Chapter 2

Hermione let out a small groan as she blinked her eyes wearily open. Much to her luck, it was night time wherever she was and didn't hurt her eyes. With another groan, she lifted her stiff body up from the stone floor that she found herself lying on.

As she stood, she moved in a small circle whilst taking in her new surroundings.

It wasn't hard to notice that she had been transported through time to a different location.

Well. . . It was easy for Hermione to notice.

Hermione found herself standing in the middle of a narrow road. She looked at the small cramped together old houses and noticed that they all had their lights switched off.

Hmm... I wander how late it is...

She turned round and noticed that there was a small building at the very end of the dark street. She also noticed that two of the windows still had light coming from them. Instinctively she began walking towards it, but stopped almost immediately as something wet was blown by a burst of wind and slapped right on to her face.

"Ugh!" Hermione moaned as she wiped it off her face. She straightened it out and had to squint her eyes in an attempt to read it, with only the moonlight to help her. For some reason none of the lamp posts weren't on either.

The first thing she noticed was all the blood that appeared to have been wiped from her face.

The second was that the piece of paper was the front page to some sort of newspaper.

The third thing she noticed was the date.

Hmm . . . . . August 25th 19...

Hermione dropped the page in utter shock and confusion. She felt her jaw slacken and practically drop to the floor.

1943...

Hermione had been transported through time, to a different destination, only to find out she had been transported fifty-three years into the past.

Why the hell was I transported so far back? Was all Hermione could think. Time turners, from what she'd read (which was a lot) could only really turn you back a couple of weeks at the most. Hermione had enough experience using one to know if she'd only went back an hour or two, which is why she's known this time was different. But to go back so many years?

This was not good. She already needed to try and find someone so she could get herself back to normal. Hermione was pretty sure she had a good idea as to what curse was used; she just needed someone to remove it. Not only that, but now she had to try and get herself back to 1996 before she mucked up the future.

After everything that just happened, roughly twenty minutes ago for you, you're worried about the timeline!? A voice that reminded Hermione too much of Harry snapped.

"Oh kaay, enough telling me off. Let's think about how I'm going to get out of this mess." Hermione said to herself firmly.

"Oh I can't take this any longer! I sound so stupid! No ones actually going to take me seriously around here!"

After standing for another five minutes, thinking deeply, Hermione began heading towards the building that still had it's lights on. She decided that it would be better if she found somewhere to stay for the night and get some well deserve rest. After all, what reason could they possibly turn her down for? She's small and cute (as her aunts constantly described her as at that age), injured, dirty, and was in some serious need of decent clothes!

"Oh I know!" Hermione thought outloud with glee. "I can just say my home was bombed! It's still the Second World War afterall! That should be a good enough excuse, and that, hmm, and that these robes belong to my . . . erm . . . sister! no, that wouldn't work. . . .my mum! They'll just think these are her work clothes or something! I doubt very much that I'm going to bump into a wizard or witch that knows about Hogwarts anytime soon!"

Hermione continued to speak to herself for a while, but then found herself bumping right into the gates. Hermione fell back as her nose made hard contact with the rusty metal.

Hermione got back up to her feet, whilst rubbing her now sore nose. She pushed open the gates, and began walking towards the door.

I swear, if there's a god, he hates me! Hermione moaned to herself, stopping in front of the large wooden door.

Slightly nervous, Hermione raised her shaking hand up at the door in order to knock, but stopped herself when she heard people shouting from inside. Hermione stood there frozen for a good five minutes until the shouting finally stopped.

I Wonder what that was all about.

Hermione made a fist with her hand and knocked on the large door loudly three times.

After no answer came, Hermione made to turn around, but again stopped her actions as she heard footsteps coming from the other side of the door. Hermione spun back round and quickly used her wand to cast a quick 'crockus' charm on herself, allowing her eyes to fill up with tears. The door unlocked, and there stood a small, middle aged looking woman who was a little podgy with her hair all put up in a loose bun and was dressed in a long night shirt with an old, outdated (well for Hermione it was old and outdated) cardigan which she used to wrap round her body.

"Oh my! Look at you!" The woman practically screeched.

Before Hermione could do anything, she was practically dragged inside the house and heard the door slam shut behind her. The woman knelt down beside Hermione and cupped her small face in her large hands.

"Oh my dear child, what happened to you?" She asked.

Hermione began to sniff and rub her eyes to wipe the tears away, "M-m-my h-house w-was bo-bombed."

"It's o.k. dear, I'm here." She said hugging Hermione, before cupping her face again. "What else happened?"

"I g-got out, b-but I c-c-couldn't f-find my m-mummy a-and d-d-d-daddy any-anywhere." Hermione sobbed loudly.

"It's o.k. dear, I'm here. shhh. . . "

Wow. I am pretty good at this! Being a six year old seems to have it's ups.

"Sylvia!" The woman shouted out.

Another woman, who looked a lot younger, ran down the stairs, also dressed in a night shirt. "Yes Miss Cole?"

"Go back upstairs and make the young miss a nice warm bath." Miss Cole ordered. She turned back towards Hermione, "How old are you?"

"S-six."

"And what's your name, honey?"

No point in lying. Nobody's gonna recognize me here anyway. They'll be dead, too, which just happens to help. "My n-name is Hermione Granger."

"Well, how about you let Sylvia give you a nice bath, while I get you some better clothes?" She said eyeing Hermione's weird looking robes.

"I would like that a lot ma'am." Hermione said, truly grateful now.

"All meals are at eight, noon, and six." Sylvia informed Hermione as she led her through a narrow hallway on the top floor of the orphanage. "You'll have a set of clothes waiting for you to put on tomorrow morning on your bed." Suddenly, she stopped just outside a large wooden door. One that looked almost as old Nicholas Flammel! And that was seriously saying something. Sylvia looked down at her. "This will be your room while you stay here. It isn't much, but it will do until we find news on your parents." She pushed down hard on the handle and shoved the door open.

Hermione peeked her small wet head through to look inside. She did well in hiding her widened eyes. There was an old, rusty, metal bed at the far corner that had torn sheets on top. There was a small cuboard and dresser on the opposite wall and in the far corner next to the window was an old rocking chair.

Almost everything appeared to be covered in dust! The least they could've done would've been to give it a quick dust up while she bathed!

"Thank you Sylvi-"

"It's Miss Sweep to you."

Hermione frowned, biting back her obvious distaste for the up tight woman behind her. "Thank you, Miss Sweep. I can't wait to get to sleep!" The last part was surely the truth.

Hermione turned and saw Sylvia give her an odd look. Suddenly, a small, sandy coloured teddy bear was thrust into her arms. "This is the toy you had with you earlier."

"Teddy!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly.

And that is what you call quick thinking. Hermione thought, quite smug with her cover up. As she removed her robes to take her bath, she had managed to transform her wand to appear as a small teddy bear.

"Thank you so much." Hermione hugged it closely to her. Suddenly, however, another thought came to her. "Miss Sweep?"

"Yes?" Miss Sweep asked with bored interest. Hermione was quickly growing to dislike the woman.

"Where are my clothes? The ones I had on earlier?"

"Why on earth would you want to know about them for?"

"They were my mummy's clothes, and I wanted to keep them."

"Hmm..." Miss Sweep had a thoughtful look on her face before stating. "They'll be in the kitchens. We'll have them washed for you tonight. A boy misbehaved earlier, so that should make for a suitable punishment."

Hermione immediately felt sorry for the boy. Her robes were completely filthy! Covered in mud and blood and all torn up.

"We'll make sure to give them back to you before you leave."

Hermione nodded before turning back and walking further into her room.

"Be sure to get some sleep now. It's almost midnight."

And with that, Hermione heard the door shut behind her. Hermione let a long, deep sigh escape her lips. She was absolutely shattered. She gave the room another look over, her face scrunching up in disgust.

Her eyes widened. Oh no. That couldn't possibly be... no! Uh uh! Oh. My. God! It fucking is!

Hermione kept her eyes on a small ball of fluff situated underneath her 'bed'. She took in as many deep breaths as she could.

Oh... I hate rats!

R&R