Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. Everything belongs to JK Rowling, and I'm merely allowed to play around with them. No copyright infringement is intended.

I'd just like to thank all of my readers and followers, old and new, with special thanks to TheSpringLover for reviewing every chapter. :) Now, on with the story.

Chapter 4

-o-O-o-

The next day, Hermione woke up with a splitting headache for the third time in a row. When Lily had returned from the Hospital Wing, she had insisted that Hermione go and check for signs of concussion, but Hermione had refused, point blank, but now wished she had gone.

Lily had also argued that she should go to the Head of House or the Headmaster to report the incident, but Hermione had declined, insisting that, after a very refreshing shower, she felt no need to report anything and that she was sure it wouldn't happen again. Tired after almost dragging poor Mary to and from Madam Pomfrey's, Lily had not put up much of a fight, much to Hermione's contentment.

She stretched and groaned, rubbing the place on her throat which had bruised slightly the day before. She sat up, cracking her knuckles, and looked around. Everybody seemed to be asleep. She got dressed and decided on having breakfast while no one could annoy her.

Tip-toeing around the Common Room, she glanced at the great grandfather clock that stood near the chimney. It read half past six. Great, Hermione thought. Like that I'll be able to pick a book up at the library just after.

She found her way to the Great Hall easily. Strangely enough, there was more activity at this time here than back in her timeline. She was alone on the Gryffindor table. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables were near empty too, but the Slytherin table seemed to be much more filled. In fact, almost all of the eldest boys seemed to be having breakfast early that day. Hermione snorted in a cup of coffee as she tried to imagine Draco Malfoy waking up early. That guy was always late for class.

She looked up at the Slytherin table once more and saw someone staring at her. She identified him quickly: it was the guy that had attacked her the previous night. He bent over and whispered something in the boy on his right's ear. He looked up and Hermione's blood turned cold. It was Regulus.

He made a face that was between a sneer and a scowl, but Hermione got the message: His blood was boiling as much as hers right now. She wanted nothing more than to curse the pair of them, right here and right now, but didn't, because she didn't want to snoop dawn to their level. Better an honourable Gryffindor than a sneaky Slytherin, she thought. So instead, she just raised her eyebrows tauntingly, finished her mug of coffee and stood up, smirking at the revolted look on their faces, and left to go to the library.

-o-O-o-

The Library itself hadn't changed much, in Hermione's point of view. It was still a bunch of shelves with heaps of books and dust on them. Madam Pince hadn't changed either; she was still the strict old lady Hermione remembered from where she came from.

The Library was just as furnished as the one from 1997, Hermione had noticed, relieved. She quickly went over to the ones one time travel. They weren't much help, though, as she had already read most of them in her third year. Besides, none of them spoke about going more than a couple of hours back. According to one, the longest a person had ever gone back was just over four days.

Hermione groaned. Days?! She was speaking of years, even decades in her case. Not one of these bloody books could ever give her much help. She held her head in both hands, despairing.

Suddenly, she heard a soft voice from behind her. "Hermione?" Her head shot up at the sound of the new arriving person. It was Remus. He looked at her, a concerned expression on his features. "Are you all right?"

She stood up very fast, hiding the books she had been reading from him. "Yeah, yeah, sure!" she replied hastily. Liar, a small voice in the back of her head scolded. "I was just reading, because I woke up early." It was partly true.

"Oh…" he seemed unconvinced by her explanation.

She noticed the books he was holding. "What are these?" she asked, but before she got a glimpse, he hid them behind his back, sporting slightly pink cheeks. She tried looking at him but he avoided eye contact. "Look Remus," she started, but he still refused to look at her. "I won't tell anyone you've got strangely suspicious books and behaviour if you don't tell I've got suspiciously strange behaviour and books. Alright?"

He turned and looked straight into his eyes, as if judging her sincerity. Finally, he nodded. "Alright." he gave in.

"Brilliant!" she said, giving him a dazzling smile. "Now, was there anything you'd like to tell me?"

"Erm…" he thought about it for a while. "Yeah, see, tomorrow, there's a Hogsmeade outing, and I was wondering if you would come. I mean, not with me." he blushed deeper, then realised what he'd said. "I mean, yes with me, but not as a date. I'm not saying I wouldn't like to, or that you're ugly or anything. Don't make me say what I didn't say. I mean, I didn't say I would like to anyway… Did I?"

Hermione giggled. "No, you didn't."

He blushed a little more. "I mean, it's going to be fun, there'll be Peter," Hermione cringed slightly, but Remus seemed not to have noticed. " Sirius, one of Sirius' bimbos, James, Lily if he can convince her, me… and you, if you'd like to come." He looked at his feet. "We're just gonna… Have a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks or something. Although I doubt James and Sirius will be that reasonable." He mumbled the last part, which made Hermione laugh.

"It's true," she said. "These two can never stay out of trouble."

Remus nodded frantically, smile back in place. "So it's a yes?" he asked, sounding slightly hopeful.

She nodded. "I just have to go and check if it's alright with Dumbledore."

He grinned "He'll say yes. He always does." He looked around, once more clutching his books to his chest. "So," he started, sounding much more at ease. "I guess I'll see you around, then, Mione."

She groaned. "Oh, not you too." she mumbled.

He laughed. "What can I say, I am a Marauder." And with that, a cheeky grin and sparkly eyes, Remus left, leaving a very bewildered Hermione behind him.

-o-O-o-

So Hermione found herself once more in Dumbledore's office, in the very same plush armchair as the day before. "Ah, Miss Granger." the Headmaster sighed, he twinkle in his eyes still there. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

She cleared her throat. "I'd like a permission form to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow, please sir."

He looked at her. "But, my dear, I am afraid that your guardian is the one responsible for giving out these notes." he tried to explain gently.

"That would be you." she retorted. "Since I am here I have no family whatsoever to count on, and I am staying at Hogwarts during my holidays. Since you are the watching over the building, it makes you my guardian."

He smiled. "Well, if you put it like that," he pulled out a piece of parchment and scribbled on it for a few minutes before handing it to her. "Just give this to Professor McGonagall as you leave tomorrow."

She took the piece of parchment gingerly from the older wizard's hand. "Thank you." she said, smiling.

He chuckled. "If I may ask, Miss Granger, what do you intend to do in Hogsmeade?"

She smiled. "I'm just going to hang out with… friends." She hesitated on the term, as she had known some of them already, back where she came from.

"Am I right to suppose that you were already friends in your own timeline?" he asked, crossing his hands on his lap.

"Not exactly." she answered. His look pressed her to develop, but she refused. "I'm sorry, Professor, but I can't risk telling you any more yet. It might endanger the way things are supposed to be set." There was an awkward pause, which Hermione disliked enormously. Finally, she broke the silence. "When am I due to pass my O.W.L.'s sir?" she asked politely.

He sighed. "Around mid-July, to give you a little time to revise. Also, I have talked to Madam Rosmerta about you part time job. She has agreed to give you a serving role in the afternoons as well as a cleaning one after the closing, from Mondays to Fridays, not including Wednesdays. You will be paid two Galleons a day, if, I quote, 'the work has bloody well been done'."

She nodded. "Thank you sir." she said. It wasn't much, but it could keep her afloat for the time being.

"Your appointment at Gringotts has also been taken care of. I will accompany you, just after your exams, so we can discuss the opening of your vault with the goblins." She nodded in acknowledgement. He looked at her intensely, and she found it fit to leave. She pushed her armchair gently back and headed towards the door. Just as she opened it, he called out to her. "Miss Granger?"

She turned around. "Yes sir?" she asked politely, not really wanting to hear what he was going to say next.

He stared unblinkingly at her with his sparkling bright blue eyes for a moment, but just as she was about to turn back again, he declared: "I would have appreciated it if you had followed Miss Evan's advice and gone and talked to some one about what happened yesterday, as you left. Please try to do that next time."

There won't be a next time, she though, but instead, she answered obediently. "I'll do just that sir." before turning around and leaving the office once more. Thankfully, no one bothered her as she made her way back to Gryffindor Tower this time.

-o-O-o-

She was reading in front of the Common Room fire when someone poked her in the shoulder. She was so deeply entranced by the content of the pages she didn't notice and it wasn't until the person cleared his throat that she looked up. "Oh, hey James." she smiled.

"Wow." he said, grinning. "Never thought I'd meet someone else who likes books so much." he remarked.

"Really?" she teased. "Who's the other person?" He shoved his hands down his pocket, grinning suggestively. She rolled her eyes. "You're joking."

He laughed. "Yes, I am. I couldn't like a book to save my life." He shook his head. "Anyway, Remus told me you went to ask Professor Dumbledore for a Hogsmeade permission form. How did it go?"

"Oh, relatively well." she answered vaguely. "I've got it, if that's what you mean."

He shifted to his other legs. "No more trouble, I hope?" he asked, and behind all the jokes and the mischief in his eyes, she could see genuine concern.

"Nope." she reassured him. "Absolutely none."

"Oh!" he said, sounding relieved. "Well… I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." he said, and turned around to go to his dormitory.

"Yeah, see you there." she replied softly, before remembering something. "Oh, and, James?" he stopped in his tracks and turned around, a questioning look in his hazel eyes. "Lily, huh?" The blush now forming on his cheeks was all she needed to confirm her suspicions. She smiled up at him sweetly. "I'll see what I can do."

James grinned broadly. "Thanks, Mione, you're the best!" he exclaimed, hoping down the stairs to peck her cheek, before scampering back up. Hermione was so surprised that she didn't even scold him for the use of her nickname. She tried getting back to reading her book, but found herself unable to do so, as she kept reaching towards the spot where his had kissed her.

Decidedly, she slammed her book and vowed to do whatever was in her power to help James conquer Lily. He deserved it.

-o-O-o-

I hadn't originally planned the scene between Hermione and James, but as I stared at my unfinished chapter, it just popped up in my mind and I thought it would be cute. Please leave me a review! I adore those almost as much as chocolate. What do you think the book Remus had was about? Will something unusual happen at Hogsmeade, and, if so, what?

Next chapter: The Hogsmeade outing, part 1.