DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter nor any recognisable feature or character that resembles that owned by J.K. Rowling. Though I really wish I did own them ;(.

This story will follow Hermione in her fifth year at Hogwarts as she discovers the hidden truth behind her past, the deceit she had been bathed in and the ultimate lesson on just who she truly is.

Follow her as she is captured and held hostage in a place she never thought she would be, surrounded by those she had been taught to fear and thrust into a world she struggles to understand where the line between good and evil blurs and she is forced to question everything she has spent her entire time at Hogwarts learning. Can she except the truth, love and family she belongs too and confront the lies of her past and keep her friends? Or will she stick to what she knows and fight against those who just may well be everything she has been missing.

19th September 1979 – Riddle Manor

"Tom it's time" Alecto whispered as she shook her husband, Lord Tom Marvello Riddle awake. Trying to rouse him gently because she knew that he was bound to be in for a day of stress judging by the fact she had just felt her waters break.

At her whispered declaration Tom found himself wide awake, as his stomach churned in excitement.

"I'll call for the mediwitch, I'll be right back" he reassured as he ran out of their bedroom and into his study to floo call St Mungo's.

Throughout the early hours of the morning Tom stood patiently at his wife's side, holding her hand and whispering soft assurances in her ear to soothe her the best he could while she worked with the mediwitch to bring their child into the world.

Many that knew of Tom was thought him a cruel man hell bent on world domination and incapable of love, however those that truly knew him, knew him to be a loving man, who adored his wife and their selected family.

It was true he could be quite fearsome, he was strict and unapologetic but he was by no means the evil dictator that the light thought him to be. He was fair and just and he cared deeply about preserving magic. He and his followers were firm in the belief that the light had been slowly but surely eradicating the old magics, stamping down on wizarding traditions, outlawing them as dark and evil. By standing up to Albus Dumbledore's perversions of what a 'good' society looked like he had unknowingly put a target on his back as those in power feared that more and more would start listening to him and they would lose the control over the world as they had moulded it to be.

He had become such a target that he had had to marry his wife in secret - the muggle way because they knew if anyone from the light found out then Alecto would become a target as well and he wouldn't risk his wife's life like that. They also had not informed many people that their family was growing with Alecto falling pregnant with the Riddle heir in fear that Albus would harm his wife and child. As such only Amycus - Alecto's brother and the Black family knew of Alecto's pregnancy.

The Black's had offered Tom their unconditional loyalty and support from the very beginning of his quest to bring back the old ways and therefore had become Tom's family. He viewed the Black sisters as nieces and had personally taut all three of them everything he knew about magic. Andromeda, the middle sister had even gone undercover in the light for him with a muggle-born that also supported Tom. He had met with Tom and had admitted that as a muggle-born he was somewhat lost when he joined the magical world and wished to see the transition dealt with better for muggle-borns. Tom had agreed with the man. If they could educate muggle-borns from an earlier age on the ways of the magical world they wouldn't be at such a disadvantage in the magical world because contrary to what Albus Dumbledore would have his followers believe Tom wasn't the one who wanted to eradicate muggle-borns. He infact wanted to help them by lessening the margins between Pureblood, Half-blood and Muggle-born because he did not believe in the blood caste. Albus was the one content to allow the divide between the blood caste to widen and had taken to twisting everything Tom believed in to ensure that those on the side of the light did not abandon Albus and join Tom.

The loony old man had even started referring to Tom as a Dark Lord and telling everyone he had changed his name to Lord Voldemorte. The old fool had caused Tom to become the most feared wizard alive and as such he had need to adapt to the image Albus had portrayed of him. He didn't pay much attention to it because he knew that his supporters knew the truth and that was all that really mattered because he knew in time Albus Dumbledore's deceit would catch up with him and the world would know the truth.

"It's a girl" the Mediwitch announced, bringing Tom out of his inner reflection. He watched enraptured as his little girl was placed in his beloved wife's arms for the first time and couldn't help his beaming smile. Alecto looked tired, but more radiant than ever as she gazed lovingly at their daughter.

"Hermione" she whispered as she glanced at Tom. He nodded in agreement as he moved to stand closer to them, reaching out and grasping his daughters tiny hand with his finger.

"Hermione Tiberias Mackenzie Carrow Riddle" he replied out loud, smiling lovingly at his girls.

"She's beautiful Lord Riddle, I wish you and your family all the best" the mediwitch murmured politely as she took her leave. Exiting the room quietly, leaving the new parents alone to bask in the reality of parenthood.

--

31st October 1981

"Aurors!!! Stay where you are" a gruff voice screeched out as the front door fell in, crashing loudly against the floor. A baby's scream erupting in the once peaceful Manor in response to the abrupt disruption, the little two year old being startled frighteningly from her sleep.

Alecto and baby Hermione where home alone for the evening, Tom and his most loyal had gone out in search of some members of the order who had found out about Hermione and threatened to alert Dumbledore. He had gone to erase their memories before it was too late, however as the dust began to settle Alecto believed that it was already too late. The Potters must have got word to Albus and he had sent his followers to take her child.

For the first time in her life Alecto felt real fear and heart break as she was bound quicker than she could react by Albus Dumbledore himself, who had thrown an 'incarcerous' at her silently before she had even seen him move his wand.

"Tom is gone Alecto, its over. We've come for the girl and you're going to Azkaban where you belong. My only regret is I cannot send that despicable husband of yours along with you" the bearded man spat as he towered over her maliciously, smirking at the heartbreak he could see in Alecto's eyes.

"You cannot take my baby, please Albus" she begged as tears ran down her face.

"I can and I will, you do not deserve to have a child, the world is far better off WITHOUT his spawn terrorising it" Albus replied, emphasising the word 'without'.

"Please, please Albus, not my baby, I need her, please" Alecto sobbed as his words sunk in.

"Moody take her away, I will deal with the child" Albus commanded, dismissing the woman's anguish as she lay bound on the floor of her living room. He turned and strode out the room without a backwards glance as he made his way towards the stairs, his destination - the nursery.

The last image Alecto would have of her cherished daughter was the image of a distraught little girl, writhing and screaming for her mama and da as she fought the harsh grip of the bearded wizard carrying her swiftly out of the only place she knew as home and away from her equally distraught mama.