Out of Time

Girl Talk

Hermione was happy in her life, for the first time in forever. She was doing well in school, she had actual friends now, and she was madly in love with Tom Riddle. The gossiping, about her at least, had stopped almost completely. She and Draco had become friends, if you had asked her a year ago if she'd ever be friends with the boy, she'd laughed herself sick. They studied together when Tom had other duties. She'd even become civil with Potter. He'd been nothing but polite to her now and that was a huge improvement.

Something still sat wrong in her mind, she couldn't tell what. It was more than likely her own mind trying to sabotage her. She still felt as if she didn't deserve any of this. She was pulled from her thoughts by her boyfriend.

"What's got you bothered?" he asked lightly tapping her creased brows.

"Nothing, just thinking." She said smiling at him.

"Hermione, I just finished talking with Draco's father Lucius. I have wonderful news." he said lowering his voice.

Hermione leaned in "What is it?"

"He's gotten the approval to put a new proposal in front of the Wizengamot." at Hermione's confused look, he continued. "About muggleborns, getting them acclimated sooner that 11 years old."

"That's wonderful." she was honestly happy about it, but it seemed unfair. She had to tough it out, and now maybe a whole generation wouldn't have to. She was happy.

Tom watched the emotions flitter across her face. She felt conflicted about it. He could understand that. He could use that. "Once all of it has passed, and I am certain it will." He paused. "I am thinking of taking my NEWTS this summer and forgoing my 7th year."

Hermione faced him so quickly, he thought she'd hurt herself. "What? You plan to leave me?" She felt her eyes start to brim with tears, but she refused to let them fall.

"No, I planned on you taking yours as well, you and I both know you are almost finished with next years lessons anyway." He said.

"You know they are only letting you set them early because you are technically an old man." she said rather harshly.

Tom narrowed his eyes at her. The ends of her hair seemed to spark with rage. "Hermione, they will let you take them early as well."

"Why on earth would they allow that?" She bit back.

"I want us to wed this summer."

Hermione's vision narrowed to a pinpoint, she felt as if she was going to feint. Then all too quickly everything came back to her. "What did you say?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

Tom couldn't read her, there was no expression on her face. He thought she'd be delighted, maybe he was wrong. "I said, I wanted us to wed this summer. I thought that was the direction we were moving towards, but ma-"

She stopped him, her hand over his mouth. "Are you asking me to marry you?" she asked, voice still a soft whisper.

Her hand was still on his mouth so he simply nodded. Her eyes were large, pupils blown wide. She stared at him then slowly lowered her hand. "Tom, I , can I have some time to think about it?"

That had not been the response he had been looking for. He had been sure she would be happy. He was frowning when he replied. "Of course."

He watched as she stood up and walked away from him, For the first time in his life, he was utterly confused. Had he rushed things? Their entire courtship had been different. Maybe he had misjudged her level of commitment.

Hermione was confused. She thought she'd be happy if Tom had proposed to her. She thought this would be good. The whole thing just seemed wrong. Why now? why couldn't he stay and finish school with her? She felt her chest tighten.

She needed to think about this. She rushed to her room. She pulled the curtains around her bed closed and reached for her journal. She started writing out the pros and cons of saying yes.

Pro: She'd be married to Tom, whom she loves.

Con: She'd be married very young, 17 is really young.

Pro: They'd be together.

Con: ... She couldn't think of one, she moved back to the other side.

Pro: She'd be away from all of the people she hated here. She smiled at that one.

She looked at the con side, there had to be more that just the age thing. She wracked her brain but couldn't think of another one. She frowned. This was were she needed a girlfriend to talk with, but she didn't have any. She could ask Draco his advise. She laughed at the idea. she stopped laughing abruptly. Maybe she would ask Draco.

She closed the journal and set off for the owlery to send him a message to meet her in the courtyard. She wrote out the small message and tied it to the owl's outstretched leg. "Take this to Draco Malfoy please." The small bird let out a noise that sounded like a click of some kind and fly away. She made her way down to the courtyard to wait for her friend.

Tom was currently pacing in front of a clearly agitated Draco Malfoy. The boy had never been so uncomfortable in his life. Tom stopped and looked at him.

"Well, do you think I overstepped?" He asked the blond boy.

"No, Hermione is crazy about you, everyone can see it." Draco paused. "Maybe she was just surprised. Have you talked about any of this before?"

"Not directly, no." Tom looked at the boy. "You think she's just surprised?" Tom thought about that for a second. Maybe the boy was right. A tapping on the window drew their attention.

Draco opened the small window and let the tiny owl inside. He collected the paper from it's leg and it flew off. He opened the note and smiled, then frowned, looking up at Tom.

"Hermione want's to talk to me, I'm guessing about all of this."

Tom was pleased, this could be good. "So, what are you waiting for? Go talk to her." he dismissed the boy. Draco ran from the room, towards the courtyard to see what Hermione wanted. He hated being in the middle of this. It took him only a few minutes to find her.

He sat beside her on the stone bench and smiled. "You called?"

Hermione looked up at Draco and smiled. "I need to have girl talk, and you are the closest thing to a girlfriend I have." she confessed.

Draco groaned at that. "I will let that slide, for now. Come on, lets 'girl talk'."

Hermione laughed, then her face went very serious. Draco rolled his eyes. This would be horrible, he could already tell.