A/N:The first two chapters previously put up, had a bit of a SNAFU with the document manager. I'm going through the story and editing and adding a bit to the story, trying to flesh it out and hope that it ignites a muse that has long been away from me.

The fires were finally put out. But smoke still filled many of the hallways, burning her eyes and lungs but that wasn't the only reason for her tears; everywhere she looked there were bodies, friends and strangers. Some of the bodies had obvious injuries brought upon them by the destruction of the castle but most bodies were just lifeless...laying there, eyes unfocused, empty.

Hermione and Harry were heading back to the Great Hall, where most everyone had grouped once it was all over. As they made their way back they passed the Malfoy's, the family holding one another with an affection Hermione was surprised to see in such an aristocratic family.
They loved each other, just as the Weasley's did.

The blonde trio was sitting at the base of the stairs, both the Lord and Lady clutched their child as if he were a life boat, and Hermione was incensed; incensed that they weren't being apprehended by the Aurors that they had managed to escape the war unscathed while good people Hermione cared for were cut down ad lost in a war that family had orchestrated .
Hermione felt a burning rage grow within her, a welcome change from the warring emotions of numbness and desolation.
Nearly about to launch into action Harry grabbed her hand, and explained all that had happened in the Forbidden Forest. Hermione though still equal parts weary and fierce with indignation that these people who had been cruel to her since she was 11 and had witnessed her torture just months prior were in effect pardoned by her best friend, managed to restrain her anger as they seemed thoroughly beaten down…or so she tried to convince herself.

There was an odd sense of cheer amongst the people and Hermione couldn't understand it. Yes, they had won the war; Voldemort was dead, as were most of his followers, but so many others had died as well, friends, mentors, family, those she wished she had gotten to know better…
Hermione and Harry were holding hands as they made their way back to the Weasley's, who were clustered together at the far end of the hall. Ron came up to them and pulled Hermione into his arms, her hand still entwined with Harry's.

'I should feel something shouldn't I..?" she thought while in his embrace. But there was nothing. It was as if she was empty. She saw Fred's body as it lay on the ground. George was simply sitting next to it, unmoving, his eyes vacant, while his still hand gently clasped its mirror image, so motionless was he it was as if he had died as well.

Ron had finally relinquished her body, and she continued to stare at Fred's lifeless corpse, it was ironic that the two people she thought to be the most full of life were now dead or may as well be. Molly moved from her seat where she was coddling Percy as if all were forgiven, 'We ought to go back to the Burrow now, dears, we've done all we can."

Harry and Hermione could do nothing but nod. They walked towards the Headmaster's office to floo home in silence. It had been a long day to say the least.

Most of the Weasley clan went to bed straight away, all but George, Harry and Hermione, who remained stock still on the living room couch, eyes focused on nothing but the empty fireplace in front of them.
"We're legends now mate!" Ron said as he clapped Harry on the back before going to his room, his vain attempt at cheering his mate was just that.
Silence returned to the room but in their minds horrors from the day, months, hell, years, flashed in their minds. The once joyous, however, ramshackle house was lacking.

The hearth no longer blazing while the many Weasley's grouped around for its warmth and the company of friends and family. No one could be bothered to light a fire let alone maintain one, and with magic there was no need, a simple warming spell was all that was needed, fires in the Wizarding world were not meant to heat but as a place for gathering and communication. Tonight would be a night for solitary reflection, the few couples would embrace one another glad the other survived, but the immense guilt of survival would drive them apart as well. The joy of survival outweighed by those who did not. And so the house, usually teeming with life was silent and cold.

Sitting on the threadbare couch, Harry finally broke the silence, "Teddy's an orphan now… I'm his godfather, Hermione, I don't think I can do that. It's just too much" a tear was now streaking down his face, "I mean- won't it ever end? Can't I just be me for a while?" Harry leaned into Hermione, she putting one arm around his shoulder, the other stroking his dark hair away from his face.
She had seen the weight put upon him over the years, but even the defeat of the dark lord couldn't erase the years of solitude he felt with the Dursley's or the pain of loss, his friends and his innocence. She wanted to console him, knowing that caring for Teddy wasn't what was actually the problem with her dearest friend but was instead the only one he knew how to verbalize.
"Oh, Harry, I think he'll spend most of his time with his grandmother." He sobbed once more.
"But still, he should be with his parents, why did they have to die? None of this should have happened! He should have grown up and they should have loved him. " Perhaps Harry was speaking of Teddy, but part of her wondered if Harry was speaking of himself as well.
"They did love him, Harry, so much so that they were willing to die for him...so that he might live, " Hermione dropped her hand onto his shoulder and leaned into him, his words rang in her ears. She looked over to George who just sat looking into the fire. 'None of this should have happened.'

Chapter Two:

The next few days were a blur, it was funeral after funeral, with a ministry memorial service to follow later that week; everyone was in black, which contrasted sharply with the bright clear sky and crisp air of the May day. Today was the service for Tonks and Remus; Hermione, Harry, and the Weasleys made their way to St. Peter's Collegiate Church, in Wolverhampton and awaited the processional. It was a somber affair, as is expected, though Mrs. Weasley bawled through most of it, though she hadn't really stopped since the day prior when they had put Fred in the ground; it was as if a dam had broken inside of her. Though she wasn't nearly as bad as poor George, he had stayed near his twin's grave for most of the night until Bill and Charlie levitated him back into the burrow, where he was currently lying, catatonic on Fred's old bed.

Harry had managed to get a grip of himself, settling with his tried and true stoicism. Hermione did her best to be strong as well, but they would only manage for so long…

The muggle relatives of Tonks had no idea what had transpired just days prior, most assumed it was some tragic accident that took the lives of the young couple, but the wizards and witches in the assembly knew better. When one of the order members rose to the pulpit and began singing, Hermione and many of the other members gave in to the pain….

While sad I kissed away her tears
My fond arms 'round her flinging
The foeman's shot burst on our ears
From out the wildwood ringing
A bullet pierced my true love's side
In life's young spring so early
And on my breast in blood she died
While soft winds shook the barley

And laid my true love's clay-cold corpse
Where I full soon may follow
As 'round her grave I wander drear
Noon, night and morning early
With breaking heart when e'er I hear
The wind that shakes the barley

It was all Hermione could take, her mentor, no, her friend was dead, stuck down in the name of bigotry. As was his young wife, a woman she had come to care for, who's friendliness and intelligence she valued.

Tears spilled out of Hermione's eyes, but she did her best to keep her face neutral, Harry needed her to be strong. The service finished and they made their way through the gates, where they met Andromeda and Teddy, Harry smiled weakly and did his best to engage, Mrs. Weasley fawned over the sandy-haired then black haired baby while simultaneously weeping over the loss of her own, this confused and frightened the child, which in turn frightened Harry.

They left a short time after, having made a date to see each other again soon.

Back at the Burrow they found that George was still in his room, no one was particularly surprised. They sat in virtual silence; the only sound was the ticking of the family clock that no one could bear to look at anymore.

Harry stood abruptly and left the room mumbling, and Hermione made her way to follow him when she was stopped by Ron.
"Leave 'im be, Mione" His face was wane and held dark circles under his eyes.
"Ron, can't you see he's hurting?" Hermione only looking at him momentarily, before trying to follow after Harry.
"I'm hurting too Hermione, what about me? I lost my fucking brother!" His voice raised, and color flushing his thin face as he grasped at his hair, this drew looks from the room, after so long in silence Ron's voice seemed deafening.
"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley gasped, appalled at his outburst, or swearing was anyone's guess.
"I know, Ron, but you still have a family, he's lost his last connection to his parents, you remember what a wreck he was when Sirius died; but at least he still had Professor Lupin, and now he's been taken away as well. He's devastated."
"And I'm not? Fred is gone, Hermione!" Ron, was turning his famous shade of puce in addition to screaming now.
"Quiet down!" Bill said sharply from the chair he shared with his wife, obviously not wanting George to be disturbed -more than he was already. His tone brokered no argument, and while he did not have the lycanthropic tendencies the Fenrir Greyback had hoped it had given him more of a raw edge that few people, even in his own family were willing to test.
However sullenly, Ron continued his voice lower than before but still spoke volume of his frustrations with Hermione. "I just don't see why I can't get a little sympathy, from my girlfriend, but I s'pose I should have expected it, Harry always gets the attention"
At the mention of Ron and Hermione's relationship Mrs. Weasley gasped again, as if it were the only way she knew how to breathe. This caused Hermione to roll her eyes.
"We aren't dating Ronald" Hermione whispered harshly, pissed that their 'romantic' relationship was being brought to the foreground in front of his family, especially when she had better things to do, like be with Harry.
"You kissed me!"
"Ronald, now is not the time"
"The hell it isn't! When are we going to talk about it then? You've been avoiding me for the last week!"
"Slightly more important things have been happening, wouldn't you say? Now, I'm not having this conversation, I have to go to Harry" Hermione then made her way through the house to the back door.

Harry was sitting next to the pond, light fluffy clouds slowly passed overhead, their reflection dotting the calm surface of the water. With his head resting on his knees as and arms wrapped around his legs, he was shaking slightly, as if the force of the tears exiting his body were causing reverberations throughout the rest of him.
Hermione sat next to him, listening to the frogs croak, wind rustle through the corn field nearby, and Harry's quiet sobs.
"What do we do now?" He asked hoarsely.
"Sorry?"
"What do we do now? Now that it's all over. We've spent the past 7 years fighting Voldemort, what do we do now?"
'Is Harry having an existential crisis?' Hermione thought, though keeping her question to herself, 'it's understandable, I suppose.'
"I keep thinking, what I should do now, I don't fancy going back to Hogwarts- every again, really. I don't think I could face it. But there isn't a lot else to do...maybe travel…"
"You could do that Harry, you deserve it..." Placing, what she had hoped was a soothing hand on her friend's back.
"I don't want to deserve it!" He snapped. "I wish that I was normal, that none of this had happened, we would be done with Hogwarts, be applying to the Ministry or whatever, just being normal."
"I know, we all want that Harry, but that's not how things turned out"
"I just keep thinking about what life would have been like if Voldemort hadn't happened, growing up with my parents, Lupin and Sirius being my crazy uncles, them teaching me pranks and Quidditch…" tears were finally streaming down his face. "I'm so selfish, but I wish I had that life, I wish there was a way to make it all have not happened…"
"I know…" Hermione completely understood, after all she had spent her school career being judged and hated because of her parentage and spent the last few living in abject terror of people who viewed her to be an abomination. Life would have been so much easier for them if someone had managed to destroy Voldemort completely before they were born. Then it hit her, there was a way to stop it all, it was completely illegal, but then again so was murder and that didn't stop Voldemort and his cronies.

The Time-Turner.