She could hardly open her eyes. They felt heavy and it took her a while be able to look around. She was in a room. A blue room with a lot of windows, a desk and a big teddy bear in the corner. While realising she was lying on the bed she tried to sit up. Her whole body ached. Like someone was stabbing her continuously. She sighed heavily when she managed to take a look around. It was clearly someone's room in someone's house. And she didn't like it at all.
Her eyes landed on a trunk that was lying next to the window. So it was some witch's room. Just as she was about to stand up and walk away from this place the door opened and a woman in her thirties walked in. She had straight, long brown hair and green eyes. She was beautiful, dignified. Something in her just screamed "noble"! But she immediately smiled when she saw Hermione awake.
"You're up! Thank Merlin!" – she chipped, putting a sandwich and a coffee on the desk. – "We found you yesterday in front of our house passed out, you scared the hell out of us! By the way, I'm Cerelia Potter."
Hermione almost let her jaw drop. It was Harry's grand-grandmother! She saw her in old book about purebloods. It was because of her husband Henry that the Potter family wasn't included in Pure-Blood directory.
"Um... excuse me, but what year is it now?" It was weird to ask that but she didn't really have a choice.
"It's January 1943, my dear."
She felt like the ground under her feet just disappeared. Did she landed 55 years back? How was it possible? Was it the diary's fault? But how? And why?
Her mind was full with thoughts and she felt it hurting. She had to calm down or she would rise suspicions. So she choose the only one safe option.
"I don't really remember anything, beside my name. I am Hermione. It's nice to meet you Madame Potter." – She forced a smile and the woman in front of her laughed.
"Just call me Cerelia. But dear, what should we do with you? I'm pretty sure you are a witch, because you had your wand with you. But how old are you?" – she asked and Hermione bit her lip only to shook her head.
"Sorry, I don't really..."
"It's okay, honey. You look no older that eighteen, so I would assume that your age is around that. Do you know how to use magic?" Hermione nodded slowly and looked at the wand lying on the desk.
"Good. We will wait for Henry and then discuss, what we should do. But for now, you, my dear, have to eat. You are so thin, too thin in my opinion. I won't let you starve to death! The bathroom is at the end of corridor, take your time and when you are ready come down to me." She turned around and hurriedly left the room with Hermione still bewildered.
What was happening to her? She rubbed her temples and suppressed the growl. For now she should just adjust to this situation and try to find out, how to get out from this place. From this time.
She quickly consumed the food Cerelia left for her and walked to the bathroom. On the side of the bath were laying some clothes, for her she assumed, as she looked down at her ripped jeans and dirty t-shirt. Yeah, these weren't good clothes for 1943. She sighed again, took a long shower and tried the clothes with a little reluctance. The skirt was long. Too long even for her as it reached her ankles. White shirt was something that suited her, but she still preferred it to be matched with trousers.
When she walked out and got down on the lower floor, she saw a man sitting with Cerelia in the kitchen. He looked so similar to Harry that she felt a pang in her stomach. He looked at her and smiled.
"Hello. You are Hermione right? I am Henry Potter. Sit down with us." Even his voice reminded her of her closest friend. But even though it was hard to say a word, she quickly complied and sat in front of the couple.
"I just told Henry about you. We thought it would be a good idea for you to go to Hogwart. It's a magic academy. What do you thing?" – Cerelia asked with a smile, not discouraged by the confusion of the young witch.
"But I... I don't know how I would be able to do that. And I don't any money and..." – Hermione started, but was cut by Henry's words.
"Don't worry. We will take care of anything. We don't have a children to take care of, so we will be happy to have you under our care."
Hermione was amazed. Amazed by the kindness of people on front her. They didn't know her and yet wanted to have her and help her. No surprise Harry was so good-natured. It had to be in genes.
And so, few days later she received a letter from Hogwart.
Dear Miss Hermione,
I was contacted by Mr Potter about you situation and I would be honoured to have you attend our school starting next week. If it is not a problem, you should be signed with the name of your new guardians, so please discuss it with them.
With regards,
Headmaster Armando Dippet
That's why on Monday she hugged Cerelia and Henry in front of the Hogwart gates, as they apparated with her. They bided her a goodbye with smiles and observed her going to the castle.
She arrived during the feast time and it was probably all planned. Much younger Albus Dumbledore came to greet her in front of the Great Hall and smile at her, but she knew he was wary of her.
"Welcome in Hogwart, Miss Hermione. I'm you new transfiguration teacher. I will take care of your baggage and in a while we will sort you to your new house. Please follow me" – he said kindly and she nodded. She felt really uncomfortable looking at younger version of her previous Headmaster.
But this feeling grew even more, when they entered the Great Hall and all eyes landed on her, as everyone fell silent.
"Good! Everyone please calm down because I have to announce, that we have a new student. Miss Hermione Potter will attend a fifth year and will be sorted to a house right now! – Armando Dippet proved to be a quite small man, with wrinkles and flat tone. Like he wasn't interested in anything. But it could be a good thing about him. Sadly she couldn't say the same about Dumbledore and a whole school as whispers erupted.
She once again sat on a familiar chair and the Sorting Hat was putted on her head.
I see... we met once, right, Miss Granger? You may not know why you are here right now, but I can assure you, that everything has a purpose. That's why you will have to forgive me for my choice.
"No..." – she whispered terrified.
"SLYTHERIN!"
She was feeling sick and it took her all to stop herself from standing up on the shaking legs. She looked scared at Dumbledore, who was watching her with distress. Of course he wouldn't know, why she was so afraid and he couldn't do anything about it either. So her only choice was to turn to the Slitherin's table. People clapped but observed her cautiously. They sensed her hesitation and she was pretty sure she would regret it later.
When she finally reached it and took a sit, she felt these eyes on her. Eyes of the man she was too scared to look at, even though she knew he will be here.
Tom Riddle was just a few sits away from her and was now absorbed in inspecting her with almost unnoticeable smirk on his lips.
