THREE

Harry Potter entered the Slytherin Chamber, feeling brave. The last school year was amazing. His participation in the Triwizard Tournament could not be better. Definitively, training with Sirius, Remus and Hermione was giving results beyond what he imagined. Maybe he really was a great wizard!

Although the real reward was to have saved Cedric. He met him very well during the school year. Now they were good friends. Harry couldn't imagine a world where he didn't exist. Less wanted to imagine Mr. Diggory's pain if something had happened to his son.

It turned out that Amos Diggory and Sirius were friends when they attended Hogwarts. The fact that Cedric and Harry were involved in the Triwizard Tournament reunited those two old friends again. They worked together all year so that there were no more illegal problems in the operation of the Tournament. Harry also met Amelia Bones, Sussie's aunt, a really scary witch who supported him during his lawsuit against Ludo Bagman. That didn't take long, since Bagman owed money to the Gringotts goblins. That ended very badly. Meanwhile, Harry was able to prove his innocence about his participation in the Tournament. At the same time, Alastor Moody was rescued from the chest where Crouch Jr. locked him. Then, the Death Eater received the Kiss.

Once the Tournament drama was clarified and solved, what followed was really fun. The tasks meant a challenge for Harry, but he overcame each one with honors. He dedicated every available moment of that year to study and become a better wizard. Under the pretext of being younger than the other Champions, he was able to convince Dumbledore that Sirius and Remus trained him to survive. The truth was that they did much more than that. Of course, as soon as Hermione knew about the extra "classes", she joined happily.

Instead, Ronald shined by his absence. The reality was that their friendship was already in a bad place since the end of third grade, so the extra classes and the Tournament were too much for the redhead. To top it off, Ron didn't believe that Harry didn't enter his name in the Goblet of Fire. By the time he finally apologized to him ―or something like that― Harry had already known other types of friendships. It was too late.

Cedric Diggory soon became someone of great confidence and a kind of older brother for Harry. He even joined the trainings. After the first task, Fleur and Viktor also began attending Sirius and Remus classes.

Harry forged a quick friendship with the french witch. Fleur was delighted that her allure had no effect on him. The only problem was Viktor. He became very close to Hermione. Which was absurd. They had nothing in common! Besides, he couldn't even pronounce her name properly. However, an endless flirting developed directly on Harry's face. At least he knew that Hermione didn't want something serious with the bulgarian. Or so she said.

For some reason, when he tried to talk to Hermione about Viktor, she brought up Cho Chang. This created confusing feelings in Harry. He knew that Cho was pretty and charismatic, but mostly she was Cedric's girlfriend. He wouldn't risk his friendship with the Hufflepuff for her. He tried to explain that to Hermione, but decided that if she didn't want to talk about Viktor, he wouldn't talk about Cho. Luckily, Cedric broke up with the Ravenclaw. That way, Cho stopped being part of the new social circle of Harry and Hermione.

As a lovely replacement came Luna Lovegood. Hermione had suggested, as part of that year's mission, to befriend the little blonde soon, and he didn't regret it. She was her date for the Yule Ball. Hermione, of course, went with Krum, but who cares?

Luna quickly became a younger sister for him. Harry loved to protect her at school, and spend time listening to her "crazy things." Somehow, the blonde made him feel like someone trustworthy. When he told Sirius, she received an invitation to spend Christmas at Grimmauld Place.

Thus, Harry began to form his new family. Those holidays were attended by the Lovegoods, the Bones and the Diggorys. However, Harry missed Hermione very much. He invited her, but insisted that she spend time with the Grangers.

That was a promise he made to Hermione.

For that reason, today he will ask Hermione for permission to visit her during the summer. That way he wouldn't take her away from the Grangers, but he wouldn't suffer months without her. She was his best friend, it was normal to want to see her so much, right? Also, that way he can check if she and Krum write each other often. Not that he cares. She can do whatever she wants with her life.

Whatever. The Tournament finished epically. Fleur won after months of effort and dedication in the extra training they had. She explained that she never had such an opportunity to explore her magic with private tutors. Her adventure that year in England was truly amazing.

Harry checked his watch. It was eight minutes before Hermione arrived. He reread the list of goals he met that year, including the destruction of the diadem and the locket. Actually, he felt his life quite safe and happy. Maybe Hermione would no longer be afraid of everything going to shit?

He appeared two chairs that were much more comfortable than those of a year ago. He tried to ignore the anxiety he felt and walked around the chairs a couple of times. He sat. He stand up. Tic. Tac.

Hermione appeared.

"I was thinking," he said as soon as he saw her, "how can I be sure that you will return every year? How do I know if you are in a safe place? If the spell to find me in this timeline will work?"

She seemed surprised at this reception. Then she looked at him again, confused.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"You look good."

From "skinny" to "good" wasn't bad, Harry thought.

"Thank you."

"You are growing very healthy and strong. Oh, I should have taken you to San Mungo in my timeline. If I had known that you needed additional care, I would―"

"Don't fret yourself. The important thing is that thanks to you I'm better."

He smiled at her, trying to calm her. Suddenly, he felt that Hermione was in a much worse state than he remembered. He looked at the blood stains and all the scars in her petite frame. He realized that nothing had changed in her but in him.

What he found sexy two years ago because of her adventurous and wild appearance, now seemed the result of obvious signs of torture and anemia. That athletic body was really a surviving body.

He compared both versions of his best friend. He would die if teenage–Hermione had to suffer something of that level. No, he corrected himself, he would kill whoever caused her so much pain.

On impulse, he walked towards her and hugged her. They were almost the same height. He was surprised to feel her so fragile, as if her bones were porous.

"Harry?"

"What happened to you?"

As if he had broken a spell, Hermione began to tremble and cry desperately. She hugged him, putting her fingers in the back of his neck.

"Everything that is possible to happen to a woman, during a war."

That was heartbreaking. He hugged her tighter.

"Forgive me. I should have been better. I should have protected you."

Several minutes passed. They both knew the time was sparse, so they forced themselves to control their emotions.

Harry lifted her up in his arms and smiled when she yelp in surprise. He put her carefully in one of the comfortable seats. His face was very close to hers. He looked at the angular cheekbones, a consequence of her poor nutrition. Teenage–Hermione didn't have that refinement on her face, instead she had soft, sweet cheeks.

"Stay away from me, please."

Harry backed away, hurt and scared.

"I didn't want to bother you."

Hermione squeezed her right wrist, where the tattoo was.

"I'm sorry. It's been a long time since you― I'm not ready."

He nodded, even though he didn't understand the depth of the wound the witch was carrying. He realized that he no longer thought of her as Hermione, his forbidden desire, his fantasy. She was Hermione, his best friend.

"I made a list to make this faster. I wrote down everything I accomplished this year."

He handed her the parchment.

Hermione regained her smile a little. "You making lists?"

"I spend too much time with you, what can I say?"

"With me? Really?" Her eyes shone with pleasure.

"Seriously, you and I are together all the time." Harry sat in front of her. "I'm ready. Tell me what to do next year. Then, please, tell me what happened to you. You promised."

Hermione crumpled the scroll in her hands "Why do you want to know that? I came from the future with the intention of preventing my destiny from repeating itself. That should be enough for you to understand what is at stake."

"Not really. I must know." He tried to make her understand, "My life is perfect. I have my family, my true friends. No one can manipulate me, nobody hides me information. All that thanks to you. But I must know what happened to you. My biggest fear is that I can't protect you again, Hermione. "

"If you destroy Tom you will prevent my story from happening."

"I will destroy him. I swear."

"That is more than enough."

"Oh, come on. Why didn't I make it? Why are you like this? I must know, I don't want to make the same mistake."

"I explained to you that a series of events in Hogwarts triggered your death. It is not an isolated event that has me like this. Every change I have asked you to make is precisely to prevent you from dying and Tom Riddle winning. Trust me."

"I do that. With all my heart."

"Then, no more questions. Pay attention, Harry. This year is decisive. You must approach someone very important, without raising suspicion. He will not trust you, so you'll have to be patient. No one can know. Much less Snape. Did you study Occlumency?"

"A little."

"You must perfect that art, as soon as possible. That is your main mission this year. Otherwise, only minor changes. Especially you must improve the D.A. But for that you'll count on me. I trust me. I will know how to solve it."

"You mean the Hermione of this time, right?"

"Yes. Finally, it is time to inform you about the prophecy."

"What?"

"I'll be clear. Tom and you are united by a prophecy: one must die at the hands of the other."

That didn't sound easy or pleasant.

"Why me?"

"In my timeline, this information was hidden from you, Harry. This time it will be different. I'll not allow you to face Tom Riddle without having every advantage at your disposal. You'll survive."

Harry sat more straight in the chair. He trusted his best friend.