A/N: Thank you to my Beta, lozipozivanillabean. Enjoy!

xxxvii.

we will call this place our home

(North by Sleeping at Last)

January 4, 1979

Hermione tried her very hardest to sleep after such an exhausting night, but frustratingly, every fibre in her body was still very much awake.

Madame Pomfrey had told her that the dark potion wouldn't have any long-lasting effects on Regulus anymore, but he was still unconscious and needed to rest. Hermione insisted that she wanted to stay beside him and wait for him to awake, but the others were firm in their decision of making her rest first. James brought her to the bedroom she'd slept in before, when she had visited the Potter Manor during her school break. She had no choice but to trail behind him, mechanically slipping inside the soft mattress and letting him tuck her in.

He had long since left, promising to fetch her for breakfast later that day. Hermione merely told him a soft thank you and watched him leave.

Since then, she had waited for the elusive sleep to come, her eyes trained intently on the vast window inside the room. Hermione watched unseeingly as hints of yellow and orange started to paint the sky.

She blearily glanced away from the window when she heard her door creak open. Peter silently slid inside, slowly closing the door behind him, before turning around to look at Hermione.

"You're still awake?" he asked, surprise on his face.

"I can't sleep," she confessed. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't sleep either," he said. Peter padded against the carpeted floor and pulled an elegant chair beside Hermione's bed. Almost immediately, his hand found hers and his eyes grew worried. "How are you feeling?"

Hermione softly laughed. "To be honest?" she started. "A lot of things. But… but above all, I think… I think I'm relieved."

His blue eyes glistened with unshed tears as his hold on her hand tightened. "You really gave me quite a scare back at the cave, Hermione," he softly said. "When you were dragged inside the lake by an Inferius, and you didn't resurface, I thought—" He choked up as the tears slipped down from his eyes. "It was — for one, horrible minute, I thought I'd lost you forever. I didn't realise that Kreacher had heard your plea to come and had arrived just in time to save the day."

"I'm sorry, Petey," she whispered, because it was honestly the only thing she could think of saying right now.

He brushed a few tears away from his eyes and smiled sadly at his sister. "I didn't know you'd been through so much," he said.

"I wasn't really planning to reveal everything," she pointed out with a wry smile. "It was… it was a complicated past. I told Regulus once that I sometimes thought Hermione Granger was a distant, elaborate dream – a nightmare, really – because I've grown accustomed to being Hermione Pettigrew for seventeen years already." She snorted in disbelief. "I'm even referring to her as a she instead of a me."

"Tell me," he continued, "was she a Gryffindor?"

"Does that even matter?" she asked with a chuckle. When Peter pointedly stared, she sighed, "Yes, she was."

"Of course she was," Peter fondly said. "After everything she went through, she seemed like a brave warrior."

"Brave," Hermione dryly echoed. "Running away from everything doesn't seem like the bravest thing to do."

"If things started to get hopeless, don't you think the only thing to do is to run away?" he asked with a firm glance.

"I guess." Tears pooled in her eyes, remembering her last remaining days as Hermione Granger. "I don't remember much about my previous life anymore. Small details they may be, but they were her memories. But she'd been really brave. Staring down a three-headed dog in the eyes during her first year, getting petrified by a basilisk during second year, facing a werewolf in her third… the list just goes on and on. But her best friend. He was… he was the bravest of them all."

Peter leaned forward to gather her in his arms. "Everything's still so confusing for me," he admitted. "I-I mean. A time traveller! My sister!"

"I'd really like to think of it as more of being reborn into another person with my old memories," she pointed out with a wet chuckle. "I've lived Hermione Pettigrew's life for seventeen years after all."

He pulled away from her and sadly stared into her blue eyes. "I'd respect your past," he slowly started. "Actually, I really want to know more about her, if you'd let me. But – but, here – now – you're my sister. And as your big brother, I want to protect you from the evilness in this world, shield you if I really can." A single tear slipped down from his eyes when he gave her a small smile. "But I know you won't hide yourself away without a fight. You're a bloody force to be reckoned with, Hermione Pettigrew. I know you won't listen to me at all if I tell you to stay out of this mess."

She sniffed and pulled him once more into a hug. "I'm sorry, Petey," she said. "I… I tried that before. I tried to stay quiet and look the other way once things started to get too complicated, because I remembered all the pain and the turmoil. I remembered all the deaths and — it was too much for me to handle. But I've really grown to love this world. I've really grown to love everybody in it. I can't just stand aside, especially now that I have something that could defeat Voldemort."

He released a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a sob. "I always knew you'd be the death of me when you were born into this world." Hermione's face crumpled, her hold on him tightening. "I'm infinitely proud of you, Hermione. Never forget that."

-ooo-

James silently padded through the corridors of his home after being roused from his sleep by Pokey. The house-elf had popped inside the guest room to shake him awake, declaring that lunch had been prepared and that the Master and Mistress expected him to join them soon. James was actually surprised he'd slept through the morning, noting it was already a few minutes past twelve in the afternoon. But then again, after the exhausting events earlier that day, it was understandable that his parents would let them sleep in.

Peter had long gone home to finish his report for Moody and to make sure that Anya wasn't suspicious. He'd already Flooed a change of clothes for Hermione, with a note of promising to get back as soon as he could.

Before popping towards Hermione's bedroom to get her for lunch, James dropped by his own bedroom where Regulus Black was still taking up residence. Pokey had told him the Black heir hadn't woken up since being tended by Madame Pomfrey and Mary, but he noted that colour had now appeared on his cheeks. Regulus looked better already and James took that as a good sign.

As he neared Hermione's room, her revelation replayed in his mind once more.

He was still in disbelief that his girlfriend had come from a different timeline, with a different name and a different appearance, apparently. She spoke of a best friend, whom she'd willingly devoted her life to, and an unending war against Voldemort. He really didn't want to believe her at first, because it was truly preposterous. But the way she'd tearfully retold her past, and how Dumbledore wholly – begrudgingly – accepted her story, made him hesitantly believe.

He readied himself when he finally reached Hermione's bedroom door. She'd been through so much already and he shouldn't bombard her with more questions. He still wasn't privy to their mission back at the cave and James wasn't sure if he wanted to know all of the details. Regulus's state and Peter's terrified eyes when they had appeared on his bedroom floor, was already enough to scar him for a lifetime.

James softly knocked against the wooden door and strained his ear for her voice. When, after his third knock he did not receive a reply, James gingerly grabbed onto the doorknob and turned it.

He flinched when the door creaked and he hastily poked his head inside. Hermione was still fast asleep on her bed, her comforter covering her all the way up to her chin.

James nervously glanced behind him, trying to see if his parents were lurking about. Euphemia would surely never let it slide if he went inside the room of an unchaperoned lady, especially under their own roof. James still found the whole Pureblood custom ridiculous and obstinate, but his mother wanted to practice them as much as possible. James had indulged her for years, just eternally grateful that despite the Pureblood norms and such, his family had never embraced the Dark Arts with open arms.

After making sure his mother was not in sight, he quickly slipped inside and closed the door behind him, flinching once more when it emitted a loud creak. Hermione shifted on her bed but still didn't wake.

He slowly approached the slumbering brunette, his eyes instantly latching onto her face. Her golden hair was splayed around her head like a riotous halo, framing her serene face. A small smile unknowingly slipped on his face as he leant down and lightly traced Cassiopeia dusted on her nose and cheeks.

He was instantly brought back to the first Valentine's Day he'd spent in the library, seeing Hermione sleeping soundly after hours and hours of slaving over her studies for her OWLs. A bemused smile flitted on his lips, remembering it had been the first time he'd admitted to himself that he liked Hermione. It seemed so long ago now.

Her eyelids flickered and James's fingers stilled. Hermione blearily opened her eyes, her eyebrows slowly knitting together as if confused.

"Hi," he greeted, his heart fluttering inside his chest at the sight of her pretty, blue eyes. "In case you've forgotten, you're in Potter Manor."

Her forehead smoothed in remembrance. Her eyes briefly darted at the empty chair beside her bed. "Where's Peter?" she asked.

"He went home to do some Auror work," he replied. "He'll be back soon."

Hermione nodded her head. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to fetch you for lunch." When her eyes slightly widened in surprise, he smiled. "My parents let us sleep in. It has been a tiring morning for as all."

Her cheeks bloomed red as she sheepishly smiled. Hermione then slowly sat up on the bed, her comforter falling onto her lap.

James eyed her dishevelled hair, an amused smile stretching wide on his face. She truly had monstrous hair, with tangled strands messily knotting all around her face. She looked really adorable with her sleepy face and bed hair and James had to stop himself from reaching forwards and giving her a kiss. Hermione didn't look like she had woken up completely, and the witch might hex his ball sacks off if he surprised her at her most vulnerable.

His eyes then unwittingly landed on her exposed shoulder, his oversized sweater slipping down to show her freckled skin. Her black strap was peeking underneath her voluminous hair and James felt his mouth running dry. Admittedly, he'd imagined Hermione wearing some of his clothes after hours of delightful activities. He hadn't really thought about it this morning, since his mind was more preoccupied with the fact that she had almost died doing a stupidly reckless mission. But now, alone with her, James properly realised her state of dress – or lack thereof. There was even a small patch of her creamy thigh peeking out from underneath the comforter.

Merlin Almighty, this bloody witch was already driving him mad.

James forced himself to tear his gaze away from the tempting brunette, grimacing at how tight his trousers suddenly felt. Hermione would once again surely think he was a dirty pervert.

"James?" she breathily asked.

He took a few calming breaths before letting his hazel eyes settle on her once more. Just as long as he stared at her face, James could keep his sanity. Well, just.

"Go freshen up and change into err… decent clothes," he said, hastily thrusting the small bag of Hermione's clothes towards her. "I'll wait for you outside."

Hermione suspiciously looked at him but silently accepted the bag. "Okay," she answered.

The bespectacled Auror almost ran out of the room, lest he changed his mind and pinned her down on the bed. Sometimes, James wondered if Hermione truly knew what she was doing to him. He was never a patient boy and the amount of self-control he always had to have every time Hermione was near was impossibly huge.

Hermione took a few minutes to emerge out of her room. James, by then, had calmed himself down and instantly interlaced his fingers with hers as he tugged her towards their dining room.

Their trek was silent, with Hermione occasionally greeting the portraits with a pleasant good morning. James watched, amused, how Linfred doted on Hermione like she was his long-lost friend.

He was quiet all throughout, already content with her walking beside him.

"Are you okay?"

James glanced down at her, surprised at her question. Her blue eyes were dark with worry, her lips tugged into a small frown.

"I'm the one who's supposed to ask that question," he lightly replied, cracking a small smile.

She didn't match his smile. "You've been quiet," she said. "Usually, you'd be chattering my ears off by now."

He snorted, his hold on her hand tightening. "Not really in a chatty mood today, love," he said.

Her eyes grew worried once more as she stepped closer to James. "Is it because—" She nervously nibbled her bottom lip. "Are you mad at me?"

"I don't know," he murmured, eyebrows knitting together at her question. "Should I be?"

Hermione laughed lightly. "I don't know, actually," she said with a sheepish smile. "I thought after all the reckless things I've done in the past few months…" Hermione expelled a soft sigh. "Peter came over a few minutes before I fell asleep and I honestly thought he was going to berate me too."

He was still marvellously confused with everything he'd heard. His mind might not have completely wrapped around all of her revelation yet. "My mind's not yet processed everything, if that's what you're asking," he pointed out with a bemused smile. "Merlin, I think I may need days just to properly understand everything. It's — blimey, you know, the whole thing's bloody absurd."

"Very absurd," she concurred with a soft laugh.

"Just… just don't keep things to yourself anymore, Hermione," he continued. "Dumbledore was right; you're not in this fight alone. We have the same goal and since we already know how to bring the bastard down, we should all work together to achieve that."

Her eyes misted, a forlorn smile slipping onto her face. "I still wish you weren't involved in all of this," she confessed. "It's mighty dangerous. Actively fighting Voldemort's tyranny, that is."

"That's not going to happen, Hermione. You know that," he firmly said as a scowl now appeared on his face. "You've been around us for years. You know that we'd never stand aside in this war when we know we can help make this world a better place."

"I know," she said, gingerly brushing a wayward tear that had dripped down from her eyes. "I just — I wanted to protect you, and Peter, and everybody I've grown to care about in this world. I told myself that it was at least consolation for failing to protect my best friend in the end."

James drew to a halt, tugging Hermione into place. He sternly stared into her surprised, blue eyes and proclaimed, "We don't need you to protect us, Hermione. We need you alive. So please, for the love of all good and holy things in this world, don't do anything reckless without telling us anymore, all right? At least if you do something dangerous, you'll be with someone that will help you."

Her blue eyes turned bright with warmth and gratitude. "I won't," she promised, reaching forward to place a hand against his cheek. "Not anymore."

She was standing on her tiptoes, her eyes already fluttering closed. James's eyes widened because Hermione never initiated a kiss. For months, he always wondered why she was holding back, putting him at an arm's length, when it had been obvious she was very much in love with him, just as much as he loved her. Everything made sense after her revelation that morning. Perhaps, Hermione had known him in the future, knew every person he'd associated himself with, and what he would become. Time was still a weird thing for him, and he knew from various lessons he'd had in Hogwarts that time travelling way, way back would be disastrous, able to wipe out a whole generation if the traveller wasn't careful.

But the thing was, what he understood was that Hermione's situation wasn't simple at all. With dark magic at play, she was reborn as a completely different person. She was Hermione Pettigrew, for Merlin's sake! She shared the same features with his best friend and had practically grown alongside her throughout their Hogwarts years.

Simply put, she already belonged in this timeline. James hoped, fervently even, that Hermione would understand that and stop holding herself back from living her life in the present.

He sadly grinned at her face and dipped his head, meeting her halfway.

-ooo-

That afternoon found Hermione and James in the Drawing Room once more. Sirius and Remus were coming over and Hermione thought it was the right time to tell them her story. Peter still hadn't returned, but had promised to be there with them when Hermione broke the news to the other Marauders.

"This will be what? Your third time telling your tale?" James said, slowly wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to his side.

"Fourth, actually," she said, a small smile on her face. "Regulus was the first one to know."

James frowned and Hermione snorted, recognising the jealous glint in his eyes. "It was necessary if I wanted him to trust me," she said. "Your jealousy for Regulus is really weird. We're just friends."

His hazel eyes narrowed into thin slits behind his spectacles. "Exactly how long have you been conniving with Sirius's brother behind our backs?" he asked.

"Long enough," she vaguely clipped.

A scowl bloomed on James's face. "Well, look at that, maybe I am mad at you after all," he grumbled, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Because I'm working with Regulus?" she asked in exasperation. A loud snort escaped from Hermione's lips, her eyebrows meeting at the middle in annoyance. "Why do I feel like you're more annoyed that I'm working with him than the fact that I've hidden the simple fact that I am not from here?"

James made a weird, frustrated noise at the back of his throat. "Because being bloody jealous with the bloke is easier than accepting that my bloody girlfriend is a bloody time traveller – a war heroine, holy shite - who by the way, almost lost her bloody fucking life last night!"

Hermione gaped at him, eyes widening at his sudden outburst.

The bespectacled wizard's eyes widened too, mirroring her surprise. "Well, look at that, maybe I am mad at you after all," he lamely repeated, this time with resignation heard in his tone of voice. "No. No, fuck it. I'm not angry. I'm terrified. About everything. Your time travelling, horcruxes. Voldemort. How could you keep these all to yourself, Hermione? In that cave, drowning under an Inferi-infested lake, you were— you almost—"

James clammed up and tried to calm himself down. Tears welled in Hermione's eyes, prompting him to look a tad panicky.

"I'm sorry," he whispered after a few gulps of calming breath. He looked marvellously weirded out and wide-eyed, and Hermione, try as she might, didn't know what to do. "That wasn't fair. I… I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through for the past years. The past seventeen years, blimey! Your situation is bloody fucked up and I know you're terrified of what we're going to think about you now that we… know. It's just—" He made a face and looked away from her swimming eyes. "I really need some time to think. About everything. My head's going to burst soon from everything you've unloaded on us yesterday." James snorted, his cheeks colouring in embarrassment. "I thought I was mighty composed when I fetched you for lunch a while ago. Apparently not."

"I was expecting an outburst, you know," Hermione whispered, hastily wiping her tears away. "I thought it was weird how you – and Peter – accepted everything in a stride. If I were you, I'd be really mad and brimming with a lot of questions now."

"Good thing I'm not like you then, eh, Whiskers?" he quipped, the corner of his mouth lifting into a small, teasing smirk. "And, I think Wormy and I were too distracted by the fact that you've been doing dangerous shenanigans behind our backs for a while now than to properly digest your whole revelation."

"I'm sorry," she tearfully said, reaching out to touch his cheek.

James's eyes fluttered close and leaned against her touch. "I'm really tempted to forbid you to stop doing whatever you're doing with Black, but I'm sure you'd throw your Bat-Bogey Hex before I even finish my sentence," he said.

"You know me too well," she said with a watery chuckle.

"You're unstoppable, Hermione Pettigrew," he said with a sigh, shifting forward to place a hand at the back of her head. "The least I can do is stay by your side."

A lovely smile appeared on her face as a few tears escaped from her eyes. James gently brushed her tears away and leant forward, pressing his lips against hers.

"Please, Merlin's saggy bum, stop being so gross."

The couple flinched apart, eyes latching on the newcomer. Peter stood right in front of the door, his face twisted with mild disgust.

Hermione ignored his comment and stood up from the couch. Her older brother's disgust melted into relief as Hermione threw her arms around him.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" he worriedly asked.

"I'm fine," she said, chuckling softly when he protectively tightened his arms around her.

A set of footsteps padded outside the room. The door burst open and in came Sirius and Remus, both looking very tired and downright worried. Hermione snorted at Sirius, who was wearing the leather jacket she'd given him as his graduation gift. He looked well and maybe more bulked up after months and months of rigorous training as an Auror.

Her eyes were drawn to Remus, though. Despite his scarred face, he looked marvellously healthy, like he'd been sleeping quite well and eating on time. This was the most human Hermione had ever seen him, never mind the dark bags under his eyes from lack of sleep due to his Order mission.

"Missed us, Whiskers?" Sirius cheekily asked, shrinking the distance between them and throwing his arms around both Hermione and Peter.

"Geroff, Pads," Peter sourly said.

Remus smiled gently at Hermione and approached her too. "Is everything all right?" he asked, blearily rubbing his sleepy eyes as he worriedly glanced at Hermione, and then at James.

"I take it the Wolfsbane Potion was a success?" she asked, ignoring his question.

The smile that broke out on Remus's face outshone whatever scars he was wearing. "It was the best months of my life, Hermione," he declared. "The potion was brilliant. I told Damocles I'd work for him after he marketed the potion because, you know, he promised to supply me with free Wolfsbane Potion until his dying breath. But he refused, said I should start living my life instead of hanging out with him." His cheeks coloured as a disbelieving laugh escaped from his lips. "I'm due for an interview with Dumbledore for the Defence Against the Dark Arts position soon. Pity I won't be able to teach you for your last few months at Hogwarts. And — blimey, I wasn't meaning to tell you everything yet because I thought this wasn't the right time to say it."

"No, it's fine," Hermione said, reaching forward to grasp onto Remus's hand. "I'm glad you said it, Remus."

His golden eyes softened as they swept over and noticed James's sombre mood. "Is everything all right?" he insisted once more, now growing worried.

"Yeah," Sirius said, completely pulling away from the Pettigrew siblings to frown at them. "Wormy's cryptic message through the bewitched knut sounded urgent. I was about to sleep, because you know, I haven't had a wink since Moody's mission. So, this better be good."

"Something came up," James vaguely started. "Something huge."

Remus frowned and plopped down on the couch across from James. "A little elaboration could help."

Hermione nervously glanced at the other Marauders, unsure how they would take her story. She completely pulled away from her brother and sat down beside James once more, wordlessly urging Sirius to take a seat too. "Well—"

"Wait," Peter suddenly said. "Not yet. We're still waiting for two more people."

The brunette knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "Really?" she asked.

"I… well… I thought you'd want them to know about it too," he said, sheepishly meeting her gaze. "You've been telling this story a lot already, so I thought you'd rather this be the last time you needed to recount your past. I figured you'd want them to know because they're your best friends."

"No," James gasped, eyes growing wide.

Hermione shot up from her seat when a new set of footsteps from outside approached the drawing room. Her eyes unknowingly watered when Lily strode inside, closely followed by a cautious Sev. Lily was wearing the standard grey robe of an Unspeakable donned over Muggle clothes. Her hair was held over her head in a messy bun, and Hermione noted that, like Remus, she also had deep bags under her eyes.

Severus, to her surprise, was wearing his older counterpart's signature billowing black robes. He mirrored Lily's tired expression, most likely swamped with his Potions Apprenticeship work.

Hermione quickly barrelled towards her best friends and threw her arms over them. It was silly how she started to cry, but after everything she'd been through, she was just happy she was still alive to see them.

"What's going on?" Lily softly asked, placing a comforting hand on Hermione's back to soothe her tears.

"Is it really necessary to ask them to come?" Sirius mumbled, already throwing daggers at Sev.

"Judging from Hermione's reaction, it is," Peter said with a sigh.

The younger witch sniffed and laughingly wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry," she started. "I haven't seen you both in a while."

"What's wrong?" Sev asked, frowning at the tears in her eyes. Hermione smiled at him upon noting the worry in his dark eyes.

"Come sit down," Hermione sighed, fully pulling herself away from her friends. "You will need it."

Lily and Sev exchanged worried glances, obviously concerned with the sudden tension that had blanketed the room. Hermione pulled them both to the only vacant couch in the room, right across from the blazing hearth. She sat them down and resumed her position sandwiched between James and Peter.

Hermione took a deep breath to organise her thoughts and then, with a sad smile, she started, "I have something to tell you."

-ooo-

Her throat was dry and her jaw felt painful from constantly talking without any interruptions. Hermione marvelled at how Lily kept silent whilst she told her tale, her face steadily draining with colour until she was as pale as a ghost by the time Hermione was done. Severus looked deeply disturbed, his lips twisted into a small frown as he mulled over her story. Remus looked very exhausted, his scars and deep bags under his golden eyes stark against his pale face.

Sirius… Sirius was pacing, incessantly. His dragonhide boots were already leaving a mark on the rich carpet in the drawing room. His face looked thunderous, his lips drawn into a taut line. Beside her, she'd seen how James and Peter had exchanged a worried look for the shaggy-haired Auror.

Hermione distractedly tore her gaze away from Sirius and glanced at the other three. She didn't dare break the silence, knowing that she had to give them some time to process everything she'd said.

Remus was the first one to move, taking in a deep breath and glancing at Hermione. "Is it all—" He paused and swallowed, silent once more.

A vein popped on Sev's forehead. "Why did you—" Like Remus, words failed her best friend.

Sirius suddenly drew to a halt and pierced her with his tumultuous grey eyes. "Are you fucking—"

Whatever he was going to ask was drowned out by Lily's loud sobs. The redhead's eyes were swimming with tears as she bolted right off the couch and into Hermione's awaiting arms. The witch fell on her knees and laid her head on Hermione's lap, winding her arms around her midsection. "You poor, poor thing," Lily cried. "Y-you must have been really scared."

Hermione was stunned at Lily's words, admittedly not expecting them to come out of anyone who'd heard her tale. The others had been too dumbstruck with her past and had started asking various questions just to make sense of it all.

But Lily… Lily had thought of her first.

Her heart swelled with affection for this lovely witch, her gleaming emerald eyes staring at Hermione with so much sorrow and worry. Tears poured out of Hermione's eyes as she released a sob, pressing her face against Lily's messy hair. "I-I was," she confessed. "I was so scared and alone and I thought—"

Severus was then off the couch too and silently, determinedly, gathered the two crying witches into his arms and held them tight. Hermione didn't need to hear Sev speak, because she could see how his dark eyes glistened, although no tears fell.

The trio held each other for minutes. Hermione didn't know for how long. It was only when Lily's tears had subsided that Sev gently pulled her away. Lily refused to return to her seat, opting to sit down beside Hermione's and to steadfastly place a hand on her knee.

Hermione smiled fondly down at the determined redhead, thanking all the blessed stars above that Lily had chosen to barge into her compartment back in first year, insisting on sitting with her.

Sev settled down on the couch, the peaks of his cheeks slightly red. Hermione hazarded a guess that he was a tad flustered at showing a bit of emotion in the presence of the Marauders – people he swore he'd never show any shred of vulnerability to.

But the other four didn't even notice Sev. James's hand was tight around Hermione's, his fingers comfortingly drawing a pattern on the back of her hand. Peter's blue eyes had also filled with tears, his gaze worried and sad.

"You don't plan—" Hermione glanced at Remus, who suddenly looked deeply concerned. "You don't plan on going back, do you? To your… to your own timeline."

Everybody in the room stilled. No one had asked her that question yet. It was only Regulus who'd had the nerve to ask her before, and Hermione had wondered since last night when they would ask her too. Perhaps, they were too scared of what she'd say. James's painful hold on her hand already spoke volumes.

With a watery smile, Hermione brushed her fingertips over James's hands until his grip loosened. He looked panicked, waiting with bated breath for her answer.

"No," she said, prompting everybody to breathe a little better. A tear slid down from Peter's face when he shakily gripped her arm. "No, I don't plan on going back. It's…" She laughed and brushed a few of her wayward tears away. "The potion I took didn't offer any antidote. It was brewed with dark magic after all, and you know that almost always, the effects are irreversible."

Lily loudly sniffed and tilted her head. "I've only been an Unspeakable for a few months, Hermione," she softly said. "But I can already say that there are a lot of mysterious things here in this world. If… if you gave me the complete list of ingredients of this dubious potion, and the instructions, I could—"

"Thank you, Lils, but that won't be necessary," Hermione said, fondly brushing Lily's hair away.

The redhead's eyes filled with tears once again. "Are you sure?" she tentatively asked.

"I took that potion to run away from everything," she said, her gaze sweeping over each and every person in the room. "Why would I want to go back?"

"Because it was your home."

Hermione's gaze quickly landed on James, who was refusing to look at her.

"No."

She watched as he slowly knitted his eyebrows together.

"This is home," she grounded out. "With Mum and Peter and all of my friends and… and you."

He glanced at her, surprised.

"I am Hermione Pettigrew," she declared earnestly. "Hermione Granger was a Muggleborn Gryffindor, with dark, bushy hair and deep, brown eyes. And… and I know she'll always be a part of me. But I am not her. Not anymore."

A/N: So um, yes, so many feels ahaha. I haven't seen my love for 5 months already because of the pandemic and I miss him so much hahaha. I think my emotions just poured over this chapter huhu I'm so sorry.

And, holy schnaps I'm starting to really panic with all of your theories hahaha. I'm nervous y'all get disappointed with the decisions I've made for this story (I mean, granted I kinda love it, but of course I'm biased hahaha).

Part 3 of "Hermione's Revelation Arc" will be posted tomorrow.

With love,
WickedlyAwesomeMe

P.S. Follow me on tumblr (kimmy-writes). Expect to start seeing a lot of 'Trollhunters' posts because I've recently discovered it on Netflix and I've been binge-watching it for the whole day. I really love it so much ahahah.