Preview from Chapter 1:

"I know Professor. Thank you." With that, Hermione stood up slowly, picked up the information packets and walked down the winding steps of his office. As the gargoyles closed her steps sped up, glancing at her watch, she realized it was already past curfew. Suspiciously, she looked around for any signs of Ms. Norris. When she finally reached the Gryffinder portrait of the fat lady, she quickly ran up to her room, wishing to be by herself. That night, despite her body's protests, she began her reading of the information packets.

Chapter 2

As soon as the information packets were open, internally Hermione knew it would be a late night. The first sheet showed Tom Riddles brief history, things that she mostly already knew from Harry, such as his summers growing up in the muggle Orphanage, his mother dying at childbirth, while his father abandoned him, disowning him. Furthermore, his house at Hogwarts was Slytherin, as it could have been predicted by the fact that in the veins of his mother ran the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself. The sheet went on to list his subject strengths, scores, and the presumed date of when the Death Eaters were formed and when the attacks on various families occurred. In Hermione's mind, it was fascinating. How could one individual, 18 nonetheless, accomplish so much terror and mass destruction in such a short span of time? It boggled her mind.

Finally, as the sun began to rise, Hermione's eyes watered, and emitting a sigh of defeat, slumped forward onto the information around her, fast asleep.

The next morning started like many others before that, however, to Hermione, it felt like the end of the world, - the end of a normal (well as normal as it had ever been growing up with Harry Potter as her best friend) teenage existence. In the common room she was greeted by the two worried faces of her best friends – Harry and Ron.

"You okay Hermione? We were kinda worried about you, didn't give us a chance to talk to you last night, just ran on up."

Hermione forced a smile onto her face, before replying, "No, everything isn't okay, but it will be. Here come sit down with me, I have something I need to tell you."

Once all three teenagers were seated in the Gryffindor common room chairs, she hesitantly told them of her Aunt Margret who had been ill since early on in the summer but only recently had gotten sicker, and of her plans to visit her on Thursday night. The boys responded as she expected, worried and supportive.

"Ah gosh, Hermione. Well until then, we'll help keep your mind off it, if anyone needs some cheering up, you do. How about we sneak out to Hogsmead, get us some butter beer?"

Pushing down her instinct to protest that it was breaking at least 5 school rules, she reminded herself that this may be her last chance to spend time with them. After all, Professor Dumbledore had given her these next few days off of classes, she may as well spend most of it with her friends, later on tonight she would go to the library to do research..

As the trio sat in their booth in the corner of the Hogs Head, nursing their butter beers, after a long day of going through stores, they chatted of their beloved memories. Ron of course mentioned the time Mad-Eye Moody turned Draco Malfoy into a ferret. Hermione smiled to herself fondly, coming to terms with the fact that while she may not be able to see them anymore, she would always have these good memories to keep her going, and motivated.

Time passed quickly and before they knew it, dinner time had come, as they approached the Dinning Hall, Hermione spoke,

"Harry, Ron, as much as this day was fun, I think I need some time to myself, maybe read a book. I'll catch up with you guys later, okay?"

Both of the boys nodded, giving uncertain glances between each other as they turned in the other direction to the Dinning Hall.

As she made her way toward the library, she failed to notice another figure approaching, inevitably resulting in her bumping into the angry form of Draco Malfoy.

"Watch it Mudblood. Now I'll have to burn these robes. And why weren't you, boy wonder and the Weasel in class today? Finally having a threesome? And I thought you could sink no lower." With a sneer, he strode away, not even offering her a hand to aid her in getting up.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione continued on her way, sadly realizing that she would even miss Malfoy in a weird twisted way. As she passed through the Library doors, she waved silently to Madam Prince as she moved toward the back of the library. Upon reaching her desired section – year books, she immediately sprung into action. Skimming her fingers along the row, she pulled out the year book of 1955, opened it, and glanced at Tom Riddle's photo.

The hours ticked by, and as Hermione finally closed the last book, she sighed. She had thoroughly researched the time period, both muggle and wizard occurrences. If she was going to do it, she was going to do it right.

Thursday went by just as quickly, with much time spent both with the boys and in the library, however the late afternoon was spent packing for her parents house, which Professor Dumbledore had sent a notice to earlier.

"Hermioneeeeee! Are you sure you don't want us to come? We really are good company!"

Smiling fondly, Hermione replied, "No Ron, I'm fine. For all I know she may get better. Take care though, okay? And study hard, don't leave your homework until the end, and don't ignore Ginny, you know how much she dislikes that. But don't be too over bearing either, she's a big girl now, she can choose who she dates. And Harry? Don't get too depressed okay? You know things always turn out in the end." Taking a gasping breath as she felt her sense of self control slipping, she continued quickly, "I love you guys, promise you won't forget about me while I'm away!" With a quick glance back, she strode out of the portrait hole with her luggage until she reached the front gates and into the carriage was waiting.

Back in the Gryffindor common room Ron had a baffled expression on his face,

"You reckon Harry that it was more of a permanent farewell then a goodbye-see-you-soon?"

"Yeah Ron, I think it was. Odd."

With a shrug of their shoulders, they started a chess game, all thoughts of Hermione's strange behavior gone.