(AN:) Just REVIEW!
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"Why of course it's 1869"
Hermione gasped. No...it couldn't be, she thought, blindly feeling for the time turner around her neck only to find a simple chain where it had once been held.
"Oh Gods no, my time turner!" she said, just above a whisper.
Hermione started searching over the Hogwarts grounds for something that fit something from her time but nothing came. No, please let him be wrong, let it be a trick! She thought hopelessly. Hagrid's cabin, the one she had seen only hours before, was now amiss, the Whomping Willow was gone, the lake was smaller. Even the air had a much crisper, confining sense to it, different from her Hogwarts. Her eyes fell upon a crowd of students dressed strangely in tunics and fitted dress-robes. She held her breath, hoping beyond hope that she would recognize one of their faces, but they were all strangers. Hermione turned to her enemy - the only one who knew who she was, the only one who wasn't a stranger. She looked up into his eyes and knew he had realized the same thing; they were alone in a time that wasn't their own. He looked down at her expectantly. She tried to come up with an answer, but what had happened she wasn't even sure of.
"The centaurs must have...and my time turner...the woods...combining power...." She trailed off hopelessly, eyes downcast.
Draco said nothing and decided to play it cool, as any sense of outrage or emotion were not fit for a Malfoy. He nodded to Dumbledore and they made their way up to Hogwarts castle in silence.
Making their way through the corridors of the castle was awkward. Groups of students would suddenly stop, stare, and whisper as they passed by. Hermione briefly wondered why before she realized she was in a tank top and jogging pants. This was probably like someone coming in with a space suit in her time. She glanced at Draco, who still had that arrogant aura but was beginning to look a bit shabby. His pants were torn and his hair was hanging loose instead of gelled back - which was a much better look for him but it could use a brush, and his eyes were tired, his featured strained. He really needed to see a real Medi-witch before the day ended.
Dumbledore led them to the Headmaster's office, never asking a question or making a comment at their appearance. Occasionally he would glance back and smile but he knew they were tired and didn't want to talk. Dumbledore had always been good at sensing peoples feelings; it was something natural to him.
Dumbledore, Draco, and Hermione were all rounding the last corner to their destination when Dumbledore had turned to check on them again and suddenly walked smack into someone throwing him off balance and onto the stone floor.
"Watch where you're going, Dumbledork!" Came a snide voice. Hermione had turned around and was about to shoot daggers at Draco but realized the voice had come from the opposite direction. Draco stood still, unmoving, looking straight ahead, above her shoulder. She turned back around and met the cold steely eyes of a Malfoy. He had the trademark white-blonde hair, silvery-blue eyes, and well-worked smirk that could rival Draco's any day. Yet their were differences from him and the Malfoy she knew were present - he had a smaller frame, pointed chin, and his hair was pulled back into a low pony tail. But the thing that struck Hermione most of all was that he was dressed in nothing but black with a green emblem on the pocket of his cloak. He sent up a hand to silence the group of students behind him and surveyed the two unfamiliar youths. He eyed them both up and down and went into a low bow before Hermione.
" My Lady," he took her hand and kissed the air above it, "my name is Lucidious Xaviour Malfoy the Third. How may I be of service to you?"
Hermione yanked back her hand, appalled at his behavior toward Dumbledore.
" Why don't you watch where you're going next time - you could hurt someone!"
His features suddenly changed from charming to angry.
"What I do is nothing that concerns you."
" It concerns me when you endanger one of my friends!"
" Dumbledore! You defend Dumbledore as your friend! You are a fool!" this brought laughter to the crowd behind him.
" Yes and I would choose him any day over a prat like you!" the crowd went silent, shocked at someone challenging their leader.
" Silence ,wench, you do not know to whom you speak! I am a Malfoy above you in every way. My father..."
Hermione laughed at the familiar scenario, " What, are you so useless you need your father to come and defend you? You need to hide behind a name?"
Lucid went rigid and speechless. How dare she question him! He did the only thing he could, and his hand came down inches from her face but was suddenly caught in a tight grip. He looked up and was met with a cold fury to match his own.
"You will not touch her." The strange boy growled, releasing him from the grip. Lucid staggered back running a hand over his now-bruised wrist.
"And who are you!" Lucid demanded.
Draco brought himself up to full height " I am Draconus Lucius Mal-" he stopped here, questioning in his mind if he should continue. Should I tell him I'm a Malfoy? Then he would wonder why he doesn't know me. Then there is the family trait. Perhaps I should just lie and not bring unwanted question. We'd probably need to get new names anyway. "- Mal...Mat...Mc...Marselone." he finished and wondered where he had gotten that from.
Lucid raised an eyebrow " Marselione, huh, never heard of them you're a mudblood aren't you? Well, Mudblood, you'd better watch your back and choose your friends wisely because I can make your life hell." he glared at the two.
" Is that a threat?" Draco stepped forward.
" It's a promise!" Lucid sneered. He glared at them again, turned around, and beckoned his followers to follow, leaving the three alone in the vacant corridor.
Hermione was speechless. First Draco had fixed her breakfast and now he was defending her...come to think of it he hadn't said anything mean to her all day. Whoa, this is weird. Dumbledore spoke up.
"You know you didn't have to do that...I can defend myself."
Hermione looked at him and had no doubt that he could. Although he was lean she could still make out the hints of muscle beneath his loose maroon and gold tunic, an appearance that only complimented his shaggy red hair and dark blue eyes. She looked even closer and grinned at the prefect badge that rested on his chest.
" I know, I guess I just jumped the gun, I'm sorry."
Dumbledore smiled, it reaching all the way up to his eyes making them twinkle. "That was wicked! You gave Malfoy just what he deserved!"
Hermione grinned evilly, " Yeah we sure did didn't we, Merselione," she nudged Draco in the ribs.
Draco looked down slightly amused. "Don't get any ideas, Granger, next time that happens he can beat you to a bloody pulp for all I care."
Hermione stepped back and rolled her eyes. Okay, maybe things haven't changed that much.
Dumbledore watched the two, "Well, righty-o, best be off again, we're almost there."
Hermione nodded and they began walking until they were in front of the two familiar gargoyles.
Dumbledore spoke the password, "Sixty-eight pie," and the gargoyles stepped aside and the winding staircase appeared. " I'll be waiting for you here."
Hermione smiled, Draco nodded and they both stepped onto the moving staircase.
They stepped off and were met with a sight much different from the clean, neat office of their Headmaster. Papers and books covered the floor and tables until the lowest portraits were threatened with suffocation. The place was dim as all the curtain were drawn in. The air was thick with the stench of old potion ingredients and smoke. A man was at the far end hunched over a thick book, intensely reading. Draco coughed to get his attention. This startled the man and he quickly closed the book and put it under some papers. He turned around. Hermione was startled to realize this was the headmaster in the portrait in Harry's bedroom at the Black estate. Well, duh. She mentally slapped herself. Headmaster Black, come on Hermione, how dense can you be?
"What do you want?" Black gruffly asked, coughing from the fumes of the many potions brewing around him. Hermione took a deep breath.
" I...uh well...you see...we're a bit lost."
~~~~~ forty-seven minutes later~~~~~~~
"....and now we're here a hundred and thirty-five years in the past." Draco ended, taking another gulp of water from a glass the headmaster had handed him earlier.
" Well, that's quite a story." Black rubbed his chin quizzically as if working on a hard problem.
He stood up and walked to one of the many giant bookcases that lined the walls and ran his finger along a row until he stopped on the spine of a small new-looking book. Flipping through the pages he read for a few moments and shut it replacing it on the shelf.
"I am afraid to say that experimentation in time travel is only just coming about and our knowledge on the subject is limited." He walked back to them. "There is no quick solution to this, any miscalculations could throw you into an unknown time, in a worse predicament than this. I will contact the Ministry immediately, but you understand extreme caution must be taken. " He sighed. " I will arrange for your classes and dorms, you will continue your schooling here. Do you have a preference on which house you would like to be in? I realize Ms. Granger you are in Gryffindor and Mr. Malfoy you are in Slytherin but I really must object to separating you.
Draco jumped in. "There is no way in Hell I'm going in Gryffindor."
" Really Mr. Malfoy, language ple-"
" And you think I am staying in Slytherin, try again." Hermione stood up crossing her arms determined. " You don't even deserve to be in Gryffindor-"
Draco stood up to face her, " Me?...You could never survive in Slytherin - they would eat you alive for being a Mu-"
" What, Muggleborn?" Hermione's voice was rising. "Don't forget Merselonia you're Muggleborn too." Hermione smiled sarcastically for as everyone knows only purebloods are in Slytherin.
"What? Damn," Draco swore under his breath. The little confrontation with Lucid has probably gotten around the whole school by now. What other options are there? Hmm Ravenclaw, no they're to annoying and Hufflepuff? No it would be like a thousand little bookworms scurrying around. One is enough to handle without wanting to kill myself. "But..I...I...grrr...do we have to be together?" he asked angerly, already knowing the answer.
"Yes." came the sharp reply. Black was amused. It seemed the house rivalries were are as strong as ever in 135 years.
Draco breathed heavily out his nose trying to remain calm. " Fine," he said rather forcefully, " I'll be in bloody Gryffindor."
"Great!" Hermione grinned in victory. Draco looked pissed.
" Good, now that that is settled. I will be alerting your prefects and Head of House as to the unusual situation. I believe I will give you quarters similar to the Head Boy and Girl for somewhere to discuss your own time in privacy and so you won't be bombarded with questions."
Malfoy pulled a face, " Now I have to live with her? Gods, could this get any worse?" he gave an exaggerated groan and buried his face in his hands. He risked a sideways glance through his fingers at Hermione who didn't look to happy with the idea either. Black ignored the groan and continued.
"I would have asked you to change your last name, Mr. Malfoy, but since you've already accomplished this there will be no need. Ms. Granger you do understand you will have to change yours?"
Hermione nodded. Her mind raced with different names from her favorite authors and books. "I like Austin. Hermione Austin has a nice ring to it don't you think Malfoy?' Draco snorted, having so many insults at the moment he just couldn't possibly choose.
"Good, Good, Austin it is. Well, i believe that is all I need at the moment. I will contact the Ministry, and request their help on the situation. Other than that their isn't much we can do but wait and hope that the Headmaster, in your time, is working hard to get you back. Is there anything you would like to ask?
They both shook their head ready to get out of the stuffy office.
"All right. " Black did a hand flick with his wand and Dumbledore stepped into the room. (AN: boy dumbledore people!) " Dumbledore, would you be so kind as to show these new student to their dormitories? It would be behind the portrait of Chaos in the North Wing. After that would you please report back with Ms. Brown and Professor Pilkington?
"Yes, sir, " Dumbledore gave a slight bow and signaled for the two to follow him out. They were almost at the staircase when Black called again.
" One more thing, you have an option in Muggle studies; dance, sports, or defence?"
" Defence." They both replied immediently.
" Defence for Mr. Merselone and," he raised an eyebrow," Ms. Austin."
Hermione questioned the expression for a moment but pushed it away as her own imagination.
All three stepped onto the winding stairs and started toward the North Wing. One happy to be in her own house, one angry with the entire situation, and one curious as to the strange new students at Hogwarts.
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(AN:) My, my, what have I gotten myself into? Hehehe! REVIEW! More twists to come! Oh the drama. The faster ya'll REVIEW the faster I will post. Hermione/Draco next. ~ Dawn *!*!*!*REVIEW*!*!*!*