Disclaimer: nothing in the story is mine save for the charters you don't hear about in the books and the plot, the rest is JK Rowling's.
"Hermione are you sure you want to do this?" McGonagall asked her.
"It's for the order, plus I might have been there, if I don't go than I could alter the future," Hermione responded. She knew she would go on this mission when McGonagall had asked her to consider it. She wanted to help Harry; she didn't want him to try to vanquish Voldermort blindly. He would need help whether he wanted it or not.
"Alright, if your certain," McGonagall sighed. "I will arrange for your transport tomorrow morning. I do wish you luck Hermione."
"Thank you, I will serve the order to my best," Hermione knew what she was getting into, but since the end of their sixth year nothing but grief had come to the order. They hadn't lost many members, but more over the attacks on muggle towns were growing larger and more frequent. Her parents had been victims of one of those attacks. She had cried for a week when she heard the news. She probably would have kept crying, save for the fact that her eyes wouldn't shed another tear. Hermione wished to avenge their death, no matter what it would take.
It had been two days ago when McGonagall had asked her to go on this mission. It was risky to travel in time, but since she had done it in her third year, she knew the laws and knew what not to do.
Hermione started walking out of the study in Grimaud place when McGonagall's voice stopped her.
"Remember don't say anything about their impending fate," Her old professor reminded her.
"Don't worry, I wont, I know how dangerous it might be."
"And please Hermione…be safe."
"Thank you, professor." With that she walked out of the room to spend her last hours she had with her friends. She didn't know when the next time that she would see them would be.
Hermione opened the door to the boy's room to find them playing a game of chess where it was obvious that Harry had the upper hand. She stood at the doorway watching them argue about quidditch, and listen to Ron cruse Harry when he killed another one of his chess pieces. Her eyes began to glisten with tears, when Harry looked up and saw her delicate figure leaning against the frame of the doorway. A look of deep concern crossed over his face.
He didn't know of the mission she was going on, no one did except for McGonagall and her. It would be dangerous if anyone else knew. All she could tell them was that she would be gone for about a year. For all she knew when she came back they could all be dead, or the war could be over and they could have won. She wouldn't know until she came back.
"Hermione what's the matter?" Harry said his voice filled with concern.
"I'm just so happy to see you, that's all," She said as she struggled to keep her voice from cracking. Ron turned around and looked at her. His face twisted with a look of concern, curiousness, confusion, and defeat as Harry's queen captured his king.
"Come off it Herm, we know you better than that. What's wrong?" Harry questioned further.
"Harry, Ron…I have to tell you something…" Hermione lead them. "I'm leaving. I can't te-"
"What! Are you daft? We're in the middle of a war, you can't leave Herm!" Ron interjected. "They'll kill you for sure! I won't let that happen to you!"
"No Hermione, I won't let you go! You're my best friend; I don't want to lose you too!" Harry added.
"Wait, will you just listen to me-" Hermione tried to say.
"Do you really want to just get murdered! What's wrong with you!" Ron said as he cut Hermione off again. The tears in her eyes that had been threatening to fall finally came. She collapsed to the floor with silent tears running down her face.
"Stop it guys!" Ginny had appeared out of no where and yelled at the two of them. "Hermione's a lot weaker now. If she's telling you something just listen, for Merlin's sake. Go on Hermione."
"I'm leaving for a week or two. I'm not so sure when I'm coming back." Hermione started to explain. "I can't tell you where or why, just that I'm leaving. I do wish I could tell you more but if you knew, it would put us in danger. I'm doing this for you Harry, for you and the order."
"When are you leaving?" Ginny asked with a look of pure loss on her face.
"Tomorrow morning… before you wake up." Ginny took Hermione into a huge hug. The silence after she spoke her part was deafening. Ron had backed into a corner and slid down the wall as if trying to make sense of what Hermione had just said. Harry was sitting on the edge of his bed. His mouth was open slightly, and his eyes stared at the floor in shock looking as if he had lost something dear to him. Ginny still hadn't released Hermione from the hug, as if, if she let go Hermione would disappear for ever.
A little while had passed and Ginny released Hermione from her hug. Both of their eyes were bright red, tears were dried on their faces. Hermione took a step towards Ron, she wanted to say goodbye.
"Get away from me!" Hermione's body jumped a little, and tensed at the volume and intensity of Ron's voice. Her face was twisted with confusion, distress, and sadness. She put one foot behind her then tore out of the room. Her eyes welling up with tears, she nearly tripped running down the hallway.
Hermione ripped the door to her room open, slammed it shut behind her, and then threw herself onto the bed. She wept into her pillow. She knew Ron didn't really mean it, but her emotions had been out of whack ever since her parents died. The smallest thing would just set her off crying. The last time she was like this, was when her cat was put to sleep when she was ten.
Hermione didn't know when, but at some point Ginny had come in and was sitting next to her leaning against the head board of her bed. She was just about to speak when she noticed that the girl had fallen asleep. She realized that she must have cried herself to sleep, and that Ginny had sat next to down waiting for her to wake up and fallen asleep too.
Hermione pushed herself off the bed and walked to the bathroom. When she got there she looked at herself in the mirror. She had grown since her first year. Her hair was no longer bushy as it once was; it flowed in gentle waves to just above her mid back. Although she was not as tall as Harry or Ron, she had grown about seven inches since she was eleven, making her about 5'8". Her eyes had changed to. They were no longer the chocolate eyes that she had met Harry and Ron with, but were now darker with a ring of amber on the outside. At the corners of her eyes you could see the toll of being friends with Harry had caused her.
Hermione turned the faucet on and cupped her hands under the cool water. Her mind was blank as she watched her hands fill up with the clear liquid. She lifted her hands up towards her face. Her head came down to meet them, letting the cool water wash away the tears that had dried themselves onto her face.
There was a soft knock on the bathroom door. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows; she knew she wasn't supposed to leave for a few more hours. But she also felt that McGonagall's knock would be a bit harsher. Her hand reached out and grasped the old brass handle; turning it she opened the door. Red hair and tear streaked blue eyes greeted her. Two arms rapped themselves around her waist.
"I'm gonna miss you Ginny, but I wont be gone for long. I promise."
"I know. I'll miss you too."
"Ok I promise that when I get back we can go see a muggle movie."
"Sweet, I'll look forward to that. How much longer till you have to go?"
"An hour or so, not to sure."
"Ok, well just excuse my brother its just his way of showing that he cares. He's just stupid," giggled Ginny.
"Yea I know, it just wasn't the response I needed at the moment," Hermione responded. She didn't laugh; she hadn't smiled since her parents died. Soon she would have to, she knew that of course, but it just didn't feel right. She looked down at her hand. A small diamond ring sat there staring back at her.
"You know he loves you. My brother really does care, that's why he got angry, and he doesn't want you hurt."
"I know Ginny, I know he does. But I didn't need that then. Sometimes I wonder if I really should have said yes or not."
"Of course you should have," Ginny said with a smile. "I need a sister like you, Merlin, I need a sister." She giggled.
Hermione gave a half smile, Ginny did need a sister. She heard the clock chime 4. Her half smile faded. It was almost time to go.
"Ginny I'm gonna go say bye to Harry and Ron, I'll be right back."
She slowly pushed open their door trying to make sure it didn't creak, although it didn't really matter if it did, those boys could sleep through an atomic bomb. She looked at the two of them trying to memorize their every detail. Not a lot of things scared her but she didn't know if she would see them again, and if she did, that seemed to scare her even more. She knew that this "trip" was going to change her, though how much was yet to be determined. She went over to Harry and Ron and kissed them both on the cheek. She stood above Ron and look down at him. She slowly pulled off the engagement ring on her finger. She held it for a while then placed it next to his bed. The she whispered "Hold on to it till I get back." And she turned around and walked out.
McGonagall looked at Hermione over her half moon spectacles. A small look of worry shone behind her eyes. In one hand she held a necklace, in the other a small trinket. Hermione out stretched her arm and took the necklace from her old professor.
"Now that's to get home. Say what I told you when you're holding on to it. This is one of the very few that is most powerful when silent. It will bring you back to a week from now," McGonagall instructed her. She handed her the small trinket after Hermione put the necklace on. "This is for now, its similar to the necklace by being stronger silent. Good luck, I trust you will complete this."
"Thank you, I will try," Hermione reached down with her free hand and grabbed a hold of the trunk that had been prepared for her. She took one last look around before she vanished leaving McGonagall standing alone in one of the dark, dank rooms in the Black manor.