A Drink (Hermione)

[Tom Black]

Hog's Head had always been one of Tom's favourite bars. There were always strange folk in there with plenty of stories to tell. But today was not the day to talk to strangers who were passing through Hogsmeade. Dressed in his cleanest robes (they had become rather dusty and dirty since he left Hogwarts and started working for the Dark Lord's cause), Tom pulled out a roll of parchment that he had meant to send yesterday.

Draco had been there though, and he had to put it away. If Draco ever found out that Tom was seeing Hermione, it would certainly be the end of Tom's service and life.

The letter read:
Hermione,

Meet me in the Hog's Head. It should only take half an hour on the outside, then you can be back in your Dormitory.

Love,
Tom

Stepping outside for a minute, he whistled lowly and heard a flutter of wings before an owl flew over to him. There were always loose owls at dusk; it was easier - and cheaper - to whistle for him rather than go to the Post Office. That was a pain like you would never believe. Watching the owl fly off, Tom stepped back into Hog's Head, pulled his hood over his head, and slid to the back of the pub, taking a seat in the shadows.

[Hermione Granger]

Hermione looked around as she walked through Hogsmeade and towards the Hogs Head, she hhadn't been in there since the old Dumbledore Army days, where it was her and Harry making meetings there on Hogsmeade weekends freaking out the regulars. She had missed those days, but it was better now. They didn't have to hide the army, they could do it right in the school.

Wearing a set of dark purple robes she walked into the Hogs Head taking her hood off her head. She had been seeing Tom for quite some time. But when he started to not be around the school from time to time, she'd get worried. Right now, she was worried about this drink.

Seeing' Tom in a dark corner she squinted to make sure it was her love and not someone else. After making sure she walked over and sat down. "Hey, why'd you pick here? It's kinda dirty and creepy in here don't you think? What's wrong with the Three Broomsticks?" She wasn't upset, she was seeing him, it was just...normally what happened at the Hogs Head, happened because it was meant to be secret.

[Tom Black]

Tom looked up when Hermione came over to him. "Here is just the meeting place. We can't talk in here. There are too many ears, too many eyes, and too many bodies," he said softly, guiding her outside. The wind was whistling softly, and it rushed through his black, curly hair as he lowered his hood. "You have to listen to me; things are being set in motion, the world is changing. I just wanted to see you again. That's all."

It was the first time that Tom had felt his relationship in jeopardy. True, from when he asked Hermione out to their first date, and she had accepted, his world changed. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor dating was something that was unheard of, and even Albus Dumbledore had taken it somewhat strangely at first. But he was one of very few people that knew about Tom and Hermione. Not even Harry, or Ron, or even Draco for that matter.

Neither of them could afford to know. It would bring an end to a love that had been going on for several years.

"How are you doing?" Tom asked, walking down the main road towards the Shrieking Shack. There was a forest there, and that was where he felt most comfortable ... where nobody could follow them or even hear them for that matter. "I'm sorry that I couldn't write to you, but since the end of school, I've been busy. Many times, I wanted to tell you that I was alright, but I couldn't ..."

[Hermione Granger]

Sure, when they first started to date Hermione wasn't exactly all for it. Sneaking around her best friends wasn't something she was proud of. But every single time a guy looked at her Harry and Ron would jump on them. They wouldn't take Hermione seriously as a women, they wouldn't ask her out. Therefore the world couldn't ask her out. So she was used to sneaking around, but this time was different, something was strange. "Tom..Tom your starting to freak me out, what do you mean to many ears people and bodies. There was no one in there we knew." She muttered.

Hermione rolled her eyes "Yes Tom I'm aware of this, which is why I"m not a healer at St. Mungo's, instead I'm working with the students at....." She trailed off. "I wanted to see you too, I'm fine but..." Hermione sighed "Tom, why didn't you come back to the school." She looked over at him. "Who are you working for now?" Hermione learned fast that there were no shades of grey, you were either bad, or good, there was no inbetween. Snape taught her that, there is no such thing as a simple shade of grey.

Pulling back from him slightly she looked around. "Since the outbreak, I haven't seen you....but your not hurt, there's no scars...why?"