DISCLAIMER: See first chapter.

A/N: Thanks to HPFanFicLuvr, my beta-reader, whithout whom the story would be useless, and to all my reviewers. I must say, I'm disappointed, I hardly got any reviews for the alst chapter.

arrow-card: Cedric Diggory was the Hufflepuff seeker and the only one to beat Harry, yet.

Nissy Padfoot: Yes, that would be interesting, but I don't think I'll do that.

Jade: I think that would be slightly OOC for Hermione, don't you?

"Hermione, stop this silly 'I'm not talking to you' attitude," Ron said a few days later in the common room. The time-travelers were the only ones left again. "We have some major trouble on our hands. James likes you. Loves you."

Hermione gasped. In love? With me? she thought.

"What? He – he can't!"

"He can," said Neville grimly. "He's head over heals in love with you. You're different."

Hermione buried her face in her hands. The dim firelight flickered over her face, giving her a ghostly appearance.

"What about Harry?"

"That's why it's a major problem. We can't let Harry not be born."

"Do you know when Harry's parents started to like each other?" Hermione asked. Harry had not told them what he had seen in the pensieve.

"Dunno. Probably around now."

"Oh, this is just great!" Hermione said, exasperated. "I'm so sick of this."

They sat in silence for a while, contemplating.

Good grief, was Hermione's thoughts. We are so screwed. If only I'd come alone. If Ron and Neville hadn't come I would have kept to Lily, and Potter would ahev no reason to fancy me. A smile dawned upon her face.

"I'm different," she said slowly. "And so is Lily."

The boys looked at her perplexed.

"Don't you see? We're meant to be here! We're the link between Harry's parents! It's our job to get them together!"

The trio stared at each other, excited looks on their faces.

"Why didn't I see this before? The majority of time-travels are meant to be!"

This would take some planning.

"I still haevn't forgiven you for that preposterous prank, mind you," snapped Hermione before going up to bed.

Severus stared at the Gryffindor table. Granger was sitting with the boys again. How long will it be before she falls in love with any one of them, he thought bitterly. They're so charming, so nice. You can't help loving them, at least not if you're a Gryffindor girl. It didn't strike him until later that he was, in fact, jealous.

Amelia entered the library, looking around for a familiar face. She wanted to get away from Potter and Black, who were chasing her again. That was when she spotted them. Her saviours sat in a corner, giggling over something. She walked over to them.
"Can I sit here?" she asked. They looked up. Lily Evans smiled.

"Of course Amelia," she said kindly. Oh, to be on first name basis them! Amelia thought she was going to burst with pride. She looked transfixed into Lily's eyes. They were such a beautiful shade of green. Amelia had never seen eyes so beautiful in her entire life.

She sat down.

"Could you help me with this essay about Cheering Charms? I've only got six inches."

"Of course," Hermione said kindly.

How kind they are! They don't care that I'm Hufflepuff, a nerd, or a second year. And they're so pretty.

"Move over, Diggory," sneered a voice behind her. "We'd like to sit with our friends."

Her tormentors had followed her.

"Just because I'm speaking to you is no reason to get cocky," snapped Hermione. "Amelia happens to be another of our friends. And besides, there is plenty of space for you."

She moved one of her books slightly. Amelia felt as if somebody had handed her a bowl of complete happiness to dive into. Lily and Hermione count me as their friend! Me! A timid, second-year Hufflepuff!

However, the look Black gave her was enough to pull back down to earth again. Why do they hate me so much. It can't just be because of Amos. She tugged her sandy-blonde pigtail nervously.

"Don't worry, Diggory," said a red-haired boy she hadn't noticed. "They won't hex you again."

"Ever," added Hermione.

"Awww, Hermie," said James, giving her the puppy-dog look. "Ever is a bit to long, isn't it?"

"Don't call me Hermie again. I still haven't forgiven you entirely."

Amelia wondered what she hadn't forgiven them for.

She looked questiongly at Hermione, but the latter only smiled.

"I believe you wanted help with you Charms homework, right, Amelia?"

Amelia smiled, and stole a quick glance at Lily's beautiful, beautiful eyes before turning her attention to Hermione's lecture.

Lily was once again alone at a table. Hermione was away somewhere speaking to someone. Lily had forgotten the feeling of being alone at a table, looking at the boys and girls chatting all around her. It wasn't her fault she was alone. It was Nora Perks fault. Nora was clever and pretty, but she was jealous, and couldn't stand the thought that Lily was cleverer than her. To avoid Nora's constant bullying, Lily shut herself off from the entire House. Only Hermione noticed her. The others simply ignored her whenever she tried to make contact.

She saw Hermione's brother sit and chat with Nora. They obviously talked about something pleasant. Quidditch, no doubt. Lily had never understood Quidditch. Probably because nobody had bothered to explain it to her. She quickly figured it out on her own, but it wasn't so pleasant, sitting in the stands all alone. She sighed miserably. What if Herm has to leave me? What will I do then? I can't go back to being alone when I found how nice it is having a friend.

Suddenly a voice rang out in the Common Room, grabbing the attention of everyone.

"Lily, come sit with us!" it was Ron Blake, Hermione's friend. The request was such an unusual one everybody turned to stare. Many of them were eager to see snotty Lily's reaction. Lily smiled.

"Sure."

Nora Perks hissed softly to her friend Camilla;

"Why does Evans get to sit with James and Sirius. I mean, it's not like they like each other! Besides, Sirius is my boyfriend."

She glared at Sirius, who was trying to get Lily to laugh.

The portrait swung open and Hermione entered.

"Hi guys," she groaned. "You can't believe what's happened. I've been requested to tutor dear, dear Severus Snape in potions."

Neville shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh, the irony," he said sympathetically.

"Can we get on with this, please. You're already wasting my time," drawled Snape at their lesson.

"I'm wasting your time? Excuse me, but I didn't ask to tutor you."

Hermione sighed and sat down.

"Since none of use wants to do this, we might as well start and get it over with."

The hour went, considering the people involved, fairly well. Hermione tried not to blow up on Snape, and Snape actually tried to strike up a civil conversation, to Hermione's amusement. She couldn't believe that Severus Snape was trying to talk chivalrously with her, Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor Mudblood.

When the lesson was over Snape grabbed Hermione's robe.

"Hermione," he said urgently. "I-I… er… thank you."

He practically ran out of the room, his cheeks a Gryffindor red.

Hermione shook her head. What was that about? She pondered walking down to the hall.

Severus found that he was actually looking forward to his tutoring sessions with Granger. She made potions so interesting. He was working on a potion to brew celebrity, under Hermione's ever-seeing eyes.

"You will not use this potion, Snape," she had said firmly. "I will be watching you."

She was not aware that his thought were about himself saving Hermione from a very painful death. In his mind, she looked up into his eyes and swore to love him forever. But he knew that it wouldn't happen. Hermione was too strong-willed to ever fall into his arms. She's the type of girl who denies her feelings. She has a mind of her own. Which happens to be exactly what I'm looking for in agirl.

"Snape, are you listening?"

"You know," he tried to sound casual. "If we're stuck together one hour every other day, we might as well go to first-name basis."

She looked at him intently. He looked down. This is it. This is the part where she snaps about horrible, nasty Slytherins who are all Death-Eaters.

"Hermione," she introduced herself.

He jerked his head up. He couldn't believe she had agreed.

"Severus."

He floated down to the hall breathless with joy. She really was a special person.

When he entered the Great Hall laughter rang out from every corner. He turned to look at his robes. The Marauders' trademark prank was transfiguring his robes to a different colour. It generally meant that there was a bigger prank coming.. This time the robes were bright pink. He turned abruptly and walked out of the hall. It would take him a couple of hours to get the colour out. Why did they always have to pick on him? There were loads of other Slytherins in the year. What was so special about him?

If it hadn't been for Hermione, he thought he'd have killed the entire Gryffindor House by now. Arrogant bullies, all of them. Apart from Hermione.

"I can't believe you'd play that stupid prank on Severus!" Hermione snapped.

"Oh, so it's Severus, now, is it?" asked Sirius coldly. "How long will it be before it's Sevvie, do you think, Nev?"

"If you'd just try," Hermione insisted. "There is actually a person beneath the layers of grease."

"Hermione, are you feeling alright?" asked Ron. "This is Severus Snape we're talking about. Harry's worst enemy." He sat in silence a while before saying softly so only she could hear: "Apart from You-Know-Who, of course."

She said nothing. Why do Gryffindors and Slytherins hate each other so much? Thought Hermione. What is the point of hating a person because they belong to a certain House. It's not as if it's a matter of life and death.

"Hello! Earth to Hermione!" Remus waved his hand in front of here repeatedly. "Is there anybody in there?"

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts.

"Geez, you're thoughtful today, Hermie. You've fallen in love with Snivellus?" said Peter, and then seemed to shrink to the size of a midget under her icy glare.

Everybody was uncomfortable.

"Oops," mumbled James softly. "He's in for it now." Hermione had one hell of a temper.

"I pity you, Peter Pettigrew," said Hermione pitilessly. "You couldn't stand up to anybody. Not even if it concerned your friends' lives."

She stood up and walked out. Ron and Neville followed shortly afterwards. They were not seen any more that evening.

James crept down the stairs. Ron and Neville hadn't come up to bed yet, and he was beginning to get worried.

"You had a close call today 'Mione," he could hear Neville say.

"I don't care." Hermione's voice was empty of any emotion. After a short pause she added, "James wanted to be an Auror."

"What?" James could guess that they were staring at her. Wanted? What does she mean by 'wanted'. I want to be an Auror.

"He wanted to be an Auror. James. It made me realize how easy it is to shatter dreams."

There was silence following this statement. Then, "do you think we should tell him?"

Hermione let out a bitter laugh. "And say what? 'Hey James, you're gonna die at the hands of Lord Voldemort because one of your friends betrayed you to save his own life. I wonder what McGonagall has planned for today?' Not very likely."

James felt his face go white. Was that really what the future had in store for him?

"But if we warned him to not use…"

"No! Don't you see? Harry's parents have to die! It was because of his mother's sacrifice he destroyed Voldemort, and it's his mother's sacrifice that keeps him safe! And who knows what would have happened if Harry hadn't defeated Voldemort that night? Voldemort would have gone off killing people to left and right, just like he used to!. Think of all the people who would have died. I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would have been on the list of people needing to be disposed of."

Silence greeted Hermione's outburst.

"So we're going to return without saying anything?" Ron asked at long last.

"Yes." Hermione used that brisk tone of hers again.

"How do we return, anyway?" asked Neville.

The trio stared at each other, lost for words.

Ron did the only appropriate thing, and swore softly.