hi hi! i am SO SORRY about the wait for this D: i was hoping to have it posted a couple days ago, but life gets in the way, you know how it it. i'm going to try to post updates with how each chapter is coming alone on my tumblr. which will be posted in my bio, if anyone is interested.

i also made an 8tracks for this that i think somewhat goes along with the outline i made for this - i say somewhat because some songs remind me of tom, some of hermione, some of tomione, some of the plot, etc etc etc. you get the picture.

...i'm rambling. sorry.

anywayy, i'm not sure how soon my next update will come - my school's basketball homecoming is this weekend and since i won football homecoming queen i have to crown basketball king and queen, i have a school dance saturday after work, i'm going out of town next tuesday to film something for a tv show... but i'm going to try to have it up as soon as possible.

without further adieu... chapter 2!

(disclaimer: i do not own harry potter.)

"Draco? Hermione? What are you doing?"

Hermione looked up into the face of a woman who somewhat resembled her mother. The woman had dark brown hair, much like her real mother, but appeared to be much younger, and she had steely gray eyes. She smiled at the two lovingly, and Hermione immediately realized this woman was her – rather, her and Malfoy's – mother. She felt a pang of pain in her chest at the thought of her parents, but gently shook it away.

"I was just making sure Draco here was awake... he was making sure I didn't bruise his shoulders from having to shake him so hard."

The woman accepted this answer, laughing softly as she walked into the room. "You kids, I swear. You'd think the two of you would get along better." She stopped beside Draco, ruffling his hair. "Hurry down for breakfast and then get dressed. Your father wants to head into Diagon Alley and get all your school supplies before it gets too crowded."

With one more smile at the two, the woman walked out the room. Hermione waited until she heard the woman descend a flight of stairs before she turned back to Draco, who looked nauseous.

"Was that...?"

"Our mother? I'm assuming." Hermione responded. She sighed. "Okay, first off, we have to act like we don't completely detest each other. So, Malfoy, I suggest we form a truce of some sort."
"A truce? Are you bloody mad? I hate you and you hate me, Granger, there's no way-"
"Keep your voice down!" Hermione hissed, looking sharply to the doorway, releasing a sigh of relief when their 'mother' didn't return. "Look, Malfoy, that doesn't matter right now. Right now, we're sixty years behind our own time and we don't have anyone else, so you need to get over it!"

Malfoy didn't protest.

"Truce?" Hermione tried again, a hopeful tone to her voice.

Malfoy eyed her outstretched hand for a moment, glancing up to meet her eyes. Finally, he took her hand, shaking it.

"Truce."

Hermione smiled. "Brilliant. All right, we should start off by calling each other by our first names... Draco."

"Fine... Hermione," He sneered, looking away from his new found ally. "Come on, they're waiting on us downstairs."

The trip down to the dining room was a different adventure all together. Down the hall leading from the bedrooms were family portrait after family portrait, the younger versions of Draco and Hermione made the witch and wizard in question nauseous. After what seemed like hours, they finally reached the sitting room, leading off into the kitchen.

"Act natural," Hermione muttered to Draco beneath her breath before they entered the room. When they did, they saw the woman from earlier – Mum, Hermione thought grimly – sitting alongside and laughing with a man. He appeared to be very tall, though he was sitting, and had light brown hair, tousled into an impeccable mess. He held the Daily Prophet in front of him, smirking as he picked up his coffee mug. As he put it down, he caught sight of Draco and Hermione.

"Ah, there they are, the newest witch and wizard of the Pope family!" He exclaimed, sitting back and smiling broadly at the two. "Come on, eat up! We've got a long day ahead of us!"

Hermione and Draco both sat down, giving each other a short look.

A House Elf came up behind them, putting a plate of food before each of them before slinking back to the kitchen. Hermione's eyes widened at the amount of food on the plate – eggs, an English muffin, sausage, hashbrowns, and a bowl of berries laid before her. Suddenly feeling like she hadn't eaten in years, Hermione dug in, barely tasting any of the food as she practically inhaled it.

The man – Father, Hermione reminded herself – chuckled. "Hermione I don't think I've ever seen you eat so much so quickly!"

Hermione blushed, looking down. "I was really hungry," She said, staring holes into her plate. When she looked back up, the House Elf had returned, and Hermione felt anger rise up inside of her. Of course her family has a House Elf. They probably have several, Hermione reminded herself, trying her best to conceal her anger. Promising herself to continue to fight for House Elf rights while in this time period, Hermione calmly turned toward the House Elf, taking the envelope it extended to her. "Thank you."

The House Elf looked up at her. "'S not a problem, missus! Wolly lives to serve young master Draco and missus Hermione!" The Elf turned back to the kitchens, and Hermione felt compassion for the creature fill her heart.

She flipped the envelope over in her hands, running her fingers across the Hogwarts seal. It had already been opened. The front of the letter addressed the letter to Hermione Pope, Pope Manor, Wiltshire, England. Realizing that they must be not too far from Malfoy Manor, Hermione turned to Draco, who was expressionless. She looked at her Envelope again, opening it and pulling out the letter.

Dear Ms. Pope,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.

Armando Dippet, Headmaster

"We owled Dippet the day your letters came in last month, so all we need to do is purchase your materials," Mr, Pope said, standing up from the table. "Go on and get ready, kids, your mother and I want to be in Diagon Alley no later than eleven."

Hermione smiled at him, trying to give off the impression that she belonged here, "Of course, father. Come, Draco."

Draco shot her a dirty look but followed her regardless. Hermione waited until they reached her room and pulled him in."
"Granger, if this is about how excited you are to repeat all seven years of school, I'm not interested, Draco deadpanned, standing by the door.

Hermione huffed and sat down on her bed. "It's not, though I actually kind of am," She admitted, not meeting his eyes. She finally looked up at Draco, again stunned by how different he looked. "I think that... light thing back in the forest... was meant for someone else. And we ruined their plans."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I think someone wanted to travel back in time to change something, thus damaging the timeline and completely changing the future," she explained, looking out the window by her bed. "I think it has something to do with Voldemort."
"Granger, in case you forgot, Voldemort is dead. Potter finished him off," Draco reminded her.

"Yes, I know, but in this time period, he's still alive. He's..." hermione froze, a look of horror spreading over her features.

Draco waited a minute, waiting for her to continue. "Hello? Earth to Granger... Granger!"

Hermione looked at Draco, horror still lingering in her eyes. "It's 1938, Draco. Voldemort is eleven. He's going to begin attending Hogwarts this year. We will be going to school with Lord Voldemort."

Diagon Alley was bustling and busy when they arrived, parents wandering around with their children, holding Hogwarts book and supplies lists in their hands. Mr. and Mrs. Pope – Braxton and Georgia, Draco and Hermione had learned they were named – walked on either side of their children, leading them to Flourish and Blotts. Hermione smiled as they entered the book store, feeling at home as soon as she crossed the threshold. Georgia told the man behind the counter they needed two sets of first year books, and while she was preoccupied, Hermione snuck off, stalking down one of the isles, thoroughly searching the shelves for a book she had yet to read. She felt her heart leap as she found a copy of Hogwarts: a History, grabbing it off the shelf and admiring it. Seeing her favorite magical book reminded her of home, and made her feel more comfortable in this foreign world, she clutched the book to her chest as Braxton called her name, telling her she could only buy one extra book. Smiling down at the book again, she walked back to the front of the store, feeling lighter than she had in a while.

She didn't even notice the pair of dark blue eyes watching her from behind the shelves.

000000000000000

The Pope's continued their shopping, finally purchasing every item needed for family, quite famished from walking so much, sat down in the Leaky Cauldron for a late lunch, taking a table close to the back of the pub. Draco looked around the pub with slight interest; He'd never spent much time here in the original timeline; his parents thought it was too common of a place to visit. He scanned the pub slowly, taking in all the new sights and the sounds of the people, wondering if he knew any of their descendants. He was looking at a woman he believed to be a member of the Nott family when a head of white blonde hair nearly made his heart stop beating.

He had just seen the Malfoys.

Hermione felt Draco tense beside her and turned to him, closing her book. "Draco?" She asked softly. "Draco? Draco, what's wrong?" She followed his line of sight, spotting the Notorious Malfoy family. "Draco, don't look at them. Don't bring attention to yourself, if they realize you look anything like them at all it could damage the timeline," Hermione whispered quickly into his ear, glancing between him and the Malfoy family, but it was too late to hide.

"Well, if it isn't the Pope family! I hope you're well, Braxon?: The father – Hermione couldn't remember his name – said as he approached their table. He looked so much like Lucius Malfoy it was alarming, with the same pale, pointed face and white blonde hair all Malfoy's seemed to possess. She turned to his son, and she felt Draco tense again. Abraxas Malfoy, his grandfather, she realized, was the child.

"Quite well, and you, Malfoy?" Braxton asked, a friendly smile spreading across his face.

"Couldn't be better! Just here to collect the items Abraxas will need for this term," the older Malfoy explained. He turned his gaze to Draco and Hermione. "I assume you're doing the same with Draco and Hermione here?"

Braxton nodded again. "Just finished, actually. We all were a bit hungry and sat down for a bit to eat."

Malfoy nodded, looking from Braxton to his own son. "I do hope Abraxas is sorted into Slytherin upon his arrival at Hogwarts," he said, seemingly to himself.

"I couldn't agree more! I do hope Draco and Hermione are sorted into Slytherin," Georgia said, smiling at her two children. "Though I suppose Ravenclaw would be a nice second choice as well."

Hermione smiled, but felt wounded. She was a Gryffindor by nature, it was in her blood. How on earth would she be able to survive in a house full of snakes?"

Draco scoffed. "I can't really imagine being in a house other than Slytherin." He turned to Hermione, his trademark smirk in place. "Don't you agree, Hermione?"

Hermione felt the three adults, along with Draco and Abraxas, staring at her. They had all been Slytherins, even her own parents, who seemed as un-Slytherin-ish as can be. She slowly smiled back at Draco, apologizing to herself before she spoke.

"I couldn't possibly agree more."

September 1, 1938

The month of August dragged on, September first coming after what seemed like a year of waiting. Draco looked up at the Hogwarts Express, which hadn't changed at all from this time period to his own. Seeing the other children bid goodbye to their parents made him long to see him mother and even his father again. Georgia placed her hand on his shoulder, and he glanced up to her, nearly cringing at the tears welled in her eyes. She was a wonderful parent, but she wasn't his mother. She could never be his mother, who he cared for and missed so immensely.

He understood he wasn't a good person and that he had many mistakes, but his mother made him feel okay about it. Like he was less than a monster.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Georgia whispered to him bending down to his eye level and enveloping him in a hug. "Please try to open up more, Draco, and be nice to the other children. Look after Hermione – just because she's older doesn't mean she's still not your sister, okay?" She squeezed him tighter, and eventually, he hugged her back.

"I will, mum. I'll owl you this weekend," He promised the woman, who was nearing hysterical.

"Let him off, Georgia, Hermione will be looking for him," Braxton told his wife, rolling his eyes at how worked up she was getting. "Don't cause any trouble, Draco. We'll await your owl," Braxton said, giving Draco a small smile. Draco nodded, and shook Braxton's outstretched hand before grabbing his trunk and clambering onto the train. Hermione had said to meet her in one of the last compartments, presumably to discuss what they would need to do while at Hogwarts in this time period. He weaved in and out of thongs of other students, narrowly running into a couple of them, before he reached the compartment Hermione chose. She sat alone, reading Hogwarts, a History, for possibly the seventh time that month. Draco pushed the door open and walked in, sitting across from her. She didn't look up.

"Georgia is so emotional," Draco complained, slumping in his seat.

"Well, she is seeing her only two children off to school at the same time. She probably won't have much to do since we won't be home," Hermione commented, closing her book and meeting Draco's gaze. She looked unsure and worried, and though she tried to mask it as well as she could, Draco knew her too well to believe it.

"So... what are we going to do?"

"Well, I've already told you my theory," Hermione began, folding her hands in her lap. "I'm not quite sure who it is, or what their intentions here are, but I'm nearly certain it's someone wishing to bring Voldemort-"

"Don't say the name, Granger!" Draco interrupted, a look of fear masking his face. "If we said that word around him after he decides upon it, he'll know we aren't who we say we are!"

Hermione nodded, looking away from Draco and peering out the window as the train took off. "Anyway. I'm almost positive it's someone trying to help... You-Know-Who," she said, lowering her voice. "We need to keep a lookout for anyone suspicious looking, or someone we think isn't from this time. The sooner we find out what's actually going on, the sooner we'll likely return to our own time."

Draco didn't comment, keeping his arms crossed tightly across his chest while inspecting a loose thread on his sweater. "What are we going to do about being within such close proximity to... You-Know-Who?"

Though she knew it was coming, Hermione had hoped to figure that out later. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that she might vomit upon seeing the young Dark Lord. Memories of the war flashed through her mind, her stomach churning at the though of having to possibly interact with Lord Voldemort.

"We can't let him know we despise him." She began softly. "We can't let him figure out that we know anything about him. We're most likely going to be in the same House as him, so it's not like it'll be easy to ignore him." She paused, letting the fact that she will be in a house of snakes sink in. She met Draco's eyes, sighing. "We might even have to consider befriending him."

Draco barked out a laugh, shaking his head and standing up. "If you think that I'll even consider befriending the Dark Lord you're bloody well insane, Granger."

Hermione sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "You think I'm a fan of this? He ruined the past seven years of my life, Malfoy. I'll have my blood status engraved into my arm for the rest of my life because of him!" She pulled up her arm, intending on shoving the scarred 'mudblood' in his face, but looked at her own arm, shocked.

"It's gone," she said softly, touching her forearm. She could still feel the tissue there, slightly raised and sore, but it was invisible to the eye.

"Maybe it's gone because you're not a mud- muggle born in this time period," Malfoy commented after a brief period of silence.

"I can still feel it, though, Hermione said softly. After another moment, she rolled the sleeve down, taking her place back by the window, staring out at the countryside speeding by. She remained quiet, and Draco, feeling slightly awkward, took his seat again. Neither of the time travelers spoke for the entire trip to Hogwarts.

A young boy stepped inside the Great Hall of Hogwarts surrounded by the other first year students, taking in the enchanted scenery. Four long tables spread from one end of the hall to another, with the staff table horizontally along the far end. The chatter that filled the hall ended as the first years stepped in, following a professor to the front. The boy smirked at the expense of the other students, who seemed far too interested in something as little as a sorting ceremony.

He had to admit, he was a bit impressed at the talking hat, The Sorting Hat he recalled, as it recited it's poem. He didn't find a need to listen to it, though. He knew which House he preferred to be in.

The Sorting began with Angley, Lewis, who was sorted into Ravenclaw, followed by Avery, Brenden, who was sorted into Slytherin. The young boy watched as the Slytherin table cheered for the Avery boy, keeping track of the students sorted into the House that would hopefully become his own.

Black, Alphard was the next to become a Slytherin, followed by Lestrange, John Paul, and a few others. The P's rolled along, and the boy waited for his name to be called.

A Pope, Draco was sorted into Slytherin after the hat just barely touched his head. Called after him was Pope, Hermione, and the boy immediately recognized her. He had seen her in the bookstore in Diagon Alley. He had been hiding between the shelves, looking through all the books he possibly could, when he heard her coming. He had never seen anyone his age look at books the way she did.

He stared at her as the hat was placed upon her head, and he didn't miss the fear flashing in her eyes. The hat took almost a full minute before shouting "SLYTHERIN" for the whole hall to hear.

He followed Hermione Pope to the Slytherin table with his eyes and watched as she took a seat by the boy called before her, who appeared to be her brother. He was so busy looking at her that he almost didn't hear his own name being called.

"Riddle, Tom."

He made his way through the crowd of first years, having the decency to look as nervous as the rest of them. He gingerly sat on the stool, the hat falling over his eyes as it was placed on his head.

"Hm... quite a thinker, you are," An old, raspy voice spoke to him. "Quite intelligent, you are, and quick with wit, too! But dear old Ravenclaw doesn't seem the fit for you..."

"Hardly," Tom thought to himself, and was slightly surprised when the Hat chucked.

"Cannot disagree. You're quite the ambitious one, aren't you? Know what you want and how to get it, seems. You've no idea whose blood you got running through your veins..."
The hat was quiet for a moment before shouting, "SLYTHERIN!"

Removing the hat with a smirk on his face, Tom Riddle made his way to the Slytherin table, never taking his eyes off of Hermione Pope.

please let me know what you think! constructive criticism, comments, opinions, etc are all welcome. :-)