EIGHT

Thursday, 3 September 1944

Draco had left the library a little early. He had to get away from Granger in order to clear his head. He still wasn't sure what had possessed him to touch her or say the things that he had to her in class. He had not been expecting her to confess a physical attraction to him nor was he expecting to find himself liking that she had.

They had only been stuck in the past for three days and already he had gone from wanting to throttle her to wanting to kiss her. Only an hour ago he had found himself wanting to do both at the same time.

It had been all he could do not to offer to show her ways that his mouth could be useful other than closed when she had made her comment.

He scrubbed his face with his hands and banished the thought. He then focused his attention on the lecture from Professor McFadden. He still wasn't even sure why he had signed up for Ancient Runes. He had told Granger that it might help with their return, but in truth, he had just written it down without thinking.

He considered walking out of the class and going to Dippet to ask to drop the course. He would explain that he hadn't meant to pick this one and switch himself to Astronomy. It would be a good cover so that she wouldn't be alone with Riddle. Then again, this was his only reprieve from both of them and he wasn't sure he wanted to give that up.

The black leather book she had spelled warmed the spot on the back of his hand that rested against it. He opened it up carefully and read the message in Granger's hurried scrawl.

I had to make some adjustments to our cover story.

He narrowed his eyes as he waited for her to elaborate and scowled when nothing more came. Such as? he wrote back.

After lunch.

Why not now? Isn't this why you created this bloody link? What sort of romantic gesture did you allude to this time, Granger?

He could practically hear her huffing in annoyance from here and he found himself smirking as he waited for her response.

After lunch, she wrote again.

What, Granger? I'm sensing a retreat in your Gryffindor courage. Two days you've been a Slytherin and-

Honestly, Malfoy, she wrote before he could finish. Pay attention to your lecture.

He scowled at her scold and shut his book. And it was just in time, it seemed. Students were moving about the room, but he was saved the trouble of admitting he wasn't listening when a fellow Slytherin slid into the empty seat next to him.

"Malory, right?" he asked, holding out his hand.

He nodded. The boy looked familiar, but he couldn't place him. "Sorry, I-"

"It's alright. You've seen a plethora of new faces these past few days," he said with a smile as he unpacked his bag. "Catankerus Nott. But please, call me Kerus."

Draco studied him a little closer. There was some resemblance to Theo as far as he could tell. He hadn't heard the name before and wondered if it was maybe his grandfather or a great uncle. The rest of the familiarity lie in that he was one of those that seemed to always be around Riddle.

"We have Potions together," he said, vaguely remember seeing him in the class.

He smiled and nodded. "Oh good, you do remember," he said. "Has anyone ever told you that you look like a Malfoy?"

"Yes," he said quickly. "Professor Dumbledore said I looked like someone who graduated last year. Abraxan?"

"Abraxas," Kerus corrected. "He was a friend of mine. He would be very fascinated to know about a doppelganger from Durmstrang."

Malfoy inclined his head. "As am I." He looked around the room again and noticed that Professor McFadden had retreated to her desk and the newly paired students were all talking amongst themselves as they poured over their books.

"Ah, yes. I took the liberty of saving you some floundering since Harmony isn't here to be your partner. I hope that's alright? We'll be paired for the rest of the term."

"Not a problem. Thank you."

Kerus was the opposite of Theo. All he did was talk throughout the lesson. He didn't seem to care too much that Draco didn't speak as much. By the end of the lesson, he found himself invited to sit with Kerus and his friends at lunch. By the time he realized that meant Riddle, it was too late to take back his acceptance.

Halfway to the Great Hall, the pair found themselves meeting with Riddle and a handful of others. He recognized their faces from knowing their descendants and wondered exactly how he had found himself in this situation again. It was as if nothing had changed; as if he were still at home in the Manor with the Dark Lord calling the shots.

"Riddle, I hope it's alright that I invited Malory to join us," Kerus said as they approached. "I thought it would be seeing as how you share a dorm."

Riddle met his gaze and gave a slight nod of his head. "Of course. Mister Malory is always welcome. However, I am sure he would rather spend his lunch with Miss Granger."

"She'll understand," he heard himself say.

Riddle's smile was short lived as a round of introductions came Draco's way. Before he knew it, he was walking into the Great Hall surrounded by Death Eaters.

Nothing had changed at all.

Hermione went to the Great Hall by herself, expecting Malfoy to find her there. She was annoyed with his responses and as much as she needed to tell him about her conversation with Agnes, she half hoped he bailed on lunch with her again.

The reality was much worse.

Instead of not showing up at all, he came in a group of Slytherins. More specifically, a group led by Tom Riddle. A group that she knew for a fact would soon turn into his first Death Eaters. That was if they hadn't done so already.

Her eyes connected with Riddle's first and he simply held her gaze for a moment and then looked away as if he hadn't even truly seen her. Then her eyes fell on Malfoy. There was a small bit of fear mixed with something else in his grey gaze. She watched as he followed them to the center of the Slytherin table and sat down.

She took a deep breath and pushed herself to her feet.

Without a word or a backwards glance over her shoulder, she left the Great Hall without having a bite of her food. She walked as fast as her feet could carry her without running. By the time she got to the seventh-floor landing, she was breathless from the exertion and the fury in her veins.

She had seen the change in him since Sixth Year. She knew from the little snippets of things Harry told her and things she had witnessed that he had never wanted to be a Death Eater. That he was a victim of his environment. She had seen it plain as day on his face in the Room of Requirement before they landed themselves in the past.

Even some of the things he had said to her about his fear of Voldemort made her feel as though she had been right all along. That despite what she said aloud to save face, she truly believed he wasn't all bad inside. That there was a part of him that longed to be out of that world.

Which made her feel like a fool when he strode in there with them looking as though he belonged and was happy to be there.

She slammed the Room of Requirement door with more force than she intended and screamed in frustration at the piles and piles of lost things.

With her outburst out of the way, she took a deep breath and calmed her rage. When she was back to normal, she shook her shoulders and surveyed the area before her. They could research time travel and all the theories relating to it, but without knowing how exactly they had traveled, she was sure they would remain here forever.

Throwing herself into her research, she began to comb through the room, trying to piece together the events of their attempt at escape. She only hoped that the device that brought them was already here otherwise… She shook her head and swallowed around a tight throat. It had to be here; it just had to.

And she was determined to find it.

Her obsession had nearly made her late to Astronomy. It was the first time she had ever been late to a class and chalked it up to her severe misfortune that the last remaining seat was next to Riddle. She squared her shoulders and slid into the seat next to him without hesitation.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she said when Professor Daedalus stopped his lecture. "I got turned around." At least she could play the new card.

He smiled understandingly. "No worries, Miss Granger. You haven't missed much. Mister Riddle can catch you up in a moment."

She nodded and quietly began unpacking her things. She tried her best to listen to Daedalus speak, but it was near impossible with Riddle's presence burning into her side. She was more focused on the mental door Malfoy had shown her.

"Next time I will be sure to escort you so you don't get lost," Riddle said quietly as he leaned closer to her.

"No need. I just got caught on the stairs," she returned, eyes focused on Daedalus.

"Please proceed to study the chart on page 455 with your partner. It will be a clue as to your first assignment," Daedalus concluded his lecture.

Conversation that hardly pertained to Astronomy filled the room, but Hermione could barely hear it over the woosh of blood in her ears from keeping her defenses up.

"We will be partnered for the remainder of the term, Miss Granger. I do hope you see no problem with that."

Hermione let go of her shields, unable to keep them up any longer without passing out. She swallowed and turned her head to look at Riddle. He was smiling at her and there was something about him that, while still dark and sinister underneath, seemed a bit more relaxed than usual.

She gave a little nod. "None," she replied.

The smile reached his eyes as he opened his textbook. "It will give me an opportunity to show you that I mean you no harm."

She bit her tongue to keep from saying something she would regret. So instead of saying anything, she gave a quick nod and turned her attention to the chart they were supposed to be analyzing. She was relieved when he said nothing else and studied quietly beside her.

Before the end of class, Daedalus addressed them all once more. "I am about to circulate a sign-up sheet. Each pair will choose a time either Friday or Saturday nights to work on their observational project for the term. Please choose wisely as you will not be able to switch. You and your partner may leave once you have chosen your time slot."

He placed the piece of parchment on the desk between Hermione and Riddle first.

Hermione stilled in her seat as Riddle took the parchment and looked over the times available. "Any preference?" he asked.

She shook her head. No matter what time or day he picked, she would be alone with him in the Astronomy tower for an hour or so each week. Dread crept up her spine despite her best efforts to squash her fears.

"How about Friday's at midnight?" he asked. "It is the witching hour; most planets and stars will be easiest to see."

"Fine."

Riddle moved his quill over the parchment and then handed it off to the desk to his right. "We can discuss what our project will be either tonight or tomorrow during our first observation," he said as they began to pack up their bags. "I will meet you in the common room at eleven fifty on those nights."

"Can't wait," she said and then took her leave of the classroom not caring if he followed her or not.