DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters.

Chapter Two- The Second Hand Unwinds

Light overcame the darkness and instead of the laminate floor beneath me, I felt wet grass sticking to my exposed skin. What is going on? My eyes slowly opened and the scene before me was not what I expected. My eyes met the wide waters of the Black Lake. As confusion set in I slowly picked myself up of the floor and staggered towards Hogwarts. I hadn't been back since the final battle and was shocked to find that it had been rebuilt so quickly. If only Dumbledore was around. I approached the familiar walls of a place I called home. As if my prayers were answered, Dumbledore came sauntering down the corridor. His eyes landed on me and their usual sparkle vanished.

"Oh my dear." I wondered what had him looking at me like that. My gaze followed where he was staring and noticed that I was still wearing my bloodstained pink dress.

"Professor Dumbledore, we have to talk." I stated hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions just yet.

"Come with me to my office." With that he took off back down the corridor he had just walked down. I followed him through the familiar corridors towards the stone gargoyle leading to his office. We climbed the stairs and he motioned for me to sit down as he sat in his throne like chair on the other side of his desk. "So Miss…?"

"Granger. Hermione Granger." How does he not know who I am? I think I must be unconscious on the floor at the wedding. But I died. I bled out. This is too weird.

"So Miss. Granger, how may I help you?"

"Well you see I was at a wedding when we were attacked by Death Eaters. The thing is… I died. But somehow I woke up by the Black Lake and here I am but I must be in heaven or something. Is this a Hogwarts in heaven? If I'm not in heaven and in fact I am alive then you can't possibly be here."

He looked at me confused. "And how is that Miss. Granger?"

"Well because you're dead." His sparkle returned as he chuckled.

"I assure you I am very much alive."

"But you can't be. I saw your body. You were dead."

He must have seen the determination on my face as he asked, "And when, might I ask, did I die?"

"1997." A smile formed on his face.

"I have a while left then. It is now 1977." I felt the blood drain form my face at his words.

"1977? How is that possible?"

"I don't know Miss. Granger, but I intend to find out."

"Dou you think I will be able to get back?" I need to find the outcome of the battle. I need to see Harry. He can't cope on his own with all of this. He needs me. He needs Ron. Ron…

"You will to have to leave it with me. In the meantime I suggest you stay here at Hogwarts. How old are you? If you don't mind me asking." he chuckled.

"I will be 19 on 19th September. But I never did my seventh year as my two best friends and my self went travelling to find a way to kill Voldemort." I said trying not to give too much about the future away.

"I have a suggestion then. While you are here you can complete your Hogwarts education whilst we try and sort this mess out."

"Oh that would mean the world to me, Professor." His smile brightened.

"Excellent. What house are you in my dear?"

"Gryffindor."

"I shall let you settle in, but Miss. Granger, I urge you not to reveal anything to anyone other than myself. It is not safe. But I hope you make plenty of friends here at Hogwarts, there are plenty of playful characters in Gryffindor," he revealed as he stared off into the distance chuckling as if remembering some sort of prank. "Very well then I shall make sure you have your books and clothes for tomorrow's start of term."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Now there will be a bed waiting for you in Gryffindor Tower. The password is 'gumdrop buttons'. I'm sure you can find your way. I have to very important business I must see to. I stood up and left his office to roam the deserted hallways towards the tower. When the Fat Lady came into view she opened when she heard the password and admitted me to the Gryffindor common room. I climbed the stairs to the girls' dormitories and onto the floor for the seventh years. I cracked open the door and walked inside finding my bed next to the window with my name on the headboard. The tower was eerily quiet. Hogwarts didn't seem right without any students. So I was left to my own thoughts of how to get out of here, wondering if I could ever get home.

A/N: There we go. Chapter 2. I update quite quickly. First time for everything hehe. Not too much going on in this chapter, but in the next one many things come out. R&R