A/N: Hello everyone...Sorry for the late update. I've been having writer's block and generally busy with life. I've also went back into BL hole, and I'm still there, so kinda hard to focus on any of my stories, so sorry for that. Also shout out to anyone who watch the wonderful Thai BL series Love by Chance. I love TinCan so much.

Anyways,

Xukun's Burger: Thank you for the lovely review...and please warn me gently if I go out of character for Tomione. Hope this one will live up to your expectation.

Fizzybay8: I'm jazzed that you're excited for this. Here is the next chapter for you.

deadmarch20: I will try...but keep in mind Hermione is much more Gryffindor than Jung-seol, who are more Ravenclaw I think.

Xiana94: Thank you for the reviews. You're lovely.

Erica18: Continued as per your command.

To tell you the truth, I'm still debating where to take this story. Whether or not to play the sociopathy of the Tom more straight than Yoo-Jung (which are more played more sympathetically I supposed). Basically Dark or no.. Tell me what you think in the reviews...

By the time Hermione arrived at the pub restaurant, it was already packed to the brim. It seems like all the students from Biology department had attended, including the final years.

This was odd.

Because usually majority of the third years and some of the second years do not bothered to attend department's functions, casual or otherwise, unless it was mandatory or you are part of the student committee. And the end of Freshies week dinners are usually at the very bottom of the mandatory ladder even for first years.

She made her way through the crowd towards the table at the back corner, where Harry and Ron were waving at her quite vigorously.

Thank god, they saved her a seat.

"It is so crowded tonight." Hermione commented offhandedly as she took off her jacket and sat down at the end of the table. Their table was secluded enough to be away from the hustle and bustle of the pub but had direct view of the whole place, so they won't miss anything fun.

Great for people watching.

"Of course, Lav told everyone Tom is coming tonight, no one wants to miss the chance of hobnobbing with the future heir of the Riddle Biotech," Ron said as he grabbed his beer and took a swig, before continuing rather crudely, "and for some of the girls a chance to hobbing his knob."

"Ron, that's disgusting, remember you are in mixed company." She shoved Harry as he crowded at her while laughing uncontrollably at Ron's vulgar play on words.

"What I see no girls here?" replied Ron obtusely as he always did whenever she reminded him that she happened to be female, and would rather not hear his rather sexist and explicit comments.

Ron loves to tease her and he usually won't stop until she did something very drastic. Harry while not as bad as Ron, loves to encouraged Ron when he gets in one of his teasing mood

"Do you Harry?" pushed Ron further, when she didn't respond. And Harry, the ass that he was sometimes, shook his head in agreement to Ron's previous statement.

Geez, both of them could be so childish sometimes.

But, she knew from past experience those two numbskulls won't stop until they have her cursing until she's frothing in the mouth. For some reason they both find it very funny to see her cursing up a storm.

Looking at their expectant face, Hermione sighed.

Better give them what they want or this could go on all night. And Hermione rather not spent the night dodging the childish behavior.

"Oh, right… I forgot I had suddenly grown a fucking cock in the last couple of minutes," said Hermione sarcastically.

That had them tittering like bunch old ladies.

Hermione grinned. They were really so easily amused.

Going in for the punch, she said, " or should I say my knob, you fucking dickheads, you can go and suck on it."

That had them bowled over in laughter.

Satisfied she had done her duty to her two best friends, she turned around to face the crowd with a huge smile still on her face.

She was surprised to see Tom Riddle standing behind her, who looked so out place amongst all the puffy coats, jeans and hoodies, in his white button down, dark green dress pants, and sleek oversize black wool coat. He looked more like a male model straight off the runway.

It was clear from the sharp stare he had gave her, he had heard her cursing animatedly. And by habit, she zeroed in on his face.

There was that look again.

That judgmental and revolted look he gets when he is annoyed or disgusted by someone.

She had seen him made it plenty to other people but she had never experienced it- in all its glory- directed to her personally. It made her feel like she's twelve again and had been caught doing something she was not supposed to do. She could feel embarrassment rising up to her cheek and ears. She had to tamped it down

She had done nothing to be embarrass about and did wrong to deserve such revulsion from him. Sure, it was uncouth of her, but cursing is not a crime. Certainly, not enough of one to be looked down liked some disgusting insect.

But as quickly as the look came it was gone. Replaced by a friendly smiling face as he moved towards another group of people at another table.

Judged and dismissed.

Hermione would've thought she had imagined the whole thing if she had not seen him made that same look a million times before.

Feeling strangely incensed, she took a huge gulp of her beer and proceed to join in on Harry and Ron's conversation with more gusto that normal, as she pushed the thought of Tom Riddle out of her mind.

That's right. Tom Riddle maybe some big shot heir to some company but what he thinks of her does not matter.

She stabbed the fries in front of her rather viciously. He can turn up his nose at her all he wants because in the end he was nothing more than a spoil brat like Malfoy.

She downed her beer in a single shot.

"Whoa, slow down there Mione, we have all night, can't have you get pissed so early without waiting for us. " Ron said jokingly while removing the full beer glasses from her immediate vicinity and pushing more food towards her.

"Yeah, did something happened?" Harry asked, his eyebrow furrowed in concern.

"No, nothing, just a little stressed out that's all," Hermione lied expertly with little grains of truth slipped in between, "I heard that bunch of scholarships are being cancelled this year on account of the financial crisis, I'm worried that my tuition fee won't be waved off this year, I'm stretched as it is without the research assistant post."

"Really?" Harry replied with a note of surprise, before composing himself immediately and reassured her, "don't worry to much, there's no one else in our programme deserved a scholarship than you and if things get really tight, Sirius and I would gladly help you."

"Yeah Mione, I can't help you as much like Harry could financial wise, I know George is looking for someone to help him out in RND part time, I know it's not exactly the academic position you wanted, but you will be doing something that is chemistry adjacent and the pay is not bad and the time is flexible." Offered Ron, who for once was nice and sweet.

Hermione was so touched that she could feel tears starting to well up in her eyes. Ever since her parents died when she turned 15, she had been struggling financially. Unlike Harry- also orphaned but at even younger age- she had to count every dollar going in and out if her pocket. He was lucky in a way, his parents had still a sizable savings tucked away when they died and being immediately adopted by a trust-fund baby had helped significantly- money wise. This is because even though she had grew up upper middle class with two dentists parents but her parents had been heavily investing in expanding their growing practice when they died in car accidents. So most of their money was tied up to their clinic she couldn't sell. The only thing she had left were small nest egg her parents saved up that her cousin/court appointed guardian had managed to burn two thirds through before Hermione had turned 18 and her childhood home. So, while she managed to get by, it was not very easy.

To hear her friends, especially Ron- who does not come from a family of means himself- to offer her their support was heart warming and reminded her that despite their difference in personalities and interests, their friendship had endured until now.

Before she could pontificate how much they meant to her, she was timely interrupted by Lavender who had slung her arm around Ron and gave him peck on the cheek, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing sweetheart, just some stuff." Ron replied as he pulled Lavender closer, completely oblivious to how her face dropped at his dismissal. It was clear to her from the look on Lavender's face that this would be the start of one of their infamous fight.

Hermione grimaced.

Ron could be so damn clueless sometimes.

They've been friends since forever and while they have other friends outside the three of them, it still very hard for new people –especially boyfriends and girlfriends to break into their group. It had been the cause of many breakups when they were in their teens. You would think Ron would have learned that lesson by now especially how serious he was taking his relationship with Lavender.

And Hermione happened to like Lavender very much. She's sweet, nice and does not have one mean bone in her body. And from his horrible dating history, Ron could do so much worse than Lavender.

Hermione resisted the urge to kick him under the table but it seemed that Harry had beaten her to that punch, when Ron suddenly yelped in pain.

Taking the opportunity at the distractions, she immediately jumped on it and addressed Lavender, "We were talking about me possibly losing my scholarship this year."

"You couldn't possibly, you're the smartest person I know!" exclaimed Lavender in disbelief, "They would be crazy not to chose you."

"Yeah, but I heard from people I know from other Uni, a lot of grants and scholarships are withdrawn completely or at least partially, it would be a matter of time before Hogwarts would have to do it too." Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when Lavender took her bait.

"Is there anything I could do?" offered Lavender sincerely, looking very upset on her behalf.

See, the sweetest person she knows.

"You know what, you're coming with me right now." Said Lavender decisively as she pulled Hermione to her feet.

"Wait, where are we going?"

"I told you I was going to introduce you to Tom right? We should do that now," as she guided them through the crowd, heading towards the Prince of Hell himself, "I heard that his family offers generous scholarships to students, you should apply just in case."

"What?" Hermione was confused at the sudden shift in topic.

"Meanwhile, you might as well get a leg up in a competition." Lavender smirked as she gestured meaningfully toward Tom. He looked busy conversing with few Masters and Doctorate candidates who had attended the dinner.

Lavender's meaning finally dawned on her, it had stopped her on her track, "No, I couldn't! I don't even know the guy, I couldn't just ask him to give me money."

"Well, maybe not that, but it wouldn't hurt to get to know him and most importantly put a face to the application, so come on." Lavender, despite her short and petite stature was able to drag Hermione across the room.

"This is a bad idea Lavender."

"It will be fine, Tom is really a nice guy, you'll see." Assured Lavender as they finally come to a stop behind Tom and a group of people.

With confidence and brashness only Lavender had, she quickly squeezed herself into the conversation completely ignoring the flow of the conversation around the table they already had,

"Oh by the way Tom, this is Hermione, she's the best student in biochem course, Hermione this is Tom." Lavender had introduced them without preamble not even noticing that small almost imperceptible tick at the corner of his left eye.

He did not like their intrusion and by the way he was looking at her like she was some kind of worthless person, he definitely recognised her from her cursing rant earlier.

"Actually she was the top student in the Biology department, before you came along Tom," Guffawed a rather detestable Postgrad student, Cormac McLaggen who always seemed to hang out with either Riddle or Malfoy eventhough they literally have no classes together, "he kinda stole your thunder there didn't he Hermione?"

Hermione eyes narrowed. McLaggen had been getting on her nerves ever since she rejected him in her second year.

"He got the TA job and he got the Slughorn," McLaggen rubbed in even more, "How Snape is treating you? You should have let me put in a good word for you with Trelawney, even she is better than that greasy bat."

Her pissed off meter raised up a grade.

Sure, McLaggen would do all that for her out of the goodness of his own heart.

And she's a tooth fairy dancing in a bikini.

Beside, Hermione would rather take on a hundred Snape than be supervised by that hack.

Completely ignoring McLaggen and his attempt to be humourous, Hermione returned her attention back to Riddle.

She took note of his stance. Despite his warm and welcoming face, he had clasped his hands to his back. She narrowed her eyes at him. He definitely did not want to touch her at all.

Plastering a huge fake smile on her face, Hermione hold out her hands in friendly gesture and with the sweetest voice she could master, she said, "It was nice to finally meet you."

It took him a beat too long- he definitely didn't want to touch her at all- before he finally took her hand in a very short but firm grip. It was small enough movement, but Hermione definitely caught him wiping his hand.

"It was good to see you too." He said with all the charm….of a snake, which frankly speaking is an insult to snakes because he is two-face lying cretin.

Hermione was about to say something. Something clever and cutting for sure, but was immediately cut off by a gaggle of girls.

"Tom, we are so glad you decided to come here tonight," one of the girls said flirtatiously, as they pushed out Lavender and Hermione out of the conversation circle purposely.

Part of her was glad to be given the chance to leave the Tom's questionable company, no matter how rudely.

Hermione seized the chance and nudged at Lavender and mouthed out, 'Let's get out of here.'

Lavender nodded in agreement.

Hermione turned back to take her old phone she left on the table.

That's when she saw it.

Riddle in action.

One of the pushier girls was crowding in on Riddle, her ample breasts purposefully grazed at his arm.

"Tom, your drink is empty, let me pour you another one." The girl said as she hurriedly grabbed the full pitcher to fill Tom's half full mug.

But as she was about to pour the yellow liquid, Tom moved his glasses slightly and purposefully bumped his shoulder against the girl, causing her to accidentally missed the glass and pour the beer onto the table instead.

The foamy liquid started the drip onto the girl clothes completely missing Riddle who had knowingly side stepped back, avoiding the damage completely.

He smirked.

But that smirk was completely replaced by a concern face in a split second, when the girl looked back up to apologise profusely for her clumsiness.

"It's alright, no harm done," Riddle said with a kind tone- that would sound sincere enough to her ears if she hadn't witnessed the whole thing from the beginning, "Oh, look at your clothes, it's all ruin now."

The girl looked down and finally realized that she was drenched in the cheap beer and groaned.

"You should take care of it before you get cold…your friends can help." Riddle suggested, effectively removing all the girls from his table.

Hermione snickered to herself.

It would be highly impressive if it weren't so incredibly frightening.

Hermione must've stared for a second too long, because Riddle looked up and saw her watching him with smirk still in place.

His eyes narrowed at her intently.

Fuck, she just got caught.