23: First Lesson of the Summer

"Did you have fun exploring?" asked Dippet during dinner.

Hermione flashed her grandfather a smile. "Your home is marvelous."

Tom chuckled. "How would you know, we never made it past the library," teased Tom.

Dippet lifted a spoon filled with soup to his mouth. His eyes sparkled with amusement and something else that Tom couldn't place. "The library is the best place in the manor. Next to it might be the small quidditch field I have set up in the backyard."

Tom's head whipped around to face Dippet so fast that he almost gave himself whiplash. "You cannot be serious, sir?"

Dippet took another agonizingly slow bite before he spoke. "I quite am. When I found out you would be joining Hermione and I, I snuck back here one evening and resurrected one so if you two ever want to have a friendly match."

Tom found himself staring at Hermione. She gulped and shook her head. "Absolutely not."

"What do you have against quidditch?"

"It's not quidditch I have a problem with," said Hermione. "I'm not a fan of flying on brooms. I only ever do so in dire situations." Tom looked at her with his mouth agape while Dippet looked on with a sad expression. Tom couldn't believe his ears. She couldn't be serious. Flying on a broom was exhilarating, nothing else could compare. An idea struck him. "Oh, no. Wipe that look off your face."

"Not a chance. First thing tomorrow, I will get you on a broom and flying in no time," grinned Tom. Finally, he found something that he was better at than the witch.

Tom excused himself after dinner and made his way back up to the library. He found the book he was reading earlier and sat down on the couch.

Dippet's library was a treasure trove of information. There were books on ancient charms, potions, and astrology. Books on other magical civilizations and their downfall. Books dedicated to Merlin and the ancient gods. But the books that caught his attention the most were the ones about the inner workings of the wizarding community and the Ministry. Tom's goal was to gain power in the wizarding world and those books were the key to help better his knowledge.

A creak of the steps alerted him to the presence of another. Brown frizzy hair appeared first followed by the rest of Hermione. "We meet again," teased Hermione upon seeing him.

"We do. Don't think you can hide from me in here tomorrow." Hermione's face blanched. He had the feeling that tomorrow was going to be a lot of fun.

"You're not serious about teaching me, are you?" Hermione bit her lower lip nervously. Tom's eyes were driven down by the movement. She physically gulped and he was pleased to find her eyes staring at his own lips. Bloody hell, he was going to drive himself crazy. He was not liking these feelings that were swirling inside of him when he was with her.

"Deadly," said Tom when he realized she had spoken.

Hermione looked away with a pout and grabbed the book that she had been immersed in earlier that day. She tucked her legs up underneath her but instead of leaning toward him, she was leaning against the arm of the couch.

. . . .

Tom woke early the next morning. He quickly changed into his quidditch uniform and went to get Hermione. He was excited to be able to be out on a broom for once during the summer.

Tom ran his fingers along the shrunken broom in his pocket. It was an excellent broom and it gave him more than a fair chance against other pure-blood players. It also helped to boost his standings in their eyes. Hermione had helped him in his goals and she didn't even know it.

He rapped his knuckles against the witch's door. No sound came from within. Had she gone to the library to hide from him? It would be the worst hiding spot she could possibly pick. He was tempted to head straight there but thought he should check her room just in case.

Tom opened the door as quietly as he could just in case she was in there. A bundle of rolled up pink blankets were in the middle of the large, four poster bed. Brown ringlets poked out of the top. It was just too easy. He couldn't resist the opportunity. He tiptoed to the bed, then pounced.

Tom landed nearly on top of the lump.

Hermione bolted upright with her wand in her hands. She glowered when she saw him. "Tom! I could have hexed you or worse!"

Tom folded up in on himself as laughter racked his body. How could scaring one witch be so much fun?

Hermione growled then shoved him off of her bed. Tom landed on the floor with a loud thump but did not stop laughing. It only made him laugh harder. Out of the corner of his tear stained eyes he saw Hermione peering down at him with a puzzled expression. Before long, he heard a snort of laughter join him.

"What is with you? You're like a completely different person." Her comment sobered Tom up quicker than any spell ever could. He pushed himself off the hard ground and straightened his outfit, smoothing out the wrinkles. "I meant it as a compliment." Her words tore at his heart which agitated him to no end. He needed to be the cold stone, emotionless him that he was born as to achieve his dreams. Not the lust driven, goofball Hermione's presence seemed to make him.

"Lesson's cancelled." Tom needed to stay away from her. Too bad he was stuck with her for all summer.

Hermione was still tangled up in her blankets but still managed to look furious when she placed her hands on her hips. "No you don't, Tom Riddle. You can't just barge into my room and rudely awaken me then decide to cancel our plans for the day," huffed Hermione.

"I thought flying was to your dislike?"

"It is but it is just plain rude to do what you just did." Tom hid the smile that her berating caused.

He gave a curt nod. "I'll be outside waiting for you." It was going to be harder than he thought to avoid this witch. Something silver caught his eye on the nightstand. He swiped it while Hermione wasn't looking.

Tom walked outside to where the small quidditch pitch was set up. He made his way to the shed to see if Dippet had a spare broom for Hermione to use. There were several old brooms and one new one. A brand new model just like the one Tom had. He had the feeling Dippet bought this one for Hermione.

He grabbed the broom and walked out of the shed to be met with a yawning Hermione. Her frizzy tangles were thrown up into a ponytail that did nothing to tame it. She wore a long, thick, baggy shirt and pants. Who would have thought boys' clothes could look sexy on women? Hermione seemed more comfortable in them than the dresses she normally wore. Tom wondered if this was how she usually dressed out of the public eye.

"Is that one mine?" Hermione pointed to the broom in his hand.

Tom nodded in affirmation. He placed the broom down off to her side. "We're going to start with first year lessons so I may see what I have to work with. Hold out your hand and say up."

Hermione huffed and did as he said. "I'm not daft. I know how to do this."

He hid his smirk at her complaint. "I want you to mount your broom now." Tom made his voice sound commanding and teacher-like.

Hermione growled something unintelligible underneath her breath. Quickly mounting the broom, she zoomed by him. He was disappointed to see that she never went higher than a few feet.

"I didn't want it to come down to this but if I have to." Tom held up a small silver chain with a diamond encrusted H hanging from it. He had swiped the necklace from her nightstand on his way out.

Tom enlarged his broom and mounted it. Before Hermione had time to protest he was thirty feet up in the air. "If you want it back, you'll have to take it from me." He watched as the witch reached into the pocket of the shirt, probably to grab her wand. A scowl crossed her face and her hand came away empty. She must have left her wand in her room.

Hermione glared up at him and kicked off. He was surprised with how fast she flew toward him. He nudged his broom up higher. When Hermione was just a few feet away, he somersaulted downward.

Tom glanced over his shoulder to find Hermione fast approaching. He swerved up and flew through the middle hoop. Hermione nudged her broom to go faster and cut him off by sliding through the right hoop.

"You're fast," laughed Tom. "Ever think about trying out for quidditch."

"No. Now, give me my necklace back, Tom."

Tom pointed down toward the ground. Hermione landed her broom a second after him. "A promise is a promise." He held the necklace out while still keeping it close to him. She made to grab the necklace but he jerked it away while grabbing her wrist with his other hand.

"Let go of me," growled Hermione.

"Not until you agree to try out for quidditch next year."

"No."

"Have it your way then." Tom pocketed the piece of jewelry and snaked his arm around Hermione's waist. In one deft movement, he had the struggling witch situated in front of him. He kept his arm around her waist as he kicked off. "Agree to try out for quidditch and I'll let you down."

Hermione struggled some more. She tried yanking his arm off of her causing him to tighten his grip. They climbed higher and higher. "Let me down."

"Not it," whispered Tom in her exposed ear. She shivered against him. He scooted up on the broom until there was no space between them. "Say yes first." Hermione shook her head.

Tom used his riding hand to tip the broom down. Hermione screamed and her hands scrambled to his. He leveled the broom out. "Relax. There are scarier things you could be flying instead of a broom with me."

"I'll take the dragon over riding with you any day."

Tom felt his mouth drop open and was glad she couldn't see. "You rode a dragon?"

"Take me to the ground and I'll tell you about it." Tom obliged, wanting to hear the story, though it was probably false. No one would be stupid enough to ride a dragon.

Hermione scrambled off the broom as soon as her feet touched the ground. "Tell me," demanded Tom.

Hermione took in a deep breath and adjusted her shirt before she spoke. "After we escaped imprisonment, Harry, Ron, and I found ourselves in a sticky situation. There was an old dragon who had been imprisoned by goblins so we freed it and rode it away from danger." Hermione shrugged her shoulders as if riding dragons were an everyday thing.

He lightly touched her mind using legilimency, not wanting her to know he was doing it. He saw an image of a black-haired boy who looked a lot like Potter, and a red-headed boy who was built like Prewett holding onto the back of a massive albino dragon.

There wasn't just one person stupid enough to ride a dragon. There were three.

But what did she mean by imprisonment? Had Grindelwald captured them during his reign?