Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
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Author's Note:
This story was inspired by the following fan fictions:
1) THE DARK LORD'S DAUGHTER, Or, the Corruption of Hermione Granger by Amandah Leigh
2) Second Time Around by Neko-Tenchi
3) You're Mine by Nautical Paramour
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Summary: "I went to Dumbledore," he confessed. "I want to join your side, Hermione. I don't want to be like my father. I want to be a better man. For you and only for you."
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Chapter 1: In which Hermione gains a new friend.
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"Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends."
-Sorting Hat 1991 Song
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September 2, 1996
(the present)
Half an hour before breakfast, Hermione Granger scanned the library, looking for a certain young wizard her age. It was the second day of a new school year, and a Monday, but there were only more or less than ten people in the library, including the librarian herself. Most of the students in the library were Ravenclaws. She spotted fellow fifth years Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, and Padma Patil.
Then, she went to the farther section of the library, where Muggle fictions could be found. There, on one of the tables near the window, she found him, his nose was buried in a book. She walked towards him with a happy smile in her face and slid on the seat beside him. "I waited for you last night after the feast."
Her favourite Slytherin looked up to her affectionately, making Hermione blush. His eyes twinkled, and he gave her a crooked smile, flashing his white teeth.
Hermione instantly noticed the changes in his appearance. Gone was his lanky form. He was muscular now and she wondered if he played Quidditch the previous summer to attain that kind of body build. His hair was a bit longer, but not too long like Professor Snape's. It was messier than usual and at the moment, he was running his fingers in it. That alone sent butterflies in Hermione's stomach. He was also now sporting a five-o'clock shadow that made him even more attractive, in Hermione's opinion.
"What?" he asked with a frown, still running his fingers in his hair.
Hermione blushed and looked away, shaking her head. "You look... erm, good."
He quirked an eyebrow. "Just good? I heard Pansy and Daphne call me gorgeous."
So, they're paying attention to him now?
She scrunched her nose, hearing those names, but she did not say anything. She didn't want to sound like a jealous girlfriend. She was jealous, but she wasn't his girlfriend and that hurt.
"I went to Dumbledore," he confessed, breaking the silence between them.
Hermione looked up, meeting his eyes with a surprised look in her face. "Why?" She sat up straight and leaned closer to him, placing a hand on his arm.
He gave her an intense look. It was rather emotional, Hermione decided. He shifted in his seat until he was fully facing her, then, his free hand cupped her face. She leaned to his touch as she started feeling the butterflies in her stomach. "I want to join your side, Hermione," came his tender voice. "I don't want to be like my father. I want to be a better man. For you and only for you."
Hermione's heart leaped, and she felt her cheeks flush. She felt like drowning with a lot of questions in her mind. But she dared to only ask one. "Why me?" Because we're best friends?
He smiled, but he looked pained. It was like he was suppressing a certain feeling, but he couldn't hold it back anymore. He leaned closer until their foreheads touched. "Silly witch. I don't believe you never realized, after all these years."
She frowned. "Realized what?" she asked nervously. Of course, she knew. She realized something over the years, especially in their fifth year, that's why she was devastated when she thought he was in love with someone else last year.
But she didn't want to ruin their friendship, that's why she continued being his best friend, even though her heart wanted more than that. She was a Gryffindor, yes, but when it came to their feelings; to his actions, she was too cowardly to ask further.
"I don't believe you never realized that I am completely and madly in love with you," he whispered with intensity in his voice.
Her heart rejoiced at his confession and she felt tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. "But last year - "
"I was a fool. I made you think that I was in love with someone else, but the truth is, I have always imagined myself being with you. With you alone. Forgive me, Hermione. But... you have to know, I have a secret I haven't told anyone, and last year, I was scared. I thought you'd hate me if I told you."
She frowned. A secret? She was his best friend. They have been best friends for five years now! What could be his secret? And what could be the reason to hate him? How could she hate someone who had done nothing but good things to her? He had always been there for her, especially the times when Harry and Ron wouldn't talk to her.
"I could never hate you," she promised.
He smiled bitterly. "You're the most compassionate human being."
"Are you ever going to tell me your secret?"
He nodded. "I will. But not today. Little by little, I will. Just... give me time, please? I swear, I never killed anyone," he even joked.
"All right then," she replied in a whisper. She would never force him to tell her anything sooner because she trusted him. After five years of him being by her side, she couldn't and wouldn't complain. Complaining seemed to be a poor way of repaying his kindness.
"Hermione..."
Before Hermione could speak again, her lips were covered with his. He kissed her intensely, just like how she imagined, just like how she had seen in her dreams.
All thoughts were gone. Hermione melted into the kiss; her first kiss - with the wizard she had ever fancied.
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September 1, 1995
(one year ago)
"Hey, Hermione! We just got here. Where are you going? Prefect patrol?" called Ron when she passed by him and Harry, playing chess in the common room.
She gave him a nonchalant look. "The library, Ronald."
"But it's the first day of the term; of our fifth year!" he exclaimed, giving Harry a knowing look.
"I realized that, Ronald," she replied sharply. She was not in the mood to explain herself to anyone. She was itching to get to the library and talk to the person she had been dying to see. "But you must've realized, after four years, that I don't go to the library just for homework."
"Let it go, Ron," came Harry's calm voice. "It's Hermione. She likes spending time in the library."
"Nutters," Ron mumbled and Hermione sent Harry an appreciative smile before walking out of the common room. She walked briskly, hoping that he was still in the library. She didn't have any more time to stop and check the map in her pocket.
She scanned the library. It was not hard to find him, because there were only about five people, including the librarian herself. She found him in their usual spot, near the Muggle fiction. He was sitting comfortably on a couch pushed against the wall, reading a book. She walked towards him and snatched his book.
"Don't lose my page," he protested without even looking up.
Hermione inserted a finger to the book before sitting beside him, placing the book in her lap. "You weren't at the feast," she said, ignoring the fluttering of her heart while watching him run his fingers in his smooth and silky locks.
"I knew it would be boring, so why shall I waste my time listening to a Ministry puppet?" he sneered. Then, he finally faced her. Seeing his handsome face made her heart leap with joy. "How are you?"
She smiled and shrugged. "I'm fine. Glad that I'm finally back, and free from that dingy but loud house I've cleaned for a friend."
He smirked. "And Potter's got a dog," he commented.
Hermione frowned but did not say anything.
"I know who that dog is," he admitted. "I hope Potter got Draco's message."
"Hope so. They're both stubborn; the godson and the godfather. How was your summer?" she asked.
"Heaven," he smirked. "Father was busy with whatever business he had to attend to. I was home alone with the house-elves."
"That's boring," she teased, knowing that he probably spent each day reading Merlin knows how many books.
He gave her a crooked smile and pinched her nose. "At least I was able to read around fifty books. Unlike someone else who spent the summer cleaning a family library full of books about dark magic and dealing with a house-elf who did nothing but obey a portrait."
"How did you know that?" she asked, looking scandalized. "I never told you anything..."
He rolled his eyes. "Please. Knowing who that dog at the platform is, I kind of have an inkling which house you spent your summer in. But don't worry, I haven't told anyone."
She sighed in relief. "That's good." But she frowned. "Why do you always have to know everything?"
"I think we've already established that I'm just smarter than you." He took his book back from her. "I haven't finished reading."
Hermione felt a bit hurt, thinking that he didn't want to talk more and would rather continue reading. But he snapped the book shut after putting a bookmark. "Wanna experiment?"
She raised an eyebrow and watched his long fingers reach for something in his trousers pocket, then handing it to her.
"You're giving me a galleon?" she asked.
He rolled his eyes. "And you're supposed to be the brightest witch of our age. Hold it."
She did as told and he reached for another galleon in his pocket. He just held it and pointed his wand to it. Then, she felt the coin in her hand warming up. When she inspected it, she saw that the words and date on the galleon changed. Gone was the name of the goblin who made it and the year it was made. Instead, she saw the words: "Hogwarts Library - 1 September 1995".
She looked up to give him a questioning look. He smirked and just looked at her, letting her realize something. Then, she smiled brightly and punched him playfully. "You, brilliant man! Tell me about the Protean Charm!"
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September 1, 1994
(two years ago)
"I'm going to the loo," Hermione told her friends after Malfoy left their train compartment. Ron ignored her and Harry gave her a shrug.
She didn't know where to find him exactly, but she was guessing that he would be at the front, near the conductor's compartment, like last year.
"Looking for someone?"
Hermione's heart skipped upon hearing the familiar drawl behind her. She turned around and was greeted by a hard chest. "Ow!"
Before she could outbalance, thin, long, and strong hands caught her back, causing her face to be pulled against his chest. She craned her neck. "You've grown taller!" she said, sounding amazed. Her head barely touched his chin.
He smirked. "And you're a midget." He released her and dropped his hands to his side. "My compartment's over there. Come on."
She followed him carefully, making sure that no one would notice Hermione Granger talking to a Slytherin.
"Where are your friends?" she asked when they finally entered his compartment and he warded the door.
She was surprised when he sat beside her, not across from her. "Annoying lower-class students and probably Gryffindors," he replied, grabbing the book on the vacant seat in front of them. "Told them I prefer to be alone, so stay as much as you like."
Hermione grinned. "Brilliant."
"I want to try something."
She rolled her eyes. "Of course, you do."
He smirked and pointed his wand at the overhead bin. "Accio Sugar Quills!"
And just like that, a box of Sugar Quills zoomed from the overhead bin towards his waiting hand. He flashed her a crooked smile, offering her favourite sweet.
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September 1, 1993
(three years ago)
"I think it's time to go back to Harry," she told her friend, standing up from her seat. She had been in his compartment for half an hour now, but he barely said a word. He wasn't reading either. He was just looking outside the window. So, she was surprised when he stopped her by gently grabbing her wrist.
"Don't go," he whispered.
She gave him a furious look and was about to retort when the lights went out and the train stopped.
"What happened? Why are we stopping?" she asked, fear was evident in her voice.
He pulled her down, only to fall in his lap. She shrieked, but he wrapped an arm around her waist while his other hand was holding his wand firmly. "Don't move," he warned.
She wanted to reach for her wand, too, because she could already tell that something was off. The train never stopped before during their journey to Hogwarts and the lights never went out. Hermione felt chills down her spine and saw that the glass window was filled with ice.
"What's happening?" she asked him.
His grip around her waist tightened, and so was his hold to his wand. "Dementors."
The door slid open and Hermione saw the most horrible creature she had ever seen: something faceless under a cloak with decaying fingers, longer than her friend's.
She was suddenly pushed off his lap. The next thing she knew, he was standing and pointing his wand at the intruder. "Expecto Patronum!"
A silver four-legged creature erupted from the tip of his wand and suddenly, all the negative emotions she was feeling were gone, and so was the Dementor.
When the silver, two-legged animal was gone, she saw him slump on their seat, looking very tired. "Theo! Are you alright?" she asked, holding him by the shoulders.
He smiled weakly; his blue eyes meeting her brown ones. "It's gone."
She offered him a small smile and squeeze on the shoulders. "Your Patronus was beautiful."
"A penguin," he beamed.
"A beautiful penguin," she said in awe.
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September 1, 1991
(five years ago)
Hermione was trying to lift her trunk to get on the train. Her parents couldn't make it to Platform 9 3/4 because they were Muggles; so she was alone.
"Let me help you with that," came a very calm voice, yet she was startled.
She turned around and looked up. She was greeted by a weedy and stringy boy, wearing a black wizard's robe, but not like the one required of them by Hogwarts. His brown hair (same shade as hers) had crew-cut style. He also had a Nubian nose. Judging by the appearance of his mouth, Hermione knew he had an overbite, but she didn't mind. Her two front teeth were rather big, after all.
"Hello," he greeted her. "I'm Theodore Nott," he offered his hand politely.
She felt her cheeks flush and took his hand rather nervously. "Hermione Granger."
He let go of her hand slowly. "Let me help you with your trunk," he offered again.
Hermione stepped back to give him access to her trunk. "Thank you."
He gave her a kind smile and carried her trunk with his. "After you," he said gentlemanly.
She got on the train and searched for a compartment. "I think I will be fine here," she said after opening an empty compartment. He nodded and placed her trunk on the overhead compartment.
"There you go," he smiled.
Hermione's cheeks flushed and she smiled. "Thank you, Theodore."
"Call me Theo," he offered. "I have to find my friends. See you around."
"See you around," she nodded.
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September 2, 1991
(five years ago)
Hermione watched the other Slytherins eye her with disgust, especially that girl named Pansy Parkinson. She was with two friends: a blonde girl who could pass as Draco Malfoy's twin, Daphne Greengrass, and another dark-haired witch with a square build, Millicent Bulstrode. Hermione heard someone call Millicent 'a hag' and 'ugly'.
Then, there was Draco Malfoy, the arrogant boy who would prance around like he owned the school. He was always with his 'bodyguards', Crabbe and Goyle - it was hard to tell the two apart, to be honest.
Blaise Zabini, the last boy to be sorted last night, was a snub. He wouldn't talk to anyone outside the Slytherin House. He was black, but everyone in Slytherin seemed to like him.
Great. So in the Muggle world, there's racial discrimination while in the Wizarding World, there's blood prejudice.
She had been called names at the train yesterday; mostly by the people who were now sitting at the Slytherin table. In Gryffindor, she shared a room with two girls: Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. They were nice, but they didn't talk to her that much.
Her eyes lingered to the quiet boy seated at the end of the Slytherin table; near the door: Theo Nott. He had been very nice to her yesterday when they boarded the train. But last night, he got sorted in Slytherin, so Hermione didn't know if she should talk to him.
She spent her time in the library after her classes. With no one to talk to, she decided to bury her nose in a book.
Someone cleared their throat behind her. She looked up and saw Theodore Nott, giving her a polite nod. He looked neat in his crisp Hogwarts robe; his hair was in place.
"Hello, Hermione," he said softly.
She smiled. "Hi, Theo," she replied rather reluctant, not quite sure if she should invite him to her table.
"May I sit with you?"
The question surprised her, so she only nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Theo occupied the seat across from her. He placed his book bag at the table and grabbed a book. "I'm sorry about my fellow Slytherins' behaviour towards you," he began.
She gave him a surprised look. "I... I am surprised that you're talking to me," she admitted.
"I don't like how they're treating Muggleborns like you," he confessed in return. "But if I contradict them, they might murder me in my sleep."
Hermione felt sad for him. "I'm fine. You don't have to apologize for their actions. Professor McGonagall warned me already in summer. And, I'm used to not having friends."
Theo frowned. "Well, I can be your friend. Nobody in my house really notices me, and it suits me just fine."
Hermione looked hesitant at first, but Theo distracted him by showing some of his books which were not included on their list.
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September 2, 1992
(four years ago)
"So, what happened to Potter and Weasley? Why are they suddenly at breakfast this morning?"
Hermione didn't look up to Theo. She continued reading the morning paper. "They missed the train, something about the barrier being closed, so they flew Mr. Weasley's flying car."
"You seem upset?"
She placed the paper on the table and met Theo's eyes. "Disappointed that they never thought of sending an owl to the school, or waited at the car until Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came back. Ron is such an impulsive boy."
Then, she saw him holding her schedule, the one Ron noticed with hearts around Professor Lockhart's name. She suddenly felt embarrassed, thinking that he would tease her, just like Ron did.
But he didn't. He didn't raise an eyebrow at her. He didn't say anything. He neither looked pleased nor disappointed.
But Hermione felt a bit disappointed. She wanted him to react; to ask if she fancies the new professor. But Theodore Nott was a very calm and matured boy. He wasn't like Ron who had an emotional range of a teaspoon. He wasn't like Harry who would lose his temper at times. He wasn't like Draco Malfoy, either, who would walk like he owned the school and would pick-up fights amongst Gryffindors. Lastly, he wasn't like Crabbe and Goyle who were dumb and would follow Malfoy like they were lost puppies. Theodore Nott didn't like being the center of attention. He was brilliant like Hermione and Malfoy, but he wouldn't raise a hand in classes. He wouldn't talk back to a professor. He wouldn't go around making friends, either. He said that he and Draco Malfoy have been friends since they were in nappies, but he wouldn't follow him around. He was more of his equal. Last year, Hermione caught Theo and Draco arguing in hushed tones at the Slytherin table, but no one was paying attention; only Hermione. And he was her friend. He never insulted Harry and Ron like Malfoy always did, but he would express his displeasure of the two when they hurt her feelings. He admitted that he thought Harry and Ron were not good for her, but he never told her to stay away from them.
And those were the reasons why Hermione thought that their friendship was worth-keeping, even if sometimes she wished she could talk to him in public or sit with him in their shared classes. She wished that they would never have to hide in the library to spend time together.
But she was a Gryffindor and he was a Slytherin. His family didn't and would never associate themselves with Muggleborns like her. But he told her that he never believed in the views of his father, and Hermione knew that he was not prejudiced like most of the Slytherins. Their friendship was enough to prove that.
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September 1, 1996
(one day ago)
He knew hat he was dismissed, so he stood up and walked to leave. But the headmaster called him before the could open the door. "Mr. Nott."
"Sir?" he asked, turning around.
"What made you decide to come to me?" he asked curiously.
He gave him a small smile. "I fell in love, Sir, and I want to be on her side of the war."
Professor Dumbledore smiled. "Am I correct that you are pertaining to Miss Granger?"
"The only one, Sir." Just thinking of her made him smile.
"I was surprised when I saw you at her bedside in the hospital wing in your first year. I saw how comfortable you were with her."
He nodded. "Thank you, Sir." Making a decision, he paused again. "Sir?"
"Yes, Mr. Nott?" he frowned slightly.
"I did something else in summer," he began, making sure that his Occlumency shields were strong enough, just in case the headmaster use Legilimency on him. "I went to the Gaunt Shack. I destroyed a Horcrux."