A New Beginning
A/N: Oh my gosh! It's a long awaited update! That only took me eight months…shifts eyes nervously. Anyways, thanks to:
Jackie – Well there's more Hermia this chapter! And the poor kid gets to see more terrors. Muahaha.
Eilidh – You were back for that chapter! But have you disappeared again? Dang message boards! Stealing you away like that! You should write more! (I know you posted that like, well, eight months ago, but still!
and
Amanda – I'm glad you like that "line"! And oh well if your review is short, a review is a review:D
For reviewing!
OK, so this is the beginning of the end. After this, there will be two more chapters. So Read and Review please and thank-you!
-Chapter 9-Disturbing Sights
--Hermia, 1997--
"Morning," Hermia said as she took a seat next to Ginny in the Great Hall.
"Morning," came the reply from the group.
"So what do we have first Ginny?" asked Hermia.
"Herbology," Ginny responded, looking at her timetable briefly.
"Are you even taking the same classes as her, Maddie?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, I looked over her timetable yesterday. Just because I was home schooled doesn't mean I was learning different things," replied Hermia, eating some porridge.
"I didn't even know people could be home schooled when they're learning magic. Hasn't the Ministry warned you about Underage Magic?"
"My father's friends with the Head of Law Enforcement; he basically just told him he wanted me home schooled, that he didn't want me at Hogwarts."
"Then how did you end up here? The school is not supposed to be able to be plotted."
Hermia glanced at her watch. "Oh, would you look at the time; I should probably go to Herbology." She stood up. "I'll answer that after classes if you remind me. Bye."
"I'm going to go too, bye," Ginny said, kissing Harry's cheek briefly before following Hermia.
"Hermione, why were you just harassing her?" asked Harry, looking at Hermione.
"There's something about her that doesn't seem right. I'm surprised you haven't picked up on it yet," Hermione said. "I'm just trying to figure out what she's hiding."
"Well why do you feel the need to pester her like that? At least Harry just says it or spies on them," Ron said, earning a punch to the shoulder from Harry.
"Because this way is more honest. Now if you two don't mind, I have Ancient Runes," Hermione said, standing and leaving the Gryffindor table.
--Harry and Hermione--
"Harry, do we have any Floo?" asked Hermione, looking frantically near the fireplace in her flat for the pouch of Floo Powder.
"Not at the moment, we're all out," replied Harry, handing her an empty bag. "Why?"
"I need it for the Time Turner. It's a main part in it, you know, because of the traveling. Oh, and do you have any old watches I can borrow? They don't have to work."
"Yes I do, and I'll go get you your Floo. The watch you want is in my Hogwarts trunk upstairs in the attic. There should be one or two in there that are broken."
"OK, thanks honey. Those are two less things I need then," Hermione said, looking as though she was figuring something out.
"I'll be back," Harry said, kissing Hermione's cheek before Disapparating.
Running up the steps to their attic, Hermione headed to Harry's old Hogwarts trunk. She opened the lid, causing a layer of dust to rise, and looked down on the mess in the trunk, couching slightly. Hermione lifted up the pile of robes and dumped them to the floor to see some old rolled up socks, a photo album, two broken watches, a broken compact mirror, and a face-down photograph. Pocketing one of the watches, Hermione lifted the photo and looked at it, gasping slightly.
--Hermia, 1997--
"Tell me why you want me in a picture," Hermia groaned as Ginny led her to sit in between Ron and Hermione at the base of a tree.
"Because we're going to want to you remember you silly. We know you aren't going to be staying at Hogwarts," Ginny replied. "Now sit."
"So how often do you guys get your picture taken like this?"
"Whenever we want; Colin's our exclusive photographer, right Colin?"
"Yes, I'd do anything for you!" exclaimed an excited Colin Creevey, almost dropping his camera.
Ginny rolled her eyes so Hermia could see and sat down on Harry's lap, who had been sitting beside Hermione.
"Just take the picture whenever you want Colin," Harry said before kissing Ginny's cheek.
It was now Hermia's turn to roll her eyes as she slumped against the tree. Ron turned and looked at her, smirking, causing Hermia to scowl back at him. Hermione just tried to hide her laughter at Ron's pretending to be hurt. At that moment, Colin took the picture.
--Harry and Hermione--
"I got the Floo!" called Harry, going to Hermione's office, which was empty. Frowning, Harry put the pouch on her desk and headed to the attic. He found Hermione up there, still looking at the picture. "I've got the Floo."
"Mhmm," Hermione murmured absently. She stood and showed Harry the photo. "When was this taken?"
Harry looked at the picture and immediately saw the images of him and Ginny snogging. "Uh…I'd have to say seventh year. This was a long time ago, so what are you like this?"
"I don't care about you and Ginny! I saw you two snogging like crazy that year. But that's not what's upsetting or interesting or anything of the sort. Look between me and Ron," Hermione said, pointing to a scowling girl between herself and Ron.
"That's Maddie! You must remember her; she was that lost girl or whatever."
"Are you blind Harry? Look closer!"
Harry did so and gasped. "It's Hermia!"
"Yeah it is."
"Well why is she in that picture?"
"Isn't it obvious? She's actually implanted herself in our memory, like it was supposed to happen, her going to that year. Because I remember her when she was staying there at Hogwarts, don't you?"
Harry nodded. "But I can't remember when she left exactly."
"Me neither. Though I have to give her credit for her back story; Gary and Germaine Smith! One of the best Seekers she knew. Hah. She was dropping clues like bombshells for us and we never really noticed. I bet Dumbledore helped her out. And that explains why she had to visit Dumbledore so much; it was probably about that Time Turner because he didn't know how to use it! Oh dear, I need to get this done so I can go get her!" Hermione said, running out of the attic. "Hold any owls or calls please!"
"Wait, Hermione, if you don't get her back before she was supposed to leave, what do you think will happen?" asked Harry, following Hermione.
She stopped and looked at him, obviously thinking about his question. "Um…I believe, now this is a guess, that if I don't get her back when she's supposed to be brought back, she'll be stuck there and our lives will be altered. So right now, our past depends on our future."
Harry looked at his wife, confused, which caused her to sigh.
"I'm not positive on that, so I'm just praying that I can get her back."
--Hermia, 1997--
"Um, Neville is it?" asked Hermia, tapping Neville's shoulder.
"Yes," replied Neville, looking up at Hermia.
"I was asked to give you this," Hermia said before kissing him quickly on the lips.
Neville looked a lost of words as Hermia walked over to Ginny and Harry, giggling.
"Nice Maddie; I think you just made Neville's month, maybe year," Ginny said, smiling.
Hermia just shrugged. "It was nothing; I'd probably do anything to get out of that essay McGonagall wants. Even if I don't have it marked."
"Why do you have to do the homework if the teacher's don't mark it?" asked Harry, leaning back on his chair.
"It's so the teacher's can see if I understand everything because I'm studying this at home; my mum will mark it when I get back."
"If you get back that is," Harry said.
This caused Hermia to look up from her parchment to Harry. "What do you mean by that?"
"I just heard Dumbledore telling McGonagall that you don't remember where came from, just who your parents are. I know you said you were from London, but London's a big place."
"Well I know I told him that I don't remember where I lived, but Dumbledore has my parents names so that's how he's going to get me out, by owling them."
Harry just looked at her like he did not believe a word she said. When he said nothing further, Hermia went back to her essay. Getting angry with herself for not have a fool-proof plan, Hermia accidentally broke the tip of her quill. "Damn…do either of you have any extra quills?" she asked Ginny and Harry.
"Sorry Maddie, I don't," Ginny replied. "I broke my second last one yesterday."
"I have one, upstairs in my trunk," Harry said, standing.
Hermia stood as well. "I'll come with you to get it."
Harry just shrugged, kissed Ginny's forehead and walked up to the boy's dorms. He opened the door, Hermia right behind him and quickly closed it, causing him to bump into Hermia. She looked at him troubling before moving him aside and opening the door, Harry's back to her. Gasping, Hermia closed the door much like Harry and wished she could pluck her eyes out
--Harry and Hermione--
"Jane wants to know if you can help her on her mathematics homework," Harry told Hermione, sneaking his head into her office. "Though why she has so much homework for her age is behind my reasoning."
Hermione looked up at him. "I can't at the moment; I need to get this Floo into the watch. Can't you help her?"
"I offered, but she said she wanted you. Said something about me not being all too bright."
"She's partly right on that, considering you grammar. Please just tell her I'm sorry, and when you're done helping her, can you ask Ginny if she remembers anything about dear old Maddie?"
"Yeah, sure," Harry said, about to leave the room.
"Thanks love," Hermione called after him.
Harry ran down the stairs to the living room. "Bad news Angel-face, Mum can't help you at the moment. She's busy for the evening."
"But I really need the help Daddy!" grumbled Jane.
"That's why you have two parents. So one can help you while the other's busy," Harry explained, sitting next to his daughter. "Now let's see this homework of yours that nasty Ms. Williams gave you."
Jane pushed her book in front of Harry and pointed to a question.
After a few moments of explaining what Jane was supposed to do, Harry stood up. "I need to go visit Aunt Ginny and Uncle Draco for a bit. Mum's upstairs so can you just keep an eye on Harley? He should be fine in his playpen though."
"Sure Daddy," Jane replied, looking up at Harry.
"Thanks Angel-face," Harry smiled before Disapparating.
"Merlin Harry! Don't do that!" Ginny exclaimed when Harry appeared in her hallway.
"Sorry Gin, it won't happen again," Harry smiled.
Ginny rolled he eyes and walked with Harry to the kitchen. "Draco's not here, to let you know."
"I didn't come to see him. I needed to ask you something."
"OK, go ahead, ask."
"Do you remember a girl named Maddie Smith who showed up when you and I were going out?" asked Harry.
"Of course I remember Maddie! I was probably her closest friend – next to you – when she was at Hogwarts for that brief amount of time," Ginny replied.
"Do you happen to remember how long it took for her to leave?"
Ginny thought for a moment. "No, I can't say that I can. I believe it was on a weekend though. Why? Because I could go look to see if I have my old diary, I wrote it in there."
"Well Hermy and I think that Maddie was actually Hermia."
--Hermia, 1997--
"Erm…Harry are you OK?" asked Hermia, not quite believing what she just saw.
"Man, there were on my bed!" exclaimed Harry, running a hand through his hair.
Hermia looked disgusted. "The nerve of those two; I didn't think they were even together."
Harry started walking back downstairs, Hermia following once again. "They clam that they aren't, but I don't know. I don't think I'll be able to sleep on that bed ever again."
"I know where you're coming from." Harry looked confused at Hermia's words. "My friend and I once walked in on her parents doing it on her living room floor one summer. We avoided that room like the plague, though that wasn't hard or long. They ended up moving a month later."
"Lucky break, I guess. I think I'll just have to have the sheets washed multiple times. Or I could get Dobby to switch my whole four-poster with somebody else's."
"Dobby?" asked Hermia as they sat back down where Ginny was, trying to not to give away the fact that she fully knew who the little house-elf was.
"Dobby is this house-elf who is in love with Harry – and socks," Ginny filled in for Harry.
Hermia smiled as she remembered the sock clad elf. "I hope I can meet him before I leave."
"You'll meet him the day you leave, I promise," Harry said.
Hermia nodded. She was glad that Ginny had not noticed that neither she nor Harry had come back with a quill.
--Harry and Hermione--
"What?" asked Ginny, laughing at Harry's statement.
"Think back and picture Maddie. Does she resemble Hermia at all? I mean, the blonde hair, sparkling green eyes which are not unlike my own," Harry said, sitting down.
Ginny slumped into the chair next to Harry. She moved her eyes to look at the ceiling, seeming like it would reveal pictures to her. Her jaw dropped in realization. "Oh my…And you believe she ended up there from Hermione's Time Turner thingy?"
"Exactly. Now did she ever mention to you how she got there to you in class or anything? Because she didn't say anything to me, and like you said, you and I were closest to her."
"No, she didn't mention anything to me. Then again, she was always in the back corner doing her own thing, making the odd comment."
"Then I applaud her," Harry said, making Ginny look puzzled. "She must really understand the concepts of Time Travel, even if we actually had met her when we were younger." Ginny still looked puzzled. "It was meant for Hermia to go back to our time because Hermione's Time Turner doesn't work like a normal one. It doesn't make so there can be two of you at once, which is why she's missing from our time era right now."
"Oh. I see. Well I guess she must have listened to Hermione when she explained the academics of traveling through time," Ginny remarked, grinning.
"Huh?"
"You know how she briefed all your children on everything magical."
"Oh right. Now those were some fun-filled afternoons," Harry said, shaking his head, thinking Ginny had been referring to when Hermione and he saved Sirius and how Hermione had stressed about not being seen. "Could you please check your diary later and tell Hermione the date, because she's stressing out. Thanks Ginny, and I should probably go home and make sure my house hasn't been burned down to the ground in ashes."
Ginny smiled and stood, Harry copying. "OK Harry. Send Hermione my love and make her sleep tonight, OK?" she asked, hugging Harry briefly.
"Will do Gin, don't worry," Harry replied before Disapparating. "Jane, where are you?"
"In the kitchen with Harley, Daddy," Jane called.
"So you haven't killed him yet then?" asked Harry, walking into the kitchen and lifting Harley from the playpen hidden in a corner.
"Daddy! I would never do such a thing!" exclaimed Jane, looking astonished at her father's words.
"I know Angel-face, I was just kidding. Now why don't you go brush your teeth and get ready for bed?"
"So early Daddy?" asked Jane, a whine in her voice.
"Just get ready for bed, then you can read or something for a bit," replied Harry, kissing Jane's forehead.
"OK," Jane agreed before running upstairs.
Harry looked down at his son. "Now you should've been sleeping by now. Is your mother neglecting you?"
Harley gurgled a bit before nodding his head.
"Ah-ha! I thought so. Shall we go and see what she's up to?" asked Harry, taking Harley with him to Hermione's office. She glanced up at them. "My son informs me you've been neglecting him.
"Sod off Harry," she replied.
"Hermy, not around the children!" he said, covering one of Harley's ears, making him giggle. "Let me guess, you're having troubles?"
"Correct, now let me kiss Harley before you put him to bed," Hermione said, kissing Harley's forehead.
--Hermia, 1997--
"Well I think I'm going to head off to bed," Ginny remarked, standing.
"G'night Gin," Harry said, kissing her lips briefly.
"Night Ginny," Hermia said, nodding her head to her friend.
"Good night you two," Ginny said, with a tone in her voice that said, 'Should I really trust you?' But she covered it up by smiling and heading to the girl's dorms.
"So you going to sleep in your dorm tonight?" asked Hermia once Ginny was long gone.
"No, I was thinking here on this couch," Harry replied, lying down on the couch that he and Ginny had been sitting on.
Hermia glared at him.
"Or wait, you sleep here, don't you? I mean, Hermione told me she saw you here this morning, passed out," Harry said, sitting back up.
"Yeah, well, I guess it's my bed for now. But you can have it tonight because I understand not wanting your bed. I'll sleep on this mighty comfy armchair," Hermia said. Harry looked like he was about to object. "No Harry, you got the couch. Tomorrow I'll have it." She smiled. "Did you happen to notice that neither Ron nor Hermione came down at all after? I didn't even see Hermy go to the girls' dorms."
"Hermy? I thought only myself, Ron, and Hermy knew of that knick name," laughed Harry, making Hermia shrug. "She's up there in her bed, I saw her sneak by earlier. And when they don't associate with me, it's because they've gone and had a huge row, or they had shagged earlier and are ashamed that their faces might give them away. But if I don't see the row, it's because of the shagging, which is a big give away I believe."
"Have they been doing this often?"
"It's been happening a lot since summer. About the middle of August is when I started to notice. How long they've been together like that though, I don't know. But I really don't mind that they're together. I just hate how they haven't told me. It's like they think I won't want to be friends with them if I knew."
"If I was you, I think I'd show them that I was starting to become more independent and continue just spending time with Ginny and others. Not to dwell on them, you know?"
Harry grinned. "Sounds good; though I doubt they'd notice."
Hermia smiled sadly. "Well I think I'm going to pass out right now. Goodnight Harry."
"G'night Maddie, and thanks for listening," Harry said, lying down once more.
"No problem," Hermia replied, closing her eyes.
--Harry and Hermione--
"Hermione love, come to bed," Harry said, massaging Hermione's shoulders. "You can continue where you left off tomorrow."
"But Harry…" whined Hermione.
"No 'but Harry'. I'm under strict order's from Ginny Malfoy to make you sleep. Now you can either come to bed the easy way or the hard way. Your choice."
"Hard way?"
"OK."
"Harry, wait, I…" Hermione started before Harry stood in front of her and lifted her easily.
Tossing Hermione over his shoulder, Harry exited the room and turned off the lights. "You chose the hard way.
She giggled. "I didn't mean to, honestly. Though I have to say, I like the free ride, and the view's not too shabby either."
Harry grinned and entered their room. He gently put Hermione down on the bed. "You're gorgeous, you know that?"
Hermione blushed.
"Oh yeah, Potter's still got it! I can make you blush still," Harry remarked.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Come here you, you mood killer." She grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him on top of her and kissed his lips softly, running one hand through his hair.
A/N: OK, so chapter 9 is done. Now there is just 10 and 11. Those will be up in the next two days; 10 up tomorrow, then 11 the day after. Oh, and I need to know, (because I most likely will not make this into a trilogy) for on 11, if I should just do a blurb after 11 about how each of the main characters' lives turn out. Tell me what you think! Review please!
