Extra Ordinary (Riddle Era)

Chapter 3

By the end of their first conversation, Tom was thoroughly bored with Lucy Steele. After her introduction, she'd sat down, pulled out her notes and the textbook and started drawing an outline, of all things. There was no conversation, no introduction past her name. Nothing. She might as well have had no personality at all. And really, Tom wouldn't have cared except that this was not remotely conducive to his plans.

This was supposed to be the part where he got to know her. Or at least, enough about her to make sure he could ingratiate himself. And instead of even attempting to make conversation, she was cross referencing her notes with the book and monologuing about how best to break the project up while wondering if it was a terrible idea to bring in potions because there might be an underlying similarity to draughts of euphoria and even felix felicis.

Really, Tom might have dismissed her as just another hardworking Hufflepuff, were it not for the fact that he didn't know anything about her. Not a single damn thing. Which might have been understandable since he hadn't seen her around, but then in class, she'd been sitting next to him. She'd had the chance to introduce herself and make conversation and he'd have the chance to look her over and make guesses and yet... nothing. She wore the default uniform without a single embellishment. Her book bag was plain and had only the required course books. Her quill was black and normal and her ink the same that half the class used.

She was a blank slate even to his discerning eyes. And it didn't help that she'd offered no more than her name before leaping straight into business. No comments about the class or the project, no mention of her schedule. Even when she'd suggested they meet up in the library later, she'd simply asked him what his schedule was and then set a time without a single mention of her own courses.

And true, it could have all just been coincidences, he knew that, but it was strange enough that Tom couldn't help but wonder if she was doing it on purpose. If she was avoiding letting him know anything about her and being intentionally guarded. Like she was... wary of him.

That wasn't a comfortable thought, of course. But then, neither were the rest of his thoughts. This afternoon hadn't gone at all according to plan. True, he knew what the project was now. But when he'd told Steele that he was finished with classes by dinner most days and could work his homework around whenever she wanted to meet, a comment made primarily to reinforce the idea that his homework took him far less time and effort than everyone else, she'd suggested they meet up tonight. Which meant he wouldn't have the chance to study ahead and he'd be relying on what he already knew. Which was a lot, of course, but he couldn't guarantee that it was enough to maintain that sterling reputation.

Add in the fact that his goal of making this stranger less strange had been completely upended and Tom was frustrated to the point of distraction. Which was also an issue because he was not supposed to be distracted.

Thankfully, no one commented on it at dinner and Tom wasn't actually sure if they'd noticed. Really, they behaved perfectly normally and when he grabbed his bag and headed for the library at seven thirty, they offered him grimaces of sympathy at the ridiculous work ethic of Hufflepuffs that he simply smiled about lest the nearby Hufflepuff table hear anything.

In the library, he found Steele already sitting at a table, just as she'd said she'd be. Apparently she didn't care at all if anyone thought she had to work hard because the table was strewn with transfiguration books that she closed and stacked to make space for him as he approached.

"Sorry about the mess," she apologized with a little laugh that Tom thought might have been an almost nervous sound. "Lost track of time."

Tom smiled politely as he dropped his book bag in the spare chair. "Do you want to grab dinner and come back?" he asked, playing at concern in the hopes that he might actually make her hold a conversation with him before jumping into schoolwork.