Hermione heard a sharp crack as she hit the floor. From the pain radiating from her ankle, it was broken.
With her senses still primed for war, Hermione immediately starting blocking out the pain and looking around at her surroundings. Immediately, she recognized the Forbidden Forrest, home to many of her adventures with Ron and Harry. For some reason it seemed younger, like it had not finished developing the darky, mysterious atmosphere she remembered so well.
Next, she assessed her person. Her ankle was starting to swell. Aside from that, she didn't have any injuries. She was in some workout clothes she wore to bed; always ready to run from Snatchers.
They didn't amount to much, just a tank top and some rather short bottoms. Hermione shivered, feeling the cool, crisp wind pierce her flesh.
Thank goodness she had her wand! Even whilst sleeping, during the time of war, Hermione was never unprepared.
Quickly, she cast a heating charm on herself and cooling charm on her ankle. It would help take down the swelling. She couldn't begin to heal it yet because she would feel far too much pain to be able to hold the spell.
Hermione struggled to her feel. She found a branch that she could use as a makeshift crutch. Holding onto it like it was her lifeline, she stumbled and staggered to the only place she could find, Hogwarts, home.
Head Boy Tom Riddle was not pleased. This was the second pair of snogging couples he had sent to bed, after subtracting quite a few House points. The only redeeming factor was that he didn't have to patrol with that irritating Ravenclaw prefect. He had slipped a little something into the other boy's drink and feigned ignorance. Oh, you feel sick, of course I could patrol by myself, why don't you get a potion?
Tom smirked, remembering how gullible the Ravenclaw was, just like the rest of them, a flock of sheep. As Tom mindlessly wandered the corridors, he considered his future. What was he to do with his followers, his Knights of Windsor?
He had just started the school year, but already he felt restless. If Hogwarts wasn't his only home and the holding place of the most wonderful books, he would not have come back.
Those filthy mudbloods infected his beloved school. His hand twitched towards his wand as rage surged through him. He wanted to kill them all, but it would be a waste to spill that much, regrettably, magical blood. What to do?
Slavery was always an option he was favorable of. They could be breed like horses to insure more magical offspring. Then again, genocide isn't a bad option, it would just take time and power over the country he did not have. Tom frowned at the thought of working up the Ministry, waiting to be Minister, before implementing his plans. What to do?
Tom grew bored of roaming the hallways, so he went down to the kitchens. A house elf quickly came to greet him.
"A hot chocolate and cake," he ordered.
"Yes, sir." The elf bowed as it went to fetch his food.
Tom actually liked the elves. They were perfectly subservient and obedient to a fault.
While Tom waited, he saw a flash of green, not unlike an Avada Kedavra. He would know, for he had already cast quite a few.
His curiosity got the better of him. Ignoring the elf that offered him food, Tom swept past, Slytherin robes brushing the floor. Walking with a purpose, he made his way through Hogwarts and out towards the Forbidden Forrest to inspect the strange light.
Hermione panted through the pain that travelled up her leg and assaulted her brain. Every so often, she would stop and cast another spell that would help with the pain. They never lasted for long and the pain would come back, stronger than ever as if it was seeking vengeance.
Ever the survivor, Hermione pushed the pain from her mind and focused on what occurred before she found herself on the floor of the Forbidden Forrest. Hermione remembered settling down for bed in the tent that she shared with Harry and Ron, well it was just Harry now.
Hermione blinked away tears. One of her best friends wouldn't even listen to her before he left. Hermione realized that she never got to say goodbye. Hermione felt regret and guilt deep in her heart that she knew would never go away.
Shaking her head like a dog, or rather like Sirius, she thought, but then more guilt came to her. With a scowl, Hermione realized she had literally no clue how she came to be back at Hogwarts. If there was one thing Hermione despised, it was being in the dark.
Hermione continued her trek towards Hogwarts. For some reason, it barely seemed to be any closer than when she had started.
With more determination, Hermione strongly pushed through the think undergrowth of the Forrest. She would get to Hogwarts if it killed her, Hermione thought with an unreasonable amount of stubbornness.
Finally gaining some momentum, Hermione fell into a rhythm. Step, pain, breathe, step, pain, breath, step, pain, breath. Hermione ignored anything that wasn't those three actions. So focused on her actions, Hermione didn't realize until she ran smack into a broad chest that someone was in front of her.
After he raced down to the Forbidden Forrest, Tom hesitated. It wouldn't do for his perfect Head Boy image to be tarnished by this excursion. Tom smirked and went towards where he saw the light, trusting his silver tongue to get him out of any trouble.
Tom pulled his robes more snuggly around his body and cast a slight warming charm on himself then began his walk. He didn't know what he was looking for. After seven years of being the unchallenged, most intelligent student, it was refreshing to find something new. That last time he felt this excited, he asked Slughorn about Horcruxes.
After a quarter of an hour of walking, Tom began to have doubts about the light he saw. It could have been nothing. Tom frowned at the thought of wasting his time.
With a gusty sigh, Tom looked at the area around him. It was nothing special, just another part of the Forrest. Tom looked down and saw his left foot was firmly planted in sticky mud.
With a face of disgust, Tom lifted his foot and shook out the mud. Just as he went to grab his wand for a quick Scorgify, a person ran head first into his chest. Quickly reacting, he grabbed the body and stopped it so they both didn't fall.
Tom inspected the person, the woman, who ran into him. She was unbelievable dirty and Tom curled his lip in distaste. She had two makeshift crutches to facilitate her movement.
She dressed in rags that were as disgraceful as they were dirty. She was scantily clad in small gray shorts and a sleeveless shirt. To Tom, no one in his or her right mind would be dressed in such a manner, especially as winter is approaching.
Regardless, Tom was still a boy with hormones and he couldn't but stare at the bare skin this woman showed off. Quickly realizing that he held to woman close to his body, Tom shoved her back and reigned in his emotions.
Hermione was dazed by her impact. For several long seconds, all she could process was that she was no longer moving.
Hermione realized that a rather handsome young man had stopped her process. She quickly assessed him and determined he was not a threat, at least at the moment.
The man was dressed in well fitting Hogwarts robes that identified him as a Slytherin and Head Boy. Hermione figured that Head Boy and Girl would be given to Slytherins, because of the Death Eaters who run Hogwarts. It was curious, she thought, that she had never seen this boy before and his robes seemed, not ugly, but rather dated.
The boy had pale skin, as if he spent far too much time inside, and jet-black hair that shined from the slight gel he used to smooth it. Aside from the dirt Hermione had gotten on him when they collided, he looked impeccable put together, a strange sight in the Forbidden Forrest at night.
After a little bit, Hermione recovered enough to wandlessly and nonverbally cast another cooling charm on her ankle and heating charm on her body. "Uh, hello," Hermione started pleasantly, "Would you happen to be able to take me to Hogwarts?"
Hermione realized her polite manner was out of place, but she couldn't think of any other way to start the conversation. Before Hermione could reconsider her words too much, the boy answered.
"Of course. Just let me give you this." He shrugged off his outer robes. "And I can take a look at whatever it was you injured."
Hermione cautiously accepted the robe and put it on. She relaxed as the warmth encompassed her body. She gingerly sat down on an exposed root and braced her back against a tree.
This girl amused Tom. Of course he offered his outer robes and to heal her, what type of Head Boy wouldn't offer aid? However, when she sat down and let his clean robes brush the floor, he had to fight to keep the scowl off his face.
Tom knelt down by the injured girl as she threw her crutches to the side and wrapped herself in his robes. Tom pulled his wand out from his side, unknown to him Hermione did the same, spells at the ready, just in case.
Tom grimaced when he saw her ankle. It was solidly covered with patches of black and blue. He delicately touched it, to inspect the internal damage. His eyes widened in surprise; the bone was not completely broken, but rather out of alignment. Tom could tell that if any weight were put on it, then a full break would occur. Those are difficult to heal, even with magic.
Tom quickly explained what he had found. "I'm going to have to reset it. I can use a spell and make you unconscious to spare you the pain."
The woman resolutely responded, "No, I appreciate your concern, but I will be fine." She began searching in the area around her, probably to find something to use as a gag.
Tom was surprised to say the least. All of the girls at Hogwarts would stub their toe and run to the medical ward, screaming bloody murder. Even for the slightest injuries, they would insist on a pain-killing potion and what-not.
When the woman had prepared herself, Tom got his wand at the ready. He looked up for confirmation and received a firm nod. Quickly casting the spell, Tom used his left hand to push the bones back into alignment.
Hermione screamed as the pain of a Crucio radiated from her ankle. She screamed herself hoarse through her gag. She whimpered like a trapped animal in excruciating pain. Then, in an instant, it was over. A cooling sensation spread and Hermione panted, trying to get her breath back.
She spit out her gag, little good it did. Her voice broke from her yelling, but regardless she thanked her savior. "Thank you very much. I apologize I never asked for your name, how rude of me."
The pale young man looked over at her and accepted her thanks. "It was no trouble. My name is Tom Riddle. I am the Head Boy at Hogwarts."
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Her entire body froze. Surely the universe was playing a joke on her. Her mind shut down, refusing to process this information.
"Oh fuck," Hermione said before she passed out.
Tom quirked an eyebrow at the colorful language of the woman before him. Oh yes, she intrigued him. It was too bad someone had to be awake to use Legilimency.
All of the girls he knew would be scandalized to hear that word spoken, much less use it themselves. All of this, plus her mysterious appearance into the Forbidden Forrest, made for one interesting woman.
Tom smirked as he lifted the unconscious woman into his arms. It had been such a long time since he had to use most of his intellect. He would look forward to unraveling this mystery woman.
Tom moved swiftly through the Forbidden Forrest and made it to the medical ward in record time. Adopting the proper façade of concern, he feed Madame Hopkins a story about hearing a cry in the Forrest and retrieving this girl. He was sorry that it is late, even for prefects, but he just had to help.
Flashing her a winning smile, Madame Hopkins melted and believed his story like anyone else would. Smirking, Tom left and began to walk back to his dorm, vacant due to the unfortunate incident with the previous Head Girl.
As he was about to whisper the password a voice called out, "Mister Riddle, a moment please!"
Tom quickly wiped the scowl off his face and greeted his Transfigurations professor with a smile. "Hello Professor Dumbledore. Is there something I can do for you?"
"I only wanted to inquire why you are still up so late. It is far past the time for rounds to be made," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eye that Tom longed to put out.
Tom feed Dumbledore the same story he told Madame Hopkins. Dumbledore, like any other time Tom spoke, looked somewhat suspicious and uneasy.
"Sir, as you said, it is getting late. Might I retire?" Tom asked, irritated with the old man.
"Of course Tom. Have a good night." Dumbledore spun on his heel and walked back towards his office.
Finally Tom entered his dorm and quickly went to his room. Throwing his shirt in a corner, the type of mess he would never allow himself. However, Tom went to bed with his thoughts curiously full of brown eyes and hair that stared back in his minds eye with hidden knowledge held in their orbs.
Tom Riddle wasn't sure who this new woman was, but he would be damned if he didn't figure it out.