Own Nothing.
Chapter tweleve
Hermione put on the dress for her date tonight with Ron. She was finally happy that the day was ending, she had felt like a stranger in her own skin all day. The lapses in her memory was bugging her. She couldn't remember her own children's names, the address of where she lived to their wedding day.
She felt sick just thinking about it. And when she thought to hard about the dark spots in her memories she would feel this rush of pain in her chest and ribcage. Within minutes the pain would recede and she would go about her day.
Sighing, she sat on the bed to slip on her heels. She glanced over her shoulder as Ron came into the room. "Almost ready Love?" He asked, tying the tie around his neck.
"Yea, sure." Hermione finished buckling her shoe and stood up, smoothing down her dress. "Do you like it?" She asked stepping towards him.
"Wow, I love the dress, not so much the color though." He finished with his tie and slipped on his jacket. "Why'd you buy it Love? If you're only going to wear it one time?"
"Well I hoped to wear it more then once Ron. I love the color and it looks good on me."Hermione stated as they walked out of the room.
"Well, I think after tonight, you should return it." Ron stated walking towards the fire place.
Hermione stopped in the hallway, looking at the pictures. "Ron when was this taken?" She asked, pointing to a picture.
"Ron sighed and walked back over to where she was looking at. "Our wedding photo?" He looked at her with a confused look.
"When was our wedding?" She asked, looking back at the photo.
"You're testing me right?" Rn asked, laughing.
"Yea, sure." Hermione shrugged, allowing Ron to lead her to the fire place. "'So we're we going tonight?"
"Well first to the Leaky Cauldron, and then we'll walk to the place." Ron and Hermione stepped into the fire and Ron shouted for the Leaky Cauldron.
Stepping out of the fire place of the pub, Ron lead her through the building and out into Muggle London. They walked down the street, the cool May air tickling her skin under neath her light coat. She followed Ron to a small Italian restaurant. She looked up at the sign, trying to think where she ever saw it before. "Come on, its their opening night." Ron tugged on her hand, bringing her inside. Hermione looked around the room. It was a open room restaurant, with a separate bar. The walls were a dark green color with real-life-like vines growing everywhere.
"I'm surprise you even like it here, there's so much green." Hermione muttered to herself.
"What was that love?" Ron asked, looking back at her.
"Nothing Ron." Hermione sighed as a hostess came to seat them, she led them to a table in the back, they sat down and took the menus she offered. "So nice place, but I can't help but feel like I've been here before."
"I find that one hard to believe Love." Ron stated, looking around as if he was expecting someone. "Why look. Lavender and Dean are here. Hey Guys!" He waved them over.
Hermione smiled and greeted them, noticing Lavender's new baby. "Wow, Lavender. I didn't know you had a baby." She looked up to see Lavender's confused face.
"Hermione, you were at the baby shower." Lavender looked at Ron, then Dean then back at Hermione.
Hermione laughed, as if joking. "I'm kidding. I've just been working so hard and Ron keeps telling me that I need a Vacation. I think I might actually take him up on the offer." They all laughed, believing her. It was a known fact that Hermione worked a lot.
"Well we have to go sit down. "Dean stated, stirring Lavender and their baby away.
"Well it was nice seeing them again." Hermione stated, as the waiter came to take their orders. They sat in silence afterwards waiting for their food. Hermione sighed, placing her napkin on the table. "I think I'm going to use the restroom." She stood up and walked backed towards the ladies room.
She finished going the to the bathroom, she walked over to the sink, washing her hands. She looked into the mirror, letting the water run on her hands as she stared. A young girl was standing behind her, staring back at her. "Hermione? Hermione Wake up! Hermione, it's the trickster! Wake up Hermione!"
"M..Maria Maria, what are you.." Hermione reached up to touch the mirror, wanting to touch Maria. But she couldn't and before she could asked her again there was a knock on the bathroom door. Startling her from her trance, she quickly turned off the water. She grabbed a few paper towels and dried off her hands. She opened the door, throwing away the towels. "Sorry." Hermione slipped out of the room and walked back up to her table.
"What took you so long, the food arrived." Ron looked up from his plate.
"There was a line, there's only one stall." She replied, picking at her food.
It was ten minutes later, Ron finished with his own food and looked up. He watched Hermione pick at her food. Barely eating anything. "Is the food not good?" He asked.
"The food's fine. I'm just not that hungry." Hermione replied, setting her fork down. She sighed, leaning back in her chair, looking around the restaurant. She spotted Lavender and Dean near the front by the window. She smiled at them, before just looking at their baby, it was a girl with soft curly strawberry blonde hair. "I wonder where she got that hair from?" Hermione asked no one in particular.
"Who?"
"Lavender and Dean's baby girl. She has red hair, but neither Dean or Lavender do. It's red like the Rose and Hugo's." She looked back at her husband. "Red like yours'."
He stiffened, which caught her eye, she had thought that was strange. "What are you saying Love?"
"I'm not saying anything, I just think its weird. I mean, I've met Dean's family when we were at hogwarts, at graduation, but I don't remember them having red hair. And Lavender's family is french so they all have blonde. It's just weird."
"Well just don't worry about." Ron's voice changed, as if annoyed.
Hermione gave a light hearted laugh. "Ron, calm down, it isn't like I'm accusing you. I know you would never." She stopped and watched as he tense up more. They sat there in an awkward silence, watching as Ron squirmed underneath her stares. "Please Ron, I know that you would never, but just for saying it. Tell me that there is no way that Lavender's baby girl is yours." Hermione watched as he looked down. "Ron?"
"Hermione...I..."
"Ron, I know you two work together, And I know you two use to date. But you've been faithful haven't you?" Hermione sat up straight, waiting for answer.
"Hermione.." He tried again, but he looked over to Lavender's table, catching her eye at the exact same time.
"Does Dean know that the baby isn't his?" Hermione asked.
"He probably figured it." Ron whispered, not meeting her eyes.
Hermione sighed, setting her napkin on the table. "Ron, if you weren't happy in our relationship, you could've just told me."
"But the children.." He started.
"The children would love to have another sibling. You know that it was a miracle that I had them, and I know it kills you that I can't have anymore. But if you love Lavender..."
"Why are saying this?" He finally looked up at her.
"Love changes people Ron, sometimes we stop loving each other. Or if you love someone enough, you just want them to be happy." She stood up, smiling softly down at him. "Even if it isn't with me." She reached over and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you at home." And she turned and walked out of the restaurant.
She rubbed her arms, having left her jacket in the restaurant. She sighed, walking to a spot where there wasn't a lot of people and closed her eyes. She thought of a familiar place, one that she knew, but didn't really know. She felt the pull in her stomach and then the pop. She landed on her feet and opened her eyes. "Where am I?" She looked around for a sign, There on the brick wall, 13 Barren-man road.
Hermione sighed, rubbing her cold arms again and she decided to walk up to the house door. She knocked, knowing it was late, but hoped that someone was still up. After a few minutes the door opened to reveal a familiar face. "Sarah Jane Smith, right?" Hermione stared at the woman that she saw in the shop today.
"Yes, and you're Hermione." Sarah Jane looked around. "I know this may sound weird, but how did you know where I live?"
Hermione laughed lightly. "And I know this may sound weird, but I don't know. I just left my husband at the restaurant and I just started walking and ended up on this road. I don't even know where I am." She shrugged, trying to keep down her goosebumps. "I just knocked on a random person's door and it's you."
Sarah Jane smiled, opening the door wider. "Why don't you come in. It's a bit chilly outside. My son Luke is asleep, he has school tomorrow." She closed the door behind her and led her to the kitchen. "Would you like a cup of tea?"
"Sure. That would be lovely." Hermione sat down at the counter, watching Sarah Jane move around in the kitchen. She sighed, stretching a little bit. "Today has been a very weird day."
"How so?" Sarah Jane looked back at her.
"You wouldn't believe me if I tried." Hermione smiled at her.
"You can try me, I'm a journalist, I'm use to all sorts of weird things happening." Hermione noticed a special twinkle in her eye, as if she had a secret joke.
"I had bad luck with journalists actually." She stared at Sarah Jane for a moment, before deciding to tell her. "I've been having these weird episodes all day."
"What kind of episodes?" Sarah Jane asked, pouring the tea, she sat down across from Hermione and waited.
"There's these gaps in my memory, I'm married to a man I love. But I feel like I just woken up and I don't remember the last few years. I have two children I don't remember having, pictures of our wedding that I don't remember happening. Then when I look in the mirror, I saw my godson, but he was years older then he is now. He kept calling me mum. In the restaurant I saw a young girl in my reflection, I've never seen her before. But I knew her name." Hermione finally breathed, letting everything sink in.
"It's almost like you lived another life and it's trying to push through. I wonder what happened to have you brought into this alternate universe?" Sarah Jane stood up, thinking. "Now, I normally don't do this. It's completely against my rules. But I think you need to see this." She gestured for Hermione to stand up, she lead her upstairs. They walked all the way up to Sarah Jane's attic, walking in, Sarah Jane closed the door behind them. "Now don't get scared." She smiled at Hermione.
"Ok." Hermione replied.
Sarah Jane stepped down the stairs, and turned towards the stairs in the dusty old attic. "Mr. Smith, I need you." Hermione stared as the computer pulled out of the wall, the smoke and lights going off.
"Yup." Hermione began, stepping down to stand next to Sarah Jane. "You have seen a lot of weird things." She smiled at Sarah Jane as the computer activated.
"Good evening Sarah Jane, And hello Ms. Granger." Mr. Smith stated.
"How does he know my name?" Hermione asked Sarah Jane.
"I haven't been completely honest with you myself." Sarah Jane began. "In the other universe, you were my neighbor. Your godson, Teddy, he was in your custody. You dating our neighbor across the street Alan Jackson who lives with his daughter."
"Maria." Hermione whispered, remembering the girl.
"Yes. Now what I can't figure out is that, how?" Sarah Jane looked back at her.
"Maria...she said the Trickster." Hermione looked up at Sarah Jane, seeing her horror struck face. "What?"
"The Trickster only goes after people who are about to die. Then he offers then a deal, a agreement. You must've taken it."
"I don't remember. I don't remember him or any agreement." Hermione set down on the steps. She covered her face with her hands, breathing in and out. "I just want to go back to where everything wasn't so..." She sighed, looking up, seeing the mirror in the room. She stood up abruptly and walked over to it. "Do you see him?"
"Who, the Trickster?" Sarah Jane looked at the mirror, hoping to see him.
"No, It's a man." Hermione stared at the mirror. "I know him." She whispered, staring at the man in the picture. Then a girl appeared, Maria. "Maria, where are you?"
"Hermione? Hermione where are you?" THe man shouted, asking her through the mirror.
"Alan?" Hermione whispered. She looked behind her, at Sarah Jane. "Where are they? Alan and Maria?"
"I don't know. I don't even know how Luke and I got away with remembering you. But I guess we weren't important. We weren't the cause of his chaos this time."
"Chaos?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, the Trickster feeds off of chaos, He chooses his victims to keep them from doing what they do in life. He tried to keep me from catching aliens, from living my life. But what about you?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, turning fully to her.
"You were an Auror. You and Teddy lived next door, You catch bad guys."
"Why would I be an Auror, and have Teddy?" Hermione stopped, her thoughts running a million miles. "Because I couldn't have children. The medi-nurse said it was a miracle I made it through Rose and Hugo's births."
"Yes, that's it." Sarah Jane stepped up to her. "You must've been hurt in one of your missions, and the Trickster came to you and offered you your perfect life."
"My perfect life?" Hermione asked, turning back to the mirror, seeing Maria and Alan. "How perfect could it be?" She asked in a whispered, her fingers brushing the mirror. Alan was on the other side, his hand meeting her's on the glass. "If Alan and I aren't together?"
"Then let's ask the Trickster himself." Sarah Jane suggested, she looked around. "Trickster! Trickster!"
"Show yourself!" Hermione shouted.
They heard laughter around them, the dark cloaked figure appearing on the upper level of the attic. "Sarah Jane, Hermione Granger. What a pleasure..."
"Trickster, is that who you are?" Hermione asked, walking towards him. "Why did you do this to me?"
"You were dying, and I made the bargain." He replied.
"What bargain, what agreement? I don't remember any of this!" Hermione shouted, tears falling down her face.
"You were in the ware house with Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Potter chasing a man, he turned on you and killed you with a hex. I came and offered you a new life, a life with happiness."
"What happiness? I had Alan, Maria and Teddy. We were a family."
"But here, you have children, children with a husband and your own blood." THe Trickster replied, trying to convince her.
"You think that matters? Sarah Jane and Luke aren't blood. Teddy was my son, I love Alan, I love Maria." She stopped her rant and turned to look at the mirror, seeing Alan and Maria watching them. "Alan asked me to marry him, he was happy with just Maria and Teddy, but he was okay with adopting another child if we wanted one." She turned back to the Trickster, staring at him in disbelief. "That's the perfect life. Not this...this is torture."
"But it's perfect...for me." The Trickster smiled.
"If I can't have Alan, Maria and Teddy. I don't want to live this life." Hermione stepped up to the Trickster. "I recede whatever agreement I agreed to. I can't live this life without them." Tears starting falling from her eyes. "I just can't do this life without them." She glanced back at the mirror seeing the tears in their eyes.
"Very well." The Trickster hissed and then suddenly Hermione kneeled over in pain, she screamed as the pain spread out through her body, her tears spilled out of her eyes, as they rolled back in her head.
"Hermione!" She heard Sarah Jane's voice, it was the last thing she heard