"Tom, you're kinda scary right now." Hermione shrank back a little.
"Stop yapping like a little girl!" Tom yanked her forward. "Open your mouth."
He shoved a potion bottle into her mouth, then pulled out his wand and took a deep breath.
"Good, smile—keep smiling… I didn't say grin, show me your teeth."
"What are you doing!" Hermione got suspicious. "Are you about to cast something on me?"
"Don't worry about that!" Tom stared at her. "I've been researching this spell for over half a month. Don't you want those massive rabbit teeth fixed?"
Rabbit teeth?
Hermione's eyes lit up—she had a pair of huge front teeth that made her look like a bunny. It was mortifying.
People teased her about it all the time. Her parents were dentists, yet their daughter had these ugly, cartoonishly big front teeth!
So that potion earlier…
Hermione heard Tom start the incantation and quickly waved her hands. "Wait, I'm not mentally ready! This… this can't just be a potion and a spell, right?
Um… shouldn't there be some prep work first?"
Tom chuckled. "Want me to get you a glass of whisky? Or unsweetened lemon tea with double lemon?
Fine, Hermione—relax, stay calm. It'll be over in a second. Here we go—look at the spell!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the wand flicked.
A purple-green light flashed. Hermione felt a weird tingling in her mouth.
"Hey, open wider. I'm adjusting—wider… good, tonsils are fine, no veggie bits in the teeth gaps. Perfect."
"Tom!" Hermione blushed. This was the first time a boy her age had ever stared straight into her mouth like that.
A moment later Tom lowered his wand. "Done."
"Done?"
Tom picked up the mirror on the side and handed it to her.
She took it and stared at her reflection.
It was the first time Hermione had really looked at herself. She realised how much she'd changed—her clothes weren't random anymore; she deliberately copied stylish outfits. Her skin was smoother from all the care. Her bushy hair was now glossy and decorated with cute accessories. The brown ribbon was her favourite.
Looking at the girl in the mirror, Hermione felt like she was staring at a familiar stranger.
Was I… always this pretty?
She suddenly had the thought: Maybe I actually look good?
"I'll hold it for you." Tom took the mirror back and held it up so she could keep looking.
Hermione was mesmerised by her teeth—neat, even, no one sticking out, all the same size.
"Tom."
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
Tom snapped his fingers. "You're welcome. We're basically the same person anyway. And in the future I might need to use this body to go on dates with Cho-senpai or hang out with other kids. I'm happy if you look pretty."
Hermione's mouth twitched. Her expression changed instantly. "What… did you just say?"
Dates?
Using my body?
So Cho-senpai really has hugged Tom?
Hermione: "Tom, you absolute bastard!"
"Thanks for the compliment. This week's homework is all yours, Lady Hermione."
Hermione: "You're seriously the worst!"
"I seriously appreciate the praise. We should go now—Hagrid's waiting for me to watch the rainbow-scaled giant chicken hatch."
Hermione: "Wait, I still have class at this hour. I probably…"
"It's fine. I've skipped a few already—one or two more won't matter."
With that, Tom grabbed her wrist and headed out.
"Hey, you skipping doesn't mean I—wait, be clear: whose body are you skipping with?!"
---
Hagrid's hut always smelled of magical creatures.
Tom sniffed. He could pick out at least five different ones.
"Hagrid, I'm here—and I brought a friend."
Hagrid beamed like a giant kid when he saw them. "Tom, welcome! Hermione—you look a bit different…"
Hermione grinned, showing off her perfect new teeth.
"Child, your teeth are much prettier now. I'm glad… Tom, you did that?"
"Just a little something!" Tom accepted the praise without hesitation.
"Let's not stand outside." Hagrid opened the door and stepped aside with his massive body. "Come in, come in. It's in the hatching stage. I've got a feeling your rainbow-scaled giant chicken will be born soon. You should pick a name before then."
The huge egg on the table was wriggling. The shell was covered in tiny cracks, and a little beak kept pecking from inside, trying to break free.
"Tom, have you thought of a name?" Hermione stood close to him, voice soft and careful, afraid of disturbing the creature.
"Dog."
"Dog?" Hermione tilted her head, confused.
Then it hit her. "You're naming a chicken Dog?"
"Cute, right?"
"How can you be so… bastard!" The last two words were whispered so only they could hear.
Tom grinned. "Oh right, don't you have an owl? What did you name it?"
Hermione had never told Tom the owl's name—she felt it was her owl and the bastard wasn't allowed to use it!
But now Tom wasn't as much of a bastard, and he'd fixed her teeth… maybe it was okay to tell him…
"Mira."
"Huh, I thought you'd name it Tom or Riddle. Didn't expect something normal. No wonder it never answered when I called it that. Then I'll name the rainbow-scaled giant chicken Hermione.
Hermione Riddle."
Hermione immediately got mad.
Hagrid watched with delight.
Ah, young people should be this lively.
But Hagrid's next words broke the standoff. "That name sounds like Hermione married you."
When a girl marries, she takes the husband's surname. If Hermione ever married Tom, she'd become Hermione Riddle.
"Who'd marry this… villain!"
"Weren't I a bastard earlier?"
"Bastards are better than you! Bastards only steal money or hurt people, but you, but you…" Hermione's face turned bright red. She shut her mouth, went quiet, and rested her chin on her hands on the table.
Did I say something wrong?
Hagrid also fell silent. The three of them sat side by side—Tom in the middle, the other two saying nothing. Hermione didn't want to speak, and Hagrid wanted to but was scared to.
He'd already messed up once. Couldn't do it again.
"It's coming out!" Hermione lit up, beaming.
A tiny beak pecked through the shell. A little head poked out.
The rainbow-scaled giant chick had just hatched. Its head was tiny—only the size of Tom's thumb—and its eyes were squeezed shut. The feathers were fluffy and sparse.
"Can I hold it?"
Tom nodded. "Sure, but be gentle."
"I won't hurt it!"
Tom: "No, it might hurt you. Don't let its size fool you—even tiny, a peck from a rainbow-scaled giant chicken still stings."
Hermione didn't care. She carefully scooped the little chick into her palms, radiating pure childish wonder and motherly glow—she had helped care for the egg all this time!
The moment she held the tiny creature, all the tiredness of the past few days melted away.
"Sonia's still small. Once she grows up she can deliver letters for me and even carry me while flying… Sonia's the name I just gave her."
"She'll get that big?" Hermione was amazed.
"Of course." Hagrid finally joined in. "Adult rainbow-scaled giant chickens are as big as griffins. By second year she'll be able to carry Tom through the sky.
Full size takes three to five years. By then the two of you could ride together no problem."
Hermione got even more excited.
"Hagrid!"
A third voice rang out. Hermione instinctively hid the chick.
Harry and Ron appeared in the doorway, panting. They froze when they saw who was inside.
"Tom… Hermione? What are you two doing here?"
"Long time no see, Harry." Tom waved. "You look like you're in a hurry. I was just leaving for class anyway. See you later."
"See you later." Harry replied.
"Stay safe on the way." Hagrid reminded them.
"See… you… later." That was Ron—he was still catching his breath from the run.
Only Hermione stubbornly turned her head and said nothing.
"Hey, Hermione, you should say goodbye to Tom." Hagrid patted her shoulder. "Otherwise you'll regret it later. Friends are the most precious thing in the world."
"He's not my friend." Hermione huffed. "Hmph. Bye… then."
…
After leaving Hagrid's hut, Tom headed straight back to Snape's hidden room—the secret chamber inside the Potions lab.
For the past while, Tom had been studying one particular spell in here.
Snape had given him a one-week deadline. He had to master it in seven days!
Time was short. Tom had poured every ounce of focus into it.
Today was the day to test the results.
Soon the door behind him opened. Snape walked in.
The two of them locked eyes for a second. Snape immediately raised his wand.
"Legilimency!!!"
Tom closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, his jade-green irises had turned into deep, abyss-like black.
Exactly like Snape's.
---