A/N: Hey, everyone! I'm not dead! Yes, I know this chapter's been waiting on my C drive forever and I couldn't be bothered to post it… nah, I'm kidding. I've just written it. It hasn't been checked or anything so don't expect top quality stuff. I'm not pleased with it, to tell you the truth – but Hermione/Harry banter!! YAY!!!

Enjoy!

From Age to Age the Same

Chapter 5 -Discussion.

"All right," said Madam Pomfrey. "You can get up now. I wouldn't recommend any strenuous activity for a few weeks – or at least until those wounds heal properly," she added at the look on Harry's face.

"Thanks," said Harry, sitting up and stretching. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you're amazing."

Silas might have been imagining it, but he could have sworn he'd seen his Pomfrey blush.

"Quite the charmer, aren't you?" said Remus, when Madam Pomfrey had bustled back into her office.

"I try," Harry said vaguely, putting his elbows on his knees and rubbing his eyes. Ron nudged young Harry, who rolled his eyes at Silas, who giggled.

"What's so funny?" asked his father.

"Nothing," Silas said quickly.

There was a brief silence while everyone weighed up the situation. Silas was Harry Potter's son, and they were here from thirteen years into the future. Future Harry was married.

"Iris?" younger Harry finally asked.

Mr. Potter sighed. "You do realise I'm going to have to obliviate you all when we go back."

No one argued with this. Harry looked at Snape. "Acceptable," said the Potions Master.

"Well," said Mr. Potter. All we have to do now is wait. There are charms to test for time-travel –"

"Really?" Hermione cut in.

"Very recently developed," Harry told her with a wink. "Hermione'll tell them to check. Once they've done that they ought to be able to determine what time we were sent to – that's if Hermione's research hasn't been buried under mounds of 'personal projects'…"

"Wait!" Ron cut in. "You're saying Hermione invented this thing?"

"As we are constantly reminded," said Harry with a pained expression. "Spell inventors are highly revered among the general populace. She's a very rich woman – most of the time."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked.

"She gives it all away, of course!" Silas cut in before his father could reply. "I think it's nice."

"I think it's stupid," said the older Harry and Ron at the same time. Everyone else just looked confused. "She gives it all away to House Elf research and occasionally Werewolf support," Harry continued, "not that that's a bad thing," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender, "but our department's dirt poor and she doesn't even think of donating anything to our cause –"

"That's because there's no point to your cause, dirt brain," said a voice from the window. Silas looked up to see his aunt looking sternly over at them. Silas' hearth got a whole ton lighter as he launched himself at her. "Hermione!"

"Oh, thank goodness," the woman exclaimed, holding Silas close to her. "What on earth were you thinking, running away from your mother like that? We didn't know whether you'd been killed or captured or thrown into another time dimension –"

"Couldn't mum See what happened?" Silas asked innocently. Hermione rolled her eyes. "You know I don't believe in that sort of thing, dear," she said, tucking a single strand of hair behind her ear. The rest of her hair was cut short and tucked into a tight knot on the back of her head. It suited her without question, as did the white lab-coat she wore over her robes. The three sixteen year olds could only stare in disbelief.

"And you," she rounded on Harry.

"Uh oh," muttered the man, just loud enough for Remus to hear. The Professor covered his smile with his hands.

"This is most definitely not how that Time Turner was meant to be used ," the older version of Hermione continued. "And what did you think you were doing," telling them about the future like that – yes, I heard you. Now I'll have to call in our obliviators."

"They're not children Hermione," said Harry, making a pointed glance at Dumbledore and Snape. "Don't blame me if your younger self managed to work the whole thing out within seconds."

"I bet you gave them clues," said Hermione crossly. "You're good at that."

"Hermione, I landed on my own in the middle of the Forbidden forest with our stupid Time Turner embedded in my chest, without knowing what had happened to my son. They were bound to ask a couple of questions."

Hermione's face fell. The next second she had her arms around his neck, holding him to her like a child. This time, Harry didn't make a sharp comeback. He closed his eyes and stroked her hair. It got a little mussed but she didn't seem to notice.

"Touching," Snape growled. Silas had almost forgotten he was there, and it made him jump.

"Wonderful to see you too, old Sour Puss," Hermione half-laughed through her tears as she stood up. The expression on Snape's face after this remark made nearly everyone laugh, except Snape, who got up to leave. "Wait!" Hermione called after him. When he turned, he found the woman had her wand on him. The nerve of her! "Sorry," she said. "No one leaves this room - not until the obliviators get here. Sorry, Professor," she added to Dumbledore. "Quite understandable," Miss Granger," said the Headmaster, making Hermione turn a bright shade of red.

"Gosh, no one's called me that for ten years," she said. The older Harry laughed – but stopped quickly and winced at the pain in his chest. Hermione – already at his side, knelt down beside him. "Are you all right?" she asked quickly.

Harry groaned. "I knew this would happen," he moaned. "You're going to be just like you all were at the end of the war – oh, Harry! You've cut your finger – quick, let me help you, you can't possibly do that by yourself – quick let's get you to a hospital…' I thought I'd weaned you off all that rubbish."

"There's nothing wrong with concern, Harry, as I have been trying to tell you for years. Anyway – the paper cut thing was Ron's silly joke."

"It was better than yours," Harry smiled. "'Hmm, Harry… you've fallen off your broom and broken your arm? That's too bad. Are you sure you need medical attention? We should probably let you deal with it yourself – we wouldn't want to intrude or anything…"

Hermione made a face quite unsuitable for a woman of her age. "Well… you were being a silly prig."

"And you were being obnoxious."

"Are they always like this?" Remus asked Silas, apparently still trying not to laugh.

"Usually," said Silas, grinning. Everything would be all right now that his aunt was here.

"Well, is anyone else joining this merry gathering, or can we go home now?" Mr. Potter asked his friend.

"You are in no state whatsoever to time-travel," Hermione told him firmly. "Anyway, I'm just the runner. They'll have to completely remake all of the spell system to enable anyone to go back through it from here."

"What's a runner?" the younger Hermione squeaked. She was obviously trying to act as though she was completely over the sight of her older self, but was quite clearly still reeling from the experience.

"An observer, dear," the older Hermione told her younger self fondly. "A few of us were sent to see if we could locate the missing persons – that's Harry and Silas – and once we all arrive we can set up a time gateway on this side."

"Sounds awfully simple," said young Harry.

"But it's not," said the Harry in the bed. "You were first of course."

"Obviously."

"Who are the others?"

"How am I supposed to know – I was first on the scene and left straight away."

"That's not like you."

"Harry – when it's you, it's never like me."

"I appreciate that."

"Hey, guys!" Everyone looked up.

The next runner had arrived.

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The end! Nah, just kidding. Please review, and when you have, go read chapter four of Evanesco, for it is up at last! And if you've just come from there, go BACK and leave me another review…. Ok, now I'm just desperate shrug

Love to everyone,

Laterose