Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its Characters.
Counter Clockwise
By: Haschenliebe
Summary: She had traveled back in time, unwillingly, and had to find some way to return. The only person who can help her is her worst enemy, someone she can't remember enough to hate. HJG X TMR Jr
Warning: This is rated M for a reason. Adult situations, violence, and language. You have been warned.
Authors Note: Hey guys sorry it's been so long. I know I did decide to delete this story and repost it, so everything else left along with it. Reviews and all. I'm trying to make this story work, but I somehow keep deleting my notes. I'm not trying to bash any characters or make anyone a crazy flaming OC or a perfect Mary sue. I do like having good honest reviews it keeps me from giving up on my writing. So please tell me what you think!
Chapter 1:
Now Hermione didn't care much about Quidditch. Don't get her wrong. She enjoyed watching the sport occasionally, but was so much practice really so important? I mean, important enough to play in the middle of the night, on Halloween night none the less? The Wizarding world was beyond obsessed.
It was after the Great Feast; Harry and Ron quickly sprung the idea upon on her.
"It will be fun Hermione!"
"Please, we never do this!" They insisted she would have fun. "Come on!"
Her feet echoed in the hall. "Bullocks." Hermione mumbled to herself sarcastically. She mimicked their earlier words to herself.
At the moment Hermione was briskly walking to the Gryffindor common room trying to get inside and out before anyone else finished supper. She had a few items to retrieve before she could join them.
Harry and Ron had started the attack with the innocent puppy dog eyes which then progressed into unnecessary nagging. Ginny merely shrugged when Hermione gave her an exasperated look. She would well miss dessert, but she knew it would make them happy for a change. Something odd happened every year at Hogwart's and Harry was tense as it was with Voldemort running around causing everyone stress. They knew this year would be no exception. Her best friend hadn't been the same since Cedric died and now Professor Snape was teaching DADA… Hermione felt like it would be an odd year.
Yet, so far everything had been calm. Malfoy even seemed less menacing than usual. He had the opportunity to be a real arse on the train to her but he didn't even bother. He was almost hunched over at times and almost altogether lost the air of aristocracy he normally carried. He looked pale, and brooding, and mostly ignored them, the Golden Trio. She almost pitied him the poor thing, not even Malfoy deserved to suffer… from what she did not know. Hermione would occasionally catch Professor Snape caring after him during the Feast; unbeknownst to either of them she could see they were both troubled.
They boys just wouldn't understand.
Hermione shook her head as she walked. Harry and Ron hated both of them equally. She agreed to their nagging only to get them off her case but told them she had to fetch a big blanket, a good book, and Harry's cloak just for when they decided to turn in for the night. It was still early in the year and Hermione wanted to finish her sixth year right, without detention.
"Hurry up Hermione!" Ron had shouted behind her. She had nodded and left to do their bidding. Hermione was lucky that night, the staircases moved into the correct path for her, allowing her to reach her destination easily. The portrait was another problem entirely.
"Why are you in such a hurry love?" The Fat Lady stood elegantly in her frame, her frown obvious upon her painted wrinkled face.
" I was- " Catching her breath, "I just need to get something quickly before the others come back."
The lady wearing pink eyed her briefly.
"Okay my dearrr." She sang rather badly not caring either way.
"Pumpkin King" The portrait swung open and Hermione stepped inside quickly. She almost jumped up the stairs into her shared bed room, and quickly swung open her locked suitcase. Hermione neatly shifted her clothing on top to the side next to her, grabbed a well loved book, and after putting her clothes back ripped the warm wool blanket off the bed. Just because she was in a hurry was no reason not to be neat. Carefully running down the girl's staircase she ran to the boy's tower and jogged up those steps thankful there was no charm to prevent ladies from entering the other sexes tower.
"Alohomora."
*Click*
Hermione almost rolled her eyes. Harry's truck was far too easy to breach. Only an incompetent wizard or a baby couldn't get inside! She knew she couldn't trust him with hiding anything important. Hermione made a mental note to scold Harry at a later time.
Hermione eyed the trunk with furrowed eyebrows. Even though the semester wasn't that far into, only a night in fact, there in his trunk laid the proof of his organizational skills. A Sneakoscope, used damp parchments, an assortments of broken Quills, wrinkled clothing, and near the bottom was, disgustingly, crumbs. She almost thought she saw something twitching, trying to escape! She quickly pulled out his inherited magical cloak, and brushed off any dirt or accumulated junk that clung to it. Hermione pushed the silky cloak onto her pile and ran out down the stairs and out of the common room. She took the changing stairs down seven floors on to the main, and ran the rest and out through the door barely missing Mrs. Nott mewing form.
"I've made it this far, don't catch me now please!" Hermione silently whispered to herself.
After escaping from the castle, Hermione caught her breath and briskly walked through the fountain courtyard near McGonagall's office. She walked past the courtyard where she had learned her very first flying lesson in. At the time she had wished it was her last. Hermione still had her dreadful fear of flying. Nothing could ever change that. Not even for all the tea in China.
As Hermione walked she could hear the hooting of the owls in the Owlery and smiled at the thought of Harry's owl Hedwig and Ron's owl Pigwidgeon. Hermione wished her cat Krookshanks would leave the poor owls alone.
'I'll have to get an owl soon. Hopefully Crookshanks will grow to like him. I can't rely on others owls once I leave Hogwart's.' Hermione mused over her head occupying the walking time to the pitch. Harry promised her she would eventually get used to them nipping her fingers.
Hermione looked up the dim path biting her well chewed lip. She had stopped right at the front of the path. It was getting increasingly dark but as far as Hermione could tell the boys weren't there yet. The snow was barren of any footsteps but hers behind her. Her stomach fluttered, oh how she wished she wasn't alone. She battled her will and continued on.
'I wonder what's keeping them? I've already been to the common room and back.' Hermione shook her head. 'Most likely their stuffing their faces.' As much as it disgusted her she couldn't help but giggle when thinking about their eating habits. At times pieces of food would get flicked into Ron's warm colored hair or smear on Harry's glasses. 'It's so like them.' With that thought she arrived at the empty pitch.
Hermione decided to make herself comfortable instead of waiting around like a duck and quickly climbed the stairs to her favorite Gryffindor booth. It tickled her fear of heights, but was a great location to view the boys practice. As long as she didn't look over the edge at what waited below she would be okay. Hermione picked a spot and laid out her fuzzy blanket. She dropped the now neatly folded cloak next to her and sat down on the wool wrapping the extra length around her chilled arms. She glanced up at the cool September sky.
Tonight was the first day in her sixth year.
"Ahem." A fake cough snapped her out of her daze.
"Ron?" Hermione questioned turning her head and gasped at who she saw.
Pansy Parkinson. This girl was no sweet flower. She stood there in her robes, the shiny green threading of her uniform glowing in the night. Her dark hair slightly longer then her usual short chopped bob pinned back as so not to get in her way. Her face was twisted into a sinister look, her arms folded, and her wand poked out of her clenched hand clearly ready to use at a moment's notice.
Hermione jumped back loosing the blanket, and slightly peeked over her shoulder over the ledge. Pansy had backed her into a corner. Falling backwards and hitting the ground did not sound like a great idea.
Surly Parkinson wasn't that crazy? Pansy took a few steps closer. Her evil grin grew in the dark light. She didn't think Dumbledore wouldn't figure it out? Ron, Harry no one in their right mind would stand for it!
'This is getting ugly fast.' Hermione thought. Hermione decided she would have to stand on her toes right now. How could she reason with someone, mostly without out reasoning?
"Well if it isn't one of the Golden Trio, Mudblood." Pansy screeched out the last part with emphasis. Hermione cringed.
Hermione was defensive.
"What do you want Parkinson? Shouldn't you be with your little ferret?" Hermione spat back with equal distaste. The advantage clearly lay with Parkinson, if the wooden rail in her back was any evidence.
"I thought about you all summer Granger." Parkinson was getting closer.
"Which is why I followed you, to do something I should have done so many years ago." Pansy drawled.
'She followed me! I should have used Harry's cloak from the get go. Yet, it's too late now.' Hermione knew she had to act fast otherwise her outcome would be bleak and she would end up with Madam Pomfrey at St. Mungos or far worse. Whatever this Slytherin had up her sleeve was no good. Hermione knew she wouldn't try to put her in a headlock like Millicent had done before.
'It's time to fight or flight Hermione!'
"Silencio!" Hermione quickly threw a silencing charm, which Pansy dodged unskillfully.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Both girls uttered the charm at the same time sequentially knocking each of their wands out of their hands. They clanked on the wooden beams next to them. Hermione dashed to her wand, which had rolled under the planks of an old wooden bench. She patted the rough splintered wood frantically before her fingers grasped it, now found.
Moving quickly, she hurled a stinging hex that seared past Pansy's ear, as Hermione's opponent tried to recover.
'Has she always been this quick?'
"You bitch! I'll get you for that!" Pansy was enraged now. She directed a tornado of fury upon Hermione.
"Stupefy!"
Everything became still.
No not everything, just her it appeared. Hermione's mind clouded in panic. She had lost? It just wasn't right…. Somehow she had been tricked. Surely? She tried to move her fingers, shut her eyelids, to no avail. At least she was still conscious. A better Witch would have knocked her back or even rendered her unconscious. Who knows what Pansy would do if that had happened. Now Hermione would spend her last moments tortured to death.
"Finally! A way to keep your overly used mouth shut. For good." Pansy hissed.
Hermione tried to relax herself. If Hermione could she would have rolled her eyes even in her current predicament Harry and Ron would be here soon and they would put a quick stop to this. Pansy pressed the tip of her wand to her forehead. There was no way in hell-
"Obliviate."
Then a bluish-green light hit Hermione straight on mark. She would have cried out, given the chance, but was immobile. She felt a deep stabbing pain followed by quick short jabs, like someone was crushing her head on a pointed rock over and over.
Hermione's mind flashed with her precious memories. Things that belonged only to her, studying in the library, helping her friends finish their homework, spending Christmas at the Weasely's.
Precious thoughts that Pansy was just ripping away from her!
'STOP!' Her mind screamed. Tears appeared at the corner of her hurt eyes but she could neither blink nor wipe them away.
Her head hurt, she could feel parts of her dying away second after second. She struggled to remember to her what was happening. What had she just thought? It felt like the light was draining her energy as well. Seconds were passing in an agonizing fashion. Just only, if her friends had been on time. She couldn't even remember how she got here.
She could tell Pansy was being selective, information about the dark lord flew by and disappeared. She was starting to forget her worst enemy or any helpful information! Hours of painstaking research in the library for nothing.
'If she doesn't stop I won't remember any spells to kick her ass! Stop it now Pansy!' Hermione's mind screamed. More seconds passed. Hermione was fighting a losing battle to stay conscious.
"Pansy?" Over the haze of the white hot liquid pain was an unknown voice. Hermione's mind struggled to connect it to a conceivable face. Her heart soared at the possibility of rescue.
"Go away Draco." Pansy sulked.
'Draco?' Hermione's mind screamed out at him to save her, blood purity be damned. Draco on the other hand paled immediately at the sight. Hermione stood in the dueling position her hand and wand in the arch to expel Pansy. If it wasn't for a current of air that blew strands of hair Draco would have thought she was a statue. Draco starred into her frozen brown eyes. He knew she had been to slow to of let Pansy get the one up on her, something he never thought the Mudblo- Granger could have let happen. Normally he would have smiled in his favorite cruel fashion and let her continue but that was in the past and now he had direct orders from above him.
"You need to stop at once Pansy! You know what he will do to me if he finds out what you've done?" Draco demanded. His voiced sounded hallowed on the air.
Pansy on the other had ignored him deciding she had to erase just a bit more to make sure the Mudblood remembered none. There was no way she would let Dumbledore commit her. She was proud of her self. Pansy was sure she had thought of everything this time.
Draco acting quickly shoved Pansy roughly to the side.
"Oof. What the hell-"
"He'll kill me!" Pansy fell on her ass shocked to say the least at Draco's outburst. "I fucking told you not to try anything you stupid cunt!"
Hermione would have been shocked, but she was unfortunately slipping into a dreamy unconscious state. Pansy's current wand work lay unfinished.
"The fucking Mudblood started it!" And with that comment Pansy shot another hex at Hermione, her frozen form having no chance to dodge. It hit her on target knocking her solid form backwards over the high ledge. Draco quickly ran to said ledge. His Adrenal pumped quickly into his body as he shot to where she had just been.
"Draco!" Pansy whimpered.
"Jump or don't jump… aw fuck hurry up and make a fucking choice already!" Draco yelled over the wind to himself, jumping after Hermione without looking back.
"Draco!" Pansy screeched passing out. Her mind just couldn't handle Draco jumping, after a Mudblood, and so there she laid her body shutting down from shock. Her Drakie would never-ever push her aside. Of course she was being deluded.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Draco desperately tried to save her with his hover charm. His mind seemed to stop working, he couldn't think of anything else to do. Her rigid form continued its decent His spell wasn't cast correctly in his haste and completely missed her. He knew she was going to hit the ground and he could do nothing to stop it. Draco watched in horror as she was about to make impact and blinked in surprise when she disappeared into thin air.
"What the fuck?"
The knowledge flashed before him, a second too late to register before Draco crossed his arms over his face to ease his fall.
*Crack*
A few seconds later Draco Malfoy stumbled up dazed. Judging from the throbbing pain he most likely broke both of his forearms.
"Ughhh."
Draco coughed up blood. It melted into the snow. It felt like he was honking up a battered lung.
'Where is she?' It dawned at that moment. Granger had just disappeared into thin air! 'How can this be happening to me? I was warned if one hair on her head was missing it would be my fucking fault.' If at all possible in the frigid night the skin on Draco's face paled more looking sinfully death like. Panicking, and deciding to deal with Pansy later, Draco limped back to the castle with absolute haste. He had to pen his father quickly. His father would send howler after howler before beheading him just to revive him to be dealt with before his master.
Draco only hoped the Dark Lord would be so forgiving. Something he was not well known for.
Dippet, like any observing Headmaster, knew things about his castle. Like the comings and goings of students, or when a new student popped up out of thin air. The Headmaster quickly donned his favorite outer robe, the one with the soft gold lining, and descended the spiraling staircase. A teacher met him at the bottom, Professor Dumbledore, and together they quickly navigated towards the Quidditch pitch.
A young woman's body lay frozen on the cold ground. Her dominant hand frozen in a dueling move along with the rest of her body. Beautiful golden sand clung to her clothes and skin like ash. The wind lightly blew specks off of her. Next to her was another teacher who had kneeled next to her. He was quite short, yet still crouched down to feel for her pulse.
"There's little blood." He muttered.
"What do you think this means Filius?" Filius Flitwick adjusted his new spectacles and frowned.
"This is bad Headmaster." He replied lamely.
"A sign of the time it seems." The other man sighed stroking his short beard. He had decided to grow it out recently; one of his favorite students had suggested it.
"Well she doesn't seem, well, malicious much. Dumbledore your wards wouldn't have allowed for such a person?"
"Certainly not. The miss is wearing our uniform, with a Gryffindor house crest sewn upon her breast. Judging upon first appearances I say she is in about her sixth or seventh year." Dumbledore concluded.
Whispering now, "Do you think this mess is because of him?"
Dumbledore was paused briefly.
"I don't know." Truthfully he didn't think it had to do with his old friend Grindelwald. Dumbledore gazed at the oddity frozen before him.
An unknown student. Here. In Hogwarts? Yet, odder things happened. The headmaster found his wand along with his voice.
"Windgardium Leviosa."
The young girl's body hovered to the headmaster now on his command.
"I shall be very careful how I touch her, for fear of dark curses. It's best the excellent healers at St. Mungos have a look." The headmaster pulled a white laced handkerchief out of his coat pocket and wrapped it around the unknown girl's frozen floating wrist. He took her wrist gently, and dissipated into thin air taking her with him.
A sort of vague beginning of consciousness came, and then a sense of weariness that was awfully dreadful. Hermione remembered nothing, not a single thread of anything entered her mind. A feeling of loathing something – or someone came, then the urging desire to be free, like a caged animal or like a trapped bird came upon her. As quickly as it came it was gone. Hermione felt empty and dazed.
"How is she madam?"
There were voices near her.
"Some select memories of hers were wiped clean. There is no telling to what extent, until she wakes up so you can ask for yourself" Was the busy Healers hasty reply. "I don't see why the Headmaster had to send you. He couldn't have come himself?" She grumbled. Samantha Brightwood had dealt with Professor Dumbledore before, and each time he brought headache after headache.
Dumbledore stood and watched the girls weak breathing. Her sharp breathes let him know she had awaken.
Hermione was perplexed. Her brain and spine hurt and her back felt sore like no other time she could remember. Her eyelids were heavy and caked closed. She twitched a few times feeling the soft, comfortable sheets between her digits. It also felt a lot like someone had used the Confundo charm on her multiple times.
'Have I slept in?' It felt like her mind had just finished a long maze. 'Did I drink a round of Butterbeer last night?' Hermione groaned sitting up. She tried to crack open her eyes. They adjusted slowly to the scene of a Wizarding hospital.
"St. Mungos!" Her voice croaked.
"So you know where you are my dear. If only you could tell me your name." A sudden voice softly and swiftly called to her. Hermione drew her eyes to the man next to her. There was comfort in the man by her bedside.
Tears came to her eyes. "This has to be a joke. Headmaster-" Her eyes widened like saucers "Your beard! It's Auburn! How can this be? You're so young-"
He raised a hand up silencing her next words.
"Say no more." He directed to her before turning to the other figure besides him. "Please excuse us Miss Brightwood." The nurse said nothing and left closing the door softly behind her. "Miss?"
Hermione opened her mouth to speak again but found out the hard way of her sore throat. She coughed. Why was she so parched? Dumbledore quickly accioed a glass of water which she gratefully took small sips. Afterwards she answered him.
"Hermione sir, Hermione Granger."
How could he forget her name? 'He is getting quite old, but still it isn't like him.'
"Professor?" She knew she was missing something, she just didn't know what.
"I'm afraid; you've crossed the time barrier."
When he told her she almost lost the contents of her stomach. He outstretched his palm, and laying there was a broken chain, a few fragments and what was left of the clinging golden sand. Hermione watched as a few of the specks of time escaped his hand and cascaded down disappearing over her bedside.
Hermione immediately sobered up. She knew now this was no game no joke. Tears were threatening to leak from her eyes. Her eyes stung so badly, her body itching uncomfortably at this point, while her heart pumped viciously behind her rib cage.
"What am I going to do Professor?" Big juicy tears leaked down to the neckline of her dressing gown. Through the translucent cast of her tears Hermione half expected Harry and Ron to pop up and join in with Dumbledore on the prank. It had to be a prank after all.
"Say no more. I'm afraid the only thing I can offer you. Hermione." His eyes very serious "Is a chance to finish the rest of your schooling. By then I only hope we can arrange your return." Dumbledore paused. "Yet, there is something I must warn you."
Hermione nodded dutifully.
"If-" Hermione winced. "We find a way for your return, you must realize the severity of your situation. As I'm sure you already know, the more time you spend here the less, time you have within your correct time. In case you wondered it is 1943 the second day of term. By the time you graduate, if you are with us that long it will be 1945. You are in your sixth year are you not?" She nodded and thought to herself.
'1943? I don't think anyone's ever gone so far back in time before. Basically he's saying I'll be as old as he is before they can reverse this, if they can at all. I'll be an old maid before I can see my friends graduate.' She felt herself fill with sorrow her eyes prickled with tears.
"But it is not all bad." Dumbledore gave her warm smile now. "If you trust me, I am with you." Dumbledore lays his hand upon hers giving her support. Hermione feelt his warmth and kindness in the gesture. He withdrew and turned peering over his shoulder and Hermione sees her closed door. "Remember what ever memories you gain back cannot be under any circumstances shared with your fellow peers or anyone, myself included. Desire consequences may befall you. Time as we know it will still flow, no matter what we try to do to change our mistakes it will still take us to the same point. The harder you fight it, the hard it will lash back at you."
He finished in time before the Healer overseeing her case interupted.
"Sir I'm afraid she is not ready to leave yet." The Mediwitch reminded.
"Forgive me, but given the circumstances Miss Granger seems quite well." His eyes were twinkling again.
"But-" The women was speechless. Dumbledore was stepping on her toes again!
Dumbledore escorted Hermione out of her bed, and summoned her clothes into her arms. He pointed to the other side of a privacy curtain. Hermione quickly changed behind it back into her school uniform. Minus her ruined cloak. All she had on was a white clean shirt tucked into her school skirt, opaque black tights, and her regulation loafers. Hermione stared at her reflection in a mirror adjacent to her bed. Bushy hair, and an irritated reflection.
'Ready as ever.' Turning around she gave an uncomfortable smile at her future Headmaster.
Her new professor gave out his hand like a gentleman, "Miss. Granger." She took it and with a hollow pop, they were gone.
"But-" And in their wake they left the Mediwitch gaping. 'The nerve of that Dumbledore!'
Hermione felt ill. It was like adding insult to injury. She fell to her knees after her side apparition, her eyes clouded and unseeing. It felt like death was playing her to be the fool.
"Here my dear." Dumbledore extended his hand again, and lifted her to her feet. "Some Pepperup potion, for the nerves." A little steam escaped from her ears after she drank it. "That won't last long. But before I forget, your wand"
'Thank Merlin I don't have to get a new one!' Hermione felt relieved as she clutched her wand to her person.
He lead the way, around the corners of Diagon Alley, until they reached a snow white building that towered over all other shops in its vicinity. Many witches and wizards went along their business entering and leaving the bustling building. A couple wizards were guarding the door using a Probity Probe. Hermione followed her professor into the building after she had stopped to read the doors inscription. Something she had done almost every time she visited. Quickly catching up with him, he talked hushed to a goblin who eyed her over his glasses. She instantly felt nervous around the goblins. She knew she had visited Gringott's before but, had they always been so vicious looking?
"Alright follow me." The gruff goblin huffed jumping off of his high stool. He led Dumbledore and Hermione to a cart. Almost before she had a chance to sit properly the goblin snapped his fingers and they plummeted through the tracks at the only speed it could go. Insanely fast.
"Ahh!" Hermione yelped.
Dumbledore merely chuckled.
They continued on like this for some time. Hermione realized she had never been so far deep into the bank, and was surly hundreds of floors deeper then Harry's vault could be. Yet she was sure, the Malfoy's had to be even deeper.
Hermione clutched her hand to her head as a headache threatened to break out. 'Wait… there's something about Malfoy, but what? Ughhh… why can't I remember?' Pushing the thought to the back of her head Hermione noticed they had stopped.
They had reached a vault without a number, and Hermione was certain it was heavily enchanted. The whole thing was covered in a foot of dust. From within his pocket her future Headmaster produced a small golden key. The goblin snatched it at once, and unlocked the door by touching it with his three fingers. It groaned open.
"Follow me." The goblin said, still eyeing Hermione.
Dumbledore entered the vault before her, and Hermione gasped. The room contained the most amount of money she had ever seen in one place! There were dark wooden elegant engraved tables piled to the ceiling in messy piles of galleons. There was other things too, swords, and rusty objects. The floor was littered in sickles and galleons, and Hermione was sure if she could see underneath it would be covered in a fine rich carpet. Hermione had no idea that he was so wealthy.
"It is not my wealth, m'dear, but of all of Hogwarts." As if reading her mind's thoughts. "The school obtains money, which is used for improvements, or for the stray orphaned time-traveling transfer student."
"Oh."
"Here, out stretch your hand." Hermione did so reluctantly. Dumbledore scoped up a purse full of coins and deposited into Hermione's out stretched hand.
They were then escorted to the surface world, much quicker than they had come it seemed. They walked through the narrow streets of cobble stone and parted, Hermione with a current school list and a pocket full of shiny coins, with the promise to meet at the starting location in one half hour. She was sized for her new robes quickly. Hermione wandered around the streets and decided not to get a new pet as her familiar. She didn't feel that it was right to her cat. School books on hand and a new school bag of rolled parchment later Hermione meet Dumbledore at the designated spot.
"We must not be late on your first day." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. He un-pocketed a golden pocket watch. "Hurry please, we only have a few more seconds." Hermione's hand hovered over the watch quickly before she quickly touched it, the tugging feeling behind her naval came, and they were outside Hogwart's immediately, right outside the gate. He led her to a lone carriage pulled by an invisible set of Thestrals.
"Can you see them?"
"No, as much as I would like too, even if I know what it implies." Hermione swayed in the carriage, her thoughts on Harry.
"I'm sure you would like to see this." He handed her a piece of paper.
Hermione took it and poured over the ink. It was her class schedule! Of course there weren't as many classes as she had been taking, but she decided early on that she shouldn't stand out as much. Make average grades. Just like any other student. Hide into the background. Disappear into the shadows.
'I don't want to do something stupid, and get noticed or killed by Grindelwald or anything. '
Dumbledore offered her a calming smile patting her on the shoulder.
'Okay, I can do this.'
After they arrived, Hermione jumped down and looked around her looking for her bag.
"Professor? My possessions?"
"The house elves will tend to them, please follow me." They walked up to the castle, and past all the familiar vegetation. Hermione realized with horror that the Whopping Willow was gone, and then concludes that it had yet to be planted. They continued into Hogwart's and as they did so Hermione stopped briefly and looked around quickly noticing the empty halls, and then tried to catch up to the professors brisk pace. She didn't want to lag behind. After a while he led her to the headmaster's office and curiously stopped few steps away from the gargoyle entrance.
"Do you know of Headmaster Dippet?" He eyes Hermione over his glasses.
"Um, no I never met him in my time." He seemed satisfied with her answer. 'Is he really expecting Dippet to still be alive and teaching?'
"I must warn you, if you trust me at all in your time," Hermione nods. "Please, watch your words." Dumbledore said no more to her after the crypt demand and instead turns away.
"Giant Squid." The gargoyle steps groan open. Dumbledore led ahead up the twisting steps and knocks on the door a couple times before leading Hermione in. A man Hermione had only read about sat behind the desk. It felt odd seeing someone else sit behind Dumbledore's rightful desk.
"Sit down please." Hermione sat across from the weary, frail looking man and almost began to shake.
'This is so weird. Something right out of a book! It's as irrational and surreal as a dream. Ron pinch me now.'
Hermione noticed the room seemed almost empty with out of Dumbledores trinkets. The familiar portraits were strewn about the room. Bookcases were filled with books and stacks of parchments. The room was covered in candle light. It had started to darken already.
"Tell me about yourself, err." His old eyes looked to her but instead Dumbledore answered.
"Hermione Granger, Armando, she has indeed come from the future. I recommend that you enroll her, until we can find a way to return her to her proper time." Hermione noticed how Dippet contemplated Dumbledore, rolling over the possible choices in his mind. "I have already warned her, and prepared her for the current term. She is up to date on such events." Dumbledore stood in a protective stance near her.
'Is he afraid Dippet won't enroll me?'
Dippet knew that even as a professor Dumbledore was wise in many ways, and if he trusted this girl then so would he.
Dippet sighed. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, again." Dippet smiled standing to shake her hand. He moved back to his desk and started shuffling through papers on his desk. "Alright now… let's see here… Oh!" He turned back to her. "Are you hungry m'dear? I can get a house elf to-"
"Not really Headmaster." She lied, too tired to really care about hunger at this point.
"The hat then, Armando." Dumbledore urged
"The what?"
"The hat." Dumbledore emphasized.
"Oh the hat, yes, yes." Dippet stumbled around and eventually found the dirty, patched sorting hat with a rip for a mouth and plopped it down on Hermione's head without much care it seemed for either party.
A few moments passed before the Sorting Hat spoke. "Now…" The hat said in a vast voice, "Very bright indeed Hermione Jane Granger, yet not bright enough to outsmart a Slytherin at her own game?" Hermione sat up straighter confused, and her feathers ruffled.
'What are you talking about?'The hat chuckled.
"Don't worry my dear, I know where you belong. Once in a house, always in a house. Of course it's - GRYFFINDOR." She wasn't certain it was essential to yell out the verdict though she wouldn't comment aloud. Hermione smiled; at least she could stay where she felt she belonged.
'That's a good one Hermione, you don't belong here anymore then you belong in the Wizarding world.' A sour look came across her face.
"Ahem." A young boy coughed her out of her bitter self loathing stupor. Hermione snapped her head to meet his stare. He had cold steely eyes, in the current candle light they almost seemed a shady grey, but upon further inspection were a distinctive dark shade of pure intensity.
'When had he arrived? I hadn't heard anyone knock.' His eyes pierced into hers. Hermione couldn't stand his gaze anymore and turned away.
Dippet rose to announce him, "This is Hogwarts finest head boy in many a years, Tom come here and introduce yourself."
"Tom Riddle, Slytherin, Head Boy, sixth year."
Boy if only she knew.
"A sixth year?" Hermione questioned wide-eyed.
Tom smiled and he knew it could only look natural, even to Dumbledore, even if he didn't really mean it. Oh and he really didn't.
"I am dedicated to this school and my pursuit of Knowledge which has earned me the privilege of being head boy even as a sixth year. It's a pleasure." He cooed. The boy snatched her hand and kissed the back the cold feeling of his lips chilling Hermione to the spine. She wanted to visually recoil but didn't want to be rude. Hermione pulled back slightly and drank in the sight of him. He had healthy pale skin, and on top of his head sat a neat pile of dark brown wavy curls. Not one strand was out of place in a polished sense. He stood away from her again. He was taller than her, with elegant posture, neatly dressed and upon his lapel was the one thing Hermione had pined for ever since first reading Hogwart's: A History, the shiny head badge. Hermione looked to his feet for a second and as she had guessed perfectly shined shoes with not an ounce or speckle of dirt.
Dumbledore eyed Tom while Tom eyed her. Tom ignored the feeling of his professors cautious eyes.
'That girl. Another slip of a human being, another one easily fooled by superior minds. Even Dumbledore can fool her into fashioning him into some great wizard. When we all know he is not. Besides, she has the hair of a shrew.' He frowned at the thought before turning and smiling at his professor with all the kindness he could muster. He could put up a pretty damn good front.
"Tom here will settle you in, help you with your homework, and tutor you shall you need it. I'm sure if you needed someone to talk to he would help you as well as be your friend." Dippet smiled warmly. "I'm surprised you have yet to find a lady friend, Tom." Tom turned from his Professor to his Headmaster.
"Oh, I shouldn't be so pretentious."
"Mr. Riddle is very modest, Miss Granger." Dumbledore added in. "I'm assured your weary Miss Granger, and I believe you have patrols Tom. Please escort Miss. Granger to her rooms, so she may rest and start the next day without much apprehension." Hermione stood up.
Tom nodded curtly and strode to the door opening it for her first, before following her down the twisting steps. She listened to their footsteps as she descended. At the bottom he brushed past her to lead. Hermione then followed him listening to his powerful steps in the seemingly empty castle. His gait was impressive and powerful and demanded her attention. For a time she almost wondered if he remembered she was even there at all, and it wasn't long before they reached their destination.
"Honey suckle"
The snoozing fat lady awoke blinking, and upon seeing them swung open with a grumpy disposition.
He turned to her, "I am usually in the library and do not wish to be disturbed. Ever. It is best if you find someone in your own house to help tutor you. Of course there is a curfew I hope Dumbledore told you at least that much, and if you break any school rules I will not think twice in docking any house points. Good night." Hermione watched as the darkest wizard she had ever known turned on his heel and left. The only problem was she couldn't remember that precious bit of information. She rolled her eyes in his direction.
'Don't stay to chat much do you?' With that thought Hermione climbed through the portrait hole and tip toed into the common room. The painting slammed quickly behind her.
Tom Riddle didn't care enough to ponder the workings of some girl. He was never in the mood for such things. The young ladies would ponder his inner workings, some dare say even would flirt with him. When he turned a corner there they would be waiting for him. He was aloof but always the gentlemen and politely turned them down.
'It's expected as my charade and yet,…' Tom turned behind him and watched as she climbed in. Maybe he had been too cold. 'Oh well one less female to worry about.' The portrait closed behind her and he was gone.
Hermione peered into the familiar sight. "Empty." She whispered. She was almost taken aback by the fact that nothing had changed, or better yet everything was exactly the same as it would be in the future.
She stopped when a thought came to her. 'Tom Riddle Hermione, he's the one who opened the-' Hermione instantly got a stabbing head ache.
"Owe!"
She clutched her head in pain. 'Where did that thought come from? Opened what? I've got a bad feeling about this…' She was standing next to a hot fire and yet she still got intense Goosebumps all over her body. She shook her head. What he did was none of her business.
Hermione knew she should investigate more into this honor student but decided rest was in order.
She climbed the girl's stair case and crawled into the only empty bed, clothing intact and relaxed lax against the cool crisp sheets. Her eyes drooped against her sunken bags, and sealed shut. Her thoughts trailed on her lost memory, the creepy boy, and the instant bad feelings he managed to conjure, and then instantly drifted away. Normally she would have scolded herself for sleeping in such a state but more important things were in order. Like sleep.