The Tricks of Time

Chapter One:

Conversations While Flying

OCARD DNA ENOIMREH

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

OCARD DNA ENOIMREH

The night air was thick and unusually quiet for such a woody area, normally abuzz with the sound of small forest animals. The wind blew quietly through the trees creating a gentle whistling sound. The white cotton curtains that hung from an open window of the only house hidden by something other than trees blew softly in the deceivingly calm breeze.

If one had been able to look inside of the second story window then they would have seen a white oak crib sitting right underneath it. Tucked safely beneath the light blue and pale yellow blankets slept a little boy with small wisps of pure ebony-black hair and light green eyes.

Many people would talk for years and years to come of what would happen to that little boy, on this night. Some of those people would fear and hate him, others adore and love him, and all would pity him. This knowledge was the reason for which there were currently two "Comet-Two-Sixty" Broomsticks missing from the Hogwarts Quidditch store rooms.

Flying via broomstick was not something that Hermione Granger did very often, simply because she usually had no need to. In fact this was one of the rare times that she could be found on a broomstick. Perhaps it was because of her serious lack of practice in the area of flying that she found herself having quite a bit of trouble controlling her broomstick. It was even more unfortunate in her opinion that her traveling partner had noticed her lack of ability to fly, something which he happened to be very good at.

"I know that you've never been good at anything you can't learn out of a book Granger, but you can't possibly be that bad at flying." Malfoy said raising an eyebrow as the front of her broom swung to the left as she struggled to pull it to the right.

"Well I'm sorry that I don't spend all of my extra time doing back-flips on broomsticks, but I happen to prefer to use my time doing something slightly more intellectually stimulating than flying." She retorted tightening her grip on the handle as she tried to keep her voice from shaking.

Draco tilted his broom slightly closer to hers so that he was close enough to her for their outer legs to touch. He glanced up at her briefly to see how well balanced she was before grabbing the handle of her Comet with his right hand.

"Granger, swing your right leg over so that you're sitting side-saddle," he told her. He expected her to be very difficult and refuse but instead she just starred at him for a moment, as if sizing him up, before doing as he told her.

Hermione swung her leg right leg over carefully, very thankful for the summers she spent doing Judo with her muggle friends. She wasn't really sure why she was doing as he instructed except for the fact that he really was a much better flyer then her and as such probably knew what he was doing. Why should she trust him though? It would be so easy for him to push her off into the night sky. Somehow, as illogical as it was, she just didn't see Malfoy as a cold-hearted killer, obnoxious and egotistical yes, but not a killer.

Draco let go of her Comet and instead wrapped his right hand around her waist from behind, pulling her and her broom closer to him. Not letting go of his own broom he swung his left leg over her Comet so that he was now riding, and thus in control, of both brooms.

Hermione's head snapped around quickly to face his as she felt his hand wrap around her waist, horrified that perhaps she had been wrong and he did intend to throw her off. As he swung his leg over, her fear vanished as she realized what he was doing. She quickly copied his movements and swung her right leg over his broom and let herself sink back into his body.

He grasped the two Comets, one in each hand, very thankful that he was an ambidextrous, as it made the situation quite a bit easier. What didn't help him was the fact that his vision was clouded by soft, citrus smelling brown curls that belonged to the hunching girl in front of him.

"Granger, do something about your hair, it's suffocating me!" Draco exclaimed, clearly annoyed by the fact that he now had a mouthful of her hair to deal with.

"Sorry," she said as she scooted slightly forward on the broom. Fully confident that she was not going to fall with Malfoy's body behind her and his arms on either side of her, she let go of the broom and pulled a red hair tie off of her wrists, promptly drawing her curls up into a messy bun.

Ordinarily he would not have helped her but simply let her struggle, right now he knew that they needed to get to where they were going. He wasn't even sure where Godric's Hollow was, although he'd heard his father talking about it many times before. He knew by Granger's reaction when she found out what the date was that something very important was clearly going to happen tonight, he just wished he could remember what. He cursed himself for not paying more attention in Professor Bin's class; although he was sure that the curriculum in that class didn't cover anything that happened after 1700.

His first guess would be that it was the night that Potter vanquished the Dark Lord but that would just be too much of a coincidence. Besides "Godric's Hollow" sounded like something that someone would name a large, grand estate. While he knew that the Potter's had had a small fortune it certainly wasn't enough to afford the magnificent mansion he was envisioning.

"Granger, what and where is Godric's Hollow?" Draco asked her inquisitively. He felt her shrink back into him, almost as if afraid of something. He really didn't know why she would be scared; it wasn't as if he'd yelled at her. He'd only asked a perfectly reasonable, logical question.

"Malfoy," She started in a inquiring, somewhat shaky voice, "I know you don't like muggles or muggleborns but, well, what is your position on Voldemort?" Whatever he was expecting she could tell it was not that question by the shocked expression on his face.

"What kind of trick question is that Granger?" He asked angrily, glaring at her, only inches away from her face. "If I say I do then you'll run off and tell your precious headmaster the first chance you get and he'll expel me; but if I say no, then you'll either not believe me or you'll expect me to join you and Potter with all of your "Dumbledore's Army" crap!"

"No, I promise, no matter what you say, I won't tell anyone anything, but it's very important that I know… I should have thought about it before I made you come with me…" She responded not looking at him, but starring determinedly down at her hands which were clutching the broomstick handles just behind Draco's.

"Whatever," he scoffed. He stared directly into her eyes for a moment before slowly glancing upward and continuing. "If you must know I really don't support him… I mean, this whole "mudblood" against "pureblood", or visa-versa, thing just isn't as important to me as it used to be." He told her, finishing softly, almost inaudibly.

Hermione thought that he almost sounded as if he wasn't really sure with what he was saying. She found it hard to believe that after all of the comments he had made about her heritage that he really didn't find one's ancestry important anymore.

She was just about tell him this but he spoke first: "Don't get me wrong Granger, I don't think of every one as being equal or anything like that, but I think what's more important is what a person makes of themselves. There are some mudbloods, like you, that are almost worth my time, and some purebloods that I can't stand. Most purebloods don't really like each other, but they respect each other because of the family's wealth and prestige… It's like your friend Weasley, I don't like him or his family, but if his family was rich like mine, or if he became rich, then I'd at least respect him." Draco explained no longer looking at her but concentrating on starring at her hair tie, which he suddenly found very interesting for no particular reason.

Hermione turned her head and looked at him for a second, as if trying to fully comprehend what he had said. It was quite interesting to her that he had clearly spent some time analyzing the pureblood vs. muggleborn concept, but it wasn't surprising. It would be like someone from the muggle world, who was brought up to believe that their race or religion was better then someone else's having to decide for themselves whether or not it was true… It was a part of growing up…

"So, you're saying that a person's social standing and wealth are more important then their ancestry?" She asked, trying to insure that she was correct in her interpretation of his admission.

"Basically," he responded now gazing out into the night, looking at nothing unparticular, although Hermione was sure that he was trying to avoid her gaze.

"Well, I'm not saying that I agree completely but I do think that you're right in saying that what a person makes of themselves is more important then judging them by the family they are born into. When I say "what a person makes of themselves" though I mean morally and ethically, what kind of person they become, on the inside." She told him turning her head around to face him.

His steal colored eyes were purposely avoiding her honey-brown ones and she could tell, but it didn't really bother her. She understood what he was going through; she had had to question her own Christian beliefs when she received her letter from Hogwarts, and it was very confusing at first. Malfoy now had to do the same thing now, deciding whether or not what he was raised to believe was correct. It was a part of growing up and breaking away from ones family to discover one's self; she was just lucky she had been able to go though it at a much younger age.

"Besides," he said, still not looking at her, "I don't think the Dark Lord is really interested in getting rid of mudbloods and muggles, he just says that because he knows that people who do want to get rid of them will follow him if he says he can deliver complete separation of the muggle and wizarding worlds. What he-who-must-not-be-named wants is power, but you need resources to gain and fund that power, that's why he needs pureblood followers, because they have money, money that they'll give to him." Draco finished still

"I'd always thought that too; although the people that he gets to follow him are assets in themselves. After all, there's power in numbers. I'm sure that's all they are to him though, just tools that don't have any value to him as living, breathing beings." She added still gazing up at him, interested to see how he would respond, if at all.

Draco looked back down at her, making direct eye contact. He held her gaze for a moment, surprised that she had just voiced exactly what he had also thought. He figured he was the only one who thought that way; that he had to be the only one who saw the shades of grey.

"Yeah…" He muttered under his breath still staring at her even though she had turned and was no longer facing him.

"Thanks for telling me though," she said. He could feel the muscles in her back relax slightly, like she suddenly had much less to be worried about.

"Anyway Granger, what is "Godric's Hollow"?" Draco asked her again, his voice much lighter then it had been a second before.

"Oh, it's a small village just west of Bath." She responded slightly surprised that his mood had changed from, somewhat reserved to more closely resemble his usual joking disposition.

"Bit of a small town, good shopping though." He commented leaning back on the broom. "Why are we going to Godric's Hollow though?" He asked, trying not to sound like an idiot.

"You're kidding right?" She asked, turning her head inquiringly in disbelief.

"No." He told her a bit coldly; evidently annoyed that she felt the information should be obvious.

Instead of answering him, Hermione just stared at him sadly for a moment before turning her head back around. Her back straitened against his chest so that he could now comfortable rest his chin on her shoulder if he wanted to. His lower face was once again disturbed by the ball of honey-brown hair under it but this time he just sat up strait so that her hair was once again safely tucked beneath his chin.

He decided that he wasn't going to wait for her to answer, and instead tried to give an explanation as to why he didn't know in hopes that perhaps she'd speak up. "I heard something about Godric's Hollow before, but I didn't know it was a village… I always thought that it was a large mansion or something, the way that people talk about it. My father's mentioned it before… in conversation… but I never really paid attention. I always figured it was the estate of some family that had pissed him off." He finished, eyeing the back of her head carefully, trying to see any reaction.

"God, I hate flying…" She told him, although he wasn't sure if he was talking to him or herself. He decided that it would be wise not to responded and just hope that she would continue.

"It's a good thing its dark," She started, still not looking at him, "otherwise I'm sure that quite a few muggles would have seen us, like those one's back in Edinburgh." She sounded like she was purposely trying to avoid his question, and it was beginning to annoy him greatly.

She shifted her body slightly to the left hoping to find a more comfortable position. She absolutely despised flying, sometimes she felt as though it was the bane of her existence. It wasn't as though she were afraid of heights like she had told Harry and Ron, because she certainly wasn't. Flying was just something she just was not good at and she wasn't going to make a fool out of herself by continuously trying to defy whatever laws her genetics had set out for her by attempting to fly when not absolutely necessary.

"Yeah, anyway Granger, about Godric's Hollow…" Malfoy again asked, trailing off.

"Godric's Hollow, well it's the village that Harry's parents lived in." She told him, her voice slightly shaky but reserved. She didn't understand why she had trouble telling him about Godric's Hollow, it wasn't as if it were her parents about to be murdered. She supposed that it was the knowledge of what was going to happen though. She could picture it so clearly in her mind; it was so horrifically notorious, the events that were to happen.

"The Potters?" Draco muttered to himself, realization dawning on him. He suddenly felt very stupid for not considering the possibility seriously.

"Tonight they're going to be murdered by Voldemort and Harry will be taken to the Dursleys. I'm sure you know the rest of the story." She said defensively. She was waiting for him to try and turn the brooms around, tell her not to do what she was going to do…

"So what are we going to do?" He asked her gazing down at the top of her head. "Are we going to warn the Potters?" He continued, answering his own question, although she wasn't sure whether he was asking her if that was the plan or suggesting it.

"Not exactly," she responded cryptically, once again staring down at her hands determinedly.

"So, what are we going to do?" He asked curiously. Before she could answer though a horrible thought occurred to him, "You aren't going to try to kill The Dark Lord are you Granger?" His eyes widened in disbelief when she didn't respond right away, afraid that he had indeed guessed her plan.

"No, the thought had come to mind, but I know that it's impossible." She responded glancing back at him. She sighed heavily and turned back to face him completely. "Don't think me heartless Malfoy, but Harry has to destroy Voldemort," She told him waiting for his reaction. When he gave no apparent response she continued, "We can't change history that drastically, but we can make Harry's life better." She finished glancing down at a very interesting piece of grey lint on Draco's right sleeve.

"What makes you think that I want to help Potter have a happy little childhood with a white picket fence and a puppy dog?" He asked sarcastically, immediately regretting it when he saw her reaction.

Hermione spun hear head around, angered and even slightly surprised at his response. She glared at him directly in the eyes as if she were trying to burn a hole through them. She knew that she shouldn't be so upset by his response; it was what she should have expected from him.

"You know Malfoy," she started her voice low and dangerous, "I should have expected that from you. You don't know what it's like though, to grow up without parents, and instead with relatives who treated you like the dirt under their feet!" She exclaimed venomously her eyes reflecting the anger in her voice.

"Calm down, I didn't say I wouldn't do it, I was only expressing the fact that I don't really care much about Potter." He responded guiltily leaning into his palms and putting his weight on the broom so that the Comet dropped further below the clouds.

Hermione gasped in surprise as they flew into a large fluffy white cloud, which was thankfully free of water. She had never been up this high before and had certainly never flown through a cloud. It was a very odd sensation, she decided as she lifted her hand and watched it rip gentle holes through what she was sure was a cumulus cloud.

"So, what exactly are we going to do?" He asked trying to sound apologetic as he pulled the Comet Two-Sixty up so that it they now flew at an even level about three feet beneath the lowest cloud.

She pulled her arm back in and tucked it securely back underneath Draco's, wondering vaguely if he fingers had frostbite. "Well," she started, "About how good are you at conjuring?" She asked him, not answering his question.

"That's really advanced magic Granger; we won't even start that until after winter holidays." He told her looking at her skeptically.

"Do you know how to conjure anything though?" She pressed, rolling her eyes at him. She knew that he could do magic more advanced then what sixth years were supposed to know by the end of October.

"Well, just some basic stuff, nothing living…" He trailed off a little unsure of why she was asking.

"Of course not, that's illegal!" She responded, seemingly appalled at the thought. "Anyway," she continued, "I was thinking, that if we were careful we could probably manage to conjure a small rope." She finished, looking up at him, to see if he would object.

"That'll be easy Granger, why are you getting your knickers in a twist over that? You can conjure can't you?" He asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Out of spider silk." She replied, not answering his question.

"Are you mad? You do know about the theory behind conjuring?" Draco retorted, staring at her as if she had suddenly grown a second head.

"Yes, equivalent exchange, I know. That's why it'll probably take both of us to do it. I just hope that there are enough spiders around, they aren't very abundant this time of year." She muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.

"So what do we need rope for, exactly?" Draco asked her, putting emphasis on "exactly". He was getting tired of not getting a direct answer from her.

"To tie up Harry's dad, if need be." She replied leaning her head back so that it rested lightly on the crook of his neck.

"Why spider silk though?" He asked looking down at her curiously.

"Spider silk is incredibly strong." She started not looking up at him but crossing her arms under her chest.

"Do you know what a car is?" She asked him, glancing up at him inquiringly. He nodded his head in answer and looked down at her waiting for her to continue.

"Well, I watched a documentary on television once about how a team of a team of geneticists lifted a string of six four ton cars off of the ground using only one line of rope made out of spider silk, only one inch in diameter. It really was quite fascinating…" She told him pulling her robes around her more tightly.

Hermione didn't know why she was leaning on him, ordinarily their position would be far to intimate for her to allow. Right now though she was just tired, not physically, but mentally. She didn't want to tell him what she planned to do, even though she knew that she needed to. She felt like a horrible monster, she was going to let an innocent person die. She knew it had to be done, but that didn't change the guilt she was already feeling.

Draco looked down at the girl in front of him. She was looking down at her arms which were folded under her chest. Her bottom lip protruded slightly although her lips were pursed. Her whole body was shaking slightly and her cheeks were flushed, he supposed it was because she was cold; after all, she didn't have her cloak. He wanted to ask her a million questions at the moment, and he was going to, but when he saw a small clear drop of liquid slide down her cheek he decided it would be better to remain quiet.

OCARD DNA ENOIMREH

Hey!

Hope everyone like this chapter… It was kind of short, but the next one, "Finding What You Cannot See", should be longer. I'm not sure I'm entirely happy with this chapter, but maybe that's just me, you know what they say "You're your own worst critic." This chapter is probably pretty confusing though because we still don't know for sure what Hermione's planning… but in the next chapter you will find out! I'd love to see if anyone can guess though! Don't worry though, a lot will be explained in the next chapter… I hope

Thanks to all of my readers, but a special thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it!

Please R&R, let me know what you think!

El Ci Aech Johnson