"Ridiculous! If every student acted like you two, we might as well rename Hogwarts.
Call it the Dark Wizard Academy—wouldn't that fit better? Riddle, you're tired. You need to rest!"
On any other day, Hermione would've backed down, but today she was feeling extra stubborn. She stepped forward anyway. "Professor Snape, then give me and Hermione detention together. At least we'd have each other for company, and in our free time we could practice ballroom dancing."
Snape paused, glaring straight into Tom's eyes. "Get out!"
The second the word left his mouth, Tom grabbed Hermione's hand and they bolted.
"Idiotic," Snape muttered under his breath, watching the two of them sprint away.
Tom, you moron!
Why are you letting a girl drag you off by the hand?
This is what you get for helping people? You're supposed to be the one leading her, not the other way around!
Maybe he should find a subtle way to drop some advice on Tom…
But what right did he have? As the Slytherin Head of House?
He didn't really have the authority—unless he was Tom's parent… or godfather.
Snape shook his head, telling himself not to overthink it.
But then his eyes flicked over…
"FK!" Snape rarely swore, but he let one slip.
Tom, you're so proud in front of everyone else—why do you turn into an obedient little kid the second Hermione's around?
Stupid. Absolutely stupid!
I wouldn't want a student this dumb as my adopted son.
"Severus." Someone clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Your glare."
A gentle voice spoke near his ear. "That look could scare the kids. Calm down."
"Albus? You were watching the whole time? Why didn't you step in and stop them?"
Dumbledore stroked his beard with a smile. "Severus, sometimes I enjoy watching the students break the rules. Their way of thinking is different from ours.
I've lived over a hundred years—I've lost that kind of joy. The purest, simplest kind. Look at Tom. Look at them. There's light in their eyes.
No heavy burdens from life, no desperation from crises, nothing weighing them down. Well, almost nothing—they've got important things to worry about, like what to eat tonight or tomorrow."
"Albus, what are you trying to say?"
"Watching them makes me feel like I'm seeing my younger self. Not showing off for attention, just chasing ideas for the fun of it. Maybe you should get to know Miss Granger a little better, Severus. You'd find she's a good kid.
I know what you're thinking…"
Snape cut him off bluntly. "And what exactly do you think you know?"
"You're thinking: Tom's such an outstanding kid—obedient, sensible, kind, hardworking, knows pretty much everything. What does a Muggle-born like Granger have that makes her worthy of him?
That's what's going through your head, isn't it?
But we just watched a pretty impressive fireworks show, and we saw Hermione turning down all those admirers without getting big-headed. She doesn't back down from bullies, and she really cares about her friends, doesn't she?
Maybe I forgot to mention—over at Tom's home, I mean that little orphanage—all the kids there are reading books that Hermione sent.
You should go see them. Get to know them better. It'll make you happy. Lately, I've been feeling decades younger myself. Haha."
Dumbledore was being his usual cryptic self—saying something and nothing at the same time. He patted Snape's shoulder again. "One more thing: after classes tonight, you might want to pay a visit to St. Lydia's Orphanage."
…
"Are you crazy? We just ran off like that—won't Professor Snape be furious?" Hermione tugged Tom along. "We could still go back and apologize."
"You think you know Snape better, or I do?" Tom folded his arms and shot back. He reached over and pinched her cheek. "Miss Hermione, maybe you've forgotten who's spent the most time dealing with Professor Snape. When he tells you to get out, you get out—no hesitation. Unless he's in a good mood."
Hermione looked confused. "Does 'get out' count as a good mood for him?"
"Not for anyone else. But for Professor Snape? Yeah."
—He's just tsundere.
"Fine, fine, I don't get it. I really don't. But you went way too far this time. Why'd you do it? You could've just let that annoying Malfoy take the detention. I don't care what anyone else thinks."
Tom shrugged. "I'm not stupid. If I'd done that, I wouldn't have gotten out of there tonight. Professor Snape would've sent every single person in the room to detention.
Plus, I kinda loved seeing all those little boys looking at me like I was some kind of hero. In their eyes, I'm basically Merlin!"
"Hmph."
Hermione rolled her eyes without holding back.
Merlin?
What do you even have in common with Merlin?
Total nonsense!
"So what now? Where are you going?"
"Bed. I'm gonna practice dancing in my dreams." Tom yawned, waved, and started walking away. After two steps, he turned back. "Oh, right—next time, try not to interrupt my alone time with Cho."
"Tom!!! You're such a jerk!"
"You're only realizing that now?"
…
The Hermione Fan Club had officially disbanded.
Well, not completely.
Most people had left, but two stayed behind.
Draco Malfoy.
Harry Potter.
Just the two of them.
"Draco, look at the mess you made! Hermione's opinion of me is definitely tanked now!" Harry snarled, his words dripping venom. "You're the one who said she was in trouble—that's why I even showed up. And look how it turned out!
I never should've listened to you. You Slytherins are all so stupid."
"I'm stupid?" Malfoy shot back, slamming the table as he stood. "If we hadn't shown up, can you promise nothing would've happened between Hermione and Tom?
I overheard their conversation from outside—Tom might've even gotten physical with her. We're the ones who saved them from trouble!"
"Stupid! It was obviously just their little game. You might as well say we interrupted them."
Neither could convince the other. They pulled out their wands, stared each other down, but neither made a move.
The awkward silence dragged on until someone knocked and opened the door.
"Is this the Hermione Fan Club? I'm Su Li, first-year Ravenclaw."
It was Su Li—she'd spent forever hunting down this empty classroom.
Malfoy and Harry jumped to their feet.
"No misunderstanding, please!" Su said innocently. "I just wanted to ask—if it's still possible to join the club?"
"?"
Harry and Malfoy exchanged a glance.
"Maybe… yeah?" Harry said, a little uncertain.
Malfoy jumped in. "As long as you don't mind that there's only two of us left, you're totally welcome… Wait a second—are you a spy sent by Tom?"
"I'm not!"
"How do we know you're not!"
Su's neck flushed red. "I can't really prove it, but I swear I'm not. Tom's my dormmate—we're friends—but I'm definitely not a spy. Wait… I know how to prove it!"
"Go on."
The three huddled together, whispering furiously.
A minute later, Harry jerked his head up and glared at Su with hostility.
"No way! You can't do that!
Listen, it'll ruin your friendship with Tom, and Hermione… she'd never go for it. Just—no."
"Calm down, Harry." Malfoy nodded slightly. "I think it's worth a shot. The world needs courage. We need brave kids like you.
So, when are you planning to do it?"
"Tonight!"
"No—right now!" Malfoy countered. "No dragging your feet. Once you hesitate, you'll keep putting it off. Go now. We'll listen from nearby!"
Su shifted uncomfortably. "Tom might be busy right now…"
"Find him. It won't take much of his time. Go… Why's your face red like you're about to confess to Tom? Chest out, head high—go, and don't look back!"
Spurred on, Su actually took a big step forward.
"No, no!" Less than three seconds later, he scurried back. "I'm scared."
"Give me your wand." Harry held out his hand.
Thinking Harry was going to cast some courage spell, Su handed it over—wondering why Harry wasn't using his own…
Then Harry pocketed it. "There. If you don't follow through, I'm tossing this wand. You won't be able to go to class. Go."
"You're evil!"
But it worked. Su took a deep breath. "I'm going!"
"Good luck!"
…
St. Lydia's Orphanage.
Winter made St. Lydia's feel extra cozy, especially with Christmas coming. Every kid's bed had a little kind star hanging above it.
Snape had cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself and slipped quietly inside.
His eyes locked onto one child in particular.
Misha.
The kid who stuck in your mind the most.
Dumbledore had told him to come watch Misha.