The Tale of Dark Hermione

Year 2 - Polyjuice Planning and Diary

Christmas break was around the corner, in two days, and Hermione was staying yet again at Hogwarts for Christmas.  She almost decided to actually go home this year because once she read the list on who's staying Malfoy and his goons were on it.  Malfoys' recent cruel behavior to her was bothersome, after all, he was one of the calmer ones last year with her.  Before she decided to just go home she noticed that she would be the only girl this year that stayed, so a whole common room to herself.  Dealing with Malfoy and his goons are nothing compared to the other girls in her dorm, so avoiding Malfoy will be a breeze. 

She was on a high about being the only girl in the dorms while walking down the hall when two figures appeared next to her.  She sighed, "Potter? Weasley? What do you want?"

"We need your help," Ron stated looking displeased with that statement.

"You need my help now? Why should I help you or Potter when on your agenda is to avoid me?" Hermione glared at Potter.

Harry looked down ashamed knowing that for the past few weeks he's been avoiding her ever since the dueling club.  The whole school seemed to turn it's back on the two boys.  Claiming Potter to be the Heir of Slytherin and after being found again by the petrified bodies of Justin and Nearly-headless Nick AND being sent to Dumbledore's office...really didn't help his case.

"Sorry...I thought that you would want to avoid being around him since apparently, I'm the Heir of Slytherin...why would a muggleborn Slytherin go around me..." 

"Potter, only a fool would think you as the heir of Slytherin...do you take me as a fool?"

Both Weasley and Harry shook their heads.  "Good, now what do you want or need?"

"Polyjucie potion!" Ron yelled in the empty hallway.  Hermione froze and thought, 'Why on earth would they need that?' 

"Sorry, let me explain," Harry continued from Ron's statement.  "We think that Malfoy is the heir or know who is it.  So, we pretend to be Crabbe and Goyle and get information from him."

"I highly doubt anything will come on this, but I'll help."

"So, you'll make the potion?" Weasley said hopefully.

"Why on earth would I do that?  It takes a month to brew that potion when I'm almost certain that Snape would have some stocked in the potions closet.  Just steal it from him."

Harry's and Ron's eyes got huge, "Steal from Snape! Are You Mad!"

"You guys are idiots.  I'll get the potion for you and you can do the rest.  My piece is done, just cause a distraction at the dinner tomorrow night and I'll get it.  Got it?"

Harry and Ron nodded.  "Now off you go you two start you're planning for whatever destruction you need to plan for tomorrow. Question, before you two go.  How did you know to use Polyjuice?"

Ron and Harry looked down, "The library..." the mumbled and Hermione let a smirk fill her face and walked off.

The rest of the day went smoothly and Hermione was again in the library finding ways to get pass Snape's wards around the potions closet when someone came stumbling in looking for someone. Ginny Weasley.

Ginny looked around the room and focused on Hermione and walked up to her.

"She-Weasley, I haven't seen you in three weeks?"

"Sorry Hermione, I've been busy..."  The two girls stuck up a friendship ever since the train ride and sometime she would join Hermione in the library sometimes with Luna, too.

"It's good to see you..." Hermione said softly putting her book down.  Ginny was looking paler than usual and tired.

"It's Winter Break soon, are you going home?" Ginny questioned sitting down next to her.

"No...you?" Ginny shock her head.

"Ginny, what's bothering you.  You've been acting strange recently and more antisocial."

Ginny looked down nervously.

"You have to PROMISE not to tell anyone."

Hermione hesitated, but nodded in agreement.  Ginny sighed in relief.

"It's-it's this thing.  I've had it for a while and-and I just CAN'T take it home.  It's like it's taking over my life.  I have missing days in my memory. I'm tired all the time.  I can't concentrate in class. I feel off all the time now...I-I don't know what to do.  And I CAN'T just can't bring it home."

"Ginny...what is it?"

Ginny reached into her bag and pulled out a small book.  "Can you please watch over it until I get back?"

"Of course I will."

"And-and just be careful with it."

Hermione nodded tightly and slowly took it from her.  Ginny sighed in relief once it was of her hands.

"Don't worry Ginny, I'll take care of it for you. And I'll be careful."

Hermione quickly put it in her bag without looking at it.  'Later,' she thought as Ginny happily chatted with her.

Later that night while sitting on her desk next to her bed she kept glancing at her bag.  No one was in there so soon she grabbed her bag taking it out.  The pages where blank....'a diary?'.

She closed it and read the bottom of the diary.  "Tom M. Riddle," she mumbled.

Her mind started racing she now knew where she knew that name from.  He was a decendent from Slytherin himself. 

'Why did Mr. Malfoy leave this with Ginny and what is it doing to her?' Think back to how she looked and acted before handing off the book.

'It's a diary Ginny must have wrote in it.' Opening up the pages knowing the risk she wrote.

Hello

It quickly replied to her.

Hello, you're not Ginny Weasley.

No, I'm not.  She handing this off to me for reasons that I believe you know.

Maybe I do or don't.  I sure hope she's all right.  (Tom)

Sure you do.  It's not like you're a descendent from Slytherin himself, Tom Riddle.

You're words are harsh and calculating. You're a Slytherin.

Yes.  A Mudblood Slytherin, Hermione Granger.

A mudblood in house Slytherin, it's not possible.

Sorry sir.  Goodbye.

Hermione quickly shit the book.  She could feel whatever was inside the diary. It was dark and if you weren't looking for some darkness you wouldn't have noticed it until you were consumed by the darkness.

She took the book and threw it in her truck shutting it tightly. 

'I need to find more information on this before investigating futher.'  She quickly threw herself on the bed prepared to sleep and get ready for tomorrow.