Disclaimer: Not mine. These beautiful characters alllllll belong to J.K. Rowling-sama. Bow down.
Warnings: None yet...well, maybe too much indecisiveness on Hermione's part =]
Pairings: None yet.

A/N: So, I was surfing around on FF.net and discovered many fics where Hermione goes back in time with her Time-Turner so that she can be with the Marauder she somehow got a crush on (Remus or Sirius, to be more exact) -___-;; Though it doesn't seem too plausible that our dear bushy-haired Gryffindor would disobey orders and do something of that magnitude (it's not a few hours, people. It's even more than a few years! She could screw things up really badly, and she knows it!) Buuuut, even so, as I was reading these fics, I saw that her Marauder-crush always happened to fall in love with her too. Coincidence? I doubt it. So, I was laughing to myself (I do that) while wondering what would happen if the wrong person fell in love with her and she really screwed things up. =] And now, here it is. Enjoy!

Italics represent thoughts or emphasis on words by the way.

--

Hermione shuffled her bags, shifting them from one hand to the other and back again when the weight became too much. The loud clinking of Galleons and Sickles had long since quieted as her pockets grew lighter and her bags became increasingly heavier. She wrinkled her nose; she never liked shopping very much. She would just as soon pick up a new book, or even one of her old favorites, and read beside the crackling fire of the commonroom instead of walking in the bitter cold trying to lug around heavy packages, and spending all of her money in the process. It couldn't be helped, of course. It was almost Christmas and she still had three more people to shop for.

The streets of Hogsmeade were crowded with red-cheeked witches and wizards of all ages. Excited children dragged their parents by the hand to everything that caught their attention. Boys crowded around quidditch shops, eyes hungrily drinking in the new features of the Firebolt Millennium on display. Snow was beginning to fall and Hermione almost gave into the childish urge to stick out her tongue and catch a snowflake.

She really didn't have the time. It was beginning to get darker, and colder, and she still hadn't finished her Christmas shopping yet. Hermione bit her lip, At this rate, the street lights will come on soon.

She would have to get back to Hogwarts by then.

This is bad...very, very bad. Think, Hermione, think!

Nothing.

She sighed inwardly, For goodness sakes, you're the top student of your year! You've a nearly spotless record! Surely you can think of something!

Maybe...maybe if she hurried up and bought the next things she saw...

Oh, bother. Who was she fooling? She couldn't possibly finish in less than a half an hour, and certainly not before it got dark.

Too bad. And she needed only a couple more hours, really.

Hermione's gloved hand instinctively reached for her Time-Turner. Three turns. Three turns was all she needed.

The grip tightened on the hourglass hanging from the chain around her neck.

No! She shook her head violently. Don't be stupid, Hermione. When Professor McGonagall gave it to you, you promised you would use it only for academic purposes. Besides, she gave it to you because she knew you would be responsible and trustworthy. If you use it, people might find out! Then, you would lose her trust forever.

She then nodded her head firmly, it was decided. She wouldn't use her Time-Turner and she wouldn't betray her beloved professor's trust.

She nodded again in confirmation, and she even allowed herself a small smile. She was able to resist temptation and do the right thing, after all. She deserved a pat on the back, at least.

The big clock on the highest building in Hogsmeade struck six.

Hermione gulped. Ok, so maybe the decision wasn't so easy.

She once again clutched her Time-Turner desperately. Only a half an hour left...

...And she just couldn't tell Harry that she wasn't able to get his present. It would be just too horrible.

Anyway, it wasn't such a big deal, really. Just three turns. Just three hours. No one would know, right? No one ever found out all the other times she'd used it, so there would be no reason for them to know now.

Now, she just had to find someplace deserted...

The snow crunched under her boots as she took hurried, nervous steps to the nearest empty alleyway. Hermione placed her trembling fingers on the hourglass.

One...Two...

"Whatcha' doin'??"

Hermione started and her fingers slipped. The Time-Turner reeled.

She turned around to see the curious eyes of an energetic five-year-old.

Those were the last things she saw before the world faded away.

---

The ground came up at her feet hard and almost knocked her off balance. Hermione blinked and looked around to see that she was in the same alleyway, and the boy was gone. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was still a little after six.

Maybe it hadn't worked after all?

Most likely.

She hurried out of the alleyway and ran back to Hogwarts, more than a little upset by the whole encounter.

She still hadn't finished her shopping, but she wasn't about to risk being seen a second time.

Once inside the walls of the castle, she let her footsteps slow and her shoulders slump in dejection. She could see Harry's expression already.

Hermione sighed and hefted her bags so that she could carry them in her arms. This was not her day. It was only a minute into her trudging that she was knocked off balance, the packages flying out of her arms and strewing across the floor.

This was definitely not her day.

She looked up and glared, ready to give the person who ran into her a tongue lashing.

Instead, she blinked. It was Harry.

Harry grinned apologetically and helped her up. "Hey, sorry. You alright there?"

She nodded slowly, and started to pick up the scattered gifts. "Really, Harry, how many times have I told you not to run around in the halls? You could--"

Harry blinked and interrupted, "I'm sorry, miss. I believe you've got the wrong person. I'm James."

Hermione immediately dropped the presents. She swiveled around--could she have seen wrong?

She closed her eyes and opened them again. Nope. The boy still looked exactly like Harry.

She frowned a little, "What are you trying to play at, Harry?"

The boy-who-claimed-he-was-not-Harry grinned and shook his head. "I'm not playing at anything. My name is James."

She frowned again and wrinkled her brow in confusion.

James...James...where have I heard that name from?

"James Potter," he clarified, "I haven't seen you around here before, what house are you in? Are you new?"

James Potter...that sounded familiar too...

Oh.

Oh.

Hermione promptly fainted.

--

Hmm....suspiciously similar beginnings with those Time-Turner fics...Coincidence? I think not! Well...anyway, please review even though not much has happened so far. I'm hoping to get 7 reviews by the next time I post? Pretty please?

--silence