Hogwarts: Hermione and I switched identities!

She's not sick; she's clearly going to see Tom.

……

“Mr. Severus!” Mrs. Pomfrey, the head nurse of the school hospital, looked at Snape as he carried a child in. “Good heavens, put this child down quickly.”

Snape did as instructed.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness..." Madam Pomfrey breathed a sigh of relief after checking Hermione over. "Relax, child, you'll recover soon. It's all thanks to your strong physique; I'm sure you exercise regularly."

However, it seems I won't be able to attend classes for the next few days. You should rest well in the meantime… Mr. Severus, are you leaving?

Seeing Snape about to leave, Madam Pomfrey quickly called out to him, "Severus, this child needs rest now, perhaps you could stay and look after him... if you have the time."

"Why should I waste my time?" Snape said coldly.

"Sir, every sick child longs for love. They need a companion by their side. Professor Severus, do you have a class later?"

Snape saw Hermione, who was lying on the bed, open her eyes, wink at him, and gaze at him with an expression full of longing.

“I understand…” Snape sighed. “I can only stay with you for an hour. I hope you fall asleep within that hour, and then I will leave!”

"Thank you for your help, Professor."

The conversation between the two was anything but friendly; it seemed to consist only of pleading and resignation.

Tom was secretly listening to their conversation from outside the door.

Perhaps I should wait an hour before going in?

Now that they've run into Professor Snape, he'll probably continue to deduct Gryffindor's points heavily...

Chapter 35 Hermione's Persistence (3k-word chapter, please read, vote, and recommend!)

One hour later...

Snape didn't leave, and Hermione was coughing incessantly in her hospital bed, unable to fall asleep at all.

Madam Pomfrey visited Hermione and told her that it was nothing unusual and that the persistent cough was a sign that her health was improving.

Another hour passed, and Snape still hadn't left.

Tom was getting quite impatient waiting at the door.

What happened to the promised hour?

Professor Snape isn't going to be keeping watch here all night, is he?

Suddenly, Professor Snape stepped forward and opened the door with both hands.

"Uh... Hello, Professor Snape."

"Hello Granger! I hope you can hand in your homework on time next week."

When was it discovered?

Tom was completely unaware; he only felt Snape appear in a flash, and then... he was caught red-handed.

He coldly brushed past Tom and left the school hospital.

"Tom...cough cough, what brings you here?" Hermione, lying in bed, had a glint in her eyes when she saw Tom arrive.

After the two got closer, Hermione pushed Tom away again: "Don't get so close, you'll catch a cold from me."

Tom grinned and said, "It's okay, it's not my body anyway. You can just lie in bed for a few more days."

"?"

"Hey, don't look at me like that, look what I brought you."

Tom clapped his hands, and an owl flew in through the window. The giant, colorful-scaled chicken, following the route Tom had taken before, quietly raised its claws and approached.

“Mirola, Sonia!” Hermione beamed. “Tom, you’re such a good friend.”

She thought for a moment, then quickly added, "Today only!"

"Well, I'm relieved to see you so happy." Tom nodded, crossing his arms. "I have some more good news to tell you."

"What great news!"

"Did you hear what Professor Snape just said? Remember to finish your homework after you recover: copy the experiment on the effects of 100 potions, two copies." Tom held up two fingers. "Unfortunately, every first-year student has to copy it."

Hermione became agitated, even forgetting what had happened while she was in the hospital bed: "Why do I have to have your share too...?"

"If you don't copy, Professor Snape will continue to put pressure on you. Sigh, the thought that his favorite student has gone against his wishes probably means that it's not just Ravenclaw who will suffer."

It really is.

Snape today... no, Snape has been showing signs of this for the past few days. He's in a bad mood and wants to punish anyone he sees.

Neville has been locked up in his office for three days straight, and now he looks pitiful like an abandoned child.

"I take back what I said before, Tom, you're still that jerk." Hermione huffed and puffed on an apple, mumbling as she asked:

“So, you know why Professor Snape was so…” Hermione gestured with her hands, unsure how to describe it.

“Professor Snape is getting old. It seems you haven’t been paying much attention to him these days,” Tom sighed. “If I’m not mistaken, Professor Snape must have something he wants to tell you.”

Hmm...it feels more like I'm trying to teach you something, but obviously, you haven't realized it.

When Hermione heard that Professor Snape was going to teach something, she opened her mouth in surprise: "But he didn't tell me!"

"It's probably impossible to hear such frank words from him in this lifetime. It's a pity, Hermione. You missed a chance to learn directly from Professor Snape. You can only listen to my secondhand words now."

"This isn't fair! I want to learn as soon as possible too!"

"Oh? Then there's probably no chance. You're sick today. He'll probably make it clear once you're better, but by then... you won't be Tom Riddle anymore."

"I'll be bouncing around again tomorrow!" Hermione said somewhat defiantly, stammering in a low voice, "Then I'll go for Professor Snape's private tutoring and make you furious."

Hermione finished one apple and reached for the second one.

She was a bit far from the bedside and couldn't quite reach it, so Tom handed it to her and peeled the skin while he was at it.

"Thank you." Hermione glared at Tom after saying that, "But I won't give up. I'll definitely go to Professor Snape tomorrow to learn new magic."

Tom patted her head: "Alright, then you stay awake. That way, the potion won't work as well as it can. Hmm... continue to lie down tomorrow too. Once you've recovered, I'll be in top form to greet Professor Snape."

After hearing this, Hermione stopped eating her apple, reached out to Tom to help her wash the stains off her hands, and then shrank into the blankets.

Tom knew how to soothe children, and within fifteen minutes, Hermione was fast asleep on the bed.

"Dobby, come out." Tom tapped the chair. He didn't need to repeat himself; a house-elf appeared from the side, bowing to Tom. "Dobby shouldn't have listened. Dobby doesn't know anything. Dobby won't tell anyone..."

Tom nodded: "That would be best, but you're wrong."

He patted Dobby on the shoulder and smiled kindly, “Do you remember what I told you before? You should atone for Hermione’s sins, not for being afraid of me or terrified of me.”

Because you hurt Hermione, therefore…

Dobby: "Dobby knows, Dobby has always done this! It's just that I saw you, um... that 'Mr. Tom' was sick, so I came to check on him. Dobby won't do it again next time."

"No, you did very well. That's what a free spirit should be like, following your heart's choices and actions. My friend, what do you think you should do now?"

Tom asked the other, his clear eyes fixed on Dobby, waiting for the elf's reply.

“Dobby should stay with Hermione! Dobby really wants to stay with Hermione!” Dobby looked up. “Mr. Tom, you are a good man, and Hermione is a good man too. Dobby should do this!”

"My dear friend, Hermione won't blame you when she finds out. I'll be going now. If... if a professor named Quirrell appears here, notify me immediately!"

Dobby nodded vigorously: "I understand, sir."

After settling Dobby and Hermione in, Tom left the school hospital.

Hogwarts is still a bit cold in winter, and it's already December.

At school, older students were gripped by tension.

The tension was no less than that of a final exam—they were about to have their Christmas ball.

If you have a beautiful dance partner at a ball, you can boast about your future for a whole year—because the next ball will start in a year.

Those who can't find a dance partner are very pitiful, extremely pitiful...

As for why Tom knows so much detail, it's because last week, when he was still "Tom Riddle," he had already received invitations from many people.

The female students sincerely hoped that Tom could dress more maturely and fool the professors at the school into accompanying them to the dance.

Of course, Tom refused.

This is a huge matter; even Professor Snape wouldn't forgive Tom if he agreed.

Two days later, Hermione was fully recovered!

Unfortunately, Madam Pomfrey did not let Hermione leave, but forced her to continue resting in the hospital, and she had to rest and be observed for at least another day before she could get out of bed.

Bored out of her mind, Hermione could only read various books in bed.

It wasn't until the afternoon, after Hermione's repeated pleas, that Madam Pomfrey finally allowed her to leave the school hospital.

Hermione was overjoyed and thanked him several times before leaving.

"Tom! Congratulations on your discharge from the hospital!"

"Tom! It's so nice to see you so energetic, child. Quickly put on the wreath. It's a gift from Professor Sprout, but she has to teach and can't come to see you in person." Hagrid, the little giant, affectionately wrapped the wreath around Hermione's neck.

Terry, Li Su, and some Ravenclaw classmates whose names Hermione knew but whom she hadn't really interacted with all came.

Li Su leaned close to Tom and said, "Tom, you have to work harder!"

"You wouldn't believe it, while you were sick, Professor Snape didn't deduct a single student's points!"

Hermione: "What can I do to try...?"

"Hey, everyone knows you and Professor Snape are very close. If you ask me, you..."

Before Li Su could finish speaking, Terry pulled her away: "You even taught Tom how to do things? Tom, don't listen to him. You just got back and you should rest properly. Don't be so busy and stressed all the time. We felt sorry for you when we saw how hard you were working before."

However, Sue was the most heartbroken. For the past few days, he'd placed Merlin's portrait by his bedside, as if performing some kind of ritual each day.

"Terry! Didn't we agree not to tell Tom?!" Li Su's face immediately turned red.

"Thank you." Hermione smiled, looked at the person hiding in the far corner, and held out her hand. "A discharge gift."

Hermione is getting revenge!

Tom did the same thing on Halloween, asking her for presents.