Author's Note: Okay my lovely peeps, this is it; the final chapter before the epilogue.

LyssaTucci - You'll see. You'll see. ::evil laugh::

Jasmijn - No no, I think it is very fair indeed.

Captain Oblivious - ::army of pineapples comes after you for revenge:: No one cuts my pineapple into pieces except for me! Ha! ::laughs:: Okay, I'll get serious. Yeah, messing with the Marauders is like a slide directly to hell. I wouldn't do it.

Dramagirl – It said in the book that James was a seeker? Cause I've heard everywhere that he's a seeker in the movies; and a chaser in the books (although he does indeed play with the snitch in the OotP). However, in my story he's a seeker. It's not very relevant for the story so please, let's just skip any more seeker/chaser debate, okay?

Monkeystarz – You don't find the pineapple terrifying?

Indiegurl2000 – I've made a mental note on thanking the pineapple for making you review.

Angel of Slytherin – Thanks for your long and nice review (although they are always nice). I have to admit I kind of liked some of the lines in the previous chapter too… you know; sometimes a sentence just pops up in your head and it just says 'click'. Love that feeling.

Lils – I think there's plenty of stories where 'enemies' (Lily and James, Hermione and Draco, etc) are locked up in a room together for quite a time. It's an usual plot and usually does not end in a very surprising way (of course it ends with the two people falling in love). But, I want to make my story a little more… creative, so thereby I won't use that.

KLLRS – Yay! Updated again!

Chapter 10 – Change

"Don't forget anything now", Sirius said.

It was about two weeks later, and he and Hermione stood hidden in Hogsmeade.

"I'm not an idiot!" she said.

"Never said you were."

"Are you thoroughly sure this will work, then?"

"Of course. I'm the master of intrigues, remember?"

Hermione wasn't entirely convinced, but she had to admit that this was the only kind of plan she'd got. And it was barely two months left.

"Yeah whatever", she said. "I'm going now, or Lily will start wondering where I am."

"Remember – three o'clock in th-"

"The three broomsticks. I remember!" she said before marching off to head back to Lily.

But five seconds later she was back.

"Now what?!" Sirius asked with a roll with his eyes. He should have known she would mess it up, he should have done it himself long ago…

"It's James!" she hissed. "He's here."

"WHAT?!"

"Ssch, quiet", she whispered. "I thought you said to meet him at 2:30?!"

"I did."

"So what is he doing here now?!"

"I don't know!"

"This can ruin the whole plan!"

"Calm down! Don't worry, I'll take care of it", he said, although Hermione couldn't feel very calm at all – especially when Sirius had said he'd take care of it. She didn't really trust him (at least not in this age) when he said he'd take care of things.

But Sirius left and walked out onto the street, heading for James. But he was only a couple of metres away when he turned around abruptly and literally ran back to her. He pushed her further into the narrow space, forcing her to hide even better.

"Ouch!" she hissed. "What was that for?"

"Ssch, look now", he whispered. "He's not alone!"

Hermione gazed out into the moving crowd, searching for James, and when she caught sight of she couldn't help making big eyes.

The first thing that had caught her attention was his hand, which was holding another person's hand.

Oh crap, Hermione thought. If he went and hooked up with another girl, she'd never be able to get them together.

But who was this other girl? Hermione looked a bit further up, and saw that the girl who was with him had very familiar red, curly hair up in a messy bun, just like Lily had had hers today…

"Holy cow", Hermione said, stunned.

"Bloody hell", Sirius agreed. "I thought you told her to wait for you."

"I did!"

"So… what is she doing out here?"

"Does that matter? I really think I prefer that it happened this way."

"Of course… I was just teasing you."

Sine both James and Lily had disappeared out of their sight, Sirius and Hermione stepped out from where they had been hiding.

"Well done", Sirius said.

"You too."

"Well, now that this obviously isn't needed, erm… mind if I leave you here? I want to go and look for… someone."

"No, not at all. You go."

"Thanks!" he said, spun around and hurried away.

"Hey Sirius!" she shouted after him.

He turned around. "What?"

"I think Amy mentioned earlier she needed some new robes", Hermione said innocently.

He stared at her.

"Meaning she's probably over in the robes shop", she added.

"How… I mean…" Sirius just stood there speechless. Hermione found it quite amusing, especially since he wasn't the type to now know what to say.

"I'm not blind, you know", she said. "See you around!"
Later in the evening, when they had finished dinner, Hermione sat in the common room reading a muggle book.

"Alyssa?"

She looked up, and there was Lily.

"Are you busy?"

"No, not at all", Hermione said and closed the book.

"What are you reading?"

"Muggle book."

"Oh? Which?"

"Sherlock Holmes – it's about-"

"Yes, I know what it's about, I love that book. Are you… are you a muggle born?!"

Hermione debated with herself for a while, not sure of what to say. But then; why couldn't she tell Lily she was a muggle born? She knew Lily was one too.

"Yeah", Hermione said.

"Really? Me too!"

"You are?" Hermione said, acting surprised, which she naturally wasn't.¨

"Yeah! However, I'd like to talk to you… got a minute?"

"Sure", Hermione said.

"Could we go for a walk?"

"Of course."

Hermione dropped her book in her dormitory and also took her coat, since it was starting to get quite cold outside. Lily also wanted to fetch hers, so they stopped outside the Head Boy and Girl common room for that. Then, however, they finally walked out on the castle grounds.

"I… um…" Lily started. "I don't want to make you upset or something, but…"

Hermione had her suspicions where this conversation might lead.

"Try me", she said.

"Okay." Lily took a deep breath. "I… um… James and I, we are… in love."

Hermione smiled to herself. She didn't know why she found it so amusing, but with Lily's careful glances from the side she thought it was even funnier.

"What's so funny?" Lily asked curiously.

Hermione let out a laugh before she answered. "I saw you guys earlier today."

"You did?"

Hermione nodded.

"And you're not upset?"

She shook her head. No, she wasn't upset. Honestly, she wasn't. It felt good. She had done what she was supposed to do, and that's it.

"No, Lily, I'm not upset. I mean; I broke up with him, didn't I? It wasn't like he cheated on me with you."

"True", Lily agreed.

"Now, tell me how it happened."

"Sure you want to hear?"

"Of course!" Hermione punched her lightly in the arm.

"Okay. You know when you said you were going somewhere? You told me to stay – sorry I didn't, by the way-"

"It's quite okay."

"Thanks. However, James kind of strolled in – alone, I wonder where the other Marauders were – and then he caught sight of me, and he just sat down on your chair. Well we started to talk, and that felt really strange, because he was really nice. I couldn't believe it was the same person as two months earlier."

"He's changed."

"He sure is. I think you changed him, Alyssa. I really think you did. Because I noticed almost immediately when you two started… well going out, that somehow you must have had a good influence on him. He acted so different. So I really wanted to thank you."

"You know, that isn't really necessary. You did that earlier, remember?"

"But I don't know how ever to thank you. If it wasn't for you, we would never be… I would never be this happy. James wouldn't have realized how to treat a girl, and…" her voice died away.

The girls had come back in front of the main entrance by now.

"I just wanted to tell you that", Lily finished.

Hermione smiled. "Well, thanks."

Lily smiled back. "I've got to go. See you tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow", Hermione echoed.

Lily hurried away towards the Head Boy and Girl common room. Hermione, however, did not return to the Gryffindor common room, but sat down on a bench just outside the entrance in confused thoughts.

She was supposed to go back in time to get them together. But in the end, she hadn't. They had realized they loved each other just on their own. So; what had she really accomplished?

I changed James, a little voice said in her head. I made him grow up.

Dumbledore had never explained how she was going to get them together. And it wasn't really she who got them together, but hadn't it been because of her?

Maybe she had been supposed to fall in love with James, so he would change. Maybe she never messed up. Perhaps she did just exactly what she was supposed to do.

All this thoughts, swirling around her head felt like they were driving her nuts. But one thought was stronger than every single one of the others.

I did it.

Author's Note: Yep. She sure did.

If everything proceeds like planned, I'll be posting the epilogue within a week, and then it's over for real. ::sobs::

Tip of the Day: There's a really cool TV-show called Martial Law. Especially one episode where a fat Chinese guy dresses up like Santa Claus.

Now review or the evil cucumber will come eat you,

Megafreak