AN: Sorry this took so long. Thanks to all of those who reviewed!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 3: Past and Present

There was a dramatic puff of smoke as they arrived at their destination. Harry went into a coughing fit. Ron and Hermione waited for him to recover.

"Alright, now what is it?" Harry asked. "What are you showing us?"

"See for yourself," Ron said softly.

The smoke finally cleared and Harry and Hermione realized they were in the Great Hall.

"Look, the Gryffindor table!" Harry shouted. "There we are." The trio watched themselves standing together. It was fifth year. The past-Hermione stood on her tiptoes and gave Ron a kiss on the cheek.

"So what's the big deal?" Harry asked. "She did that to me to…and EARLIER! I win!"

"But look," Ron said. "Look how I reacted."

The past-Ron was touching his cheek in amazement as if shocked at what had just happened. He left his hand where Hermione had kissed him as he walked with Harry out of the Great Hall.

"This shouldn't count," Harry whined. "We didn't get see my hot, steamy cheek kiss with Hermione after fourth year."

Ron rolled his eyes. "You want to see it? We will." He closed his eyes and the three disappeared again.

They reappeared at King's Cross Station. They watched their past selves saying goodbye to each other. Hermione leaned in and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek. Harry…

Did nothing.

"You didn't even react!" Ron shouted. "I was mesmerized, thank you very much."

"Are you kidding me? Did you see the passion, the emotion, the pure raw sexual tension all wrapped up in a subtle cheek kiss?" Harry asked. "We practically had sex right in the middle of the train station-"

"Actually, Harry," Hermione interrupted. "I have to admit that I didn't really have feelings for you there. I was just so worried about you and everything that happened. I thought you could use the extra gesture."

"Kind of like how I clapped you on the back," Ron said. "Unless you thought I was molesting you."

Harry glared. "Okay, all this shows is how the past proves nothing. Show me something in the past that actually tells us something important. None of this cheek-kissing crap either. I want rock-solid evidence that you two are destined for each other."

"Harry I don't need to take you in the past to show you that," Ron said gently. "I've always cared for Hermione in that way. That's why I always let her drive me nuts."

Hermione smiled. "That is true."

Ron gave a smug grin.

"I'm still not sold entirely," Hermione said. "Things change. We might have adored each other in the past, but that doesn't mean Harry and I aren't in love now."

Harry nodded and put his strong, Quidditch-toned arm around her tiny, size 3 waist.

"Okay," Ron muttered. "Just curious. Why do you two feel you belong together?"

"Because we love each other!" Harry yelled. "And we both have messy hair…and we…erm..have the same initials…you know…HJ."

"So you're going to bond over your shared love of expensive tangle-reducing shampoo and the letters H and J?" Ron asked.

"Hey, I defeated Voldemort," Harry told him. "I deserve to have a nice quiet life away from the press, barring my professional Quidditch career, of course, and raising a family of beautiful green-eyed book-loving children with my wonderful wife."

"But your kids would have horrendously messy hair," Ron said. "Won't anyone think of the children?"

"That's true," Harry muttered. "I didn't think of that. Marrying Ginny would save me quite a number of Galleons on hair potions for the tots."

"You need more evidence?" Ron asked. "I will show you the effect your choices are having on other people right now."

The trio disappeared once more and this time found themselves at the Burrow. A girl was crying on her bed.

"Ginny?" Harry said uncertainly. "Why is she crying?"

"She misses you Harry," Ron said sadly. "Don't you remember? You were together for quite a while. You were very into each other. I don't even know why you went after Hermione."

"Well you died," Harry said. "I couldn't miss my opening."

Harry walked over to Ginny. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"She can't hear you," Ron said softly.

"Oh, Harry," Ginny whispered to no one, wiping away her tears. "I am glad that you're happy, even if it is with someone else."

"How very Lifetime movie of her," Hermione said.

"Hermione!" Ron scolded. "She's heartbroken."

"It's not like Harry's the only one on the planet for her. She'll find someone else," Hermione pointed out.

"What about soulmates and all that crap?" Ron asked her. "What if Harry was Ginny's?"

"I'm logical," Hermione stated. "I can't believe that soulmate nonsense."

"Hey!" Harry shouted. "What about our soulmatey love of soulmatey goodness and our soulmatey romantic dinners, and who can forget our soulmatey sex?"

"Harry, what I did to you last night had nothing to do with our souls."

"Ah," Harry said, "but it did have something to do with mating."

"Well we only have one more stop to make. I have one more thing in my arsenal that will hopefully help you two to see the truth," Ron told them.

"The future," Hermione said.

Ron nodded. "Let's see what your future is like without me, without Ginny, without the people you two were destined to be with."

AN: Please review!