He held his hands up in mock surrender, observing her scan him. "I apologise, I didn't mean to sneak up on you," he said in his most charming voice.
The girl continued to stare at him, but to Tom's satisfaction, slowly began to lower her wand. Though, he noted, she never returned it to her robes.
"Do you work here?" She asked, in what Tom noted, a voice that was neither high-pitched nor too 'girly', but very direct. "If you do, I have a meeting scheduled with a Mr Caractacus Burke," she continued, not waiting for him to answer.
"Yes, I apologise… Mr Burke has had to step out to the post office for a short while, though he shouldn't be too long," Tom noted a sudden glint that passed through her eyes as she looked at him; he wondered what she was thinking. "But he said he had a meeting.
I assume you are the one Dumbledore sent?"
The girl huffed slightly, obviously annoyed at Burke not being available. "Yes, Professor Dumbledore sent me… do you have any idea how long Mr Burke will be?"
Tom almost rolled his eyes at the obvious affection in her voice when she mentioned Dumbledore and then had the audacity to correct him in regards to the old coots 'title' – in a swotty manner no less! Controlling his anger to not curse the girl, he smiled politely at the girl.
"Well, I would hope he won't take too long, but unfortunately he normally stops for tea in the afternoons and a lot of people often want to stop and talk to him in both Knockturn and Diagon Alley," Tom explained, noting the frown that suddenly appeared on her face.
"I suppose I'll have to wait then," she said in a rather dejected tone, before sighing and running a hand through her crazy hair and looking around the store.
Tom thought she was quite amusing, whoever she was. There was now an awkward silence as the girl looked all around the shop – anywhere but at Tom actually – and Tom wondered why she seemed so interesting compared to the usual customer.
"I'm sorry; I don't believe I caught your name?" Tom asked. If Tom wasn't an observant person, he may not have noticed the nervous expression that travelled across her face, but he did.
The Girl quickly collected her expression before offering an attempt at a polite smile. "Hermione.
Hermione Edwards. "
"It's nice to meet you Ms Edwards. My name is Tom Riddle.
" He pasted a polite smile on his face and held his hand out. Again, he noticed an unknown glint flit through her eyes at the sound of his name.
Had Dumbledore spoken of him and warned her already?
The girl he now knew as Hermione held her hand out tentatively and he clasped it, giving her hand a gentle but firm shake. "It's nice to meet you Mr Riddle," she responded politely and let go of his hand quickly.
They both looked at each other and Tom was distinctly amused at how awkward the girl seemed. Though it wasn't the usual awkward silliness, like with most girls, she looked extremely uncomfortable.
Tom noted with interest that her eyes seemed to unconsciously dart to the windows and exit of the shop.
"Well…" Hermione spoke up again, interrupting Tom's thoughts, "Don't let me keep from you from your work… I'll just look around until Mr Burke returns," she said, absentmindedly waving her hand around the shop.
"Actually I was just reading a book… it's quite a slow day here. I'd be happy to show you around the shop.
"
"Oh. Um, you don't have to do that," she tried to wave off his suggestion with what seemed like false humour.
"I wouldn't want to keep you from anything important. "
Tom wasn't about to let her go that easily. Her subtle evasiveness, and the fact that Dumbledore sent her, peaked his interest immensely.
"Nonsense, I already said that I wasn't busy. I insist," he replied and smiled at her.
She smiled awkwardly. "Oh.
Okay, sure," she said and quickly turned away from him and marched over to a glass cabinet.
Tom raised his eyebrows in amusement at Hermione's actions. It was almost as though she treated this as a task she would need to endure.
While he would normally find that kind of attitude from a female insulting, she was almost comedic in her attempts to conceal her real emotions. He quickly moved to follow her.
Standing beside her, he noted that she was staring at the cursed Opal necklace on display.
"Do not Touch! Cursed. Has claimed the lives of nineteen Muggle owners to date," she read aloud.
Turning to face him, she then said, "How awful and distasteful! How can these items be legally sold?" She raised an indignant eyebrow at him.
Tom had to fight the mocking laugh that threatened the leave his mouth. "Well, with all due respect Ms Edwards, aren't you here to do some business yourself?"
He noted with satisfaction the scowl that appeared on her face at his comment. "I am most certainly not purchasing this awful device though!" she replied in a haughty tone as she waved her hand across the case.
"If I may be so bold, what do you intend on purchasing?" he asked, though he then kicked himself as he allowed a note of curiosity in his tone.
Hermione turned away quickly. "It is bold of you to ask, actually.
"
Tom raised his eyebrows at her brusque response. "My apologies.
" He attempted to sound contrite. "Though I will see the purchase in the books anyway, I hope that doesn't offend you.
" He tried to keep the smug tone to a minimum. Who was this bossy little chit to tell him he wasn't allowed to know something?
Hermione scoffed and Tom was pretty sure that he saw her roll her eyes from his vantage point. She turned to face him, away from the jewellery case.
"I am purchasing a book actually," she responded, and he noted with glee that it was a clipped tone of complete annoyance.