Author's Note: Holy Hell it's been a while! Yes I took all my old fics down. I saw no reason for them to linger but now I'm thinking of going back and revising them. Do people even read fanfics anymore? Oh well I'm here writing another one so enjoy! This is kinda a Good!Hermione turned bad, or at least on the bad side. So hopefully this story can jumpstart my writing again as life got in the way for a couple years.

HUGE DISCLAIMER; I don't own the characters but I like to play around with them! ~1stSoulVamp

IN OUR DARKEST MOMENTS

Chapter 1: Mystery Woman

In the window sill of an orphanage located in Heathgate sat a little girl. Her dark chestnut hair fell in curls as it always did no matter how much the girl tried to tame them. Her amber eyes showed of sadness and boredom. She did not want to live in this orphanage forever. It was dark and dreary, and the other children always took the last slice of pizza before she could ever make it down the stairs for dinner. Her slim figure was a sign of that. The boys would tease her for her buck teeth that slightly protruded out and the girls never did share tea time with her. She was an outcast here, and what she felt like, the world.

Even though Hermione was bullied on a regular basis, it only gave her more incentive to be alone anyways. With time all to herself she would fill it with learning by reading anything the orphanage had to offer, which wasn't much. But she knew a lot more than what she could say for the others. She was smart and cheeky.

This sometimes got her into trouble with the orphanage's caretaker. Ms. Evangeline was the old witch that was kind but did not tolerate any kind of smartass behavior. She watched over the magical and non-magical children alike. She took up the job because when Minerva McGonagall came to pick up a child for Hogwarts it would not come as a shock for others. Minerva had been around a couple times every other year to take a child that Ms. Evangeline would say was 'special'. All the other kids, including Hermione, just thought they had been adopted out. Little did they know the child was sent off to a magical school of learning. Hermione would soon learn what it was.

The rain had started to hit hard one afternoon in July. Minerva had just shaken her umbrella and left it on the porch when Ms. Evangeline had swung open the door to welcome her out of the brisk air where the wind was starting to pick up.

"What awful weather out there, don't you think dear?"

McGonagall smiled at her old friend. "Indeed. It wasn't like this, this morning."

Would you like some tea?" Evangeline asked. "The children have all gone upstairs for quiet time." After noticing Minerva glancing around the foyer.

"I would like some tea. However I won't be here long. You know why I've come to visit Evy."

The old witch smiled. "You are here for the girl. She's almost twelve you know. I don't know why you didn't take her earlier. "

"Evy, she was eleven after Hogwarts started the Automn Semester." Minerva chuckled. "I couldn't have taken her."

Evangeline frowned. "Yes, yes. Well you know I always want the children gone. Off to bigger and better things that life has to offer." She looked sad for a moment.

Minerva gave a small smile. "I am here for her now."

The answer was enough and Evangeline nodded. "Right, well, you'll be wanting to see her now I suppose. I'll go fetch her."

While Minerva waited inside the parlor room off to the left, she watched the caretaker climb the steps leading to the children's rooms. She could tell her old friend was ecstatic for the girl but somehow sad that she would be losing what felt like her own child. Minerva knew her old friend took this job after losing her own daughter in a potions accident that also caused the death of her husband. She needed to feel needed as Minerva would sometimes tell her. After quietly contemplating her friend she was broken out of her memories by two pairs of footsteps coming down the stairs. Evangeline appeared around the corner with the young Hermione.

"Well Minnie, this is her." Turning towards Hermione, she nudged her toward the woman in the weird robes and what looked like a pointy witch hat. "Why don't you go say hi."

Hermione, feeling scared, made her way forward and silently whispered hello. Minerva wouldn't have heard it if it weren't for the cat inside her's hearing. Minerva gave the girl a wide smile.

"Hi Hermione. My name is Minerva McGonagall. Why don't you sit down little one. I've got something important to talk to you about."

Hermione looked for any signs that would tell her if the woman was mean and gonna take her away or any untruths, but as she searched McGonagall's face, she found none. Silently she sat down on one of the couches. Minerva sat opposite of her.

"Well Hermione I must say you've grown. I'm sorry your first family didn't work out." Hermione flinched at the mention of her first adoptive parents, the Grangers, who were so abusive in fact, that when they brought her back to the orphanage she had to be sent to the hospital instead. Upon seeing this Minerva gave her a sad smile.

"Well none of that now. I came to give you good news Hermione. You're going home!"

The young brunette looked confused. "Home?" She asked.

"Well if you'd like to consider it your home. Hermione, you have been offered to go to an exemplary boarding school for special people like you! I'm sure you will love Hogwarts!"

Hermione gave her a funny look before asking, "Hogwarts, ma'am?"

"Yes! Hogwarts is a school for erm," Minerva paused. She thought about how she was gonna break it to the young girl but decided the best way was to be straight forward. "Hogwarts is a school for young witches and wizards. Witches like you."

Hermione looked offended. The only witches she had ever seen were evil ones with warts like toads on Halloween reruns. "I'm not a witch! How rude of you!" pouted the young girl.

"Oh dear, Hermione. I'm not trying to insult you!" Minerva laughed. "You are a witch! You can do magic! Tell me Hermione. Have you ever been angry or sad and something just…happens? Something you can't explain but the other kids notice?"

Hermione looks to the floor. "They called me a freak." She squeaked out.

Evangeline gave the poor girl pity. It's not hard growing up without knowing what you really are. Much less how to control the things you can do that others can't. Evy tried to make sure that bullying didn't go unpunished but it was hard with so many children to look after.

"I'm sorry they called you that Hermione. But you aren't a freak. There are others like you at the school I told you about. You would never have to be alone and you can learn to control what you can do."

"I can control…magic?" Hermione seemed skeptical. The woman seemed suspicious and she didn't know how she had guessed that Hermione had conjured a broom to fly and swat one of her bullies up their backside.

Minerva smiled, seeing the girl still didn't believe her. She carefully took her wand out before muttering a spell to freshen the flowers sitting on the coffee table. Hermione looked at it wide-eyed before getting giddy.

"Do something else!" She exclaimed.

Minerva again in turn conjured the flower vase to float inches above the coffee table. Hermione fell to her knees and swiped under the vase to see if it was really floating.

"Woah! And I can learn that ma'am?"

"Yes dear. That is if you choose to go to the school, you would be able to learn what you saw and much more."

With the promise of learning, Hermione couldn't wait. She was ready to pack her essentials right then and there.

"I can give you a few days to decide and when you're ready, you can tell Ms. Evangeline here, your answer." Minerva made her way to the door with Evangeline in tow. Hermione still on her knees looking at the vase that was now back safely on the coffee table. "Oh and Hermione?"

Said girl looked up at the professor. "I wouldn't talk about this to the other children. Somehow I don't think they would understand." With a wink Minerva was out the door.

With the odd witch gone Hermione was dismissed to go back to her room to think about it. She decided to skip dinner given that she was too excited about the visit of the mysterious woman. Brushing her teeth, she slipped into bed early and started to think about her decision. Weighing the pros and cons, by the time it was dark outside, she fell asleep knowing her answer.

Days later Hermione found herself with the very woman who had come and told her that she was a witch. Minerva was with the brunette in the hustle and bustle of the busiest centre of the Wizarding World. Diagon Alley was so new to Hermione. She felt almost like and owl with her head turning this way and that, and they indeed did have owls! Minerva held the girl near her so Hermione wouldn't be tripped over or pushed to the side. The girl was small for her age due to lack of proper nutrition. Not that Evangeline hadn't tried her best.

The pair first started at the bank. Hermione didn't like the goblins she saw walking into the building, so she tried her best to stay beside the older witch. Minerva stalked up to the counter and gave the goblin a last name. Hermione wondered why they were taking money from a vault that wasn't hers but she didn't want to question the nice lady. Instead they took a mine cart to the vault and upon entering it, the vault was greater and bigger than she had imagined. Rows of shelves had gold bars set on top while the rest of the large chamber was filled with galleons stacked high. Not to mention, it looked like a few old family relics such as jewelry and parcels probably containing important information. No wonder I'm taking some money from them. They have loads! Hermione thought.

The two of them filled a decent sized pouch for Hermione to have to buy her school supplies and spending money while away at Hogwarts. Then they were off to Madame Malkins to try on robes. As Hermione was getting sized and measured Minerva asked her about what she was looking most forward to at Hogwarts.

"I'm not sure, ma'am. I guess I'm just really excited to learn about a world that hasn't existed to me before now."

"You can stop calling me ma'am. My name is Minerva but soon you will have to call me Professor McGonagall."

Hermione looked surprised as she was turned around for back measuring. "You're one of the teachers?"

Minerva nodded, "I am. I teach Transfigurations and am the Head of Gryffindor House."

"What's a Griffith-uh-Gryffador?" Hermione asked.

The older witch laughed. "Gryffindor is one of the four houses that every new student is sorted in. Your house is like your family. You sleep in the same common rooms, eat with each other, and sometimes have classes with each other. There is also a point system. You can earn points for your house for a chance to win the house cup at the end of each year."

"That sounds cool!" Hermione said excitedly while waiting on the podium. Just then Madame Malkins came back with several robe sizes for Hermione to try on. As she slid one on and examined it she asked, "What are the other houses?"

Minerva shook her head at the robe size and Hermione tried the next one on. "Hmm well there is Gryffindor like I said. My favorite house." She chuckled. "Then there's Hufflepuff for those loyal, Ravenclaw for those who seek knowledge, and Slytherin for those who look for a means to an end."

Hermione tried on the next robe and it seemed to be a perfect fit. Madame Malkins took down the robe size before going off and finding more of the same size since Hermione will need a couple robe sets. "Which one will I be in?" the young girl asked.

"Well I hope Gryffindor. But your thirst for knowledge puts you at a close tie for Ravenclaw. I would like to think you'd do well in either."

"I just hope they like me." Hermione looked down suddenly sad and shy.

"Hermione, dear, I told you they are like family and they will love you like family."

"Then they'll hate me!" Hermione burst out. She tried her best to hold in tears that were threatening to fall as she bunched up her tiny fists.

"Oh no dear! They will be nothing like your adoptive parents! Those people were mean and should never have put a child through that. Especially not you!" Minerva wrapped the trembling girl into a hug. After a few moments Hermione had managed to shove the tears back and straighten herself out.

"Ahem, Minnie, if you two are ready now?" Madame Malkins quietly cut in.

After they had paid for the robes and left the shop, they headed to Flourish and Blotts to get books. Potion ingredients and cauldrons were found at the apothecary, and two quill and ink sets were found in Scrivenshaft's second quill shop; apart from the one in Hogsmeade. They didn't get anything from the Quidditch Supplies store but Hermione did look through it to see what it was like. Finally at the end of the day, after a wand chose Hermione, they were walking back to the entrance of Diagon Alley to leave when Hermione screamed. She ran over to one of the cages outside to pet the orange fur of a half kneazle. Minerva made her way to the young girl and the cat. She realized they hadn't gotten the girl a familiar.

"Do you like him Hermione?"

Hermione looked up from the cat, "I've never had a pet. I don't think Ms. Evangeline will like it if I bring one home without asking."

Minerva scoffed. "Oh nonsense. Every student has a familiar."

Hermione didn't need to be told twice. The ugly cat Crookshanks was going home with her.

They arrived outside the orphanage and Evangeline took all of Hermione's stuff and locked it in a closet so the other children couldn't get to it before she went off to Hogwarts. Minerva stayed for a swift tea and then had to leave due to some Hogwarts business. Hermione went to sleep excited to be counting down the days when she would leave the gloomy orphanage. Crookshanks curled up right beside her, using half her pillow. But she didn't mind. She drifted to sleep happier than she had been in a long time.

Outside the orphanage door Minerva sighed. She knew who the girl was, but she didn't think the girl had any idea.

Author's End Note: That's the end of chapter one. I decided in this AU, I wanted Minerva to still be a good person even though her side may change later on in the story. You'll find out soon that the Blacks, the Malfoys and Hermione aren't all who they seem. Remember this is really AU so while it may be following the book, it most certainly will not be an accurate representation of every character. Don't forget to review, follow and favorite the story! ~1stSoulVamp