A/N - Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Chapter 26

1 August 2003

Hermione met Harry in the Atrium after work. He greeted her with a wide smile, taking her hand and walking towards the Floo.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"Quiet."

She'd spent the afternoon looking over the notes she'd found for the other Hermione's current project. She had actually spent more time thinking about her situation than reviewing the notes if she were honest. Padma had promised to work on the Universe Hopper at the weekend. Ron was working this weekend as he and George were trying to stock up on as much product as possible before the school shopping rush began. Padma would have their flat mostly to herself.

Hermione had reluctantly given her the Universe Hopper to study as well. She hated being without it, but it was necessary if Padma was going to find anything to help.

"How was yours?" she asked, her attention coming back to Harry.

"Had a bit of an issue in a village in Suffolk. Someone said they saw a Death Eater walking down their street."

"And was it?" Most Death Eater masks and robes had been confiscated and destroyed when the Death Eaters were arrested but she was sure there were still a few out there somewhere.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No. Turns out they live in a mixed neighborhood. It was some Muggle kid dressed up in a long black robe and a Scream mask. You know that film, there's been a few of them, I think."

Hermione nodded and chuckled.

"Other than that, nothing unusual."

They fell silent making their way companionably to the Floo. Hermione went through first, Harry following quickly after.

As soon as he stepped out into the drawing room at Grimmauld, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Hermione melted into him, sigh of contentment leaving her. She could feel her other self hovering but the other her seemed content to stay in the background for now. Hermione was glad because she wanted this for herself.

"Harry," she whispered as his lips moved to her neck, finding the spot that made her shudder.

He waved his wand over her shoulder, closing the door and silencing the room. Then he locked the Floo. He walked her towards the couch, lips never leaving hers. He pushed her robes from her shoulders and she did the same to his. Then he sat down on the couch, pulling her to straddle him.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. When she pulled back, she gently took his glasses off and set them on the side table. Harry buried his hands in her hair, pulling her back to his lips. One hand left her hair to grasp her hip as he moved beneath her. Hermione gasped and ground against him.

"Been thinking about this all day," Harry murmured, lips ghosting down her jaw to her throat. "Should have taken the whole bloody week off."

Hermione made a noise that might have been assent, but came out as a choked cry as Harry ran his hands up under her shirt and her bra, cupping her breasts. She moved in his lap, causing him to groan.

"Divesto," he whispered, and they were both bare. His hands were everywhere, and Hermione was soon a whimpering, needy mess.

"Harry, please," she begged.

He grasped her hips and helped her move to hover over him, sinking down on him. They both moaned, Harry throwing his head back against the couch as Hermione began to move.

"God, I love you," he said, surging forward to kiss her again.

"Mm, I love you too," Hermione managed. Coherent thought fled after that. All she knew was how good it felt to be with Harry like this again. And that she might spontaneously combust if he didn't touch her soon.

Almost as if he'd heard her thoughts, Harry moved a hand between them. Hermione moved faster, Harry guiding her with one hand on her hip even as he thrust up into her from below.

Hermione was babbling nonsense, unsure of what she was even saying and then she let out a keening cry as she fell over. Harry thrust up into her a few more times before he shouted her name, both of them collapsing against one another as they recovered.

When he could move again, Harry pulled her down to the couch with him so they were lying on their sides facing one another. He kissed her softly as their legs tangled together. She summoned a throw from across the room, covering them both with it as their skin began to cool.

He smiled at her and moved a curl off her face. She smiled back then wrapped her arms around his torso, scooting as close to him as she could get. She buried her nose in his chest, breathing deeply. She knew that if someone set a cauldron of Amortentia in front of her right now, this is what she would smell. Harry.

She felt tears prick her eyes at the thought that as much as she wanted it, she might not get this. Even if she got home, Harry might not be waiting for her. This universe might be the only time that she got to be with him this way. She squeezed her eyes shut to hold the tears back. Harry wouldn't understand and she had no way to explain them away. She was just going to have to enjoy this, him, as long as she had him. She would worry about home later.

"Squeeze me any harder, love and you'll crack a rib," Harry said with a chuckle.

Hermione immediately loosened her grip. She hadn't realized she'd been holding him so tightly. "Sorry."

He tipped her chin up and frowned. "What's the matter? You look like you're about to cry."

"Nothing," she said, forcing a smile to her face.

"Hermione, what is it?"

"I don't know." Hermione tried to figure out something to say. She decided on a version of the truth. "I was just thinking about my dream again, I guess."

He looked so remorseful that she leaned forward and kissed him. "It wasn't about what happened at the Final Battle. It was…something else."

"What?" Harry asked.

"You were at work and went after a Death Eater that hadn't been captured yet. And you, he, he kill-killed you." She couldn't swallow around the lump in her throat.

He pulled her to him again and kissed the top of her head. "It was just a dream. They've all been rounded up, you know that. We got all of them. That won't happen."

She nodded against his chest, thankful that the Death Eaters here had been taken care of, just as they had in her world. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he replied, never relinquishing his hold on her.

2 August 2003

Hermione was glad it was Saturday. They could have a bit of a lie in; in fact, Harry was still asleep. She was simply happy to be able to spend time with him. It had been six weeks since she'd seen her own Harry and while she knew this Harry was a different person, so far this universe and hers seemed quite similar. As far as she could tell, with the exception of their relationship, and subsequently Ron's and Ginny's, everything else was pretty much the same.

Harry stirred and smiled when he opened his eyes. "Morning."

"Good morning," Hermione replied, moving to rest her head on his shoulder. He brought an arm around her and idly ran his fingers up and down her upper arm. She sighed in contentment. She could stay here forever and not get tired of it.

They laid in companionable silence for a bit. Hermione was thinking she might actually drift off again when Harry spoke. "We should probably get up, love. I told Andromeda we'd pick Teddy up around half ten."

"Oh, right," Hermione replied. They were spending the day with Teddy? She wondered why her other self hadn't written that in her planner.

Harry shifted so that he could see her face. "Did you forget?"

"No, of course not."

"You did, didn't you? You forgot," Harry said in amusement.

"No!" Hermione exclaimed as she sat up. The sheet fell away, and Harry's gaze was drawn to her breasts. She crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. "I did not forget."

"If I go look in your planner, 'Day with Teddy' will be written in there, will it?" He raised his brows in question, amusement still plain on his face.

"Of course," she said with a sniff, but she could feel her cheeks heat.

"I'll just look then, shall I?" Harry sat up, throwing the sheet off himself, and making to get out of bed.

"Harry James Potter, you will not!" Not only was there nothing written about Teddy, but Hermione also didn't want him to see the entry from his birthday. There was a strong burst of embarrassment coming from her other self. Hermione was quite sure that the other her didn't want him seeing the baby-making entry either. He would likely tease her about it.

She leapt forward, jumping on his back and tackling him onto the bed. He started laughing, trying to twist away from her but she had her arms and legs wrapped around him. They wrestled for a few minutes on the bed until he had her pinned beneath him. He tickled her sides and she shrieked.

"No, stop. Harry, stop!"

He relented and grinned down at her while she caught her breath. She looked up at him and brushed a bit of fringe off his forehead. He turned his head and kissed her palm, then moved off of her. He grasped her hands and pulled her to her feet, kissing her deeply.

When they parted, he held her close, Hermoine's arms wrapped around his torso. It was so easy with him, everything about their relationship. She wondered if things went the way she wanted them to when she got home if it would be this effortless between them as well. She hoped so.

"We really should get ready," Harry finally said.

Hermione squeezed him one last time and then stepped back, reaching up on tiptoe to kiss him before she made her way to the loo to shower and dress.

"Harry! My-nee!" Teddy shouted as they stepped out of the Floo.

The little boy ran and threw his arms around Harry's waist in a hug. Harry ruffled his hair, which had promptly turned black and messy as soon as Teddy had run into the room. When he released Harry, he hugged Hermione similarly, grinning up at her, his eyes flashing brown. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she looked down at him. He could really be their son, looking like that. She felt a wave of affection from her other self, and a softness that Hermione completely understood.

"Good morning, Harry, Hermione," Andromeda greeted.

"Hello, Andromeda," Hermione replied.

"Andy," Harry said, giving the older woman a kiss on the cheek.

"Are we still goin' to the zoo?" Teddy asked excitedly.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, mate. If you want to."

Teddy nodded his head vigorously.

"You are sure you do not mind keeping him overnight?" Andromeda asked.

This was news to Hermione. Although, it's not as if she could have asked Harry what they were going to do given she'd continued to insist she hadn't forgotten about their day with Teddy.

"Of course not," Harry said. "He's stayed over before. We're going to have a great time, aren't we?"

"Yes!" Teddy exclaimed. "Will you take me on your broom?"

"We'll see," Harry said with a laugh.

"Teddy," Andromeda said, and the little boy immediately turned to his grandmother. "You will behave for Harry and Hermione, won't you?"

"Yes, Nanna," Teddy promised.

"Stay with one of them all the time. I do not want you wandering off and getting lost."

"I promise," Teddy said solemnly.

"Good boy." She crouched down and held out her arms. Teddy threw himself into them and hugged her tightly.

"Love you, Nanna."

"I love you too."

"We'll bring him back tomorrow before lunch," Harry said.

"Enjoy yourselves," Andromeda said. She handed Hermione a small rucksack with Teddy's things.

They made their good-byes and Harry picked Teddy up so they could Floo back to Grimmauld Place. They dropped off Teddy's bag and left the house, deciding to take the Tube to the zoo.

They followed Teddy from exhibit to exhibit, listening to his excited chatter. When they reached the lion habitat, Harry swung Teddy up to his shoulders, to the little boy's delight. Teddy's hair was still black, although they'd put a cap on him in case he changed it unwittingly, and his eyes were still the same brown as Hermione's. She smiled softly at both of them and leaned into Harry's side. He wrapped an arm around her, kissing her temple.

Hermione caught the eye of an older woman who was standing near them. She smiled at the three of them, patted Hermione on the arm and told her she had a lovely family. Hermione thanked her, not bothering to explain Teddy's actual parentage. When the woman walked off with her granddaughter, Harry smiled down at Hermione, arm tightening around her.

Her thoughts drifted. Maybe they'd come back to this zoo with their own child someday, maybe one that looked just as Teddy did now. Or maybe a little girl with Hermione's curls and Harry's eyes. She blinked, knowing she shouldn't be thinking things like that. There was no guarantee she'd have any of this once she got back. She got a wave of something from her other self – calm, compassion, and maybe a bit of camaraderie. Right, Hermione needed to stay positive and keep focused on getting home.

Still, it was difficult to do that when she had everything she wanted right now. Or her other self did, anyway. She had Harry, and Ron was apparently still their friend. Hermione wasn't sure where they stood with the rest of the Weasleys and she had no idea how things were with Ginny, but they obviously had Andromeda, and Teddy, of course.

Hermione wondered about the other Hermione's parents in this world. Had she been able to restore their memories and were they still on speaking terms? She waited and got something that seemed like confirmation from her other self. They obviously had the Grangers then.

Hermione vowed to try and find some photo albums at some point this weekend. It would give her a better idea if she knew who had attended their wedding at least. She could also ask Padma for more specifics at lunch tomorrow.

"Teddy wants to see the gorillas," Harry said, interrupting her reverie.

Harry lifted Teddy off his shoulders, setting him back on his feet. Teddy took both their hands and began to skip off toward the next exhibit. Hermione smiled at Harry over Teddy's head, and they continued on with their tour of the zoo.

A few hours later, Harry carried a sleepy Teddy into Grimmauld Place. Teddy insisted he wasn't tired and didn't need a nap as his mouth opened in a jaw-cracking yawn. Harry chuckled and set him down on the couch in the drawing room.

"Of course not, mate," Harry said. "Maybe just rest for a bit though, yeah?"

"Okay," Teddy mumbled, his eyes drifting shut. He didn't loosen the tight grip he had on the stuffed lion Harry had bought him.

Hermione grabbed the throw and settled it over him. She brushed his hair from his face, which had now turned to his natural shade of brownish-blond and kissed his cheek. Teddy mumbled something in his sleep and burrowed further under the blanket.

Harry and Hermione sat down on the opposite couch and Harry cast a Muffliato around them so they wouldn't disturb Teddy. Hermione snuggled into Harry's side, and he wrapped an arm around her.

"Fun today, wasn't it?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "Teddy's a great kid."

"Kind of made me think about what it will be like for us in a few years. You know, with our own."

"Me too," Hermione said with a smile.

Harry looked back at Teddy and frowned.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You don't think Teddy will be, I don't know, that he'll feel…replaced or something?"

"He'll be fine," Hermione said. "We'll make sure he knows that we still love him just as much."

"Yes, but babies are a lot of work. And everyone keeps telling me how we're not going to sleep for like a year or even longer. What if we can't see him as often?"

Hermione sat up and took Harry's face in her hands. "You're an amazing godfather, Harry. You're still going to spend time with Teddy, even if it's just you sometimes instead of both of us. I promise that we'll make it work."

"It's just, I know what it feels like to have nothing. I don't ever want Teddy to feel that way."

"First of all, Teddy has a grandmother that loves him more than anything. She would never let him feel that way and I know that you wouldn't either. When we have a baby, your time with Teddy will probably look a little different, but it's the time that matters, not the activity. Teddy loves you, Harry. He'd be just as happy spending time with you here as he would going to the zoo or a Quidditch match or whatever. He just wants to be with you."

"You're right. I know you're right. I just worry that I won't be able to do everything."

"Then it's a good thing you don't have to do everything by yourself, isn't it?"

Harry smiled and then kissed her. He leaned his forehead against hers when they parted. "Have I told you lately how lucky I am to have you?"

"Not recently, no," Hermione said, cheeky smile on her face.

Harry laughed, then hugged her to him. "I am, Hermione."

"I am too," she replied. Gods, if she could be this lucky in her own world, she'd never ask for anything else. They sat quietly, wrapped in each other's arms until Teddy stirred about twenty minutes later.

"Harry, 'm hungry," Teddy mumbled, rubbing his eyes, and sitting up on the couch.

Harry laughed and kissed Hermione quickly before dropping the Muffliato. "Let's see what Kreacher's got for us then, yeah?"

Teddy nodded and jumped off the couch, stuffed lion still held tightly. Harry picked him up, tucking him under his arm like a Quaffle. Teddy squealed in delight as they raced out of the room, heading down to the kitchen for a snack. Hermione smiled as she followed. Harry was going to be an amazing dad.

3 August 2003

Hermione woke to Harry kissing her shoulder. She smiled and tightened her hand on his where it lay draped over her stomach. "Morning."

Harry didn't reply, instead moved from her shoulder to her neck. Hermione hummed in appreciation as his hand slowly made its way underneath the vest top she'd worn to bed. She could feel him hard against her back and then remembered they weren't alone in the house.

"Harry," she said as his hand reached her breast. Her breath hitched and she was distracted for a moment. "Harry, wait."

"Why?" he mumbled against her neck, continuing what he was doing.

"Because," Hermione managed before she gasped when Harry ground himself against her bum. "Because Teddy is here."

"I put up a silencing charm."

"Harry," she said. "Stop."

He pulled back from her immediately, looking down at her in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"We can't do this now."

"Teddy's asleep."

"Yes, but for how much longer?" She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. It was nearly eight. In her experience, at least with the Teddy from her world, he would be awake any time now.

"I'll be quick."

Hermione laughed and put a hand to his cheek. "As enticing as that sounds, do you really want to have to explain to Andromeda if Teddy walks in on us."

"We could lock that door?" Harry said hopefully, although she knew that he wasn't serious. Well, not entirely.

Hermione pushed him onto his back and leaned over and kissed him. "Later."

Harry groaned. "You're killing me."

"As I said the other day, you started it." Just as Hermione finished speaking, the alert spell on Harry's wand went off. Teddy was indeed awake and out of bed. She gave Harry an 'I told you so' look and got out of bed, pulling on her dressing gown.

"I'll get Teddy. I'd suggest a cold shower for you."

Harry stuck his tongue out at her, and she laughed again, walking out of the bedroom to intercept Teddy.

"Ready to go, mate?" Harry asked as he took Teddy's rucksack from Hermione and put it over one shoulder.

Teddy nodded, then turned to Hermione. "Bye, My-nee."

"Good-bye, Teddy." She knelt down and hugged him. "I had the best time with you at the zoo."

Teddy grinned and hugged her again, then kissed her cheek.

"Up you go," Harry said, picking Teddy up and settling him on his hip. Harry leaned over and kissed Hermione. "Have fun with Padma."

"Thanks. I'll see you later." She tossed the Floo powder into the grate and waved good-bye as they spun back to Andromeda's.

Once they were gone, Hermione grabbed her bag and headed outside, Disapparating to Diagon Alley.

"How have things been?" Padma asked once they were ensconced in a booth, privacy charms cast around their table.

"Good," Hermione said. "We spent the day with Teddy yesterday. It wasn't all that different than spending time with him in my world. He seems pretty much the same here as there."

"What about things with Harry?"

Hermione couldn't help the soft smile that crossed her face. "Things have been great with Harry."

Padma studied her for a moment, then her eyes widened. "It's Harry, isn't it? Your destiny or whatever. You want to be with him in your world too, don't you?"

Hermione could only nod over the lump in her throat.

"And you can't?"

"He's married to Ginny, but things aren't going that well. Right before my accident we had a long talk, and he was leaning towards divorcing her if they couldn't resolve their differences. But I've been gone for a month and a half now. Who knows what might have happened since?

And then there's the Weasleys. They're Harry's family. I'm not sure what will happen with them if he and Ginny split up. And I don't know if he could handle their rejection. He's lost everyone else close to him except me, Teddy, and Andromeda." Hermione shook her head. "Besides, I have no real idea how he feels about me. I mean, sure, he loves me because I'm his best friend, but could he love me as something more? I don't know."

"How long have you felt this way about him?" Padma asked gently.

Tears began to gather in Hermione's eyes. "Since Ron left us in the tent."

"So, you two-"

Hermione nodded. "But it was so awkward the next day. You said that here Hermione and Harry felt like they should have been together the whole time. I felt like that too, but my Harry was so, I don't know, he acted like he regretted it. So, I told him that it was a mistake and we never had to talk about it again." She shrugged. "So that's what we did."

Padma studied her for a moment. "Do you think…never mind."

"No, tell me, please."

"Do you think that he was acting that way because he was afraid that you regretted it? I mean, I know that my Hermione was convinced that she had feelings for Ron before she and Harry got together. If you did as well, maybe Harry thought that Ron was who you really wanted."

Hermione stared at Padma for a moment before sitting back in her seat. She replayed that morning with Harry in her mind and realized that Padma could be right. Gods, what if she was the one that had driven Harry back to Ginny because Harry thought she really wanted Ron. What if they could have been together this whole time?

"Oh god," Hermione whispered.

Padma immediately looked remorseful. "I shouldn't have asked you that. I'm sorry, I-"

"No," Hermione said. "No, I'm not upset, I, well, I'm upset but not because of what you said. I should have talked to him."

"Hermione, you were teenagers in an impossible situation. You can't blame yourself for that."

"This Hermione and Harry figured it out."

"And you can figure it out when you get back," Padma said.

"I don't know," Hermione said with a sigh. "It's a lot more complicated now."

"That doesn't mean it's impossible."

Hermione gave her a brittle smile and decided to change the subject. "To that end, how is the research going?"

"I've gone back through all the runes and symbols and haven't found any mistranslations. I've been examining the charms and enchantments on the center disc and so far, I agree with the conclusions of the me from the Draco universe. I plan to finish that this afternoon. Then I'll go over the symbol that wraps around the edge, although I don't see myself finding anything different there."

"Nothing new then," Hermione said with a bit of disappointment, although not as much as she would have thought.

"No, but I haven't been looking for anything new yet. I've been going over everything you've discovered so far first."

"What else do you plan to look for?" Hermione asked.

"Anything I can find. I don't have anything specific in mind which should help me find something if it's there. No expectations and all that."

Hermione nodded, knowing it was best not to go in with preconceptions. Still, what if Padma didn't find anything? If what the Padma from the previous universe had discovered was true about the symbol that wrapped around the edge of the device, the next jump should take Hermione home. If that was her destiny anyway.

"What if it's not?" she said, not realizing she'd spoken aloud.

"What if what's not?" Padma asked in confusion.

"Oh, erm, I was just thinking that if Luna was right, based on that symbol, my next jump should take me home. But what if my destiny isn't to go home? What if I end up somewhere else?"

Padma's brow furrowed. "That doesn't make sense though. Why would your destiny be to end up somewhere else?"

"I don't know. I've been trying for so long to get home and every time we think we've solved it, it doesn't work. What if that's because I'm not meant to go home?"

"But you can't be meant to share someone else's body either. You said yourself that the other Hermione only tolerates it for so long before she starts to get agitated. And that your other self is getting stronger or more present or whatever, every time. How would you be able to live out your life like that?"

Hermione bit her lip. "What if we trade places? What if that's what's meant to happen? The other Hermione that I jump into is meant for my world and I'm meant for theirs?"

She had been thinking about this since she'd first jumped into the other Hermione's body. At first, she had thought that might have been what happened, she and the other Hermione had changed places. Even when she'd realized that they hadn't, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

Padma sat back in her seat, look of disbelief on her face. "I don't think that's what's supposed to happen."

"But we can't be sure," Hermione said. "I never thought this whole body-sharing thing would happen either. But it did. Why couldn't we just switch places?"

"I don't know, but," Padma paused, clearly trying to come up with an argument against it. "Luna said that once you found what you were looking for, you'd get home."

"Maybe she didn't mean home in the literal sense. Maybe she meant it in the figurative, what, or who, I was looking for was home."

Padma was quiet for a few moments. "Is that what you thought she meant?"

"No, but it's Luna. What she says isn't always what she means."

"Yes, but, Hermione, even with as cryptic as Luna can be, I don't think she would have said that to you if she didn't mean it. She had to have known how worried you were."

"Maybe she didn't realize herself."

Padma rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. "We're getting off on a tangent that we don't even know we need to be concerned about. I think you're worried and stressed and with good reason. But you're letting it get the better of you. Let me finish looking at the Universe Hopper and see what else I can find before you convince yourself you're not getting home, all right?"

"All right, yes, you're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You have no idea how in awe I am that you've been able to keep it together with everything you've been through."

Hermione could only nod. The lump had formed in her throat again and she knew she was close to tears. She couldn't break down here though, in public where anyone could see. They'd set privacy charms on their table when they sat down to keep people from overhearing their conversation, but they wouldn't stop anyone from seeing her.

"Excuse me for a moment," she managed and hurried to the loo. Once inside, she locked herself in a stall and allowed the tears to fall. She cast a Muffliato around herself so no one else would hear her if they came into the bathroom.

She felt a wave of comfort coming from her other self and Hermione grabbed onto it, letting herself be soothed. There was concern and sadness as well. It was getting easier and easier to pick up on the emotions of the other her. Hermione wasn't sure what to make of it but for now, she just let herself be consoled by her other self. Which sounded ridiculous but she didn't care.

It took a few minutes, but she finally gathered herself and cast a spell on her red eyes and tear-splotched face. Taking a deep breath, she rejoined Padma in the café.

"How was your lunch?" Harry asked as she came through the Floo. He was sitting in an armchair in the drawing room, reading a Quidditch magazine.

Instead of answering, Hermione just walked over and sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around him and snuggling into him. Harry dropped the magazine on the floor as his arms came around her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, voice muffled in his shoulder.

"Is everything all right with Padma? I stopped by the shop after I dropped Teddy off, and Ron didn't say anything."

"She's fine. Everyone's fine," Hermione said.

"Clearly you're not."

"I am it's just," Hermione cast around for an excuse that he would believe. She couldn't come up with anything. If it had been something about work, surely she would have told him by now. She had no idea what was going on with their friends and family so she couldn't use that. She could feel her other self starting to get anxious; it almost felt like she was pacing inside Hermione's head.

Harry gently pulled back from her, forcing Hermione to look at him. "It's just what?"

To her horror, tears began to form in her eyes. Harry looked at her in alarm. Hermione shook her head, trying to reassure him but she still couldn't think of what to say. She just wanted him to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be all right. She wanted him to tell her that he would be there when she got home, that she was the one that he wanted. But he couldn't tell her those things, of course, this wasn't her Harry. The thought made her want to sob.

She looked at him, opening her mouth to say something, anything, when everything went black.

When Hermione became aware again, she was still sitting in Harry's lap. Her head was tucked under his chin, and he was rubbing her back.

"Please don't stress yourself out about this, love. It will happen when it's meant to."

Hermione had no idea what he was talking about. What in the world had happened? He had been asking her what was wrong and then she'd just, just, what? Fainted or something? She couldn't remember.

"The Healer said that you're fine. That we both are. The Dark Magic we were exposed to during the Horcrux hunt didn't affect anything too badly. It just might take some time. But it will happen, Hermione. You believe that right?"

Harry was talking to her like they'd been having a conversation. This made no sense.

"Right," she finally said, mind whirling trying to figure out what was going on. He was obviously talking about their attempt to get pregnant. This Hermione must have had the same concerns she'd had in her own world and gotten checked over by a Healer. Harry had too from the sounds of it. But Hermione hadn't actually said anything to him before she'd blacked out, had she? She was sure that she hadn't.

"What brought all this on, anyway?" Harry asked a few minutes later. "I thought we'd worked through all of this."

Hermione latched onto the first thought that popped into her head. "I, erm, being with Teddy, I guess. I just, I want that for us, so much."

"Why didn't you say anything yesterday?"

"I don't know," she said quietly, feeling the tears threatening again.

Harry pulled back from her slightly. "Hey, look at me." Hermione tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "It's okay to be scared but just promise me you'll talk to me if you feel like this again, yeah?"

She nodded. "I promise."

He smiled at her. "I love you, Hermione. Everything is going to work out."

"I love you too." She snuggled back into him, just wanting the comfort of his arms around her.

She still couldn't figure out what had happened. Telling him her fears about getting pregnant would have been a good excuse but she hadn't thought of it. At least, she didn't think she had. But she must have said something or they wouldn't be having this conversation. Except why couldn't she remember? And if she'd fainted or something, Harry would be much more concerned. He was talking like they'd just had a conversation and nothing more.

Hermione reached out for her other self, but she was quiet. Could the other Hermione have, no that was ridiculous. In the last universe, the other Hermione had come forward, but Hermione had still been there the entire time. And she was able to force her other self back when she wanted to. At work the other day, her other self had tried to make her move, but Hermione was able to resist it. The other Hermione couldn't have taken over and had a conversation with Harry. Hermione would have been able to stop it. Wouldn't she?

Her stomach dropped as she thought about the possibility that she couldn't have stopped her. In the state Hermione had been in, it might have been possible for her other self to come to the forefront. But to have a conversation with Harry that Hermione had no recollection of? That didn't seem possible. She'd always known everything that was going on, even if the other Hermione was present. If it hadn't been that though, what had happened?

She didn't have an explanation. The other Hermione had been agitated when Hermione couldn't come up with an excuse for Harry. Hermione had felt that much. When Hermione couldn't respond to Harry, had her other self just forced her way in to answer him? The thought that her other self had taken over, even briefly, terrified her.

Knowing she was nearing another panic attack, Hermione forced herself to sit up on Harry's lap, smile and kiss him gently. "I'll be right back."

He smiled back at her and squeezed her hip before she stood. Then Hermione quickly made her way to the loo, cast a silencing spell, and let herself fall apart. What if the other her could take over completely? Where would that leave Hermione? She could be stuck here forever or worse. A body wasn't made to house two people.

Attempting to get her ragged breathing under control, Hermione pulled up her Occlumency shields. It wasn't a healthy way to deal with the panic that had consumed her, but if she was going to figure out what to do, she needed the false calm they offered her. She needed to think about this logically.

Right now, she could feel nothing from her other self, not even a tiny spot of emotion. Perhaps that meant that the other Hermione couldn't hold control very long. Maybe it tired her out or weakened the bit of control the other her had. If that were true, then it was likely that the other her couldn't do this very often.

But Hermione had no way of knowing if her other self would get stronger with time or if it would always just be short bursts of control. Either way, the thought was not a comforting one. Hermione hated not being in control in general; knowing she might be trapped in a body with no awareness of what was happening was beyond horrifying. Gods, Padma had to find something.

Pulling in a deep breath, Hermione stood and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were red-rimmed and there were still tear tracks down her cheeks. She cast a spell to fix her face, then attempted to center herself. She had to keep this from Harry. She couldn't keep breaking down every five minutes without explanation.

Breathing deeply for a few moments to center herself, Hermione locked away all thoughts of what may have happened with her other self. She would talk to Padma about it tomorrow.

Harry smiled as she rejoined him in the drawing room. "Feeling better?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, sitting down on his lap once again. She put her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry I got so upset."

"Do not apologize for that," Harry admonished. "I just want you to talk to me from now on."

"I will, I promise," Hermione said.

Harry leaned forward and kissed her. When he pulled back, she smiled. "Now, I believe I said something about later this morning."

With a grin, Harry stood, picking her up as he did so. Hermione laughed, wrapping her arms more tightly around his neck as he hurried up the stairs to their bedroom.