DISCLAIMER: Deep in the jungle there lies a mountainous tree with millions upon millions of leaves. Every year, one leaf falls off. By the time the last leaf falls, I will still not own Harry Potter.

Summary: Through the barrier and into…a different time? Hermione finds herself in the Marauder's time. In a story of hate, lies, and hurt, Hermione finds something else….love.

Chapter 3

Hermione spun around quickly. Her gaze landed on a strikingly handsome boy. He looked somewhat familiar to her. Another boy ran up to him. Hermione gasped as she took in his appearance; he looked exactly like Harry.

But he wasn't Harry. It was James Potter, she was sure of it. So that would mean that the other guy was the one and only Sirius Black.

Hermione watched as another boy joined the two. He was leaner than Sirius and James but just as tall with sandy blonde hair and amber eyes. That must be Lupin, Hermione thought to herself.

They all looked so young and carefree. Hermione felt a pang of sorrow towards them for what awaited them in the future. In a few more years, the happiness would disappear off their faces completely, replaced by sorrow and despair.

Suddenly, the full extremity of the situation came crashing down on her. She was in the past! She wasn't supposed to be here!

Hermione tried desperately to remember how exactly she wound up here. She went back through the barrier to retrieve a book she forgot from her mum. When she walked back through the barrier, she was here.

She walked back towards the barrier. Experimenting, she reached out a hand towards the wall. Solid. She couldn't get back through, so now what?

She would just have to go to Hogwarts, Hermione thought to herself. There, she would seek out Dumbledore's help. He would know what to do.

Taking a deep breath, she walked through the throng of students towards the train. She knew people were looking at her with curious eyes. She refused to return their gaze, though, and quickly got onto the train, rushing to the first empty compartment.

She closed the door behind her and collapsed onto the seat. Only then did she release the breath that she had been holding. Hopefully, no one would chose to sit with her and she could make the ride in peace without being questioned.

Little did she know, that the people she wanted to avoid the most laid claim to the compartment that she was currently occupying.

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Harry and Ron leaped off of the Hogwarts Express and immediately headed towards the booming voice calling for the first years.

"Hagrid! Hagrid!" Harry and Ron called loudly, hoping to capture the half-giant's attention over the platform full of noisy students.

Hagrid turned around and smiled down at two of his favorite students. "Oh, hello there Harry, Ron. Er…where's Hermione?"

Ron shrugged and Harry said, "We don't know, that's why we came to see you. She was on the platform and then she ran back through the barrier to get a book that she forgot and she never came back through."

Hagrid ran a hand over his face, emitting a loud sigh as he closed his eyes. "I was afraid of that.," he said gruffly.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look before turning back to their giant friend. "What were you afraid of Hagrid?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowing questioningly.

Hagrid opened his eyes and looked down at the two boys. "Look, I'm not positive but I think I know what happened to her and where she's at."

"Where is she Hagrid?" Harry and Ron asked simultaneously.

"Look, I think you two need to go see Dumbledore first, but I'll tell you this, if she's where I think she is, she's in safe hands. No need to worry."

"No need to worry!" Harry bit out. "She's our best friend, Hagrid, and she's missing. MISSING! So, if you don't mind, we'll worry."

Ron nodded his head in agreement. He looked up at Hagrid, challenging him to argue with them, but Hagrid did not. Instead he said, "Go see Dumbledore," in a small voice.

Both boys glared up at the half-giant, clearly irritated that he wouldn't give them anymore information. Nevertheless, knowing that Dumbledore would be able to provide them with more information, they turned and headed towards the carriages.

The ride to the school was rode in silence, each boy lost in his own thoughts and worries. As soon as the carriages started to slow down, they jumped out and made their way up to the front doors. But something stepped in their intended path, blocking their way.

"Is it true?" the snide voice of one Draco Malfoy asked, smirking in all his arrogance. "Is your little mudblood friend missing for good?"

Ron made to attack Malfoy but Harry stopped him by placing a hand against his friend's chest. There was something in Malfoy's eyes, something suspicious.

"What do you know Malfoy?" Harry growled, narrowing his eyes on his arch nemesis.

Draco's smirk grew as he looked from Harry to Ron. "What's this Potter? You and Weasel don't know? Hmm…I wonder how you would feel about it."

Behind Draco, Crabbe and Goyle laughed as was expected. Harry fully doubted that they would have not known to laugh had Malfoy not turned around and glared at them.

"Spit it out Malfoy," Harry said harshly, his tone displaying his impatience. "Tell us what you know and be on your way, we don't have time…"

"Of course, you have to go running to the old muggle lover and find out where your precious mudblood has disappeared to," Draco said almost lazily.

Ron growled in his throat and a tick was visible in Harry's jaw. He clenched his teeth tighter and kept repeating to not hit the ferret in his head.

"You're wasting our time Malfoy," Harry said, shoving past the blonde Slytherin. "We, unlike you, value our friends…."

"I wouldn't worry about her if I were you Potter," Malfoy taunted, his trademark smirk on his face, "she's in capable hands…. or should I say capable paws?"

Harry paused and turned back. "What are you saying Malfoy?"

Draco shrugged. "Nothing. Better run up and ask Dumbledore how your little mudblood is coping with all the animals she has to be around."

Harry's mouth fell open. Could he mean….? Before he could ask, Draco turned on his heel and left, his acerbic laughter was the only thing that remained.

Ron turned to Harry. "What did he mean?"

Harry stared at the spot where Malfoy had just been standing. If his suspicions were right, then…. "Let's just go find Dumbledore."

Ron nodded and they turned back to the school. The trip down the familiar corridor to Dumbledore's office seemed to take no time and they soon found themselves in front of the stone gargoyles that hid the revolving stairs.

Harry racked his brains for the password which he was given earlier since he had been rewarded the privilege of the title 'Headboy.' "Pop-n-licks."

Ron turned to him, a bewildered expression on his face as the gargoyle moved to reveal the spiraling steps. "Pop-n-licks?"

Harry shrugged. "I found that it's better to just not ask."

Ron nodded and stepped onto the steps. They ran up the stairs, not wanting to take the time to let it spiral them upward. They ran through the door without knocking and, to their surprise, found Dumbledore calmly waiting for them.

"Hello Harry, Ron," Dumbledore greeted, smiling slightly at the two of them. "I trust you have a good reason as to seek out my presence before the feast."

"Sir, it's Hermione…"

"She's missing…."

Dumbledore stood up slowly, walking over to Fawkes' perch. "I know."

Harry saw Ron's mouth fall open beside him but he was concentrating on the aging Headmaster in front of him. "You know?"

Dumbledore stroked Fawkes' head. "Yes. I had my suspicions since she first came here, but now," he paused in his stroking and looked at them over his shoulder, "now I know."

"Know what sir?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore turned around fully, looking them straight in the eye. His eyes were void of their familiar twinkle as he answered, "Miss Granger, I'm afraid, has taken a trip into the past."

The only sound in the room was the loud thud caused by Ron hitting the floor in a dead faint.

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Sirius was ecstatic about returning to Hogwarts for his final year. After this year, it would be goodbye to the Blacks and hello to his own flat. hopefully, his best friend, James Potter, would move in with him or at least near him.

As soon as they passed through the barrier, James left Sirius in search of the feisty Lily Evans. He had to chuckle at his mate's endless efforts. Maybe Evans would come around this year, Sirius mused though he himself highly doubted it.

Sirius was looking around for Remus when he spotted her. She had just walked through the barrier with nothing but a book in her hand. She looked confused, like she didn't where she was at. But she was gorgeous!

He saw James looking around and decided to interrupt his friend's search. "Oy Prongs! Over here," he shouted over the heads of a couple of Ravenclaw 7th years.

He watched as James through him a disgruntled look but, nevertheless, start to make his way over to him. He snuck a glance out of the corner of his eye and found the girl staring at him. She had an odd expression on her face as she looked at him. It was almost shock she seemed even more taken a back when she saw James. Did she know them?

"What do you need Padfoot? I'm still looking for Evan," James whined.

"Do you recognize that girl standing over there with a book in her hands? NO! Don't look!"

James sighed in frustration and turned back to his best friend. "Then how am I going to see if I know her?" he asked with slow deliberation.

"Look, but make it look casual," Sirius told his friend.

James looked around casually. He allowed his gaze to stop on the girl for a few seconds before moving on. "No, I don't know her. I've never seen her before but she looks as if she knows us."

"Yeah," Sirius said thoughtfully, "I noticed that too."

"Hey guys," Lupin greeted cheerfully, clearly excited at the chance to go back to Hogwarts' extensive library. "What are you guys mumbling about?"

"That girl over there," James nodded subtly. "Do you know her?"

Remus glanced over casually, his perceptive amber eyes doing a quick one-over. "No," he said as he turned back around, "I've never seen her. She's probably a transfer."

"But why is she looking at us like she knows us? I mean, she can't possibly know us," James said, stressing his point. His eyes continuously darted to the her.

"She probably thinks we're hot," Sirius said smugly.

James nodded his head eagerly in agreement, a wide smirk plastered on his face while Remus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure," he said sarcastically, "that's exactly what she's thinking. Come on, let's get on the train."

They grabbed their luggage and started towards the train with Sirius leading the way. Girls stopped whatever they were doing to look at them as they passed.

They climbed onto the train and headed for their usual compartment. But when they reached it, they found somebody else already occupying it.

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A/N: Well, it was longer though it wasn't that much longer. Sorry. I can't say that I'm going to have that many…er… 'present' scenes I guess you'd call them after this one. This story is mainly going to focus on Hermione and the Marauders. Okay, just a few more questions to answer. No, this does not have a prequel, sequel, or anything else. It is a story in it's own. I wrote this before I wrote Promises (I've had it for a while now) and that is why there may be some similarities. AND, if you guys have been reading my live journal, then you would have seen the little note I left. THIS STORY WILL END HAPPILY! I really hate unhappy endings unless it really fit's the story. The prologue did not imply that she would end up unhappy. As to the question of who Ria is, you'll just have to read on and find out.

Now that that's been cleared up….

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THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ THIS, IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!

!AMAYA!