vows // tomione [ON HOLD]

VII

Hermione's hours passed into days passed into weeks. Her first month of school flew by and before she knew it, she was now in October. Unfortunately for her, along with October came the annual Hallowe'en Ball. She didnt want to go, as she knew she wouldn't have a date, yet her new friends kept begging her to.

Her new friends being Bryan Weasley, Nick Potter, Narcissa Nitt, Treala Brown and Bruton Longbottom.

She just shook her head and laughed everytime they begged and pleaded for her to come. A part of her wanted to go, but only if she had a date.

As the Ball neared, the group of them stood outside in the schoolyard after class as they always did. After they had begged her one more time in the schoolyard, Treala clicked her tongue and crossed her arms.

"Hermione! If you're waiting on Tom, he will obviously ask you! Stop second guessing yourself. For Merlins sake, woman." she rubbed her temples.

Hermione froze, mouth agape at what she just said.

"That's not....I'm not waiting on him! He's vile....and....and he's just not what I'm looking for!" She exclaimed, trying to rid her friends of any thoughts that she may like Tom. It was absurd!

"Right..." Bryan said as he, Treala and Nick shared a look.

"Stop! Why do you lot think that?!" Hermione crossed her arms as she huffed in annoyance.

"We're human. We feel the tension." Nick responded with an answer that Hermione didn't want.

"That's probably just the cold weather giving you goosebumps since you don't bundle up." She pointed at his bare arms out. The Potter boy rolled his eyes before Bryan spoke up this time.

"Seriously, 'Mione. You need to come with us. Especially since it's your first time." Hermione almost laughed. It most definitely wasn't her first Hallowe'en Ball.

"But..." As she began to try and retaliate at the girl, Hermione watched as her friend's' eyes slightly widen at something behind her.

"Speak of the devil." Hermione took a deep breath when she realized who was behind her. She turned around slowly to find him standing with his hands in his coat pocket.

"We'll be on our way. See you, H." Treala whispered, even as Hermione shook her head and silently pleaded for her to stay. All she got in return was a wink from Treala, which made Hermione want to stupefy her.

Hermione stared at the empty space in front of her before turning around again. Shockingly, Tom stood patiently and was watching her as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Riddle." She stared at the Slytherin logo on his jacket. Anything to not look directly at him, because right now, the awkwardness was killing her.

"Granger." He said. It almost felt like he was.....flirting?

"Don't tell me you're still on that mission to find out "the real me"?" She asked, feeling confident enough to maintain eye-contact. The girl watched a muscle tick in his jaw before he began speaking.

"Actually, no. I'm done with that." She tilted her head in confusion.

"You're not important enough to try and find out about." Hermione gave a fake smile.

"Then I really don't know why we're having this conversation." She leaned down to pick up her pen that she didn't realize had dropped, but he picked it up and handed it to her.

"Thanks." She didn't mean to, but she grabbed it aggressively from his hand.

"I was actually wondering if you wanted to go to the Ball." Hermione had to stop herself from pinching herself. There was no way he was asking her to the Ball. And if he were, there was definitely some kind of scheme behind it.

"Why?...." She asked, her voice trailing off as she eyed him suspiciously. Trust was a hard thing for her, especially when it meant trusting a future Dark Lord.

"Because I don't have a date and neither do you." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Oh, so your fans weren't good enough then?" He pursed his lips as if trying to hold himself from saying something.

"Its a yes or no question, Granger." He said, starting to sound annoyed. Hermione knew it would've been a good idea to go with him, but she didn't want to give him what he wanted.

"No. I have a date." He looked taken aback for a quick second, but quickly regained his hard facade.

"No you don't." She nodded triumphantly.

"Actually, Bryan just asked me." He clenched his jaw as he looked away from her.

"Maybe another time?" The brunette girl smiled innocently as she watched the boy in front of her sneer at her before storming off.