Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. All of this belongs to J.K Rowling and the publishers alike.

Chapter 3: Wishful Thinking

The next morning, Hermione was tested by numerous professors in order to set her classes and schedule. She felt somewhat relaxed and relieved that she didn't have to wake up and fight off Death Eaters and run from Snatchers. She shuddered as she recalled Scabior and his troupes. But no. Most of them wouldn't be born for a couple of years, and that thought brought her delight.

A small smile crept on her face as she translated some runes for the Ancient Rune's professor- Professor Renight-. She handed her the sheet when she completed it and was then bombarded with questions by the young dark robed professor.

"What does the Hydra represent?"

"What is the number six represented by?"

"What triple headed creature represents the number three?"

Hermione answered them all swiftly and correctly. The professor, was very pleased as she looked over Hermione's Rune translation. The lost feeling of being praised by a professor returned to her once again and the young, bushy haired, know-it-all Hermione Granger roared with glee within her again. How long had it been since she felt sweet accomplishment at the approval and delight from a professor? Seemed like a thousand years.

"Well, I must say, my dear, I had underestimated you. A mistake I will not do again." Professor Renight said with a malicious grin followed by a cheeky wink as she exited the room, leaving a rather bashful and grinning Hermione.

After hours and hours of testing and spell conjugation Hermione found herself sitting in Dippet's office. Sitting on a stool awaiting to be Sorted.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait until the banquet? You can be Sorted with the rest of the first years?" Professor Dippet asked. Hermione shook her head. Attention was the last thing she wanted.

"No thank you, sir." She said with certainty.

"Very well…" He said, although he didn't seem to certain and with a flick of his wand the Sorting Hat soared into his hand. Hermione nearly smiled at the Sorting Hat. The wonderful hat had placed her in Gryffindor, where she belonged, or at least she hoped she belonged.

As the elderly man placed the hat on her, Hermione was surprised that it didn't fall over her eyes like it had the first time she had the hat placed on her head. She remembered how when in her First Year the Sorting Hat fell over her eyes. Blinding her from her surroundings. The small memory made a small smile creep on her face.

It wasn't long before the hat cried out 'Gryffindor' and Hermione allowed a grin to curl on her lips. As she took off the hat and returned it to Headmaster Dippet, he gave her a small smile and returned the hat back to the shelf.

"Ah, yes. Gryffindor: lovely house if I do say so myself." He said happily, humming an unknown tune as he returned to his desk and began refilling through papers. Finally pulling out a piece of parchment and handing it to Hermione.

"Here is your schedule and your classes and a list of supplies. Although most of the textbooks you would find in Diagon Alley, I'm sure you can borrow a text book from a professor until we have your books delivered. But in the meantime, we will fund all your school supplies. You can go down to Hogsmead. It's just a little town not far from here." He explained, as if excited. Hermione knew very well Hogwarts never had a new student, and it sure was 'thrilling' to have a newcomer. Hermione wanted to scoff. If they knew who she was, they wouldn't even let her through the doors. "It is rather late, so I do not advise you go to Hogsmead tonight. But you can most certainly go tomorrow." Hermione nodded and couldn't help but smile. She had always wanted to finish her Hogwarts education. Then the twinge of reality fell onto her. But she didn't get to finish her education with Harry and Ron. And suddenly, she wasn't so eager to walk back into those classrooms anymore.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." He said handing her all the papers with a hearty smile. Hermione returned the smile.

Yes…Welcome to Hogwarts indeed.

After showering and healing her cuts- well most of them- Hermione stood by the giant oak doors, where on the other side she could hear the loud chatter of students. She smoothed her new uniform over herself as an act to calm herself down.

There is nothing to worry about. You're just walking into the Great Hall, that's all. But there was also the fact that if she saw the Great Hall again, all the memories would ram into her and she would burst in tears in front of the whole school. Hermione shuddered. No need to draw attention. She reminded herself.

As Hermione looked at the giant doors, she couldn't help but feel a ball of fear well up in her. Did she really want to see the Great Hall again? Filled with students that would be beyond her age back in her own time? Did she want to look around and embrace the fact that these students weren't the ones from her time but from another? Hermione shuddered. Why had the Sorting Hat placed me in Gryffindor again? She pondered. She was a coward.

She had been avoiding the Great Hall as much as possible, turning away from the banquet as soon as she neared the entrance. She then began to wonder if this was a good idea at all. Then thoughts of her deceased friends probed her mind and she chastised herself for even thinking of turning away. And with a heavy breath she braced herself and pushed open the doors. The bright light made her wince, or maybe she was just being dramatic. The loud chatter of students was a painful reminder of what she had lost to the war. Hermione swallowed again and searched the room for her beloved Gryffindor Table. After locating it, she was pleased to see that it was still the same place as her Gryffindor Table had been.

As Hermione approached the table, she foolishly allowed her eyes to examine the table and nearly began bawling on the spot. She could pick out one or two red-heads scattered amongst the Gryffindor table. Hermione heaved in deeply and took her seat down. Refusing to look up in fear she might catch sight of her friend's ancestors and she would break into tears.

As she sat down she heard a few murmurs.

"…never seen her before…"

"…who is that?..."

"…she can't possibly be new. Hogwarts never has transfers…"

"… Maybe she's from another house and went the wrong way…"

Hermione sighed heavily. Maybe she should have avoided this place. But the Headmaster had advised her to join them for the Start-of-Term banquet, and she had a feeling she would look suspicious if she didn't join.

The Hall felt silent at once, and Hermione cringed that she had indeed drawn to much attention. But as she turned she realized that Dippet had stood at the podium. Hermione wanted to shake her head, seeing that Dippet didn't welcome his students as warmly as Dumbledore had once done. Hermione scanned the staff table as her eyes fell on Dumbledore. She had met him during her tests, and he had been as friendly as he had been back in her time. Though, she was still uncomfortable seeing the young Dumbledore when she knew that he would be murdered in fifty years due time.

"I welcome all our old students back to Hogwarts." He said gruffly. "And to our new students; welcome." Hermione looked around and noted all the first years that were already Sorted into their houses. "I would also like to welcome some new students to Hogwarts who were transferred here under…unfortunate means. Although it is our pleasure to be home to these students and I expect you all to welcome them with open arms." Hermione's jaw dropped. It wasn't the fact that her arrival had just been announced to the whole school. She couldn't help but noticed that he used plurals. Was there more than one student transferred? Could it have been Malfoy? No of course not. Why would he want to enroll in Hogwarts again?

Hermione was so engulfed in her own thoughts; she hadn't noticed that the Hall burst into whispers at the mention of transfer students.

"...-She's a transfer?"

"...-Oh I wonder where she's from."

"...-What about the other one? Didn't Dippet say there were more?"

"...-I dunno, maybe they know each other." Hermione wanted to roll her eyes at their whispers. Did they not know that she was right there?

"Now, now, children. Enough chit chat and let the feast begin!" And with that food appeared in the golden dishes. Hermione's hand unconsciously twitched at the sight. How long had it been since she had a decent meal? During her Horcrux hunt she, Harry and Ron had survived on mushrooms and herbs and other things she could pick out of the forest.

She quickly grabbed her fork and piled food onto her plate. Munching down everything and savoring her appetite. The food was just so wonderful, or maybe it was just her loving to replenish her energy. Most of the time she didn't even know what she was eating, but she didn't care. It all tasted good to her anyways.

"Oi!" Someone called. Hermione paused and turned to see a girl a few seats down from her with long brown hair with large brown eyes snarling at her. "Have you ever heard of utensils?" She sneered dangling her silver fork in front of her. "They help you not look like a slob." Hermione arched her eyebrows in curiosity, and then narrowed them in hurt. Then she recalled the slight similarity between the girl and Lavender Brown from her time. Although if this was indeed a Brown then she may have been a great aunt of Lavender or something along the lines. All the same, she carried an air of a snarky attitude. Just like her descendant. Hermione thought with a breaking grin.

"Don't be rude, Brown." Another girl barked at the rude Gryffindor from beside Hermione. Hermione turned to see a red head with her hair teased with a 40's fashion. She had freckles dotted on her cheeks. Her eyes a bright blue with a fiery content. Hermione had a vague idea who this was, but she feared that if her suspicions were confirmed she would be a nervous wreck.

"Did anyone ask you, Weasel?" Lavender's ancestor sneered. The red head immediately turned into a shade of red and returned to her food, munching down rather angrily. Hermione could hear the giggles from Brown and her friends. Hermione shot them a glower and returned to her plate as well. Every once in a while she would spare a glance at the redhead. She wanted to say something, but didn't know how to begin.

"Um…you didn't need to do that…" Hermione said nervously to the redhead. The redhead placed her fork down and turned to face Hermione. Her blue eyes looked over Hermione in criticism before she broke into a grin.

"Sylvia Weasley," She said, not even acknowledging Hermione's comment. She stuck out her hand for Hermione to shake. Hermione reluctantly shook it. Yes, this was Ronald's relative, Hermione thought with pain. Hermione pulled her hand away. This girl seemed to be so much like Ginny. She had the fiery temper, the angry red hair. Hermione fought back tears as the image of Ginny's pale body strayed across the ruins invaded her mind. "Who are you?" She asked, clearly unaware of Hermione's distress.

"Hermione…" She said. "Hermione Grainford." The brunette had to take some time to recall her fake name. The Weasley grinned again. A grin so much like Ron's. Hermione shook her head. Was she trying to remember the ghosts from her past?

Though that was the last she ever spoke to 'Sylvia' so Hermione kept her head low and munching on her food. Every once in a while, she would look around the table to examine the faces and possible ancestors of those from her timeline. Soon enough, Hermione grew confident enough to scan the Hall. She even searched the Slytherin table to see if she could locate Riddle. As she searched through the table, she couldn't help but notice that all of them seemed to be so elegant. She had never noticed it before; then again, the vast majority population of the Slytherins were from an aristocrat family. They all had their elegance and swift motions that would be fit for royalty.

They all consider themselves royalty. Hermione thought with a scowl. As she scanned the room her eyes fell on a patch of blond hair. Hermione's heart leapt and she immediately reached for her wand. There sitting at the Slytherin table was the infamous Malfoy that had so conveniently followed her back in time. He had seen her to, because now he was scowling and sneering. Hermione felt hatred and confusion heat up in her.

So he had followed her to Hogwarts. Though she didn't know why, he had no reason to come here. But there he was sitting at the Slytherin table looking like he was ready to kill her. And Hermione was sure that she was ready to do the same.

They glared at each other for a while, waiting for the other to strike, but somehow, Hermione knew that that wasn't going to happen.

So this was the other student Dippet was talking about. Hermione narrowed her eyes, as Malfoy's sneer widened.

"Is there something wrong?" Sylvia said breaking Hermione from her gaze at the blond. Hermione turned to face the redhead.

"Of course not, I'm fine." Hermione said, trying to hide the hatred that still lingered within her.

"Oh…well alright," She said with uneasiness. Hermione only dismissed the Weasley's nervousness and returned her gaze to the young Death Eater. But when she looked back, his seat was empty. Hermione's worry arose as she scanned the room for the blond haired boy. The only blond haired boy she caught sight of was probably his ancestor, but other than that the young Death Eater was gone. Hermione then wondered if it was just her imagination…then she ruled that out because he was as clear as day in her vision.

After the feast had ended all the students got up and headed to their Common Rooms. Hermione got up as she looked away from stares and whispers that had accumulated sometime during the feast. As she followed the trail of Gryffindors, it wasn't long before a pair of arms wrapped around her and hauled her into a secluded corner. Hermione squealed and thrashed as she was pulled further and further away from any possible witnesses.

Soon enough she found herself pinned against a wall with an angry Malfoy.

"You really need to work on your wandless magic, Mudblood." He snarled. Hermione frowned and spat in his face.

"And you need to work on your manners." She sneered as he angrily wiped the spit away from his face. Hermione desperately tried to get her wand but to her disappointment, Malfoy had already snatched it and threw it across the hall out of her reach. Malfoy tightened his grip.

"What is your deal, Mudblood? Why the hell are we in fucking 1944?" Hermione desperately looked around in hopes that no one had heard them.

"Shut up, you stupid git! Someone might hear you." She snarled in a low whisper, although it was highly unnecessary for the hallway was indeed deserted.

"I don't fucking care. Now you tell me, why the hell you brought us here?" He sneered. He was really hurting Hermione under his strong grip.

"What? I came here under my own will. You were the idiot who grabbed onto my robes." She retorted harshly.

"Maybe you weren't so loud with your 'Accio' then I would have never found you and then I would have never grabbed onto your robes to keep from spinning that Time-Turner- Heck! How did you even get ahold of a Time-Turner!" He hollered, causing Hermione to wriggle in fear.

"It's none of your concern- and by the way, why the hell are you here at Hogwarts?"

"Don't try to change the subject!" He sneered, his wand now at her throat. Hermione could only narrow her eyes at him in disgust.

"I will change the subject as much as I please. Now let me go!" She struggled against his grip again in hopes to escape him, but that action only caused him to squeeze her tighter, causing Hermione to gasp.

"You do realize I could easily 'Imperio' you and just force you to answer me" He threatened. That made Hermione shut up as her mouth quickly closed. Malfoy smirked at this. "Now. Why the hell are we in 1944?" He said in a low harsh whisper. Hermione cringed at his tone. She didn't want to tell him. She just needed time. Although she was sure that her time would be limited if she wasn't careful.

"Hey!" Someone called and immediately Malfoy sprung away from her allowing Hermione to be released. The turned and saw a gruff looking boy with bushy eyebrows. In the dim lighting, Hermione could make out his Slytherin robes and the prefect badge glistening in the light. "Snogging is unacceptable behavior. Get to your dorms." He sneered at them with repulsiveness. Hermione quickly pushed Malfoy aside and retrieved her wand and stalked off to her Common Rooms.

"I expect much more from a fellow Slytherin." Hermione heard the Prefect snarl at Draco. Hermione heard Malfoy shout a bunch of rude curse words that caused the Slytherin Prefect to bark at him and deduct ten points from his house. But Hermione didn't hear anything else, she just scattered away.

Hermione took a deep breath before she looked at the Fat Lady portrait that was looking down at her expectantly. Hermione hadn't been in the Common Rooms since she got here because Belle had insisted that she look over her to make sure that she was healing okay. Although Belle's motherly behavior was something Hermione was in need of, it wasn't something that would help her cause. Hermione had no time to halt and make friends and get emotionally attached to kind people like Belle. No, she was here on a mission to kill and destroy. Nothing innocent at all.

"Well? Are you coming in? I do realize I have a wonderful complexion, but it is rude to stare." The Fat Lady huffed. Hermione gave another sigh before she mumbled:

"Feris leo,"

The Fat Lady nodded and swung up, revealing the Gryffindor Common Room. Hermione gave a weak smile as she stepped in. It was painful to see the Common Room. She had never thought that she would ever walk in this room again. But here she was, fifty four years in the past, stepping into the Common Room that was just the same as it would be in another fifty years.

The walls were the usual red with a bit of gold every now and then. The room scattered with students lounging on comfortable sofas and plush chairs. Hermione cringed as she spotted the sofa in front of the fire.

That was the sofa me, Harry and Ron used to sit on. Hermione thought miserably.

Hermione could've sworn that she saw the vague image of Harry and Ron waving her over to sit with them. The Gryffindor shook her head. Now she's getting delusional. Great. She drawled sarcastically to herself.

"Hermione!" Someone called her. The Gryffindor turned around to find Weasley running over to her. "Hey! Come here, I want you to meet a few people," She said gripping onto Hermione's left arm that caused her to wince in pain, but Sylvia never seemed to notice. Hermione then was brought before two girls who were sitting lazily on a sofa. One was a blonde with her hair teased and pulled into the same hairstyle Sylvia had, who was engulfed in a magazine. Another was a brunette who wore her pajamas and who was fussing over what looked like an assignment.

"Guys, this is, Hermione." The brunette didn't look up and continued to write down on her parchment, scribbling furiously. The other only spared a small glance at Hermione then returned to her magazine as if she were nothing of interest.

"Um…hello? Hey! Janette! Abigail!" The blond rolled her eyes and looked up and Sylvia.

"What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" She snarled. Hermione nearly winced. Back in her time, the girls were much kinder. Or was it just her trying to criticize everything about this era?

"Is that the newest edition to Sorceress Eternally?" Sylvia asked with excitement pointing at the blonde's magazine. Hermione furrowed her brows. 'Sorceress Eternally' wasn't a magazine she was familiar with. Then again, she was fifty years in the past.

"Yes it is." The blond said, clearly bored out of her mind and didn't hesitate to display her irritation.

"Cool!- Anyway, this is Hermione." She gestured to Hermione.

"How intriguing." The blond said with sarcasm and returned to her magazine.

"Yeah- well, Hermione this is Janette." She said while pointing at the blonde. "And that's Abi," She cheered pointing at the girl who was writing down quickly.

"Abigail!" The brunette corrected firmly not bothering to look up.

"Yeah, yeah." Sylvia said with a giggle. Hermione no longer had the need to be here, she wanted to leave. These girls seemed quite repulsive in that matter and she had only been here for a couple of minutes.

"It was nice meeting you," Hermione said dryly before she left to her dormitory.

"Going so soon, Hermione?" Sylvia said with disappointment. Hermione only nodded and left and climbed up the steps.

Hermione entered her dorm, which was unwise because she was supposed to be the clueless of where she was going. But Hermione didn't care at the moment as she slumped over to her bed where her newly purchased items were. Hermione sighed deeply as she opened and unlocked her new trunk. There were so many books and quills and Hogwarts robes and other clothing, but Hermione had no interest in them and searched for something else in particular.

After digging and rearranging her things, Hermione pulled out the thing she was searching for. Her beloved beaded handbag. It was no longer clean and new like when she had bought it. No. It was dusted and slightly torn from their Horcrux hunt. Hermione shuddered. There were so many things in here. So many items that were so conveniently stored in the small beaded bag. But items weren't the only thing stored within it. No. The beaded bag held memories of Harry, Ron – everything that used to make up her life. It was strange how the beaded bag could have been the only thing that will remind her of her past. Everything else was left behind and destroyed. Hermione bit back tears and held the bag to her chest. She found herself wishing that was Harry and Ron that she was holding rather than items and useless junk.

Hermione knew that they were gone, but she was sure that she would rather deny that fact. Hermione scoffed. All she needed to do was look around and she would get all the reminders she needed. But tonight, she would pretend. Just pretend that she was home. Imagine that she was worried about her O. rather than destroying the timeline and ruining the future. She would pretend that she would wake up tomorrow and greet Harry and Ron rather than waking up and greeting their ancestors.

Somehow, pretending seemed to bring Hermione to ease. After a few moments of planting false thoughts into her mind, she placed the beaded bag deep into her trunk, burying it deep to keep snoopers from finding it.

She sat at the edge of her bed, smiling at the thought if Harry and Ron were here with her.

We would probably still be in Common Room. Joking around and trying to deny the fact that they weren't in their own era.

Hermione felt a small tear trail down her cheek. She wiped it away hastily. She needed to get a grip on herself. She was going to get nowhere if she continued to roll in her memories. She had to forget about them and focus on the mission.

No! She shouldn't forget about them. She couldn't forget about them. She would just move on. Yes that was it. She would move on, not forget.

Never forget.

~We're All Just A Little Bit Mad~