Through Her Eyes

Chapter 3: The Mauraders

Hermione remembered the ornate doors leading into the Great Hall. Carved with the animals of the four houses, a lion sat regally top right, while a snake slithered and hissed top left. A mighty eagle swooped from under it, and a badger batted playfully at the lions paws. These were the same doors that protected the Great Hall when the Death Eaters first attacked Hogwarts, and Hermione felt sad that they had been shattered with several Bombarda spells during the raid.
But standing outside them now, in fresh school robes and hearing the loud buzz from inside, Hermione's heart swelled. So many people died in the Great Hall that day. Fred, Lupin, Colin, and so many more. There were so many nameless faces, flickering across the back of her mind like roll of film. Hermione barely realized she had stopped walking till someone tugged on her hand,

"Do not cry, Lady Hermione," Quitz said happily, drawing Hermione's attentions again, "you's will be with friends soon, and I will serve you. Come, come,"

Hermione cleared her throat, nodded, brushed away the remnants of her tears and stuck her chin in the air,

'For Merlin's sake, Hermione, get a grip!' she thought, unable to keep her heart from stuttering as she approached the Great Hall doors one step at a time, 'if you're going to find a way back to 1998, you need to keep your head. You're a Gryffindor in your own time, Granger. Act like it!'

Glancing up from her personal pep talk, Quitz released Hermione's hand and opened a spindly palm, opening the doors with a push of invisible magic. Soon, the chatter of the other students cleared up and Hermione entered. The four long tables were packed with students, house banners hanging above each one. They looked the exact same as they did in her own time, if not a bit fuller. Blinking from her memories and wincing slightly, Hermione instinctively glanced at the Gryffindor table, frowning as her heart ached for Harry, Ron, Ginny and the others. But as Quitz pulled at her sleeve, she turned on a heel and strode as confidently as possible towards the Slytherin table.
The head of long, platinum blonde hair was the first thing she recognized. Lucius Malfoy looked similar to his his son, if not a tad more straight lipped and masculine. His high cheekbones were accentuated by shadows, as his dark marble eyes flicked between other people at the table, and then flicked up to her. His face didn't show anything new, but his hand moved to slap the boy sitting beside him on the bench. This boy was very pale, probably having the same skin tone as Hermione did. His tired eyes looked at Lucius irritably, before the blonde made a movement with a square hand,

'Just act natural. Channel your inner Slytherin,'

"Did you not save a spot for me?"

The words were clipped short, and Hermione was startled at how naturally they came. Normally, she would sound much lighter and kinder. This place was surely getting to her. Everyone at the Slytherin table turned, eyes on her as Hermione felt Quitz clutch the back of her robes nervously. Sneering and folding her arms, Hermione huffed girlishly,
"Well?"

There was a moment of silence before the entire table shifted and a spot appeared directly across from Regulus. Taking her seat gracefully, Hermione let her eyes scan around cautiously. She was sitting next to a beautiful blonde with sharp features. There was a tug of familiarity in her gut, but Hermione couldn't seem to find a name,

"You are...feeling better then, Hermione?"

She glanced up, forcing an expression of neutrality onto her face as Lucius stared at her from across the piles of food. His tone wasn't friendly, nor was it commanding. Yet Hermione still had to force herself from shivering. After all, it was his home where she had been branded and tortured several months ago,

"Yes, I am well now. Three months is a long time to be bed ridden,"

"You certainly look it," Regulus stated snidely, causing Hermione to growl at him. What was the matter with her? Certainly wearing green didn't turn her into a heartless Slytherin?