I have finally updated after what seems like forever. Are you all ready for some good news? Well guess what, I am going to update one story each day, it won't be much, only 3 or 4 pages, but you'll survive. To the two people who reviewed: I love you all, like a fat kid loves donuts. The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update: )

Time Will Tell

Chapter 2

Explanations and New Acquaintances

Normalcy is highly overrated

Hermione woke up and stretched in her bed ready for a new day. 'Wait a minute,' she thought, 'this doesn't feel right.' The bed seemed lumpy and the sheets were to rough on her pale skin. She sat up quickly in bed, trying to find out what was going on. She was in a small room. It was rough with the only furniture being a tiny wardrobe made of pine that wasn't sanded out, a table, and the bed, which seemed to have stuffed straw instead of a regular mattress. From the ceiling vegetable hung to out dry. She was starting to remember what had occurred in the library. Someone entering the cramped room interrupted her thoughts.

"You're finally awake," a girl of about 16 said, with a tone great relief. She had long black hair that went to her mudpack. Her ebony tresses didn't look like they'd been cut in years, though they were brushed out. What really stood out were her stunning violet eyes, lined by long lashes. After a moment of looking over the girl, she asked the obvious question.

"Who are you and where am I?" Hermione said unable to keep a note of accusation out of her voice.

"My name is Alexandria Neci, though I prefer Alex," she answered, her accent seemed foreign- American- Hermione decided. "Before I answer your second question, I have to ask you one, did you read the book, A First Hand Account of Life in the Renaissance?" Hermione nodded and Alex got an odd expression she didn't recognize. "Well that book was cursed to bring who ever reads it into the Renaissance Era."

"Are you serious?" She asked and then without pausing continued. "I can't be stuck in the past, I need to be with my friends." She knew she was getting hysterical, but at the moment didn't care.

"I feel your pain," Alex said, trying to comfort the brunette. "I got stuck here when I was 13." That meant that she had been there for at least 3 years, Hermione calculated quickly. "At least you have someone to help you." She was unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"Ok," Hermione said productively, she stood up and began to pace. "There's got to be a solution to this, lets start reading." Alex actually laughed at that statement.

"What books?" she asked amused. Hermione glanced around at the tiny shack. Then she continued, as if reading Hermione's mind, "There aren't any library's around here. Let's talk with your friend."

"Who?" Hermione inquired, without the foggiest idea who she was talking about.

"He's a guy," she said thoughtfully. "He's about 6 feet tall, with grey eyes and white blond hair, and he's somewhat attractive--." What else she was going to say was cut off.

"What do you mean, somewhat attractive!?!" Draco Malfoy said indignantly, looking very out of place in his designer clothes. "Don't you mean incredibly sexy?"

"Wow," Alex said in mock admiration. "You're modest too. You must have to beat the ladies off of you." To Hermione's surprise, instead of insulting her, he chuckled.

"Hello Malfoy," Hermione said, she said his name as if it was that foulest word she'd ever spoken.

"So that's your name?" Alex asked, stepping between the two, hoping to prevent the fight that was bound to happen if she didn't intervene.

"That's my surname," he informed her. "Though I'd prefer you call me Draco."

"Yeah sure," she said quickly and then turned to Hermione. "What's your name?"

"It's Hermione," she said impatiently. "Now lets stop chatting and start finding out how to get back to the future."

"The problem," Alex explained apologetically, "is that there is no where I know of to get the info we need."

"Hogwarts is around at this time." Hermione said thoughtfully. "Where are we exactly?"

"Actually we're in England," Alex told them. "It's kind of odd, really." The two Hogwarts students gave her confused looks.

"Why is that odd?" they asked in unison

"I was in America when I opened to book," she explained, the others nodded in understanding.

"So when can we leave?" Hermione inquired, obviously wanting to get back ASAP.

"Right after I pack and get us a ride," Alex said. "Where exactly is Hogwarts?" They both answered her questions, and then she walked out the door, the two trailing behind her.

"Where are we going?" Malfoy asked. At this Alex raised an eyebrow

"We aren't going any where, I am going into town to find some transportation."

"I don't want to stay here with her!" Malfoy whined and Hermione nodded her head in agreement.

"Don't be such drama queens," Alex said, rolling her eyes. She walked out to the back of her home. She then mounted her black mare- which had a white spot of the middle of its forehead and chest- and began to trot off. Before she was out of hearing distance, she said, "Try not to kill each other while I'm gone."

Both Draco and Hermione watched as she rode of until she was out of sight, around a corner.

"Well this sucks," Hermione said, trying to break the awkward silence that was making her extremely uncomfortable, and started to walk back towards Alex's house- if you can even call it that. Malfoy nodded in agreement and Hermione continued saying, "I'm just glad Alex is here, we'd probably be screwed otherwise."

"Yeah, it must have been hard, finding yourself centuries in the past with no one to help you," Malfoy commented, almost to himself.

"It must have been," Hermione agreed and then, having an epiphany turned and looked Malfoy square on in the eyes. "Look Malfoy, we should make a temporary truce, us trying to kill each other, will only make getting back harder."

"Fine," he agreed, sticking out a hand to shake on it, "But this doesn't change anything once we get back."

After that they were silent for what seemed like forever, thinking. Finally Malfoy couldn't take the boredom any longer.

"While we're here," Malfoy suggested, "We should probably get as much information for our reports as possible."

"At last," Hermione said, happily. "The silver lining of all this trauma." She thought that the Ravenclaws were going down, for their project would no doubt be the best. "While were on the subject, are you going to be in arithmacy this year?" They then got into a long-winded, and in some people's opinion boring, discussion on that subject.

'He isn't that bad when he isn't insulting your heritage,' Hermione mused. 'Not that I'd want to be friends with him, or anything like that when this is all over.' That was one thing that really bugged her, after they got back, chances were he'd go back to harassing her.

"Sorry I took so long," Alex said, stepping up behind them. Having been so into their discussion, they didn't notice her come into the house- if you could call it that- and jumped about a foot. "I got held up because I had to find the carriage driver, than old woman Marci asked my to write a letter for her."

"It's okay, I don't mind," Hermione said, then processing the rest of her subject asked, "Why'd you write her a note?"

"That's my main trade," Alex explained, giving the shorter girl a grin. "You'd be surprised how little of the population can read here. It was a little difficult, since they speak Middle English, but once I got used to the odd wordings, it was fairly easy."

"That's interesting," Malfoy commented, "I think I read about this some where." Hermione was suddenly nervous the apocalypse was upon her, Malfoy reading, and admitting it too!

"Anyway," Alex said, brightly. "I got us a ride on the back of a wagon out of here, which is leaving in a few hours. They can take us within about ten miles of our destination."

"Let's leave then," Malfoy said with a foot already outside the door.

"Not so fast," Alex said, grabbing his sleeve, "You guys can't go outside dressed like that. I picked this up in town." She threw Malfoy a pair of loose breaches and a tunic, both the rich color of chocolate. "And I'll find some of my old clothes which should fit you."

"I'm not wearing this," he said adamantly, disgust dripping from his voice. Hermione and Alex turned to see him holding out the clothing with two fingers away from his body, as if it was covered with the plague.

"You shouldn't complain," Alex said, then she a wicked grin covered her face. "But if you won't wear this, we'll have to go with the alternative: tights."

"It's okay, I'll wear it," he practically squeaked, then ran hurriedly out of the cabin, clutching the clothes, towards the bordering forest for some privacy.

"Hermione," Alex said, turning to the brunette. "Since you're so short, no offence, you should fit into the clothes from when I first got here." Hermione had never considered herself short, being only 5'4", but compared to Alex who must have been almost 5'10" , she felt pretty small. She noticed what Alex was currently wearing to blend in with the people in this era. Alex's dress was the emerald green of Harry's eyes and moderately low cut, without any special embroidery, but it gave off a simple elegance. Her shoes were roughly sewn leather, though you could hardly see them with her skirts.

"It's so beautiful," Hermione exclaimed, as Alex pulled out her dress. It was an ice blue dress with a lace up front with white string.

"I made it myself," Alex said, proudly. "Now unfortunately I have to introduce you to one other thing we have to wear at this time."

"A corset," Hermione shrieked, after Alex pulled out said item. She had seen people wear it at a renaissance faire, and it didn't look pleasant.

"First of all," Alex replied, grinning in a way reminiscent of the Weasley twins. "I prefer to call them 'Medieval torture devices', Secondly you have to wear it, since it's indecent at this time."

After some grumbling and numerous threats against the inventor of corsets, Hermione was dressed and somewhat breathing. "How can you wear this thing?" Hermione asked.

"I may wear this thing," Alex explained. "But I definitely don't enjoy any minute of it." What she was going to say after that was drowned out by yelling outside her home.

"Lady Alexandria," A distinctly male voice called. "Where art thou." Instead of going outside, she groaned and sat down, preparing for a long wait.

"I hath guests," she replied bluntly, raising her voice so her could hear her through the door. "Cometh back later, or even better, NEVER."

"Thy words wound me," he said, trying to be dramatic, but only sounding pathetic. "I shall wait until thee comes, be it all day or night." Hermione figured he was trying to be romantic, but he really just sounded pitiable. Alex muttered something along the lines of 'stupid knight, why doesn't he just shove that sword up his-', well you got the idea, opened her door and stepped out.

"Look, as much as I would love to stay and turn ye down, again," Alex said. "I must depart." What ever he was going to say back, was cut off by Malfoy entering the clearing.

"Who's this?" they both asked simultaneously glaring at one another.

"A knight who can't take a hint," Alex grumbled softly, but Malfoy happened to overhear her. At about the same time as the said knight declared he was, 'The French (and noble) knight Orin.'

At this Malfoy said a couple of words in French, which made Orin cry with rage. "I didn't know you spoke French," Hermione commented.

"I don't."

"Everyone always remembers the curse words in a language," Alex explained, noticing the perplexed look on her face.

"Get lost," Malfoy hissed, shooting Orin daggers with his eyes. "Or else"

"I really wouldn't say that to a guy with a sword," Alex mused and Malfoy went pale, well whiter than usual. Than Orin began to yell out threats and challenges, most of which were incoherent.

"I don't have a sword," Malfoy yelped as he began to step forward, sword unsheathed. It turns out the 'noble knight Orin,' wasn't so noble as he rushed forwards attempting to decapitate Malfoy. Luckily for Malfoy, Orin was a horrible swordsman, in fact Alex had seen 10 year olds that fenced better. Despite this, Orin still clearly had the upper hand in this battle. Malfoy repeatedly ducked and weaved to escape the flying blade.

"Get away from him, or I'll shoot," Alex shrieked as she pointed an arrow at him. While they were fighting, she had snuck into her little home, and grabbed her bow and arrow set, she used for hunting- and self-defense if need be. Now she had it pointed strait at his chest.

"Thou wouldn't," he said eyes wide, clearly disbelieving that a woman was capable of standing up for herself.

"Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned," she quoted Shakespeare and with one last glance back, Orin ran tail between his legs.

As you can see, I once again put in OC, I admit it, I have a problem! Hehe. Any way Hasta Lavista