Hitler and Socrates
Author's Note: Story contains spoilers for SS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotF, and H-BP.
Disclaimer: Everything is property of J.K. Rowling unless otherwise stated. No profit is being made from the writing of this story.
Chapter One: Unfortunate Circumstances
Hermione Granger was a rational witch. She believed in knowledge, logical analysis, its conclusions, and honesty. When, in her high powered brain, she impersonally examined her current situation she could place no blame on her abandoners.
Hermione's parents, muggle dentists, had initially stood by their daughter. The pair refused to believe that such a sound girl like Hermione would do anything remotely like, oh say betraying the hero of the wizard word; her best friend for the past six-and-a-half years. When confronted with the huge amount of evidence however, Hermione's parents would have had to be idiots not to be swayed. As muggles they didn't really recognize the terribleness of Hermione's "crime", but were duly horrified at the general idea of whom Hermione had allegedly pledged herself to. That and her parents were, to put it nicely, prudes, and bible hugging Christians to boot. Hand holding and kisses were only minimally tolerated; loss of virginity and pregnancy meant instant disownment.
Hermione's schoolmates had acted toward her similarly as they had to Harry in his second, fourth, and fifth years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; ostracizing her because of rumors which were for the most part ridiculous. The truth, in Hermione's case, was far juicier and much more chilling. Hermione, being the down to earth girl she was, had learned from these previous experiences with the students of Hogwarts. She hadn't been offended by the whispers, dirty looks and hexes shot in her direction. In all honesty, she hadn't really cared.
What had hurt the most were the looks on Harry Potter and Ron Weasley's faces when her favorite Hogwarts professor Minerva McGonagall, now Headmistress of Hogwarts, had informed Harry and Ron of Hermione's ultimate betrayal. Hermione remembered the dizzying feeling of relief when, after the initial look of shock, both boys had run to her, hugged her, and, with faces red from fury, gave McGonagall a telling off that in any other situation would have earned them both detention for months.
Then McGonagall told them and showed them the damning data. Facts, which had always been Hermione's second best friends, had two facedly become her worst enemies. Merlin, their faces! The purple-red color had faded from Ron's goofy but good looking features, leaving him pasty white, his freckles standing out more profusely then they ever had. Harry was worse. He'd turned those jade colored eyes on her, staring. Then he started to cry. In the middle of Minerva's presentation of evidence Harry Potter had started crying, and by no means was it a single tear sliding down his cheek, no not for Harry. Harry lived his life to the fullest because he was aware, though he tried to keep the thought in the back of his brain, that tomorrow might never come, and so Harry sobbed. Ron shakily slung an arm around his best friend's shoulder, maybe to give Harry strength, maybe to give himself strength, Hermione didn't know. Neither had spoken to her after that. Ron hadn't even glanced in her direction. McGonagall, observing Harry's mental breakdown, had quickly escorted the two boys out of her office, Dumbledore's former office, leaving Hermione alone with only her thoughts. And think she did.
There was a hole in Hermione's memory as to the event that had turned her into this societal leper. A memory charm, obviously, probably a stronger form of obliviate. However, though Hermione could not consciously remember the occurrences which had led up to her apparent final betrayal, a dose of vetiraserum was capable of revealing the emotions Hermione had experience during her time in Voldemort's control. And reveal Hermione's emotions the vetiraserum did.
When Hermione was found, she'd been presumed dead for two months. The best friend of Harry Potte,r taken captive by Voldemort's Death Eaters, wasn't expected to live past the first day in Voldemort's captivity, let alone three full months in said imprisonment. However the Ministry of Magic gave Hermione the benefit of the doubt, waiting a full month before publicly pronouncing her dead. When Hermione was discovered alive, dumped unconscious in Hogsmeade, the wizarding world rejoiced. Hermione was, after all, considered the brain behind the famous Harry Potter's success.
Hermione was immediately set upon by the Ministry of Magic. The Minister himself, Kingsley Shacklebolt, interviewed Hermione. However Hermione had no answers to give, just a pounding headache, and an odd feeling that she was missing half of herself, and that a darker, much more sinister essence was now present where her other now absent half once was. Oh, and the ring of coarse.
Hermione stood up out of the chair she had collapsed into after Harry and Ron's departure.
'I have to get out of here!' Hermione thought, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. Opening the door of the Headmistresses office Hermione fled down the spinning staircase. The gargoyle jumped out of her way as Hermione ran through to the halls of Hogwarts, through the halls of Hogwarts, out the giant front entrance, over the grounds, and into the Forbidden Forest where she promptly apparated to muggle London. It was raining. Hermione walked into the nearest alleyway. Hermione then made her way to the back of the alley, and pushed herself in-between two trash cans. 'One of the buildings must be a restaurant' Hermione thought. Hermione could smell pasta, her favorite dish. Hermione pressed her back against the brick wall of the restaurant and slowly slid down in into a heap on the cold, wet ground. Hermione pulled her black tight clad legs up to her chest and hugged them tightly. Hermione's gray pleated skirt and simple green jumper were soaked through. Thunder roared in the distance. The ring glistened softly as the rain fell upon it.
They had used vetiraserum on Hermione. The Ministry. Just as a precaution, only because Hermione couldn't remember what had happened to her over the last three months. However it was at that time that a director of marriage licenses had barged in with a certificate in hand. A certificate which held two signatures; Hermione Granger and Tom Marvolo Riddle.
Hermione glared at the ring on her left hand. The proverbial shit had really hit the fan then.
Hundreds of questions had been fired at her, and as she was under the influence of vetiraserum Hermione had no choice but to answer, and answer honestly.
"Did you marry Lord Voldemort?"
"I don't know."
"Did you marry Lord Voldemort willingly?"
"Yes." There had been a great deal of surprise, and a huge uproar after Hermione answered yes. The answer had especially surprised Hermione herself. Emotions, however, are stored not in the memory, but in the heart.
"Are you a Death Eater?"
"No."
On and on the questions went. However it was not a crime to marry, no matter how evil the spouse and so Hermione was set free. Level headed Hermione, though never in a real relationship, let alone a marriage herself, knew that carnal pleasures came with the marriage package. So Hermione made a visit to St. Mungo's, just to be safe. Hermione was pregnant. Given where Hermione had been for the past three months there was no guarantee, married to the Dark Lord or no, that Hermione was carrying Riddle's child. Luckily for Hermione the father's presence and fluids are not necessary in a wizard paternal test. Tom Riddle was indeed Hermione's unborn baby's father. Hermione had panicked.
Hermione had immediately gone home and confronted her parents, Ministry members tracking her every movement. When Hermione's parents were informed of the goings on they promptly showed Hermione the front door. Hermione had then headed to Hogwarts, the one place she'd always felt was her home away from home. Unfortunately for Hermione Minerva had already been filled in on the details of Hermione's whereabouts for the past three months. Though Minerva had agreed to let Hermione continue her final year at Hogwarts, and give her a brief recess from confronting Harry and Ron with the truth of what she'd done, Minerva stated that she, Minerva, would eventually tell the boys. This brought Hermione to her current situation.
Hermione sat in the cold wet gutter. Dropping her head in her hands Hermione did something she rarely ever did; cried. Hermione Jane Granger, who'd always had all the answers, never felt more lost.