A/N: Prompt: After Hogwarts, harry becomes a Temp, a member of the department of mysteries who use time turners to witness crimes after they happen. Its a job with a high risk of ceasing tp exist, messing with time so casually. One day, he gets a message from some potential future version of himself, saying he must marry his estranged friend, Hermione Granger.

Thanks to the organizers of the Harmony Summertime Madness Fest! I'm trying a different style of writing so hopefully, it goes well!

Year One:

They didn't meet on the Express. They didn't meet on the boat ride across the Lake. They didn't meet after both sorting into Ravenclaw. They met on the first morning at Hogwarts.

"Oh, um, Potter, right?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I'm not sure I caught your name. But, please call me Harry," he said.

"I'm Hermione Granger. It's good to meet you. Are you heading to breakfast?" Hermione asked abruptly.

"Uh - yeah." He looked around - but this early, it was just the two of them.

"We should go together." Hermione nodded as if answering her own suggestion.

Harry was hesitant, but he eventually agreed. Thus, a seven-year friendship was born.

Year Two:

"Are you sure we should be trying this? It's a seventh-year potion. Plus, you're changing things! This feels dangerous," Hermione argued, wringing her hands together.

"It'll be fine. My mum has a Potions Mastery. I know what I'm doing." Harry wrote out the edited directions and ingredients list.

"Yeah … she has one. You don't."

Harry snorted. "Whatever - are you helping or not?"

"Oh - I'm helping." Hermione sighed.

Year Three:

"I can't believe he marked me down for it," Hermione complained, throwing her bookbag down on the floor next to the bench Harry was on in the corridor.

Harry kept his eyes on his essay. "You ignored the instructions and went over the assigned limit. What did you think would happen?"

"You ignore the instructions all the time," Hermione muttered.

"Ah - but I don't get caught." Harry kept writing.

Hermione harrumphed. "It was all relevant information!"

"But was it all necessary to prove your point?" Harry put his quill down and finally looked up at her. "If you want to get anywhere in this world, 'Mione, you have to know the rules so well to hide when you break them or talk around them."

Year Four:

"Potter!" A voice called out from behind him.

Harry slowed down and turned around to see who it was.

"So … you and Hermione …" Ron Weasley - the Gryffindor with a million siblings - jogged to catch up with him and then his voice trailed off.

"Oh my goodness, just ask whatever it is." Harry raised his eyebrow at the other boy.

"Are you dating?" Ron blurted.

"No," Harry said shortly.

"Yeah, she's such a swot." Ron tried to joke. Harry wasn't having it.

"Excuse me?" Harry's shoulders tensed and his hand made a fist.

"No, I just mean …" Ron's face went red and splotchy. He started looking around the corridor as if looking for someone to save him.

Harry sighed. This was the worst. "Stop. Hermione's wonderful. No, we're not dating. And, you should try being nicer to girls that you like."

"That's not … I don't .." Ron stammered.

Harry held up his hand. "Don't care." Then, Harry walked away.

Neither boy realized that just beyond their eyesight but within hearing distance was a curly-haired witch with a small smile on her face.

Year Five:

"Have you thought about what you'd like to do after Hogwarts?" Hermione asked as they walked out of Charms.

"It's OWL year. No, I thought I would just wing it." Harry said sarcastically. "Of course I have. What are you thinking?"

Hermione hesitated.

Harry nudged her with his elbow. "Just tell me, 'Mione."

"Fine. I want to try for the Department of Mysteries," Hermione whispered.

Harry blinked. "Oh."

"I know it's not what people expect from me -"

"No! That's not it at all. I'm surprised because that's what I've been thinking of going after as well." Harry cut her off.

"Oh! Well, good then." Hermione smiled down at her hands.

Harry eyed her strangely. "Um, not so good. They usually only take one - maybe two - Hogwarts graduates on for a trial year and then take more credentialed and seasoned witches and wizards when they've been out of school for a while."

Hermione grabbed his arm and hooked their elbows together. "Then we will just have to be the two they take from our year."

"Alright, but let's promise no hard feelings if one of us gets it and the other doesn't."

"Deal!"

They both meant it at the time.

Year Six:

"Oh my goodness, Harry," Hermione rolled her eyes. " You don't have to reinvent the wheel."

Harry sent her a cheeky grin. "No, but I could find the next thing that has as much of an impact."

Hermione snorted. "The wheel? Sure."

Harry threw an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, not all of us remember everything we've ever read. We have to make a name for ourselves in other ways."

"I don't remember everything I've ever read," Hermione grumbled.

Year Seven:

"On three?" She asked as they left the Great Hall with their letters from the Department of Mysteries.

"Yes." He paused. "Are you sure you don't want to wait until we get to the Common Room?"

"Yes, Harry," Hermione waved her hand. "Let's do this."

"One," he said.

"Two," she said.

"Three!" They said together.

They both immediately tore into the envelopes. Harry's magically expanded at once to show several sheets more of paper.

Hermione's remained a single sheet of paper. She read the rejection quickly. It was rote and polite. They even invited her to apply again in a few years. Hermione barely resisted throwing it to the ground. She looked at Harry's several sheets with narrow eyes.

"I got in! Hermione, they chose me!" Harry looked up with a bright smile in excitement. "What about - oh."

"It's fine." Hermione put on a fake smile. "What did your letter say?"

Harry passed it over wordlessly. He began organizing all the other sheets of paper.

Hermione gasped.

"What?" Harry looked up and saw Hermione's cheeks flushed.

"Did you read the last paragraph?"

"I skimmed it. There's a lot here." Harry shrugged.

"They want to know how your dear old father is doing." Hermione spat out.

"Wait, what?" Harry tilted his head in confusion.

"Oh come on," Hermione huffed. She tossed the letter back to him. Harry took it carefully and placed it on top of the pile he was holding. "I didn't realize it was so exclusive because it was an old boy's club."

"Hang on, now. You're not implying-"

"That you only got the job because of your last name?" Hermione finished, cutting Harry off.

"Hey! I worked my arse off on my application. I deserve this role just as much as anyone." Harry's shoulders tensed.

"Deserve? We'll never know with that sentence tucked in there." Hermione waved a hand at Harry's stack of papers. "It's not like you're one to do things by the books. You have so many pet projects that already stretch the bounds of morality."

"Morality depends on the person," Harry said automatically.

"It's like you have to cheat." Hermione threw her arms in the air.

"I have never cheated." Harry bit out the words. "So what if I'm always trying new things? It's better than living my life like … like … like I'm following the rules written out for me in a book."

Hermione gasped.

Harry clenched his jaw.

"You did not just say that." Hermione searched his eyes. Whatever she was looking for, she didn't find. She straightened her posture. "Fine! Enjoy your new job you got because of your family. I'm done."

"Done? Done with what?" Harry's eyes were steely.

"You! Don't talk to me again, Potter!" With the last word, Hermione turned and walked away.