Hermione P.O.V

I felt like an idiot. I was an idiot. What type of sane human being fell head over heels for someone like Tom Riddle? What type of person would cry their eyes out after being rejected by Voldemort?

Pull yourself together I told myself firmly standing outside of Tom's bedroom door. Of course that didn't work. I felt a deep sense of worthlessness burning inside me. I felt terrible. Tom only saw me as "an investment." And here I was, seeing him as something so much more. It felt like everything I had been working towards for weeks had been completely sabotaged. I had taken 3 steps forward to take 10 steps back. I had to switch up my game if I was going to get what I wanted. I needed a close relationship with Tom, or else this entire mission was going to be impossible.

I walked back down the hall very slowly, my mind racing miles ahead of me with ideas of what I should be doing. I needed to research Love Potions. Surprisingly it was Tom's sarcastic remark which had given me that spark of inspiration. I would gather information about Love Potions and their side effects. I would find some way to reverse the destruction. I didn't exactly have a choice anyway. Tom had no ability to love. And because of this it was a bit far fetched to assume he could change his ways. At least not alone.

I had to do something. And doing this was the only logical solution.

"Aren't you coming to dinner?"

Daniel Dolohov was looking at me from the bottom of the staircase staring up at me from the Common Room landing.

"Uh, I'm not hungry." I lied. I was actually starving but I had more pressing issues on my mind. "Don't worry about me."

"If you say so." Daniel gave me a small half smile before leaving. I waited until he was out of the room before walking down the stairs.

"Could you walk any slower?" A cruel voice said from behind me. My breathing caught in my chest. I stepped to the side letting Tom Riddle pass me. I watched him leave, half happy he didn't turn around and talk to me and half disappointed that he didn't bother.

It didn't take me long to get to the library, Madam Pince shooting me a dark look as I entered. I was obviously the only person in the library since everyone else was at Dinner.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the Great Hall?" She asked me, pursing her thin lips.

"I've been excused already." I lied. Great. I was turning into Tom. Lying my way through life and not giving a single damn about it.

I walked down the nearest aisle of books knowing that studying was sure as hell going to take my mind off things.

I knew this library like the back of my hand. I grabbed a few volumes off the shelf. I didn't keep track of time as I studied, only realising when Madam Pince approached me with a lantern that it was dark outside.

"Love Potions. Which class is teaching you about that particular topic?" Her eyes roved over the mess of parchment and half opened books before me.

"No class." I said, almost knocking over my ink in my haste to pack everything into my bag. "I just was curious."

"That's rather odd." Madam Pince said in a voice that sounded far away. "You're the second student I've seen today researching the same thing. The other one was a Slytherin, too. Tall, attractive boy. Jet black hair. I can't think of his name."

A thrill of fear swept through me.

"Tom Riddle?"

"Yes, that's the one. Very bright student that boy. He had some odd questions though." She said cheerily.

"Did he?" I tried to make my voice sound casual. "That's unusual. Well, for Tom to not have answers to his questions, that is..." I trailed off leaving my words like an unanswered question in the air. Or bait.

"Yes... He was asking if I knew of Magic that would secure the effects of a Love Potion." She spilled.

A sudden coldness came over me. So Tom didn't want to have feelings? Was he that scared of love that he wanted to fight against understanding it?

"Secure the effects? Why was he looking for that?"

"Do I look like I have all night to talk about what Tom Riddle studies for?" Madam Pince spluttered, getting spit on the table. "It's time you left now. Quickly now, it's very late!"

I walked out of the Library after squeaking a hasty goodbye, the pages of notes I had hastily written stuffed into my beaded bag. There was no way in hell I was going to loan a book and risk Tom finding it. At least no one else shared my dorm now and I had privacy to concentrate and think on my research.

I walked the familiar path down to the Slytherin Common Room. That's when I heard voices from inside the door. The Slytherins were loud, so I had no trouble identifying who's voices. The first most quiet of all the voices was Tom, along with Daniel, Xavier and a few Slytherin guys I didn't recognise. They were laughing at something. Or someone.

Grimly, I opened the door and stepped inside noticing how everyone stopped laughing the instant they saw me, a clear pointer to who the discussion was about.

"Hi." I said flatly.

Tom looked up at me and then away again, his hands clasped together in a meditative gesture.

"Professor Slughorn told me to warn you that the next time you skip a meal in the Great Hall you might face detention." Xavier said. There was no friendly tone to his voice at all.

"Did he?" I said drily. "I'd be sure to keep that in mind. Thanks." I was going to walk away but Tom caught my attention by holding up one slender hand. Stop.

"Actually Hermione I would like a word with you. Alone." No one had to be told twice that the cue for the entire room to clear out had just been announced. I stood as still as a statue as everyone started making their way to their dorms, the last person was Daniel Dolohov who gave me a meaningful look as he walked past.

Be careful.

I heard a door upstairs close.

"Look, Tom." I began nervously. "I'm sorry about before. I didn't mean to offend you. I was trying to help you."

Tom's eyes widened ever so slightly, a cruel smirk on his face. "What are you talking about?" His voice was horribly condescending, I couldn't help but notice he looked like he was enjoying every second of the torment he was causing me, either.

"About before." I pressed onwards, "What I was saying about you not being able to love."

"So what about it." Tom said carelessly. "I never understood your point to begin with."

He actually laughed at me, a cruel yet foreseeable move. He was treating me like I was a complete joke.

"You can't be serious."

Tom's face was impassive, careless. His eyes however held a terrible darkness, calculating and discerning.

"I think you should leave now." He said finally.