As Tom Riddle is hunting for the diadem in Albania, he stumbles across a strange artifact he's never seen before. Hermione Granger is a lowly Ministry employee on vacation in the mountains of Albania. She's found the perfect cabin for a week of rela...
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A/N: A/N: Many thanks to RachaelLA26 for her beta work! If you liked this (or hated it) please let me know about it in a review! Find me on Tumblr crochetawayhpff or facebook Shan Crochetaway.
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Chapter 13: Disaster
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February 2003
Piccadilly Circus
London, England
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Tom smirked as Hermione practically bounced through the streets. For a reason Tom didn't quite understand, Hermione loved Piccadilly Circus in all its crowded touristry. He didn't get the appeal, but Hermione had dragged him out of the flat because it had finally stopped snowing. Apparently, Muggle shopping was better than wizard shopping, at least in Hermione's eyes. She tended to wear Muggle clothing with just a wizarding robe overtop and Tom did appreciate the view.
Hermione had introduced him to Muggle suits, and Tom found he liked them much better than the wizard variety. They were tailored with precise, sharp lines, which Tom liked. A robe thrown over the top was enough to pass in the Wizengamot. And it made him stand out, which is definitely something he was interested in.
"Through here, Tom, there's a shop we should go in," Hermione pulled him forward and Tom found her enthusiasm almost infectious. The streets were crowded with Sunday afternoon shoppers and they wove their way through the crowd of Muggles. The shop Hermione had chosen was a high-end suit retailer and Hermione spoke with the salesperson, before shoving Tom onto a pedestal to be measured.
"I haven't been here in years," she said. "My father used to get his suits here. You'll love the fabrics, they are divine."
"I didn't realize you were so interested in fashion," Tom teased. He lifted his arms at the direction of the store assistant.
Hermione snorted. "I'm not, but I have an eye for fine suits." She winked at him and Tom's smirk turned into a grin. He loved it when she flirted with him. It contrasted with her usual seriousness, so it was good to see her lighten up a little bit. Although Tom himself was often quite serious, he enjoyed seeing Hermione in a lighter mood. It affected his own mood in ways he wasn't sure he was ready to identify.
After being measured, Tom and Hermione flipped through some large fabric sample books, picking out fabric for suits, shirts, and ties. Tom watched as Hermione fingered each fabric and wrinkling her nose at the fabrics that were too rough. He was in awe of this side of her. It was fascinating to see her put her time and attention to something as frivolous as fashion. In truth, he'd been happy to get her out of the flat and away from the brooding over her former friends and their activities. She'd come home a week ago talking about a shadow group that Potter and Weasley seemed to be running. Tom assumed they weren't going to be very effective and wasn't worried about them.
