A/N: Finally back from vacation. Hopefully this curbs the appetite for new content until I recoup enough to write every day again. This chapter was written in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and was published in Kentucky. It's been a wild ride.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money off of this fic.
June 25, 1976 Wimbourne, England - The Potter Residence
Hermione was getting rather frustrated at her body's constant state of fatigue. It upset her that she couldn't do as much as she used to before she had to stop and take a nap, or at the very least, sit down. The day before, Dumbledore had taken her to the Department of Mysteries to talk to the Unspeakables over her case. They had been gone no more than two hours, but when Hermione had returned to the Potter Residence, she could barely hold her eyes open.
The Unspeakables had given her a few books from their archives, and had promised to work on her case diligently. Hermione had also gathered a few time books from Fleamont's library, one of which she was reading, propped up on a pillow in her bed, fighting sleep. Aunt Euphemia had left a few hours earlier, headed to pick the boys up from the Hogwarts Express. She had told Hermione that she hadn't told James and Sirius about her yet, but that she would explain to them on the way home. Hermione wasn't certain how they were getting home, but she wasn't too concerned about it. She was absorbed in a book , as usual. So much so that she didn't hear the whoosh of the floo, nor the heavy footsteps, accentuated by the heavy thunk of a school trunk being dragged behind someone. Indeed, she didn't so much as look up until a loud bang startled her, causing her to drop her book into her lap.
Startled, she looked up, searching for the source of the noise. Her eyes locked on the surprised face of young Sirius Black, her brown eyes meeting his grey. Hermione noted that he looked much the same as the Sirius from her time, his black, curly hair reaching his shoulders. His eyes held a light she'd never seen in the time she'd known him. She found herself subconsciously looking him over for his signature tattoos before she realized he'd gotten them. She blushed a little when she realized that he was checking her out a little as well.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" he asked. Her face turned bright red as she realized Aunt Euphemia had obviously informed him.
"I-" She started, but she was interrupted when they heard another whoosh, then footsteps on the stairs.
"Sirius! Mate, listen, I didn't mean-" James Potter rushed into the room. Hermione was surprised by how much James really did look like Harry. If it hadn't been for James's hazel eyes, Hermione would have be certain it was her best friend standing in front of her, not his father. He stopped dead beside his best friend, looking between Sirius and Hermione, blinking a few times in confusion.
"Who the the bloody hell are you?" James said, frowning at Hermione. That made Hermione giggle uncontrollably. They reminded her so much of Ron and Harry that she couldn't stop herself. They'd clearly been in the middle of a fight, which must have been why Aunt Euphemia hadn't had a chance to talk to them.
The boys stared at her, glancing sideways at each other with looks that told her they thought she was insane, but that just made her laugh outright. James and Sirius had started inching backwards toward the door when they all heard a third whoosh, then Euphemia calling for the boys.
"They're up here, Aunt Euphemia!" Hermione called.
"Aunt Euphemia?" Sirius asked, incredulously. The woman finally dragged herself up the stairs and into the room, gripping a stitch in her side and seemingly out of breath. Hermione figured she'd chased the boys back to the floos.
"Yes, Aunt Euphemia," She said, hands firmly on her hips. "If you'd listened to me on the platform, you'd know that this is your cousin, Hermione Potter. Hermione, these two hoodlums are James Potter and Sirius Black, your second cousins."
"Both of our second cousins?" Sirius asked. "But that would mean you were the granddaughter of Charlus and Dorea, wouldn't it?" He asked. Hermione nodded, brows furrowed.
"How do you know that?" She asked.
"As the heir of the House of Black, I was expected to memorize the family tree. Loads of fun." He said, rolling his eyes. "So you're a pureblood then?" he asked her, a mistrusting gleam in his eye as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Half-blood. Mum was a Muggleborn." she told him. He looked shocked.
"The son of a Potter and a Black married a Muggleborn? Well, that explains why I've never heard of you. Blasted off the family tree, I expect." Sirius said, then smiled, throwing her a wink. "Not to worry, I was, too."
"Thanks, Sirius," Hermione smiled, sadly.
"So why are you here?" James asked, the caught his mother's glare and quickly added, " Not that we're not thrilled to have another cousin in the house, that is."
"My parents and I were attacked by Death Eaters in France, where we used to live. They- erm, didn't make it. Aunt Euphemia and Uncle Fleamont offered to take me in, because, as you said, I was blasted off the Black family tree, and my mother had no living relatives. I'll only be here until I turn seventeen and can claim the family estate and trusts my father, Oberon, set up for me." she said, smoothly. Hermione watched Euphemia's face carefully; she looked pleasantly surprised, but nodded, telling Hermione she was believable.
She looked to the boys, whose faces had paled. Sirius looked down.
"Sorry for your loss," he murmured. "I- I should go erm, unpack." Sirius said, pulling his trunk behind him as he swiftly left the room, heading for James's room.
"James, sweetheart, go get your trunk, I'll be in in just a few minutes to help you two get settled, okay?" Euphemia said softly. He nodded, but turned to Hermione.
"It's nice to meet you, Hermione. Don't worry about Sirius, he just takes some getting used to, you know?" he grinned crookedly, looking just like Harry, which forced a smile from Hermione, too.
"Yeah, thanks, James. I'll see you later, yeah?" She said. He nodded once, smiling as he turned to leave. She watched him go, then turned to Euphemia.
"He's a good kid." she smiled.
"Usually. But when Sirius is involved, the two have a tendency to attract trouble?" she sighed.
"Like magnets? I know some people like that." Hermione smiled, thinking about her friends and how much she missed them.
June 26 1976 Wimbourne, England - The Potter Residence
Hermione woke up the next morning starving. She hadn't eaten the night before, as she'd fallen asleep almost immediately after the boys had burst into her room. She stretched, rubbing her eyes as she heard something outside her door. She pushed herself out of her bed and moved to the door, where she heard James and Sirius bickering.
"Mum told you to wake her up!" James whisper-shouted on the other side of the door.
"But it's your house, so she's your guest."
"Yours, too, mate, you know that." he said, his tone much more serious.
Hermione closed the space between her and the door and pulled it open, startling the boys and causing them to jump back. They looked her over, eyes wide, and straightening up as they looked her over.
"Yes?" She asked, expectantly. The boys looked at each other, as if trying to get the other to speak up first. She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest. Finally, Sirius sighed and locked eyes with her.
"Aunt Effie says breakfast is ready." He said.
"Effie?" Hermione said, the corner of her mouth twitching up.
"Well, yeah." He said, blushing. "'Aunt Euphemia' is such a mouthful. I've been calling her Aunt Effie since second year." he said. Hermione nodded. She agreed that the title did add a bit of length to the name.
"Okay. I'll take my shower after breakfast." Hermione said, closing the door behind her and side stepping around the boys, turning to the stairs. She started down the steps, the boys watching her as she went before following. On the third or fourth step, she swayed a little, her head feeling funny. She took one more step and her vision went black. She felt herself pitch forward and then nothing.
The next thing she knew, she had a throbbing pain in her head, she heard James and Sirius, calling her name. She felt someone pulling her head into their lap.
"James, get Aunt Effie! Hurry!" Sirius said, and Hermione realized it was his lap she was situated in. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up into Sirius's concerned grey eyes.
"What- what happened?" she asked.
"I don't know," He said softly, his voice shaking. "It's like you passed out on the stairs."
"Oh, Hermione, dear, are you alright?" Aunt Effie said, bustling up the stairs and fussing over her.
"Yeah, I think I'm fine." She said, trying to get up.
"Don't move, dear. Sirius, love, do you think you could carry her back up to her bed?" Hermione blushed, but Sirius just grinned, then swept Hermione into his arms easily, making her wrap her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling. He walked up the stairs slowly, making sure she was okay. He fumbled with the door for a second, then laid her down on her bed, Aunt Effie right behind them.
"Sirius, you and James go down and fix Hermione some breakfast and bring it up for her while I check her out." SHe said. He looked Hermione over, clearly concerned, but then nodded and left the room. Aunt Effie pulled her wand and waved it over Hermione. After a few spells and a couple minutes, she tucked her wand away again.
"Looks like it was just a bit of vertigo, dear. I want you to rest up now. Until you get your strength back, though, I'll have one of the boys walk you down the stairs to make sure you don't fall again, alright?" she said. Hermione nodded.
"I hate being so dependent on others. But I suppose it can't be helped. I just hope they boys don't get fed up with me." She said.
"Honey, you should have seen James. He was frantic. I think the only reason Sirius was as calm as he was was because he was right there and didn't want to upset you." Aunt Effie said, with a smile. "My boys are good people, and you're family. They stand by family." she smiled to Hermione.
James came into the room then, carrying a tray of food and sitting it on the bedside table next to Hermione.
"Are- are you okay, Hermione?" He asked a little timidly. She smiled.
"Yeah, I think so. Thank you for helping me, and bringing me breakfast." She said sheepishly. She was surprised to see him perk up a little at that, his chest puffing out a little.
"Of course. You're family." He grinned. "I don't have much family that claim me, so I make sure to take care of the ones that do."
"And that goes double for me." Sirius said, leaning against the doorway. "I'm not sure how much weight the Potter name carried in France, but here, love, being a Potter means you're taken care of." Sirius's eye flashed. Hermione knew he was thinking about how her parents were killed. She was touched that they boys wanted to protect her, even if all they could do was help her up and down the stairs. Hermione had been an only child in her time. Harry and Ron had become like brothers to her, and she had thought losing them in this new time would be unbearable. But now, with James and Sirius so willingly protecting her, much the way Ron and Harry had, it was as though she had her friends back.
"Boys, I want you to watch out for Hermione when you can, alright?" Aunt Effie said. Both boys nodded.
"Remus is supposed to be here next week. I'll write him to let him know about her." James said. Sirius nodded.
"I think you'll like Remus, Hermione." Aunt Effie said. "He spends a lot of time in the library here, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping you up there." she smiled.
Hermione smiled, nodding. In one sense she was glad that she'd have a familiar face to talk to, even if he didn't know her yet, but in another, she feared the boys would find out her secret like she knew they discovered Remus's. She took a deep breath, then reached for her breakfast, waving off James, who tried to set it in her lap. She gave him a smile.
"I'm way too independent to let you do everything for me, you know." She told him. She watched him deflate a bit, but he grinned shyly when Sirius chuckled.
"Another independent Potter, eh? I believe we will get along just fine, Hermione." He said, dropping a wink her way. She felt herself blush and ducked her head into her plate, hiding her face with her hair. She had a feeling she'd be doing a lot of this.
