nodded his head.

Dumbledore smile gotten bigger and looked at Hermione. "A trip to Hogwarts it is then."

He turned around and signaled Tom to come with him, Tom looked at Hermione for reassurance and Hermione smiled at him. "Go ahead." He walked to him and Dumbledore gripped his hand. He looked over at Hermione and handed her a rolled up parchment.

"I'll see you tonight with the supplies Miss Granger. I have a little boy to impress." He said and Hermione laughed. "Ill see you tonight Tom." Hermione said and Tom nodded. The green flames came up and both were gone. Hermione turned around towards the kitchen and put the dirty cup in the sink. Unrolling the scroll, she read the ingredients to pick up for portions classrooms, she was still thinking of the events that happened yesterday, she went outside her flat, she had to go visit a Mr. Tom Riddle Sr. maybe she can talk some sense into that man.