Love Doesn't Need a Horcurx

Disclaimer: Nothing but this plot belongs to me. This is not being redistributed for money or any sort of profit. Everything goes to its rightful owner(s).

Author's Note(1): Sorry for the long wait (I'm turning into Key!)... it's been a while, I know, but there's been some stuff going on and I just... I just don't even know. I'm really sorry, I really hope that you guys can forgive me :)

Author's Note(2): Who's ready for the appearance of a certain Tom Riddle, eh? His first appearance in this version is different than in Key's ;) Have fun!

Chapter 3: Mr Riddle

It hadn't taken long for Hermione to fall asleep, but she awoke just as quickly. When she looked at the clock, she saw that was only just after 4. She groaned as she dragged herself out of bed.

I need clothes, she realized as she transfigured her jeans into a skirt for the time period's sake and. She grabbed the bag that Dumbledore had given (turns out that it was filled with gold galleons) before leaving her suite. She made sure to transfigure it into a nice, over the shoulder bag for her own sake.

"Oh, gods," she muttered when her stomach growled as she left, loudly and shamelessly. Luckily, the hall was empty and she quickly left the Leaky Cauldron so that she could buy an ice cream. Merlin knows I deserve it.

Sadly, the ice cream shop she remembered didn't exists yet, and in it's place was a bakery. She bought a smoothie and a cookie to eat while she walked down the Alley and looked into all the shops.

Of course, she went straight to the book shop, quickly finishing her cookie before entering. She was just about to walk toward the school-textbooks section when the store-owner stopped her.

"We don't allow food inside," he said, looking at her smoothie.

"O-oh!" she said, "I won't spill it- promise!" She smiled nervously and after a moment (and a glare that made Hermione very uncomfortable) he nodded.

"If ANY of these books are even touched by the vile drink," he threatened, "You will never be allowed back in this store."

"Yes sir," Hermione said, and she quickly ducked into the nearest aisle. She chuckled to herself, knowing that the store-owner would drop down on her like a hawk if she spilled as much a drop.

Deciding that she might as well get the textbooks for school, she looked into ehr bag and saw a school supply list for 7th years, and another for 6th years.

I'll just get it for everyone, she thought before moving toward the Defense Against the Dark Arts section.

~-0-~

With two armfuls of books, and still half a smoothie, Hermione moved toward the register. Due to the huge amount of books she was carrying, she couldn't see anything, and therefore, did not see the person she bumped into.

Her books went flying, along with her smoothie.

"Oh gods," she said, "I'm so sorry." She didn't even glance at who it was since she had to wipe up the smoothie before the store owner saw the mess.

"It's fine," the other person said, helping with her books. It took her a minute to realize that they had spoken, and by that time she had managed to figure out that her wand would clean up the mess quicker.

"Sorry," she said again, finally looking at the person she bumped into. It was a dark haired, handsome, young man, a regal and dangerous aura surrounding him.

"It's okay," he said, standing up and then helping her do the same. The storeowner suddenly appeared, his face red, at that moment.

"What's going on here?" the man demanded, "Did you spill your drink?"

"No, sir," Hermione said tersly, trying to get a look the man she had bumped into to see if he would say anything. The storeowner gave her a long look before turning to the other person.

"Did she?" he demanded. Hermione shut her eyes knowing that she would be doomed to never enter this store ever again.

"No, sir," he answered calmly. Hermione let out a silent sigh of relief and then stopped mid-breath as she heard the store-woners next words:

"Well, if you say so Mr Riddle."

~-0-~

"What?" he said once the store owner left the two, "Surpsied I lied for you?"

"What- yeah, just a little surprised," she said, slightly flustered. He gave her an odd look.

"Then why'd you get surprised when Charlie-" (Hermione assumed this was the store owners name) "- addressed me," he replied, smirking. Deciding that he wouldn't kill her in the middle of a bookstore, Hermione held her breath and she spoke.

"Riddle is your last name?" she said. His eyes frowned the tiniest bit before going back to normal. "A friend of mine- she's muggleborn and went to my old school- knew of a Tom Riddle living in her town. She lived in Little Hangleton, I believe. I wasn't aware that he had children." She could have sworn she saw a flash of red in Riddle's eyes.

"That was my father," he calmly explained, "He did not even know I had existed- I chose not to meet him."

"He died recently, I think," she said, knowing she was dangerously close to being murdered, "I heard it was murder through magic- the muggles know nothing of it, of course, but still. I wonder who would have killed him." Now there was definitly a flash of red, but it disappeared within the second.

"I haven't really been keeping up with the news of Little Hangleton," he said, his voice the tiniest bit more threatening- though, had she not been looking for it, she doubted it would have been obvious.

"I assume you go to Hogwarts?" she said, finally changing the topic as they moved toward the register to pay for their books.

"Yes, I'm a 7th year now," he said, "I don't tink I've seen you there though."

"I'm a transfer," she said, "Along with my brother, and two friends."

"You must all be the first transfer students Hogwarts has had, ever." His voice was oddly placid.

"Right," she said, now slightly uncomfortable the way it seemed as if he were reading his mind.

Shit, she thought as she remembered he might be a Legilimas; Instantly, she put up barriers around her mind, however weak they might have been.

He frowned at her slightly, and they didn't speak again till they bid each other a goodbye after leaving the store.

Author's note: Again, I apologize for the delay; A lot of stuff has been going on and I only remember stuff when I get emails, and luckily I got one from Key demanding why this wasn't updated for a month (It was a horrible email, I've never felt so guilty in my life). You guys can thank her for a chapter. To make up for the extreme lack of chapters, I will try my damn hardest to get another one up over the weekend.

So, how was the chapter? I felt like in Key;s version, Tom had a pretty bad entrance and I felt this was better since our heroine got to meet her one-true love (though she doesn't know it) earlier than planned.

Reviews, as is normal, are welcome, though I wont blame you if you don;t give one out of anger (Out of laziness however, it'd be a whole other issue ;P )

I hope you enjoyed so review, review, review! :D

Till the next chapter,

*Star*