Tom didn't like sitting at the small round table between the house tables and the high table. Their dinner in chambers the night before had been comfortable. This was decidedly not.
He didn't like the red headed twins at the Gryffindor table communicating something to his witch with signals he didn't understand. The pair were older, and their amusement was irking. No one needed to smile that much.
He didn't like the odd sense of foreboding that settled over him when they entered the great hall. Too much of this new world felt hostile.
"Relax." Hermione leaned into his shoulder. "This is the easy part."
"Being forced to sit here on display is the easy part?" He hissed and glared at the Slytherin table. He could see them gossiping. Had his house lost its craft?
"Incoming." Greg muttered and straightened in his seat.
A blond boy with almost effeminate features strolled up to their table. He had the promise of beauty like Brax had, but it was pinched and sharp. Tom sat back and let his wand slide into his hand under the table.
"Hello, muddy one." He smirked and let his eyes slide over Hermione in an insulting manner.
"What brings you to our table, Draco?" Hermione smiled blandly. "Does the Slytherin brain trust need some help with their homework again?"
The quick flash of anger in the Malfoy heir's eyes amused Tom. The boy had not yet developed the skill to obfuscate his emotions. Such a pity.
"You've acquired a new Slytherin for your little band of misfits. We weren't made aware of his presence or his identity." Draco tilted his head and looked Tom over thoroughly.
"I don't fancy partners of the male persuasion, Malfoy." Tom smiled widely, enjoying the shock evident in the grey eyes. "I chose this group. I prefer small, select groups. If your grandfather is still alive, give him my regards. My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle."
"Riddle went missing while my grandparents were students here." Draco rolled his eyes. "Next, you'll claim to be the heir of Salazar himself."
"My mother was Merope Gaunt." Tom smiled and tilted his head slightly. "I'm sure you will be able to find her in your precious pure blood directory."
"Nothing but a half blood then." Draco smirked. "I'd say you made a good choice for your future."
"I know that I did." Tom turned to Neville and began a discussion about possible uses for Devils' snare in potions. Draco stood there staring with his mouth agape.
"I think you should run along, Malfoy." Hermione made a shooing movement with her hands.
The young wizard snapped to attention and sneered at her. He spun and stormed back to the Slytherin table where the others were watching with wide eyes. His red cheeks and the amused glances of the older students left little doubt that the boy was openly offended.
"I'll pay for that later." Hermione smiled and shook her head. "But it was so worth it."
"I think that's the closest Draco's ever come to the cut direct." Millie chortled. "Did you see his mouth working like a guppy's? Precious."
"Incoming." Neville growled. "One damn prince wasn't enough."
"I was expecting this one." Hermione shrugged. "Lyra and Ron never leave well enough alone."
Hermione pushed her chair back and stood as a black haired wizard arrived at the table. She frowned as he tossed a glove onto her plate. Tom went to stand, but Neville grabbed his arm and shook his head.
"You insulted my kith and kin, hag." The wizard curled his lip and stared down his nose at her. "I demand satisfaction."
"The usual place?" Hermione picked up the glove between her fingers and watched as bits of egg slopped of it to fall on the table. She didn't look at her challenger.
"I think you have a matching set now." Luna smiled at the glove. "But they are much too large for you. You should by her some smaller gloves, Harry. She has delicate hands."
The boy turned toward Luna and clenched his fist against his leg.
"I believe your fight is with me, Harry Potter." Hermione waggled the glove, sending more globs of her breakfast to the table.
"Usual place, usual time." He snarled. "You'd best teach your little pets to behave. They won't enjoy their time without you if you don't."
"Ronald Weasley cheated. The knit caps aren't fooling anyone. The word is there on his forehead. It will remain there until the professor removes it. Lyra cares more about having a boyfriend playing quidditch than honor." Hermione took a deep breath. "We can quit this now."
"No." The boy shook his shaggy head. "I'll see you later."
"Pettigrew is monitoring the dueling club today." Millie frowned. "He never challenges you on days when Professor Flitwick is in charge."
"It doesn't matter." Hermione sat down and examined her plate. "I suppose I'm done eating."
"Your dueling that wizard because of yesterday's confrontation?" Tom frowned at the Gryffindor table.
"No. I'm dueling because I am not allowed to refuse." Hermione shrugged. "We don't have a recognized house or the protections that come with one."
"He would have found another reason to challenge her." Neville shoved his plate toward the center of the table. "He ignored us for so long."
"Do we have to revisit the Yule ball nonsense again?" Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "Viktor asked me a month before any of the others."
"I know that, but you can't deny that Prince Potter was offended that you didn't wait for him." Neville glowered at his plate. "I have to spend large chunks of every summer with him."
"I'm not denying that I bruised his ego, but I wasn't wrong. Viktor actually enjoyed my company, and we all benefitted from studying with him. Harry waited to the last minute and was scrambling for a date." Hermione shook her head. "He expected me to be free."
"The motivations of Harry Potter don't matter." Greg frowned. "We're going to be late for class if we don't get a move on."
Tom watched the others grab their things while trying to categorize all of the information he'd gathered. It came as no surprise that other wizards were after his witch. She was incredible, but there was something he was missing.
"Why is this duel such an issue?" Tom whispered to Neville. "She's a very capable witch."
"She could take Potter apart bit by bit if it were fair, but Dumbledore refuses to allow us status as a house. She's not allowed a second. There's no recourse when he cheats, and he will. There's no head of house to protect us. If she doesn't take him down with her first shot, it's brutal." Neville glared at the floor. "Pettigrew immobilized her as a penalty last time. She threw a jinx of her own design without approval, and she paid for it with nine broken ribs. She's an muggleborn with no head of house or family. We are barred from helping her, and he does this at least twice a month."
"He shouldn't be here any longer." Millie shuddered and pulled her robes around her. "Everytime they let this happen..."
"Let it go, Millie." Hermione sighed. "I'll be fine."
"What happened?" Tom moved through their group to walk next to Hermione. She looked at him from the sides of her eyes.
"He threw a drink on me and ripped my dress while I was waiting for Viktor to get our cloaks." Hermione shrugged. "I hexed him." "He was hurt." Luna smiled widely. "The aurors were called when his mother demanded it be investigated. Dumbledore kept them from pulling our memories and made the issue go away."
Tom watched Hermione move slightly ahead. There was something more to tell. That much was obvious, but he wouldn't be made privy to it yet.
"Harry is a strong wizard. He's arrogant and cruel." Neville sighed. "The other Gryffs flatter him and kiss his arse. His parents and uncles spoiled him. Dumbledore adores him. Malfoy's a rotter, but I'd rather deal with him any day."