Author's Note: I read a story by NoHinny and loved the concept of going back in time as a restart. I decided to put my own spin on it. Obviously, there will be some characters and events that deviate from canon, but I am going to try to make this realistic. Full disclaimer- back when I originally read the HP series over 15 years ago, I never shipped Ron and Hermione, so that is one thing from canon that will not be happening.

I do not own the characters. They belong to JKR.

Chapter One: I open at the close

Harry slowly blinked his eyes open, blinded by the bright lights. The last thing he remembered was facing Voldemort in the forest, resigning to die to save the lives of many. He was a lamb led to the slaughter. How did he end up here? Where is here exactly?

In the distance, he spotted something stirring. Harry, hoping that this will lead to answers, decided to investigate. As he got closer he began to recognize the lumps. His heart stopped.

"Ron? Hermoine?" Harry stared incredulously at his two friends laying on the ground. Hermione, startled, looked up to figure out the owner of the voice calling her name.

"Harry! Where are we?" Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry, pulling him into a hug so tight that it constricted his breathing.

"I am honestly not sure. One minute I was in the forest, the next I was here."

"Harry - wait, what is that over there?" Ron, now standing, pointed off into the distance.

With one look, the trio set off to investigate the lump, secretly pleading with any higher powers that this will lead to answers.

"Malfoy?!" Harry, Hermoine, and Ron instinctively reached for their wands only to discover that they did not have them.

Malfoy looked up at the Golden Trio. Great, he thought, just great. These idiots found me again. He quickly registered that they were not at Hogwarts. Before the trio and Malfoy could even begin to figure out what's going on, they heard a quiet crack as if someone has disapparated. They all turned to the source of the noise.

"Ah- I am glad you are all here." The hooded figure approached.

"Who are you? Where are we?" Harry stepped forward, guarding his friends and Malfoy.

"Brave Harry. You were so, so brave. Yet you failed."

"Wh-what do you mean I failed?" Harry faltered.

"You see, my brave, dear boy. You failed to stop Voldemort. In fact, you all failed to stop Voldemort."

"Malfoy is a Death Eater- HE WAS ON VOLDEMORT'S SIDE! Are you bloody mental?!" Ron lunged.

"Ah- Mr. Wesley. Thank you for your observations. However, Mr. Malfoy here was never meant to be a Death Eater. I had very different plans for him, in fact."

The four were dumbfounded. What could this person be talking about? How could they plan anything? Maybe Ron was right, this person was mental.

"I know you must be confused. I must admit, you are doing much better than I thought you all would be. Back to my original point, you all failed in defeating Voldemort. The world as you know it has ceased to exist. However, I believe that it can be fixed if I can rectify my original plan."

Hermoine cut in, "You still haven't answered our questions. We still don't know who you are or how we got here."

"Yes, well when you failed to defeat Voldemort, you all died. Now you have a decision to make. To defeat the Dark Lord, you must go back to the beginning and you ALL must become friends."

"FRIENDS WITH A BLOODY DEATH EATER?!" Ron's face was turning a very violent shade of maroon.

"As I said before, in my original plan, Draco was never a Death Eater."

"Do you know my father? How could you say that I was never going to be a Death Eater? I NEVER HAD A CHOICE! They were going to kill her. They were going to kill me. I couldn't let that happen." Draco paled, tears welling in his eyes.

"I am known as many things. Some people call me Fate. Some people call me Time. Regardless, I tried to set a plan into motion before you all were born to save the world. While it seemed foolproof at the time, it clearly had flaws. You all now have the choice to go back in time to fix the mistakes that led to this outcome, starting with your friendship and -"

"No. No. NO! I won't do it. I won't work with a BLOODY DEATH EATER!" Ron sputtered.

"If you choose not to accept the terms, then I am afraid you cannot be a part of the solution. You will return to the start, but you will have no memory of this interaction. Are you sure about your decision?"

"I will NOT work with a Death Eater. Hermione? Harry?"

"Ronald, we don't really have a choice. We have to help Harry. We have to defeat Voldemort."

"Wow, Hermione. Maybe the horcux was right. You pick Harry over me."

"That's not what -"

"Send me back Fate or whoever the hell you are. I want no part of this. Bloody mental"

Ron disappeared from sight, leaving behind a new trio. The hooded figure turned to Draco, Harry, and Hermione.

"Well, does anyone else have any objections, or can I continue with what I was saying?" The trio shot each other glances but said nothing.

"Very well. Like I was saying, you will be sent back to correct the mistakes. You three must form a friendship. You must not drastically change the timeline. There are certain elements that must stay the same as before. Certain inevitabilities if you will."

"So like when I went through the trials to save the Sorcerer's Stone from Voldemort in first year? Or fighting the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Precisely, Harry. "

"Well," Hermione started, "If we cannot drastically change the timeline, does that mean we cannot prevent people from dying?" The lives of those they had lost swam through Harry and Hermione's heads while horrors Draco witnessed at the Manor came crashing over him.

"Not necessarily. I said that there are certain inevitabilities that must stay the same. However, if you can figure out how to save people without drastically altering the event, then be my guest."

After what seemed like an eternity spent pondering the possibilities, Draco broke the silence.

"Can we tell anyone? Will we remember everything that has happened the first time?"

"You cannot tell anyone. While you three will remember the past events including this encounter, telling people may drastically alter the necessary events. You cannot even tell Ron. It is far too great of a risk. Now, you tell me. What is your decision?"

Hermione and Harry exchanged a knowing look. They knew that they would do whatever it takes to save the world, to save their loved ones, even if that means befriending and working with Malfoy. They glanced over at Draco as if they were asking if he was in or out. Weighing the pros and the cons in an internal battle, Draco finally decided.

"I am in. I can't change the first time around, but if I can change the events this time to prevent a homicidal maniac from taking over the world, then I am in. I am not doing it for you, Potter."

And so it begins again.