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Somewhere in Time	By : serpentinred Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Hermione/Voldemort Views: 64474 -:- Recommendations : 6 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I don't make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Chapter 4

"This is ridiculous," Hermione groaned, burying her face in her hands. She let the usual chatter and activity of the Gryffindor common room wash over her for a moment before continuing in a low voice, "It was supposed to be over. We're not supposed to go through Vol... You-Know-Who again."

They had decided that using the name "Voldemort" would be too dangerous since only his Knights were supposed to know that name. Additionally, they only had minimal knowledge in regards to who sided with the future Dark Lord and who did not.

Ginny shot a worried look at her fiancé, obviously disturbed by the information that the darkest wizard of their time had apparently taken a special interest in them.

"But... you said he was just looking at us, right? That doesn't mean he'll do anything to us, does it?" she asked, sounding almost timid.

"Wouldn't it be kind of ironic if it was 'destined' for me to vanquish a guy and then be sent back in time just to be killed by the same guy?" Harry commented with a humorless laugh.

"That's not funny, Harry," Ginny said with a shudder.

Harry placed his hand on his fiancée's shoulder affectionately.

"I'm sorry," he apologized softly.

Ginny shook her head, indicating that she was okay.

"I think we should stay low profile throughout the year," Hermione suggested, furrowing her eyebrows in thought. "Thankfully, they didn't make a big deal about foreign students coming to Hogwarts, although I do suspect that Dumbledore was the one who talked Dippet out of it. That's the last thing we'd want. In regards to going home, Dumbledore should find something within a year. I mean, how hard could it be? It's Dumbledore we're talking about."

"That's if we actually live long enough to return home, Hermione," Harry said in a low voice. "You have no idea how much damage he could do at this age. Not to mention that that thing is still alive."

The witch understood that he was talking about the Basilisk. She sighed dejectedly. "Good thing there were no records of You-Know-Who trying to let his pet out for a slither after what happened in last year."

As Harry nodded, Hermione noticed a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and sharp eyes watching them from across the room. A cold smile appeared on the young woman's face before she looking away.

"Who is that?" Hermione questioned, her eyes still on the Gryffindor.

Harry squinted towards the direction the witch was looking.

"Isn't that Augusta Rookwood?" he asked. "Joseph pointed her out to me today, during Transfiguration class." He then said in a lower voice, "By the way, isn't Neville's grandmother's name Augusta?"

Hermione and Ginny stared at him.

"So Neville is related to the Rookwoods?" Ginny hissed.

"I don't know. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember that Neville's grandmother's name is Augusta," Harry replied. "I've never asked him about her maiden name. I mean, it's really none of my business anyway."

The three of them looked back at the Head Girl, who was now talking animatedly with other Gryffindor seventh-years grouped around her.

"She doesn't seem really friendly," Ginny commented softly.

"She doesn't," Harry agreed. He laughed. "She's not really friendly when she's older either."

The two witches laughed at his assessment. After they stopped laughing, they sat quietly for a while, looking at the fireplace where the logs were burning merrily. The trio never quite understood why the house elves started the fire so early. The weather was cool but not really freezing cold.

"I think we should go check up on Mal-Malloy one of these days," Hermione suggested, breaking the silence. "I'm more worried about him than about us. At least we have the comfort of being in a completely different dorm. He has to share a dorm with You-Know-Who's close friends."

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked as she leaned back in the armchair she was sitting in. "He did tell us to leave him alone."

"I know," Hermione answered, "but I still don't wish harm to come to him. I'm just hoping that he hasn't let anything slip."

Ginny sighed and shrugged. "Well, if you insist on it."

"Sort of makes me wish that I could look inside You-Know-Who's brain again," Harry joked as they walked towards the stairs, attempting to make the situation more lighthearted.

Unfortunately, the two young ladies did not quite appreciate it and glared at him instead.

~-0-~

They tried to find an opportunity to speak with Draco, but this had proven impossible. They always felt that Tom was silently keeping an eye on them—and it definitely did not help that he was in every single one of their classes. In addition to this, Draco still avoided them like the plague, refusing to give them a chance to corner him by himself.

"I think we should just forget about it, Hermione," Harry suggested as they walked to their Potions class. "I mean, Malloy did tell you to leave him alone."

The young witch looked at him disapprovingly.

"Harry, I've told you already. If he lets something slip, we're all in deep trouble," she explained. In a lower voice, she continued, "We didn't come back with a Time Turner but I'm sure the regular laws of time traveling apply here as well. We're not supposed to change the future."

"But aren't we changing the future already?" Harry whispered. "You-Know-Who sees me now and in the future. Won't he know that Harry Potter is Harry Evans?"

"He will probably think you're Harry Potter's ancestor or something," she answered with a frown.

"I thought he was supposed to be smart," Harry remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Supposedly," Hermione agreed, "but it's fifty years from now. He'll probably forget about you. Besides, how was he supposed to know that some pillock would grow up to look like his Hogwarts classmate?"

Harry snorted.

"And didn't you mention that he said himself that you looked somewhat like him? He probably thinks that it's common for random people to look similar or something. As long as we avoid attracting attention to us, he shouldn't have the chance to actually know you."

"You're forgetting that trouble often comes and finds me," he sighed, "especially when he's involved."

Hermione nodded grimly in response, glancing up the corridor to see how close they were to their classroom. Her eyes widened in dismay as she stopped abruptly, causing Harry to look at her, confused.

"Ginny!" she called out, bursting into motion and quickly leaving her companion behind.

For a moment, Harry had no idea what was going on, his first thought being of Death Eaters attacking the students. When he saw what had caused his friend's reaction, he hurried after her in alarm.

Ginny was standing in front of the Potions classroom, but she was not alone. A certain dark-haired young man was standing right next to her. A relieved look appeared on her face when she saw Hermione.

Tom looked at the two of them with mild interest. "Good afternoon, Miss Granger," he greeted her with a pleasant smile. "I believe that's what I've heard the professors refer to you as."

"Good day to you as well, Mr. Riddle," Hermione responded as she stood slightly in front of Ginny.

Although Ginny had never shown any discomfort in front of other people, she confessed to Hermione one day that she was still unsettled by the events during her first year at Hogwarts. Images of how Tom charmed and manipulated her were still fresh in her memory.

"Please, do call me Tom and not Mr. Riddle," he insisted.

"Oh, alright, Tom," Hermione replied. She hoped that the smile that she had plastered on her face looked as genuine as the one he had on his face. "Ginny should run along to class or she might be late."

She looked at the redhead who was nodding quickly.

"Forgive me for holding you back, Ginny. I sincerely hope that we can finish our conversation some other time," Tom said, turning back to Ginny.

"Conversation?" Harry asked, placing a hand protectively around her waist.

Tom's eyes flickered to Harry's hands before looking straight into his eyes.

"Just a casual conversation, Mr. Evans," he answered. "As the Head Boy, I do hope that you'll find yourself right at home at Hogwarts."

"Just like you, I assume," Harry snapped before Hermione could stop him.

An uneasy silence fell over the group. Hermione glanced uneasily at Tom, who was looking at Harry impassively. The latter was staring at the floor intently and shuffling his feet nervously. His whole body was stiff, almost as if he was either ready to fight or run away. Hermione had a feeling that he had a death grip on his wand right now.

A look of fright was imprinted on Ginny's features, as if the future Voldemort had suddenly appeared in front of her. Her eyes were wide, reminding Hermione of doe's eyes, and even her freckles seemed to have become a few shades paler. In some ways, Hermione felt as if she was looking at a younger Ginny—the Ginny immediately after the incident with Tom's diary.

It seemed like an eternity passed before Tom spoke. "Yes, just like me," he replied softly.

Hermione tried to deduce what he was thinking but to no avail. Tom glanced at her inquiringly before she realized that she was watching him a little too attentively.

She blushed furiously, wishing someone would jump out and hit her with a Killing Curse. Riddle was probably going to think that she was one of his admirers. She turned her head towards Harry, hoping that her face was not as red as she thought it was. Even if it was, she doubted her best friend would notice since he seemed more worried about his own slip-up.

So much for trying to avoid the young Voldemort's attention.

"He … um … He's..." Ginny started to say.

Tom smiled and interrupted her stuttering.

"You only have approximately five minutes before your next class begins. Are you sure you will get there on time?" he said with a smile.

It took a moment before Hermione completely digested what had just happened in front of her.

I must be out of my mind … but honestly, is he flirting with her? Hermione wondered in revulsion.

"Oh Merlin!" Ginny exclaimed as she kissed Harry on the cheek. The three of them watched her run towards her next class.

Hermione looked back at Tom after Ginny disappeared from view and found that he was gazing at her with an emotionless expression again. It frustrated her to no end. She wanted to know what was going through his brain. She felt as if they were playing cat and mice.

Unfortunately, he was the cat and they were the mice.

"We should get ready for class as well," Tom said casually, as if nothing had happened.

Harry nodded nervously and headed towards the door. Tom stepped aside and gestured for them to enter first. Harry exchanged a glance with Hermione before they muttered their thanks and walked into the Potions classroom.

They made sure they were sitting at desks that were far away from the future Dark Lord.

"What was he talking to Ginny about?" Harry whispered to her.

"How am I supposed to know?" Hermione huffed, throwing him a look. "Just so you know, I'm not a Legilimens."

"I know that," he answered, very much annoyed. "I'm just worried about Ginny. She looked really frightened back there."

"I know, but there's nothing we can do now," she replied helplessly. "I was hoping that we wouldn't catch his attention, but obviously that whole incident at the lake made him curious about us."

Harry groaned.

"This is not good," he said. He buried his face in his hands. "This is not good at all. He seems to have taken a special … interest in Ginny."

"For a lack of a better word." Hermione grimaced.

She took out her Potions equipment and placed it on the table.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Tom speaking quietly with his friends. Draco was also sitting with them. As usual, the blond was avoiding eye contact with Hermione and Harry. Strangely enough, he did not look particularly comfortable with the Slytherins, either.

She noticed Tom saying something to the group of Slytherins while looking towards them.

"I think he's playing with our minds. Whatever he does, don't jump into his trap, Harry."

"I know that much," he answered.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "That's what you say, but we all know your rashness always interferes with what 'you know'," she pointed out.

"I'm a Gryffindor. What do you expect?" he exclaimed with an exaggerated flapping motion of his arms.

Hermione laughed.

Harry leaned back on the chair and massaged his temple. "I'll try my best," he finally promised. "However, if he tries to hurt Ginny..."

"We're in Hogwarts," she cut in firmly. "If anything happens, go to Dumbledore."

Harry reluctantly nodded, silently hoping that nothing would happen throughout the school year.

~-0-~

Hermione was, all in all, surprised to find Tom Riddle in a Muggle Studies class. Perhaps she shouldn't be, since Gareth and Joseph had mentioned that he had even more classes than she did, something which still irked her to no ends. Nonetheless, she would have thought that he hated and knew enough (or so he thought) about Muggles to avoid the class like a plague. Thus, when he sat down in the chair in front of her, her mind went momentarily blank.

He turned around and looked at her after he finished placing his things on the table.

"Seems like we're in many of the same classes," he commented conversationally.

Hermione composed herself before she smiled politely.

"Seems like it," she agreed.

One class too many, she mentally added.

His hand rested casually on the back of his chair, abnormally long fingers curling slightly on the polished wood. It was strange to realize that they looked almost exactly the same now as they would in the future, the only difference being the lack of a spider-like quality.

"You seem to enjoy learning. Always eager to listen to what the professors have to say and always answering questions that are asked in class," Tom observed, studying her facial expressions as he spoke to her.

"The same could be said about you," she replied, searching her brain for something to do so she would not have to face him all by herself.

Even if he was attractive, it was not well-mannered for her to keep staring at him. At least she was pretty sure he was not a Legilimens yet, so she did not need to guard her thoughts every single minute.

Not like you're a wonderful Occlumens anyway, Hermione, she gravely thought to herself.

It was something that had bothered her for a long period of time and something she would never allow Harry to know. She mildly regretted scolding Harry during their fifth year when the young man could not block his mind from Lord Voldemort. It seemed as if there was something standing in between Gryffindors and the art of Occlumency.

"Knowledge is the key to success," Tom commented, drawing her attention back to him. He looked out the window and drummed his fingers on the desk absentmindedly.

She nodded.

Grudgingly, she had to agree with what he said. Not many people understood the importance of knowledge. Harry and Ron always made fun of her when she read books from the library. They just did not know how much one could learn from the experiences of others.

"So, how do you like Hogwarts thus far?" he asked, looking back at her.

She noticed that his eyes were very dark. It was impossible to tell what color they were.

Windows to the soul, indeed.

"I like it very much," she replied, glancing off to the side.

She absently prodded the quill on her table with her forefinger.

I'd like it a whole lot better if I didn't have to worry about you or your cronies deciding to kill me, actually, she thought wryly.

"Hogwarts is quite different from your former school, is it not?" Tom continued to ask.

"Oh yes, very different," she answered, mentally sighing to herself.

"Am I bothering you with too many questions?" he suddenly asked.

She looked up at him, surprised.

"No, it's not like that..."

"I'm terribly sorry. I mean, we rarely get foreign students here at Hogwarts; I just couldn't stop myself from asking questions! My apologies," he quickly said.

The worried expression on his face was so genuine that she almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"No, I was just thinking about the Potions essay that's due on Monday," she explained as she went back to staring at her forefinger prodding the quill. She had to continually remind herself that she was facing a wizard who was extremely talented in manipulating people.

"By your excellent performance in classes, I'm sure that you would do wonderfully on it," he assured her.

"Thanks," she replied, a small smile appearing on her face.

"You don't have to thank me. What I am saying is what I believe to be true," he said.

Hermione blushed slightly.

He sure could be charismatic when he needed to be.

"From what I've heard about you, you're incredibly intelligent," she said, still relishing the fact that the Heir of Slytherin—Lord Voldemort—complimented her.

"Rumors often travel faster than the truths, especially at Hogwarts," he responded modestly. A hint of a smile appeared on his face before he asked offhandedly, "Mr. Evans is courting Miss Weatherby, I assume?"

Hermione's head snapped up. His eyes were hooded so she could not read what his thoughts were. Of course, even if he were to look at her, she would assume that it would be with the same impassive expression.

Tom sodding Riddle better not think about somehow manipulating Ginny again, Hermione thought. She neglected the fact that technically, the diary Horcrux and Ginny had not met one another yet. If that's what he's thinking, then I would have to hurt him on behalf of every single soul he has ever maimed.

Momentarily, she wondered if he was only using compliments as a tactic to gain information from her. She almost felt as if she had been slapped across the face.

"He's her boyfriend," she answered harshly, throwing her quill onto her desk.

"I see," he replied softly. His eyes remained fixed on a spot on her desk, as if he found it particularly entrancing.

"Her fiancé actually," she continued almost angrily, determined to destroy any intentions, good or bad, he had towards the girl. "They are very much in love. Although it did take Harry a good number of years to find out that he liked Ginny, they were meant to be. It's destined. I mean, Ginny basically fancied Harry since she first saw him at King's Cro-"

She cut herself off abruptly, eyes widening in alarm. What was she doing? Merlin …

Tom looked straight at her. Although he maintained a polite façade, there was a victorious glint in his eyes.

"King's Cross?" he asked.

She could almost hear the smirk that he was hiding behind that disgustingly innocent smile.

Maybe she should take a leaf out of Dumbledore's book and have someone blast her off the Astronomy Tower right now. Hermione swore she could hear every single brain cell blasting apart as she thought of a way to cover up her stupid mistake.

"Yes … Different magical schools sent him acceptance letters and Harry wanted to see all of them before he chose one," she answered slowly. She prayed that Tom would believe that story she conjured out of nowhere.

"How interesting," he remarked casually, shattering any hope Hermione had. He turned around and faced the front as the professor walked into the classroom.

Hermione suddenly had the urge to stab the back of his head with her quill. Actually, forget the quill; stabbing done with her wand might inflict more damage on him.

The scheming freak!

~-0-~

A/N: Many thanks to my betas, Lildaani, Noybate, Hajnalmadar, and matterhorn, and my wonderful reviewers
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Somewhere in Time