Potterwho:- Hermione Granger and the man with the blue box

Chapter Two

Walking into the Tardis blew her breath away. It was like her tent - smaller on the outside and bigger on the inside. The Doctor stood in the middle where there was a huge console with various buttons and what-nots as he watched her look of amazement.

"It's just like magic," she commented as he pulled a lever down and laughed.

"Time Lord science is not so much different from your magic," he said as she looked at him.

"What is a Time Lord?"

"We're a species from the Planet Gallifrey," he said as she watched a sudden flicker of sadness cross his eyes, "I'm the last one left after the Time War."

"I'm sorry," she said, "I know what it feels like to lose everyone you love."

"There was nothing I can do about my people," he said, "But I'll make sure the Earth is not lost."

She smiled as he twisted the knobs on the console and turned a lever, twisted another knob and punched a few buttons as the whirring sound starts again. Hermione held on to the railing around them as the Tardis shook and smoked.

"Is it okay?" she asked over the noise, as the Doctor pulled at a lever with one leg over the console, "Is it supposed to smoke?"

"Yes, she's okay - just a little dramatic," he cried out just as the sound stopped and they fell to the ground. Coughing and spluttering, Hermione sat up as the Doctor held out his hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Sorry about that," he said, grimacing, "Rough landing."

"That's not so bad," Hermione said, dusting off her clothes, "considering splinching while apparating."

"Shall we?" the doctor said as he led her to the door and out into a small village road.

"Where are we?" Hermione said as the Doctor pointed to a huge mansion just down the road.

"That is the orphanage where Tom Riddle used to live at," he said as she looked at him, "I did some research on him when he rose to power. Your headmaster, Albus Dumbledore should be arriving any time soon."

Just as he said that, an old man Apparated in front of the wrought iron gates - a younger looking Dumbledore, with beard not reaching his waist yet.

"Professor," Hermione whispered lightly, overcome with sudden emotions. He died in her sixth year, killed by Professor Snape who took him out of his misery of the poison from a Horcrux seeping through him, "What should I do now?"

"You could tell him about Tom," the Doctor said, "Don't let the boy leave the orphanage and learn about magic."

She looked at the Doctor as he looked dead in her eyes.

"Or you could kill him now," he said and for a moment there, she thought he was joking. His eyes spoke otherwise.

"I can't possibly murder a boy, can I?"

"He will bring terror to the rest of the world and you're having second thoughts?"

"I can't kill an innocent boy!" Hermione cried out, "He isn't Voldemort yet!"

"But he will be!"

"How can you say this?" she asked him, "How can you ask of me to kill someone?"

"Don't you want your friends back?" he asked her. She turned to the orphanage to see

Professor Dumbledore leaving with a small boy trailing behind him. She can't do it. He's just a child, how can she kill him now?

"There is another way," she whispered as the gears in her brains whirred to life, "Take me back to the night when Voldemort tried to kill Harry as a baby, the night he lost his power. I will kill him before he kills Harry's parents."

The doctor nodded his head, "There is one thing though."

"What's that?"

"Once the course of history changes, you will cease to exist," he said as her breath got stuck in her throat, "The war would never have happened and this night would not have happened. You will never remember this."

"That's okay with me," Hermione said, tearing up, "I don't want to live a life like this. I don't want to go on with a life without Ron or Harry or even any of those other people I've lost in the war."

"Harry might be a totally different person from the person you've known because he would've had a different life," he said, "Are you willing to trade that for this?"

"It is a price I'm willing to pay just so he lives," she answered him, "There is a reason your Tardis came to me out of everyone who should be praying at this time. It is a chance for me to change history and to create a new one. If I have to lead a different life because of my decision, I will live with it, because an alternate life is so much better than this."

"Well, it's done then," the Doctor said, "Come with me."