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"Hermione didn't know what to expect when an experimental potion blew up. She also didn't mean to grab the blond ferret on the arm when it did. But what she really didn't mean to happen was for the two for them to land 20 years into the past directly on top of two of the Marauders."
The war was over. Voldemort was dead. All was well in the world. Hermione sat in a 7th/8th year potions class with the Gryffindors and Slytherins. In a show of unity, Slughorn declared that no one from the same house could work together, and Hermione instantly claimed Draco, much to his surprise. When he looked like he could argue, Hermione just pinched his arm and hissed, "Would you rather be with Neville?" To which Draco instantly shut his mouth.
Then, Slughorn went and announced that thee partners would be the same all year, and that besides learning 7th year NEWT potions, there would be a project that if done correctly, would instantly give the partners an "O" for the class. The project would be one of their choosing. They had to come up with a new version of a potion that would help the community in some way.
"Alright Malfoy," Hermione began, facing the blonde. "What potion do you think we should do?"
Malfoy seemed to consider this before his eyes flashed with an idea. "Well, since I'm forced to work with the bleeding heart, Know-it-all-Gryffindor, I say we do a bleeding heart type of potion."
"How do you mean?" Hermione asked, burning with curiosity.
"Well, I got to watch Severus brew a Wolfsbane potion 3rd year. Why don't we look up how to brew it and then try to improve it, so that it cures Lycanthropy?"
Hermione's eyes bulged before she excitedly squealed, "You're brilliant Malfoy!" But then her eyes dimmed as she thought about it some more. "Do you think it will be too hard though? You don't even know how to brew the original, right?"
Draco shook his head resolutely before asking with a slight sneer, "Do you have a better idea?"
"Well… actually," she started, "I thought that if we did Polyjuice potion and improve it, we could make it so it doesn't wear off after an hour, or even change it so you have to take certain aspects of the potion but does not become an exact replica of that person. Kind of like a glamour charm that doesn't wear off."
Malfoy seemed stuck in his head as he considered her rationalization. "Huh. I actually like that. We can always try the improved Wolfsbane potion later if we can't figure the Polyjuice out. I think we should go with your idea. If we could come up with a permanent glamor potion, giving people with scars and such from the war a chance to look normal again."
Hermione instantly glanced at her left arm, where she knew her scar sat underneath her robes, before she remembered Malfoy and glanced at his arm. "We can help past Death Eaters get rid of the Dark Mark…" she whispered.
She didn't say this soft enough, as Draco instantly whipped his head up and locked eyes with Hermione, as he simultaneously grasped onto his arm.
In that look, the two former enemies came to the same conclusion.
They had to make this potion.
…. …. …. …. …. … ….
"Gah! This stupid bloody potion is going to make me mad! And we haven't even started the bloody thing yet!" Draco huffed one day as he and Hermione worked together in the library researching.
Hermione ignored the swearing, and when she made no move as if she did not hear Draco at all, he slammed his book shut with a bang, and smirked in achievement when Hermione jumped at the noise.
"Really Malfoy? Why don't you just act your age and suck it up." Hermione said, not even looking up from her book, ignoring her pounding chest.
"This stupid, bloody potion is going to be a lot harder than I originally thought. I just want ti done already." Draco grumped and whined, crossing his arms in a pout.
Hermione raised her eyes then, and had to retrain herself from rolling them when she noticed him pouting. "I want this potion to be finished just as much as you do. But, we can't just start experimenting with it before we research."
Draco dropped his hands, and nodded his head understandingly. "Let's get this done."
So for the next few weeks, Hermione and Draco settled into a routine. Every day, they spent all of their free time in the library researching all they could on the ingredients of Polyjuice and the ways they could improve upon the potion.
It was two days before Hermione's 19th birthday when they finally decided they needed a break. Since it was a Friday, they approached Professor Slughorn about getting a private room to experiment in with their potion as soon as they were done researching. Happy to help his two hardest working students, Slughorn set them up with a room on the third floor, quite close to where Fluffy's room was first year.
Hermione and Draco contentedly set up the empty classroom together during their free hour Friday afternoon. "If you told me a year ago that I would be happily working side by side with Draco Malfoy on a project without any hostility or name calling, I would have thought you were mad." Hermione mused a loud as she wove complex protective charms on one of the walls.
Draco just smirked as he continued working on his wall, setting charms in case of explosion. "I wish I had a time turner so we could go back and say just that to our past selves." Draco saw Hermione try to conceal a smirk, but continued on, "Could you imagine our faces?"
Hermione had to focus on his words for a moment as her mind had wandered to the Time Turner that she kept around her neck that McGonagall gave back to her this year. Yet, as she thought about what Draco said, she broke into hysterical giggles. "I would probably punch you in the face." She giggled some more before adding "Again."
Draco scowled at the bushy-haired witch before playfully elbowing her side, even as she laughed harder.
Hermione tried to smile in apology to Draco but more giggles burst through her lips. After a few moments, she settled down. "Alright, sorry. Let's focus on this, yeah?"
Draco nodded his head in agreement, before turning back to his work. Together, they put up protective enchantments on the classroom. After a couple of hours, the two of them collapsed against the wall together in exhaustion.
"Winnie." Draco called out to the confusion of Hermione. Then, an unmistakable pop of a house elf appearing, cleared everything up quickly. A small, pink house elf wearing a dress uniform with the Hogwarts crest stood, looking quite excited to be called upon specially. "Will you bring up some food? It seems we forgot lunch." The house elf quickly nodded her head and popped away, before Hermione could even open her mouth to object.
Hermione decided not to say anything, however, when the Winnie popped back in with an elaborate spread. Seeing Draco had already thanked the suddenly startled House Elf, Hermione responded in kind, thanking Winnie, before sitting down next to Draco in companionable silence, munching on the finger food that Winnie brought.
"So," Hermione said, breaking the silence.
"So." Draco stumbled looking for something to say.
Now, the silence that followed, was awkward but only for a moment as Draco had a lightbulb moment.
"So, did you know my cousin well? Sirius, I mean."
Hermione jumped on that topic quickly. "Yes, I suppose I did. As much as a girl of my age back then could, I guess."
"Tell me about him?" He asked, "I met my cousin Andromeda over the summer, I quite liked her. But I didn't want to bring up Sirius or her daughter Nymphadora." Draco kept speaking until he looked at Hermione. He noticed that she looked as if she was going to cry.
Hermione, to the shock of Draco, burst out laughing, even as tears of grief streamed down her face. Seeing Draco shocked silent by her outburst, Hermione gave a last watery chuckle before explaining. "No one called her Nymphadora and got away with it. No one. Everyone just called her Tonks. Remus got away with calling her Dora. Sirius, on the other hand, well, Sirius was a complicated man. Hot headed, impulsive, and impatient, yet full of spirit, love, and kindness. He spent the last few years of his life doing everything he could to help Harry. He was brilliant, truly, whenever I was over, the three of us; Sirius, Remus, and I would sit in his library and have the most enlightening discussions about everything and anything." Hermione smiled as she remembered some of the good times in that library, but Draco was hardly listening anymore.
Draco was deep in thought before he suddenly grabbed Hermione by the hand, pulled her to her feet, and started dragging her out of the classroom. Pulling her down the hallway behind him as he sprinted.
"Malfoy! Wait a second." Hermione screamed as she struggled to catch her breath. "Malfoy! Malfoy! Draco!"
Hearing his given name, Draco suddenly stilled, causing Hermione to run into his back.
Gathering her wits, Hermione realized what she had called him, causing him to still. Deciding to roll with it, she called out his name again. "Draco, what's wrong? What are you thinking?"
"Dora. She was a Metamorphmagus, right?" Draco asked, still distracted, his mind working a mile a minute.
"Yes, but what does that… oh… Oh! Oh my goodness! Yes! That could work! Draco, you're a genius!" Hermione wrapped Draco in a quick hug, not noticing that he was now looking at her and had a small smile on his face, as she grabbed his hand back and pulled him along with her as the two of them ran to the library together, Draco chuckled as her excitement rubbed off on him.
The two just had their breakthrough for their potion.