Hermione's Riddle

Abraxas Malfoy

Hermione awoke in the large room that Kathleen had shown her to the night before. The other rooms were filled so the castle had magicked her a large single bedroom. She was secretly glad to not have roommates that way she could relax and just be herself in her own little sanctuary.

She pulled the covers off of her and went into the bathroom. When she came out, her school robes and schedule were sitting on her trunk.

Hermione grabbed the Time-Turner off the nightstand and looked at it. Only one grain of sand had fallen. She had the feeling that she would be in this time for a while.

With a sigh, Hermione put the precious necklace into her purse. Minimizing the small bag, she put it into the pocket in her robes, there was no telling when she might need something from it or need to go on the run.

With a heavy heart she left for the Great Hall for breakfast.

The Great Hall was filled with some students but not as many as she would have liked. She spotted Kathleen sitting at the Gryffindor table. Likewise, a moody looking Riddle sat at the Slytherin table surrounded by admiring students.

Riddle looked up at that moment to be met with her puzzled, distasteful stare. She humphed before turning her attention to a now waving Kathleen.

"How are you liking it at Hogwarts so far? It's so hip that you have a room to yourself! It must be hip to be related to the headmaster!"

"Take a breather, you're rambling," giggled Hermione.

At her words, Kathleen appeared sheepish. "Sorry, I got carried away," she said.

"It's fine."

Hermione gathered some food onto her platter, she really missed the food from Hogwarts.

"Heya Kathleen. New girl."

Hermione looked up and came face to face with a Slytherin, and not just any Slytherin. This one just had to be a Malfoy, she'd bet on it. He had long white wavy hair that hung to his shoulders, pale icy skin, and grey eyes. He was a dead ringer for Lucious Malfoy.

"Hello Abraxas," smiled Kathleen. Hermione looked toward the girl dumbfounded. The Gryffindor seemed smitten with this Slytherin.

"I'm Abraxas Malfoy." Abraxas stuck his hand out for Hermione to shake, interrupting her from her thoughts.

"Hermione Norris." Abraxas's hand was warm and gentle in hers. He seemed so different from the Malfoys from her time. To shock her even more, Abraxas sat down beside her.

"What's your schedule like?"

"I have Potions, Runes, a free period, Def-what?" Asked Hermione when Abraxas and Kathleen's jaws dropped.

"You have your schedule memorized?"

"You seem like someone who's really smart. I bet you'll be the top in our class in no time," said Kathleen with a smile.

"Yeah, based on your curriculum, I should be at the seventh-year level," said Hermione, she just hoped that their curriculum was the same, or close to the same, as in her time.

"Think you're good enough to knock Riddle down from his pedestal?" Abraxas rubbed his hands together in excitement at her nod.

"Do you not like Riddle, though you're both in the same house?" asked Hermione.

"He's too fake," said Abraxas and Kathleen at the same time.

Hermione doubled over in laughter. "I thought-I was-the only-one!"

"Told you she was smart," crooned Abraxas. "Bet she even knows how to tell when he's angry."

"It's only her first day. I doubt she has made Riddle furious in one day," huffed Kathleen. "And, I told you she was smart."

"His eyes turn blue."

"I like her," said Abraxas.

It turned out that she would be having potions and Defense against the Dark Arts with Kathleen and Abraxas. When the three of them finished eating, they grabbed their things and made their way to Potions.

Much to her dismay, though she should have seen it coming, Slughorn was their Potions professor. To make matters worse, they were brewing Draught of Living Death, the one potion that she could not brew.

"Ah, Miss Norris, glad to have you join us at Hogwarts. It is a lovely school," said Slughorn before he turned to the board. "On the board is the potion we'll be brewing today which is Draught of Living Death. The student who brews the correct potion, which I may add that no one has thus far, will receive a bottle of liquid luck. This potion will be done alone, no pairs-except for Miss Norris. If she so chooses, she may be paired with Riddl-."

"I think I can handle the potion fine on my own," interrupted Hermione. She really did not want to have to rely on the young dark lord, not if she had any say in it.

She pulled out her potions book and started brewing the potion. She started to cut the Sopophorous bean then remembered that distasteful book of Snape's that Harry had used in their sixth year. Those instructions said to crush the bean, not cut.

Hermione decided to crush the bean instead of cutting to upstage Riddle and to prove to Slughorn that she could do this without help. After she added the bean, she proceeded in following the steps. Before long, she was finished while everyone else was still trying to figure out how to cut the Sopophorous bean.

"Ah, are you finished Miss Norris?" Asked Slughorn.

"Yes, sir," her smile was one of pride. She caught Riddle glaring at her. She stuck her tongue out at him when Slughorn wasn't looking, causing Riddle's jaw to clench.

"This is perfect, my dear! Well done, indeed," crooned Slughorn. Hermione winced internally for taking away Snape's glory since he was supposedly the first student to brew the potion correctly.

Slughorn clapped her on the shoulder and handed her the small bottle of liquid luck. She caught Riddle sending her daggers while Abraxas and Kathleen were smiling broadly.

. . . . .

After Defense Against the Dark Arts was lunch. Hermione sat down beside Kathleen and wasn't at all surprised when Abraxas joined them.

"Don't you ever sit at your own table?" Teased Hermione.

Abraxas brought his hand to his heart and fell off the bench, pretending to be injured. "You wound me, Hermione, wound me."

Hermione and Kathleen started laughing but suddenly stopped when Riddle entered. He stared daggers in their direction, not even bothering to hide his distaste.

Abraxas began to laugh. "That was priceless. I wonder when the young prodigy will no longer be angry with being upstaged."

"When hell freezes over or he dies," said Hermione matter-of-factly.

"I can see it," said Abraxas and Kathleen nodded in agreement. "But to answer your question, sitting with the other Slytherins is rather boring, besides, if I sat with them then I could no longer sit by the beautiful Kathleen." His words had Kathleen turning a deep scarlet.

"Are you two dating?"

Kathleen shook her head. "Courting. Abraxas has been courting me since first year."

"Why haven't you said yes?"

Kathleen turned sheepish. "I like the things he does when he's courting me."

Abraxas grinned from ear to ear. "Glad to hear it. I'll have to find a way to keep things interesting, maybe then she'll marry me instead of just agreeing to be my girlfriend." He winked at Kathleen, making her turn an even brighter shade of red, so much so that you couldn't tell where forehead ended and hair began.