PROLOUGE
DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERY – 18th of June, 1996
Harry had been convinced Sirius was being tortured by Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries. Hermione had tried to stop him from going, worried it was a trap. Harry had not been taking his occlumency practice seriously she knew. But she had failed, and Harrys conviction had created doubt in her. What if Sirius really was in trouble? She cared about him too. But, she had been right… It was all a trick to lure Harry to take the prophecy about him and Voldemort. The Death Eaters had turned up the second he had touched the Prophecy and everything had gone to hell from there. They had managed to scrape by barely, but then she had been hit by a spell. Excruciating pain had shook her body and then everything had gone black.
She had no idea how long she had been out. She woke to Ron panting on the floor, exhausted, a brain twitching beside him. Ginny and Luna were nearby. Obviously Ginny had hurt her ankle and couldn't get around by herself. Luna told her calmly that Harry and Neville had gone towards the room with the veil they had seen earlier and so she had climbed unsteadily to her feet and followed; telling Luna to take care of Ron and Ginny. She had to help Harry.
When she had gotten to the room the Order of the Phoenix were already there. Tonks were unconscious on the ground and Sirius was fighting Bellatrix. In the distance she could see running Death Eaters and Dumbledore working on capturing them. She came just in time to see Sirius being hit by a spell and stumbling backwards into the veil. It hit her hard, she understood, he was gone. It all happened so fast. She staggered backwards, losing her balance, trying to catch onto something to hold her upright. All the willpower that had kept her on her feet were failing her though, she fell. Her hand missed the shelf she was aiming for, but something else cold and small got caught in her hand as she fell. She landed head first on the cold floor and her vision slowly faded as she stared at the veil where Sirius had disappeared.
DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES
Edgard Bones, an auror for the Ministry of Magic, was making his normal rounds in the department of mysteries. A task not trusted to many, but he was after all an exceptional wizard and no one doubted his good nature. While walking he spotted a crumbled figure on the floor. The body was bloody and limp, laying near the veil. On closer inspection he found a pulse on what he discovered was a teenager, no more than 15 years old from what he could guess. The girl looked like she had been in a duel for her life, but there were no signs around her of a duel and he could find no other people around either.
Edgard was a devoted member of The Order of The Phoenix and his first thought was to bring this girl to Hogwarts and Dumbledore. If anyone would know who she was it was him, he was the headmaster of Hogwarts after all. If the girl was just a teenager she would surely be a student at the school. Hurriedly and carefully he conjured up a stretcher and left the Department of Mystery heading for Hogwarts and Albus Dumbledore.
HOGWARTS HOSPITAL WING
Hermione heard a scream far away. "Sirius!" The scream she noticed was coming from her. Everything was black, her body felt heavy and her head was pounding. Every muscle in her body was contracting and straining against the pain. She felt hot tears trail down the side of her face. "Nooooo!" She screamed, seeing the scene where Sirius fell into the veil over and over again in her head. Suddenly she felt soft hands restraining her and she realized she had been thrashing around. A soft voice was cooing at her; "Now now, you're safe. It's okay." Sais the familiar voice softly. "Here dear, drink this, it will help." Cooed the voice and Hermione felt warm liquid touch her lips and run down her throat. Slowly Hermione fell back into sweet dreamless sleep.
Voices penetrated the darkness as Hermione slowly became conscious again. "She's been hit with a rather nasty curse Headmaster, it's a miracle she is still alive." The woman voice said softly. "Let me know when she wakes up Poppy, we have yet to discover who she is or where she came from," the soft voice of Albus Dumbledore answered. Hermione felt an inward frown at this, Dumbledore knew who she was, surely. What was going on? But she soon fell back into unconsciousness.
The third time she felt herself being drawn back from darkness she managed to slowly part her heavy eyelids. Her eyesight was unfocused, she could only see light. Slowly her surroundings came into focus and the familiar surroundings of the Hospital Wing in Hogwarts came into focus. There was something off though, she couldn't put her fingers on it and her head felt heavy. She tried pushing herself up from the bed but a sharp pain in her side made her wince and let out a painful moan. Within seconds Madam Pomfrey was at her side, coaxing her back down in the bed. "Lay down dear, you are in no condition to be sitting right now. There there," she cooed and Hermione let her lay her down again. "Where is Harry and Ron?" Hermione croaked through a hoarse voice. She couldn't believe they weren't there. Had Madam Pomfrey refused them entrance to the wing? She needed to know everyone was okay.
"I'm not sure who you are talking about dear, but you need to drink some of these potions," Madam Pomfrey ignored her question and proceeded to administer several bottles of potions. All in all she had to take 10 different ones before the old matron was happy and left her alone. She had to notify the Headmaster that she was awake was the only thing she said as she walked away. Hermione was confused and worried, but her mind and body was dulled by the medicine she had just received. She didn't know how long had gone by before Madam Pomfrey was back, closely followed by Albus Dumbledore. Through her haze Hermione could only register that something was off with Dumbledroe, she couldn't put her finger on it.
"Sir, please tell me Harry and Ron are okay!" She pleaded. She caught a look between Dumbledore and Pomfrey she didn't understand and could feel her headache return slightly with the anxiety she felt. "What's going on Headmaster? What happened?" She shakily asked. "I was going to ask you the same, Miss. I'm afraid we don't know who you are or these boys you are asking about." Dumbledore replied carefully, studying her as she frowned deeply. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes.
"But, it's me Headmaster , Hermione. We've know each other for 5 years…" She could feel the tears starting to trickle down her cheek. Dumbledore looked at her with compassion, he held up a small gold necklace before her. "Can you remember this?" He asked. "It was found clutched in your hands, I'm afraid it's broken." Dumbledore asked. Hermione studied the necklace through her tears and her eyes widen, she would have recognized such a device anywhere, it had been a big part of her school life 2 years ago. "That's a time-turner sir, " she said slowly- "But I…" She trailed off. She remembered catching something when she fell backwards in the department of mysteries. So it had been a time-turner she had caught while falling, it had obviously hit the ground with her and been destroyed.
A thought slowly formed itself in her addled mind. "What's the date, sir?" She slowly asked frowning. Dumbledore looked slightly shocked as he answered. "17th of August, 1976" He said softly. Hermione jerked in her bed, trying to get up, panic-struck, but winced from the pain and quickly fell down again. Madam Pomfrey was at her side tsking and helping her to lay down. "Poppy would you give us some privacy please," Dumbledore asked softly and Madam Pom frey reluctantly left the room. When he was sure she was out of earshot he turned back to Hermione.
"From your reaction I can deduce that a time related accident has happened," He said softly and Hermione nodded slowly. "I'm from 1996, sir," she whispered. "That explains a lot." Dumbledore murmured deep in thoughts. She was about to say more but he cut her off. "Please don't tell me more. Messing with time can be dangerous, I'm better off not knowing anymore. I'm afraid Time-turners are not yet discovered and thus we can't just send you back. I ask you to come up with a new name and we will have to disguise your appearance a little. No one can know you're from the future," He added seriously and she nodded mutely. "You can call me Hermione Grant," she said softly, remembering what Professor Binns had called her by mistake in History of Magic class.
"Very well Ms Grant," Dumbledore nodded. "We will enrol you into Hogwarts, classes start in two weeks. You will keep a low profile until we can find a way to send you home. I will arrange for new school robes and supplies and anything else you need. Remember, no one can know Ms Grant, we will say you've been home-schooled until now, thus explaining why no one knows you. You will begin your 6th year, if I'm not mistaken?" He asked and she nodded again. "Yes, Sir"
Dumbledore nodded softly and turned to leave. "Don't be afraid to come see me if you need anything. I suggest you listen to Madam Pomfrey and heal up before school starts." And with that he left her there in her own thoughts. This was bad, they were in the middle of fighting a war back in her own time and she was stuck 20 years in the past. What was she going to do? For now she decided to take Dumbledore's advice and heal up. She would be able to figure it all out ones she could think more clearly and the pain was gone.
So Hermione Granger, now Grant, spent 2 weeks in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Taking several potions every day to combat the pain and heal her body. Soon she was well enough to sit up in bed and started reading the Daily Prophet to catch up to what was happening in the wizarding world. It would be strange if she didn't know what was happening when the school started to fill up with students. She devised a background story for herself; nothing dramatic. She had to blend, stay out of trouble and, the hardest part, be ordinary. No excelling in class, she had to keep her grades average. She had to be friendly, but not too much, friendship would complicate everything too much. Boys were definitely a no go, she could not fall in love. She felt a pang in her heart thinking about Ron. Would she ever see him again? What about Harry and Ginny and everyone else? Tears welled in her eyes as she reminisced about her past in the future.