Chapter Text
Was there something wrong with her?
She didn’t get it. It always went so well. Or at least she thought they did. This was the third date she had gone on this month. Theodore Nott had been on the loo for less than five minutes and when he came back, he was much paler than before. Hermione had asked if he was okay, and the trembling man had just murmured a quick goodnight and a “this was fun, but I don’t see it going anywhere else”.
Just. Like. The others.
It was frustrating, really. One time she had asked Lavender and Ginny if they thought something was wrong with her. “Hermione, you are a beautiful, intelligent young witch. If they can't see that then it's their fault. And I really am sorry about the whole Cormac Mclaggen episode. Honestly I didn’t expect him to be such a pig” Lavender had told her while making a face grimace at the mention of Mclaggen. It had indeed been a rather distasteful date. If you could even call it a date. Ginny had agreed with Lavender and promised her that one day the right one would show up. Hermione doubted that. It was easy for them to say, they had already found the one. Lavender with Ron and Ginny with Harry. It was almost too predictable, and she should have seen it coming when Ron didn’t return her affections in sixth year. The same year he and Lavender started dating. She had been bitter about it, but it was honestly just a silly crush she had, had on Ronald.
So here she was. At twenty-three, walking down the empty streets of Diagon Alley on a cold October night, where Nott had left her. She must look pathetic right now, Hermione thought to herself.
She spotted her building and noticed Tom´s light was still on.
Tom Riddle.
She had definitely not expected him to be her neighbor when she moved in. The handsome Slytherin was only three years older than her, so she had met and noticed him in Hogwarts. They had even had a couple of heated arguments in the library, but she doubted he could remember. Tom was the perfect student. He was well behaved, charming and always on top of class.
Everybody liked Tom Riddle.
Of course, there were some Gryffindor's who had been suspicious of him. She had been one of them. But now, more acquainted with him, she wasn’t that suspicious. He was still a mystery. No one ever knew much about Riddle. He was a very private person.
Hermione was up the stairs now, about to set the key in her door when another opened.
“Hello Granger” Tom greeted politely.
“Oh, hello Riddle” Hermione responded startled. She smiled brightly at him. She always tried to be friendly and kind towards him. She never saw him with friends and had never heard him speak about them. Not that they had spoken much. He seemed a bit lonely to her. But maybe she was wrong. He could just enjoy his own company. He seemed like the type.
“If I may ask, what are you doing walking around so late alone?” he asked while he cocked his head to the side in a questioning manner. Hermione´s smile instantly faltered, being reminded of another failed date.
“Oh, I was just...eh...eating dinner with a friend.” Her cheeks were now red with embarrassment. She hadn't sounded convincing at all, but he just nodded.
“You seem a little dressed up for a ´friend´” was all Tom said before he closed the door before she could answer.
Git, was all Hermione could think while she gritted her teeth together in annoyance.