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…
"Remus, why doesn't Lily like me? She seems really nice, so why does she hate me?" Hermione asked, looking sadly at the girl with auburn hair that should've been her first friend. They were sitting outside in their free period, Remus was reading his Potions book, but looked at her, his brow furrowed.
"What was that?" He said distractedly.
"I said, why doesn't Lily like me?" Hermione repeated
"Oh… I'm sure she does,"
"But she doesn't. I think she hates me. She hasn't spoken a word to me since Dumbledore asked her to show me to the Hospital Wing…" Hermione said slowly, making sure he understood her.
"Oh, Hermione, Lily's going to hate me for telling you this, but she's had a major liking for James ever since last year when he had to work on an assignment with her."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Well, think about it. Hermione, it's pretty obvious that you like James"
Hermione's mouth dropped open. "How long have you known? Am I really that transparent?"
"No, but I'm kinda a behavioral expert, some would say." Remus smiled "Look, Lily feels as though you're stepping into her territory. As though you're taking James away from her."
"But I'm not!" Hermione exclaimed indignantly.
"She doesn't know that. All I'm saying, and I'm only saying it once, let James go. If you're from the future, then you can't change anything. That is, if you're planning on going back. Are you going back?"
"I don't know. I like it here, and I don't know what kinds of effect my being here would've had on the future. Maybe I should stay, save me going back into a completely different world."
Remus set his book down, turning fully to look her in the eye. "Hermione, what is your opinion of Sirius?"
"Umm, he seems nice, sweet… but not my type, if that's what you were asking."
"Okay then; and James?"
"Do I have to answer?" Hermione pleaded, her eyes fearful of what her answer might be.
"Hermione, if you want to sort things out with Lily… and James, for that matter, then yes. You do"
"Okay, fine. James is a sweet, caring, cute, and absolutely breath-taking. I think he's my type, Remus… I really do. But I know it's either James or Lily"
"Then if you know this, why did you ask me about her then?"
"Because I can't make these kinds of decisions. I need to hear it from someone else first… I think it's a re-assurance thing."
"Hermione, talk to James, find out what he thinks of you, and then listen to your heart, as corny as that sounds." Remus said, picking up his book once again. Hermione thought for a moment and then nodded, getting up in the process. She dusted her uniform free of grass, and smiled down at Remus.
"Thanks for your advice. It helped somewhat." Hermione said briefly, before running down the grassy dune on which they had been sitting.
It was Hermione's second Transfiguration class, and she was finding herself in a very awkward moment with a said person. Hermione bit her lip, sneaking a sideways glance at James, who was sitting next to her. Grabbing a spare bit of parchment, Hermione dipped her quill into the pitch-black ink.
James, she wrote hastily, we need to talk; will you meet me in the Astrology Room after dinner? At about 7:30? Hermione
Hermione blew on the ink to make it dry faster, quickly folding it into a neat square after the ink had sufficiently dried. Then, levitating the parchment over to James' desk, Hermione awaited his reply with finger and toes crossed. Literally. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw James read her note, and then write a quick reply. Obviously he didn't want to miss out on too much about turning a lizard into a lyrebird. The note landed swiftly on the corner of her desk, but Hermione ignored it for a second, quickly copying down instructions on how to say the correct charm. When she finally got around to reading it, Hermione found only three words written on the parchment.
Meet you there.
Hermione was picking at her lunch, not at all sure about what to do. She was battling conflicting emotions inside of her, trying to act normal, and she had hit 'that time of the month again', and all that really takes it out of a girl. She made the mistake of telling Remus about what she wrote to James, and even when as far as showing him the note that had been written. BIG mistake. Now he was constantly sending her probing looks, which Hermione really detested.
"Hermione," Remus' voice brought her out of her absent minded day-dream. Hermione looked at him, expecting a lecture about something, at the very least.
"You know that by you meeting him, you'll have changed the future?" He said, looking seriously at her. Hermione squirmed under his gaze.
"Yes, but I can't go back, can I? And I don't really want to go back… I think I've fallen in love." Hermione said, and was spared any more conversations when James, Sirius and Peter arrived and sat down. James sent her a glance, but Hermione studiously ignored it, pretending not to see it.
"So, Hermione, finding your classes okay?" Sirius asked, helping himself to some salad. Hermione nodded, trying to seem nonchalant.
"Where were you?" Remus asked
"Oh, Peter wanted to prove James wrong that if you asked a House Elf to fry you up some Ox they wouldn't."
"And did they?"
"Yes, they did"
She was pacing like an agitated cat. Hermione looked once again at her watch, it read 7:45. She sighed, sitting down and then standing back up almost as quickly. She was far too nervous to sit quietly. Jumping at the sound of the door opening, Hermione felt her hand go up to her hair, checking it was still in a neat braid.
"Hermione, you there?" James called. She nearly fainted with relief.
"Over here, near the window," Hermione replied. She heard his footsteps grow louder as he climbed the small staircase.
"What did you want to talk about?" He asked, seating himself in the empty chair. Hermione perched on the window sill, the moonlight making a halo around her head. She sighed, taking a deep breath.
"Us" She said, looking him straight in the eye. James nodded silently and was quiet for a moment that felt like eternity.
"So, what about us?" He finally asked, choosing his words carefully. Hermione smiled, thankful that he didn't get up and walk away.
"Well, I think it's time for the skeletons to come out of the closet…" She started. James looked uncomprehendingly at the phrase. "Don't worry… I don't mean real skeletons, it's just a saying. Anyway… James, I want to know what you think of me"
He looked rather startled at her abrupt question. "Well, I think that you're sweet, smart, and gorgeous, but the list could go on and on, but that's not what you want to know. What you want to know is whether I like you more then a friend. Am I right?"
"Yes, you're right. And do you? Do you like me more then a friend?" Hermione asked, slightly surprised that he had seen through her white lie so easily. He thought for a moment, clearly unsure as to what his answer is.
"Hermione, if I say yes, won't this change the future?" He asked slowly.
"Probably, but me being here has already changed it. I don't think I could change it anymore then I already have."
James nodded slowly, understanding. "Well then, yes, Hermione. I do think that I like you more then a friend. But what about you?"
"Me? James, I've liked you since the first day we met. I've fallen in love you over the past week that I've been here and now that I know you like me… Well… I've fallen in love with you all over again, I guess" Hermione whispered. James looked at her, stunned at her proclamation. Hermione bit her lip, waiting for his reply.
"Will this work out?" He asked finally.
"Who knows, but isn't a few months of bliss better then a few years of nothingness?" Hermione cryptically asked, raising one perfectly shaped eyebrow. James smiled, getting up from his seat. Walking over to her, James rested his hands on the space on the window sill beside her. Looking out into the clear night, he smiled again. Hermione looked on with a happy smile faint on her lips. Suddenly James turned to face her, his nose inches from hers.
"I think I love you too" He said, before capturing her lips in a sweet, gentle kiss.
Awww! Say it with me now, "Awww"! Okay, okay. So what will happen? How had Hermione changed the future by kissing James? Will Harry be born? Will Hermione ever go back, for that matter? See the next chapter. But in the meantime, you see that little blue/purple button at the bottom of the screen with the word 'GO' on it? Click it and submit a review for me… That's better.
Mwa,
Flowerpot Munchkin