TARNISHED

Chapter 4

Hermione couldn't believe it. Of all her bloody luck, she, the Princess of the Dark Lord, was stuck sharing a compartment with the Boy-Who-Lived! Neville Longbottom, as she had expected, was barely something to behold. With a face which looked like he had run straight on into a brick wall, and pudgy baby fat that would no doubt stick around for years to come, Hermione was not impressed. One would think the boy who lived, the conqueror of evil, would be a tad more...oh, impressive? But no, the Wizarding World was stuck with a boy with the unfortunate name of Neville.

As the story went, both of his parents had died after they stood between him and the Dark Lord, and that's what got them killed. But then, somehow, one insignificant little boy nearly killed her Lord and Master. And all he had to show for it was the 'X' shaped mark right above his left brow, one that was still raised, and would define him for the rest of his life. Coming across him was not Hermione's purpose, in fact, she had been happily settled in a compartment by herself, plotting the destruction of the Wizarding World in its entirety when he arrived. Apparently no one else wanted to sit with him. And he wonders why, Hermione thought snidely, though made a motion with her hand for him to sit anyway.

"Thank you so much," he lisped past buck teeth, painfully hoisting his trunk up into the ceiling bin, "I'm Neville by the way, Neville Longbottom,"

"Hermione Granger," shaking the boy's outstretched hand with a hidden grimace, Hermione quivered at its clamminess. Obviously the boy who lived wasn't used to talking to girls, "I've read all about you, you know," she stated, lifting her chin with pride, "you defeated the Dark Lord, did you not?"

"Well that's what everyone says. My Gran included," Neville admitted with a shrug, "never really believed it myself. I'm terrible at magic. My Gran even thought I was a Squib till I bounced right off the balcony,"

"That's terrible," Hermione breathed, though she lifted a brow in curiosity. The boy who lived, a Squib? It was an utterly ridiculous statement. There was no possible way in defeating the Dark Lord without magic, "you shouldn't put yourself down, Neville. I'm sure you'll be just fine at magic. I'm a Muggleborn (filthy mudblood), and I've already learned some simple spells. If I can, I'm sure someone like you can without any trouble,"

"My Gran never let me use magic, or...used magic around me. I might as well be Muggleborn with how much I know about the Wizarding World,"

Neville threw up his arms in defeat and slumped slightly as Hermione smirked slightly to herself. Perhaps the boy who lived needed a little bit of...extra tutoring in the future. Such a fragile boy without a mentor was a piece of clay ready to be molded after all, and Neville was sure to be a very powerful wizard in the future. Dumbledore would no doubt try and exert his control the minute Neville got to Hogwarts, all Hermione had to do, was give the boy a little faith,

"Well how bout' this, Neville," Hermione stated, "we're friends now. And as such, I take it upon myself to help you learn magic. You'll be great, I can feel it. All you need is a little...guidance?"

"You...you really think you can help me? But aren't you a first year too?"

"Yes, but I've always been a fast learner. All you need is someone to, oh, shove you in the right direction. I'd be glad to help."

"Wow, thanks Hermione! You know, you're the first real friend I've ever had?"

Hermione smirked, though it came off as a gentle smile as Hermione giggled slightly,

"Then its good that we've met, isn't it?"

Neville nodded, but it was only a few seconds later that he realized his toad, Trevor, had gone missing. Offering to help look in order to get out of the stuffy compartment, and as an excuse to go searching for a certain dark haired Prince, Hermione moved swiftly through the train. Finally, she found whom she was looking for, repulsed to find both Luna and Harry sitting with a...ugh, a Weasley. Not just a Weasely, either, but a completely incompetent one who couldn't even cast a spell correctly. Hermione couldn't help but showing him up, as well as staring at her husband's new persona as an uninformed half-blood wizard. It wasn't till she left the comparement that she ran into a head of familiar while silver hair,

"Watch where you're going," he snapped, a smirk on his face as he turned slightly, "Well, well. What do we have here? Are you looking for someone, yer boyfriend, maybe?"

Draco's voice was tinged with teasing malice as Hermione smirked, though grunted as Draco's hand pushed her up against the nearby wall of the train,

"I've already seen my boyfriend, thank you very much," she huffed indignantly, "don't you have a girlfriend waiting on you?"

"I do. But what if I just cast a little spell to get us closer-"

"Careful, I'm friends with the boy who lived now, I'd back off,"

Draco's eyes glinted curiously as he stepped back and folded his arms,

"That Neville boy? I heard he was on this train, where is he?"

"That's none of your business," Hermione growled sharply, though leaned in to whisper in Draco's ear, "don't forget about the potion,"

Nodding in a subtle way, Draco shoved Hermione's shoulder with a hand, and a domineering smile,

"Just watch where you're walking next time, stupid girl," he hissed, flipping around and walking to the compartment which Hermione herself had just vacated. Turning as someone appeared beside her, Neville's eyes were alight with curiosity,

"Who's that?"

"I don't know for sure, just...stay away from him," Hermione stated, "those are the kinds of people I stay away from. Did you find your toad?"

"No," Neville appeared sad, but shrugged a bit, "he always turns up, though. Even after I lose him at home. Sometimes I think Trevor is magical,"

Hermione held back an eye roll as she and Neville walked back to their compartment. As to hide her boredom, Hermione removed a book from her trunk which Sirius had given her before leaving. It was called Hogwarts: A History, and supposedly had tons of useful information about Hogwarts in it. She had already read the book enough times to have its pages memorized, but reading it again for Neville's sake (or just to keep him off her back for a while) was a good excuse. She was on the chapter about Hogwarts houses when she remembered the potion hidden in her pocket. It was a Confundus potion, one which was supposed to confuse the Sorting hat about where to put Hermione, Harry, Luna and Draco. Do doubt there would be suspicions if all of them were sorted into Slytherin - though Hermione herself felt she was just as much Ravenclaw as Slytherin. After all, a mind like hers was a gift. At least that's what her father had said.

"What house would you like to be in Neville?" Hermione asked mindlessly, looking up over her book to see the pudgy boy sitting awkwardly across from her, "I've read all about them. I think I'd do well in Ravenclaw, but I think Gryffindor is the best house,"

"My Gran was a Ravenclaw," Neville stated, "though I'm not smart like her, or you. I'm not very brave either, so Gryffindor isn't the place for me. Hufflepuff seems like a nice house. My father was going to be a Huffepuff, but he got sorted to be a Gryffindor instead for some reason."

"Huh, sounds like you have a chance in either of those houses, Neville. I hear Gryffindor isn't just for the brave, but also the bold and the loyal. Fighters. Don't you think you're a fighter, Neville?"

"No," The boy smiled wryly and shrugged, "I'm afraid of everything,"

Shaking her head with lifted brows, Hermione couldn't help but smile. She had never met such a self-deplorable boy before. One would think the savior of the wizarding world would be raised as such, to believe he was meant for great things. This, Neville Longbottom, was simply pathetic. It seemed cruel for such a powerful boy, someone who no doubt was the savior, to not believe he could do more then faint at the sight of his own shadow. Hermione resisted the urge to chuckle. Dumbledore keeping him in the dark would only serve her, and her comrades purpose. The sooner Neville tasted power, success and fortune, no doubt he would change his mind about which side was good and evil. Dumbledore was no better then the Dark Lord himself, it would just take a little effort for Neville to see it.

Soon enough, as the last rays of sun disappeared on the horizon, the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. Hermione and Neville filed out with the rest of the students, and followed a very burly half giant towards the Black Lake, where enchanted boats would take them over to Hogwarts. The castle, to any other student, looked enchanting. To Hermione though, it only made her want to wince. Inside it's walls was the object of the Dark Lord's desires. Somehow, Hermione had to get ahold of it before the years end. The Dark Lord insisted that he had a plan to distract the old fool Dumbledore, and make them out as saviors, but what that plan was, Hermione didn't know for sure. So as the students filed up towards the Castle, buzzing with excitement for the sorting, Hermione removed the vial of blue liquid from her coat pocket,

"What's that you got, Hermione?" Neville questioned, "is it candy?"

"This? No, it's for my allergies. A muggle concoction,"

"Oh." Neville seemed to accept the lie without much trouble, and Hermione swigged the drink quickly. Puckering slightly at its foul taste, Hermione caught sight of Harry, who had also managed to swig his potion. Luna and Draco no doubt remembered, meaning they were all set for the Sorting. After a quick speech from Warden McGonagall, an unexpected appearance of Trevor, Neville's toad, and a short wait outside the Great Hall, the doors opened wide. Filing in, Neville was entranced by the ceiling,

"It's not really the night sky," Hermione said to him, "it's just enchanted to reflect the weather outside,"

"It's wicked,"

Nodding her head, Hermione stood straight and (being honest) slightly nervous as they all stopped at the stool. McGonagall explained the tradition, and the first few names were called. Out of them all, Hermione was first up. Walking to the stool, with the hat on her head, Hermione could hear it speaking to her.

'Eh? Your mind is very cloudy, isn't it. I scan see you are very bright, would do well in Ravenclaw. Loyal...mm, I feel like I'm missing something..." the hat went on for another moment before making an irritated noise, 'difficult. Better be, GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione sighed deeply as she glanced at her husband, then at Neville as she made her way to the table and sat. Luna was next, and she was thankfully sorted into Ravenclaw. Then came Neville. The entire hall seemed to hush, as this was their savior, and the room exploded when he was sorted into the same house as Hermione. Weather or not it was a lucky break, Hermione wasn't entirely sure. Draco, as expected, was sorted into Slytherin, and both Harry and the Weasley Boy were placed in Gryffindor too. Soon, Dumbledore himself stood to make announcements, though Hermione didn't miss the look he gave to Neville before waving his hands for the feast to begin. Rolling her eyes at the charade, Hermione smiled at Harry who was sitting right across from her,

"Nice to see you again, Harry Potter," she stated, a glint in her eyes as the boy winked inconspicuously,

"And you, Miss Granger."

Hermione smiled and glanced at Neville, who was hesitantly putting food onto his plate. Following in his lead, Hermione picked up a piece of toast and sighed. It was going to be an interesting year indeed.