authorsnote: little late but don't judge, new job, new hustle, lots of hours!

anywho, I do hope you enjoy, I am loving writing this story, coming up with the twists and plans is so exciting!

pls let me know what you think, and do enjoy!

songrecs: warm blood - carly rae jepsen

Morning comes and the alarm charm she'd placed on her wand rings insistently as 8:30am dawns. Normally she wouldn't sleep in so late, out of bed and ready to go at 7, but they've been on the run for months, and time travelled 15 years last night, she figures they deserve a little extra sleep.

Even at 8:30am, an hour after her usual wakeup time she feels as though she could sleep for another week, maybe two.

Running for months, fighting for their lives, tortured and tormented, drained, never eating enough, never getting enough sleep. Always anxious, looking over their shoulders, constantly on the edge … all combined makes a person certainly tired, but take all of that away abruptly? It makes a person exhausted.

So even as she waved her fingers on the alarm to wandlessley turn it off, she should allow herself a few more minutes as she sleepily begins to wake.

She feels warm, so warm, and that alone is odd. Even with endless warming charms cast in their tent the nights had always been freezing. Even when she had worn two jumpers to bed, huddled up with Harry and spelled her pretty blue flames to burn all night there had still been a chill that nothing could penetrate. But now? She feels warm.

She's not sure if it is because she feels safer for the first time in months (safe, not safer, after all this world, way back in 1975 is not Voldemort free either, well not yet), or because she is at Hogwarts but she feels truly warm, and it feels amazing.

It could also be that she is pressed into her best friends' chest as though they are trying to fuse themselves to one another, but then that isn't something new.

The first night after Ron had left, Harry had practically rocked her to sleep, and they'd fallen asleep side by side. They'd woken up with Harry's arm slung across her waist, and her nose touching his collarbone. They'd blushed, and been embarrassed, but it was also the best night's sleep either of them had, had in months, even with the sadness of Ron leaving hanging over them like an awful dark cloud, and so it had been hard to be embarrassed by it when it had felt so good.

Each night after they'd snuggled up together, and always woke up intimately close. Harry spooning her, she holding onto him. Hands on skin, legs tucked between legs, even once or twice there had been awkward morning wood. And yet they had grown used to it.

If there is one thing, she can no longer feel with Harry it is shame. They are too close for that, that had developed after Ron had left, when she had sobbed in his arms and he in hers, when he had confided his worries to her and she had stroked his hair as he slept, when he had stroked down her back to help her sleep and had held her hand as they walked. It was platonic still, but it had driven a closeness between them that was still present now.

A closeness that would likely never be broken.

And so she allows herself a few more minutes, and notes as she looks up at her best friend he hasn't so much as stirred, which surprises her, usually Harry is a light sleeper, but she guesses he feels safe here at Hogwarts, his first home.

And their only home now.

She thinks back to the present (that is a brain twister), and all they left behind, truthfully other than Ron (which hurts, but not as much as it should, she loves Ron, but he had left them once, it made it easier for them to leave him), they don't have much left. So many dead, she will miss people, the Weasley's, Luna, all the Order that made it, but not enough to stay.

Not if leaving means getting everyone back, even if not quite in the way they want. It is still worth it.

She does think of her parents.

They haven't had her yet in this time, but in the future? They were happy in Australia, set up a little dental practice, and had even started to look into adopting a child. She had looked in on them just once before the battle had began to rage, and they had seemed happy. It made it easier to leave them, but it still hurts.

She is like Harry now, an orphan. In this time, they only have each other, but for her that is enough. Once it hadn't been but now? Now if it is just her and Harry against the world, taking Voldemort down early, settling into this life she'll accept it, because at least they have each other.

Minutes pass and as tired as she is she knows she is awake now and so she forces herself out of the comfort of bed and Harry awakes as she nudges her way out of his arms and to get up. She knows they need to get their story straight, eat their first proper meal in months and get ready for the day. She can't sleep anymore, exhausted but alert now, but she has to resist the urge to curl into bed with a book.

That is the first thing she is doing when everything with Dumbledore is sorted, that she decides. She wants to sit in a comfy chair, with Harry by her side, she'll read a book on charms or wandlore, Harry will read a book on quidditch, they'll stuff themselves full of food and sit in the warmth. It's simple, but it feels like a luxury, and it will be.

She smiles as she imagines that and rouses herself to go to the bathroom. She nudges Harry again as she pulls herself to stand, and he gives her a sleepy smile as his eyes flutter open.

"Time?" He asks, and she allows herself a little grim, that is always the first word he says as he wakes, as he slips on his glasses.

"8:35" She replies before grabbing a towel, "Shall we order breakfast from the kitchens, figure out what we'll tell Dumbledore and then head out?" He nods, she does too before heading to the shower, the image of that comfy scene with Harry in her mind as she steps into the warm water.

It is good to feel warm.

An hour and a bit later they've eaten breakfast, dressed in clothes that for the first time in over a year aren't splashed with blood, grime and potions, and are making their way through the corridors. The uniforms are the exact same as they had been in the future, not one thing changed, the only difference being that her conservative skirt length is a actually bit short for this era, and she quickly hikes it down a little more.

They are clean, comfortable, and marching their way over to Dumbledore's office. It is time to tell the Headmaster the truth.

Well … a version of the truth.

Hermione knew Harry still trusted Dumbledore completely, and Hermione did too, just not so completely. She still admires him, and will put her faith in him, but she also knows he lined them all up like chess pieces, readied them for war, sharpened them to a point and threw them at the enemy.

'For the greater good'

Harry may still have complete faith in their Headmaster, but hers has failed a little.

And so, she'd convinced Harry; tell him about the future, but no specifics. Tell the story but nothing that could potentially mess things up. He'd agreed, and then basically suggested she do most of the talking, she has no problem with that, she will explain their story. She knows they'll need to tell Dumbledore a general outline, but she can't get into anything specific, not only does it break every rule of time travel, but again she doesn't quite trust the Headmaster as completely as she did before, she can't.

So, they make it to the Headmaster's office, and honestly, she just thinks of going back to their shared room, opening a book, and doing nothing else. She thinks of being warm, full, comfortable, and that allows her to steel herself as they reach Dumbledore's office. Allows her to nod her head at her best friend, recite the password and make their way up.

Just a few hours, and then they could have that moment of comfort. That is what she holds onto as they ascend to his office, the old Headmaster waves them in and she prepares to reveal how they'd come to be here.

Harry knew he'd been correct in letting Hermione do the talking. He can admit he is too blunt, too direct, and in this instance, they need to be vague.

He trusts Dumbledore, the man will always be a parental figure to him. Can he acknowledge the old wizard had failed him? Yes. Does it make him love him any less? No. He can see that Dumbledore failed him in many areas, but he will always love him, and honour him as the Headmaster. And so, when Hermione had suggested not telling him anything, he'd frowned but gone along with it.

He'd learned particularly over the past few months that going along with Hermione was often the easiest and best way of doing things.

Yes, he is usually the one to come up with the plans, the one to think of the way forward, but where he comes up with the initial plan, that first idea, Hermione is the one to strengthen it, to look at it from a logical perspective and make it work. He'll say they need to wipe the Death Eater's memories, she'll use Obliviate. He'll scream for them to jump on a dragons back to escape Gringotts, she'll sever the chain holding it down. He suggests confiding in Dumbledore, she'll navigate the hazy waters of doing so whilst not breaking too many laws of time travel.

In that sense they make a good team. They are just missing Ron, Ron to offer knowledge on the wizarding world they might miss, Ron to nod his head and crack a joke to lighten the mood. Ron. Harry doesn't want to think about him too much, he misses him, but he knows leaving him behind was the right decision.

Harry has been an orphan for as long as he can remember, Hermione is one now too, but Ron has a family and Harry could never let him leave them behind. Ron would have he knows, would have looked torn but nodded his head and gone with them, Harry couldn't let that happen, and so he feels a pang for his best friend but knows he's made the right choice.

He feels a pain in his leg then and almost complains until he realises Hermione has kicked him to move forwards as Dumbledore waves them in. It is odd seeing their old Headmaster looking a little younger and not knowing them, it hurts a little, but he follows Hermione inside, takes a seat and then turns to her, now they must focus on the task at hand, and that is this meeting with Hermione. She'll do the talking.

"So" Dumbledore starts though, which makes sense, he has always been the main in charge, "Do tell me your story"

"Well" Hermione begins, "We're from the future as we said yesterday" She nods, and he can see she might start babbling, always a sign she is nervous, Harry on instinct leans over, takes her hand and she smiles, he'll support her.

Over the past few months, after Ron left, they supported one another. Held one another, warmed one another, comforted one another. He had always considered Ron his closest friend before, but he knows now it has shifted. He still sees Ron as a brother, a best friend, but not his best friend, no that spot belongs to Hermione now.

She stood with him through thick and thin, she earned that spot, and he knows he earned his as hers.

"And…" Hermione starts up again, her fingers twinning with his now, for comfort, but she doesn't make it very far.

"I'll stop you right there" Dumbledore says, and Harry realises how much he's missed the twinkle in the old Headmasters eye, and the smile of kindness he has now. Missed it dearly. "I don't want to know another thing"

"Wait what?" Harry speaks then, snapped out of his misty-eyed look that he'd had when looking at his mentor, what? "Why?" Now he's focused on said old Headmaster denying wanting to know their story.

"Because young man, time travel!" He exclaims raising his hands in the air, ahh, Harry had forgotten the eccentric side of the Headmaster that still made him feel a little watery eyed, but god was annoying as hell at the same time, the Headmaster could be more often than not wise and safe, but along with those came his tendency to be cryptic, which was beyond irritating, "We do not meddle with time" He nodded his head then at the timeturner concealed under Hermione's shirt collar, as though he knew it was there, "As you should know"

"I do know" Harry raises his eyebrows then, anyone challenging Hermione on her knowledge surely wants an early death, though he watches his best friend blush then, "Sir, I mean I do know Sir" Of course, few can challenge her intelligence, but with the Headmaster? She has to accept it, "But this is a unique situation" She is also unfailing polite to authority figures, a trait they do not share in common.

"It is a situation of time travel" He exclaims again, shaking his head, "Unique? Yes. Exempt to the rules? Absolutely not!" He said almost in declaration. Harry can see where this is going and as Hermione opens her mouth, he squeezes her hand. He has more experience with Dumbledore to know he is not one to be swayed when certain of something, or rather you can try but spend several hours attempting only for no results. If the Headmaster has decided something well then, it has been decided.

"So…" Harry speaks then, for Hermione surely would continue to argue the point, he feels she often can't help herself, SPEW being one example, "What do we do?"

"Whatever you came here to do!" Dumbledore says with a nod, "You may stay in Gryffindor Tower, in the extra room, we will give you a backstory of homeschooled students, you may integrate and do what you came to do!" He nods, "But you will not inform me, no, no"

"Don't you want to know?" Harry feels a little baffled, Dumbledore had always had a thirst for knowledge, what has changed? This is odd.

"Of course I do" The Headmaster said with a nod, and a little smile as though himself annoyed he wouldn't know what two time travellers were up to, "But, we must not meddle with time! If you need my help on general matters I am more than happy to assist, but I cannot help with particulars for that is for you two alone to work out"

"Now" Dumbledore nodded again, "Head back to the Tower, lessons start on Monday for you both, come up with your backstory, I will have time tables and uniforms sent up, ask the House Elves for anything else you might need, and tomorrow you may go Diagon Alley for supplies. What year would you both like to enter?"

"Errr 5th" Hermione blurts out, far quicker at the math than him. He nods then too and Dumbledore does as well, though he smiles a little, clearly suspicious.

"Good?" Harry opened his mouth then at the Headmasters word, this was going too fast, they had more to talk about! They needed to discuss all sorts of things! He looks at Hermione who looks slightly panicked as well, they have more they need to talk about, but it seems not, "Good" Dumbledore spoke again and nodded, standing to usher them out now, conversation evidently over.

Not 10 minutes with the Headmaster and they were back outside, in the corridor on a Hogwarts Saturday morning, feeling thoroughly as though they'd been hit by a whirlwind.

"Well that didn't go as planned" Harry nodded, and he could practically feel Hermione roll her eyes. That almost made him smile, if he didn't feel so dumbstruck that their one hopeful ally in this time had apparently given their blessing for them to meddle and would set them up here, but also didn't want to know their plans or help them with them.

"Obviously" Hermione said sarcastically, "Come on lets go back to the Tower and figure out this mess" Harry nodded then, realising to himself perhaps they had one or two more other allies, perhaps more than that. It would be too early to see anyone now as they made their way back to Gryffindor tower, but he hoped perhaps they could have other allies in this time, allies he'd never had a chance to know before now.

That was after all why they'd come back.

"Let's order some more food, get warm and then think on a plan" He nodded again, as they reached the Tower, gave the password, and stepped inside. He found himself yawning as he did so, time travel apparently was exhausting, or perhaps it was the months of war, either way, he wanted some time to sleep, or just sit and do nothing before the inevitable planning started.

"Sounds good to me, lets head upstairs" Harry said, and smiled at his best friend who looked a little frazzled. He took her hand again and was relieved to see her smile. This was a bump in the road, perhaps more like a mountain, but they'd get through it, that he was confident in, they would, after all they had one another. With Hermione, his best friend, by his side he was endlessly confident in what they could do.

She was the only one who made him feel like that, perhaps because she'd believed in him long before others had, perhaps because she'd always stood by his side, he wasn't sure, but she inspired a confidence in him no others had.

"Head where?" Another voice interrupted them then and Harry turned. He heard Hermione gasp quietly next to him as he turned to see the source of the voice and would have gasped himself had he not instead frozen in shock.

Fight or flight right? That was the usual reaction to a shock. Clearly in this instance he was instead freeze.

"You shouldn't be sharing a dorm, and I don't think I've seen either of you before, who are you?" Standing in front of them with a shiny Prefect badge attached to her uniform, her large green eyes that matched his staring at him, her long red hair falling past her shoulder, there stood Lily Potter, his mother, alive in front of him, not a spirit, spectre, ghost or memory for the first time.

His mother.

Perhaps it wasn't fight, flight or freeze, but faint, because he felt like he might. It was only Hermione's iron grip on his hand that kept him standing as he looked across at his mother.

soo thoughts?

ahhh I am so hype about this! so excited.

don't worry, we will get more marauder/lily interaction as time goes on, for now it is a little lighter.

also I've had some people ask but just to clarify this fic is firmly harry/hermione.

pls lemme know your thoughts. fav/follow for updates!

speak soon