A/N: Hello all! Sorry for the gap in uploading I moved and started a new job so I've been settling into my new routine! I know this on was short but important as it sets off our main plot finally! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined! Thank you

Sleep did not come to Hermione that night. Nor did it come to her in the following months' time. Every time Hermione closed her eyes she saw Myrtle laying still, all signs of life draining before her eyes until she lay as grey as the memory she would eventually become. The more Hermione thought about Myrtle, both girl and ghost, the more she saw herself and what she could have turned into.

Myrtle had been in the bathroom, running away from the hurtful jeers of Olive Hornby, a fellow Ravenclaw. Hermione remembered running into a similar bathroom, running away from the teasing comments of Ron in their first year. Both girls, studious, teased for their looks seeking refuge in the stall of a lavatory.

She remembered talking to Myrtle as she brewed the polyjuice potion in her second year and while the ghost wasn't the most pleasant ghost she had encountered, she was far from the worst.

Before she knew it, between the small amounts of sleep she managed to get and watching Tom for signs of his future, the snow began to stick to the grounds, gift shopping had taken place and talk turned to the holidays. It was the Saturday night before holidays started and they'd be heading home on the train the next morning. After homework was all done and the group of friends sat around the common room fireplace, Druella turned to Hermione, "What are your plans for the winter break Hermione?"

Hermione shifted in her seat and sent a look towards Druella, silently scolding her for asking when she knew. Hermione had been invited to Abraxas' manor for the holidays. His mother wanting to 'start her on the path of the next Mrs. Malfoy' as her letter had said. They still haven't told Tom and Druella was going crazy not wedding planning it seemed.

She turned towards Abraxas who conveniently took up a side conversation with Evan, looking anywhere but the girls, "actually Mrs. Malfoy has been so kind as to invite me for the holiday and I accepted."

Druella saw the slight side step and nodded in understanding.

Hermione side glanced over to Tom who appeared to be reading but Hermione knew better, he had been on the same page the entire time, listening to all those around him.

It wasn't long until Hermione felt that she should try and get some sleep and made her excuses to the group. She bade everyone goodnight and walked towards the room. Just before she turned the handle to her dorm she was retched back and pinned against the wall. Her head snapped up and made eye contact with her attacker.

"What can I do for you Tom?" she sighed, almost bored.

Tom searched her eyes, when he couldn't find answers there Hermione felt him try and probe her mind. This Tom was far less talented than his Lord Voldemort counterpart and he was easily blocked. Hermione retched her arms out his grasp, "do not do that again Tom Riddle "

Tom straightened up, an almost bashful expression on his face, "you didn't tell me you were going to the Malfoys, I rather thought we'd have a repeat of last year."

Hermione scoffed, "oh yes how could I forget our plans with all the talking we've done the last couple of months" her sarcasm clear.

Tom straightened his blazer, "I am not going to apologize for being busy Hermione."

Hermione responded right back, "I'm not asking you to Tom. You just can't be mad when I decide I'm done waiting for you pull your head out of your arse"

Tom's eyes hardened, "you don't know anything Hermione and I implore you to remember your place."

Hermione saw red, remembering all the times she was told her place as a Muggleborn, "oh I suppose that place would be waiting on hand and foot for the illustrious Lord Voldemort, hoping he'd see fit to spare a morsel of his time on me?"

And with that, she turned back and entered her room. She got ready for bed, angrily tossing and turning. She wouldn't realize until much later that she had called him Lord Voldemort, a name she wasn't supposed to say, a name she wasn't supposed to know.