Out of Time

Wagers

Hermione dreaded this day, she was sure after the week was through, Tom would ignore her. Though the kiss had caught her off guard. It gave her hope, and hope is a dangerous thing. She skipped breakfast and went straight to the library, it was empty. She sat at the usual table, deciding to read a book while she waited.

Tom walked into the library and saw Hermione, reading. She was chewing on her bottom lip, deep in concentration. He was pleased, she was coming along nicely.

"Good morning." He said, watching her jump in surprise. "Are you always so jumpy?" He asked.

"Only when you sneak up on me." she said closing the book.

"I wasn't sneaking, you were just completely involved in your book." Tom explained sitting down next to her.

"What did you want to do today?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, what would you do if you had free time and nothing to do?" He asked.

"Well, normally I would study, but we have done that all week." She felt stupid.

"Come with me." He said standing up.

She accepted his hand and stood. She followed him through the school. She realized they were going to the 7th floor. 

"Tom, are we going to the room of requirement?"

"Yes."

"Why would we be going there?" She asked a bit worried.

"You'll see." he said.

The door appeared and they walked in. Hermione was shocked, he brought her to a dueling room? She looked over at Tom. He was removing his outer robes and rolling up his sleeves.

"Are we dueling?" she asked.

"Yes, I think we should."

Hermione was a bit scared. No, not scared, she was nervous, and excited. She shrugged out of her outer robe and laid it to the side. She rolled her sleeves as well, she walked to her end of the dueling area and drew her wand.

Tom was excited, she didn't cower away, she was actually going to duel him. He moved to the opposite end and drew his wand. They bowed, before he had righted himself, she had thrown the first spell. They dueled back and forth, until they were both bruised and exhausted.

Tom finally bested her with a weak but effective expelliarmus. The two collapsed on the floor.

"I am impressed." Tom said laughing.

"I am exhausted." Hermione said laughing.

"You really are great, no one has lasted that long dueling with me." he told her, smiling.

Hermione flushed at the complement. The two of them got up and righted their clothes and grabbed their things. They walked to the Gryffindor Tower, Hermione ran up to grab two healing potions and back down to the hallway. She handed the small vial to Tom. she smiled and drank hers, feeling the bruises vanish.

 Tom looked at the potion, "Healing draught?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yea, I don't want people to think I let you get hurt on my watch." She joked.

He drank the small potion, allowing it to heal the small bruising. He watched her as she checked him over.

"All healed." she said.

"All healed." He agreed.

They headed down to eat lunch. Still in the damned kitchens. Tom would get her out of the kitchens eventually. He knew that. They were finishing eating when Tom had a brilliant idea.

"Hermione, are you still going to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yes, but I doubt it will be for long, everyone you are friends with hates me." She said, hating how pathetic she sounded.

"They won't give you any trouble. I told you." He said, baiting her.

"I doubt that." She said.

"Would you like to wager on it?" He asked, chuckling.

"You would lose." she stated bluntly.

"Then you have nothing to worry about, right?" This was too easy.

"Okay, what will we wager?"

"What would you like?" he asked, he knew what he would ask for.

"I don't know, there's not anything I want." She said.

"Ok, if you are right, which you are not, you can pick a prize at a later date." He said smirking at her.

"And if you are right? Which you are not." she mimicked him.

"I want a kiss." He said watching her face change to confusion.

"A kiss?" He had already kissed her, she didn't see the harm in accepting. "Ok, fine, I take your wager. They will have me run off within an hour. They hate me." she told him.

He smiled, after the thorough talk he had with Draco, and Harry, they would keep her happy or they would deal with him, again. Once he finished with this school, he should have a strong powerbase set up, Hermione included. She had truly impressed him with her dueling. She really was perfect, blood status aside.

She stood up, he followed. They walked out of the kitchens together, the other students rushing around to get to afternoon classes. They hardly paid the pair any attention, which was fine with Hermione.    

Tom walked with Hermione back to Gryffindor Tower. He watched her whisper the password, waiting for her to kiss him goodbye. She started into the portrait.

"No kiss goodbye?" He asked surprised.

"Not unless you win the wager." She said raising an eyebrow then stepped into the common room.

Tom stood I the hall for a second, impressed. She was learning. He would take full advantage of his guaranteed win. He turned and walked back to the dungeon. He decided he would sneak out tonight and visit his creature in the chamber. He was in a very good mood.

Dinner was a boring event, Hermione showed and ate, and left just as quickly. He watched her, she still isolated herself, which was good. He needed her to warm to him alone. He finished his meal and went back to his room, waiting for night. He still slept sparsely if at all. By the time all his  roommates were asleep and snoring, it was late.

He cast a disillusionment charm on himself and headed to the girls lavatory. He walked in and notice it looked untouched. The lights dim, but he could see the floor was wet. He smiled, this must be the act of Myrtle. Hermione mentioned they call her Moaning Myrtle. He chuckled as he walked to the sink.

He said his Parstletongue and opened the entryway. A quick slide down and a cushioning charm landed him safely in the antechamber. it was full of shed snakeskin. He vanished the mess, and then the small bones of all the rodents and stray animals that had been eaten in the last 50 years. 

He made his way to the inner chamber door, whispering the words again. Pleased as the door slowly opened. It was just as he remembered inside, he would hear the whispers of his creature, and the smaller snakes that lived in here as well. It could sense he was here. He spoke aloud to the beast.

"Your master has returned." he said to the beautiful beast.

The creature moved out of it's hiding place and moved to him quickly, keeping its eyes closed for Tom's safety. He placed his hands on the cool scales that covered it's body. She had grown quite a bit since he'd seen her last.

He spent a few hours with his pet. He tried his best to explain why he had been gone so long. He also promised to visit often. He explained it would be a few months until his next visit. Once he finished the reunion, he made his way back to the entrance, and back to the girls lavatory. He closed the entrance behind him and  smiled. Things were looking up.