Hermione walked down the corridors to the Great Hall for the first feast after Christmas break. Classes would be resuming the next day. Quidditch would also be starting up in a few weeks though that didn't really interest her. She only attended quidditch games and practices to support Harry, Ron, and then Ginny but she no longer had anyone to support now that Abraxas had changed his memories.
Hermione entered the Great Hall with a solemn heart. She just had to go and think about everyone, though the memory that hurt the most was the one of Abraxas, maybe because it was still so new.
Ignatius spotted her from the doorway and waved her over. Lucretia sat beside him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.
"Hermione," smiled Lucretia.
"Lucretia, Ignatius." Hermione sat down in the empty seat across from them. It still felt weird to Hermione to be so friendly with them. "How was your break?"
"My aunt Muriel is doing a bit better though my uncle, not so much."
"Sorry to hear that." Hermione offered a kind smile.
Lucretia laid her head on Ignatius's shoulder. She reached for her drink slowly with her left hand. Hermione glanced down and saw the beautiful silver band with ruby inlays on her ring finger. "What! You asked her? Wait, you actually said yes, to this idiot?" Hermione directed the last question to Lucretia.
"I did," giggled Lucretia. "It was hard to say no after the spell backfired."
Hermione raised a quizzical eyebrow at Ignatius when Lucretia didn't elaborate.
Ignatius's face turned a bright shade of red that matched his hair. "It was snowing pretty bad so I decided to make a starlight sky inside. It's harder than it looks." He pointed his chin up to the enchanted ceiling above them.
Lucretia giggled again. "Instead of enchanting the room, he enchanted himself."
Hermione imagined a star covered Ignatius and burst out laughing. Lucretia joined in. Poor Ignatius managed to turn an even brighter shade of red.
"What's so funny?" The smooth, silky voice that was much like poison instantly killed Hermione's good mood.
"What are you doing here?" She snapped at Riddle.
"I wanted to thank you in person for the present and very amusing letter."
Ignatius and Lucretia shot her a questioning look.
"There's no need for you to thank me," snapped Hermione. Her blood was starting to boil from anger and embarrassment. She was never going to hear the end of it from Ignatius and Lucretia.
Riddle's lips quirked into a half smile that seemed more like a smirk. "Of course I should. I'm also giving you an early invitation to come watch me play when quidditch resumes. It only seems fair that you come and see your gift in action."
"Quidditch? Hermione, what did you get him?"
"A broom," admitted Hermione with a smile. "He helped me with something so I got him the broom as a Thank you gift."
"A broom!" Ignatius squealed. "Which one?" Ignatius held up his hand to stop Hermione from answering. "Nevermind. I can already guess that you bought him the latest version. I want one." Ignatius sighed absentmindedly, lost in a daydream that only he could see.
Hermione turned her attention back to her food. "I will not be going to any quidditch matches. If that is all, you. May. Leave." She punctuated her words with an aggressive bite.
Riddle chuckled but done as she asked.
"You know, I think he only talks to you to get a rise out of you," commented Lucretia.
Hermione humphed. She decided to focus all her attention on the food in front of her.
Dippet stood up to the podium and rang a fork against his glass. "If I may have everyone's attention. I want to say that I hope that all of you had a wonderful and enjoyable break. Classes will resume tomorrow." The door to the Great Hall opened and in tumbled Newt Scamander and the others. All of them except the muggle looked bored. The muggle paid no attention to the students as he looked up at the ceiling in awe. Dippet and a few of the professors chuckled which caused quite a few of the students to join in with their own laughter.
"I would also like to introduce everyone to our guests. They will be staying with us for a few months. They have agreed to become temporary aides and sit in on your classes." Dippet gestured a hand toward the brunette American woman. "This is Miss Porpentina Goldstein, who will sit in on professor Merrythought's classes. She works for the U.S branch's ministry." He then waved to the Muggle. "This is Jacob Kowalski. He is a muggle so be patient with him and treat him with respect. His experience will be very helpful in professor Idney's class. Then finally, we have Newt Scamander who will be assisting professor Kettleburn." Hermione stood up from her seat and applauded. Those around her gave her a curious glance. She took her seat with inflamed cheeks.
"What was that about?" asked Ignatius.
"We'll be learning from Newt Scamander, the Newt Scamander." Everyone around her gave blank stares at her explanation. It was almost as if none of them had read-oh! She had forgotten that Newt Scamander hadn't published his work yet. "He studies magical beasts and their habitats. His findings are groundbreaking," explained Hermione.
"Oh," said everyone in unison.
Hermione felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She peeked over her shoulder to find Riddle glaring at her.
Lucretia followed her gaze. "I think you made him jealous."
Hermione physically gagged at the thought. "Jealous? Riddle? You have to be capable of emotions to feel jealousy. Besides, what would he be jealous of?"
Ignatius gave her an 'are you kidding' look. At her perplexed look he explained. "You loudly applauded for the Scamander guy and when you were talking about him you weren't being very subtle."
"You think he's jealous of Newt Scamander?" Hermione found herself laughing at the ridiculous thought. She ignored the small voice in the back of her head that was telling her that Riddle had given a similar look when Hermione had thanked Newt for saving them from the Boggart.