Pairing: Tom Riddle/Hermione Granger

Warnings: Future sexual content and violence.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe. I am merely creating my own version of the story.

Blue Eyes

Hermione sobbed. Ron was dead. A curse was then thrown at her, and she barely got out of the way in time. Her eyes lingered on her boyfriend's lifeless body, which was slumped against a crumbling wall. The Death Eater that had attacked Hermione cackled. It was a sound that Hermione remembered very clearly from hearing it in Malfoy Manor. She turned.

Bellatrix stood there, her lips curled back in a grin, revealing her rotting teeth. "Your boyfriend dead, sweetheart?" She sneered, and began to throw spell after spell in her direction. Hermione felt anger surge through her, knuckles turning white as she blocked with her wand. She then hurled a Cruciatus Curse towards the Death Eater. Bellatrix was caught off guard, and was nearly hit. The woman's grin faltered, and she struggled to block the curses that Hermione sent one after another. Finally, Bellatrix started to send her own, more powerful curses. Hermione didn't block one of them in time, and was thrown into the stone wall behind her, her head banging against it with a loud crack. The curly haired woman snarled, trotting up to her. "Avada Keda‐"

Hermione had closed her eyes, waiting for her death. She was excited by the prospect of seeing Ron. The rest of the Killing Curse never came. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes, to find that Bellatrix was laying dead by her feet. The girl stared at her in confusion, before she felt herself losing consciousness. For a brief moment before falling to the cold ground, she wondered if she was still going to Hogsmeade on the weekend with Harry and Ron.

Hermione awoke, screaming Ron's name. She felt her chest tighten as she thought of him, slumped against the wall in the Great Hall. She clenched her fists, staring up at the stormy, dark ceiling. Suddenly, it dawned on her that the Great Hall was not destroyed. She then sat up from where she had passed out, her eyes widening as she took it all in. Everything was intact. Hermione then heard footsteps racing down the hallway, and she drew her wand, aiming it towards the giant closed doors. As a boy ran in, she yelled Expelliarmus, and he looked at her in surprise as his wand flew out of his hand and into hers. She kept her own wand aimed towards him, hand shaking. She felt so weak.

Then a giant pain began at the back of her head, and she clutched her free hand to the spot. Warm liquid met her fingers, and she cried out, both wands clattering to the floor as she clutched her head with both hands. Her eyes squeezed shut in agony. It felt like she was under the Cruciatus Curse ‐ but of course, she wasn't. She then felt strong arms wrap around her, and she briefly struggled before passing out from the pain.

"...where did you find her?" A female voice entered Hermione's ears, and she realized that she was in the hospital wing after blinking to clear her vision. It was bright, which must have meant that it was daytime now.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a healer speaking with a handsome black haired boy with dark blue eyes and pale skin. He wore Slytherin robes, and had a Head Boy pin. "I found her in the Great Hall. I heard a scream as I was patroling the school, so of course I went to find the source. I'm glad that I heard her, as it seemed no one else would have. The corridors were completely empty."

Hermione tried to sit up, which caused her to groan. Their attention was immediately turned to her. "Who are you?" She croaked, seeing that the healer was not Madam Pomfrey.

"Oh, I am Madam Halliwell, healer here at Hogwarts. Come on dear, lay down, and take this." The middle aged, hawk‐like woman thrust a potion into Hermione's hand, which she assumed was for healing purposes. Hermione was surprised. She didn't know either of these two, but then began to put pieces together. Everything was still intact, she didn't know this Head Boy, and Madam Pomfrey wasn't the healer here.

"Take the potion, love. It'll help with any pain you have." Hermione was pulled back into reality. Before she took the potion and most likely drifted to sleep, she decided to ask a question. "Um... what's the date? I'm a bit forgetful at the moment." She asked quietly, not wanting the boy to hear her.

"Oh. It's September 8th, 1944. Now take your potion." She said, giving her a tight smile. Hermione was completely silent for a moment, before tears began to freely fall and she was starting to sob. The memories came back to her. Ron, Fred, George, Mrs. Weasley, Dumbledore, her parents, Snape. Finally, wanting to get rid of these thoughts, she dumped the potion into her mouth and swallowed. Sure enough, she drifted off just a minute later. The last thing she saw was the boy's curious eyes, before he turned on his heel and left.

Hermione woke again. Now it was nearly dusk, she noted, as she looked out the window. The room was empty, except for Madam Halliwell sitting down at the other side of the room. "I need to speak to Professor Dumbledore." She had assumed that he was alive in these times, and that he wasn't yet Headmaster. Madam Halliwell jumped at her voice. "Oh, of course! Let me get him for..." she was cut off as the doors opened. Dumbledore walked in, and immediately moved over to Hermione. His normally white hair was now a light auburn, and he looked... younger. "Hello, Miss." He said. "What is your name?" Hermione almost let him know her real name, but decided against it.

"Hermione Doyle." She said the first last name that came to mind, inwardly cringing at how hideous it sounded.

"It is good to meet you. My name is Albus Dumbledore, professor and Deputy Headmaster here at Hogwarts. I have heard many things about your arrival from Slytherin's Head Boy, Tom Riddle, whom happened to rescue you just in time." He smiled. Hermione nearly gagged upon hearing Voldemort's old name. So that was who had been in here earlier, then. "Tom Riddle saved me?" She would have thought that he'd kill himself before helping anyone in need.

"Yes, he did. When he found you, he said that you were covered in bruises and your head was cracked open. You fell unconscious while he was taking you here. Any way, Ms. Doyle, how did you manage to get to Hogwarts? You obviously aren't a student, as I know everyone who goes here." His face had turned serious, and Hermione frowned as she thought about it. Her chin wrinkled as she fought oncoming tears. "I um... I need to speak to you in private," Hermione felt that she could tell him everything, or at least almost everything.

"We will go to my office then." Madam Halliwell scowled at him, and tried to argue, before Dumbledore silenced her with his hand. "Madam Halliwell, I understand that she is still healing, but I will return her in just a few minutes." He smiled, the twinkle in his eyes back. Madam Halliwell nodded reluctantly, watching Hermione as Dumbledore helped her to her feet. She suddenly felt dizzy upon doing this, and sat back down for several long moments before attempting to stand again. Her legs wobbled, and she fought to keep her balance.

Dumbledore put an arm around her shoulders, steadying her. Hermione found her balance and they began their walk to the Deputy Headmaster's office.

"Right. Hermione Doyle, please explain to me everything that you are willing to share." Dumbledore settled himself back in his large chair behind his oak desk. His office was smaller than the Headmaster's, though it was still quite large. Hermione sighed, burying her face in her hands before starting from the beginning.

"Well, professor... we were in the middle of a war with Voldemort, in the year 1998, and we were... losing. My um..." Hermione choked up, wiping fiercely at her watering eyes before attempting to continue. "My boyfriend was murdered... I was beside him, before one of Voldemort's Death Eaters, Bellatrix, tried to curse me. We fought, though I was unable to block one of her spells and was thrown back into a wall. She was about to kill me, so I closed my eyes, but when I opened them she... she was dead. Then I passed out, and ended up in the Great Hall here."

Dumbledore's eyes were sparkling with interest, and he watched her for a few long moments before nodding. "So... you've time traveled back here. I wonder why," he seemed to be just thinking out loud, so Hermione stayed silent, besides her sniffling. "Who is this 'Voldemort', if you do not mind me asking?"

Hermione felt her hands clench. She wanted to tell him, but... couldn't. She couldn't risk ruining the timeline. "I can't tell you. It might have catastrophic effects on the timeline that would be virtually impossible to fix..." she mumbled, partially to herself. She began wringing her hands absent mindedly as she thought everything over. However smart she was, she didn't know how she had gone back in time or how to get back to 1998. Though, perhaps it was a good thing to be here. She might be able to save Ron somehow, though she'd have to start by finding out more about Tom Riddle and his Death Eater friends.

"Professor, when am I going to be able to leave the hospital?" Hermione questioned. Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oh, two or three days at most. Maybe you'll be able to leave tomorrow. You might want to ask Madam Halliwell when you are returned," he smiled. "Oh! And we should get you sorted, as you are going to be here for awhile." Dumbledore turned, retrieved the Sorting Hat, and gave it to Hermione. She hesitated, before placing it on her head.

Oh, very smart, very brave. You seem like a wonderful Gryffindor, however there is something else there too. Very... ambitious. Maybe even sly. What do you think?

Hermione grimaced, before whispering Slytherin under her breath.

"Slytherin!" The hat called out, even though Dumbledore was the only other person in the room.

"Oh, Slytherin. I thought that you'd make a lovely Gryffindor. Were you... or, are you, Slytherin in the future?" He asked.

"No, I'm Gryffindor. I've just got a few things I want to find in this house." She said, and Dumbledore frowned. Hermione mentally slapped herself. Hopefully he didn't suspect her of doing anything bad.

Madam Halliwell sighed. "Okay, Hermione, I believe that you can leave today. Dinner starts in thirty minutes, so you better hurry and get yourself situated. I believe Dumbledore has already provided you with all school things and left them in your room, though I would suggest changing and... showering." Madam Halliwell wrinkled her nose, and Hermione got a whiff of herself. She nearly gagged. She smelled awful.

"You're right. Thank you, Madam Halliwell." Hermione smiled, before leaving the hospital wing in a hurry. She made it to the Slytherin dungeons rather quickly, though it took her a bit longer to navigate around than it would if she'd been Slytherin in 1998.

She whispered the password, Slithering, and a passageway opened before her. Upon getting inside, she saw that the dim common room was empty except for a familiar male with his back facing her. Tom Riddle, she thought, her eyes widening as she ran to the girl's dorm room so she wouldn't be seen.

She went to the showers, cleaned herself, and got out of the shower. Casting a glance in the mirror, she had to do a double take. She looked awful. Her eyes had black bags underneath, and her eyes seemed haunted. All she did was cast a charm on her hair in the hopes of making it less frizzy, and concealed the bags under her eyes with a glamour charm. Now content with her somewhat healthier appearance, she pulled on the school uniform before leaving the bathroom.

She smiled when she saw that no one else had entered the girl's dormitory. She headed out into the Common Room, and saw that Tom Riddle was still sitting in the same place. Finally, she realized that he was reading. "May I ask why you're staring at me?" Tom said, causing Hermione to jump in surprise. He turned to look at her, before standing up.

"I was not staring at you! Merely observing," she hissed, backing away. Her stomach clenched in fear. What if he was going to hex her? She placed her hand in her pocket, feeling for her wand.

"Are you going to use your wand on me?" Tom looked at her, a smirk on his face.

"N‐no," she stammered, feeling heat rise up to her cheeks. "I'm just... always expecting the worst I suppose." She sighed, withdrawing her hand from her pocket, though she stayed tense.

A look of recognition flashed across Tom's face. "Oh, you're the girl that I found in the Great Hall, are you not?" He said, his smirk leaving his face as it was replaced by a very well‐faked sympathetic expression. Hermione nodded. "My name is Hermione Doyle," she added a bit reluctantly.

"It's nice to see that you're out of the hospital wing. My name is Tom Riddle, head boy of Slytherin, though Dumbledore most likely told you this already." He said in an overly charismatic tone. "Are you going to be attending dinner?" He asked, straightening his black and green tie.

"I was thinking about it," Hermione said, shrugging. "I don't quite like being the center of attention. I don't know if I should go or not." Am I really having a civilized conversation with Voldemort? It sounded completely ridiculous, and she imagined the look on Harry and Ron's faces when she told them.

And suddenly she was crying.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, aggressively wiping her eyes and turning away from the boy. She felt a surge of anger rush through her, and suddenly she felt like bashing Tom Riddle's face in with her fist. It was his fault that Ron was dead, and that she was stuck in the past instead of being there for Harry.

"Completely okay." Tom said, giving her a reassuring smile. "I know that whatever you have been through must have been difficult." Hermione turned, her mouth opened in shock and her eyebrows furrowed. For a second, it sounded like Tom felt bad for her. Unheard of. He had to be faking it. Voldemort didn't feel bad for people.

"I think I'll go to dinner. I just need to be distracted right now." She avoided Tom's intense gaze. She looked anywhere but him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him nod. "I can show you around a bit after dinner, if you'd like," he said, and she turned to him.

"I'd appreciate that." She forced herself to smile.

"Are you ready to go finally?" Tom asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. Hermione realized that she'd been sitting in the girl's bathroom for over twenty minutes, and now they'd surely be late to dinner.

"Er, yes. I think so." She was wringing her hands.

"Alright, then. Come on." He led her out of the dungeons and into the long corridor. She followed him, staying around four feet away as they walked. Tom stopped walking, waiting for her to catch up. Hermione reluctantly fell into step beside him as they continued on.

"So, Hermione. Where are you from?" He asked, glancing over at her as she hesitated for several moments. "I'm... I can't tell you. Sorry." She sped up, though he easily followed her pace with his long legs. Hermione pursed her lips, causing Tom to snort.

"You're awfully secretive, aren't you," he muttered under his breath, and Hermione stiffened. He couldn't actually know, could he?

No, Hermione thought, that'd be impossible. I haven't told him anything.

"Well, Hermione. We're here," Tom said, and Hermione looked up at the large doors. She swallowed nervously. Then, they walked in, side by side.

All conversation seemed to stop for a moment in the Great Hall, and eyes were turned towards her immediately.

"She's Slytherin?"

"Who's that?"

"Why's she with Tom?"

Hermione felt like she was going to vomit, and she found herself getting closer to Tom, throwing nervous glances around the room. "You can sit by me if you like," Tom whispered, obviously seeing how scared Hermione was. What happened to my Gryffindor courage?

"Thanks," she mumbled, and just as she was about to sit down at the edge of the Slytherin table, she heard Dumbledore's voice. "Ms. Doyle," he beckoned her to him, and Hermione immediately frowned at all of the eyes still on her. She threw a glance at Tom, who was just watching from beside another boy, who looked a lot like the blond haired Death Eater she knew so well.

This had to be Draco's grandfather.

One of Tom's first followers.

Hermione hurried away, up onto the stage where Dumbledore stood.

"Everyone, this is Hermione Doyle. She is a Slytherin seventh year, and I hope you all give her a warm welcome." Applause sounded throughout the hall. As soon as it died down, Dumbledore nodded, and told her that she could go back to her seat.

"Thanks," she muttered, and quickly went over to Tom, sitting down beside him. She recognized the others in the group. Icarus Avery, Arsenius Lestrange, and Abraxas Malfoy. She had seen them on countless wanted posters. Hermione felt self-conscious sitting here, but she had nowhere else to go; going into the past meant that she had no friends.

Abraxas snorted, and Hermione looked up to find him staring at her. "How'd you manage to get in Slytherin house?" He said, his eyebrow quirked and a familiar smirk on his lips that made Hermione unreasonably angry. A quick smack to the face might wipe it off. She pursed her lips. "Same way you got here. I was sorted. Would you like me to explain the entire process, Malfoy?" By the looks Tom, Abraxas, and everyone else gave her, Hermione immediately realized her mistake. Food appeared on their plates, giving a good cover as she finished.

Hermione found herself in the library, and immediately she went to search for books about Time Travel. She had to get back before she screwed up time. By the end of her search, she was holding about six books, and she set them down on the table, sat down in a chair, and began to read.

Just as she was about to start reading chapter two of Time Travel and How it Works, she was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching and stopping by her table. Hermione looked up, and there stood Tom Riddle.

"Time travel? Very interesting. Do you have a project you're working on?"

"In fact, I do." She said rather coldly, her eyes turned back down to her book.

"Are you planning on time traveling yourself?"

This comment took Hermione by surprise, and she glanced up at his face. He looked genuinely curious. "I don't know. If I can make a time turner."

He sighed. "You wanted me to show you around after dinner. You can take the books with you, you know."

Hermione made a frustrated noise, but closed her book and put it and the others in her bag, before standing up. "I guess I did. Where to?" Tom just shrugged.

"I'll show you where all of your classes are, and the easiest routes to get to them."

Hermione sighed. This would be a waste of time, seeing as she already knew where everything was. "Okay. Thank you." She forced a smile on her face, and he turned and began to walk toward the door. She followed close behind.

A/N: I wrote this a bit of a while ago, and I finally decided to edit it and submit it. I hope that I'll continue this soon (if well-received) and I won't make everyone wait a year.

- AND THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER I HAVE EVER WRITTEN.

p.s. - I really hate the beginning of this chapter. Eugh.