Blitz

Chapter 1

A/N: Welcome to my new story! This was written for the Tomione Big Bang 2k19! My prompt was essentially Tom sorted into Gryffindor and how does that change things?

Many thanks to the invaluable infallible angel for her alpha/beta skills. I couldn't have done this without you. Also thanks to brownlark42 who listened to me talk out every plot point this story had. You truly are the best of the best. Additional thanks to Tomione Kink Meme for hosting this! So much fun and a great challenge to write a longer story!

A note about the story you are about to read. It is an alternate universe. It is not a time-travel story. Hermione is born in 1926, just like Tom. I've fudged both Harry Potter canon and real-world facts to make this story work. I've also used some canon from the Fantastic Beasts movies, but you need not have watched them to understand anything you read below. Just if you have, you might recognize some pieces.

This story is mostly fully posted on AO3, if you can't wait, but I plan to post here each week until it's completely up. It stands at 11 chapters, and has been completely written. At this time, I'm just waiting on the final chapter to be beta'd. I'll update each Tuesday until it's up completely.

Finally, if you liked this story, a review goes a long way. Enjoy!

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blitz - a sudden, energetic, and concerted effort, typically on a specific task

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April 1938

Wool's Orphanage

Central London, England

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Tom Riddle frowned at Mrs Cole as she bustled them all into the hall where they ate their meals. It was unusual for them to gather at this time of day. Lunch had been over for an hour and a half already and dinner wasn't for another two. Tom pushed Benny Sanderson out of his way so he could stand in the front of the crowd. Benny ought to have known better, Tom was in charge at Wool's. Even the older kids deferred to him most of the time, and Tom preferred it that way. What he didn't like, was that the routine was changing. No good could come from this meeting.

"Welcome, children," Mrs Cole said with her simpering smile. If there was one person on this earth that Tom hated the most, it was Mrs Cole. She simpered incessantly. And she didn't like Tom. The other adults at the orphanage at least had the decency to fall for Tom's charm and manipulation, but not Mrs Cole. It was vexing, to say the least. Someone shoved him from behind, and it was probably an accident, but that didn't stop Tom from throwing a sharp elbow backward. The grunt he heard in return almost made him smile. Almost.

Having witnessed the slight scuffle, Mrs Cole glared at him, making Tom scowl. He narrowed his eyes when he spotted a girl about his age hiding behind Mrs Cole. So this was why they had been called here. Their numbers were growing. Another child to compete with for adoption. Girls were adopted at a far faster rate than boys and though Tom's eleven-year-old heart was hardened, he still felt it sink a little knowing he was even further from adoption than just an hour ago. They had another open house that weekend, and Tom decided right then that he would just hide in his room for it. No use standing in a neat little line while the adults hemmed and hawed and inevitably ignored him.

"I'd like to introduce you all to Hermione Granger. Her parents have just passed so she's going to stay with us for a little while," Mrs Cole said, thrusting the girl in front of her. Tom swept his gaze over her, she wasn't very adoptable after all. Her face was rather plain and her hair was big, bushy, and a muddy brown color. He noticed her teeth were bucked when she smiled and there was a smattering of freckles across her face. Tom was much better looking, which meant he was far more adoptable even as a boy. He smirked at her. Just another minion to add to his growing pool. She noticed him smirking at her and smiled shyly, giving him a small wave. Oh, she was going to be too easy to manipulate. Tom almost couldn't wait.