Title: In The Past
Summary: Hermione says goodbye to the boy that had stolen her heart. A boy that no longer lived where she was from
Pairing: Hermione/Regulus
Rating: K+
Warnings: N/A
Notes: I was intending this to be a happy silly story... It's not
Written for: Hopscotch - two prompts: Diagon Alley (location), Regulus Black/Hermione (pairing)

"Where are we going?" Regulus couldn't hide the excitement in his voice. He usually stuck to the rules but ever since this girl had appeared several months back now he had broken more rules than ever before.

"You'll see." She whispered, creeping along the hallway.

Regulus opened his mouth to continue asking questions, after all he was a Slytherin and Slytherins didn't blindly trust anyone, when a set of footsteps were heard from around the corner. The girl in front of him only paused to give him a look which said shut up or you won't like what I'll do to you. Regulus knew better than to disobey that look. They crept to the closest open classroom and slipped silently inside. Holding their breath they waited for the footsteps, another pair of students if the whispering was anything to go by, to move away.

"You're a bad influence on me Hermione Granger." Regulus whispered placing his lips to her ear.

"Me? Bad influence? I don't think I've ever been called that" Other than a little breathlessness in her voice Hermione didn't show just how affected she was by the boy behind her. "Now we really have to get moving"

Regulus rolled his eyes but stayed silent now, waiting for her to lead him astray. They made it to the passage to Honeydukes and walked down the long passage, arriving in the store a while later. The two students still hadn't spoken but occasionally Regulus would steal a brief kiss and Hermione had grabbed his hands a while back, refusing to let go. Once inside Hermione went straight to the owner and had a brief conversation that Regulus wasn't privy too. The owner looked angry but the Hermione pulled out a small pouch, Regulus guessed it was money, and the owner was suddenly very happy to help out.

"Just this way please." The owner said when Regulus was beaconed over.

They walked into a back room where a fire was going.

"You know what to say?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Yes well. Don't ask again because I won't agree no matter how much money you've got hidden away in that dress."

Hermione nodded her agreement and the owner handed her a bowl of floo powder then left them alone.

"Just floo to the Leaky Cauldron, I'll follow."

Regulus raised an eyebrow in question but didn't object, grabbing a fist full of powder and flooing away. Once in the pub it didn't take long for Hermione to follow. They entered Diagon Ally together but then Regulus stopped her.

"I want answers now. What are we doing in Diagon ally on a Friday night when we should be asleep in our dorms?"

Hermione looked over at the boy she had come to love in the past few months. She had spoken to Professor Dumbledore this morning and he had finally found a way for her to go back home. She had already taken the potion that would take her back to her own time. By morning she would be gone. She had to say goodbye to this boy knowing he was dead in her time. If it wasn't for the people that needed her at home Hermione would have considered staying. Unfortunately time didn't work that way and she needed to go back to help Harry with his mission.

"I have to say goodbye"

"What?" out of all the things he expected her to say that wasn't it.

"I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm not coming back. It's not possible for us to keep in touch and I wanted..." Hermione trailed off, not sure how to voice her desires. To her horror she started to tear up.

"Hey, its okay. Don't cry." Regulus held the girl he loved close; he wasn't sure why she had to leave but knew it had been coming. Hermione had told him when they first started going out that she would one day have to leave and he would have to pretend she never existed. He had hoped they would have longer together but it seemed not.

"Hermione, look at me please." He waited for her eyes to connect with his before he continued. "I know you have to go. As much as I want to convince you to stay I know you can't. I just want you to know that I love you. I will always love you until the day I die and I will never forget you"

Hermione was crying in earnest now. She didn't want to leave but she knew she had to. When she had calmed they walked around Diagon Ally. They didn't enter any shops or restraints they just enjoyed the others company. When it started to get late they rented a room in the Leaky Cauldron and climbed into bed together. They just slept, nothing more, but it was the most beautiful thing Hermione had ever experienced with another. She knew that no matter what happened in the future she knew that her heart would always belong in the past.

When Regulus woke in the morning he was alone.

WolfWinks -xx-