Harry James Evans seemed bored during lunch time. He skimmed the Daily Prophet half-heartedly and ate nothing. The reason was that the next course was Defending Against the Dark Arts — and he felt terrible anyway.

He had hurt Hermione.

He didn't know who felt more pain, she because of the new wound, or him doing it to her…

Of course, he had healed the injury immediately, but she backed away before he could finish.

She looked at him in utter disbelief, hurt and shock. Harry would have preferred if she screamed at him, but nothing had happened. She had left silently.

Hermione hadn't cried either. No whimper — nothing!

This Afternoon Ms. Galatea Merrythought introduced her new students to the class. Then she insisted on the importance of knowing good spells. That was the moment, she asked Harry and Hermione to show one or two of the spells they know.

"You already fought against Grindelwald in Brighton, as I've heard." She added mockingly. Galatea couldn't imagine, pupils fight against such a monster and survive. The other students lapsed into dignified silence.

Harry compressed his lips as he looked to Hermione. She looked furious anyway. Then she crossed her arms and went a few steps away from him. "Fine," was the only thing she had to say to him.

"I could explain this," Harry spat harshly.

At that moment Hermione turned on the heel. "Oh, really?" the witch hissed, then she hexed him a curse, but Harry ducked.

"Anteoculatia!" Harry hit Hermione and watched how antlers sprout from her head.

"How funny," Hermione chided. She then whipped her wand and the antlers disappeared.

"Expelliarmus!" But Hermione stepped beside and shot another jinx at him.

His deep voice yelled: "Levicorpus!"

Hermione lost the ground underneath her feet. "Evans!" she hissed, after telling herself three times not to say Potter! It would be horrible if anyone would find out.

The witch brandished her wand again and came down again.

Harry smirked.

"Enough?" He asked playfully and tightened the grip on his wand.

But Seymour cast another spell as she screamed upset: "No!"

Harry didn't step beside, instead, he repeated the disarming spell. And this time he hit!

Hermione's wand landed on the floor with a rattle.

Murmuring and whispering…

Harry attacked again. "Stop that!" Ms. Merrythought interrupted but wasn't quick enough to stop him.

And then Hermione parried the hex, without her wand, just with her hands and her own magic.

"Oh wait… you'll get the shock of your life," Hermione mumbled, her right hand waving from the walls to Harry.

The bricks beside the classroom door started transforming into water.

And she shot it to Harry. The water poured out – like a waterfall and Evans stood underneath.

He felt on his knees. Harry had to breathe.

Then he stretched his wand hand out for her.

A little ball of light was formed out of the peak of his wand. And then he shot.

Hermione fell unconscious on the floor. Her eyes still open.

The water stopped immediately. And Harry James Evans stood there and went slowly to his best friend. "I asked you if it's enough, Mione." He inhaled deeply and then recognized the shocked and disgusted eyes laying on him.

"He hurt a girl," mumbled a wizard to another and looked suspicious to Harry.

"Your enemy won't care!" Harry said loud and confident and left the class. Ms. Merrythought was already looking after Hermione, so he wouldn't have to do this.

Nonetheless, they were friends, they had managed more than this little training.

Tom Marvolo Riddle was sitting beside the bed in the hospital wing and looked at the sleeping witch in front of him. "Hermione Jean Seymour," he whispered deeply in thoughts. As Head-Boy he had promised his professor of Defending Against the Dark Arts to bring the witch to Madam Peppercress and have an eye on her until she would wake up.

The first few hours weren't any problem at all, because he had enough homework to do.

But now, the wizard had finished every open task.

School ended earlier because of that stupid battle, at half past two, now the clock chimed nearly five.

He looked down at Hermione again. She had surprised him.

It never entered his mind before that she was capable of that sort of magic.

He remembered the short conversation in the morning sitting in the library. "And do you like Hogwarts?" he asked in a disinterested voice, just to break the silence.

Hermione was jolted out of her reading and her thoughts. The witch looked wide-eyed at him.

"Uh – you know, it's hard to start once more at the age of – I mean…" Hermione wondered if this was really the sort of information he wanted to hear from her.

That was the moment when Tom put his book aside and smiled at her.

There was no real emotion entering his face. His dark grey eyes seemed cold.

Hermione started reading again. She somehow felt uncomfortable out of a sudden. Chatting with that prat was really, really strange. And it might be dangerous too!

"How rude of you!" Riddle noticed coldly.

"Oh, it would — I agree with you —if you were interested in what I'd tell you, but you aren't!" Seymour hit back at him icily.

What a dumb idea…

Riddle stood up and walked around the table. Then he took her book and urged her standing up.

As her deep brown eyes looked into his grey ones he hissed angrily.

"Then, tell me."

That was the moment when he felt something like respect for her because she didn't flinch back.

And at the very end, it was really interesting to find out what her age was and that such a restart was not really easy.

"Do you need anything?" Madam Peppercress asked, looking at him with a smile.

Riddle negotiated politely and looked out of the window. He couldn't watch her the entire time.

"Your girlfriend is really tough," the nurse added and reached for a book Hermione left in the Hospital Wing before school started and handed it to him.

Tom choked on his own spit. "She's not," Riddle started but was interrupted by Madam Peppercress. "Of course. Please don't worry, I understand. And now if you'll excuse me."

Before he could say anything else to clarify this huge misunderstanding the woman left at a hurried pace.

"But…" Riddle stood up and looked to the door where she left. He wondered for a second if he should follow and talk to her again. "But…" he faltered, which was nearly impossible, because he never faltered, never felt insecure.

Then Hermione moaned and her eyes fluttered open slowly. Exhilarated and nervous Tom Riddle stared at the witch and sat down beside her again.

She looked wearily at him and groaned again.

"Good morning sleeping beauty!" he whispered amused and had a smile on his lips.

"No way! I haven't slept for more than 100 years," the witch sat up in an inconvenient way. Her entire body was in pain.

Every emotion faded, as he recognized she knew a muggle fairy tale.

"Does it hurt?" his voice rolled coldly instead. Hermione glared at him.

"Why are you here?" Seymour bowled Riddle out.

"Why do you know that?" he asked.

"Evans." was the short answer from her.

"Merrythought," was his.

Then he handed over the potions to Hermione, Madam Peppercress gave him. "Drink."

The witch glared at him once again. Afterwards, she followed his instructions when she had to take which medicine. For the moment he seemed comfortable again.