Chapter one: Mission 1944

"Professor McGonagall, you asked to speak with me?" I spoke as I entered her office, which was once home to Albus Dumbledore.

McGonagall nodded and gave me a tight smile, which was odd. She never seemed to smile since Dumbledore was murdered…

"Please, Ms. Granger, sit down and I shall explain why I sent for you, yes?" she replied and pointed to a chair close to her desk. I sat.

We sat in silence for a few moments before one of the portraits broke the silence and started speaking to McGonagall, "Minerva dear, Albus is ready. He is expecting the student in the next three hours and he has announced to the school that there will be a new student joining them. Is that all, Minerva?"

I frowned. Albus? Albus Dumbledore?! How?! He was dead…

"Professor… I don't understand. He just said Albus…" I whispered leaning over the desk slightly.

She smiled more kindly this time, and placed a hand on mine softly. "All will become clear soon, Hermione. But for now, just go with the flow." She answered with a wink.

I sat quietly, dumfounded. It was almost as if I was dreaming. I pinched myself just to check. Nothing happened. I wasn't dreaming. But it seemed so fake…Dumbledore back? Never. That could never happen. It wasn't possible! No one can rise from the dead, and even if they did, they're soul would no longer be part of their body anymore, and they would practically be a zombie.

"Thank you, Edwin. I will inform you of any change." She said to the man in the painting as he disappeared. Then she turned back to me with a small smile on her face, "Now, Ms. Granger. I'm sure everything is extremely confusing for you at the moment. Allow me to explain," she paused and I nodded for her to continue, "I have a mission of some sorts for you to help me with. And you most certainly are correct, we were discussing Albus Dumbledore, and I am sad to say that no, he has not risen from the grave. But, my dear, I have a plan. In which you play a key part." McGonagall stood suddenly and flicked her wand at the wall beside us. An image of a golden contraption, which had a tiny hour glass surrounded by two gold rings which swivelled about the hour glass appeared on the wall.

I gasped. I had one of those! "A Time Turner, Professor? Why are you showing me this?" I inquired.

She sat back down and clasped her hands, after placing her wand back in her robes. "I do believe you still have the Time Turner from year 3, Hermione?"

I nodded quickly, "Of course Professor! I cherish it," I said smiling.

McGonagall smiled back, and nodded, "I should hope you do, my dear. I trust you are an expert on how to work this wonderful contraption by now, yes?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Good. In that case, I would like you to travel back to the year 1944. You will remain at Hogwarts under the protection of Albus Dumbledore. You will go by the name of Hermione Clifford-Smyth. A Pureblood. You will be re-sorted into a house; Gryffindor, no doubt." she said with a wink.

I frowned. "I do not understand, Professor. Why must I go back in time and go by another identity? I'm confused to say the least…" I replied, shaking my head.

"Ah, yes. And that is where your mission shall start. Along with the help of Albus Dumbledore, you shall assist us in attempting to prevent the rise of You-Know-Who. This requires you to become a spy for us. You will be spying on Tom Riddle."

My eyes widened. Tom Riddle?! Voldermort?! Had the whole world gone mad? Sending a seventeen year old to prevent a murdering psycho was like sending a teddy bear to war! But how could I refuse? If I succeeded (only god knows how I could) the whole course of history would change. And people, who needn't have died, wouldn't have died. Snape could have been caught. Dumbledore could have lived. Sirius could have lived. Harry could have a normal life. No more death. No more destruction. Peace, at last.

How could I refuse?!

I jumped up suddenly and slammed my hands down on the desk. "I'll do it! I'll go!" I yelled.

McGonagall looked amused and nodded smiling. "Please, Ms. Granger, sit down," she said quietly.

I sat down again, clutching the Time Turner in my hands. A sharp knock at the door startled me and I turned to find Draco Malfoy strutting in holding an invisibility cloak to his chest. He nodded in my direction and I greeted him with a small, painful smile.

"Please take a seat, Mr. Malfoy." He sat, "I have explained the situation to Ms. Granger and she has agreed to cooperate. The pair of you will travel to 1944 and will pose as siblings. Hopefully you shall succeed in preventing the rise of You-Know-Who…"

I laughed bitterly, "I must have heard you wrong Professor. Draco Malfoy - son of a Death Eater - follower of Voldermort. I apologize, but for a moment, I thought you said he was going to stop Voldermort with me," I said whilst rubbing my temple; all this new information was getting a little too much for me.

Malfoy's eyes flashed with anger, but McGonagall remained composed.

"You heard correctly, Granger. And I must remind you, I am not my father." Draco hissed, refusing to look at me.

Realisation hit me like a curse. Of course, he really wasn't like his father. He hadn't murdered Dumbledore. He hadn't been able to bring himself to mutter the final unforgivable curse. He hadn't called me Mudblood in months either. He really had changed.

"I apologize…Draco." I had found it difficult to say his name…I had never said it before without snarling.

Draco's eyes seemed to widen and a smirk appeared on his pale lips. I took that as my apology accepted.

"your belongings have been packed and taken to Hogwarts 1944 where Dumbledore is awaiting your arrival," McGonagall said, "now, both of you stand up-" we stood, "-Mr. Malfoy, wrap your invisibility cloak around you both-" he wrapped it around us; I could feel his warm breath tickling my cheek, "-both of you take hold of the Time Turner, and Ms. Granger?"

She couldn't see us but she seemed to stare right through us. I replied with a quiet Yes.

"Five turns, and picture Hogwarts in your mind. Good luck, and if you both succeed, I will give each house 200 points." She finished with a smile.

"Thank you, Professor." We both whispered as I gave the golden contraption 5 turns and we were sent spinning and spinning and spinning.

In less than a minute we crashed to a cold hard floor, no longer hidden by the cloak.

I tried to sit up but suddenly all the blood rushed to my head and I fell backwards groaning. Draco muttered something I couldn't catch as he stood up and dusted himself down, then helped me up.

"Thank you," I muttered quietly.

"You're welcome," Draco chuckled, "I see we have arrived in the Hospital Wing. Not Dumbledore's office…"

Luckily, I had already figured out why. "It's 1944, Draco. Dumbledore isn't headmaster yet." I explained.

I studied the room quietly; it didn't seem like a totally different room as such, but there were significant changes to the once mossy green and blue bed sheets, which were now faded brown with jugs of water beside each bed. The curtains with were help by metal poles were now levitating around most beds. It was deadly quiet. Not even a Matron was around, which wasn't normal because Madame Pomfrey never seemed to leave the Hospital Wing for fear that there may be a new patient to attend to at any moment.

I was so distracted by my scrutinizing of the room that I didn't quite catch what Draco said.

"Hmm?" I grunted mindlessly.

Draco sighed, "I said, if Dumbledore isn't the head, then who is?" he repeated.

"Oh, erm, well I suppose it must be Armando Dippet; Previous headmaster of Hogwarts before Dumbledore."

Draco nodded, "And…how do you know that?" he asked.

I chuckled slightly, "I suppose you haven't read Hogwarts: a History, have you?"

To me, it seemed quite obvious where to find such information. Maybe I was wrong.

Draco laughed, taking in my flushed appearance. He seemed to have a mischievous twinkle in his silver-grey eyes, which didn't seem to be rimmed with evil any longer. His light blond hair hung delicately over his eyes and still managed to give the impression he was up to no good. Thank Merlin he didn't gel it anymore, since first year I wondered how it didn't fall out due to the amount of gel he put in it. He didn't wear as much green as he had in previous years. He wore more silver now, although he never failed to wear the tightest shirts possible just to show how well defined his muscles were.

A cough from ahead brought me to my senses, as I noticed somehow; I had taken at least five steps closer to Draco and I could feel his breath of my forehead. Blimey, he's tall! I never noticed how small I was compared to him…

I blinked; confused, and turned to find the source of the coughing.

I think my heart mustn't have been prepared very much for the sight I knew I was bound to see, because one moment, I was staring into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore, and the next, everything had gone black.

To Be Continued…

***

I have to say, I think most of my chapters may be around this length, but this only means that there will probably be more chapters than I counted on. Please, RxR, I am counting on your opinions! x]

Sneak Peak:

"Tom will show you two around," Dumbledore smiled, "no need to look so scared, Hermione, you are indeed in safe hands." He chuckled.

But the frightening glint in Tom's eyes as he sized me up, suggested otherwise. I nodded sharply.

"Tom Riddle," He introduced himself and leaned down to place a feather-light kiss on my hand, "I'm certain we will soon be getting on like a house on fire," he smirked.

Oh, yes. I don't doubt you for a second, I thought.