A/N: I just finished my exams so I thought I'd post the next chapter because I got some time now. I'll try to post the next chapter before my next TP starts but I can't make any promises. If I don't post before my TP, then you'll get the next one around early March. So I apologize for going AWOL in advance. Hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for the patience you have with me for this story!

The girls sat together on the train home.

"So, Alice," Marlene started, getting everyone's attention. "Plans to see Frank this summer?"

"Yes," she said excitedly. "The end of July marks our one year anniversary so we're definitely meeting up then. But we'll probably go back and forth as much as we can. Though he doesn't always have the time because of his job."

"What does he do again?"

"He's an auror." She was proud of that fact, you could tell. She was proud of Frank in general. The way she talked about him… Hermione hadn't met Frank personally but from what she knew through Alice, she could only think of him as a sweet and attentive guy. It made her smile, seeing the girl in front of her so happy, so in love.

"What about you, Hermione? Any plans?"

"No plans I know off yet anyway. But I'm sure the boys will come up with something."

"You know, when I first started to get to know you, you reminded me a lot of Lily, still do actually. But – and no offence Lily – it surprised me you got along so well with the marauders, seeing as Lily and them always clashed. Apart from Remus that is."

"I can see why you'd think that," she chuckled. "They just remind me of my friends back home. They are a lot alike so I think it just… clicked."

"And click it did," she said, a teasing smile crossing her face. Hermione just looked at her in question. "It seems like you managed to catch the attention of one certain marauder."

The brunette just looked confused. "What?"

"Sirius, Hermione. She's talking about Sirius," Alice chipped in.

"What about him?"

"You're kidding, right?" Marlene asked incredulous. "You really don't see it?"

"See what?" What was she going on about? Had she missed something?

"I don't know, maybe that he likes you?"

"Marlene, I think you're starting to see things," she said a little sceptically.

"Oh my Merlin." She turned to look first at Alice then at Lily, while saying, "She really doesn't see it. How does she not see it?" The two witches just shrugged.

"Hermione, sweetie," Marlene said, "Sirius likes you. Haven't you noticed that he's always looking for your attention? Or the fact that he's always hugging you in some way or another? Or the fact that he has a nickname for you?"

"But that's just how he is though. And the nickname only came to be because he likes to tease me," she refuted.

"Hermione, he is literally a second James walking around. The way James acts with Lily, that is the way Sirius is acting with you."

There was a moment of silence. She didn't see it. Where did she get this idea from? Sirius was just Sirius. She hadn't noticed a change in his behaviour that indicated that he liked her. If she had noticed something she would know for sure.

"I really don't see it," she said.

Marlene just let out a slightly frustrated groan. "She's a lost cause people," came a dramatic statement.

"Hey! I'm not," she argued as she slapped her shoulder. Lily and Alice just laughed at the display.

"You have no right to be laughing though, Miss Evans," Marlene rounded on the redhead.

"What? Me?"

"Yeah, you. You've been hanging around the marauders an awful lot these past few months."

"Yes, because ninety per cent of the time they are with Hermione. So if I want to spend time with her, I have to spend time with them."

"Oh, come on Lily. We all know that's a lie. You've been warming up to them for a while now," Alice replied.

A moment of silence, then, "They may not be as bad as I made them out to be."

"Ha! I knew it! So does James have a shot with you now?"

"No, no, absolutely not. Maybe I don't dislike them anymore but that doesn't mean he has a chance with me. So get that idea out of your head right now, young lady."

And just like that the typical girl talk went on and on, the girls just laughing and teasing each other with the tiniest things.

The boys were talking about their own things in their compartment.

"Weird though, the last summer before we finish school. You guys should definitely visit," James was saying.

"We will, we always do," Remus answered.

"And now, with Hermione staying with the Weasleys, we can invite her too."

"It sucks though that she can't go home," Sirius said in a slightly concerned voice.

"Yeah, why is that even?"

"No idea, she just said that a few things had happened, that it was complicated. She wouldn't tell me what though."

"Look at our Padfoot, so concerned about his crush," James joked as he nudged his best friend's shoulder.

"Prongs, we've talked about this, I don't like her."

"So you say, but the way you act around her implies something else."

Sirius just arched a brow. "I literally act the same way around her as I do with you guys."

"No, you don't. It's different," Peter interjected.

"Padfoot," came Remus' voice. "When you want to show something, who do you look for first apart from us?"

"Mione," he replied like it was the most ordinary thing ever.

"Who are you always giving hugs apart from us?"

"Mione."

"Who do you always call by a nickname apart from us?"

"Mione."

Remus just looked at him as if to say 'See, you like her'. He tried to see what they wanted him to see, but he couldn't. He was just treating her the same way as his three best friends, nothing special.

"That just means I treat her the same as you guys. I mean it feels like she is one of us now. Doesn't mean that I like her though." The other three just rolled their eyes, letting it go. He'd need to figure it out himself if they wanted this to get somewhere. And not like the moment at the lake. He had thought about it then but he had dismissed it afterwards, hadn't believed it. Didn't dare believe it.

"By the way Prongs, seems like Evans doesn't hate you anymore."

James looked happy hearing this, happy he wasn't just imagining things. "I know. Maybe I'll have a chance now."

"Who knows, maybe Hermione is right and you will get together by the end of the year," Peter chimed in.

"No way. Maybe she doesn't hate him anymore but she is still far away from falling for him, I can tell you that. I'm winning that bet."

"Wow, thanks for your trust in me, mate," James said flatly

"You know you can always count on me, mate," Sirius stated with a grin.

And just like that the train arrived in London, no one noticing the hours slipping by as they just enjoyed each other's company. Once on the platform the girls hugged each other tightly. Apart from Lily – maybe – she wouldn't see the other two witches until they had to go back to Hogwarts in September. And just like that Marlene and Alice disappeared behind the barrier together with their parents. It was just her, Lily and the four marauders.

"Promise to write to me, okay?" Lily told her.

"I will. Promise you'll do the same?"

"Of course I will." Just then Lily saw her parents, a smile on their faces because they got to have their daughter back home for a while. That was something Hermione missed, her parents. Her parents worrying about her, caring for her, just smiling because they're happy to see her. She missed them so much.

"Your sister didn't come with them to pick you up?"

"She never comes with them," the redhead shrugged like it was nothing. Hermione knew better, however. Knew just how much it hurt the witch in front of her. They hugged one more time. "I have to go. Write to me."

"I will. Now go to your parents." And with that Lily also left to greet her parents. Now it was just her and the marauders. Then she turned to the boys. "I will probably see you guys this summer but I'm still going to give you a hug."

They were all a fair amount taller than she was – even Peter was taller than her – so she shouldn't have been surprised about the comment James made. "Look at our little Hermione being all bossy, saying she is going to give us a hug," he teased.

"Oh, shut up and just give me a hug." And so they did. All at once, so now they were standing there with their group hug, probably blocking the way for some people but they didn't care.

When she stepped back she looked around, trying to find the Weasleys. After only a second she saw them. They hadn't changed a bit. They were younger, yes and instead of seven they only had three children now, but they were still the same.

Several emotions hit her at once and she had to try her hardest to not let anything show. She made sure there were no tears forming in her eyes and that her voice was steady as she turned to the boys and said, "I'm off too. I will see you later."

As she made her way towards the couple, she almost started crying in happiness. But she had to push away those feelings. Yes, they knew she was from the future and though she knew who they were, the pair didn't know her. At least not like they did in the future. Not yet.

Once in front of the couple she introduced herself. "I'm Hermione," she said as she shook their hands. "Thank you for letting me stay with you."

"It's no problem at all, dear," Molly assured her. She even used the same pet name.

"I'm Arthur, this is my wife Molly and these three are our sons. Bill is the oldest, then we have Charlie and last we have Percy."

She introduced herself to them. "Well then, shall we?" Mr Weasley asked. And together they left the platform.