CHAPTER 1

I waited with baited breath as the sorting hat ruffled through my memories, trying to determine my house.

'SLYTHERIN!' It finally bellowed to the hall and though I could hear some whistling amid the clapping I was too wrapped up in shock to move off the stool.

Might I remind you that you were assigned to befriend a Mr Tom Riddle, Miss Granger? And that being in Gryffindor will be of no help whatsoever since I am apparently going to sort him into Slytherin?

I sighed glumly before making my way "enthusiastically" over to the Slytherin table as any other first year would.

As Dumbledore continued to call out the names of the first years, I began to examine the younger Hermione Granger in more detail; it was still quite disconcerting to be living in a much smaller version of myself.

I discreetly looked down at my chest to find it, yet again, quite flat. I chuckled quietly to myself as a memory from seventh year came roaring back to the forefront of my mind.

'Hermione! You have… you…' Confused, I stared back at Ron in wonder. He was looking at me, or more specifically my shirt, in wonder. I briefly glanced down at it but I noticed nothing unusual about it; it was one of my favourite muggle shirts.

'I have what Ron?' I asked him, flabbergasted.

'Boobies,' he whispered, hastily checking our surroundings for eavesdroppers.

I blinked a few times in disbelief as what he was saying sunk in. 'So let me get this straight,' I said, hands on hips. 'I've been living under the same roof as you for the past 7 years and you've only now noticed that I'm a girl?'

He ducked his head bashfully and I couldn't help but sigh out loud in exasperation while the corner of my mouth twitched in amusement.

'RIDDLE, Tom,' Dumbledore's voice shook me out of my reverie and I hastily refocused.

A little boy was walking confidently up to the little stool near the teachers' table and as he turned to face the hall anger tore through my body mercilessly as what he would become and what he would do came galloping to the forefront of my mind.

Muttering darkly, I paid no attention to the students shuffling away from me and instead focused on the boy who stood up not a second after the Sorting Hat shouted Slytherin.

He confidently strode over to the Slytherin table, sitting regally down next to me.

I firmly clasped my hands together, afraid of what they would do if I didn't before I turned to him, a brilliant smile sitting on my lips.

And so it begins, I thought gloomily.

'Hi! I'm Hermione Granger! You're Tom right?' I asked him jovially. For an infinitesimal second he froze before turning around to face me with a charming smile and a curt nod.

'Isn't this just amazing?' I whispered, suddenly aware of the silence in the hall as the last few students were sorted.

He nodded in reply and turned back to face the front of the hall. If I had not been accustomed to this kind of treatment before I would've told you that he merely wanted to pay attention but I knew better than that. He was, very subtly mind you, trying to distance himself from me.

Well that's not going to work! I thought to myself drily before nudging him playfully in the ribs.

I nearly laughed out loud as he jumped a foot in the air, clutching his heart in alarm.

'Sorry,' I whispered impishly.

'Did you want something?' he asked me through clenched teeth and i couldn't help but laugh at his so called "charming persona".

'Well, yes actually. Since I don't know anyone here, I've decided that I'd like to be friends with you. What do you say?'

His black eyes probed mine but my occlumency wards were up and I stared almost smugly back at him. "Hermione 1, Voldemort 0" I thought wryly.

'I like to stick to myself Miss Granger.'

I shrugged carelessly. 'Well, that's too bad for you Tom. Because what I say goes, and I say that you're my friend now!' I threw him a cheeky smile, ignoring his death glare.