Hermione P.O.V

I came to realise that waking up every morning wanting to die was basically the norm now that I was in Slytherin House. Jade and Shalini were down at the other end of the table as far away from me as possible. I didn't blame them, I was rude and the more I thought about it I realised I deserved this. I should've thought before I spoke and offended them. But thinking about it was impossible with the minor distraction of Tom Riddle himself sitting at the table directly opposite me. He had walked down to the Great Hall with me in complete silence, the only kind thing he did was acknowledge my existence by a single filthy look as he sat down to eat.

"Hogwarts food not up to your ridiculous standards?" He looked at my empty plate pointedly. He could've said good morning or literally anything else, but no of course not.

"Hm?"

I took a long pointed drink of pumpkin juice before setting the goblet down firmly on the table.

"Certain things have put me off my appetite." I said coldly. "I'm sure you of all people would understand that."

A few people sitting beside us looked uncomfortable. The thing about talking with Tom was that his behaviour was either completely emotionless and detached or the polar opposite, extremely volatile. I was doing the equivalent of playing with fire. Today, he seemed more mysterious than anything else, playing the part of the brooding bad boy better than ever.

"Certain things." He repeated. His gaze was like an endless black void, I couldn't even tear my eyes away. I could never tell what he was thinking whenever he was looking at me so intensely. Whatever thoughts he was having I was sure they weren't even slightly good.

"If I were you, I wouldn't be so pathetic as to avoid breakfast just because I was in a difficult situation." He said arrogantly. "Your body needs strength. The mind needs to be taken care of. Eat."

I thought for a moment about refusing, and then I realised that most of the Slytherin table was staring at me. And then a surge of something went through me. Resistance.

"You're not me," I said stubbornly. "And you will never be."

I hardly dared to breathe. I did it. I was actually standing up to Tom Riddle, a feat much easier said than done. There was something extremely terrifying about him, and the look he gave me right at that exact moment chilled me to my core.

Danger. I had put myself in danger right then and there at the centre of the Slytherin Table at breakfast, and there was absolutely nothing Tom Riddle could do about it. At least not yet, because at that very moment a booming voice sounded from the front of the Great Hall.

"Attention!" Headmaster Dippet announced, standing up to his full height at the staff table. "Today I have a surprise announcement to make."

I looked blearily over at him. Surprises were great at certain moments in life but at this moment I was so exhausted I really didn't want this to happen. I had just kicked the hornets nest by pissing Tom off and breakfast wasn't even finished. Seriously.

"Trips to Hogsmeade Village will be permitted to all Prefects as of today, by way of saying thank you for your hard work during this troubling period of insecurity within the walls of this School. The rest of you who are of age will be able to do so as of next week."

The School exploded in roars of outrage. Shalini and Jade looked pissed off, they weren't Prefects and with a pang I realised neither was I. Great. Hogsmeade would've been a nice distraction from everything.

I glanced at Riddle who appeared smug. He was a Prefect after all, so the offer was exclusive to him.

"Well," I said bitterly. "Looks like your lucky day."

I wish I could just run out of the doors, take my Time Turner out and just return to the present. The longing I had inside my heart to do this was consuming me. I missed my family. I missed my friends. And above all, I missed feeling happy and like my normal self. As much as I had been trying to be a Slytherin, I felt like I was shedding my entire identity in the process. I was turning into a person I barely recognised. And it was all because of Tom Riddle.

"Hogsmeade is a pathetic little village." Tom said idly. "Only idiots find it worthwhile. What's in it that particularly captures your interest?"

"I like the food," I said honestly. "And there's some cool shops too."

"Yeah," Xavier Malfoy added from further along down the table. "The food is better than this stupid castle. I hate food House Elves make. For some reason it just repulses me."

"House Elves are to serve those with magical blood." Tom's replied irritably. "Better a House Elf cooks your food than a muggle."

Xavier didn't look convinced. If anything, the tension at the table increased at an alarming rate. It was never a wise move to disagree with Tom.

"I'm thinking of taking someone to Hogsmeade with me," Tom said in a thoughtful tone. "It's boring going with the others."

"What, you were thinking of taking me?" Xavier looked mildly amused. "Should we call it a date, then?"

"I wasn't referring to you." Tom said emotionlessly. "Besides, you're not exactly what I'd call date material either."

The others laughed at Xavier. I didn't. I knew exactly what was coming next and my stomach was turning.

Breakfast was over too soon. Tom disappeared into the crowd and I was left just standing there like an idiot as hundreds of students pushed passed me on their way to class.

Who was Tom taking to Hogsmeade? I'd be even more of an idiot if I didn't realise it was me at this point. I guess I just had to accept it. At least there would be a teacher present if shit got out of control. I should've counted myself as lucky. I was going to Hogsmeade, not the guillotine.

I took off to my first class. Obviously Tom was already there, sitting at the back with his mates. I was the last one to class, and as I walked inside every eye was on me. I tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear anxiously and made my way to an empty seat as far away from Tom as I could manage.

And then the worst thing happened.

"Hermione!" A unfamiliar teacher appeared in front of me. "Aren't you supposed to be going to Hogsmeade?"

"Uh," I said hesitantly. "Am I?"

"What do you mean, am I. " The teacher mocked nastily, "Your name has been put down so I dare say so." Consulting a clipboard in front of her she pointed to the empty seat next to Tom with a red taloned finger.

"Since Riddle and yourself aren't going to be joining us for the most part of this lesson," She snapped, "You might as well sit at the back away from the rest. I don't want you two interrupting the class."

"Sure..." I muttered.

My heart started pounding as I walked towards Tom. Whenever I looked at him a wave of fear would eclipse me and today was no different. For a really attractive guy he certainly carried a threatening aura, much like a bomb that could be set off at any moment.

I sat beside him gingerly, hanging onto my small beaded bag for dear life.

"What is it with girls and being so slow." He said irritably. "We left the Great Hall at the same time. Why on earth are you late to class?"

"I ran into Peeves." I lied.

"Right." Tom said slowly. "So Peeves somehow managed to be in the West Wing and South Wing of the school at the same time?"

"Well, yes," I said stupidly. "He's a ghost. He could've just flown there."

"You're lying." Tom said lowly. "I just encountered Peeves just outside the Great Hall and jinxed him. So I highly doubt that he could've troubled you at all."

"Well..."

I closed my mouth for a second, my cheeks burning in shame. It was impossible to have sounded as stupid as I did right now, I wanted to curl up into a ball and die.

"Granger!" The teacher barked. "What did I just say about distracting the class?"

"Sorry, Professor." I said.

"Lie to me again," Tom said venomously from beside me, "and there will be trouble. I realise I've been too lenient with you. This won't be happening again."

I frowned. Tom had been acting everything but lenient with me as far as I was concerned. Luckily I was smart enough not to say that out loud, I was in enough shit as it was.

After what felt like an entire year, the bell rang.

"Come on," Tom grabbed my upper arm in a steel like grip. "Let's get out of here."