Chapter 8

Once she had finished her meal. Hermione made her way to the Gryffindor dormitories. She needed her bed. She needed to think.

Flash Backs

As soon as Hermione had apparated, she found herself in an abandoned street somewhere in Diagon Alley. She didn't know what she was going to do. Her only plan had been to get out and get too Dumbledore ASAP.

Except, even with such a far fetched mind, part of her knew that her situation would look a little, if not, a lot suspicious. It only took a few minutes of thinking back on her history lessons and knowledge, for Hermione to remember that Dumbledore hadn't made Headmaster yet, and it was still that over grown monkey, (as Hermione referred to him) Armando Dippet. Also, to make matters worse, there was the whole Grindewald thing going on at the moment. Therefore, if it was Dippet that was still calling the shots, she would have to come up with an alternative excuse. She still planned on speaking to Dumbledore though.

'Dumbledore' Hermione thought with a sigh. No one knew where he had gotten too during the battle. They had only been two weeks into the new school year when they had all been attacked. He was nowhere to be found. She refused to believe that he had died. Imprisonment maybe? Who knew...

Hermione stepped out from the alley way. She couldn't just stand there for god's sake. As she began to walk through the empty streets, Hermione's stomach let out a low grumble in protest to her empty stomach. Apparating on an empty stomach really took out a lot of her energy.

But she had no money... unless...

Hermione grimaced at the very idea of doing such a thing. It wasn't something she ever thought she would need to do. Her cousins had shown her how when she was little, but that was it.

But Hermione knew herself to be too proud and stubborn to resort to begging for food.

Hermione sighed again. Pick-pocketing? Why me?!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hermione let the cold breeze brush through her hair as she headed up towards the gates of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She had managed to steel some money from a rather rich looking man, dressed in dark robes, and had white blond hair tied back in a ribbon. He had just been walking out of Hog's Head, and Hermione actually didn't feel too bad about stealing off of him. Anyone related too or resembled a Malfoy had too be loaded anyway. No doubt what was in that man's purse was just his weekly salary.

With it, Hermione had managed to get herself a room at the Three Broomsticks for the night, buy herself some better items of clothing, a good meal, and even took the liberty of buying herself a new wand. She thought it might be suspicious if she had a wand that was unregistered, but it was something she could now use to her advantage. A wand to use at school and one to use outside school - one they won't be able to track.

Once she reached the gates, Hermione used her wand to tap the large gate on certain areas and allowing herself access to the school grounds. Just as she entered however, someone had shouted-

"Oi! You there! what d'you think yar doin' ere! Who are you?"

A very large man came stomping up to Hermione. Hermione recognised him immediately to be the younger version of Rubeus Hagrid.

"OH! My sincerest apologies! My name is Hermione Granger." She said politely as she held out her hand for him to shake. He hesitated a bit before he finally went to shake it. "Actually, I'm here wandering if I could have a word with the current headmaster, whom I am led to believe is someone by the name of Armando Dippet? Yes, you see, I was hoping to enroll as a student here." She gave out a small smile.

"Oh! I see. Yeah, I'm sure, if you would allow me, I could take you up the now? I'm sorry abou' barkin' at you like tha', but with the war an' evrythin' gan on, it's a little... well...intense, if you ken what I mean."

'Aww... he's so sweet!' Hermione couldn't help but think. 'It's a shame he's been expelled already'

After a long and uneventful journey to the headmaster's office, (Hermione had found herself almost going to turn at different short cuts. It felt weird not using them all of a sudden) Hagrid left to get back to his training as a Game's Keeper.

Now Hermione was left with one itsy bitsy problem.

She didn't know the password.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Well Miss Granger, I'm sure you will be a fine addition to our school..." Dippet trailed on as he led Hermione to a guest suit, seen as she wouldn't be sorted for a few days time.

"I surely can't thank you enough Headmaster for allowing me stay here and carry on my education." Hermione said, trying to sound pleasant, when all she wanted to do was go to bed.

"It's nothing really! Tomorrow you shall be given money, then you can be released to go and collect together all your school items. Your timetable shall be given to you by your new head of house at the welcome feast. When such a lovely young lady, such as yourself, has to go through what you did, it is only right that they are given the chances to a proper education." He patted her lightly on her shoulder, as he then said the password to her rooms, whilst all Hermione could think was -

'Try not to spew, try not to spew, try not to spew...'

"After your shopping trip tomorrow, I will then introduce you to the school's professors and then you can spend the rest of your time before the start of term, catching up and maybe a little exploring round the castle too!"

Hermione smiled at him as she bid him good-night. As soon as she shut the door she dropped the act and started to rant about how annoying the whole situation was.

- - - - - - -- - - - - - - -

It was the night before the start of term, and Hermione still hadn't had the proper chance yet to get in a word with Professor Dumbledore, who would now be teaching her NEWT level Transfiguration. Everything she was doing this year was NEWT level.

Now Hermione was standing outside the door to his office.

What was she going to say exactly? Would she just blurt it out? Or beat around the bush? - as people would call it anyway.

Sighing, Hermione shut her eyes and raised a fist above her head and went to knock on the door. Except, instead of knocking on hard wood, the unmistakable sound of glass breaking against her knuckles was heard.

Hermione's eyes reopened wide as saucers, when she just realised what she had done.

She had just punched Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore on the NOSE! and BROKE his glasses in the process!

"Oh my God, sir! I'm so sorry! I thought I was going to knock on your door not your face!" It sounded pretty lame but it was the truth.

Hermione quickly bent down and started to try and pick up all the pieces of glass. Completely forgetting that a simple 'repairo' would of done the trick.

A small chuckle was heard, and when Hermione cranked her neck up to see what he found so amusing, there he was with undamaged glasses, a beaming smile and that familiar twinkle in his eyes.

"Sir?" Hermione inquired.

"Stand up, Miss Granger. It's quite alright, they have a self fixing charm placed on them." He said merrily. "Oh and forget about the broken glass, that should be gone shortly."

Hermione stood up. Dumbledore gestured with his hand for her to enter his office. "Please take a seat."

Hermione sat down on one of the large, red armchairs. She felt almost as if she could sink into it. She watched nervously as he sat down opposite her and leaned forward with interest against his desk. Hermione pondered on how she should start off before finally starting with-

"Sir. I have something I need to te-"

"Care for a lemon drop?"

Instead of being annoyed by his interruption, Hermione just smiled at the offering of lemon drops.

'I wander how long his love of this candy has lasted?' Hermione thought amused, as she reached forward to collect a sweet from it's small ball.

"Ahh, I see my addiction for this candy hasn't diminished in the future." Dumbledore stated.

Hermione's hand froze mid air as she stared at her respected Headmaster, and now teacher.

"How did you -"

"Know? That, my dear, is information best kept unknown for now, but I'm guessing that your reason for coming to see me tonight was to require my help and support?"

'Is this how Harry and Ron felt around me?' Hermione partly wandered.

"Well... yes... to be honest about it. I don't want to remain here for so long. Goodness knows what could happen to the time line and ... I'm scared that when faced with so many... so many opportunities, I might be provoked into trying to change the out come of my future."

Which was something Hermione wanted so bad to do, even though she knew she shouldn't. The idea of a world without war was just too tempting for her.

"Yes, I see where you're coming from." Dumbledore paused for a moment before continuing, "but. Did you eve stop to think, that maybe, just maybe, that you're supposed to be here?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After her talk with Dumbledore, Hermione felt a lot more confident on what was about to happen. She was due to be sorted just before the first years.

Once she heard her name being called out by Dippet, Hermione opened the large doors. Every eye fell on her. Holding her head up high, Hermione walked gracefully towards the stool where the sorting hat would be placed upon her head. She wasn't sitting very long though. Just a few inches above her head, the hat shouted 'Gryffindor!' Hermione smirked at the likeness between her and Draco Malfoy's sorting. A vast amount of cheering came from the Gryffindor table, a bit of feet stomping, and the occasional cat call here and there. A large smile spread across her face, as she spotted the one person she was quite desperate to befriend after she found out she went to school here in this time. Minerva McGonagall. Half way there however, Hermione got this weird feeling that someone was watching her. Turning, she caught the burning stare of a certain Mr Riddle. Almost without notice, a smirk graced her features, and before she could stop herself, she sent him an almost teasing wink.

Once she sat down, she turned around to face her future Head of House. Stretching out her hand, she smiled a true smile as she said, "Hello, my name is Hermione."

Minerva smiled back as she shook Hermione's hand and said, "Hey, Hermione. My name is Minerva McGonagall, but you can just call me Minnie."

A loud bang was heard, and Hermione turned to see that Tom Riddle had just left.

'hmm... I couldn't possibly begin to wander what his reasons behind that were.' Hermione thought sarcastically.

She was brought out, however, of her musings when the first name of the sorting was called.

The whole thing was really unimportant and didn't really bother Hermione that much but she watched and listened none the less, trying her hardest to at least act like she cared or was interested in it.

"Umbridge, Delores!"

Now Hermione paid attention.

'Probably Slytherin or Ravenclaw' Hermione concluded to herself.

However, after hearing the house that was called out from the hat, Hermione visibly began to choke on air.

Minerva bent over and started to pat Hermione's back while she tried to get her breathing back in order.

"Hufflepuff?" she finally squeaked.

End of Flash Back

Hermione quickly got changed into her pyjamas - red, baggy bottoms with a white, spaghetti strapped top, that all together showed a small bit of her stomach, where her belly button was - climbed into bed and rested her head against her pillow. It took almost a full hour before sleep finally captured Hermione.

She needed a good night's sleep if she was going to be ready for tomorrow's start of classes.

R&R