Remembrance
By: Desiree Conway
Chapter Five: Lily Evans, Kindred Spirit
"There is no one else that I could say this to and there is nothing better than to talk to you
If you have a problem I'll be here for you cause girl you always know that
It's us against the world..."
---PLAY "Us Against The World."
AN: Yay! Chapter Five! I am so happy! Anyways...I hope that everyone is enjoying this story so far. Now let me get a few things sorted:
Lilchick---Thanks for liking the story. Yeah I know the time turner thing has been done already but it's a whole lotta fun...
Jo Jo---thanks! I hope it is to your satisfaction.
Amber---Yeah...I loved the first chapter too! I'm glad you were moved! That makes me feel so good as a writer to know I've moved someone. LOL I had to make an outline so that the story would stay consistent! And a shipper or ship is just a pairing that you like. Like I'm a Remus and Hermione shipper and Sirius and Hermione shipper. I'll try to update ASAP
Roisin Dubh---LOL You'll never be a burr under my saddle bag! LOL and I'm grammar impaired so I appreciate the help.
Miriel216---There were more people LOL but those five were the only ones she recognized. Outside of McGonagall.
EverDraco's---hee hee.....
The girl at the rock show---thanks!
Kiwi Knight---Thanks! I hope it stays cool!
Lizzie Black---I am going to update Mikayla's Legacy soon so don't worry!
DEDICATION: To one of my best friends in the world: Stephanie Lusk. AKA Lita.
"So, let me get this straight," said a pretty Gryffindor third year named Mallory D'Eliseo that night at dinner, "you transferred here from Beauxbatons?" her big blue eyes were inquisitive. Mallory, along with a few other Gryffindors, the Marauders, and Lily were clustered around Hermione, hanging on to her every word. Even a small group of Hufflepuffs, on their way to their table slowed down to hear Hermione's reply.
"Yes. My parents were there for six years for their job and well since I was in the area I received a letter saying that I had been accepted to Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and that I was a witch. My parents were so proud. They thought it odd of course but they have always supported me in everything I have ever done." Hermione felt a sudden rush of love for her parents. Their support was one thing she didn't have to make up. She sighed softly. She missed them terribly already and it was only her first night in the past.
The group around her murmured in curiosity. "What's Beauxbatons like?" Asked Lily.
"Who cares?" piped up James, "Hogwarts is better anyways."
"Here here." Said Sirius.
"You boys are so rude," said Lily, glaring at the two. Hermione fought to keep the smile off her face. Privately she agreed with James and Sirius. There was no place like Hogwarts. But of course she couldn't say that. She had to affect and air of annoyance to keep up her cover, though it was hard.
"Beauxbatons is a great school," Hermione said coolly, "and I'm sure your Hogwarts is just as a good. But please do not insult my school. Thank you." Inside she was laughing at the shocked looks on the two boy's faces. She understood why. They were the most popular boys in school. People rarely stood up to their teasing and their insults. Not to their faces anyways.
"Ouch..." Remus whistled appreciatively.
"Can it Moony," said James, although there was an undertone of affection that took any intended sting out of the remark. James knew he and Sirius both deserved the retort. Remus grinned and rolled his eyes.
Sirius; however, studied this new transfer student with quick rising interest. She wasn't beautiful, not by conventional standards. She would be more considered pretty. She was petite, about Lily's size, though not as muscular. She had thick, dark brown hair that had a heavy wave to it that fell to her waist. Her hair framed a little heart shaped face with eyes a bit too large, giving her the appearance of being slightly surprised, but their amber color shone with warmth and were ridged in long dark lashes. Her eyebrows were a little on the thick side. Her nose a bit too turned up. No, she wasn't gorgeous by any of today's standards, but as Sirius continued to look at her, he found himself inexplicitly drawn to her. No she wasn't pretty, but to him, she was a goddess. And that personality...forget about it. Sirius was not one to shy away from any sort of attraction. Especially when it came to girls. It wasn't in his nature. What he did shy away from, was the nagging voice in the back of his mind that said this didn't feel like any normal run-of-the-mill attraction. This seemed much stronger. He shook his head to clear away the thought and focused on eating his dinner. He wouldn't think anymore on his attraction. It just wasn't in his nature.
Once the others in the group had determined that James wasn't going to hex the new girl for her retort (it was hard to forget that the boy who was now everyone's champion, on and off the Quidditch pitch, used to hex anyone who annoyed him.) the group relaxed somewhat, and continued with their relentless interrogation of Hermione. "What type of jobs do your parents have?" asked a curious sixth year boy named Kyle Lavery.
Hermione blanched. She had been so busy describing what Beauxbatons was like (some of which was made up, some of which she had gathered from Fleur Delacour's descriptions of her beloved school) that she hadn't thought to come up with a job that would cause her parents to move to France for six years.
'Way to go Granger,' she thought irritably, 'you should have planned for this.'
Inwardly cursing Kyle's curiosity, Hermione wracked her brain trying to come up with a suitable answer. Everyone looked at her curiously, waiting.
Finally she said: "Dad's in the military and they stationed him in France for a few years. We're back home now because Dad's service is up and he's always loved England. And well, Mum grew up here so of course she had wanted to get back as soon as possible. The only problem was that they weren't sure Britain had a magical school and it would have been too expensive to go to Beauxbatons if we didn't live in France to begin with. But luckily I had researched and found out about Hogwarts. Unfortunately we couldn't get here before the start of term but what can you do?" Hermione shrugged nonchalantly. She saw that people were nodding their heads in agreement and allowed a tiny sigh of relief. She was safe. For the time being. Next to her, Lily Evans gave her a sharp look. Something about the new girl just did not seem right. She resolved to ask Hermione later what the real deal was. Hermione's answer to Kyle's question seemed a little forced, as if it were scripted. The pause before she answered seemed a little too long. Of course, these were all very subtle signs and Lily herself wouldn't have thought anything was amiss if she hadn't grown up with Petunia who was the queen of liars if such a thing existed. 'I never thought I would see the day when I would be thankful for my sister's existence,' she thought with a small ironic smile. She normally would not have cared as much whether Hermione said she was from Mars, but she had seen the interested look in Sirius's dark eyes and since going out with James, she had become quite protective over her "boys." Of course, she was a lot quieter about her protection of them than they were of their protection of her. She sighed and smiled affectionately at them as they laughed and joked with everyone and did their best to make Hermione feel welcome. Lily herself would reserve judgment of Hermione until she found out whatever secret Hermione was hiding. She had a feeling it was big, the same feeling she got whenever Petunia lied about sneaking off to go see her boyfriend Vernon, and she was usually right.
The Gryffindor Commons was crazier than normal that night and it was all due to Hermione. Everyone was interested in hearing more about her so called life in France and had not stopped their interrogation since she had come up to the Gryffindor Tower before dinner with the Marauders. Which was three hours ago. By the time she repeated details over and over she felt as if she really had lived in France for six years. 'Thank God that I have actually been there. Thank God that I know a decent amount of French.' The Marauders hadn't helped things. They had taken a certain amount of pride in her and flanked her so that Hermione felt as though she were a royal princess surrounded by her body guards.
The four boys laughed when Hermione mentioned this, and Sirius and James in turn each bowed gracefully before her. Remus followed suit with a soft "Your Grace" and lastly Peter, although his was slightly clumsier than the others. He again offered her a shy smile and again Hermione returned it, resolving that he wasn't the Peter that she knew. He was the Peter that judging from Sirius and Lupin's reactions in the Shrieking Shack four years ago, was dearly loved like a brother by all three of them. She decided that she would respect that.
As she watched the boys kneeling before her she instantly thought of their animal forms. James's bow was fluid and graceful reminding her of the way a stag would lower its head to drink from a stream. Sirius's bow was warm and open, she half expected him to wag his tail, yet there was something protective in it as well, like a dog guarding someone he cared for, Lupin's (it was still hard for her to call him Remus in her mind) bow was proud, even somewhat haughty, as if she were the one who should be honored because he normally didn't do something like this for a Two-Legs. She smiled at that. That of course, was the wolf in him, were beast or not, a wolf was a wolf, and lastly Peter's bow had been clumsy in comparison, as if he were not made to be graceful, yet there was a certain comfort level that he assumed, as if he were comfortable being low to the ground. That reminded her of a rat's ease at being able to sneak along the ground like a snake. She had to fight her hatred for him all over again.
Laughter sounded as the Gryffindors watched their champions bow before this strange and mysterious new girl.
"So is Beauxbatons different from Hogwarts in a lot of ways?" asked Nina Patrick, a shy brunette who was a seventh year.
"Not as much as you might think," said Hermione with a smile. She was liking the attention but at the same time, it hadn't stopped since she, Lily and the Marauders had come up to the Tower after Hermione's "bowling ball impression" Lily had joked, Peter had asked what a bowling ball was, causing the two Muggle-born girls to laugh hysterically.( "Hey, it's a good question," James had said in Peter's defense. The girls only laughed harder.
"We weren't making fun of him James," said Lily exasperated.
"It's just easy to forget that not everyone here could know what we are talking about," Hermione placated, "A bowling ball is a type of ball that Muggles use to knock down things called pins. It's a pretty fun sport."
"Not as fun as Quidditch."
Lily rolled her eyes. "No Jae, not as fun as Quidditch." She looked at Hermione and winked, who returned it.)
As soon as they had got to the Tower, the students who had been in McGonagall's class when Hermione had entered it thinking she was still in her own time, had practically flooded her once they had seen she was in the company of the Marauders and Lily. She was certain they would have just whispered amongst themselves if she had walked in alone. Surprisingly though, all of the inquiries she had gotten were curious rather than malicious. Why had she run out like that? Was she sick? Was she lost? Was she simply scared of McGonagall? (This caused some laughter)
Hermione simply said that she had forgotten her schedule and was not sure if she had been in the right class once McGonagall had asked her if she needed help. That had seemed to satisfy that angle, but everyone wanted to know about her. And for that hour she was bombarded with questions both stupid and not and they had continued on to dinner, which had been a very interesting affair in of itself, with people even from other houses looking over at her, but still unsure as to whether or not to come up to her, and she was continuously interrogated up until this very moment and then some.
"Hey Hermione," said Lily who had lain quietly on the couch trying to read, "come upstairs with me, I want to show you where the dorms and bathrooms are." She carefully marked her place in her book and stood up from the couch, stretching luxuriously.
Hermione on the verge of saying she knew very well where the dorms and bathrooms were but caught herself just in time. Besides, at least she could get away from the questions for awhile and get to know Lily.
With an apologetic smile she said: "Sorry everyone, but my handmaiden calls, which means there must be some very important business to discuss, so I must retire to the royal bed chamber and leave my bodyguards to take your questions and submit them in writing."
Laughter.
With a grin Hermione gently broke through the surrounding people and went to join Lily who grinned and offered her arm.
"My Lady..."
Hermione laughed and looped her arm through Lily's and together they walked up the stairs.
The Marauders watched Lily and Hermione ascend the stairs.
"She is something else," remarked James. "I tell you if I wasn't so in love with Lily I would definitely go for her."
"Only because she reminds you of Lily," Remus teased.
Sirius and Peter laughed at James's sheepish grin.
"Man you are whipped," said Peter with a smile.
"Sure am." James replied, no hint of an apology.
The boys laughed again.
Sirius thought about Remus's comment and thought that for such a perceptive person he couldn't be farther from the truth. Hermione did not remind him of anyone he knew. In fact, he had never met anyone quite like her. (There went his traitorous mind again. He should be trying to imagine her naked at this stage. Or at any stage. It was more in his nature. Besides, he had a rep to keep up. He was the campus most eligible bachelor ---the title being solely his now that James had stopped acting like a fool and gotten with Lily--- and that's how he liked it. This introspectiveness as far as Hermione was concerned frustrated him.)
True, her size would remind someone of Lily, but for starters he could feel that she wasn't as hot headed as Lily. Which of course didn't mean she couldn't hold her own, he thought grinning as he remembered the cool reply to he and James's comment about Hogwarts superiority. He still thought Hogwarts was the best period, no apologies, and yet for some reason he couldn't feel truly sorry about agreeing because he had felt for some odd reason that she also had agreed. That she belonged here...
Where as Lily's eyes always looked like they were laughing, Hermione's were serious, with humor lurking just beneath the surface. At least, that was what he had seen the moment she had turned around and looked at him earlier, when he had caught her. Up close, she took his breath away. To him, she was a beautiful mystery.
"Earth to Padfoot. Come in Padfoot."
"Huh?" He looked around to see James, Remus and Peter looking at him with strange expressions on their faces.
"What?" he asked.
"Padfoot, you were off on another planet there for awhile." Said Peter.
James grinned. "Thinking about some lucky lady to be your next conquest? Perhaps our newest transfer student?"
Sirius blinked and then socked James in the arm.
"Jealous Prongs?"
"I am." Remus shrugged. "She's, as Lily would say, totally groovy."
"Not in the least," answered James, "no one compares to my-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sirius said, rolling his eyes, "no one compares to your Lily, we know."
James's face fell for a moment as the others laughed, and then he laughed too. They were right; he really did act like a fool when it came to Lily. He looked at his best friend and saw him staring towards the girl's dormitories. He knew he had been right in thinking that Sirius had a thing for Hermione. But somehow, he felt this was different.
'Be careful Padfoot,' he thought. Just then Sirius looked at him, almost as if he had heard.
"Just thought I would rescue you from the Spanish Inquisition," Lily said as she sat on one of the comfortable beds in the empty dorm (everyone was downstairs still, it was early yet and it was a weekend) that Hermione looked forward to sleeping in every year. She gave Hermione a measured look. "Or should I say French Inquisition."
Hermione flinched. The way Lily had looked at her...
The red-head nodded as if Hermione's reaction had confirmed something she had known all along. "You're not really from France are you?" It was more of a statement of fact than a question. Hermione wanted to say that she indeed was, but she couldn't lie to those piercing emerald eyes. "I trust, Ms. Granger that I do not have to tell you the rules in regard to Time." Dumbledore's warning was burned into her mind, even though she already knew from her third year. But what harm could it really do to tell Lily? Hermione desperately wanted someone else to share her burden. She knew it was selfish but she was lonely and missed her friends and family and time terribly. Besides, she had no doubt that she could trust Lily. After all she would trust Harry with her life, and she was standing in front of his seventeen year old mother. And she wouldn't tell her everything. Just enough so that she would believe her. Anything was better than the look Lily was giving her now.
'She thinks I'm a liar. And she's right.' Hermione thought sadly. 'I have to tell her the truth. I can't do all this on my own. Even though Dumbledore and McGonagall and the rest of the staff can help I need someone my age to talk to.' She made up her mind.
"No," she said, taking a deep breath, "I'm not really from France at all. Nor have I ever seen Beauxbatons. I know about it because I know someone who goes there. Her name is Fleur Delacour." She looked at Lily who was staring at her.
"Why did you lie then?" There was a slightly cooler edge to the girl's voice and Hermione wanted to cry. She didn't want to lose the one close friend she could be sure of in this strange place.
"I had to." Hermione whispered.
"Oh, that's bollocks," Lily snapped. "We deserve the truth if you want our friendship Hermione. Did you lie about your name too?" Lily knew she was being harsh and unfairly so, but lying was something she hated with a passion. She had dealt with it all her life because of Petunia, and she had no tolerance for it.
Now Hermione's eyes filled with tears. Lily was being unfair, Hermione was about to tell her the truth. That thought cheered her a bit. At least then she would get an apology...if Lily believed her. She prayed to God she would.
Lily saw Hermione's eyes fill with tears and immediately softened. She was about to hear the truth and being as she didn't really know Hermione yet, she deserved the benefit of the doubt.
"Please tell me," she said quietly.
Hermione sat down next to her and took another deep breath and began:
"I'm not from Beauxbatons. I'm from Hogwarts. I have been going to Hogwarts for the past seven years."
"Hermione, that's not possible. Everyone would know you."
Hermione sighed. "Everyone DOES know me Lily. And they know you and James, and Sirius and Remus and Peter. Lily, I'm from the future. Twenty-four years in the future."
Lily gaped at her.
"I'm telling the truth," Hermione said desperately, reaching into her robes and pulling out the time turner.
"Do you know what this is?"
Lily narrowed her eyes. "Yes. It's a time turner."
"That's how I got here."
"I don't understand. No time turner is advanced enough to go back years."
"They are where I come from. Lily I used it to take extra classes so that I could be an Auror and miscalculated one day and ended up here. I can't go back because I broke the dial on the time turner by accident." By now Hermione couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She didn't want to either.
Lily was in shock at this news, but it made sense. The time turner, the lies, and the way she had freaked out in McGonagall's class... It would also explain how she seemed to know Hogwarts so well after only a few hours. And her initial feeling of Hermione was one of complete trustworthiness. So it could only be the truth that Lily was hearing now.
A deep respect for the girl next to her filled Lily and she threw her arms around Hermione and pulled her close in a comforting hug.
"I believe you Hermione."
"You do?" Hermione sniffled.
Lily pulled back from her and grinned. "Of course. You are so brave. I don't know what I would have done if that happened to me. Especially if I ever lost James. Hermione, you don't have a boyfriend back in the future do you?"
"No. No boyfriend." Hermione smiled back at her.
"Well that's good isn't it? That's the last thing you need. Anyway, I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. Lying bothers me like you wouldn't believe. Especially after living with Petunia all the time."
Hermione smiled. "Yeah, you should hear Harry talk about her. And his Uncle Vernon."
"Uncle Vernon? Harry?"
Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Vernon Dursley? My sister's boyfriend? Hermione, do Petunia and Vernon get married?"
Hermione nodded slowly. Lily burst out laughing. "No way!" she screeched. "But, who's Harry? And how would you know about Petunia and Vernon? Just who are you anyways?" Lily was looking at Hermione seriously now, all laughter gone from her face.
Hermione felt she had no choice. She had already said too much. She knew she was probably altering time beyond repair but she needed to relieve herself of this burden. And Lily believed her.
"I am Hermione Granger, best friend to Harry Potter."
"Harry...Potter?" Lily gasped suddenly.
"Yes Lily. I am one of your son's best friends."
"My son?"
Hermione nodded.
"And his father?" Lily knew the answer but she couldn't bear to say it.
"James Potter." Said Hermione, looking at her friend.
"James and I have a son." Lily shook her head, a gentle blush staining her fair cheeks. She looked at Hermione, tears in her eyes. "You know so much about me. So much about my family and friends. I know nothing of you. I want to know all about you. And if you can tell me, I want to know about my son. What is he like?"
Hermione took her hand. "Now, I can't tell you too much. I have already said a lot. I need you to promise me that you will not tell a soul ever! Time can not be meddled with. The consequences are too great."
Lily laughed. "Oh Hermione, I wouldn't want to meddle in my future. James and I having a child. It's almost too wonderful to be true."
Hermione almost started to cry again. If only Lily knew what was in her future. If only any of them knew.
Just as she was about to start talking about Harry, Nina walked in.
"Oh! I'm sorry," the shy girl said, going to walk out.
With a significant look at Hermione Lily said, "It's alright Nina. Hermione just misses Beauxbatons a bit. But we'll make her feel welcome right?"
Nina smiled warmly at Hermione. "Of course we will. You'll love Hogwarts Hermione. I promise."
"Thank you Nina."
The girl headed to the bathroom.
"Let's go for a walk tomorrow Hermione," said Lily. "Then you could tell me all about my son and yourself."
"Likewise Lily. I want to know all about you too. Because I really don't know anything at all."
Lily looked at her quizzically but shrugged and hopped onto her bed. Well, I guess I'll get ready for bed then. Sounds like I have quite a lot to do tomorrow."
Hermione watched her for a moment. 'Likewise.' She thought.
That night, as Hermione lay tucked among the comfortable blankets she thought about her friends and family from her own time. She hoped they weren't too worried by her absence. Especially her parents and Harry, Ron, Ginny, Lavender, and Hagrid. She wished that she could tell them she was okay. That she was safe. That she was still with them, just in a different time. She wished she could tell Harry that she had actually had dinner with his parents. And Lupin. And Sirius. He would definitely want to know all the details of his parents. Just like Lily wanted to know about her son. Hermione sighed. Had she been right to tell Lily about her and James? She really hadn't had a choice had she? She had accidentally let it slip about Harry and his aunt and uncle. She thought some more on it, then simply resolved to tell her vague details of her son and not tell her anymore of her future. Lily would understand that she couldn't possibly know her own future the way Hermione knew it. No one would.
All in all it had not been a bad thing on the whole. Lily and the Marauders were wonderful, she was still at her beloved school, and Sirius...she was instantly drawn to him. To his life. To his light. He was just has handsome as everyone had said and he was charming to boot. Hermione normally did not let charm get in the way of her opinion of a person. She had always felt that anyone could be charming. But that was before she had met the seventeen year old Sirius Black. She shook her head. She had to stop. If she got it into her head that she was attracted to him it could only end up bad. She had to trust that her stay here was temporary. Dumbledore had never let her down before, she had to have confidence in him and McGonagall. Suddenly, realization dawned on her.
'They were very protective of her. Until she hexed them once out of sheer annoyance. Then they stopped.'
The look McGonagall had given her. The way she had tried to dissuade Hermione from accepting the time turner. She knew! She and Dumbledore and the staff knew! And how else could Hermione know about Lily hexing Sirius and James unless she had already been here? It all made sense! What had happened in McGonagall's office had been pushed to the back of her mind in the ensuing excitement, but never completely forgotten. She knew sleep would be long in coming that night.
Suddenly, she gasped again. If they knew...that ment Lupin knew and Sirius had known. How come Lupin had never said anything to her? And Sirius? She felt that familiar tug on her heart as she thought about the fact that Sirius had known. Why hadn't anyone said anything to her?
TBC
Okay guys... you have it. Chappie five. Again I take no credit for the characters except the ones that I made up. So there you have it! Hope you liked it!
Romula
By: Desiree Conway
Chapter Five: Lily Evans, Kindred Spirit
"There is no one else that I could say this to and there is nothing better than to talk to you
If you have a problem I'll be here for you cause girl you always know that
It's us against the world..."
---PLAY "Us Against The World."
AN: Yay! Chapter Five! I am so happy! Anyways...I hope that everyone is enjoying this story so far. Now let me get a few things sorted:
Lilchick---Thanks for liking the story. Yeah I know the time turner thing has been done already but it's a whole lotta fun...
Jo Jo---thanks! I hope it is to your satisfaction.
Amber---Yeah...I loved the first chapter too! I'm glad you were moved! That makes me feel so good as a writer to know I've moved someone. LOL I had to make an outline so that the story would stay consistent! And a shipper or ship is just a pairing that you like. Like I'm a Remus and Hermione shipper and Sirius and Hermione shipper. I'll try to update ASAP
Roisin Dubh---LOL You'll never be a burr under my saddle bag! LOL and I'm grammar impaired so I appreciate the help.
Miriel216---There were more people LOL but those five were the only ones she recognized. Outside of McGonagall.
EverDraco's---hee hee.....
The girl at the rock show---thanks!
Kiwi Knight---Thanks! I hope it stays cool!
Lizzie Black---I am going to update Mikayla's Legacy soon so don't worry!
DEDICATION: To one of my best friends in the world: Stephanie Lusk. AKA Lita.
"So, let me get this straight," said a pretty Gryffindor third year named Mallory D'Eliseo that night at dinner, "you transferred here from Beauxbatons?" her big blue eyes were inquisitive. Mallory, along with a few other Gryffindors, the Marauders, and Lily were clustered around Hermione, hanging on to her every word. Even a small group of Hufflepuffs, on their way to their table slowed down to hear Hermione's reply.
"Yes. My parents were there for six years for their job and well since I was in the area I received a letter saying that I had been accepted to Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and that I was a witch. My parents were so proud. They thought it odd of course but they have always supported me in everything I have ever done." Hermione felt a sudden rush of love for her parents. Their support was one thing she didn't have to make up. She sighed softly. She missed them terribly already and it was only her first night in the past.
The group around her murmured in curiosity. "What's Beauxbatons like?" Asked Lily.
"Who cares?" piped up James, "Hogwarts is better anyways."
"Here here." Said Sirius.
"You boys are so rude," said Lily, glaring at the two. Hermione fought to keep the smile off her face. Privately she agreed with James and Sirius. There was no place like Hogwarts. But of course she couldn't say that. She had to affect and air of annoyance to keep up her cover, though it was hard.
"Beauxbatons is a great school," Hermione said coolly, "and I'm sure your Hogwarts is just as a good. But please do not insult my school. Thank you." Inside she was laughing at the shocked looks on the two boy's faces. She understood why. They were the most popular boys in school. People rarely stood up to their teasing and their insults. Not to their faces anyways.
"Ouch..." Remus whistled appreciatively.
"Can it Moony," said James, although there was an undertone of affection that took any intended sting out of the remark. James knew he and Sirius both deserved the retort. Remus grinned and rolled his eyes.
Sirius; however, studied this new transfer student with quick rising interest. She wasn't beautiful, not by conventional standards. She would be more considered pretty. She was petite, about Lily's size, though not as muscular. She had thick, dark brown hair that had a heavy wave to it that fell to her waist. Her hair framed a little heart shaped face with eyes a bit too large, giving her the appearance of being slightly surprised, but their amber color shone with warmth and were ridged in long dark lashes. Her eyebrows were a little on the thick side. Her nose a bit too turned up. No, she wasn't gorgeous by any of today's standards, but as Sirius continued to look at her, he found himself inexplicitly drawn to her. No she wasn't pretty, but to him, she was a goddess. And that personality...forget about it. Sirius was not one to shy away from any sort of attraction. Especially when it came to girls. It wasn't in his nature. What he did shy away from, was the nagging voice in the back of his mind that said this didn't feel like any normal run-of-the-mill attraction. This seemed much stronger. He shook his head to clear away the thought and focused on eating his dinner. He wouldn't think anymore on his attraction. It just wasn't in his nature.
Once the others in the group had determined that James wasn't going to hex the new girl for her retort (it was hard to forget that the boy who was now everyone's champion, on and off the Quidditch pitch, used to hex anyone who annoyed him.) the group relaxed somewhat, and continued with their relentless interrogation of Hermione. "What type of jobs do your parents have?" asked a curious sixth year boy named Kyle Lavery.
Hermione blanched. She had been so busy describing what Beauxbatons was like (some of which was made up, some of which she had gathered from Fleur Delacour's descriptions of her beloved school) that she hadn't thought to come up with a job that would cause her parents to move to France for six years.
'Way to go Granger,' she thought irritably, 'you should have planned for this.'
Inwardly cursing Kyle's curiosity, Hermione wracked her brain trying to come up with a suitable answer. Everyone looked at her curiously, waiting.
Finally she said: "Dad's in the military and they stationed him in France for a few years. We're back home now because Dad's service is up and he's always loved England. And well, Mum grew up here so of course she had wanted to get back as soon as possible. The only problem was that they weren't sure Britain had a magical school and it would have been too expensive to go to Beauxbatons if we didn't live in France to begin with. But luckily I had researched and found out about Hogwarts. Unfortunately we couldn't get here before the start of term but what can you do?" Hermione shrugged nonchalantly. She saw that people were nodding their heads in agreement and allowed a tiny sigh of relief. She was safe. For the time being. Next to her, Lily Evans gave her a sharp look. Something about the new girl just did not seem right. She resolved to ask Hermione later what the real deal was. Hermione's answer to Kyle's question seemed a little forced, as if it were scripted. The pause before she answered seemed a little too long. Of course, these were all very subtle signs and Lily herself wouldn't have thought anything was amiss if she hadn't grown up with Petunia who was the queen of liars if such a thing existed. 'I never thought I would see the day when I would be thankful for my sister's existence,' she thought with a small ironic smile. She normally would not have cared as much whether Hermione said she was from Mars, but she had seen the interested look in Sirius's dark eyes and since going out with James, she had become quite protective over her "boys." Of course, she was a lot quieter about her protection of them than they were of their protection of her. She sighed and smiled affectionately at them as they laughed and joked with everyone and did their best to make Hermione feel welcome. Lily herself would reserve judgment of Hermione until she found out whatever secret Hermione was hiding. She had a feeling it was big, the same feeling she got whenever Petunia lied about sneaking off to go see her boyfriend Vernon, and she was usually right.
The Gryffindor Commons was crazier than normal that night and it was all due to Hermione. Everyone was interested in hearing more about her so called life in France and had not stopped their interrogation since she had come up to the Gryffindor Tower before dinner with the Marauders. Which was three hours ago. By the time she repeated details over and over she felt as if she really had lived in France for six years. 'Thank God that I have actually been there. Thank God that I know a decent amount of French.' The Marauders hadn't helped things. They had taken a certain amount of pride in her and flanked her so that Hermione felt as though she were a royal princess surrounded by her body guards.
The four boys laughed when Hermione mentioned this, and Sirius and James in turn each bowed gracefully before her. Remus followed suit with a soft "Your Grace" and lastly Peter, although his was slightly clumsier than the others. He again offered her a shy smile and again Hermione returned it, resolving that he wasn't the Peter that she knew. He was the Peter that judging from Sirius and Lupin's reactions in the Shrieking Shack four years ago, was dearly loved like a brother by all three of them. She decided that she would respect that.
As she watched the boys kneeling before her she instantly thought of their animal forms. James's bow was fluid and graceful reminding her of the way a stag would lower its head to drink from a stream. Sirius's bow was warm and open, she half expected him to wag his tail, yet there was something protective in it as well, like a dog guarding someone he cared for, Lupin's (it was still hard for her to call him Remus in her mind) bow was proud, even somewhat haughty, as if she were the one who should be honored because he normally didn't do something like this for a Two-Legs. She smiled at that. That of course, was the wolf in him, were beast or not, a wolf was a wolf, and lastly Peter's bow had been clumsy in comparison, as if he were not made to be graceful, yet there was a certain comfort level that he assumed, as if he were comfortable being low to the ground. That reminded her of a rat's ease at being able to sneak along the ground like a snake. She had to fight her hatred for him all over again.
Laughter sounded as the Gryffindors watched their champions bow before this strange and mysterious new girl.
"So is Beauxbatons different from Hogwarts in a lot of ways?" asked Nina Patrick, a shy brunette who was a seventh year.
"Not as much as you might think," said Hermione with a smile. She was liking the attention but at the same time, it hadn't stopped since she, Lily and the Marauders had come up to the Tower after Hermione's "bowling ball impression" Lily had joked, Peter had asked what a bowling ball was, causing the two Muggle-born girls to laugh hysterically.( "Hey, it's a good question," James had said in Peter's defense. The girls only laughed harder.
"We weren't making fun of him James," said Lily exasperated.
"It's just easy to forget that not everyone here could know what we are talking about," Hermione placated, "A bowling ball is a type of ball that Muggles use to knock down things called pins. It's a pretty fun sport."
"Not as fun as Quidditch."
Lily rolled her eyes. "No Jae, not as fun as Quidditch." She looked at Hermione and winked, who returned it.)
As soon as they had got to the Tower, the students who had been in McGonagall's class when Hermione had entered it thinking she was still in her own time, had practically flooded her once they had seen she was in the company of the Marauders and Lily. She was certain they would have just whispered amongst themselves if she had walked in alone. Surprisingly though, all of the inquiries she had gotten were curious rather than malicious. Why had she run out like that? Was she sick? Was she lost? Was she simply scared of McGonagall? (This caused some laughter)
Hermione simply said that she had forgotten her schedule and was not sure if she had been in the right class once McGonagall had asked her if she needed help. That had seemed to satisfy that angle, but everyone wanted to know about her. And for that hour she was bombarded with questions both stupid and not and they had continued on to dinner, which had been a very interesting affair in of itself, with people even from other houses looking over at her, but still unsure as to whether or not to come up to her, and she was continuously interrogated up until this very moment and then some.
"Hey Hermione," said Lily who had lain quietly on the couch trying to read, "come upstairs with me, I want to show you where the dorms and bathrooms are." She carefully marked her place in her book and stood up from the couch, stretching luxuriously.
Hermione on the verge of saying she knew very well where the dorms and bathrooms were but caught herself just in time. Besides, at least she could get away from the questions for awhile and get to know Lily.
With an apologetic smile she said: "Sorry everyone, but my handmaiden calls, which means there must be some very important business to discuss, so I must retire to the royal bed chamber and leave my bodyguards to take your questions and submit them in writing."
Laughter.
With a grin Hermione gently broke through the surrounding people and went to join Lily who grinned and offered her arm.
"My Lady..."
Hermione laughed and looped her arm through Lily's and together they walked up the stairs.
The Marauders watched Lily and Hermione ascend the stairs.
"She is something else," remarked James. "I tell you if I wasn't so in love with Lily I would definitely go for her."
"Only because she reminds you of Lily," Remus teased.
Sirius and Peter laughed at James's sheepish grin.
"Man you are whipped," said Peter with a smile.
"Sure am." James replied, no hint of an apology.
The boys laughed again.
Sirius thought about Remus's comment and thought that for such a perceptive person he couldn't be farther from the truth. Hermione did not remind him of anyone he knew. In fact, he had never met anyone quite like her. (There went his traitorous mind again. He should be trying to imagine her naked at this stage. Or at any stage. It was more in his nature. Besides, he had a rep to keep up. He was the campus most eligible bachelor ---the title being solely his now that James had stopped acting like a fool and gotten with Lily--- and that's how he liked it. This introspectiveness as far as Hermione was concerned frustrated him.)
True, her size would remind someone of Lily, but for starters he could feel that she wasn't as hot headed as Lily. Which of course didn't mean she couldn't hold her own, he thought grinning as he remembered the cool reply to he and James's comment about Hogwarts superiority. He still thought Hogwarts was the best period, no apologies, and yet for some reason he couldn't feel truly sorry about agreeing because he had felt for some odd reason that she also had agreed. That she belonged here...
Where as Lily's eyes always looked like they were laughing, Hermione's were serious, with humor lurking just beneath the surface. At least, that was what he had seen the moment she had turned around and looked at him earlier, when he had caught her. Up close, she took his breath away. To him, she was a beautiful mystery.
"Earth to Padfoot. Come in Padfoot."
"Huh?" He looked around to see James, Remus and Peter looking at him with strange expressions on their faces.
"What?" he asked.
"Padfoot, you were off on another planet there for awhile." Said Peter.
James grinned. "Thinking about some lucky lady to be your next conquest? Perhaps our newest transfer student?"
Sirius blinked and then socked James in the arm.
"Jealous Prongs?"
"I am." Remus shrugged. "She's, as Lily would say, totally groovy."
"Not in the least," answered James, "no one compares to my-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sirius said, rolling his eyes, "no one compares to your Lily, we know."
James's face fell for a moment as the others laughed, and then he laughed too. They were right; he really did act like a fool when it came to Lily. He looked at his best friend and saw him staring towards the girl's dormitories. He knew he had been right in thinking that Sirius had a thing for Hermione. But somehow, he felt this was different.
'Be careful Padfoot,' he thought. Just then Sirius looked at him, almost as if he had heard.
"Just thought I would rescue you from the Spanish Inquisition," Lily said as she sat on one of the comfortable beds in the empty dorm (everyone was downstairs still, it was early yet and it was a weekend) that Hermione looked forward to sleeping in every year. She gave Hermione a measured look. "Or should I say French Inquisition."
Hermione flinched. The way Lily had looked at her...
The red-head nodded as if Hermione's reaction had confirmed something she had known all along. "You're not really from France are you?" It was more of a statement of fact than a question. Hermione wanted to say that she indeed was, but she couldn't lie to those piercing emerald eyes. "I trust, Ms. Granger that I do not have to tell you the rules in regard to Time." Dumbledore's warning was burned into her mind, even though she already knew from her third year. But what harm could it really do to tell Lily? Hermione desperately wanted someone else to share her burden. She knew it was selfish but she was lonely and missed her friends and family and time terribly. Besides, she had no doubt that she could trust Lily. After all she would trust Harry with her life, and she was standing in front of his seventeen year old mother. And she wouldn't tell her everything. Just enough so that she would believe her. Anything was better than the look Lily was giving her now.
'She thinks I'm a liar. And she's right.' Hermione thought sadly. 'I have to tell her the truth. I can't do all this on my own. Even though Dumbledore and McGonagall and the rest of the staff can help I need someone my age to talk to.' She made up her mind.
"No," she said, taking a deep breath, "I'm not really from France at all. Nor have I ever seen Beauxbatons. I know about it because I know someone who goes there. Her name is Fleur Delacour." She looked at Lily who was staring at her.
"Why did you lie then?" There was a slightly cooler edge to the girl's voice and Hermione wanted to cry. She didn't want to lose the one close friend she could be sure of in this strange place.
"I had to." Hermione whispered.
"Oh, that's bollocks," Lily snapped. "We deserve the truth if you want our friendship Hermione. Did you lie about your name too?" Lily knew she was being harsh and unfairly so, but lying was something she hated with a passion. She had dealt with it all her life because of Petunia, and she had no tolerance for it.
Now Hermione's eyes filled with tears. Lily was being unfair, Hermione was about to tell her the truth. That thought cheered her a bit. At least then she would get an apology...if Lily believed her. She prayed to God she would.
Lily saw Hermione's eyes fill with tears and immediately softened. She was about to hear the truth and being as she didn't really know Hermione yet, she deserved the benefit of the doubt.
"Please tell me," she said quietly.
Hermione sat down next to her and took another deep breath and began:
"I'm not from Beauxbatons. I'm from Hogwarts. I have been going to Hogwarts for the past seven years."
"Hermione, that's not possible. Everyone would know you."
Hermione sighed. "Everyone DOES know me Lily. And they know you and James, and Sirius and Remus and Peter. Lily, I'm from the future. Twenty-four years in the future."
Lily gaped at her.
"I'm telling the truth," Hermione said desperately, reaching into her robes and pulling out the time turner.
"Do you know what this is?"
Lily narrowed her eyes. "Yes. It's a time turner."
"That's how I got here."
"I don't understand. No time turner is advanced enough to go back years."
"They are where I come from. Lily I used it to take extra classes so that I could be an Auror and miscalculated one day and ended up here. I can't go back because I broke the dial on the time turner by accident." By now Hermione couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She didn't want to either.
Lily was in shock at this news, but it made sense. The time turner, the lies, and the way she had freaked out in McGonagall's class... It would also explain how she seemed to know Hogwarts so well after only a few hours. And her initial feeling of Hermione was one of complete trustworthiness. So it could only be the truth that Lily was hearing now.
A deep respect for the girl next to her filled Lily and she threw her arms around Hermione and pulled her close in a comforting hug.
"I believe you Hermione."
"You do?" Hermione sniffled.
Lily pulled back from her and grinned. "Of course. You are so brave. I don't know what I would have done if that happened to me. Especially if I ever lost James. Hermione, you don't have a boyfriend back in the future do you?"
"No. No boyfriend." Hermione smiled back at her.
"Well that's good isn't it? That's the last thing you need. Anyway, I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. Lying bothers me like you wouldn't believe. Especially after living with Petunia all the time."
Hermione smiled. "Yeah, you should hear Harry talk about her. And his Uncle Vernon."
"Uncle Vernon? Harry?"
Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Vernon Dursley? My sister's boyfriend? Hermione, do Petunia and Vernon get married?"
Hermione nodded slowly. Lily burst out laughing. "No way!" she screeched. "But, who's Harry? And how would you know about Petunia and Vernon? Just who are you anyways?" Lily was looking at Hermione seriously now, all laughter gone from her face.
Hermione felt she had no choice. She had already said too much. She knew she was probably altering time beyond repair but she needed to relieve herself of this burden. And Lily believed her.
"I am Hermione Granger, best friend to Harry Potter."
"Harry...Potter?" Lily gasped suddenly.
"Yes Lily. I am one of your son's best friends."
"My son?"
Hermione nodded.
"And his father?" Lily knew the answer but she couldn't bear to say it.
"James Potter." Said Hermione, looking at her friend.
"James and I have a son." Lily shook her head, a gentle blush staining her fair cheeks. She looked at Hermione, tears in her eyes. "You know so much about me. So much about my family and friends. I know nothing of you. I want to know all about you. And if you can tell me, I want to know about my son. What is he like?"
Hermione took her hand. "Now, I can't tell you too much. I have already said a lot. I need you to promise me that you will not tell a soul ever! Time can not be meddled with. The consequences are too great."
Lily laughed. "Oh Hermione, I wouldn't want to meddle in my future. James and I having a child. It's almost too wonderful to be true."
Hermione almost started to cry again. If only Lily knew what was in her future. If only any of them knew.
Just as she was about to start talking about Harry, Nina walked in.
"Oh! I'm sorry," the shy girl said, going to walk out.
With a significant look at Hermione Lily said, "It's alright Nina. Hermione just misses Beauxbatons a bit. But we'll make her feel welcome right?"
Nina smiled warmly at Hermione. "Of course we will. You'll love Hogwarts Hermione. I promise."
"Thank you Nina."
The girl headed to the bathroom.
"Let's go for a walk tomorrow Hermione," said Lily. "Then you could tell me all about my son and yourself."
"Likewise Lily. I want to know all about you too. Because I really don't know anything at all."
Lily looked at her quizzically but shrugged and hopped onto her bed. Well, I guess I'll get ready for bed then. Sounds like I have quite a lot to do tomorrow."
Hermione watched her for a moment. 'Likewise.' She thought.
That night, as Hermione lay tucked among the comfortable blankets she thought about her friends and family from her own time. She hoped they weren't too worried by her absence. Especially her parents and Harry, Ron, Ginny, Lavender, and Hagrid. She wished that she could tell them she was okay. That she was safe. That she was still with them, just in a different time. She wished she could tell Harry that she had actually had dinner with his parents. And Lupin. And Sirius. He would definitely want to know all the details of his parents. Just like Lily wanted to know about her son. Hermione sighed. Had she been right to tell Lily about her and James? She really hadn't had a choice had she? She had accidentally let it slip about Harry and his aunt and uncle. She thought some more on it, then simply resolved to tell her vague details of her son and not tell her anymore of her future. Lily would understand that she couldn't possibly know her own future the way Hermione knew it. No one would.
All in all it had not been a bad thing on the whole. Lily and the Marauders were wonderful, she was still at her beloved school, and Sirius...she was instantly drawn to him. To his life. To his light. He was just has handsome as everyone had said and he was charming to boot. Hermione normally did not let charm get in the way of her opinion of a person. She had always felt that anyone could be charming. But that was before she had met the seventeen year old Sirius Black. She shook her head. She had to stop. If she got it into her head that she was attracted to him it could only end up bad. She had to trust that her stay here was temporary. Dumbledore had never let her down before, she had to have confidence in him and McGonagall. Suddenly, realization dawned on her.
'They were very protective of her. Until she hexed them once out of sheer annoyance. Then they stopped.'
The look McGonagall had given her. The way she had tried to dissuade Hermione from accepting the time turner. She knew! She and Dumbledore and the staff knew! And how else could Hermione know about Lily hexing Sirius and James unless she had already been here? It all made sense! What had happened in McGonagall's office had been pushed to the back of her mind in the ensuing excitement, but never completely forgotten. She knew sleep would be long in coming that night.
Suddenly, she gasped again. If they knew...that ment Lupin knew and Sirius had known. How come Lupin had never said anything to her? And Sirius? She felt that familiar tug on her heart as she thought about the fact that Sirius had known. Why hadn't anyone said anything to her?
TBC
Okay guys... you have it. Chappie five. Again I take no credit for the characters except the ones that I made up. So there you have it! Hope you liked it!
Romula