Hi thanks so much for the reviews and addings! It makes my day. The holiday was brilliant and now I'm back into the flow of things. Here is chapter 10. Please enjoy and review if possible.

Chapter 10

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Hermione steeled herself and prepared to throw open the door. It was the only thing she could think of that would cause enough surprise. Her wand would not fit through the small gap to cast a spell.

She clutched her now unlit wand, her sweaty hand just barely holding it, and threw the door open. She felt a satisfying thud as the door made contact with the intruder's back and an extra delightful crash as he was flung down the stairs into a pile of boxes.

Hermione marched into the basement a look of triumph on her face, her wand pointing towards the lifeless body.

Her delight was drained away when she spotted Remus, staring at her, his face a cross between amusement and horror.

Hermione looked properly at the boxes and spotted Sirius lying in a heap. She threw a hand over her mouth and ran to Sirius, lifting his body up as much as she could. James rushed over to help her, laughing as he recalled aloud his friend's expression as he fell.

The four teenagers made their way up into the shop and then up the steep steps to the Hermione's flat. Remus and Peter walked behind the distorted six legged creature that was James, Sirius and Hermione in the dark.

Hermione threw open her flat door with her free hand and helped James drag Sirius on to the couch. They lay him down and he groaned, moving a hand towards his aching head.

Hermione twirled her wand and a wet cloth flew towards her. She caught it and laid it gently on Sirius's head, remorse all over her face.

"I'm sorry Sirius but what the bloody hell were you doing in the basement of the shop?!" asked her Hermione, her voice raising an octave. "How were you in there without breaking in?"

Hermione, of course, knew the answer to this question. She just wanted to put the boys on the spot.

Sirius stuttered looking for an answer but when he couldn't come up with one he let his head slump and faked unconsciousness. Hermione sighed and turned to the other three, her hands on her hips.

Remus shifted on his feet and looked everywhere but Hermione's irritated face. James stepped forward.

"We…well, we wanted to visit you."

Hermione sighed in exasperation.

"Couldn't you have waited until tomorrow instead of creeping into the shop while I slept? I was bloody terrified. Merlin, what if I had killed Sirius?"

Sirius sat up at that, indignation marring his young face.

"Excuse me? A door couldn't kill me! I think I'm made of stronger stuff than that Hermione." he lay down again when he felt he had made his point.

Hermione snorted.

"Maybe a door couldn't kill you but I might if you don't shut it." she muttered.

Remus heard her and laughed softly. Hermione glanced at him and smiled, pleased to see him smile in return.

"I suppose we should leave." said Peter, kicking the ground with his arms behind his back.

Hermione nodded in agreement and pulled Sirius up from the couch. His legs wobbled beneath him as he stood upright and he stumbled slightly when Hermione let him go.

"I think he's hit his head pretty hard" she said, "You should take him to the nurse and get him looked at."

Sirius groaned and collapsed on the couch again. He really was not well. Hermione felt guilt well up inside of her and she knew she was obligated to help him.

"Sit down, all of you. I'll go and brew a potion for his head it should take five minutes."

When Hermione left the room to clatter around in the bathroom, Remus picked up a book on her coffee table and flicked through it. It was a time travel book. He recalled when he bumped into Hermione in the library and remembered that she had been carrying time travel books then too.

Why was she so interested in that particular subject?

Remus pondered this for a moment before his attention was diverted to a muttering Hermione. She was leaving the bathroom with a cauldron in her hand. The small portable cauldron was steaming and bubbling and Remus spotted an acid green liquid sloshing inside it. This was going to be a problem; Sirius hated taking potions.

Hermione carefully ladled a dosage out of the cauldron and approached Sirius, making sure not to spill any. James and Remus slowly made their way towards Sirius, both with the same thought; pin him down. Hermione looked at them in confusion as they each took an arm and pressed the woozy Sirius down. His eyes popped open and he immediately struggled when he saw the potion.

"I hate potions! Get her away from me! Hasn't she hurt me enough already?"

He was shouting out and Remus and James were clearly finding it hard to hold him down.

Hermione rushed over and poured the warm potion down Sirius's throat and he coughed and spluttered, screaming bloody murder.

His four companions laughed at his panic and he turned to them with a stony face.

"Well now we know what scares the mighty Sirius Black." said Hermione mockingly.

Peter, James and Remus laughed and got to their feet, ready to leave.

Sirius stood too, still holding his head in discomfort.

Hermione put a hand on his head and smiled.

"I really am sorry. Just don't break in next time."

Sirius grinned sheepishly and continued to do so until he spotted Remus's face. His friend's eyes were fixed on Sirius, a clear warning of 'stay away' in them. Sirius thanked Hermione, formally shaking her hand, and walked off with his friends, giving Remus an encouraging smile as he did.

Remus stayed behind and watched as Hermione put the wet cloth back in the kitchen. Remus observed her slim body move across the flat. The red dressing gown she wore floating out behind her as she walked. Her hair was messy, her face tired, but Remus still thought she was beautiful.

Hermione turned around and saw Remus staring at her. She walked up to him and waved her hand near his face. He blinked, startled, and his face relaxed into an easy grin.

"Are you alright, Remus?" asked Hermione, continuing to tidy up the living room.

"Yes, I'm fine I just wanted to apologise for scaring you. I didn't want to do it but James and Sirius, as you will come to learn, are impossibly stubborn and can't be put off an idea." Remus twisted his hand, looking at Hermione with an expression of guilt.

Hermione smiled at Remus and waved a dismissive hand.

"It's fine, honestly. I would be lying if I said you weren't keeping me entertained."

Remus laughed and looked around the room.

"It's really nice in here."

"Yeah, I like it" said Hermione, wondering why on earth he was talking about the living room, of all places.

Remus pulled at the cuff of his robes, clearing his throat nervously. He raised his hand and gestured towards the open door.

"Well, er, I'd better go and get them. I'll see you at the visit next weekend? It's Halloween and all."

Hermione smiled

"Yes, I'll have extra chocolate for you."

Remus laughed. He made forwards as though to touch Hermione's hand, then thought better of it and turned away towards the door.

"'Bye Hermione." He said, quietly leaving.

"Goodbye, Remus. I'll see you soon."

When Remus had left Hermione fell onto the couch and groaned into a pillow. Why was he so confusing? In the library he had seemed quite relaxed around her but now he was switching between normality and being a nervous wreck. Hermione thought about him for most of the night but in thinking about Remus, she remembered home. How much she wanted to be there and how long it was going to take to get there.

Why did it have to happen to her? Then again, if she hadn't acted, Remus would be dead along with the many others. Hermione knew that she was better off in the "past" while Remus was still alive. Feeling an overwhelming urge to hear the voices again, Hermione settled down on the couch to sleep.

Her eyes slowly shut and the comfortable blackness of sleep enveloped her.

"She spoke today" said the female voice.

"Really?" said 3 others, excitement lacing their hushed voices.

"What did she say?" they asked.

"It was odd and quite indistinct but I heard her say "It's too much...want to go home." Odd isn't it?"

Hermione heard murmurs of agreement.

"Does this mean she'll be awake soon? If she is speaking..." asked a voice.

Hermione felt an involuntary leap in her chest when she heard the familiar voice of Remus.

Hermione tried in vain to call out or move her arms and legs. She could not get them to know she was alright, no matter how hard she tried.

"She should wake up soon. I still can't understand why she is not dead. This is incredible. Her heartbeat fluctuates constantly even though she does not move."

Hermione heard the snuffling voice of Ron.

"Please wake up Hermione."

Then it was Harry's turn.

"Yeah, Hermione. The war is over please come back to us. We can't lose you too."

Hermione tried even harder to move or speak now. It was imperative that she get information from the war. It was killing her not knowing how everyone was.

Had Harry and Ron discovered the final Horcruxes and destroyed them, without her there?

It was odd but Hermione now felt that in a way, she was no longer part of the long journey they had taken together. She still loved them with all her heart but they had finished what they were set out to do and she wasn't there. She was here, in the past. Perhaps it was best if she stayed here, then she wouldn't feel as useless and left out as she knew se eventually would when she was back with them.

Before Hermione had time to mull over this though fully, she found herself sitting up in bed, a cold sweat dampening her furrowed brow.

It was beginning to look like a full night of sleep was an impossible feat. Hermione propped herself up on a pile of pillows and took another book from her bedside table. All she knew was that she was going to be home 'soon'. The only question was: when is 'soon'?

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Hope you liked it! Please review; it only takes a minute!

Emma x