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Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe belongs to JK Rowling.
Tom Riddle stalked from his Head dorm looking perfectly put together, as always. With one last glance at a mirror, Tom swept out of his dorm, robes billowing behind him.
Everything was so boring. His classes were laughable simple and none of his Knights had anything to report. The year had been dreadfully dull. If anything, Tom supposed he could torture another mudblood. All he had to do was sit through the breakfast assembly Headmaster Dippet mandated.
Tom disinterestedly stirred his tasteless oatmeal. He was beginning to work through the finer details of the future torture that his followers were too dull to think through.
Tom's thoughts were interrupted by the scratchy irritance that was the voice of Headmaster Dippet. Like the perfect Head Boy image Tom portrayed, he turned his attention to the man.
After clearing his throat, Dippet started, "First off, the usual announcements. Stay out of the Forbidden Forrest." Tom could have sworn Dippet's eyes flashed towards himself. "Also, remember to serve your detentions, failure to do so will result in harsher penalties."
Dippet turned to his side and motioned towards a woman. Tom's interest was perked when he recognized the woman he saved in the Forrest. She stepped forward. She stood in a soldier-esque manner. Her feet were planted shoulder width apart and he hands were clasped neatly in front of her body.
Tom, priding himself on his ability to read people, saw through her façade. Her eyes scanned the Great Hall in an assessing manner, as if she was preparing for a battle. Her hands were clasped, but her thumbs twiddled, betraying her nervousness.
Dippet introduced her. "Everyone, give a warm welcome to Hermione Laird. She has come to Hogwarts after her town was devastated in a battle against the Dark Lord. Please, treat her kindly. Now, Miss Laird will be Sorted."
Hermione, Tom thought with a smirk, calmly sat on the stool usually reserved for first years. Her back was straight and her face went stoic. The old wheezing Sorting Hat was placed in her head. After almost five minutes, the Hat shouted "Slytherin!"
Applause ran out from the Slytherin table. Tom joined in and inspected his new housemate. She seemed to pale, but looked resigned at what the Hat called out.
Hermione stood. Once more, Dippet spoke, "One last announcement before classes. Miss Laird is an expletory student with flawless scores. I have observed her strength of character in the short amount of time we have talked. It is for these reasons that I would like to appoint Miss Laird to fill the capacity of Head Girl."
The roar from Slytherin House was deafening. It is very rare to have both Head Boy and Girl to be in the same house.
"With that," Dippet concluded, "breakfast is over. Please go immediately to your first class of the day."
Everyone began to filter out of the Great Hall, but Tom stayed behind. He had the prefect excuse of getting to know his fellow Head and showing her to her classes. With a smirk, Tom approached Hermione in a decidedly predatory manner.
After a short, courteous meeting with Headmaster Dippet, Hermione found herself in the Great Hall much sooner than she liked. Professionally, Hermione stood before what would become her peers. Her eyes scanned the room, another war habit she acquired.
Hermione shook herself from her thoughts when she heard Dippet tell her to come forward and be Sorted. Hermione felt a bolt of pain. She sat down on the ramshackled stool and stared out at a sea of unfamiliar faces.
Hermione sat and the weight of the familiar Sorting Hat was put on her head.
Hello Hermione Granger. A little before your time, is it not? The Hat asked.
Hermione quickly recounted the situation to the Hat. It sifted through her memories, breezing past barriers that skilled Legilimencists couldn't break.
I'm sorry about the war. You have the chance to fix things, what will you do?
Hermione considered. I supposed you could put me in Gryffindor. Volde- Riddle will hate me immediately and I could kill him.
Tut-tut Hermione. I don't think you need to kill the future Dark Lord.
Then what do I do?
Hmm, well, that is up to you. Let's just say for all of the nonsense Dumbledore enjoys sprouting, some parts are actually correct. Parts like the ability of love to change people.
No! I can't fall in love with Riddle. He's already killed people!
Perhaps love is the wrong word. Let's just say you have his interest. If you show him your power, he will be interested in you and not world domination, or whatever that scheme of his is.
Hermione sighed, Well, of course I'll take your advice. Now, what House am I in?
Hmm, Miss Granger this is much trickier than when you were younger. You have been changed drastically by the war. In some ways, your prejudice clouds your judgment.
What prejudice?! I fought against-
Miss Granger, you have become a different person. Surely you see that. The Hat flipped through her memories of herself on the run with her best friends and the deaths she had witnessed.
The Hat continued, Ponder my words. This time, there is no option. It is very clear your House. Protect yourself; if you need me, you know where to find me.
"Slytherin!" The Sorting Hat roared. An uproarious applause rose from Hermione's new House.
Hermione felt her face drain of blood as she looked towards the House that was, for all intents and purposes, the opposite of her own. Listening to Dippet's ending speech, Hermione was grateful she was Head Girl so she didn't have to sleep in a den of snakes.
Numbly, Hermione wordlessly changed the color of her tie and insignia on her robes to match her new House. She walked mindlessly to her first class of the day, Arithmancy.
Hermione knock straight into a body on her way out of the Great Hall. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized it was Tom Riddle. No one else could be mistaken for his angelically pale skin and contrasting black hair and eyes.
"Hermione, this does seem to be becoming a habit." Tom's eye shone with amusement. He had a classic Slytherin smirk in place.
"My apologizes Riddle. I was just going to my first class." Hermione attempted to walk by him.
Tom simply turned heel and walked with her, his long legs easily keeping pace. "Well, this is your first day. Allow me to assist you to your classes, Hermione."
Hermione gulped and handed Tom her schedule. Tom quirked an eyebrow at her all NEWT schedule. "This is a very impressive schedule, on par with mine. In fact, we seem to share every class except for Transfigurations. Isn't that lovely?"
Hermione squeaked out, "Yes. Lovely. I would prefer to be called Laird."
Tom replied with an amused tone, "Hermione, I believe saving your life would put us on a first-name basis."
"Riddle, I said I would prefer to be called Laird," Hermione reiterated.
Tom apparently decided that he wasn't going to fight this battle. "Of course, Laird, anything the lady wants. But tell me just one thing, how have you been leading us to Professor Belby's classroom despite this being your third day?"
Hermione flushed. "I studied Hogwarts while I was at home. I had two friends at home who went here some time ago. They told me about it. They are a large reason why I am here," Hermione finished in a wistful tone, thinking about Harry and Ron.
Tom looked down on the woman he was walking with. She was a curious creature. Hermione, the name rolled off his tongue, didn't react at all to his ministrations, but blushed when he brought up her past. Intriguing.
Tom "accidentally" stepped closer to Hermione, but she kept their spacing even with the grace of a dancer. Hermione looked around interestedly, but not at Hogwarts, rather at the people. He supposed he couldn't fault her for that. Showing up as she did is bound to be overwhelming.
Finally, Tom and Hermione arrived at Arithmancy. Hermione took a seat next to Tom, the only one that was open. Hermione looked uncomfortable to be in such close proximity. Tom smirked, thinking his charm was beginning to work on her.
Tom reclined back in his chair and listened to Professor Belby lecture. Yesterday, the learned about derivatives to today it was integrals.
Belby asked, "Can anyone tell me equivalent names for an integral?"
Hermione surprised everyone by shooting her hand in the air, faster even than Tom. "Sir, integration is another part of speech. The word integral can be substituted for antiderivative. Antiderivative the more precise term that tells you how to find the integral, but many mathematicians use integral as to avoid confusion."
Belby sent Hermione a wide smile, "Ten points to Slytherin for the correct answer and another ten points for flawless reasoning. Well done Miss Laird."
Tom clenched his jaw and worked to control his anger. No one showed him up in class. Perhaps he was getting lazy because he never had any competition. Well he would show Hermione exactly how flawless he could be.
Throughout the day, Tom grew more frustrated. In Double Potions, Slughorn doted on Tom, like usual, but quickly realized what a wonderful student Miss Laird was.
Tom was so distracted that Hermione had to stop him before he added the wrong ingredient into a potion and it exploded. Slughorn praised her quick thinking and gave Tom a disappointed glance.
Tom was pissed.
His entire day was screwed up because of Hermione. This made him so much more eager to figure out what made her so special.
During lunch and his free period, Tom plotted, as any Slytherin would, how to get back at Hermione. He couldn't sabotage her in class, because everyone knew she was an amazing student by now.
Tom recalled that for some reason Hermione seemed uncomfortable when he was close. Tom quickly decided on a course of action and sent a message out to his Knights via his second-in-command, Abraxas Malfoy. They were not to harm the girl, but they should make her life difficult.
Tom's plan in motion, he went back to his Head dorm. Tom smirked to himself and quickly finished his homework for the day.
Tom swiftly went down to the dungeons, to the Slytherin common room. He sat at a chair in a corner to observe the action that will occur. Now, all he had to do was wait for his brown-haired witch to appear.