"I've always admired that Gargoyle" Slughorn slurred. He was so slow walking down the stairs I had half a mind to push past him.

"Professor, how about you go and get some rest before classes tomorrow. I know my way to my Common Room." He turned to me on the staircase and I was ready with a large, reassuring grin.

"You're very gracious, Hermy-knee... Alright.... Well don't get caught by Filch will you. He's the Hogwarts caretaker... Very strange man. Always wondered why he was employed here, being a squib and all..."

Anger reared up inside me but I held it back.

"Don't worry Professor, I'll be careful."

I continued to grin broadly until Slughorn had stumbled around a corner and was out of sight. No one was on the third floor, I suppose everyone had already gone to their dorms. I really didn't want to be running into anyone if I could avoid it. Luckily for me I made it down the Dungeons corridor and down the stairs without being seen. It was only when I was outside the Slytherin Common Room entrance that I realised I had forgotten something. What was the password?

"Pure blood?" I might as well start somewhere. Nothing happened. I wracked my brains, my headache now turning into a dull throbbing. And that's when I heard someone approach me from behind.

"The password is Venomous Tentacular you idiot."

Oh my god. Please no.

The damp stone wall slid open, heart pounding I turned slowly to see the one and only lord of darkness himself Tom Riddle looming above me, his pretty boy face twisted into a scowl and staring down at me with what I can only describe as a look more deathly than a Basilisk.

"You're lucky that Professor Dumbledore wanted to speak to me, otherwise you would've been stuck out here all night." He's talking to me. Oh god, what the hell do I say?

"Yeah, you're right, I am lucky." I said stupidly. "Thanks."

He stepped closer. He was actually really tall.

"Actually, come to think of it, I've never seen you around here before." He didn't stop walking until he was standing right in front of me. "What's your name?" He demanded.

"Hermione Granger. I'm a new student here, today is my first day."

For a second Tom seemed to appear annoyed but then his face slipped back into a mask of indifference unnervingly fast.

"Slughorn should've told me that you were arriving earlier, that dim witted old bag." He said lowly. He sighed, dragging a hand through his black hair. "So what are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"What's your blood status. "

"Pure blood." I could've rolled my eyes. Of course, I had barely made it into the common room and I was already being grilled about my blood status. Slytherins.

"You can't be a pure blood. There's not enough pure blood wizarding families out there." He said matter of factly. Fair point. Damn it why the hell didn't I make a good enough life story before coming back in time?

"Actually, I'm adopted and my parents are deceased." I blurted out.

There. Try and find a loophole around that.

I could see my defiant face reflected in his black eyes, with a frown he pushed past me, stalking off into the common room no doubt going over the logic of it all in his head. I followed in his wake emerging into the weak green light of the Slytherin Common Room.

"Where were you?"

A pretty girl with long black hair and this big fake smile approached us. I looked at the pair of them. Was this Tom's girlfriend?

"I already told you, Shalini. I had to speak to that oaf Dumbledore." He said mildly.

"You didn't tell me! I was waiting for you so we could study together!" She grabbed Tom's arm, but he brushed her off.

They're definitely not together I thought.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I prefer to study alone." Said Tom quietly, side stepping her he made his way over to a nearby desk and proceeded to get out ink and parchment from his bag.

Shalini made to follow him, but I held her back.

"We should let him study."

"Tom," She said loudly. "Who the hell is this."

She pointed at me like I was a rotten piece of gillyweed.

From over at the desk, Tom Riddle stared at me, with a look I only associated with a ticking mind.

"That's Hermione Granger. My girlfriend."