Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter; I simply play with her toys.

I am just saying that you would have to jump through hoops, step on toes, and make some pretty life changing decisions to be with Hera in a way that would satisfy her. I think you are only really upset because you don't like Kingsley, and you certainly don't like him flirting so openly with the girl you wish you could."

Chapter Ten

Hermione walked over and stood behind the converging first years. "Are we in the wrong place, ma'am?" A little blonde girl asked, thinking she was a student.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so." The little girl turned back to the people she had been speaking to. After a few minutes, Hagrid called out. "Everyone into a boat. 4 in each. Well, 3 in the case of our transfer student."

Hermione nodded in understanding. The children were so…small. She hadn't been around a lot of children this age since she was one. Other than Teddy Lupin, she hadn't spent much time with children at all. Of course, if she had stayed, that would have changed.

She waited for everyone to get in with their new friends, not wanting to break up a group, and climbed into one as it thinned down. Hermione had just settled in when two children came up and climbed in with her. They didn't speak to her as the boats started drifting through the water, but she stared at the back of their heads in excitement.

The little boy was short and scrawnier than most of the other little boys. His hair reached his chin and curled slightly around his face, but the cut was slightly uneven. His robes were not in great shape, either. She could see a patch of the same kind of material had been sewn over a tear. The girl had red hair that was straight down her back and a few shades darker than Weasley red. They were chatting excitedly and completely ignoring her presence until the boy seemed to feel her eyes burning into him. He turned around and looked at her worriedly for a moment as if he was expecting her to yell at him.

Hermione smiled softly at Severus Snape who looked even more worried at seeing her expression and elbowed Lily in the ribs. She turned around as well then and looked at Hermione. In a tone that reminded Hermione of one she would have used at that age, Lily stated, "You don't look old enough to be a teacher."

Hermione chuckled, wishing Harry could be there with her. "I'm not. I'm transferring here for my final year. My name is Hera."

"Lily Evans," the little girl replied. She nodded at Severus. "This is my best friend, Severus. His mom is a witch, too. He's really powerful."

Hermione nodded, feeling more and more amused as the conversation continued. "I'm sure he will make a fine wizard." The little boy seemed more hopeful and smiled weakly at her.

They rounded the bend then and Hermione looked up at Hogwarts in excitement. It must have shown on her face because the two children turned and gasped.

"It's so…. Big," Severus said, nervously.

"It's huge, Severus! We are going to be living in a castle!" Lily grabbed her friend, hugging him tightly. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Hermione smiled softly, forgotten again. She would do her best to insure that the duo's years at Hogwarts were fun and nothing like what they had been through in her own timeline.

Once arriving at the other side, Professor McGonagall approached. She looked to be in her mid-forties, but her disposition seemed the same as ever. The teacher ushered them into the Entrance Hall and after the excited voices dulled, she spoke. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall, and I am the teacher of Transfiguration. You will wait here for a few moments while the students in the Great Hall settle and then will go in to be sorted. I suggest you take the time to smarten yourselves up. Once inside, you will be called by name when it is your turn and once sorted you will join your house table.

Hermione suddenly remembered the last time the Sorting Hat had made her hair frizz out horribly as it was removed. Quickly, she aimed her wand at her head and murmured a charm, feeling her hair braid itself into a thick braid over her shoulder. "Wow!" she heard Lily say from behind her. "Magic is wonderful!"

The doors to the Great Hall open and Professor McGonagall led them in. She motioned for them to stop once they were in the middle of the room and took her place at foot of the head table where the sorting hat sat on its stool.

Hermione looked around, happy to see the Great Hall looking as it had before the war. Though the enchantments were the same, the sky just did not have quite the same amount of realism in her old life. It was shocking to see the room so full, and Hermione again wondered how many of these students had died or left the UK before their own kids could attend.

"Please approach the stool and place the Sorting Hat on your head when your name is called," Professor McGonagall said.

Hermione did not pay much attention to most of the names, but she did listen out for those that she knew. The first up was "Black, Sirius!" Hermione watched as an eleven year old Sirius Black walked his way toward the stool. He looked at Slytherin table with resignation in his eyes. How surprised he would be….

The hat was only there for a moment before it yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!" Many clapped but the people who knew the history of the Black family gasped and whispered. Hermione even saw Bellatrix at the Slytherin table, scowling at Sirius and booing.

Sirius, brave Gryffindor that he was, squared his shoulders and walked toward his new table, glancing at the group of boys he hoped to join him there. Hermione followed his gaze to the boys standing a little ways away from her and saw the rest of the Marauders.

The next name she listened for was called out in the form of Lily Evans. The girl practically bounced to the stool in excitement and shoved the hat on her head. Hermione was quite sure she had done the same the last time she had been sorted. "GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily grinned at the applause and cheers offered by her new table and went over to join them, sitting down next to an older girl and saving the seat to her other side by resting her hands on it and waving at Severus.

"LUPIN, REMUS!" was called next, and Hermione smiled as the boy made his way up. He looked hopefully at Sirius and the Gryffindor table as he put the hat on his head. It took quite a while to decide for Remus, and he seemed to be fidgeting by the time it called out "GRYFFINDOR!" for the room to hear. She smiled sadly at how relieved he looked to be going to a house where he had already made a quick friend.

Hermione was naturally thinking of James Potter, but had forgotten someone else in the excitement. "PETTIGREW, PETER!" Her eyes watched the small boy walk up to the stool. He seemed to be trembling and the amount of nervousness in him reminded her slightly of Neville. He sure didn't seem like a back stabbing traitor… She forced herself to take a deep breath and reconsider. She wasn't here to stop him once he turned dark; she was here to stop him before that happened. Part of her prayed that, somehow, the hat would call out a different house so that he would be far, far away from James Potter. She was, of course, disappointed. "GRYFFINDOR!" Peter hopped off of the chair and practically ran toward the table where he was warmly greeted by Sirius and Remus.

Finally, "POTTER, JAMES" was called. This child had no fear. He confidently walked up to the stool and sat down. Though she had often heard how much Harry looked like James, she didn't see too much of it. He had the same hair and face shape, but Hermione was sure that Harry hadn't been as tall or as meaty as James was even at his young age. He certainly didn't carry himself the same way. Just as it had sorted Draco Malfoy in first year, the hat had barely touched James's head when the hat cried out "GRYFFINDOR!" He sauntered over to the table and sat down next to his friends, chatting happily.

A few more people were sorted before the last that Hermione had been watching for was called. "SNAPE, SEVERUS!" Hermione watched as the boy walked toward the stool, doing his best to appear brave and confident. She was sure he was wondering that if he acted brave enough and confident enough that it would put him in Gryffindor with his best friend. Unfortunately, the hat quickly called out "SLYTHERIN" for all of the hall to hear. The devastation on the boy's face was painful to see. He took the hat off and looked almost as if he would cry. His eyes went to Lily's, and so did Hermione's gaze. Lily looked sad, too, but she shook her head with a smile and a shrug. She then put her hands together and twisted the smallest fingers together. The motion seemed to cheer Severus up as he walked toward Slytherin, slightly taller.

Many more names were called before it came to the end when Jasmine Young was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"This year, we have one transfer student. Seventh year, Hera Elias!" Hermione swallowed and walked up to the stool without looking at the students around her. She sat down and felt Professor McGonagall place the hat on her head. Inwardly, she remarked on how much smaller the hat seemed now that it wouldn't fall over her eyes.

"Hermione Granger," a voice said in her head, sounding surprised. "I did not expect this. You are from the future. A Gryffindor at your first sorting…"

Hermione nodded, closing her eyes as she thought back, "Yes. A war breaks out and many die. I am back to save the lives of whoever I can."

"But not just lives, Miss Granger. Or should I say Miss Elias. It seems you plan to save souls."

Hermione nodded again, "And that is possibly even more important," she whispered.

"Well, my dear, there is plenty to recommend you to any house. It would be harder to sort any older person because at that point they have more life experience and understanding of the duality of human nature. Generally, children go where they want to go because they are who they want to be at that time. Where do you think you'd do best?"

Hermione's mind immediately went to Ravenclaw, but then she thought, "Best for me or best to suit my purposes?"

The hat chuckled. "See? Duality. Who do you want to save the most, Miss Granger?"

Whether it was the vow she had given Draco or her growing feelings for the boy he was or the pity she felt for the man he had become, her mind instantly went to Lucius.

"In that case, Miss Granger, there is only one place to put you. I wish you luck; your intentions are as brave as any Gryffindor and as honorable as any Hufflepuff. It has to be…."

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted, and Hermione felt her heart jump into her throat. She had known it had to be possible, but hearing it was strange. Hermione stood up and removed the hat, handing it back to Professor McGonagall.

Her eyes first went to Ravenclaw where she saw Antonin and Kingsley sitting side by side. They were both clapping, though Antonin had a smirk on his face and was clapping much more enthusiastically. Kingsley looked disappointed.

Then, she looked at the house of her new table and began to walk. Severus Snape caught her eye first from his spot at the end of the table. His expression was mostly blank. She smiled at him. Next, Bellatrix Black's dark eyes glared into hers. Hermione raised an eyebrow and smirked in amusement which made the girl's expression darken even more.

Finally, she found the grey eyes that she knew would be watching her intently. Lucius Malfoy was clapping loudly and on his face was a genuine smile. If she had been the sorting hat on his head at that moment, she would have heard his brain chanting. "There's hope… there's hope… there's hope…."

Hermione watched as Lucius pushed Lestrange down a seat to make room for her. She smiled as she sat down, saying an apologetic "excuse me" to Rodolphus.

"Welcome to Slytherin," Lucius greeted, in what Hermione was sure was his best attempt to be cool and unaffected.

"Thank you," she said, as Dumbledore stood to speak.

"Welcome students to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And a special welcome to those of you with us for the first year. Today begins the rest of your lives as witches and wizards that, one day, will shape our world to be bigger and better than it is even now! I would like to remind you that dueling in the corridors is unacceptable, as is visiting the Forbidden Forest, hence its name. I am sure you are all hungry, but if you question what things are not allowed at Hogwarts, please see our caretaker, Mr. Filch. Enjoy your Welcome Feast and remember to get rest. Tomorrow is a brand new day."

He sat down, and Hermione tried to catch the man's eye. It took a few moments before Dumbledore finally looked at her. Desperately, she tried to communicate to him that she needed to see him. He stared at her curiously for a moment, eyes twinkling, before leaning over to Horace Slughorn on his right and whispering. Hoping the message was received, she started to fill her plate.

"I have to admit," Roderick Nott began, "I did not expect you to be sorted here in the least. Quite the surprise. I wonder if we know your actual parents."

Hermione shrugged, taking a bit of roast beef. "Happy to provide entertainment to you all," she said, flippantly.

"She'd have to be at least a half blood to get sorted here, wouldn't she?" Roderick asked Lucius, ignoring her comment.

"As I am not a sorting hat, I am unsure," Lucius responded. "My father thinks that it would be impossible for a muggleborn to be sorted here. He is usually right."

Except in this case, Hermione thought with a smirk.

"Well, there is no way she is a pureblood," Bellatrix chimed in from her seat several students down. "No pureblood parents would abandon their kid at some disgusting orphanage. No, her pureblooded parent must have been too disgusted to know he'd brought her into the world and left her there so he wouldn't have to look at her!"

Hermione looked at the witch with a warning flashing in her eyes. There were only two people she hated in this timeline, and Bellatrix Black was one of them. "Bellatrix, it seems like you are determined to dislike me if I am pureblooded or muggleborn. Is that so?"

"I just wish I knew if you were a waste of good blood or a mudblood who stole her way into our house," Bellatrix sneered.

Hermione took one of the knives from the table and stared at the girl. "Would you like me to prove which it is?" she asked, cocking her head.

Hermione took the knife and, wincing only slightly, cut her finger. She was doing it to prove a point, but was slightly shocked to see several of the students bend in to look at what she was doing. Lucius was looking at her face in surprise. "What are you doing?" he asked, hesitantly.

Hermione glared at the people around her. "Showing people my blood. Is it red enough, do you think?"

Many tried to see and finally Crabbe answered. "It looks as red as mine. So you are a pureblood?"

Hermione groaned and rolled her eyes. "I don't know. That's just the point. Blood is red. Sure, it can be brighter if it is very oxygenated or darker if it is not, but blood is, quite literally, blood. Bellatrix's blood is no better than mine no matter who my parents are."

Without speaking to her, Lucius grabbed Hermione's hand and healed the small cut. Seeing that, Bellatrix slammed her hands down on the table, startling not only the people seated next to her but people from other tables.

"Bullshit. My lineage is pristine!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and removed her hand from Lucius's. "It may be, Bellatrix. The point is that magical ability does not correlate directly to blood. Everyone in here has the same red blood. I can't tell you who my parents were, but I can tell you that if you keep trying to confront me and piss me off that I will get tired of it. When I do, we will likely see who is the most powerful."

Several at the table gasped, looking at Hermione with varying degrees of shock and awe. Lucius smirked at Bellatrix and returned to eating his food. Hermione did the same.

The rest of dinner was rather uneventful, though Hermione could feel Bellatrix glaring at her the entire time. No one really asked her any questions, so she ate her meal in piece. When everyone had finished, people started to get up and head to the dorms. Hermione was taking her time to see if she would be approached about Dumbledore meeting her, and Lucius waved his friends off so he could wait for her to finish eating. She tried to tell him to go on, but he insisted on staying so that he could show her the way.

When she finally gave up, she nodded at Lucius and the two stood up and walked out. Most everyone was already in their dorms for the evening. They had gotten to the first floor of dungeons when Lucius took a turn that was not in the direction of the Slytherin dorms. Hermione raised an eyebrow but followed him, being unable to correct him. He opened the door to an unused classroom and walked in with Hermione behind him. Once they were inside, she finally questioned.

"Lucius?" He turned around, waving his wand and silently spelled the door to shut behind her. Then, he came toward her slowly, taking measured steps. She was being stalked.

Part of her wanted to turn around and go just because of the possessive look in his eyes, but she was rooted to the spot. Within a moment, he had backed her up into a wall, eyes boring into her own. "You have no idea what you do to me," he whispered. His voice was low and electric as he leaned in to whisper to her. "Everything about you is as if it is here to tempt me toward you. Can you even comprehend how much I want you?"

Hermione couldn't avoid the small moan that escaped her mouth. How is it that he always managed to take control of a situation, and she would just freeze?

"Lucius…" she started, intending to say something to him that would get him to back away.

"At the station, when I saw Kingsley and you… I do not want anyone else touching you, making you blush. You are mine."

Hermione did protest to that, but another part of her was just so… turned on. She reached up, pushing her hands through his long hair. The action made him close his eyes and practically purr. Then, she put her hand to his throat and grabbed. His eyes snapped open in shock as she turned him, pushing him against the wall. This… this moment would be hers.

She released his throat and put her hands against his chest, stepping close to him. Her hands then slid down his chest, feeling the firm muscles of his chest and abdomen. "Lucius," she whispered, leaning into his hear. He moaned, taut underneath her as if expecting something. It wouldn't be this, though. "I am not yours, and as it stands now…I never would be. You belong to two people. One is a thirteen year old girl and the other is your father. Once you belong to yourself, maybe then… then I can possibly belong to you, too." With that being said, and seeing the surprised look in his eyes, she pressed her lips to his forcefully. She ran her tongue over his lower lip, smiling against him when she heard the groan.

Finally, she pulled away from him. "I don't want a puppet, Lucius," she whispered. Then, she opened the door and left him there. She'd "find" the dorm on her own.

As she walked the somewhat familiar path, she thought about what she had just done. She had been highly doubtful when Lucius had said he thought his younger self would like her. She had never imagined that when she came back that she would actually be attracted to Lucius. So far, she had to acknowledge that her expectations were not coming to fruition regarding the blonde man. She also had to acknowledge that she definitely was interested in him.

The manner in which she had just acted shocked her. She had never been so…. forward with a man. Something about Lucius, though, brought out a side of her she hadn't experienced though. She knew Lucius was intense and passionate underneath his cool exterior. He had proven it that day in the garden shed. Then, she had elicited those responses from him. Perhaps he brought out a hidden passion in her that she hadn't even known about. Regardless of the reasons, she knew that she had never felt as alive as she did when she had Lucius Malfoy pushed up against the wall, happily at her mercy. Did she want him to become more attached to her, though?

Stupidly, Hermione hadn't really given much thought to what she wanted out of life for herself once she travelled back. She had jumped into the past (and her future) thinking of only the people she loved and the people that they loved. It was almost as if she had planned to just disappear once she finished.

Hermione had to admit, though, that she very much wanted to have it all- a successful career, a husband that she was crazy about, and children to run around. In just a few weeks, she would be turning 22, not accounting for the additional months with the time turner use in third year. She knew that she was still young by even muggle standards, but in her past she had already been an adult with a career, thinking about the next steps in her life journey.

Here, she was thought to be just shy of eighteen, but her thoughts were too mature for an eighteen year old. Her intentions were too mature. Hermione was definitely interested in Lucius, but… what did that mean? She certainly wasn't dumb enough to think she wanted to marry the guy right now, but… she was also passed the age of having relationships that she didn't see a future with. Right now, Lucius was not someone she could have a good future with.

Hermione wasn't sure if he ever would be someone she could have a good future with. He would have to change a lot of things. She would not tie herself to a Death Eater in any way.

Hermione eventually found some Slytherin fifth years outside who directed her the rest of the way to the Slytherin dorms and gave her the password. She wasted no time finding the room for seventh years and writing a promised letter to Adeline to tell her where she had been sorted. Then, she went to bed.

Lucius was still leaned against the wall that Hermione had pushed him against. His heart was pounding, though it had probably been five minutes since she had left him there. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. In their…relationship, he was typically the aggressor. In fact, in any of his previous dalliances, he was in control. Still he had never been as turned on as he was with her hand at his throat and her voice in his ear. He hadn't even been able to think clearly enough to know what she was saying to him in the moment.

Now, though, as his heartrate slowly calmed down with the rest of him, he thought on her words. While he hated that she thought he was a puppet to his father's will… there was a measure of truth to it, regrettably.

His father had always been strict growing up and demanding. The idea of going against what his father had wanted him, before Hera showed up, was just not something that ever crossed his mind. He would marry the girl his father thought best to help continue the Malfoy line, get a job that furthered the family's collective interests, and subscribe fully to his father's politics.

As a child, he had read a series of books called Odin Marchare: Curse Breaker. The adventures of Odin had kept him enraptured from cover to cover, and he had convinced himself he wanted to be a curse breaker, too. When he had gotten his Hogwarts letter, he had run into his father's office, waving it around. After telling his father he had been accepted, though neither had expected different, he had exclaimed that in just seven years, he would be able to become a curse breaker and go on wonderful adventures.

His father had glared, shaking his head. "A curse breaker, Lucius? Really? That is hardly an appropriate career choice for a Malfoy. You will work in business and politics, building our influence and protecting our assets. It is expected."

Dejected, Lucius had dropped the subject until the day he got his wand. They had been celebrating with ice cream at Florean Fortescue's when he brought it up again. "Father, would it be possible to be a curse breaker and take care of the family's business?"

Abraxas had glared. "I thought we closed this subject, Lucius…."

The boy had nodded, but with the look on his face, Abraxas explained. "First, most of the best curse breaking jobs would require you to work with Gringotts. I should not have to tell you how degrading it would be for a Malfoy to work at the behest of a Goblin, Lucius."

Lucius had felt his eyes tearing up a bit but held them back as his father would want. "Second, even if that were not the case, you come from a long line of Dark Wizards, Lucius. It would be a waste of your talents to go around destroying objects that could benefit you or others. You will one day be a powerful dark wizard, Lucius. It is important that your career play to that strength, not against it."

That had been when he had set aside the hopes of becoming a curse breaker as powerful as Odin Marchare. He couldn't fight against his heritage, could he? He was a dark wizard, and that was the end.

It wasn't until his conversation about the subject that Hera had made him doubt his father's words. Though she was just his age, she had made a lot of sense. If he wasn't a dark wizard…

He had put those thoughts away for fear of bringing the subject up with his father again, but Hera had put doubt into his mind. Was his dream job really achievable?

She had also made him question his father's views on blood purity and prestige being equal to power and worthiness. She did that simply by existing. Hera was obviously very intelligent and powerful. The chances of her being a pureblood were very slim, though. Pureblood children were a rarity, for whatever reason. Most of his pureblood classmates had one sibling at best. Babies were supremely important in their circles, so the idea of a pureblooded witch or wizard dropping their child off at an orphanage to be raised in poverty with bad education was quite unbelievable.

Once he had wrapped his head around that, he realized that it didn't change the way he thought of Hera. She was still powerful, smart, opinionated, beautiful, and…passionate. She seemed just as capable as any of his classmates; she had just not had the good fortune to be raised in a home with parents and money.

And this made him question the biggest of the decisions his father had made for him. How could he ever even consider marrying someone he felt nothing for when he knew he had the capability to….

But could he love her? Part of him wondered if he already did. Whereas Lucius had looked in the mirror in the past thinking of how wonderful he was, he now saw his faults. Faults she didn't seem to have. She was no one's puppet, and he couldn't blame her for not wanting to commit herself to one. She was also brave and voiced her opinion even if it would be greeted with vitriol. Regardless of if she would ever love him, he had to find out. She wouldn't be a mistress or a girl on the side though. That left one solution.

Regardless of if she would ever be his, he could not marry a girl he felt absolutely nothing for. He would not be marrying Narcissa Black. Now, he would just have to convince the third year of the same.

Author's Notes: Glad everyone is enjoying! Thank you so much for your reviews. I've had a few reviews and messages that I wanted to address:

Time travel in most stories on seem to be more along the lines of time being linear (you go back to the linear past, change something, and the future changes. This is written more in line with the butterfly effect. Time is fluid and only interpreted as being linear. To go back changes things, but only in the way that the decisions made create entirely different realities in sync with each choice made. Somewhere, the hat decides to sort Hermione into Ravenclaw. Somewhere, she tells Harry and convinces her to let him travel with her. As a result, a future Hermione born might not ever need to go to the past because it never seemed necessary, or she didn't believe that she should. Our decisions make our lives.

Second, I appreciate that many of you are interested in reading another story. As I said at the beginning, this was just a plot bunny turned monster stuck in my head. I want to dedicate myself fully to this and don't plan to ever post multiple stories at once. If another monster appears, though, I'll get it typed out. There is another bunny but it is waaaaayyyyy difficult to do and make realistic. I'm not sure if it is possible, and I don't want to write something half-cocked. It does deal with time travel as well but the other kind. And would also be...huge, length wise. I'm a bit scared of trying right now.

Please keep reviewing!