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Hermione stared at herself in the mirror. When she had woken and tried to speak her voice was different, softer, but still hers and definitely not unsure.
The nurse had walked in only to scream and say, "Her looks have changed again!"
She saw her long curling brown hair, not as thick and fuzzy as before, her same delicate features, and her usual deep brown melting eyes.
The eyes that seemed to stare deep inside of you and discover your secrets, your strengths and your weaknesses.
Hermione knew this meant that the charms that had been placed on her had started, only to decide she was safe and didn't need the safety mechanisms.
The tattoo on her foot remained however and her voice had become more melodious, and much more persuasive.
"I guess my body is warning me I am still in danger, just not as much as before," she thought to herself with a sigh.
She remembered how they had come up with the original spell of protection for her.
Harry, Ron and herself had been sitting in a tent deep within the Forbidden Forest, searching for Lord Voldemorts horcruxes.
They knew the final battle was near and wanted to find them all before the battle so that there would be more time to strategize.
They had been discussing what would happen if they were to lose.
"Hermione, you are the only one that has the possibility to live, if the other side wins," Harry had tried to tell her earnestly.
"Unlikely, I am a filthy mudblood, they would never allow me to survive!" She laughed at the very possibility.
"Ron and I have discussed this in depth and we have decided to use a spell, one that will protect you by changing your appearance, tone of voice, and give you implanted memories of what you must do and say, a tutorial ran by us if you will, you will be a pureblood that had been attacked in the war when all you wanted was to join the Dark Lord."
"But Harry, that's powerful magic- it is live magic as it will have to be able to ascertain what the danger surrounding me is and the death of both of you, the ratio of enemies to allies. It would drain you for days!"
"So be it," they repeated in unison before beginning the complex casting.
Harry and Ron placed a little bit of themselves in the spell, Harry providing his looks and Ron providing purity of blood, so that if it was tested her blood would show that she was from a long line of purebloods.
AS she drifted back to sleep she heard the teachers discussing her again.
"This one has more tricks up her sleeve then I have ever seen!"
"Especially for a student so young."
"I wonder what happened to the poor girl."
Each voice, gossipy and questioning, floated around her.
She detected no malice in their line of questioning, just worry over her well being and safety, so she allowed herself to drift back asleep to dream of Harry and Ron, of a Hogwarts safe and free, and a much less complicated time.
It took a week for her to regain her strength and be able to move around once more, but long before that before her brain was clear and functioning once more.
She questioned Dumbledore about current events relentlessly, she had informed him where she had come from, but little else as she did not wish to break the rules of time travel beyond what was already planned.
Killing someone was the ultimate do not in time travel and she did not look forward to the repercussions of it.
Hermione had begun to reread the entire library while lying in the infirmary.
She took her solace in the bright sunshine warming her skin as she lost herself in the books.
In mere hours she would have to attend the sorting ceremony organized just for her, and she was still feeling slightly claustrophobic from the thought of being surrounded by so many people.
A young man visited earlier, and Hermione could practically see the power emanating from his very core.
She pretended to be asleep, and superstitiously watched him from beneath her fluttering eyelids. He had charmed the medi-witch, before going to her bed and staring at her for the longest time.
She held herself as still as possible while breathing deeply to avoid suspicion. He had ran a hand over her sleeping form lightly before muttering lightly, "Even more beautiful then before."
He was about to walk away when he stated, as if he had known the whole time she was awake, "You will be mine."
She did not know who he was, but Hermione could sense the darkness laying beneath the surface, almost like a serpent coiling itself in preparation for an attack.
The Great Hall was alive with whispers and rumours about the new girl.
Each student adding to the stories as they were bandied around.
One boy sat away from it all, looking on in slight disgust, before changing his face to a charming smile.
There was something wrong with the smile, as if he had went through all the motions to smile in such a way, but was unable to follow through with true emotions in his eyes.
Each house group was secretly praying that this new enigma would become a part of their house.
Ravenclaws as they wished to learn everything about her, and it was in their nature to search out information.
Hufflepuff as they were a kind hearted group and wanted to ensure she had a place in this new and seemingly unknown environment.
Gryffindors as they had heard about her bravery and courage in the rumours being spread and Slytherin wanted her because anyone who gets Tom Riddle to look as he currently does is an excellent asset, and Slytherins were very focused on assets, and ways to stay ahead.
If she had a calming effect on the terrifying yet strangely charismatic Head Boy, who were they to complain.
Hermione took a deep breath before gliding gracefully into the Great Hall, in her dance like walk.
She ignored all the whispers and concentrated only on the sorting hat ahead.
She could only hope it would not reveal her true identity to the world and ruin her remaining chances of survival, slim as they were.
She wanted to go back to Gryffindor, her old home, but she knew that she had went through too much, and changed too much, for her to belong in Gryffindor.
The only question was, where was her new home going to be.
The sorting hat was lowered to her head and she immediately heard its booming voice in her head.
"Ahh Miss Granger, I have sorted you before. You were a Gryffindor and a fine one at that. But the times have changed you in more ways then one, and there is only one house equipped for the likes of power you will unleash on this time period. I almost pity them…..SLYTHERIN!"
She heard the polite yet restrained clapping reserved for someone sorted to Slytherin, and the loud yet still dignified clapping from the Slytherin table itself.
As she went to take a seat she realized there was only one left, next to a group of boys all wearing similar arm bands, staring deferentially next to the occupant of the seat next to hers, the boy who had visited her in the hospital bay.
The boy who had been in Professor Dippets office.
The boy Dumbledore had called Tom Riddle.