Disclaimer. I don't own Harry Potter. He belongs to J. K. Rowling. I just write for fun.
My gratitude to my Higher Power, my son, and my mother.
I want to give thanks to Mark the Unruly for being a champ and helping me through this story and its development.
A big hug to SlytherinSal who got excited about the project and her guidance.
Trolls, I have no place for them, don't bring them.
Enjoy the read.
~0~
Chapter 1.
Prologue.
Beyond the Portal.
If Hermione J Granger had one chance to change her future, would she take it? Asked the Guardian of the Gate to the eternal beings around him.
As an outcome of such a question, Hermione Granger had a chance to send her consciousness back in time.
Currently, Hermione had been working for the Department of Mysteries, in particular, the veil for a period of over twenty years. As time passed, the veil was unlocked by her magical signature as a window. The window/veil had a curious disposition to her magic as it started displaying her life and an array of alternate realities. Those realities shed light on her soul being born over and over again. The problem was that when she tried to explain or even make a hypothesis, to her superiors the veil remained locked to outsiders and their magical signature. An issue that gathered doubt about her work, magic, and sanity.
In conclusion, Hermione lost her credibility and was banned from the Death Chamber. At this stage in her life, she had been divorced for several years. Her children were embarrassed by her loss of status in the magical world, as an Unspeakable, as she was sent to Saint Mungo's for mind healing therapy and treatment.
Harry Potter divorced Ginny as she came out and said that she wanted to marry Gwenog Jones and Miss Jones accepted her role in the breakup. Later Jones became Ginny's partner after Ginny's divorce from Harry. The previous dilemma venting over the news, just three years after winning the war. Harry smiled and wished Ginny the best. Still, he kept his distance from Ron and his children after Hermione's loss of favor and ultimate stay in St Mungo's. Harry avoided the lot after Ron and his kids dragged Hermione's name through the mud. To him, the Weasleys as a whole were of little to no interest.
After Hermione's discharge from the magical hospital, she moved to Switzerland and worked as a librarian for a decade. Harry moved to the same city, and, and they remained close. On her last vacation, Harry joined the traveling schedule and together, the two made plans to visit Peru. Hermione believed she had found a similar gate to the one in the Department of Mysteries back in England.
By now, Harry and Hermione were senior citizens in the mundane world and back in the wizarding world no one recalled why the two were so famous. To Harry it was great, to Hermione, it seemed like a loss. The feeling that something was amiss never left her.
Harry loved the idea of being anonymous until the end of time but agreed that they got the worse end of the bargain.
What both the witch and wizard realized is that together, their magic combined effortlessly. That fact brought a smile to both and a more profound connection. Still, both decided to keep their relationship cordial. Both were jaded and even though they lamented their misguided decision at not becoming a couple, and later their love lives, they continued to be accepting and friendly towards each other, a gesture that made them work far better than just a married couple.
Hermione realized old Harry, just like the young one, followed her. In a way, she too wondered if not for the war, could their relationship evolve into something more, time only knew. She loved traveling, and while no longer on the run, the feeling of companionship and loyalty did help heal a lot of their combined loneliness. For this, both the witch and wizard felt grateful.
As they reached Peru and visited the Portal of Aramu Muru, Hermione recognized the magical signature. It was not as ancient as the Veil of Death in the Department of Mysteries, but the magic was similar to a portal. Harry was drawn, and Hermione was drawn too. As though a magnetic pull or a magical hand attracted the two to the gate. The two took a step back and for the first time in a lifetime, a bout of accidental magic took place, the magic powered the stone symbols and for a moment the faces in the stone vibrated harmonically.
Since the guide and tour group were entertained elsewhere, no one noticed the strange phenomenon. Hermione turned to Harry and both smiled. It felt like a new adventure beckoning them, and for once, the two had nothing to lose.
Harry knew that if he could feed a magical leach that was a Horcrux, believe in the ramblings of a megalomaniac like Albus Dumbledore, marry a girl that favored girls, and pine over Hermione, while simultaneously gifting a financial crisis in magical England in retaliation for their behavior towards Hermione. He too, could take a hold of that hand of hers and follow her to oblivion. He could take on anything, as long as Hermione held to him, he could do this.
Hermione knew that she had already fought a war. Had lost years and tears by not telling Harry of her feelings. She had held the title of unbalanced, and now, with the offer of the unknown, she could do this. As long as she was holding on to Harry, she would do this.
As their bodies crossed the threshold their shapes shifted to energy. Their consciousness remained and a voice came to them, identified as a guardian of the gate, then after his introduction, he said: "Your destiny was not to end like this, the fates, magic, and time are quite upset about the outcome of your lives, and now your current form."
To both Harry and Hermione's souls, it was a playful state of being, as the two felt like toddlers who were just playing peek a boo, with their astral shapes and giggling, but the guardian waited until the two held in an embrace that felt like a warm blanket after a cold shower.
"If you had a choice, in the fallout of your life, from children, teen, adult, and senior stages, would you consider going back?" Asked the guardian.
"What's wrong with remaining in this amorphous form? We are connected in a way that even sex cannot reach. I feel like a being of light and joy and so does Harry, though he feels like a battery," replied Hermione.
"It is true, we never mated to one another, but the love she has for me feels like an unending source of light, I think she is my battery," added Harry.
"This is the love you were promised before being formed originally into Harry and Hermione, Harry, was aware of the prophecy, and Hermione knew of your role as Harry's true friend and lover, but an agent of the dark was keen on getting everything wrong, and he succeeded, he had too many innocents killed, he created Tom Riddle's alter ego Flees from Death, just like he created a martyr out of you Harry. Should you choose to go back? You need to take care of Albus Dumbledore."
Both Harry and Hermione stopped and reviewed all of the damage done consciously or unconsciously by the great Albus Dumbledore, Hermione asked:
"How can we help?"
"Send all of the anchors created by Riddle to the veil of death or through this gate, then send Dumbledore," answered the guardian.
"Then, before we agree to anything, are we allowed to return with all of our knowledge of the future, and make the changes?" Asked Harry.
"You are allowed, and because you didn't ask, you will also return with no Horcrux attached to your forehead, plus no bound core either," said the Guardian to Harry,
"How is it possible to hate someone even more, after all these years? I swear I'll kick Albus Dumbledore in the balls as soon as I'm within reach," said Hermione.
Harry began laughing while the guardian waited.
"You have suffered for too long, and infinity has suffered alongside you, stay close, your connection is the stuff of magic, together, you two are legendary, always," said the Guardian.
After the two souls felt the blessing of eternity, the two shared their first kiss, and their hearts sang the last word of advice in stereo, "Always,"