Thank you to the wonderful HalfBloodPrincess96 for betaing this Oneshot. All mistakes that remain are mine, not hers.

I hope you enjoy it. As always all rights belong to J.K Rowling and Jack Thorne, I'm just playing in their sandbox.

Scorpius looked around in panic. He was still in the Great Lake on the grounds of Hogwarts but Albus was nowhere to be seen.

"Albus? ALBUS?", he called, shouting himself hoarse. He only noticed the dark figure nearing him from the castle when he heard a faint,

"Scorpius," the voice sounded aghast. Before Scorpius could get a good look at the man he was being pulled ashore and dragged away from the lake, towards the castle,

"You little dunderhead! Your mother will be furious. I was under the impression you possessed a brain, but perhaps I was mistaken, considering you don't seem to be using it! Didn't you learn anything from what happened to your father? The Dark Lord doesn't forgive mistakes. Hence your father's lovely sojourn in Azkaban," the mans greasy hair hid his face, which was turned towards the dark forest. His tirade made Scorpius shiver. The man's voice bore no emotion.

Scorpius grasped the time turner tightly in his fist as he tried to figure out where Albus could be. He needed to go back and search. But this man's hold on him was too strong. Suddenly, as he was dragged along it dawned on him just who was in front of him,

"Professor Snape", his whisper was ignored. The man should be long dead. Had they saved more than just Cedric Diggory? His mind was racing. Snape had mentioned his mother; was she alive too? There was hope blossoming in his heart, but fear still gripped him tightly.

"Faster", Snape hissed at him, and Scorpius started to run when he saw a black smoke advance towards them. Only now did he notice the Dementors all around Hogwarts. They were not far from the dark forest when they caught up with them, and a bulky man materialized before them. He wasn't as tall as Snape, but was sturdily built. Before he was able to mutter a word, Snape had him out cold with an unspoken hex. When they reached the borders of the School, Snape immediately pulled Scorpius against his chest and disapparated them.

The world around him spun, and a loud pop resonated in Scorpius' ears. When the dizziness finally ceased he was able to take in his surroundings. Snape had released him and they were standing in an old, decaying, underground vault. There was a door in front of them, and it was the only way out, since the passage behind them was blocked by a collapse. The door in front of them opened shortly after Snape knocked. Scorpius had seen the woman in front of them many times at the station, but it took him a few moments to really recognize her. Her normally shiny brown hair resembled a bird's nest, suggesting it hadn't seen a hairbrush for days. Her robes were old and run-down. She was eyeing Snape warily and fiddled with her wand. After a few seconds she calmed down and cleared the way for them to enter.

The room they entered was small and there was only one table with some mismatching chairs around it. Everything looked old, even the books that took over nearly all the space on the table.

She hadn't noticed Scorpius yet, when Snape started to curse,

"Mione, do you know where I found your idiot of a son? At Hogwarts. And we were seen by Goyle before I was able to get us away. You know what that means," Hermione's eyes grew wide, while she stared at her son who had been hidden behind Snape until now,

"I'm so sorry Severus. I was sure he was in his room. I was here the whole time. He couldn't have gotten past me without my notice," she was panicked as she spoke, and there were tears gathering in her eyes. But all that registered for Scorpius was the word son.

"But my mother is Astoria Greengrass," he mumbled in confusion, and earned a disbelieving side glance from Snape. Hermione however turned towards him and smiled tenderly. If she was as disturbed as Snape by his statement she didn't show it.

"Of course she is my darling. She will always be a part of you for being the one who birthed you,"

"But is she still alive? And why is father in Azkaban?" Scorpius' voice trembled, as he tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He had to know what had happened. He hadn't imagined his future like this. He had thought that keeping Cedric Diggory alive would make everyone happy and not change everything he knew for the worst. This had to be a nightmare. Albus was gone, and as it seemed, his parents were too.

"You know all the answers to your questions, Scorpius," Hermione sounded scared now, "Was he hit by a memory charm, Severus?"

"I don't know any of the answers. All I know is that I need to find Albus." breathed Scorpius, "I fear we made a mess out of things," His fingers cramped around the time turner he was still holding on to. Hermione's gaze landed on it before she looked into his eyes again. She was awfully calm now,

"Albus?"

"Albus Potter. Harry and Ginny Potter's son?" Scorpius eyed both of the adults in front of him. There was bewilderment and distress to be seen in their faces.

"Does this have anything to do with the object in your hand?" Hermione asked, without reacting to his question. Thus far her eyes had kept wandering about unsteadily, but now she was focused, and it was evident that she was thinking rather hard.

"You'd best start at the beginning, Scorpius. Potter is dead. You-know-who killed him two decades ago," Snape's voice was as cold as his eyes, and his face was an expressionless mask.

"Albus wanted to prove that he was superior to his dad. So, with some help and encouragement from his girlfriend, he stole this time turner. It was confiscated by the ministry, for it can travel into the past not just a few hours now, but years," he showed them the device in his hand before continuing, "So we tried to rescue Diggory from Vold..."

Snape had his wand out faster than Scorpius was able to say the name, and silenced him,

"Never utter his name! There is a Taboo on it, foolish boy," He then lifted the silencing spell, and Scorpius stammered on,

"Y-you-know-w-who… We failed the first time, so we had to try again. The second time I was sure we made it, and I ended up in the lake alone. Albus was gone when the time turner stopped. I must have lost him," Hermione and Severus looked at each other, and what he saw made Scorpius gulp hard.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy!" Hermione hissed when she looked back at him. "How could you? The past is not something to gamble with! Through all these years didn't I teach you a thing or two at all? Your father went to Azkaban to keep you safe. To keep us safe."

"Hermione," Snape interrupted her, placing his hand on her shoulder. The door behind them opened and only now did Scorpius notice that there was another one beside the one they had entered through. Everyone turned when a small, platinum blond haired girl stuck her head through the door,

"Mother?" she whispered, and looked in between the three people in the room, "Don't shout at Scorpy. He'll be sad and won't play with me if you do," she whined, and ran towards her big brother. She clung to his leg and looked at her mother with a pout that reminded Scorpius of his father. She had perfected it. While expressing disapprobation at it's highest, it still showed the love she felt towards the woman. He had only seen his father make that expression before.

"Aquila," Snape's voice was soft now, and almost fond when he reached for the small girl.

"You know your mother sometimes gets mad, but always for good reason. It's only because she is anxious about recent events. Let's make some hot chocolate to calm her," Aquila gave Severus a doubtful look before she let go of Scorpius. She didn't take his outstretched hand, but did vanish through the door. Snape groaned and followed his goddaughter after shooting a glance at the two remaining,

"If Harry Potter had a son, we won, didn't we?" he asked, but didn't wait for an answer. Scorpius shouted out after him anyway,

"Yes."

After Snape had gone, Scorpius studied the woman in front of him in greater detail. What had happened here that had stopped Hermione from marrying Ron Weasley? Any why did his father have a child with her? For there was no doubt in his mind that that little girl was the daughter of those two. His head swam with questions again, but he knew the witch in front of him felt the same way. She nodded and motioned for him to sit down, she then began to recount:

"Diggory was a Death Eater. He killed Dumbledore and Neville for You-Know-Who. And many, many more innocent people we might not even know about. I don't know which of these deaths made us lose the war. But the fact is, we did lose. Snape and your father both worked as spies for the order after Harry died. While pregnant with you, your mother was again and again ordered to participate in different schemes of You-Know-Who. She wasn't strong when she finally gave birth, and died delivering you. Your father tried everything to keep her away from the life his own father had bestowed upon him, but the other Death Eaters heard none of it. They just told him it was his own fault for marrying such a weak woman. When she died it destroyed him. All he ever wanted was for the both of you to be safe. Severus offered him a way out that day and he took it. He wasn't too keen at first... He's a Slytherin and a coward after all," there was a small humorless smirk on Hermione's face when she said this,

"I was the one who raised you. That's how your father and I grew closer. Aquila was conceived not long before the Death Eaters found out. They tortured him for days, to find out what he was hiding. To find us. Ultimately..." her voice broke and she had to gulp a few times to gather up the courage to continue,

"He received a Dementor's Kiss. They left him, an empty shell, in Azkaban, and never looked back. His own father.." Hermione's tears flowed unhindered down her face as she revealed why his father was in Azkaban. Her shoulders twitched while she looked at the floor, reliving the worst things that had ever been told to her. Scorpius stood up and drew the woman into his arms while they both cried. He didn't care that he didn't really know her. Before now she had only ever been Hermione Granger, the mother of his beloved Rose.

"I'm so sorry. Father was fine just a few hours ago. Yes we quarrelled, especially after mother's death not too long ago, but he would always be there for me. Making sure I knew that he loved me. Sometimes choosing rather strange ways to show it,"

That made Hermione smile, but only for a moment. Yes, Draco had never been straightforward with showing affection. She gave her ring a short glance and another short smile formed. It felt warm against her skin, the only reminder, that he wasn't dead.

"Your mother lived through your birth?" a hiccup convulsed her small body. She was happy for Scorpius to have been able to met his mother. At the same time it made her so sad, because she knew what it meant for herself.

"She died of the blood-borne curse nearly two years ago. It runs in the Greengrass family,"

Hermione brushed her tears vigorous away and looked at the boy she had called her son for all his life. Draco had made her Scorpius' godmother, and she would not crumble now. She had to stay strong.

"I'm so sorry you lost her. I had wished for you to have an easy life. Still I want you to be able to go back. You are not safe here. We need to undo the changes Albus and you generated. Otherwise, we are all doomed to die,"

Hermione raised herself up and backed a few steps away. She struggled to regulate her breathing as she retreated. They heard footsteps approaching them.

The door blasted open, and Aquila ran towards her mother, a mug in her small hands.

"Is everything alright now mother?" she asked, while handing the mug with steaming hot chocolate to her, looking her straight in the eye. Aquila could see the tear stains on her mother's face, but had no idea what to do against the mourning Hermione carried around at all times. She mused the best thing was to return her father to her mother's side, but everyone she asked had told her it was impossible. Still, she was the daughter of the Brightest Witch of the Age, and knew her mother could make anything possible. Nearly anything, that is.

Hermione was aware of her daughter's wry smile, but nodded at Aquila anyway, and took the mug. She closed her eyes and took a sip. Her daughter was too smart, and familiar with how to tend to her mother's anxiety, even if she was only five. She would make life difficult for the boys who chased after her, when she grew up. The thought that she would never grow up flashed through Hermione's mind, and she had to hold back tears yet again. Should the Death Eaters ever find them, and it was only a matter of time now, they would kill her daughter first just because she was the easier target.

But if she was able to fix the past, would Aquila even exist in the first place? She hugged her daughter tight to her chest and looked up at Scorpius. She knew she had never been a mother to him in his timeline. He had been too surprised when Severus named her as such. She saw in his gaze the response to the question she didn't voice. Hermione buried her face into Aquila's hair and wept silently. Small arms wrapped around her hips.

"It's time for bed my little angel," Hermione muttered, when she was able to talk again.

She lifted Aquila into her arms and started to carry her out of the room, but the girl began to whine and broke loose. She ran towards Scorpius and jumped into his arms. It wasn't easy with the height difference, but she managed.

"Goodnight, Scorpy. I don't know what you have been up to, but I want mother to be happy again, so sort it out. NOW!" he nodded his head in agreement and hugged her, while her eyes never left his. If looks could kill, it crossed Scorpius mind, Aquila would be the one to accomplish it.

After making sure she gave him one last warning glance she followed her mother out the door.

He shook his head and looked at his little sister in astonishment. It was strange. He had never met her before and most likely would never see her again, but there was a lingering longing to keep her safe and grant her every wish. She looked like a Malfoy, with her long platinum blond hair and her stormy gray eyes. If it were not for her mother's unruly curls there would be no resemblance between her and Hermione at all.

"Your timeline is quite different from ours, isn't it?" Snape's sharp voice cut through Scorpius' thoughts.

He nodded, startled, but kept quiet. He only knew Snape from stories, and the headmaster portrait at Hogwarts. His father admired Snape, the only thing Scorpius knew he had in common with Albus' dad, Harry Potter. For the next few minutes there was only silence between the two men until Hermione came back.

"We have to go," she said without ceremony.

"I can't mind the sacrifices. I want Draco back. Together with Harry, Ron and all the others that died the last few years. You said they are alive and that's what I will focus on." Both men in front of her nodded in approval.

"We will be happy, won't we?" she asked Scorpius.

Snape knew she only asked it to harden her resolve. Severus knew already that nothing Scorpius would talk about applied to him. It was evident in the way the boy behaved. He had been avoiding looking in Snape's direction.

"Not in the way you might think, but I would say so.," Scorpius answered, "You have two children Hermione. I don't know much about your son, only that he's a second year in Ravenclaw," he blushed before he continued, "and there is Rose in my year. She's a Gryffindor; smart, beautiful and vivacious. You would be so proud of her."

That made Hermione smile at the boy she had called her son for 15 years. She knew him well enough to see the signs, her boy was smitten with the girl he spoke of.

"She'll come around. You are a sweet boy and any girl would be lucky to have you. Most likely she got my stubbornness. I wasn't interested in love and romance until my 5th year in Hogwarts. Give it time, darling," They were interrupted by Snape,

"Go. For the greater good. Albus would have wanted this," Snape had accepted his own death more than twenty years ago. As long as the Dark Lord was dead too, atoning for his sins, he could accept anything.

"Make him pay for Lily's death," the whisper was only meant for Hermione's ears, and bloodlust flashed in Severus' eyes when they looked at each other. Her answer was a simple smile, but he needed no more.

Scorpius was counting the spins on the time turner, oblivious to the two remaining wizards. He needed to put the exact time for the day of the Triwizard Tournament at the lake.

"We need to keep Albus from using his spell to sabotage Cedric," he grabbed Hermione's hand and put the chain around both of their necks. Then finally he gathered his courage and looked at Snape one last time. There was understanding in the man's dark eyes, and the first and last smile Scorpius would ever see curled on his lips.

After a few seconds when the room around them stopped spinning, Hermione did not hesitate and grabbed Scorpius' hand and disapparated them. Hogsmeade was uninhabited just as she had hoped. Everyone was at Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament.

"We have to hurry. I returned to the same time I did last time, so we only have a few minutes," Scorpius started running while he said it and Hermione was right beside him. She cast a nonverbal disillusion spell on them. It wasn't strong, but it kept people from looking at them too long. Everybody would be focused on the tournament anyway.

When they made it to the Great Lake Hermione needed a minute to gather her breath from running, but Scorpius dragged her along.

"The first time we were next to the stands, the second time we were in the water," he explained.

"The strange Durmstrang boys!" Hermione exclaimed, and he nodded.

"Yes that was us."

"I know where that was," she said and pushed some kids gently out of the way to get to the spot.

"Expelliarmus," she muttered and Albus' wand flew right into her hand. The boy looked around him panicked but the Scorpius next to him got him to settle down. Hermione held the wand in her hand and smiled at Scorpius.

"That was simple," she said, smirking, and he laughed alongside her. She saw her younger self approach the boys, but she wasn't concerned. She remembered being put off by the brown haired boy swinging his wand around. That wouldn't happen now.

Lee Jordan's voice could be heard echoing around the lake. Both of them were snapped out of their laughter by his announcement. They still had another situation to clear, and the tournament was about to start. Hermione just hoped that none of the professors saw them. She didn't have the time to explain everything to them.

Scorpius took her hand again and they went towards the lake searching for motion in the water, betraying Scorpius and Albus' position. Scorpius saw himself first and took matters into his own hands. He might not be the best duelist, but he could manage a disarming charm.

"Expelliarmus!" it worked, and the next second he saw the wand flying towards him and smiled. Hermione handed him Albus' wand and there was a sad smile on her face.

"You need to go back now," she said through tears and hugged him hard. Scorpius smiled again and started turning the knob on the time turner, while hanging the chain around their heads. Before Hermione was able to react, the time turner was spinning, bringing them back to 2020, as it was supposed to be.

With another Hermione.