Author's Note: Do you know what I just realized? That every single time in any of my stories that I wrote 'suited', I meant 'situated'. I have absolutely no idea why! And I'm way too lazy to go back and change all of them…

Reviewer's Corner: Ohmigosh I love you guys! I've been getting so many nice reviews so a huge THANK YOU and virtual cookies for everyone!

Sara – Actually I did that because I've lately been becoming a great fan of Hermione/James-pairing. I've think I've been reading too much fan fiction were Lily is all Mary Sue-ish, so now I'm kind of beginning to dislike her.

Jessica-McConacil – Thanks for your eight reviews. ;)

anniePADFOOT (Avadne) – It would be fun, but I'm not exactly clear on how a character who doesn't exist would appear? However, I'm getting anti-Lily too. High five…

LiLbLueangeL1223 – Eh, I hope you haven't been sitting in your chair waiting since last time? Sure it didn't take too long but I hope you made at least a break for eating and sleeping… (Did you know – of course it depends from one person to another but – You can live 3 seconds without blood, 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food. Something like that.)

DarkKestralSilkeQueen – Gaaah what's that thing in the middle of your name? It doesn't exist on my keyboard. What is wrong with my computer?! LoL. Oh wait – I found it! HAHA! SCORE! So I'll go back and fix your name. It's correct now, isn't it?

Punkgirl19892007 – Really? Your review made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Hpbrox22 – Updated for you!

Krystagurl04046 – That's many please! Of course I can write another chapter. In fact, I intend to finish it. ) (And write the finishing part in the trilogy but that's a later matter.)

MissDitzy – No, no, don't slap Hermione! LoL. She can't help it. James is so inexpressibly hot!

Katie – Of course I realize that. But I've got it all worked out. Don't worry! (Uh-Oh…)

Summer – Updated for you too!

Jezabelle – Hehe… maybe I should have. However, being single can be sickening, I completely agree.

Maranda – Ohmigosh you're going to publish a book? That's so cool! Congratulations. However, sorry to disappoint you but I never said this was a Harry/Hermione story…? Wasn't that clear enough?

Angels082005 – Here comes m (more).

Katie – Hm. I'm just trying to figure out whether or not you are the same Katie who I responded to already? So; are there two Katies or just one who reviewed twice?

BiggerstaffStalker – This soon enough?

Andi – I'm updating…

Chapter 10 – Chat and Delays

Hermione groaned and rolled over on one side. Slowly she opened one eye, was dazzled by the sunlight coming in though the windows, and closed it straight away. She leaned back onto her pillow, trying to relax and thereby go back to sleep, but after a while she sort of gave up. Sitting up, she made another attempt to keep her eyes open and succeeded. A brief look around the room told her that her all of her roommates were still asleep.

She had a clock on her bedside table. Not an ordinary muggle clock – such thing wouldn't have worked within the walls of Hogwarts, but a very strange wizarding clock. Instead of usual pointers, there were small planets hovering around the middle. Just a normal human muggle wouldn't even have realized that it was a clock, but Hermione did immediately see that it was half past seven.

For a moment she thought of her first meeting with the wizarding world. She had gone to Diagonalley with her parents and seen all the Wizard artefacts. She hadn't quite been aware of that normal muggle technology didn't work at her soon-to-be school, though. She had arrived at the Hogwarts train with her usual watch but soon realized that it didn't work properly there. Ron and Harry had later on given her this clock, and the next summer she had bought a proper watch too.

But all that seemed so far away right now. If someone would have told me what was going to happen in just a few years, I would have thought they were nuts, she thought with a smile.

But now she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, putting her feet into her slippers (another birthday present from Mrs Weasley). She stood up and headed over to her chest of drawers, in which she rummaged about for a while, looking for some proper clothes. She found some jeans and a black shirt, which she quickly and as quietly as possible got dressed in. When having walked into the bathroom, she brushed her hair until the curls were more controllable and the nougat really appeared. She did a basic makeup, only including concealer to cover up newly bruised spots (one spot to be more exact), foundation, powder and rouge. She rarely bothered using mascara, as her eyelashes already were long and dark.

Now when she was ready, she left the toilet and the dormitory, heading down into the common room. She had decided to choose a book from one of the well-filled bookshelves and read until anyone had woken up. But she had barely chosen a book and settled down onto the too comfortable coach when footsteps could be heard. Someone was coming down from the boys' dormitories.

"Erm… hi, Alyssa", Sirius said.

"Good morning", she said slowly.

"What are you doing up so early?"

"It's almost eight. More surprising seeing you up at this time, isn't it?"

"I've got things to do", he answered shortly. "But I just thought you'd be sleeping longer after having been up late, working with your project – you guys were still left when I left."

Hermione swallowed, remembering the last night. How could she have forgotten? She should have noticed something was missing… something very bothering.

"I know", she said, "but I just woke up so I thought I'd settle myself down here and read something."

"Great", Sirius said but it was obvious he wasn't thoroughly aware of what he was saying. "I've got to go… see you later." And with that, he disappeared out through the Portrait Hole.

Hermione wondered curiously what he was up to, but then she remembered. It was full moon coming up soon. Poor Remus, she thought before returning to her book.

It was Harry, who first appeared in the common room, but it took almost two hours and he did also look very tired.

"Hi Harry", Hermione said cheerfully.

Harry muttered something back.

"Nice to see you too", Hermione joked. "Want to join me for breakfast? Is Ron still asleep?"

Harry nodded. "But you know Ron. He can sleep to noon if he isn't forced to going up. All of the Marauders have gone, though. Bit of strange. Even before I woke up."

Hermione cleared her throat. "It's full moon soon", she said in a low voice.

"Oh", Harry said. "I get it."

"Let's go for breakfast then, shall we?"

"Okay", he said.

When they had arrived down in the Great Hall, it appeared as though that most of the students had woken up by now – the tables were all fairly filled. In fact, the only two seats next to each other left at the Gryffindor table were at one end (next to some first years). Hence, they headed over and sat down there.

"Sunday", Hermione said brightly.

"I hate Sundays", Harry muttered.

"Why?"

"'Cause it's the day before Monday. And you are reminded of all the homework you're supposed to be doing."

Hermione chuckled. "Didn't you do your homework yesterday?"

Harry shook his head. "I hung out with the Marauders", he told her, "and… they weren't studying", he finished lamely in a tone clearly stating that they had been up to something… inappropriate.

"So what were you guys doing?" she asked curiously.

Harry laughed quietly. "They are, hrm… planning a little joke. A Snape-joke."

Hermione groaned. "I thought they had grown up from that!" she said quietly so that no one would hear.

"It was quite a long time ago the last one, I believe."

"And you're with them on that joke?"

"It's kind of hard not to be. I just want to put Snape in his place; after all these years of loathing and-"

"You haven't realized that if someone actually would have been nice to him, perhaps he wouldn't have disliked you so much. If your father hadn't-"

"Oh screw that!" Harry hissed. "I just want to hang out with my dad and his friends, what's wrong with that? You seem to think they are really bad people or something!"

"No, I don't. I think they are wonderful, Harry, I just don't think it's a wise idea to mess with Snape right now. But… I guess I can't really forbid you, can I?"

"No."

"What were you planning to do anyway?"

"Promise you won't try to stop it?" he half-whispered and Hermione nodded. "We're going to turn his hair pink, along with his shoelaces and his tie… plus; on the back of his robes, we are planning to write 'Think Pink' in pink."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "'Think Pink'", she repeated. "That has to be the weirdest thing that they have ever thought of…"

"You know why my mum hated my dad?" Harry asked suddenly.

Hermione shook her head.

"He played a prank on her first day of school in their third year", he said, "turning her hair green, repeating it on the first day of every year… except for this. Let me guess it was because of you."

She smiled. "I don't know", she said slowly. "Perhaps he just had matured."

Someone shoved himself down onto the seat next to Hermione – she hadn't even realized that the first years had left, but obviously they had.

"Thanks for waiting for me", Ron said sarcastically.

"Sorry", Harry said. "I tried to wake you up but it didn't quite work."

"I don't remember that", Ron said and reached out for the plate with scrambled eggs, so that he could start filling his plate.

"You never remember me trying to wake you up", Harry said.

"That's only because you never try hard enough."

"If I try harder, you punch me in your sleep. You did that once, remember?"

Ron muttered something before shoving a huge load of scrambled eggs and bacon into his mouth to start filling his huge need of food. "Esppgoetschdmd."

"What? Ron don't talk with food in your mouth…"

Ron chewed the food carefully (all under close watching by Harry and Hermione) before swallowing it. "We are supposed to go and see Dumbledore after breakfast. McGonagall told me."

"Oh, by the way, Ron", Hermione said, "there's something you should know."

"What?"

"Well", Hermione began, "the Marauders and Lily, well, they think… I'm engaged."

Ron dropped his fork, raised his head and lifted one eyebrow questioningly. "What?"

"They think I'm eng-"

"No, I heard what you said", Ron interrupted her. "I just don't understand why."

"Well…" Hermione began but Harry finished the sentence for her.

"Pettigrew was hitting on her."

"What?!" Ron said. "Harry, let's go and-"

"No, no", she said, "I took care of it."

"Sure?" Ron said.

Hermione nodded.

"If you change your mind", said Harry, "just tell us and we'll-"

"-knock him out", Ron finished.

Hermione giggled. Being best friends with two overprotective boys had its advantages… it was like having two lifeguards, willing to risk their lives for her.

"So… who's the happy man?" Ron asked and shoved some bacon into his mouth.

"Yeah, who's your fiancé?" Harry asked.

"That they don't know", Hermione mumbled. "Just that it ain't one of you two."

"Not?" Ron said. "Darn, you hurt me…"

Hermione chuckled. "Just eat your food."

So, approximate half an hour later, Ron had finished his breakfast (Harry and Hermione had already been finished when he had arrived), the trio had left the Great Hall and walked to Dumbledore's office without any particularly interesting incidents.

"Whomping Willows", Hermione said, after which the customary procedure followed – the gargoyle moved aside, they entered the moving staircase and were taken up into the office.

"Professor wanted to see us", Hermione said as the three of them approached Dumbledore, who was sitting behind his desk.

"Yes", the slightly younger version of their usual Headmaster said. "Have a seat!" And with a flick with his wand, he had conjured up three new comfortable arm-chairs for them to sit in, which they now did.

"Sow how are you three doing?"

"Fine."

"Quite well."

"Okay."

"Good. Good", Dumbledore mused. "No problems?" – They all shook their heads – "Good", Dumbledore repeated. "And I do sincerely hope that you haven't revealed your true identity to anyone?"

"Of course not, Sir", Hermione said.

"Good! This is going unexpectedly smooth."

"Erm, Professor?" Harry said. "Was this all?"

Dumbledore looked seriously from Harry to Ron to Hermione. "Unfortunately not, Mr Johnsson – which I call you now because that would be your name here. We have one… say, minor, problem."

"Which would be....?" Ron started.

"We have had problems with the potion that is to take you three back to your own time. It might be delayed."

"That's okay", Harry said quickly.

Hermione looked at him. Of course he welcomed it, he wanted to get to know his parents more, but the truth was that they weren't supposed to be in this time, they didn't belong here and it was very dangerous. One little word slipping out of someone's mouth, and the future was all messed up.

"For how long?" Hermione said.

"A week or less", Dumbledore said. "Your total stay would be about five weeks, instead of four."

"Great!" Harry said. "Er… I meant, okay. That's okay with me."

"I understand that you might find it very… interesting to… hang out with your parents when they are at your age, but you will have to understand that-"

"I can't stay, it's not good, it may change time", Harry said with a sigh. "I know."

"I'm sorry, Harry", Dumbledore said simply.

He has no idea, Harry thought. He thinks I just think it's cool, but it means more to me. I'll never see them again! Never! They are DEAD!

"That's all", Dumbledore said. "I will keep in touch with you three."

"Thank you professor", Hermione said and rose.

"Thank you", Ron echoed and followed her example.

Harry muttered something, but rose too and then the trio headed out of the room.

Author's Note: Yeah I know… the first ¾ of this chapter was kind of… unnecessary, but I feel that it's important that things just doesn't keep on happening all the time. That would be kind of too unrealistic, don't you think?

F.y.i. (if anyone was wondering), there are two chapters left in this part of the story. After that I will be writing the third part but as I'm quite a lazy writer and school starts (uh-oh, busiest semester so far crappit!) it might take a while before I post.