The Granger Crush

by kelsoei

In a world where Hermione's intelligence is ramped up to 11, and her wisdom dropped to 0, she does everything in her power to impress the most dashing boy in school: Ron Weasley. Ultimately, this can only lead her to become Lord Voldemort's most valuable death eater… And eventually, become known as the greatest witch who ever lived… Romione. Hinny.

9. Timebomb

Author's Note: In this universe Eton isn't an all boy's school.

Chapter 9 - Time Bomb

XOXOXOX

XOXOXOX

"You know Granger, I reckon you must be Peter Pettigrew's daughter after all," said Draco, handing her a biscuit, and patting her shoulder. "Opening up the Chamber of Secrets and all. Finally ridding the place of mudbloods- it's about time someone actually started cleaning up this mess. With this I can finally tell Father about the troll incident. Perhaps I did save a couple Weasley's but it's well worth sparing the rabble considering I saved the Heir of Slytherin as well. Keep up the good work." Draco nodded to the fat boy sitting next to Hermione. "It seems you were right about her, Crabbe. You're forgiven. Come."

Crabbe looked at her for some reason. He'd been sitting next to her in an unwanted display of solidarity, ever since she'd humiliated Malfoy in Charms.

"Go on," said Hermione, shooing the boy away.

Crabbe smiled gleefully, and reclaimed his rightful place next to Goyle, the two following Draco around like a couple of puppies.

Hermione sighed. A week ago everyone thought she was the next Albus Dumbledore. Now everyone thought she was the Heir of Slytherin. She normally would have appreciated the ruse, she did ever so enjoy pretending to be a halfblood, but to be so attached to blood purity was simply embarrassing. She'd hex the next Slytherin who congratulated her for being some horrid bigot.

"What do you want?" Hermione huffed angrily, as Ginny sat next to her. "Going to accuse me of being the Heir of Slytherin again?"

"Are you still angry about last night?" Ginny smiled cheerfully, and smeared some jam onto her biscuit. It was full of sugar and with any luck Ginny's perfect teeth would be ruined by well-earned cavities. "You shouldn't be. I was doing it for your own good, you know? You'd completely lost your composure- not that I don't understand of course." Ginny leaned in and whispered. "You being a muggleborn and all."

Hermione paled. "How long have you known?" Before last night she wouldn't have minded her heritage getting out, but now- with some magical eugenicist trying to rid the school of people like her and Scabbers following her everywhere, she wasn't as keen on the idea of everyone knowing her parents were both mere dentists. Not that there was anything wrong with being a lowly dentist of course, although once they'd decided to go into medicine Hermione couldn't for the life of her understand why they hadn't bothered to at least be something respectable- like neurosurgeons. Lowly dentists, how embarrassing, she'd been the laughing stock at Eton. "What gave it away?"

Ginny shrugged. "It was pretty obvious to me from the beginning. Don't worry- I'm not like this lot, I don't care about your heritage. As long as you don't start hexing Neville again, I'll keep it to myself."

Evil Neville Longbottom was pretending to act all innocent, pretending like he hadn't sent Ginny to blackmail Hermione into silence, acting like he was eating breakfast without a care in the world, just err… Choking on a biscuit, and there was her precious Ronald, slapping his back. A few doughy chunks flew out of Longbottom's mouth, and the evil boy thanked Ron, drinking a glass of water in a daze. A clever act! Clearly a ploy of some sort, although Hermione couldn't quite divine Longbottom's dastardly intentions. He'd been the second at the scene of the crime, right after Ginny. If Hermione hadn't arrived when she had, Ginny would surely have been petrified. It was all an incredible cover, who would guess that the Heir of Slytherin would be a bumbling first year Gryffindor? It had to be Neville, she was sure of it, that's what all the clues quite obviously indicated. Also Professor Quirrell had an alibi, so he was out. "I shan't make that promise, because I'll have no choice but to defend myself when Longbottom attacks me," Hermione said airily. "He is the Heir of Slytherin after all. Quite evil."

Ginny giggled. "In that case I'll just disarm you again. Here," Ginny handed Hermione back her wand. "No hard feelings. Oh and could you give Scabbers back to Ron? I don't know what's up with him lately, but I found him in the dorms again."

Hermione tried not to react as she took the fat rat from Ginny. Scabbers had started following her around. Watching her in classes. Watching her do her homework. He'd once even chittered, and helped her find a reference book for an essay. It was all very creepy. She'd hidden all the photos of her family as a precaution. "Of course. You know, you could join-"

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Ginny said wistfully.

"Avoiding each other is hardly going to put an end to your silly little spat," Hermione pointed out helpfully. "The two of you are acting like such dunderheads."

"Ron's a prat," said Ginny shortly, glaring intensely at her biscuit. "I'm better off without him."

"He is not," Hermione said crossly.

"Yes he is," Ginny insisted. "You'll see. Once he starts to care about you- if you do too well, he'll get all pissy."

Hermione thought back to what Ron had told Neville. "Even if that is the case, that's hardly a reason to hate him."

"Ron's a prat." Ginny glared at her biscuit. "And you sound like Percy."

"Which one is that?" Hermione asked.

Ginny pointed at a sharply dressed Gryffindor prefect.

"Oh, thank you Ginny," Hermione said, smiling happily. She was glad that her Ronald had at least one older brother that was respectable enough to emulate. "Well, if you ever see sense let me know, and I'll do my best to repair your relationship."

"Just like Percy," Ginny said again, still glaring at her biscuit.

Hermione beamed, and walked over to the Gryffindor Common Table. All but a few Gryffindors hissed at her, and recoiled from her like she was radioactive. Not Ron thankfully, she returned Scabbers to him. "I think Ginny is starting to like me," she informed him happily. "She said I sounded like Percy. Oh, hi Harry!"

"Y'know, you do kinda sound like-"

"Are you the Heir of Slytherin?" Harry asked.

"Don't be a prat Harry," said Ron crossley. "This is Hermione. Our friend, you remember? First thing we ever saw her doing was helping Neville with his toad. And that's not all, she performed that colour change charm to help me get back at Fred and George, she fixed your glasses, she helped us get Scabbers, and she risked her life helping us with that troll. Most of all she helped me carry Ginny when she could have run to save herself- so don't start with that Heir of Slytherin nonsense. Besides she's bloody brilliant, if we want to catch the real Heir we're going to need her."

Hermione blinked, blushing hard. Ron was always so… Why was he being so kind all of a sudden?

"If any of these berks gives you a hard time with this whole Heir of Slytherin nonsense, you let me know, and I'll find a way to get them sorted," said Ron proudly. He looked around, and waved Harry and her closer. He whispered, "If Ginny… She may look harmless- so small and pretty, but… She's really competitive. If it gets the best of her- if she... Keep an eye out is all I'm saying, and if she's, y'know... don't try and duel her- you saw how she was with that troll, you come to me… I'll… I'll tell Mum on her." Ron glanced around, checking if anyone had overheard.

What absolute rubbish! Ronald was being far too nice. She was the one who was supposed to be keen on him, and she'd never offered anything half as grand to him. Here he was, willing to turn in his sister to protect her, after Hermione had just returned a serial killer to him. She had good reason to suspect Lord Voldemort had infiltrated the school. What if he found Peter Pettigrew before Headmaster Dumbledore? What if Voldemort ordered Peter to kill Harry? Ron would be the first person dead. Because Ronald Weasley was a good person and he'd surely defend his dearest friend.

Hermione couldn't fathom being so noble. An innocent man, Sirius Black, was rotting in Azkaban, because Hermione Granger was afraid of retribution. Black was being driven mad everyday Hermione twiddled her thumbs with worry. She should go to Headmaster Dumbledore right now. Who could stop her?

Hermione stayed quite still.

She was probably being too hard on herself. Perhaps she wasn't as clever as she thought she was. For goodness sake she thought Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew, an unregistered rat animagi and an undercover death eater. She thought Professor Quirrell was Lord Voldemort in disguise! She'd clearly read one too many mystery novels. She was no Sherlock Holmes. Most likely the killer had just been using a disillusionment charm, investigating him was still stupid, and Professor Quirrell was just a normal old coward. That had the mundaneness of truth. Had she really thought herself more clever than Headmaster Dumbledore? Pure foolishness. She was only a little clever, afterall. She needn't concern herself with such matters. She was just a normal first year.

Hermione Granger was a good person. Hermione Granger wasn't a genius. She didn't owe anyone anything.

"Students," Headmaster Dumbledore said, rising. "As you have no doubt heard, the Chamber of Secrets was opened last night. I do not believe this to be a mere prank. If any of you think a student is acting strangely, do not hesitate, report to me immediately. Report to me directly. Do not report your suspicions to a professor or tell other students. You may fear retribution. I will do my best to protect you, but it is a valid concern. But know this, it is unlikely that the Heir of Slytherin will be caught without your help. Evil exists when good men do nothing."

Hermione squirmed, although Headmaster Dumbledore's words didn't seem aimed at her. His attention was on the Slytherin Common Table. For just a moment, the headmaster's gaze stopped on Ginny Weasley before moving on. The headmaster didn't so much as glance in Hermione's direction.

Professor Quirrell smiled at her.

All in her head, all in her head, all in her head.

Harry winced and clutched his scar. "Ouch."

"I believe this threat to be serious," Headmaster Dumbledore continued. "That is why I have set a meeting with the Minister of Magic in one week."

Professor Quirrell's smile widened. Scabbers chittered excitedly.

In one week the school would be unsealed. In one week Peter Pettigrew would go free. If she didn't do something in one week, the likely innocent Sirius Black would rot in Azkaban forever.

What was she thinking? It was all in her head. All in her head. Headmaster Dumbledore hadn't even so much as looked at her. When she'd looked up Tom Riddle she'd found a brilliant student who'd graduated and went on to work at Borgin and Burkes before disappearing from the records. She was just a good student, nothing more.

And yet…

"The killer," Hermione whispered to Ron and Harry. "We've got one week to find him before he runs free. Let's reopen our investigation and catch the bastard."

XOXOXOX

"The killer used a Disillusionment Charm," Hermione said conclusively. Harry and Ron had spent the last couple of days researching how the murderer had escaped Pomfrey's office without notice, and avoided capture for the following four weeks. Unless the killer was Scabbers, the Disillusionment Charm offered the only viable explanation. Which led them to this final meeting in the library. "We have to find a way to find someone we can't see. Any ideas?"

Harry and Ron thought about it for a few moments. Ginny wasn't with them- she'd refused to continue the investigation and strongly advised Hermione against doing so. Hermione therefore, had taken over the important role of note taker as the very notion of looking over Ronald or Harry's terrible penmanship made her shutter.

"I reckon there's gotta be a counterspell," said Ron. "I could write my brother Bill- but the school's sealed. I'm an idiot."

"Nonsense," said Hermione primly, recording Ron's idea on a sheet of parchment as: Find counterspell- Ron. "We'll just have to find the counterspell on our own."

"Maybe a trap," said Harry. "Lure him in. Then we can use Ron's spell idea and get him to show himself."

"I don't like the idea of a trap," lied Hermione, recording Harry's idea as: Create trap- Harry. "We'd have to be alone to get it to work, and you remember the troll. We wouldn't be able to defend ourselves against a fully grown dark wizard. Even if a trap caught us the killer it would hardly be worth it if you two were killed."

"Hermione's right," said Ron. "You two are my best friends. No traps." He turned to Harry. "You won't put yourself in danger- will you Harry?"

Harry pushed up his glasses. "My Aunt Marge raises dogs, and in the muggle world dogs can smell things from way off. The Disillusionment Charm just makes you invisible right? But we'd still be able to smell him."

"Don't try and change the sub-"

"That's brilliant Harry," Hermione said, interrupting Ron. Harry blushed. "A snuffling potion can enhance the drinker's sense of smell! I can't remember all the details, but I know it takes three days to brew and I know where to find it! It should be done by next Monday. We'll meet back up then, and find our killer."

She recorded the idea as: Create potion- Harry.

"That brings us to the final item on the agenda," Hermione said briskly. "Who do we tell? Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore both acted like one or more of the professors was untrustworthy."

"Snape," said Ron. "He saved us from the troll."

"No," said Harry. "I don't trust him."

"Headmaster Dumbledore," said Hermione, recording: Tell Dumbledore- Hermione.

"No," said Ron sourly. "He'd probably let the killer have a go at us just to see how we'd do, then give us fifty house points if we managed to survive- as if that makes it alright."

"Don't be silly Ronald," Hermione said crossly. "If we catch the killer we're sure to get an award. House points will not do for such an achievement."

"Who cares about some stupid award?" Ron asked obnoxiously. "I'll take staying alive- thank you very much."

Hermione spluttered. She cared for Ron a great deal, but sometimes he could be quite daft, 'who cares about some stupid award?', how silly, how immature, how very ignorant of him. He clearly placed his values on the wrong things.

"I trust Hagrid," said Harry quickly.

Ron nodded, as did Hermione. Hagrid had once been in the Order of the Phoenix.

"I reckon Professor McGonagall's alright," Ron said. Another member of the order.

"Alright, I can't think of anyone else. In the meantime," Hermione fussed. "Make sure you stick together. Try to be in large groups whenever possible. If the killer figures out we've found a way to catch him he'll be sure to try and stop us. Avoid being alone whenever possible. And finally- don't even think of using this as an excuse to skive off on homework! Remember, you've an essay for Charms due tomorrow and one for Defense due on Monday. I shan't associate with dunderheads, so I expect a better effort than those embarrassments you turned in for History of Magic. I'd be happy to help you of course. Seeing as how we're in the library already, why don't you check out some books I found helpful?" Hermione jumped to her feet excitedly. "The first is called-"

"Thanks Hermione, but it really wouldn't be fair to accept your help. We've got to do it on our own if we want to learn," said Noble Ron quickly. Hermione swallowed in disappointment, but had no retort. Of course, of course, finding the supplemental texts was half the fun in writing an essay, she knew that.

"I wouldn't mind studying with you," said Sweet Harry, sensing her disappointment.

"No, no," said Hermione responsibly. "I shan't ruin your afternoon of homework. I'd probably just try to write your essays for you- I always try to hold off on writing them, save the fun for later like most of the other students, but I'm not disciplined like the two of you. I always go off and finish it as soon as it's assigned, and then I'm stuck waiting for the next assignment. So I always find myself bullying others into giving me their work so I have something to do. It's horribly selfish, hogging all the learning for myself."

Ron scratched his head thoughtfully. "Actually, I reckon Harry's right," said Ron nobly. "We're friends. We probably ought to study with each other more often."

Harry smiled brightly.

Hermione breath hitched, she stood and hugged the two of them. "Ron, Harry- you're simply wonderful! Willing to study with me- even after I admitted to such ghastly habits! The two of you are true friends. But I shan't study with you until I learn to control myself."

With that, she sent the two of them off to work on their homework for the rest of the afternoon, squashing her feelings of jealousy as she felt something tickle her leg. Scabbers climbed onto her shoulder. Hermione gave the rat a few scratches and checked out the newest version of Magical Drafts and Potions. She found the instructions for the Snuffling Potion and wrote a quick note on the parchment.

Hi Ginny, could you brew me a potion? We think it can help us catch the person who killed Madam Pomfrey. We realized the killer must be using a Disillusionment Charm to hide himself, but evil can never hide its awful stench. Just knowing the killer is out there frightens me. He might even be watching me right now! Please do this for me Ginny. I'd do it myself but I just know that I'd make a mistake. I haven't been sleeping well lately. Please help me get some sleep.

-Hermione

After she placed the book on Ginny's bed, she pondered her next move. She should probably make a snuffling potion just in case. It was a longshot the potion would actually work, but if the killer really had used the Disillusionment Charm it was as good a plan as any. In the unlikely event that the killer really was Scabbers, well then the Sleeping Potion she'd just told Ginny to brew would have to be enough. She didn't dare brew it on her own, and she didn't dare ask for it directly. She wasn't sure if her note would actually fool Scabbers (or that he was anything other than a rat for that matter- she was probably just being silly), so she'd need to come up with more tricks.

The next morning she returned Scabbers to Ron, asked for some rat treats she could give to Scabbers when he inevitably snuck back into the Slytherin Common Room, and went to Professor McGonagall for help with a freezing charm and transfiguration practice. Once she had it mastered, she searched vacant classrooms near Professor McGonall's office, and found one with three doors. One led to a path to the Great Hall, one led to a path to Hargid's hut, and one was just a few doors down from Professor McGonagall's office. She bought a wooden chest from Pansy Parkinson, hauled it into her empty classroom, and spent the next night nicking swords from suits of armors and hiding them away in the chest. Sunday night she stole a sleeping potion from Professor Snape's office, sprinkled a few drops on her rat treats, and returned the potion where she found it. She undid the paper wrapping on each of the treats and wrote some instructions on each of them.

1

Ron. Go to Professor McGonagall and bring her here immediately. Make sure you don't talk to Professor Quirrell. Do not follow these directions if I scream Sunshine Daisies.

2

Harry. Go to Groundskeeper Hagrid and bring him here immediately. Make sure you don't talk to Professor Quirrell. Do not follow these directions if I scream Sunshine Daisies.

3

Ginny. I will probably have my memory altered or erased by the time you read this. I think Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew and he killed Madam Pomfrey and framed Sirius Black for betraying the Potters. I've prepared some precautions but he may overpower me anyway. I'm hoping he will decide to erase my memories rather than kill me. I'm going to put a tracking charm on him so we can find him no matter where he runs. Go to Headmaster Dumbledore immediately. Also, he should know that Professor Quirrell is most likely Voldemort. I don't know how many of the staff are under his control, but make sure that Dumbledore keeps you, Ron, Harry, and I safe. I will yell Sunshine Daisies, in the likely event that I'm wrong about all of this, in which case I entrust you to destroy all evidence of my foolishness.

Early Monday morning she went to the lake and created a sharp mold in the sand, and filled it with lake water. She used a freezing charm to create an icy dagger, and then transfigured it into a button. She repeated the process, until she had about thirty buttons, then hung them from strings in her empty classroom. At the Slytherin Common Table she found Ginny.

"Did you make the potion I asked you for?" Hermione asked.

Ginny scowled, but held up a vial of purple sleeping potion. "I had to ask Fred and George to get me the ingredients. You're lucky I felt bad about calling you the Heir of Slytherin."

"Perfect," Hermione said briskly, as Scabbers crawled onto her shoulder. "Then let's go to the Gryffindor Common Room and find Ron and Harry. We've got a killer to catch."

Ginny hesitated, but followed after her.

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! Big thanks to ILRB80 for beta reading this chapter! And now onto reviews!

Iwik - Glad you liked the chapter! I will give you the warning that character backgrounds aren't necessarily cannon and I reserve the right to change things up to make the story more unpredictable. And what's wrong with Hermione is gonna be explored quite a bit in the future! I'll give the hint that it's nothing dark or even that unusual.

Gja03 - I'm not sure what you mean by good stuff, but I'm trying to give Ron fewer badass moments because I think he's most interesting when he's insecure. Thanks for the review!

ViviTheFolle - Ron is definitely more talented than people give him credit for. Underestimate him or Neville, constantly disrespect them, and you get yourself a Peter Pettigrew. Thanks for the review!

Luiz4200 - Sirius is coming soon! Thanks for the review!