Never Say Never (Tomione AU)

- "Don't hold back." -

The next day, the second week of classes began. As Hermione strolls into the great hall, a ton of books clamped under her arm, she knocks into a familiar face with a mane of auburn hair. "Georgia!" She exclaims, surprise evident in her voice. 

Georgia looks up, eyes wide with recognition. "Sorry!" she murmurs. "I'm in a rush though. I have DADA today, and they all say Professor Merrythought is really strict." Georgia throws a pointed gaze at the books Hermione is carrying. "Let me guess, Library?" she asks.

Nodding, Hermione grins. "Yes. I have a free period. I'm going to use it for studying. I have DADA too today, in the afternoon. With the Gryffindors." She pulls a grimace.

"Hey, my Mum's a Gryffindor!" Georgia laughs, but she seems unbothered. "See you later!" Running past her, in a flurry of robes, she disappears in the crowd of students exiting the hall.

"I wish I didn't have to see you later." 

Turning around, Hermione finds the source of the voice, the ever smug face of Tom Riddle. "No one asked for your opinion, Riddle." She hisses back through gritted teeth, but Tom only smirks. "You're easy to provoke today." He observes. Hermione stays silent. "What's the matter, Granger? Cat got your tongue?"

She only glares up at him, defiance pouring from her. Tom only shrugs. "Well, we'll see how you do in DADA when we duel, Granger. Get used to losing your spot as top of the class." He spins away from her and gracefully glides along the tables.

"Wait! How do you know what we're doing in DADA?" Her voice is laced with suspicion.

Tom Riddle doesn't acknowledge her, but she can hear his catchphrase ringing in her head.

Quietly, she murmurs the answer to her own question. "A man without friends is a man without power."

Later that day, she makes her way to the DADA classroom, apprehensive. Outside it, a line of students is already forming, bustling and chatting with glee. In the crowd, she can see the glossy brown hair of Tom Riddle, and beside him, the hunching form of Abraxas Malfoy. Eyes narrowed, she joins the line.

After a while, the door opens and a small, thin witch pokes out her head. Neatly styled grey hair sits upon her head, and wrinkles and lines are etched into her aging skin. She stands straight, her head held high. Professor Mary Merrythought, the new DADA teacher.

"Class! Please enter." Her voice is harsh, and the students fall silent at the tone. Already, Hermione can tell: this is not a woman to be messed with.

On the way in, she hears Malfoy boasting his father himself suggested the Professor for the position, and that the Professor is indebted to the Malfoys. For once, she notices she is not the only one who rolls her eyes, but Riddle also. He seems annoyed with Malfoy, and rather than listening to him, is watching the Professor like a hawk.

After the register is done, the Professor announces they will be duelling, just to see their skill level. 

The first pair is Druella Rosier and Lysandra Yaxley. A grin sneaks upon Hermione's face as Lysandra completely destroys Druella, reducing the latter to tears, despite their supposed status as friends. 

Next, Abraxas Malfoy goes against a Gryffindor, and to Hermione's disappointment, wins. He throws her a grin as the teacher comments on his excellent wand work.

Soon, almost everyone in the class has gone. "Hermione Granger." Professor Merrythought shouts, calling her to the middle of the room. With a drop of her jaw, Hermione realises who is left.

"Tom Riddle!" The professor shouts again, and he saunters through the huddle of students, smirking at her. With an elegant flick, he draws his wand, which glimmers in the light, polished and clean.

Hermione mirrors him, flourishing her wand, intricate and symbols carved along it, and adopts the typical duelling stance. "Don't hold back, Riddle." She calls to him, her brown eyes staring right at him.

He laughs. "I wasn't planning on it."

Professor Merrythought interrupts their exchange. "Three, two, one, BEGIN!" 

At once, Hermione throws up a shield. "Protego Maxima!" she shouts, and a bright blue glow encompasses her. Several bystanders turn away from the blinding light. 

With a snarl, Riddle rains a torrent of spells upon her, and her shield absorbs each, yet it becomes heavy and weak. Quickly, Hermione vanishes her shield and shoots a Stupefy at him. Riddle dodges easily, and shoots a Petrificus Totalus at her, and she dances out of the way.

Then, the true chaos begins. Spell after spell  hails upon the two,  the ground beneath them cracking with heat and energy. Some of the audience scream and even the teacher shrinks back a little surprised at the surge of power. Hermione wipes sweat from her brow as she blocks his spells, gritting her teeth in fury.

She knows, to win, she's going to have to up her game. 

With a Diffindo, she shoots at him. Neither can hear the teacher shouting "NON LETHAL SPELLS ONLY."  

Even Hermione's arsenal of spells is starting to twindle. Confringo: A Blasting Charm; causes items the charm comes in contact with to burst into flames. Reducto, the Reductor Curse; breaks objects and in its strongest form has the ability to disintegrate them. 

Hermione twirls around under a barrage of spells, dozens of jets of light leaving her wand. Her movements are sharp, calculated, and she blocks out everything, everything but the dark form of Tom Riddle. 

She pours the fury, the frustration from all those moments she's been bullied, tormented, humiliated. Every single charm is filled with a heated passion, a passion to destroy.

Hermione notices Tom's right side is weaker. She pulls up another shield, and Tom starts focusing all energy on breaking. But she won't break. After a while, his spells start to weaken slightly, and she notices his pace slowing.

With a final roar of exhaustion, she rips down her shield and aims a Expelliarmus at his rights side. Riddle's eyes widenen, and desperately, he throws up his wand at an attempt to shield himself. But even then, staring through him, Hermione knows she won.

A howl erupts from Riddle as he is thrown across the room, his wand lying meters away from him, unreachable. With a ear piercing crack, his body hits the wall, going limp like a ragdoll.

It is done.

The sweet taste of triumph fills Hermione's mouth,  and she savors every second of it.

Professor Merrythought regains her posture. "Someone take Mr Riddle to the Infirmary. Malfoy, do it." Trying to control the crowds of students, she doesn't focus on Hermione.

With a haughty smirk, she walks to Riddle and helps him up, his stare burning at her.

Hermione Granger. The mudblood who was tormented, and hated. But now she's beaten him. She has him lying in the dirt in front if her, powerless, at her mercy. What a dream.