Welcome to my second ever Harry Potter fic, it's hard to believe but my first is a huge series I haven't posted yet because, its kind of my baby. Anyway, I got sucked into a Tom/Hermione fic that's really interesting so I wanted to try it out for myself, let me know what you think!

Chapter 1:

Hermione Granger was studying, later than she should at the library, flipping through pages in yet another book. Three piles stacked around where she worked on several assignments, she liked getting them out of the way, so she had more downtime, or if need be, she could improve them later on. There was only a solitary candle lit to help her see. Everyone was asleep at this time, even the moving portraits. Her eyes were heavy but the thought of having to pack up and make it all the way to bed was even more exhausting, it took a lot of time to get all these books and all her papers were where she needed them. Still, her empty stomach growled, and she yawned.

A BANG! Launched her awake with a jump she almost screamed at the dark figure beside her, luckily, she recognised him before she accidentally attacked him, or screamed in his face. He'd never let her live it down.

"For Merlin's sake Riddle was that necessary?!" she spat, face in her hands with her elbows on the table rubbing her eyes with a sigh to exhale the heart attack she'd almost had.

"Necessary? Probably not. Effective and amusing? Definitely Granger." He purred. Screw him for being Head Boy. She thought viciously. It wasn't surprising, he was the Slytherin Prefect too in fifth year as well, they were in their N.E.W.T. year now, almost seven years of dealing with this guy.

"You're here awfully late, trying to one-up me in potions?" He asked picking up one of the books on her piles and reading the spine.

"I could do that in my sleep Riddle, just getting a jump on assignments is all, as you should, you know how difficult this year will be, academically." She said. He gave her a small smile she doubted he meant, like appeasing a cat.

"It's to be expected, still, if you weren't Head Girl, I'd knock points off Gryffindor." Hermione glared, her own Head Girl badge on her robes. There was something about Riddle, he had a magnetic personality, everyone seemed to love him. Except Hermione, she'd always seen through his little facade, and wasn't swayed by his charm. The only thing she was even remotely impressed by was how good he was at classes, she respected him on that, and that alone.

"If you did, I'd dock you for being discourteous, wouldn't that just ruin your image?" she retorted, finally packing up her things. Riddle shook his head slightly; he couldn't believe this girls spunk. She was the only one who ever spoke back to him, he couldn't figure out if it was arrogance or she just really wasn't afraid or intimidated by him. With a Gryffindor it could be either, but he'd known Hermione Granger as long as she'd known him, it was more likely the latter. She was almost as clever as him, she usually didn't try to shove it in people's faces, but he could see her rolling her eyes a lot at idiot's. He did the same, but not outwardly, he was always smarter, but he didn't need everyone to know just how much. It was kind of fun with Granger, testing how clever she was, seeing how annoyed she'd get if he beat her academically. At first in their first few years, it really got to her but around fourth year it stopped seeming to affect her which was no fun. Had she accepted he was cleverer than her? Or had she learnt to hide how smart she really was like him?

He watched her pack up her mountain of stuff without helping whatsoever, he thought about it of course, if it had been almost anyone else he probably would to keep his spotless reputation intact and gain new admirers, but he didn't bother with her. Finally, as she was sending the last of her books back to their rightful places she spoke.

"Are you going to keep watching me pack up or are you going to continue your rounds?"

"Just making sure you don't fall back asleep, could be dangerous you know."

"How so?" She asked sarcastically putting her assignments away, he gazed over them a little.

"Peeves of course, can you imagine what he'd do if he found a helpless student for him to torment? You know he really doesn't care whether we are Head Boy or Girl at all."

"Peeves rarely comes over here, he's scared of the librarian." A smile came over him again.

"And here I thought he only feared the bloody baron."

"Everyone's scared of the bloody baron." Hermione pointed out finally hefting her bag over her shoulder. He was surprised she could even carry it without magic. She didn't even try to make her life easier by using an enchantment to lessen the weight, it was such a muggle thing. But what could he expect from a mudblood?

Hermione headed out of the library towards Gryffindor Tower, Riddle behind her, probably not exactly following but going the same direction. At the staircase they both heard footsteps that weren't theirs, they stopped expecting a teacher. Instead, Draco Malfoy was coming up the stairs from the Slytherin Common Room.

"Stop right there Malfoy!" Hermione called, Malfoy had a moment of 'oh shit' cringing seeing them, Riddle wasn't impressed.

"I don't need to hear your excuses of whatever you needed to tell you leader so urgently it couldn't wait Malfoy, ten points from Slytherin. Get back to your Common Room or I'll make it twenty, you have three seconds. One." Malfoy turned and ran back down the stairs; Hermione didn't need to count anymore and started up her own set of stairs.

"Better go see what was so urgent he felt he needed to defy school rules for you Riddle." She said behind her.

"Pleasure to escort you as always Granger." He said smoothly. Hermione snorted, she knew he didn't like her, well more like her existence wasn't important enough to care about either way.

Tom did go to the Slytherin Common Room while he didn't like to admit it Granger was right, whatever Malfoy had to say, had to be important for him to risk running into faculty or Miss Granger. He entered the cold Dungeons and the Common Room. Draco was sitting in a chair by the fire, on his entrance, he jumped up.

"Apologise my lord, I hoped to find you alone."

"Don't worry, I found our Head Girl in the library, I should have left her asleep, but it was too tempting to wake her up and see her startled expression, it's still fun to mess with her." Draco Malfoy nodded.

"I came to find you to let you know Nott may have found a lead on one of the items you're searching for."

"Really?" Tom Riddle's eyes gleamed.

"Yes, we may have to wait for the break as we will need to leave Hogwarts, but we have a much more accurate location on, that, item my lord."

"Good work Draco, this news pleases me. Any news on the others?"

"Nothing yet sir, but we are surely getting closer." Tom nodded.

"We have time, more importantly, a timeline on which everything should be completed. Obviously sooner rather than later is best for everyone, but I am a patient person, I will wait if necessary."

"Yes, my lord." Draco bowed his head to him. Tom smiled a real smile; everything was coming together nicely.