& Thank-you to all of you who reviewed. It really meant a lot!

& Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They belong to the amazing author JK Rowling.

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Hermione squeezed her eyes shut as she felt herself being hurled though time. Then as suddenly as it began, it stopped, and she felt herself land very painfully on a cold stone floor. 'Ow' she thought as she struggled to get to her feet, bracing herself against the wall next to her. She rubbed her backside as she shook her head trying to clear it. Blinking rapidly to clear her vision she looked around trying to get in her surroundings. 'Wow' she thought, 'I'm back at Hogwarts. And it looks the same', she thought with relief. She looked around and figured that she was on the first floor near the doors to the gardens. Everything seemed the same, except perhaps the armor, which looked a little less rusted then she remembered. Also she thought with a frown there was nobody around. Even though she didn't spend much time here in her own time she knew that the gardens were a popular place.

'This is a good thing though', she thought. 'I can't let people see me until I have talked to Professor Dumbledore'. Hermione tired to remember everything that she could about Dumbledore' s past. If her calcutaion were right, (and everyone knew they usually were) She was in 1943 during Tom Riddle's Seventh year. With a shudder she realized that he had already opened the Chamber of Secrets and had killed Myrtle. She felt pity towards the girl who had died so terribly. 'Not to mention that they was a great dirty snake living below the floors' she snorted. Hermione then beamed, 'Dumbledore was the Transfiguration teacher. Perfect. Hopefully his office will be where Minerva's was now. (Being she best student the professor insisted that Hermione and her were on first name bases in private). Pushing away from the wall she stumbled a few feet before gaining her balance. She peaked around the corner and sighed, no one, she started to walk as fast as she could keeping a hand to the wall for support, as she was still dizzy.

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Professor Albus Dumbledore smiled as he looked at his newly discovered candy. 'Lemon drops', he mused silently. A marvelous invention if he every saw one. He chuckled softly as he popped another one in his mouth. The schools nurse Madame Merdine would ring his neck if she saw these. She had been trying to get him off candy and sweets for months now, saying they weren't good for his health. Scoffing that he was addicted to them. He snorted as the thought. He was certainly not addicted to Lemon Drops. They just taste good that's all; he could stop whenever he wanted to, he thought with determination. "I just don't want too", he said out loud with a twinkle in his eyes. He looked up as he heard someone knocking on his office door. 'Strange', most should be down at the village, and the younger ones are being treated with games outside'

'Perhaps it is a teacher', he thought, although most didn't knock as he was on friendly terms with all of them, except Headmaster Dippet since the events of two years ago. He shook he head sadly as he thought was what happened and what could have been done to prevent it. He was awakened from his thoughts by the pounding on his door that seemed a bit desperate now. Quickly hiding his sweets in his desk he walked over and opened the door, shocking himself with who stood there.

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Hermione' s eyes widened as she took in her Professors appearance. Young, was her first thought. His hair was a dark auburn and so was his beard, which was about a foot long. However his sparkling blue eyes were the same and instantly Hermione felt that a little piece of her world was somewhat whole again. He was also wearing a midnight blue robe with shooting stars on it, which actually moved from place to place on his clothing. She smiled.

Her head had cleared during the walk and she was amazed and relieved that no one spotted her. Now all see had to do was explain as much as she could to Dumbledore who was now looking at her with confusion. "Excuse me", he asked politely, "do I know you?" Hermione smiled and replied, "Not yet Professor Dumbledore". His eyebrows shot up with surprised that she knew his name. "Um", she looked down the corridor, "this is rather important and private, could I come in and then I will tell you as much as I can". Dumbledore, intrigued, opened the door and gestured her in. 'Great', Hermione smiled nervously, 'there goes the easy part'.

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When Hermione finished she leaned back in her chair as if the weight of the world was off her shoulders. She had explained to him about coming from 1996 and was almost seventeen. She had had an accident with her time traveling device and had now idea how to get home. She had showed him her time-turner that was empty of its magic. A time-turner, she explained, could only be used so many times before it ran out of magic. Usually this never occurred because people only went back short distances and the magic was able to regenerate itself. She had forgotten this little piece of information until she looked at it after arriving and was horrified to see the sand gone. Now she was truly stuck in the past. She also explained that she attended Hogwarts and that she was wearing muggle clothes because it was summer holiday back home.

Dumbledore was thoughtful for a minute. He then learned forward and sighed. "Now Miss Granger, this sort of thing had never happened before. I have never heard of a device called a time-turner, but I must say that it seems an interesting magically ability it have", he said looking first at her then at the hourglass figure in his hand. Hermione panicked, "but sir", she cried, "you can find away to mend it can't you". She needed to change the past but she didn't want to live in it forever!

Her professor smiled reassuringly "Now, now, no need to fret. We will do all we can for you miss Granger". Hermione relaxed, 'Good. He had me scared for a minute'

"It seems however that you will have to go by a different name as we can't go messing up the future, can we", he continued with an amused chuckle. Hermione gave a small smile, 'Oh, if you only knew Professor.'

"You will be resorted I supposed, and what name would you like to go by?" he asked. She thought about it, 'I figured I would use my on name, but this makes sense. But name?' "How about Laura. I've always liked that name. Laura Walker maybe"

"Perfect!" Dumbledore exclaimed chapping his hands, "now Miss Walker dinner will be served in, Oh my! Only fifteen minutes. You will be sorted then." He waved his wand and Hermione' s tattered ripped clothes, as a result of Lucius, was changed into a set of Hogwarts robes. The same as her own but with the skirt below the knee. She rolled her eyes, 'joys of the forties'. "Now" Dumbledore said getting up and going for the door, "I will leave you to get cleaned up and tell Professor Dippet, he is the Headmaster, about you". He looked thoughtful, "I hope that he doesn't get upset that I arranged this without his knowing" he mused. He shook his head, Hermione smiled fondly, this was a frequent habit of his, "Anyways", he grinned, "and lets not tell him about your time traveling. Lets keep it between us". Hermione readily agreed. The less people who know about this the better. "So I'll be off", and with a smile and tip of his hat left Hermione alone.

The instant the door closed Hermione collapsed onto her back in the chair. 'What the hell have I gotten myself into! she screamed mentally to herself.

'I was desperate!' she tired to rationalize, 'but now what'. She groaned as she sat up. Boy was she ever tired. Dumbledore said it was only October 13; tomorrow was Monday so she would begin classes then. Rubbing her eyes and stretching she decided to go do what the Professor said and clean up before heading to the Great Hall. She didn't even want to think about what would happen when she got there!

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Professor Dippet looked up and saw the new girl Dumbledore described as she silently went though the Great Hall doors. He stood up from the center of the head table and clapped he hands. Everyone in the Hall looked up wondering what he wanted. "Thank-you", said Dippet. "Everyone, we will be welcoming a new student this year. She will be sorted and placed in classes with the seventh years. Please come up Miss Walker".

Hermione smiled nervously as everyone head in the Hall turned towards her. She felt like she was about to hyperventilate. Being a book worm like she was she was unfamiliar to the attention, Harry took up most of it, even though she knew he didn't like it and would give anything to be rid of it. She walked up between the two middle tables that she noticed belonged to Gyrffindore and Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff sat on the other side of the Gyrffindore' s while Slytherin sat beside Ravenclaw. She tired not to look to the side of the room focusing on not tripped and making a fool of herself. Last thing she needed was to be the laughing-stock of the school.

When she reached the table Dumbledore had already placed a stool on the floor. Smiling he motioned for her to take a set. "Everyone, let me introduce you to Laura Walker. She attended a small school in Canada, but as it is her last year, her parents figured that it would be better if she went to a larger school with more opportunities" said Professor Dippet. Hermione startled. She hadn't talked to Dumbledore about what her story would be. She sneaked a glance at Dumbledore. He winked back. Hermione breath a sigh of relief, she should have known that he would think of something.

"Now, lets get you sorted"

Hermione felt a shock of despair as the hat was lowered onto her head. 'What house will I get into. I can't let myself get close to Tom Riddle, so Slytherin is out. Gyrffindore too' she thought sadly. The rivalry existed here too and being in that house would bring her into too much contact with the apposing house. Ravenclaw she decided. Being around people like her would be, if anything, refreshing for a change. Studying, avoiding Riddle, changing the past. Simple. Hermione smiled. Then the hat began to speak.

'Hello dear. Wait! You don't belong here, do you?'

'Please' Hermione begged. 'I need to do this. Please put me in Ravenclaw!'

'You came here from the future. Time traveling is a dangerous and mysterious business my dear. But I agree that you would do well in Ravenclaw. But I also see Gyrffindore, and dare I say Slytherin in you'

Hermione was startled by the Slytherin part, but relieved that he agreed with Ravenclaw. 'Dumbledore knows about this. It's important'

'Very well. If Dumbledore knows then it all right with me. He is one of the finest men I ever had the pleasure to sort. But I warn you' the hat said gravely, 'beware; perhaps the steps you are going to take now are the steps that you have taken before, and what you do now is what has made the future what it is. I hope you know what you are doing Hermione Elizabeth Granger. I hope you know what you must do'

'So do I', she whispered silently in her mind.

"RAVENCLAW!"

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"Hey Riddle, look at the new girl".

Tom Marvolo Riddle didn't even look up from the book he was reading. 'Advanced Transfiguration and its Possibilities'. He wanted to growl at the person whose voice continued to disturbed him. But Tom had spent years developing the act of keeping his emotions and feelings in check. No matter how irritating it was at times.

"Riddle, are you even listening to me". The voice called again, this time being accompanied by a hand shaking his shoulder. Very calmly Tom shut his book and placed it in his worn out book bag. Years ago he would have been the target of many taunts because of it. 'But not now', he thought with an inward smirk as he turned to his companion, let it never be said that he had such a weakness as calling people his friends.

"As it turns out Hanover", he replied with a since of boredom, "I did notice, but I see it was no concern of mine. She is just a new girl who was sorted into Ravenclaw, not Slytherin. Why pray tell should I look up?"

Jacob Hanover rolled his eyes as he turned away from Riddle. 'He needs to get his nose out of those damn thousand page books, and have some fun for a change'. He snorted; he doubted Riddle even knew the meaning of the word fun. Not that he would ever say that to him. He didn't like to admit it but he was scared of Tom and what he could do. Riddle never seemed to let anything get to him. He was always calm, cool, and collective, and you never knew where you stood with a person like that. If they were happy or angry that that gave you an idea, but with no emotions or feelings then you never knew if they liked you or if they were going to stab you in the back when opportunity presented itself.

Jacob noticed Riddle picking up his book again and beginning to read. He couldn't believe him. He didn't even look at the girl.

When the hat had called out Ravenclaw and he was able to see the new girl for the first time he felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. She was absolutely breath taking! And he wasn't the only one to see that. Looking around he saw that many boys from all houses were eyeing the girl, Laura Walker he believed it was, with huge eyes. As she walked to her new table, Jacob had his eyes glued to that amazing body and her hair bouncing and twirling that shimmered in the light. And her eyes! He wasn't close enough to see but he figured that they were a darker color and they sparkled with happiness and relief. He watched with a smirk as the boys nearest her begin to push their friends and even girlfriends out of the way to talk to her. Amazing as it seems she looked totally unfazed by the attention as she began to talk to the people around her. Riddle didn't even look up.

Jacob had known Tom since first year, and although they weren't exactly friends they knew each other fairly well. In all this time Tom had grown into a very handsome boy, with pitch black hair and light blue eyes, he was thin, but not scrawny and had a well defined face, however he was deathly pale, some might even mistake him for a vampire. He rarely went outside, preferring to spend time in the dungeons and library. Jacob had dark brown hair and brown eyes. He played keeper on the Quidditch team for Slytherin and had a well toned body. He was popular for a Slytherin and had a good since of humor, unlike Tom, who Jacob couldn't even remember ever seeing smiling let alone laughing! Jacob was a Prefect and Tom Headboy, which was perfect. Tom was the most private, secretive person you would ever meet. He didn't share secrets and hardly ever talked to people. He was cold and unconcerned but the smartest person in school. Teachers loved him. Girls adored him, and guys were torn between jealous and envy.

Jacob frowned; he had never seen Tom interested in girl. They seemed to bore him. He flicked his brown hair out of his eyes. While girls seemed to throw themselves at him Tom never bothered.

He snorted, 'Tom needs a good long shag with a girl. If he could make it that lone' he chuckled mentally. He was pretty sure Tom was a virgin, but he was NEVER going to begin that conversation.

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Thank-you for the reviews. Sorry it took so long. This chapter may not be the best. But I have to go though the detail of introducing Hermione into the new time and set the stage and everything.

Interactions between Hermione and Tom next chapter!!!!!!!