Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's unlikely to change.

AN: I really only wanted to write this cause I couldn't find a Grindelwald/Hermione fic when I searched for one, which surprised me. Seriously, with all the time traveling she does in fics, no one sent her to Durmstrang in the late 1890s?

AN2: This is set some time after Hermione's arrival and is a oneshot.

That son of a whore! Her red robes swirled as she rounded the corner, catching sight of aforementioned whoreson about to enter the sixth year dorms. He turned to watch her stalk toward him, a wide grin gracing his features at the sight.

"Well, Hermione my dearest, to what do I owe the-", he was cut off abruptly as she shoved him against the wall.

"Son of a whore!" This seemed to be the only expression she was capable of at the moment, and she was damned well gonna use it.

"Actually, my mother is quite a lovely woman. She would certainly love to meet you, assuming you get past your prejudice long enough to be dazzled by my beauty."

"Son of a fucking whore!" There, she'd managed something different. "You stole my research!" She spun around and dragged her fingers through her hair, stifling a scream.

"Ah, well, strictly speaking, I borrowed your research." Gellert watched amused as she spun back toward him, one hand still trying to dislodge itself from her hair.

"You didn't destroy it? Where is it?" she asked hopefully, wincing as she got her hand free at the cost of a sizable chunk of hair.

"Of course I didn't destroy it." he said innocently. "I was simply wondering how far you'd gotten on your little plan." He spoke the last word somewhat bitterly. "Were you going to leave without telling me?"

She looked warily at him before answering. He had managed to derail every plan she came up with to get back to her time, so it wouldn't do to upset him. "Gellert," she began hesitantly, "we've discussed this. I've already screwed up the timeline enough. I can't stay here."

He smiled again, and this time it was the one she hated, the one that made her head fuzzy and her arguments ineffective. She sighed in anticipation of the speech she'd heard so many times before, and that despite everything, was beginning to sway her.

"That's just it, Hermione, you've already screwed up the timeline irreparably. I'm not the Grindelwald in your history books, am I?" When she didn't respond, he continued, "I haven't mentioned subjugating Muggleborns lately, have I?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, now you just want to overthrow the entire wizarding world, and subjugate people based on raw magical power."

"Which is a much fairer way to judge people than their heritage, as you pointed out, my love." He pushed off the wall and started toward her.

"I did no such thing. All I said was that if anyone should overthrow the government, it should be those with the most ability, not that we should actually do it." She twitched as he moved behind her, but stayed in place.

"Ah, but we could, couldn't we? Between the two of us, we're more powerful that the European ministries combined, and with your foreknowledge, it would just be that much easier." He slipped his arms around her waist. If he could see her face, he would have crowed with triumph over the thoughtful expression that crossed it.

"But the timeline..." she trailed off.

"Is already in shambles, so why bother going back to a future that isn't the one you left?" He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Why not make our own future?"

Then he held his breath. This was the point where she always came back to herself and insisted that it wouldn't work, and proceeded to make lists and arguments as to why. But it wasn't happening. He startled when she leaned back into his chest and his smile was blinding when she tilted her head back and spoke the words he'd been waiting months for.

"Why not?"