Cat and Mouse (Tomione)

Chapter 7

           Tap...Tap...Tap... The sound was irritating but comforting at the same time. I young wizard had write down everything they knew about the charms theory but they still felt like their work was unfinished. Tap...Tap....Tap... That damn noise again. Where was it coming from?  Tap...Tap...Tap... That was it. The wizard scan the dimly lite room with their eyes when it finally landed on a jet black owl pecking at the window to gain shelter from the frigid rain.

            Pointing their wand at the window, it swung open with force, bashed against the walls. As soon as the owl sat on its perch by the desk of the young student was at, the window slammed closed and locked loudly. A yellow note was tied to the birds leg. With in seconds it was untied and spread across the desk. This is what they were waiting for. This precious piece of information was key to all there problems.

                                                                         ***earlier that day***

             Hermione sat in the widow ledge far back in the library. To her dismay the book Dumbledore had given her only helped her so much. I explained everything she need to know about going back in time and the theories behind traveling back through decades but absolutely nothing about going forward. The frustration was getting to her so much that's she started pulling at her hair. The book had a sequel but the sequel was even more rare then the first book. The first book was rare to begin with. She would probably have better luck talking to the writer herself but for finding the second book. Arthur M. Pentwaiter, the man should be around 70 years old right now. After placing the book in her bag she went to Dumbledore to ask more about Mr. Pentwaiter.

           Dumbledore couldn't give her much on the man besides the fact that he was last known the be living in Venus, Italy. Great, just great was all Hermione could think of. The more time she spent in this time the more of a chance she could ruin her own. Now was a time to find out where Mr. Pentwaiter lived and to explain her situation to him.

                                                                         ***Lunch time***

            Tom had watched Hermione for most of the day. He noticed how she had slight variations from the other girls. The way she sat, her sentence structure, to what shoes she wore. She was very peculiar to him. As he watched her, he wrote down everything about her from her looks to her assortment of books. One book in particular gained his attention. He could tell it was glamoured by why would she be hiding that book and from who?

            At dinner Hermione joined the boys once again with Druella by her side. She sat at her place next to Abraxas. To her surprise Tom was not there yet. He never missed dinner since she had started there. Abraxas chatted about the up coming quidditch match. It would be the first of the year, Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor.

          Half way through dinner Tom entered the great hall and swiftly sat on Hermione's other side forcing Druella to move down. A  questioning look appeared on every members of the groups faces except for Tom and Abraxas, who carried on like nothing ever happened. Both girls fell completely silent as dinner went on.

          To Hermione's dismay Tom insisted on escorting her to common room so they could talk. Coming to Hermione's rescue Druella interfered and was able to save her. The girls practically ran to common room. "Hermione, Why do you dislike Tom so much?"

"It's that obvious isn't it?"

"Yeah but you didn't answer my question. Why?"

"It' s a long story that I would have to make you take a vow to listen to."

"Hermione....Tell me."

"You wont see me the same after. In fact you wont see anything the same after."

"Hermoine look at me." Druella grabbed Hermine by her shoulder so they could look each other in the eye. "Tell me everything."

Hermione huffed but accepted. "Just not here in the open though."

The girls descended the stairs to Hermione's room. Where Druella flopped onto Hermione's bed. "Okay so tell me everything."

"First I need you to make a vow of silence first."

"Hermione if he's done something illegal to you, you have to go to the aurors about it. I know what a vow of silence mean. So I know this is seirous."

"It's complicated Druella. Just please do the vow."

"Fine but you will spared no details and I'm allowed to see your memories then in a pencive."

"Done."

That night Druella learn about things she deemed impossible and was disgusted but surprisingly not with Hermione. Hermione never let her know last names just to be safe but she showed Druella everything.

"You know Hermione, the question of your blood status will come up soon. People already are asking questions. Tell them your a half blood with a pureblood mother. It's the safest way to go since your last name is obviously muggle."

"I figured as much."

"Riddle is looking into you so be prepared for the worst and have a back up plan."

"I know. Can I ask you a question Druella."

"Let me guess yo want to know why I'm being so nice to you." Hermione could only nod her head in response. "It's a shame to my family but you might as well know. When I was four my mother had another child. I loved my sibling like there was one tomorrow since we were the only girls in the house. I started to show magical abilities by the age of seven. When Andramica turned five she had an accident. Her skull was cracked open and her brain injured. The healers told our mother that Andy would never be able to do magic. I would kill her since her brain would explode from the pressure the magic would put on her. Andy became a muggle but my mother didn't know she is a muggle let a lone that she's alive. Andramica was supposed to die that year in October. My father was supposed to smother her with a pillow until she died. My mother wanted her to suffer since she would never be able to preform magic. My father couldn't do it. He loved Andy to much. So he placed her by a muggle hospital after erasing her memories. Father and I go every so often to see her but she will never remember us.  Her name now is Andria Mitchel Granger. The muggles that took her in are very kind and as far as I knew right now she's seeing a nice boy that brings her gifts and cherishes her."

Hermione processed the new information quickly. Andria Mitchel Granger was her grandmother. She remembered the stories her grandparents would tell her about how they were high school sweet hearts and hope grandpa took her last name after many arguments. That means Druella Black was Hermione's great aunt. She wanted to cry and hug Druella while telling her everything but she knew that would only complicate things much further.

Some time later Druella left Hermione's room for her own as Hermione sat at her desk and waited for a letter back from Mr. Pentwaiter.

In the boys dormitory Tom Riddle was doing the same as Hermione but waiting for a letter from a different person. Abraxas had informed him on their way to common room about a specialist who was looking into Miss Vogel for them by any means necessary. Earlier that week Abraxas had collected a blood sample from Hermione by "helping" her after hers and Toms duel. She was bleeding and he had quickly taken a handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to her wound. That following night he sent it off for information. So now Tom sat at his desk waiting for the letter hopeful arrival.