Anamoran

Chapter 6: The First Attempt

A/N: Thanks to the following folks for their assistance in helping this story along: brownlark42, ladyofsilverdawn, SassenachStarbuck, and MrsBennettFrazier. I decided to just post the rest of the story since I was getting a few reviews that bummed me out. So here you go!

Sandra-Sempra made amazing cover art for this story. See it on my Tumblr crochetawayhpff. And let me know what you think of this chapter!

September 27, 1944

Hermione still wasn't sure what she thought about Tom Riddle. Ever since that day in the library, the one where he caught her reading from the Royal Society of London journal, from 1985 no less, he'd been different. Tom had been kinder to her. He wasn't tutoring her, by any means, but she did allow Armando to think it. Armando insisted on meeting with her once or twice a week for tea, when Hermione's schedule would allow. She was taking as many classes as a NEWT student could, so her free time was limited to weekends and evenings.

She had her suspicions that Armando was trying to play some sort of matchmaker between her and Tom. Just the thought of it made her shudder in revulsion. Tom may be ridiculously good looking with his dark hair that fell in soft waves over his deep blue eyes and the dimple you only saw when he was truly smiling, but he still creeped Hermione out. He would stare at her with such intensity sometimes that she felt like some sort of science experiment.

Since the day she had told him she was from the future, he hadn't bothered her about it. She had expected him to grill her relentlessly, but he had backed off. She didn't even feel him try to use Legilimency on her. Which was shocking, she knew he was quite skilled; Armando bragged of Tom's skill any moment he could, as a way to brag about his own teaching. Armando wasn't nearly as humble as Professor Dumbledore, but Hermione couldn't help but like him anyway. He had saved her for the time being and for that alone she was thankful. Although, she was having trouble living in the Slytherin dorms and resented the fact that she had to live there when she could be ensconced in her lovely tower attached to the Headmaster's quarters.

Sighing, Hermione rolled out of bed. Most of the girls she shared with appreciated a lie in, and thus showered in the evenings before bed. The same time Hermione had also wished to shower. But her status as a half-blood made that distinctly uncomfortable. The first time she'd attempted it, her roommates had looked shocked. The second time, they all walked out of the bathroom entirely. Hermione got the hint. She gathered her things and headed toward the bathroom they shared with the sixth year girls. Thankfully the sixth years also preferred their beauty rest to getting up early.

The early mornings did provide Hermione with one small comfort: an empty common room. Her roommates, in general, ignored her. It hurt a bit, that girls were the same in 1944 as they were in 1998, so she was familiar with it. Perhaps that's why she had allowed herself to get as close to Tom as she had? She was lonely. She didn't have anyone besides Armando to talk to of the future and what her life had been like. Armando was kind and Hermione would be forever indebted to him, but he was much more the kindly uncle, than the comforting shoulder to cry on, or even the peer to commiserate with.

It didn't matter. Hermione just had to get through this year, then she could leave and do whatever she wanted. Maybe she'd move to the continent. Or to the States. Or maybe even to Asia or Australia. Nobody knew her in this time, her options were only limited by her imagination. It made for a pretty dream as Hermione hurried through her shower.

It was Wednesday which meant double Charms, lunch, then double Potions. A very long day indeed. Hopefully, she could get a little side-reading done this morning in the empty common room. She hurried to dress and dried her hair, using the handy charm Lavender had finally broken down and taught her in fifth year. It left Hermione's hair much less bushy. It would still frizz, especially in wet weather or when she was agitated, but it looked nothing so bad as it had her first few years at Hogwarts.