Title: The Bermuda Triangle

Summary: A plane crashes near the Bermuda Triangle and apparently all on board are killed. All, that is, but a mother and her daughter. The Triangle's magic transports the two into the Forbidden Forest and questions arise when the young mother leads her teenage daughter to the school—everybody thought the Gryffindor was dead, but she's here now and her daughter has curly blonde hair and is sorted into Slytherin. What is going on here?

Pairings: Past Hermione/Draco…present Harry/Ginny…who knows what else…

Author: Silver Sparklze

Started: 7th September 2003

Reason For Writing: This story was started as a challenge issued by Lunarian Amethyst. Let it be known that I NEVER turn down a challenge…*Ash's sister* LIAR!

"Mummy, my head's beginning to hurt again," Jillian complained.

"I know, Jilly-Bean, don't worry, we'll be there soon." Hermione replied. In the past hour they'd taken to calling each other by the names they'd called each other before Jillian hit double-digits. And they were touching a whole lot too, which made both of them happy.

Hermione had always been a touch THEN look kind of girl. She'd always had to touch things to check they were real, and Jillian seemed to have inherited that from her, which kind of contrasted with the don't–touch–me aura. That she had inherited from Draco.

Finally, they reached the edge of the Forest, and Hermione smiled sadly when she saw the Weeping Willow. That place brought back memories. "Here we are." She said, and Jillian smiled, though there was obvious pain in her eyes now. "Ok, Jilly-Bean, I'm going to do something now which, as an uninitiated member of the Order, I was never actually allowed, then I moved, I shouldn't be able to do. So, hold onto me tightly." Jillian nodded, and Hermione closed her eyes tightly. "Conflagrus Transportrus." A tunnel of flame surrounded them, and transported them directly to Albus Dumbledore's office.

Hermione opened her eyes, as the bright flames disappeared, leaving scorches on the carpet. She winced. She'd never been quite able to master the last part of the spell, since she was not an official initiate of the Order, and should never have learnt the spell anyway. Fawkes whistled a tune, and Jillian opened her eyes to look at the bird in amazement.

She'd never seen any magical things, because Hermione had taught her magic at home, getting a friend who was a wand-maker to make Jillian's wand for her, and to gather the necessary things. Hermione had learnt every type of teaching while at college, muggle and magical alike. It was only now that she was beginning to struggle to teach Jillian what she needed to know. She only had a Bachelor of Education in Primary and Secondary teaching, and a Masters in Potions, Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Charms. She had a Diploma in Ancient Runes, Muggle Ancient Histories, Latin, and Mermish, Elvish, and Italian.

"'Lo, Fawkes," Hermione said softly, chirping the little tune she'd always sung whenever she saw the Phoenix. Fawkes replied in kind, asking her what she was doing here in his own way. "I need to help my daughter. She's hurt." Hermione gestured to Jillian. Fawkes chirruped, basically saying she was welcome, and that he would help her daughter. He flew over, and landed on Hermione's outstretched arm. Hermione took him over to Jillian, and knelt in front of her, so that Jillian and Fawkes were on eye-level. Fawkes sang a single note, and Jillian sighed, as the pain disappeared.

"Thank you." She said to Fawkes.

"Yes, thanks," Hermione agreed. "And now, we should be going."

"Not so fast," Hermione whirled around, and gasped.

"Remus?!" The man looked confused.

"How do you know my name?" He asked.

"Omigod, I can't believe it's you!" She exclaimed, ignoring his question. "You look so young! How've you been? I haven't seen you since I was 16! I just can't believe it!"

"Who are – wait a minute…" Remus squinted slightly. "Hermione?!"

"Yup!" Hermione laughed happily. "I can't believe it's you!"

"You said that already, Mummy." Jillian said.

"What a sec? Mummy? You have a child?! But I thought you loved Draco!" Hermione stiffened.

"Who told you that?!" She demanded. Remus smiled sadly,

"Hermione, I too know what it's like to fall in love." He said, "I know the signs pretty well, I think."

"Oh…" Hermione blushed. "Well…I did love Draco. Who else could have sired my little angel?" Remus did a double take, then looked at Jillian closely. Jillian seemed disturbed by the scrutiny, and she stepped back.

"Sorry, child," Remus smiled gently at her. Then he turned back to Hermione. "I never would have guessed. She doesn't look much like Draco at all. Even with the blonde hair, and the fact that her curls are looser, more like the stuff out of fairy tales, I never would have thought she wasn't yours. She has your features, though her skin is paler. Also, her hair is darker than Draco's, more golden, I suppose because of your brown hair. It's actually very surprising that she's blonde at all, considering the well-known fact of genetics that brown hair is a much stronger gene than blonde hair."

"That's easily explained, Remus, my mother is blonde." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "And stop babbling. Now that you know I'm here, that I'm alive, what are you going to do?"

"Tell everyone, of course!"

"What?! No! You can't!" Hermione said, panicking.

"But I must, Hermione. You can't hide from them forever, you know. You'll have to face them sometime."

"I can and I will." Hermione said stubbornly.

"Hermione, what could be so bad, that you would keep your daughter from attending the best school of witchcraft in the world, and fake your own death, so that even your friends don't realise you're alive. That sounds like a Wormtail kind of thing to me." Remus said gently. Hermione glared at him, eyes hard.

"Never speak that name in my presence." She spat, and her wand, which had lodged itself in her ponytail again, glowed a fierce orange.

Made of oak, with a core of phoenix tears and mandrake essence, it was a very temperamental wand at times, but she loved it, and it reflected her mood perfectly. Jillian's wand was much different, stating quite clearly that she was from an influential family. Even Hermione's friend had commented on it. Her exact words had been; 'You're from one of those Wizarding Families everyone knows, but doesn't talk to, aren't you.' When Hermione had denied, it, she'd simply grinned, and said, '11 inches, beech and phoenix feather. You have a bit of a fixation with things past and old. So, please, don't even think about it, honey. You MUST be from a big family.' Hermione had changed the subject immediately, and her friend had never brought it up again, much to Hermione's relief.

"Hermione, what could be so bad that you don't ever want to see your friends again?" Remus repeated.

"He broke my heart, Remus." Hermione whispered. "He ripped it from my chest, and trampled it into the dirt. I just…I couldn't take it if he did the same to Jillian."

"Oh, Hermione," Remus wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into a hug, and she sobbed into his shoulder. Jillian was also crying, and Fawkes was cooing on her shoulder, obviously trying to make her feel better. "Come down to dinner, Hermione," Remus urged. Hermione looked at him with wide hazel eyes.

"I can't." She whispered.

"Hermione, I didn't even recognise you," Remus coaxed softly, "No one else would either. I could introduce you as a friend. If only to see your friends again."

"I've seen them." Hermione said stiffly, "And Ginny and Draco seem very happy together."

"Draco and Virginia?! Draco and Virginia?! Tell me you're kidding, Hermione." Remus said, "Virginia's married to Harry! Why would she be with Draco?"

"Oh," Hermione blushed, "That would explain the hug."

"Hermione, Draco hasn't dated anyone since you left school. He refused to marry Pansy Parkinson, even though Malfoy wanted him to. He said he'd never involve anyone he loved – or didn't love, in the war, or make them choose sides."

"Oh." Hermione paused. "I'm still not going."

"Mummy," Jillian moved forward, and tugged on Hermione's shirt,

"Yes, Jilly-Bean?" Hermione looked down at her.

"Is this the school you went to?" Hermione bit her lip, but she just couldn't lie to the hazel-eyed girl, even though she could guess what was going to come next.

"Yes, it is, until my seventh year, when I went to Woodports' Wiccan Academy."

"Well, then, I wanna go here. Please, Mummy, I really wanna learn more magic." Hermione sighed, defeated. She could never deny Jillian anything when she asked her in that voice.

"Ok, fine, I guess we're staying in England." She said. "I'll see if I can find an apartment or house somewhere close by, and I'll find out if there's a teaching job open. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful! Thank you, Mummy!"

"If you're looking for a teaching job," Hermione, Remus, and Jillian all turned around, as none other than Albus Dumbledore entered, "Then might I suggest you take over from Professor Binns for a while? He's decided to go visit his great-great-great grand-niece in Germany, and we need someone to take over from him while he's gone." Hermione grinned in abject relief.

"Really? That'd be great," She said. "Much better than trying to explain exactly why I haven't got any references."

"Yes, but, Hermione, there's a few problems."

"Huh?"

"Hermione, you must live in the castle, for one."

"No problem. I don't think I could leave again. I feel as if the castle has welcomed me back."

"Yes, wonderful, wonderful. Two, Jillian must be introduced and enrolled, proper name and all."

"Oh…" Hermione bit her lip. How would they explain her birth date?

"And three, you must be here under your own name."

"What?!"

"Well, now that that's settled…lemon drop, anyone?"