Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Author's Note: Thank you for the wonderful comments! In just a matter of one hour after the PROLOGUE was out, there had been 100+ views! Thanks ever so much!

I hope you are all safe and healthy!

This fanfiction was inspired by the following stories:

1) The Boy From the Eastside by turnintoPaige394

2) In the World Where Things Went Right by TheTitaniumSerpent

3) A Riddle of All Problems by foxe165

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Chapter 1

September 19, 1976

Hermione poked her black pudding and stared at it. She wasn't in the mood to eat; Hogwarts elves forgive her. It was her seventeenth birthday. Well, supposed to be.

'Supposed' because she was born on 19th September, the year 1979; three years from now. After spending three months into the new timeline - her parents' supposed past - she could not still decide what tenses to use. She was in the past, but this was her present. The future was her past.

She sighed. Damn you, Voldemort! Damn time-travel! she cursed inwardly.

"Hermione?" called a now familiar voice.

She looked up to offer her new friend a smile. She found herself staring at a pair of round and light brown eyes. The owner of those beautiful eyes was a round-faced witch with light skin color and pixie blond hair. She was looking at Alice Fawley, her fellow sixth-year Gryffindor and future mother of her first-ever genuine friend, Neville.

"Are you all right?" asked Alice with a concerned look.

She offered her a small smile. "I'm just... well, it's that time of the month," she half-lied.

Alice placed a hand on her shoulder. "Oh! Are you in pain? Do you need some potions? I can go to the hospital wing and asked Madam Pomfrey pain-relieving potion for you," she offered.

Her smile widened at the concern. She reached for Alice's hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Alice. I'm not in pain. I'm just... being emotional, I guess," she admitted.

Alice gave her a sympathetic look. "Missing someone back home?" she concluded.

She looked at her and nodded. Her new friend had no idea who she was thinking of and missing: Alice and Frank's future son, Neville.

"Yeah," she replied.

"You can always talk to me. Anytime," offered Alice.

She squeezed Alice's hand. "Thank you. I'm glad I'm friends with you."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I think you'll also put up with me during my time of the month, or when I have a row with Frank," she giggled. Then, Alice leaned closer to whisper something in her ear. "Lily's staring at you again. Also Snape."

Hermione, though curious, did not turn to look at the two people Alice mentioned. It wasn't a secret at Hogwarts that Lily Evans from Gryffindor and Severus Snape from Slytherin had been best friends since they were first-years until they had a row at the end of their fifth year.

Hermione heard about the incident many times already in the Gryffindor common room. Potter and Black even warned her about Severus Snape, whom she was sitting with at Potions because there was only one vacant seat. She heard that it used to be Lily Evans who sat with him for five years, but things changed since the day he called her a nasty name.

But Hermione, admitted to Ginny, that she could never understand Evans. She, Harry, and Ron fought many times already. There was even a time when she felt so alone in their third year because of a stupid broomstick and a pet rat. Ginny and Neville were the only Gryffindors who would talk to her. But she made up with the boys. She even shielded Harry from an Azkaban escapee just because she thought he was planning to murder her best friend.

"Real best friends forgive each other," she would always tell Harry and Ron. That's also what she said to Potter and Black when they told her about the incident, and she even added: "I've been called worse."

"Severus is my Potions partner," she replied simply. "And maybe, Lily's trying to get your attention. You're friends, right?"

Alice shrugged. "Only when it suits her."

It was her turn to place a hand on Alice's shoulder. "Oh, I am sorry that you feel that way. Maybe she's not good at expressing her feelings?" she asked again.

Alice shook her head. "You'll see what I'm talking about. But honestly, I'm glad that you're my roommate. I have someone I'm comfortable with; someone who wouldn't talk often about beauty products and boys."

She chuckled. "Well, thank Merlin we're friends."

"So, since I'm your friend, let me reprimand you to finish your breakfast, so you can spend more time in the library before our Transfiguration."

"Yes, mother," she said, laughing and returned to her food. Just when she was about to finish her breakfast, another Gryffindor red-head entered the Great Hall, being chased by the self-proclaimed Gryffindor prince, Sirius Black.

"Come on, Ginevra! Go on a date with me!"

Hermione never imagined that Ginny's face could be as red as her hair. When she turned to face Black, everyone was expecting her to yell, but she didn't. She simply looked at him. "Do me a favour, Black. Stay away from me," she said in a bored tone. "Besides, you aren't my type. I'd rather date a werewolf than a dog like you."

Everyone who was listening either laughed or gave Ginny an amused look, except for Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Lily Evans, Hermione noticed. The four Gryffindor boys looked taken aback, but did not say anything. The red-head girl with green eyes glared at Ginny's back, then when Potter sat beside Black - across from Evans, and their eyes met, the witch tossed her long, shiny hair.

She felt Alice move away to make room for Ginny. Hermione tore her eyes away from Evans and met Ginny's more beautiful face.

"Happy birthday, Hermione!" said Ginny happily, Black's nuisance was completely forgotten. The younger witch hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Gin," she replied affectionately and returned the embrace

"You never told me it's your birthday!" exclaimed Alice.

She and Ginny pulled away from each other and then she faced her new friend. "Happy birthday, Hermione!"

She smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Alice."

The other Gryffindors greeted her as well and she muttered her thanks. Then, there was a loud bang in the Great Hall. It sounded like an explosion - actually, it sounded like the explosion the Weasley twins did in her time. There was a big smoke above them that formed several letters:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,

HERMIONE!

"Who the hell - " she began.

"Sirius and Peter," Alice cut her off but not in a rude way. Hermione followed Alice's line of sight. She saw the two pranksters whispering something at Potter who was blushing furiously while stealing a glance at her.

She turned to the staff table and met the headmaster's eyes. He smiled and winked at her while Professor McGonagall went to reprimand Black.

"I think James likes you," whispered Alice.

"What?!" she exclaimed and looked at Alice as if she said that Mr. Filch was a woman.

Ginny giggled. "I think so, too."

She glared at her sister. "Not you, too!" she warned.

"Oh, come on, Hermione! Do you even notice the way he looks at you?" asked Ginny.

She shook her head. "He likes Evans," she countered.

"He liked Evans," corrected Alice. "But everyone noticed that he stopped asking her out."

"So, what? I'm a new prospect?" She scrunched her nose. "Boys like him? Not to my liking."

"And what, may I ask, is to Hermione Dumbledore's liking?" smirked Alice.

She subconsciously reached inside her school robes and fiddled the pendant of her white gold chain. The pendant was a form of an otter chasing its tail. "Someone funny, yet brilliant. Someone who could be sarcastic and gentle at the same time..."

She felt a comforting hand on her back. It was Ginny's.

"Is that from a boyfriend back home?" asked Alice, eyeing the pendant.

She released the pendant and let it fall on top of her uniform. "Not a boyfriend," she admitted bashfully.

"Almost boyfriend," chuckled Ginny. "Hermione and the guy had been fancying each other for two years..."

"Yeah," she nodded and turned to Alice. "But he didn't want to rush things. You see, he's two years ahead. We went on a couple of dates. Last Christmas, he gave me this." She touched the pendant again. "My Patronus."

Alice gasped. "You can produce a corporeal Patronus?" she asked in a low voice. "That's awesome!"

She felt her cheeks flush. "Er, thanks. Well, Ginny, too! You should see her Patronus. It was gorgeous."

"And yours was cute," complimented Ginny.

"Wow! You, girls, are brilliant! How come you aren't in Ravenclaw?"

She smiled at Alice. "Dumbledore, remember?"

Alice grinned. "Can you teach me, girls? Please?" Hermione and Ginny did not hesitate to agree.

"Hermione, er, Miss Dumbledore?"

Hermione stiffened upon hearing the voice. She turned her head and saw James Potter, giving her a timid look, his hand on his nape.

"Mr. Potter," she replied civilly.

"Happy birthday." Then, he offered her a stemmed white rose, which she accepted politely.

"Thank you, but you didn't have to give me anything."

"I'm ready for Transfiguration," came a silky voice from behind Potter.

Hermione peered behind the Gryffindor boy and saw Severus Snape standing there, wearing a patient look. When Potter shifted to look at the person behind him, Severus took the opportunity to step closer towards Hermione. "May I carry your things?"

What in Merlin's name is happening? she was yelling inwardly. She and Severus did not agree on walking to Transfiguration together.

"Oh, yes! She's ready!" said Ginny who handed Severus Hermione's bag. Then, she felt familiar hands pushing her lightly.

"Oh, thank you, Sev." She decided to play along, just to get rid of James Potter. She might be in an alternative timeline now, but she still wanted to meet a little Harry Potter someday - a boy without a scar, hopefully, but with beautiful green eyes.

She stood up and hooked her arm on Severus's. As they were walking, she felt someone glaring at her. She bravely glanced at the Gryffindor table and saw Lily Evans giving her piercing looks.