Hermione could hear voices around her but she could not bring herself to open her eyes. None of the voices sounded familiar to her. They sounded worried and distant. Before she could give it a second thought she fell back into unconsciousness.

.:~*~*~*~*~:.

Around her there was complete silence. The voices she heard earlier were gone but something felt different. She could sense that someone was watching her. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

She was in a plain room with white walls and tiled floors. A window was open and letting in a warm, but refreshing, breeze. She looked down and saw that she was in some sort of hospital bed. Next to her was a small bedside table with a potted plant on it. Hermione paused to stare at it, double checking that it was just a normal plant and not Devil's Snare. Old habits die hard… Besides her was wooden chair and in that chair sat, none other than, Albus Dumbledore. His blue eyes gleamed at her through his half-moon spectacles.

"Professor Dumbledore?" croaked Hermione.

"It's great to see you're finally awake," said Dumbledore with a smile.

"Where am I?" she knew it was a stupid question as soon as it escaped her mouth. It was rather obvious where she was.

"You are currently in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Fourth floor, room 413A, to be precise," said Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye. He sat up straighter and stroked his long beard. "You've been here for five days. We were quite worried about you."

"Where is everyone? Are they okay?" asked Hermione. She then gasped, "Oh my gosh, Harry!"

At this, Dumbledore frowned. "I'm not sure I'm following… If you feel comfortable, could you recall what you remember about how you got to be in the Department of Mysteries?"

"But sir, you must already know. Didn't the others tell you?" squeaked Hermione. She could feel panic beginning to boil in her blood. Using her arms, she tried to sit farther up. Her head whirled and she slumped back down into her pillows.

Dumbledore sighed. "Maybe we should start at the basics." He gave her a warm smile, "We'll start with your name. Everyone around here has been speculating about who you are but with no luck. For the time being, they've been referring to you as the unconscious girl from the Department of Mysteries."

"But Professor Dumbledore, why didn't you tell them who I am?" Hermione's voice shook as she asked this. She could sense that something was very wrong.

"Because, my dear, I haven't the faintest idea of who you are."

.:~*~*~*~*~:.

The shock of what Dumbledore had said was too much for Hermione. Once again, her vision faded out to black.

When she came to, it was night and the window had been shut. Nevertheless, Albus Dumbledore remained in the chair next to her bed.

"Oh good, you're awake once again," said Dumbledore with a friendly smile.

"Sir, something is very wrong… Why is it you don't remember me? Why doesn't anyone know who I am? Why aren't any of my friends or family here with me?" whispered Hermione, her eyes filling up with tears.

"I was called here because several unspeakables stumbled upon a girl, unconscious, deep in the Department of Mysteries. No one knew who you were or where you came from so they sent for me hoping that maybe I could identify you since you are of Hogwarts age. Alas, I could not place you," said Dumbledore softly. "My dear, I want you to tell me the last thing you remember."

So she did. She told him how she was hit with purple flames and knocked unconscious by a Death Eater. How Lupin had found her and told her to run while he fought off more attackers. That she had wanted to help but her wand was gone. That she had no idea where she was going as she ran through the corridors of the Department of Mysteries. When she got to the part about the golden door, and falling into black empty space, Dumbledore's eyes flickered with realization."

"Do you know the date?" asked Dumbledore.

"Well," started Hermione. "We went to the Department of Mysteries on June 18th. You said I've been here for five days so that would make it the 23rd."

She looked at her headmaster in confusion, wondering why the date seemed to matter.

"And do you know the year?" asked Dumbledore tenderly.

"Of course I do, it's 1996!" exclaimed Hermione.

Sadness was visible in Dumbledore's eyes as he looked at Hermione. "The Department of Mysteries is a very strange place… Even I am not aware of all the happenings that ensue there. It seems to me Miss—"

"Granger… Hermione Granger…"

"It seems to me, Miss Granger, that the room you entered may have sent you back in time. Twenty years if I am not mistaken."

There was silence between them. Hermione stared hard into Dumbledore's eyes trying to find a hint of humor behind them. But why would Dumbledore make this up?

Finally, Hermione spoke. "That can't be possible… I can't be in 1976. I haven't even been born yet! There must be some mistake…"

Dumbledore looked at her with pity in his eyes. "I wish it were, Miss Granger." He pulled out a Daily Prophet from his bag and gently handed it to Hermione.

She grabbed it and stared at the date: June 23, 1976.

"No… no, this can't be happening!" choked Hermione, tears pouring down her cheeks. She gave Dumbledore a desperate look before burying her face in her hands.

The only thing Dumbledore could do was to wait for her to calm down. After about fifteen minutes she took a deep breath and looked Dumbledore right in the eye.

"You must think I'm crazy," snorted Hermione.

"On the contrary, you seem to be a very sane young woman who is handling a most unpleasant situation with extreme poise," replied Dumbledore with the faintest of smiles on his lips.

"What am I supposed to do?" whispered Hermione with wide, teary eyes.

"I will do everything in my power to try to find a way to send you back but, I must warn you. So far there is no form of magic, that I am aware of, that will send you to the future, only magic to send you to the past."

"Where will I go?" she breathed.

"For the time being, you can stay at Hogwarts, if you would be so inclined. It would be no trouble at all. I would hazard a guess that you are beginning your sixth year, are you not?"

Hermione just nodded.

"Excellent. Once you are cleared by the Healers I will take you with me back to Hogwarts where we will further discuss the manner of your predicament. For now, rest."

Closing her eyes, Hermione put her head back down on the soft pillows. She willed herself to fall asleep and hoped that the next time she wakes up all of this will have been an awful dream.

.:~*~*~*~*~:.

Two more days passed and Hermione's Healer finally agreed to let her leave. Dumbledore arrived late that afternoon and brought with him a set of plain black robes which he gave to Hermione to wear on top of the torn up clothes she was found in. He gave get a few minutes alone to change and get ready to leave. After she changed she looked around the room. She had no possessions with her, not even her wand, so there was nothing to take with her. She sighed and walked out of the room she had been staying in for the past week and saw Professor Dumbledore waiting for her.

"Ah, Miss Granger, are you ready for our departure to Hogwarts?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, I believe so, sir."

The two of them walked through the main lobby of St. Mungo's. Hermione's eyes widened as she noticed some of the patients around her. While she was there, she had been kept in her own private room so, she hadn't seen anyone else. Although she had been to St. Mungo's before, it was still strange to see all the magical injuries people somehow obtained. There was a man with bite marks going up his right arm. In his left hand he was clutching what seemed to be a book, struggling against his grip. It was probably a copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, a textbook in which she used in her third year, or a book of the same likeness. An older witch was at the front desk complaining loudly to the person behind it. The top of her head was engulfed in blue flames where her hair should have been. She didn't seem to be in pain but she was unquestionably distressed.

Dumbledore lead her to the front of St. Mungo's and they passed through the entrance and into the streets of muggle London. She turned to look at the building in which she walked out of. It was a brick red department store named Purge and Dowse, Ltd. Even after being a member of the wizarding world for five years, it was things like this that still amazed Hermione. Only wizards would think of hiding a huge hospital disguised as a department store on a busy muggle street.

Dumbledore lead her further down the road. People gawked at them as they walked by. To muggles, Dumbledore must have been an interesting sight to see. His long white hair and beard, which reached past his belt, were not even the strangest part of his appearance. He had chosen to wear an exquisite set of purple robes and a matching cap, which drew a lot of attention from the muggles on the street. They turned into an alleyway about four blocks away from St. Mungo's and stopped.

"If you would please hold onto my arm, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore.

Hermione looked up at him. He gave her a reassuring smile and Hermione grabbed hold of his arm. Immediately, Hermione could feel her stomach lurching as they apparated. When she opened her eyes she noticed they were at the edge of Hogsmead. The Hogwarts gates were not far from where they stood. They silently started walking towards the gates.

"I trust you are familiar with Hogsmead?" he asked her.

"Yes, sir. It appears to not have changed much in the past 20 years or, I guess, future years," said Hermione. The rest of the journey was silent.

Together, they walked up to the castle and into the majestic entrance hall. To Hermione's surprise, everything looked exactly the same as it had in her time. She wasn't even sure why this came as a surprise to her. The same torches, that Hermione remembered, lined the stone walls. The only difference was that the marble staircase seemed to be a bit cleaner than she remembered, but she might have been just imagining that. The four hourglasses by the large oak doors were empty, rightfully so, since the school year had ended.

"It's a shame the healers did not let you leave earlier," stated Dumbledore. "Yesterday was the end of term feast, it would have been nice if you could have participated."

"I think it is better that I'm here now that all the students have gone home, Professor. Best not to draw attention to myself, with me being from the future and all…" replied Hermione.

Dumbledore chuckled, "too right you are, Hermione. It is getting late, I think you should get settled in. We will meet tomorrow morning to discuss your situation. I trust you know your way to the Gryffindor common room? You can move into the sixth year dormitory for now and I will have food sent up for you."

"You know what house I'm in?" questioned Hermione with a raised eyebrow. She couldn't remember if she had discussed that with him or not.

He smiled down at Hermione, "my dear, it is written all over you. I have no doubt in my mind that it is the house you belong to. The password is 'Arcanam Tempus'. I will send for you in the morning. Goodnight, Miss Granger." With a smile, he walked off with his purple robes flowing behind him.

Hermione walked to the grand staircase and admired the familiar view. Hogwarts had always seemed like a second home to her. It was the first time in her life she had friends that wanted and accepted her. But now she just felt emptiness. She walked up to the seventh floor and stopped in front of the portrait of The Fat Lady.

"Ah yes, Dumbledore told me you were staying here. He didn't, however, say why," said The Fat Lady, eyeing Hermione. She leaned forward, "why is it you're at Hogwarts after term?"

The little patience Hermione had with The Fat Lady was nonexistent in that moment. She sighed, "Arcanam Tempus."

The Fat Lady narrowed her eyes, "Not very friendly, hmpf!"

The door swung open and Hermione climbed through the portrait hole. On the table, by one of the armchairs, was a tray with sandwiches. Next to it was a jug of pumpkin juice, a glass, and a bottle of butterbeer. She took the tray and sat in her favorite chair by the fire and ate slowly. It was so strange being in the common room alone without the usual sound of chatter.

Finally, she couldn't take the silence any longer. She ran up the stairs to the girls dormitories and found the bed she usually sleeps in. She pulled off her robes and crawled under the covers. As she tried to sleep, all she could think about were the people that made Hogwarts her home. Their faces swarmed through her vision. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George, Luna, Neville, and Hagrid; even Draco would make this horror more bearable. What she would give to see a familiar face, even if it was the ferrety face of Draco Malfoy. Her eyes shot open as visions of her parents faces appeared in her mind. Would she ever see them again? After hours of just lying there, and a few tears, Hermione finally drifted off to sleep.


A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this. Sorry the pace of the chapter seems a bit slow. Next chapter, things start to speed up and more familiar characters will be introduced. Oh, and the common room password "Arcanam Tempus" roughly translates to "Mysterious Time" in Latin. Thought you ought to know.