Last Disclaimer, NOOOOOOOOOOO: I don't own Harry Potter
Yes, this is the last chapter, more information on the bottom.
ALL SONGS IN THIS CHAPTER ARE PROPERTY OF ME. I AM NOT GOING TO DISCLOSE MY NAME HOWEVER! (readers, see bottom)
Chapter Ten
Never Alone
I can't believe I thought I could live,
Without you by my side forever.
I was so wrong in my guess
All I know now,
All I'll know forever is
I can never be without you-from Never Alone
It was a very different night from usual winter nights. The temperature had risen and the little snow there was had already started to melt. Usually, someone would be relaxing, enjoying the break from the cold. No one would be pacing or worrying desperately. No one else would be scared of what was going to happen.
Hermione Granger would though. And that was exactly what she was doing.
She sat at her desk, quill in her left hand, tapping her parchment with her other. She had just finished her letter;
Remus,
I had hoped that the story would end here and you and I would live happily ever after, but this is not happening. You have rejected me and I have only one choice, only one way to save us.
I am going back.
I don't know why you are doing this but returning to the past is the only hope I have. You promised me that you would wait and you broke it. I don't know how you can live with that but I know that I can't so I have to defy Dumbledore and break my own promises. I belong there. I have seen what these twenty years have done to you and I want to change it.
I love you forever,
Hermione Granger
She read the letter over, but she guessed that this one would be the easier of the two. Telling Harry and Ron that she was leaving without saying where she was going seemed harder. She had no idea how to do it. She pulled her second piece of parchment out and, without really knowing what to say, began to write.
Harry and Ron,
I realize that I will be leaving you questions, questions that no one will or can answer. Eventually you will know why I am leaving, but for now it will be one of your many mysteries.
I will be gone, I don't know if I am ever coming back either. If it was possible I would tell you but I really don't know what's going to happen. All I can say is that you will never see Hermione Granger again.
I know you don't understand but I am telling you the truth. I am just leaving some large gaps in the story. Don't think that I am lying to you. I just can't tell you everything.
You may not ever understand anything that I am trying to tell you, but that doesn't matter right now. I just want you to keep yourselves safe. I would hate to come back and you are both in trouble.
Promise that you will be safe. And please, for my sake, don't ask anyone where I have gone. You won't get answers even if you do.
Just be safe. I love you both and I will miss you.
With love,
Hermione
She folded the letter in half and kissed it. They probably wouldn't understand any of it, but she felt that she had to say something instead of leaving them in the dark.
A knock on the door broke through her thoughts. She stood up and walked to it. Sirius was in the doorframe.
"Sirius," she said. "Come in." He followed her inside. "I was just waiting for you," she said, closing the door behind them.
"You have your letters?" he asked. Hermione nodded and handed them to him. "I'll get these to them," he said.
Hermione nodded.
"Go ahead," said Sirius.
She smiled. "See you soon." He nodded. Hermione drew the circle in midair and opened the portal. "1977," she whispered and without looking back, she ran through time.
Remus's POV (1997)
A knock on his door broke Remus out of his thoughts. He smiled, knowing who it would be, and stood up to open the door. This must mean that it had worked.
"Evening Sirius," he said, seeing his friend at the door. Sirius was looking extremely pleased with himself. He turned back to his desk. Sirius came behind him, shutting the door with a snap. "Well?" he asked.
"She's gone," said Sirius. "A few minutes ago."
"Good," said Remus, looking out the window as if he could see Hermione shooting through time in the sky. "Let us hope Sirius," he said turning back. "That everything goes right this time."'
Harry's POV (1997, the next morning)
Ron was still asleep but Harry had been up for about and hour. He'd found a folded piece of parchment addressed to Ron and himself. He'd recognized Hermione's handwriting at once and pounced on it, but he had immediately regretted it.
She was leaving and most likely never coming back. She had said herself that they would never see her again. And what was worse was he knew she was already gone so he couldn't talk her into staying. She was gone.
He didn't know what had happened to them. Their relationship had been going so well. Then Malfoy attacked them and died and she was strange. He knew she thought that she had killed him and that must be a hard though to cope with, but hardly a week after she had broken up with him and in that week she wouldn't let him kiss her; she would get nervous even when he put his arm around her. What had happened? He thought in frustration. He had loved her. And now he didn't even have the opportunity to tell her that.
Hermione's POV
Her feet hit the ground and she immediately sank several inches. Her hands and upper torso slammed into the wet grass and mud. She received a face full of muck as her head crashed down. Great, she thought. I'm outside and it's raining.
The affect of time traveling had dazed her once again. She breathed heavily against the wet grass, sucking in all the oxygen. Oh to lie here and never have to wake up.
A stick snapped around her but she did have the energy to look up and see what it was. Whatever it was, it was coming closer and closer. She opened her eyes slowly. Something huge was next to her, something brown and hairy illuminated by the light of a full moon.
Before she could register the dangerous situation she was in, Hermione felt herself being picked up and placed on the back of something very warm and soft. It started to move. Its movement was slow and careful; as if it was afraid she might fall. She couldn't think. She was too exhausted.
She had no idea how much time had passed but suddenly she wasn't lying on the creature anymore. She was on some kind of bed. A thin sheet or blanket covered her. She shivered, the cold from outside was still running though her. The creature crawled next to her and she moved closer to it. Warmth spread over her body.
Sleep drifted over her, a troubled uncomfortable sleep. Nevertheless every time she woke she felt better. She could feel her strength returning to her.
She moved closer into the curl of the creature, finding an unspoken comfort in it. She didn't know what it was, nor did she look but somehow she didn't feel scared. It meant her no harm.
She briefly opened her eyes. Weak, new sunlight met her eyes and filled the room. She must have slept till dawn.
A whine to her right drew attention. She rolled over to chance a look.
A werewolf lay beside her, panting and covering its face in its paws. Crystalline blue eyes, eyes shot with pain met hers and she realized.
Still weak she grasped the paw in her hands, but it looked less like a paw than it had a moment ago. The newly spouted fingers gripped her arm as the hair fell of the arm, then the face, and eventually the whole body, revealing a pale gasping Remus.
Instantly she threw her arms around him and he held her tightly. He was still shaking in her arms and she held him tighter to her. She never wanted to let go, she just wanted to stay here, in what she now knew to be the shrieking shack, on this bed with her Remus in her arms. It was he however who broke the embrace.
He gently pulled away, the effects of his transformation still over powering him. He lifted his hands to her face, tucking his fingers behind her ears and his thumbs to his eyes. He moved them around her face, as though checking that she was real. Tears filled her eyes as his thumbs passed over them. He wiped them away as they fell.
She put her hands to his and held them tightly. He moved his body closer to hers and slid his right hand to the back of her neck. She stared into his eyes for a moment before he made that impossible. His lips were on hers, her hands on his neck, his arms wrapped around her.
She pulled away slightly, not breaking their embrace. She could see the change in him since she had last been here. The weary, tired, sad look in Professor Lupin's eyes had already started to bloom, though most of it was hidden by his thrilled disbelief.
"You came back," whispered Remus, as if he couldn't believe it.
She nodded, finding his question both depressing and humorous at the same time. "I couldn't do anything else."
Remus had tears in his eyes, but they were tears of joy, nothing like the ones Hermione had recently shed. "How?" he asked.
"I used my powers silly," she offered. Remus laughed, still crying.
"I mean why?"
"I'm not sure if I should tell-YOU!" she shouted. Remus was laughing harder than before. "You did that! You planned that-that hell!"
"Guilty," he said. "I figured that if I rejected you in the future, you'd come back to me in the past. I was beginning to lose hope, but it obviously worked."
"Well then maybe I should go right back," said Hermione turning around, but Remus grabbed her, forcing her to look at him.
"You can't," he said. "I won't let you. I didn't stop you before and it was the biggest mistake that I've ever made."
"I was kidding," she said. "Now that I'm here, I won't go back. Even if you are there, this is where I belong."
Remus smiled and leaned back on the bed, his eyes closed. She could still see how weak he was from his transformation. She smiled and lay next to him, her head on his shoulders. "I love you," she whispered into his exposed ear.
"I love you too," he said, still with his eyes closed. "I missed you."
"You won't have to anymore," she said. "I'll always be here."
Remus's POV (a few hours later, about ten o'clock)
The past few hours were blurred in his mind, but it came to the same thing: Hermione was back. She had come back. She was here, in 1977 now. Hell, she was lying right next to him sleeping.
He was sitting up, not content with sleeping anymore. He was taking in everything about her. He was pushing his memories of the past few months without her to the most secluded place of his mind. He was thinking about the now, and in the now he had his Hermione.
He wasn't quite sure if he wanted to know what had happened to her in the past few months. He knew why she had come back, that was enough, or was it? Did he want to know what had happened with Harry? Had she remained his girlfriend or left him immediately? Did he even want to know? Would it ever be important?
Probably not, he thought to himself. She was here now, and nothing else mattered. He would never have to worry about this either, and it joined his memories.
He brushed his fingers through her hair and it fell over her shoulder. His eyes narrowed. There was a mark on her formerly flawless skin, a scar on her shoulder. He looked at it more closely. It looked like whatever had pierced her skin had been jerked away quickly to stop it. He knew it hadn't been there before. What had happened?
Hermione turned and rolled onto her back. The mark was clearer now; he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before. It looked new, as if it had only happened a few days ago. Damn it, he though, for all he knew it did.
Annoyed and confused, he missed Hermione waking up, but it became apparent when she put her arm on his shoulder. She pulled his face up to her and kissed him. When she pulled away her face fell as she saw his expression. "Why so glum?" she asked. He didn't answer just looked at the scar. She followed his gaze and tried to cover it up but she knew that he had seen it.
He pulled her hand away from her shoulder and traced the outline of the scar with his finger. Looking up he saw her face. She looked apprehensive, as if she was scared. Taking his hand off her whispered quietly "What happened Hermione?"
Hermione's POV (In the common room about an hour later)
The room was empty, which seemed to suite Remus fine. He wasn't talking, he hadn't since she told him about her suicide attempt, but he was pacing.
She had known that he would react like this when she told him, but she hadn't wanted him to find out before she said anything. From what he had said he had seen it while she was sleeping.
They were waiting for the others, wherever they were. Remus certainly wasn't saying, but she hoped they would be back soon. It would break the silence.
She stood up and walked over the Remus. "Remus?" she said worriedly. It wasn't just his behavior. She was forced to remember a similar situation where Remus had rejected her.
He turned around and wrapped his arms around her. She felt what he wanted to say in his embrace.
The portrait hole opened and four people climbed in, laughing and talking. Hermione smiled into Remus's shoulder as Lily froze. The others continued to talk and paused as they realized lily hadn't moved.
"What's up Lil?" Sirius asked. Lily didn't say anything, but pointed to Hermione. Hermione entangled herself from Remus with a smile on her face and walked to the frozen foursome.
Lily shook herself out of her stupor and hugged Hermione with as much force a Mrs. Weasley. "Oh my God," Lily said. "You're here, you're back!"
"Back to stay," she said.
In another minute James, Peter, and Sirius had descended on her, nearly suffocating her. She could hear Remus laughing. "I could use some help," she shouted to him. James pulled himself and the others away. Lily was laughing.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sirius. "I wasn't expecting to see you for another couple years."
"Couldn't stay away," said Hermione grinning broadly. All the depression that had grown over the past few months was melting away. She felt Remus come up beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. They all sat down, Hermione and Lily both on the armchairs of Remus and James. Everyone looked shocked.
"I can't believe it, you're back!" said Lily again.
"Yes, you've said," said Remus. "Anyone else wish to comment?"
"How, I mean, why?" Peter spluttered.
"Because of the persuasion of the most responsible of all the adults," Hermione said seriously. "Sirius Black."
"Tell me you're joking," said Lily snorting. "Sirius? Serious? Come on."
"Well considering the whole thing was a trick," said Hermione, turning on Remus. "A plot to get me back here, but I wouldn't have realized that without Sirius."
"But of course, you didn't know that it was a trick until a few hours ago," said Remus.
"A few hours ago? You've been here for a few hours? And nobody told me?" shrieked Lily indignantly.
"Calm down, most of the time I was asleep," said Hermione. "And don't feel bad, Dumbledore doesn't even know. Well, he probably does, but we haven't told him anything."
"You were sleeping?" said Sirius with a disgusting look on his face. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Yes Sirius, sleeping. As in resting on a bed and not being awake."
"Okay, I get it, this sleeping thing you're talking about sounds better than what we were doing last night?"
"Which was?"
"Detention," said James flatly.
"Detention? All five of you?"
"Six actually," said Remus.
"What?" said Hermione turning back to Remus. "Why do you all have detention?"
"Uh, what did McGonagall call it? Inattentiveness in class, not doing work, basically totally and completely distracted. For that we've been given detention for a month but it'll be longer unless were turn our homework in."
"A month? Wait, How long have I been gone?" Hermione asked.
Sirius counted on his fingers. "Well we first received detention about a week after you left and lest night was the second to last, so a little more than a month."
"Oh and you thought you had it bad?" Hermione scoffed. "I had three months."
"How did that work?" asked Lily.
"I went back the same day I left. They don't know anything about this, I couldn't just show up at Christmas."
"By 'they' you mean Harry and Ron?" said Peter. Hermione silently forgave him for bringing up Harry. She felt Remus tense at the mention of his name.
"Yes," she said.
They talked for hours, about everything that had happened. Hermione had to alter her story in places in order not to give anything away that they couldn't hear. They told her how Dumbledore had been distant since she had left, hardly talking to them, she told them about Malfoy and how she'd stayed locked up for a few days afterwards. They talked so long they didn't notice that the portrait hole had opened and Dumbledore had walked in.
"Ahem," he said. They all stopped talking and looked at him. His eyes fell on Hermione and she swallowed hard.
"Ah," he said. "I thought I might find you here."
"Hello professor," Hermione said.
"I wasn't aware that we were having a visitor Hermione,' he said.
"Neither was I because I'm not a visitor sir."
"Oh," said Dumbledore. "Than what exactly are you?"
"I am Hermione Granger, student at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in my seventh year."
"A permanent student?"
"Yes, until I graduate."
"Did anyone approve this Hermione?"
"Uhh, Sirius Black."
"Of course," Dumbledore muttered. "Somebody besides Sirius?"
"If the whole thing was a plot that I didn't know about until a few hours ago does that mean that it was unapproved?"
"Probably not, but I'll give it to you," said Dumbledore. "I suppose you should just resume your previous schedule."
"I'd like that sir," said Hermione quietly.
"I thought so. Be in class tomorrow."
"I will sir."
Dumbledore turned back to the portrait hole and pushed it open. He turned around. "Oh and Hermione?"
"Yes?"
"Welcome back."
Remus's POV
They were still the only ones in the common room. Everyone else had gone up a few hours ago. They had classes tomorrow, but Remus didn't feel tired at all.
"So,' he said. "I take it that since Sirius helped you he's not dead?"
"You know I'm not really sure."
"Something tells me I won't get much more of an answer."
"No, so don't ask."
She leaned forward and kissed him gently. Oh he had missed her so much. There were no words to describe his feelings at having her back. It was beyond joy, beyond ecstasy, it was even beyond love.
After a few love filled minutes he pulled away gently. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"So," he said.
"So what?"
"So, am I going to have to worry about any boyfriends in twenty years?" he asked teasingly. He still wasn't quite sure he wanted to know but he knew he had to.
"She looked at him. "What do you think? Of course not. I called it off a week after I got back."
"Really?"
"Do I really have to answer that? Do you think I wouldn't have? My heart belongs to you, oh finance of mine," she said.
"Just checking," he laughed. "You never know."
"You should."
"But," he said, deciding to play around. "You said a week. What exactly happened during that week?"
"Hey," she said playfully hitting him. "You honestly think I let anything happen? I spent most of my time in my dormitory."
"What about the other time?"
"You jerk!"
He laughed and pulled her head closer to him and kissed her soft forehead. "I'm just playing. I know you wouldn't have done anything."
"I know you know," she said. She kissed him again and pulled away softly. "Have I told you I love you?"
"Maybe once or twice," he said.
"Well, I do."
"I love you too."
Hermione laughed. "Just checking."
Hermione's POV (About a month later, the Gryffindor common room)
"I think that's everyone," said Remus, pulling their list off the table and looking at it. "We don't want anyone else, do we?"
"No, it's not like we wanted a big wedding anyway," she said. "Anyone else would turn it into something huge."
"The more people we have the less chance there is of them coming anyway. I wouldn't want everybody to miss it." He rolled up the parchment and vanished it. "Only a few more months darling."
"And so much to do before then and we're not even out of school," she said. "It's only now, but soon it won't be anytime at all."
"Planning a wedding are you?" said Sirius's voice. "That would only be the second pair I've met doing that today."
"You better find a girl Sirius," said Hermione. "You don't want to be left out when Lily and James and us are two old married couples."
"I'll stick to me for now," said Sirius, sitting down.
"Yes of course Sirius Black has so much to handle. Pranks and full moons and watching Diggory's girlfriend," Remus teased. "Sure you can only have yourself."
"If I didn't know you were joking I'd hurt you," said Sirius, raising a threatening finger.
"But you do so you can't have any fun," said Hermione. "Besides we've found something better for you to do."
"Oh and what would that be?"
"We've decided that since James will be best man, and Peter would probably kill himself if we gave him anything to do, you should walk Hermione down the aisle," said Remus. Hermione nodded.
"Really?" said Sirius aghast."
"Yes," said Hermione. "Obviously my dad can't do it, and you are the one who tells me to come back so why not?"
"I haven't exactly done that yet, though," said Sirius.
"Well it's an early thanks. What do you say?"
"Of course, anything for Moony," said Sirius, punching Remus on the arm affectionately. "Well, I'm going to go boast to James. He's only making me best man."
"Well isn't that inconsiderate," said Hermione sarcastically. 'After everything you've done for him, just best man."
"Yeah, exactly, see ya," said Sirius and he ran out the door, leaving Hermione to her laughter. .
She had finally truly adjusted to living here. Half the time she forgot that she knew things that she couldn't tell anyone. It was too perfect. Her life was too perfect. And it would stay that way.
No matter what happens
I want you with me forevermore
I can't live without you
And I'll never try again- From Never Alone
Okay before I say anything: Apologies. I seriously meant this to be up weeks ago. I got so busy with school work, and I really didn't want to finish this. I love this story and posting this chapter is going to kill me.
Which brings me to: It's done, it's completely finished, no epilogues, no nada. Time Enchanting is over. Forever.
But The Beauty and the Beast Books are not. It is a series, and I now have two options: Go directly to the sequel, or finish Harry Potter and The Secret of Godric's Hollow. If I go directly to the sequel, SOGH will be done. I will delete it, because I won't have any time.
For those of you who haven't read SOGH, I suggest you at least look at it before you tell me to delete it. Some of you won't, I know because you can't wait for the next one, but at least try.
To the third order of business, do not be surprise if you suddenly get a bunch of Author alerts on this story, don't worry I'm not totally rewriting it. For those of you who haven't looked at the homepage recently, we are not allowed to post other people's lyrics. I didn't know that until I got to chapter 10, so I decided this would be a good opportunity for me to test out some of my lyrics (which we are allowed to post). I am an aspiring singer and I write a lot of songs. Instead of forgetting about the songs, I'm putting my own in their place. I'd like some feedback on them if you don't mind.
In the reposts I will only be changing the lyrics. Okay, maybe some spelling and stuff, like mistakes, but nothing plot wise.
I have left some clues to the second book in this chapter. One is probably very obvious, Remus's reaction to Sirius telling him Hermione is gone ("Let us hope Sirius," he said turning back. "That everything goes right this time.") but maybe Harry's reaction might give some ideas. There are other but I will not tell.
The last replies (Sniff)
StarRegina: I know so sad. Tell me it's happy now?
Lizzieangel90: I love it when readers know what's going to happen, and your guess was perfect.
inusgirl4life: There is nothing wrong with being a review whore.
Amrawo: you have reviewed every chapter I have posted, thank you so much. You were right. Did you like it?
Kaydee: Exactly right. I hope you enjoyed.
Sybyll: Yep she did.
Black-rose23: thanks, I'm just now getting used to angst. It makes me so happy to know you liked it.
Athena's wolf: Yes, I really hope you like this story.
Sarah: I couldn't live without Sirius, he's too cool. You'll find out why he's back in the next story.
SpikesDreamer: yes, Verne is Hermione. Yes Sirius is alive, and yes Remus is being silly. But I still luv him.
Gleeshouts: Does this count as the epilogue? Cuz I'm not writing anymore on this one.
Oddballout: Don't cry anymore! It's not sad! If you cry, cry with joy!
Lonelyfairy: I know, I hate suspense too.
RosieLady: forgive the late update please.
Harryandhermy: You and I share that opinion.
DogDemonLover1590: Thanks. By dog Demon, do you mean Inuyasha? (my favorite anime character)
Mentalarithmeticspoon: Tragedy, I know, so painful. It gets better though.
I love you all guys, you are so nice to me. I don't deserve you.
Farewell,
Gwen Worshipper (Bursts into tears)
