Thank you Aurelia, UnicornTamer, and GK94. Oh and for anyone that's curious the story that prompted this one is called Corsa di Tempo. And I found out today who (or I should say what) the 'apple' part of Drapple is, I thought it was some minor, forgettable character. I've heard of some weird pairings but that's just… odd.
Disclaimer: I ain't JK Rowling and therefore do not own these characters
Hermione woke up feeling terrible; it was obvious she had cried herself to sleep. She silently thanked Snape for his silencing charm for she wanted to avoid the other girls' questions as long as possible. Finally, after a few minutes of just lying there, Hermione dragged herself out of bed and to her vanity. The other girls were already busy getting ready for the day when Goyle noticed her red tear stained eyes.
"What happened, Grim? We didn't see you come in last night."
"I I rather not talk about it right now Goyle," her voice was scratchy from her sore throat.
The larger girl got up and walked over, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder, "Please call me Cynthia, Goyle is such an ugly name. If you need to talk I'm here to listen."
The former Gryffindor would never get used to Slytherins being nice, ever. "Thanks Cynthia, I'll keep that in mind." With that the two went back to studying their reflections in their own respective mirrors.
Hermione cleaned off her face but was not in the mood to deal with even the simplest of make-up charms. Nor did she want to twist hair up in some vintage do. Finally Hermione decided she would simply braid her hair like her mother used to when she was little. It was simple and comforting and besides it was casual Friday.
Hermione ended up arriving at the Great Hall much earlier than usual and took her usual seat next to a quiet fifth year who kept to herself. There was no question in Hermione's mind that Snape inherited his anti-social tendencies from his mother who was currently for some test.
"Good morning Eileen."
"Good morning Hermione."
Every morning the two girls said the same things to each other, the only conversation between them for the most part and yet somehow they had ended up on a first name basis. Aside from Hagrid now, Eileen Prince is the only one in this time period to ever use Hermione's first name. And despite their limited conversation they knew a lot about each other simply through casual observation. Now that Hermione was free from worrying about the future perhaps they could develop a real friendship.
The Great Hall was peaceful filled with the sounds of silverware clanking, quiet conversation of the early risers, and text book pages turning. This ambience was broken by the arrival of Tom Riddle and his group. 'They look like a gang,' Hermione idly thought. Instead of heading to their usual spot they came to where the two girls sat. The Blacks came and sat down next to Hermione with Cygnus closest to her. and on the other side of the table sat Riddle, Malfoy, and another boy she recognized as a future Death Eater.
"Good morning Grim," Riddle said pleasantly, "I'm not sure if you two have properly met, do you know Dolohov?"
"Yes I do." 'More than I would like to,' Hermione shivered slightly at the memory where this teen held her hostage at the Ministry. She turned to the person in question, "I believe I sit behind you in potions, correct?"
Dolohov only gave a curt nod earning what looked like a reprimanding glare from Riddle. "I'm sorry, he's not much of a talker," he said trying to excuse his friend's behavior.
Orion looked around his cousin, "If you don't mind my asking, what were you doing all by yourself in the forest? It is rather dangerous you know, surely you've heard the stories."
She debated the pros and cons of answering before giving him the truth, "I went there to be alone and I assure you I can take care of myself." At the end she gave a pointed glare to Malfoy as a warning.
Orion started laughing loudly, "I'm sure you can. We are supposed to have some duels in DADA today, maybe you'll get to show us your skills."
"Professor Stayne will be surprised," Cygnus mused, "girls rarely ever participate in the duels."
"Well that's just stupid," Hermione scoffed, "do they think they'll never be attacked just because they are a girl? If anything that heightens their chances of attack since everyone thinks they are weak."
The Great Hall was beginning to fill and along with the influx of students came Hermione's roommates. The girls normally ignored Hermione but Rosier has had her eye on Cygnus and became a bit jealous when she saw him sitting next to her plain roommate. She walked over to the group and forced herself into the small space between Hermione and Cygnus while her two companions sat on the other side of Eileen who at this point looked rather crowded and annoyed.
"Sooo," Rosier began in her snobbiest and most flippant tone, "you looked like an absolute mess this morning, and still do, is something wrong?"
"Thank you Miss Congeniality, your concern is touching."
Rosier continued, "You know if you keep acting like that you'll never find a husband."
"As if that is the most important goal in my life."
Crabbe decided to join in, "Well it should be who will take care of you after you graduate? You can't burden your parents forever."
"Well unlike you I can take care of myself. I'll get married when the time's right." All the girls and a couple of the guys gave her odd looks. They had never heard a young woman, especially a pureblood witch, speak of marriage in such a way.
"I'm sure your parents are not happy with that. What do you plan on doing when they begin arranging a marriage? Running away?" Rosier asked.
Hermione looked the blonde right in the eye and told her very seriously "My parents would never do that to me." Thinking of them just reminded her of the obliviate spell and of how much she missed them. A few tears came to her eyes before she excused herself and left the Great Hall to find some empty corridor to mope in.
Riddle saw this vulnerability as an opportunity to get some information on the strange American. "Perhaps someone should go check on her," he prompted, eyeing Cygnus.
Cygnus was all too happy to get away from the clingy Rosier much to her despair. "I'll go."
"No I will," Eileen said as she stood up with him.
"There's no need, I can handle it." 'You'll just get in the way.'
"Look Hermione's my friend and I'm a girl. No offense but I'd probably do a better job comforting her," the quiet girl countered before chasing after Hermione.
Rosier grabbed Cygnus' sleeve, "Just let them go, it's not your problem." But he ignored her, yanking his arm away he began walking after the two girls. He ended up finding them in an empty part of the castle not too far away. Grim was sitting in a windowsill looking out to the sky thoughtfully and Prince was jumping up to join her.
"Hermione tell me what's wrong." Eileen said this gently, almost in a whisper, but made it obvious that she would find out.
'Well I have to do this sooner or later.' "My p-parents are d-dead. They're dead."
Eileen's eyes went wide, "I am so sorry. How did this happen? Do you need anything?"
"I'll be fine, don't worry. Dragon pox, Mom was already so weak she caught it easily and then Dad had to take care of her." Hermione put her face in her hands and tried looking as believable as possible. It worked and soon Eileen had her arms wrapped around the orphaned girl in a comforting embrace. Neither girl noticed Cygnus approach them until he put a hand on Hermione's back.
Eileen growled at his intrusion of this private moment, "Black, I thought I told you I would handle it."
"Well I'm sorry I'm concerned, Prince." His dark blue eyes shifted onto Hermione, "I'm sorry to hear about your parents I wish I could help. If you ever need anything just tell me." Hermione eyed him warily. She could not believe a Death Eater could be sincere in that offer, especially the future father of Bellatrix, but he seemed to be just that.
"I will. Thank you Black."
He gave her a consoling smile, "Please, call me Cygnus."
xxCBHGxx
The first class of the day was Transfiguration after which Hermione informed Dumbledore of her parents' 'deaths.' He agreed that this was a good idea before sending her off to DADA. Meanwhile Riddle and his companions were already on their way to the classroom discussing the girl.
"That's all she said?" Riddle asked Cygnus.
He nodded, "That's it and she said they died of Dragon Pox."
"Weren't they a bit young to die of dragon pox?" Orion inquired of his taller cousin.
Cygnus nodded, "Her mother was already bedridden, remember that's why she came here in the first place. Don't know why her father died of it though."
"Their deaths do not matter they just give us an excuse to get close to her," Riddle explained. "We need her to join us and gain her family's backing for our cause, remember? Most American families do not publicly take a stand on the issue of mudbloods, their passive aggressive about it. But if we can get the Grims to take a stand other families will surely follow." They stopped talking when they went into the class and Orion had an idea.
"Doesn't Grim sit by herself in this class? Maybe one of us should sit by her."
Malfoy nodded his agreement, "It should be Cygnus though, if we all start crowding her it'll look odd. Plus I have a feeling she'd just get annoyed." They looked to Riddle for confirmation but he had already sat down. The other boys went to take their seats leaving Cygnus to decide what he would do. When Hermione finally came in and sat Cygnus made his decision.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked politely.
"Uh no, go ahead." Hermione couldn't help but wonder what was up with him. He was much too nice to be a Death Eater and was convinced it was an act. But his concern in the forest and his smile earlier in the day seemed so genuine. And then there was his overall demeanor; quiet and almost humble, for a Slytherin that is. He was confident in his abilities but did not feel the need to prove himself to others like the rest of his house. Hermione had yet to see him insult or bully anyone in all her time here nor did he visibly look down on anyone in contempt. Maybe his parents just did a good job teaching him manners.
Professor Stayne, an average looking man with beady eyes, strode to the front of the classroom. "Today class we will be dueling. Nothing to serious we'll just be practicing defense along with some simple offensive hexes." Murmurs filled the classroom as the professor paused in his speech. "If you do not wish to participate then you do not have to though this is recommended. First though I would like to ask Ms Grim what she knows of duels."
The whole class turned to look at her as she answered. "I have been dueling for quite some time now and have been taught a fair deal of combat spells."
"You sound pretty confident, would anyone like to duel Ms Grim in front of the class?" Riddle, his followers, a jealous Rosier, and a few Gryffindors all raised their hands. "All right then how about Mr. Dolohov."
The class all filed into the dueling room and Hermione and Dolohov stepped up to platform that Hermione recognized from second year dueling club. Taking their spots the two faced each other waiting for the signal to go. Hermione couldn't wait to give him a taste of his own medicine.
"Alright class, here are the rules: no full out curses and when either myself or your opponent say stop you will stop now go."
The two bowed before Dolohov threw jelly legs hex that Hermione easily deflected and responded to with a powerful stinging hex. She hit him in the chest, forcing him to fall on the ground. Dolohov quickly jumped up and realized that he may have underestimated the girl. Soon the air was filled with various hexes and distracting jinxes. The two were evenly matched in this environment where they had to limit themselves and Dolohov began getting frustrated. He longed to use some curses on this girl that was making him look bad. As she cast an anteoculatia hex, thus giving him antlers, Dolohov decided he had had enough.
Hermione's eyes widened as she recognized the slashing movements and purple flame as the same pain curse he used on her at the Department of Mysteries. She stepped out of the way while muttering a counter-curse. She just escaped the curse before quietly sending her own, "Sectumsempra." She knew it was dangerous to cast such a powerful curse decades before its invention but she was careful. One slash at his calf before she ended it and disarmed him, "Expelliarmus."
As his wand flew into her hand Professor Stayne flew up to tend to the boy who was now bleeding profusely from his leg. "Ms Grim! What was that?"
Hermione put on her most innocent face, "It was a simple cutting hex sir."
"Just a hex eh? Well do you know how to heal this?" the man demanded as he applied pressure to Dolohov's wound.
"Of course," Hermione walked across the platform and kneeled in front of her victim. "Vulnera Sanentur." She cast the healing spell twice to stop the blood flow and knit the flesh. "You should use some dittany to prevent scarring."
The professor was fuming, "Young lady what made you think you could cast a curse? And don't tell me it was just a simple hex."
"Sir he cast a curse at me, I was simply defending myself. I've been hit with that curse before; it is very powerful and painful." Hermione handed Dolohov his wand back as he limped away towards his friends.
"Ms Grim why would someone cast such a curse at you?"
"I got… mixed up in a confrontation back home, long story. I'm sorry I broke the rules, natural reaction," she said smoothly. 'He'd better not ask for details.'
"It better not happen again, thirty points from Slytherin. Each." All the Slytherins groaned as Hermione stepped off the platform and leaned against a wall to watch the next match.
Orion leaned in towards Malfoy, "Good thing she didn't follow through last night, you would have been toast."
The blonde prefect scoffed, "I'll admit that cutting curse would have thrown me off but I wouldn't have let it get that far."
"Please, her threats alone had you terrified." Their little dispute was interrupted by Dolohov.
"There is no way she could have seen that curse before, I invented it myself."
xxCBHGxx
Hermione had a free period after DADA while the others went to Divination. She spent her time in the library and was currently looking for a book on a certain potion she would have to brew the next day. Hermione knew exactly where the book was in her time but it wasn't there. With a sigh she turned around to look at another shelf and found Cygnus behind her.
"Hello there," he said smirking at the surprised look on her face.
"Hello Cygnus, am I in your way?" she asked lifting her head to make up for the height difference. She was about 5'3 and he was at least 6'2.
"No the book doesn't seem to be there," he answered while taking another look at the shelf. He looked back down at her, "So where did you learn to fight like that?" He was genuinely impressed, Dolohov was not an easy opponent.
"Oh just practice, my father gave me a lot of combat training."
"He must have been very good."
"He was indeed," Hermione lied.
"How come you're not taking Divination?" he asked suspiciously.
"The class is useless but I'd rather not get into that conversation."
'A seer who believes Divination is useless, interesting.' Cygnus casually leaned against the book shelf, "So Hogsmead weekend tomorrow, are you going with anyone?"
Hermione blushed, 'Is he asking me on a date?' "No I usually don't go but I was thinking of visiting the book store tomorrow."
"Well the guys and I are going to the Three Broomsticks for lunch and I was wondering if you would mind joining us?"
A lunch with Death Eaters wasn't what Hermione would like to do but she needed to get close to Riddle and his cronies somehow. "Alright, I'll see you then."
xxCBHGxx
The next day Hermione woke up a little later than usual before getting ready for Hogsmead. It was cold outside so she put on a deep blue winter dress. It came with a matching headband that she placed in her loose hair which she had left in its natural curls. She applied very little, natural looking make-up before throwing on her cloak and heading out the door.
Looking at the time she decided to go to the book store after lunch with the Death Eaters.When she entered the establishment she found the group spread out around the dining area. At a small two person table Orion was talking to an older girl who looked like Cygnus. Riddle, Malfoy, and Dolohov were at a large booth table in the far corner with three other young men who looked vaguely familiar. And Cygnus was at a smaller booth waving her over.
"Good morning Hermione, I know I said it would be all of us but I guess not."
"Oh that's alright though I do have to askwho's that girl Orion is talking to? She looks like you."
"My sister Walburga," as he said the name Hermione remembered the screaming portrait, "she graduated three years ago. They've been flirting a lot, our parents talking about marriage."
Hermione was sure the surprise and disgust showed on her face, "But I thought he was your cousin?"
"Second cousin, American pureblood families probably aren't as closely related as British ones because it is a newer country. After a few centuries cousins getting married won't be that big a deal."
Hermione knew that purebloods inbreed and she knew before hand that Sirius' parents were related but it still did not sit well with her. "Are you going to marry one of your cousins too?"
"No, I'm not interested in any of them." Hermione felt a little relieved when he said this though she wasn't sure why. She already knew he was destined for Druella Rosier.
"Any other siblings?"
"Alphard, he graduated two years ago. I'm the baby of the family." Cygnus rolled his eyes at the title.
"I've always wondered what it would be like to have siblings, I'm an only child and so were my parents. So no close cousins either."
He shook his head, "Count your blessings, siblings are nothing but a pain in the butt." Hermione laughed and as the meal went on she was surprised at how much she did laugh. She quickly realized that she liked spending time with Cygnus and vice versa. A muggleborn and a Death Eater, who would have thought such a friendship could happen?
A couple hours later they were still just sitting there talking. Hermione had not forgotten about Riddle and his new friends though and curiosity soon prevailed. "So who is Riddle talking to?"
"Ishmael LeStrange, Tarrant Nott, and Beauregard Rosier."
"Druella's brother?"
"Yes." Cygnus visibly paused as he pondered something. 'Riddle did want me to take her to Slug Club and now it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.' "Hermione would you accompany me to a dinner in a few weeks?"
xxCBHGxx
AN: This story may be more than three chapters but I'm not complaining since I am enjoying writing this but most importantly please please review!