DISCLAIMER. None of the characters used are a creation of mine. They belong solely to JK Rowling.
This could not be happening to her. How cruel could the fates be. Sending her so far back in time to be a part of the family who had taken so much from her.
Molly had died at the hands of Bellatrix. Rabastan had been the one who had Crucioed Fleur while Rodolphus had bound Bill to watch as she was raped by Mulciber and Avery.
Hermione was thoroughly disgusted at the prospect of sharing blood with those raving madmen. She was disgusted at herself because if her memories could be trusted she loved her brother Rabastan very much; she was closer to him than anybody else in the family. Hermione was disgusted to remember that Rodolphus, as emotionally closed off as he may he, always looked out for his little sister. She was disgusted that in this twisted version of life she was adored by her grandfather, much more so after the death of the children's parents.
She was now the daughter of a Death Eater family. She was a whimsical, bigoted pureblood.
To top it all, she was alone. She was by herself. Where in this world could Harry be? If the ritual had thrown her so deep into the fabric of time and space, he could be anywhere. How was she ever going to find him? What if he turned out to be even a younger child than she had? Was Harry even here in this timestream?
Oh god. She truly was alone. Alone. After having fought for so long. After shaving battled the most ferocious of dark witches and wizards who had claimed her parents, a family she had come to call hers, her best friend Ginny and her.. her only love. She was alone. There was nobody to care for her in this time. Nobody to cherish her.
She wondered what had happened to Bill and Percy. Even Charlie.
And Narcissa. Andromeda. Teddy.
If her assumptions were correct, the time she had come from had been dissolved the moment she had left. That meant.. most of it would probably not exist. She could change so many things. She could prevent so many great men and women from turning into deranged bastards.
She could save James and Lily Potter.
The possibilities were endless.
But first, she had to make sense of where she was. She had to gather herself and try to find Harry.
She was very sure the Lestrange men had had no sister in her world. If fate had somehow created her a new life it could just be that Harry was somewhere in the world too.. as a boy who hadn't been a part of reality before.
They had been rewritten into time.
This is what she would do.
The sun was already high up in the sky by then. She would calm herself down. She would begin by adapting to a smaller body again. She would have to keep reminding herself that this body would be weary and would tire much earlier than she was used to.
She would have to figure out her relationships in this life. As far as she could see she was exceptionally close to Rabastan and her grandfather. Rodolphus had always kept her at an arm's length, being a girl child.
It was somewhat comforting to know that before Hermione had woken up in this body.. this body.. this person hadn't been a blood purist. This little girl had always fought against the idea of muggleborns being foul and filthy. And she was glad that her brother Rabastan agreed with her.
She would have to work with what she had. She would have to make use of her relations with a dark family that was central to Voldemort's work and help bring him down.
Voldemort. He wasn't in power as of now. He wouldn't be for a very long time.
If she was indeed going to have to start Hogwarts again she wouldn't begin to hear of his madness before fifth year at least. And he wouldn't come out in the open before 1978-1979.
She had time to establish herself.
Hermione took deep breaths and steadied herself on her tiny little feet.
She would have to hide her wand. A nine year old couldn't be found with her wand.
But.. if she already had her wand with her.. wouldn't that create a paradox. Certainly, the very same wand must be resting somewhere here. And if she was to possess her wand, surely when she went to buy a new one she wouldn't be able to for she was allied to her old wand.
This was strange. How would she solve this particular mystery. She couldn't work around it.
She grabbed her beaded bag and opened it to check its contents. Everything was where it was supposed to be.
She placed her wand inside and picked up her bag. She looked around herself and studied the room she was in.
It was definitely her room. She walked towards the great oak wardrobe that stood before her. She opened it to find several dresses made out of silk. There were also some silken trousers and long cloaks. She hid the bag behind her clothes and shut the wardrobe.
Moving to a chamber adjoined to her room, she found it was the bathroom.
Suddenly the idea of a bath seemed wonderful. She might not have retained her scars or the dirt and grime that was usually stuck on her old body, but a bath would certainly be helpful in washing away some of the sorrow she felt.
She removed her clothes and settled in.
This would take time getting used to. The calm and the stillness this new time provided her was so.. odd. So foreign.
As was the loneliness.
Hermione kneaded her head on the back of the huge tub she currently lay in. She closed her eyes and revisited her friends. Long before the war broke out.
Second year when she had rushed into Harry's arms after having been revived. Third year when she had helped Neville with Charms homework. Fifth year when she had sat laughing at something Ron had said. Sixth year as she danced with Ginny.
Oh, Ron. She could, for the life of her, never forget about him. She would, in a way always love him.
She still couldn't come to terms with how he had given up his life for her. If it hadn't been for him she would have been dead. She wouldn't have found out about this ritual and she wouldn't have had a chance at saving the world.
It was Ron that would save them in the end. Ron. And Draco.
The idea had repulsed her at first. When she had read the ritual demanded a human sacrifice she had closed the book then and there. Harry had agreed losing their humanity would do them no good in this war.
But Draco had been adamant. He had quickly claimed he wouldn't be afraid to give up his life if it meant saving the rest of the world. And who knew how the logistics would work. Draco had suspected that the duo could be sent back very long ago into the past although Hermione had been quick to discredit his idea.
Nevertheless, Draco had persuaded them to at least try in the end. It had taken many a heated arguments in the kitchen of the Grimmauld Place but there she was. Proof of the sin she had committed. She had killed someone pure.
A few tears made their way down her face as Hermione struggled to breathe once again.
She began sobbing. Her mouth was completely dry and her cries echoed in the huge chamber. She cried for her lost love. She cried for the innocence she no longer had. She cried for she might not be able to find the one person she loved more than anyone else. She cried for she was, after all, truly alone.
Alone.
CRACK
A tiny house elf in a tea cozy appeared in front of the tub Hermione lay in and looking at her mistress in such pain was startled.
Hermione was immediately on the lookout. Her mind told her the elf could be trusted but the hardened soldier inside her was wary.
The elf squeaked, 'Misstress Hermy, why's you crying? Blinky must get master Rab. Blinky not know what to do.'
Hermione wiped away her tears and sank below the water. Coming back up to the surface she croaked, her broken voice not ready to support her yet.
'Dont worry, Blinky. I'm fine. Can you please tell me how long till breakfast is ready?'
Blinky nodded enthusiastically, 'Breakfast is ready, Mistress Hermy. Master Lestrange sent me to fetch young Mistress. Mistress is never late. But you never appeared so Blinky come to get you.'
Hermione grabbed the robe to her left and walked out of the tub wrapping herself with it.
Blinky had vanished and as Hermione stepped out in her room she saw that Blinky had laid out a soft blue dress on the bed.
At least Blinky seemed to be well cared for. Just maybe she could live with this.. family. Her family?
Hermione quickly put on the dress and guided by her new memories she made her way to the dining room. This tiny body had etiquette doctrined in it.
She knocked the door and promptly entered to find a tall man with greying hair who had taken the seat of the family Head. His face was very kind.
To his right sat Rodolphus. Instant rage filled Hermione as she looked at this mere.. boy who would go on to take the lives of so many innocent children. The boy who would kill her own family.
She could never look at this boy and see in him a brother.
She must immediately set out to kill this boy before she could ever harm a soul.
But wouldn't that turn Hermione into a monster herself? Hermione couldn't take up the role of deciding who deserves to live and who doesn't. For all she knew perhaps her own presence and the need to protect a sister may outweigh any twisted blood purist ideas he may have and stop him from joining Riddle. Perhaps he would change. It wouldn't be right to blame this boy with the crimes committed by a man who might not ever be.
Hermione would have to try. She would have to try very hard to fight her conflicted feelings.
She walked towards the table and sat herself beside Rabastan. Looking at him she was once again faced with the face of the man he might become but she was also riddled with immense feelings of love and joy that her body seemed to be casting upon him. She couldn't help herself from smiling at him and pecking his cheek.
Hermione sighed.
'Grandfather. I am so terribly sorry for having you kept waking.' She said in a calm voice, hoping it wouldn't give away her role as an impostor. She wasn't their daughter. She wasn't their sister.
But a voice inside her said, and yet you are.
As much as she could try, she always would be. This was her life now. This was her family.
Grandfather merely shrugged it off, 'No matter, no matter. I trust everything is well?'
Hermione nodded, 'I couldn't sleep well. it was a restless night.'
Rodolphus spoke up, warmth oozing from his voice, 'Shall I have the elves prepare you a sleeping draught? You look quite exhausted, dear sister.'
Hermione had to will herself to be friendly. 'I am okay, brother. Please do not bother the elves on my behalf.'
Her brother made a sound of approval. 'Your love for these creatures never ceases to astound me.'
Hermione frowned, anger surging through her.
Rabastan placed his hand on hers and smiled at her. 'Come now, Rolf, they aren't just mere creatures. They're beings.'
Hermione was so grateful to Rab in that moment. She almost felt.. at home. She felt not alone. The very manner in which Rab had managed to calm her down and take her side grounded her.
Rodolphus sneered, 'As long as it makes you happy, Hermione.'
Grandfather chortled, 'Now, children, let's have some food and settle this spat.'
The lavish mahogany table was suddenly laden with food of every kind.
Hermione was now troubled. Despite not being in her own body, she still couldn't eat very much. Her mind refused to eat with the burden that it carried.
She filled her plate with some fruit and began to nerovusly chew on it.
Grandfather was quick to notice, 'Only fruit, child? Are you certain you are well?'
'Yes, Papa. Just anxious, that's all.'
Grandfather frowned deeply, now truly worried but decided not to push the matter.
He turned to Rodolphus. 'The final arrangements are made. The elves are already working on planning an evening gathering for the Sacred Twenty eight and the most elite of the families. Miss Black should be a valuable addition to our family. You shall be a very happy young man, Rolf.'
Rodolphus chuckled, 'I presume so.'
Dread filled Hermione. This could only mean that she was soon to be facing breakfasts and dinners with the woman who had enjoyed herself while carving into Hermione's skin.
Rabastan laughed, 'I cannot wait for the wedding. Perhaps I could meet some charming young woman myself.
It's a shame Miss Black's sister, Narcissa is being courted by that Malfoy boy.' He grumbled.
Grandfather chuckled, 'She's older than you by two years, Rab. Besides you're too young. I wouldn't have you marry a woman even if you had been as old as your brother.' He looked at him sternly, 'You're simply too much trouble.'
Rabastan barked out a laugh once again, 'You wound me, Papa. You wound me.'
Breakfast carried on in much the similar manner. As did lunch. As did dinner.
A few days passed as Hermione wandered around the large estate that she now called home. It was apparently situated in the middle of English countryside, surrounded by dense forests that she longed to explore.
The Lestrange family was worried. Their Hermione had never been this quite or so inquisitive and nervous. She was often jumpy and scared. She often looked at them with deep emotions hidden in her eyes. They were worried she was coming down sick for she didn't talk as much as she used to. She often kept to herself. It was a good thing Rabastan was home from school and wouldn't have to leave for another month and a half for he was the only one who could bring her out of her room.
Rodolphus had tried at times too. He might not have shown it but he did care about his little sister.
Grandfather had almost called for her governess who had been dismissed the previous summer when Hermione had finished her lessons two years prior to when she should have. She was smart, his Hermione.
Rodolphus had somehow convinced grandfather to give the girl some time. She might just have been scared of the prospect of having someone new join the family.
Hermione had come to know that her brother Rodolphus was soon to marry Bellatrix.
Although disheartened at the prospect for she had truly come to respect her edlest brother, albeit reluctantly, she figured it would give her a chance to find out about some boy belonging to a pureblood family who hadn't lived in her own time.
She couldn't help but think if Harry had been born as a muggleborn, she might have to wait a lot longer to find solace in his arms.
But she would bide her time. She would wait for him. She would wait for her best friend. Her true brother.
As much as she loved Rabastan in this time, her true allegiance would lay with Harry. The boy she would follow anywhere.