Hi everyone, so this is a slightly smaller chapter but I hope you will enjoy it. Also on a different note, I finally have a Beta. YAY! So a big thank you to ipushedthepencil, for agreeing to help me. So now you can't get mad at me for grammar anymore. Please review and tell me what you think will happen next. I read every review and it is a huge encouragement to keep going.

Now on with the chapter

Allons-y

The Room of Requirement was a familiar place to Hermione in this crazy new world, as she had spent most of her fifth year with the D.A in this room. She wondered if recognized her or if it knew of her time spent here. Either way, she was grateful for its existence, yet again, in her time of need. As she paced outside Hermione asked for somewhere safe, where she could reveal her truths, and the room gave her just that.

The space was smaller than when she last stepped into it. In fact, it was no bigger than an average-size living room in a muggle house. Hermione could
not help but notice just how intimate the confined space felt given she knew
all too well, how large it could be. Looking around Hermione was surprised by
how plain the room was with stone walls and floors the room seemed bar and
clinical with the exception of the two couches and wooden coffee table in the center
of the room. Hermione admired the long red velvet sofa and matching armchair that
looked almost identical to the ones that sat in Gryffindor tower. Running her
hand over the soft fabric of longest couch Hermione turned to face her friends.
They each looked in awe of the magical room that had manifested from thin air. Hermione
wondered if they had begun to work on the map yet, maybe it was already
finished. She hoped that one day if they were to ever forgive her that her Marauders
might show her their prized possession.

"What is this place?" James asked with wonder and intrigue that matched the looks on the others faces.

"It goes by a few names, like the Come and Go Room, but most call it the Room of Requirement. It appears only to those who are in great need of it."

"So say I am in need of somewhere to shag?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow and a cocky smile. It was the kind of smile that could only lead to trouble.

"Theoretically, yes. It changes to suit the person's particular needs." Hermione answered, rolling her eyes.

But she couldn't help but smile a bit as she reminisced on a very long time into the future when a certain Ginger Gryffindor asked her a similar question. As she looked at Sirius she noticed a rather large bruise developing on his jaw. Hermione shook her head as she wondered just whom did he insult this time.

"How long have you known about this place?" Remus asked in awe as came to stand next to her and stared around the room with wide-eyed fascination

"A very long time."

Her heart rate quickened as Remus took her hand. She was enjoying his reaction the most. It was as if his mind was still trying to fathom such a place could exist. A slightly smug feeling of achievement swelled in Hermione's chest, as the boys who knew every passage in and out of the castle stood gaping, astounded by the magical room.

"After all of this is said and done will you bring me back here?" Remus' voice was full of wonder and excitement. Hermione hated to think that this could be the last time she would hear this was to be the last time, she would savor every second of it. From the way he looked at her, Hermione felt a small spark of hope, but all of this was of course no more than wishful thinking until after he heard her explanations. He needed to know so much more about her. Then maybe they could start again, but on the same page, as just a girl and a just boy with feelings for each other. At least she still felt something for him; however, Hermione was unsure if he felt the same way about her.

"So Hermione, what are you in great need of that the room is providing tonight?" Hermione caught the almost imperceptible tone of contempt in Peter's "innocent" question, and she had to admit that his ability to play the dimwitted sidekick deserved a standing ovation.

"I thought that was obvious Peter; I am in great need of telling you all the truth about me, how I knew your secrets, and give you the answers you've been looking for. That is why you're here isn't it?" Hermione's eyes narrowed at the rat.

Although he didn't say anything more, she could see the wheels turning in Peter's calculating stare as he subtly sized her up. Hermione wondered, just how far into the darkness had this pudgy faced boy had fallen? She couldn't imagine he was past the point of no return considering Voldemort liked to wait until his disciples reached the ripe age of sixteen before inducting them as an official member. Unfortunately, for Mister Pettigrew that time was only a few short weeks away. Hermione knew the recruitment stages for Death Eater prospects were filled with brutality and fear. How much of this had Peter been exposed to in his short life? Was he a willing participant or was he a victim of circumstance? Either way Hermione could not allow him to remain close to James, Lily, Sirius, or Remus. She would not have them become victims in the vicious war that was to come. Not this time around. Harry and Teddy deserved to grow up knowing their parents.

It was time for Hermione to reveal the rat for who he truly was: a cowardly, chauvinistic, and petty boy who would someday become a deadly foe. Before Hermione changed history, hopefully for the better, she stood in front of Remus. Finally letting go of his hand, Hermione stood on the tips of her toes and kissed her wolf for what could be the last time. Shocked for a moment by her tenderness, he wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and pulled her close. She was going to miss that scent of freshly cut grass, new parchment, and something woodsy like the Forbidden Forest.

Hermione took a final glance at his solemn face. "I'm sorry Remus. I hope you can forgive me for not telling you sooner."

Turning on her heel Hermione didn't wait for a response for she didn't know if she could face his answer to her request. After she took her seat, the boys took theirs. Taking a long slow breath, Hermione pulled a silver flask from the inside pocket of her robes and placed it on the table. Before they could begin to voice the confusion so clearly reflected in their eyes, Hermione began:

"I require one last thing of you before we start. In the spirit of camaraderie and honesty, I ask that each of you drink from the flask in front of you. I of course will do the same. You will be able to ask me four questions before I will ask each of you only one. If you do not agree with these terms there is the door and you can go about your lives. Choose to drink and I will answer your questions with complete honesty. Make your choice."

She was surprised by the speed that James, Sirius and Remus drank. Peter, however, took his time to decide before ultimately bringing the flask to his lips. Hermione regarded the young men in front of her tentatively. Remus was the first of them brave enough to ask a question.

"How did you find out about my lycanthropy Hermione?"

"I figured it out in my third year of Hogwarts after Snape set an essay on the topic."

If at all possible the boys looked even more confused. She could hardly blame them. After all, how could they know it wasn't really the right question to be asking first.

"This is bullshit! She isn't telling us the truth; she wasn't here in that year. And not just that, but Snivellus isn't even a professor! How could he set an essay for any class?"

Sirius stood up and began pacing behind the long sofa. One question in and he was ready to strangle her into telling the truth.

"Ask the right questions and you will have the answers you need," Hermione stated trying her best to remain composed as the boys glared at her with what felt like a cocktail of hatred, fear, and confusion.

"Speaking in riddles, Granger?" Sirius spat with such unbridled spite and anger towards Hermione.

Unsurprisingly, Sirius was falling back on his usual defense mechanism: shutting Hermione out. She knew that his mind would only hear things that would convict Hermione rather then set her free. If only he knew the incredible guilt that Hermione carried with her into the past, maybe, just maybe he would see her differently. Her determination to protect James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Harry, Ron, and countless others was all that was driving her in that moment. But if getting through his pigheadedness meant that Hermione had to yell at him, then by god she was going to scream herself hoarse.

"Shut up and sit down Sirius, this is your chance for all the answers you wanted so maybe get over yourself for a minute and think about the right questions to be asking, you infuriating wanker. Next question."

"Fine then have it your way you…you witch. How long have you know that we were anamagi?" he growled.

"Four years, give or take a few months."

As her replies seemed to lead to more questions than answers, the boys were forced to think longer and harder about the next move. It was truly interesting, and amusing, to watch.

"How long did it take you to fully transform?" Peter asked gingerly.

"Just under three months" she said holding her head a little higher in pride at her achievement. The same pride showed on James' face. The young man who took to transfiguration like a duck to water was proud of her.

"You mean the spell and potions work that took us literal years to work out, you mastered in mere months? That's incredible!" James smiled the same lopsided smile that Harry would give Hermione when she impressed him. She missed him terribly in that moment.

"I told you she was smart and sexy to boot," Remus winked seductively at Hermione.

She couldn't believe he would be so unashamed of his affection towards her in front of his friends. But given that Hermione had slipped some Veritaserum into the flask they'd all drunk from, she knew he was expressing what he truly thought. Hermione felt the heat rising in her cheeks as he blatantly flirted with her.

"Yeah, yeah, shag later, more questions now. Ask her a question already James," Sirius snapped adding a layer of tension to the already strung-out group.

"Hermione, in what year were you born?"

"Finally someone asks the right kind of question. I was born in 1979."

As the words left Hermione's mouth; she knew that the Marauders would need a moment before they were able to grasp what her words actually meant.

"How is that that even possible?" James asked blinking as if trying to solve a complex mathematical equation in his head and failing. Remus was not doing much better but she could see that he was closer to figuring it out then the others.

"That's an excellent question, but for the moment it's my turn to ask you each just one thing."

Hermione paused, knowing that she was about to drop a bomb on the group with her question and it could go one of two ways. She hoped the boys would react badly to Peter and she'd accomplish in her goal. But the the alternative was that she would completely lose the boys and their trust-and her mission would be all for naught

"For fucks sake Hermione you can't leave us with…" Sirius asked in a way that made Hermione's chest ache. She could see that the fearless Sirius Orion Black was angry and afraid about what was coming next.

"Like I was saying, you can ask more questions later, but I would like to ask you each one first. Please trust me."

Looking directly at Sirius Hermione knew she needed his attention before moving forward. Taking a another moment to let the weight of her previous answer sink in, Hermione addressed Sirius first. After all, he was the loose cannon of the group and had the second highest ability to do damage. The top ranking position for inflicting damage still belonged to Peter, for now.

"Sirius, do you mind that I am a muggle born witch?"

"I don't give a shit what your blood status is. I might be a Black kitten but I do not share my families bigoted beliefs" she knew his answer was genuine. Sirius hadn't cared about her blood status in her time nor would he care now.

"James same question" his face was somber, thinking for the correct way to phrase his answer. And when he was finally ready his answer was unsurprising and humbling in the breathe.

"You are family Hermione I don't care what your blood status is."

Hermione was grateful for James in this moment. His warm, but simple answer eased her nerves and gave her courage to see her operation through to the end. She already knew that Remus would never be petty enough to judge someone on something as trivial as his or her blood status but she asked the question anyway.

"Remus, do you mind that I am a muggle born witch?"

"No, I would love you, if you were a centaur, unicorn, or leprechaun. Do you care I am a werewolf?" he asked nervously.

"Never have, and never will," Hermione winked back at her boyfriend.

At least she still hoped he was her boyfriend. More than anything she hoped he would understand what she was doing was for the greater good. Taking a deep and calming breathe Hermione turned to face the youngest member of the Marauders. He knew what was coming and she hoped he was afraid, because this would be the moment that changed their future (and her history), hopefully for the better.

"Now Peter, how do you feel about that fact that I am a muggle born witch, does it bother you?" her eyes narrowed in on him as he shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

But before he answered something in his demeanor changed from the sheepish cowardly boy into something it was directed towards only one person:

Hermione.

"Of course it does! You are a filthy mudblood who probably stole magic because you could not obtain it on your own!"

Hermione felt her entire being tense as his words hung in the air. Peter's cold calmness shocked his friends, and even Hermione who thought she knew what he was capable of. It was as if there was a delayed reaction from the Marauders. It went beyond shock and denial, landing squarely between horror, astonishment, and anger.

Remus was the first to react to Peter's words. He easily overpowered Peter in height and strength; the only thing the rat may have had on Remus was weight, but she knew that would do him no good, especially when the wolf came to play. Remus' eyes glowed with an amber hue as he picked up Peter by the collar, holding him there to cringe helplessly as he defended Hermione.

"How dare you call her a mudblood! Peter what is the matter with you?!"

Peter's response, a cold humorless laugh, echoed throughout the room, as though to condescendingly mock Remus and the others.

"Nothing's the matter with me, half breed. It is you, the mudblood, and blood traitors who have the problem. You will all burn when the Dark Lord sets fire to the world!" Peter's eyes glared at Hermione even though Remus still held him by the collar

"Why can I not lie Hermione?" he shrieked. "What was in that bloody drink? Why am I telling you these things?! Answer me mud…" Before he had the chance to finish, his sentence there was a sickening crack.

Tired of his derogatory language, Remus punched the rat in the face, instantly breaking his nose. Falling backwards to the floor, Peter laughed as blood pooled in his hands, pride blatantly radiating from him at Remus' inability to control animalistic tendencies.

"It was laced with Veritaserum. All of us are unable to lie, Peter," she replied in an unwavering tone,taking out her wand.

There was a small gasp from James as the group's pacifist, he was wary of her impending actions. The boys knew she was powerful, but one thing Hermione was not was vicious or cruel. Pointing her wand at the bleeding boy, Hermione cast a simple healing spell.

"Episkey!"

His bleeding stopped immediately. The boys looked confused at Hermione's show of kindness. They would come to learn about her kindness after tonight, after Peter was taken care of that is.

"Why, Pete?" Sirius asked.

He out of all of the Marauders knew the struggles of dealing with the darkness. After all, he'd been groomed his entire life for the "privilege" that was becoming a Death Eater. He fought every day to distance himself from it. Hermione knew that Peter's betrayal would leave its greatest mark on Sirius.

"To make sure you joined the ranks, Padfoot. He wants all of you." replied Wormtail, a sinister smile crossing his lips. It was one Hermione had seen before. Cold and calculating, with very little to no genuine happiness, it made Hermione's blood run cold. Sirius couldn't take anymore. As he approached Peter, the others dared not move a muscle. Sirius grabbed Peter by his robes and dusted him off before delivering a formidable and menacing message:

"If I EVER see you around the people I love, ever again, in human or animagus form, I promise you that it will be the last thing you ever do. Now LEAVE!" he bellowed before letting Peter go with a disgusted look on his face.

Turning his back on his friends and the life he had built with them, Peter walked away towards the door. Before leaving the room, however, he turned back to his friends and Hermione and murmured something that made Hermione panic.

"He will be coming for you Hermione," Peter said with a knowing and ominous smile.

She was unsure of what made her do it. Perhaps it was fear, worry, or her protective instinct. Something snapped inside of Hermione Jean Granger. Pointing wand at the rat she shouted a spell she had only used twice before in her life.

"OBLIVIATE!"

Her voice echoed through the silent room. A small part of her knew she was doing the right thing, that this was about self-preservation. She had a job to do and it could not get done if Peter told Voldemort about her.

"What have you done, Hermione?" Sirius shouted at her, his eyes blazing with hurt and anger towards the young witch.

"I'm sorry…I just…he threatened me... and I can't have him tell Him…not again..." she stammered, sinking to her knees.

As she gasped for breath, Hermione tried to calm herself enough to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. Her body was cold, she was exhausted, and shaken. She knew he he had been serious in his threat, how could he not be? In her time, she Harry and Ron were hunted by Voldemort, whom Peter pledged allegiance to. She wasn't doing this for her own enjoyment, nor did she take any pride in her actions.

Sirius kneeled in front of her while Remus approached the altered Peter. She couldn't hear what he was saying to Peter nor did she actually care. He'd been exposed for the person he was, and with any luck the boys would do the smart thing for once and distance themselves from Peter Pettigrew. That, however, was out of her hands.

She could feel Sirius' thumb rubbing circles on her shaking hands; he didn't try and talk to her,for which she was grateful. Hearing the heavy close as she cried, and knowing now that Peter was gone Hermione could breathe a small sigh of relief. Her body convulsed before she felt two sets of arms wrap around her body holding her tight. Hermione, surrounded by the boys, finally let the tears flow freely allowing the guilt of her actions consume her. In her attempt to protect them, she had caused so much pain to these boys, yet the willingly stayed with her, holding her as she wept.

James's voice cut through the saddened silence. "You knew who he was…is, didn't you?"

Blinking through her tears and into his hazel eyes Hermione saw his pain from Peter's betrayal. A pang of guilt hit Hermione in the chest. There she was, having gained their trust just to deceive them about who she was and why she was in their lives and there they were comforting her. The tears refused to stop, but Hermione did her best to regain at least some composure. They needed this question to be answered.

"I did know, but you are still not asking the right question," Hermione said with a shaky and broken voice.

Then Remus in a voice barely louder than a whisper finally asked the right question.

"How did you know Hermione?"

"Because I am a time traveler."