Sorry for the wait guys– a few too many things have been happening in my life at the moment but still, without further ado here's chapter 4 – oh, and though I am honoured and touched at the number of alerts this story has received, reviews would be much appreciated as well – they do tend to make the author write a tad bit quicker if you get what I mean :P

CHAPTER 4

There seemed to me only one positive aspect of stalking Tom for the next few years of my life; he was always in the library, either studying or reading for pleasure. He seemed to be the only one apart from myself that understood the value of the knowledge stored in those ancient tomes.

It was on one of these many occasions that I found him flipping through some old newspapers, his eyes skimming over the headlines before promptly chucking them aside.

'What are you doing Tom?' Twisting around he sneered almost menacingly at me before walking off, blatantly trying to tell me that he didn't want my company, but that was fine with me; I could always pretend to be Ron who never did notice anything.

Smirking I followed him back to his table, but not before grabbing some of the newspapers that he had chucked away and stuffing them hastily into my school bag.

'Oh, you're doing the Charms homework I see. I finished it off yesterday. It's actually quite easy, don't you think?'

'Granger, when are you going to get it through that thick head of yours that I don't want to be friends with you?'

'Oh you're so funny Tom,' I giggled, playing naïve.

'I can assure you that I wasn't at all sarcastic Granger. Now if you would kindly leave my presence I have some homework to complete.'

'Whatever you say dear old Tom,' I said, laughing at his "charming" manners before heading out, ignoring Madam Bestrode who I swore was somehow related to Pince.

'What's that?' Glancing up I found Elaine peering curiously at the newspapers that lay messily on my bed. 'Oh, just doing some in depth research.'

Her brows furrowed but other than that she made no comment, instead heading over to her bed where within a matter of minutes she began to snore.

Ruffling through them I couldn't seem to connect them to eachother at all. They appeared to be just chosen randomly off the rack. But Tom wouldn't just read some random old newspaper that dated back to the 20s or 30s; he'd have a reason for it and God willing I would find out.

'I-'

'Abraxas…' the warning was laced so heavily within the words that the young boy was visibly shaken, taking a few steps back for good measure.

'I want it by the end of this week. Understand?'

'Y-yes master.'

'Good. Now off you go – wouldn't want you to miss out on lunch now would we?'

The young boy of about eleven ran off, too afraid to stay a moment extra with his master.

'Now class, today you will be learning how to levitate objects. It is a relatively simple spell although some may find the wand movements a bit difficult to grasp…'

I snorted as a picture of Ron jabbing his wand continuously into the feather in first year swam to the front of my mind.

'Something funny Hermione?'

'No,' I shook my head, ignoring Elaine's disbelieving eyes.

'…Now I want all of you to try it please. Wands out and waving everyone!'

Swishing and flicking my wand I made the scroll fly up and just to rub it into Tom's face made it do a loop in the air.

The professor clapped and the students' eyes were all on me, their mouths hanging open, except for Tom's. He rolled his eyes at me before twirling his wand in a much elegant fashion and off his scroll went, flying and parading around the room, opening neatly in front of the professor before promptly closing and landing back right in front of him.

Sighing irritably at the star-struck girls I huffed before folding my arms up, pretending indifference.