Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the Harry Potter Universe, it all belongs to JKR. I'm just borrowing it.
A/N: The story is set in GoF. I haven't read OotP yet (gasp) so there's no spoilers! This is a very AU story, enjoy!
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Hermione was a clever girl. She had been able to find a solution to almost every problem she had ever come across using a logical and thoughtful approach, which invariably saw her sieving through mountains of books. So it was not a surprise to her classmates when Hermione slipped off to the library early in the evening to do 'some research' for, they assumed, the ridiculously hard potions essay they had been set that day. Early evening was Hermione's favourite time because there were never many people in the library. Like students everywhere, most of those at Hogwarts preferred to relax in the evening and leave all the work until it was too late and then had to rush to get it done. Hermione pulled a few, seemingly unconnected but deliberately chosen books off the selves and sat down at a shadowy table. She spread the books out, all opened to the same subject – telepathy. Unfortunately there were few books which contained any information on the subject considering telepathic powers were very rarely needed due to the effectiveness of the Pensive.
Suddenly she felt a tingling in her spine which rapidly turned to pain, spreading over her whole body, paralysing her. Her head felt like fire, she closed her eyes and dread filled her.
Not now, she thought in terror, not now. Someone might see me.
But the pain didn't cease one bit and she heard the all too common voice booming in her head.
"What are you up to little one? Reading things you shouldn't? " It was a statement not a question and Hermione was not given any time to answer.
"I told you there would be serious consequences for disobeying me. Perhaps you have forgotten. Perhaps you need a little reminder." The voice sneered as what felt like a hand tightened around her neck, constricting the air flow to her lungs.
"Do not forget the port key Hermione and remember, I'm watching you" the voice
said. A chill spread through her veins to her heart. She wanted to scream but
couldn't even move a muscle. Terror gripped her as she felt the room spin and
begin to turn black. A few moments later she fell forward and with a thump, her
head landed on the desk.
Hermione woke up four hours later when Harry sat down next to her and gently shook her.
"You've been studying way too hard 'Mione." Harry commented, looking slightly concerned. Hermione smiled despite the excruciating headache she had begun to develop.
"Don't worry about me Harry. But you should be worrying about how you're going to get into that egg for the TriWizard Tournament. It's not long now you know." She said quickly changing the subject, settling back comfortably into her bossy know-it-all character which seemed to satisfy Harry. Quickly she closed the books and before Harry had a chance to see them, put them back onto their respective shelves then walked back to the Gryffindor common room with him.
That night she slept very badly, or to be precise, she didn't sleep at all. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the library that evening. So, Voldemort knew she was looking for a way of severing the link between their minds. She would have to be careful now. She thought sadly of the message he had given her. She had to swap the Goblet of Fire with a portkey which would send Harry straight into Voldemort's hands. Hermione grasped the sheets tightly in her hands until her nails bit into her palms and drew blood. She hated this fine line she was forced to tread; sent by Voldemort to befriend Harry then betray him by sending him to his death. But she had no choice.
Hermione sighed. All of the trouble Harry found himself in which involved Voldemort was in some way due to her. Her job was to lead Harry into Voldemort's traps by providing him with the necessary help to get there. Devil's snare in the first year. Her failed attempt at the Basilisk clue in the second – it seemed he didn't really need her at all for that one. This year she had helped him learn how to retrieve his broom for the dragon task. To mention just a few.
Hermione thought back to when she first arrived at Hogwarts, scared and unsure of herself. She had been told to create a studious persona so as to provide a cover up for any unexpected absences or odd behaviour. However this only drove Harry away from her. It was commonly believed that she had cried in the toilets for a day during her first month at Hogwarts because Ron had insulted her. The truth was that Voldemort felt she needed to be severely punished for not befriending Harry more quickly.
Her Sorting had been a total farce. She knew that Quirrell had used very powerful dark magic to trick the Hat into sorting her into Gryffindor so as to be close to Harry. The Hat, to it's credit, had resisted and almost put her in Slytherin when it felt Voldemort in her mind. However the dark lord had managed to bend the Hat's will sufficiently and her fate was sealed.
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So, what do you think?! This chapter was mainly background, but I promise more action next time. Please R & R, it'll make my day. Thanks! Elalien
