"You have to believe you can!" the defence against the dark arts teacher shouted at the room, his voice passionate as he talked to the class full of eager 7th year pupils. "Believe you can cast the spells against whichever vile creature or spell and you will!"
Along the walls of the classroom the pupils were all lined up facing their own bogarts or minor dark creatures. Professor Lupin watched his class eagerly and smiled happily to himself. It had been half a year since the destructive war that took so many witches and wizards lives. However, Remus had escaped the bloodshed and took up his old position of defence against the dark arts professor. He had been sorry to see Harry leave the school but couldn't blame him. He had Ginny and their unborn child to look after now.
Walking down the back of the left line of pupils he smiled to himself as he approached his favourite student. Hermione was facing a small imp sending countless stuns and charms to stun it and stop its advances.
"Well done Hermione!" Remus said behind her.
Shocked at his sudden appearance she became unfocused letting the small imp collide straight into her. Getting knocked backwards Hermione found herself thudding into the strong body of her professor.
The imp whizzed off laughing its high pitch hysterical laugh.
"Sorry 'Mione. Didn't mean to put you off," he laughed as he set her back on her feet.
Hermione blushed a deep crimson colour as she gazed at the floor.
"I-its fine Professor. Completely my fault," turning herself round away from Remus, Hermione straightened herself up before walking off to find a new opponent.
Remus's smile fell almost as quickly as it had come. He didn't know what had changed in the young witch, but lately she couldn't even bare to stand in his presence for more than a few minutes. Shaking his head he wandered over to Neville who was currently being scolded by an angry Snape boggart. His smile soon returned.
Hermione scanned the room until her eyes fell on the girl she was searching for. Walking over to Luna, she tried to place a friendly smile on her face to cover the embarrassment.
"Hermione," Luna said in her usual cheery voice. Luna had already stopped her opponent in a freezing jinx and remained in the same spot awaiting the spell to break. "Are you alright? You look awfully warm; your face is bright red."
Trust Luna to point out her humiliation. Hermione shook her head. "I'm fine; yes I suppose it is rather hot in here."
"Ah so it is the temperature? Not the fact you practically jumped on our good looking professor," Luna said smiling dazedly.
"Ssht!" Hermione said quickly. "Keep your voice down Luna!"
Giggling, Luna spoke teasingly to her friend, "I thought that might be the real reason. So was there a reason in particular why you threw yourself at him?"
If this was on any other topic Hermione would be scolding her friend for teasing her, however, the subject matter was one which Hermione often found herself embarrassed at talking about. "He caught me by surprise."
Luna laughed quite loudly at this. It seemed the usual explanation for why Hermione frequently found herself red and embarrassed around him.
Looking over the classroom Remus noticed the two girls chattering away in the corner. It might have been unprofessional to admit but if it had been any other pupils they might be receiving a detention for not concentrating, however, it wasn't any other pupils. He stared for a few minutes as he watched Hermione whisper intensely into Luna's ear and wait until her friend laughed in response. It was clearly not the reply Hermione had been looking for and Remus couldn't help but hope he might be the discussion for topic. Even if it was about how the young girl had fallen into the useless, surprised arms of her old teacher.
Sighing he decided it was time to get them to focus. At least Luna anyway had to focus. She was always drifting off. Hermione on the other hand needed no real help. She could manage any spell he taught the class and mastered it quicker than wizards double her age.
"Miss Lovegood, do you mind unfreezing your goblin now. I'm sure whatever Miss Granger has to talk about may be very interesting, however, this is class remember!" He said clearly above the noise of spells being cast and small objects shattering, as Neville once again missed his target.
The girls both looked over to their professor and nodded as they said their apologies. Hermione gave Luna one last stern look to remind her that she was to speak to no one of Hermione's secrets before walking back to her space in the room with a new imp in tow.
The rest of class went quicker and less humiliating for Hermione than the first half. Leaving the class arm locked with Luna the girls giggled their way to the 4th floor toilets before dinner in the great hall. Their talk changed from Neville's bad experience with a bunch of the classroom Nifflers, to what was floating in the porridge at breakfast.
"So I guess in a way defence against the dark arts today must have been a highlight for you," Luna said off topic. "Falling into dream boat Lupin's arms."
Hermione laughed nervously as she filled the sink with water to splash on her face and hands before dinner.
Bending over the sink to splash her face the time turner wrapped around her neck fell out of her dress robes. Catching it quickly she took the chain off and placed the important object in the empty sink beside her.
"You still use this?" Luna asked picking up the small watch-like object and examining it curiously.
Hermione watched her carefully as her strange friend twiddled the time-turner round in her fingers. "Yes, just so I can fit in herbology as well as potions," she answered whilst soaking her face. "Please be careful with it."
Luna gazed for a few more seconds before swinging the chain round and round as she waited for Hermione to stop and come to dinner.
"Luna!" Hermione snapped instantly. "Please be gentle with it. It's fragile."
Luna laughed. "I won't break it!"
Sighing Hermione held out one of her hands to get the time-turner back as she dabbed her face try with a towel.
Carefully throwing the time-turner the few inches to Hermione's outstretched hand Luna's face dropped as she saw the misjudged throw make the time-turner go past Hermione's hand and straight into the filled up sink in front of Hermione.
"Noooo!" Hermione screamed as she made for a grab at the chain before it hit the water. However, her attempt was useless and the time-turner landed in the basin with a loud 'plop'.
"No! No! No!" Hermione repeated. Grabbing the time-turner out of the water she stared angrily at her friend. "It's ruined!"
Luna watched in shock as her friend examined the time-turner over and over. The little clock hands spun round and round as the water dripped off the gold outside.
"Try drying it quickly with a spell," Luna offered helplessly.
"It won't work. The time-turner is too advanced. "Grrr! I can't believe this!"
Shaking the time-turner the two girls could hear the water and metal rattle around the inside of it.
"I am so so sorry!" Luna said after a few seconds of silence. I thought I had thrown it carefully. I really am sorry!"
"I'll take it to Dumbledore." Hermione huffed. "Best go to dinner first. There's not much we can do about it right now."
Luna smiled kindly back. "I hope there's pudding," she offered in an attempt to cheer up her friend.
Hermione grunted in response before throwing the time-turner's chain over her head. Storming out of the bathroom Luna followed down the corridors towards the great hall.
The two walked in silence along the corridors with the only noise being the annoying, too quick, ticking of the broken time-turner.
"Luna, you go on ahead," Hermione said as she settled herself down on a bench just outside the great hall. "I don't feel too well just now."
"If you're worried that Dumbledore will be mad I'll explain everything!" Luna said in response.
"No really Luna. I'm sorry for snapping earlier. But I just feel a little queasy." Hermione said nodding towards the door.
Luna took the hint her friend wanted some space and opening the large door she entered the loud, pupil filled hall.
Resting her head in her hands Hermione tried to concentrate on the floor tiled. It was odd, she had been walking along fine and suddenly just been knocked with this feeling of unease. It felt strangely like apparating as her stomach felt in knots. Listening to the quietness of the corridor Hermione could hear the time-turners ticking slowing.
"Oh Merlin!" she said aloud.
Her surrounding went suddenly blurry as her stomach did back flips. Gripping the seat she prayed what was happening was a dream.
Hermione had used the time-turner more than enough times to know when she was travelling back and forth in time and this seemed all too familiar to be anything else.
The room went black and Hermione soon passed out and began whizzing into the complete unknown.