Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter I wouldn't be writing this, coz I'd be busy writing the sixth book while bathing in my money. So let's all be glad that I don't own Harry Potter, cause you all want to keep reading this, don't ya?

Author's Note: Hey my lovely readers, long time no see. I was out of town, and then I got home, my mailbox filled with wonderful reviews. When this chapter was finished I was going to update, but it didn't work. Then finally, I could, when I uploaded it as .txt files instead of .doc and that is WEIRD!

Review-thank yous:

Captain Oblivious – Wow. Thanks for the lesson ;)

Lovablechick213 – For once, I'm going to keep my mouth shut. You'll have to wait and see, just like everyone else!

Pussin Boots – Sure, I could try uploading your story for you, but I have problems uploading mine too, so I'm unsure whether it would work or not (but obviously I managed at least once since this is up). Still, if you want me to try, sure I could, if you have a way of sending it to me although your email doesn't work.

Goth Princess – Uh-oh… I don't even want to think about it… That's sick! Plus, if Hermione became Harry's mother Harry wouldn't have those emerald green eyes, and I read somewhere that they are going to be important for the future books.

s.s.Harry – A annoying question popped up in my head while reading your review; what's the s:es for in your name?

KLLRS – A threesome with a girl and a father and a son… Urk. But Hermione sure is 17, she can do whatever she wishes to do (or what I want her to do, since I'm the author!). About Dumbledore; it's kind of irritating me that he always knows everything, he's… no, I prefer him not knowing about her coming. How could he possibly have known? In some time travel fic I read once he knew because he 'had a little chat with his future self' but I mean… if he could chat with his future self all the time he could have prevented a lot of bad things from happening. But now I'll stop babbling. (And Beyonce's cool.)

Donroth – I jump up and down with glee too.

Also loads of thanks to: Jasmijn, Lunetta, Tweedles, hikki116, Angel of Slytherin, ViviBlack, Launigsiae and sunni07. Virtual cookies for you guys cause you just made my day!

Chapter 7 – And Who Is Harry?

"Alyssa?" someone said, shaking her shoulder.

Hermione opened slowly first one eye, and thereafter the other one, and saw a blond girl standing leaned over her. Amy.

"What time is it?" Hermione asked sleepily and yawned.

"It's a quarter to nine," Amy said.

A quarter to nine already? Had she, Hermione Granger, slept over, and missed the first class?

Hermione sat up abruptly in her bed.

"Why didn't anyone wake me up?" she asked.

"It's not that late," Amy said.

"Not that late?" Hermione repeated in a high-pitched voice. "I've missed cla-"

"There're no classes, Alyssa," Amy interrupted her.

"No?" Hermione repeated, puzzled.

"However, sorry I woke you," Amy said, obviously not noticing the puzzlement in Hermione's voice, "but Professor McGonagall was here and asked me to tell you that Professor Dumbledore wants to see you at his office at 9 o'clock."

"Professor Dumbledore's office 9 o'clock," Hermione repeated. "Damnit, I'm in a great hurry!"

"Headmaster wanted to see me," Hermione said.

"Yes, Miss Martin – I'd prefer to call you that since that's your name while you're here –, please sit down," Dumbledore said.

There was already a chair on the opposite side of the table, no need to conjure up a new one, so Hermione sat down.

"We have finished your potion."

"Sorry?" Hermione asked, not having a clue what on earth he was talking about.

"The way for you to get home," he repeated. "I told you a week ago, you go back by train and drink the potion one hour before you are about to pass through the barrier."

"But it's not December!"

"Yes it is, Miss Martin. Maybe you have been dreaming about the summer – that's nice."

"It's not December," she repeated. "It's only October!"

He pointed at a calendar that was hanging on the wall. December, it said, and on the picture there was a Christmas tree in a garden, with several kids around throwing snowballs at each other.

"Oh," she said as he handed her a bottle very similar to the one she had received when she had gone here. "But – Professor, when does the train leave?"

"Today, remember? I assume you have packed? The carriages leave Hogwarts for Hogsmeade Train Station at 10 o'clock. Half an hour left."

Hermione rose abruptly. "Excuse me, Professor, I have some unfinished things to deal with."

"I'll see you in a couple of years, Miss... Granger?"

"Yes," she said. "Thank you!"

She sprinted through the corridors towards the Gryffindor common room. She could swear that it had been October yesterday – but if she looked out through the windows, she could see heavy snowflakes slowly floating down from the sky. It was cold as well – even inside the castle. Way too cold to be October.

"Are you in a hurry?" Amy asked when Hermione rushed past her in the Common Room.

"I have to pack my things," Hermione mumbled.

"Yeah, I wondered why you hadn't done so before..."

Fifteen minutes later, she hoped that she hadn't forgotten something, and levitated her trunk down the stairs. She noticed Amy, Gladys and the twins sitting in the Common room with their trunks as well.

"So you guys are going home too?" she asked.

"You asked us yesterday!" Gladys said.

"Oh," Hermione said, although she was very sure that she hadn't asked them at all.

In that moment, the portrait hole was opened and James and Lily entered, without trunks.

"So you guys aren't leaving for the holidays?" Hermione asked.

"You asked us yesterday, don't you remember?" James said as he slid his arm around Hermione's waist.

"We'd go," Gladys said and rose, levitating her trunk with her as she walked towards the portrait hole. Amy and the twins followed.

"I-" Hermione stammered, feeling that the situation was very much out of control. "I don't know what to say," she whispered finally.

Lily leaned in and gave her a hug. "Just promise you'll write, okay?"

"Er... yeah," Hermione said, still confused.

"I'll leave you two alone," Lily said with a mischievous smile and followed the others out through the portrait hole, leaving Hermione and James alone in the common room.

"God, I'll miss you," he said, holding her close.

The thoughts and emotions in Hermione's head were raging. She felt all mixed up, and still couldn't understand that it was December. It had been early October yesterday, she could have sworn!

He kissed her softly on her cheek. "It's only five minutes left, you'd go."

Hermione nodded, unable to speak.

"Owl me, promise you'll owl me," James said. "I love you."

Hermione nodded again. It was like she'd lost the ability to talk. He pushed her gently in the back. "Go now!"

She levitated her trunk in front of her while climbing out through the portrait hole. What was happening? She had absolutely no clue.

"We should keep in touch!" Amy said.

It was just the two of them left on Platform 9 ¾ by now.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah," she said, her voice shaking.

Amy leant in to give her a hug, then waved and disappeared through the barrier. Hermione took a deep breath and walked towards it as well. Just before she should bump into it, she closed her eyes, just as she always did, and when she opened them again, there was no sign of Amy.

"Hermione, dear!"

Hermione span around and saw her parents coming hurrying towards her. Her mum threw her arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.

"Oh, honey, how have you been? We haven't heard a word from you!"

"I- I've been busy," Hermione mumbled. "I told you I might be."

Her dad hugged her as well, and then they set off towards the car.

Hermione sat in her room, staring at the parchment. Dumbledore had told her that she was the reason why James and Lily got together – but not exactly how. What had happened?

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

I'm home again. I'm very unsure whether or not I have accomplished my task but I certainly hope I did. James and Lily weren't exactly going out, but... You never explained exactly how they got together.

I have another question; the last two months over there passed by very fast, like during one night. I am very sure that it was October, but then on the following morning it was December. How could this have happened?

Yours sincerely,

Hermione Granger

She read it twice. It didn't sound good, but... that was all she could come up with, for now. She laid the parchment aside and took a new one.

Dear Harry and Ron,

I'm back from South Africa. It was awesome, but I'll tell you more when I get to Hogwarts.

How have you been? What's happened? Who are Head Boy and Girl? I've really missed you and Hogwarts.

Hoping I'll see you soon,

Hermione

She folded both parchments and sent them away with her owl before going to sleep.

"Hermione, darling?" her mum's voice rang into her sweet dreams. "There's an owl here for you. Besides, it's 9 o'clock, so you should be up."

Hermione sat up in her bed, yawning. She stood up, swayed a little with sleepiness, and then walked downstairs after having collected her bathrobe. As her mother had said, there was an owl sitting on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. She took the letter from it, after which the owl immediately took off again and set out through the open window.

Dear Miss Granger,

I'm afraid that I do not understand what you are talking about. Neither do I understand why you are sending an owl to Professor Dumbledore since he is no longer with us.

I'm glad to hear that you are back, though. In times like these we need all the happiness we can get.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

WHAT? What did she mean with that? Dumbledore not longer with them... Dumbledore dead? A very uncomfortable feeling was growing in her stomach, and she got the feeling that something wasn't right.

Just then, another owl came in, simply dropping a letter before turning around and leaving again. Hermione immediately recognized Ron's writing, and wondered how come he hadn't sent Pig – because that owl had definitively not been Pig.

Hermione,

First; 'Dear Harry and Ron'? I think your owl mixed me up with someone cause there's no Harry here. Besides, why would you ask how I'd been? And you definitively wouldn't have written that you missed me.

And I don't give a damn about you being back. It's been nice not having you around.

Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson are Head Boy and Girl. It would be interesting seeing the look on your face right now. I bet I'd have a good laugh.

Don't know why I even bother writing to you. I should be writing an essay for Professor Potter. Idiot. Just because the girl he loved never owled him back, he's like moaning for his whole life.

Hoping I won't see you soon,

Ron

Hermione's eyes filled with tears. Was this some kind of cruel joke or something? No, a little voice inside her said. Ron would never say those sorts of things to her – sure he had said some mean things before, but not such things.

The uncomfortable feeling in her stomach grew stronger as she read Ron's letter again. There's no Harry here. It couldn't… She had messed it up!

"Honey, are you okay?" her mum asked, entering the kitchen. "You look pale."

"I'm fine," Hermione mumbled.

"So you got owls from your friends? I'm so happy for you, getting friends at last.You've had a rough time at Hogwarts, I know, but-"

"I have to go," Hermione said abruptly, span around and ran upstairs.

When having entered her room, she threw herself on the bed and buried her face in the pillow. It took less than a minute before tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Harry did not exist? Wait a minute... essay for Professor Potter? Professor Potter? Like in... James Potter?

Suddenly she got it all clear. Dumbledore dead. McGonagall Headmistress. They needed a new Transfiguration teacher... James' speciality was after all Transfiguration... The girl who never owled him back...

Oh no. Tears were now flooding down her face if possible even more heavily than earlier. She cried, and cried, and cried, until her eyelids were heavier, and heavier, and heavier... once again, she drifted off to the world of dreams.

Author's note: Freaky, huh? But this is not the end. If you think this chapter was a little bit out of character I'm sorry, but... yeah, just keep reading, I'll fix it, I swear, it's not like you think it is.

Tip of the Day: Another movie called While You Were Sleeping, with Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman.

Thankful for reviews, constructive criticism and anything,

Megafreak