Chapter 29: Time After Time

She couldn't breath. She could hear noises around her but it was as if she had been submerged underwater, everything had a muffled feel. Where was she? She vaguely felt the presence of grass beneath her, how far had they run? She looked around; breathing heavily…though not a single breath could fill her lungs. There were some quiddich posts around her…Draco used to play quiddich.

"Hermione" Ginny's eyes were swimming with tears, she cupped Hermione's face and turned it towards her, but Hermione couldn't meet her gaze. Instead she looked over at Harry, his arms over his head with his legs stretched out on the grass, and Ron, white as a sheet and unmoving.

"Hermione" Ginny said again

Hermione met her gaze

"I'm…I- I'm so sorry"

Harry looked up and over at them

Hermione nodded and looked at the ground. She couldn't let herself think she needed to get out she needed to leave she needed to run.

Ron swore. "For fuck sake! All this time! And neither of you ever knew!?"

Harry removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "and what does this make me?"

"It makes you free Harry." Ginny put an arm around him

"But all I've lost, my parents…"

"Many people have lost parents to Voldemort Harry"

"But…I just thought in the end-"

"It'd be worth it?" Ron added

They all looked at Hermione. She wasn't crying, she was beyond that.

"Hermione-." Harry began

"We have to do something" She leapt to her feet and they all jumped in surprise

"There isn't anything we can do Hermione…he's gone"

"Did you hear what Voldemort said in the woods?"

Reluctantly, they all nodded and Ron added, "Dumbledore made us wait for his signal"

"And if it's true!" Hermione began to pace, "I can go back there. I can save him."

"He's gone. I don't know whether-..." Ginny cut off as she saw the look on Hermione's face, it was one of sheer desperation

"I'm going back" Hermione stated

"You can't!" Ron yelled, "He'll kidnap you and you'll never be free!"

"Like you were going to let me be free in any case"

They had the graced to look at their feet shamefully

"I will save him…I have to…don't you understand? If I don't save him Voldemort will chase me for the rest of my life and…and without Draco Malfoy I don't see much of a point to me existing that way"

Harry nodded at the ground, he understood

"At least let us get some sort of advice from someone first!"

"Who?!" Hermione cried "there's no time!"

"Dumbledore, a teacher, my dad, anyone" Ron looked up at Hermione, "if you go in unprepared…you'll make everything so much worse."

"Please Hermione" Ginny whispered

She turned her back on them and the Quiddich stadium and looked into the woods, there was no time and she was the only one that could save him. She closed her eyes and she could see his face

xxxx Her honey brown eyes met his, and he knew he needed no other response…she reached and ran the back of her hand against his cheek.

He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, "Never forget that no matter what happens, I'll always love you." xxxx

Ron was right. If she wanted to save him, they needed help. "alright" She said, turning back to them "let's do it"

"Who are we going to find? I don't think anyone else has come out of the woods?" Ginny asked

"could we go to the castle and see?" Ron added quickly

"I could try summoning Dumbledore" supplied Harry

Hermione pushed her hair out of her face, "not Dumbledore, he's needed where he is…but what sort of help are we looking for?"

"fighters!" Ron jumped to his feet

"I don't really understand this gift that you seem to have Hermione" Ginny got up too

"well I don't know anything about it, I didn't even know I had it" Hermione shrugged, she could feel Draco slipping further and further away from her with each second…even though to everyone else he was technically already gone.

"We need to know about this first because once we get to his body…we may not have that much time…what if you need to say an incantation or something?" Harry said

"all the other times I just touched him"

"but he's never been DEAD before"

"and what about fighters! We can't do all this just by ourselves!"

"all what? We just need to get me to him"

"alright" Ginny intervened, "why don't we do this: Harry and Ron go rally up a group to enter the forest with us…check everywhere, the common room, the library and the great hall. Hermione and I will go look for either Professor McGonagall or Bins"

"why Bins" Ron scoffed

"because" Ginny rolled her eyes, "this isn't exactly a well known thing…and if anyone knows anything about magical history I'm pretty sure it would be the magical history teacher"

"right" said Harry

"but how much time is this all going to take?!" Hermione moaned

"he's not going to get any deader!" Ron said

"but what if they do something with the body?" Harry added

"Shut up!" Ginny said, she could see that Hermione was starting to panic, "while there's still a fight going on they won't bother to do anything like that". Hermione still didn't look comforted so Ginny added, "still, we should try to hurry…why don't we meet by Hagrid's hut in one hour?"

"ok" said Harry and Ron nodded

"come on Ginny!" Hermione began to run towards the castle, run away from him but running towards her only hope.

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Pansy was in a foul mood. Not only had she been tramping through the woods for hours but also now her new shoes were ruined and she still looked incredibly fat. Her large pregnant belly bulged in front of her as she stopped to rest against a tree. Where was she?

If only Draco had realized she had been following him! If only he had heard her shouting! Now she didn't know what to do. It had occurred to her a while ago to turn around and head back to the castle but a few minutes later it also had occurred to her that she had no fucking idea what direction the castle was in. Instead she decided to keep walking and every 20 minutes test to see if she was outside the Hogwarts grounds by trying to disapperate.

She pushed off the tree and waddled forward again. It was getting dark, not that she was scared or anything…

She heard so distant shouting and thought she could see a light somewhere in the distance. Deciding to try to apparate again and failing Pansy decided to head towards the group, the worst it could be would be a herd of centaurs or some goblins and she would have nothing to worry about. After all, no one messes with a heavily pregnant teenager.

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The castle was quiet. Hermione could hear their feet echo down the halls. She wondered if anyone knew about what was happening in the woods at this very moment, she wondered if anyone knew that one of their classmates had…that Draco had…

No. She couldn't think about that, not yet…not while she could still save him.

She followed Ginny obediently, foot before foot, letting someone else make the decisions about where they should be going.

"Professor Bins?" Ginny poked her head inside the history of magic classroom. So far they had checked the great hall, the faculty lounge and the library. His classroom had been their last hope. "I don't know where else to look Hermione" Ginny looked desperately at her friend

Hermione didn't say anything, just looked anxiously down the hallway

"Hermione?"

"what?" Hermione snapped

"what's wrong?"

"besides the obvious?! Come on Ginny, if you're not going to be helpful then I'm just going to take care of this myself"

"clearly I'm trying!!!" Ginny slammed the door of the classroom, "I don't know where else to go!"

Hermione rubbed her eyes, if their plan had worked she and Draco could have been anywhere else in the world right now. Away from all this, away from crap ex-best friends.

"Hermione?"

"yes?" Hermione responded, annoyed, her hands still over her eyes and her mind working furiously.

"I'm sorry"

She looked up at Ginny and she could see in the semi-darkness of the hall that there were tears running down her face

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I never meant to…"

"to what?! Betray me! To loose all trust in me!"

"you have to understand! We were all so worried and scared for you, we had no idea what was going on between you two…it could have been anything! The imperius curse, black mail or worse…that you were doing it of your own accord"

"doing what?!"

"that's just it! We had no idea! Just that suddenly you and Draco Malfoy, son of one of Voldemort's most powerful followers and probably a death eater himself too, start to be seen meeting in secret and doing god knows what!"

"Draco would never. He never-"

"We know that now…now that we have heard the truth behind the prophesy. But in all honesty, not even Draco knew about it before us so there's no way you could have known his real motives before hand! I just don't understand you! Practical, rule following Hermione…throwing everyone and everything away for a cheating, muggle born hating Slytherin!"

"I love him" Hermione was shaking

"but does he, did he love you…do you really and truly believe all of this? That you were made for each other and about the prophesy?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore Ginny, I really don't. But let me ask you this: if Harry was killed by the most powerful and evil wizard of all time and you had the power to save him, to bring him back…wouldn't you try?"

"Draco isn't Harry"

"Draco is everything that we thought Harry was supposed to be, if that prophesy is right… then Draco is the only one to vanquish Voldemort"

Ginny sighed, "I just, I never trusted him…" she looked at Hermione, maybe there was more to Draco than she, individually, had ever experienced…clearly there was at least something there that Hermione could love and trust. "Alright, lets try and find nearly headless Nick…maybe he can help us find Bins"

Hermione beamed a shaky smile and threw her arms around Ginny, "thank you Gin…you have no idea what this means to me"

Ginny thought of Harry, "yeah, I think I do."

Suddenly something white, pearly and semi translucent floated through the classroom's blackboard.

"Professor Bins!" Hermione cried and both she and Ginny ran back into the room.

The ghost of the Professor Bins blinked confusedly at the two girls, "uh…yes Edith?"

"It's Hermione Granger"

"it's quite late"

"yes I know, I just had an important question"

You should use your book for homework help Miss Grunger or perhaps Miss…uh…Measly could help you"

"it's not that" Hermione interjected impatiently. In a matter of minutes she explained the entire story, careful to leave out the fact that the girl was her, Draco a reborn prince and that Voldie was hanging out in the schools back garden.

"So?" Ginny asked "could such a girl exist? Do you know about her…or how she can reverse death?"

"I have heard of her and it is believe to be true that she returns every few generations but I believe that her special powers have grown somewhat dormant over time"

"what" Hermione felt like she was sinking

"well, it's rumored that they will become active when the girl has real use of them"

"and can she reverse death?! And how!?"

"now spell can reawaken the dead" Bins said serenely, now looking out the window into the night sky

"but…she can stop death!"

"yes, she can stop it…but reverse it? Never. She could save you from the very brink of death, stop excruciating pain, re-awaken minds of the mentally impaired, so many amazing things"

"but, not bring someone back"

"no" Bins turned his pearly face to hers and for the first time in all of Hermione's years of knowing the ghostly teacher, it was as if he really could see who she truly was. "you have lost someone then Hermione Granger?" he whispered

"I-I have"

"It is he?"

Ginny had lost track of what had been going on a while ago, "he who?"

"the prince"

"wha-?"

"yes" Hermione cut off Ginny

"you have to save him"

"I know…but it's too late, I can't reverse what has already happened!"

"so go back"

Hermione was annoyed now, wasn't it all over then? If she couldn't save him what was the point? "I can't GO BACK it's in the past"

"can you not think of any magical instrument that can take you back in time?"

"what are you-?" Ginny began

"time turners! But all of those got smashed…there probably isn't another one I could get my hands on in all of Britain!"

"it's late"

"what?"

"talk to Professor Sprout"

"wait! Tell me what-!"

But Bins cut her off, "goodnight girls, I feel as though I have nothing more to reveal to you"

"but" Ginny shouted, but Bins had already drifted back into the blackboard, to where neither of them could follow.

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This was ridiculous. Pansy cursed her belly and sat down, once again, after having only walked 500 yards. She was still no closer to the light but she was pretty sure those voices were getting louder.

She got to her feet again and waddle towards them on her sore feet. Fucking fucker fuck fuck.

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Hermione had never envisioned Professor Sprout as a frilly pink nightgown sort of woman, but hey…don't judge a book by her potted plants. They entered the staff room to find Sprout, Flitwick and a few other teachers huddled around the fire, their heads bent closely.

When they entered everyone jumped up and drew their wands but lowered them when they saw who it was, "do you have a message from Minerva?!" Flitwick squeaked anxiously

"or Dumbledore?" piped up Professor Sinistra

"uh…no" Ginny said, "but we really need to speak with Professor Sprout, its urgent."

Sprout adjusted her nightgown and stood up, "is everything alright out there? Have they cornered him yet? Where's Harry Potter? Is he safe?"

"We need to speak to you" Hermione said, wringing her hands, "what you might be able to tell us could help everyone"

Sprout nodded and followed them across the hall to a nearby classroom, "what is it girls" she signed and sat down on a desk.

"um…" Hermione began

"we were wondering," Ginny aided, "if you know anything about time travel"

"time travel?"

"if there was a way, an uncommonly known way that could place an individual back in time three hours would you be able to tell us about it?"

She looked more confused

"Professor Bins told us to ask you, does it have to do with magical plants or anything?" Hermione asked, but Sprout's answer shocked her

"for what purpose?"

"you mean why?"

"yes, why…why would you need to travel back three hours"

"I don't know if I can tell you"

"but what is the underlying reason, what do you hope to do that you wish you could have done three hours ago"

"save someone" whispered Ginny

"for what?"

"love" Hermione said, without really thinking about it

Sprout nodded and thought to herself for a long moment. Hermione wanted to scream at her, to make her tell them what to do…she needed to do something, she couldn't face this as the end. Would she be able to remember him forever as he was? Would he slip away from her? Would she ever find what she had with him again? Would she be able to keep on going to even try to find someone else?

xxxx Then he chucked a hand full of flour at her. She shrieked and ducked as the flour was followed by icing. She emerged from behind the table slowly and sat down giggling. This felt so right to her, so strange and different but also comfort…she felt warm when she was around him like she was important. She stuck out her finger and dipped it into the bowl of chocolate icing.

"Never!" he cried in mock horror, "only my hands may touch the food"

" then how am I supposed to steal tastes"

He dipped his finger in the chocolate icing and came around the table to meet her. She laughed but then stopped as he came closer and began to spread the chocolate onto her lips. He laughed at the sight of her when he was done but then murmured, "I'm kinda hungry now…actually" and he sucked the chocolate off her lips with his against hers. It was the most erotic sensation Hermione had ever experienced in her 17 years of life, she moaned against his mouth and as if that was a sign he pulled away, leaving her wanting more. xxxx

Oh god. She couldn't lose him

"you're saving someone, saving someone because you love them?"

Ginny looked at Hermione

"yes" Hermione whispered, her heart catching in her throat, she felt like she was going to bubble over

"come with me"

They followed Sprout through the passage ways and outside into green house 7. She looked very uneasy as she turned to them, "I am no supposed to tell student this, they learn it in Magical Herbology schools after Hogwarts…the Ministry thinks it's too dangerous to tell students before then and that they might take some things into their own hands if students knew the true powers of Iwerts"

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other

"what are Iwe-?" but then Ginny gasped as Professor Sprout removed the drapes covering the Iwert's cages.

"they will only do it for those seeking love throughout time, and I think this applies to you"

Hermione nodded and looked at the little and terribly beautiful sleeping figures

"also, the Iwert in use needs to have found their soul mate"

"I still don't get it" Ginny said, unable to take her eyes off of them

"Iwerts not only reveal truths about people but they can also travel back through time. They don't do it all that often, but when an Iwert sense that the end of their life is near and they haven't found their soul mate naturally yet they often hop around different generations and centuries, searching for the one they are destined for. We don't know how they do it specifically; we believe that since they are so magical that the intense desires inside them enable them to transfigure reality but only for themselves."

"but you said they wouldn't do it for us unless they have found their soul mate"

"it's true, Iwerts do it only for themselves…so they can find what we call love. However, if an Iwert has already found it then they each have one opportunity to help a human travel through time as long as that human is in love"

Hermione nodded

"are you in love Miss Granger?" Sprout's eyes were twinkling

"I am"

"Alright then, each Iwert can transport 7 people…and they both need to be going to the same place. Now go! And in the words of an Iwert, do what you are destined for!" Sprout chortled and wrapped her dressing gown tighter. Then, dabbing her eyes with a hankie she hurried back towards the castle.

Hermione reached into the cage and pulled out the girl Iwert she had had in class and then pointed out the male one to Ginny. She really was breathtakingly beautiful. Over the course of six months they had changed color from white as snow to a light green to now a faint yellow. The boy flexed and, when spotting Hermione holding the other one, attempted to struggle free to get to her.

"we were supposed to meet the boys 12 minutes ago" said Ginny, glancing at her watch

"alright, let's hurry then"

From the greenhouse they could see Harry, Ron and a group of roughly 10 other students who all looked ready for action. Hermione felt a little silly still wearing her graduation robes but never the less when she reached then she was prepared.

"ok, listen up…you need to grab hold of either me or Ginny. We are going to be going back in time 3 hours" there was a murmur around them and Ron looked as if he was going to argue and question her, "there's no time to explain! Once we get there" She pointed to Ernie McMillan "follow Ernie into the woods and head Northwest, the battle will be just starting when you get there…I don't know what else to tell you besides that"

She was anxious to leave this time; she wanted to go back…go back to a time when Draco was still here, still here for her

"you heard her! Come one grab hold!" Ginny shouted at the group

"I need to save someone I love, can you please take us back in time 3 hours?" Hermione asked the Iwerts softly

They put their heads together but never said a word, they seemed to be communicating through something else that she couldn't see or feel…but she knew how it was done

xxxx Draco put his finger to her lips and kissed her. She shrugged him off, "Draco, I….We…we can't do this anymore."

He backed away, hurt, "I know…." he replied, "I know it's not right but…well, Hermione you've made me look at things a different way, can't we just ignore everyone else for now? Just until the end of the year, when we go our separate ways."

The reality of the situation hit her -never to see Draco again

Draco continued, "Oh god herm I jus don t know how I'm going to manage without you, can't we just keep it a secret…?"

" I guess We'll figure something out" she sighed half heartedly, knowing it would be impossible"

"Right." he replied, defeated and turned away and sat down on the cool grass.

She sat down too and laid her head against his back and held him

He turned his head slowly and looked at her, his eyes were almost white, dilated with a pain that made her catch her breath, as he looked at her his expression changed slowly, went completely blank for a second and then changed again, his eyes glistened recklessly….he jumped to his feet laughing, pulling her up with him,

"you're right, we'll figure something out…come with me,"

She laughed and jumped up with him, she completely trusted him and when she was near him she felt like she had nothing to fear. He half ran in front of her pulling her along, she laughed to, the wind in her hair, with no idea where they might end up. xxxx

"Please" she begged them

The female nodded, smiling softly and put her little hand on Hermione's finger while the male did the same to Ginny

"On the count of three! Hold on! One Two Thr-…"

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Oh…my…god Pansy couldn't believe her eyes.

Draco was kneeling on the ground in front of the Dark Lord…and right next to him was Hermione Granger.

What was going on?

"no" she breathed and she felt the baby stir inside of her, unwanted but defiantly there…un yielding

There was a thud behind her in the tree and Pansy spun around, almost toppiling over.

"but…oh hell no!" she said outloud and gasped because right infront of her was Harry Potter, Ron and Ginny Weasley, a bunch of other students and…Hermione Granger, but there was a Hermione Granger behind her too! If there was one behind her (she looked back and checked again, yes,) and there was one in front of her…then that meant that there was…"TWO?"

"SH! Pansy!" hissed Ginny Weasley

But Pansy was lost for words, instead she screamed and at the same time a huge ROAR came from over head and Grawp stamped into view. Curses flew everywhere, deatheaters scattered, the Order moved in accompanied by the ministry and teachers. Hermione could see Dumbledore fighting 4 at once. A curse shot past her and hit Pansy, silencing her screams. Hermione's heart leapt for her baby and she quickly kneeled down to help her but then as Harry, Ginny and Ron ran into the battle too she looked up and could see herself looking up at her three friends and Draco pulling at her arm.

"No…" she knew what was coming

Hermione tore over to herself and Draco, now on their feet and racing towards the trees, but she could also see Voldemort turning to, a smile on his lips, pointing his wand.

Hermione threw herself behind a tree, pointed her wand at Draco and cried "STUPEFY!" half a second before Voldemort screeched "Avada Kadavra!"

Her curse hit Draco first and he toppled forward, the green killing curse missing him by inches. She watched herself fall to the ground, still holding his had, she saw a different Harry, Ron and Ginny pull her away, she watched herself struggle to get back to him…screaming. And then she heard a soft hiss behind her

"So, you saved him again did you?"

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A/N: I know I know! You've probably given up on me…I'm sorry!

I've been soooo busy with school, swimming and applying to college shit that I haven't really had the time to keep up with my fic tear tear

Alsooooo I had this think going on with a guy that I've known for my whole life (and had a crush on since I hit puberty!) , I guess you could say that we were starting to date and it had been going on for a while and I seriously think I fell in love with him all over again…best months of my life… and then he broke my heart and now he's got another girlfriend and I feel like an ant that's been trodden on and then squished by a bicycle…

So you cant really blame me for not really feeling like writing about two people who are soul mates and totally in love can you? Your lucky I didn't kill Draco off out of spite! Haha

One Two Three FourTell me that you love me moreSleepless long nightsThat is what my youth was for