These characters are not mine. I gain nothing but personal satisfaction from writing this.

Feathers in Time

Chapter One

Hermione chuckled softly as she watched Ginny flick Harry's ear, idly draped over the couch with him before he set down his book and attacked her lips. They were cute, still after all this time. Ten years had come and gone, and Hermione was glad of it. Ronald had left her shortly after the war had ended, and Hermione really couldn't bring herself to care. This morning marked the tenth anniversary and Hermione had finished her Unspeakable research the previous night. A break through. Time travel, always a tricky thing, but now that she got a better understanding of it, she had a feeling everything was going to work out.

Ginny looked at Hermione through her lashes and her husbands hair. "Hermione, when does the project start?" Harry tensed and sighed in sadness. Hermione chuckled at him and waved her hand dismissively.

"We've talked about this. It will start when it starts and end when it ends. Next time you see me, it'll still be me, I promise." Hermione's voice was near desperate. "I swear it."

"We know 'Mione. I just hope it works the way you say it will." Ginny reached over the low table for the brunettes hand. "You mean a great deal to us, I hope you know. Dean and Ron too."

Hermione gripped her hand and smiled warmly. "Yes, I know."

The moon was high when Hermione left Potter Manor. Apperating into her flat wasn't what she planned on, but she really needed a change of clothing. She walked into her living space happy to note that there was a few things moved around, as there had been last night. Her walls were lined with pages and pages of equations and runes. Thin magic lines connected names, times, and an orb, floating in the air, just above her head. Ten years, it took the brightest witch of her age. As an Unspeakable she officially took the title of Ministry Master of Arthmancy and Time. It took her five years to figure out the equations alone. Photos of faces of loved ones. Remus, Fred, Tonks, Dobby, Lavender, Professor Snape. Then she had to combat not only the outcomes and how she was to fix them, but the Ministry red tape. Now she had all she needed. A knock on her door had her pausing in her perusal of her work.

"Master Granger?" A low voice. Hermione quirked a brow. "It's Mr. Jonathan."

Ah, the reporter. Hermione had sent him an owl so that she could get the record straight and keep it that way. Mr. Jonathan was the Ministry appointed Journalist that seemed incapable of writing anything but the truth, often refusing jobs because of the clandestine nature of them. Opening the door Hermione immediately turned on her heel and began to clear her walls. "Good evening, Mister Jonathan."

The young and lanky man shuffled into her flat, his eyes darting from page to page as they gathered themselves before resting on the pensive in the middle of the room. "Is that the pensive you use? For the memories, I mean?"

"Yes, indeed it is. It's filled with nearly every recalling of the battle, how and when people and loved ones perished."

"It's my understanding that you plan to go back in time to save some of them?"

"All of them actually. Every single member that fell defending Hogwarts and the Light." Mr. Jonathan looked concerned.

"Master Granger, if this did indeed work, wouldn't they already be here, saved and safe?" Hermione watched as her work finished gathering itself and plop itself in the open bin on her kitchen floor.

"Inflamarae. Yes, however, as per the Ministry request, I have instructions for everyone I plan to save, disillusionment and appearance charms. It is more than likely, all those who have been saved, have been living beside us for ten years, quietly waiting for tomorrow. I expect it will be a day to remember."

Mister Jonathan seemed excited to say the least. "So you're absolutely sure, that all of this information you will be using is correct?"

Hermione shrugged off her coat and grabbed her bag from a low drawer in the table. "Yes, I am. Actually, since it wont matter much tomorrow I suppose I can tell you. My future self has been leaving me very helpful notes and tips."

Jonathan looked like his head was going to cave. "So, your future self, remembering the notes and tips from now, sent them to her past self..." He trailed off and Hermione snickered.

"Mister Jonathan, please. I had to work five years straight to get some semblance of understanding time. You can actually hurt yourself trying. Merlin knows how many times I have ended up in Mungo's."

Hermione looked at her rather empty flat with satisfaction. Her last night in this time and she was ecstatic. The easy black cloth that wrapped her body, breathed and moved with her as she strapped on the belt and pouch at her hip. Her hair, still crazy curly had won her over many years ago, and now lay draping down her back pressed into a large and long braid. Her wand, in its holder and wrapped in leather, at her wrist. She locked the door behind her, grinning at those who walked past. Outside she could hear the press and gaggles of people waiting for her to show her face.

"Master Granger are you scared?" The first insipid question. Hermione's face scrunched up in displeasure.

"Why would I be?"

The people moved from her path as she made her way into the apparition point for the Ball held in Honor of the Dark Lords Fall. Originally it was named the Victory of Harry Potter, that is until Harry heard about it. They changed it the next day. Ten years was a long time to still get excited but now they had a whole new reason to be excited. Many of those that fell would be revealing themselves after the ceremony. Hermione, unpermitted to see her handy-work before it happened, would already be on her way into the past. The Minister of Magic Rundle Underpoil was very please to see her arrive, his flowing green robes with black stripes made Hermione's eyes cross. "Ah! Esteemed Master Granger, how goes the final day?"

"It is going very well Minister. My final preparations are finished and I am very ready to get underway." Hermione gripped his hand in hers, grinning at the flashing cameras and the man she had come to respect for his empathy and understanding.

"Rundle, please. How many times must I ask you?" He shook his stout head and smiled back warmly. "Your spot on the stage is ready for you whenever you wish to start."

Hermione let his hand lead her to the wide stage past the tables filled with what seemed to be thousands. The Minister took his place at the podium with a friendly grace, truly the face of a family man. "Welcome to the Tenth Anniversary of the Fall of The Dark Lord. The Triumph of Light." Cheers cried out from the crowd. Harry and Ginny sitting at the front table clapping and whooping loudly. "This year we have a very special event that I am honored to be able to finally reveal to you. As I am sure you all know, this beautiful lady next to me is Arthimancy Master Hermione Granger. She has brought us many wonderous inventions and changes in these short ten years. Everything from the Truth Quills to the leading discoveries in healing potions and spells. She has saved countless and plans to do so again. She has been working closely with the Ministry for neigh on ten years to bring back the joy from our mourned past. Master Granger, would you like to say some final words?"

Hermione smiled and took to the podium. "Hello again, it's very nice to see all of you before I leave. Tonight you will see some people you may remember from a very dark time in our lives. You will not see me again, and I am so very happy to make this sacrifice. However, you may see a future beyond what you thought possible. I leave you with this: the future is often sitting beside us." Her mischievous grin was shared by Ginny and Harry with a few random others she didn't recognize in the crowd. As she turned her attention to the glass time turner, Hermione began to chat low under her breath and gently flicked the device with her wand. As she cast one last glance out to the audience, she noticed twelve wands glowing, pointed to the sky by several witches and wizards, standing tall and as she felt the tug, she realized. They were everyone she saved.