The dream ended too soon.

"Wake up you lazy troll! You're gonna miss breakfast!"

I shot out of bed like a recently released bludger to find Jade standing with her hands on her hips, this sadistic Shalini like look on her face. "You're unbelievable. Didn't anyone tell you what time to get up?" She snapped.

It was then that I realised it was Shalini. Just behind her Jade was standing over by the door looking smaller than usual.

I turned over, trying to hide my disappointment. I was in the past, not the present. Without being obvious, I checked the Time Turner. 7:20am. Great. A day with Shalini and Tom Riddle in it was equivalent to a day ruined.

"You're lucky we even waited." Shalini was saying, taking a small hand mirror and applying an ointment to her eyelashes labelled witches choice! eyelash lengthening serum. "If it wasn't for Tom's insistence I would've already been in the Great Hall eating by now."

"Wait a minute... Tom Riddle asked you two to wait for me?"

"Only one of us, idiot." Shalini spoke like she was talking to a dim witted giant. "For some reason Jade decided to wait as well, although I have no idea why."

"Why would he ask you that?" I pressed, ignoring her entirely.

Jade gave me a look which said all too clearly don't go there.

"Oh I don't know." Shalini threw up her hands dramatically. "He's your boyfriend isn't he? Why don't you ask him?"

I got dressed in silence, the twins had stepped out of the room to give me privacy, thank god. I was thinking back to yesterday, and the horror of it all hit me like a kilo of Hagrids rock cakes.

Tom Riddle was probably one of the most puzzling and upsetting people I'd ever met. He seemed to.... delight in causing discord amongst everyone around him. Never in my entire life had I volunteered to be in the company of such people. Well, until now.

It was weird remembering I was in the past. Every time the thought crossed my mind I felt a surge of homesickness that made me want to throw up. How long would I have to be stuck here? When could I go back to the present?

I looked out the window, it was hard to believe that this beautiful day was about to be ruined by Voldemort.

I threw my hair into a messy braid and followed the twins down and out of the common room, looking here and there for any sign of Tom but he wasn't in the Common Room. Perhaps he was already having breakfast. Or then again he could probably also be waiting outside his first class reading a book. It was hard to believe a demon such as Tom even ate breakfast. Didn't he just feed of fear and despair?

We walked into the Great Hall, making our way over to the Slytherin table. The enchanted ceiling was a beautiful, radiant blue. I looked longingly over at the Gryffindor table where everyone was chatting animatedly. People there seemed a lot friendlier compared to this dismal crowd.

I sat down heavily. Almost every Slytherin shrivelled around to look at me giving me the sudden impression I was surrounded by multiple Mad Eye Moody's.

"Finally. I thought you all weren't going to make it." A pale faced Slytherin boy said by way of greeting.

"Oh, Mulciber." Shalini plonked herself down, positively glowering at the boy sitting directly opposite her. "It wasn't our fault. After all, it doesn't help when you've got a new girl who doesn't even know what time to wake up."

Mulciber. One of Voldemorts earliest supporters.

I swallowed uncomfortably, suddenly not knowing what to do with my hands. I grabbed a random bowl and began dishing myself breakfast.

I couldn't keep my mind off Tom Riddle. Where was he?

I looked up and down the table - nothing. I scanned the Great Hall. I could see hundreds of students, but the tall dark Tom Riddle was no where to be seen.

Maybe he's away plotting something I shivered. God he better not be. I felt more comfortable when I could see him.

"Trying to find your boyfriend?" Shalini guessed, stabbing a piece of pancake hard enough to shake the table. "He's over there with the old Slug."

I looked behind me, Shalini was right. Tom was only behind me a short distance away speaking to Professor Slughorn. Where the hell did he come from? I noticed they were each holding what appeared to be a timetable.

What was he going over his classes for?

To any other person, the sight would've looked perfectly normal, a student going over a timetable with his Head of House. But this was Tom Riddle. In almost everything he did, there was some underlying dark motive. I pondered what he could be asking Slughorn, but my mind seemed to be moving too slowly to get to a logical solution.

I kept my cool, quietly eating my breakfast and answering the occasional questions the Slytherins fired at me about who I was, where I came from. So everyone knew I was related to Dumbledore which made me feel worse because Dumbledore was teaching at Hogwarts and was just over at the staff table.

Surely I would have to go and explain to him that I was from the past before the Slytherins all started asking questions. I frowned, thinking it over. I would have to go to his office soon and explain. He was smart, and out of all of the Hogwarts staff would be able to accept my situation without alerting the school, or worse, the Ministry.

Just thinking about how Dumbledore being in former day Hogwarts with me was making me feel better. I looked over and saw him speaking avidly with the other teachers. His long beard and hair was auburn but nothing else had changed. I watched as he raised his goblet. It was nice to see his hand wasn't looking blackened and withered.

A little over to the right and there was Tom. He was still speaking to Slughorn, who appeared to be in agreement with him over something. What?

"Hermione, are you ok?" Jade was staring at me. "Me? I'm fine." I lied. "Just admiring the room."

I looked back at Tom - and found him already staring at me. A chill ran down my spine and I started wolfing down my breakfast at the speed of light. It wasn't long ago that he had physically thrown me off my own bed and had his hand around my throat. It was like every time I closed my eyes I would see his tall imposing figure. I needed to formulate a plan because I was way out of my depths right now.

No one was speaking at the table at all. I was surprised, even Shalini didn't have much to say. I noticed her eyes flash up to me every few seconds. It didn't bother me at first but shortly after I noticed more people on the table beginning to stare as well and it was starting to unnerve me.

Pretending to be at ease had never been so hard before. I refilled my now empty plate with bacon, eggs and hash browns. There was literally so much on my plate it would've impressed Ron.

"I heard that Merrythought might be retiring sometime." Jade said. "I don't know if it's true though. Personally, I hope Dumbledore takes her place. I don't know why he even teaches Transfiguration, to be honest. If he taught Defence Against the Dark Arts I might actually learn something."

Mulciber scoffed. "Merrythought won't retire, she's been teaching for over a decade. I'll bet she'll die here too and ask to keep teaching like Binns did."

"I'll drop Defence Against the Dark Arts if that muggle worshipper Dunderbore teaches us." Shalini cut in. "But then again, it's never really been Hogwarts custom to hire those of Pure Blood has it?"

I grabbed my goblet of Pumpkin juice, wishing all the while I could just hex Shalini and go back home to the present day, find my parents in Australia, reverse the Imperious Curse and live a normal Riddle free existence.

"What about you, Hermione?" Mulciber asked me. "Who would you rather teach Defence Against The Dark Arts? Merrythought or that old goon Dumbledore?"

My hand clenched around my goblet as I took another deep sip. Rage had finally reared its head, and I don't think I could control myself anymore.

I was focusing so hard not to hex Shalini I didn't hear anyone approach me from behind.

"How precious." A cold voice said. "Our sleeping beauty is finally awake."

An equally icy hand landed on my shoulder so unexpectedly half my pumpkin juice went down the wrong way. Coughing and spluttering I slammed the goblet down on the table.

"What the hell Tom." I spluttered. Standing impossibly tall and with amusement plastered all of his stupid, handsome face, was Tom.

Expressionlessly he took a seat beside me. Everyone on the table seemed to be avoiding looking at me now I was beside him, their eyes downcast and eating their breakfast determinedly. Shalini looked like she was trying not to laugh. Even though she was a bitch I didn't blame her, I looked like a dumbass with so much pumpkin juice dripping down my robes. I really had to clean myself off before classes.

"Did you have to do that?" I demanded, Tom's jaw clenched. "You nearly made me choke and die." Ok maybe that end part was exaggerated a little but still. Tom looked at me. He looked terrifying when he was annoyed, I shut up instantly.

"Slug is having one of his celebrity gatherings today." Tom addressed the table. Now that Tom had addressed them, everyone snapped to attention. "Black, Mulciber, I expect you to meet me back in the Common Room after your joint detention. There are things we have to discuss."

The pale boy Mulciber nodded once. Shalini, who was playing with her food moodily, looked up at Tom in evident surprise.

"What will we be discussing?"

Her tone was different to the lofty im-better-than-you tone she spoke with to the rest of us, it barely even sounded like her in its respectful admiration.

"That is between us."

Tom didn't stay in the Great Hall for long after that. Neither of us did. First period was Herbology with the Gryffindors which I was excited about. The saddest part of my class was that I had to be a Slytherin, and get nasty looks from the Gryffindors every time I answered a question right.

Only Tom and myself always had the answers to each question asked. Tom wasn't always the type to answer every question, I noticed he would be attentive, and then lapse back into his usual silent demeanour.

"What," The former day Herbology professor Beery asked, "Would be the best method to extract the green pods from the Snargaluff?"

Silence.

My hand shot into the air. Tom shot me a sharp look, whereas the Gryffindors and Shalini glared at me with looks of utmost loathing.

"Miss...?"

"Granger, Sir. The best method to extract the pod from the Snargaluff would be to immobilise the thorn covered vines that act as the plants defence mechanism."

"That is correct," Professor Beery nodded, "5 points to Slytherin."

My face fell, so did the faces of the Gryffindors all on the other side of the Greenhouse. Damn it, why did I have to earn this stupid House points?! Maybe Snape was right. I couldn't control myself from being a know-it-all.

Only me, Shalini and the Gryffindors were put out by this. Overall, the Slytherins appeared pleased. The only indication Tom showed of being impressed was to smile slightly.

The lesson went surprisingly fast. The 6th grade Herbology theory was easy. It made me feel at ease working in a classroom and to have something enjoyable to do. Tom wasn't interactive with any of us, preferring to work alone, and Shalini and Mulciber were beside him but they never exchanged even a sentence between each other. Overall it was depressing. I was happy when the class ended. Shalini, Mulciber and the rest of the Slytherins made their way out of the Greenhouse followed at once by the Gryffindors. Only Tom and I were left behind, still taking notes in our books.

"Hermione, Tom, if you would." Professor Beery beckoned us over just as we were about to walk out.

"...If you wouldn't mind I would like a hand extracting the pod from this Snargaluff here. I thought I'd ask you two considering you were the brightest students in the class...."

"Certainly. Ladies first." Tom gestured me first with mock politeness. I stepped closer. At the front of the Greenhouse the Snargaluff plant could be seen, its bramble like branches suddenly coming to life as all three of us drew nearer.

"I knew I could rely on you both, brilliantly minded as you are... It just so happened I injured my hand sustaining a horribly painful bite from a Venomous Tentacular while in France."

"That's impossible." Said Tom. "The bite of the Venomous Tentacular is fatal. If you did get a bite you wouldn't be standing here in front of us now."

"Indeed, you are right to an extent." Beery explained. "But you see Tom I acted within time and was able to restrict the spread of poison by applying the healing herb and restorative, Dittany. I had a vial of it, you see. Thought I'd take it with me on my travels, and just as well I did, and not a Bezoar, because if I had taken the latter I would not be here today. It's far too slow. For internal injuries it works beautifully. But as for flesh wounds...." He held up his hand which was wrapped in bandages, "Dittany. You two remember that. Saved my life, it did."

I thought back to Ron being splinched and lying bleeding on the grounds of the Forest of Dean.

"I'll keep it in mind." I said tightly.

About 15 minutes passed and Tom and I had succeeded in wrangle the Snargaluff plant into submission within record time, earning between ourselves 25 points to Slytherin, the 5 extra points being for me after I juiced the green pod correctly.

We left the Greenhouse and marched back into the Great Hall. It was starting to rain heavily outside, I wanted to be curled up in bed but I knew that was impossible.

Apparently our next class was Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Well.... look who's here." Tom said lowly to me.

I looked. There was no mistaking that tall figure striding toward us and those characteristic half moon spectacles.

It was Albus Dumbledore.