A/N: So, I have three apologies to make. Firstly, I'm sorry the first chapter was such rubbish, but I wrote it over a year ago and didn't want to rewrite it. Secondly, I wrote this entire chapter right now and haven't even read it over, so I'm very sorry for any errors and such that might be in it. And lastly, I'm sooooooo sorry it's taking me so long to write this chapter, but I've been so busy with school and preparing for exams and just general stress in my life that I haven't had a lot of time for this sort of writing. But I'll try and do better from now on. Promise.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Harry Potter and such, if I were JK Rowling, I certainly would not be worrying about failing my English Provincial Exam in 3 weeks time.

And finally, to respond to my whole one review:

(Ugh, sorry, but it won't let me put your name in for some reason. The person who asked me what time this is supposed to be.): This is meant to be the beginning of sixth year in the Marauder's time. I haven't quite decided concretely what time she left from, but right now I'm going to say I'm leaning toward after the war. So, for this instant, the answer to your question is a veeeery tentative yes, the war did happen. But I may change my mind, which is I didn't put in any references in this chapter.

Hope you guys enjoy and review (especially if you didn't enjoy and have something civil to input. I'm a big fan of constructive criticism. However, if your remark is "it sucked," please keep it to your self.) Thanks for reading :).

~Hidden-in-Dreams

After Dumbledore's speech, the gold platters immediately filled with food, just the way Hermione was used to. The routine of it made her simultaneously more comfortable and more anxious. It was exactly what she should be doing, just not...when she should be doing it.

She piled her plate with mashed potatoes and roast chicken, and was reaching for the green beans when a hand beat her there, pulling the dish out of reach. She frowned and visually traced the arm back to its impatient owner, Sirius. Alice slapped his hand and chastised playfully, "Sirius! Try to at least pretend you're a gentleman. Please."

Sirius looked up, surprised, and it almost looked like he blushed a little when he saw Hermione's still outstretched arm." Immediately he pushed the dish of beans back in Hermione's direction and muttered, "Sorry new girl."

Alice rolled her eyes, but Hermione just gave a slight smile, "It's no problem."

"Oh, don't tell him that. Black responds best to being yelled at. You have to know how to handle him." This came from James, who spoke in between huge mouthfuls of food. It rather reminded Hermione of the way Harry ate. Or, would eat twenty-five years later after he was born.

"Because you know sooo much about handling Sirius, eh Potter?" Lily winked at Hermione while she spoke, and Hermione's eyebrows went up. She hadn't realized Lily was so...relaxed. For some reason she'd expected Harry's mother to be more uptight and restrained, rather like Hermione herself, to counterbalance just how irresponsible James had supposedly been.

Sirius spluttered a little around the mouthful of potatoes he'd just taken, and swallowed with some difficulty. "Hey now, say what you like about James, but don't go slandering my good name with suggestions like that."

Hermione laughed, and then a quiet voice interjected, "Your good name? A Black with a good name? Bloody hell Sirius, you're a riot."

Hermione found her gaze falling upon the younger healthier version of Remus Lupin, who had made this statement with no more intonation than if he'd been discussing the ceiling. She thought he was joking, but wasn't entirely sure.

At the sound of exuberant laughter from the end of their little group, Hermione focused for the first time on the teen Pettigrew. She couldn't help a shudder of revulsion from running down her spine, thinking of what he would become. Seeing him even so long before that happened, she couldn't bring herself to see why the Marauders had included him in their little group.

A couple of other people laughed at Lupin's words, but Peter was for the most part ignored. Turning back to the main group, Hermione missed Sirius's retort, but smiled politely when everyone else laughed.

After the feast, Hermione got to her feet automatically, and was about to follow the crowd when Lily caught her arm. "I'm sorry, but Remus and I have to show the first-years the way to the common room. You can come with us, or..." She looked around before reaching past James and pulling over a somewhat startled Sirius.

"Look, Lil, I know you want me, but you're gonna have to keep your hands to yourself love."

The redhead rolled her eyes emphatically. "Honestly. No. Sirius, I was going to ask you if you'd show Helena the way to the common room." He opened his mouth, but Lily cut him off, "But since you've been so bloody Sirius, it's no longer a question. See she gets there."

Hermione frowned, "Hey, I can just follow the rest of the Gryffindors or-"

"Absolutely not!" Sirius protested, and Hermione figured he was about to give some "reason" why he couldn't be burdened with the new girl, so his next words came as a shock. "I can't stand by and let a lady rely on these sheep to find her way around." Sweeping a mockingly gallant bow, he gestured toward the door. "Milady, it would be my honor to show you the way."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, but then the wolfish grin she knew so well from her own time broke out, and she realized he was teasing. Lily gave him another roll of her eyes and light smack upside the head and then hurried off to round up the first-years.

The strangely carefree Black smirked a little, watching her leave, and then looked back to Hermione. "Shall we?"

After a couple of disconcerted blinks, Hermione gave a jerky nod, "Sure. I mean yes. I-I mean, thank you." She blushed a little and cast her eyes down, sensing his amusement.

"Sure works just fine." And with that, he started toward the door, shooting a glance over his shoulder to ensure that Hermione followed. "So, Helena," he began as they walked through the halls, "how is that you have a Spanish name, and come from a Spanish school, and yet you have no accent and no obvious Hispanic appearance? If you don't mind my asking," he tacked on hastily, apparently realizing it was a fairly personal question.

Hermione was sorely tempted to answer him in Spanish, just to tease him, but decided against it. "Well, my mum's a British heiress who married a Columbian lord. He was killed shortly after I was born, and so she taught me English, and by the time I'd begun learning Spanish from a maid, my accent was pretty well set."

Sirius was quiet for a second, and then murmured, "Sorry about your dad."

Hermione shrugged nonchalantly, "It's fine. I never really knew him anyway."

After a few moments of awkward silence, they reached the stairs, and Sirius informed Hermione, "This is the part of the tour where I tell you that Hogwarts' staircases are rather...odd."

She chuckled a little, and asked the obvious question, which she already knew the answer to. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "They change sometimes. You can never be entirely sure where you're going."

She glanced around at the numerous stairs. "I see."

They were silent again, though it was more companionable this time. Finally, they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Ahh, Mr. Black. And who is this lovely young lady with you? She's certainly not a Gryffindor. I know each and every student in my house, thank you very much."

She looked about to go on a tirade about how Hermione didn't belong there, but Sirius cut her off. "She's a transfer. Her name is Helena...Vasky or something."

Hermione snickered and muttered. "Vasquez."

He waved a hand at her. "Yeah, that. Anyway, she belongs here. Dumbledore will tell you if you doubt it."

The Fat Lady still looked skeptical, but finally said, "Alright then. Password?"

"Bollocks. I forgot to ask Moony what it is." He looked up at the portrait innocently, and Hermione could almost visibly see him amp up the Sirius charm. "I don't suppose you could just let it go. You know, just this once. Seeing as you've known me for years and all."

Hermione snickered a little, sure that the Fat Lady would have had enough beguiling students trying the exact same thing in the past that she would never go for it. And so her jaw dropped when the portrait replied with a fond, albeit stern, frown, "Well, I suppose just this once it couldn't hurt. But see that it doesn't happen again, Mr Black."

Sirius smirked a little as the portrait swung open to reveal the opening, and Hermione frowned at him as she heard the Fat Lady call, "Oh, and good luck in Gryffindor, Helena dear."

"Well," Hermione remarked as she followed Sirius through the portrait hole, "I can't say as I'm particularly impressed with the security in this school of yours."

He just laughed and shrugged. "What can I say; I have a way with the ladies."

Suppressing a snort, she shot back, "The two-dimensional ones anyone."

Sirius's eyes raised in what looked like actual surprise, and he muttered, "Careful, or I'll have to get Remus to give you a detention for cheek."

Hermione frowned a little that he would be so touchy, but then saw the smirk pulling at the edges of his lips and laughed. "Well, I'm sure it wouldn't take all that much to convince Lily to return the favor."

He pouted a little, which was marred by his ever-present smirk. "Now that's just not playing fair. Evans simply hasn't yet accepted that it's really me she wants. And so she's projecting."Helehhii

With just a hint of condescension, Hermione patted him on the shoulder as if she were trying to comfort him. "Now now. I know it's hard, but there'll be another girl for you someday."

Suddenly he looked a little sulky, though still trying to appear light-hearted, and a slight eye roll punctuated his next words. "First off, don't you be talking to me like you're all world-wise and I'm just a young naive little git. And secondly, I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in Lily Evans. She's been Potter's territory since day one."

Hermione thought she sensed something deeper underneath his second statement, and so her next words came out perhaps a little more seriously than intended. "Sounds to me like someone's in denial."

"Yeah whatever, you little prat," he shot back, with just enough jest in his tone to take the edge off the insult. And then suddenly he brightened up again, back to zero percent capability of seriousness. "Anyways, I'm supposed to be showing you around, so how about the grand tour?"

She shrugged, "Alright then." She let Sirius lead her right to the center of the common room, and then looked around for the first time. Aside from the fact that all of the faces were unfamiliar, it really didn't look like much had changed between the Marauder's school days and her own.

With their backs to the portrait hole, her companion pointed to the two staircases. "On the left, the boys' dormitory, on the right, the girls.' Theoretically, your stuff is already up there by the bed they assigned you." Turning, he gestured to one side of the circular room. "There, obviously, is the fireplace and lounge chairs. On the other side you have what passes for a study area around here. And that, is the end of your tour. All tips are to be directed to me through my agent, me."

Hermione laughed as he swept a mock bow and rummaged in her pockets, pulling out a muggle nickel from her journey to America. She flipped it in his direction, "Here's your tip."

Sirius plucked it out of the air with ease, and studied it curiously. "Why do you have muggle money? Or rather, why do you have American muggle money?"

She shrugged and muttered, "Vacation. Why do you catch like a Seeker?"

Now it was his turn to shrug. "Dunno. I've never been on the team. My brother, the poncy little bugger, he plays Seeker for Slytherin."

"I see. I take it you're not your brother's biggest fan?"

"Let's just say Padfoot and his family have, er, some long-standing differences of opinion." Hermione whipped her head around just as James Potter trailed his fingers lightly down her arm, sending shivers down her spine. James moved to stand beside Sirius, followed closely by Pettigrew, for whom Hermione still couldn't suppress a shudder of revulsion. Turning her attention back to the other new arrival, she was struck again by his resemblance to her own schoolmate, and had to fight down a wave of grief at what would happen to this man and his wife.

And suddenly a though occurred to her. What if she were still in the past when the Potters were killed? What if she could somehow stop it? What if-

Her train of thought was suddenly interrupted by fingers snapping in front of her face. "Oi. Vasquez! Are you still in there?"

Hermione came back to reality to see James standing very close in front of her, staring at her like she'd gone mental. As soon as she was fully aware, she took an automatic step back, startled by his close proximity.

"Er, yeah, what was that?"

The boys laughed and Sirius informed her, "We were just saying that Lily and Remus should be here any minute, and we're going to go sit down if you'd like to join us." He gestured again toward the chairs by the fireplace.

She gave a small nod and followed the three over. Or rather, she followed Sirius and James, while Peter trailed even farther behind than she did. Apparently he'd already possessed his inferior personality long before it had caused him to sell out his best friend.

By the fire, James and Sirius immediately shooed a few second years out of the best chairs, offering one –interestingly enough, the middle one - to Hermione, but leaving Wormtail to fend for himself in the seating department. At her disapproving expression, Sirius shrugged and sat down, and James followed suit as he defended himself. "We're not here for much longer. They'll be doing the same thing when they're older, I assure you."

Yes, and your son will be doing the same thing when he's older, I assure you, Hermione thought to herself. Outwardly she rolled her eyes but took the chair anyway, seeing as the smaller child had been thoroughly scared off already. Sliding into the seat, she pulled her knees up and just listened to James and this strange young version of Sirius talk. Funny, but it was almost weirder to be hanging out with Sirius as a teenager, than it was to see James alive. Perhaps because she'd never actually met James.

Several minutes later, a rush of what could only be the first-years flooded into the room, followed by a flustered looking Lily, and Lupin, who looked just as calm and imperturbable as always. After pointing out the dormitories to the newcomers, they came over to the fire area, where Lily plopped into the chair on the other side of Sirius, as far from James as possible, and Remus much more gracefully sank into the seat beside the Potter.

"They're absolutely impossible, this lot. Half a dozen of them thought it would be funny to get lost down some corridor on the fourth floor. Took us ages to get them rounded up again. A bloody nightmare I tell you." Lily sighed and shot James and Sirius dirty looks, as if somehow it were their fault that the first-years were irritating her.

From Hermione's other side, Lupin remarked quietly, "I don't know if it's quite so bad as all that, but I won't deny they aren't my favorite bunch ever."

"How odd. All the first-years I ever had to deal with were very...timid. They didn't want to do anything that might anger the prefects." She spoke without thinking, but nobody else seemed surprised that she had been a prefect at this South American school she'd supposedly attended.

"Yes, the ones here are usually quite like that. I think Dumbledore is just putting on a bloody conspiracy to drive me crazy in my last two years here."

"Calm down Evans. You'll be fine. It's not as if you have N.E.W.T.s this year anyway. Don't worry about everything so much." Sirius obviously intended to sound soothing, but he was failing a little too much at hiding his laugh for it to have any effect.

Lily shot him a glare and then got to her feet. "Right, well, I'm off to bed. I'll see you all in the morning."

They all tossed "Goodnight's" over their shoulders as she left, and then the Marauders resumed their conversations. Hermione sat and listened for another hour or so, trying to get a sense for these people who she'd never known as peers.

Finally, when the clock showed something around eleven, she got to her feet quietly and headed for the dormitory. She was almost at the stairs when Sirius turned and called quietly, "Night, new girl."

She gave him a slight smile and muttered, "Night," much too quietly for him to hear before retreating up the stairs. In the familiar dormitory, she immediately found the empty bed with her worn old trunk beside it, extracted some pyjamas with a simple spell, drew the curtains around the four-poster while she changed, and then drifted off to sleep, thoroughly exhausted.