Times Past

After a strange mishap, Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley find themselves catapulted into the past, where they discover they can't go home. Will they change the future, or will they let the world fall away?

Notes: Okay, so here's the deal. Everything is canon up to OotP. After that, things go into this funny little Au of mine. Dumbledore was indeed killed by Severus Snape, but it happened at the beginning of Christmas (that was Draco's deadline). DD knew this, and so he started Harry's new 'lessons' during the summer, telling him everything he thought he might need to know. After Christmas, the trio didn't return to school. About May of HBP year, Voldemort took the ministry. Around August, the last horocrux was discovered. It was during the battle that Hermione and Ginny ended up being blasted to the past. But Hermione already knows Harry was a horocrux. She figured it out ages ago. Smart little witch, she is.

Hermione/Sirius, Ginny/Remus, James/Lily

Chapter One

Hermione was rather proud of the fact that they had been in the past for nearly three months and had successfully managed to avoid saying or doing anything that would seriously impact the future. Very proud, in fact.

Of course, she never counted on the Marauders taking an active interest in her, or Ginny for that matter. She never thought she would ever be on anyone's radar... other than for 'To Die Horribly'. So it came a as a surprise to her when she found herself and Ginny as the main targets of the Marauders latest prank.

It wasn't very pleasant, and she could certainly now see why Professor-er, Severus? No, Snape Oh, it was too confusing ... Why Snape hated those boys with such a passion. Being magically suspended from the ceiling by a wonky sort of muggle net was not fun.

Hermione could feel the rope biting into her thigh. She cursed when she realized she was giving the entire Great Hall a nice glimpse of her thighs. "Damn them." she hissed.

Ginny just rolled her eyes, poked a hand through the rope mesh and waved at the laughing students. She even went as far as to blow a kiss to a madly blushing fourth year boy who was eying her uncovered stomach with interest.

Ginny was that sort of girl though, Hermione was not. So they were having vastly different reactions to this situation. Ginny caught Remus Lupin's eye, winked at him and said. "D'ya boys think you could let us down now? It's a bit drafty up here, and Mione's really not an exhibitionist."

Remus grinned, a look in his eye that was certainly nothing like the much older Remus Lupin. "You are though, I take it?"

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Ginny shouted back, laughing.

"Indeed, I would." Remus called, earning himself several jeering laughs from the males surrounding him, and a few high fives from his fellow Marauders.

"Oi, Hermione luv! Don't know why you're so embarrassed. I can tell you with all honesty I've never seen a finer arse!" Sirius Black shouted for everyone to hear.

"MR. BLACK!" Minerva McGonnagal shouted, absolutely horrified.

"What? Oh, dear. Jealous, Minnie?"

"I've never..." McGonnagal trailed off, seeming blank of words.

"Of course you have at some- er, right then. Detention again, is it?" Sirius cut himself off at a sharp look from the Headmaster.

"Really now, Minerva. You don't have to assign detention when you want to spend time with us. You could always just ask." James Potter called out cheerily.

"DETENTION, TWO WEEKS!" McGonnagal shouted over the laughter of students. "With Filch." she added, when Sirius opened his mouth with all intent of cheekiness.

He snapped it shut, and pouted. "You do wound me."

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for outlandish behavior, and a lack of proper respect!" McGonnagal added. "As for you Mister Potter, I am deeply ashamed. To think our Head Boy behaving so abysmally."

"Ah, well. Can't win 'em all, can you?" James asked, with a shrug.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, would you mind terribly letting the poor dears down?" Professor Dumbledore cut into what was sure to be an amazing lecture from the Head of Gryffindor House.

"Why certainly sir." James replied, waving his wand and muttering the counter charm. The girls drifted down gracefully from their entrapment.

Hermione brushed her skirt down calmly, while Ginny merely shrugged, and ran her hands over her skirt in an effortless manner. Remus eyed her warily. Ginny was... wild.

In the short time the girls had been at Hogwarts, all of them had noticed that Hermione Granger seemed to be a bit introverted, while Ginny Granger, her slightly younger sister was the wild card.

Hermione could be found in the library studying. Ginny was usually seen on the Quidditch Pitch, practicing her moves. James badly wanted her on the team, but she claimed she had no interest in actually playing the sport.

James had taken to asking her daily to join the team, usually right after asking Lily Evans on a date. Both girls continued to deny him.

Hermione glared at all of them, but found herself blushing profusely as Sirius raked his eyes over her frame slowly, then winked at her in an overly exaggerated gesture.

"Well, it's been fun boys. Toodles." Ginny called, looping her arm through Hermione's and dragging her out of the Great Hall, both girls ignoring the laughter following them.

"So, Granger – er, Hermione, that is... she's way hot. Think she'll go to Hogsmeade with me?" Sirius asked, once they were gone.

"Sure." Peter said, blandly. Sirius grinned, but it turned to a glare with Peter's next words. "You've got just as much a chance with her as James does with Evans."

"Git."

Ginny burst into merry laughter as they entered their dorm later that evening. "My god. That was too funny."

"Really. I found it rather humiliating." Hermione snapped.

"Lighten up, sister. It was all in good fun." Ginny said, rolling her eyes at Hermione's predictable uptight attitude.

"Lighten up? They had my arse on display for the whole school!"

Ginny shrugged. "So? What... it's a nice arse."

"Nice?" Hermione questioned hotly.

Ginny smiled. "Sure. I mean, no where near as fabulous as mine, but it's... nice. Sirius certainly thought so."

Hermione blushed again. "That is not at all the point!" Hermione snapped.

"No, but you like it."

"I do not!" Hermione denied.

"Who wouldn't?" Ginny continued, ignoring her. "Sirius is rather... well, hot. Remus is absolutely delicious, don't you think? Who knew he was so..."

"Horny? Imbecilic? A jerk?" Hermione supplied.

"Divine." Ginny settled on.

"Divine? Please, Ginny. Do not go developing crushes on anyone. What about Harry, anyway?"

Ginny stared at her as though she'd lost her mind. "What about him? I was over him a long time ago, Hermione, and even if I wasn't... we aren't going home. You heard Dumbledore, there is no way. Merlin, I'll be in my thirties when Harry's still a teenager! It's absurd to even consider it. As for crushes... well, Hermione..."

"No! Don't you dare say it. You know the consequences of foolish thoughts like that. We've talked this to death, Ginny. The answer is still no." Hermione said sadly. She knew why it had to be no, too, she just wasn't sure how to tell Ginny they had to let history happen, just to let Harry become marked for sure death. He was the last horocrux, after all.

"Maybe I'm not ready to just throw all of them to the wolves, Hermione. You know more than you've ever told me, I know it! What aren't you telling me?"

Hermione sighed. "Nothing, Ginny. There's just... there's no other way."

"Are you so sure?" Ginny asked.

Hermione nodded sadly.

In order for Voldemort ever to be defeated, they had to let history play out.

As awful as it might be.

So, what do we think?

As always, an until next time Raeyvn Rain