Your deepest desire…
Hermione took a deep, steadying breath.
Stay calm. Relax.
Maybe what she wanted most was something totally ordinary—like a mug of hot cocoa on a winter day, or an iced coffee in the summer.
Her knuckles went white as she gripped the black cloth covering the mirror.
Then, out of nowhere, she heard a cry.
A rooster's crow.
But it was barely nightfall—roosters didn't crow at night…
And that sound… it felt familiar.
Suddenly, it hit her. Her hands shook, and the cloth slipped to the floor, revealing what was in the Mirror of Erised.
Two kids.
Hermione and Tom, standing side by side, smiling at her. The mirror versions didn't say a word.
Before Sonia's cry, maybe her deepest desire had been something else.
But the moment she heard that rainbow-scaled giant chicken—now all she wanted was for her and her "friend" to be safe.
Tom, please don't get hurt!
She bolted out the door.
"Tom, you've already seen what it shows?" Dumbledore was waiting outside. He looked surprised at how frantic she seemed.
"Professor Dumbledore, that doesn't matter right now!
Tom—Hermione! Hermione might be in danger. We raised Sonia together—she's our rainbow-scaled giant chicken. I just heard her crow, and she only does that when one of us is in real danger!
They're loyal—they'll stick with whichever of us is around, and they'll protect their wizard with their own body if they have to!"
Hadn't Hagrid said the Forbidden Forest was safe tonight?
Weren't they just supposed to be looking into why unicorns were dying?
Snape's voice was ice-cold. "That's not for you to worry about. What did you see in the mirror?"
"Nothing! Just me and Hermione standing together—that's it!"
"Foolish girl."
Hermione glared. "Professor Snape, maybe you should understand how important friends are to me. And Hermione can't get hurt!"
Not now, at least.
If Tom got himself killed tonight in the forest… wouldn't that make her the one who got him killed?
"Dumbledore, Snape—have a good night." She gave a quick bow and hurried off.
Clearly, she wasn't heading back to the dormitory tonight either.
"Severus," Dumbledore said casually, "aren't you going after her?"
"Albus, this is happening at your school. One of your students is in danger—even if her parents are Muggles, even if she's a foolish Gryffindor. You're responsible for this."
"Hermione will be fine," Dumbledore replied mildly. "But Tom rushing off? That's another story. Well, this old man can't stay up all night. Your call, Severus."
He's forcing my hand.
Snape gritted his teeth, swirled his cloak, and followed after her.
…
Tom got a clear look at the shadowy figure ahead.
A centaur.
"You carry a familiar warmth," the centaur said. "Little one, what is your name?"
Tom knew his time helping Hagrid with magical creatures had paid off.
[Title: Little Helper of Magical Creatures]
[Effect: Magical creatures feel an innate affinity toward you and won't become hostile without reason.]
All those hours feeding and caring for creatures weren't for nothing.
"Hermione Granger."
The centaur raised an eyebrow. "Ah. Is there something you cannot say aloud? I will forgive it, little one. I am Firenze."
"Thank you for understanding." Tom glanced back at the trembling Malfoy.
"Friend," Tom continued, "I heard unicorns have been killed in the forest. Do you know who's doing it?"
Firenze was quiet for a moment, then shook his head. "I cannot say. But this place is dangerous tonight. You should turn back—return to your castle. Hogwarts will keep you safe. The forest may not.
He is cruel and merciless. He will not spare you just because you are a child."
"Thanks for the warning," Tom said.
Firenze looked puzzled. He thought he'd been clear enough—why was this child still heading deeper in?
Seeing he couldn't persuade him, Firenze turned and left silently.
Once the centaur was gone, Malfoy finally caught up.
"Granger, we should go back! You heard that stupid creature—there's danger ahead!
We need to find that oaf Hagrid and tell him to alert Dumbledore."
Tom spun around and smacked Malfoy on the back of the head, messing up his perfect blond hair. "Hey, rich boy. First and hopefully last warning: don't badmouth people in front of me—especially when they're my friends.
Next time you do, I'll hang you upside down from the Great Hall chandelier, then let Tom go cry to Professor Snape about how you insulted him."
"I didn't—" Malfoy went pale, bad memories clearly flashing through his mind.
"You think Snape will care whether you did or not?" Tom smirked. "If you're scared, go find Hagrid. I've gotta move faster."
Idiot.
Malfoy cursed under his breath.
Fine—if you won't leave, I will!
He ran off—taking their only lantern with him.
Hey… at least leave the light!
Whatever.
Tom flicked his wand. "Lumos."
A cool blue glow lit the way, and he picked up the pace.
He knew exactly what—who—was out here, and what they were doing.
He just wanted to get there a little faster. Maybe he could still save the poor creature.
Less than five minutes later, he found it.
A unicorn.
And behind it, a figure cloaked entirely in black.
Even without seeing the face, Tom knew who it was.
Voldemort.
Or rather—Professor Quirrell.
Still playing pretend, huh?
"Incendio! Flagrate!"
Tom shot a blazing arrow of flame straight at him.
The unicorn spotted Tom and galloped toward him without hesitation—it sensed the pure warmth radiating from him, like a hearth on a cold night.
"Hey, old man," Tom called out to Voldemort. "It's past curfew. Time to go to bed."
Voldemort said nothing—he was still trying to keep his identity hidden.
He rose slightly off the ground and glided toward Tom like a ghost.
The second Voldemort raised his wand, Tom raised his own. "Expelliarmus!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Holy crap—he opens with the Killing Curse?!
Tom dove and rolled. The green jet of light chased him like it had eyes.
He ducked behind a massive tree. When the curse carved a smoking gouge into the trunk, he let out a long breath.
Good thing I've been keeping this body in shape for Hermione.
Or I'd be dead already.
"Expelliarmus!"
No pause—he fired off the spell while downing a vial of potion at the same time.
Thanks to his title and the potion's boost, the red beam flew twice as fast.
It hit home. Voldemort's wand went flying.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Tom aimed low, at the legs.
He didn't expect to fully petrify him—just buy a few seconds on the legs.
"Aqua Eructo! Fulmen Ostende!"
Blue light flared. Voldemort clearly hadn't seen that coming.
First came freezing water, soaking him—then a crackling bolt of lightning shot up from the puddle.
Water + lightning. Tom had been dreaming of this combo for ages.
Elemental reaction, baby!
"You… Mudblood!" Voldemort roared, furious.
He'd never felt so humiliated—actually hurt by a child.
"Hermione!"
Hagrid and Harry finally showed up.
By the time they arrived, Voldemort had already broken the partial petrification, grabbed his wand, and fled.
"Hermione—are you okay?" Harry stammered, panicked. "That thing just now—"
"Pretty sure it was the mysterious man," Tom cut in. "But anyway—why's it just you two? Where's Malfoy?"
"Malfoy? Wasn't he with you the whole time?"
Hagrid narrowed his eyes and glanced to the side.
There was Malfoy, hiding in the shadows with his lantern snuffed out.
He hadn't dared run toward Hagrid and the others—he didn't know how far away they were, and he hadn't dared come help either. Just stayed hidden.
"You coward!" Harry snapped. "If it were me, I'd never—"
"You don't get it—that was the Killing Curse!" Malfoy hugged his head, shaking. "If that hits you, you're dead—really dead!"
"The Killing Curse?" Hagrid looked stunned. "Hermione, that was really Avada Kedavra? What exactly did you see?"
Tom gave them the edited version.
He said he guessed it was Voldemort, chasing a unicorn.
Then, by some "lucky" timing, he'd saved the unicorn and traded a few spells—unfortunately, he hadn't won.
It wasn't Voldemort at full power, sure—but if Tom could actually beat him right now, he might as well crown himself the next Dark Lord.
It wasn't that easy.
"Come on, kids," Hagrid said gruffly. "I'm getting you back to the castle. This has to go straight to Albus. Everyone behind me—let's move."
On the way back, they ran into the real Hermione rushing toward them.
She was out of breath, grabbed Tom's hand, and checked him over head to toe. "Are you okay? I heard Sonia crowing."
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Tom coughed awkwardly. "There are… uh, other people here. Cough."
Only then did Hermione realize how it looked.
From everyone else's perspective, she was "Tom," and the one she'd just frantically inspected was "Hermione."
Her actions had been… a little suspicious.