Braving the Past

Chapter 17: Trust Once Lost

Hermione paced in front of the door, trying her best not to be a hypocrite and listen at the door like Tom did. She bit her nails in worry, wondering if Professor Dumbledore was serious about telling Tom everything.

Was he not thinking about the terrible consequences this could have? Perhaps he hadn't clued in that Tom was the Dark Lord her time had been battling. He hadn't wanted her to tell him anything about the future, after all. But how could she keep her Headmaster from giving Tom the keys to winning the Second Wizarding War without making Tom more suspicious?

This was just a complete disaster.

Hermione couldn't help but think back to when Harry had begun to doubt their Headmaster's trustworthiness. She had told him Professor Dumbledore could always be trusted, and must have had his reasons for doing what he did. But what if she had been wrong? What if they never should have trusted him with anything?

The door to Professor Dumbledore's office opened to reveal Tom. He beckoned for her to come in, looking slightly distraught. Maybe Professor Dumbledore didn't think his reason was good enough? Hermione could only hope.

She looked uneasily from Tom to Professor Dumbledore, trying to decipher what the outcome had been.

"Sit down, please, both of you," the Professor requested.

"Sir, it's getting very late," Hermione began, hoping to put this off as long as possible.

"If anyone stops you in the hallways, you can tell them to come to me. I think it's about time Tom knows what we do, Miss Granger."

Hermione's protest caught in her throat. Professor Dumbledore was going to make her say everything. There had to be some way to avoid this.

"Is it really necessary that he knows? All it will do is inflate his ego to know he got exactly what he wanted once again," she argued.

"We are not telling him for his own benefit, but for ours. Tom has been more than helpful to you this past month, and I think we could use his intellect to our advantage, don't you?"

"With all due respect, sir, you didn't even want me telling you before," Hermione continued, unwilling to give up so easily. "What makes Tom so different? This is a very dangerous thing to be meddling with."

Professor Dumbledore didn't answer her, but fixed her with a gaze that stopped her next argument in its tracks. The wizard was determined to change the entire future as she knew it.

Hermione could feel her cheeks heat up with barely restrained anger. Maybe Harry had been right before. Maybe Dumbledore wasn't someone they ever should have trusted.

"Professor Dumbledore says I have done enough to prove myself as trustworthy," Tom said. "I think it's time you saw that too, Hermione."

Dumbledore gestured once again for her to sit in front of his desk next to Tom. "I think you could use a Lemon Drop." He picked up the small dish filled with yellow candy and held it out to her. Hermione sighed, grabbed one and stuck it in her mouth as she plopped down onto the hard chair.

"Would you like to do the honors?" Dumbledore asked her.

"Where would you like me to start?" she said forlornly.

"How about where you're from?"

Tom scooted forward in his seat and stared intently at Hermione, his eyes unblinking.

"I am not from Beauxbatons..." she began. She squeezed her eyes closed. She did not want to tell him. A glance at Dumbledore told her he still held his same opinion. "I was born in London to a muggle family and came to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the age of eleven." Tom looked confused as ever. "Before I was brought here, the date was May 2nd, 1998."