Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Harry Potter.

Hermione quickly gathered herself together. 'He is not yet the Dark Lord.' she told herself. Tom's expression was impassive and he shook her hand without saying a word. "Could you show her around, please? She does now know which house she will be in since the sorting will start later, but I'm sure, she'll be in Gryffindor." Dumbledore winked at Hermione who felt definitely sick. Tom Riddle was going to show her around?

Tom and Hermione walked together through the halls. Tom was irritated. A new student. She looked like a bloody Ravenclaw. And he would have to show her around. He was irritated and decided that she should soon know, that Tom wasn't someone to be messed around with.
Hermione knew that it was her job to be friendly to him, if she wanted to save the wizarding world. "So, Tom, is it – which classes do you take?" she asked cautiously. Tom grunted. It took him another little while, before he answered: "Transfiguration, Charms, DADA, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, Ancient Runes." "Oh…" was all Hermione answered, she couldn't think of anything else. "What about you?" Tom asked coldly and uninterestedly. "Charms, Transfiguration, DADA, Potions and Arithmancy." Hermione answered. (It was Dumbledore's orders that she shouldn't be in Herbology, or Care of Magical Creatures, but instead focus on Arithmancy.)

There was a long silence. Tom still detested Hermione and tried to think of ways to annoy her. Hermione was irritated, but didn't show it. 'I'm not surprised he doesn't have any friends.' she thought. Tom spoke at last. "So, these are the dungeons. Over there is the potions classroom." Tom gestured to a dungeon door and Hermione recognized it as her former classroom of potions.
They walked further up and Tom showed her all the classrooms, naming them and pointing them to her. Hermione couldn't help feeling a bit scared of him, but also irritated, since he was uninterested and cold towards her. In addition, a sensible conversation was almost impossible.

"So, which school did you attend before Hogwarts?" Tom asked suddenly, catching Hermione off-guard. He smirked to himself. That question startled her. How pathetic. "Beauxbatons." Hermione called out. "Oh." was all Tom answered. "Do you know that school?" Hermione asked, just to keep him talking.
"Yes, it's a famous school, known for its good manners." Tom snorted. Hermione crossed her arms and glared at him. "Beauxbatons was a fine school, competent teachers and friendly classmates." "Whatever you think. Why did you transfer?" Tom asked in a bored voice. "Because my father moved to England. Business." she said matching his tone.
"Ok. This is the Great Hall. We will eat dinner in 15 minutes, or that's at least when the first years will arrive. You will have to line up with them to get sorted. Do you know anything about the houses?" he asked. "Yes, I do." Hermione nodded, feeling a bit afraid. It was like 7 years ago (or rather 56 years later) when she was first sorted and when she didn't want to be in Ravenclaw, but hoped for Gryffindor, since a certain red-head had been there…
Hermione sighed. She wanted to have Ron and Harry back… and Draco.

Hermione's musings were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Finished with the tour, Mister Riddle and Miss …?" "Oh, Mr. Slughorn. Good evening." Riddle sait politely and Hermione was deeply surprised by his change of tone. "This is Hermione Crouch, that is Mr. Slughorn, potions teacher." Riddle said, introducing them. Of course, Hermione already knew him, but played her part well.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Slughorn." she said smiling, shaking his pudgy hand. "Nice to meet you too, Miss Crouch, and welcome." Slughorn beamed at her. "If you would excuse me, please, Sir." Hermione said politely.

She went to the girl's bathroom and looked at her. Her hair was brown, shiny and sleek – she had charmed her hair the previous year to stay like that. Her chocolate brown eyes were large and wide, her long lashes curled. Hermione sighed and redid her make-up. Make-up, blush-rouge, khajal, golden eye-shadow, black mascara and lipgloss. Smiling, she looked at her reflection when she was also finished brushing her hair. Her eyes travelled down her body. She was very slim – almost thin, but had curved at the right places. Her Hogwarts skirt was slightly shorter than the skirts the girls usually wore in the forties. But Hermione thought she looked pretty. She was satisfied and self-confident when she stepped outside to meet Tom Riddle.

He looked at her shortly and told her: "Here come the first-years. Stand in line with them until you are sorted." Tom pushed her gently towards the line of first-years. He walked into the Great Hall, without another word and without looking back at her. Hermione scowled. How could she befriend such a cold-hearted monster?

"First-years, now walk into the Great Hall, but stay in line. Who are you?" a middle-aged witch called. "I'm Hermione Crouch. I'm a transfer." Hermione blushed. "Ok. Walk in with them." the professor said haughtily.
Hermione and the first-years walked inside and Hermione had to suppress the urge of screaming out loud. The last time, she was here, the Great Hall was filled with students and death-eaters fighting. Dead bodies. Blood. Injuries. Everything seemed to be so peaceful now. But then she was baffled. About 90 of the boys were looking at her and gaping. Smirking to herself she went to a halt in front of the hat with the first-years.

The sorting hat sang out his song and Aberforth was placed on the stool. "Hufflepuff." the hat called out and Hermione noticed the Hufflepuff table clapping loudly. "Argon." the hat called and the boy was sorted into Gryffindor. Hermione watched the people clap and noticed two red-heads clapping enthusiastically. She could have sworn, they were Fred and George – but it couldn't be. They were dead. AND in another time period. Another boy who looked like Harry Potter just without glasses bent towards them and smiled broadly.
'I really hope to be in Gryffindor. I hope I can be friends with them. They remind me of my friends.' Hermine thought longingly. "Black." the hat called out and a girl with pigtails sat on the stool shivering. It took the hat a minute to decide: "Slytherin."

Hermione looked across the hall. She noticed Tom, who was sitting at the end of the table, watching the scene with conceited gazes. Most of the Slytherins were impressed by his power, feared him, but also respected him. But not more.

She sighed. It would be a difficult mission. Very difficult. "Boss" the hat barely touched the boy's head, when it screamed: "Ravenclaw." To Hermione's surprise, she saw some familiar faces. An Asian looking girl who looked remarkably like Cho, was clapping enthusiastically. Anthony Goldstein's grandfather was seated next to her and her ex-crush-flirt Terry Boot probably had a grandfather who was exactly looking like him.

Hermione was startled when she heard her lastname. "Crouch." the hat said and she sat down on the small stool.
"Ah, you don't belong here, Miss Granger. But whatever it is, there is a reason why you are here. But where to put you? In the future, you were in Gryffindor – but is that really the right house for you in this period of time?
You have brains and intelligence that could be a reason for Ravenclaw – but would you be happy there?
I think, you are cunning and manipulative enough to be in…

"SLYTHERIN" the hat called out. Hermione was completely nonplussed. Slytherin? She was in Slytherin? How could SHE of all people be in Slytherin?
Sighing she got up and walked to the Slytherintable who was clapping loudly. Mostly the boys were clapping enthusiastically and smiling to have her in their house.

The only free place was next to a group that consisted of boys only and one girl. Hermione had to take this seat and looked at the people. Ugh, how she hated mingling with Slytherins. She'd rather sat at the Gryffindor or Ravenclaw-table. "I'm Malfoy. Abraxas Malfoy." a boy with pale blonde hair said and smirked. Hermione groaned inwardly. ANOTHER Malfoy? His grandfather. That Malfoy-smirk was passed on for centuries. "This is Vernon Crabbe, this is John Goyle and that is David Zabini. Oh and that is Eileen Prince." Abraxas introduced them. "Nice to meet you, I'm Hermione Crouch." Hermione said in a bit of a hostile voice, but they didn't seem to notice.

Tom was watching her from his seat at the end of the table. How he detested the group of Abraxas. They were conceited, lazy and had worse marks than even the Hufflepuffs. He only liked them as his followers, his people who did his bidding. Why did that new girl choose to sit with them of all people? This wasn't a good choice. 'You will be in so much trouble, Hermione.' Tom thought.

"Oh, I wish they would hurry up with the sorting." David Zabini drawled, massaging his stomach. Hermione was reminded of Ron so strongly that she almost burst into tears. "I'm surprised that you aren't twice as fat as you are now!" Eileen Prince said in an irritated voice. Hermione was struck by her face which was open and friendly. That was not the sullen mother of Snape! "Don't you feel it's unfair that the boys can eat so much and don't gain weight as easily as us girls?" Eileen asked Hermione while rolling her eyes. "Yes, definitely." Hermione agreed whole-heartedly.

She was surprised how easy it was to talk to the Slytherins. 'Hmm, they are probably nice to me, because I'm in Slytherin as well.' she thought and Malfoy's next statement proved that she was right. "I wonder why all the pretty girls are placed in Slytherin. Can you see anything cute in Gryffindor?" Abraxas drawled and Blaise shook his head violently. Eileen smiled at them and blushed. Hermione couldn't suppress a smile herself.

However, when she was in the Slytherin common room, she couldn't help but feel a bit lost. It was the same as it was when she was there with Malfoy, but she didn't like it that much. "You are staying with me, Hermione." Eileen said. "Oh no, Eileen, I thought, I could share a dormitory with you." Abraxas drawled and Hermione laughed. She was reminded by Draco so much that it hurt her.

Eileen and Hermione talked until late at night and of course, they landed on their most favourite topic: Boys. "So, who are the hotties here at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked. "Abraxas Malfoy. Definitely. David Zabini. A must-have. Gregory Goldstein from Ravenclaw, but don't tell anyone. Oh and of course the scary but silent Tom Riddle." Eileen said licking her lips. "You like Tom Riddle?" Hermione asked with a disgusted face. "I don't know. He is handsome, he is respected and feared – he is intelligent – and he is just HOT!" Eileen licked her lips.

Hermione looked at her startled. How could anyone in their right mind ever fall in love with Tom Riddle?