A/N: I'm SO sorry for the lack of updates! I was grounded since Christmas break, and now I can get on only on weekends. I'll try to update this story every Saturday, though I'll make no promises. Also, I'm still searching for a beta reader. If interested, PM me! Please review, and enjoy
DISCLAIMER: I do not, rather unfortunately, own Harry Potter. Everything belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling.
The last time Hermione saw Lucias Malfoy, she had been in his manor being tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. He looked frightened when his son Draco was about to touch the Dark Mark, right before they escaped with Dobby the House-Elf. Now Lucias didn't look frightened. In fact, he looked the complete opposite. His eyes showed no sign of fear, and neither did his ego. Hermione saw Sirius smirk in Lucias' direction.
"I have nothing to explain Malfoy. Care to explain your rather large ego?" he said, and Lucias' eyes narrowed.
"Excuse me? Everyone knows you have the largest ego on school!"
The Sirius look-alike snorted. "He's got a point, Brother."
Sirius made a face. "I'd shut your mouth, Regulus, before I shut it for you."
Regulus rolled his eyes, and Lucias stared at the two brothers. "Come on Black, Snape. Let's get out of here."
He turned with a sort of grace that only a Malfoy could pull off, and the two followed him. Hermione could've sworn she saw Severus look back at them, and from the corner of her eye she saw Lily look down at her feet.
Hermione walked through the castle a few weeks later toward a gargoyle statue, looking at a little note in her hand. It was a few minutes prior when a sixth year had interrupted Transfiguration.
/Hermione and Lily had been sitting at the same table, going over the notes Professor McGonagal had given them earlier in the class. It was rather confusing for the rest of the class, except for Lily, Remus, and Hermione. Peter, James, and Sirius were hopelessly lost, and Hermione was helping James.
"It's a simple motion, similar to the one used with Wingardium Leviosa. A simple swish and flick-" Hermione did the motion, adding a small little flourish toward the end like Professor McGonagal had shown them. "-and say the incantation here." Hermione pointed at the paper. James nodded and started practicing the spell for a little, then stopped.
"Mione...does Lily ever talk about me?"
Hermione looked startled. "What?"
"Like...does she ever talk about me, like not in a complaining way?"
Hermione was quiet for a minute, and looked over at Lily. She had been gazing at the two of them, then looked back at Peter, who couldn't even get the simple motion correct. Hermione leaned closer and whispered, "Sometimes she does. But...this isn't a continuous joke or tease, is it? When you keep asking her out, I mean."
"Of course not!"
"Well, there's a good start. Maybe you should talk to her like a normal person. Like, don't always flirt. Let her get to know the real you, James. Not just the flirty side."
It was James' turn to be silent. He nodded in agreement, then went back to working.
That's when the sixth year came in. Professor McGonagal turned to the boy.
"Crabbe! Why are you interrupting my class?" the professor snapped, and Crabbe handed the note to her, and swiftly walked out.
"Granger," McGonagal called. "Professor Dumbledore wants to see you."
The class went silent as Hermione went and took the note and examined it. Then she gathered her stuff and swiftly walked out./
Hermione now stood in front of the gargoyle and cleared her throat.
"Lemon Patronum," she said hesitantly, and the gargoyle sprang to life, revealing a doorway. She walked up the steps, took a breath, and knocked on the door.
"Come in," Dumbledore's voice came from behind the door, and Hermione opened it. The room looked the same as it did twenty years from now, the same little trinkets idly sitting around on Dumbledore's desk. Fawkes sat next to the desk, crowing softly at the new visitor. The pensive sat out in the open, some sort of fog swirling lazily inside it. Hermione walked slowly toward it, entranced by it somehow.
"Miss Granger," a voice said, and Dumbledore came next to Hermione. Hermione looked up at the headmaster.
"Sir?"
"I believe I found the reason you're here in this era, Miss Granger. However, for you to fully understand why you are here in this time, we should look back in time."
Hermione looked confused. "You've seen this happen?"
"Heavens no! However, I do have a rather unusual yet useful habit for collecting memories..."
Dumbledore tapped the pensive in front of them.
"Now the next step is to simply lower your face."
Hermione looked skeptical, but lowered her face into the pensive.
The office swirled away, and Hermione was swept into yet another era