Author Notes: We know that time is indeed a complicated thing. We measure it. We try to change it. We watch as time alters us. But can a few decisions change time? Can life change our minds as well? These are the questions we will be asking.
Summary: Hermione was pretty content with life. She had the job. She had the guy, and she had peace. There wasn't anything wrong with her life. Could several small choices not only change her life but change how she sees it? What if during that understand she realizes something fundamental; life isn't just about the success you measure yourself with, it's about time and how you spend it.
Could different outcomes change the set venture of time? Even if it was simple and a chance of indecision? Scholars, wizards, and humans, in general, ponder the question. There was a whole room dedicated to time. It's ticking seconds, its certainty of life, and its flow. Death. Hermione Granger wasn't exempt from time and the meaning of it.
Catastrophic measurements of life. Small seconds to months and years. Can we make a difference with seconds? What about years or months? They can all change with something as simple as wearing the wrong shoes. Those damn heels would take her out, wouldn't they?
Wasn't there supposed to be some light? She couldn't say she believed in much else but magic and science, but everyone always spoke of light. Darkness was what greeted her. Fear and pain were absent.
Hermione was starting to wonder if she was going to float in darkness forever before a tingling in her chest made her gasp. She could see her hands now, and she gasped for air again.
Sharp light shot through her brain as she jerked and huffed.
"Slow down, killer," a calm voice murmured. "You just got your head knocked about when you fell."
Hermione groaned and breathed as she felt around, touching her body. She was whole. Opening her eyes, she stared up at the ceiling of the hospital, St. Mungo's she could assume. "What?" she croaked and sat up. She wasn't dead. Thank Merlin.
Harry smiled and shifted as he touched her forehead. "You feeling better? Gin told me you got sick and passed out. They lost your steady pulse for a bit, and I got called out of work."
"Wait, I was in the Mysteries Department doing some guideline checks. I tripped in the Time Room, and a large clock collapsed on me," Hermione huffed as she touched herself for broken bones.
Harry snorted. "Time Room? Did you hit your head harder than we thought? You were at my house. Gin needed help with the kids," he conveyed while stroking her cheek.
"Where's Ron? Is he worried? I lost time because of the accident?" Hermione spewed out questions.
Harry's face tightened as he pulled from her. "Ron is at work. He was there when I got the message and told me he would cover the rest of my shift. Hermione, I'm getting concerned."
"At work with George? What do you mean he's covering your shift? He hasn't been an Auror since before we got married," Hermione grumbled.
Harry was making the one face Hermione could identify immediately. He was uncomfortable with this.
"Hermione, you both didn't get married. What are you talking about?"
Was it a cruel joke? Yes, he knew how much she hated this kind. "Harry, what is going on?" Hermione huffed.
"What do you remember?" Harry asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes and breathed. "Well, I remember working at the ministry today. I woke up, made breakfast for Ron before he went to the shop, and had some tea at my desk. Then after shuffling through reports, I was chosen as the Head of Department to do guideline checks today. I usually am pretty efficient, but I was wearing those pretty heels Ron bought me for Christmas."
Harry's eyebrows raised and almost disappeared under his hair. "Er, well, what else? Can you go back farther?"
Hermione grew impatient and groaned. "Harry, how much farther do you want me to go? I was promoted Head of Magical Regulations and Laws three years ago, and Ron works with George at the shop. We were married after my promotion, but we decided that we weren't going to have children until this year. Before working at the department for two years, well, I was working in the Department of Magical Creatures and Sentient Beings. I started there right after my final year at Hogwarts."
Harry was scratching his head and glanced around. "Hermione, er, I think we need, possibly need, a healer."
"What is going on? Are you trying to play a joke on me because George got you in on a flutter?" Hermione was losing all patience with this game.
"Knock, knock!" A familiar Weasley exclaimed and came around the corner, hidden by a bouquet.
He pulled the flowers down just as Harry stood up. "Not now, mate. I think something's wrong," Harry huffed.
George scowled and scratched his head while facing Harry. "Whatcha mean? Gin said she just was having an episode."
Hermione groaned and flung the sheets off her bed. "I'll have you know, George Weasley, I'm not having an episode! I don't like this game and want it to stop! Where is Ron?"
He turned, and she stumbled back, losing her breath. That wasn't George. "Woah, now, take a breath," Fred declared as he held out his hand for her.
Hermione clutched her chest and couldn't catch the breath in her tightened chest. "You're alive," she gasped.
Fred dropped the flowers and caught her as she lost her strength. "Okay, Hermione. Relax," he murmured while helping her back on the cot.
She patted his face as he was bent to her eye-level. "It is you. Oh, Fred. Oh, Merlin," she panted while touching his freckled cheeks.
"You alright, Hermione?" He asked while touching her forehead. "You feel very warm."
"I'm shocked. You were dead. You died during the battle," Hermione breathed as she examined his face.
Fred snorted and shook his head. "No, I didn't. You got there just in time to block the spell that could have killed us."
"No, I didn't! We just left the Room of Requirement," Hermione panted; she couldn't quite catch her breath.
Fred glanced at Harry, who was fidgeting with his fingers. "Hermione, we were separated after Dolohov struck you in the halls. You barely were able to get off a silencing charm and small ward before he nicked you. Any later and you could have died. We stopped him and Rowle and bound them to get going. After we knocked them out, you took some potions and told us to go on ahead as you recovered. You were pretty banged up. You were trying to catch up to us when you reached Fred, Percy, and George."
"No, that's not how that went!" Hermione huffed.
Fred was grimacing as he stroked her curls. "Hermione, you saved all of us in that blast. You were running up and must have seen it about to happen."
Hermione glanced at Harry, who nodded. "It's true."
A healer approached, nodded. "Good, Miss Granger, you're awake. Your potion routine isn't going to change, but I will have to ask you to be more mindful of your fatigue. It's not healthy for you to go so long without rest and food in your condition," she said while straightening her teal robes and handing the witch three vials.
"Condition?" Hermione questioned.
The healer hummed and waved at Fred to move from the mattress. "Let me just have a look, alright?"
Hermione was terrified and scowled as the healer lifted her gown to reveal a blue scar etched along her ribs. "Dolohov cursed me again?" She gasped.
"Don't you remember, Miss Granger?"
Hermione shook her head. "I'm afraid I do not."
The healer scowled and dropped the gown before turning to the wizards. "Has she been disoriented?"
"You don't even know the half of it," Fred grumbled. "She thought I died."
"Merlin," the healer huffed. "Are you positive?"
Was this a strange dream? Hermione couldn't fathom this being real.
"When can I leave?" Hermione asked.
The healer waved her wand and checked the witch's vitals before shifting. "You seem decent, but you are missing your memories?"
"She's got a whole set of them that don't," Harry breathed. "They aren't relevant."
"I would like to go home," Hermione said with a glare.
The healer glanced at Harry and then back at Hermione. "Do you remember your occupation, Miss Granger?"
"I head the Department of Laws and Regulations," Hermione said.
"And your home address?" The healer asked.
Hermione puffed and folded her arms. "142 Darien Lane."
"And your marital status?"
"Married. Ronald Weasley is my husband of three years. See, I'm perfectly fine, can we go?"
The healer twitched her nose before gesturing to Harry. "We need to talk. We'll be back momentarily, alright?"
Hermione groaned and scrubbed her face. "When is this odd dream going to end?"
A hand landed on her leg, and she glanced over to see Fred sitting in the chair next to her. "Hermione, I'm a bit worried. You don't remember anything? Not Christmas, or even before it?"
Hermione's brow tightened as she stared at him. "Fred, I'm just as confused about your appearance as anything else. I don't know what's going on, but I'm feeling a bit lost."
"So, let's talk about something not current," Fred suggested. "What happened after the battle?"
"Well," Hermione inhaled. "After all the ceremonies and funerals, Harry, Ron, and I returned to Hogwarts to help clean it up. After that, I went back for my seventh year, that summer I went and found my parents once I knew it was clear."
"Okay, and then what?" Fred asked as he caressed her hand.
"I went to work at the ministry. It all fell into an odd ease. We didn't know what to do with ourselves since the fighting was over. Gin and Harry got married, and then she went on to fly for the Harpies for a few years before James was born."
"Okay," Fred said with a smile. "Some of that is right."
"Some? What isn't right?" Hermione asked.
"Well, you didn't go to work at the ministry. It was going to be too hard on your health. You decided to take McGonagall's offer to teach while Remus helped you with your syllabus."
"Remus is alive!" Hermione gasped.
Fred winced and nodded. "Him and Tonks."
Hermione covered her mouth and shook her head. "What? I, it's, there's no way."
"Yeah, he subs for you on the days you don't work because you're fatigued. It gives him a break from the house, and you watch Teddy," Fred told her.
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, where do I live then?"
"In the guest house behind them. They live next to Andromeda," Fred smiled. "You like privacy, but you also enjoy taking care of Teddy for Remus on bad days and the full moon. You'll go over to Andromeda's with him while they head to 12 Grimmauld Place."
Hermione twitched her nose. This was impossible. "Why are you willing to walk me through this?"
"Because you looked a little lost. Hermione, I don't know if you realize how much George and I looked after you after the war. We had you in our flat for a quick second before school started."
She frowned at him and squeezed his fingers. "Ron's married, isn't he?"
"Yes," Fred said. "He married Luna, Hermione. After the battle, they spent time cleaning up Hogwarts, and it stuck from there."
"Luna? Luna Lovegood? How in Merlin's name does that work?" Hermione spat with a grimace.
Fred snorted and lifted his hands in the air. "Sometimes opposites attract. I don't know. She's a bit flighty, but a nice balance to his anger issues," he laughed.
"But, we kissed," she scowled.
"Uh, well, I don't think that happened," Fred smirked.
"And why not?"
Fred leaned back in the chair and breathed. "Hermione, I don't know if you know this, but sometime between the battle and when you guys ran off, he went to Bill's. You were quite hurt by that, and it lingered. You didn't fully trust him after that, and he never got over your lost trust. Believe you, me. We talked bunches about it over the summer I came with you all. Georgie managed the store so I could look after you."
"My whole life, gone," Hermione huffed as tears entered her eyes.
Fred pinched his brow together as he reached for her hand. "You're okay. Everything is alright. Harry will be back soon, and then we'll get this sorted."
"You don't understand. This wasn't how it happened! We made up, and it was decent."
"Just decent?" Fred snorted.
Hermione bristled. "Do you know what I went through even to find happiness, Fred?" She spat.
Fred shrunk away from her further, and his lips pursed. "I imagine quite a bit. You are pretty damn happy these days—dinners on Friday nights with the Lupins. Saturdays, you usually come over and poke around the shop to see what your students' arsenal is," he snickered.
She relaxed against the mental headboard and breathed. "That's not how I remember it."
Fred bent and grabbed the flowers on the floor. "Yeah, I see that."
Hermione scowled and noted his avoidance. "Are you married now?"
"No," he chuckled. "I didn't do what Georgie did and marry fast. He wanted happiness about as much as everyone else."
"Why not?"
"Because, Hermione," He huffed. "I just didn't, alright?"
Hermione waved at him and moaned. "Give me something more to understand?"
"Well," he started as he set down the bouquet. "I decided that I was going to enjoy the life you spared me. I went out the first few years, drinking at pubs, seeing things I never knew existed in the muggle world. I wanted to experience life before settling into it."
"That's a decent reason," Hermione agreed.
"Miss Granger," a voice interrupted this conversation.
Hermione glanced over to see Hippocrates, the Head Healer. This was bad. "Good afternoon," she said.
"I think we should have a chat in my office," he suggested.
Hermione glanced over at Fred, who nodded. "You go on ahead. Harry and I are gonna catch up."
She swallowed and reached for her clothes. "Okay."
Fred stood up and waved before walking with Harry down the hallway. Hermione followed the stout healer to the restroom and changed. She glared at the long blue scar and breathed. Somehow, this was just not something anyone could prepare for. Hermione was nowhere near, prepared for what was next.