Disclaimer: We do NOT own Harry Potter as much as it breaks our hearts.
Oh, and thanks to A-Sluggish-Memory who gave us the title for this story when we couldn't think of anything
Prologue
A round of applause went through Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor as Professor Dumbledore concluded his speech. Then, all houses began to tuck in as food appeared on the plates in front of them.
"Er-my-knee," Ronald Weasley said with a mouth full of peas and gravy, "Salt, 'ease," Hermione, in the middle of a deep conversation with Ginny Weasley absentmindly reached across the table for the salt and passed it to Ron, and in the process, knocked her fork off the table.
"Whoops," she said, "Excuse me Ginny," and reached down for her fork. Her time turner began to sway, but she steadied it with her hand. Then Ron, explaining something to Harry animatedly with his hands, accidentally struck her on the back. She fell forward and landed on all fours.
"Oops," Ron explained, "Sorry Hermione. Hermione?"
_._._
Meanwhile, Hermione was emerging from under the table, red-faced with embarrassment she turned to her right where she expected Ron to be sitting, and instead found herself looking into deep grey eyes of a young man. She gasped in surprise.
"Hey, where'd you come from? I could have sworn that this seat was empty a moment ago," Hermione gaped and looked to her left, hoping for her sanity that she would see Ginny Weasley grinning at her. Instead she saw the round face that looked an awful lot like Neville. She turned back to the young man on her right hurriedly.
"Did you come in late?" he questioned.
"I, um, yeah, I did,"
"Oh, okay, so I'm not going insane," he gave her a bright smile. She gave him a small, weak smile back.
No, but I must be she thought giddily.
"Anyway," he continued, "I'm Sirius Black, and this is..." He left it open for the boys across the table from him to fill it in,
"James Potter," a messy haired, boy across the table grinned at her
"Remus Lupin," he put down his book and gave her a nod, his sandy hair falling across his forehead
"And Peter Pettigrew," Hermione looked at the pale, chubby boy sitting across from her in disgust, vowing to keep as far away from him as she could manage.
"Oh, and," James said brightly, "This pretty, young lady over here is the lovely Lily Evans." He beamed.
"Cut it out Potter," she snapped, "It's not appreciated," At this, James positively deflated.
"What grade are you in?"
"Uhhh...seventh," She said, casting a look at Lily's Head Girl badge.
"Cool, you're with us then. When we got up to the dorms, do you want to compare out timetables and see if we have any classes together?"
"Yeah, kay, but actually, I have to go to Professor Dumbledore's office to get my timetable off him, as I haven't got it yet,"
James, who had been listening to this exchange piped up, "Lily and I can take you up there if you want us to, Uhhh...I don't believe I remember your name..." He looked at her sheepishly.
She smiled at him, "Hermione."
"Ok, then, Hermione, we can take you up there, w have to go there after dinner, as Lily and I are Head Girl and Boy," He beamed at this, looking obviously pleased. Lily, on the other hand, looked the opposite.
"That'd be great, thanks," Hermione replied, and then heartily tucked into her food.
_._._
Later, as Hermione, James and Lily left the Great Hall, Hermione felt someone staring at her. She looked over her shoulder and found herself staring into the grey eyes of Sirius Black.