Jane awoke the next morning with a whimpering sob that quickly got Rose out of bed to fetch her mother. She felt almost ashamed of herself for being such a baby and lay there quietly as Hermione smoothed the hair from her face and felt her brow just like she was sickening for something.

'I think a day in bed would do you good, wouldn't it? Jane nodded her head, and Hermione smiled.

'I'll just pop down stairs and make you some calming potion. Would you like anything else whilst I'm there?'

Remembering yesterday morning Jane said, in a very small voice 'Could I have hot chocolate, please?'

'Of course you can.'

'Can I have some as well please, mum?'

Hermione flashed Rose a look that almost said "Don't push it", then changed her mind and smiled and said 'OK.'

When Hermione brought the drinks back up she suggested that Jane sit in the chair for a while whilst she changed the sheets, which had been soaked in sweat, and put on a fresh nightie as well. It felt nice to get back in to a cool dry bed and, with the calming potion starting to take effect, Jane felt more relaxed than she had when she awoke.

Rose stayed around for a while, but kept peering at Jane when she thought she wasn't looking, almost as if she were expecting some strange symptoms to start manifesting themselves.

When Rose eventually went of to have breakfast Hugo came in, but obviously didn't know what to do once over the threshold. He asked her if she was OK, then suggested she might want to borrow one of his Quidditch books to read. Then he sat there in a rather awkward silence. Finally, Jane said that it was a shame for him to be inside on such a lovely day and he shot off with a relieved look on his face.

-o0o-

In the kitchen, Rose was eating cereal in a rather distracted way.

'We aren't going to make them go back now, are we mum?'

'They go back, Rose, whether we make them or not.'

'They don't have to. No, listen mum, I've had an idea. We can say they ran away, and then we can send them to live with Gran and Granddad in Australia. They'll never find them there and they can grow up and get married and have us, so it won't have changed anything, will it?'

Hermione sat down at the table and gave her daughter a smile.

'It would, Rose. It isn't just you and Hugo. Your plan would change time, it would change history, and you just can't do that.' Rose started to say 'Yes, but…' but Hermione carried on talking. 'Look, supposing we did what you said and…I don't know…the plane crashed? What then? Anyway, you aren't born in the future; you're born in the past. And they have to go back because in their future they have to be visited by their younger selves, just like we've been.'

Rose's brow was furrowed; she was obviously trying to follow the logic, but couldn't. Hermione saw her perplexity, and smiled again.

'Time isn't just a straight line, Rose, it's also a circle, and you can't break it. I know it's sad, but they go back and what will happen to them will happen; because it already has.'

-o0o-

Jane was sat up in bed, wondering if staying here all day was such a good idea after all. It might be better if she kept herself busy. Then Roland came in, unannounced, and she had to pull the sheet up pretty quickly. She, of course, had put another one of Rose's nightdresses on. Not only was it pretty revealing, as far as Jane was concerned, but it had "Sexy babe" written right across her…well, exactly where she didn't want him reading.

He, too, peered at her anxiously. 'Are you OK?' She shrugged and nodded. 'Hermione…' There was so much he wanted to say to her; how he felt, how he was sorry for her, how he felt about her. But he was thirteen, and those words don't come easily to a boy of that age. She wanted to talk to him as well. He was her friend, and they had already been through so much together, and she wanted to thank him for what he was going to do in four years time, but she was thirteen too and the words were no easier for her.

What they both wanted to do was just hug each other, preferably laid next to each other on the bed. Not in that way, of course, but just so that they could comfort each other. She couldn't suggest it because he might get the wrong idea, and he wouldn't suggest it because she would definitely get the wrong idea, and probably hex him.

Eventually he said 'Maybe you should try to get some sleep. Shall I bring you some tea?' It was the sort of thing his mum said when somebody wasn't feeling well. She didn't bother pointing out to him that there was no point making tea for somebody who was asleep, so she said 'Good idea.' She stared at the door after he'd gone, and started to cry. 'Oh, Ron…'

He went downstairs and in to the kitchen to see Hermione.

'How is she, Roland?'

Roland looked distracted, and just a little bit lost. 'Not very talkative. She said she'd like some tea, though. Shall I make it?'

'Thanks for offering, but I'll do it and take it up to her in a minute. Why don't you go and see what Hugo's up to?'

As she was about to take the tea upstairs, Hermione was struck by an idea. She went in to the living room, and by accident found Roland slumped in a chair, looking miserable. Hermione took a book from a cupboard.

'I wanted to show Jane this. Why don't you come with me?'

They went up to the room, Jane hurriedly pulling up the sheet again when she saw Roland. Hermione tried not to laugh, and went to her room and came back with a rather baggy T-shirt for her.

Once they had settled down, Hermione said 'I thought you two might like to see this.' She opened the book and laid it across Jane's lap, Roland leaning over for a better view. It was a photo album.

The first picture was a photo of Hermione and Ron, with the Sydney Opera House in the background. Ron was stood behind Hermione with his arms encircling her waist.

'That was when we went to Australia to get Mum and Dad back after the war. I'd sent them there to keep them safe. I suppose it was also the time we started properly going out with each other.'

Other pictures followed; pictures showing a normal couple going through life.

Ron and Hermione on a beach somewhere; at Harry and Ginny's wedding where Ron was Best Man and Hermione a Bridesmaid.

Ron and Hermione getting married. Jane almost cried when she saw that. The dress was what she had always dreamed of getting married in, one day.

Hermione pregnant.

Hermione holding a baby.

Hermione holding a baby, with a little girl standing by her side.

Various family holidays with them all in swim suits and the children getting bigger.

Rose in her Hogwarts robes, Hugo in his Hogwarts robes.

Hermione and Ron standing with a group of people at a party, under a banner saying "Happy 40th, Hermione"

Hermione and Ron standing with a group of people at a party, under a banner saying "Happy 40th, Ron"

The last picture was the best of all, though. It looked as if it had also been taken at Ron's 40th, but it wasn't posed. Somebody had just been in the right place at the right time, with a camera in their hand.

Ron and Hermione were facing each other; he had his arms around her waist, she had her arms around his neck. They were looking deep in to each other's eyes and smiling. It was not a full on, laughing smile. Just that slight smile of two people who are thinking 'I love you so much, and I know how lucky I am to have you.' Of course, it had been taken with a wizard camera and, as the two children looked, Ron tilted his head forward and Hermione lifted her face up and they kissed.

Jane had to wipe tears from her face to stop them falling on the page. She thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

Hermione took the book gently from her and walked to the door. She turned and looked back at them both.

'You know, we've had the most wonderful life together, Ron and I. We've been very lucky.'

Roland took Jane's hand and they sat together in silence. Eventually, she snuggled down in the bed and looked at him. He held her hand until she fell asleep, and then quietly left the room.

Roland and Jane spent a lot of time together over the next few days; more than they had since arriving. They didn't do much, often just sitting together in the garden saying nothing. Hugo would ask Roland if he wanted to play Quidditch or Wizard Chess, and Rose asked Jane if she fancied going shopping again. They just smiled and shook their heads.

-o0o-

Ron and Hermione stood at the window with their children, looking out at Roland and Jane. As usual, they were sat on the garden bench; close but not touching and not saying anything.

'What can we do for them, mum?' asked Rose.

'I'm not sure we can do anything.'

'I don't like seeing them sad' added Hugo.

'I don't think they're sad' said Ron, putting his arm around his son's shoulder. 'I think they're just thinking about things.'

'Are we still going to make them go back?' Rose sounded close to tears.

Ron brought her in to the hug, as well. 'We won't have to make them, Rosie. They'll choose to go.'

Hermione started to look thoughtful, and then went out in to the garden. She sat between the two, putting her arms around them. They leant their heads into her shoulders, and the three sat there for a while.

'We have to go back, don't we?' asked Jane. Hermione stayed quiet.

'We have to go back' said Ron. It was a statement this time, not a question.

'Do you remember when we went after the Philosopher's Stone?' asked Hermione. 'Harry said we could turn back, if we wanted to.'

'We couldn't, though' said Hermione. 'Yeah,' Ron carried on 'Harry needed us. He couldn't have done it all by himself.'

'We never did turn back, you know. We stuck with him, right to the very end.'

-o0o-

About a week later, an owl arrived, carrying a letter.

Dear Mr & Mrs Weasley,

I am pleased to inform you that the Ministry have finally succeeded in locating a time turner.

Miss Granger and Mr Weasley will now be able to return home.

May I suggest we gather in my Office here at Hogwarts at 2 p.m. tomorrow?

Yours sincerely

Professor M. McGonagall

Headmistress.