Title: Through the Hour Glass Author: Kate Spoilers: Everything through Book Five is fair game. Feedback: Please? Pretty please with a cherry on top? Disclaimer: Uh, this little leprechaun just walked by, saying something about how JK owns these characters, not me. Shocking, huh? No infringement intended, this is all for fun, not profit, yadda, yadda, and, for good measure, yadda. Rating: R.

Classification: General/Romance.

Summary: A blunder with the Time Turner sends Hermione and Ron back to the days when the Marauders ruled the school. As Harry works to bring them back to the future, Hermione finds herself caught in an exasperating love triangle (quadrangle?) with Ron, Lupin and Sirius. Sigh. What is a girl to do? (And, yes, I do realize that the Time Turner thing has been done to death. Sorry to be kicking a dead horse). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was shaping up to be a rather odd day.

The morning had started ordinarily enough, Hermione recalled with a sigh, as she strolled exhaustedly down a deserted corridor toward the common room. She was awakened by the sound of mad giggling, as Lavender and Parvati discussed Seamus Finnigan in such a way that Hermione suspected one of the girls currently fancied him, though their preferences changed so often it was near impossible to keep track.

Hermione lay still for awhile, staring up at the red canopy above her bed, her head swimming from the dreams that had troubled her all night. She tried to remember...Voldemort had been holding her captive...Ron and Harry had been there...

It dawned on her with a rush of pain in her chest. Voldemort said he would only kill one of the boys. He left it to Hermione to decide who lived and who died.

She rolled onto her side and curled into the fetal position, the memories of the dream causing sweat to bead on her neck and back. It had all seemed so real. She could feel her horror, her anger, her panic and confusion as if it were all really happening, right in this moment. How could she ever choose between her best friends?

With that thought, Lavender drew aside the curtains around Hermione's bed and, still giggling in her shuddering, inane manner, looked back at Parvati.

"Should we ask her?"

Parvati nodded. Hermione wished desperately that she had her own bedroom.

"Who would you rather kiss, Filch or Snape?"

Hermione groaned. "I would rather kiss a Blast-Ended Skrewt."

"That wasn't an option!" Parvati squealed.

Hermione sat up and considered her tittering bunkmates. How was it that they were supposed to defend the free world against the threat of Lord Voldemort with mad girls such as these on their side?

"All right," she said at last. "I suppose that if I absolutely had to choose, if I was under the penalty of death perhaps, I would choose Snape."

Lavender and Parvati both squealed. "She choose Snape! Ew!"

"And who would you choose?"

That brought the squealing to an abrupt end. Both Lavender and Parvati muttered indecipherably under their breath and wandered off toward the lavatories. Hermione smiled to herself. How very typical.

But the day had taken its first odd turn when she arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast, only to see that the Head Table was nearly deserted. Only Professor Sprout, Madame Pomfrey, and Filch sat at the long, beautifully appointed table. There were no other Professors in sight, though the school ghosts were all quite visible, floating around the Hall in groups of two or three, whispering quietly amongst themselves.

Hermione located Harry and Ron and hurried to sit with them.

"Morning, Mione," Ron said around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. He smiled broadly, beaming, and Hermione thought quite painfully of her dream.

"Never mind that," she said hurriedly, reaching for the pitcher of pumpkin juice. "Where are all of the Professors?"

"We were just talking about that," Harry replied. "We think something might have happened. Something with Voldemort."

Ron choked loudly on his food. "What have I told you about saying that name while I'm eating?"

Hermione ignored him. "Yes, I think you're probably right. No Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid or Snape. So all of the mem..." She stopped herself from mentioning the Order of the Phoenix. "Well, you know. They're all gone."

It seemed a portent of something quite dreadful, though most of their fellow students seemed more pleased with the absence of authority than troubled. Only a small group of Slytherins, including Draco Malfoy, seemed to consider it worthy of careful examination, and Hermione watched as he whispered dramatically to those gathered around him.

As breakfast wound to a close, Hermione, Harry and Ron gathered their belongings and headed down to the Potions dungeon, wondering if Snape would show up in time to teach the class.

The three of them, against all logical predictions, had somehow managed to scrape the sought after "Outstanding" mark on their Potions O.W.L, and though both Harry and Ron had seemed quite keen to drop the class, Molly Weasley had convinced them to stick it out. Advanced Potions was necessary should they wish to pursue a career as an Auror, and so, after much grumbling, the boys had decided to continue.

It seemed an error. Snape was as nasty and bullish as ever, and the small class size allowed him to hiss at the three Gryffindors relentlessly. Perhaps he was resentful that three Gryffindors had tested into the class, whereas the other houses, including his own, had only produced two Advanced Potions student each.

Unfortunately for Hermione and her friends, the students from Slytherin were Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, two of their least favorite people in the world. Indeed, as Malfoy and Pansy came trotting down the hallway, Pansy sniggered wildly and pointed at Hermione.

"Lovely hair style, Hermione," she said. Hermione resisted the urge to self consciously touch her thick hair, which she had pinned up quite haphazardly in a rush to get to breakfast. "Looks like a badger got caught atop your head."

Pansy and Draco shared a laugh before the other waiting students turned to glare at them. Hermione smiled. Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, Hannah Abbott and Ernie Macmillian were all members of the DA, and looked none too kindly on these particular Slytherins. Knowing they were outnumbered, Pansy clamped her sour lips together. Draco, however, continued to smirk, but remained blissfully silent.

"One of these days," Harry growled under his breath. Ron nodded emphatically.

Moments passed, and still Snape did not sweep down the hall to open the classroom door, nor did he emerge from within the room. Hermione rocked on her heels, wondering what could possibly be keeping the Professor so otherwise occupied, and then felt a strange prickling on her neck. The feeling was familiar: that of unwelcome eyes upon her.

She turned and saw Malfoy staring absently at her, an unfocused expression on his pointed face. It was almost as if he was admiring...

"Oh God!" Hermione exclaimed, suddenly recognizing that glint in his eyes as lust. Draco snapped his eyes away, a red flush almost creeping over his pale cheeks. Harry and Ron turned hurriedly toward her.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

Hermione shook her head, pulling her robes up to cover her exposed neck, which she rarely left uncovered. She did not quite know why, but when she did certain boys had always reacted that way. She was too absorbed in other matters to see what they saw: that her neck and throat were nearly flawless, and could very easily have been mistaken for the work of a truly gifted sculptor.

"Nothing," she replied, when Ron prodded her with his gaze. "Just...never mind."

Footsteps suddenly sounded at the other end of the hall, but Hermione knew even without looking that they did not belong to Snape, who walked with much more force. Sure enough, it was Madame Pomfrey approaching.

"Go on inside now," she said, waving the students into the room. "Professor Snape is off today. I'll be teaching his classes."

Hermione, Harry and Ron all exchanged a curious look. Something was definitely going on.

* * *

Yes, it had thus far been quite an unusual day, and as Hermione reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she wondered again over the absence of the Professors. Advanced Arithmancy had been canceled, as Professor Vector was nowhere to be found, and so Hermione decided to take the opportunity to work ahead in the textbook.

The Gryffindor common room was buzzing with activity, as students celebrated the cancellation of several classes. Hermione saw Ginny seated on a couch near the fireplace with Dean Thomas, and she waved at the younger girl, who immediately beckoned her over. Hermione frowned apologetically and held up her Arithmancy text book. Ginny seemed to understand.

Hermione found a quiet chair in the corner, taking a quick look around for Harry and Ron, but neither was present. Harry was probably working with Firenze on his independent Divination project, which he was under strict orders from Professor Dumbledore not to discuss, though Hermione had some inklings as to the nature of the exercise. One did not need to be terribly clever to figure out that Dumbledore wanted Harry to be fully prepared for the coming battles with Voldemort. Ron was perhaps practicing down at the Quidditch field, as he did quite frequently now that he was Captain of the Gryffindor team.

Hermione tried her hardest to keep busy, but her eyes kept drifting to the window beside her, and her mind quickly followed. What could have happened to draw so many dedicated teachers away from their classes?

As if in reply to her silent question, Hedwig alighted on the sill, a letter attached to her leg. Her amber eyes scanned the room.

"Sorry, Hedwig, but Harry isn't here," Hermione said, coaxing the owl toward her. Hedwig considered Hermione for a moment before coming closer and extending her leg.

Hermione detached the note and patted Hedwig gently before the snowy owl took off for the Owlery. She went to open the letter but stopped when she saw that it was clearly addressed to Harry; though she was sure Harry would not mind, Hermione felt too guilty about reading his mail without him present. She tucked her books and parchment aside and left the activity of the common room behind.

Her footsteps echoed through the corridor, and Hermione begin to hurry toward the Divination classroom. There was something spooky about the castle now that she knew so many of the people she relied on were gone. Hogwarts seemed quite vulnerable without the likes of Dumbledore and McGonagall.

They might still be here, Hermione reasoned, just tucked away, holding a private meeting in one of the many quiet rooms Hogwarts hid within her walls. The thought emboldened her slightly, even as she heard sudden footsteps trailing her own.

"Hey Mudblood!"

Hermione stopped on her heels and sighed at the sound of the too familiar voice. She was in no mood to deal with Malfoy and his taunts, especially after the way he had looked at her before Potions, but she knew not responding would only egg him on.

"What is it, Malfoy?" she snapped. She turned to face him, rolling her eyes at his smirk and his saunter, for she knew it was all a facade. One glimpse of her wand held in her able hands and Malfoy would melt like butter.

"Just a little chat," Malfoy responded. She watched his eyes travel to her throat and she wished she had thought to take her hair down. "Quite cozy without all the professors around, isn't it?"

Hermione reached into her robes and wrapped her fingers around the handle of her wand. She could beat him in a duel, hands down, if it ever came to that, and knowing Malfoy...

"Expelliarmus!" Malfoy cried, and just soon as her fingers grazed her wand it flew out of her grasp. Malfoy caught it with ease. He grinned. "Have to be quicker than that, Mudblood."

Hermione crossed her arms and tried to keep her face set. She would not let Malfoy know that he was making her quite nervous. "What do you want?" she hissed.

"Like I said," Malfoy answered, moving dangerously close to her, "just a chat."

He attempted to slip his hands beneath her robes. Hermione pushed him away and he staggered backwards, leaving them both a little surprised by how strong she was.

"Why would you ever want to touch a Mudblood like me, Malfoy?" she exclaimed.

"Who would ever know, Granger? It's just you and me. No one around to see." He advanced on her again. "No one around to save you..."

"Immobulus!"

Malfoy stopped, frozen in his tracks, a look of profound annoyance on his face. Ron hurried down the hallway, wand out.

"Are you all right?" he asked, breathing hard, his face as red as his hair. "Did her hurt you?"

"No." Hermione walked over to Malfoy and snatched her wand from his hand. "He just annoyed the bleeding hell out of me."

Malfoy rolled his eyes in his frozen head.

"Good," Ron said. "Now what should we do to him?"

"Ron, do we really want to sink to his level?"

"Yes."

Hermione thought a moment and nodded. "Okay." She raised her wand and directed it at Malfoy, who suddenly, even though he was unable to move, looked rather frightened. "Furnunculus!"

Boils begin to erupt all over Malfoy. A moan sounded from between his plastered lips.

Ron begin to laugh quite uncontrollably. He reached over and pushed Malfoy to the floor, where the immobile troublemaker rolled onto his side, groaning with frustration. He seemed to be swearing, though he could not open his mouth to free the words.

"Come on, before he snaps out of it," Hermione said, taking hold of his arm and pulling him down the hallway.

Ron resisted. "Wait...what is that?"

He pointed Hermione towards something silver and glinting that peaked out from Malfoy's robe. Hermione knelt down and pulled the necklace from his neck.

"Oh!" she gasped, seeing the small hourglass that hung from the lengthy chain. "Ron, do you know what this is?"

Ron blinked. "Should I?"

Malfoy moaned something surely quite nasty. Hermione tucked the Time Turner in the pockets of her robes and grabbed Ron by the wrist, hurrying him down the corridor and out of sight.

"What is that thing?"

"Something Malfoy certainly should not have," Hermione breathed. "But how could he have gotten it? I wonder if...but no...I wish we knew where Professor McGonagall was."

"Where are we going?" Ron asked. He looked down at her hand, which was still clamped on his wrist, though she did not seem to notice.

"To find Harry," Hermione said. She released his wrist, much to Ron's disappointment, and produced the letter Hedwig delivered from within her robes. "Hedwig just brought this. Do you recognize the handwriting?"

Ron glanced at the tidy script. "Looks familiar."

"It's Moony's writing, I'm sure of it. I think he may be writing about what's happening, why all the Professors are gone."

That seemed to inspire Ron to pick up the pace as they made their way to the Divination classroom. They slowed as they approached the door, not wanting to disturb anything important.

"Go look," Ron urged her.

Hermione tiptoed to the door and peered inside. Harry was seated on the ground of the classroom, which was enchanted to look like the forest at night. The light of his wand illuminated several rolls of parchment before him. He seemed to be very hard at work, but Firenze did not seem to be with him.

Hermione knocked softly. Harry looked up, surprised, and waved her and Ron inside.

"Close the door behind you," she whispered to Ron. "Is Firenze here?"

"He left a few minutes ago," Harry said, as Ron shut the door and joined Harry and Hermione on the floor. "What is it?"

Hermione handed him the letter. "I think it may be from Lupin."

Harry immediately tore the letter open and read aloud.

Dear Harry, Doubtless you have noticed that some of your Professors are absent from Hogwarts at the moment. I write not to tell you where they have gone, as I cannot do so in such an unsecured manner, but to tell you not to worry. We are doing what is necessary for our side, and so far everyone who is here is well.

"So far?" Hermione repeated. She did not like what that implied.

Keep to the castle. You are protected inside, but it is quite another story on the grounds, and even while inside I would prefer it if you stuck together. Perhaps I will be able to send more details soon. Take care, Moony.

"Sound serious," Ron said. Hermione was inclined to agree, despite Lupin's assurance that they should not worry.

"Where do you think they are?" she asked.

"Headquarters maybe?" Harry suggested. "It sounds like the Order is together."

"But why?" Ron was pale. Hermione could sense that Ron was concerned for his parents and older brothers, all of whom were in the Order of the Phoenix.

Harry sighed. "Maybe they have a chance to take the offensive against Voldemort. Do something proactive."

"Nothing we can do, though," Ron said, sounding all at once quite miserable. "Just sit around and wait for Malfoy to come hex us into oblivion."

"What?" Harry asked. Hermione quickly filled him in on what happened in the empty corridor. Harry was soon fuming.

"That's it, he's crossed the line," Harry said, trying to get to his feet. "I'll kill him."

Hermione pulled him back down by the hem of his robes. "You won't have to," she said. She removed the Time Turner from her pocket. "We found this on him."

"A Time Turner? Why would Malfoy have one of those?"

"I have no idea, but I doubt his possession of it has been approved by the Ministry of Magic. I remember how many hurdles I had to jump in order to use one for my studies, and that was with McGonagall and Dumbledore on my side."

Ron took the pendant from her. "Ah, this is one of those Time Turner things, isn't it? Hope Malfoy hasn't used it yet. Think of all the damage he could do."

"I would rather not," Hermione said. "We need to get this to someone who can find out what, if anything, he has done."

"But who?" Harry replied. "Dumbledore and McGonagall are gone, and who knows when they might be back?"

"We could take it to Filch," Hermione suggested. "He confiscates dangerous objects all the time."

Ron was examining the Time Turner in an innocent enough manner, but his movements were making Hermione very nervous. She knew how dreadful a slip of his hand could be. She watched him carefully out of the corner of her eye, ready to snatch the object away at the slightest hint of trouble.

"Yeah, but how could we convince him that we got it from Malfoy? Filch will think we have been using it," Harry argued.

"I suppose." She sighed. "Okay then. We hide it until McGonagall and Dumbledore get back and then we give it to them. Agreed?"

Harry and Ron nodded.

"How does this thing work anyway?" Ron asked. He went to turn the hourglass over but Hermione stopped him with a sharp jab in his side.

"Stop!" she ordered. "You might send yourself back in time, and then what?"

"You did it."

"Yes, but I had careful instructions. Ask Harry, he can tell you how fragile time travel is. One mistake and poof! You could end up killing yourself, or us, or anyone for that matter!"

Ron smiled. "Anyone? Even Malfoy?"

"That isn't funny, Ron."

But Ron seemed to think it was funny, as he was holding back a chuckle, and even Harry seemed somewhat amused by Hermione's squirming. They loved to tease her, like brothers, and though she usually did not mind, this was serious.

"Okay, okay," Ron said. "But what would happen if I did this?" He started shaking the hourglass.

"Ron, stop it!"

"And if I throw it up into the air and catch it?"

"Ron!" She watched helplessly as the hourglass spun around and around in the air. Ron reached up to catch it and, purely on instinct, Hermione reached to do the same.

Their hands clasped over the Time Turner at the same time. Hermione felt the familiar sensation that she was falling backward...

* * *

Harry blinked. He was suddenly quite alone in the Divination classroom. He stood and begin to peek around the various trees and shrubs that were in the enchanted room.

"Hermione? Ron?"

His friends were gone. He felt his stomach lurch as he realized that shaking a Time Turner was probably not a very good idea. In fact, it was probably one of the worst mistakes Ron ever made.

Harry, filled with resolve, sprinted from the classroom. His friends needed help.

They needed someone from the Order of the Phoenix.