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December : New Year's Eve, 1978

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AN – What is a Hermione fanfic without at least one accident with a Time Turner? :)

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"So…what plans do you have tonight, Mrs. Rabbit?" Haynes teased, leaning across one of the lab tables. Though the university was on winter break, Hermione had offered to accompany Haynes as she checked on some of the computer simulations she had set up before break. Well, Hermione hadn't offered so much as Haynes told her she was coming in hopes that she would spill all the juicy bits about her elopement and, more importantly, her wedding night away from eavesdropping ears.

Hermione and Rabbit had been trying to find the right time to share their news but her magic played by its own rules and their vow rings had lit up at dinner the previous night when their hands at touched, alerting the others to their secret and forcing them to spill the beans.

The witch rolled her eyes, "You are never going to let me live that down, are you?" Her eyes held a mischievous glint, "Does this mean I get to call you Mrs. Jean Jacket when you and Beltzer get married?" She retorted.

Haynes tipped her head, allowed Hermione the win. The latter just laughed.

"Have you guys…ya know…" Haynes hinted, her devious nature unfit for her adorable look and height as she rose her eyebrows suggestively.

Hermione instantly colored, her eyes wide. That was enough of a confirmation for her friend, who burst out laughing. Haynes leaned back, rapping her knuckles on the tabletop while Hermione rifled through her bag, refusing to look at her.

"Oh, you can't leave me hanging!" Haynes held out her hand, hinting for Hermione to continue when she hadn't even said anything, "How was is it?"

Hermione just shook her head and continued her search through her bag, not sure what she was looking for except a way out of this conversation. Then, she felt the sharp cut of glass and pulled back quickly, but it was too late. Her eyes just caught the cracked hourglass before the magic took hold and pulled her through time.

Her breath was stolen from her, her body, unprepared for the event, was thrashed about and torn every way. Never had her body felt more broken, more bruised.

The she landed, hard, on a cool ground. Her thoughts were spinning and blurry, completely lost. With shaky arms, she pulled herself up, her knees reluctantly following. She pressed her hand to her head, which was still throbbing.

There was one thought that was perfectly clear, however: she wasn't the one who put a time turner in her bag. Was it possible she had summoned it to herself when she wanted to get away? But, if that was the case, why a time turner instead of a port key? Why hadn't she just Apparated instead?

"Hey!" A voice, far away, called, "Hey!" It echoed around her, her ears pounding and aching. She felt the presence slide alongside her, as if someone had fallen to their knees, and a gentle hand touched her back.

"Are you alright?" The question was far away, like it was being asked to someone other than her.

But she knew it was to her, "Yes, I…I just fell." The lie came easy, a skill she had picked up over her years as a means to stay alive.

"Alright, can you sit up? Slowly, slowly now…" The voice asked. Hermione did as instructed, feeling a guiding arm there to catch her just in case. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision, only to discover it was night out.

She focused on a spot on the ground, trying to settle her fuzzy vision, before looking to her companion. Her eyes grew, "Rabbit?"

A familiar, goofy smile played across the boy's face, "It's Robert, actually."

Hermione continued to stare, she was certain he was Rabbit, her Rabbit. Then she took a closer look. His tousled hair was rich and brown, not a speck of grey to be found, and his face was boyish, his eyes were a more youthful blue. His clothes were unfamiliar; a pair of well-worn jeans covered his long legs and a loose shirt and jacket hung on his slim frame. He was certainly Rabbit, but he wasn't hers yet.

"Yes, sorry." Hermione smiled, trying to play it off. Her thoughts turned, trying to figure out a way to ask the date without having to ask. Luckily, fate seemed to be on her side.

"I'm heading to a New Year's Eve party if you'd like to come, best to not be on your own after such a tumble." The young Rabbit said, standing up and offering her his hand. She took it with a smile and let her pull her up carefully. Her eyes quickly took stock of her surroundings; she was still at the college, though she wasn't sure what year it was.

"So, what are you doing out here?"

"Oh, just visiting, seeing if I want to attend next year." She quickly replied.

Rabbit wrinkled his nose, "England?"

She stopped, turning to him with a quizzical brow.

"Your accent." Awkwardly, he pointed to her mouth.

She smiled, he was certainly her Rabbit, and nodded.

"So, you want to leave a hub of culture to come to Nowhere USA?" He asked as the pair started down the sidewalk.

She shrugged, playing off his question, "What year are you in, Robert?" She asked, her nose wrinkling. Of course, she was used to using his given name, but it felt odd not being allowed to call him by his nickname.

"I'm a Sophomore." He replied, a half smile on his face as his hands buried in his pockets. The wind picked up, reminding them that it was the final day of December.

Sophomore. Hermione thought about it for a second. Rabbit graduated in 1981 so that would make him 19 and the year…

"1978." She whispered her findings.

Rabbit rubbed his mouth nervously, turning to her, "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." She waved away the question, feigning a smile. 20 years. A cut on the finger and a bit of magic, time dust had sent her back 20 years. She wrinkled her nose; she was really starting to think Time Turners were more trouble than they were worth.

Rabbit led them up a path to a small, stone house. The large bay window had its curtains pulled back and the pair could peer in, where a get together was well underway.

"This is Professor Boseman's house, he is the chair for the science department at the University." Rabbit explained as he rung the doorbell, "He does these get togethers for our department because, well, there are no parties where our kind is invited." He shrugged, a soft smile on his lips.

The door opened to a lengthy professor, dressed in a suite with a loose red tie, "Ahh, Robert!" The man grasped his student's hand in a warm greeting. He next turned to Hermione; his skin was as dark as the night and his smile was as bright as the crescent moon. His warm brown eyes were welcoming and kind, "And who is this?"

Rabbit rubbed his neck, his mouth bobbing as he looked between his professor and Hermione.

Hermione stepped forward, offering her hand, "Emma." She answered with a smile, "I was visiting the school today and took a bit of a fall while out walking tonight, Robert came to my rescue." She turned to him with a smile, enjoying his awkward shrug.

"Well, the more the merrier! Come in, come in!" Professor Boseman swung open the door and invited them in.

Hermione was the first in, trying to hide her chuckle when she saw just how 70's the house, and the people within it, looked. Rabbit followed behind, pulling off his jacket. The light of the small entry was dim and flickering, but it was enough for her to catch the vicious scratches going down his forearm.

Shock seized her, the cuts looked terrifyingly deliberate. She remembered the cryptic comment he had made last November and how Bill was worried about him doing something stupid in the present. Her heart turned cold; how had she not seen the signs? How could she fail him?

"You never told me about this!" She hissed, her thoughts a torrent as she held his arm before her. Panic, that was the clearest emotion she felt.

Rabbit pulled his arm free, looking at her like she was crazy, "I don't tend to tell people I just met about lab accidents." He played it off with a smile as he pulled down the sleeve of his shirt.

Hermione met his eye, refusing to look away. It was clear he was uncomfortable under her gaze, his eyes flitting all around and continually checking to see if she had looked away yet.

But she knew him, and she knew when he was lying.

"A beaker broke and cut up my arm, it's…it's nothing…" He tried to explain.

Before Hermione could push it, a familiar voice called out, "Robert!"

Rabbit smiled as a tall man made his way through the crowd and pulled him into a bear hug, "Hey Bill!"

Hermione's eyes were wide and she mouthed, "Bill?"

A mop of black hair fell into the boy's face as he pulled back, his entire outfit show casing 1978. He turned around and motioned for a slender woman, with golden hair down to her waist and the bellbottoms to match, sauntered over.

"Bill, Jo, this is Emma." Rabbit introduced. Hermione shook each of their hands in turn, unable to conceal how dumbfounded she was. No wonder the pair had no pictures from their college's days hanging up in their home.

"Nice to meet you!" Jo smiled, her eyes holding the same sweetness, "How do you know Robert?"

"Oh, we just met. How do you know Rabbit—Robert, sorry, I meant Robert." Hermione shook her head, cursing herself. She was failing time travel 101. It just wasn't her night.

Bill gave a hearty laugh, his cup sloshing as he pointed to Rabbit, "I like that! Rabbit! He does like to hop around when he is pouring over those damn maps!" Jo joined in with a laugh as Rabbit rolled his eyes.

Hermione's eyes grew, did she just give Rabbit his nickname?

Before the group could get too caught up in a conversation, someone called Jo and Bill away and Rabbit led her to the kitchen.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Rabbit asked as he poured himself a cup from the mysterious punchbowl.

Hermione grimaced, an odorous smell wafting off the foaming bowl, "I'm good, thanks." The pair made their way out back, where the sky was clear. The spacious backyard was covered with a beautiful snowfall from the previous day. It was silent and still, the party locked away inside. The trees crafted a secret place all their own, a safe place as it were. Hermione closed her eyes, enjoying the sharp air.

A sigh caught broke Hermione's peace, "It was an accident, ya know."

Hermione's eyes fluttered open and she turned to him, waiting for him to continue.

"The first few, at least." He pulled up his sleeve, tracing a few of the deeper ones, "I was carrying the box and tripped, one of the beakers fell out and broke and…I just sat there, staring at it…" He took a swig of his cup, wincing as it burned its way down, "It was the first thing I had felt in a long while."

Hermione's brow knit, and she resisted the urge to reach out and take his hand, "What do you mean?"

His sigh was heavy, revealing his burden, "It's…it's just been a tough year…"

"Well, you shouldn't hurt yourself like that, you could do serious damage." She lightly chided and then she nodded at the cup he held, "And you shouldn't drink that, Merlin knows what is in that bloody bowl."

Rabbit chuckled, "What, are you my mother now?"

"No, but I know she wouldn't want you to do what you did." She replied, her eyes locked on his face, "She wanted you to be happy, to take care of yourself and to do what you love. Find what makes you happy and go after it, invest in that instead. Even if it is something as silly as maps, if it makes you happy and keeps you away from broken beakers, then it is worthwhile…" She trailed off as she looked back out to the yard, "Whoever says otherwise can piss right off."

He was caught off by her comment, without a hesitation he dumbed the cup and set it aside.

"There is no harm in asking for help." Hermione nodded back to the house, "You could talk to Bill, I know he'll be there for you."

Rabbit looked to her, not sure what to make of her.

"It's a new year, time for a new start." She continued, giving him a smile.

"Ah, yes, another year to survive!" Rabbit picked at the chipping rail, wanting to believe her.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it. 1979 will be a great year, full of many gifts, if I do say so myself." Hermione crossed her arms and leaned out into the nippy wind and resisted the urge to laugh, knowing Rabbit would just assume she was trying to think positive instead of knowing what was to come in 1979. Namely, the birth of a long-awaited child to a pair of dentists in London.

She looked to him, finding an amused and bewildered smile on his face.

"Just, promise me you will talk to Bill?" Hermione sighed, giving him a look he would come to know well in 1999.

Rabbit held his hands up in defeat, "Alright, I promise." The quiet night filled around them, and the countdown inside could just be heard.

Daringly, Hermione stood on her tip toes and chastely kissed his cheek, "Happy New Years, Robert."

He was surprised but settled into a smile, "To you too, Emma."

And, with her task complete, the magic within her stirred, pulling her back to the present and leaving young Rabbit swearing off all mysterious punch from that moment on.

Hermione landed on her feet, in the same position she was before she left.

"You ok?" Haynes asked, completely unphased by her return.

"No, I just…" Hermione turned around, not certain where she was, "I was…" She looked to Haynes, who was expecting her to answer the question she had asked.

"I…I have to go." Hermione smiled and with a turn she was gone, appearing in an instant on her home steps. She hurried to pull open the door and rushed in, relaxing only when she saw him

"I thought you were hanging with Haynes today?" Rabbit said, standing up from the couch to greet her.

In response she threw herself into his arms and the pair collapsed on the couch, a mess of tangled arms and legs.

Rabbit laughed, brushing aside her mess of curls to kiss her forehead, "I missed you too."

Hermione snuggled close, her chin resting on his chest, "Why was 1978 so hard?"

His brow knit, and he reached up to rub his forehead, "Probably not any harder than the rest of college. But, I—I don't remember..." He trailed off, trying to remember a time he had worked most of his life to forget and, for the most part, had succeeded in forgetting. All he felt was a sharp, twinge of pain at the mention of the year but no clear memory as to why. He had memories of meeting the gang, of succeeding in his favorite classes, and some of the priceless maps his professors had allowed him access to but nothing more really; everything else was buried too far down and he wans't interesting in venturing there just yet.

She traced the arm which had once held such vicious red scratches, and Rabbit watched her, intently.

"Thank you for letting me in, and I'm here when you are ready to talk." Hermione rested her head on his shoulder, looking up to him, "I never want to be without you."

"I never want to be without you either." He held her fast, not sure what had brought this on.

"I'm just glad to be home," Hermione sighed, content, and kissed his shoulder, "I'm glad that I found you."

Rabbit nodded, tightening his hold, "I couldn't be more blessed."

The pair snuggled in, happy to spend the final day of 1999 safety tucked away in their little sanctuary.

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AN – As we enter this new year I just want you to know that you are seen, you are loved, you matter, and nothing will change that. It isn't just a new year but each day you are granted a new start, please don't waste it. Invest in what you love, don't be afraid to reach out if you need the help. Keep fighting for a brighter tomorrow, you deserve nothing less! :)

Thank you so much for coming on this writing journey with me this year!

And, of course, Happy New Year!

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