The Time of a Granger (Tomione)

8| The Bridge at Midnight

She woke suddenly, and almost screamed finding the figure sitting on her bed.

"Granger we need to go."

"What?" She asked sitting up abruptly, recognizing it was Tom.

He gripped her arm, glancing merely at the other girls in the dormitory before leaning in towards her ear. "Grindewald was at Hogwarts!"

She pulled away in attempts to look in his eyes. "You mean in the school?!" She whispered in question.

He nodded. "The Prefects were alerted, I—"

She starred at him. "You what?"

"Wanted to check on you."

She was flattered by the boys expression of emotion towards her, yet knew it was too crucial of a moment to pay much attention to feelings. No matter how he was so close to her in the middle of the night, urgency and worry outweighed any butterfly feelings of adoration toward him.

It was a matter of no time before she had thrown on jeans and a jumper, exited the Gryffindor common room and was briskly following Tom down the corridor.

"You mean he could still be in the castle?"

"Yes, He was seen in the dungeons, and Dippet had alerted us to—"

There was a noise, and the two halted.

"What was that?" She whispered.

Tom held a finger to his lips before pulling her into the nearest alcove.

Footsteps.

She leaned against Tom, clutching his arm as her body practically molded into his chest.  She held her breathe, trying to be as silent as possible as the footsteps grew closer. Tom grabbed his wand, still holding one arm protectively around Hermione.

There was a sudden brightness as the figure was upon them, and wand light was blinding their eyes as a wand was held to them.

"Ah yes, you've found Ms. Granger." The professor spoke calmly, lowering his wand. 

The two broke apart slightly, mildly conscious of their closeness. 

"I now ask a favor. It is necessary the school remains safe, and it is certain by now Grindelwald is long gone. Yet it is implorable that security is increased and the students protected.  We may not assume that danger is ridden, so I ask if you'd be of assistance Ms. Granger to perform the same duties of prefects, am I correct in asking?" 

Hermione nodded her head. 

"Good, now if you two would follow me." 

"Sir-" Tom spoke stepping forth after the Professor, yet halted looking back to Hermione, who was still tightly holding his hand.  She released it after they glanced between each other with curious looks, and then both followed him without further question.

They arrived at the great hall, which now has a display of a few hundred floating candles and the starry night sky mimicked on the ceiling.  Without the tables and the dim light the space was completely altered.  It had only once been like this. When Sirius broke into the school.  This thought caused Hermione to tug on her sleeve in remembrance of the past. 

"We are now gathering all students to spend the night here, where we can keep a watchful eye.  Would one of you be in charge of making sure everyone arrives, rounds would be nice as well every ten minutes or so." Dumbledore ordered blatantly.  He then spotted Dippet, and then after muttering "fine evening" with a twinkle in his eye, he bounced away.