"As always, you are a feast for the eyes, my heart."

Shaking her head, Hermione took the offered hand. She knew that she was no beauty, even if her teeth were no longer too big and her hair was tamed thanks to magic. A lady like Beatrix Parkinson possessed an elegance through her posture and charisma alone that she herself would always lack. Nevertheless, she gave Tom a smile and thanked him as if it were the most natural thing in the world to hear such a compliment.

"Our relationship has changed quite a bit since the last Slug Club meeting," Tom said to her quietly, as she huffed.

Amused, Hermione giggled. "It's hard to be more negative than you and I were at the time."

"What's that I hear? Approval from the mouth of Miss Dumbledore? So you also see that we've changed for the better?"

Smiling, Hermione shook her head as she made her way to Slughorn's chambers at Tom's side. "No, not at all. I am way more positive now, you're still very negative." She lowered her voice to murmur softly to him, "That's why we're so magically attracted to each other."

Hermione felt Tom suppress a laugh beside her. His reply sounded cold, but she knew that he was also enjoying the conversation. "After all these weeks, you still see me negatively?"

She stopped so that she could look straight at him with wide eyes and an innocent smile: "Of course! That's what makes it so appealing: You're a bad boy."

For a moment, Tom obviously tried to maintain his cold mask, but then Hermione noticed the corners of his mouth twitching and he gave in. Grinning broadly, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You're probably the only witch who likes the real me better than my charming façade."

Hermione's laughter caught in her throat. Tom was probably right with his statement, and that was rather sad when one really thought about it. The fact that he hadn't had anyone in his life before her whom he trusted enough to open up spoke volumes. On the other hand, was it that much different with her? Even after so many years of friendship, Harry and Ron were still surprised when she suggested something that was against the rules or laws. It was as if they didn't want to see that side of her.

Tom obviously noticed her change of mood, "What are you thinking about, my heart?"

She sighed. "I just realised that my friends ... my friends in America never saw me for who I really am either. I was the nerd who stuck to the rules, helped them with homework, nothing more."

Somewhere inside her, resistance stirred as she uttered these words, but Hermione suppressed the feeling. Tom might be deluded in his megalomania and fanaticism, but he forced her to show her true nature from the very beginning. Tom, who just now wrapped her tightly in his arms to comfort her.

"I'm here for you, Hermione," he whispered to her, "no matter what anyone else thinks of you, I know you. I'm here."

"I hate to interrupt, but the corridors really aren't the right place to exchange endearments."

Tom let go of her immediately to turn to the speaker. "Ah, Rufus. I see you're bringing someone of your own to Professor Slughorn for the first time?"

Hermione rolled her eyes inwardly. Lestrange and Parkinson, what a combination. She doubted that Rufus was actually interested in the girl, but whatever he was planning seemed to have wider implications than she would have previously suspected. She briefly glanced up at Tom, whose face had once again become the perfect facade of a gentleman. He also seemed to realise how significant Lestrange's sudden change of heart was.

The four of them arrived at the door of Slughorn's chambers. As always, he was the perfect host, with a word of praise for the two gentlemen and choice compliments for the ladies. As always, the seating arrangements were also carefully arranged. Confused and dissatisfied, Hermione realised that she was placed between Lestrange and Abraxas instead of sitting next to Tom as before.

It wasn't long before the group was engrossed in conversation, a pleasant buzz in the room. As Abraxas to her right and Lestrange to her left were both silent, Hermione listened to the various conversations going on around the rest of the table. It didn't surprise her that Tom was seated right next to Slughorn, nor did it surprise her that the two were talking animatedly. As far as they could tell, they were talking about a difficult potion, but the volume of the room prevented her from understanding more.

"So, you're really telling me there's no love involved, Miss Dumbledore?"

She almost didn't hear Lestrange's words, he had spoken so quietly. He wasn't looking at her, but seemed to be engrossed in his food. With a quick sideways glance at Abraxas, who was staring at his plate, lost in thought, she replied, "Love is a strong word. I don't think it's appropriate."

"Tom has never treated a woman as tenderly as he does you," Lestrange insisted.

So that's where he was coming from. Naturally, he tried to find out what the brief embrace in the corridor had been about. Still whispering, she replied, "Sometimes we share things. Experiences. I'm happy to accept Tom's support. But don't misunderstand me: I don't make myself dependent on him."

"Are you sure about that? You have accepted his mark; it is only through him that you have the social standing here at Hogwarts that you so obviously enjoy. Open your eyes, Miss Dumbledore, you are already dependent."

Although he still spoke softly, there was an unyielding harshness in his voice. Hermione shuddered. Was Lestrange just trying to turn her against Tom? Did he not realise how dangerous that was if he misjudged her loyalties? She looked over at Tom briefly. He was still engaged in a conversation with Slughorn, but she could tell by the way his shoulders tensed that he hadn't missed the fact that she was talking to Lestrange out of his earshot. Whispering, she explained, "You misunderstand, Mr Lestrange. My loyalty belongs to Tom, but that doesn't mean I'm dependent on him. Or are you dependent on him just because you also bear his mark?"

"My name alone is enough to secure my independence," Lestrange hissed. In the meantime, he put his fork and knife aside and turned his full attention to her. He no longer tried to hide his conversation with her from the others, although he still spoke quietly.

"Your name means nothing," Hermione said coldly. Of course, she wasn't naïve enough to underestimate the importance of the old pureblood families. But she knew that no one would dispute Tom's role as leader. It was dangerous for this young man to even try. "A word of warning. You massively underestimate Tom. And you underestimate my openness towards him."

"Are you worried about me?"

For the first time since they started talking, Hermione looked directly at the person sitting next to her. She didn't like Rufus Lestrange, there was something about him that gave her the creeps. But at the end of the day, even he was just a seventeen-year-old boy who didn't know what he was getting himself into here. She had no idea how the Lestrange family would fare, all she knew was that they were followers of Voldemort. If Rufus rebelled against Tom too much, she risked upsetting the timeline. She looked him straight in the eye. "Yes."

Surprise was clearly visible on his features. "Yes?"

"We both know how little sympathy we have for each other. But that doesn't mean I actually want you dead," she explained, before pointing at Tom with a short nod of her head. "Tom knows we're talking and he'll want to know what it was about. Hence my warning. I won't keep what we talked about from him."

A calculating look came into his eyes. "Did you tell him about our conversation a week and a half ago?"

"No," she replied, "I had no reason to. Nothing that was said in that conversation would be helpful to Tom in any way. But if you want to keep hinting that you see yourself as independent of Tom and want to turn on him, I won't keep quiet about it."

Suddenly his hand was on her thigh. He moved a little closer and murmured to her, "Rubbish. I can see through you, Hermione Dumbledore. You were toying with the idea of leaving him for me, and now you're trying to convince yourself with empty promises that you'll stick by Tom."

Hermione blinked several times. Where by Merlin's beard did Rufus get this crazy idea? Did he think he was so irresistible that he couldn't help but assume that all women fancied him? Hadn't she made her point when he'd ambushed her on the way to Astronomy?

"Don't say I didn't warn you, Rufus. You're blind. Now take your hand away."

To her astonishment, Lestrange instantly obeyed her request. There was amusement in his voice as he replied, "Don't worry, Hermione. I don't underestimate you or Tom, and I know what part you play in his plan. But don't think I'm going to stand idly by."

Hermione laughed in disbelief. "You know what part I play in his plan? Congratulations, you know more than I do."

Shaking his head, Rufus turned away from her to speak to his neighbour at the table to his left. Hermione, meanwhile, caught a glance from Tom. He raised an eyebrow questioningly. She just shrugged her shoulders in response and formed "later" with her lips. Grinning, he nodded.

Carefully, she nudged Abraxas on her other side. "Abraxas?"

As if she pulled him out of his thoughts, he winced. "What? Oh, Hermione. I'm sorry, forgive me for being so inattentive. Did you say something?"

"No, but you seemed so lost in thought. Is everything all right?"

He shook his head, shoulders slumped. "You're worrying too much about me, Hermione."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"No, it doesn't."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but there was nothing to say in response. Whatever was going on in his head, Abraxas clearly had no interest in sharing it with her. Thoughtfully, her eyes wandered back to Tom. Had something happened between him and Abraxas? Or did his absent attitude have something to do with their last conversation? Sighing, she turned back to her food.

oOoOoOo

Surrounded by a barrier of warmth that provided just enough space for her and Tom, Hermione walked with him around the Hogwarts grounds after the club meeting. He invited her to do so, not allowing any protest.

"So, what did you talk about with Rufus?"

She was only too willing to share the contents of the conversation with Tom. She had warned Rufus, but he obviously imagined that she wouldn't betray him.

"He's come to the conclusion that I'm not loyal to you and that, on the contrary, I'm interested in him."

Tom couldn't suppress a laugh. "He said that?"

Hermione had to grin as well. "Yes, quite literally. We've talked about it before, but I think we can assume that Rufus is no longer willing to just follow you around."

Tom nodded slowly. "I expected that from the start. At least since he's been wearing the mark, he seems to have realised that he has nothing to say. I take it you didn't honour my request?"

Hermione angrily clawed her hand into Tom's arm. "Of course not. I've told you clearly that I won't play these kinds of games. Manipulation with sex? That's below the belt and completely out of line."

"But effective," Tom returned impassively.

Hermione knew he was right. Nothing in the history of mankind was as effective as sexual promises when it came to manipulating other people. But that didn't mean she approved of it. Despite everything she'd done with Tom, she wasn't prepared to use her body against other students just like that.

"Rufus knows that, by the way," she said without responding to his objection, "He's obviously realised what your little stunt with Abraxas was really meant to achieve. So even if I tried to manipulate him that way, it wouldn't work because he knows. He expects me to try to manipulate him."

"Oh, Rufus," Tom muttered as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "He never lets me down. Of course he'd see through it straight away. I was wondering why he's suddenly bringing a girl to Slughorn's party. He's following my example and gathering his own followers. Exciting."

"Are you going to let him?" Hermione asked, although she already knew the answer.

"Of course not. We'll see how long that mouse thinks he's the cat."