Through The Night

Through The Night by Deirdre Blair

CHAPTER ONE ~1944~

10 September, 1944

One more year, including this one, until I can leave Hogwarts and begin my reign as Lord Voldemort. Only one more year...the anticipation is more than I can bear. My neglectful "father" will pay for leaving my mother like that and forcing me to live at that insufferable Muggle orphanage. He'll be one of the first to feel my wrath. Already, I have begun to collect followers, and I shall call them my "Death Eaters". They'll sweep the world like a tidal wave, consuming all Muggles and people who will not follow me with death.

-Tom Riddle

~*~

10 September, 1996

Hermione watched with utter boredom as Harry and Ron and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team practised in the Quidditch field. They had made her promise to watch all of these session, probably wanting the ego boost of an audience, but likely also valueing her opinion as a friend. She had been doing this ever since she could remember and truthfully, it wasn't as exciting as one would hope. The only time anything remotely exciting happened was if someone toppled from a broom. Then Hermione, who had been learning medicinal magic, aided with a spell and plodded back to the bench. This time, she had brought a book, but she had already finished it entirely. It was just so interesting that she ate up half the pages last night.

Unfortunately, today's lesson was particularly long. Harry said that the first match to Slytherin would most definitely be their best. And he was going to prove it. That's why he made them practise at least an hour longer than even the obsessive Wood might have done.

But Hermione had to admit that it all paid off in the end. The Gryffindors were undefeated, and each game was exciting to the rest of Hogwarts. Draco was being pushed over the edge, and he was beginning to show it. They practised just as much yet they couldn't defeat the daft Gryffindors (daft in Draco's opinion, mind you).

Hermione had overheard that the Slytherins were going to practise after everyone was in bed. Hermione had to see it. Her curiosity was piqued by the clandestine nature of the meeting, which added spice to the deal. At any rate, it couldn't possibly be more tedious than the Gryffindors' practise sessions, if only because of the fact that she was watching the opposing team.

Hermione stealthily slipped away from the Gryffindors, who were still at it long after she'd expected them to stop, and proceeded to the other side of the castle where the Slytherins were given permission to practise.

~*~

Hermione hid behind the benches and watched. In her honest opinion, the Slytherin practises were much more fun to watch. Gryffindor was all about competition - not that Slytherin wasn't. But the Slytherins had a lot of tricks up their sleeves, and it was funny to watch Draco scream at his teammates about "insane ideas that only the dullest of Hufflepuffs would think up". Despite Hermione's loathing for the Slytherin Captain, she did think him humourous at times.

After the practise ended, Draco caught sight of someone hiding behind the benches, watching intensely. He smirked and went to slink up behind them.

Now...where did that prat go? Hermione asked herself.

"It looks to me like we have a Gryffindor spy. You know the only way to deal with a spy, right?" Drack asked.

Hermione reluctantly turned around.

Needless to say, Draco was quite surprised. What the hell is that dirty little Mudblood here for? "You? You're the spy? Well, no wonder we've lost every match."

Hermione crossed her arms. "I assure you, Malfoy, that your team's loss in all matches is just the result of bad tactics and genuine stupidity. I am not a spy. I cam to watch your practise because the Gryffindor practises are getting more boring by the second," she said, sincerity in her voice.

Draco muttered something that sounded like "Well, the genuine stupidity rings a bell...".

Hermione nearly began laughing, but decided that now was not the best time.

"What happened to loyalty amongst houses?"

Hermione shrugged. "This has nothing to do with loyalty, you git. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get going now. If I have to hear another one of Ron and Harry's lectures on watching another team's practises - especially Slytherin's practises - I swear I'll go insane!" she exclaimed as she walked off.

Draco merely raised an eyebrow. "Aren't we going to punish her?" asked a guy beside Draco.

"No, we'll leave her be for today. But if it happens again, I assure you that punishment will be handed out appropriately."

~*~

Hermione sighed as she rested in a comfortable chair in the library.

"Hey 'Mione."

Hermione looked up and smiled. It was Ron, closely followed by Harry - who gave off the impression that he was just cheated out of something.

"Oh, hi. Did you finished practising?" she asked, her voice hushed.

Harry sighed in disappointment. "Yeah...it was time for the Ravenclaws to practise...we did have the entire field for almost the entire day...so I guess it was fair..."

Hermione stiffled a giggle at the sound of his voice. "Well, you know you're going to beat the Slytherins anyway. I almost forgot...I have a reading assignment due on Thursday about some sort of Transfiguration spell...I'll see you guys later...probably around dinner?" Hermione smiled at each of them and hurried off in search of the right book.

"Do you think she ever stops thinking about school?"

Harry chuckled at Ron's statement. "We can only hope. At this rate, Hermione might be driven insane."

"Why's that?"

Harry placed a hand on Ron's shoulder and scanned the books. "Because, my friend, there simply aren't enough books in here for her to learn from."

~*~

Hermione stopped when she came across a book without a title. She stared pointedly at it a few seconds before she took it from the shelf. "This is odd," said Hermione aloud to absolutely no one. She searched the cover for a title, but there wasn't a single letter. She shrugged and went to put it back, but the sound of something hitting the floor made her jump. Thus, the book fell from her hand and opened to an abatrary, blank page. Hermione calmed down and went to pick the book up. Once her fingered touched it, a hot light surrounded her and entered her body. She could feel every inch of her body absorb this wicked, boiling glow. She soon passed out from the pain.

Instantly, Hermione crashed to the ground, next to the open book. There was a barely noticeable wind and the book shut by itself. Elegant gold letters etched themselves into the cover, then an ancient unseen hand formed the words 'Through the Night'.