Author Notes: Wow. Here's another chapter. Hope you guys enjoy. Thank you to Blondie95 and i lovedifferentmixesup. You guys are great! Also, thank you to The-Curtain-Will-Fall for being the first review. You guys are incredible, and you're the reason I'm still writing this fic. And I saw 136 views. 136! This is just so incredible, I can't even. Hey, just curious, what is your favorite Harry Potter book or movie?

Disclaimer: I am JK Rowling and I own the Harry Potter series. Michael Phelps cannot swim. Money grows on trees. David Tennant does not have incredible hair. Doctor Who is a sucky TV show. I can see John Cena.

Do you get it? I don't own any of the familiar content.

-o0O0o-

With a nervous intake of breath, Hermione looked out the window as the Hogwarts express came to a halt. She forced the excited and eager first year inside of her down and reminded herself of her mission. She remembered Mad-Eye. Constant Vigilance, she thought to herself, pressing her lips together.

Tyler, she didn't know how, had managed to carry all of their trunks and was making his way to the exit. Minerva looked at her and shrugged, following him.

"It's a little weird for me, too," Minerva called over her shoulder. "He really buffed up over the summer. Working at his family's farm, I guess. He also grew a few inches," she gulped.

Hermione nodded and followed, the envelope to and from Dumbledore clutched tightly in her hand, her movements jerky from nerves. She was so anxious that she hardly noticed bumping into the tall figure who had appeared in front of her.

The boy took a step back from her, started to get out of the way and continue on his trip to the back of the train against the tide of students, but stopped himself last minute.

"Have we met?" he asked. There was a light smile on his face and his crystal blue eyes twinkled with merriness.

"Oh, no, I'm a transfer student," she said brightly, sending the boy a smile in return. She stuck out her hand. "My name's Hermione. Hermione Granger."

He smiled and shook her hand with a firm grip. "Tom Riddle; pleased to meet you, Hermione."

Hermione almost fainted on the spot. There was no way that this charming, charismatic boy in front of her was the most powerful dark wizard of all time.

"Well," she said faintly, "I guess I'll see you around, then."

"I hope so," he said, squeezing past her.

Hermione jogged to catch up with Minerva and Tyler, feeling like she had belly flopped into the lake from the astronomy tower. If you asked her, she could tell you, it's not a pleasant feeling.

Well, it appears he hasn't turned yet. I might be able to complete this message and get home before supper.

-o0O0o-

Tom could have sworn he saw a flicker of hatred in those soft brown eyes.

He knew it was impossible to mistake the fiery loathing that raged like a war behind that pretty face. He didn't know why; they had just barely met, but she already seemed to think he was hiding something.

Of course he was hiding something, but it's not like she could complain; she was hiding something, too. Tom could see it in her penatrating gaze. It was a big secret, too; a secret you wouldn even dream of telling your closest friends, a secret that could put you in all kinds of danger.

Tom was very familiar with those secrets.

-o0O0o-

Hermione almost missed Dumbledore, he was standing where Hagrid normally stood in the future… or is it present? Whatever.

Hermione gripped Minerva's shoulder lightly. "I'll catch up with you later, okay?" Hermione said cheerfully.

"Yep. I'll see you at the sorting. I hope you get put in Gryffindor, we could really use someone like you!"

"How do you know?" Hermione called. "You just met me!"

"It's just a feeling."

"Gotcha."

Hermione waded through the smaller first and second years, blatantly ignoring the fact that some of the third years were taller than her, someone who had technecally already graduated from Hogwarts.

"Excuse me, sir?" Hermione called, tapping Dumbledore lightly on the shoulder. "I'm a transfer student. I was told to give you this."

Dumbledore, whose beard was still long enough to tuck into his belt, even though he was fifty years younger, speculatively stroked his chin and took the letter from Hermione. He breafly skimmed the letter and stopped when he read his own signature.

"Speak to me after the sorting, Mrs. Granger," he said. "And you don't need to be sorted with all of the first years. You are already in Gryffindor, after all," he said, winking at her slyly.

Hermione felt a wave of relief wash over her. She really did not want to get stuck in Slytherin with Mr Charming. Or get sorted again. The feeling of the wrinkly old hat rooting around inside of her brain sent shivers through her spine.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I do think it would be wise to let you continue the way you had planned. All this is to save the future, is it?"
"Yes, sir."

"Then, I must remind you that not all wars are won by hate," his eyes drifted over the passing students. "Would it make your job easier if I, say, pulled some strings to get you in Head Girl position? Mr Riddle has taken up the Head Boy spot, and our previous Head Girl has just transfered to Ilvermorny."

Hermione could not suppress a grin. "Oh, I would love that, professor. It would help me a lot." A thought popped into her head. "The library is still in the North Wing, correct?" Hermione asked. At Dumbledores nod, she almost literally jumped for joy. "And, the Heads Dormitories are in the North Wing, too?"

"Yes, Mrs Granger," Dumbledore said, a smile blooming on his face.

Yes, I'm closer to the library! she thought.

Dumbledore, seeming to have traced her thought from her expression, smiled softly and patted her shoulder.

"I'll see you after the sorting," Hermione said as she turned and jogged to catch up to Minerva and Tyler.

Dumbledore smiled and sent her a wave. I wonder how this will end. He thought, watching the bushy haired witch bounce away, laughing at something Tyler had said. She was already so at home in this strange envrionment, so different than it was when she had grown up in this magical school, but somehow the same.