'But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll was one of them.'
_Philosopher's Stone_
They finally stopped in the Charms Corridor to catch their breath, Tom fighting to keep himself from appearing breathless and Ginevra wheezing as though her life depended on it.
"Do you think_ he's gone?" She panted.
"Homenum revelio," Tom muttered. "He's gone."
Ginevra stared at him. "How come that doesn't show the hundreds of students in their dormitories?" She asked, curious.
Tom gave a look of disgust. "Magic," he dismissed, beginning to walk off.
"Wait, where are you going?" Ginevra called after him.
"Away from you," came his muffled response.
"Fine," she huffed and began walking in the opposite direction when she stopped dead. Memories came flooding back.
"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.
"I – told – you," a younger Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest. "I – told – you."
"We've got to get back to Gryffindor Tower quickly as possible," said Ron.
"Malfoy tricked you," young Hermione told Harry. "You realise that, don't you? He was never going to meet you – Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."
"Let's go," Harry stated.
It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them. It was Peeves. He gave a squeal of delight when he saw them.
"Shut up, Peeves – please – you'll get us thrown out," someone pleaded.
Peeves cackled. "Wandering around at midnight, ickle firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."
"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."
"Should tell Filch, I should," Peeves' eyes glittered wickedly as he spoke in a saintly voice. "It's for you own good, you know."
"Get out the way," Ron snapped, swiping at Peeves_
"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"
Their first real adventure as a trio. Ginevra let out a quiet sniffle, tears cascading down her face. Harry, Ron, Neville, would she ever see them again? Even Ginny, whose name she had stolen. Would time have passed? No-one knew what happened if you messed with time. Dumbledore and McGonagall had both warned her about it when she'd been given the Time Turner back in her third year. Would she be forever stuck in the past with no-one but the mysterious Tom Riddle and his eerie followers for company?
Tom paused mid-stride when he heard the sniff. He turned on his heel and was shocked to see tears running down Ginevra Granger's face. Why was she crying? Was the rule-abiding Ravenclaw really so upset at breaking the rules? Tom suspected not.
"What's wrong?" He asked, not unkindly.
Ginevra sniffed again. "I thought of my old friends_ at Beauxbatons. I wondered whether they still think of me."
Tom snorted. "Why on earth would that move you to tears? Get over it. Acquaintances come and go."
"Friendships last forever," Ginevra stated solemnly. "And these friends, you knew they would never leave you. They were people who you would grow old with. Or die young with." She gave a hysterical laugh. Tom gave her a worried look.
"I suppose I'd better accompany you to your Common Room," he said, ever the gentleman. "I dread to think where you would end up otherwise, what with the state you're in. Come on." He offered his arm to her, and unlike the first time, Ginevra took it, feeling comforted for the first time in this strange situation she found herself stuck in.
*****
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