~enjoy

CHAPTER 3

Reaching my bed, I fell flat on my stomach, drained. He hadn't spoken with yet alone looked at anyone else today but I was far from satisfied. The air itself seemed to be heavy with anticipation today, crackling from undue tension.

It had begun. It was this more than anything else that left me crying now, that made me curl into a ball and squeeze my eyes shut, desperately trying to glimpse the faces of Harry and Ron again.

They finally swam to the surface and I broke down in sobs as Ron and Harry smiled down at me, their eyes glittering with the warmth and love that had for the length of 7 years kept me standing and fighting for what little light still existed in the world. They were the bane of my existence and I… I had left them. I cried in earnest now, the tears streaming down my face and staining it with the truth of my actions.

I didn't know how I could've thought even for a moment that I could do this without them – they were everything to me; my two knights in shining armour, and we had gone through so much together. But I was all alone now.

Wryly, a thought came to mind and I could only stare as the words seemed to float in front of my eyes - who would catch me when I fell now?

Oh, why had Dumbledore chosen me? There was certainly nothing special about me but I was somehow expected to do what neither Dumbledore himself nor the world had ever achieved; change Tom freaking Riddle into a sane, normal person.

Was that even possible? People couldn't just change like that – he had murdered, tortured and maimed people – it wasn't possible for people like that to actually possess a heart.

Ah, but that's exactly it, isn't it? His heart (which by the way everyone has) withered and blackened through time and through his actions. But he did have one once – why did you think Dumbledore sent you back to his first year and not his last?

It would've been too late by then.

I stared dumbly ahead, dumbstruck.

'Hermione, can you help me with potions?' Looking up I came face to face with Elaine, the only girl in Slytherin that didn't seem to mind my muggle heritage. 'Sure, do you want to start now?'

'Yeah,' she said, plopping down into the seat next to me and flipping out her homework.

'Err, where are you up to?'

'Ummm…well…I've written the title…' The scarlet blush that crept up her neck forcibly reminded me of Ron which promptly made me burst out laughing, tears blurring my vision.

'Hey! Granger! Some of us are trying to study here! Keep it down!' Through my tear filled eyes I saw Avery shaking his fist at me, which made me laugh even harder, falling onto the floor in guffaws.

'You're finally in your place Granger; at my feet.' Jumping at his sudden voice which was frighteningly close to my ear, I whipped around, only to then register what he said.

'Why you little-'

'Shhhh… you wouldn't want to disturb the studious students now would you?' He said, letting his finger fall off my lips.

'Idiot,' I whispered, glaring at him while determinedly trying to gain height over him.

He chuckled before walking away from where I sat, ignoring the daggers that I shot at his retreating back.

'Just ignore Tom, Hermione. He was only joking when he said that.' Eyes widened in horror I looked back at where she sat, her eyes subtly following Tom as he made his way back to 'his' armchair in the corner of the common room. Rolling my eyes at the faraway look in her eyes I snorted in disgust before pulling myself back onto my seat.

'I don't know what you see in that jerk Elaine.' I caught the smirk that flashed briefly on her face and I frowned, raising a solitary eyebrow in question.

Chuckling at my bewilderment, she absently began to draw on some spare parchment.

'Elaine…' I narrowed my eyes at her and she slyly whispered, 'I wouldn't be one to talk Hermione. You're always following him around. Are you sure you're not unconsciously attracted to him?'

If I had pumpkin juice in my mouth I would've spit it out, but as it was all I could do was just stare at her with a horrified face.

'I'm just saying Hermione, that to anyone else, it really does seem like you're attracted to him as much as any other girl.' She added, giggling at my aghast self.