A/N This chapter is a little bit longer. Still, I hope you'll like it =]

Hermione woke up in the morning, her head spinning a little. She wondered what actually had happened. For a moment she thought it was all only a dream, but as she looked around, she knew it wasn't. If it was a dream, she wouldn't have woken up in a dormitory painted in green and silver. She'd wake up in a bedroom she shared with Ginny at the Grimmauld Place 12. Besides, her true dormitory was red and gold. It was her true dormitory, right? The first time she'd been sorted into Gryffindor. So that was the house she belonged in, wasn't it? But the Sorting Hat wanted to place her in Slytherin. It was thanks to her pleading that it didn't. So why didn't it listen this time? Maybe she wouldn't have to stay here for long, so it didn't really matter.

As she looked more closely, she saw that all her dormmates were still sleeping. She silently removed all the protective enchacements she put around her bed the night before, using wandless silent magic. It worked perfectly. Now, that she came to think of it, Dumbledore must've already known her when she started her schooling at Hogwarts. He must have...

'Miss Granger!' Hermione heard an elderly voice call out. She was just about to walk out of the Great Hall. She was tired. It was her first day at Hogwarts and it surely was stressful.

Hermione turned around to see Dumbledore still sitting in his chair at the Professors' Table. She wondered how it was possible. She heard him call out as though he was a mere few feet away and he was that far. Besides, no one seemed to notice a thing. She thought it must've been something she hadn't read about before, there had to be a lot of things like that. It was a wizarding world.

'Miss Granger, do not worry. I'm using Telepathy to contact you. It is Dumbledore. Of course you must have noticed, I saw you looking my way. Anyway, explanations will come later, now I'd like to ask you to wait for me outside the Great Hall, in that staircase on the right. I'd prefer it if no one saw you. I know it sounds strange, but the matter I want to discuss with you is a secret and I'd like it to stay that way.'

Hermione once again looked in the direction of the Professors' Table, to make sure she wasn't imagining things, and sure enough, Dumbledore was looking at her intently, smiling friendly. When she looked at him, he nodded lightly and turned to say something to professor McGonagall.

Hermione did as she was told, reassured by the nod she was given by Dumbledore. She hadn't heard abything about Telepathy existing in the wizarding world. But on the other hand, Dumbledore was a very powerful wizard, he had a lot of talents and abilities other wizards didn't have. Well, she had to wait. He'd told her the explanation would come.

After about five minutes she heard somebody approaching her and she straightened up, hoping it was Dumbledore. It was him indeed.

'Miss Granger, I'd like to talk with you in my cabinet, if you don't mind. You must be terribly tired after a day as exhausting as this one.'

'I'm only a bit tired, sir, but it can wait. Now I am mostly curious as to what you could want from me. I didn't do anything bad, did I?'

'No, of course you didn't. On the contrary. I will explain it to you when we are in my cabinet. This way, please.'

Dumbledore led the way. The corridors were empty, but it was to be expected. Everyone was in their dormitories by now.

They came to a halt in front of a figure of a golden eagle. 'Lemon drops!' Dumbledore said to it and stepped into a small nishe the eagle was standing in. Hermione followed him.

The floor they were standing on starteg to move and it moved higher and higher until they could no longer see the corridor. They stopped when they reached a solid wooden door, which Dumblebore opened. Both of them stepped in.

The room was round, full of tiny silver strange machines which Hermione had no idea what were for. There was the Sorting Hat on the wall, as well as many portrets of who Hermione knew to be the former headmasters of Hogwarts. There was a desk near the window, with two seats on both sides: one very comfortable and big, opposite to the door and with its back to the window, and the second, smaller, but also looking very comfortable, facing the window. Dumbledore sat in the bigger one and he invited Hermione to sit on the second one, what she quickly did.

'What did you want to talk about with me, sir?' she asked tentatively.

'Hermione, I know you are a very special witch. You are very wise for your age, and experienced by life. I feel that your magic is much stronger than the others', and combined with your wits it could turn out to be even more impressive. I will not lie to you, Hermione. Hard times are ahead of us. You will have to choose, but that is for the future. I am not asking you to tell me that you will always be loyal to me, I just want you to be fully aware of your future choices and to expand your abilities. Maybe I am an old fool, but I cannot let you waste your talent. That is why I would like you to have extra lessons that will help you discover all of your abilities. Will you agree to this? And remember: you do not and will not have any obligations involving my person.'

'Sir... I... I don't know what to say. In the first place: of course I agree, how could I let a possibility like that pass by? As to the other things you've told me: I've no idea what choices you're talking about, so I can't say that I will make the right ones, the ones you'd expect me to make. But I admire you as a person and I don't think I wouldn't be loyal to you. But again, I don't want to say for sure, because I don't like saying things for sure, when I know perfectly well that times change. Right now I can't imagine things that would make me unloyal to you, but I'm sure there'll be things that won't be just white or just black. I'm sorry, sir.'

Dumbledore just smiled, his light blue eyes sparkling with mirth. 'This is the answer I've been expecting from a person like you Hermione. Do not be sorry, you have no reason to. You are very right, my dear. There will be things that won't be just white or just black. You couldn't have given me any better response. As expected of you. I will inform you of your extra lessons. Are you sure you can deal with them?'

'If you think so, sir, then I'm sure as well. I hope I won't dissapoint you.'

'I'm sure you won't, Hermione, I'm sure you won't.'

Hermione sighed as she lightly got up and out of the bed, heading for the bathroom. She didn't want to wake up her dormmates.

'Yeah, Dumbledore surely knew it was me when I came to Hogwarts, now I can see it. But does that mean that everything I'll do here have already had its effects on the future? Or can I still change it? Urgh! Time is really a complicated thing.'

When Hermione entered the bathroom, first thing she did was washing her face from the remainings of dream. She dried it with a towel. When she looked up to the mirror hanging above the sinks, she couldn't believe it. She wasn't the same! Her hair wasn't untamable like before, still bushy, but falling down with soft, chocolate curly cascades down to her waist. She could've sworn it'd been shorted and lighter before. Her eyes had been honey-coloured, now they were more cynamon-like, sparkling like there was brocade in them. Here eyelashes were now thicker and longer, like a curtain around her eyes. Her eyebrows were thinner, her lips fuller, softer-looking and darker, her face looking somewhat more aristocratic.

She looked at her body. It seemed different as well. She was still quite small, but more curvy, her tummy just perfect, definetely not fat, but not too thin, with a right curve to it. Her legs seemed to look better too.

She couldn't believe it. Has she always been like this? Maybe she just didn't notice? Or the trip to the past tired her and now she imagined things? No, it was imposibble. That much couldn't have been only her imagination. Or maybe the trip had changed her. Well, one plus of it. Whatever the reason, she decided to stop thinking about it, knowing it would only bring her a headache. She took a quick shower, dressed and went down for the breakfast.

She was one of the first students in the Great Hall. At the Slytherin Table there was only a few second- and third-years. And Riddle. Oh God. Just perfect. She took her seat in the nearest free space. Tom appeared right near her in a second.

'Good morning, Rushoff,' he greeted her coldly.

'Good morning, Riddle,' she replied just as coldly.

She put on food on her plate and started eating, ignoring Riddle totally. He just looked at her intently. She automatically blocked her mind from his vision.

'Tom! There you are!' there was a voice from behind them and Hermione's dormmate showed up. Blondie with long straight hair, long legs and sharp face, typical beauty. 'Urgh! What are you doing with that... that...'

'Oh, what a rich vocabulary you have,' Hermione snorted, not even looking in the direction of the girl.

Tom smirked. The girl got angrier, 'Stupid Mudblood,' she spat. 'You know what she did?'

'No, but I'm bound to find out,' Tom sighed, but the girl apparently didn't catch the sarcasm.

'She put wards around her bed. Coward! We watched her all the time, we've no idea when she did that.'

'For your information, it is not cowardry, but I've no intentions of wasting my energy on you. I had a very stressful day and I needed to rest. Besides, no matter how relaxed I am, you still will be a waste of my energy. And one more thing. It is called a silent wandless magic. You know, the thing with the wards. Quite useful, I tell you.'

'Stupid Mudblood!'

'Someone would've thought you'd come up with something new by now. But I knew I shouldn't be expecting that much of you when I just looked at you,' Hermione raised one of her elegant eyebrows gently.

'She's offending me! Tom, do something to her!'

'Oh yeah, very good idea to get a guy's attention, blondie. Make him protect you. But you know, I can't see a way he can protect you from your stupidity. Unless he kills you, that is.'

Tom by the time looked very amused. The girl turned back and walked out, tears of anger in her eyes.

'What, no breakfast? Sure, it would ruin your diet. No vitamins. A bit of inteligency could do you some bad, especially when you're not used to it,' Hermione said after the girl, when she was still in the earshot. 'Feisty,' Hermione snickered.

'I think you angered her,' Tom said, still amused.

'Oh, really? I hope not. You know, the things she'll do to me in revenge!' Hermione said dramatically.

'You know, Mudblood, as long as you don't touch me, it can be very interesting to be around you,' Tom hissed.

'And now you offended me so badly, a thing I'm not used to,' Hermione paused her drama. 'If you think you'll anger me by that, you have a surprise coming. And I'm not going to be your full-time entertainment. And for the touching thing-'

Hermione turned to him, patted him on the head and started walking out of the Great Hall. She still heard Riddle's furious breathing and was sure his nostrils were flaring, but she didn't care.

'You will pay dearly, Mudblood,' Tom hissed low in Parseltongue.

'We'll see who'll pay and for what, Riddle,' Hermione hissed back through her shoulder.

She heard Riddle's gasp and saw him freeze in his place, his face expressing shock. She still didn't care. She knew bloody well what he was capable of, but she just couldn't bring herself to care, she was too tired of all of this. Being there felt so unreal, like a bad dream, but her surroundings, as she headed for her first class, couldn't have been more real. She knew she wasn't dreaming, but she wished she was. She wanted to go back home. Back there she felt much better. Some people really knew her, the whole truth about her, and it was very comforting.

'Here will take place your first extra lesson, Hermione,' Dumbledore said when they entered the Dungeons, but went to the ones that were hid so well no one would guess they were there. 'Professor Snape will teach you how to defend your mind from being read and how to read other's minds. He will teach you Telepathy as well. I won't be teaching you that, because I know that professor Snape is just as good as me, and it is important that you learn to get along with people with his attitude. I think he will be a better teacher for you.'

'Yes, sir,' Hermione answered, trusting Dumbledore, but at the same time not wanting to meet Snape, who wasn't very friendly towards her. She was sure it was because she was a Muggleborn.

In one of the hidden dungeons there was a room with only one desk and two chairs. One of them was occupied by Snape, who was looking as always.

'Severus, I trust you will take good care of Miss Granger,' Dumbledore said.

'Miss Granger,' Snape sneered.

'Severus! You are not to talk about that,' Dumbledore looked at him urgently.

'I know. But this whole thing is just bothering me,' Snape replied.

'Please, Severus, we've been through this.'

'Of course. I know the rules and I'm going to obey them.'

'Divine. Thank you very much,' Dumbledore nodded at Snape and left, patting Hermione lightly on the back.

'Miss Granger, sit on the chair.'

Hermione did as she was told. She sat, waiting patiently for Snape's next words.

'Have you ever heard about Occlumency?'

'Of course. It's a hard thing to learn, only few people had managed to master it, as there was no real need for that, seeing as not much people knows Legilimency. Occlumency is the art of shielding your mind from being read. Legilimency is the ability to read other's minds.'

'That's right. It is pretty useless in everyday life, but when time comes, it is an essential ability. When someone knows Legilimency, they can know whatever they want about you: your greatest fears, best-kept secrets... There is nothing you can hide from that person. He is able to find out any strategy that you may plan against him. You're downright vulnerable. That's why Occlumency is the most important. It is also easier to learn than Legilimency. Of course, mastering Occlumency's not easy at all, but the basics are easier to learn. That's why we'll start with that.'

Hermione smiled remembering her first extra lessons. How much she got to know! And she got to work with great wizards.

She checked her first lesson. Double Potions. With Slughorn. She was quite sure she'd heard of him.

'Oh yeah! The Slug Club! He chose the most talented students or the ones with the best connections and invited them to his parties. I wonder if he's doing it right now. Well, probably yes, I s'ppose he's been doing that from the very beginning. Never mind. I still hope I'll return to my times quickly.'

When she reached the Dungeons, she found it was quite empty. Only a few Gryffindors were there. All of them shot her nasty looks as she entered the classroom.

'This is riddiculous! They don't even know me and they already hate me, just because I'm a Slytherin! Has it always been like this? Have I hated someone who didn't deserve this? Just because of the stupid prejudices? I think I understand now what people want to say, when they tell you you should think how the other side of the conflict feels. I've always thought all Slytherins deserve that treating. But maybe not all of them had been like that. Maybe some of them could've actually been nice, hadn't it been for students from other houses teaming up against them. No other houses ever cheer for Slytherin. They always cheer for someone else. My problem is, nobody likes me. Not only students from other houses, but even the ones from my house. I mean, my current house. I don't understant anything anymore. I've had no idea it'd be like this when I said that not everything's gonna be just white or just black. Oh no, I had no idea.'

She sat at an empty table, thinking that if she was lucky enough, she'd sit alone. She wished she'd be lucky.

People started to come and take their places. All tables were occupied by the time professor Slughorn started the lessons. Only one chair was empty, the one by Hermione's side. Hermione smiled in her thoughts. This one time, she actually was lucky. Or so she thought.

'I'm very sorry, sir, but professor Dumbledore needed to talk with me. Here's the note he gave me so that I could be excused,' Riddle said as he entered the classroom, nodding at Slughorn and handing him a piece of paper.

'It's alright, Tom. I would've believed you without that note, but I'm glad that you're so thoughtful. Please, take your seat,' was Slughorn's reply.

When Riddle looked around for an empty place, he froze when he realized the only one was at Hermione's place. Hermione had already been looking at him with narrowed eyes. Without a word Riddle took his place near Hermione, shooting her a glare.

'And who are you?' Slughorn asked as his attention was drawn to Hermione.

'Hermione Rushoff, sir. I'm a new student here.'

'Oh, welcome then, Hermione. I'm the head of our noble house. I hope you will do well here.'

'I hope so too, professor.'

Slughorn started his lesson. He asked many questions, and most of them was answered by Hermione and Tom. They were very often the only ones who knew the answers. It looked as though Riddle wasn't very pleased by the fact that Hermione knew just as much as he did.

'Well then, let's practise,' Slughorn said.

'We'll see if you're any good in practical things,' Riddle hissed.

'Don't get your hopes up,' Hermione smirked, pleased that she annoyed him that way.

They had to work alone. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione's and Riddle's potions were ready, looking identically perfect. Slughorn examined them.

'Perfect. Just perfect! Hermione, you are doing better than well. Tom, at last you have a partner worth of yourself.'

'We'll see about that, professor,' Riddle snickered.

'I've already told you not to get your hopes up,' Hermione said coldly.

Slugghorn just clapped his hands together.

'A perfect match indeed!' he exclaimed. 'Now, you should go or you will be late to your next class.'

'Goodbye, professor,' they both said at the same time.

They left the Dungeons hand in hand, ignoring each other, looking ahead of themselves. When they were alone in a corridor, Riddle turned to Hermione and hissed at her, 'You should know your place Mudblood. If you knew what's good for you, you wouldn't try to stand out so much.'

'I'm not trying to stand out. I merely answer when I know the answer. It's not my fault if you have complexes and try to show off.'

Hermione knew she'd said too much. A lot too much. Riddle stood in front of her, glaring at her maliciously and she glared back. Riddle laughed mirthlessly.

'If you want to actually look scary, you need to grow up, dwarf.'

'I think it is you who need to grow up, Riddle. You think you're so scary? Well, you're wrong. I'm not afraid of you.'

'You shouldn't have said that. You don't know what I am capable of,' all traces of any laughter left his face, his lips tightening.

'Oh, I know it better than any of your suck-ups, that is, followers, here do,' Hermione glared at him.

Riddle's jaw dropped down a little. 'How do you know that? You shouldn't know that. Well, anyway, you should be even more afraid.'

'Because I'm a Mudblood? Do you really think I steal your magic? You saw I'm not as stupid as you'd like me to be. I think you just have complexes. Maybe because of your parents, or more exactly, your father, I'm not sure. But think about it. You're going to ruin other people's lives and in the end you'll loose. You'll loose, because there always will be people that will stand up to you no matter what. Do you think that's impossible? Well, it surely isn't.'

'Pay attention to what you say, Mudblood,' Riddle hissed low, his jaw tightening, his eyes narrowing. Hermione could've sworn she saw a glitter of red in his eyes. She gasped.

'So you've already came that far?' she whispered.

Riddle was taken aback by that. The students started to come, so they went with them, not saying a word to each other.

The next class was Charms with professor Flitwick. Slytherin shared the class with Ravenclaw. Again, the ones who knew the answers to all of the questions and did the best at the practise were Hermione and Riddle. Not even Ravenclaws were able to get a result near theirs. It was even harder for them, because Hermione and Riddle tried to outdo each other. Especially Riddle wanted to see Hermione's weak side.

'I told you it's not going to work, Riddle,' Hermione said caressly, not even looking at him.

'Mind your own business, Mudblood,' Riddle hissed in response.

By the end of the lessons nothing changed. They were still the best, competing with each other. None of them gave up. People noticed the tense air between the two. It was hard not to. They still sat together. Probably because it was easier to glare at each other that way.

After the last lesson that went just like the rest, Riddle took his books and left the classroom first, his black robe fluttering behind him. Hermione smirked at that. She knew she was in trouble, but she tried not to think about it. She decided not to worry too much about that. She wasn't going to be a pushover and that was decided. Riddle himself had said that he was glad about it. Has he changed his decision? Or maybe it amused him as long as she didn't outdo him. And that meant that it didn't amuse him anymore. He's met someone his age and in his house, a Mudblood to that, that didn't respect him at all. It must've been quite new to him. But she wasn't going to give up.

Hermione went outside, to sit near the Black Lake. She saw someone sitting there already. He was big and hairy, wearing Gryffindor robes. She immediately recognised Hagrid. She hesitated a bit, but then decided to try and talk to him. He must've already seen her when she entered the Great Hall her first day here anyway.

'Hi... You're Hagrid, right?' she asked tentatively.

He turned to face her, his expression turning to the one of wariness. Hermione felt something inside her twist. Hagrid... Good, old Hagrid... making that face... because of her.

'What do yeh want?' he asked.

'I saw you sitting here, you looked sad, so I thought I'd ask what's wrong,' Hermione said quietly, but sincerely.

'An' you thought I'd believe that?' he excused.

'I knew you wouldn't. But I thought I'd try anyway. I'm used to not being trusted. And to being hated as well,' she admitted, her shoulders slumping slightly.

Hagrid's expression softened a bit. 'Well, Riddle did look angry with yeh. As did Malfoy. And that blondie.'

'Well, Riddle thought it was entertaining to have me around, but I think he changed his mind when I turned out to be able to outdo him,' Hermione smirked.

'Outdo him?! Wow, you must be good,' Hagrid said with admiration. 'Why do you care? Yeh know, 'bout meh.'

'Because you seem to be nice. I know what you think about Slytherins. But I'm not like that. I think I could be if I was one from my first year. I started to wonder if some of them could've truned out to be nice if they were sorted somewhere else. Because, you see, people all treat us like scum from the very beginning. I know they have their reasons, a lot of them. But they never gave one of us even a slight chance. So I think a lot of Slytherins hadn't been like that from the very beginning, just became that way when they were accepted only by their housemates. But it wouldn't be my case. I'm not accepted by anyone. By students from other houses, because I'm a Slytherin, and by my own house, because I'm a Muggleborn. Moreover, I stand up to them, don't let them make a pushover out of me, so they really hate me. It's an inner circle.'

'Yeh know, I think you're righ'. That's possible. I've never thought 'bout it,' Hagrid had a thoughtful look.

'So what's wrong?'

'Nothin' much. The same thing as always, people don't accept meh. They say I shouldn't study here, that I'll only bring troubles,' Hagrid's arms slumped down.

'Don't worry 'bout them. They're just full of prejudices. Dumbledore trusts you, and he's a wise man, isn't he? And surely not all people think that. Just do your thing, you can't force them to accept you, but if you don't pay attention to them, they'll understand that their words don't do any difference. They'll get bored of it,' Hermione patted his shoulder lightly.

Hagrid smiled. 'Thanks...' he trailed off, realizing he didn't know her name.

'Hermione Rushoff, to your services,' Hermione bowed elegantly and Hagrid laughed. 'See? That's what I mean. Let people see this side of you, if they don't like it, they must be stupid.'

'Yeh seem really nice. But what're your housemates gonna say when they see you talkin' with meh?'

'I don't know, nor do I care. If they don't like it, that's their problem. I'm not gonna stay away from you just because they say so. They're not gonna rule me.'

'I gotta go, but we'll see later, righ'?' Hagrid asked Hermione hopefully.

'Sure. As long as you want to. I like you, you're nice,' Hermione smiled warmly at him. At last an ally. A great one to that.

'So are yeh. See yeh later then,' Hagrid waved at her and she waved back, smiling, at last feeling better.

'So you actually can smile. And an oaf like him can make you. How much lower can you stoop?' she heard from behind her. She didn't have to turn to know that it was Riddle.

She straightened up, raising her chin, her good humor gone. She didn't turn to him as she said, 'That's your definition of stooping low. And don't call Hagrid that. And yes, I can smile, but seeing my current environment, no wonder I don't.'

She slowly turned around to face Riddle. She wasn't surprised when she found him with narrowed eyes, that dangerous spark in them, his nostrils flailing, his chest raising and falling quickly with his rapid breathing, his hands balled tightly in fists. She just stood there, motionless, waiting for his move. The sunset was nearing its end, everything was getting darker with each passing minute. Wind was blowing, making their robes flutter around them. Hermione's hair was flying around her, making her look like a mysterious being, far too beautiful to be true.

'You'll learn your lesson and then you'll be sorry you didn't listen,' he hissed in Parseltongue.

'Stop trying to scare me, Riddle. You know nothing about me,'' she hissed back.

'But I'll find out. We'll see who'll laugh last,' he promised her.

'Exactly. We'll see,' she agreed.

He must've been really pissed off, as he just took his wand out and pointed it towards Hermione. She saw it coming, so she took out her wand in time to block the first curse he sent towards her. She cast the next curse, silent one, her wrist doing difficult movements, her legs moving noislessly. It all seemed natural with her. With him too. He blocked the curse and threw his own, his movements graceful, all the while composed as always. Hermione easily blocked the curse and sent the next one at the same time Riddle threw his own. The curses met in the middle, creating a source of light. Both of them held onto their wands, not wanting to loose, but the light became even lighter, more visible, so both of them decided to stop at the exact same moment.

'This is not over, Mudblood,'Riddle hissed.

'I was hoping you'd say that,' Hermione smirked.

They hid their wands and went back to the castle hand in hand, again not talking, just looking ahead of themselves, their jaws set tightly.

When they entered the Common Room, there were people sitting there. They looked at them as they entered. They went straight to their dormitories, without saying a word to anyone.

Hermione was more glad then ever to her "extra" teachers.

Hermione waited as Dubledore walked three times back and forth by the wall. When he stopped, there was a door in the wall. Dumbledore opened it and motioned for Hermione to step in.

The room was dark, with only few lanterns iluminating it. It looked mysteriously. Hermione liked it. But she couldn't believe it when she saw who was standing there. Her next teacher was... Lucius Malfoy?!

'Good morning, Lucius,' Dumbledore greeted the man.

'Good morning, Albus,' Lucius replied, his posture as always haughty.

'Good morning,' Hermione said to Malfoy, deciding it was only right.

'Good morning,' Lucius replied, his eyes moving to her, scrutinizing her. 'Albus, do you really think it is such a good idea to teach a second-year things like that?' he asked.

'Trust me, Lucius. Will you do it?'

'I agreed, didn't I? I'm not going to back off on my word. I'm just wondering what's so special about this girl.'

'You've heard from Severus how go her lessons with him, didn't you? It only reassures me that I did the right thing.'

'Yes, I've heard it indeed. I'm wondering why she's so special. She's a... a Muggleborn. They've never stood out.'

'We will talk about it later, when we have more time. Until then, Lucius!'

'Good bye!' Malfoy replied.

Dumbledore left. Hermione watched him walk out of the room, then turned to her new teacher.

'What we're going to do here is no playing around. You may be very young, but if I'm going to teach you, I will teach you properly. That means it can be dangerous. We will work with very dark curses here.'

'I know it, professor Dumbledore has warned me.'

'Very well then. Let's start.'

A/N This is it. This is the last chapter I've written so far. So please, review and tell me if I should continue it or not =]