Saving Tom Riddle [Tomione]

Chapter 6

This is divided into four parts: the expulsion, the message, ‘except us’, and the Hallowe’en Ball.

It’s really short.

Hope you enjoy…don’t forget to vote and comment!

***

HERMIONE’S POV

Parkinson’s expulsion was largely unceremonious.

The Minister looked furious at her the whole time.

When he snapped her wand in half, she showed no emotion.

***

It was the weekend, and I had finally decided to take down the final barrier between Tom and me.

I wrote a message on a piece of parchment and then walked out to the courtyard.

I tried to visualise the scene where, 55 years later, the battle would be.

Finally, I found the place where Ron and I would stand, and buried the parchment there in the earth.

I stepped back guiltily, half hoping Ron would never write the message.

But it was necessary, I told myself, if I needed to gain Tom’s trust and get him not to kill Harry.

I did it for Harry’s life, I told myself.

I may not have needed to do it, but I gave him the message anyway.

Just in case.

***

Back in the Common Room, everyone seemed very subdued, particularly Parkinson’s group.

I sat down in the corner of the room and began writing my Transfiguration essay – Professor Dumbledore always set us a long essay to write for homework.

A few minutes later, someone came and sat down next to me.

“Hello, Tom,” I greeted him without bothering to look up.

“Hello, Hermione.”

When we had finished all our work, we just sat together in silence.

Some people around us were talking in hushed voices, others were openly glaring at us.

I shifted awkwardly under their glares.

“They all hate us now because we got Parkinson expelled,” Tom told me.

“I didn’t realise she was so popular with the other years,” I commented.

Tom nodded. “She was popular witheveryone.”

“Except us,” I reminded him.

He nodded, gazing distantly at the Common Room’s door.

“Except us.”

***

One week later, it was the day of the Hallowe’en Ball. Tom had convinced Narcissa Nott to do my make-up.

As a result, we’d been in our dormitory for at least an hour while Narcissa decided what would work best.

“…Abraxas and I are going to dance for as long as possible,” she was saying. “How about you and Tom? Are you going to dance for much longer after the Prefects’ Dance?”

I shrugged. “We haven’t really talked about the dance, actually. We haven’t even talked about the Ball since he asked me to it,” I admitted.

“You do know how to dance, don’t you?” she asked anxiously.

“Of course!” I knew from the Yule Ball in my fourth year. But I knew that dancing with Tom Riddle would be completely different to dancing with Viktor Krum.

Finally, Narcissa was finished. I walked out of the Common Room with her and we found Tom and Abraxas easily enough.

The Prefects got into a line – there were six pairs because the two Gryffindor Prefects and the two Ravenclaw Prefects were going together.

Tom smiled at me. “Narcissa did a good job. You look beautiful.”

I blushed. “Thankyou.”

We had to walk into the Great Hall holding hands, then turn to face each other.

I barely restrained myself from looking around, at all the decorations, like a curious child.

We danced for a long time, late into the night. Occasionally we stopped to go and get some food.

When we exited the Hall to go back to the Common Room, Narcissa and Abraxas were still dancing.

Back in the Common Room, we sat on the floor – all the seats were taken by younger students who had not been permitted to attend the Ball.

Tiredly, I rested my head on Tom’s shoulder and closed my eyes.

I fell asleep that way, and Tom didn’t complain.