A/N This is my first Tomione ff and my very first fanfic to be wirtten in English. I'm not a native English speaker so you're welcome to point out any mistakes so I can correct them and learn from my mistakes.

Hermione woke up with a slight headache. She vaguely remembered Weasley and some other boy casting spells at her. One look around told her, that she was on the train and if an owl flying above her head with a letter in its claws was any indication, it was Hogwarts Express. Which was impossible because she was 2 months into school year already.

She stood up and decided to find a compartment and try to figure out what happened. If it was indeed Hogwarts Express then there were no teachers inside anyway and she didn't feel like asking a student why she was on a train when she should probably be in Hospital Wing, after being bullied for like half an hour with various jinxes.

After few minutes Hermione found an almost empty compartment, with only one boy sitting beside the window.

"Umm, hello, could I sit here?"

She only got a nod in response. The boy was thin, almost unhealthly so, he had black hair and beautiful blue eyes. He looked calm but she could see that he was cautious, when she sat right across him.

"I'm Hermione Granger by the way. And you are…?"

"Tom… Tom Riddle"

She couldn't remember any Tom Riddle from the Sorting Ceremony 2 months ago and she was sure, he was her age, but maybe he just looked young?

"Nice to meet you Tom. Are you a first year?"

"Why are you talking to me? Even since I appeared on Platform 9 and ¾ everyone treats me as a freak. Are you here to have fun as well?"

His tone was accusatory and kind of… lonely? But his words indicated that it was indeed his first time on the train and she still couldn't remember any Tom Riddle.

"I'm simply trying to be nice. And also, why would anyone treat you as a freak?"

"Because of her" he pointed above his head, and Hermione noticed that he had a SNAKE in the cage. "People think it's a freakish thing to do to bring snake as a familiar"

"I didn't even know, snakes were allowed in Hogwarts, but I don't think it's freakish. I mean, at least it's not a toad, right?"

The boy looked at her in shock, but then he laughed softly.

"You're right, toads are worse. As for her being allowed here, I got a special permission from Professor Dumbledore. I can talk to snakes, you see?"

"You're a Parselmouth? That's rare!"

"You're not scared?"

"Why would I be? Unless you're planning on sending you're snake to bite me? But you don't look like the type of person who does this kind of thing"

He chuckled and he seemed more relaxed.

"I'm not planning that, don't worry. Are you a first year too?"

"I am."

"Which house do you think you'll be sorted into? I think I'll be in Slytherin."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to be a Slytherin. There wasn't a single Dark Wizard who wasn't a Slytherin, so I'm kinda scared of that house. I think I'd like to be a Ravenclaw"

She didn't tell him she was already sorted and that she was a Gryffindor. If she were to be sorted again she wouldn't like to go back there. She didn't want to be bullied again. And since Sorting Hat considered putting her in Ravenclaw anyway, she just hoped that it would do so.

"But don't you think that at least my snake would fit into Slytherin? And I've heard that Salazar himself was a Parselmouth. Maybe they wouldn't think I'm a freak there."

"I've told you, it's not weird that you have a snake with you, and I don't think that being a Parselmouth makes you a Slytherin right away. I actually know a Parselmouth who was a Gryffindor"

That was true, one day she caught Potter talking to a snake in the courtyard, when he thought nobody was there to witness it.

"Really?"

"Yeah"

They sat in silence for a while, both deep in thoughts. Hermione was trying to understand what happened. If it was a Hogwarts Express and they were headed to a Sorting Ceremony then maybe a time travel? That seemed to be the most likely case. But how far did she travel? 2 months? A year and two months? She couldn't just ask Tom what year it was, could she? But she figured out a question, she COULD ask.

"Who's this Professor Dumbledore, you mentioned earlier?"

"He's Charms Professor and Deputy Headmaster, why do you ask?"

"I was just curious who he was, since he had the power to give you a permission, that's it."

So it was at least 40 years back, because she knew from 'Hogwarts: A History' that Dumbledore was assigned Headmaster in early 1950s. That was bad. She had to talk to an adult and fast. Tom stopped her train of thoughts when he spoke again.

"If we were sorted into different houses, would you still talk to me during school year?"

He looked anxious.

"Of course! But I kind of hope we'll be in the same house. You seem like a nice guy."

"You really think so?"

"I do."

They didn't talk more until they reached Hogsmeade Station, where they were gathered together by Proffesor Kettleburn. He looked much better than she remembered him, but she thought she would expect it, since apparently he was at least 40 years younger. Tom and Hermione sat together in a bout. She glanced at her companion and she almost chuckled when she saw his expression. Yeah, seeing Hogwarts for the first time could do that to a person. Tom's eyes were the size of saucers and his mouth was wide open.

When they finally reached the castle, she excused herself telling Tom that she had to check something and she would be right back and she quickly went to Professor Dumbledore. He looked much younger, his hair auburn instead of white, but the twinkle in his eyes was the same.

"Excuse me Professor, sir. Could I have a very quick word with you? It's really, really urgent."

"Couldn't it wait until the end of Sorting Ceremony?"

"No, because I don't believe I'm on the list, sir. Please?"

"Why wouldn't you be on the list?"

"I believe I'm lost in time. Just few hours ago I was in my 2nd month into school year in here, but then I was hit with two spells at once and the next thing I know, I'm back on the Hogwarts Express and I don't know anyone on the train and you and professor Kettleburn look much younger. Can you at least tell me which year it is, so I'm sure?"

"It's 1938."

Hermione gasped.

"Which year was it when you were... forced back in time?"

"1991" Hermione's voice was barely a whisper.

"We don't have time now to dwell on it, as you probably know. Tell me your name, we'll sort you, and right after the feast I'll take you to Headmaster Dippet."

"Thank you, sir. I'm Hermione Granger."

xxXXxx

They were ushered into Great Hall. Tom didn't pay much attention to who was sorted well. He was deep in thoughts. It was first time someone wasn't scared of him or didn't think him a freak. It was the first time, Tom discovered that he craved for a friend. For someone like Hermione Granger to tell him, that he wasn't weird.

"Granger, Hermione"

Tom looked up. She was sitting on a stool for a good minute or two before the had finally decided on…

"RAVENCLAW!"

Ravenclaw. He wondered if he could fit in there. He wondered if he could really find a friend in Hermione Granger. He looked in her direction. She sat at a Ravenclaw table. When their eyes met, she smiled at him and mouthed 'it will be fine'. Finally it was his turn to be sorted. The hat slid down and he couldn't see anything. And then he heard a voice.

"Hmmm, you're very intelligent, but you also want power."

"Please, sort me into the Ravenclaw" thought Tom.

"Ravenclaw? You could do great things in Slytherin, you know? It's all here in your head"*

"Please, please, sort me into Ravenclaw"

"I guess you're smart enough. If you're sure that's what you want then let it be… RAVENCLAW!" The last word was shouted for a whole Hall to hear. Tom took the hat off and went to sit beside Hermione.

"I'm so glad we're in the same house, Tom!" She really looked excited. He was dumbfounded. He couldn't understand why anyone would want to be in the same house as him, so he only nodded. When Sorting Ceremony came to an end and food appeared on the tables, Tom gasped silently.

"It's incredible, isn't it?" Hermione asked him, smiling. She was smiling at him. Nobody ever smiled at him. People laughed at him, called him a freak, ran away from him, but they didn't smile.

"It is."

*I decided that since Sorting Hat wanted to place Harry in Slytherin because he had a piece of Voldemort's soul inside, then he would use the same words when trying to talk sense into Tom.