Disclaimer: is not, was not, and never will be mine! All credit to the incredible JK Rowling! I do own the plot and some characters though!

Chapter 4: Time Changes Things

White. At the moment that was all Hermione could see as her senses came back to her and he began to gain an idea of her surroundings. Voices drifted to her, like sounds echoing through a tunnel though she knew that in reality they were quite close by. "Poppy I'm telling you, she doesn't go here! I would know" Sirius was bragging to whoever Poppy was and Hermione was still trying to work out why his voice had sounded so familiar. "Mr Black, I cannot take your word on it about this girl, now I insist that you and Mr Potter promptly fetch the Headmaster so we can sort this all out. NOW, GO!"

Mr Black...? Year of the Marauders. 1975! No wonder that boy looked so much like Harry, it was his father! This meant that Mr Black was... Sirius! Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. She was back in a time with her best friend's dead parents, members of the order who were also dead and of course some budding death eaters. When Snape had talked about saving lives, he must have meant them! So 1975, which year of Hogwarts were the Marauders now in? And who could she tell, who would help her?

*"If I am where you are going, show that to me and I will help you"* the last words spoken to her by Minerva came back to her. She still had the sealed envelope; all she had to do was get it to her. And of course she would be telling Dumbledore. She wasn't sure if Dumbledore knew about Voldermort's horcruxes yet, but if he didn't she would have to tell him. They would be the key to her success here. How many did he have at this time? Five? Or six? The diary, the locket, the cup, the ring, the diadem ... that was five. But what of the snake Nagini? She had no idea if Voldermort had discovered that he could make living things into horcruxes. And how could she destroy them? The sword of Godric Gryffindor was not yet impregnated with Basilisk venom, and if she could help it, it never would be. "This is all for Harry ... To give him the life he should have had, parents, no scar, no Voldermort ... no danger".

First things first, tell people. Hermione opened her eyes, and a very familiar room came into focus. She was in the hospital wing! Which meant that Poppy must be Madame Pomfrey! Her thoughts were confirmed when a much younger version of the mediwitch that she had known from her time came bustling up to her; her characteristics certainly hadn't changed! "Oh good, you're awake Miss...?" Poppy's voice trailed off uncertainly. "Granger, Hermione Granger" Hermione stepped in quickly. "Excellent, drink this. It's a revitalizing potion which should get you all your energy back in no time!"

Before Hermione could offer her thanks, Albus Dumbledore swept into the hospital wing closely followed by James and Sirius. "You're awake! You gave us quite a scare love; I don't often have the effect of making a chick faint twice!" Hermione simply stared at the young and frankly gorgeous, Sirius Black. Time really had changed him, and not just because he looked younger and hot... she really had to stop thinking that, he was her best friend's godfather for Merlin's sake! There was a light in his eyes, a light of happiness and a glint of mischief which had clearly been lost in all the years he had spent in Azkaban. Gone was the bitter, brooding man she had come to know and love from her third year. This, she told herself, was the real Sirius black, as he should have been. As he WILL be, she corrected herself. She wouldn't only save his life, she swore at that moment she would save this boy in front of her from the horrors he was destined to endure.

Sirius was shocked when mystery girl simply stared at him. He got a lot of stares off the girls sure, but no one so obviously stared at him. And at the same time, he didn't feel like she was checking him out, more like examining him. Her eyes were calculating and he couldn't help but feel that though she was looking at him, she wasn't seeing him. He couldn't miss the sadness in her eyes either, there was a great pain there that screamed of loss and it cut him to the core. Who was this girl, to affect him like this? He already wanted to help her however he could, and he didn't even know her name! Hermione blinked and put a stop on her thoughts to find herself yet again drowning in pools of silver. As she stared at Sirius Black, she couldn't deny the butterflies in her stomach. But of course, it was only because he was easily the best looking guy she had ever laid her eyes on. With silky black curtains framing his face and dark eyelashes around his silvery grey eyes... Hermione looked away, feeling a blush creeping steadily up her neck and to her cheeks.

"I think it would be best, Mr Black and Mr Potter, if you take your leave. It is a good few hours after curfew!" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he resisted smiling at two of his favourite students. This girl in front of him most certainly wasn't a student here, and he was most curious as to how she got here. The boy's shoulders sagged in disappointment, but they left without protesting. "Poppy, if you would be so kind as to leave us, I would like to speak to this young lady alone" Madame Pomfrey muttered as she walked away, annoyed at the headmaster for jeopardising the health of her patient who would need her sleep.

"Please professor, before I explain anything, would you be able to call professor McGonagall to listen too?" Hermione pleaded with the younger version of yet another dead man. If Dumbledore was surprised that this girl knew the name of one of his members of staff, he didn't show it. He simply withdrew his wand and quickly spoke into it "Minerva, I require your presence at the hospital wing, if you will" he smiled pleasantly at Hermione as they both waited for Professor McGonagall to arrive.

A young, but no less severe version of Minerva McGonagall swept into the hospital wing mere minutes after Dumbledore had called for her. "What is the meaning of this, Albus? It is very late and – oh, who is this?" Minerva blinked at the young brunette witch in the bed. "I apologise for disturbing you both, but I have something you need to hear. My name is Hermione Granger, and I was born on the 19th of September... 1979" both professors openly gaped at her. Had something affected her head when she fainted? "Please, give me a chance to continue. I was... will be... this is so confusing! Anyway, I was a muggleborn witch and had a childhood normal of any muggle girl. On the 1st of September 1991, I attended my first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was sorted into Gryffindor house under the lead of Professor McGonagall. I was best friends with Harry Potter, also known as 'The Boy Who Lived'. His parents were murdered by Lord Voldermort when he was one, and he was the only known survivor of the killing curse, which rebounded and subsequently destroyed Voldermort instead. In our first year, he tried to come back using the Philosophers stone. In our second year, he possessed a member of the school into opening the Chamber of Secrets and used the monster there to petrify muggleborns. Using up the girl's life force, he tried to come back again. Both times, Harry thwarted his plans. However, in our fourth year he succeeded. From our fifth year onwards, we were living in the Second Wizarding War. Voldermort was killed once and for all on the 2nd of May 1998. We lost many powerful and faithful fighters that day -" Here, Hermione had to stop to overcome the emotions which were raging inside her. "Until an hour ago, I was in 2002, where I made the decision to come back with the help of one Minerva McGonagall. I was given this to show you Professor" Hermione took a deep breath and handed Minerva the sealed envelope.

The two professors exchanged glances, both rendered utterly speechless. Wordlessly, Minerva tore open the envelope and looked inside. A minute later, she regarded Hermione with tears in her eyes. "She's telling the truth Albus" they both looked at the witch in wonder. "How old are you child?" Dumbledore asked kindly. "I'm... I don't know. I was 22, but I don't feel it anymore...?" both professors regarded her. "I would say, and I may be wrong, that whatever device sent you back in time altered your age to fit the year group you are meant to be in. That being said, I would think you to be about fifteen, meaning you will be sixteen in a matter of weeks". Hermione nodded, that felt about right.

"Tell me, why are you here?" Hermione looked at the greatest wizard of all time, and pondered that question. Why was she here? She had come here on instinct, without any sort of plan or idea of where she'd end up and what she would no; not her usual style. Regardless of why Snape had sent her, she knew why she herself had come. "I'm here to destroy him. I will kill Voldermort".

A/N

Hi everyone!

WOW NEARLY 300 VIEWS! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! Everyone who's reading, seriously you're making my day!

reviews:
ApolloniaHP: Thank you! I am trying to pace it, obviously I don't want to move on with the plot and I'm trying to give a bit of an insight to each character. That is exactly what the title is referring to! Both those phrases are a bit of a cliche, but I decided combining them might make something a bit new?
FreeSpiritSeeker: thank you very much! :)
Opalbrat: Special thanks to you, MY FIRST FAVOURITE! Wow, thank you so much! :D yes I would too! Though Hermione is mainly a very sensible, level headed girl, she is still a woman! And she will appreciate the beauty of Sirius Black!

On another note, for everyone that's read so far I hope it's clear that this will be based in fifth year. That's because it will be important to some of my plot development. That being said, obviously not much fighting took place until the marauders and Lily were out of Hogwarts... So what do you al think? I'm thinking I'll cover fifth year in detail, skip sixth and move straight on to their seventh year and then to post Hogwarts? Any feedback, Let me know! :)

sorry for the ridiculously long author's note... Review please!

love Rads x