"Krum…" Hermione trailed off, astounded by the sight of her former beau striding towards her. He looked determined and wore a smirk on his features as his eyes finally connected with hers. It was almost like deja vu. Viktor wore the same outfit he wore upon his arrival to Hogwarts in her fourth year during the Triwizard Tournament.

In 1945.

Across the room a certain Slytherin Head Boy frowned, glancing curiously between the visitor and the pathetically awestruck Granger.

Hermione rose from her seat between Joseph and Gerald, ignoring the way all attention turned to her when she noisily got up to face Viktor.

His eyes gleamed wickedly as he assessed her, causing a blush to bloom on Hermione's cheeks involuntarily. She, too, decided to look him up and down as well, noting how he was fully decked out in furs with a black suit fitting firmly around his lithe body.

Just what the hell was he doing here anyways? Numerous possibilities quickly ran through the young witch's mind but she decided to wait later to interrogate him on the matter.

She straightened up as he stopped just arms length away from her, giving her a white smile. She smiled back, although warily.

"Hermione Granger," he intoned, and Hermione restrained the urge to roll her eyes as she heard a couple of infatuated sighs, "good to see you're stunning face again, love."

Hermione barely had any time to drop her mouth in absolute, incredulous shock when he suddenly took a hold of her wrist, tugging her towards him rather roughly. When she looked up at him she squeaked when she noticed the close proximity of him. His gaze left nothing to the imagination, it was ravenous.

Shocked, and slightly horrified, Hermione was about to curse him off her when he brazenly gripped the back of her neck and smashed his lips onto hers in front of the entire Great Hall. Her eyes widened dramatically before she became really angry and shoved him off her.

The Great Hall was dead silent and all eyes were on her as the enraged Gryffindor glared openly at the new student. Out of impulse, Hermione glanced at the Slytherin table to find Riddle standing up from his seat, eyes a deep burgundy and full of violent fury. This quelled Hermione's indignation at Viktor quite swiftly as it soon turned into worry for the familiar face.

"Viktor," she finally addressed him, "what the bloody hell are you doing here?" she questioned and blushed when she realized how loud she was.

Viktor was straightening his outer layers when he looked at Hermione rather exasperated. He strode back towards her again and caught her wrists before they could shove him away. In one swift move he placed his arms around her so it looked like he was hugging her, entrapping her inside his embrace.

He dropped his lips to her ear to whisper urgently, "Just go along with it, liebelein." From past knowledge she recognized the german term to mean sweetheart. She would know, because he called her that often during his stay at Hogwarts her fourth year.

She pursed her lips and frowned at the request. So he was the Viktor from the future, he was just putting on an act. But why? Why was he here in 1945?

The pair suddenly separated when Dumbledore placed his hand firmly on Viktor's shoulder. Viktor eased away from Hermione but kept his hand on her back. Hermione grimaced uncomfortably at the long-since-gone sensation of his hands around her.

"Mr. Krum...I believe?" Dumbledore started, grabbing both students' full attention. The transfiguration professor offered Hermione a quick glance before placing his full gaze on the new stranger.

"From the recent interaction between the two of you I assume you both know each other?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. Viktor nodded and gave a bright smile to Hermione, who squirmed.

"Yes, Professor, she is meine freundin and I thought what better early Christmas gift than myself?" Viktor replied smoothly, even if the words were unbelievable. Hermione's eyebrow rose comically, knowing what meine freundin meant and how a certain Slytherin would know as well the meaning. Viktor better hide after this, because the Gryffindor knew that Tom had a possessive nature with her and would not tolerate any of this.

"Well, that certainly is strange," Dumbledore cut in, glancing at Hermione, "because, I, for one, had assumed that Mr. Riddle and Miss Granger were together."

Hermione's mouth dropped open. Why did everyone in this school have to think they were together?! You spend any more than five seconds with the opposite sex and your labeled lovers! How ridiculous. She was growing rather tired of the rumors and now her favorite professor had made it worse. She made sure to never bring him lemon drops again.

Whispers and indignant 'humphs' from the students sounded around the Great Hall and Hermione really wanted to kick Dumbledore in that moment. Viktor looked deeply disgusted and gave an intensified stare at Hermione.

"Professor, you know not to believe everything you hear," Hermione joined, deciding to salvage the situation and quickly so as to interrogate her old friend. "Viktor is-was my boyfriend back in Germany but when Draco and I left the country I never got a chance to say goodbye. And I haven't had time to contact him since school began because I've been trying to settle in."

She knew it was weak but it was the best she could do. She just hoped that Dumbledore would let her off the hook and allow her to leave with him.

Dumbledore squinted at her for a good ten seconds before sighing and clapping her on the shoulder gently.

"Alright, Miss Granger, fair enough. If you wish, you may have the rest of the afternoon school hours off so as to reacquaint yourself with your friend. But I would like to have a word with you in my office at six this evening," he suggested, his tone leaving no room for argument. Hermione nodded, silently thanking him.

Draco chose that moment to walk into the Great Hall and almost dropped his books at seeing Granger and Krum together. Nervously, he looked over at his House's table and winced. Voldemort looked ready to murder both Krum and Granger and knew he was going to receive another night of torture until the Dark Lord satisfied his curiosity thoroughly.

Hermione saw Malfoy make his way through the Great Hall eyeing the situation cautiously. Viktor turned upon seeing Hermione's gaze being shifted and then walked forward to greet 'his old friend'.

Draco looked at Hermione over Krum's shoulder and nodded when she mouthed at him to go along with it.

Once the trio made their way outside the building and on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, Hermione blurted, "Why are you here?"

Viktor turned to face both of them and sighed. "I, uh,...well things aren't exactly going so good in the future. The Dark Lord has wiped out practically all of the Light Side including some of the muggles that had gotten themselves involved."

Draco shifted on his feet at the news and looked warily at Hermione who was horrified.

"What?" she spoke in a whisper. "What does that mean? What is going on in the future? What provoked you to find Draco and I in the past?" She questioned off at a rapid pace.

All of the Light Side were vanquished?

Practically everyone she knew was dead now. Even those she didn't know but those who had helped her and the others in defeating the Dark Lord were now gone. All Hermione could think was: what had she been doing wrong? She had already painstakingly prevented Riddle from creating his first two horcruxes although he now knew that the horcrux creation was possible.

"Hermione, the reason I came back because I needed to help you stay focused with the Dark Lord," Viktor said after a moment.

The curly-haired witch suddenly frowned, indignant. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Draco seemed confused also. "Yes, what exactly are you talking about Krum?"

Viktor glanced between the two before he finally answered. "You're with him in the future Hermione," he began cautiously, "but it isn't the girl I remembered. You look to be in your late twenties or early thirties but you look like a ghost. Your eyes are so haunted and empty it gives me nightmares just thinking about them. Voldemort, you're practically his little pet. He controls every aspect of your life."

Hermione's jaw dropped at the horrific news. Viktor pushed on.

"You're practically a walking corpse, but you're so magically powerful. I don't know how but you are a master at wandless magic, and that's the only time a spark of something can be seen in your eyes. The whereabouts on where you acquired such power is beyond me. But that's another thing; Voldemort uses your magic like a parasite with you being the host. I have no idea what it is, but through just a simple touch he can pull on the magic inside of you and take it as he wishes. You don't fight back or try and stop him you just let him do it without any reaction. You're emotionless and I don't know if it is from the Dark Lord's doing or someone else from the past, or the future in your case."

"I came back to stop this madness from continuing. I need to keep an eye on you so you don't end up like the woman in the future. It's the only way to stop him from continuing to tap into your source of magic and destroying everything in the future."

"So, what you're saying is that something is going to happen to Hermione in the future, either by Voldemort's or someone else's doing, that will contribute to the future's imbalance?" Draco cut in, trying to clarify the information Viktor was giving.

Viktor nodded slowly.

Hermione was trembling. The woman that Viktor described was the complete and total opposite of the one in the past. The image that her old friend put in her head honestly terrified her. To become all powerful yet to be completely stripped of all your inhibitions, all your free will...what was going to happen to her that would render so helpless to Tom's machinations? The way Viktor describing him using her magic in the future wasn't all that shocking to her. The truly disturbing part of the story was the fact that she would get to the point where she allows anyone and everything to hurt her.

She let out a small, terrified, cry and a lump grew in her throat.

"Hermione?" Draco worried, putting his hand on her shoulder. When his newly best friend turned to look at him his heart stopped. She looked so scared and all he wanted to do was protect her from those fears. When she made yet another miserable noise he pulled her into his arms, cradling her to him protectively. He would comfort her as much as he could but the new information had worried him as well. If the smartest witch of their age could not protect herself from whatever was going to happen to her, how could he stop it? He was just an average pureblood Slytherin with no exceptional power except for his reputation as a Malfoy.

Viktor watched Draco attempt to console Hermione. He turned abruptly when he felt the sensation of being watched and his thoughts were confirmed when he looked up and met eyes with none other than the Dark Lord.

To be honest, seeing such a different and normal looking Voldemort unsettled Viktor, as it was hard to see how he would one day become the destructor of the world. Maybe that was what was more terrifying; the fact that he looked so inconspicuous.

The person in question gave him his full scrutinization which Viktor responded with the same action. The stare-off lasted a short few seconds before Voldemort turned his attention the couple behind him, or more so Hermione Granger. Viktor watched, noting the fleeting emotions storm in Tom Marvolo Riddle's eyes as he looked at the witch and concluded that the Dark Lord felt something for his old flame.

That look worried Viktor more than anything else.

Hermione seemed to feel the weight of another gaze on her and turned her head in Draco's arms to look up and gasp. Tom Riddle stood at one of the upper level windows and gazed down at her with an unreadable expression. How long had he been standing there watching them? The sight of him rattled Hermione and reminded her of what was to become of her in the future causing another bout of sobs to rack through her body.

The one thing that scared her the most was losing all of her control and free will to him.

Draco tensed, probably seeing Riddle too and huddled her closer to his chest which she appreciated. She did not want to be reminded of the future by looking at Tom.

"Viktor, let's get her inside. We can go the Room of Requirement. Hermione knows her way in. There we can at least have some peace and privacy," Draco spat menacingly. Hermione knew that he would be glaring up at a certain head boy and smiled but it turned into a grimace.

"Well, then, lead the way, Malfoy," Viktor suggested.

From the window, Tom watched as his witch broke down, seeking comfort in that bloody Malfoy's arms, with the Krum character standing watch. How dare he waltz into his territory and publicly harass his mudblood in front of the entire student body? She was his! The audacity earned him a top spot on his list of people to torture endlessly.

However, that was not on his priority list of yet. He needed to know his intentions in coming here and his involvement with Granger. Then he needed to know why his angry lioness had been brought to tears just now. It seemed as if something Viktor Krum had said had upset her and Tom was determined to find out just what that was.

With a final scowl, he turned to casually walk back down the hallway to the Potions class, hiding the flash of red in his eyes.

Hermione softly knocked on the Transfiguration room and walked carefully inside. Dumbledore sat at his desk, writing casually on some parchment with a quill, looking bored almost. At the sound of the door opening he looked up and gave a warm smile to the Gryffindor. Said student just smiled weakly in return and sat in one of the chairs opposite him.

"Ah, Miss Granger, good to see you again," he greeted. Hermione nodded in response. "I trust that the situation with Viktor Krum was sorted out? Did the two of you have a nice little reunion?"

If Hermione wasn't mistaken, she could have sworn that the transfiguration professor was being cheeky with her but she decided to ignore that. Sitting up straighter in her chair, she looked intently at him.

"It was unexpected, Professor...his return, and I apologize for his behaviour earlier today. He's honestly not always that forward."

Dumbledore chuckled. "No worries, dear child, I quite enjoyed the Great Hall's reactions, though I can assume from the look on your face now that you did not," he laughed again genially. "The rumors will be a little tiresome now won't they, Miss Granger?"

Hermione nodded again. She was getting quite good at just nodding along.

There was an awkward lull in the conversation and that's when Dumbledore decided to get down to business. But the curveball he threw at Hermione upon his next words dropped her defenses at being calm.

"Hermione, I'm not going to beat around the issue so I am just going to be straightforward with you. Lately, there have been rumors and talk about your involvement with our Head Boy, Tom Riddle and not all too positive."

What? This is what he wanted to talk to her about? Petty school rumors that envious and pathetic school girls sprung up? Was he bloody joking?

"I only bring this up because I fear that your involvement with him might lead to you being hurt. You and I both know how volatile he can be and just how exactly powerful that young man is. I would hate to see my favorite student get heartbroken," he continued.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry, Professor, but if all you wished to talk about with me was the relationship between Riddle and I, I'm afraid I'll have to be leaving you. I'm also sorry that you would believe such rubbish."

"Every rumor and lie has one kernel of truth in them, Miss Granger," Dumbledore responded wisely as Hermione turned to leave, stopping her in her tracks. She didn't turn around but stood there huffing indignantly.

"I will see you next monday, Professor," Hermione ended, reaching the door and stepping out into the darkened hall.

She turned to make her way to the library, still glaring at everything as she walked. How could one of the wisest and most powerful wizards believe such idiotic lies spread around the school about something that was non-existent. If the only thing you had to do to start up relationship rumors around here was simply talk civilly with the opposite sex then she felt terribly sorry for the young world.

Her thoughts turned to Viktor and his warning and she shuddered. His words about the future of the current timeline had rattled her to be honest. She knew Riddle was capable of destroying someone both mentally and physically but she didn't see how he could ever want to ruin her. For Godric's sake, the bloke acted like she was his little plaything, why would he want to destroy her?

But what if she had betrayed him somehow in the future and that was his revenge, to totally destroy everything she was? When she thought about it, it did sound reasonable for him to do something of that nature. He was quite vindictive.

If he ever found out that she had intentionally stopped him from creating a horcrux, she didn't want to think of what he would do to her. But it was the price she would have to pay to salvage the future. Draco and her had to destroy every object he would turn into a horcrux in order to prevent him from achieving monstrous immortality and ripping apart his soul. The idea was that if she could prevent him from splitting his soul into seven separate parts then she could convince him into taking a different path. That plan was proving to be exceedingly difficult. Even without the creation of the horcruxes, Hermione honestly believed that he would continue to pursue world domination and she was sure he would find other ways to make himself immortal. All she could do was her best at stopping him. It was her life now, as well as Draco's, which was to get her the resources his reputation and background provided to do so.

Hermione was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see until too late the large stone pillar rapidly approaching her face. With a loud "Ow!" her face smacked against the cold stone, bruising her nose and eyes in the process. She stumbled back, reaching up to her nose when she fell back against a hard chest.

"Oh, I'm sorr-" Hermione stopped when she turned to see an amused Tom Riddle. He watched her straighten herself out.

She groaned and shut her eyes tightly in annoyance with herself when she saw the blood on her fingers. Her nose was bleeding, conveniently. She glanced up at Tom. He was now folding his arms across his chest and was leaned against the wall, openly grinning at her blunder. She blushed.

"Would you quit staring? It's embarrassing enough without you laughing at me," Hermione muttered, pulling out her wand to whisper a quick 'episkey' to her nose and 'scourgify' to her robes.

"I don't think so, It's quite amusing to watch you get angry, especially with yourself," he said, giving her a smirk.

"Oh shut up," Hermione replied. She didn't need to deal with his antics right now. She needed to get to the library to finish reading Amortentia: Origin and Qualities.

Tom ignored her comment and asked, "So how did the meeting with your precious Dumbledore go?" He seemed to be just innocently curious but you never knew with him.

Hermione sighed, pocketing her wand. "It was such a waste of time. All he seemed interested in was my love life and warned me to stay away from you. It was all, 'I would hate to see my favorite student get heartbroken' or better yet, 'You and I both know how volatile that boy is'. Pointless."

Tom chuckled once. "He said I was volatile, huh? I suppose that has some truth. However, his inquiry on your "love life" was not wrongly questioned." He stood up and walked to stand directly in front of her, forcing her to look up at him. His eyes had turned dark and angry and she knew where the conversation was going to take a turn.

Before he could even speak, Hermione stopped the topic from even being brought up. "I'm not going to talk about what happened in the Great Hall with you, Tom. It's not your business. He's just an old beau who obviously didn't get the hint when I left Germany that we were over."

She was about to head into the library, since she had conveniently ran into one of the pillars outside of it when a long-fingered hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. With a sharp tug, he pulled her back around to face him and she smacked into his chest.

"Tom-" she began to protest but he stopped her.

"Granger, listen to me carefully, because I will not repeat myself," he said softly, but his tone held carefully restrained fury. Oh Godric Hermione, what did you do this time?

He placed one of his hands on her collarbone, and he toyed momentarily with her shirt collar before looking into her eyes with a completely blank expression. Hermione bit her lip nervously. This expression usually meant she had said something he thought was wrong or she had angered him. She probably had done both in this instance.

"Anything involving what is mine is my business, and you are mine Granger."

Hermione scoffed incredulously. This again?

Tom glared at her menacingly then and she shut up. He seemed to not be finished. "I really do detest those who touch what is mine and from watching you and Krum," he spat, " greet earlier, I advise you to give him a little warning. The next time he lays a single hand on you, I don't care if it's just in passing, I will crucio him until he cannot even think properly."

Hermione gaped at him. The nerve of him! Just who did he think he was, her father?! Tom gave her wicked grin when he noticed her angry expression, running his knuckles along her flushed cheeks gently.

"What an angry little lioness," he whispered softly. Then he grabbed the back of her neck, tilting her head backwards, and put his arm around her middle, pulling her flush against him. Hermione opened her mouth to protest but he caught her mouth with his and kissed her rather roughly as if he had something to prove.

Surprised by the turn of events, she tried to push away from him but he only moved them so he had her pressed against the wall. The feel of his mouth on hers, deftly moving along with hers broke her will and she gave into him, melting into his hold and putting her arms around his neck. She kissed him back just as wantonly and gasped into his open mouth when he bit down on her lip.

"You're mine, Granger," he growled against her lips, moving his lips to her neck, sucking greedily.

Hermione gripped his hair as he did so, breathing heavily. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself of that?" she asked breathlessly. He nipped her shoulder not so gently at her question, and instead of answering he leaned back to grin devilishly down at her flustered state.

"You, of course, dear," he said, twirling one of her curls with his long fingers. His arm still held her tightly to him and he delighted in hearing her heart beat rapidly against him. "Your body knows it but your mind needs to catch up. No worries, I'll have your full body, mind and soul eventually."

Hermione rolled her eyes at his arrogance.