(A/N): Hey! For those of you that read my other stories, I have many, many apologies about not finishing them yet. It will get done, when inspiration strikes. Unfortunately, I do not have a firm date in mind for updates on any of them, so you may have to have patience with me for a little longer. Anyway, onto this story!

This story is Harmony soul-bond, with the twist that they meet as five year olds. Don't read if you like Ron, or Dumbledore, because I definitely will not be painting those two in a very good light. I've placed Harry, Hermione and Dudley in the same class, which would be reception (equivalent of first grade for any Americans out there). I've made it so that Harry did not attend nursery as most children do at the age of three, before moving on to reception at the age of four. Yes, it is possible to skip nursery completely, and schooling is not actually required until you start reception. Apart from all of that information, I can't think of what else to tell you, so I will let you read, and more chapters may contain more info in author's notes, as I recall what else I was meant to say. Rating is T for mention of beatings and abuse, physical and emotional, and I will add warnings as they come up.

Oh yes, I added an original character whose name I stole from Ashes to Ashes, Alexandra Drake, and I have a couple of other Bowie references in there. I love both Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, so I love referencing them in things haha. I don't own Harry Potter, though I wish I did, and I only own Lex and the headteacher in this chapter.

Read on and let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy it!

Bonds of Time

Chapter 1: Changes

"Are you okay?"

Five year old Harry Potter glanced up from his small, prone position, curled into himself in a corner of the rather expansive playground. He'd only just started primary school, mainly because his Aunt Petunia had received a letter asking why he hadn't been registered for a primary school already, and a subtle threat of legal action through governmental means should he not be sent to one immediately. Harry had been instantly sent to the same primary school that Dudley attended, wearing his cousin's old uniform, for the other boy seemed to grow out of clothes after only a few weeks of wearing them. No-one had the courage to mention to Dudley's parents that the boy was growing outwards quicker than he was growing upwards. Still, Harry directed his frightened emerald gaze to the person who had asked him the kind question, the first he'd ever received, from anyone.

Another child from the same class as Harry stood before him, a little girl with wild, untamed brunette hair pulled back into an attempt at a ponytail, stray bits flying everywhere as they escaped from the bobble's hold. She was frowning down at him, worry shining deep in her hazel brown eyes. "Are you okay?" She repeated, glancing behind her for a moment, hurried, as though worried she'd be caught for something. It was a motion Harry knew only too well, from his own actions and mannerisms.

"I'm okay." Harry managed to reply timidly to the girl's question. His emerald eyes darted round, looking for his cousin. Dudley had decided that his favourite game of 'Harry Hunting' should continue even at school, and no-one had done anything to stop it in the week he'd attended St James' Primary School. "You can see me?" He asked curiously, unable to help himself. He'd been beaten before in front of people, and none of them had appeared able to see him, let alone appear bothered enough to do anything to help him.

The girl's frown deepened with thought, but eventually she nodded decisively. "Yes. I couldn't at first, not really, but something caught my eye. It was blurry, but then it was like my eyes cleared up and I could see you properly then," she said, trying to find the best way to put it into words. Her expression changed to that of someone rather afraid, another expression Harry knew only too well. "I, uh, got a little angry and I somehow, well, threw the fat boy into the wall on my way over to you." She blushed a little. "I didn't mean to and I don't know how I did it. I just know it was me."

"It's okay." Harry found himself reassuring the girl, much to his surprise. "I've done things I can't explain too. I turned the neighbour's cat blue one time."

"I broke a clock when it was time to go out." The girl whispered back with a little giggle. "I didn't want to go to my auntie's house."

"What's your name?" Harry asked.

"Hermione. What's yours?"

"Harry."

"It's nice to meet you." Hermione smiled, holding out a hand to help harry stand up. Harry glanced over her shoulder to see two teachers trying to rouse Dudley, who was unconscious and slumped down a wall. Hermione followed his gaze and flinched as she saw what she'd done. "I'm a terrible person," she murmured.

"Why? For saving me?"

"No. For being sure that I'd do it again if I had to."

Their conversation was cut off as another teacher approached them, a stern mien to him that immediately made the two children worry. "You two, with me. Now. The headmaster wishes to see you."

An hour later, Harry and Hermione sat together in the headmaster's office, feeling out of place in their austere surroundings. They were huddled in next to one another in a small chair opposite the head's desk, practically cuddling with their proximity. They had started out in separate chairs, but soon found themselves feeling more comfortable sat together.

The headmistress had asked them to tell her what had happened, even yelled at them on one attempt to get answers from them, and tried to play the good guy on another attempt, but all to no avail. In the end, she'd stated that with what they'd caught on the lone camera the school was trialling (with it being in a high crime area) and eyewitness accounts of several students and teachers, she had had to send for a specialist. Hermione had stiffened at that, Harry joining her after she'd explained what the adult had meant. The adults were scared of the two five year old children and were sending them away. Hermione had tried to say that her parents wouldn't agree to such a thing, but the headmistress had scuppered that plan when she'd mentioned that she'd already spoken to them, and they had agreed with her. Harry hadn't even bothered asking about his relatives, knowing that they wouldn't hesitate in a plan that involved being rid of him.

"I'm sorry," Hermione told him tearfully. "I didn't mean for you to get in trouble too."

"It's okay." Harry repeated himself from earlier, shrugging a little. "We can stick together, at least."

"Forever." Hermione replied firmly, eyes locking onto his as her hand slipped into his. Harry nodded.

"Forever," he repeated solemnly. They both jumped as a soft glow surrounded them briefly before petering out of sight. "What was that?"

"I don't know." Hermione bit her bottom lip as she glanced around, searching for the glow that had appeared, seemingly from nowhere. "You saw it too?"

"Yeah, I did." Both children stiffened as a strange woman walked in, sharp pantsuit and briefcase in hand, aged in her mid-thirties, her blonde hair scraped back into a bun at the nape of her neck, icy blue eyes taking in the two small reception children with something akin to pity resting within their depths.

"Hello, I am Alexandra Drake. I have travelled from the Stardust Institution to collect you two today." She sat down in the chair beside the children's, allowing her briefcase to drop to the floor. "I take it that you two are Harry and Hermione?" Both children nodded fearfully. "Alright then, call me Lex. You two have displayed what we call 'abnormalities'. Not everyone has them, which makes them special. However," Lex smiled at them warmly, "you are far from alone in this, I promise. Now, I will tell you more when we arrive at Stardust, but in the meantime, we will have to make do with one another for company. Do you have any questions with what I've said?"

"Where's the Stardust Institution?" Hermione asked, feeling rather than hearing Harry's curiosity as to the place's whereabouts. Lex smiled again, nodding at the question.

"It's further North than London by a long shot, I'm afraid, centred in the region of Derbyshire. It was once a hospital, during the second world war, and was a school for many years after that. The school shut down around five years ago now, which was when the Stardust Institution was formed."

"Who is 'we'?" Hermione queried. "You said we call them abnormalities."

"Ah, smart girl, very smart." Lex chuckled, helping them both to stand up, though Harry shied away from her somewhat until he'd seen how gently she'd treated Hermione. In Harry's mind, as far as the new woman was concerned, they were exactly alike to her, both freaks. "There are a team of individuals, including myself, that study these abnormalities. There are not many cases that are reported to us, so it's not large by any means, but we have a wealth of research on it to help you two."

Harry and Hermione shared a solemn look, one that was far too serious to really be gracing any five year old's face, before turning back to Lex and nodding. "Alright," Harry said, "we'll come with you."

An hour after the trio had left, much to the relief of the teachers that has witnessed The Event, a strange looking old man appeared, wearing some kind of exotic dressing gown with a spattering of stars on a lime green background with a matching hat. He asked a few questions, claiming to be a specialist, but when the headmistress told him that they'd already sent the two problem children with the specialist, the strange looking man disappeared after a few mutters and glares were aimed, though at what, no one was sure of. The incident was quickly forgotten about, written off as just another thing those two problem children had caused, and no-one thought any more of the encounter.