Chapter Seven: Crushes and Complications

Immediately after classes the next day, Hermione ran through the common room and rushed into her dormitory, slamming the door behind her. She sat on her bed and forced herself to take a deep breath. Before she could gather her thoughts, the door was opened and Lily came in; a perplexed and demanding look on her face.

"What's gotten into you, Hera?" she asked. "You've been acting odd all day!"

It was the truth. Ever since their rendezvous last night, Hermione had a heightened awareness of James. Her eyes automatically followed his every movement. Even when she couldn't see him, she could sense his presence. And whenever she tried to forget it by closing her eyes or thinking of other things, that lurching feeling in her stomach returned to remind her of her true feelings.

And it was no good, no good at all. James was just about the worst person in the history of the world she could have chosen to fancy. He was supposed to marry Lily, and have Harry, who would in turn save the wizarding world many times over. This just was not right, and Hermione knew it. All day a vicious battle had been raging over her mind—which in the past had always won, and her heart—she was finding increasingly irritating that she could not get it under control.

"Oh, it's nothing." Hermione tried to sound casual. She nervously ran her fingers through her hair and sat on the edge of her bed, crossing and re-crossing her legs.

"Wait a minute...I know!" cried Lily. "You have a crush! It's soooo obvious!"

"No!" said Hermione, falling on the bed and burying her face into the pillow. She couldn't help but giggle at the look on Lily's face, but inside she knew it was no laughing matter. Her little innocent "crush" could very well have dire consequences.

"Aww, c'mon," said Lily between giggles, moving over to sit on Hermione's bed. "Who is it? I'll tell you who I have a crush on."

Hermione sat up and faced her friend, a smirk filling her face. She knew Lily's crush. In fact, she knew Lily's whole future! "I already know who you fancy," she said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Or at least I can guess. It's James."

"JAMES? James Potter??" A look of sheer horror appeared on Lily's delicate face. "Not in a million years! I mean, he's so arrogant and bull headed and misogynistic and rude..."

Hermione was shocked as she listened to her friend ramble on about her distain for the boy. What was going on? James and Lily were destined to be together. Then she remembered: they simply weren't in love yet. Harry had told her the previous year about Snape's pensieve, how Remus and Sirius had explained that Harry's parents didn't get together until seventh year. But there was still one problem...if Lily didn't like James, then who was the object of her affection?

"So, who do you have a crush on?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"The only bearable one of the Marauders...Remus!" Upon saying his name, Lily sighed happily, falling back onto the bed and into a fit of girlish giggles.

"Lupin!?!" Hermione's eyes widened and she attempted to pull Lily up from her girlish reverie. "Oh no! He's not right for you at all! I really think you need to consider James." Hermione was hell bent on getting Lily straightened out. Harry may be a bit thick at times, but he was still her best friend, and it would be awful if he were never born.

Lily sat up and looked at her friend with determination. "No, I like Remus and that's that. Besides, I think that you and James would be perfect for each other." Upon seeing Hermione's terrified face, she quickly continued, "I mean, yeah he's a jerk and all, but around you he's different, he's actually a half-decent person. In fact, I think he fancies you."

"What!" Hermione was shocked at the news. The idea worried her, for it now seemed impossible that James and Lily would ever hook up. But at the same time she couldn't deny that the notion made her insides dance even more. Lily once again burst into laughter at her reaction.

"I knew it! And you fancy him too! Oh this is so great! Sirius will be so incredibly jealous. Me and James—what an absurd idea! I wouldn't consider him before, but now I certainly won't ever do anything to get in your way!"

"No!" Hermione was now seriously concerned. "Don't say that!" She grabbed her robe and rushed out of the room before she could do any more damage. "I'm going on a walk...alone," she cried over her shoulder.

Lily watched her friend disappear down the stairs and dissolved into yet another giggle-fit. "Ohh...she's got it bad!"

Hermione wrapped her robes around her body, focusing only on the portrait hole as she rushed through the common room. She needed to be alone, to collect her thoughts. She was almost to the door when its frame was filled by Sirius Black, a suggestive look hanging on his face.

"I was just reading and found out that 'Hera' is the name of a goddess," he said, bringing up a hand to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face. "You parents must have been seers, to know how divine you would turn out."

Under normal circumstances Hermione would have laughed hysterically at the pathetic pick up line. Today, however, she was not amused. "Out of the way," she muttered, shoving past him.

Sirius didn't turn around to look after her. He held his position in the doorway, grinning at the situation. Hera Ranger was certainly a wild card. No matter though...he reached into his pocket and pulled out the Time Turner...he held trump.