I've just embarrassed myself to end right in front of one of the most handsome boys she had ever seen.
At least you got to see him half-way naked, the extremely evil side of her conscience announced.
That's not important, the other side shot back. Hermione had to agree with the evil side there. How was she ever going to look him in the eye again without picturing him in his snug black boxers. Hermione managed to crawl herself over to her bed to grab her bag. Sitting up with a grunt, she changed into a pair of shorts and a shirt, then went downstairs to work on her homework.
Hermione could tell her grades weren't as good as they used to be. For one, on her last Transfiguration essay she got a 90...way off compared to her average 102...I guess Tom will always be at the top of his class. She took out her notebook that had a monthly planner in it to see when the next Hogsmead weekend was. October 17. And the first time the Head's are to meet with the prefect's is on October 2...good she still had about two weeks. The Headmaster summarized the meeting into one simple paragraph.
'You are to decide upon an event that you would like to take place at Hogwarts. There is to be a meeting held with all the prefects and both Heads to take a vote on what the event shall be. Remember to include: time, place, attire, years' allowed to go, etc. Thank you for your time. Headmaster Dippet.'
Great. It will most likely be a dance. And that means she will have to buy a dress, wear uncomfortable shoes, do her hair, and get asked out by some average teenage boy. Sounds like loads of fun. Laying the envelope on the table she summoned her comforter and a pillow. Hermione decided her room was too far away to walk to, so she will just be sleeping out here tonight.
As soon as she closed her eyes, Hermione fell asleep with thoughts of dueling, potions, and a wonderful image of Tom Riddle's body.
The next two weeks went by fairly quickly for Hermione. She had avidly avoided Tom at all cost. Only talking with him when it was an absolute must, even then she couldn't quite look him in the eye. Hermione thought that Tom was seeking her out just to torment her.
Well, Hermione was right, Tom had definitely been trying to torment her.
Tom had noticed Hermione being distant as of late. She would no longer say 'Hi' in the corridor's, not that he had ever said hello back, but still it was an abrupt change. He assumed it was because of her infamous tirade into the bathroom. Thinking of it still brought a smirk to his face. He could possibly hold that against her for the rest of forever. Smiling to himself he took a right by the Library to head up to his common room.
The prefects were supposed to meet both he and Hermione that at 7, and it being only 6:45, he had to hurry.
By the time he had made it to the common room, all the prefects and Hermione were all sitting around the couch discussing the details of the future event.
"Well, since it's close to Halloween, maybe we should have a costume party?" Asked Alice. She had apologized a hundred times to Hermione about the whole dueling incident. 'I swear I thought I knew the spell! I really didn't mean to! Honest Hermione!' She pretty much had no other choice but to accept her apology. Romi had gotten out of the infirmary a couple of day's ago, and had been diligently thinking about how to get Alice back.
Figures, thought Tom, a muggle suggesting a muggle party.
"I don't think that's such a good idea, with the amount of purebloods we have they won't quite understand the concept of 'dressing up'." Hermione told her.
"Well, Hermione, since you've said no to a costume party, a classical ball, and to a muggle circus, then what do you purpose we do?" Said a whiny Hufflepuff boy.
"I didn't exactly say no to those things, I just said they wouldn't be such a good idea...maybe if we mix the costume party and the ball idea..."
"And..." Tom inquired after Hermione's eye started to go lazy from staring into space for too long.
"Oh! Yes, we could mix the two to have a Masquerade Ball! And we wouldn't be allowed to choose our dates, we would just have to pick them out of the crowd, how does that sound?" Hermione excitedly said.
"That sounds amazing!" Amanda Cooper put in, "The guys could wear nice suits, and that would give us girls a chance to go all out on dresses! We could have just the fourth through seventh years come?"
"Right," Tom began. "So we have the attire; formal, the years; fourth through seventh, place; presumably the great hall. Now all we have to decide upon is a time?"
"Halloween!" Jesse blurted out. "That would be perfect. There's a Hogsmead weekend a week before hand, it's perfect!"
"Halloween it is then." Hermione said. "Tom and I will write out a formal report and give it to the Headmaster. We'll contact you with more details...Goodnight everyone."
Hermione watched as the twenty or so kid's pilled out of the Head's common room. She heard a select view people say goodbye to her, but none to Tom. Although, he didn't seem to mind in the least, for he didn't even acknowledge anyone that left. Hermione watched Tom further as he collected all the papers scattered about the room holding the plans for the upcoming event. He has perfect posture, she thought.
"I suppose we should make fliers to put up around the school." Hermione said as she gathered her books to go up to her room. It had definitely gotten less creepy in there since early September.
"Nah, we can just make one and charm it to go to all the bulletin boards all over school." Tom looked up to see Hermione going up to her room. "Hermione!" He called out. "Why have you been avoiding me?" He asked with the tiniest hint of a smirk on his face.
"I'm not avoiding you!" She said with flushed cheeks
"Right. I've already forgiven you for walking in on me while I was in the bathroom, if that's why you are avoiding me." Tom replied knowingly.
"I'm not avoiding you." Yes, she was. "And even if I was I wouldn't just because of some silly intrusion." She chuckled.
"Oh really. So in the mornings as soon as I walk into the common room, you scurry to the door just to give me privacy? And when we are in the hall, you scramble into a bathroom just to give me privacy? Oh, and you've switched seats in almost all of our classes, just for me. That's quite flattering you know, if I wasn't so sure that you've been avoiding me, I might think you fancy me."
There go her legs again, if she could only just pick the right one up and put it towards her door, she could just possibly get out of this predicament.
"Tom, don't be silly...I didn't do all of those things just for you. Did it occur to you that I might have just wanted to get to breakfast early, or that I might of wanted a change of scenery in our classes? Or that I might actually just have to use the restroom?" Hermione tried to explain.
I'm lying. I wonder if he can tell? She thought.
"Mhm." Hm...I wonder? "Just admit it Mione...you're avoiding me because you fancy me."
Hermione's jaw dropped straight to the floor...and she could feel the heat rising up from her chest onto her neck.
"Wh-what? Tom t-that's preposterous! Fan..no, fancy...no way! I-nope...avoiding because of liking you...that's a laugh, Tom..." She said with an obviously fake laugh. Oh god, oh god, oh god.
"It's okay Mione, it really is. I understand completely." Tom said in a kind voice.
"Y-you do?" She asked hesitantly.
"Of course Mione. A lot of girls fancy me, it was just a matter of time before you started to."
"What! No. No. No. No. You've got it all wrong Tom..."
"Mione! It's okay...I understand-"
"You don't know what you're talking about Tom Riddle! I mean sure you are positively charming most of the time, and you are the most handsome boy I've ever seen, with a nice body to boot, but you are the most selfish, arrogant, egotistical person I've ever met! Goodnight!"
Alright, so maybe she didn't catch on that it was a joke, Tom thought after she went into her room. He wasn't expecting her to admit that much. So she thinks I'm charming, handsome, and have a nice body.
But she also thinks you're selfish, arrogant, and egotistical, the logical side of his mind piped in.
Tom had never liked a girl before, well...enough to date one that is. Of course he can tolerate some of them enough to speak with, and sometimes he might think one has a certain trait that he likes, but he's never fancied a girl. Even with the numerous times he had been asked out.
Does this mean that Hermione does fancy him, even if she thinks all those other things of him? She's quite pretty, he admitted to himself. He once had a dream where all he was doing was running his fingers through her hair. But just once! He hadn't had any other dreams about the Head Girl...yet. They get in so many arguments though...is he even supposed to be thinking like this? Is this how you think when you fancy someone? I do think about her a lot...but that's only because I don't know who she is! Right?
Tom shook his head to clear himself of his previous thoughts.
"Damnit, I hope I don't actually feel like I think I do..."
In Hermione's Bedroom-
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Oh...I need a Valium! Breathe, breathe, breathe.
Okay, so let's think. What did you just do?
Well...I pretty much so just admitted that I do have a small crush on Voldemort! Not fancy! But who wouldn't fancy Tom Riddle, he's tall, built, handsome, sweet...on the outside. Any girl would fall for someone like that. Right? It's not her fault. She honestly couldn't help it.
Hermione knew what she was here to do, and what would come of it inevitably, and she tried, she really did. She tried to hate him. She tried to tell people he was bad. But he's done nothing bad yet! Well, except for the whole attacking her part...and for the whole being Voldemort part...Oh! And for the killing his father and grandparent part. Alright, so he's not the best of boys. He has been fairly sweet to her.
And he definitely noticed that she was avoiding him. Which means he kinda, sorta, has to care, somewhat, maybe, right?
I need to sleep and not think about his anymore, or I might actually realize that he could possibly be a good guy. Hermione shoved all her things into her bag for Friday's lessons. At least she had a whole weekend to shut herself into her bedroom and forget that Tom Riddle even existed. Changing into her pajama's and quickly pulling back the covers, she got into her bed.
I won't even bother with a bath...stupid, bloody Tom Riddle...and his cuteness. With a last irritated sigh, Hermione closed her eyes and let her dreams take over.