Hermione could feel herself falling backwards, but what she didn't understand was why she hadn't hit the ground yet. She was already squatting down, so the fall should have been short. Something wasn't right.
She landed on her injured hip, on something fairly hard and heard an "ouff" from under her. At the moment she was concentrating on the searing pain in her hip and trying to focus on her surroundings. She heard a voice under her and rolled over. There, staring into her brown orbs were two twinkling blue ones.
"I fancied myself a walk this morning. Had I known I would be meeting such pleasant company, I would have worn better socks!"
Hermione was looking into her former headmasters much younger face and from the injury, shock of the battle and looking at her supposed dead headmaster, her last coherent thought was, "So this is death, I guess I'll see the other three soon!" And then Hermione Granger fainted.
She heard voices all around her and thought pleasantly that death wasn't too bad. She wanted to greet her friends and she slowly opened her eyes. There standing around her were Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Slughorn and Madame Pomfrey. Where were Ron, Ginny and Harry? She loved her professors, but she didn't exactly want to be greeted by them when she woke up in the after life.
"I guess death isn't so bad, huh?"
"I assure you, miss, you are far from dead!" This was from Madame Pomfrey.
Her headmaster leaned in and asked what everyone was wondering.
"Who are you and where did you come from, my dear? As pleasant as our greeting was, I do not recgonize you!"
Hermione looked at her professor even more confused now.
"Sir, it's me, Hermione Granger. Gryffindor! You were my headmaster for 6 of the years I went to Hogwarts. Now Professor McGonagall is headmistress!"
Minerva looked shocked. "I am not the headmistress, child." Leaning towards Albus, she whispered, "Maybe she hit her head harder than we thought. Or she could be a spy for You-Know-Who!"
"One step at a time!" Albus answered her back. They both turned back to Hermione and smiled.
"I just became headmaster here not long ago. What year are you in dear or have you graduated?" Albus smiled
"I am in seventh and I am head girl!"
Professor Dumbledor got an idea.
"My dear, indulge my curiousity! What year is it?"
"Sir, it's 1997!" Hermione thought, 'What a strange question to ask, but then again, maybe when you're dead, you lose the concept of time.'
"My dear, what I have to say may come as a great shock to you, but I feel it is important that you know. Firstly, I promise you are not anywhere near dead! Second, it is not 1997; in fact the year is 1978." Albus rested his hand on her shoulder and gently patted it.
"WHAT? Have you all gone bonkers? How can I be in the past?" Hermione then sat mumbling to herself.
The rest of the teachers were just as shocked. Here sitting in front of them was someone from the future. Suddenly the beautiful girl swung her legs over the side of the bed. Madame Pomfrey rushed to her side.
"I'm alright. Sir, I think I know what may have happened. Just at the end of the Great War, Dobby, a free house elf, sent me back here, to help change things. He said I could help. I couldn't help but feel, when he was telling me, that something had happened that wasn't supposed to and that one mistake changed the course of the future!" She looked at all of the professors, hoping they didn't toss her into St. Mungo's.
"You are exceptionally bright my dear, it all makes perfect sense!" He twinkled at her.
Professor McGonagall looked at him strangely and asked, "It does?"
"Of course, I do believe you are from the future and you need to either stop or fix a mistake, to help out the future, but I must warn you, fix or change the wrong thing and it could make the future much worse! When you are released, please make your way to my office and we will figure out a story for you to use. We will need to enroll you also. I am afraid you cannot keep your head girl position, as it has already been filled. Minerva, could you please get all of her school supplies? You will need to be resorted at the welcoming feast, when all the first years are sorted. I also expect complete silence on this matter from everyone in this room." With that said, he turned and headed out of the infirmary.
The other teachers looked to one another and then to the girl in the bed. They knew she was telling the truth, something about her told them that. They also knew the headmaster was deadly serious when he said not to say a word. They all left and got on with preparations for the arriving students.
Hermione was released later that day and made her way to the headmasters office. She saw her much loved headmaster standing outside the gargoyles.
"I realised when I left, that I hadn't given you the password. Lemon Drops." The gargoyles sprang to life and soon they were seated in his office.
"Now I thought a good story to tell to the rest of the students would be that you are from France, can you speak any French? Good , good! Your family was killed and you have come to stay here, as I am your grandfather. This story I believe is the easiest and makes the most sense. Besides, I have always wanted a grandaughter and if I got to pick one, it would certainly be someone much like you!" Hermione nodded her head throughout the explanation.
"Sir, you had a child?"
"Yes, I did. A daughter. She was everything to me, along with her mother. They went into hiding a long time ago and the place where they were staying was burned down. Everyone knew my wife was killed, but they thought my daughter had escaped and I have had her in hiding to this day. Sadly that was not the case. I found both of their bodies burned in the house and I removed all evidence of my daughter being there. When Aurors came, they only found my wife's body. Only one person knew this story and now two do." The younger headmaster suddenly aged after the tale and Hermione couldn't help but think, if this was the reason for most of his decisions in the future. Hermione couldn't help but feel saddened and at the same time, privelaged, that he had shared this information with only her.
"Sir, when do the students return?"
"A week from yesterday."
Hermione was shown her dorm room; she would be moving in with the head girl, as all of the seventh year dorms were completely full. Hermione visited with all of the professors and got to know them. They found her a very eager and intelligent student. Most were hoping she would be sorted into their house and many wondered why she had not been put into Ravenclaw before. Before she knew it, the students were arriving back. She sat nervously in a room off of the Great Hall, waiting for Professor McGonagall to come and get her to be sorted. It was decided they would sort the first years, then she would be brought in to be sorted. When she thought she was going to burst with nerves, Professor McGonagall poked her head in and said, "We're ready for you!"
The two women made their way into the Great Hall and up to the stool and hat. Every head turned towards the beautiful new girl and many were whispering. Professor Dumbledore had told the students that a new 7th year student would be joining them this year and she would need to be sorted.
Hermione sat on the stool and the hat was placed on her head.
"Hmmm! I've sorted you before! I still think you could do well in Ravenclaw. No? Well then, the only other place to put you would be, "GRYFFINDOR" A thundering was heard and when Hermione looked down, she could see the Gryffindors pounding the table with their fists and cheering. She made her way to an open spot at the table and turned to the girl beside her.
"Hi, I'm Lily Evans, what's your name?"
Hermione had to catch her breath. This was Harry's mum! Quickly recovering she shook Lily's hand. "I'm Hermione Granger. I guess you heard that we will be rooming together this year. I just wanted to let you know that I keep everything neat and ordered and I study a lot!"
Lily laughed and asked if she was sure she shouldn't be in Ravenclaw.
Just then four boys came over and sat down across from them.
"Hello, Lils! Would you care to date me this year?"
"No, thank you, Potter. There wouldn't be enough room in the relationship for you, me and your inflated head and ego!" Lily smiled at the boy.
"Hahaha, she's got you there, Prongsie! I believe we are being rude. My name is Sirius Black, this git here is James Potter, on my other side is Remus Lupin and down there stuffing his face is Peter Pettigrew! And what, may we ask is your beautiful name?"
"My name is Hermione Granger and have you ever thought of becoming a stable cleaner? You are very good at shoveling around the dung!" Hermione picked up her fork and placed the food in her mouth with a smile.
"Paybacks a bitch, hey Pads?"
Everyone at the table burst out laughing and Sirius looked deflated. Lily could tell her and Hermione were going to be great friends. They ate their meals and Lily told Hermione about all that had happened at Hogwarts and she also warned her about the Mauraders. The two girls left the table with their arms linked and made their way to their new dorms. Going to bed took a while, as both girls kept talking to one another, but finally they fell asleep and got some rest for the start of classes tomorrow.