Disclaimer: don't own.

Hermione and Sarah were sitting in the stands, the Ravenclaw scarves wrapped around their faces. It was so cold that they could hardly move their mouth to talk. "Natalija I needed to talk to you badly." Sarah said, and her face was full of sorrows.

"Go on." Hermione smiled at her friend. She was usually always there when her friends needed her.

"Okay…" Sarah began hesitantly. "You know that I was going steady with Darius, right?"

"Yes. Darius Flint. Ravenclaw." Hermione said, showing her friend that she knew who she was talking about.

"Well, and it's not like that anymore. We don't want to be together anymore. Or that's what I decided today." Sarah said only above a whisper.

Hermione's mouth fell open.

Sarah continued without taking breath. "I broke up with him. As sad as I feel, and as much as I like him, it's not enough. Because there is someone else I like much much more."

Sarah looked at Hermione sadly with tears in her eyes.

"I know." Hermione whispered, "You want Richard."

Sarah smiled slightly through her tears. "How do you know?"

"You are rarely around Darius. You spend most of the time with Richard. And the way you look at him. It's obvious."

"What do you think about that? Should I go out with him?"

"What does Darius think about that?"

This time, Sarah let out a hearty giggle. "It's not him who can decide. We are not together anymore. So, what do you think?"

Hermione let out a sigh. Well what did she think? She had other things to think about. "I think that Richard is interested in you as well!"

"But how do I know?" Sarah wailed.

"Hmm, I definitely wouldn't ask him. But I can tell the way he looks at you." Hermione rubbed her temple.

"Can you do me a favour?" she asked with puppy-dog-eyes and Hermione knew what was coming.

"Can you ask him?"

"Sarah!"

"Please, Natalija." she pleaded in a small voice.

"Fine. But what do you want me to ask him?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"If he likes me or if he likes someone else. And also if he already has a date for the ball. Can you do that? Maybe tomorrow after lunch?" the dark-haired girl looked at Hermione hopefully, her eyes sparkling.

"I guess so…" Hermione replied rather unenthusiastically.

Then it hit her.

"WAIT. What ball are you talking about?" she asked with wide eyes.

"Well, haven't you seen the notice yet?" Sarah asked and some colour came back into her face.

"No, I haven't." Hermione was on edge.

"There will be a ball in two weeks time. The Halloween-ball. And I thought that maybe Richard and I and you and Riddle could go there." Sarah finished and looked at the floor.

"You and Richard – okay. Me and Riddle? No way! He would never go with me." Hermione exclaimed loudly, her hands in the air.

"He would."

"He wouldn't. Besides, Matthew told me that Riddle had never been interested in taking any girl anywhere. So he definitely wouldn't want to go to the ball." Hermione said.

"But there is always the opportunity for a first. And Riddle had never taken anyone to Hogsmeade before. He took YOU. He might also ask you to the ball." Sarah smiled mischievously and Hermione huffed.

"Very well. I will ask Richard for you." Hermione promised.

"Thank you so much, Natalija you are the best." Sarah squealed happily and hugged Hermione around the middle.

"No problem."

"If you don't want to wait until Riddle asks you why don't you go with Matthew?"

"With Matthew? Excuse me?" Hermione's eyes were wide. Why should she go with him? She barely knew him.

"You would be a cute couple – that's what I think. That's what Richard thinks as well by the way. I can ask him if you'd like to."

"No thanks. I'll wait." Hermione shook her head. Not that she didn't like Matthew. But her heart hoped for someone else to ask her. That someone was the handsome young man she had spent the day with.

"Well, you will be asked by Maxim anyway. I bet that he is the first." Sarah mused, her eyes sparkling.

Hermione threw her a glare. "Oh, he will. Trust me."

Both girls started giggling. There was too much truth to deny that.

Sarah took Hermione's sleeve. "Look, they stopped training. Let's go back to the dorms. It's getting very cold."

"Good idea." Hermione said and both girls made their way to the Ravenclaw common room, talking excitedly and making plans.

THTHTH

The day after tomorrow they had to hand in their flats. Hermione was on edge and more or less rudely shoved away her friend Matthew when he asked her about the occlumency training.

She had to avoid everyone when she was in this foul mood and Draco approaching her, didn't help.

"Hey Hermione." he greeted when they stepped out of the potions classroom together. They were amongst the last ones and so she didn't mind using their real names.

"Hey Draco." Hermione looked around cautiously. No one was listening in. Not even Harry was nearby.

"What's up?" Hermione asked him. She was, however, not prepared for this question. Not really.

"Do you want to go to the Halloween Ball with me?" Draco asked her, his face on the floor.

Hermione looked at him with wide eyes. No, she didn't want to go there with him. She wanted to go there with someone else. But how could she do it without hurting his feelings?

"Sorry Draco. Thanks for asking me though."

"Are you already going with someone?" Draco's face fell.

"Uhm… actually not, no."

"You are probably waiting for the Dark Lord to ask you. Right?"

Hermione didn't answer. There was too much truth to deny that.

Draco sneered. "But then I can tell you one thing, Hermione. You can wait all your life. He will NOT ask you!" Draco finished smugly.

Hermione's eyes flew open in shock.

"Excuse me. What do you mean by that?" she couldn't suppress the disappointment in her voice.

"He has to go with the Head Girl whether he wants to or not. It's tradition!" Draco smirked at her.

"Okay. It's fine. I didn't count on him anyway." Hermione's voice was thick now. 'Don't cry, Hermione.' she chided herself.

"But since you turned me down so nicely, Karkarova, I guess, I will find someone else." Draco snarled and turned on his heel. Hermione wanted to call him back, but her voice didn't let her. Instead, tears welled up in her eyes. She ran to the girl's bathroom and cried and cried.

Suddenly she noticed her fatal mistake. She was in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom! And wasn't it the year, where the snake had been set loose? What if she was Moaning Myrtle instead? Moaning Hermione? She shivered.

Hermione let out a small scream and ran out of the bathroom, shivering from fear.

She made it just in time for Transfiguration with the Slytherins and plopped into the seat between Matthew and Sarah.

"What happened to you?" Sarah asked, noticing Hermione's puffy eyes.

"Nothing."

"Come on, I can tell that you cried." Matthew said softly.

"Well, yes. I had a fight with one of my friends from Durmstrang." Hermione confessed the half-truth.

"Probably the blonde-haired guy." Matthew pointed to Draco who was sitting next to Zabini's grandfather. "What's his name again?" Matthew asked.

"Maxim." Sarah said from her left and scowled.

"Oh right."

"Yes, it's him. After potions we had a little… let's say different opinion." Hermione scowled in the general Slytherins direction.

"He asked you to the ball." Sarah claimed.

"Yes, he did. I turned him down though…. But don't get any assumptions. We didn't fight about that." Hermione shook her head.

At exactly that moment, Dumbledore chose to appear. Hermione almost cried out in relief.

Today they were supposed to transfigure books into pillows. Hermione smirked. How often had she used that spell when she had fell asleep over a book in the library… On her first try, Hermione's Hogwarts, a history was transfigured into a white, comfy cushion with various stitchings and frills.

Dumbledore beamed at her. "Very well, Miss Karkarova. 10 points to Ravenclaw."

The Ravenclaws cheered and Hermione's gaze fell onto Tom – unwillingly. He was watching her and had the cool mask on again. No emotion showing, of course.

Smirking, he nonverbally cast a spell at his copy of the book and in front of him was the perfect green and silver cushion with the Slytherin-snake stiched to it.

Dumbledore awarded the Slytherins 10 points as well.

Hermione was deeply disappointed. A small part of her brain had wanted Tom to ask her, but the other, reasonable part had told her that it wasn't a good idea anyway. But now that there wasn't even the chance that he asked her, she was even sadder. Now she couldn't even go with Draco as she had turned him down earlier. Who would ask her?

After class, Hermione caught up with Draco who sneered at her. "I'm sorry, Maxim. I'm really sorry, please accept my apologies." Hermione said sincerely, looking at Draco with pleading eyes. His face looked as if it had been carved out of glass.

He nodded slowly and briefly put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. He looked deeply into her eyes and then turned around.

"Uhm, Maxim…" Hermione asked tentatively since some Ravenclaws and Slytherins were nearby, probably hearing every word they said.

"You had your chance, Karkarova. You didn't use it, though. I think it's too late. No one uses ME as a last resort, remember that." Draco hissed quietly.

"You are not a last resort for me."

"I think you made it perfectly clear in the dungeons 2 hours before." Draco spat.

"Please look at my point of view. You always used to bully me, you used to call me names – and now because we are here in this school you seem to have changed. And are super nice to me. Or is it maybe because of my new looks?" Hermione exclaimed acidly.

Draco's face purpled. "No, it doesn't have to do with looks nor with this place and time, but some people bully others because they like them."

"Well, I think you overdid yours. How can I trust you and go to the ball with you when I had to endure your taunts 6 years?" Hermione snarled.

"I'm sorry." a simple apology, Hermione never thought to hear from Draco.

She nodded. "You're forgiven."

Both turned around and walked in the opposite direction. Hermione had wanted to ask him to the ball again, but now when she thought about the time when Draco had taunted her, she wasn't so sure anymore.

Tom Riddle. He stood there. Tall, handsome and dark.

"Hi." Hermione muttered embarrassed.

He had seen the little heated discussion of Krum and Karkarova. He hated it when Krum did something that hurt Natalija, although he wouldn't admit it in the open.

"Natalija, we will meet up tonight in the library after dinner." he said in a commanding stoic voice.

"Okay. See you then." Hermione gave him a half-smile which he, unsurprisingly, didn't return. Instead, he stalked off in the opposite direction.

Earlier that day:

"I trust that you two Heads know your responsibility." Dippet drawled.

"I'm sorry, Headmaster, with due respect, we are quite clueless." Tom pointed at the girl and himself.

"You two heads have to open the ball. Which means that you will go to the ball TOGETHER. And as the heads you will make the announcements and open the ball. You will go there TOGETHER." Dippett, announced, smirkikng slightly.

Tom frowned and straightened up. He looked at the Gryffindor head girl – a mud blood or half-blood. Minerva McGonnagal looked at the Head Boy and blushed. Tom suspected that she would run to all her little friends and giggle that she would go with Tom Riddle. FINE. The old fool had just FORCED them to go together. Normally, Tom would have gone alone, but not with a girl and definitely not with the head girl. The giggling dim-wit was getting on his nerves.

"With due respect, Headmaster, I am sure that Miss McGonnagal and I will be capable of doing all the organizing and announcements, but why should we even go to the ball together?" Tom let a frown play on his handsome face.

"Because it looks good. It gives a good impression. And it is a long-standing tradition." Dippett smiled and Tom almost wanted to punch him into the face so badly.

Great. Now he was stuck with that good-for-nothing-Gryffindor.

When they were outside the Headmaster's office, McGonnagal wanted to something but Tom cut her off with his wave of hand.

"Just stay away from me at the dance. We'll do our announcements and then we will go our separate ways." Tom snarled.

Minerva's face fell considerably.

Tom didn't look at her a second time and walked to his first class. He was looking forward to the evening where he would do the project with Natalija. Tom was looking forward to spending time with this girl… He shook his head and laughed silently. He was really getting delusional. He had to stop that.

THTHTH

Sarah, Matthew and Richard caught up with Hermione seconds later.

"Did he ask you?" Sarah asked excitedly.

"No, of course not. He has to go with the Head girl." Hermione replied as calmly as she could. Freakin' Head Girl. Who was she anyway? A Gryffindor, that was for sure. But why didn't she stay in the Head Dorms? Everyone was quite surprised that she preferred to stay in the Gryffindor quarters… Probably because she was scared of Tom…

"Oh, that's just so sad." Sarah pouted.

Hermione and sarah walked a few paces behind Matt and Rich and Sarah was talking non-stop about how Hermione and Tom would be a good couple, which unnerved Hermione endlessly. Besides, who would ask her? She would probably go to the dance alone.

She was about to stop Sarah's tirade, when the smirking face of Abraxas appeared in front of her.

"Miss Clearwater. Miss Karkarova." he nodded politely although his posture and voice were quite stiff.

"Mister Malfoy." Sarah answered in the same polite, slightly disinterested tone.

"May I speak to Miss Karkarova alone please?"

"Sure, you may."

'Stupid pure-blood-rules.' Hermione thought although she was admiring the beauty of it.

Abraxas steered Hermione into a corner on the left.

"Miss Karkarova, I was wondering, if you already have a date for the Halloween ball?" Abraxas asked, a slight red tinge on his usually pale cheeks.

"I don't have a date yet, Mister Malfoy." Hermione smiled. She knew what was coming.

"Then might I ask you, if you would care to go there with me?" Abraxas asked, half a smirk gracing his aristocratic features.

"Yes, I would be delighted to go there with you." Hermione still smiled. At least someone had asked her. And a good-looking, well-mannered pureblood no less. Bonus point: he would piss Draco off immensely.

Abraxas gave now a full smile and kissed Hermione's hand. "Thank you, Miss Karkarova, it will be a pleasure." he smiled.

In a daze, Hermione entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Ravenclaw table. She knew how Harry and Ginny and ESPECIALLY Draco would react, especially when they would find out about her date with Abraxas. Why had she agreed with him? Because she was so sad about Draco? About Tom? Because she could somehow get information out of Abraxas by going to the ball with him? She glanced over at Abraxas who was proudly announcing something to his friends. Hermione's cheeks flamed up. Probably boasting.

As if on cue, all the faces around Abraxas looked at her. Hermione sat down next to Matthew so that she didn't have to face the Slytherins.

"So, going with our favourite Slytherin-bully?" Richard asked with a grin across from her. Hermione groaned. "Maxim asked me first. I turned him down though…"

"For the blonde-haired git?" Matthew asked with a wrinkled nose.

"No, because we got in a fight." Hermione piled potatoes onto her plate.

"At least Abraxas knows how to treat women." Sarah eyed the Slytherin-table with an upturned nose.

"Oh does he?" Hermione was surprised. Actually, on second thought, of course he treated women nicely. They were in the 40s and the pureblood rules still applied to him. Furthermore, he thought that Hermione was a pureblood.

"Well don't you see? Didn't you see how he treated you when he asked you out? Not a lot of young men know that rule." Sarah looked pointedly at her male Ravenclaw-friends.

Hermione smiled. "So you think it was a good choice then?"

"Yes." Sarah purred, winking conspirationally at Hermione.

THTHTH

"Guess what, Zabini? You can hand me 3 galleons." Malfoy smirked in his boasting voice that Tom loathed so much and Tom rolled his eyes. This git was getting on his nerves. He was of course, useful as a follower, but he didn't want to endure this voice and this face every single day. Next to him, Orion Black cut his chicken cautiously, obviously listening in on their conversation.

Tom's right-hand neighbour, Olive Hornby, laughed loudly at a comment Maxim had made and Tom prayed for her to shut up. He wanted to hear the other part of the conversation. "She said yes?" Zabini asked, clearly in awe. Malfoy smirked and stuck out his open hand. "I'm the winner."

The Black-brothers looked at Abraxas with admiration. Tom hated that look. Didn't they have their own guts? Besides, he was their leader, not Malfoy. He was about to eat his salad, when he heard Cygnus Black exclaim: "Natalija and Abraxas. Sounds like a very nice combination."

Tom suddenly felt like a heavy stone had dropped into his stomach. His lungs constricted and he pushed his plate away. He didn't feel hungry anymore, instead a certain emptiness evaded him and swallowed him whole. Tom felt as if icy water had just doused him completely.

Abraxas had asked Natalija? And she had said yes? Did she know that he had to go with the Head Girl? Or would she have gone with Abraxas anyway?

He glared at the pompous blonde prat furiously. Abraxas would have to endure something at his next meeting – he would make sure of that. Tom got up gracefully and directed another death glare at Abraxas who didn't seem to notice. It was when Tom's gaze fell onto the Malfoy-clone. Maxim was glaring with even more hatred at Abraxas than Tom. How was that possible? maxim didn't want to go with her that badly? Or was there something else between Malfoy and Krum? Something was there, Tom was almost 100% sure of that. He would find out of course. He wasn't learning legilimency for nothing.

"He is going out with Hermione?" Draco turned to Harry, his face white.

"Seems like it!" Harry shrugged.

"Hermione is going out with my grandfather." Draco said venomously.

"She has her reasons…" Harry said, though totally unconvinced himself.

"Well… obviously, because he is handsome." Draco spat and Harry let out a single laugh.

"Just because he looks like you…" Harry grinned still.

"Very funny, Scarface. I don't want my classmate to go out with my GRANDFATHER of all people." Draco huffed.

"I would say you are just jealous." Harry observed dryly.

"Jealous? I?" Draco said incredulously. It was loud enough that Tom heard. 'Yes you are, Krum.' Tom thought mockingly. He, however, didn't think that he was jealous. Tom, the future Dark Lord, couldn't be jealous of someone. And especially not of a girl! There were more important things. But for some reason, he couldn't get the nagging feeling out of his head…

THTHTH

"And then we just have to add the carpets and you can do a thorough scourgify." Tom said satisfied when he looked at their almost-finished miniature flat.

"Although it will not be easy to scourgify the whole flat thoroughly." Hermione said with a wrinkled nose.

"Why?" Tom's voice had gained some of the icyness back.

"Because there are a lot of things in the way, like carpets, the bed, tables, chairs, furniture. I will have to be very careful…. Don't worry, Tom, I'll manage." Hermione rolled her eyes when she saw Tom's exasperated expression.

"I hope so for you." Tom said when he lowered the carpets into the flat by wingardium leviosa.

"Very well." Hermione commented, nodding. She had to admit, Tom looked very graceful and professional when he was doing magic.

"Your turn." he smirked when he was finished.

Hermione concentrated hard and cautiously muttered the spell. "Scourgify!"

She opened her eyes after she had heard Tom make a sound. A delighted sound.

"Perfect." he said and Hermione had to agree with him. Their flat looked perfect. A mixture between light and dark, day and night, good and bad, Hermione and Tom. And well yes, it was clean.

"I have to admit, Natalija, you would make a good housewife." Tom smirked. Hermione punched him jokingly on his arm.

A little while later, Tom and Hermione packed their bags and exited the now empty library.

"So," Tom began conversationally, "I heard you are going to the Halloween Ball with Abraxas." No one – not even Hermione – could not think that this was a casual question.

"Yes, he asked me and I said yes." Hermione replied simply. Her heart beat faster and she wanted to know what he wanted to say or why he explained this topic.

"You wanted to go with HIM?" Tom didn't know if he wanted to hear her answer.

"Well yes, or otherwise I wouldn't have said yes."

"Was he your first choice?" Tom felt as if he was falling and leaving his stomach behind.

"No."

Tom turned around. "No?" That was a surprise. A pleasant surprise.

"No."

"And with whom would you rather have gone?" Tom asked quietly. They had reached the Ravenclaw dorm right now and Hermione was about to reach out for the eagle knocker.

"Well, I don't exactly have to tell you, do I?" Hermione gave him a half-serious, half-mocking smile.

"No, but you could. Besides, I'm headboy."

"That explains everything and justifies all of your questions…." Hermione shook her head and turned around to knock.

"What is the difference between inferis and ghosts?" asked the low musical voice and Hermione opened her mouth to answer when she heard a cough from Riddle.

"What, Tom? I'm going with Abraxas, whether you like it or not. You are going with the head girl, anyway." Hermione looked him straight into his stormy eyes.

Tom looked at her surprised. How did she know?

"How do you know that I have to go with the head girl, of all people?" Tom asked, his face paler than usual.

"I just know." Hermione shook her head.

Tom walked slowly forwards to her and lifted her chin up so that she was looking up at him directly and that her face was just millimetres from his. He looked at her face and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "You can believe that I would have asked someone else, if I had the choice… and that someone is not the Head Girl."

Hermione almost fainted. Did he really just say that?

"I sincerely hope that you can spare me once dance, even though you are there with Malfoy." Tom said softly, now increasing the distance between Hermione and himself.

"Of course." Hermione said quietly and looked at him intensely.

Tom's expression didn't change. "Thank you."

"Thank you for taking me to the Ravenclaw tower." And Hermione really MEANT it.

"It was my pleasure. See you tomorrow in charms. I guess we can present our work without any problems."

And with that he left her in front of the Ravenclaw knocker.

THTHTH

"What?" Ginny enquired sharply. She had never seen McGonnagal so happy and excited.

"Well, I have to go with him." Minerva grinned broadly. Ginny, remembering the endless conversations she and Minerva had about Tom knew immediately who she was referring to.

"Great for you." Ginny mumbled. She was not really sure how great Riddle really was and how he and McGonnagal would really be together.

"We have to open the ball and do all the speeches together." Minerva beamed.

"Great. But maybe he is just going with you, because he is forced to?" Ginny asked cautiously, knowing Riddle's preferences exactly.

"So what? Then during the dance I will show him that I am really the right match for him. Head boy and Head girl. Perfect pairing." McGonnagal smiled dreamily.

"He is a Slytherin, Minerva. You told me many times that you didn't like Slytherins." Ginny shook her head. "My brother included."

"It's because they are typical Slytherins. Tom doesn't act the way."

"Well – so how come you don't sleep in the same dorm with him?" Ginny enquired, not keeping the venom out of her voice.

McGonnagal gaped like a fish, but didn't answer.

"If you allow me: I'd say you are scared." Ginny finished in a satisfied voice.

McGonnagal swallowed. "Maybe a little bit. But we will get to know each other soon anyway."

"Great for you. And if you don't mind – I'm going to bed." Ginny snapped and ran up the stairs into their dorm.

Melanie Brown and Daphne Prewett looked at Minerva McGonnagal giggling. "You should be really happy. Tom is a right hot dish."

THTHTH

Hermione awoke the morning later than planned. "Shoot." she muttered. Well in that case, she would rather miss breakfast than miss out on her beauty routine. She quickly did her hair and make-up, but was still running late.

Muttering words she didn't know she was capable of, she arrived in charms slightly late.

"Thank you for joining us, Miss Karkarova." the beautiful professor said in his velvet voice and Hermione blushed scarlet.

"I'm really – sorry." she panted and took a seat next to Tom, who had their flat already open on the table.

"I'm delighted you arrived in time for our presentation." Tom sneered.

"I'm sorry. I'm just ten minutes late." Hermione snapped back.

"Well, it will be our turn after that pair." Tom pointed at Draco and Lucinda Black who were presenting their flat, which wasn't even half as perfect as Tom's and Hermione's.

With a smirk, Hermione leaned back in her chair and Tom gave her a quizzical stare.

"Well, just look at theirs and look at ours." Hermione whispered lazily from her seat.

Tom just raised an eyebrow and smirked back. Natalija seemed more and more Slytherin-like to him. A shame that the sorting hat decided she had more brains than cunningness.

"Very well, Mr. Krum and Miss Black. Now, it's Mr. Riddle and Miss Karkarova. If you please." the beautiful voice from another planet said.

"Professor." Tom began and launched into a perfectly practiced role of how (mainly) he and Hermione had perfected the flat. Hermione listened raptly, in case he made a mistake, but it seemed as if this person – again – was flawless.

To her delight, she saw the professor giving them both an Outstanding.

Tom and her only looked at each other and grinned.

After all the couples had presented their flats, the professor said in his typical tone that made all the girls swoon: "I think now it is time for me to award the couple with the best flat my little price. And the winner are…. Mr. Riddle and Miss Karkarova."

The class burst into polite, but disappointed applause. Of course, everyone had hoped that they would win the prize, but still, they remained tactful. Hermione saw Abraxas giving her a small wink which she didn't return.

The professor smiled (a bit scarily in Hermione's opinion) and handed them both a key.

A key?

What for?

Was that the prize?

eHer