Disclaimer: Not mine, only Hermione's roomies are.

A/N: What's this? Can you really believe you're eyes? Why yes, it's an update so soon after my last one! Anyway, thanks go to my Irish friend Lab for saying that the end of this chapter does work and encouraging me to post as is. Let's hope the rest of you like it too. Thank you once again for your lovely reviews. Beware, it goes un-Beta-ed. Enjoy!


Chapter Nine

A loud crack of thunder woke Hermione up from her sleep. She sat up quickly trying to get her bearings and glanced at her watch. Ten past eight. She rubbed her eyes roughly before pulling open her hangings, and glanced around the room. It was still dark.

"Finally awake, eh?" Jazz called over from her bed. "It's been going on for nearly an hour and you've only just woken up." She laughed and looked to the other girls who were all wide awake and laughing with her.

"I hope it doesn't do this for Hogsmeade next week," Anna groaned, "It'd be just my luck to get soaked on our last Hogsmeade weekend."

Freya threw her pillow at her, "You worry too much. Stop it."

Hermione smiled; she wasn't alone on the worrying front. Throwing the covers back, she got up.

"Where are you going?" Jazz quizzed.

"To help Peter with his homework." She shrugged her shoulders and pulled out some clothes.

"I feel so sorry for him," Rajni stated. "His so called friends are always so…" she tried to find the right word, "not cruel to him but not far off it. And they never help him with anything."

"Well, I blame Potter's arrogance for that. It's always getting in the way of everything!" Lily was practically growling.

"Lily, let the poor blanket go. It's done nothing to you," Jazz teased. Lily smiled ruefully and let go of the scrunched up blanket.

Hermione shook her head and left them to get dressed while they discussed the best hex they could put on James Potter. She moved quickly so that she could get to the library before Peter. She needed to get in some extra revision, she was so far behind.

Fifteen minutes later, after a quick inspection off Jazz, Hermione was walking speedily through the corridors. As she reached the corridor with the library, she heard footsteps behind her. She nervously turned to see Sirius Black running up to her.

"The speed you walk at is not normal," he huffed a little.

She frowned at him. "Why are you following me?" He looked around before grabbing her hand and proceeded to pull her back in the direction of where she had just come from. "What are you doing?" she asked indignantly. Before she knew it, he'd pulled her into an empty classroom. "Are you going to tell me what you want now?"

Sirius smirked at her, "You're going to help me." Hermione folded her arms defensively. "You'll like the plan I have mind."

"You're a little sure of yourself, aren't you?" Hermione snapped.

"Are you always in a good mood like this?" Sirius asked taking a seat on one of the desks.

"Do you always drag people into empty classrooms?" she spat back.

"We could be here all day doing this," he sighed in defeat. "I would have asked you in the common room, but you were gone before I'd even stood up. Will you help me with something?" Hermione eyed up him up. He seemed sincere enough.

"Why aren't you asking the others? I'm sure James or Remus would help. And Peter would love to help you if you just gave him half the chance."

"I can't ask James to help me because the plan is about him, and besides, I need a female's help." Hermione didn't look amused. "Is there any way I can convince you to help me?"

Hermione considered it for a moment and her curiosity peaked. "What's the plan?"

"To make James and Lily see sense." Sirius waited eagerly for her response. She gave him a blank look. "Well don't rush to tell me what you think."

"See sense in what way?" she asked.

"I know, you know and I think the whole school, professors included, know that James and Lily were meant to be together. But they're just too stubborn to admit it."

Hermione sat down on the desk next to him. She knew that they had to get together or one of her best friends wouldn't exist when she went back to her time. But she wasn't a great believer in matchmaking people. It had to happen on its own.

"I'll listen to your plan, then I'll get back to you."

Sirius mulled it over for a second before giving in reluctantly. "I want you to go on a date with James-"

"No!" Hermione spoke instantly. Sirius frowned. "Sorry, but he's arrogant enough. It needs knocking out of him otherwise it'll get him into trouble one day. And if I agree to this, he'll think that he was right all along about me."

Sirius chuckled at her. "You didn't let me finish." Hermione wasn't convinced but let him continue. "You agree to the date, you're not actually going on it."

"You can't do that!" Hermione wailed. It was almost cruel to do that.

"What? I'll be sending Lily in your place," he defended himself quickly. Hermione elbowed him in the side.

"I know that! And that's what you can't do." Sirius pulled a face as he rubbed his ribs. "You can't trick them into going on a date with each other. It won't work. Someone will get hurt."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" he pouted.

"Let them work out themselves," she suggested like it was the most obvious thing he should have thought of.

"If we do that, someone will get hurt anyway with their bickering." Hermione pursed her lips. "You know I'm right." He winked at her.

"Don't do that," she instructed standing up. "I'll think about it." She gave him a small smile and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" he asked jumping up after her.

"To help your friend with his homework." She stopped and turned back to him; a thought had occurred to her. "Why are you friends with Peter?"

Sirius looked taken aback by the question. "Because I am."

"That's not an answer, you know?" Hermione folded her arms waiting for a response.

"I don't know," he finally answered truthfully. "He just latched on to us and no one told him to go away. So he became part of the furniture of the group really."

"It shows that you're not interested in him as a friend," she stated, "and in my opinion, that's worse than actually bullying him." Hermione turned and left Sirius in the classroom. It didn't take him long to race after her.

Sirius pulled her arm to stop her walking. "You're new here. You know nothing about us, so what gives you the right to come in and immediately judge us!" Hermione flinched at the anger in his words. She'd never known him to be angry in her past or this one.

"I'm sorry," she apologised sincerely, "it's just Peter is feeling so left out and you don't help any when he asks for your help." Hermione gently pulled her arm away from his grip. "And you'd be surprised what I know about you…Padfoot."

Sirius wanted to stay angry at her for trying to second-guess his motives and who he was, only he couldn't. He smirked at her, "How did you know?" Hermione shrugged and walked away before she said anymore.

Hermione was in the library and sitting down, taking her books out of her bag, when it hit her. She pushed her fingers on her temples trying to will the pain away. So many memories changing so quickly this time. All of them involved most of the friends she'd made here, but as adults. One that stuck out was a meeting with Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter in her first year. It seemed to be the first time she was introduced to them during the Easter holidays.

"Mum, dad, this is Hermione and Ron," Harry introduced them to the waiting people at King's Cross station.

"Hermione?" James asked looking at her in amazement. Hermione smiled timidly. "I knew a Hermione in school. Hermione Roper."

"James, she won't know that," Lily hissed at him before looking to Hermione. And before she knew it, Lily was hugging her tightly. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

Hermione pulled away, looking to Harry for an explanation before the others pulled her in for a hug too.

"What do you mean 'finally'?" Harry asked in confusion at their strange behaviour. Hermione was practically using Ron and Harry as a shield now.


"Well we've heard so much about her…and Ron," Sirius quickly added as an afterthought.


"No you haven't," Harry smirked.

The memory stopped there. It was as though something more had to happen before the rest could continue. Hermione opened her eyes and scanned the library before smiling to herself. 'They must eventually know where I'm from,' she thought to herself.

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It was nearly lunchtime when Hermione had finished helping Peter with his homework, and her stomach made it quite clear on what time it was after skipping breakfast.

"Thank you, Hermione. I'm really glad you helped me." He smiled shyly before leaving her to gather up her things. And no sooner had she put her books away did Sirius walk into the library. He was making a beeline for her.

"I haven't decided yet," she answered his unspoken question. He stopped dead in his tracks just before the table she'd been working at. Hermione smiled and picked up her bag. "I want my lunch." As she reached him, she stopped in front of him.

If she did things right, Sirius was alive and had never been to Azkaban in her 'new' past. Hermione realised how much she missed his youthful presence in the future she'd left. Before she could stop herself, Hermione was hugging him tightly. "Hey…what's this?" he asked yet hugging her back gently.

"You'll know one day," she spoke into his shoulder. She let him go and began walking towards the exit.

"Are you always this cryptic?" Sirius called after her turning to follow her.

"Shhh!" the librarian hushed from behind her counter. Hermione smiled at him and continued out the door.

"I could copy James and insist that you want me, you know?" he smirked falling into step with her. Hermione rolled her eyes and ignored the comment. "You're right. I don't need to proclaim to the world that you want me. We both know it's true, that's all that matters." Hermione playfully pushed him.

"You're as bad as James," she scolded gently.

"It's a gift," Sirius teased. Hermione shook her head and began descending the stairs.

"Hermione! Sirius! I could be deeply wounded by this scene of you two alone together," James called to them racing down the stairs to catch them up. "But I know Sirius wants to marry Jazz!"

"No wonder you two are best friends. I don't know who's worse." Hermione left them to bicker while she speeded up on the walking. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, she found Remus and Peter there waiting for Sirius and James, who were still bickering behind Hermione. "And now we have a full set!" Hermione exclaimed teasingly walking towards the Great Hall.

"You want us all, don't you!" Sirius shouted to her retreating back. Hermione laughed to herself and proceeded to sit at the Gryffindor table. She was the first one to arrive for lunch. Propping up her Arithmancy book on a jug, she was now ready to revise and eat at the same time. She froze when a familiar pain hit for the second time that day.

What felt like a million memories were changing. So many and so quickly. Gripping onto the table, the pain tripled. Hermione could hear a voice speaking to her somewhere, but right now, she needed to avoid passing out. Suddenly she was reliving one, like it was happening again. Hermione had received a photo in the post off Lily from when Lily was in school. It was of Lily and her friends. She was sent the picture the day before she'd arrived in the past and Hermione saw herself in the photo, clear as day.

"Roper!" a male voice snapped in her ear. Hermione blinked, her vision quickly coming back into focus. She glanced up to find Lucius Malfoy looking down at her.

"What?" she asked icily. Lucius narrowed his eyes at her.

"Meet me on the Quidditch pitch after lunch," he instructed. Hermione barely had time to let the instruction sink in before Lucius was off back to his table.

She frowned and quickly forgot about her new memories. Seeing James and co. walk into the hall, she knew she'd not be revising. Especially with Lily and Jazz following behind them. Sighing, she put her book back in her bag. This was going to be a long lunch with both James and Lily eating at the same time.

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Hermione found Lucius sitting in the Slytherin stands when she got there. She took a deep breath and willed this to go quickly. She'd heard arguing all through her lunch, she didn't want to be in an argument herself after that. She slowly walked up to where he was sitting and took a seat a little apart from him.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione asked in a tone that told him she wasn't really interested in what he had to say.

"You infuriate me and I should hex you," he said simply. Hermione laughed bitterly as she stood up to leave. "Sit down." She looked at him and made a point of standing. "I'm not apologising. You lied to me." Hermione sighed in frustration and turned to leave. "Thank you!"

She froze, not sure she'd heard correctly. "Yes, I said thank you." Hermione slowly turned back to face him. "If I hadn't tried to prove you wrong, I'd be kissing the hem of the Dark Lord's robes right now."

"Dark Lord?" she questioned, knowing it was only Death Eaters who'd called him that.

"Yes, my father tells me he's a man to be feared and respect," Lucius answered not realising what she truly meant.

"That's up for discussion," Hermione spoke bitterly. "No, I'm just intrigued as to why you would call him 'Dark Lord'. I heard it was only his followers that called him that." Hermione watched him, waiting for some sort of backlash.

Lucius thought about it for a moment. "I suppose it's a bad habit I've inherited off my father." He looked to her in confusion. "How did you know about his followers? Very few people know that he's gathering Purebloods to join him."

Hermione took a seat next to him, taking her time to get her wording just right. "Let's just say that I've been in the presence of his followers and have heard what they call him." He waited for a further explanation on it but saw in her eyes she wasn't going to say any more on the topic. "What do you really think of Voldemort?" Hermione finally spoke, noting the flinch at hearing his name.

"I think he's a man who wants too much control. I'm my own person. No one tells a Malfoy what to do." Lucius looked to her and smiled. It took her breath away. She'd never seen a natural and meaningful smile off Lucius Malfoy. "Of course I'm waiting for my letter telling me that I'm not fit to be a Malfoy."

"You should smile like that more often," Hermione told him before standing up, "It makes your eyes look more…friendly."

Lucius smiled once more at her, "But I meant what I said. I still believe that Purebloods have the stronger magic. And that it shouldn't be mixed with Mud…Muggle blood."

"And if Purebloods didn't mix with Muggles, there would be more Squibs in our world. It's the only way magic will keep going." Hermione smirked at him.

"That's up for discussion. But not right now…I have some business to attend to," he smirked.

Hermione laughed, "I shall leave you to your business then." He nodded to her and Hermione would have left only…third time is the charm.

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"Hey, Granger, what was the next ingredient?" Draco Malfoy hissed across the desk to Hermione. She stirred her Potion and took a side glance at Snape.

"It's on the board, Malfoy!" Hermione whispered back. Draco smiled in embarrassment.

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Hermione was in Florish and Blotts purchasing her books for her looming fifth year. She spotted a book she'd been looking for, some light reading before school started.

"You swotting up again, Granger?" a familiar voice spoke from behind her. She smiled and turned to greet Draco Malfoy just as his parents joined him.

"Hello, Hermione," Narcissa greeted her politely. "Are you still not looking after your hair? You looked so pretty at the Yule Ball."

"I don't have the time, Mrs Malfoy. I just wanted to do well in school."

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"Hermione, why is it that all the adults I know keep acting like they've known you for years?" Harry asked as they boarded the Hogwarts Express. It was time for their second year of school.

"Harry, I'm Muggleborn and not even thirteen yet. How am I meant to know this?" she teased him.


"Because you know everything," Ron teased back as they found a compartment.

"You should hear how many times Peter kept telling me that you sound like a nice girl. I think he wants me to marry you," Harry laughed.

"Hermione!" a voice called to her from somewhere. Hermione groaned at the ache in her head. "There you are!" She felt a sudden pressure on her chest. Opening her eyes Hermione found a mass of messy, black hair on her chest.

"James," she croaked, "What happened?" James stood up and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Malfoy says that you were on the Quidditch pitch and you just collapse. Not that I'll say this to his face, but it was lucky he was walking by at the time." Hermione forced herself to sit up and noted how dark it was bar the small amount of light coming from her bedside table.

"Am I in the hospital wing?" James nodded. "How long?"

"Since this lunchtime. Everyone's at dinner. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let anyone stay. Evans nearly hexed her with just a look. I hid under your bed." Hermione chuckled as he took her hand. "Hermione, I know something's wrong. Why won't you tell me?"

"It's nothing, James. It happens when I'm stressed." And stressed she was with how quickly her memories kept changing now. "I'll be fine when the exams are over."

"Promise?" he begged.

"Potter! Off the bed! And how are you still here!" Madam Pomfrey asked indignantly as she bustled up to Hermione's bed. "Go outside, I want a word with my patient." James saluted her and left the wing.

Madam Pomfrey waited for James to actually be outside and for the door to 'swish' close. She turned back to Hermione and handed her a small potion vial from her apron pocket. "Now drink this, it'll make your headache disappear. The headmaster came to visit and has filled me on some of the details about you. Also Mr Potter and Miss Evans have made it quite clear that this has happened before. So I've sent some more potions to your room; they're in your trunk."

"How did the headmaster know I was here?" she asked in disbelief.

"The man knows everything," the nurse smiled.

"Thank you," Hermione said gratefully.

"Now we shall say no more. Go to dinner. Eat. And look after yourself." Madam Pomfrey smiled and Hermione realised how young she looked. The nurse bustled off before Hermione had gotten off the bed.

Once she stepped outside the hospital wing, Hermione was ambushed by a hug. Or rather a James hugging her. "I can't breathe" she gasped.

"Sorry," James muttered letting her go. "I was worried. When we all saw Malfoy carrying you in, you looked dead."

"I promise I'll be okay, James, stop worrying." Hermione turned to give him a small smile and was met by his lips brushing against hers.


A/N: So please tell me, does this ending work or not? I'm still undecided.