When I awoke, it was to the annoying ringing of Lily's Muggle alarm clock. I had almost forgotten what one looked like. It had been, what, a year or so, since I had seen one? All of the girls, including me, rolled out of bed groaning and headed to the ensuite bathroom. We made our way to the five different showers and showered. One of the perks of being a seventh year was your own bathroom and shower.

I finished and wrapped a fluffy red towel around my body before making my way to the mirror to brush my teeth. I grimaced at the sight. My hair was about equivalent to a lion's mane.

"Need help?" Marlene asked.

I glanced at her, and gestured to my hair, "You mind? I can never get it to cooperate."

"Believe me, Dorcas had the same problem. Hey, Cas! Help me with 'Mione's hair!" Marlene called.

"I need to re-condition then I'm there!" Dorcas called.

Marlene started to mutter spells while waiting for Dorcas and I was shocked to discover my hair becoming less frizzy and more silky.

"You want this to be permanent?" Dorcas asked. I nearly jumped when I heard her.

"Where in the world did you learn this stuff?" I breathed, my hand hesitantly touching the silky lock. It was dry, not wet. And it was real. It had taken Lavender, Pavarti, and Ginny an hour and four bottles of potions to get my hair manageable. This had taken nearly five minutes.

"I invented it in third year," Dorcas said simply. She was so powerful. Voldemort killed her himself. No one ever found her body. Story quickly got around. Blown to pieces. Nothing left to recover. Sirius's words caused me to instantly believe that.

"It's brilliant. You have to teach me!" I insisted.

"Make it permanent," Dorcas told Marlene. "And sure thing. Not that you'll need them ever." She took strands of my hair and pressed her wand against them like a Muggle straightener. This was amazing magic.

"We did these charms to all the girls in our year," Marlene admitted. "They practically begged us. But only Cas and I know them. Lily knows some, but refuses to use them. Her hairs gorgeous already."

"Thanks, Marl," Lily laughed. "Wow, Hermione, you look beautiful!"

I glanced a the mirror and gasped, "Oh my Merlin! Thank you so much!"

"No problem. Come on, Alice! You're going to be late!" Dorcas called.

The last shower shut off and Alice exited quickly, in her golden towel. I put my uniform on and quickly riffled through my trunk to grab my books and place them in my pack. I made sure a few quills and rolls of parchment were available in there too.

"What's that?" Lily asked from beside me, stuffing her trunk closed. She reached down and pulled out my photo of the Weasley's, Harry, and I. I groaned, shrugging, "My friends from my old school."

"That one is absolutely adorable! Did you and him date?" she pointed at the only black haired boy.

"That's Harry, and no. We were just best friends."

"I like that name. I always told myself that if I had a son, I would name it Harry."

I smiled at the irony of it. "Yeah, it is a nice name. And you should."

She frowned a moment, "Those two look quite familiar." I followed her gaze to Sirius and Lupin poking their head up over the Weasley twins, grins plastered on their faces.

"That would be. . ."I tried to think of some random names. "Steven and Louis." Close enough.

She frowned. "They don't look like Steven or Louis's. But, hardly anyone looks like what they are named."

I took the photo from her and hid it in the bottom of my trunk as she finished getting dressed. Tonight would be her last day in the Gryffindor dormitories. Head Boy and Girl shared a dorm on the seventh floor corridor.

The five of us girls headed to breakfast together.

A whistle rang in the hall as we entered. "Looking good, girls!" Frank called.

Alice flushed, "Frank!"

I couldn't help it, I started to laugh. As soon as my second giggle got out, Lily and Marlene were soon to follow. "Sorry, Frank, but you're going to have to talk to Remus about sharing," Dorcas said breezily, taking her seat.

After our giggles subsided, and Alice chatised Frank, we all took our seats. Alice ran her hand through her inky pixie cut and I noticed how unusual it was to have a pixie cut in the seventies. But this was the wizarding world. Everything was normal.

Professor McGonagall handed us all schedules without even saying a word and groaned as the Marauders entered.

"Mr. Black! Five points from Gryffindor for being out of dress code!"

Of course, curiosity won over and I turned my head to see him in bright pink fluffy slippers. I tried to hide my laugh of amusement, and pressed my hand to my mouth. Lily smirked triumphantly when she spotted them.

"But, Professor, they won't come off!" Sirius whined. "I don't even own them! They were on my feet when I awoke and-"

"Mr. Black, your excuses are falling on deaf ears. I suggest going to Professor Portage before classes and getting them removed."

James was laughing as Minerva walked away after giving away their schedules. She was muttering under breath about immature seventh years that should be in third year.

"What do you have?" Lily asked. I showed her my schedule and she beamed. "We have the same schedule! Cas? Marl? Alice?"

"And me," Frank said, examining everyone's schedule. "Thanks for including me, Lils."

"Oh, sod off, Frank," Lily teased. "You're just sad you got no morning kiss."

"I'll get one," Frank insisted. "Right, Al?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Guess who else is in our group of classes?"

Lily groaned, "Please, no."

"Yup," Dorcas confirmed as she emerged from the end of the table with the Marauders. "Sorry, Lils."

I hid my smile. I was going to enjoy this.

"That's great, I guess." I said, sounding disappointed. Lily beamed at my response.

"You and I can sit together, the boys can't pick us off individually that way," she said. I smiled, she calls them 'the boys.'

"Yeah. We should probably get going or we are going to be late for potions, come on," Marlene insisted, rising.

We finished eating and quickly rose, heading off, despite the curious stares of the Marauders.

Lily and I sat in the front table, in the far right side. Apparently, according to Lily, the left side was for Slytherin.

Dorcas and Remus took the table in the back of the room and I could see them talking in hushed whispers, Remus placing a random kiss on her shoulder before taking her and kissing her knuckles. So cute! Alice and Frank sat in front of them, then it was Marlene and Peter. Marlene hid her frown of disgust as Peter sneezed into his hand and rubbed it on his pants. I grimaced. James and Sirius entered the classroom just a few seconds before the hoard of Slytherins. They, of course, sat behind Lily and I.

I pulled out my potions book, distracting myself as the Slytherins threw insults at my house. Some things never change.

"Welcome, welcome. Now, please open your books to page ten. Today we will start on identifying a potion," Slughorn greeted as the bell rang.

I silently sighed. I had went over all of this with Snape as my teacher. I tuned out for a moment. I felt someone stare at me from behind, but I didn't turn to look at who. Lily turned, having a ball of parchment hit her in the shoulder. She grabbed it from the floor, glared at the boys behind us, and turned back just as quickly.

"Black is staring at you," she whispered quickly, unballing the parchment.

I broke out of my daze and looked at her. "What?"

"Sirius Black is staring at you." She whispered, reading the contents. She rolled her eyes and balled the parchment back up, tossing it over her shoulder.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't care."

She smiled. "Just wanted to make sure you knew who liked you in this school."

I giggled quietly. "I don't care who likes me. No one has ever liked me before."

The ball of parchment floated from over our heads and landed on Lily's lap. She unballed it once more and groaned. "Wonderful."

She passed it to me and I suppressed my giggles. Want to go to Hogsmeade with me?

Underneath that, in the same handwriting was I thought you'd never ask! I'll meet you in the common room at eight Saturday?

Lily furiously scribbled, I never asked you to Hogsmeade, Potter! Stop asking me!

She tossed the parchment back and went back to taking notes.

I smiled, feeling the gaze of my 'admirer' come back to me. I looked to the other side of the room and saw Slytherin's. A few caught my eye. One was a younger Snape, almost unrecognizable. Second, I saw Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius's killer, and she was clinging onto a blond male, who after close inspection, I saw was Lucius Malfoy. Behind Bellatrix, was Narcissa. She was glaring daggers at Bellatrix and when Lucius turned to her, she smiled brightly, which he did the same, and then she busied herself in her work.

"And the purpose of boonslang skin and lace-wing flies are. . . Miss Granger?"

I looked up and smiled, "To make Polyjuice potion, sir."

He nodded. "Correct you are. Five points to Gryffindor."

I pretended to write some notes down when I was really thinking about Ron and Ginny and Harry. What were they doing? Did they even exist now that I was back here? They had to have. Going back in time was written in time for me. I must have come back and lived my life again and again. Who knows how many times I have been sent back to this time? So, how come Peter still betrays Lily and James if I can stop them? Why didn't I stop him? Isn't that what I am supposed to do? Stop them?

Potions flew by, and soon it was time for Herbology. I went to the Common Room after dinner, sitting by the fire, and did homework by myself while Lily did prefect duty. Dinner had been weird. I kept thinking I heard Ron or Harry's voice, just like they were right next to me.

I heard someone settle into the chair next to me and I looked up, startled. Sirius was sitting there, reading a book. Well, pretending to read a book. He noticed my smirk and looked to me.

"Hello, sweet thing." I looked around him and saw that he was groupless.

"Your gang's not following you around I see." I said.

He laughed a rich and heartfelt laugh. "No, they are going off to taunt Evans and Alice. It's just you and me."

I laughed. "I think that you are seriously demented if you think that I am going to hang out with you on my own free will."

"I thought we were getting along," Sirius insisted.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, and I am finishing school work."

"Well, your in luck because I can get you out of your homework for a week."

I shook my head, finishing my twelve inch essay of plant qualities. He sounded like the twins."No, I am almost done with Herbology and then I have that chart for Potions, Ancient Runes."

He groaned. "You are as much of a bookworm as Evans is."

I smiled. "Growing up without magic leaves you without the proper knowledge that I am sure you have."

He frowned. "Was that a compliment?"

I laughed, "I take it back. The knowledge you SHOULD have."

He smiled a little. "Come on, sugar pop, let's hang out. Go to the Quidittch Pitch, the Forbidden Forest, something!"

I sighed, frustrated, "No!"

"The Room of Requirements?"

I shook my head.

"The Owlery?"

I shook my head.

"My bed?"

I groaned and shook my head. "You think you are all that, don't you?"

"I know I am all that. What about Black Lake? I know this really neat hideout."

I shook my head. That was where you nearly died, if Harry hadn't have saved your life, I thought. Tears started to well up in my eyes, just thinking about the gang. I miss them so much.

"Shrieking Shack?"

I perked my head up. I was going to leave letters to Ginny. "Hell yes."

He looked surprised. "Really? But, it's haunted."

"Oh, cut the bull. You and I both know it's not haunted."

He gave me a questioning glance. "Fine, let's go."

I held up a finger. "Let me put my things in my room first."

He nodded as I ran up the stairs and dropped them on my bed. I grabbed the letter I had written yesterday and shoved it in my pocket.. I grabbed the picture that Lily had seen this morning and folded it where the creases were, fitting it in my palm. I walked back down the stairs to see Sirius in the same seat as before.

"Ready?"

I nodded. "I have been dying to get in there since I heard that it was haunted."

He smirked, "But you said it's not."

I shrugged. "The story is still catchy."

He chuckled and led the way, going down the corridor. It was getting dark, and I saw the moon. It was full. James, Lupin, and Peter weren't terrorizing Lily and Alice, they were helping Lupin in his werewolf stage.

I grabbed Sirius's hand and pulled him into an abandon classroom. Sirius blinked then smiled.

"I knew you would loosen up to me."

"I don't think going to the Shrieking Shack is a good idea. It's a full moon."

He looked out the window and then back at me. "Wait? How do you know that?"

"Anyone can look out a window, Black," I said simply.

"But why can't we go to the Shrieking Shack?" Sirius pouted. Was he serious? Well, okay he was Sirius, but he was insane.

"There can be werewolves, and while I don't have anything against werewolves," I added that last bit quickly, noticing his tense expression. "I don't fancy being bitten on my first day of lessons."

"The only wolves are in the woods. The Shack's safe."

I sighed, sitting on an empty desk. He really was stupid, or trying to kill me. "I know that Lupin is a werewolf, Black, you are a black dog named Padfoot, James is a stag named Prongs, and that Peter is a rat named Wormtail. I know that Dumbledore has let you go to the Shrieking Shack on full moons so that Lupin doesn't hurt someone or stray too far. I know that you are unregistered animagi."

He took a step back, raising his wand. "Who are you?"

"Hermione Grabger. A Gryffindor student in Hogwarts, nothing less."

He tightened his grip on his wand. "How do you know this?"

I had contemplated telling someone all day. I had to tell someone to help. I needed to form a plan.. "Can you listen before interrupting? You have to hear everything I have to say before you object."

He placed his hand over his heart. "I so solemnly swear that I will listen to everything you have to say before I object."

I rolled my eyes, and did the same. "Alright. I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me Merlin."

He nodded. "Continue."

I cleared my throat. "Alright, I was born in the year 1980." His eyes bulged, but he remained quiet, much to his credit. "I am Muggle-born and my parents are. . .were. . .will be dentists. I learned about magic the summer before I turned twelve. I was born in September, so I had to wait a year. Anyway, when I got the letter, I went to Hogwarts. I got on a train and met the boy who lived." I paused and he raised his hand. I nodded, suppressing my eye roll. At least he didn't interrupt me.

"You were born in 1980? But it isn't even 1980 now."

I smiled, "If you can keep my secret, I can keep yours."

He nodded, "So you're from the future." I nodded, "How?"

"I'm getting there, so anymore before I continue?"

"Who's the boy who lived?"

I smiled. "Alright, so I met the boy-who-lived. When he was one, Lord Voldemort stormed his house, killing his mother and father. His mother died trying to protect him. When Voldemort tried to kill the baby, the spell was deflected and you-know-who died. Well, that's what everyone thought."

"Wait, hold up, you still didn't tell me who the boy was."

I groaned. "You can't tell anyone, not even your best friends." I waited for him to nod, and continued. "The boy's name is Harry Potter."

"Potter, like James?"

I smiled, "See, jumping to conclusions. His parents are Lily and James Potter."

"The bloody bloke marries Evans?" He laughed, "Of course he does. When does he break her down?"

"Listen," I insisted. "They died when Voldemort attacked their house." His face looked horror struck. I held up my hand to stop him from talking. "Harry survived the attack with only a scar remaining. So, back to my story. I became his best friend and then Ronald Weasley, Molly and Arthur Weasley's son, became friends of ours. First year, we had to protect the Philosopher's Stone. Professor Quirrel was the DADA teacher and at the end of the year, he fought Harry, revealing that underneath his turban was Lord Voldemort himself, a scared baby size face of him. Lily's love protected Harry, and when Quirrel tried to take the stone from him, his flesh burned from the contact. He destroyed himself. In second year, the Chamber of Secrets opened when my other friend, Ginny Weasley wrote in a diary that wrote back. So, she unleashed Voldemort yet again. It was possessing her, making her petrify things and write on the walls in blood. She went to the chamber and had to stay there until she died, because she was the enemy of the heir. Harry went down there. He could speak Parseltongue, a trait he recieved from Voldy.

"He killed a basilisk, tore up the diary, and destroyed Riddle, which he was going by then. Third year, you escape from Azkaban."

"I was in Azkaban?" He nearly shouted.

"You're interrupting," I snapped. He clenched his jaw, waiting for me to continue. "Yes, but let me explain. When Lily and James died, you went after Pettigrew. He told Voldemort where they were hiding because he became their secret keeper. So, you met Peter in a public place and when he saw you, you got up and yelled at him. He cut off his finger and transformed into a rat, killing a dozen people behind him with a spell but making it look like you did it. He left his finger on the ground and ran into the sewer. The Ministry came and took you away. You kept saying that you killed Lily and James because you suggested that Peter be secret keeper because you thought it was more likely that Voldemort would come after you, one of the last of the Black's. Peter told Voldemort where they were hiding and that's where my previous story comes up.

"Back to my time. Third year, you escaped from Azkaban using your Padfoot form. You came after Peter, seeing that he was a rat that was living with Ron. Ron and Harry were best friends, it said in the newspaper. You got to Hogwarts using the passage under the Whomping Willow. After that, you tried to kill Peter, but Professor Lupin - Yes, Remus was a Professor that year - knew it was you and went after you. We followed him, and you tried to attack Peter but he was still in Ron's arms. Anyway, long story short, Remus turned into a werewolf and you saved us, including Professor Snape, by attacking Remus in animagus form. The Dementor's caught you after you and Harry were dying at Black Lake. Harry and I traveled back in time and saved Hagrid's hippogriff from execution after Lucius Malfoy filed charges. We took the hippogriff to you and got you out of the castle instead of receiving the Dementor's kiss.

"Fourth year, it was the Triwizard Tournament and Mad-Eye Moody was our DADA professor. He was really Barty Crouch Jr., using Polyjuice potion. He entered Harry into the competition and forced him all the way to the third round, which was a maze. Harry and Cedric Diggory touched the cup at the same time but it transported them to a graveyard and from what Harry told me, Peter did a ceremony and brought Voldemort back to life. Cedric was killed by You-Know-Who and then you went back to your parents house, joining the Order.

"Fifth year, Harry started to get visions of what Voldemort was doing, when. He saw Arthur get attacked by Nagini, his snake, and he told Dumbledore, saving Arthur just in time. Harry got a vision of you in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry being tortured by You-Know-Who. You are his godfather," his eyes widened in pride and surprise. "Harry told Snape, who is in the Order by then, and Harry escaped from the DADA teacher from the Ministry that wouldn't let us learn magic. So, Harry, Ron, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Ginny, and I went to the Ministry to find you but it was a trick to get the prophecy. You weren't really there. What happened next was simple and then it got complicated. Death Eaters came and then chased us to the room with the veil.

"Harry dropped the prophecy and then the duel started. Order members came, you among them. You were in hiding, because you were wanted, so you were confined to your house all day. You'd do anything to get out. When Bellatrix aimed a curse at Harry, you pushed Harry away and the curse hit you sending you into the veil." Tears were flowing down my face just like they had that day. I had to tell someone. "You died."

"I-I died?" Sirius whispered. "And so unattractively!" I wiped the tears away quickly and continued.

"You called him James," I told Sirius quietly. "Lupin held Harry back from running in it after you, because the fight was still on and losing numbers wasn't an option. Harry chased Bellatrix and they fought. Voldemort came and fought Harry, who was soon joined by Dumbledore. Voldemort disappeared just as the Ministry saw him.

"In my sixth year, Harry still wasn't over your death. Whenever a black dog was walking by, Harry would look the other way. I was so heartbroken as well, seeing people live so happily when someone who acted like an uncle to me died right in front of me. Snape took over Defense and Slughorn came out of hiding, taking the Potions position. I left before anything could happen but Draco Malfoy, Lucius's son, was getting really into our case, but I pitied him. He was so scared, being a Death Eater at seventeen and all. He didn't want to be a Death Eater, but Lucius forced him. I figured out how to go back in time and I came here. I knew who you were as soon as I saw you. That's my story. My life. My future, and yours."

"I died!" Sirius whispered.

"Yes, you did," I said regretably.

Sirius chuckled. "Well, I can just kill Bellatrix now and then that wouldn't happen."

I gave a watery smile, jumping off the desk and stepping towards the window that overlooked the lake, "And then you would go to prison for real."

"But thanks to you, I know how to get out."

I frowned. "I am doing whatever I can to keep Lily and James from dying, as well as you. I will be damned it Frank and Alice go insane."

"They go insane?" Sirius demanded, grabbing my arm and making me face him. We were a foot apart, but his hand left butterflies in my stomach.

I grimaced, "Your darling cousin got a little carried away at the Cruciatus Curse."

He stopped grabbing my arm, stepping back. "What?"

I nodded, "Professor Trelawny had this prophecy, the one Harry found when you died, and it was about something about Harry being the only one that can defeat Voldemort."

"But he died at least twice!" Sirius insisted.

I grimaced. "Yeah, I think I know why, but I can't tell you. I have to ask Dumbledore first."

"Always bloody Dumbledore." Sirius pouted. "Well, on a happier note, you know my secret and I know yours. Tell me, who is my lovely wife?"

I shook my head, a smirk of amusement on my face, "You are a lonely man in my world. You never mentioned anyone you liked nor loved, let alone married. I do know that you run away from home when you were sixteen because your mother disowned you and from the potrait in your house, she is quite a lovely person."

Sirius chuckled, "You may have saw her portrait, but that is not how she is in real life, she is far worse."

"Worse than yelling Mudblood, Bloodtraitor, and anything else vile she could think of for the whole world to hear."

Sirius chuckled, "Maybe you did see her in real life."

I smiled. "Shouldn't you be heading to the Shack for Lupin?"

He looked out the window and shrugged. "I guess. Well, catch you up later, sweet cake?"

I pretended to think about it, "Sure. Just remember, you can't tell your best friends or I kill you."

I was about to head out of the room, when he stopped me. His hand pressed against my mouth, and his other arm wrapped around my waist, keeping me flush against his body. Footsteps walked past the door of the classroom. I froze, as did Sirius. We were going to be caught.

But the footsteps passed soon enough. I relaxed and Sirius slowly removed his hand, running it through his hair as he let me go. "I saved your life from Evans," he winked. "What do I get as payment?"

"How about," I paused, thinking. Then, I smiled, confident for the first time in weeks on my abilities, "Four minutes before I tell Lily there's someone in here?"

He thought it over, "Make it eight and a kiss, you have a deal."

I narrowed my eyes, but nodded, "Very well." His eyebrows rose in surprise. I stepped up to him and tugged his tie down, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. I then turned swiftly and made my way out the door, "Night, Black."

"Night..." he mumbled, and I dared a glance back, seeing him watch me strangely.

"Seven minutes, Black, get moving," I smirked. He swiftly turned into a dog and bounded off. I shook my head and continued up the stairs, seeing Lily a flight above me. "Lily, hey!" I greeted.

"Hermione, what are you doing out here?" Lily gasped, jumping in fright. "It's almost curfew."

"Last minute studying." I told her, distracting her from the black figure darting along the shadows two floors below us. "You must be tired. Want to come back with me?"

She smiled. "Sure. I've just finished rounds."

I followed her up to the Common Room, but she kept going. "See you in the morning, Hermione!" she called.

"Night, Lily!" I returned and spun around to face the Fat Lady. "Phoenix Feather."

"Cutting it a little close, aren't you?"

I shrugged, "I was studying."

She sighed and swung open, and I stepped through, revealing the near empty Common Room.

Merlin, I had Potions to finish! I rushed to the chair I was at before Sirius had pulled me away and rushed to get started. I knew that following Sirius would be a bad idea.

He was making me a bad student.


Review, please! And I had to make Hermione have some sass. I completely revamped this chapter and I hope you like it.