Chapter 4: Choices

As the sun began creeping through the flowered curtains Hermione blinked several times, and finally upon opening her eyes felt disoriented yet again. It wasn't her flat, the one Ron had helped her move into and then broke up with her in, it wasn't the white room at the Department of Mysteries, and then she saw the roses on the little table and heard Jack's slow, deep sleeping breaths and remembered where she was and smiled. She was in a house elf's own house, on house elf land. It was also then that she smelled the beginnings of breakfast and felt yet again one of those pangs of loss; the smell reminded her of being home from Hogwarts over the summer and how her mum would fix a rather ostentatious breakfast for that first morning home. It was a pattern that repeated itself every year, broken only by the horrible time that she had modified her parents' memories during the war.

The war. She sat up and scooted against the headboard, back resting against the cushioned chintz fabric. It had been on her mind, playing around at the edges for so long, waiting to surface. And now it did. Recollections of the horrible battle at Hogwarts, Professor Lupin and Tonks gone, Fred gone...even little Colin Creevey. But as she rolled over and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes she thought about how many things had changed for the better thanks to the sacrifices of so many. The house that she slept in was proof of that; after all, house elves were free now. So much work had been done...work. She'd had a job before, one that she considered important, but what now? What was to become of her? What was it that Jack had said before the house elves had showed up? Something about...

"Hmmmppph." Jack stretched and rolled over. "Morning."

"Morning." She laughed softly as she heard his stomach rumble. "I'm not surprised, you are related to Ron."

"Yeah." He reached his arms up and stretched further, exhaling deeply. "Mum says we all inherited the Weasley stomachs. Willy's the worst, though. If you didn't guard your plate he'd steal stuff." He saw her odd look. "My oldest brother." After seeing her nod he sniffed. "Mmmmm, sausages, if my nose is right."

Her voice was a bit distant. "I think so."

"Hey." He shifted up onto his side, propped his head up and looked at her oddly. "What's wrong? You loved everything about being here last night."

That took her off guard for a moment and then she gave him a pointed look. "Someone seems rather confident about their abilities this morning."

"What?'' He paled. "Oh. No! Not that, but...um...I meant being here. House elf land. Something wrong?"

She looked at him and hesitated. After a silent moment, and seeing his concerned face she sighed and launched into it. "I don't know what's to become of me. Jack, what if I can't be here? What if...the Department of Mysteries finds a way to send me back. What then?"

"Oh. Yeah." Jack sat up and leaned against the headboard as well, but he didn't look at her. Instead he fiddled with the clasp on his watch. "Aunt Charity sent me a letter. They think they might have found a way to send you back. Something about the moon and the calendar and...but they're not sure." He turned and glanced at her for a moment before looking down. "If you want to go back I'll understand."

Before another word could be said Mitzy came into the room, beaming, levitating two trays laden with food while a teapot floated behind her. "Good morning! I has Master Jacky's favourites and things the Grangy will like." After levitating the trays onto Hermione and Jack's lap, and pouring tea, the little house elf sighed. "After breakfast Mr. Harry and Mrs. Ginny said you's to be going back." She suddenly brightened. "But you's can come back any time!"

Hermione nodded graciously. "Thank you, Mitzy. I'd like that."

Without another word the house elf curtseyed and disappeared, leaving breakfast and the unanswered question hovering over the mounds of food. As Jack added a heaping spoonful of sugar that would have made her parents' eyes bulge Hermione added a bit of milk to her tea and turned to him. She could see it on his face, a look she'd seen before, on Harry during those horrible days in the tent looking for the horcruxes; a look of slight despair.

"Sausages are good." Jack half-mumbled as he chewed.

She let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm sure the sausages are quite wonderful but I don't think we need to talk about that right now. Do we?"

He looked over to her. "Guess not."

"I don't know, Jack." She took a sip of tea, working over in her mind how to express all the different feelings and emotions that were swirling around in her head. "Part of me wants to go back, to see my parents once again. But going back means possibly risking my sanity. What will happen, will I just think this was all a dream? Will the time skips affect me, truly make me mental? Will going back change things? Will this..." she waved a hand around, gesturing to the room. "...will this all change? Will this reality be gone if I go back? Will being here change now so that here never happens?" Jack rubbed his forehead, a habit that reminded Hermione suddenly of when Harry used to rub his head when his scar hurt. Shaking that off she continued. "I just don't know. I don't think anybody, including Ron's daughter and the goblin at the Department of Mysteries knows. Even if Dumbledore was still around I doubt he'd know." She snorted. "He'd probably just call it a great adventure and say that 'magic does what magic wants' and wander off. After offering me a lemon drop, of course."

Jack began laughing, then. A nervous, somewhat incredulous sounding laugh. "Yeah, I can see that. Used to talk to his portrait at Hogwarts. Never one straight answer." He paused. "But it was usually when I had a detention. Please don't tell Dad."

"Of course!" She sat up sharply, causing the tray on her lap to rattle the silverware. "Hogwarts, the portraits!" She turned to him. "Who's the headmaster? Do you think they would let us..."

Jack laughed even harder, this time, a quick, braying laugh. He stopped slightly and then saw the look of irritation she gave him, one eyebrow arched, and set off laughing again. Eventually he brought himself under control. "Will the headmaster...oh, oh, that's...will the headmaster...it's Neville Longbottom. I'm pretty sure you don't need to worry about that."

She rolled her eyes and thumped her head against the headboard. "Of course. Harry told me. I forgot." After a moment she looked over to him, still watching her, not eating. "We can't let this go cold. I'd feel bad, all the work and not eating this. And to answer your question, I don't know. I really don't know if I want to go back." She reached out for his hand. "But I'm very glad I'm here right now."

-ooo-

Hermione knew the instant she entered Harry and Ginny's house with Jack that the question of whether or not she wanted to return to her own time, if it was possible, was the topic of the day. Harry, in his Minister for Magic robe, was sitting in the library along with Ginny, Ron's daughter Charity and the goblin Splitaxe. A large book was on the desk in front of Harry along with several folders stuffed with parchment. She felt Jack take her hand and was rather grateful as her stomach began to become unsettled despite the rather large breakfast she'd recently ingested.

Harry welcomed them in, told them to take a seat and stood up. "I'm sorry to spring this on you, I'd hoped to have a word with you last night but..." He shrugged and then gave her a little raise of the eyebrow in the direction of Jack. He then cleared his throat. "Anyway, Charity and Splitaxe have found something they'd like to discuss with you. Charity?"

Charity nodded and turned to Hermione. "Your lead about the island and the moon led us down a rather fascinating path. Herbert went to the island and did some research, and we might have a solution, but that presents other problems."

"Time stream." Hermione nodded slowly. "If I return what impact will that have on the time stream."

"Precisely." Splitaxe stood, took a folder with parchment from the desk and walked over, handing it to her. "This is a copy we've made for you of our findings. I suggest you read it later, but the long and short of it is that there are several difficulties with each option, including staying here and doing nothing."

"What sort of difficulties?" Jack leaned forward in his chair. "What are we talking about?"

Splitaxe raised his hands in a gesture of futility. "That's it, we don't know. Not for sure. It could be that nothing would happen and Miss Granger would just have a normal life in this time. It could be that somewhere down the line magic would correct itself and simply pop her back to her previous time. We could endeavor to use certain spells, including a ritual that I've detailed in the file, and successfully send her back and then see her suddenly appear back in our time. As we've said many times before, Miss Granger's case is an anomaly. We have nothing to base our findings on except conjecture at this point."

"Bollocks." Hermione's exclamation hung in the room. "So there's nothing definitive."

"Unfortunately, no." Charity leaned forward, her tone empathetic. "I wish I knew what was the correct thing to tell you, that staying here or going back would be best for you, but we just don't know."

The room was silent and then Jack mumbled something under his breath, causing everyone to look at him. He glanced over to Hermione and then turned towards Harry. "It's like you always said, Gramps. We have to figure out what to do, to pick what's right or what's easy."

"Dumbledore." Harry nodded. "He always said our choices matter. And I think he's right, even now. Hermione, I think it's your choice. I know it will be hard regardless of what you decide, but I want you to know that whatever you choose we'll understand. I know if I ever had the chance to see my parents again..." He trailed off, leaving the room silent again.

Ginny looked over at Hermione and Jack, her heart heavy. She'd wished for so long to have Hermione back in her life, and now she was. But more than that, though, she looked over at her grandson and Jack simply looked gutted. It was bad enough what he went through with Sonja, and now that he was acting more like the old Jack it just seemed unfair for that to be whisked away. Time had given Ginny some perspective; she had treasured those last years with her parents, but more than anything she was Jack's grandmother and wanted him to be happy. It pained her to think of Hermione leaving again, right after she and Jack were getting to know each other...and then she had a thought, something that made her pause. "If she does go back, you don't know if things will change, do you, Charity?"

"No, we don't." Charity nodded. "That's uncharted territory."

Ginny nodded. "Very well. She doesn't have to make a decision right now, does she?" Seeing the negative shakes of heads she nodded decisively. "Right. Then I think you need time to work it out for yourself, Hermione." She tutted and looked towards Harry. "Nobody is going anywhere anytime soon."

Jack bit his lip, as he'd heart that tone from his Gran many times, and that usually meant no more arguments. Luckily, he was right, and Charity and Splitaxe said their goodbyes, leaving them alone in the library. After they'd left, and Harry came back in after seeing them to the Floo, he looked over to Hermione. She was engrossed in the parchment from the folder so he took it upon himself. "Gramps, I need to borrow your Floo. We're going up to Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Ginny looked at him oddly. "Whatever for?"

"Dumbledore." Jack looked over to Harry. "She mentioned wanting to talk to his portrait. Think Neville will mind?"

Hermione snapped the folder closed and looked over to Harry. "Neville won't mind, will he? I'd love to see Hogwarts again. How much has it changed? I haven't seen Neville and Hannah in ages."

"Oh. Oh dear." Ginny closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry, you couldn't have known. I'm glad you said something, Hermione. Hannah...she died in childbirth. Not long after you went away."

Hermione sat as if she'd been stunned. "No...oh no. Poor Hannah and Neville...the baby..."

"Edwin is fine, he works at the Ministry." Ginny gave her a sad smile. "Poor Nev, working at Hogwarts and being a single father wasn't easy for him. Edwin was spoilt rotten by all the professors and students, he was in James' year and...well, I hate to say it but he was spoilt. Grew out of it eventually, thank Merlin."

Jack rubbed his forehead again. "I know the story and everything but it's still weird to think of Neville not being married to Parvati."

"Parvati?" Hermione turned to Harry. "As in Parvati Patil?"

"The same." Harry nodded. "They married quite late, about..." He turned towards Ginny. "When..."

"About three or four years before Jack started Hogwarts. She teaches Charms." She turned to Hermione. "He'll understand."

Hermione gave her a sad smile. "As much as things have changed, I'm glad Neville hasn't."

-ooo-

Hogwarts, thankfully, was Hogwarts. Not much had changed, to Hermione's eyes. The repairs from the battle had now aged slightly, blending in more with the undamaged parts of the castle, but beyond that it simply looked as it always did. It did seem oddly quiet, though, but since it was mid-August she supposed it was to be expected. The portkey had dropped them off a bit outside the wards, so it was a slight walk up to the castle; however, when they reached the castle, and entered the main gate, Jack didn't lead her up to the headmaster's office.

"He said he'd probably be in his greenhouse. Has his own, since he doesn't teach Herbology except on a rare occasion these days. Well, maybe he does now, I dunno, I haven't been back here in a long time."

As Jack had explained a fairly modest-sized greenhouse, compared to the teaching greenhouses, stood off a ways apart with the door open. She hesitated and then, remembering that it was Neville, not someone from the Ministry, she calmed herself and entered.

Plants of all shapes, sizes, colours and, unfortunately, odours filled the structure. A slight snipping sound could be heard from one corner so Jack took her hand and led her through what seemed to be a maze, eventually depositing them a meter or so behind the shape of a man bent over, working on a plant.

"Is it you, Jack?" Neville said without looking back. "And...is it really you?"

Hermione nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "It is, Neville. It is."

Neville sat down the shears, stood up rather slowly and dusted off his hands, finally turning to her. For the briefest of moments she felt as if she was looking at Professor Lupin, without the scars. Even in the heat of the greenhouse in August he had on a thin cardigan over his open-collared shirt, but more than the cardigan it was the grey in his hair and the mustache that caught her off guard. But when she caught his eye she knew it was Neville, as those were the same eyes that tried to stop her, Ron and Harry that first year in the common room. And then he smiled and everything fell away.

"Oh, Neville." She walked forward and then, unable to contain herself, hugged him tightly.

He sighed briefly and hugged her back. "I'd heard, of course, but to see you...like this." He held her at arm's length. "Merlin's pants you're young. You look like you could be one of my students."

"I'm so proud of you! Headmaster! And professor before that!" She shook her head and smiled, beaming. "I always knew you would be a wonderful professor. I'd love to talk to you about all the things that have changed at Hogwarts, hopefully you've binned Divination...and Binns, for that matter, but..." Her tone shifted. "I'm afraid it isn't purely a social visit."

"True, true." Neville turned to Jack and tilted his head. "So I imagine your parents were a bit surprised when you showed up with her."

"A bit?" Jack snorted. "Right. Understatement of the year. Possibly century."

Neville chuckled. "It was all the staff could talk about. Completely derailed our beginning of term meeting." He glanced over to Jack. "On the Floo you mentioned speaking to Albus."

Jack nodded. "I don't know how much of him is actually in that paint but he always seemed to be rather, uh, sharp. Hopefully he's still that way."

Neville took Hermione's arm and started the walk towards the castle. "Oh, don't worry. Albus is still very informed on things. So many of his portraits around, you know. Hopefully he'll be in. If not I'm sure the others will help."

The Headmaster's office was another reflection of Neville, as plants of differing sizes and shapes seemed to sprout from pots all throughout the office, including a very large pot of the same roses by the window that had sat next to the bed the previous night. Hermione couldn't help but notice the picture of the blonde man with a woman and two children on the desk. She wanted to look at it but instead she found her attention drawn to the portraits. Neville had hoped that they would be in their frames, and said he might have to wake some of them, but every single headmaster or headmistress of Hogwarts was present. Unfortunately for her the first one to speak was one of the last ones she wanted to hear from.

"Miss Granger. Still meddling with magic obviously above your abilities."

She saw the small portrait of Severus Snape scowl at her from the small frame not too far from the doorway.

"Professor Snape. Still as pleasant as always." She rolled her eyes and turned to Jack. "Be thankful you didn't have him for potions."

"I am." Jack nodded. "I've heard."

The familiar voice, one she hadn't heard in ages, wafted down from the frame behind Neville's desk. "Severus, please. I remember telling you that Miss Granger would accomplish much more than any of us expected, and the proof is in front of you." Albus Dumbledore sat on a large, flowery chintz armchair and smiled at her over his half-moon spectacles. "Miss Granger, it is very good to see you. It is a most unexpected and delightful pleasure."

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore." Hermione smiled. "It is very good to see you as well."

"And with Mr. Potter." Albus leaned towards the edge of his frame and tapped on the side with his fingers. "Minerva, I believe you won that wager, but only on a technicality."

Hermione's attention went to the side of Albus' portrait and there, with a sleeping grey tabby cat on her lap, in her black high-necked robe, was Professor McGonagall. "A wager? Oh Professor McGonagall, that's a lovely portrait."

"Thank you, Miss Granger." McGonagall smiled but then pursed her lips and stared towards Albus' frame. "I thought that our little wager was to remain our secret, Albus."

Dumbledore shrugged. "Alas, time has made my memory a bit leaky it seems. Your close association with Mr. Potter, Harry that is, led us to have a small wager. Minerva believed that you would pair off with Harry for other aspects of your life and become Mrs. Potter while I was always of the belief that you were, simply, great friends." He winked at Jack. "I bet on your grandmother. Fate has a way of playing with us all, it seems. It is too bad. I would have rather enjoyed that case of firewhiskey."

Jack coughed. "Um, we haven't been seeing each other that long. Don't give Gran any ideas." He quickly backtracked. "Not that I would mind, wait, um, I...shit."

Severus snorted. "I see the Potter eloquence has traveled down the family tree. This has been less than entertaining." Without another word he walked out of his frame and disappeared.

Neville took out his wand and moved the chairs from in front of his desk so they could sit and visit with the portraits more comfortably. "I suppose I should say you should feel honoured, as he hardly ever appears in this portrait, but personally I'm glad he's gone." He turned to Albus. "I don't think he's ever gotten over things."

"No, I'm afraid that time has not softened the rather unpleasant aspects of Severus' personality. But I do not think Miss Granger and Mr. Potter have come to talk about Professor Snape. There are more intriguing questions to be discussed, are there not, Miss Granger?"

For the next hour or so Hermione told them her story, blushing only slightly when describing how she and Jack had met. She couldn't look at McGonagall for a while because it was obvious her old Transfiguration professor was quite happy that she had ended up having a 'bit of fun.' She read them the findings from the folder that Charity and Splitaxe had provided, and the ensuing discussion of time and its myriad possibilities made her head spin slightly.

Eventually they all sat silently, Dumbledore with his fingers steepled together over his long beard. After a moment he looked up. "Magic, as we know it, is a wonderful thing, full of mysteries. The Department of Mysteries endeavors to understand magic but I'm afraid that, while they can make great strides in our understanding, there is a portion of magic, at it's essence, that is unknowable. But when we teach students there is one thing that is part of the very foundation of magic. Intent. It is what makes a spell to be classified as dark or light or simply just a spell. When you made the wish on the island, Miss Granger, you asked for time and magic acquiesced. Perhaps the findings in that folder will take you back to your previous time, but it will depend on your choice. We will all undertake the great adventure upon death, but it appears that magic has something else in store for you."

"But what will that do to the timestream?" Hermione felt her heart in her throat. "Will going back change things? Will this..." she waved her hands about. "...never happen?"

He shrugged. "I am afraid I cannot answer that. Who is to say what would happen if we could go back and change the past? Professor Longbottom and I have discussed that topic many times."

Neville nodded, a solemn look upon his face. "Hermione, trust me, if you dwell on the 'what ifs' you will go mental. My suggestion is to trust your heart. It won't be easy, no matter what you decide, but life will go on. It may not be what you had planned, but life will go on."

-ooo-

For the next week Hermione went about her life, as it was, but she was only partially present; she was constantly thinking about the decision she knew she would eventually have to make. Jack gave her a bit of space, and as he went to his job during the day she had nothing but time to think about everything. Ginny, of course, was happy to have her at the house, but even then Hermione found herself at loose ends. She did return to the House Elf lands once again, and spent a day at the school there, but it was bittersweet. If she returned, would it never happen, this wonderful thing she'd wanted for so long, ever since she'd found out how house elves were treated? Would the little rows of desks filled with tiny house elves so full of promise be relegated to an impossible dream?

And what of Jack? It was true, they hadn't known each other that long, but when she was with him they had conversations about magic, theory, history, things that she had always held back from discussing with Ron because she knew he wasn't interested. But more than that, though, she found herself opening up to him, telling him her hopes, her fears, her dreams. It was rather odd, at times, as the time gap made certain things from more recent memory to her hard for him to understand as it was, for him, history. As he told her stories of his family, growing up in the shadow of Harry Potter the public figure, she couldn't help but think back to the times that her father had told her stories of his parents.

But most of all she thought about her parents. It had been a very difficult time for her and her parents after she'd restored their memories in Australia. To call their relationship strained after that was an understatement; before she had time travelled they were just starting to rebuild things. More than that, though, it seemed to her as if there were reminders of them in almost everything she saw, from Ginny's family pictures, to the occasional child or grandchild that would come to visit Ginny and Harry. She watched as Ginny took time to help eleven year old Fiona, daughter of Ginny and Harry's Mione, sort out her Hogwarts list and couldn't help but think back of the time when her own parents had sat down at the kitchen table and poured over her very first Hogwarts list. She had missed so much with them, being at Hogwarts, and then there was the enormity of what had happened during the war. Her parents would never sit at a table with their grandchild. How hard had it been, when she had been restored to them with their newly-intact memories, to simply have their daughter disappear of the face of the earth? There would have been no closure, no real knowing. There had been a memorial of sorts, as it had appeared that she had died on the island, but now, knowing what she did, how could she go on in this time with the knowledge that she could prevent that suffering and choose not to go back?

It was after dinner one night when Ron and Verity had come over to Harry and Ginny's that Ron looked over to her and nodded. "You're going back, aren't you?"

She looked at him and realised every eye was upon her. "What?"

He gave her a wistful smile. "I know you, or I did, anyway. You haven't said much tonight and when you did, well, you're not really here. You've probably been thinking about it non-stop for, well, since you've got here. Charity's told me enough that...shit." He sat back against his chair. "I know what you went through with your mum and dad. How hard that was, and I know how much it hurt you to have to do that. And I know that even if you did decide to stay you'd always wonder what would have happened and that would eat you up. You're going back, but if you admit it that'd make it real."

"Hell." Hermione's shoulders slumped and she felt as if all her energy was gone. Suddenly she looked over to Ron. "Dammit, Ronald, I hate it when you're right!"

"Yep." Ron looked over to Hermione, to Verity, and then back to Hermione. "Some things never change."

Ginny crossed her arms. "Well this is just awful. I'm sorry, but I just get you back, you find Jack and now you're going again." She waved off Harry as he looked as he was about to say something. "Oh, I know, I'm being selfish here. And I hate it when Ron's right, too. But if you've decided, Hermione, then you have to tell Jack."

-ooo-

Jack could tell when he met Hermione at the little coffee shop near his work that it wasn't going to be good news. He could tell when she talked about her parents that her decision to modify their memories haunted her, and thought of her choice almost constantly since the meeting up at Hogwarts. Her expression, and the way she fiddled with the sugar packets on the table did nothing to allay his fears. He had been driven to study the phases of the moon and the calendar and knew with certainty that the moon would be full on the next day, the first available time that everything would align for an attempt to send her back.

"Jack..." She looked over to him.

"I understand." He reached out across the table and took her hand. "I do. But before you go could we do one thing? For me?"

"Anything."

"Come on." He put down some Sickles and Gnuts on the table. "Let's go." They walked out of the coffee shop and stopped next to the motorcycle. Reaching into his pocket Jack pulled out a little notebook, wrote something and the page lifted away from the notebook, turning into a little airplane and shot away into the sky. "They won't expect me back today." He got on the motorcycle, put on his helmet and pulled a helmet for her out of the magically expanded bag on the side. "I promised you a ride."

Once she was seated behind him, arms wrapped tightly around his waist, he eased into traffic. After making their way out of the more populous areas he found an empty side street, engaged the invisibility and silencing charms and lifted up into the air. Unlike before, the first time on the island, she didn't scream. Instead she was silent. He could feel her pressed against him, the weight of her helmet on his shoulder. He listened intently, as the helmets were charmed so they could speak to each other, but she was silent. They passed through London, going further and further, land sliding by underneath them, until eventually he knew that he was just prolonging the inevitable and turned in the darkening sky towards his grandparents' house.

They touched down at the edge of the property and he disengaged the charms, let the engine roar, and rode for a bit until he finally stopped out by one of the larger trees. After cutting the engine he sat there for a moment and then felt her move off the motorcycle, finally doing the same, turning to her once he'd set the stand.

She had her helmet off, holding in front with both hands. He removed his helmet, sat it on the tank and looked to her.

"Here." She handed him the helmet.

"Thanks."

She shook her head. "No, Jack. Thank you. For everything. I wish things could be different..."

"I do, too, but like I said, I understand. Doesn't mean I like it, mind you, but I get it. I do."

She moved closer to him and reached out for his hand. "Someday you will find someone. Think of Neville."

He gave a pained, short laugh. "Really don't want to think about him right now, to be honest. Thanks, though. At least this is ending better than the last time." He glanced up at the rising moon. "Full moon tomorrow."

"Yes." She nodded, her features drawn. "Yes, it will be. I...I don't want you to be there. It will be hard enough without you there."

"It's ok. I agree." He reached for her and drew her close. "I hope you find what you want."

"You too."

He leaned down and kissed her, slowly. After the kiss ended she held him tightly for a moment and then walked slowly towards the house. He watched her walk for a bit, and saw her hesitate for a moment, but she didn't look back. He put on his helmet, stored hers in the bag and then started the motorcycle and drove away.

-ooo-

She watched as the preparations for the ritual bustled about her, but was oddly detached. Charity and Splitaxe were activating the runes, drawing the water so the basin would reflect the moonlight, but where she would previously have been actively engaged in trying to discern what was happening she was simply standing there, waiting. The Department of Mysteries had returned the clothing she had arrived in, a simple skirt and blouse, something that seemed rather odd to her, as if they were someone else's clothing.

"It's almost time." Charity walked towards her. "The runes are set, so when the moon's reflection is in the middle of the basin you need to make your wish, aloud. Remember to be very precise."

She nodded. As Charity walked away she looked out to the edge of the circle drawn with sand and locked eyes for a moment with both Harry and Ginny. They had come as she had requested and now stood there, holding hands, Harry with that damned stoic non-expression and Ginny's tearful sadness evident even through the dim light. The moon's reflection in the basin seemed to be taunting her, moving so slowly to almost make it unbearable.

And then the reflection arrived in the center of the basin. She swallowed once hard. She thought of Jack, of being so happy with him on the island, how she hoped things would be different but eventually found her voice. "I wish to be back in my own time."

Harry and Ginny stared as Hermione's figure began to fade as the blue light flashed and disappeared from the basin. As she disappeared Harry put his arm around Ginny, Charity and Splitaxe began casting documentation spells and a cloud obscured the moon.

A/N: Hello, yes this story isn't abandoned. None of my stories are, even though they have been on some rather extended breaks. * Cough* Professor Muggle * Cough *. (Not to mention the Harry/Tonks Lady Black/Lord Potter story, more on that soon.) I read somewhere about a writing technique called 'dessert first' which I took to mean writing the 'good' parts and then filling in, and I've done that with this story. What that means is that I've already got most of the next chapter done, so the wait won't be too long. I anticipate two more chapters and this will be finished. I also know how this one is ending, unlike most of the others. The whole 'make it up as I go and see where inspiration takes me' bit only works for so long, obviously.

So will Hermione being in Jack's time mess with what happens when she goes back? I think you'll like what is coming up. Don't worry, there are a few surprises.

As always, thanks for reading and review if you wish.