Disclaimer: don't own.

„I can't believe it!" Ron exclaimed loudly. "First Malfoy senior then Malfoy junior and now RIDDLE? Are you completely out of your mind, Hermione?"

"We are just going on a date… a first date, to be exact." Hermione said quietly.

"Besides, she is not going out with RIDDLE but with his grandson." Harry reasoned. He had met the boy and quite liked him.

"Who cares? It's still bloody Voldemort!" Ron sneered.

"There is no more Voldemort! Besides, those memories should fade by now." Harry said clearly.

"Yes, you are right. But for some reason, I can still remember both universes. You know both time lines… or rather all 3 of them. What could be behind it?" Hermione asked.

"I guess, there is nothing. At least we can remember all of them. Better for us, I would say." Harry shrugged.

"Who cares? You are dating bloody Tom Riddle's grandson… he is the incarnation of evil." Ron spat.

"No, he isn't Ron. Besides, it is just a date." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Okay guys, I'm off then. Have to see my stepfather Severus." Harry smirked and walked swiftly out of the room of requirement.

"Good job, Ron." Hermione huffed and sank back into the chair.

"I'm just scared for you. I don't want anything to happen to you." Ron said quietly.

"I know. But I'll take care."

"Where is he taking you anyway?"

"Just to the three broomsticks. Then we'll see further."

"At least it's not Madam Puddifoots." and with that Ron looked content.

TRTRTR

"But what if I'm in Hufflepuff?" Anatolij asked with wide eyes.

"Then we'll disown you." Tom smirked.

"Tom!" Anastacia gave him a reproachful look.

"But Durmstrang sounds so much more adventurous." Anatolij pouted. "Besides, mum went there."

"Yes, but I also attended Hogwarts. And I preferred Hogwarts ten times to Durmstrang." Anastacia smiled.

It was not an easy decision for her son as he had received two welcome letters – one from Durmstrang and the other one from Hogwarts.

"I don't want him that far away, Tom. I couldn't bear it. Durmstrang is really far too dangerous." Anastacia exclaimed, looking at Tom unhappily.

"Well, son, it is our wish for you to attend Hogwarts." he said imperiously.

"Okay father." Anatolij looked onto the floor.

"And make us proud. Your parents are Slytherins. We both hope that you are a Slytherin as well."

Anatolij just nodded.

"Okay, Anastacia, just take care of him. I'm off to work then." Tom kissed his wife and apparated in front of the door away.

"Mum, but uncle Dennis was in Gryffindor. Would it be really bad?"

"No, of course not, son. Gryffindor is fine as well." Anastacia smiled. "Don't worry. You know dad."

TRTRTR

7 years later… (in Tom's and Anastacia's time)

Dear mum and dad,

can you actually believe it? It's our last year here and the triwizard tournament takes place. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang (yes, mum, Durmstrang) have arrived a week ago, although unfortunately they stay with the Slytherin-students. But the Beauxbatons-students get to stay with us in Ravenclaw!

Yin Chang and Marc Corner have already befriended two lovely ladies. I haven't so don't worry. I still have charms with the Slytherins though and therefore the class is crowded as we have the Durmstrangs and Beauxbatons as well. Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape are funny as always, though the Gryffindor-quartet (Pettigrew, Potter, Sirius Black and Lupin) are again getting on my bad side. At least, I've got the whole Slytherin (and Ravenclaw house) behind me. By the way, dad, I need to say hi to you from the Malfoys, Lestranges, Snapes and Blacks. Said and done.

Oh and mum, there are a lot of students from Durmstrang whose parents know you. Sascha Pavlovich – I guess you know his father? Or maybe Pjotr Alexandrovitch ('Oh that must be Igor's son' Anastacia thought smiling a bit) and then there is Pavel Andrejich and Ekaterina Andrejeevna. I'm glad you taught me Russian as I can talk perfectly with them.

The Beauxbatons are stuck-up and only talk French. It's getting on my nerves, really. Maybe you could teach me some French?

See you in the Winter holidays.

Much love,

Anatolij

Anastacia smiled. Anatolij was his usual self and seeing new schools added to his excitement. At first, Tom had been really shocked that Anatolij had been sorted into RAVENCLAW of all places. Anastacia had been surprised as well. After all, the whole family had been in Slytherin, minus the one Gryffindor. But Anatolij was intelligent – there was absolutely no doubt. Best or second best in every subject, he couldn't make Anastacia and Tom prouder.

Of course, he hung a lot with the Slytherins. The families knew each other and even though the kids were two years younger than him, they had always played together and were great friends at school.

Sighing, Anastacia went into the kitchen to ask the houseelf for some tea. What would Anatolij do after school? He had done some child-modelling jobs with his good looks and it seemed as if he really wanted to go on. But Anastacia wouldn't allow that. The modelling world had changed drastically and she didn't want her son to be part of that world.

Anastacia remembered Hermione again. When would she see her again? She had really liked Hermione a lot although she only knew her for 3 months or so. Hermione had been a good friend. Anastacia often thought about her and sincerely hoped that she would see her again. At least Hermione had promised. Or was that just a lie? What had happened to her? Was she well?

TRTRTR

7 years later… (in Hermione's, Harry's and Ron's time)

"Hermione, are you quite finished?"

"Coming." Hermione was wearing a flowery skirt, a white blouse and her hair was pulled into a tight braid. She looked everything the future wife of a grandson should look like. Not too masculine, not too sexy, not too inexpensive, not too expensive,… well, Hermione certainly knew how to dress to impress.

She would be meeting Tom Riddle and Anastacia today for the first time.

True, Hermione was really excited. She had met Anatolij and Gabrielle 6 years ago and had to smile. After all, she had never met Anatolij, only his mum and dad. It was really ironic. Would they remember her?

Yevgeni Riddle and Hermione had been driving for half an hour until they finally arrived in a small village on the countryside. Everything looked quiet, friendly and peaceful. The sun was shining above and it was already getting quite warm.

"I hope, grandmom didn't overdo herself with her cooking. It's really nice, but typical Russian." Yevgeni smiled and got out of his car.

Hermione said nothing. She was so nervous that she couldn't utter a single word.

A moment later, they stood in front of a white house with a large garden. "I used to play there hide and seek when I was younger with the Muggles around here. My grandfather didn't like that very much." Yevgeni grinned and pointed to the garden behind the house.

Hermione gulped and Yevgeni rang the bell.

"Here you are grandson!" a man who was undoubtedly Tom Riddle (though older) called out and hugged Yevgeni who looked almost exactly like Tom Riddle senior when he had been younger.

"Hello grandfather. Meet my fiancé Hermione."

Hermione timidly looked at her former classmate and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you." Memories from the time when she and Tom had saved Ansatacia in the cave of terrors from Grindelwald flashed in her mind.

"Nice to meet you too." Tom smiled, obviously not aware who was standing in front of him.

"Come in, come in, make yourselves feel at home."

Hermione sighed audibly. She was 24 now… though had not really changed. Would at least Anastacia recognize her?

"Zhenya, darling." a high-pitched voice cried out in delight, the heavy Russian accent still prominent in her voice.

An elderly, and round (to Hermione's surprise!) woman made her way through the hallway to hug Yevgeni.

"Babushka… stop, I can't breathe." Yevgeni grinned. "Let me introduce you to my fiancé, Hermione."

Anastacia turned to Hermione and smiled. "Nice to meet…" but then she stopped. Her face went pale, and her eyes wide and she looked completely shocked.

"Babushka, are you alright? Do you need to sit down?" Yevgeni asked in concern.

"No, no, it's fine." Anastacia was still observing Hermione critically.

"Uhm, Hermione was it? Would you mind, if we talked in the kitchen a bit? I can offer you some vodka, if you like." Anastacia said, her voice trembling slightly.

"Oh that would be lovely." Hermione exclaimed. She didn't want to spill her story in front of Yevgeni and neither did obviously Anastacia.

"Very well. Zhenya, why don't you go out and help grandfather with the washing-machine? He was trying to mend it for ages."

Yevgeni nodded and gave Hermione a wink who followed her former friend into the nice old kitchen.

Anastacia dumped two vodkas and two orange juices onto the table.

"I'm sorry for the not so warm welcome, Hermione, but I think I used to know somebody who was my friend when I was younger. She looked remarkably like you and her name was Hermione as well." Anastacia explained, though still observing Hermione thoroughly.

Hermione lowered her voice.

"You can look at me as often as you want to, but I won't change. It's me, Anastacia." she smiled.

Anastacia still looked sceptically at the young girl.

"Look, we were both in Slytherin, I used to date Abraxas Malfoy and you confided in me that you were pregnant. Even before you had confided in Tom." Hermione said quietly.

Anastacia's mouth dropped open.

"WHAT? It… it's r-really y… you?" she stuttered, completely nonplussed.

"Yes, it's me. Well those points just prove it, don't they? Besides, I gave you the lingerie that saved your life when Tom and I saved you in the cave of horrors from Grindelwald."

Anastacia swallowed. That was undoubtedly true. This girl in front of her really was her friend.

"Oh my goodness. It really IS you. Let's drink to that." Anastacia cried happily after she had embraced Hermione.

"Let's." Hermione smiled "Drink to all the things we missed. Your wedding, your first flat, your job, your son and now your grandson."

"Yes, Hermione."

Tom came back into the kitchen, surprised that Hermione and Anastacia were sitting there, talking, laughing as if they had known each other for a long time.

Tom chuckled. "Anastacia, would you say that our grandson has good taste?"

"Yes, I would. Tom, do you know who she is?"

"Well, … no." Tom looked puzzled.

"It's HER, Tom."

"Who?"

Yevgeni was luckily not in the room or Hermione would have been extremely embarrassed.

"Yes, Tom. The new girl in Slytherin? The one who was one of my best friends?"

"Uhm…"

Hermione decided to cut in. "The girl who took you to Russia to save your fiancé, the girl who helped you to save Anastacia in the cave of horrors from Grindelwald… remember?"

Tom's eyes widened and his mouth opened in surprise.

"It's – you? I always thought there was something odd about you…. So you were from the future? You knew all of this?" he gestured to the house they were currently in.

"No, Tom. In the world, WE knew, there was something else. We had to change the time-line. There was a certain Dark Wizard, killing thousands and thousands of innocent people. Want to know his name? Lord Voldemort."

Tom looked aghast and so did Anastacia.

"And you – Anastacia – you didn't exist. You died in the hands of Grindelwald. Dumbledore asked us to travel back to save you – to keep all of that from happening."

"So you actually saved the world?" Anastacia asked quietly.

"More or less. It was high time"

"But why didn't you tell us?" Tom looked a bit frustrated at her.

"Because we weren't supposed to. That would have changed too much." Hermione explained.

"Well, yes, definitely. Hermione, let me again thank you, for helping me saving my wife. I didn't really have time to thank you for it." Tom said gallantly and hugged Hermione.

Hermione felt happy. Yes, they had succeeded. They had changed the time-line and therefore saved thousands of lives. And it had been mostly HER doing – Ron was busy sitting in the Hufflepuff tower. Hermione smiled smugly. Yes, she would have done well in Slytherin.

THE END