Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or BBC Merlin!
Magic was a blessing. When she woke up and felt the world come to life around her she was happy to have survived the war. But the truth was that she was curious. What if…
Hermione had a lot of "What If" scenarios that plagued both her waking and sleeping moments. They were silly little daydreams at first, but nothing quenched her curiosity anymore. Time travel was impossible. She remembered Dumbledore's warning in her third year. "Horrible things happen to wizard's who mess with time." The consequences of a paradox were enough to keep her from fulfilling some of her "what if's" But even time travel would not sate some of her more peculiar scenarios.
She wondered, cynically, if a change in her life or timeline would even effect the Wizarding world. If it was fate, then surely it had a way to correct itself. What if, she'd been a pureblood? What if, she'd grown up with siblings or if she was adopted? What if….
Hermione chuckled at how childish it all sounded, but after graduation she'd finally understood why Snape had been so cynical about her involvement in the war. The wool was removed from her eyes even before the bodies from the final battle were cold. She couldn't believe how naïve she had been. Blood status was an issue on both sides of the war. She was treated differently from both Harry and Ron after she'd done her duty. Both of her friends had gone and married proper pureblood women. Perhaps she was a bit bitter. She was a war heroine and had given her childhood and almost her life for the Wizarding world and it rejected her. "What if…" She sighed as she dozed on the hammock.
"We should not interfere," a voice murmured quietly. He watched Hermione's sleeping form sadly using magic to rock her. "We have no way to improve this life."
"Emrys! Don't you think she'd be happier if life had been different? You blessed her. You gave her bits of our magic. She is practically our child!" Another voice, female, scoffed reaching for Hermione before pulling away.
"Morgana, old magic is different. You saw her with a magical life. A wonderful life that would only happen if she had magic. You blessed her as much as I. She has grown into a beautiful, stubborn, willful woman. She reminds me of you." He chuckled.
"Yes," she said dryly, "With your desire to help those she finds less fortunate. But she'd be happier if she'd come from an old family." She crossed her arms, "a magical family."
"She'd be less extraordinary." He argued as he magically calmed Hermione and continued to fuel her 'what if' fantasies.
"I do not believe that and neither do you. We blessed her. That makes her OUR descendent. Do you not wish your only child to be happy?"
"You want to change time. Nothing would be the same. There is nothing to guarantee her happiness. She could end up in a worse situation. Not the mention that we'd give her a new destiny. You know how grouchy fate and destiny get when we screw up their plans." He grumbled at the thought. "And what happens when she is equally as miserable? In this timeline she is Hermione Jean Granger, muggle born Gryffindor, brains of the Golden Trio and brightest witch of her age. Despite…"
"Despite her unfortunate muggle upbringing. Some might call it a disadvantage. She is shunned from the community, lives in the muggle world and is a librarian at Oxford University. She is a brilliant mind that is wasted because she had the gall to be born to the wrong family. If she is more miserable in another life then she will life a thousand. Eventually, she will become one with the old religion and be embraced by us. A thousand lifetimes that she will never remember until the end and then it is only if she wishes to remember them."
"And what of us? We cannot raise her. It would be cheating." He looked at the sleeping Hermione sadly. "Nimueh told us her terms. If we break them," he shudder to think. They'd blessed Hermione with more magic than the Wizarding world could handle. Nimueh promised consequences if they broke her terms.
"We will watch her, as we always have. Lead her magically. Be with her in her dreams. Emrys please. She has suffered enough."
"Very well. Let us protect our little Hermione. Where do you believe she will be happiest?"
"In this timeline, but as a pureblood. A descendent of Salazar or Godric, both were good men. She should not be be in a family with political ties. No that would be boring. One of the noble houses then? Malfoy or Black. She must not and will not be a Potter."
"So you wish her to be a twin? Or a bastard child." Emrys asked with an amused expression.
"That term is offensive," Morgana muttered thinking of her own upbringing as a kings bastard. "A twin. The younger of the two and preferably fraternal."
"Hermione!" called a young excited voice as her bedroom door slammed open. "Wake up! We're going to Diagon! Our letters have arrived and godfather sent us specialized instructions for extra materials." The young boy said in one breath jumping on his sister's bed. "Stop being such a princess!" He whined shoving her about roughly.
"Draco, it is not proper to whine." Corrected Narcissa Malfoy as she swept gracefully into her only daughters chambers. "Come dear, I know you wish to slumber on, but it is improper for a lady to be so lazy." She chastised the girl with a smile on her face.
"Mama, do you think we'll be sorted separately? Hermione is a bit odd. Maybe she'd to be a Hufflepuff." Draco teased, and ducked as a pillow was thrown in his general direction.
"Draco, in public it would be better if you called me Mother." She said stiffly. Her babies were grown and society would not be kind.
Hermione sat up and stretched. She was the miniature version of Narcissa Malfoy. She was pale like her twin, but that is where the similarities stopped. Hermione was a Black. "Mama, don't worry. I'll keep him in line." She yawned and crawled gracefully from the bed with her eyes still closed and headed toward her closet. "Dolly," she called.
"Little Mistress calls!" Dolly said excitedly moving around the closet straightening anything that seemed out of place. "What Dolly be helping with?"
"Please pull out an outfit for Diagon Alley and draw my bath. I also need my hair brushed, breakfast and my mail." She addressed the elf kindly. She would miss Dolly she shef left for Hogwarts next week.
"Of course, little mistress!" She squeaked and disappeared.
"Dolly, pull a dress and the Malfoy comb." Narcissa added. "Your father believes it is time. He will give Draco his ring today at Gringotts."
"I'm not jealous, ma…Mother." She corrected herself almost instantly. "He is papa's heir. I am a woman, or I will be someday. He will find me a good husband. My dowry will make sure of that. She said with a slight giggle. "Besides, I've inherited the Black family fortune. Siris was disowned and Regulus." She frowned as her voice drifted off.
"Yes, but you brother is not aware that he was," Narcissa paused to find the correct wording, "Passed over."
"It would be uncouth for him to inherit both seats at the Wizamgot."
"Do not joke. You will do no such thing. Your song will sit in that seat."
Hermione dressed quickly and before they knew it the twins were at Madamn Malkins.
"Hello, Hogwarts too?" Draco asked the sceawny black haired boy next to him. Hermione sighed.
"Yes," The boy said.
"My father's next door buying our books and mother's up the street looking at wands. This is my twin." Draco's voice was bored. The excitement from earlier dwindling as the trip grew longer. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. Hermione will roll her eyes and beg to return to the book shop. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."
"I doubt that," Hermione interjected.
"Have you got your own broom?"
"No," the boy answered.
"Play quidditch?"
"No."
"I do, Hermione doesn't. She hates flying. Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet."
"Honestly, must you interrogate the boy?" Hermione sighed exasperated with her brother's interrogation of the black haired boy.
"No?" The boy seemed tense and ab it uncomfortable.
"No one knows," Hermione began. "We're likely to end up in Slytherin. After all, generations of our family have been. He likes to tease that I'll be a Hufflepuff, but it's rare to separate twins."
Draco looked at his sister indigent for her interruptions. By the time he looked back the boy had gone. "Honestly, could you have let us boys talk?"
"You were making him uncomfortable." She state smiling as her own robes were fitted as well as several casual dressed for the weekends and after classes.
"Why do you need more clothes?" Draco watched as a simple black dress was fitted.
"It would be inappropriate for me to run around underdressed." She said quickly twirling around a bit as Lucius entered the establishment.
"Quite right. You've picked a lovely selection, Hermione. Set a schedule to have new ones delieverd monthly."
"Monthly, Mis…"
"Lord Malfoy, and yes my daughter must always look her best. Perhaps Dolly will follow you to Hogwarts. Your hair is quite long."
The twins and their father exited the shop. As predicted, Draco bullied their father into the quidditch shop, but not into buying a broom.
Hermione stared at the jewelry in the windows as they walked by.
"See something you like, Princess?" Lucius asked as the approached the door.
"Oh, no it's fine. I do not need baubles father." She looked back wistfully at a small silver and green ring.
"I've upset you." He said quietly observing Draco staring into another window. "Because of the ring."
"Father, I understand. He is your heir and I'm extra. My dowry is kindness enough." Her face was sad.
"That doesn't mean that you are valued any less. Children are a blessing. You are the first female born Malfoy in four generations. And you and Draco are the first Malfoy twins in known history." He did not hug her. The Malfoy's rarely displayed physical affection publically. They were known to be stand offish.
"Father," Hermione started, but stopped as Draco dragged them into the offending jewelry store. "Draco, what…"
"You were looking at that really pretty ring. I want to buy it for you." He said proudly. "Sir, I'd like to buy the silver and green ring in the window."
"The man looked shocked at the boy's request. "Young sir, that piece may be a bit above your spending limit. I'm sure your girlfriend would rather a smaller bauble."
Lucius had not followed them in until he saw the look on Draco's face. Anger at being talked down to and disgust about the idea of dating, let alone dating his twin. So he entered gracefully.
"My sister wants that ring." Draco insisted trying to keep his voice down and calm. "A Malfoy wants for nothing."
Lucius was proud of his sons actions. "Yes, but it seems perhaps it would be best to take our business elsewhere." His voice was bored, but both of his children could hear the irritation.
"Lord Malfoy…" The jeweler sputtered and pulled the piece from the window as well as everything that matched it. "It is a white gold band with emerald setting. There are two small diamonds on either side. This is frequently modified to have a house crest inside the stone. Its magical properties include auto resizing as the young miss grows and an array of anti-theft protection charms."
"I see." Lucius drawled. "And this is a common purchase?" His eyes drifted to the back case which displayed more unique and expensive rings.
"Yes. The Parkinsons' just purchased one for their daughter Pansy. I believe as a gift for Hogwarts. We have some goblin made pieces that are more precious. I believe there is something similar in design."
"Father, I don't need a ring." Hermione said quietly noting Narcissa entering the shop. "Mother," She greeted quietly lowering her head.
"I see Draco wants to spoil his twin. I am unsurprised. Let the boys pick something for you. I am sure youre father will make sure it is tasteful and worthy of a Malfoy ring." Narcissa said kindly.
Hermione sighed and looked at the goblin made pieces and gasped. "That one." She pointed to a silver and green ring again, but she could feel the magic radiating from it. "That's not goblin made. It's old magic" She said in a know-it-all manner that drove her brother bonkers.
"You're correct, but it is a bit more temperamental. It is a ring Morgana gave the daughter of Salazar Slytherin when she came of age. It has attacked everyone who's tried to buy it."
"It's mine." She said reaching for the ring. It immediately sized itself and hissed happily on her finger.
"Why did you have it?" Lucius asked suspiciously.
"A woman sold it to me when she was pregnant. She said her lover had abandoned her and the child and that her family disowned her. Guant was the last name. I felt pity."
Lucius cringed at the story but said nothing. "How much?"
"Fifteen gallons. Normally I'd ask for more for such a fine piece of Wizarding history, but the ring has obviously found its place."
Hermione smiled and hugged her father stiffly. "Thank you, Father." She turned to Draco and hugged him freely. "Thank you, Dragon."
The remainder of the trip went off without a hitch. When Hermione wasn't picking out her school supplies she was staring at the ring on her finger.
"Salazar's heirloom. You're calling attention to her, Morgana." Emrys sighed. "Next thing you know she'll be engaged to Riddle."
"Maybe he'd win the war if she was at his side. He could protect her and nurture her matic. He is obsessed with old magic."
"Or he could kill her. Jealousy is a powerful motive." He contested. "I still don't know about Malfoy. He dotes on her, but what if he makes her a pawn."
"Have faith in her strength."
A/N: Well that is the end of Chapter 1. No real pairings just yet and when they do arrive I promise they'll be slow building. That being said. Leave some love 3 I do adore reviews. Also looking for a beta-reader. Shoot me a message if you are interested. New Tumblr : broken-timelines