Disclaimer: don't own.
That's what happened in chapter 1:
Dumbledore waved his wand and three trunks appeared. "Clothes from the 40s." Dumbleodre informed them shortly. "I hope you can forgive me."
"Sir... will we ever get back?" Draco asked quietly.
"I can't say for sure, but I think, even in the forties, I have a little experience about time travel." Dumbledore gave secret smile. "Now, are you ready? And are you sure, you want to do that?"
"Absolutely." Hermione smiled and Draco and Harry nodded, but glared at each other.
"Besides, it would be prudent to keep your differences aside; you are going to work together now." Dumbledore told them gravely. "Accio time-turner."
The big hourglass zoomed into Dumbledore's hand and he put the elastic over the three heads. "Safe trip." he smiled sadly at them and cast a spell, Hermione had never heard before.
And then it began. She fell fell fell for ages. Next to her, Harry was screaming and Draco was grunting and Hermione knew it wouldn't stop for a long time. Horror. Terror. Oh yes, she would rather faint. And she did.
On with the story:
Hermione awoke, her head pounding horribly. She noticed that she was lying on a cold, a very cold stone floor. Where was she? It was freezing.
Trying not to pass out again, she opened her eyes and sat up slowly, ignoring her fuzzy eyesight. Next to her, Draco and Harry were slowly stirring, also in the process of waking up.
"Where are we?" Dracos voice was rough and strained and Hermione noticed – to her horror – that it sounded dead sexy.
"In Hogwarts, Malfoy." Harry mumbled incoherently, rolling his eyes.
"Don't call him Malfoy. His last name is Lumiere." Hermione said angrily. "Besides, we are working together now, in case you haven't noticed, Harry. He is not a death-eater…. can't you two just get along?"
Harry and Draco looked at each other. "No." they said at the same time, vehemently shaking their heads.
"Aargh, you are so irritating. Dumbledore sent us three here – we have to be at least civil to each other and call us by our first names. Is that clear?" Hermione said through clenched teeth. "Please?" she added, her tone a bit softer.
"Fine." Draco crossed his arms in front of his hard seeker's chest.
Reluctantly, Harry nodded, but addressed another topic. "Why didn't you tell me you were together with Malf- with Lumiere?"
"Because we are not together, just… just kissing and …meeting up and…" Hermione stuttered her face red.
"Because she didn't want you to know, Potter, that we were and still are friends with benefits." Draco cut across her, rolling his eyes, but inwardly smirking at Harry's anger. "It would have driven you crazy."
Seething, the golden boy pulled out his wand. "You will pay for that one, Malfoy."
"Noooo!" Hermione yelled, jumping between the two boys. "Stop fighting. We need to find Dumbledore and give him these documents. Now! And if you don't stop now, I will hex you."
Immediately, the two put their wands away. They had the decency to look sheepish and Hermione turned on her heel, doing some serious thinking.
She was in the forties now. How exciting. Less exciting was the prospect of meeting Tom Riddle though – well, exciting it was, but terrifying. What would he look like? She didn't know anything about him. Hermione doubted that he was small and pimply. Instead, she pictured him looking already very dangerous and ugly with a big moustache and yellowing teeth. A bit like Karkaroff.
Should she pretend to be a pureblood? Well, with the name of Delacour, she most obviously was.
Delacour. Fleur. Or phlegm as Ginny so rightly called her.
Couldn't Dumbledore at least have used a different name? Well, it would have been worse if she had to be called Fleur as well.
"Where are you going?" harry called out from behind her. "The headmaster's room is the other way."
"We need to see Dumbledore, Harry, and he is transfiguration teacher in this time." Hermione rolled her eyes. "I hope, we are even in the right time."
The corridors, indeed, looked newer and well-cared for, but Hermione wasn't so sure. What, if they were in the completely wrong time? In the founders time even? Hermione shuddered at the thought and her heart beat faster.
"Let's find Dumbledore as soon as possible." she said with conviction when harry and Draco showed up next to her. "I'm sure, he can tell us everything and apart from that he wanted us to come straight to him anyway."
Harry gasped loudly and his eyes were wide and terrified and Hermione followed his eyes.
Wow!
Hermione gasped too, but probably because of a different reason. The boy, or rather young man, in front of her looked absolutely stunning. He literally took her breath away. His hair was as black as the night, combed to the side; his eyes were dark blue with a strange deepness; his face – just perfect, as though chiseled from stone. Hermione inwardly drooled. She would love to kiss those lush lips or stroke his high cheekbones with her fingers.
He was without a doubt the most handsome man she had ever met – and that was saying something with Draco standing next to her.
"Good afternoon." the boy said, raising his eyebrows. "I've never seen you before."
What a beautiful voice! Hermione was speechless.
"That's because we are new." Draco said, not in the slightest bit nervous. "Transfers from Beauxbatons."
"Ah. That explains it then. Can I help you?" the tall, handsome and dark boy asked.
"Yes, we are looking for Professor Dumbledore." Draco said quickly. "Would you show us his office, please?"
"Dumbledore?" the young man looked confused. "Are you sure, you don't mean Dippett? He is the headmaster and Dumbledore – " he spat the name "is only transfiguration teacher."
"We need to see Dumbledore." Harry repeated as cold as the Antarctica. Hermione was stunned. Why was Harry acting this way? Normally, he was friendly and outgoing…
"Fine." the boy smiled – and it rendered Hermione once more speechless. His teeth were white and even and she couldn't suppress the urge to lick her lips. "Oh but where are my manners? I'm Tom Riddle, headboy."
Tom Riddle.
Tom effing Riddle.
Hermione just stared. This handsome, charming, perfect young man was Voldemort?
Not yet. said a small voice in Hermione's ear.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Draco Lumiere." Draco said, sticking out his hand. He obviously didn't know who they were dealing with.
To Hermione's dismay, Harry only glared at the future Dark Lord. How suspicious. Did Harry want him as his enemy in the forties as well? Draco was doing all the talking and since Harry didn't seem inclined to introduce them, Hermione took matters in her own hands. She didn't want to come across as suspicious or unfriendly, although she felt like fainting. Or screaming. Or cursing. Or hitting something. Or someone.
"I'm Hermione Delacour and this is my twin brother Harry." she said and was pleased that her voice wasn't shaking.
"Nice to meet you." Tom Riddle looked her squarely into the eyes and smiled his charming smile (although Hermione strongly suspected that it was only a mask). He took her hand and planted a soft kiss on the palm of her hand.
Draco, Harry and Hermione just stared. Well, it was common in the forties, but still, Hermione felt very uncomfortable and her cheeks were flaming hot. "If you would follow me to Dumbledore's office, please." Tom said and turned away. The spot where he had kissed her hand still tingled and burned.
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Tom POV:
"Holy sh…! She is hot!" He thought.
No, he didn't. No proper wizard in the forties would think these words.
"Wow, she is good-looking!" He thought.
No, he didn't either.
"What a beautiful girl!" It took Tom Riddle only a second to compose himself. She had wonderful, silky hair, longer and fuller than the other girls at Hogwarts (40s style) and she had very pretty brown round eyes. Furthermore, she looked friendly and intelligent, albeit a bit shy. She would probably be in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. What a pity!
But he wasn't interested in girls anyway.
"Her brother is a daft squib." Tom thought angrily. He had only glared and said one sentence so far. An idiot. Probably a stinking Gryffindor. Tom shook his head. Or probably not even able to attend Hogwarts at all.
Then there was the blonde boy. The talkative one. The one who looked a lot like Malfoy. Did Abraxas have any relatives in France? Tom racked his brains but found nothing. He would have to ask his follower tonight. He looked like a Slytherin, but then maybe Tom was just reminded so much of Abraxas.
Was the girl together with one of them? Tom felt a strange feeling bubble in his stomach but pushed it away.
"Why are you coming to Hogwarts one week late?" he asked them. He didn't mean to address the girl, Hermione, but he looked at her and marveled again at how beautiful she was. Luckily, she was the one who answered.
"We only got the acceptance letter two days ago." Hermione explained with a smile. Wow and what kind of smile. Tom almost stumbled backwards. "The delivery owl got lost." she gave him a secretive smile and Tom mirrored her look.
"Don't worry; you haven't missed a lot." Tom assured her. "And if you have trouble, I can be of assistance, Miss Delacour."
"Thank you for offering your help, Mister Riddle." Hermione said, grimacing.
Tom Riddle was stunned – didn't she want his help – but quickly composed himself. "Here we are. This is Professor Dumbledore's office. Good luck with the sorting."
"Thank you for showing us the way." Draco said formally and Hermione also nodded her thanks, giving him a small smile. She seemed a lot nicer than her awful twin brother at least.
Tom left without another word, but turned once more to get a look at the girl. To his disappointment, she didn't notice.
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Back to normal POV:
"Do you know who this is?" Hermione rounded on Draco as soon as Tom was gone.
"Tom Riddle?" Draco asked raising one eyebrow.
"Voldemort. You've just met the young Voldemort." Harry sneered. "And you smarmed up to him. And so did you, Hermione, fluttering your eyelashes and grinning in a silly way."
"I did not!" Hermione said indignantly. "That's not true. I was just friendly; Dumbledore told us to, but you acted like a total dimwit. Harry, he is NOT YET Voldemort!"
Draco just looked at everyone with wide eyes; his face paler than usual.
"And concerning Draco - No, he didn't smarm up to him either." Hermione said swiftly. "He was perfectly friendly – which can't be said about you. Besides, Dumbledore wanted us to make friends with Tom. Well done, Draco. Knock at the door please."
Draco still looked shell-shocked, but did as he was told and knocked at the door. "Time to get it over with."
Not even half a second later, the door burst open, stunning Draco. "Good afternoon." Dumbledore said surprised and Hermione gasped. he looked so young; he even had auburn hair. "How can I help you?"
"Could we talk in your office in private please?" Hermione asked quietly. She hoped, Riddle wouldn't still be nearby, listening in on their conversation."
"Of course." Dumbledore said gallantly, letting them through to his modest office. "Would you like a lemon drop?"
The three time travelers took one and Hermione began their story. "Professor, we are from the future and you sent us back in time to change history and to change the future. Let me start at the beginning…"
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"Headmaster Dippett is away on business, I'm afraid, so it's my job to sort you and welcome you." Dumbledore said, with a twinkle in his eyes. "I'm deputy-headmaster, you know."
Hermione smiled at him. "In the future you will even –"
"Don't say too much about the future – you've already told me too much anyway. Please don't say anything else, Miss Delacour, or shall I say Miss Granger." Dumbledore warned them. "And don't tell anyone else where you are from."
"We won't." Harry assured him.
"Now it's time to sort you. Accio sorting hat." the sorting hat flew right into Dumbledore's outstretched hand, accidentally disheveling Draco's hair, who seemed thoroughly pissed off.
"Ladies first." Dumbledore smiled.
"Oh, I don't know." Hermione answered, suddenly nervous. "Can't you go first, Draco?" she looked pleadingly at her lover, who nodded.
Draco took the hat and put it on. It didn't fall over his eyes as it did with the first years, instead it sat there like a top hat.
"Ah… a time traveler. This can only mean something naughty. There is exactly the right house for you." the hat said. "SLYTHERIN!"
No surprises there.
The smirking Draco passed the hat to Harry, trying to keep the hate for the other to a bare minimum. Harry took the head, pulling a grimace, which was supposed to be a smile but looked rather as if Harry was in pain.
"Oh, I will sort you in the future. And then you will be a Gryffindor." the hat said.
"Yes, so why don't you put me there again?" Harry hoped.
"I will only put you there because you will ask for it. In fact, I think that another house would be much better for you; it will help you on your way to greatness much better than Gryffindor ever could. This time, I will not let you say anything against it, Harry Potter."
"No please." Harry begged. "No Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin. I would even go to Hufflepuff – willingly."
"You wouldn't be any use for the mission if you were in Hufflepuff." the hat sneered and shouted out his deciscion without any warning. "SLYTHERIN!"
Harrys heart sank.
He had seen that coming, of course.
"Slytherin?" Draco asked, completely nonplussed. "The golden boy in Slytherin?"
"That's quite a surprise." Hermione was also shocked.
Harry shook his head. "No, it isn't." he said quietly. "It wanted to put me into Slytherin in the future as well."
"Really?" Hermione's eyes were as round as galleons. "But you so fitted into Gryffindor, Harry."
"You would not have survived in the snakes-house; not when you are called Potter." Draco smirked. "But you are a Delacour now, so I think, you won't have too many problems."
"Might I remind you that Slytherin is a house like any other?" Dumbledore provided with a smile. "Now, Miss Delacour, why don't you put the hat on?"
Hermione nodded and took the hat with trembling fingers. Where would it put her?
tbc
A/N: Where WILL it put her? Gryffindor? Ravenclaw? Slytherin? Or even Hufflepuff?