Disclaimer: again I own nothing

chapter 2 novum fratrem

As Hermione landed very ungracefully on her feet, a voice called her name.

''Hermione, tea!'' Called an unfamiliar voice.

''Coming'' she shouted back and ran to the patio doors at the back of the house.

As she pulled the doors open, a pair of hazel eyes with round spectacles greeted her. 'Harry?' She thought as a voice drifted through the summer breeze. ''James! Let your poor sister in!'' A voice scolded. 'Sister?' Hermione thought as the boy with messy, black hair let her past. Hermione decided to just play along, no matter how confused she was.

''Hello mum'' Hermione greeted as she hugged the elderly woman. ''Hello dear'' the woman replied. ''Where were you 'mione?'' James asked, giving her a bear hug. ''Oh, just walking around the garden'' she replied cheerily. The younger girl pulled out a chair and sat down, whilst James done the same next to her. ''Charlus'' the woman shouted up the stairs. ''Coming'' a deep voice called back.

Several minutes later, a tall, dark haired man appeared in the doorway. ''Sorry Dorea, I was finishing up some paperwork'' he explained. ''Hi dad'' Hermione and James chorused. ''Hello'' Charlus replied, kissing both children on the top of their heads.

The meal was quite quiet compared to the famous Sunday Weasley dinners Hermione was used to. There was no Fred and George playing pranks at the dinner table, no Mrs Weasley shouting at the twins, no Ginny laughing at jokes that Sirius made, no Harry, Ron and Charlie discussing quidditch and no Percy and Mr Weasley discussing ministry matters. No, it was rather quiet with the occasional conversation between James and Charlus.

After dinner, Hermione asked if she could be excused. ''Are you okay, Hermione, you've been awfully quiet tonight'' asked James. ''Yes, I'm fine'' Hermione squeaked. After getting permission to leave, she raced up the stairs and turned into the nearest room on the left. It was decorated in blue and silver with a large queen sized bed in the middle of the room. The nightstand was covered in pictures of boys Hermione didn't know. There was one of James and a young girl hugging, waving at the camera. There was another of James with his arm around a boy with black hair and a lazy smirk. Yep, this was obviously James' room.

Hermione crossed the hallway and opened the door to a peach and orange room. Again a queen sized bed sat regally in the centre of the the room. Pictures of James and the young girl were scattered across the room, and there was one picture Charlus and Dorea on their wedding day. Yes, this was her parents' room.

She opened the door across from the stairs to find a black and white bathroom. Still looking for her room, she opened the door next to the bathroom to find a room decorated in cream and red. A cream bed sat in the corner of her room, with scarlet drapes. A white vanity chest stood across from it, covered in pictures of James and the young girl. It was entwined with enchanted red roses and different perfumes littered the surface. A white wardrobe took up one wall and as she pulled open the doors, she gasped in shock.

Hundreds of expensive clothing faced her, in every colour you could think of. Reds, lilacs, peaches, creams, aquas, pinks, oranges and many more. Hermione spied a bottle green cloak in the corner of the wardrobe, and fingered the gold clasp with awe. Her heart gave a horrible pang as she remembered that Harry had had a set of robes this colour.

Hermione stumbled back from the wardrobe, as her heart throbbed at the thought of her friend. She collapsed onto the bed and started thinking of her friends. She missed Ginny and her fiery red hair and attitude. She missed Neville and his loyalty and calmness. She missed Luna and her craziness and her nargles. She missed Dean and his brother-like role. She missed Seamus and his soft, Irish accent. But she most of all missed her boys. She felt lost without them. Sobs broke through the silent room as Hermione wished for her friends to be with her.

Hermione walked over to the vanity table to see how puffy her eyes looked as she almost fell over in shock. Gone were her honey coloured eyes, replaced with chocolate coloured eyes. Her brown hair in ringlets was gone, only to be replaced with elbow length, straight, black hair. Her freckles had all disappeared and she was shorter. Goodness! She was only about ten. Her pale skin had been replaced with a healthy tan. No wonder she felt different, she was different!

James must have heard her sobbing, or her gasp of shock as he appeared in the doorway just after Hermione had gotten over her new looks. ''Are you okay 'mione?'' James asked as he wrapped his arms around her. ''Yes I'm fine'' she sighed into her new brothers chest. James held her at arms length and studied her for a moment before his face broke out in a grin. ''At least its our birthday in two days'' he exclaimed excitedly. 'Our birthday' Hermione thought, but she didn't realise she had said it out loud until James' grin faltered slightly.

''Don't tell me you forgot! One of the good things about being twins is that we get to celebrate our birthday together!'' James exclaimed. 'Twins!' internally Hermione jaw dropped. She had a twin!? Even better James was her twin! She had always wanted a twin. She was always envious of Fred and George and Parvati and Padma as they had someone who knew them inside out. She took several deep breaths and as calmly as she could said ''so James, what would you like for your birthday?'' James looked thoughtful for a moment then finally spoke, ''I would like the new shooting star or the new cleansweep, but I would prefer a broom service kit'' he said slowly. Hermione's eyes glazed over as she remembered she had given a broom service and repair kit to Harry.

She yawned loudly and said ''I think I'm gonna get some shut eye now, as I'm exhausted''. When James left the room, Hermione changed into a pair of silk jammies and clambered into her overlarge bed. As sleep overtook the young time traveler, she couldn't help but think of her friends from the future, and that she would never see them again.