Being Welcomed
-2-
As Hermione saw Hogwarts for the first time, she felt pure joy.
Anticipation.
And the smile became a grin.
She stroke one of her cheeky curls eagerly behind her ear as her name sounded.
Granger, Hermione Sigyn.
Professor Dumbledore, the deputy headmaster, looked at her expectantly. Shortly thereafter, the sorting hat was on her head and whispered into her ears.
'A small Granger, yesyes.' After what seemed like a long while for her, he continued: 'A summer's child you are... pure viridity...but you need loyal friends and you are smart too... And your family, you do not want to disappoint them, am I right?' He feĺl silent again, then he screamed. Just one word.
'SLYTHERIN!'
The girl stood up hesitantly and walked towards the applauding table. A proud smile appeared on her lips, her parents would be pleased to hear the good news. In the case of the Slytherins, she was accepted joyfully, and sincerely.
Her first days at the castle were the most magical ones.
The girls of her dormitory were nice. Till now nothing bad had happened between them, but Hermione had the strange feeling that the mouse-brown haired twins weren't trustworthy at all.
They were Averys, maybe that explained it.
The fourth girl of her dormitory had presented herself as Bellarose Snow and seemed to be open hearted and very friendly. Hermione liked her from the very start.
In the first weeks the two of them had little adventurouse nights, discovering and exploring the castle with its magic hidden behind every corner.
But as the weeks passed petite Granger was confronted with school every day more than before and found herself captured in the library. With time she even began to flee into the calmness and safety books granted her.
It was one day at the beginning of december as she sat down on one of the library tables, freezing and tired. Bellarose laid down her things beside her friend and began to look for the books they needed fot their potions homework.
'Come on, Mione. We finish homework and then you can go and relax a bit, yes?', Rose said.
'Relaxing isn't enough for me anymore. I need to sleep for a couple of days to be my old me again.', Hermione responded nearly sleeping already.
The other girl sighted, but sat down anyways. For a moment everything was silent, because they read, but the curly haired soon let out a frustrated groan. 'I'm very sorry, but I can't. Good night.', she hissed and packed her things together.
Rose smiled lightly but said nothing.
Just as Hermione wanted to open the huge doors, they swung open and a boy of the second year stood infront of her. She paralized, startled, but then calmed down, as she saw that is was a boy of her house. 'Good night.', she said, looking expectantly at him, waiting for him to let her pass. The older one, who hadn't lowered his gaze upon her, moved rather slowly to the side and bowed his head lightly. 'A good night to you as well.'
She gave him a quick smile and hurried away from him.
The Slytherin common room was full, but Hermione's dormitory was empty - to her delightness. Soon she laid in her bed, sleeping and dreaming.
The next day, a friday, started quite late.
'Hermione! Wake up now or I'll leave without you!'
There was grumbeling from under the cheets.
'Slughorn just started to like you, don't take it for too granted.'
That was a point and a good enough reason to open her eyes... but not good enough to stand up once and for all. 'Which time is it?', she mumbled.
'You have 7 minutes', Rose stated nonchallantly.
Hermione stormed out of potions. She was frustrated and angry. How could it possibly be that one of this Avery's, who did it all wrong, managed to brow the 'confusing-potion' so well?
'I swear to you, I saw how she cut the fluxweed. She should have pressed it, like I did. It says so in the book!', she hushed to Rose. 'But that is it, Mione! It is a potion to confuse people, you can't brow it correctly because if you do, it isn't confusing.', the black haired answered. Hermione opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again. That made sense.
Just in that moment she looked up and met the dark green gaze of a boy who started walking beside her. It was the one from yesterday night. She wanted to turn to Rose to ask her, if she knew him, but was interrupted when he started to speak.
'I wanted to apologize for my last evenings behaviour. May I ask your name?'
She was mentally paralized. What was happening? The only thing she truly had heard was the mellifluous voice he had. The words he had spoken just came through to her after a while longer.
'There is no need to apologize.', she answered cooly, as always when she felt insecure. What was he even apologizing for?
'My name is Hermione Granger, and you are?' She looked up to him again.
He smiled lightly and something about it felt wrong. Really wrong. But at the same time she noticed the looks from the people around her and she liked it. Jeallousy. Envy.
He took her hand in his and bowed slightly, not breaking the eye contact, as he kissed it lightly.
'My name is Tom Riddle, Miss Granger.'
Tom Riddle.