A/N - Wow, thank you guys for your support on this new one, can't believe how well it had gone down already. If you haven't already seen it and Drarry is your thing, then please do pop over to Meddling Malfoy's that went up yesterday. I am in love with that story and Beta Puff and I have had many a giggle about upcoming chapters. As always Thank you thank you thank you for all the wonderful reviews, favs and follows they make a writers days.

As always I own nothing.

And BIG BIG BEtA PUFF LOVE!


The Governess

Chapter 1


"What on earth?" asked Sirius as he took in the sight that was his kitchen, or had been his kitchen if he could be sure that it was the room had survived whatever it was Hermione had been trying to cook.

"Don't Sirius - Just don't," she warned with an exasperated sigh as she tried her best to dust herself off.

"Don't what? Ask why you are trying to destroy my kitchen?" he questioned with a bark of laughter, ignoring the scowl he was receiving from the witch.

"Just be quiet will you, if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all," scolded Hermione, her hands on her hips and hair as wild as ever, making it rather difficult for Sirius not to laugh again, especially when she ran her fingers through her hair and left it streaked with flour.

He walked cautiously further into the room, stepping over a pile of whatever it was now on the floor, a broken bowl shattered next to it. "Without losing your temper," he began wrapping an arm around Hermione's shoulders and observing the disaster around them. "What are you trying to make?"

"A cake," Hermione whispered a slight waver to her voice as she too looked over the mess that had been created.

"Hey, what's this about?" he asked concerned, pulling her closer into his side. "Don't get upset, I was only joking about the mess."

Hermione sniffed back the tears that were forming. "It's for Molly, I just wanted to do something nice for her. You know, as a thank you."

Sirius took pity on the witch and pulled her into his side, his arms wrapped around her waist as he flourished his wand in the air and began to clean the mess that had been created, whilst Hermione took a moment to gather herself.

"You know you don't have to do this," he said resting his chin on the top of her head, unable to help himself from relaxing somewhat at the feel of her under his arm and the way her hair smelt so sweet and familiar to him.

"I know that but I want to. She and Arthur have done so much for me over the years, it's the least I can do - but look at it," she said waving towards the mess that was slowly being tidied up, "it's a disaster. I can't cook and I really should start remembering this."

Lost in the moment, Sirius couldn't help himself from placing a gentle kiss on the witch's temple. "She couldn't cook either," he whispered quietly into her hair, making Hermione turn and look up at him, big beautiful brown eyes that were so frighteningly familiar.

"Who?" she asked inquisitively and Sirius wanted to hex himself for letting his guard down.

He sighed deeply into her hair and tried his hardest to calm the overwhelming feelings that were swimming beneath the surface and avoid her stare, her scent hitting him hard with its unusual familiarity "Just a witch I knew a long time ago," he finally managed, looking straight ahead at the wall in front of him, trying to think of the comparisons between the woman he knew then and the woman who stood here now. The woman who was twenty years his junior and his godson's best friend. He gave her shoulder a tight squeeze before letting go, his arm dropping to his side as he took a step away.

He needed to get out of there; he thought when he realised that there was a lump forming in his throat as he made his way to the doorway, only to stop when Hermione called out after him.

"First love?" she asked curiously as he turned to face her, giving her a small nod of confirmation before leaving the room and releasing a breath of relief when he was on his own in the softly of the hallway.

"Only love," he muttered to himself as he battled with the tears that burned his eyes.


Remus had watch his friend closely since that night in the garden, that first October after the war and, without the distraction of said war he was more often than not . . . a mess. There was nothing keeping his mind focused, nothing to keep him truly busy and his mind off comparing the witch of his past, with the witch who was now living with him and his godson.

He was worried about him, truly worried. Whilst he had Dora and his beautiful son Teddy keeping him occupied and busy, Sirius had nothing. Nothing but memories that seemed to be plaguing him more and more as Hermione transformed from young teen to striking woman.

Of course he could see why it was almost too much for the man, the resemblance between her and his one love was uncanny, she was a true doppleganger. Standing there in the hallway having just stepped through the front door his heart ached for his friend as he took a moment to regain control over the situation, over whatever it was that had just happened.

It had been just over 18 months since that night they had spent cool evening listening to the sounds of the city whilst Sirius talked and, they hadn't had another talk about it since then. However Remus was no fool and of course had been noticing the changes in his friend as Hermione matured even more over the years, her similarities between her and Nonnie becoming more and more prominent.

He walked cautiously over towards his friend and pulled him into a tight hug, breathing a sigh of relief when the man broke down in his arms, finally, he thought, he had been fighting it for so long it was only a matter of time before it became all too much.

There had been numerous occasions over the years where he had watched his friend fight and battle with the overwhelming sea of feelings that were coursing through him continuously. Their first meeting quite possibly had been one of the hardest for him. If it hadn't been for Remus reminding him that she was the same age as Harry he would have been 100% certain that she was his daughter. However it was clear she was not and was 2 years younger than his baby would have been.

The night she was injured at the ministry, Remus had to force dreamless sleep down Sirius' throat in order to ensure the man himself got enough rest, as he was far more concerned in the well being of Harry and Hermione then his own. Remus once more had to remind Sirius that Hermione was not his daughter and was not the woman he fell in love with all those years ago.

This however was not the only time Remus had to remind him of these things, there was the night of the seven Harrys, as well as when the trio had arrived back from hunting Horcruxes and last but not least, when the man had laid his eyes on her after the final battle.

The two of them that night, when the dust had settled and the bodies of those they lost treated with the utmost respect until they could be laid to rest, the two friends disappeared to that familiar little old pub on the top of the Yorkshire dales and drank. Drank a lot. They drank for the win, they drank for the lives lost, for the one they never knew, the love that disappeared.

It had been tiring over the years and mentally and emotionally exhausting. He had never been so grateful that he hadn't been the one to experience what it was his friend had been going through. Even more so when he had found Dora and knew what it was that Sirius must have felt. That pure undying love, that feeling that you would do anything and everything for them.

The day he bought his son home was one of the most wonderful days he had had ever experience during his life and at the same time one of the most heart-breaking. When he introduced Sirius to little Teddy he felt himself fighting the tears wishing to form in his eyes at the sight of Sirius holding the little boy. Holding him as though he were the most precious thing in the world, the same way he held Harry for the first time, that same pain in his own eyes as he looked down at the little bundle with such love and such longing.

Remus would be lying if he didn't admit that he himself on more than one occasion that he had wished Hermione was the missing piece Sirius had been looking for but it just wasn't possible. She was too young to be his daughter and much too young to be the man's long lost love.

Remus heard her before he saw her and was very aware that Hermione was making her way out of the kitchen. When she stepped through the doorway way with concern in her eyes at the sight before her, he simply shook his head negative and gave her a smile which said Don't worry, I've got it she gave a nod back and retreated back down, though he could tell she wasn't completely happy about it.

"Come on mate, Pub?" he asked Sirius as the man's tears seemed to lessen.

"Sure," he replied once he had regain his composure and straightened himself out, wiping his face and trying his best to give Remus that signature Black smile, despite it not quite reaching his eyes.


Hermione loved her job, it was interesting, different and she was forever discovering and learning new things. She was in her element. Yet it was also the kind of job where her utmost attention was required and mistakes if made could have grave consequences. So today really wasn't the best of days to be working with Ancient Ruins and the possibility of manipulating them to assist with controlling time.

All week her thoughts had been elsewhere, thinking and worrying about a particular wizard. She hadn't spoken to him since that day in the kitchen or managed to ask Remus what it was that was wrong, she wasn't even that sure if she should. In all honestly it wasn't her place to ask such questions and if Sirius had wished to talk about it then he would have that day.

The image of him looking so vulnerable in Remus' arms was still very clear in her mind and it broke her to see someone so strong and brave to break like that. He had been avoiding her since then and not only was she worried about him, she was now worried that she had somehow managed to upset the man further.

However she would then remind herself that this was just the way Sirius often was it her and something she would never quite understand. He was hot and cold with her more times than she could remember. Once day they could be getting on like a house of fire and then very much so the next day would be like that said house had been doused with water during the night. He was cold and distant and miserable, those days it was just much safer for everyone to keep out of his way especially her for whatever reason that may be.

Hermione was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't heard when a colleague of hers made their way into the small office space she was working in, or noticed when they placed down the ancient ruins texts she had requested to see. She hadn't heard them leave or call out over their shoulder that they had bumped into Harry on their way down and that he would be making a visit to her. She hadn't noticed that when looking for one book in particular that she had picked up that very text her colleague had brought down, that she had started writing ruins from that text rather than the one she had wanted. She hadn't noticed the when she spilt a dash of water on her work as she took a sip, or that when she placed it back down her sleeve smudged one particular ruin just so. And she certainly hadn't noticed when she knocked over the small vile of timeturner sand sitting just so over that now damp smudge.


"Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks, fuck, fuck fuck," shouted Harry as he stormed on through the door and into the kitchen, throwing his cloak down on the table in anger and worry.

"Well, I must say I quite like that song, very catchy," said Sirius with a laugh as he walked into the kitchen, Remus following closely behind.

"Bad day at work?" Asked Remus as he settled down at the table while Harry paced furiously about the room.

"Fucking awful, Hermione . . . argh!" Groaned the young wizard as he ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it somewhat in frustration.

"You guys have a fight?" Asked Sirius, his brows furrowed in concern as he watching his godson march.

"I wish. Merlin it would be so much easier if we had-"

"I came as soon as I heard Harry," interrupted Tonks as she all but fell into the kitchen before she gave Remus a quick peck and turned her attention back towards a frantic Harry.

Sirius and Remus watch the two of them talk quietly yet animatedly to one another, Sirius' frustration growing more and more when no one was saying anything to them "Will someone please tell us what's happening?" He eventually shouted out startling the rest of them.

"Hermione's disappeared," said Tonks with a deep sigh.

"Disappeared?" Asked Sirius confused.

"Yes disappeared, you know, vanished, gone, missing, misplaced-"

"Don't get snarky with me mate, I'm just asking. You come marching in here with a face like thunder and what do you expect us to be asking?" Interrupted Sirius angrily.

"Did you say misplaced?" Came Remus' quiet voice as he shot a look to both Harry and Tonks.

"Yes, to be fair that's probably the best was to explain it," replied Tonks "She's been working on something to do with time manipulation and ancient ruins, it seems she may have figured something out, what that is they don't know."

"Then how do they know she's done it?" Remus continued.

"They found her work, she was gone, but her work she had been working on was still there on the desk. Others in the department had a look over it and well, it seems she was successful, they don't know how, seeing as the ruins themselves weren't complete and there was and slight error in them but there was enough evidence to suggest it, it seems Hermione has well, time traveled," explained Harry as he too took a seat, the anger once in his voice having disappeared somewhat and replaced with worry.

"How far?" Asked Remus' eagerly an excitement behind his eyes the no one could quite place.

"They don't know, they doubt that far from her calculations, maybe 20 years or so, around that mark anyway, why?" explained Harry.

Both Harry and Tonks watch baffled as Remus leapt out of his seat grabbed Sirius by the arm and all by dragged the wizard out of the room at such speed, leaving the two of them behind and thoroughly confused.

It wasn't until they were behind closed doors and Remus' uncharacteristic excitement oozing out of the man, did Sirius put it all together, the colour quickly draining from his face and his heart beginning to pound against his chest.

"Fuck," was all he could say as pieces of the puzzle began to slide into place "I knocked up Hermione."

"Really?" asked Remus with an exasperated sigh "That's the part you're thinking about? Not the part that Nonnie, your Nonnie, is still very much alive and very very likely didn't have a choice about leaving, that she probably didn't leave you, that she simply was whisked back to her own time, which is now, when the spell wore out?"

"Oh Merlin and is overly saggy ball bags waving in the wind-"

"Thanks for that imagery."

"Moony, what do I do. What - I mean I don't know what to do, what this means, I-I fuck," waffled Sirius as he turned to pace the room, his hands running aimlessly through his hair in attempt to keep busy.

If Remus was right, if his Nonnie really was Hermione then what in the name of Morgana and all things magic did this mean for them? Why did he ever doubt that it could be her, why didn't he just believe that nagging voice in the back of his head? The one that sat there saying it is her, it is, I can feel it. Despite how often both he and Remus had said it was impossible, it clearly wasn't. Who were they trying to kid? They lived in a world where magic was real, possible, part of everyday life. Why on earth did they not think about time travel? Why did this thought never cross their minds? It had been done before. For heaven's sake there were devices that made it possible, the witch in question having spent a year using one, used one to save his life!

"Sirius," Remus' voice broke him out of his thoughts. "We'll figure it out, it's going to be ok. Think of it this way, she knew who you were back then, she knew who you were now and there was no denying the way she felt about you. It's going to be fine."

With a deep sigh, Sirius sat himself down on the nearest seat and pushed his hair back off his face. He suddenly felt very tired; the ordeal of everything overwhelming him but the hope that was blossoming was now very much there, "I hope you're right Moony."