Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Hermione groaned at the sound, turning her body till she was lying on her stomach. She shoved her head under the pillow.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Ugh. Leave me alone Lavender. Its a bloody Sunday." Hermione moaned, her voice muffled by her pillow.
"Miss Granger?"
Hermione's head snapped up. She looked around, confused by her surroundings.
After another impatient, sharp knock, Hermione's memories came flooding back to her. "Oh."
Hermione removed the covers and sat up. She looked around for her teddy/wand, and found it hidden under the pillow. She reached for it and hugged it to her chest. Not really knowing what to do, she took in a deep breath, and called back, "I'm up. Come in."
Much to Hermione's annoyance, the door opened swiftly, with no fight, and in walked a young teenage girl. She was tall, with long, straight blond hair. If Hermione was to crack a guess, she would have to say fourteen. "Hey." She greeted kindly with a small smile.
"Hey." Hermione greeted back, her voice a little croaky.
"My name's Christy. Miss Cole told me to come and see if you were managing alright. I'm supposed to help you get ready and lead you down to breakfast."
Hermione nodded. If she'd had her way, then she wouldn't be going to breakfast at all. She would rather remain right where she was. However, that was not the case.
Christy came in and shut the door behind her. Without a word, she walked straight to the rocking chair in the corner which had clothes folded on top of it. "That's good." She stated. "They're a bit dusty, but they seem to be in good shape, and your size."
She brought the clothes over to where Hermione was sitting. Hermione felt a little awkward. She didn't really feel comfortable with letting someone dress her up like a doll. Especially when she only just met them. She remained where she was and still kept a firm grasp on her teddy/wand.
"Oh." Christy let out, as she bent down and reached under Hermione's bed. When she stood back up, she had a pair of socks in her hand, completely coated in dust. "What are these doing here..." Christy muttered.
Hermione tried to fight down the red from appearing on her cheeks, as even more memories came back to her from last night. She'd thought it was a rat! Hermione Jean Granger. Bookworm. Gryffindor, muggleborn princess, chased out of her room by a lousy pair of folded up socks!
hehe... Oops.
Christy settled for chucking them over her shoulder and picked up a pair of thick black tights from Hermione's clothes bundle. "Okay, Hermione. Time to get changed."
Hermione looked down at herself.
Not too bad...
She was now dressed in a pair of thick, black tights, partly covered with her knee length, black pleated skirt. She had on a white shirt that was tucked into the skirt, and on that she wore a simple grey cardigan. Somehow, Christy had managed to get a come threw her hair - much to Hermione's pain - and despite it still being a bushy mess, the girl had made it into two loose, but nice, pony tails on either side of her head.
Hermione had to admit to herself. She deffinitely had the whole 'cute' thing going for her right now, as she still clung to her teddy/wand.
Christy, had indeed, turned out to be a really nice girl.
Hermione now walked along side the girl as they left her room and headed down to the kitchens for breakfast. Christy had offered Hermione her hand, but Hermione gave her a kind smile and shook her head.
When they finally reached the kitchen door, a door Hermione was becoming fat too aquainted with, Christy again looked down at Hermione. "Ready?"
Again, Hermione thought that she'd much rather just spend time in her room while she tried to figure out any possible way to get out of her current mess. However, Hermione knew she had to eat at one point. And why not get all the stares and gossip over and done with anyway? Hermione looked back up at Christy and nodded her head.
Christy pushed open the door, and entered calmly with Hermione.
It seemed as everyone was down for their breakfast. There was about a maximum of fifteen orphans already eating at their tables. All of them stopped and looked at her, giving her curious questionable looks in the process. Hermione did her best to ignore them as she followed close behind Christy, who made her way threw as if this sort of thing happened every other day.
Hermione let out a small sigh of relief.
Not because everyone had resumed back to their eating. But because the one person she dreaded to meet wasn't there.
When Christy halted, so did Hermione. Now she found herself standing, face to belly with a very large man. A small white and red stripped apron tied around his waste. Judging by the smell, it hadn't had a good wash in quite the while. Christy handed Hermione a small round bowl. Hermione watched as Christy held out her plate to the presumed cook, and allowed him to ladle something into it.
Hermione followed her example, and found her nose to be attacked the minute he put the food into it.
What. The. Hell. Is. THAT!?
Hermoine resisted the urge of pinching her nose, and began to look around her, hoping to find a nice secluded spot. Everywhere else was full, and just as Christy began to make her way towards a crowded table, Hermione went the opposite way towards a small round table in the canteen's back corner.
This will do just nicely. Hermione thought.
However, when Hermione made to sit down, she was suddenly stopped by a wary looking Christy, who had turned and followed her over.
"Hermione I don't think it would be a good idea if you were to sit there. How about you come with me? I saw two seats over there at the other tables."
Hermione could hear the small pleading that shown through her statement. "Why? It's only a table and I'm hungry." Hermione half asked as she sat herself down, already having a small feeling as to why Christy was acting like this.
She looked up and saw Christy look around her before hesitantly sitting down next to her and began eating her breakfast.
Hermione let her gaze fall back onto her 'breakfast' for this morning. She hadn't eaten for over 24hours! She played around with it using her spoon, and gave it a short examine. It was a light grey colour, and to her looked like goo. The stuff practically stuck to her spoon. Hermione let the look of disgust easily cross its way across her tired features.
She received a small poke from Christy next to her. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it."
Hermione looked and gave her companion a small smile in return.
When Christy looked away from her, Hermione went to go back to her breakfast. However, she noticed that Christy had stiffened a little. No. A lot. Hermione followed her gaze until it landed on a very pissed off looking Tom Riddle, and what's worse is that he was glaring right at her.
Tom Riddle began walking towards where they were seated.
"Psst. Hermione." Christy nudged Hermione on the shoulder, "Come on. There is some more free tables now, let's go over there."
Christy made to stand up, but stopped when Hermione started tugging on her sleeve. "What's wrong, Christy? Why do you look so scared?" Hermione looked at her, giving her a pair of puppy dog eyes to boot.
I feel stupid, acting like this. If this had been a witch... well...
"That boy over there," she answered nodding in Riddle's closing direction, "well, this is where he normally sits and I think it would be best if we left, ya know?"
"But-"
"Hermione."
Hermione was slightly taken aback by the girl's sudden forcefulness. If she had still been her sixteen year old self, Hermione wouldn't have hesitated for a second and would have argued back, but Hermione knew fine well, that because of her 'new' age, she would be expected to follow such orders and not talk back. Hermione was just about to stand up when she noticed how close Riddle was. He was right across from them on the other side of the table.
"Christy." He nodded in greeting to Christy before turning to face Hermione, but still seemed to be addressing Christy. "Are you going to be explaining things about the orphanage to the new girl today?"
"Yes, I-"
"Then why did you not explain to her the seating arrangements?" He asked, again facing towards Christy but with a look of annoyance.
It was then Hermione saw how terrible the guy looked. He had bags under his eyes and his hair wasn't in the neat condition it had been in last night. It seemed as if he hadn't gotten I wink of sleep at all.
Oopsy Doopsy. Is that my fault?
"I'm sorry Tom. I told her not to, but she had already sat down." Christy really was scared now.
Hermione was trying with all her might, not to stand up and slap them both in the face. Tom for being a pain and a bully, Christy for trying to pass some of the blame on her and not having a back bone. Hermione lent back in her chair with her arms folded, watching the pair.
Hmm... Maybe being the real Hermione Granger won't hurt that bad... Her Harry counter part hinted. For the first time since the voice made itself known her head, Hermione completely agreed with it.
Hermione coughed a little into her hand, in order to get their attention. When both their heads turned towards her, Hermione looked around a little to check for any eavesdroppers. Upon noticing that no one was paying the slightest bit of attention, because most of them had already left, including the teachers, Hermione gave the two teenagers as hard a glance as she could.
"Just so you know, I'm new here and therefore don't know anyone here. Right? Well, I saw that this table was empty and decided that I would rather sit here than amongst a bunch of staring kids! Christy was at least nice enough to come and join me instead of leaving me."
Christy looked slightly taken aback by Hermione's sudden confrontation, whereas Tom just stared at her with an emotionless expression.
"This table and that chair both are wh-" Tom never got to finish, however.
"Both don't have your name on them..." Hermione said logically and matter of factly.
Hermione could have sworn that she had seen anger flash across those unreadable eyes of his, but sooner excused it for a trick of the light.
"Sorry Christy, but I'm still a bit tired. I didn't get to bed till late last night." She gave a short look at Tom, "Would it be o.k. if I went to bed for a wee while longer and then we can do the tour later?" Hermione faked a small yawn at the end of her request, whilst rising from her seat at the table.
"Err... uh, sure. I'll just-"
"Oh. It's o.k." Hermione held up her hand and used her other to pick up her teddy/wand from the table. "I know my way back from here."
Hermione smiled at her friend sweetly before walking out the canteen and down to her own room.
Once inside, Hermione flopped herself down onto her bed and let out a loud sigh. Hermione felt that if she had to keep up this facade any longer then she was sure she was going to explode!
I need to seriously get myself back to normal!
Hermione suddenly jumped off her bed as a thought struck her head.
"Oh Hermione, how could you have been so stupid!" Hermione said aloud gleefully.
Albus Dumbledore! Oh, It was silly of me to come here! I should have just gone to Hogwarts.
Hermione began to run towards the door but stopped as soon as she reached it.
But look at me. I'm a six year old kid! They would probably just obliviate me and send me back here once they found out where I've been staying.
Hermione then knew that the only way to get there and be taken seriously, would be if she turned back into her sixteen year old self. The curse used had been a dark one. That she was positive on. Hermione was just grateful that the Order had made sure to let her, Harry and Ron study some of the Dark Arts in order to be able to fight them.
Hermione let out a loud groan, as the conclusion hit her.
But the only one that I know, that knows about that sort of stuff would be Riddle and the teachers of Hogwarts...And of course other bloody dark wizards out there, whom I don't even know!
So, instead of going for the nap like she had told Tom and Christy, Hermione sat there and thought about all the things she knew about Riddle from what Harry had told her.
According to the stuff she already knew about him, he'd probably already started to research the dark arts, killed his family, opened the Chamber, released the Basilisk and killed Myrtle. Hermione shivered at the small thought of the Basilisk.
Aaaaaand he's most likely already formed the 'Death Eaters'. Woopee... Hermione thought sarcastically with a roll of eyes. Yes. How much fun that would be.
"I'm so screwed." She murmured to herself.
I wonder if he has some with him... perhaps if I could get my hands on them, I can find the curse.
But How would you get him out of the room? He spends a lot of time in there. Remember?
Oh great! Your back! Hermione thought sarcastically.
There's no need for the sarcasm, I'm just here to help...
Hermione merely groaned.
Well, like I said a moment ago, how do you think you're gonna get him out?
Er... a distraction? no, no, no... Er... I know! I could maybe get him into another detention or something!
That could work... bu-
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Hermione quietly thanked whoever was at the other side of the door. Sliding off her bed, Hermione made her way across the room to the door.
"You'll have to open it, it's too stiff for me." Hermione called to the person on the opposite end.
The door slowly opened, revealing a cheery looking Christy. A better contrast to what she appeared like in the canteen. "Ready?"
Hermione smiled as she nodded, and walked side by side with Christy as a plan began to form in her head.
R&R