Hey guys! Here's my new story, called The Road to Hell. It's very AU-ish, so if you don't like it, don't read it. Basically, Hermione (sixteen years old) is sent back in time to kill Tom Riddle, so that Voldemort never existed. Draco Malfoy – knowing more about Voldemort/Tom than she does – is sent back with her and along the way, they end up falling for each other while creating and carrying out a murder plan. This is Hermione/Draco, but there will also be some Hermione/Tom moments :) 'coz I love that ship. If you don't like Hermione-Tom/Hermione-Draco DO NOT READ THIS AND START COMPLAINING ABOUT IT! You can also watch the trailer for this here:
.com/watch?v=ZiZf_QjKxCE
Anyway, here's chapter one…
The Road to Hell – Chapter One: Take A Chance
"A man can not free himself from the past more easily than he can free himself from his own body." ~ André Maurois
Hermione sat in the chair Dumbledore had gestured towards. Her curly brown hair cascaded around her shoulders but lacked its usual vigour and her warm, chocolate-brown eyes became glassy. Judging by the apprehensive look on Dumbledore's face, she knew this meeting would not be a good one. Her hands began to shake and her heart pounded against her chest at the sight of him striding over to his desk. His old and frail yet strong hands delicately picked up the diary the once belonged to what was now the biggest threat facing both the Muggle and Wizarding worlds. He picked up the diary that once belonged to Tom Marvolo Riddle. It had been destroyed of course, by Harry in their second year. Although she hadn't seen it with her own eyes – for she was petrified at the time – she felt some responsibility for it. After all, without her help, Harry and Ron would not have been able to get into the Chamber of Secrets. Without her help, Ginny would have died and Voldemort would have gained power a lot faster. Without her help, the diary would not have been destroyed.
"Tell me, Miss Granger," Dumbledore began, his voice faltering, "Have you ever come by the expression 'Horcrux'?"
Hermione was confused. "Sorry?"
"A Horcrux. Have you ever heard of the word?"
"Yes, sir. But I'm not sure what it is."
Dumbledore paused before proceeding. "What I am about to tell you is of very dark magic, very dark indeed. You must promise you won't say a word of it to anyone." Hermione nodded. "A Horcrux is an object in which a person has concealed a part of their soul. The person splits their soul and hides it in an object. By doing so you are protected should your body be destroyed. The part of your soul hidden inside the Horcrux lives on…in other words, you can not die." Dumbledore said, still clutching the ruined diary.
Hermione blinked, not sure what he was getting at exactly. Dumbledore continued. "To split one's soul, one must commit murder. Killing rips the soul apart as it is a violation against nature." Hermione remained silent, still unsure of Dumbledore's words. "This," he said, lifting the diary up so that she could see it clearly, "is one of Voldemort's seven Horcruxes."
He handed her the diary and she took it with shaking hands. "Seven?" she whispered. Just holding the diary in her two hands sent an icy chill down her spine. Although this particular Horcrux had been destroyed, it was like having a piece of Voldemort right there with her.
"Indeed." Dumbledore nodded. "Up until now, I thought the only way to kill him for good is to track down and destroy each one of his Horcruxes. However, I have thought of another solution. In order to stop Voldemort, we must begin to solve this problem at its root."
"Sir?"
"I have called you here tonight to ask of you…a favour. Never have I asked a pupil of such a dangerous task but I'm afraid there is no choice if we want any chance of winning this war. In order to stop Voldemort you must return to the past and change the course of time. What I'm asking of you, Hermione, is to return to the year 1942 – the year he was sixteen years old – and kill Tom Riddle."
Hermione gasped at the task she'd been given. It was as if Voldemort and Tom Riddle were two entirely different people. Defeating Tom Riddle sounded easy, whereas killing Voldemort seemed so far-fetched it was almost impossible. She shook her head at the thought of it. "What about Ron? And Harry? Can they come?"
Harry. She and Ron had gotten their fair share of glory, yes, but it had always been Harry who was there to save the day. It was Harry who defeated Quirrell when they were eleven. It was Harry who had killed the Basilisk and destroyed the diary in their second year. Harry who had saved Sirius. Harry who had defeated Voldemort in the graveyard in their fourth year, not to mention winning the Tri-Wizard tournament and coping with Cedric's death, despite seeing him being murdered so brutally right in front of him. Harry who had helped them escape the Ministry and the Death Eaters last year. And now, Dumbledore had asked Hermione – only Hermione – to complete this task alone.
"I'm afraid not."
Hermione's heart plummeted to the ground. The trio had always done everything together, never leaving one of them out, always helping each other solve problems. Those three words made her give up her last shred of hope of ever killing Tom Riddle.
"No, I have a chosen a student who will accompany you during this task. The two of you may not enjoy each other's presence, but his family have been on the dark side once before and, well, he may know things about Voldemort that we do not." Dumbledore looked at her over the rim of his half-moon spectacles. "I hope that hatred does not come between the two of you enough to endanger this mission."
There was a sudden knock on the door. "Come in," Dumbledore said, raising his voice slightly so that whoever was outside could hear him. "Ah, here's your companion now."
"Evening Professor Dumbledore," a voice from behind her drawled, "Granger."
Hermione recognized the voice instantly and immediately stood up, spinning around to see the ice-blonde hair, steel-grey eyes and pale face of Draco Malfoy.
"What?" Hermione exclaimed, outraged, forgetting that she was in the presence of Professor Dumbledore. "I can't go back in time with him! I…I can't!"
"Listen, Granger, I feel the exact same way. Going back to the year 1942 with you isn't exactly my ideal way to spend time." He drawled lazily.
"Enough!" Dumbledore shouted. "You are the brightest students of your age, which is merely one reason I have selected you to complete this task."
"So let me get this straight," Malfoy said. "You're asking us to go back in time and kill Tom Riddle? Do we go back looking like ourselves or what?"
"No." Dumbledore stated. "I have, on my possession, an elixir I obtained about fifty years ago." He pulled out a glass bottle from the drawer in his desk. It was filled with a gold-coloured liquid and seemed to change colour as it caught the light from the lamps that hung from the ceiling of Dumbledore's office. "You will drink this while I perform a spell and the two of you will become different people. However, this potion is rather odd – for your identity can only be masked by someone else's during the day. At nightfall, you will change back to your normal selves. Then I will cast another spell that will take you back in time."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "But, Professor, how do you know that potion will work? And why can't we use the time-turner I had back in my third year?"
"There is no telling whether this potion will work or not, but if it does not no damage will be done to either of you, and as for the time-turner, well, you need to go back to 1942. The time-turner can not take you that far back through time I'm afraid." Worry registered on Dumbledore's face. "The spell I am going to use hasn't been cast by anyone since the 1800's, when it became illegal, because people were meddling with time and completely changing people's lives. I must warn you, if the spell – which is incredibly difficult to cast – is not done properly, the two of you may be stuck in 1942 forever."
Hermione gasped, whilst Draco kept calm, but you could see there was panic in his eyes. "Are you willing to take the chance?" Dumbledore asked.
The two of them hesitated before answering, Hermione with a whispered "Yes," and Draco with a quick nod.
"Well I'm not," came a voice from behind them. Hermione whizzed around at the voice, instantaneously matching it to the face. There stood Ron Weasley, looking outraged.
"Ron?" Hermione said, walking towards him.
"What do you want Weasley?" Draco spat, but Ron seemed to ignore this.
"You can't go Hermione. You might get stuck there forever!" He cried. "You're not going." He said firmly. "I'm not willing to take that risk."
"But I am, Ron." Hermione said. "Don't worry. I'll be back and all of this, everything, will be over. Don't you want that?"
"Yes, but I'm not willing to lose one of my best friends for it," he growled.
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, resting her head on his chest. "I'm sorry. I have to." She sniffed. "Where's Harry?"
"I'm right here." Hermione pulled away from Ron to see Harry stood there, his arms crossed. "Professor, can't Ron and I go with her?"
Dumbledore shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry." He said, as Hermione embraced Harry as she did Ron, who – as soon as Hermione let go of Harry – strode over and put her arm round her again.
"I can't let you go, Hermione." Ron said, looking at the floor, his arms wrapped around her.
"I'll be fine, Ron."
"I'm sorry Ron, Harry, but we really must get going now," Dumbledore said softly. Harry nodded, accepting that she had to do this. Ron, on the other hand, sighed in anger and swallowed. "Yes, Professor."
The two of them made to leave Dumbledore's office, waving at Hermione as they left. Hermione waved back, maybe for the last time in her life…
Oooooh! So I hope you liked that! I know it seemed like Ron and Hermione are together, but you know…he's really overprotective of her and whatever.
This will soon be Hermione/Draco with a little Hermione/Tom thrown in, but you'll have to wait for that :D
So, review! Oh and remember to watch the trailer for this, and if you do, COMMENT!