If I Could Turn Back Time…
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters; I own naught but the plot.
Summary: Hermione Granger thinks she is in for another ordinary year of Hogwarts. But as she soon finds out, she's in for a year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that she might never be able to leave…
Hermione was watching Ron and Harry with an amused expression on her features. The two boys were engrossed in playing a game of Exploding Snap on the floor of a Hogwarts Express compartment, and Neville was judging. Apparently, they were holding a contest on who were the best players, (and granted that Neville, Harry and Ron were the only contestants) and Harry and Ron were going head-to-head, each trying for the Exploding Snap Championship. Frankly, Hermione thought the whole idea was ludicrous, but said nothing. She turned her attention back to the open book in her lap, A Revised Edition of Hogwarts: A History, content to read for the rest of the journey. Sometime later, Ron broke the silence with a triumphant shout.
"Ha! I told you, Harry! I could beat you any day!" He crowed, having beaten Harry. Harry rubbed his singed eyebrows, wiping the soot on his jeans.
"Ah well" Harry replied good-naturedly. "I'll beat you next time round." He got off the floor, sitting next to Hermione and peering over her shoulder.
"How's the book I got you for Christmas?" He asked, noting that Hermione had nearly read three quarters of it already. Hermione looked at him over her shoulder.
"It's pretty good. They've included more stuff about the Chamber of Secrets in this edition, and by the looks of it, they've researched more into the pasts of the Houses." She replied.
"Great… I think" Harry said, scratching the back of his neck.
Hermione laughed. "It is, don't you worry about that" She marked her page with her bookmark and closed it, stuffing it into her trunk. "So, who won?"
Ron grinned broadly at his friends. "I did. Harry was no match for the King of the Cards!"
Neville snorted in his corner. "Hey, King of the Cards, your subjects are about to explode" He said, motioning to the smoking cards at Ron's feet. Ron jumped back just in time as the cards gave their final explosion, swearing under his breath as a spark hit his leg.
"Ronald Weasly! Language!" Cried a voice that sounded extraordinarily like Mrs. Weasly. They all looked up and a scowling Ginny stared back at them, trying to keep a straight face. Hermione was the first the break the silence. Her face was going red, and the boys were concerned she was suffering a stroke, but she burst into giggles at the last minute. Her peals of laughter echoed through the open door, and Ginny slammed the door shut, joining in with Hermione, and soon her sides ached so much she couldn't stand. The boys looked at each other with mystified expressions mirrored on one another's faces. Soon after the outburst, the girls had sobered enough to resume their conversation.
"I'm going to get some air; and maybe something to eat…" Hermione said, getting up from her seat and walking to the door. She slid it open and walked out, poking her head around it once more.
"Anyone want to come?" They all shook their heads. "Okay, be back shortly"
Hermione was walking down the corridor, looking for the trolley that could be usually found wandering the corridor. A door opened, and a blonde head looked out. Malfoy caught sight of Hermione and narrowed his eyes. She glared back at him and kept walking, wishing he would leave her alone today. No such luck.
"Granger!" He called after her. Hermione cursed herself, but looked back around at him. He threw something at her, something that glinted in the artificial light. She caught in her hand, turning it over and inspecting it. The object was a coarse white rock, crudely cut, and it looked like a piece of garbage. And just as she realized what it was, Hermione looked frantically at Malfoy. He had been joined by Pansy Parkinson, and she was waving mockingly at the Gryffindor.
"Bye Granger, see you around… or not" She said, smirking. Hermione stared at the stone in her hand, she knew se should drop it… but just as she started to open her fist, a jerk around her navel alerted her that the Portkey had been activated. The world around Hermione turned into a blur, the colours mixing together.
"Do you think she's okay?"
"I don't know"
"What happened to her?"
"How am I supposed to know that?"
"Sorry… She looks pretty beat. What's that in her hand?"
"For the last time: I don't know!"
Voices were talking above her, distant and at the same time close. She felt her hand pried open and something was taken from it. She opened her eyes, and shut then again quickly.
"Dim the lights!" Someone above her said, and she felt herself being picked up and carried. She tried to open her eyes again, and this time kept them open.
Four faces were looking at her from above. One with sandy brown hair, two with black hair and one with mousey brown hair and a porky face. She sat up, holding her head in her hands,
"How are you?" Someone asked
"I've got a splitting headache. Where am I?" She asked, noticing a name tag on the inside of her sleeve. Hermione Granger, it read. 'That must be my name…' She thought, although she couldn't remember anything.
"On the Hogwarts Train… we heard a thump and found you on the floor…" The boy with glasses said. "I'm James Potter, who are you?"
"Hermione…Hermione Granger" Hermione answered. She looked around her, not remembering how she had gotten here.
"I'm Sirius…" The other black-haired boy said. And the rest introduced themselves as Peter and Remus.
"I'm very pleased to meet you all." Hermione said. "Have you got any Aspirin? My headache's killing me."
"Aspirin? What's that?" James asked.
"It's a Muggle pain-killer, Potter." A strong voice called from the door. A young girl stood there. "We don't have any Aspirin here, but I can cure your headache, I've been practicing on my little brother." She said to Hermione.
"How?" She asked.
"With magic, of course," The girl said, looking confused,
"But there's no such thing as magic…" Hermione protested. They all exchanged perplexed looks.
"Hermione… You are a witch, aren't you?" Sirius asked slowly.
"A what? A witch? You should all know by now that there are no such things as witches and wizards! And there is no such this as magic, in any case! It's all one giant fairy-tale" Hermione scoffed. Then, seeing the stunned looks on their faces, Hermione stared at them. "You're not all serious are you? Are you telling me that you actually think there is magic in the world?"
"If I showed you some magic, would you believe us?" The girl asked, taking out a long stick.
"I'd certainly be more inclined too, yes." Hermione answered, eyeing the 'stick' cautiously. The girl nodded, snatching James' glasses off his nose. She then promptly proceeded to snap them in half. Hermione's mouth dropped open.
"Aren't you taking this 'magic' thing a bit too far?" She nearly yelled.
"Shut up, Hermione! Are you mental?" Sirius asked, placing a finger on his lips. Hermione glared at him.
The girl waited until she had Hermione's attention then muttered something she didn't catch. Hermione gasped. The glasses were mending themselves!
"Who are you?" She asked, still shocked at what she had seen.
"I'm Lily Evans. And I'm a witch. Hermione… are you a witch or a Muggle?" Lily asked.
"What on earth's a Muggle?" Hermione asked, looking utterly bewildered.
"Oh boy" Lily muttered, biting her lip. "I think we've landed ourselves a Muggle" she said to the boys standing around her.
"Now, hang on a minute, Lily… I think we should take her to see Dumbledore" Remus said.
"Good idea. Knock her out until we get to Hogwarts?" She asked. They all nodded, though Hermione shook her head furiously.
"You can't just knock someone out because you feel like it! And what on earth's this Hogwarts that you all seem to be talking about?" Hermione said frantically.
"Sorry Hermione. We'll see to it that you'll be awake when we get to Hogwarts, okay?" Lily said, raising her wand. Hermione's mouth nearly hit the floor.
"You're serious, aren't you? You really are bizarre, Lily Evans and crew" Hermione cried indignantly. Lily smiled apologetically at her, muttered something, and she and the world slid out of focus, replaced instead by pitch-black...
Well, the first chapter… I wonder why Hermione can't remember anything? Will she ever go back to the way she was? In fact, will she ever get back to her own time? Please remember to REVIEW! Thanks