History is written by victors, and Hermione, Harry and Ron are nothing if not that. Time-Travel!Golden Trio.

Disclaimer : I obviously don't own Harry Potter.

Prologue : a Look into the Future.

Listen, I never wanted any of this.

I was a young boy who never dreamt of becoming the world's most powerful, most lusted after, man. I never wanted to fight - I never wanted to lead. Sure, some of you think it's the sole reason I was born for, but I'm afraid I'm about to disagree vehemently.

You were so brave, the poor, faded shell of my mother said. She forgot to mention how afraid I had been, how impulsive, how naive. Of course, I later understood what Dumbledore did - the people I saw were not my parents, were neither my godfather nor my mentor. They had been there to press me into accepting my death, to tell me what I wanted to hear.

I'm tired of fighting. I'm so, so very tired. And yet, when I look into Ronald's and Hermione's gentle eyes, I know that this is what I should do to keep them safe - what we three would do. We had accomplished so much together, we have gotten so far... we were children, how could we have known? how could we have prevent it? we were thrust into war, and once it truly, truly ends...

...what will we become?

It was funny, how even now adults never helped. Never wanted to. It was them - them who should have hunted the horcruxes, them who should have fought for their lives!- how could we have not seen how manipulated we had been-? A task given to us by the man we grew up having faith in, a Light Lord, a War Hero, and a know Leader.

An honor! Something that had us puff ours chests and pride ourselves for been trusted. Dumbledore's last choices, his last wishes had been for them to continue what he started.

What did he start, you would tell me. What did he do if not create more problems for silly dropout of school teenagers?

We could have never said no, for Dumbledore was no longer with us, and we would have wanted to make him..proud? Perhaps pay tribute? He had always been manipulative, of that I am sure, but I never thought.., not to that extent at the very least.. when I discovered that he was set to die.. I blamed myself for his death.. and he took that guilt and made me sort of.. in his debt? ..

And all this time, he had been only controlling me, feeding my insecurities and adding more troubles to my mind.

I was shocked, I assure you. I still am. Sirius, dead, because I did not - could not listen. Cedric, dead, to protect me. My parents...

Snape.. was a bully.. He might have had some good in him, but he had been an awful, petty, cruel human being. He had joined the Death Eaters in spite of his feelings for a muggle-born.. for my mom... and it was only her apparent death ... which was partly his fault, by the way ... that had him work for the Light. Dumbledore says he kept me alive..

... And I am forever thankful not to have met my end in that Quidditch pitch, that sunny day years ago...

But I would never forget that it was his duty to do so... his duty to protect the children in his care... and Snape did nothing of that... Not really..

He shook his head, and a voice snapped him out of his stupor. Ron's smile was brilliant and warm. It always was.

"All right there, mate?"

He nodded, "yeah. You don't have to worry about it."

He laughed. "Not worrying," he muttered, "that must be fun."

"There's no time for jokes, boys," Hermione said quickly, "I wrote the runes. Ron strengthened the wards' hold. Harry, it's your turn."

"Is it?" he asked, surprised, "I thought Ron-"

"Harry," she warned him, "I know what you're trying to do. It won't work."

"Felt I should try all the same," he murmured, "I don't think it's a good idea."

"You're not leaving us behind," said Ron, blue eyes glinting with determination, "you're not buying yourself time to go back alone-"

"Was that a pun?" Harry asked.

"Oh, stop it. We're in this together, remember? We're not leaving you."

He stopped tapping his feet. "I always wanted a family," he told them, "I - I thought this was one of the silly things people wished for - the ones that never come true."

Ron's lips twitched. He shared a fond stare with Hermione. "And now?"

"I have everything I ever wanted," Harry said. "I - I'm sorry-"

"No," interrupted Ron, holding a hand, "don't be. We wouldn't change a thing if we got the chance."

Hermione snorted in amusement.

"Well, obviously we're time travelling to alter events," he added somewhat sheepishly, "but, what I meant was - er - I don't know what my life would be without the two of you. But if there is one thing I'm sure of, is that we're supposed to be together."

"Always and forever," promised Hermione softly.

Harry giggled, bowing his head in acknowledgement. He tossed his head back and looked at the ceiling, all the while muttering the odd chants Hermione had forced him to learn in order to make this 'Journey' the safest possible.

Then he went still, and smiled at them both.

"I love you guys."

And in a blink of an eye, the three of them were gone.