Chapter 1
Harry stared at the retreating back of the elderly wizard in utter disbelief as Dumbledore walked out the infirmary while sealing the door behind him. Harry's whole world had just come crashing down around him as the man he trusted above all others had unbelievably let him down in the worst way possible. The headmaster's final words still reverberated around in his mind. "I believe you Harry, but there's nothing I can do. The minister is going to have Sirius kissed tonight."
One minute Harry had a family, a godfather who wanted Harry to live with him, then all that was going to be taken away. All this because a small-minded man wanted to look big in the press, regardless of the truth. The Minister wanted his headline, and an innocent man was going to have his soul sucked from his body to give him it. Meanwhile Albus Bloody Dumbledore, Head of the Wizengamot no less, claimed his hands were tied.
He felt a gentle hand on his arm and turned to look into the brown eyes of his best friend. Harry then did something he'd never done before, he threw his arms around Hermione and pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her bushy hair.
Hermione was shocked that her best friend had initiated a hug. Harry was normally very uncomfortable with any form of contact, yet here he was clinging to her as if his life depended on it. She had her arms wrapped round Harry when he whispered her name. She started to pull back but he held her even tighter.
"No, please stay like this. If I looked into your eyes I would lose the last piece of courage I have, and there's something I really need to tell you. Before I passed out I saw who cast the Patronus that saved us, it was me!"
Hermione just held him as something told her there was more to come.
"I wasn't alone though, Buckbeak was there in the background too. I think the reason I was able to cast a corporal Patronus was that I had a whole new definition of a happy memory, I was kissing my best friend."
Hermione's mind was in turmoil, she actually felt sick. No wonder I couldn't get him interested in me if he was kissing Ron Weasley. Now there was an image she didn't need in her head. Hermione felt Harry pull back a short distance to gaze into her face, searching for a response. He still held her in his arms as he looked deep into her eyes and asked a question that rocked her world. "Do you think I'm crazy? Em… Do you even think of me like that?"
Realisation rushed through the young witch with the speed of an explosion. How could she, Hermione Jane Granger, be so stupid? Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone screaming inside the castle. There was no time to answer Harry now, they needed to act at once. "Harry, do you trust me?"
"More than anyone in the world" That trust Harry claimed to have was suddenly being tested, he looked on with jangling nerves as Hermione started to loosen buttons on her top.
Harry's fantasies were soon halted though when Hermione quickly withdrew a long golden chain that had a weird kind of egg timer charm on it. Looping the chain over Harry's head too, Hermione whispered in his ear. "Hold on tight."
She turned the charm three times backward. Hermione knew it wasn't strictly necessary for Harry to hold on tight but she wasn't going to tell him that, it felt too good.
Harry watched his surroundings blur as everything went out of focus, everything except the beautiful witch currently wrapped in his arms. Ever since Harry had seen the vision of them kissing it just felt so right that he could probably cast a patronus with just the thought of kissing Hermione.
As everything came back into focus, Hermione removed the chain from around his neck and tucked it back inside her top. She gave him the 'you need to listen to me' look before starting to speak.
"Harry I've been using a time turner to go back in time so I could take all my classes. I've just sent us back three hours and, with a bit of luck, we could still save Sirius and Buckbeak. Oh, and in answer to your question, I most certainly do think of you like that."
Harry, whose arms were still around Hermione, lifted her feet of the ground and spun the giggling girl round twice while repeatedly chanting, 'yes!'
"Hermione, you are the best and never let anyone tell you different."
"Harry, we need to be quiet, we can't be seen or heard." Taking him by the hand she led him through the school heading toward Hagrid's hut.
It wasn't until Harry saw the three of them heading out of school that the inherant danger of their situation began to sink in.
When they made it to the trees beside Hagrid's pumpkin patch, Hermione sat him down and explained some of the perils associated with time travel. Harry was only half listening as he gazed at his beautiful friend, he didn't really need to pay full attention as his new motto was, 'Do whatever Hermione tells me'. She'd never let him down in the three years he'd known her, and not many people could match up to that in Harry's life. If Hermione said he couldn't/shouldn't do something, that was good enough for him.
As the scene played out again in front of them, Harry siezed the moment and raced out to rescue Buckbeak. Remembering to bow to the proud Hippogriff, he quickly untied the condemned animal and tried to lead it to safety. Harry pulled on the rope for all he was worth but there was just no moving the large creature. That all changed the moment a dead ferret came flying over his left shoulder, straight into its beak. Harry turned around to see Hermione had raided Hagrid's store and held handfuls of the dead creatures, which definitely got Buckbeak's attention. Between flying ferrets and Harry pulling on the rope, they managed to get the Hippogriff under cover before the execution party left the hut.
Macnair threw a hissy fit, attacking Hagrid's pumpkins with his executioner's axe. There was only one reason Macnair didn't get slapped silly, the gentle giant was currently doing his version of break dancing. Hagrid's version of this dance meant that anyone within a ten-foot radius would have suffered a broken bone from his flailing arms and legs. Compared to his dance skills Hagrid was a master baker, and anyone surviving his legendary rock cakes would dispute that claim vehemently.
Fudge looked as if he might burst out crying at any moment, his bottom lip trembling like a petulant child while Dumbledore just appeared perplexed. This was a new look for the headmaster, and one that both students thought suited him.
They waited as the three stooges, Cornelius, Walden and Albus headed back to the castle while Hagrid was almost skipping in the direction of Hogsmeade. The Three Broomsticks was in for a giant celebration tonight.
Harry and Hermione manoeuvred the stubborn hippogriff into position and waited until they were required. Hermione explained for the third time why they couldn't interfere with what they knew had already happened though she had to wrap her arms round Harry when Peter escaped again. So much for doing whatever she told him.
As they waited, both suddenly looked as if they had been petrified before falling into each other's arms. "Where are we? When are we Hermione?"
"Oh Harry, your scar is fainter and my teeth are enormous again!" Hermione looked around and saw Buckbeak, "Your mum and dad said we would be sent back to a time when we could do the most good, this is the night Sirius was kissed. Harry we may be able to save Sirius and stop Professor Lupin leaving the magical world."
Harry was confused, "But how can we be here and yet over there at the same time?"
Hermione felt as if she'd been hit by the knightbus. "Shite Harry, I'm so sorry! I had a time-turner and never thought to use it. How could I have been so stupid?"
"Hermione, no one calls my girlfriend stupid, even you. So tell me what this means?"
Hermione was basically just thinking aloud. "It probably means something jogged my mind to use the time-turner, I'm wondering if you saw us?"
"But how the hell could that happen?" bemoaned Harry, the possible permutations making his head hurt.
"Well considering we travelled back in time, and there's a time-turner involved too, I would say pretty much anything is possible. I think it may be like a 'chicken and egg' paradox but since I appear to be fourteen again, give me another hundred years and I might be able to work it out."
"As long as you spend them with me." Harry wrapped his arms around his love as if to prove his point. "I thought I lost you once already when Dolohov hit you with that curse and that was more than enough for me, I'm never letting you go again."
"I'm very happy to hear that, Potter, because you're stuck with me now."
"Wouldn't have it any other way, love." Harry then kissed the wonderful witch who, in the other timeline, had been his girlfriend for nearly a year now. His mum and dad had fallen in love with Hermione instantly, and he'd once again asked her to marry him. Her answer of yes in their presence made him he happiest wizard on the planet.
Both felt the temperature drop drastically as the dementors made their presence felt, Harry drew his wand and produced the strongest Patronus of his young life. The dementors fled for their lives as Hermione helped Harry get Buckbeak back under cover.
"Now all we have to do is rescue Sirius from the castle." Harry confidently stated.
"Oh Harry, I've just thought of a serious problem. We have no idea where in the castle he's being held."
The now thirteen and fourteen year olds looked at one another and had the exact same thought, shit!
Chapter 2
The both teens came to the same conclusion simultaneously, they needed the Marauder's Map.
Hermione asked her boyfriend the obvious question."Can you remember where it is?"
"I think it's in Remus's office but how in Merlin's name are we going to get it in time?"
"Well we can't go strolling about the school with a condemned hippogriff so I'm open to ideas."
Harry then had a brainwave. "Dobby!"
An instant later the little house elf appeared, bouncing up and down with excitement. "What can Dobby do to help the great Harry Potter?"
"Dobby, could you fetch us the map that's on Professor Lupin's desk? We think he left it there…" Dobby was gone before Harry could even finish, arriving back clutching the precious map within seconds.
Harry's comment of 'Brilliant Dobby' had the little elf beaming with pride. He then handed the map to Hermione before having a serious word with his little friend. "Dobby, would you like to work for me – and Hermione?"
Dobby just wrapped his arms around Harry's legs, nodding his head while crying tears of joy.
"I think you need to claim your inheritance first, Harry?" This came from Hermione, though she never lifted her head from the map she was currently studying to find Sirius.
"Oh right! I, Harry James Potter, being the last of the Noble and Ancient House of Potter claim my rightful inheritance and head of my house." Harry's declaration resulted in a light that appeared to shine through him, verifying his claim before the Potter family ring appeared on his finger.
"Dobby would be honoured and proud to work for Lord Potter and his lady."
"It's just Harry, Dobby, Harry and Hermione. Now I need to know if you can get us through a locked door in the castle? We need to get back into the infirmary before anyone notices we left."
"That would be no problem Mas… Harry."
"Good, now I would like you to go to Gringotts for me and access my family vaults, we need the Potter betrothal rings that my dad said are in a green velvet box. When I claimed my inheritance the goblins would automatically know my change in status, please inform them I wish this to remain confidential. Should the details leak out, I will be moving the Potter accounts to another bank and informing all their customers of their breach of confidentiality."
Dobby stood just that little bit straighter, the importance of the task Harry Potter was entrusting him with surprising the elf. He left immediately for the bank.
Hermione finally looked up from her studying. "Found him, but he's being held on the fifth floor. How are we going to get him out?"
Harry went over and put his arm round his soon-to-be-betrothed best friend and girlfriend. "In case you hadn't noticed, our friend over here has quite the pair of wings on him."
Hermione lost all colour from her features as her Acrophobia kicked in with a vengeance. "Harry, I think I'll meet you outside the Infirmary."
Harry held her securly in his arms. "You'll be with me, what could possibly go wrong?"
The absurdity of that statement had both of them laughing and broke the tension. Harry climbed onto Buckbeak's back before offering his hand to Hermione, who then bravely climbed behind him. Telling her to hold on was unnecessary, she simply couldn't squeeze him any tighter.
Hermione had her eyes firmly closed but was forced to open them as they approached the appropriate window. It was small and made of stained glass, glass which unfortunately didn't open. She took out her wand and vanished the window to reveal an astonished Sirius Black.
"Hippogriff for Black?" Harry asked before Sirius was on his feet, quickly climbing out the window. He had to jump the last few feet but made it and held on to Hermione. With a flash of inspiration, Harry took out his wand and conjured a new window. The new version of the stained glass now featured a dog, a stag and a wolf.
Sirius had been sitting trying to compose himself to meet his end like the Gryffindor he was. Then Harry and his friend were outside the vanished window, five stories up, pulling off an unbelievable rescue. When Sirius saw the window that Harry had conjured as a replacement, he couldn't help himself. The marauder started laughing and then couldn't stop. Hermione was forced to place a silencing charm on the now hysterical wizard.
Buckbeak had no sooner touched down on the tower than Hermione jumped off his back, Harry thought for a moment she was going to kiss the ground in relief.
Harry climbed off and hugged the relieved witch before Sirius pounced and embraced both of them. Harry though was all business. "Sirius, you need to get going and we need to be somewhere else before we're discovered."
Hermione had to remove the silencing charm before Sirius could answer. "That was bloody brilliant you two, what a team you make, and that window! I almost wish I could stay to see Snape's expression when he finds the room empty."
"You need to go NOW! Only trust us, Lupin or an elf called Dobby. If anyone else contacts you, especially Dumbledore, run and hide." Harry's tone left no room to manoeuvre, he was laying down the law and Sirius had to obey until he could get more information.
Sirius climbed back on Buckbeak as Harry said goodbye. "We will be in touch soon. I've only just found my godfather and am not going to lose you now."
He flew away as the teens took the quickest route through the castle toward the Infirmary. When they reached the appropriate corridor, Hermione pulled Harry into a nearby broom closet. "As much as I would like to love, we really don't have the time." Harry didn't say any more as Hermione's lips were now on his.
As Hermione ended the kiss, she explained why they were in the broom closet. "We need to wait for Dumbledore to leave the infirmary and lock us in. When we hear the scream, it should be time to move."
Harry whispered for Dobby and the little elf instantly appeared, he presented Harry with a green velvet box. Harry opened it and two platinum rings were inside, they had a knot design with the Potter crest in the centre of the knot. Harry glanced at the girl he loved.
"Are you sure about this, Hermione? My life hasn't exactly been a bed of roses and you will be forced to see ALL of it, these can't be removed for at least ten days. Remember, my dad said the last couple to wear these ended up hating one another."
"Harry, I love you and nothing I see is going to change that, my only worry is I might murder some of the people who deliberately hurt you. I'm actually more nervous that you are going to see everything about me. What if you change your mind?"
It was Harry's turn to kiss her into silence. "Hermione, I won't be changing my mind, you are the most important person in the world to me. When I thought I had lost you, I just didn't care whether I lived or died. Without you, I had nothing to live for. This is the first step toward the rest of our lives together." He placed one of the rings on her finger and tenderly kissed her lips.
Hermione was much more confident now. "Harry, I have loved you since our meeting in the girls' toilet back in first year. That is still the bravest thing I have ever seen. I want to spend the rest of my life with you raising our family. I know you would have wanted to do this in a more romantic setting, but we need the protection these rings give us before Dumbledore and Snape try and read our minds." She placed the other ring on Harry's finger, as a blue beam of light passed between the rings both felt the connection start.
When they kissed it was a strange but wonderful feeling when they experienced not only their own emotions but the others as well. Hermione was preparing to enter full experimental mode when they heard screams reverberate round the castle, they were sure at least one of them was Snape's scream of frustration.
It was time to go. With Dobby's help they passed right through the door, leaving the old buzzard's wards still intact, and were just in time to see themselves vanishing from view. Ron was lying on a bed sleeping off his injuries and had missed everything. Harry gave Hermione a quick kiss, "I think we had better get to bed."
Hermione feigned horror. "Just because you gave me a ring doesn't mean I'm going to jump into bed with you, Potter."
Both laughed and headed quickly to lie down, trying to wipe the smiles off their faces before their visitors arrived.
The door flew open with such force it woke Ron and alerted Madam Pomfrey who tried to head off the three angry men storming into her domain. "What's the meaning of this intrusion? I have sick children here."
"We shall be but a moment, Poppy," Dumbledore answered as he headed straight for Hermione's bed. Harry got the pleasure of the greasy git and an enraged minister.
"I know it was you, Potter, and I'll prove it."
Harry could actually feel the pressure in his head from the legilimency probe that Snape was illegally performing on him, in front of the minister no less. Had they not been wearing the rings that opened the communications between each other, but denied access to everyone else, Snape would have a clear view of not only everything that had transpired tonight but the other years too. When he could gleam no information whatsoever, Snape lost it and drew his wand. It was only Dumbledore rushing over and forcing the potion master's hand down that saved Harry being hexed and at least one life.
Dumbledore had met the exact same resistance from Hermione and had turned around just in time to stop Snape making a complete arse of himself. For the old man, saving Harry was just a by-product of that event. The old goat practically dragged his tame death eater out the room.
"Excuse me, Minister Fudge." Harry calmly asked. "Can you tell me what's happening? Why was I nearly hexed in my bed by a Hogwarts Professor?"
"Don't be silly boy, why would he do that?"
"Probably because his illegal legilimency attack failed to tell him what he was looking for. You didn't know that he and Dumbledore practice it all the time on students?" Fudge's face was a picture of confusion. "Oh, and don't take any of those lemon drops he offers everyone. Snape makes them especially for him, if you know what I mean."
Fudge now looked like he was suffering a severe bout of constipation.
"Don't let it worry you, Minister, I'm sure Dumbledore will obliviate any memories he doesn't want you to have. At least that's what he usually does."
Fudge left the infirmary at a run as Harry tried to contain his laughter.
It was a bemused Ron who asked, "What the hell was that all about?"
"Just winding up the Minister of Magic, Ron," Harry's glance at Hermione said all that was needed. Ron couldn't be told anything, they now knew he couldn't be trusted. This, along with their new relationship, was going to put an instant strain on their so-called friendship. Both Harry and Hermione knew that their Hogwarts days were over, it was only a matter of choosing the right time and method to reveal their plans. Plans in which the Weasley family played no part.
Harry and Hermione knew what would happen when they fell asleep and neither was looking forward to it, unfortunately the rings were forcing them to relax and sleep was fast approaching.
(A/N: These rings were commissioned by a Potter ancestor who was unsure whether his future wife loved him or his fortune. As the wearer sleeps, they view their partner's life and thoughts almost like a pensieve memory. The ten day rule allows the wearers to discover exactly how they feel about each other. This is explained in the next chapter but I placed this note here to try and avoid confusion.)
- Hermione viewing Harry's memories -
Hermione had been told she would see everything that had happened to Harry in his life but nothing could have prepared her for experiencing his emotions and pain.
A four-year-old Harry was curled-up in his cupboard, silently crying. It had been Dudley's birthday and Harry, knowing from experience he wouldn't be receiving any of the food or cake, had asked his Aunt when his birthday was. He had received a beating from his Uncle and then told that his drunken freaks of parents hadn't even bothered to write it down before they died, as a worthless boy like him didn't deserve to have a birthday.
Hermione's heart was breaking as she felt the desolation that was coming from the love of her life. Had her Harry known at this time what wonderful people his parents were, she was sure he would have walked in front of the first bus he saw to be with them and end this hell on earth.
As the memories downloaded into Hermione's mind, she began to experience anger on a scale she never thought herself capable of. Watching a bulldog sink its teeth into Harry's malnourished body, while being admonished about 'your blood better not poison my dog, boy' was the final straw. She felt her magic getting away from her before a calming presence pulled it back. The memories were still painful but she was now using the information to plan their revenge. No one did that to her Harry and got away with it, they were all going to pay - even the dog.
In the infirmary ward, all hell had broken loose. There were things flying everywhere as Hermione's magic manifested itself by throwing objects against the walls, floor and ceiling. Poppy had managed to get a shocked Ronald Weasley out the ward when it all stopped. She looked at the other two patients on her ward and noticed that both beds were actually side by side, with their occupants of those beds now holding hands. She went to approach the young couple when some objects again started to levitate, as she withdrew everything settled back down. As both appeared in no apparent danger, Poppy left them alone and placed Mr Weasley in a private room.
- Harry viewing Hermione's memories -
If Hermione was unprepared for the emotions coming from her betrothed, Harry was devastated at the hurt she went through growing up. He wasn't sure how this whole time travel thing worked but it seemed mere hours ago that he watched the wonderful girl who was his future hit with a curse that appeared to end her life. Harry knew he was over protective of those he loved but even that was exaggerated out of all proportion since that fight. Anyone trying to harm his beloved was going to have to go through him first and, since the Department of Mysteries, there were very few who could come even close to that feat.
Her experiences from school were no worse than his. Hermione was ostracised and bullied by her peers because of her obvious intelligence, but it was her home life that shocked him the most. Hermione was sitting calmly discussing the latest episode of bullying with her father who was advising her to confront the bullies while he would contact the school again. She was seven for Merlin's sake and had just spent over an hour crying in her bedroom, where was the hug she so desperately wanted? He could make Hermione feel better with a simple 'love you' and a hug. Another phone call to the school would just escalate the problem.
As an 'outsider' looking in, Harry could see where her tremendous drive and almost pathological need to please authority figures came from. Her parents were highly intelligent people and Hermione tried to show that part of her as often as possible, just so they would notice her. She wasn't so much unloved, just starved of affection by parents who she had never even seen holding hands. It was a wonder Hermione managed to get born at all. A pat on the back for a perfect report card was about as good as it got.
Both had been starved of love their whole life and he silently promised to show he loved her every day. His greatest wish was to have children in the future, and between the two of them they now knew exactly what not to do. When you added the overbearing Molly 'two hugs, three meals and I'm your adoptive mother' Weasley into the mix, they really had all the 'do not' bases well and truly covered.
He had felt the terrible hurt she was currently feeling and his magic acted accordingly, Harry didn't know what was happening in the 'real world' but he felt better because of it. He was currently watching Hermione discuss going to Hogwarts with her parents, he could feel the excitement of learning new things but that was outweighed by the surge of hope at a new start. Walking onto the Hogwarts express for the first time her feelings were almost exactly the same as his, please don't let me be sent home because I don't fit in.
Seeing yourself through another's eyes was disconcerting, seeing Ron through Hermione's eyes was a revelation. From the first time they met Ron had been rude to her, and this had continued every time she approached Harry in his presence. When he felt the hurt he caused her at Halloween, Harry would quite happily feed the redhead to Fluffy. Her emotions when a certain dark haired wizard jumped on the troll in an attempt to save her were off the scale, the boy she had been trying to befriend for a couple of months was literally putting his life on the line for her.
- Hermione viewing Harry's memories -
Hermione watched through Harry's eyes' as she stood frozen in place while the troll wrecked the bathroom. He could see it was only a matter of seconds before she was hit with the club and did the only thing he could think of, he jumped on it. He couldn't believe she had lied to McGonagall for them.
Getting his perspective on flying was awesome. She now understood that, after spending most of his life in a cupboard, the freedom a broom afforded provided some of his happiest memories to date. When she had screwed her courage up and hugged Harry before he went to face Quirrell, it was the first hug for both of them.
After defeating one evil bastard, another evil bastard sent him to live with a whole tribe of vicious, evil bastards. Watching as he received his meagre rations through a cat flap meant she was really going to get creative with their payback. Oh they were all so going to suffer for what they did to her Harry.
The hurt he felt over the whole 'Heir of Slytherin' was nothing compared to his sense of loss when he saw her lying in the infirmary petrified. Hermione had felt a wave of jealousy when he received that singing valentine but seeing him sitting holding her petrified hand showed he loved her before any of them even knew it.
Watching as the terrified twelve-year-old fought that basilisk and Riddle was awe-inspiring. Even when he was dying though, his thoughts had turned to his friend lying in the hospital. Harry saved Dumbledore's job, got Hagrid out of Azkaban before he was once more shipped off to those bastards and the prison that was Privet Drive. He only escaped by blowing up his Aunt.
He didn't even make it to Hogwarts before the madness resumed once more, dementors on the train set the tone for the year and a convicted killer after you just added a bit of spice to the mix. Hermione saw that discovering Sirius was his godfather, innocent and wanted Harry to live with him was the best thing he had ever felt. The legalised murder of Sirius Black almost broke Harry James Potter, it was back to being four in the cupboard and his friends were banned from contacting him. Surviving summer only landed him in that flaming tournament.
- Harry viewing Hermione's memories -
Harry looked through his girl's eyes as she watched him holding on for dear life as his broom kicked and bucked beneath him. This was his first experience of Hermione's 'Help Harry' mode, her whole mind and body was focused on the problem and sprang into action. She'd only been in the magic world a few months yet here she was setting fire to a professor's robes to save her Harry.
He felt her utter elation as she solved the riddle of the Basilisk but her last thought as Hermione was petrified was that she let her Harry down. When she recovered there was only one thought in her mind, find her Harry and she almost thought it was worth being petrified to hug him in the great hall.
Harry looked in horror as he saw himself fall from that broom after the dementors had invaded the quidditch pitch, Hermione thought he was dead and the feelings were exactly the same as Harry's in the Department of Mysteries. When he got the Firebolt it brought it all back to her and she did something she never would have believed possible, she went to McGonagall. When Harry wasn't speaking to her, she cried herself to sleep every night. Hermione's only consolation was that he was still alive. She had done it for his safety and he had turned on her, Harry felt like a right shit.
When Dumbledore closed the door and Sirius had his soul removed by the Dementor, they both cried all night. Professor Lupin was so disgusted with the decision he left not only the school but the magical world and they never heard from him again.
Hermione had defied Dumbledore and written to Harry that summer but her letters kept coming back undelivered, even the ones sent by muggle Royal Mail.
When they got back to Hogwarts she was really worried about him, those feelings kicked into overdrive when his name came out that bloody goblet. As she watched him walk away there were only two things she was certain of, he didn't put his name in the goblet and it was 'Help Harry' time again.
Chapter 3
- Harry viewing Hermione's memories -
Harry felt Hermione's terror as she watched him trying to dodge the dragon on his broom; she was also berating herself for not kissing him while hugging before the task as she felt like there might not be another opportunity.
Harry noticed she had her wand in her hand, trying to make up her mind whether to help him or hex the people who made him compete; she was out of her seat like a shot when Harry completed the task and pounced on him when he emerged from the tent.
Harry knew there were memories coming up where he hurt her, and it was only a matter of discovering just how bad. Sure enough when the ball was announced and his attention had turned to Cho, Hermione was devastated. When she was approached in the library by Krum and asked to the ball, she said yes but Harry could now see that her intention was to get him to view her as a girl.
To see his reaction through her eyes was actually quite funny, he was standing there definitely noticing that she was a girl while Hermione was mentally screaming YES!
She had told Victor up front that they would be going as friends as she wasn't interested in anything else, Krum actually seemed quite relived as he was sick of girls chasing after his fame. He kissed her goodnight on the cheek and she walked into the Gryffindor common room where the prat Ron ruined her night.
- Hermione viewing Harry's memories -
Hermione felt his emotions run riot as Harry walked into the argument between Ron and her, as she watched herself burst into tears, Harry's insides just melted. She could feel that he loved her but Harry didn't have the emotional experience or tools to deal with it. He could stand up to Voldemort, a basilisk or a fire breathing dragon but the sight of her crying had him totally beaten. He knew he should take some action but hadn't a clue where to even begin, though punching out Ron was getting near the top of the list.
As Harry was swimming toward the sound of singing, he was still trying to work out what he'd sorely miss, talk about being under prepared, if someone had stuck Hedwig at the bottom of the lake then all hell was going to break loose. When he swam into the village he was shocked and confused at what awaited him there. Hermione, Cho, Ron and a little girl were all in some kind of sleep state and tied to posts awaiting rescue.
Hermione was almost laughing at the confusion in Harry's mind, as he didn't know whom he was supposed to rescue, when Cedric appeared and rescued Cho, Harry moved towards Hermione only to be hit by a half-shark. As Krum swam away with Hermione, she was pleased to feel the indignation pouring out of her Harry, how dare that bloody Bulgarian steal his Hermione! It was a god job that she was actually lying down in a hospital bed at the moment because hearing Harry think of her as 'his Hermione' was her greatest wish come true, she would probably have fainted if she wasn't already asleep. He had loved her much earlier than she thought.
Harry looked at the two remaining hostages and was not pleased, Cedric and Victor get to save beautiful girls and he gets Ron bloody Weasley as the thing he'd miss most, someone was having a Giraffe! Did everyone think he was gay? He had half a mind to leave him down here and save the young girl but exiting the lake with a seven-year-old girl under your arm was hardly a good image either. To hell with it, he would take them both.
Sitting dripping-wet on the bank he was delighted to see Hermione wasn't interested in Krum and kept talking to him, her face when Fleur kissed his cheeks for saving her sister was wonderful – just as Ron trying to claim some of the credit was woeful. Harry decided then and there to ask Hermione out after the last task, listening into Harry's thoughts could be harrowing but hearing that made everything worthwhile. She was also more aware of Dumbledore's manipulations, one dance with Krum and she was the thing he'd miss the most? Ron and Harry had hardly spoken all year yet she had been inseparable from the boy she loved.
As Harry entered the maze his only worry was surviving so he could ask Hermione to be his girlfriend, he had no ambition to win the tournament he didn't enter in the first place. For some reason Harry seemed to encounter very few obstacles though when he caught Krum cursing Cedric he took great delight in stunning the Bulgarian.
He eventually reached the centre and there was the cup with Cedric heading straight for it, which would have been fine with Harry except for the Acromantula that the Hufflepuff hadn't seen. Harry fired a spell at it but just appeared to enrage the giant spider that now headed straight for him. Hermione watched as Harry and Cedric teamed up to dispatch the giant insect before making the fateful decision to share the cup.
When Harry returned with Cedric's body both Hermione's were crying, her fifteen-year-old self was sobbing with relief while her younger-older self, watching Harry's memory, was distraught at what her Harry had just came through and the fake Moody was just about to kidnap him right under every ones noses.
Harry was in the infirmary while Fudge basically called him a liar yet still presented him with his winnings; having had the impostor kissed before he could be questioned only confirmed what they both now knew. In the wizarding world, covering your arse and looking good in the press was much more important than truth or justice. The Prophet didn't print lies; it just didn't always print the truth. Knowledge was power that could only be shared with the right people; if everyone knew what was going on they may think that a better job could be done of running things.
- Harry viewing Hermione's memories -
Harry saw Hermione's memories of her attempts to contact him while at Privet Prison all summer, which were thwarted at every turn, so she was not a happy camper when they met on the train, especially since he wasn't wearing a prefect badge.
She immediately removed her own and placed it in her pocket to the bemusement of Harry though the one watching her memories knew exactly what was going on. She sat beside Harry and took his hand, when she told him of trying all summer to contact him he squeezed her hand in understanding.
Ron and Ginny weren't so understanding when they entered the compartment; both appeared to be sucking extremely sour lemons, according to the expressions on their faces. When Ron proudly announced that he was going to the prefects' meeting he was again left with a sour face when Hermione didn't move to join him. She refused to answer the Weasley questions regarding her badge, or lack of, and they eventually got tired of it though they continued to glare at their joined hands.
When the prefects were told to show the new first years to their dorms, Hermione sitting unmoving with Harry drew the wrath of McGonagall. Her reply would be talked about all year, "I'm sorry, Professor, but I am unable to accept the position of prefect as it appears the badges weren't awarded on merit, when you have the Tri-Wizard champion who doesn't make prefect then there must be some other agenda being adhered to. I would have written but it would appear that every letter I sent over the summer was returned to me." She returned the badge before leaving the hall, hand in hand with Harry.
She found herself in McGonagall's office the following morning, which proved enlightening, her head of house was trying to lean on her to accept the badge since she knew Weasley would be useless but Hermione was having none of it. "Professor, I believe this decision is as much a slur on Harry's character as those ludicrous articles the Prophet seems so fond of printing. If I accepted that badge I would be condoning that slur – I could never do that. My loyalty to Harry far outweighs that to Gryffindor or even Hogwarts." McGonagall was left with no comeback.
The glares coming from the youngest Weasleys put both of them on their guard, all food and drink would be getting checked from now on. A quiet word with Lavender was called for, "Could you watch out for me? Ron doesn't seem too pleased the way my relationship with Harry is going. If I suddenly start spouting eternal love for the red-haired arsehole, please drag me along to see Madam Pomphrey. Oh, and please keep it quiet." Harry was laughing at the memory, the whole school would know by tomorrow night.
- Hermione viewing Harry's memories -
Hermione wasn't laughing at Harry's memory of their first defence class under Umbridge, she repeatedly tried to antagonise them throughout the class but both were polite and said nothing that could be used for administering a detention. Neville approached and asked if he could study defence with them, as they weren't going to learn anything here, he brought his girlfriend along – Luna Lovegood.
The Weasley menace came to a head when they sat down to breakfast a few weeks later and found their juice spiked, two stunners and two Accio potions later and they marched up to the top table, presenting their evidence to a shocked Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore interfered at once and gave both Weasleys detentions but Harry and Hermione refused to be in the same house as someone who would put a potion into your food, they were quickly joined by Neville as all three demanded either the expulsion of the Weasleys or to be resorted.
McGonagall was furious, only the headmaster could throw students out of Hogwarts and she knew he was as thick as thieves with the Weasleys so that wouldn't happen, she was going to lose her two best students and Neville had been showing a lot more confidence since taking the Lovegood girl to the Yule Ball.
Dumbledore blustered, threatened, cajoled before capitulating and the hat was brought to the hall. The trio were all sorted into the house they requested - Hufflepuff, much to the delight of their new housemates. All three had seen a delighted Umbridge taking notes of the whole event.
They had wanted to stay below the radar and a Hufflepuff Harry was a lot less threatening. They were caught in a power struggle between Fudge and Dumbledore, but since they liked neither one, they were letting them slug it out.
Fudge got his Christmas present early when the Quibbler ran a front page story on the Weasleys attempt to give the boy who lived a love potion. The backlash saw Dumbledore sacked from Hogwarts, Arthur Weasley forced to resign in shame and the new headmaster, Umbridge, threw out all the Weasleys as neither Ron nor Ginny were capable of brewing the potion they were caught with.
As Harry was clearly no longer 'Dumbledore's man' there was nothing to be gained and everything could be lost by harassing the wizard so he was left alone. This was exactly what they wanted as the four continued to train in the room Dobby showed them.
- Harry viewing Hermione's memories -
Harry relived the best Christmas of his life through Hermione's eyes, she had mentioned that her parents were going skiing and she hated it, when Luna invited them to stay with her. The two couples had become really close friends and Luna stopped mentioning imaginary animals when she realised that they actually were her friends.
The loony was just an unconscious act to stop people getting to close so she wouldn't have to deal with the emotional loss when they left her. It took the wizard with the lowest confidence in the school to ask the one pretty girl he didn't think would say no to a dance and the results were verging on the spectacular. Training and studying every night and each weekend had boosted everyone's confidence and made them a tight knit group.
Since there was no Dumbledore, and neither Sprout nor Umbridge knew Harry had never left the castle at Christmas, there was no welcoming party at the station and the night bus delivered the three of them to Luna's home. Harry had a thousand galleons in his trunk left over from summer, since he wasn't allowed out of prison or able to attend Hogsmeade, so a monster-shopping day was planned before Christmas.
Using the floo to the Leaky Cauldron where they met Neville, the first item on the agenda was bottomless & weightless bags for everyone. After that the four friends made their way to Gringotts, where Harry was going to get some gold exchanged to muggle money and visit his vault. Feeling Hermione's emotions when they found out the Weasley's had been 'visiting' his vault was scary. Harry demanded that his entire vault be emptied, except for one Knut, and be converted to muggle currency. He left the bank with over three hundred thousand pounds in his bag. Hermione had a bank account so he put most of it in there, he didn't care about interest; he didn't want the Weasleys or Dursleys getting it. Hermione wasn't happy about the situation but she could understand his reasoning and he had no desire to have an account with Privet Drive as his address.
The rest of the day was shopping, eating, movie, eating and even more shopping as the two purebloods saw the sights of muggle London; in other words, they had a blast!
Luna's father was a little eccentric but in a good way, you could sit all night and listen to his stories and he seemed to thrive on the company. When they tried to thank him for allowing them to visit he had tears in his eyes as he explained that it had been a few years since this house had been filled with such joy and laughter, he felt he should be thanking them.
Heading back to Hogwarts the rejuvenated teens threw themselves into their training and studying. Umbridge had no problems in the school and with no Voldemort activity reported, Fudge decided to use the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' philosophy, so he did nothing.
- Hermione viewing Harry's memories -
Hermione watched Harry's memories as Voldemort started sending him visions of a corridor culminating in the history of magic exam. She watched herself try to talk him out of it but having seen the vision herself now there was no way Harry could have ignored the torturing of Luna's dad. They were using wands to place cuts on the journalist claiming that since Potter spent the holidays with him then he must know the prophecy – there was blood everywhere. With no one outside their group they could trust, they took a broomstick ride to the ministry. Luna was a pretty good flier so she took Neville while Harry took Hermione – straight into the trap.
Hermione watched Harry duck and weave while sending off spells at the death eaters but when he saw her get slashed and go down from that curse, Harry's magic went mental.
He was vaguely aware that Neville was muttering something while supporting Luna, but the broken nose made it unintelligible, while Harry's glowing green eyes fell on the wizard who had murdered his Hermione. The death eater literally ripped into two pieces and his death screams reverberated throughout the ministry, Harry calmly walked on looking for his next victim. Four dead eaters later he came across Lucius who hit him with the Cruciatus curse, Harry just stood there as the curse hit him in the chest with no visible effects. In reality Harry was using the curse like a conduit and quickly draining all of Malfoy's magic into himself, he had no idea how he was accomplishing this and neither did the Hermione watching his memories. A kick in the face of the now kneeling muggle Malfoy put him out of the fight.
The crazy bitch that hit him with the death curse actually wet herself when he just absorbed the spell and kept walking toward her, he was using neither wand nor words, just thinking about what he wanted done and his magic was doing the rest. He walked right passed boneless Bella who was in severe pain as all her organs pushed down on top of one another causing her death within minutes.
Macnair was just vaporised with all that remained of the executioner being a greasy spot on the wall. Harry was making his way back to the atrium, killing every death eater he saw. When he got there he hit the jackpot, Voldemort.
Harry took the glass ball out of his pocket, "This what you're after?" he casually dropped it in front of him and while Voldemort was watching intently, Harry started siphoning off Tom's magic.
"What is this power you have Potter?" asked Voldemort before realising what Harry was doing, he hit the young wizard with a Cruciatus as the floo system started depositing people into the atrium.
Harry was struggling to cope with the now double feed and the shear amount of magical power involved, he put his head back, opened his mouth and screamed as his magic let go.
Harry's magic knocked out every pillar or wall on this full floor, which brought the whole ministry of magic building pancakeing down on their heads, it was non-survivable, and everyone in the building and a few outside it died.
-oOoOo-
Harry opened his eyes and found himself in a place unlike anything he'd seen before, there were no walls or ceiling that could be seen, just two sofa's, a table and countless library shelves filled with books. He was trying to figure out where he was when something moving at speed registered at the edge of his vision, Harry quickly spun round but nothing could save him from the ferocious attack.
A brown-eyed, bushy-haired bombshell exploded right on top of him as Hermione threw herself at the man she loved, her arms were round his neck while her legs encircled his waist as she proceeded to snog him for all she was worth. Harry wasn't sure where they were but at this precise moment he didn't care because this was heaven, they were interrupted when someone spoke, "Well there's something you don't see every day!"
A second later Harry and Hermione had their wands pointing at James and Lily Potter.
"Oh so that's the way it is, greet each other with hugs and kisses but we get wands pointed at us! He must take that from your side of the family, Lily," said James.
Harry's legs buckled and, as Hermione was still wrapped around him, they hit the floor in a heap thought their wands still covered the two newcomers.
Lily smacked James on the back of the head, "That's a fine first impression to make on our son and his girlfriend, and just how was he supposed to pick up pointing a wand at someone from my family? Honestly James!" said Lily as she moved forward and helped Hermione regain her feet. She then pulled Harry up and squeezed him so tight he thought a rib would break.
"Oh Harry, you couldn't have picked a better girl to spend the rest of your life with," said Lily, "even now she's standing there, with her wand in her hand, ready to fight for the man she loves." Lily opened her arms and invited Hermione into the hug, she was reluctant but as soon as she got there it just felt so right that the tears started to flow. Harry had started crying the moment his mother had hugged him, but now with the two women he loved holding him, the dam broke and all those years of holding his emotions in check were washed away.
James joined wrapping his arms round the two teens as they stood as a family, trying for a fleeting moment to fill a void that existed in each of them. They eventually had to sit down, Harry ended up in the middle of both women who showed no signs of letting him go ever again. His dad chuckled and sat on the other couch as Harry asked the all important question, "Are we dead?"
"That's a question that we can answer later," said James, "there are some things we need to tell you then a decision will have to be made. This situation is a junction in time, there are two paths that can be taken with the consequences affecting everyone in the world – so no pressure you two!"
"James, if you can't be serious and do this properly then we could end up losing this chance. Behave!"
Properly chastised, he continued, "When you let your magic go in the ministry it destroyed Voldemort's body but it also caused massive damage to the magical world. When the death eaters started throwing dark curses at you it set off alarms, and most of the senior members of the ministry, as well as all the Aurors and Dumbledore, had entered the building when it came down. The reason that this is a catastrophe is Voldemort isn't dead,"
Both teens' shot up, "What!" Harry couldn't believe it, "How could he possibly survive that?"
It was Lily that replied, "The same way he survived that Halloween, you killing him in first and second year as well as again today. He split his soul and placed it in objects, creating horcruxes, and he cannot die until these are destroyed."
Hermione was crying again, "All those plans; all that work, for nothing. We couldn't even take him with us!"
Lily was hugging the crying witch as Harry just sat stunned; he'd given it his best shot and came up short.
James continued, "Umbridge will become minister for magic and start passing laws that will further fragment the wizarding world, anyone not pureblood will probably leave the country, and by the time Voldemort returns all that will be required is for him to make an appearance and the ministry will fold like a deck of cards."
Harry felt as if he was going to be sick, his mother pulled him closer before speaking, "That was the bad news but there is another alternative. You can be sent back to a time when you can do most good."
"Time travel?" asked Hermione
"Yes" James replied "but this time you will be better prepared. It's said 'Knowledge is Power' and we intend to prove that right. The night Voldemort hit you with that curse he unintentionally created a horcrux, you!"
Hermione caught on immediately, "The scar."
"Right again," answered James, "but should you go back, the horcrux would be gone but all the knowledge Voldemort had in his head is stored in these books here, a residue of the horcrux. They are not really books, it's just the way your mind has organised all the information as you will, in effect, have access to everything he knew."
Harry sat quietly thinking through his options; in the end, it was his father who couldn't wait any longer, "Well?"
"I'm trying to think of a reason for going back but can't think of one, so people's lives will take a down turn – my life has been shit ever since the night you were murdered and I haven't seen anyone making sacrifices to try and change it. Everyone I've ever loved, everything I've dreamed about is here with me now. Why would I want to give this up and go back where everyone tries to control my life? If my options are this or the Dursleys then my choice is not difficult."
His parents were speechless; they were so sure their Gryffindor son would charge forward that they had never even considered this a possibility. While they were sharing bemused expressions with each other, Hermione took Harry's face in both hands and tenderly kissed him before speaking.
"Harry, I would like to give you a reason to go back, in fact I would like to give you many reasons to go back – our unborn children. My greatest wish is to have our children and watch them growing up, showering them with love. If we stay here we would be happy, I'll be happy anywhere as long as we're together, but something will always be missing, taking your son on his first broom ride or the daughter who will have her daddy wrapped round her little finger before she can even speak. I want this for you so badly I would face Voldemort myself if I had to, but it's your decision to make."
Harry took his wonderful girl's face in his hands and kissed her, pouring all his emotions into that one gesture and leaving his parents misty-eyed. "Hermione, you just described my deepest dreams and desires, and in those dreams you are always by my side just as you are in life. Would you do me the honour of being my wife?"
"Any time, any place, I'll be there – just so there are no doubts here; that's a definite YES!"
Their resulting embrace/snog was only broken by the sound of his crying father blowing his nose, this was the opening Lily required to hug the couple and welcome Hermione to the family, immediately followed by James.
Once everyone had somewhat settled down, Hermione asked a question. "If the information is in Harry's head, is there any way I can access it?"
Harry's father wore a frown. "There is, but I'm not sure I would recommend it." The looks both teens were giving him forced James to continue. "In the Potter family vaults there's a special set of betrothal rings that haven't been used for centuries. They were made for an ancestor who was unsure if the woman he loved wanted him or the title of Lady Potter. The rings will basically give all of your memories to whoever wears the other ring, you will also be able to speak to each other without talking and Harry can grant you access to any part of his mind. Be warned though, the rings can't be removed before ten days and our ancestor ended up hating the woman. While you wear the rings, no one else will be able to access your minds and your secrets will be safe from everyone but each other."
"What are the Potter family vaults?" asked Harry
"That bastard Dumbledore!"
Harry and Hermione were shocked, not at the sentiments that they both agreed with but at the venom and language coming from Lily Potter.
"I know you both dislike the old goat, but when you hear what he's done, you might want to go back and kill him again. He's done so much it's hard to know where to begin so we'll go right back to the start of all our troubles – that prophesy."
James took up the story, "Snape heard part of the prophecy and told his master, Voldemort. There were two children that fitted the profile, you and Neville, but he chose you and marked you with that scar. After he was banished, Sirius tried to take you with him but Dumbledore had decided you were going to the Dursleys and used Hagrid to fetch you there, leaving you on the doorstep like a newspaper. Our will clearly stated you were NOT to go there under any circumstances and contained a list of people willing to take you. He sealed the unread will and declared himself your magical guardian illegally, and with Sirius somehow being denied a trial, there was only Remus who knew we had a will. Dumbledore played the werewolf card and denied him the right to any contact with you at all; Remus was as much a prisoner as Sirius and his whole world crumbled that night. By law, Dumbledore should have told you about your inheritance when you reached eleven, but if you knew that you were the richest person in Britain with many houses and the ability to claim emancipation, you would have been out of Privet Drive and out of his control faster than he could list his titles. We also suspect he has someone working with him in Gringotts to help him pull this off."
His mother was doing her best to convince him to return, "If you go back, you will be Lord Potter and emancipated, Hermione would come under the protection of the House of Potter as your betrothed, your rings will be invisible unless you specifically tell the person. You never need to go anywhere near Privet Drive again, unless you want to kick some Dursley arse, and you will be able to live anywhere in the world and hire magical tutors, keeping you away from Dumbledore's manipulations. You will keep all your memories and magical power; you know the prophecy and how to defeat him. All the knowledge of the horcruxes is here, stored in your mind, and though we don't know when you will go back to, we know it will be a time that you can do the most good."
They chatted for a while before James and Lily seemed to receive a message, "We're sorry, but you have to answer now."
Harry and Hermione held each other tight before answering, "We're going back."
-oOoOo-
As they waited, both suddenly looked as if they had been petrified before falling into each other's arms. "Where are we? When are we, Hermione?" asked Harry.
"Oh Harry, your scar is fainter and my teeth are enormous again!" she looked around and saw Buckbeak, "This is the night Sirius was kissed."
-oOoOo-
A thirteen-year-old Lord Harry James Potter awoke in the infirmary holding his fourteen-year-old betrothed's hand, Sirius was saved, Remus wouldn't leave the magical world, he was never going back to the Dursleys and extremely angry Albus Dumbledore was standing at the bottom of his bed.
Harry ignored the irate ingrate and looked into Hermione's eyes, he was really worried that now she had seen all his memories she wouldn't want to be with him anymore. "Are you ok love?" he nervously asked.
Hermione's beaming smile was worth more than any words but her "Wonderful!" made his heart soar.
Dumbledore was not used to being ignored, far less his mental probes being rebuffed, and he was not a happy wizard. "Lord Potter, I demand an explanation."
Harry and Hermione had the exact same thought, someone had talked.