A/N: Again, I'm so so so so sorry, I haven't had any free time at all while at school, and I'm absolutely swamped in work. There should be few chapters up over the Christmas holidays. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Rose POV

The morning passed in a haze of teachers lecturing us on the fact our OWLs were now so close that it would be stupid of us to spend even a second relaxing instead of revising. I tuned most of it out, knowing that Lily, again taking after my mother instead of her own parents, would be making us all revision timetables as soon as she had a spare moment and insisting we kept to them.

At least, this was what I thought until I glanced at Lily during Transfiguration and saw, to my utter astonishment, that instead of taking notes on the theory of Silencing Charms, she was doodling on a spare bit of parchment and paying no attention whatsoever.

'Lily!' I hissed, glancing across the classroom to check that Professor Mikkat wasn't watching us. 'Are you OK?'

She looked up and stared at me blankly.

'You're not taking notes! It's just not normal...' I said under my breath, still staring incredulously in her direction.

Before she could reply, Professor Mikkat looked threateningly in our direction, and I turned quickly back to my own notes, which for once looked like they were actually more detailed than Lily's.

***

Lily POV

After Rose pulled me out of my daze in Transfiguration, I pushed thoughts of Time-Turners and alternate versions of the Hogwarts Library and being in the wrong time out of my head and spent the rest of the morning concentrating on schoolwork. However, hard as I tried, I couldn't stop wondering how Tom was getting on. Was he settling in in our time? Had anyone realised that he was lying about Albania? And what must it be like for him, to learn about everything that had occurred in the wizarding world since his time? Two wars....I shuddered slightly and bent over my notes.

I didn't want to acknowledge the thought that my concern for Tom might be for any other reason than the fact that it was my fault he stuck here in the first place. However, as the morning progressed, I realised I was thinking less and less about wanting to ask Tom if our plan was working and more and more about just being able to talk to him...

Thankfully, I was saved from actually having to finish this thought by Rose and Helen urging me towards the door. Apparently we had been dismissed for lunch. So much for concentrating....I shook myself slightly and followed them out of the classroom.

***

Luckily, James and Hugo had arrived at the table before we did, so I was spared embarrassing questions about not being myself that morning. I just slid into a seat and started helping myself to food, not trusting myself to speak without mentioning Tom. Thankfully, Helen asked the question I'd wanted to answer to ever since we'd got within sight of the table.

'Where's Tom? Is he OK?' she asked, looking at Hugo, as James and Swarna had already fallen into conversation and Rose was searching the hall for Scorpius.

'He went to the library,' said Hugo around a mouthful of mashed potato. 'Said he had some work to do if he wanted to catch up to us.'

Helen and I exchanged worried looks. 'Do you think he found out about the wars?' I asked her quietly, giving up on not asking questions.

'Well,' she whispered slowly, 'they could have come up in Defence Against the Dark Arts or something....someone mentioning their parents fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts...'

I ate rapidly, not speaking, trying to imagine how I would feel if I were to get stuck in the future, only to discover that the world had been through so much tragedy. Suddenly I realised that both the wars were Tom's future. If he went back to his own time, he'd have to experience both firsthand.

When this thought occurred, I dropped my fork and stood up, grabbing my bag.

'Where are you going, Lily?' asked Hugo, now eating his way through a gigantic plate of shepherd's pie.

'The library. I want to....look for a book to help with my Transfiguration homework.' I dashed out of the room before she could reply.

I headed straight for the library as fast as I could, not even bothering to try to convince myself that the excuse I'd given Helen was real. I wasn't stupid enough to think that I was only concerned about Tom because this whole thing was my fault. I liked Tom. It was easier to admit it to myself now, rather than spending months in denial about it.

I couldn't like Tom. He didn't belong here. He was going to go back to his own place, his own time, as soon as possible, and I would never be able to see him again. I paused at the entrance to the library, knowing the sensible thing to do would be to turn around and go back to lunch, and not do this.

I took a deep breath, and seriously considering turning around. Then I sighed and headed into the library.

***

Tom was sitting on his own at a table in the corner, surrounded by history books describing the wars. He didn't even notice my approach, engrossed in reading about the Battle of Hogwarts. A battle that was hard for me to think about, as my entire family has fought in it. A battle where so many people my parents had known had died...I pushed the thoughts from my head and cleared my throat.

Tom looked up abruptly, and for a second I thought I saw pure fury on his face. I took an involuntary step back, but he blinked, and it was gone.

'Lily,' he said, quietly. 'I...' his voice trailed off. 'I can't imagine...going back...knowing that this is all in store for me...for everyone I know...'

I dropped into the chair next to him. 'Tom,' I said gently. 'Tom, I'm so sorry. I should have told you.'

'It's not your fault,' he replied. 'And at least it ends...Harry Potter ends it.' He looked up at me. 'Do you know much about Harry Potter? The one who ends the war?'

I coughed awkwardly. 'Well actually, Tom, he's..my dad.'

Tom's head jerked up and his eyes met mine, flashing, just for a second, with something that looked like triumph. Just like I'd thought I'd seen when we'd both arrived back in the present. I shook myself again. Clearly travelling through time was making me go slightly crazy.

'Your father?' he asked hoarsely. 'Wow...you must be proud.'

'I am,' I answered honestly. 'But look, Tom, what happened is going to happen in your future. And I can't even imagine how it must feel to know that.' I leaned forward slightly. 'Do you want to talk about it?'

He smiled warmly. 'Maybe later, if that's OK with you. Right now, I think I just want to be alone.'

'Of course. I understand' I said, desperately wishing I could think of something to say that would make this better.

He stood up, then, to my utter astonishment, leaned forward and brushed his finger against my cheek. His finger was cold against my skin. 'Thanks Lily. I really appreciate everything you've done for me,' he said quietly, before turning around and walking out of the library, leaving me staring after him.

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