The Charm of a Riddle (tomione)

Chapter Fourteen-Lives Saved, Changed and remained

"Harry." She exhaled in a ghostly whisper. She was so nervous about this moment that the pit of her stomach churned terribly. "It's not what you think." She spoke quickly.

Her two friends stared at her with confusion. " You were just there!" Ron pointed. "And now you are there. Hermione, if it's not what I think, I'm pretty sure you apparated. Am I wrong?"

"Yeah 'mione, how did you apparate on school grounds?" Harry asked.

She was not even in the slightest bemused. She came back with Tom Marvolo Riddle, and all they were concerned about was you can't apparate on the grounds!?

"Do you guys recognize this person?!" She gestured to Tom.

"No? But I'm sure I've seen him around somewhere. Let me guess a Ravenclaw?" Ron asked with a grin.

"Sorry Hermione, can't say I do." Harry also chimed.

Tom glanced over to Granger, who looked like a shocked monkey when somebody said they don't like bananas. Her mouth hung ajar, and she began to stutter. Seeing as she was going into shock he held out his hand.

"Tom Riddle." he said shaking both their hands.

"Nice to meet you."

"Wait are you in any relation to Professor Riddle?" Ron asked.

"What?!" Hermione exclaimed , apparently snapping out of her shock. "Who is professor Riddle?"

"Are you ok Hermione? He has been our potions teacher since 1st year." Ron said.

"Hey Draco!" Harry shouted to a passing group of students. In result the blonde boy jogged over to the four of them. Great, the last thing Hermione needed to deal with was the ferret.

"Hi, what's the matter?" He asked.

"Get a load of this. Hermione here doesn't remember who professor Riddle is." Ron said. Why was this so funny?

"Hermione...are you ok?" Malfoy asked.

Hermione stared dumbfounded at him. Did he just call her Hermione?  "No." She whispered, shaking her head.

She was not alright.  She looked towards Harry, staring at her best friend for years.  Something was different.  Something wasn't the same. She met his gaze, and there was no longer the history she shared with the infamous Harry Potter.  She searched for her friend, panicking at this point. It was as her eyes brushed his forehead she died inside.

There was no lightning bolt. There was no scar.

It felt as though time had stopped.  There was a hum in her ear, she expected was similar to deafening silence. She couldn't process anything.  On an instinct to run from this twisted future, her feet began to carry her down the corridor.  She ignored the voices of concern behind her.  Her home, her life....it was gone....out of reach. Only accessible in her memory.  And she just couldn't admit it. 

She was in a hysteria, breathing heavily, and just running, faster and faster and faster.  She stepped outside, the sun blinding her, even though she was already blind from confusion.  Every movement felt prolonged, every breathe of air she felt flood her. 

Running faster....faster, the world around her a blur.

'You are Hermione Granger....
The smartest witch of your age.
A muggleborn....
Your best friends are Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter....
You went back in time...
You met Tom Riddle...
You returned with Tom Riddle....
Everything has changed...