Chapter 1

Partners

"But I thought the ministry was certain they had all been confiscated and destroyed," Hermione said, turning the small, twisted instrument in her palm and studying how the components slotted together so intricately.

"They were certain," Harry agreed, "However, it would appear they were wrong. These are ancient and don't work in the same way as the more modern Time Turners. Maybe that's how they escaped detection."

"They definitely work though?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, we've tested them. But we don't know what rules apply – we don't know if they can be used to travel much further in time and if there are any consequences. They were very well hidden so either someone was making sure they couldn't be used…"

"Or someone was making sure they could….." Hermione completed Harry's sentence and he nodded.

"Yes, and that is a lot more worrying." He stood up, picking up the box of Time Turners. "So, I'm going to get them all catalogued and then we will store them securely. I don't want to destroy them until we get to the bottom of why they have been kept and by whom."

Hermione nodded. "Let's hope it's nothing – just someone being sentimental….." she didn't sound hopeful. Hermione starred at the small, silver instrument in her palm and sighed. Were these things the worst invention ever or the best? One thing was for sure, they most certainly had the capacity to make any situation more complicated.

"See you later Hermione," Harry said, he turned in the doorway. "Are you at the 3pm meeting? I wasn't sure if it was all Aurors or just the head of departments?"

"It's everyone I think – the whole happy and harmonious crew," her lips twisted to show this was said ironically. "Although I'm sure Malfoy will find another 'I'm far too busy and important' excuse to skip it."

Harry laughed. "The only thing that makes those meetings less tedious is you and Malfoy locking heads."

"Glad we can entertain you!" Hermione said sharply, but she was grinning. "See you later, Harry."

Harry shut the office door behind him, and Hermione gazed at her laden desk. There seemed to be more paperwork than ever lately, and Hermoine was convinced most of it was counterproductive. Surely their time as Aurors would be better spent away from their desks and doing the job they had trained for? She pulled a large ledger towards her and read her half-completed sentence on the follow up report that she had been in the middle of completing when Harry had arrived. They had been carrying out surveillance on a witch who had been conducting some dubious activities, coincidently to do with her possibly being in possession of a Time Turner, but the trail had gone dead. The witch was no-where to be found and this concerned Hermione greatly. Either she had found out they were onto her, or she'd been 'removed'. Neither scenario was good.

She picked up her quill, forming the next sentence in her mind but before she could put quill to paper, her office door burst open and Harry rushed back in, breathless.

"Hermione!" he gasped.

She stared at him, bemused. He looked dishevelled, his hair in disarray, his jacket half hanging off his shoulders and his face had stubble and a large cut across his cheek. He appeared agitated and came quickly towards her, leaning over her desk.

"Hermione!" he said again. "I need you to listen, I haven't got much time."

"What is it?" Hermione was having trouble reconciling the Harry that had calmly left her office just a few minutes ago with this manic version now leaning over her desk. "Why do you look like this? What happened to your cheek?"

"I haven't got time to explain….listen…"

But Hermione wasn't listening, she was staring at him again, looking him up and down. "Have you got changed?" she asked, her face creasing into a frown. He'd literally left her office five minutes previous so how had he and why would he have changed clothes?

"What? No! You have to let me speak Hermione." Harry came around the desk and took a quill and a piece of parchment. "I'm going to write this down but after you have opened it and memorised it you need to destroy it – do you understand?"

"Is this to do with the Time Turners?" Hermione asked and Harry stopped in his tracks and looked at her. She saw his face crease into a frown.

"Was I just here?" he asked.

Hermione blinked rapidly at him. What was going on?

"What do you mean where you just here?! Of course, you were!" she said, "We had a twenty minute conversation about the Time Turners and the meeting later."

"I've just showed you the Time Turners?" Harry asked urgently. Hermione nodded and he stepped forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Just? Right now?" he repeated his question.

"Yes – right now," Hermione responded. "Harry, have you used one of the Time Turners?" Her brain was trying to make some sense of this craziness and although she didn't have a clear idea what was going on, she knew it wasn't right that Harry seemed so entirely different to a few minutes ago.

"You must promise me that you won't go to the meeting this afternoon," he said this urgently, almost shaking her by the shoulders.

"Why not?"

"Please Hermione. I need you to promise, you can't go to that meeting."

Hermione suddenly stopped still and stared at him properly. "You're used one…..you've used a Time Turner…..why? You know how dangerous they are…..."

Harry's eyes softened. "I can't tell you right now, I will be back in touch," he said this calmly. "But you must not go to that meeting. Do you promise?"

Hermione gulped, still completely confused but she slowly nodded.

Harry let go of her shoulders and started scribbling on the parchment, speaking urgently as he did so. "You have to leave the ministry right now. Go to this address…" he passed her another dirty, crumpled piece of parchment out of his pocket. "Take these instructions with you that I'm writing out now, but do not open them until you are at the address." He passed her the envelope he had put his handwritten note in. "Once you're at the address, open them, memorise them, then destroy them."

Hermione stared at the crumpled address and the sealed envelope, in shock. "Can't you tell me anything?"

Harry shook his head "Not right now."

Hermione, unhappy as she was, knew that if he could tell her he would but she was bursting with a million questions.

Harry approached her again. "Do you understand? Do exactly what I've told you and what the note says. That is very important."

"I will," Hermione touched his arm. "I'm worried Harry – are you okay? Are we all okay?"

Harry nodded. "We can be – we will be." He gently kissed her on the cheek. "I have to go and you should to." He approached the door, his hand on the handle then he suddenly turned back round. "There's something else."

"What?"

"You have to take Malfoy with you."

Hermione's eyes expanded in her face. "Malfoy? Are you joking?"

Harry shook his head, stepping back into the room. "No Hermione – he has to go with you. You can't leave without him. Do you understand? This won't work unless he leaves with you."

Hermione took a step forward. "But Harry, if we are in danger then shouldn't I be taking Ron and Ginny…and what about Neville and the others?"

Harry shook his head vehemently. "No, they must all stay and you can't tell them anything. They mustn't know you've seen me and they mustn't know you are going – you or Malfoy."

Hermione took another gulp. If it wasn't Harry telling her these things she would be very, very doubtful about doing what he was asking her to. Especially with Malfoy! But it was Harry and he wouldn't be asking her to do this without a very good reason.

"Okay Harry, I promise to do all that….." she blinked. "But what if Malfoy won't come? I mean, he just won't, will he? Not with me?"

Harry was already halfway out the door. "I don't know, beg him, pay him…hex him if you have to, but he has to go with you. He can't go to the meeting. Whatever you do over the next few days, you must stay together." He stared at her for a few seconds. "I'll be back in touch as soon as I can. Good luck Hermione."

And then he was gone.

Hermione stared at the door after Harry had gone for a full minute. She then felt a bit strange and had to sit down, putting her head in her hands. What was all that about? What was going on? Despite Harry's reassurance that everything was going to be okay, she wasn't convinced. Why was he using a Time Turner? He knew the consequences of that. He knew why they were banned. So, whatever it was that was necessitating him using one, must be something very serious indeed.

Finally, she made herself stand and take a deep breath. She hadn't time to sit her playing a guessing game. She had to do what Harry had asked and she had to do it quickly.

She grabbed the address, the envelope and her wand and headed to the door. She felt disorientated and didn't even bother rehearsing what she was going to say to Malfoy. It would be pointless anyway, as every conversation she ever had with him he managed to throw her a curve ball. She headed for his office, keeping her head down and trying to act naturally.

His door was shut so, after taking another deep breath, she tapped on it gently. There was no answer, so after a minute, she tapped again. Still no answer.

She felt frustration building – it was typical he wasn't in his office! Just typical! She raised her hand to knock again when she heard a voice behind her.

"What can I do for you, Granger?"

She turned around to find Draco approaching carrying a cup of steaming liquid.

"I need to speak to you," she said, then realised she was stating the obvious.

Draco nodded his head. "Speak away…" he said.

"In private."

He raised one eyebrow at her. "In private?" he exaggerated the words, sarcastically. "Must be very, very important in that case."

Hermione sighed but didn't retaliate. She hadn't time for an argument, so she remained silent while he waved his wand at the door and it swung open. He waved his hand to indicate she should enter first and then followed her in.

She'd been in his office before, but she always found it excruciatingly uncomfortable, especially on the rare occasion it was just the two of them. In fact, just working in the same department as him was excruciatingly uncomfortable!

She hovered awkwardly by the guest chair waiting for Draco to walk round his desk. He realised she was still standing and stared at her puzzled.

"Why are you jumpy?" he asked. "Sit down…."

Hermione looked at the chair then back at him. "I need to be quick," she said.

"Well, be quick but do it sitting down," Draco answered in his usual acerbic fashion and placed his cup on the desk before lowering himself elegantly into his chair. She was still hovering near the chair, reluctant to sit as she wanted to get this over with. He raised his eyebrows at her and then pointed at the guest chair. "What is up with you Granger? You're being weird," he frowned at her, "Weirder than usual…."

She glared at him but reluctantly did as he instructed before taking a deep breath and launching into her story. "Can you, just for a minute, forget it's me that is telling you this?" she asked.

"What are you on about?"

"I mean, can we try and be civil."

Draco twisted his lips. "I'm always civil, Granger."

"I beg to differ."

Draco took a sip from his cup and leaned back in his chair. "If you want to debate who has better manners and conducts themselves more professionally, I'm more than happy to do so but I thought you wanted to be quick?"

Hermione pushed down her rapidly rising temper. She hadn't got time for this! She ignored his comment and continued. "This morning Harry came to show me what they'd found on the Gringle case."

Draco nodded. "I heard – how they hell did that many Time Turners slip through the net!?"

"I don't know. So, Harry showed me some of them and then left saying he was going to catalogue them and store them securely," Hermione paused and was glad Draco didn't interrupt. "I started to finish the report I'd been working on…."

"This is a riveting story Granger, I mean I'm on the edge of my seat with anticipation. Did you use black ink? Or blue? I need to know!" Draco interrupted her sarcastically. He had picked up a small coin from his desk and began twirling it around in his fingers which annoyed Hermione greatly.

"If you'll let me finish…" she said, glaring at him. "Two minutes later, Harry bursts back into my office looking terrible, like he's been in a massive fight or something and he's wearing different clothes…"

Draco's eyes narrowed and he put the coin down, but he remained silent.

"He says I have to listen to him as he hasn't got much time," Hermione continued. "He gave me an address and started writing out these instructions," she waved the envelope at Draco, "which can't be opened until we get to the address and then they have to be memorized and destroyed."

Draco had sat forward in his seat. "Let me look," he said holding out his hand for the envelope.

"No! Harry said only once we get to the address," Hermione snatched the envelope closer. "He said to leave straight away and that no one must know that I saw him or that we are leaving."

She saw Draco's expression change and he leaned his weight onto his desk. "We? You keep saying we. Who exactly do you mean by 'we'?" His tone told her he already knew what she meant.

Hermione bit her lip. "Harry said you had to come with me and that you coming with me was very important. No-one else must know we are going or anything about it."

"Me? You're joking!" Draco exclaimed.

"That's exactly what I said," Hermione said, almost to herself.

"Why? Why do I have to come? I don't understand any of this?" Draco shook his head.

Hermione leant forward. "We are in the same boat. I have no idea what is happening. I've given you all the information I have. But I do know that Harry wouldn't be asking us to do this unless it was very important."

Draco's brow was creased and he rubbed his head. "So when Potter burst back into your office…..he wasn't the same…" he was talking almost to himself but Hermione was pleased to see he'd worked out what she had so quickly.

"No, he was completely different," she confirmed.

"He'd used a Time Turner," Draco said and Hermione nodded.

"I'm sure of it," she said. "It's the only explanation. I asked him if he had but he wouldn't answer me."

Draco stood up and walked to the corner of the room. "So, Potter No.2 is from a different time – one that knows something we don't and is trying to prevent something happening…."

Hermione nodded again. "Yeah, it would seem so…." she suddenly remembered something, "Oh! He was adamant, I mean absolutely insistent that we don't attend this afternoon's meeting."

Draco came and sat back down. "It's only an Aurors meeting…..that doesn't make sense…"

"He kept repeating it – he made me promise that I wouldn't attend and that I wouldn't let you either."

"Maybe he knows of an attack or something?" Draco suggested.

"But he said I wasn't to stop Ron or Ginny or any of the others attending. He wouldn't let them be attacked."

"Let me look at the address," Draco reached out for the small piece of dirty parchment. "This is one of those rental properties on the east of the river."

Hermione suddenly felt herself slump in her chair. She felt in shock. "There must be a reason for that as well….." she looked at the man across the desk from her and willed him to agree to her next question. "So, you'll come with me? I can't leave until I persuade you to come. I know it's all crazy, I have nothing to tell you, but you have to come."

Draco's dark eyes stared at her across his desk but she couldn't read his expression. He stood up again and ran his hands through his hair.

"Of course I'll come," he said, quietly.

Hermione could almost have cried with relief but she tried to not show it and just nodded. "Thank you."

Draco seemed to rouse himself and suddenly he surprised her by flashing her a grin. "Don't thank me," he said, "I needed an excuse to get out of that bloody meeting!"