A Turn In Time by Excalibur

Rating: PG13
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 05/04/2004
Last Updated: 16/04/2004
Status: Completed

Harry has won the final battle with Voldemort, but at what price? Desperate and without the ones
he loves, he takes a trip to correct his past. (This is indeed a H/Hr and will have a happy
ending!) Response to the challenge Time Turner, Harry's got to change the past




1. The Final Battle
-------------------

CHAPTER ONE

THE FINAL BATTLE

"It's got to be here somewhere!" Harry growled in frustration as the room spun to
the next door. He ripped the door open impatiently and smiled grimly. *This is it.* He thought
desperately to himself. Harry moved swiftly through the room with the tank of brains and opened the
next door. He descended the stairs and crossed to the arch in the middle of the amphitheatre-like
room. As he got closer, he could hear the whispers of the people behind the veil just as he had two
years ago. He lost someone special that night in this very room and he thought that was
devastating. The recent events drove him over the edge far more brutally than he thought
possible.

He stepped onto the podium and closed his eyes. With intense concentration he could hear the
whispered words of the woman he loved. Tears erupted from his eyes and he looked at the shadowy
figures that were milling about behind the silky, thin material of ether that everyone referred to
simply as The Veil.

"I'm coming for you, Hermione." He whispered across the dimensional bounds. He
waited in vain for a response and after mentally reviewing the plan that had came to him in St.
Mungo's he turned and fled the room in quiet determination.
* * *
*Graduation: Gryffindor Common Room*
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in their favorite couch by the massive fireplace that was
the prominent feature of the common room's northern wall. Elation that they had all passed the
rigorous N.E.W.T.s tests washed over them in a cascade of cheers, butterbeer, music, and
laugher.

Ron had invited his girlfriend of the past year, Luna Lovegood, to the celebration and due to
lack of room Luna had perched precariously in his lap.

Harry was surprised at how Luna had filled out in just two years, she'd gone from the
smallish girl with a perpetually surprised look to a rather attractive young woman with correctly
proportioned eyes, her hair had finally been tamed and she no longer wore the strange combinations
of clothes she did when they had met her.

An equal amount of surprise had been levied upon him in the changes of his best friend Ron
Weasley. Luna had been the catalyst that brought him from his adolescence into the viably mature
man that sat next to his other best friend.

Most of all, Harry had been surprised in the changes that overtook him since his godfather had
died. He had gone into severe depression and relegated himself to his dark, small room at the
Dursleys' for the majority of the summer. He would eat and sleep and exist but beyond that
there was nothing. He was an emotional black hole with such a lack for life that even Aunt Petunia
had become worried for his health. The only thing that brought him out of his stupor was
Hermione.

Without warning, his bedroom door had opened and a surprisingly calm Aunt Petunia ushered his
best friend into the room. She whispered something that made Hermione gasp and then shut the door
leaving the two of them alone.

He didn't know what happened over the two weeks that she came to visit him, but when the
blur that time had become ended, Harry was out of his depression and held a new outlook on life
firmly within his mind. He had fallen for his best friend of five years somewhere during that time
but never had the courage to tell her.

It was now the end of their stay at Hogwarts and like every normal student, he was looking
forward to what the future would bring. Voldemort had gone into hiding after his plans were foiled
for the seventh time last year and Harry's final year at the most prestigious school of
witchcraft and wizardry was quiet and devoid of worry. For once in his life, there was nothing
stopping him and he had a hope in his heart that he had never before known.

The graduation party went on for what seemed to be hours and didn't really die out until the
birds began to sing jovially in the Forbidden Forest. Harry and his two best friends had gone to
bed earlier than they had liked because they were all leaving for special training the next day.
The threat of Voldemort wasn't over and the trio were going to use the time to learn some new
and specialized skills that they could use in their fight against the ever present darkness.

They were ushered into their headmaster's office to take the portkey to the Ministry of
Magic where they would start on their careers as Aurors. After each had grasped the discarded
television aerial, Harry and his friends were whisked through a familiar swirl of wind and color
and found themselves standing in the very room that Harry had been in at the beginning of fifth
year. Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the rest of the Order were waiting patiently for their arrival.

"Wotcha, Harry?!" Tonks said enthusiastically as she crossed the room for a tight
hug.

"Hi, Tonks!" Harry said with a smile.

The rest of the group said their hellos in turn and the three friends were soon on their way to
a special section of the magical complex that was used specifically for the training of the
wizarding world's enforcement service.

Harry had, more than once, glanced at Hermione from the corner of his eye to catch her turn her
head from him quickly and he did the same whenever she happened to look his way. He couldn't
get over the fact that he felt so strongly for another person but still couldn't summon the
courage to talk to her about it.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when they entered the Ministry proper.

"We have to cross through the main lobby to the portal to the training grounds." Moody
informed them from the front of their caravan. "Once we get there ..."

Their new mentor was interrupted by an explosion at the front of the building. He whipped out a
small mirror and when he looked into it, his face paled.

"Blast it! This is too soon!" He shouted.

Harry caught a glimpse of what had caused such a disconcerting reaction with Moody and paled
instantly.

"What is it?" Hermione asked concernedly from his left.

"Voldemort." Harry said simply as he felt the familiar burning sensation enter his
skull from his scar. His hand went to it immediately and he pressed against it in a vain attempt to
push the pain away but it kept getting worse. He was vaguely aware that he was on his knees and
then suddenly jolted to his feet as Lupin and Tonks grabbed his shoulders and dragged him back to
the lifts.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked quietly as he struggled to erect the barrier that
his Occlumency training afforded him. *Breathe deeply. Clear my mind. Retreat to the dark
recesses of quiet and rational thought.*

"She and Ron are with Moody!" Tonks said hurriedly.

The commotion in the main lobby escalated as Aurors apparated on the scene, dropping what they
were doing from their various tasks. It was much swifter to bring a strong force into action after
Hermione shared the techniques she developed for the D.A. and their magical galleons. As soon as
there was trouble, one of a dozen coins could be activated to call a sizeable force to action. It
was very successful today.

Harry and his two companions had finally made it to the lift and the crushing pain in
Harry's skull had subsided dramatically. Lupin hit the emergency call button and a scant, few,
agonizingly seconds later, the car appeared before them.

"Get in, Harry!" Lupin ordered. Harry felt the force of his surrogate godfather's
push and then a much more powerful jolt as his entire body slammed into him. Tonks landed
face-first on the floor beside them and Harry had to struggle to turn and see what had
happened.

He wasn't prepared for the horror that the next few seconds brought him. Lupin's vacant
eyes bored into Harry's and his limp body kept him pinned to the floor. Harry fought
desperately to control his emotions as he rolled his deceased friend from off of him and scrambled
for the controls to the car. He fumbled with the many buttons and in a fit of desperate frustration
slammed one randomly. The car doors closed and he sunk to the floor as it made its way to the floor
he had chosen.

Harry looked sadly at the limp body of Remus Lupin and with a tremendous force of will reached
down and closed his eyes. He checked on Tonks and found that she had suffered a similar fate. As
his knees gave out the car came to a sudden stop at his chosen destination. With a silent goodbye
and tears roiling from his eyes, he stumbled into the Department of Mysteries.

He didn't have much time to decide on a direction and just as he chose a door, he heard the
bell to the car of the second lift chime the new arrival, without looking back, Harry ripped open a
door and ran through it in a desperate attempt to escape whoever was emerging from the opening
doors of the elevator.

"*YOU CAN'T HIDE, POTTER!*" Harry heard Voldemort scream with fury from a
mere two rooms behind him.

Harry hadn't been in this section of the Department before and he didn't recognize the
archway that stood before him. Instead of a dark alcove, a doorway, or even a door, there seemed to
be a white, billowing mist that was cascading from the top of the archway to the floor in a
perpetual waterfall of clouds. He approached it tentatively and the mist slowly formed into a
crystal clear scene. It was a scene that Harry had only seen in his nightmares.

There were footsteps rounding the bend behind him and without a second thought, Harry pulled his
wand and stepped into the walled, overgrown garden of what used to be his parents' house in
Godric's Hollow. He could have sworn that he heard his arch-nemesis curse when Harry
disappeared and he didn't have much time to think.

"*DISILLUSION!*" Harry said as he tapped his wand on his head and within moments
he was virtually invisible to anyone who might look his way. The chameleon effect the spell
produced seemed to work the best in a natural setting and Harry settled himself between two bushes
that had grown well beyond anything that was tamable. He had barely controlled his breathing when
the tall, black-robed presence of Voldemort made itself known.

"I know you're here, Potter!" He spat in his peculiar, high-pitched voice.
"Interesting that you fled to the same place that I destroyed your family." He chuckled
softly to himself. "Today, you join your dearly departed parents, Harry. Today we're going
to end this once and for all."

Voldemort scanned the garden slowly and seemed to look right past his prey. Harry couldn't
let the opportunity pass when his enemy looked away.

"*CRUCIO!*" Harry shouted with all the hate, anger, loss, fear, love, and what
seemed to be a million other emotions that had been pent up in his heart and soul for the past
seventeen years. Voldemort contorted into a satisfying heap on the ground. Every appendage on the
Dark Lord's body bent and twisted in ways that were completely foreign to a Human's normal
form and function. The howls of pain and agony spurred Harry into a frenzy of repeated castings of
the cruciatus curse.

"Each one, Voldemort, each and every one is for the hurt and pain you've placed upon my
friends, family, and me!" Harry said thought gritted teeth. "Today is the day that I
finally get to live my life without this damn prophesy molding me into fate's puppet!"

Harry sneered in derision when Voldemort looked at him with fear in his pleading eyes.
"Mercy, Harry, grant me mercy, I beg of you! You're better than I am!" He cried with
an outstretched hand to The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry glared incredulously at the creature panting for breath on the ground. "*MERCY?!
YOU ASK ME FOR MERCY?*" Harry cursed him again. "*YOU?! YOU WHO KILL WITHOUT IT! YOU
WHO TOOK MY PARENTS, MY LIFE, MY FRIENDS?!*"

"H-Harry, please." Voldemort panted desperately. "I-It wasn't me! It was the
powers of the dark arts! They consume you with thoughts ..." He paused as he gasped for
breath. "The ways of the dark arts overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop their evil
..."

Harry looked with disgust at the thing panting on the ground. *What if it was the dark arts
and not Riddle?* A familiar voice said in his head. *What if Riddle is innocent and just a
pawn of the evil energies?*

"*SHUT UP!*" Harry howled as he grabbed the sides of his head. He spied the
wretched form of Voldemort sneaking closer and closer to his fallen wand. Harry quickly came to
himself and summoned the instrument through which this most hated enemy had used on countless
occasions to spread sorrow and misery. The core-mate to his wand flew through the air to him before
the sickening figure could wrap his disgusting fingers around it again. In one deft move Harry
caught, snapped the wand in two and then set the pieces aflame in a magical incineration.

He glared at the now kneeling Dark Lord. "If I show you mercy, Riddle, it'll be the day
that I die!" Harry seethed with hatred and lifted his wand one final time.

Voldemort moved so fast it was a blur, he wrapped his arms around Harry and pinned the young
man's own to his sides. He brought his legs up and wrapped them around Harry's waist.
Voldemort then began to constrict the last Potter like a boa constrictor and smiled evilly.

"You know ssssomething?" He hissed in Harry's ear as if he were indeed reptilian
and not a man at all. "Thissss issss the ssssame way that your dear old da went." He
laughed with a hiss. The pressure that Voldemort was exerting on Harry began to show its
effect.

Harry struggled in vain to break the vice-like grip and howled in bestial pain when he felt his
ribs start to break, one by one.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy thissss." Voldemort whispered dangerously close to
Harry's ear.

Harry's legs gave out as he struggled for breath. He screamed in mortal agony as he felt his
spine start to collapse under the immense pressure.

"Ahh, now issss the time." The one who was once Tom Riddle cried in terrifying
ecstacy. "After thissss, I can't wait to ssssee what your young friend Hermione will be
like in my armssssssss."

Harry's head snapped up. "Y-you'll not ... touch ... her!" Harry wheezed
desperately.

Voldemort laughed his high-pitched inhuman laugh as he felt Harry go limp in his arms. "Oh,
and You'll sssstop me?" He hissed in mirth.

Harry smiled grimly and looked Voldemort in the eyes squarely for the last time.
"*FINITIUM MORTALIS!*" He shouted with every bit of energy he could summon
forth.

The ensuing explosion caused a small mushroom cloud to form which could be seen for miles in
every direction. The last thing Harry could recall was hearing Hermione scream his name before
everything went black.



2. The Plan
-----------

CHAPTER TWO

THE PLAN

"Harry?" A faint voice said with concern. "Harry, are you ok?"

He smiled as recognition of the person the voice belonged to flooded his mind.

"Hermione?" He said with a smile. He opened his eyes tentatively and saw her looking
down at him with a sad and concerned look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Harry, you won the battle with Voldemort. What are you doing here?" She offered her
hand and helped him to his feet.

Harry looked around for the first time. They were standing on a grassy hillock under a sky of
the purest blue. There were small puffy clouds dancing on an unseen wind and all around them were
fields of wildflowers. Beyond the fields was a crystal blue lake with a beautifully green forest
lining one side. "Where are we?" He asked, fear starting to build within him. "This
isn't Godric's Hollow."

Hermione looked at him sadly and shook her head. "No, this isn't Godric's Hollow,
Harry."

He felt a hand land softly on his shoulder and he turned to see who it was. "Mum?!" He
asked incredulously. "Dad?!" He said as another figure stepped up beside his mother.

"Hello, Sweetie." His mother said tenderly. "I didn't expect to see you so
soon."

Harry stepped back in surprise and bumped into Hermione. "I-I'm dead?" He asked
with wide eyes.

Hermione took his hand. "We all are, Harry." She said softy, the sadness evident in
her eyes and voice.

Harry shook his head. "You can't be dead, Hermione, you can't!" Without
thinking he pulled her into an embrace. "I can feel you in my arms! You're real!"
Tears started tracing random tracks down his cheeks.

"Son ..." James Potter said tenderly. "I know it's a shock ..."

"A SHOCK!?" Harry shouted. "You're damn straight it's a shock! If ... If
I'm dead, that means that Voldemort ..." Harry looked up in surprise.

Hermione smiled for the first time. "No, Harry." She said comfortingly.
"Voldemort died before you did. You were on the operating table at St. Mungo's when you
died ..."

Realization hit Harry. He had finally defeated Voldemort, but at what cost? He looked at
Hermione, really looked, for the first time. "You're here with me?" Harry asked
softly. Hermione nodded her head and smiled. "You ... You want to spend eternity ... W-with
me?" He asked tentatively.

Hermione smiled and pulled him into a tender embrace. "Yes, Harry, I do." She said
simply.

Harry looked into her eyes and before he knew it, he spilled out everything that he had pent up
inside since Sirius died. "I think I had fallen in love with you, Hermione." He said
quietly.

Hermione beamed at him. "I fell in love with you too, Harry." She admitted softly.
"Now we have all the time anyone could ever wish for to be together."

"Harry! I can't say I'm glad to see you so soon, but I am!"

Harry turned and saw his godfather stride up the small hillock they were all standing on.

"Sirius!" Harry shouted as he was caught in a fatherly hug. "I've missed
you!"

He looked at his mother and father and crossed to them as fast as he could. "I've
missed you too, Mum, Dad." They quickly hugged.

"We'll have as long as we want to get to know one another again, Harry." His
mother said with a smile and a tear of joy slipped down her cheek.

"There you guys are!" Harry heard Remus from the bottom of the hill. "Tonks is
just over the next rise with her family! James, Lily! Good to see you again!" He waved happily
at the small group of people.

Smiling broadly, Harry crossed back to Hermione. "I've been wanting to do this for the
past two years, Hermione." He said shyly and without further hesitation he kissed her on the
lips. She returned his kiss just as enthusiastically and they hugged each other tightly.

When they broke apart, Harry smiled happily for the first time he could recall. "I
can't believe that I'll finally be with you from now on." He looked at the others and
his smile grew bigger.

"*Come on, Harry! Come on!*"

"What?" Harry said as he looked to Sirius. "Where do you want me to go?"

Sirius's smile faded. "I didn't ask you to go anywhere, Harry."

Harry looked at his father. "Dad?"

James shook his head. "I didn't say anything, Son."

Harry looked at Hermione whose face had suddenly lost its glow.

"Harry ..." She said tentatively and tears started streaking down her cheeks.

"What's happening?" Harry said curiously. His family seemed to be slipping slowly
away from him though they weren't actually moving.

"We'll see you again, Sweetie!" His mother called after him.

"We love you, Son!" James shouted.

"Take care, Harry! We'll see you later, we promise!" Sirius called with a
wave.

"Hermione?" He looked at her again and she had stretched her hand out to him.
"HERMIONE!" He grabbed for her hand but she was just out of reach.

"Harry, I love you! I'll see you again!" She shouted after him between sobs.

"I love you too, Hermione!" He found himself shouting as he snapped into a sitting
position with his hand stretched out into empty air.

He looked around the room, his heart racing and he flinched at the pain in his sides. He was in
St. Mungo's and in pretty bad shape from the soreness and pain that was wracking his body.

The door burst open and Dumbledore entered the room at a run.

"Harry! You're alive!" His old headmaster crossed the room and stood next to him.
"We thought you had died ..." He said softly.

"Why did they bring me back?!" Harry said angrily. "I was with them, I was with
Hermione!"

Dumbledore's face dropped and he slowly sat in a bedside chair. "I'm sorry, Harry.
The mediwizards tried everything they could to save her and Ron."

Harry looked at his old mentor incredulously. "I didn't see Ron at all, he's not
dead." Harry said a little too coldly. He realized there was nothing he could do about it and
he at last looked at the broken man before him. With a sigh Harry put a weak hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, professor." Harry said as tears started to flow from his eyes.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Harry." Albus said as his shoulders started to
shake. "I should be apologizing to you for all the years of torment you went
through."

Harry's vision began to blur. "Professor." He said sleepily. "Where's
Ron?"

Dumbledore looked at the savior of the wizarding world. "Ron's here, Harry."

Harry nodded and fell asleep to dreams of Hermione and his family upon the grassy hillock that
he could only describe as paradise.

He woke with a start. "Ow!" He groaned in displeasure.

"Harry, Dear!" Mrs. Weasley snapped to and rushed to his side. "H-how are you
feeling?" She put a comforting hand on his shoulder as softly as she could. Harry looked into
the eyes of his surrogate mother and noticed the tear stains that enveloped her cheeks, the dark
circles that told him she'd been awake far too long, and the disheveled hair that meant
she'd rushed to the hospital without a second thought.

"I-I'll live." He said distantly.

Molly Weasley broke down into fits of tears as she cradled his head in her hands. "I'm
so, sorry, Harry." She pleaded with him as her tears splashed into his hair.

"Why are you sorry?" Harry asked as he stroked her hair. "You've done
nothing."

She pulled back and sniffed. "You've lost Hermione." She broke down again.
"Ron isn't any better..."

Harry looked at his surrogate mother with concern. "What's wrong with Ron?" He
asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

"B-Bellatrix ..." Was all she could get out before breaking down again.

"What about her?" Harry said with fear rising in his throat. He gulped
subconsciously.

"Sh-Sh-She tortured Ron s-so bad ..." She sobbed harder, the words difficult to form.
"H-He's in a c-coma and steadily getting w-worse."

Harry's tears had quickly matched the pace of his best friend's mother's and he
pulled her down into a comforting hug.

"I'm so sorry about Hermione, Harry." She sobbed again. "You never got the
chance to tell her ..."

Harry winced as the sudden realization hit him that they were literally worlds apart now and
there was nothing he could do to get to her short of killing himself. He broke down fully. He felt
Molly pull him into a tight maternal hug and he returned the embrace. They stayed that way for what
seemed to be hours, each of them releasing their grief.

When they broke apart and Mrs. Weasley sat back in the bedside chair Harry looked at the
grieving woman and said in a very quiet voice, "I saw them, Molly."

"Who, dear?" She asked between wiping her eyes and sniffing.

"I saw Mum and Dad. I saw Sirius, Remus, and H-Hermione." He said catching a sob in
his throat at mentioning her name. "She said she l ... She said ..." He took a deep
breath. "She said she loved me."

Mrs. Weasley broke down into tears again. "Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry." She sobbed as
she took his hand.

Harry blinked away the tears. "I was with them all, I told her, Molly. I told her I loved
her and she said she loved me back. We were going to be together with my family." He
couldn't keep the tears at bay. "We were going to be together ..." He choked on a sob
and he broke down in a new flood of grief. Mrs. Weasley pulled him into another hug and he buried
his face in her shoulder. "They all said they'd see me again ..."

He didn't say anything else and grieved until the nurse entered the room with a healing
draught.

"You'll need to drink this, Mr. Potter." She said tenderly. "It'll help
your bones heal faster."

Harry took the potion without thinking about it. *This isn't happening ...* He thought
desperately.

*It is. This is reality. Reality isn't kind.* The voice in his head said to him.

Harry angrily blinked away the tears. "I can save her." He said under his breath.
"I can save them all!"

"What was that, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked quietly through a sob.

*Nobody can know!* Harry thought angrily to himself. "I-I said I should have been able
to save them all." He choked back a new wave of grief with determination.

Molly Weasley choked out another fit of sobs. "Harry, dear, Harry. You wouldn't have
had enough time. As soon as you escaped on the lift, Bellatrix and Dolohov killed Moody and shortly
afterwards k-k-killed Hermione and t-t-tortured Ron." She sobbed again and Harry didn't
hear her speak again. The healing draught was doing its job and he was swiftly losing
consciousness.

*Time ... All I need ... is ... time ...*



3. The Non-Ambiguity of Paradox
-------------------------------

CHAPTER THREE

THE NON-AMBIGUITY OF PARADOX

Harry had been in St. Mungo's for nearly two weeks after the final downfall of Voldemort.
Each day he was receiving letters of congratulations, job opportunities, care packages, and other
odds and ends related to relief and thanks of millions of his fellow witches and wizards. It meant
nothing to him. Molly Weasley had been with him at least two hours a day and swapped shifts with
Ginny, Fred and George, and Luna Lovegood. Cho Chang had even made an appearance but left after a
short time. Everyone was secretly crying for him to recover and he didn't care. The only thing
that mattered to Harry was the plan. *The* plan. He had many hours to think about it. He
rarely slept because when he did he saw Hermione. He heard her tell him she loved him and wanted to
spend eternity with him. Harry didn't even bother with Occlumency to give him a good
night's rest.

"Harry?" Ginny called to him again. "Harry, please talk to us." She said as
tears started flowing down her cheeks.

Harry lay there staring at the ceiling not moving an inch.

Ginny moved closer to her friend and tried to take his hand in hers but he pulled away.
"Harry, please!" She cried but Harry didn't move or say a thing.

For what seemed to be the thousandth time, Ginny broke into sobs at the side of Harry's bed.
"Harry, we need you. Ron needs you. He's not getting better, Harry, they don't think
he'll last another day!" Ginny looked up in surprise. "H-Harry?"

The savior of the wizarding world, The-Boy-Who-Lived turned The-Man-Who-Prevailed was gone.
There wasn't a sound just a rush of air from a silent disapparation.

Ginny stood quickly in a state of shock. "MUM!" She shouted desperately.
* * *
How he did it, Harry couldn't remember. Somehow he'd gotten to his things at Grimmauld
Place and found the same set of clothes he wore that night. He grabbed the Marauder's Map and
his invisibility cloak and disapparated again.

Harry looked up at the telephone booth that was the entrance to the Ministry of Magic. He
stepped inside, picked up the receiver and dialed the numbers automatically.

"Harry Potter here to see the Minister of Magic." He said blankly into the
mouthpiece.

A small button clinked in the coin return and after Harry retrieved it, he found himself being
lowered to the main lobby of the center of England's wizarding world.

Harry quickly composed himself and made sure that the cloak and map were securely hidden on his
person and he walked confidently to the security guard's post and smiled.

"Is Minister Weasley too busy for visitors?" He said with as normal a tone as he could
keeping in mind the recent losses and the effect that should have had on him.

The guard smiled at him comfortingly. "He's in but I'm sure that he'll have
time for you, Mr. Potter."

Harry nodded and without a second glance made his way to the lifts. He waited patiently until an
empty car presented itself and he stepped inside. He pushed the button for the Department of
Mysteries and immediately threw on his invisibility cloak.

The car came to a stop and the doors opened to the familiar, circular room that he'd been in
on several occasions now. Harry stepped out of the lift and began opening doors. Each door he
opened led to somewhere he hadn't been before and he began to lose his patience.

"It's got to be here somewhere!" Harry growled in frustration as the room spun to
the next door. He ripped the door open impatiently and smiled grimly. *This is it.* He thought
desperately to himself. Harry moved swiftly through the room with the tank of brains and opened the
next door. He descended the stairs and crossed to the arch in the middle of the amphitheatre-like
room. As he got closer, he could hear the whispers of the people behind the veil just as he had two
years ago. He lost someone special that night in this very room and he thought that was
devastating. The recent events drove him over the edge far more brutally than he thought
possible.

He stepped onto the podium and closed his eyes. With intense concentration he could hear the
whispered words of the woman he loved. Tears erupted from his eyes and he looked at the shadowy
figures that were milling about behind the silky, thin material of ether that everyone referred to
simply as The Veil.

"I'm coming for you, Hermione." He whispered across the dimensional bounds. He
waited in vain for a response and after mentally reviewing the plan that had come to him in St.
Mungo's he turned and fled the room in quiet determination.

He made his way back through the room with the tank and into the circular room. He marked the
door with a flaming 'X' and tried to remember the sequence from his fifth year.

"This one." He growled under his breath and flung the door open. He nodded and walked
directly into the room containing the various versions of time travel devices. Harry stopped at a
desk next to the door and frantically searched the drawers until he found a thick, dust-covered
tome. He opened it immediately and began to scan the inventory list.

"Here we are." He said with a slight smile of relief. "They have one that deals
with weeks. Shelf 3a, box 9b, section 27." He looked up and scanned the shelves for their
catalog number. Once the location was spotted he headed directly for 3a and pulled the long wooden
box marked 9b from its resting place. As in the inventory, he found the required time turner
located in a cubical numbered 27 and he gently eased it out of the small cubicle.

He had just gotten the chain over his head when the bell to the lifts in the main room sounded
and the doors opened. "He might be in the Veil Room." He heard his old mentor Albus
Dumbledore announce from the entrance. "I'll look this way just in case I'm
wrong."

Harry quickly slid the box back on the shelf and looked at the time turner. *This is it.*
He thought with a sad smile.

"Harry!" Dumbledore said with more feeling than he had ever heard his headmaster ever
use. "Don't, you'll create a paradox!"

"I know the consequences, Albus." Harry said sadly, not looking from the golden
hourglass in his hands. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way."

"Harry, there's still much to live for!" Albus said desperately. "I know
it's hard to hear now, but ..."

"Things will not get better, Albus." Harry said as he finally looked at the man he
owed so much to. "If I don't do this, I'm going to kill myself so I can be with them.
At least this way, there will be another path for everyone to follow to a happier world."

"Harry! You don't know the consequences!" The old wizard started forward but
before he could take a step Harry had already turned the magical device twice.

"We'll see each other again, Albus." Harry said with a small, desperate smile.
"Thank you for everything. You've been the father I never had."

Harry looked around the small dark room he arrived in. He pulled his wand from his pocket and
muttered the lumos charm so that he could check the map he pulled from his other pocket.

*Good. Everyone is still outside at the ceremony.* He thought. He choked back a sob as he
saw Hermione's name and dot at the place where the podium would be. *She's giving her
speech.* He thought with a smile. *You know how proud of you I was that day, love?* Harry
wiped the tears from his cheeks and his face grew stern. There was nobody in the castle so he
pulled his cloak around him and slowly opened the door.

Within minutes, he was waiting patiently in the Gryffindor Common room in an area he could
clearly remember nobody had ever stood in. There was one time that Colin had tripped over the rug
and nearly broke his camera but that was well before Hermione had left for the library. He looked
up as the portrait swung aside.

"Hermione, that speech was brilliant!" He heard himself say from the entrance.

Harry wasn't prepared to hear, let alone see, the person he decided to break the laws of
time and space for. He had a difficult time holding back the elation and the tears that were
threatening to spring from him.

Hermione walked into view following his past self. "I was so nervous!" She said with a
blush. "But when I saw your thumbs up and smile, Harry, I knew everything would be fine."
She sat on the sofa a scant few meters from where he was standing and he fought with all his might
to keep from reaching out to her. Ron and Luna sat to her left and his past self sat on her right.
Hermione put her hand on his leg subconsciously as more and more of their Gryffindor housemates
entered the common room.

The party had just started and the laughter and music had begun to reach deafening levels. Harry
couldn't hear the conversation he and his friends were having but he could remember with
crystal clarity that they were all talking about the Auror training they'd be starting the next
day. Harry stifled a sob and looked from his past self to scan the crowd.

*Hermione should be leaving for the library in a few minutes.* He thought as he recalled
the events of that night. He scanned the room for the quickest exit that would allow him to avoid
the rest of his old friends.

Harry was so deep in thought and planning that he hadn't noticed Colin Creevey backing
towards him. He looked back to his past self and his friends when he suddenly noticed how close the
house photographer had gotten. He didn't have any time to move and Colin tripped over
Harry's feet and fell to the floor.

*That's why he fell?* Harry thought to himself. *OH NO! Wh-What if I already did this
and it didn't help?! What if Hermione dies anyway!?* He looked around frantically but had
the presence of mind to pull his foot back before Colin could feel what he'd tripped over.

A few seconds later Hermione stood and waved to everyone before heading to the portrait
hole.

*There's no stopping it now!* Harry thought to himself desperately and as quickly and
quietly as he could snuck up behind his lost love and matched her pace step for step out into the
hall.

Harry kept quiet as he followed behind Hermione. She had stopped on several occasions as she was
congratulated by another student or one of the professors. Harry hadn't seen Dumbledore so he
felt he was somewhat safe at the moment. After what seemed to be close to an hour, he finally
entered a deserted library behind an unknowing Hermione.

Without stopping, she made directly for the restricted section to the shelves that contained
information on Auror training. Harry followed her to the least used section of the library and
brought forth all the courage he could muster.

"H-Hermione?" He said quietly.

Hermione shot around in shock. "Harry?! What are you doing here? I thought you and Ron were
going to bed?"

He lifted the hood from his head and gently let the invisibility cloak slide to the floor.

"Harry? What happened?" She asked with growing concern. "It looks like you
haven't eaten in weeks! How can that ..." Her eyes rested on the time turner hanging from
his neck and she looked into his face with alarm. "What ..."

Harry put up a hand to silence his best friend. "I don't have much time." He said
quietly as he fought to keep from breaking down at the sight of her. At the way her eyebrows were
crinkled in confusion. At her soft, warm lips and entrancing eyes. *This is going to be tougher
than I thought.* He held up his index finger to let her know she should wait for just a
moment.

*Breathe Deeply. Remove all emotion from my mind. Step into the recesses of still and quiet
thought.*

Harry visibly calmed and he slowly opened his eyes to see Hermione still looking at him with a
mixture of anxiety, fear, concern, and surprise on her face.

"As I said, I don't have much time." He looked deeply into her eyes and felt his
heart leap to his throat. "There is something very important that I need you to know. It's
a matter of life and death."

Hermione took a step towards him lifting her arms as if to comfort him with a hug. "Harry
..."

He stepped back and held up a hand. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but there isn't even time
for that." She looked at him with sadness in her eyes and he fought back a fresh attack of
tears. "Hermione, tomorrow events will unfold that will cause me to lose those nearest and
dearest to me." He felt a twinge in his side but ignored it.

"Harry! The paradox that you're creating is going to destroy you!" She explained
as tears started flowing down her face. "What's so terrible that you'd want to destroy
yourself?!"

"Hermione, tomorrow morning at the Ministry of Magic, Voldemort will begin the final
battle." He grimaced at the pain shooting up his side but continued unabated. "During the
battle, we'll be ..." He doubled over and Hermione was at his side crying.

"HARRY!" She yelled as he went to one knee. She wrapped her arms around him in
support.

"H-Hermione." He gasped. "You and R-Ron are going to get the wooooorst of
it." His speech was slurring unnaturally. He looked up at her and his vision blurred as
another agonizing pain shot through his chest. He clutched his heart and sunk even further to the
floor.

"Harry! Harry stop!" Hermione was in tears and grasping onto him with everything she
had.

"Hermione ... B-Bellatrix a-and D-D-Doloh-ov ..." He gasped. "Be c-c-careful.
D-D-Don't follow m-me ..." He grimaced as another pain wracked his frame and he fell fully
to the floor. "D-Don't tell th-the past m-m-me." He gasped, his breathing ragged.
"Warn M-M-Mood ... Moody and Remus. D-Dea-Death." He whispered.

"Harry! Oh, my God, Harry! Don't ..." She was in near hysterics.

Harry did something she didn't expect. His eyes became fully unfocused and he looked
directly ahead of him. He smiled lovingly a the floor and then spoke in a whisper. "I came
back for you, Hermione. Now we have eternity to love ... each ... other ..." He whispered with
more emotion than Hermione had ever heard from him and she trembled when he didn't take another
breath.

"HARRY!" Hermione broke into tears as she watched the Harry Potter in her arms fade
from sight and she was left sobbing on the library floor with her arms wrapped around her sides as
she shook in uncontrollable grief. "Harry, no ... no ..."



4. The Defeat of Fate
---------------------

CHAPTER FOUR

THE DEFEAT OF FATE
*Graduation: Gryffindor Common Room*
Harry, Ron, and Luna were sitting on the couch by the massive fireplace that was the prominent
feature of the common room's northern wall. The graduation party was still in full swing with
everyone toasting with bottles of butterbeer and singing congratulatory songs to the rest of their
class. Hermione had left for the library to re-read one of the books on Auror training so she could
better formulate questions for Moody and the others. Poor Colin Creevey was still in the hospital
wing after tripping on the carpet and spraining his wrist when he hit the stone floor.
Unfortunately, his camera hadn't been damaged like Harry had hoped.

Harry was surprised at how Luna had filled out in the two years he'd known her. She was no
longer the smallish girl with a perpetually surprised look on her face. She'd blossomed into a
rather attractive young woman with correctly proportioned eyes, her hair had finally been tamed and
she no longer wore the strange combinations of clothes she did when they had met her.

Looking from his best friend's girlfriend to his best friend, Harry couldn't help but
recognize the immense changes that Ron Weasley had gone through since he'd realized he liked
Luna in a romantic fashion. He had been convinced that he was afraid of her, but it seemed it was
his own emotions he was afraid of confronting. Luna had been the catalyst that brought Ron from his
adolescence into a more mature man and Harry was thankful for that. At least he didn't worry
about Ron picking fights with Hermione much anymore. That all stopped when Ron realized that his
schoolboy crush on their joint best friend was nothing more than that, a crush. With that
realization, he stopped picking fights and began to show more respect and self control when it came
to their know-it-all companion.

Reflecting on the changes in his friends, Harry soon turned his reminiscing upon himself. He was
surprised in the changes that overtook him since his godfather had died. After returning to the
Dursleys', he'd gone into severe depression and relegated himself to his dark, small room
for the majority of the summer. He didn't want to do anything but after the fourth day of not
eating, Aunt Petunia had done something she had never done before, she asked him what was wrong.
Harry didn't know if it was the fear of having to deal with his wizarding friends or if she was
truly worried about him but before he knew what was happening, he'd started talking and told
her about everything that had happened since that fateful night in the shack on that small island
in the ocean.

Aunt Petunia had surprised him even more when she hugged him but it wasn't the same kind of
motherly embrace that Mrs. Weasley would have given him. Still, it was a start and even though he
was grateful that she tried to comfort him his mood didn't change. He would eat and sleep and
exist but beyond that there was nothing else. Harry was an emotional black hole with such a lack
for life that Aunt Petunia had become worried for his health.

Without warning, his bedroom door had opened two weeks after Sirius had died. Aunt Petunia was
standing in the doorway and after a moment, she had ushered his best friend into the room. Hermione
gasped when his aunt had whispered something to her and the older woman left the room before she
shut the door leaving the two of them alone.

Harry couldn't quite remember the next two weeks of visits from Hermione but he did remember
that she would be in his room like clockwork from ten until six every day. The first few days were
quiet and she would just sit on the edge of his bed and stroke his hair quietly. Eventually, she
started whispering words of encouragement and that things would get better.

He remembered ignoring her the first few days she talked, but eventually he'd watch her and
listen. Harry had gotten to memorize her face, her expressions, and began to realize why everyone
had put up such a fuss over the past two years concerning his and Hermione's relationship. Why
he didn't see it before, he didn't quite understand. Harry realized that he knew her better
than he knew himself. He knew what she was going to say, what she was thinking, and how to gage
what she'd do next based on the slight indications in her body language.

Harry had found that after two weeks had passed, he was out of his depression and held a new
outlook on life. Looking back on that time, he realized that he'd fallen for his best friend of
five years. The only problem was, even with his ability to know what she was thinking or what she
was about to do, he couldn't figure out her more base emotions. He didn't know how she felt
about him outside of the friendship they both shared. If he wasn't afraid of the possible
rejection he would have told her by know how much he cared for her but he never built up the
courage to tell her.

"Harry, why are you still up?"

Harry snapped out of his mental journal and looked up at his best friend. "Hi, Hermione,
did you find what you ..." Something wasn't quite right with Hermione, he could tell.
"Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Hermione looked away quickly. "Of course I've seen a ghost, Hogwarts is crawling with
them." She said quietly and seemed to be distracted.

"You know what I mean, Hermione." Harry said with concern. He stood and put an arm
around her shoulders to lead her to a more private corner of the room but she flinched and backed
away. "What?" He said with confusion.

"Please, Harry, I-I really don't feel too well." She said quickly. "Y-you
should get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow ..." She trailed off then looked to Ron and
then back to Harry. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow morning." With that she turned
to the girl's dormitory and hurried away.

"Hermione?" Harry called after her curiously and with worry. *What was that about?
She's never flinched from me before ...* Harry thought as his heart began to break. He
looked over to Ron and Luna. "Did you say anything to her?"

Ron had the same look on his face that Harry did. "No, mate, I haven't told her a
thing." Ron admitted. "She looked pretty spooked though, I wonder what
happened."

Harry knew his friend was telling the truth and he looked at the stairs that led to
Hermione's room and sighed. "I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find
out." Harry said heavily. "I guess I'll just go to bed then." He turned and
walked slowly to his room. After a few moments of concentration, Harry fell into a restless sleep.
He woke up from time to time and could hear the graduation party still going on. The noise was loud
enough to even penetrate the snores that were issuing from Ron.

Harry found himself thinking about the training they were getting ready to start in a few hours.
The threat that Voldemort posed wasn't over and he and his friends were going to use the time
to learn some new and specialized skills that they could use against the Dark Lord. Even though the
weight of that particular battle rested on his mind, he couldn't get Hermione's reaction
out of his head. *What's wrong with her?* He kept thinking over and over to himself.

He eventually drifted off into sleep again and was shaken awake by Ron a few hours later.

"Harry, come on, it's time to get up, mate." Ron was saying quietly so he
wouldn't wake the others who had just fallen asleep.

Harry groaned in protest but reached for his glasses and sat up with a yawn. "What time is
it?"

"It's early, Harry, four. It's so early that it's still dark out." Ron
said with a frown. "It's bloody unnatural to be up early even when the sun is
up!"

"But I thought we were supposed to be leaving at nine? Why the change?" Harry asked as
he got dressed.

"I don't know." Ron admitted. "Hermione woke me up and told me."

Harry looked at his friend quickly. "Hermione was here?"

"Yeah." Ron said. "She was still acting kind of strange. She had me wake you
instead."

Harry looked to the floor and sighed. "What if she found out somehow and she's avoiding
me now?" He could feel his heart starting to break all over again.

"Harry, I don't think she knows." Ron put a comforting hand on his friend's
shoulder. "I've seen the way she's looked at you, mate. She hasn't said anything,
but you can tell that she wouldn't be upset that you've fallen for her."

Harry looked up. "You'd think so, wouldn't you?"

Ron smiled slightly. "Well, we'll corner her when we get the chance. Let's get some
breakfast before we meet Albus in his office, we've got another half hour at least."

Harry smiled nervously. "It still seems strange to hear us call him Albus."

"Tell me about it!" Ron said with a laugh. "Come on, there's some sausage and
eggs with my name on it. Maybe we can talk to Hermione then ..." Ron trailed off at that and
turned to the door with Harry close behind him.

The two friends made their way to the Great Hall and found it empty. Harry sighed and the two of
them walked to their traditional seats and after the food appeared, they filled their plates and
ate in silence. Harry glanced more than once at the door and the empty seat that was beside
him.

"You'll get your chance to talk to her, Harry." Ron said with a comforting smile.
"I'm sure you're just reading her reaction wrong."

Minerva McGonagall walked from the entrance to the two young men quickly. "Come on, you
two." She said briskly. "You're going to be heading to the Ministry a little earlier
than we planned."

Harry looked up at his mentor who quickly brought her attention to the table. "I thought we
were leaving at five, Minerva?" He asked quietly.

Without looking at Harry, Minerva replied softly. "There have been some new concerns and it
was thought best to move out as soon as possible."

Harry and Ron stuffed a few more bites into their mouths and stood to leave. They were soon
ushered into their headmaster's office to take the portkey to the Ministry of Magic. Hermione
was already in the room and when her friends entered she looked up at them with a slight smile.
When she met Harry's eyes, she glanced away and stood to get ready for the trip.

Harry looked to the ground feeling defeated. *It's got to be it.* He thought glumly.
*She doesn't feel the same way I do and now she's feeling awkward around me ...*

After each had grasped the discarded television aerial, Harry and his friends were whisked
through a familiar swirl of wind and color and found themselves standing in the very room that
Harry had been in at the beginning of fifth year. Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the rest of the Order
were waiting patiently for their arrival.

"Wotcha, Harry?" Tonks said quietly with a smile. She crossed the room and gave him a
quick hug that was almost comforting.

"Alright, Tonks?" Harry asked with a slight smile after returning the hug.

Moody grunted his greeting and Remus extended his hand in greeting.

"How're you feeling, Harry?" Remus asked quietly.

"Ok, I guess." Harry said with a shrug and took the offered hand.

"You sure? You don't sound too good."

Harry nodded slightly. "It's nothing that can't be worked through." Harry
admitted as he glanced at Hermione. She glanced away when they made eye contact and hugged Tonks in
greeting.

After they all greeted one another, they were soon on their way to the special section of the
magical complex that was used specifically for the training of the wizarding world's
enforcement service.

Harry had, more than once, glanced at Hermione from the corner of his eye to catch her turn her
head from him quickly. He, however, did not whenever she happened to look his way. He couldn't
get over the fact that he felt so strongly for another person but still couldn't summon the
courage to talk to her about it.

*I just wish I knew if she felt the same about me ...* He thought with a sigh.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when they entered the Ministry proper. Moody had reached
into his robes and pulled out a small mirror. He looked at Hermione with a gruff smile before
putting it back into his robes.

"What was that?" Harry asked curiously.

"That's one of the tools that you'll be learning to use." Moody explained.
"It's a portable Foe-Glass. I think you've already seen one."

Harry nodded. "After the Tri-Wizard Tournament when Crouch Jr. was masquerading as
you."

"That's right." Moody smiled.

"Were you expecting trouble?" Harry asked quickly.

Remus and Moody glanced at one another then to Harry. "Not really, we are in the Ministry
and we've changed our plans and mode of travel several times. Since we've left well before
we intended originally, we figure there wasn't enough time for anyone to inform our
enemies." Moody explained matter-of-factly.

"Ah, I guess it goes with the 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' that you so often speak
of." Harry said with a wry smile.

"You're learning, kid." Moody laughed gruffly. "In any case, we have to cross
through the main lobby to the portal that will take us to the training grounds." He informed
the three friends. "Once we get there ..."

Their new mentor was interrupted by an explosion at the front of the building. He whipped out
the Foe-Glass and when he looked into it, his face paled.

"Blast it! This is too soon!" He shouted. "How'd they find out?!"

Harry caught a glimpse of what had caused such a disconcerting reaction with Moody and paled
instantly.

"What is it?" Hermione asked concernedly from his left.

"Voldemort." Harry said simply as he felt the familiar burning sensation enter his
skull from his scar. His hand went to it immediately and he pressed against it in a vain attempt to
push the pain away but it kept getting worse. He was vaguely aware that he was on his knees and
then suddenly jolted to his feet as Lupin and Tonks grabbed his shoulders and dragged him back to
the lifts.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked quietly as he struggled to erect the barrier that
his Occlumency training afforded him. *Breathe deeply. Clear my mind. Retreat to the dark
recesses of quiet and rational thought.*

"She and Ron are with Moody!" Tonks said hurriedly.

The commotion in the main lobby escalated as Aurors apparated on the scene, dropping what they
were doing from their various tasks. Because Hermione had shared the techniques she developed for
the D.A. and their magical galleons it only took one of a dozen coins to be activated and a sizable
force could be called into action. The new program proved to be very successful today.

Harry and his two companions had finally made it to the lift and the crushing pain in
Harry's skull had subsided dramatically. Lupin hit the emergency call button and a scant, few,
agonizing seconds later, the car appeared before them.

"Get in, Harry!" Lupin ordered. Harry felt the force of his surrogate godfather's
push. There was an explosion and the trio was assaulted by what could only be called a meteor
shower. There was a much more powerful jolt as Lupin's entire body slammed into him. Tonks
landed face-first on the floor beside them and Harry had to struggle to turn and see what had
happened.

He wasn't prepared for the horror that the next few seconds brought him. Lupin's eyes
were closed and there was blood dripping from the back of his head. Harry struggled to move but his
friend's limp body kept him pinned to the floor. Harry fought desperately to control his
emotions as he rolled the unmoving werewolf from off of him and scrambled for the controls to the
car. He fumbled with the many buttons and in a fit of desperate frustration slammed one randomly.
The car doors closed and he sunk to the floor as it made its way to the floor he had chosen.

Harry looked sadly at the limp body of Remus Lupin and with a tremendous force of will reached
down and felt the artery at the side of his neck. "He's still alive." Harry sighed in
relief as he turned and checked on Tonks. She was breathing but still unconscious. Harry pulled his
wand and performed the necessary healing charms to stop the blood loss from his friend as the car
came to a sudden stop at his chosen destination. With determination, he stepped into the Department
of Mysteries after sending the car to a new floor that was away from the fighting.

He didn't have much time to decide on a direction and just as he chose a door, he heard the
bell to the car of the second lift chime the new arrival, without looking back, Harry ripped open a
door and ran through it in a desperate attempt to escape whoever was emerging from the opening
doors of the elevator.

"*YOU CAN'T HIDE, POTTER!*" Harry heard Voldemort scream with fury from a
mere two rooms behind him.

Harry hadn't been in this section of the Department before and he didn't recognize the
archway that stood before him. Instead of a dark alcove, a doorway, or even a door, there was a
white, billowing mist that was cascading from the top in a seemingly endless waterfall of clouds.
He approached it tentatively and the mist slowly formed into a crystal clear scene. It was a scene
that Harry had only seen in his nightmares.

There were footsteps rounding the bend behind him and without a second thought, Harry stepped
into the walled, overgrown garden of what used to be his parents' house in Godric's Hollow.
He could have sworn that he heard his arch-nemesis curse when Harry disappeared and he didn't
have much time to think.

"*DISILLUSION!*" Harry said as he tapped his wand on his head and within moments
he was virtually invisible to anyone who might look his way. The chameleon effect the spell
produced seemed to work the best in a natural setting and Harry settled himself between two bushes
that had grown well beyond anything that was tamable. He had barely controlled his breathing when
the tall, black-robed presence of Voldemort made itself known.

"I know you're here, Potter!" He spat in his peculiar, high-pitched voice.
"It's interesting that you fled to the very same place that I destroyed your family."
He chuckled softly to himself. "Today, you join your dearly departed parents, Harry. Today
we're going to end this once and for all."

Voldemort scanned the garden slowly and seemed to look right past his prey. Harry couldn't
let the opportunity pass when his enemy looked away.

"*CRUCIO!*" Harry shouted with all the hate, anger, loss, fear, love, and what
seemed to be a million other emotions that had been pent up in his heart and soul for the past
seventeen years. Voldemort contorted into a satisfying heap on the ground. Every appendage on the
Dark Lord's body bent and twisted in ways that were completely foreign to a Human's normal
form and function. The howls of pain and agony spurred Harry into a frenzy of repeated castings of
the cruciatus curse.

"Each one, Voldemort, each and every one is for the hurt and pain you've placed upon my
friends, family, and me!" Harry said through gritted teeth. "Today is the day that I
finally get to live my life without this damn prophecy molding me into fate's puppet!"

Harry sneered in derision when Voldemort looked at him with fear in his pleading eyes.
"Mercy, Harry, grant me mercy, I beg of you! You're better than I am!" He cried with
an outstretched hand to The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry glared incredulously at the creature panting for breath on the ground. "*MERCY?!
YOU ASK ME FOR MERCY?*" Harry cursed him again. "*YOU?! YOU WHO KILL WITHOUT IT! YOU
WHO TOOK MY PARENTS, MY LIFE, MY FRIENDS?!*"

"H-Harry, please." Voldemort panted desperately. "I-It wasn't me! It was the
powers of the dark arts! They consume you with thoughts ..." He paused as he gasped for
breath. "The ways of the dark arts overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop their evil
..."

Harry looked with disgust at the thing panting on the ground. *What if it was the dark arts
and not Riddle?* A familiar voice said in his head. *What if Riddle is innocent and just a
pawn of the evil energies?*

"*SHUT UP!*" Harry howled as he grabbed the sides of his head. He spied the
wretched form of Voldemort sneaking closer and closer to his fallen wand. Harry quickly came to
himself and summoned the instrument through which this most hated enemy had used on countless
occasions to spread sorrow and misery. The core-mate to his wand flew through the air to him before
the sickening figure could wrap his disgusting fingers around it again. In one deft move Harry
caught, snapped the wand in two and then set the pieces aflame in a magical incineration.

He glared at the now kneeling Dark Lord. "If I show you mercy, Riddle, it'll be the day
that I die!" Harry seethed with hatred and lifted his wand one final time.

Voldemort moved so fast it was a blur, he wrapped his arms around Harry and pinned the young
man's own to his sides. He brought his legs up and wrapped them around Harry's waist.
Voldemort then began to constrict the last Potter like a boa constrictor and smiled evilly.

"You know ssssomething?" He hissed in Harry's ear as if he were indeed reptilian
and not a man at all. "Thissss issss the ssssame way that your dear old da went." He
laughed with a hiss. The pressure that Voldemort was exerting on Harry began to show its
effect.

Harry struggled in vain to break the vice-like grip and howled in bestial pain when he felt his
ribs start to break, one by one.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy thissss." Voldemort whispered dangerously close to
Harry's ear.

Harry's legs gave out as he struggled for breath. He screamed in mortal agony as he felt his
spine start to collapse under the immense pressure.

"Ahh, now issss the time." The one who was once Tom Riddle cried in terrifying
ecstacy. "After thissss, I can't wait to ssssee what your young friend Hermione will be
like in my armssssssss."

Harry's head snapped up. "Y-you'll not ... touch ... her!" Harry wheezed
desperately.

Voldemort laughed his high-pitched inhuman laugh as he felt Harry go limp in his arms. "Oh,
and You'll sssstop me?" He hissed in mirth.

"Yes, He will! *PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!*" Hermione shouted from behind the entwined
pair. Voldemort's look of surprise was frozen in place as his arms and legs snapped to his
sides and he fell to his side, inadvertently releasing The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry looked at his friend as she helped him to his feet. "Hermione? H-How did you know I
was here?" He grimaced in pain and the color started to drain from his face.

"I'll tell you after you finish this, Harry." She said shakily. "You're
not looking too well."

Harry smiled gently at her as he felt a wave of dizziness rush over him. He straightened himself
as best he could and lifted his wand above his head. "This is goodbye, Riddle, enjoy your time
in hell. *AVADA KEDAVRA!*" He shouted with all his strength and the familiar green light
and rush of wind issued forth from his wand.

There was a look of abject terror in Voldemort's eyes just before the killing curse struck
him in the chest then there was no further sign of life left. Harry leveled his wand and
incinerated the Dark Lord as he had with the tyrant's wand.

"H-Hermione, I-I don't feel so good." Harry said with a slur. "I think
I'm loosing t-too m-much blood." His knees buckled and Hermione tried to hold him up with
everything she could.

"Harry, hold on!" She cried as she hoisted him up. "I need you to help me
apparate you to St. Mungo's!"

Harry looked up at her and smiled weakly. "I-I'll try but it's h-hard."

Harry summoned forth all the courage he had and looked into his best friend's eyes. He
marveled at how chocolately brown they were. At the little gold flecks that twinkled back. He
looked at her soft, pink lips and the flush in her cheeks. Returning his gaze to her eyes he smiled
softly. *She needs to know before I die.* He thought quietly to himself.

"I love you, Hermione." He said tenderly before the whip crack sound that accompanied
apparition filled the air and he remembered nothing but darkness afterwards.



5. The Heroine
--------------

CHAPTER FIVE

THE HEROINE
*Graduation: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Library*
Hermione Granger was in shock. Just a few moments ago her best friend died in her arms.
*WHY?!* She screamed in her mind as she rocked back and forth hugging herself tightly. *What
was so important that he'd create a paradox and destroy his timeline? DESTROY HIMSELF!* She
broke into a new fit of tears and wiped her eyes angrily as she remembered the last few moments
she'd spent with her best friend.
* * *
*Harry did something she didn't expect. His eyes became fully unfocused and he looked
directly ahead of him. He smiled lovingly at the floor and then spoke in a whisper. "I came
back for you, Hermione. Now we have eternity to love ... each ... other ..." He whispered with
more emotion than Hermione had ever heard from him and she trembled when he didn't take another
breath.*

*"HARRY!" Hermione broke into tears as she watched the Harry Potter in her arms fade
from sight and she was left sobbing on the library floor with her arms wrapped around her sides as
she shook in uncontrollable grief. "Harry, no ... no ..."*
* * *
Her eyes went wide with shock. "Harry loved me?" She whispered with astonishment.
"W-why did he see me before he died?" She stood shakily as even more tears erupted from
her eyes. She looked around the library and remembered why she'd come down in the first place
but with the events that just happened, there's no way she could sit in this library and
read.

Hermione walked slowly down the halls and just smiled quietly when someone congratulated her on
her speech and her position as first of her class. She nearly stumbled up the stairs she was so
lost in thought, analyzing the situation. She stopped and let out a gasp.

"I died?" She whispered to herself. "W-would Harry really do something like that
to-to be with me?" She was certain that was the case. She started up the stairs again. *I
don't believe it! Why hasn't he said anything to me? Why did he take Ginny to the
Valentine's Day Ball when I dropped all those hints?*

Before she knew where she was, a familiar voice piped up.

"Password." The fat lady said in her usual way.

"Kneazle." Hermione said softly and the portrait swung open to reveal the entrance to
Gryffindor tower. She was nervous, scared, terrified was more the feeling. She looked up and saw
the three of them still on the couch and to her relief Harry was sitting next to Ron laughing.

*"D-Don't tell th-the past m-m-me."*

Hermione gasped when Harry's dying voice echoed in her mind. *H-how can I not tell him? I
tell him almost everything ... almost ...* She thought desperately.

"Are you going to go in or should I stay open all night?" The fat lady asked irritably
from the side. Hermione started.

"S-Sorry." She apologized quickly and climbed through the hole and into the common
room. *I-I'll just have to try and act like n-nothing happened.*

"Harry, why are you still up?" She asked in what she hoped was a concerned way.

Harry seemed to shake off a daydream and looked up at her. "Hi, Hermione, did you find what
you ..."

*I can't handle this right now ...* She felt more tears threatening to break free when
she looked into his beautiful emerald eyes.

"Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost." Harry asked with concern.

*Damn you! Why'd you have to go and do that for me? WHY?!* She thought desperately and
looked away quickly. "Of course I've seen a ghost, Hogwarts is crawling with them."
She said quietly hoping it would sound offhanded. *I need to get away from him ...*

"You know what I mean, Hermione." Harry said with concern. He stood and put an arm
around her shoulders.
* * *
*"HARRY!" Hermione broke into tears as she watched the Harry Potter in her arms fade
from sight and she was left sobbing on the library floor with her arms wrapped around her sides as
she shook in uncontrollable grief. "Harry, no ... no ..."*
* * *
She flinched when he started to direct her to a corner. *NO!* She screamed to herself and
pulled away.

"What?" Harry said with confusion.

"Please, Harry, I-I really don't feel too well." Hermione admitted. "Y-you
should get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow ..." She trailed off then looked to Ron and
then back to Harry. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow morning." With that she turned
to the girl's dormitory and hurried away.

After she hit the stairs she ran to her room and threw herself into bed as the grief of losing
the man she'd fallen in love with died in her arms. She cried in relief to see that he was
alive and well downstairs. There were so many conflicting emotions she didn't know what to do.
She hadn't read about situations like this in a book, she didn't like that her emotions
were not as controllable as her knowledge.

Whatever Harry James Potter went through, or will go through, she knew she had to make sure that
he wouldn't do it again. *I'm not going to let you turn back time and destroy yourself in
front of me again, Harry!* She thought angrily. *Great, the first stage of loss ...*

Hermione sat up after what seemed to be hours. "It looks like Lavender and Parvati are
still down at the party." She sighed quietly and got out of bed. "Sometimes I wish I
could just talk to him but I can't this time ... I could talk to them, but this is too
important." She walked to the bathroom with her pajamas and got ready for bed.

After washing her face, brushing her teeth, and twisting her hair into a loose ponytail, she
made her way back to her four-poster and slumped into her pillows. She reached under them for her
wand and a small, red, velvet covered book. There was a standard pen clipped to the cover and she
opened her diary to a new page.

*Dear Diary,
It's been a while since I've needed to talk. It's been so peaceful over the past year
since Harry got back from St. Mungo's that last time that I haven't worried about him much.
Oh, I don't think I can write what's happened but I can say that I really fear for his
safety tomorrow. I don't know what possessed him to do that for me but the bloody git isn't
going to do it again if I can help it. I can't tell him what's wrong this time, just like I
couldn't tell him that I love him. I know I've never said why I do, well, I guess I could,
it couldn't hurt now that I know what I know.*

She paused for a moment to wipe the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. *Ok, calm
down.* She consoled herself. *I'm going to have to request Occlumency training.* She
made a mental note and added it to her already long list of training requests.

*Where was I, Oh yes. Remember after fifth year when Harry lost his godfather, Sirius? He was
so devastated and angry. I remember telling him that I'd see him very soon after his blasted
relatives picked him up. Oh how I wish I could have hexed them all right then and there! The look
in Harry's eyes betrayed the smile he gave us, I could tell even then that he wasn't going
to let himself get over this. He's put so much on his shoulders and takes the blame for too
much that's out of his control. I wish he would just let me help. Mum and Dad picked me up a
little while later, I never thought I'd dread going home. Those muggles don't let him do
anything! I was so surprised that his Aunt Rang me a few weeks later! "You're his friend,
Hermione, is it?" She asked. I told her I was and she almost begged me to come over to visit!
I was beside myself.*

"Did you see what Seamus was doing?" Parvati giggled irritatingly.

Hermione put out her wand and feigned sleep.

"Shh." Lavender said quietly. Her roommate tiptoed over to Hermione's bed and
looked in on the sleeping girl. "I can't believe she's actually up here asleep!"
She shook her head and pulled the covers up over her friend and closed the curtains around the bed
quietly.

"I can't believe how she treated poor, Harry." Parvati whispered back. Hermione
could hear the two pulling on their pajamas as they gossiped.

"The poor guy was heartbroken." Lavender whispered back. "If I had someone as
handsome as him ..." She let that thought trail off and the two girls giggled irritatingly
again.

*Oh, Harry ...* Hermione thought quietly. *I'm sorry ...* She lay awake until she
could hear the quiet breathing of her roommates after their incessant gossiping had died down.

"Don't they ever shut up?" Hermione hissed under her breath.
"*LUMOS!*" She whispered and pulled her blankets over her head so she wouldn't
wake the others. "Where was I?" She whispered then quickly read over her passage and
continued her writing.

*You should have seen how bad he'd gotten. I can't believe how depressed he was! When
I got there he didn't even look at me. I couldn't help but lose hope that I'd ever see
him the next day, let alone standing by me at my wedding. He wouldn't respond to me for the
first few days but he started coming around. I was surprised that the Dursleys even let me visit as
often or as long as I did but somewhere in there I realized that I did love him and it wasn't
some stupid schoolgirl crush. When he told me about the prophecy I nearly lost it! I mean to murder
or be murdered?! What in the bloody hell?! I'm not going to let him face Voldemort alone, not
if I can help it! I want to see him alive and by my side. I love him.*

She lifted the covers and put out her wand. *I know what I've got to do.* She thought
confidently to herself. Hermione rolled over and set her alarm clock for four hours earlier than
what she needed to be ready.

"Harry, you're not going to sacrifice yourself this time." She whispered softly
and fell asleep.

A few hours later, the annoying sound of her alarm clock rang out next to her and Hermione
rolled over and tried to turn it off before her roommates woke up.

"What the bloody hell are you getting up so early for?!" Lavender moaned from her
bed.

"Will you turn that damn thing off?!" Parvati groaned from under her pillow.

"Sorry." Hermione said apologetically as she finally got the alarm clock to shut
off.

Without further word, she got out of bed, took a quick shower and got dressed for her busy day.
She packed her things away and sped quietly out of the room and made her way to the common
room.

"Nobody's here, looks like even the hard core party-goers either need food or
sleep." Hermione smiled grimly to herself. She reached into her robes and pulled out a small
pouch.

"Alastor Moody's Office." She said quietly and tossed a pinch of the floo powder
into the fireplace. When the flames went green she stuck her head in with closed eyes. When she
opened them she found a wand pointed at a spot between her eyes and the Auror that was pulled out
of retirement at the wielding end.

"M-Moody! It's ok, it's Hermione!" She said quickly while trying to keep the
tip of the wand from poking her in the nose.

"What the bloody hell are you doing flooing me so early in the morning?" Alastor
growled at the young woman.

"I have some important information for you, Remus, and Dumbledore." She said quickly.
"I need you to meet me in his office as soon as you can, it's very urgent."

Moody looked at the scared girl and nodded curtly. "Alright, I'll get Lupin and
we'll be there in ten minutes. *REMUS! IT'S GO TIME!*" Moody looked at Hermione
one last time. "Get yourself up to his office."

Hermione nodded and pulled her head from the flames.

"Who were you talking to?" Ron said sleepily behind her.

Hermione jumped and hit her head on the mantle of the fireplace. "*RON!* Don't
*EVER* sneak up on people like that!" She spat at him while she rubbed her head.

"Whoa, take it easy, Hermione!" Ron said putting his hands in the air. "I was
just walking back from the toilet. I was just curious is all."

Hermione looked at her best friend and sighed. "Sorry, Ron. You scared me is all."

"So who were you talking to?" He repeated.

"What? Oh, just telling Viktor the good news about graduation." She lied hurriedly.
"He was excited, but I don't think his new girlfriend was happy to see another woman's
head in his fireplace ..." She looked to the floor in an attempt to make it look like she was
hiding a blush.

"Oookay." Ron said slowly. "I thought you didn't fancy him." Ron said
skeptically.

"Ron, we are still friends!" Hermione said defensively. "How many times do I have
to tell you that we still talk?"

"Ok, ok!" Ron said with a slight grin and patting his hands in the air. "I'm
going to head back to bed. I guess you'll be in the library if we don't see you when we get
up?"

Hermione nodded quietly. "Ron? Um ... How-how's Harry?" She asked tentatively.

"Well, I haven't told him anything, but after last night he's convinced himself
that you don't like him for some reason." Ron admitted. "Don't worry!" He
said quickly when she gave him a warning glance. "I didn't tell him that you fancy him or
anything. I just reassured him that you wouldn't blatantly push him away without an
explanation."

Hermione grimaced. *I'm sorry, Harry ...* She thought to herself. *If you don't
tell me, I'll tell you.* She wished Ron a good night and made her way to the
headmaster's office.

"Rainbow Sherbet." She said at the gargoyle statue and watched as it nimbly hopped
aside. She stepped on the moving stairs and rode it to the top of the tower where Dumbledore's
office awaited. She knocked at the door and heard her headmaster invite her in.

"Ah, Ms. Granger, please come in and have a seat." He smiled at her softly.
"Moody here tells me that you contacted him a few minutes ago?"

Hermione nodded and gulped nervously. "I did." She said quietly. "I-I received a
visitor last night and ..." She fought back the tears. "And he gave me a warning to pass
on."

"Who was this visitor?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"H-Harry." She choked. "H-He used a time turner to warn me about Voldemort a-and
the paradox k ..." She buried her face in her hands and fought desperately to stop the
tears.

"It's ok." Remus said quietly and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You can tell us what happened."

Hermione took a few moments and after clearing her throat she whispered. "The paradox
killed him. I watched him die in my arms." She choked out another sob but fought back the
tears.

"What in the bloody blue blazes would he do that for?!" Moody growled angrily.
"The blasted fool ..."

Remus put a calming hand on Moody's shoulder. "Alastor, calm down, it's obvious
why." He whispered quietly and motioned to Hermione. She could hear them talking but let them
continue.

"Blast it!" Moody growled again.

"Well, it seems that Harry has given us the upper hand in this conflict yet again."
Albus said quietly. "Something's going to happen with Voldemort tomorrow, we're going
to have to be ready."

"He said a few other things." Hermione said quietly then she repeated what she could
remember, which was nearly the entire encounter. "I think that Bellatrix and Dolohov are the
ones who are going to do something to Ron and me. He said we'd get the worst of it
..."

"Very well." Dumbledore nodded and placed his chin on his long, steepled fingers in
quiet thought. "Moody, get everyone ready in the hearing room, we'll portkey everyone
there four hours early. That doesn't give us much time, but it should give us more time to
prepare."

"Sure thing, Albus." Moody walked over to Hermione and placed a gnarled hand on her
shoulder. "Don't worry, Hermione, we'll beat Voldemort at his own game." With
that he turned to the fireplace, whispered the destination and with a toss of floo powder he was
gone. Remus smiled comfortingly to Hermione and joined his comrade on the trip to the Order's
headquarters.

"Please let Harry and Ron know about the change in plans and I'll see you here in one
hour." Dumbledore said tenderly.

Hermione nodded absently and left the office. Without making a sound, she made her way to the
common room, and up the stairs to Harry and Ron's room. She opened the door slowly and stepped
in. She looked over at Harry asleep in his bed and marveled at the innocence and worry free
expression on his face. He rolled to his side and she stifled a giggle at the state of his raven
hair. *You look so sweet when you sleep.* She thought dreamily then she remembered what'd
happened over the past few hours and fought back another outbreak of tears.

She bent over Ron's bed and gently shook him awake.

"WASSAT!?" Ron jumped to a sitting position and looked around blurrily.

"SHH!" Hermione hissed.

"Hermione?" Ron asked quietly with a yawn. "What's going on?"

"We're leaving earlier than planned." She whispered. "You need to be ready in
an hour. C-could you tell Harry?" She asked with a trembling voice.

"S-sure, Hermione." Ron said with concern. "Are you ok? You've been acting
really strange since last night."

Hermione smiled lightly. "I'm fine, Ron." She lied. "I'm going to hit the
library before we go. Be at Dumbledore's office in an hour."

She left the room quietly and covered her mouth to stifle the sobs that were forming in her
throat again. *I really need to learn Occlumency.* She thought quietly.

After a quick breakfast and a scan through a few books, Hermione made her way to
Dumbledore's office and sat in a chair, patiently waiting for Harry and Ron to arrive. Harry
and Ron were soon ushered into their headmaster's office to take the portkey to the Ministry of
Magic.

Hermione looked up at her two best friends and offered them a soft smile. When she met
Harry's eyes, she glanced away and stood to get ready for the trip. After a second she glanced
at him again and felt her heart drop at the defeated look on his face.

After each had grasped the discarded television aerial, Hermione and her friends were whisked
through a familiar swirl of wind and color and found themselves standing in the very room that
Harry had told her about. Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the rest of the Order were waiting patiently for
their arrival.

"Wotcha, Harry?" Tonks said quietly with a smile. She crossed the room and gave him a
quick hug.

"Alright, Tonks?" Harry asked with a slight smile after returning the hug.

Moody grunted his greeting and Remus extended his hand in greeting.

"How're you feeling, Harry?" Remus asked quietly.

"Ok, I guess." Harry said with a shrug and took the offered hand.

"You sure? You don't sound too good."

Harry nodded slightly. "It's nothing that can't be worked through."

Hermione glanced away when he looked at her and busied herself with a greeting hug from
Tonks.

After they all greeted one another, they were soon on their way to the special section of the
magical complex that was used specifically for the training of the wizarding world's
enforcement service.

Hermione noticed that Harry kept glancing at her. She couldn't handle looking into his eyes
after seeing him die in her arms and she'd glance away from him whenever he'd caught her
looking. *I wish I could tell him about what happened.* She thought. *Then I could get on
with telling him how I feel ...*

She looked over at Harry when she heard him sigh and she sighed herself.

Hermione was brought from his thoughts when they entered the Ministry proper. Moody had reached
into his robes and pulled out a small mirror. He looked at Hermione with a gruff smile before
putting it back into his robes.

*Good!* She thought with a smile. *We were able to get here well before Voldemort!*
She couldn't help but glance at the man she was in love with.

"What was that?" Harry asked curiously.

"That's one of the tools that you'll be learning to use." Moody explained.
"It's a portable Foe-Glass. I think you've already seen one."

Harry nodded. "After the Tri-Wizard Tournament when Crouch Jr. was masquerading as
you."

"That's right." Moody smiled.

"Were you expecting trouble?" Harry asked quickly.

Hermione stiffened and looked pleadingly at Moody and Remus.

Remus and Moody glanced at one another then to Harry. "Not really, we are in the Ministry
and we've changed our plans and mode of travel several times. Since we've left well before
we intended originally, we figure there wasn't enough time for anyone to inform our
enemies." Moody explained matter-of-factly.

"Ah, I guess it goes with the 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' that you so often speak
of." Harry said with a wry smile.

Hermione stifled a giggle and relaxed when she realized they wouldn't tell him.

"You're learning, kid." Moody laughed gruffly. "In any case, we have to cross
through the main lobby to the portal that will take us to the training grounds." He informed
the three friends. "Once we get there ..."

Their new mentor was interrupted by an explosion at the front of the building. He whipped out
the Foe-Glass and when he looked into it, his face paled.

"Blast it! This is too soon!" He shouted. "How'd they find out?!"

Harry looked over Moody's shoulder paled instantly.

"What is it?" Hermione asked concernedly. *NO! NO! NO!* She wailed in her
mind.

"Voldemort." Harry said simply as he pressed his palm into his scar and fell to his
knees. Before Hermione knew what was going on, Moody had grabbed her arm with one hand and
Ron's with the other.

"Come on!" He said gruffly and literally pulled her with all his might.

"But Harry needs me!" She said desperately trying to get to her best friend.

"Remember what he said!" Moody hissed under his breath. "We have to be careful
here and we can't follow him!"

She didn't have time to argue as Remus and Tonks both took one of Harry's arms and
dragged him back to the lifts.

The commotion in the main lobby escalated as Aurors apparated on the scene, dropping what they
were doing from their various tasks. Because Hermione had shared the techniques she developed for
the D.A. and their magical galleons it only took one of a dozen coins to be activated and a sizable
force could be called into action. The new program proved to be very successful today.

Moody was dragging her and Ron behind the receptionist's counter when inspiration hit
Hermione.

"Moody! If they can't see us, they can't ..."

"Smart girl!" Moody said quickly and cast the disillusionment spell on the three of
them. It felt like an egg had been cracked on her head and as the cold moistness of the feeling
spread down her body, she noticed she was reflecting the terrain around her.

She looked to the lifts and without making a sound snuck towards them. *Don't follow him?!
RIGHT!* She thought incredulously. She had made it to the lifts and stood next to Harry, Lupin
and Tonks as Lupin hit the emergency call button. After a scant, few, agonizing seconds later, the
car appeared before them. Hermione snuck into the car and hid against the wall.

"Get in, Harry!" She heard Lupin order. A second later, Harry was being pushed into
the car right before an explosion and Lupin and Tonks were hit by what could only be called a
meteor shower. Lupin's limp body slammed into Harry and knocked him to the ground, pinning him.
Tonks landed face-first on the floor beside them and Harry was struggling under Lupin's
body.

She cried out silently at the look on Harry's face when he saw the last of his father's
friends. Lupin's eyes were closed and there was blood dripping from the back of his head. Harry
seemed to struggle as he rolled the unmoving werewolf from off of him and scrambled for the
controls to the car. He fumbled with the many buttons and in a fit of desperate frustration slammed
one randomly. The car doors closed and he sunk to the floor as it made its way to the floor he had
chosen.

Harry looked sadly at the limp body of Remus Lupin and reached down and felt the artery at the
side of his neck. "He's still alive." Harry sighed in relief as he turned and checked
on Tonks. She was breathing but still unconscious. Harry pulled his wand and performed the
necessary healing charms to stop the blood loss from his friend as the car came to a sudden stop at
his chosen destination. Hermione followed her determined friend when he stepped into the Department
of Mysteries after sending the car to a new floor that was away from the fighting.

He looked around quickly and without another word chose a door. The bell to the car of the
second lift chimed in a new arrival. Without looking back, Harry ripped open a door and ran through
it in a desperate attempt to escape whoever was emerging from the opening doors of the elevator.
Hermione followed as quickly as she could without making another sound and nearly fell when she
heard someone shout behind them.

"*YOU CAN'T HIDE, POTTER!*" She heard Voldemort scream with fury from a mere
two rooms behind him.

She didn't remember this room from their last visit to the department and from the look on
Harry's face, he hadn't either. They were standing in front of an unfamiliar archway.
Instead of a dark alcove, a doorway, or even a door, there was a white, billowing mist that was
cascading from the top in a seemingly endless waterfall of clouds. Harry approached it tentatively
and the mist slowly formed into a crystal clear scene. Hermione saw Harry stiffen and when she
looked into the arch she nearly gasped. *Godric's Hollow?!* She looked at Harry sadly.
*Not there, Harry!* She pleaded silently.

There were footsteps rounding the bend behind them and to her horror Harry stepped into the
walled, overgrown garden of what used to be his parents' house in Godric's Hollow. She
didn't have much time and followed after him just before Voldemort had stepped into the room
and cursed.

"*DISILLUSION!*" Harry said as he tapped his wand on his head and within moments
he vanished. Hermione moved towards the badly rusted gate that was hanging from it's top hinge
and she settled down next to a dilapidated rose bush. A few seconds later the tall, black-robed
presence of Voldemort made itself known.

"I know you're here, Potter!" He spat in his peculiar, high-pitched voice.
"It's interesting that you fled to the very same place that I destroyed your family."
He chuckled softly to himself. "Today, you join your dearly departed parents, Harry. Today
we're going to end this once and for all."

Voldemort scanned the garden slowly and seemed to look right past his prey. Hermione sighed in
silent relief when Voldemort scanned over her and he turned to look past a group of bushes on the
other side of the garden.

"*CRUCIO!*" Harry shouted with what Hermione could only describe as primal rage.
Voldemort contorted into a satisfying heap on the ground. Every appendage on the Dark Lord's
body bent and twisted in ways that were completely foreign to a Human's normal form and
function. The howls of pain and agony seemed to spur Harry into a frenzy of repeated castings of
the cruciatus curse.

Hermione was stunned at the vicious attack but held her ground. They'd have to do some
talking afterwards, but she knew that all the anger and depression Harry had built up was being
released.

"Each one, Voldemort, each and every one is for the hurt and pain you've placed upon my
friends, family, and me!" Harry said through gritted teeth. "Today is the day that I
finally get to live my life without this damn prophecy molding me into fate's puppet!"

Harry sneered in derision when Voldemort looked at him with fear in his pleading eyes.
"Mercy, Harry, grant me mercy, I beg of you! You're better than I am!" He cried with
an outstretched hand to The-Boy-Who-Lived.

*Harry! Don't, it's a trick!* Hermione pleaded silently to her friend.

Harry glared incredulously at the creature panting for breath on the ground. "*MERCY?!
YOU ASK ME FOR MERCY?*" Harry cursed him again. "*YOU?! YOU WHO KILL WITHOUT IT! YOU
WHO TOOK MY PARENTS, MY LIFE, MY FRIENDS?!*"

"H-Harry, please." Voldemort panted desperately. "I-It wasn't me! It was the
powers of the dark arts! They consume you with thoughts ..." He paused as he gasped for
breath. "The ways of the dark arts overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop their evil
..."

*The dark arts don't work that way!* She thought desperately. *Don't fall for
it!* She rose to her feet when she saw that Harry was contemplating just that.

Harry looked with disgust at the thing panting on the ground. "*SHUT UP!*" Harry
howled as he grabbed the sides of his head.

Hermione looked in shock at the sight. *What's he doing?*

She didn't even see what Voldemort was doing she was so engrossed in what was happening to
Harry. He seemed to come to and summoned Voldemort's wand to him. The core-mate to his wand
flew through the air to him before the sickening figure could wrap his disgusting fingers around it
again. In one deft move Harry caught, snapped the wand in two and then set the pieces aflame in a
magical incineration.

He glared at the now kneeling Dark Lord. "If I show you mercy, Riddle, it'll be the day
that I die!" Harry seethed with hatred and lifted his wand one final time.

Voldemort moved so fast it was a blur, he wrapped his arms around Harry and pinned the young
man's own to his sides. He brought his legs up and wrapped them around Harry's waist.
Voldemort then began to constrict the last Potter like a boa constrictor and smiled evilly.

*HARRY!* Hermione shouted desperately in her mind. *What do I do?!* She looked around
frantically for something to use as a weapon.

"You know ssssomething?" He hissed in Harry's ear as if he were indeed reptilian
and not a man at all. "Thissss issss the ssssame way that your dear old da went." He
laughed with a hiss. The pressure that Voldemort was exerting on Harry began to show its effect.
Harry was struggling in Voldemort's death grip and howled in bestial pain.

Hermione's eyes started to fill with tears as she removed the disillusionment charm from her
and brought her wand to bear on the Dark Lord.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy thissss." Voldemort whispered dangerously close to
Harry's ear.

Harry's legs gave out and his face was turning a dangerous shade of white. He screamed in
such mortal agony that Hermione's heart broke just as her courage had started to build within
her.

"Ahh, now issss the time." The one who was once Tom Riddle cried in terrifying
ecstacy. "After thissss, I can't wait to ssssee what your young friend Hermione will be
like in my armssssssss."

She looked up in shock before she could cast the spell. *He's going to go after me when
he's finished?!* She couldn't believe it. She looked at Harry and started walking
towards the two. *I have to get into range!*

Harry's head snapped up. "Y-you'll not ... touch ... her!" Harry wheezed
desperately.

Voldemort laughed his high-pitched inhuman laugh as Harry went limp in his arms. "Oh, and
You'll sssstop me?" He hissed in mirth.

"Yes, He will! *PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!*" Hermione shouted from behind the entwined
pair. Voldemort's look of surprise was frozen in place as his arms and legs snapped to his
sides and he fell to his side, inadvertently releasing The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry looked at his friend as she helped him to his feet. "Hermione? H-How did you know I
was here?" She looked at Harry and realized that he was dying ... again.

"I'll tell you after you finish this, Harry." She said shakily. "You're
not looking too well."

Harry smiled gently at her and tilted to one side in her arms. He straightened himself as best
he could and lifted his wand above his head. "This is goodbye, Riddle, enjoy your time in
hell. *AVADA KEDAVRA!*" He shouted with all his strength and the familiar green light and
rush of wind issued forth from his wand.

There was a look of abject terror in Voldemort's eyes just before the killing curse struck
him in the chest then there was no further sign of life left. Harry leveled his wand and
incinerated the Dark Lord as he had with the tyrant's wand.

"H-Hermione, I-I don't feel so good." Harry said with a slur. "I think
I'm loosing t-too m-much blood." His knees buckled and Hermione tried to hold him up with
everything she could.

"Harry, hold on!" She cried as she hoisted him up. "I need you to help me
apparate you to St. Mungo's!"

Harry looked up at her and smiled weakly. "I-I'll try but it's h-hard."

Hermione looked into his face and saw him staring at her. His eyes were beginning to dull but
she could see something there, a glimmer. She found it difficult to look away from his emerald eyes
and she took in his entire face as she felt him take a deep breath.

"I love you, Hermione." He said tenderly before the whip crack sound that accompanied
apparition filled the air.

Hermione was standing in the waiting room of St. Mungo's with a limp Harry in her arms. She
looked down at his unconscious form and whispered. "I love you too, Harry."

Mediwizards and nurses began to swarm around them. "What happened?" A nurse asked
hurriedly as she conjured a stretcher for Harry.

"Fight with Voldemort." Hermione said quickly as the surrounding medical personnel
flinched at the name. "He's not doing so well, Voldemort crushed him like an anaconda or
something."

"We've got it from here!" A mediwizard said quickly. "Another from the
Ministry!" He shouted. "Operating Room! STAT!"

Hermione collapsed on the floor where she stood. "Please make it, Harry." She
whispered to herself as tears began to streak down her cheeks.



6. Paradox Unwound
------------------

CHAPTER SIX

PARADOX UNWOUND

"Harry?" A faint voice said with concern. "Harry, are you ok?"

He frowned at the familiar voice but he couldn't quite place where he'd heard it before.
"Hello?" He asked cautiously. He opened his eyes tentatively and saw his own eyes looking
back at him. The woman's face the eyes belonged to was framed by a cascade of long auburn hair.
"M-Mum?" He asked incredulously.

"Hello, Sweetie." His mother said tenderly. "I didn't expect to see you so
soon."

Harry's mind reeled at the implications. "I-I'm dead?" He whispered with shock
showing in his wide eyes.

"We all are, here, sweetie." She said quietly as tears began to streak down her
cheeks.

"Son ..." James Potter said tenderly offering a hand to his son. "I know it's
a shock ..."

"A SHOCK!?" Harry shouted pulling away from the offered help to his feet.
"You're damn straight it's a shock! If ... If I'm dead, that means that Voldemort
..." Harry looked up in surprise. "I-If I'm dead that means that Voldemort
..."

His mother smiled for the first time. "No, Harry." She said comfortingly.
"Voldemort died before you did. You were on the operating table at St. Mungo's when you
died ..."

Realization hit Harry. He had finally defeated Voldemort, but what about his friends? What about
Hermione? His heart began to break at the thought of never being with her again, of never seeing
her smile or the way that she furrowed her brow when she was deep in thought. He felt the tears
start to swell when the thought of family flitted across his mind and he had hoped that Hermione
would be the one to build that family with. He got to his feet, wiped his eyes and looked around
for the first time. They were standing on a grassy hillock under a sky of the purest blue. There
were small puffy clouds dancing on an unseen wind and all around them were fields of wildflowers.
Beyond the fields was a crystal blue lake with a beautifully green forest lining one side.

Harry sighed. "This place is beautiful." He admitted. "Not as beautiful as
Hermione, though."

"You'll see her again, sweetie." His mother said as she pulled him into a motherly
embrace. "It'll be a while, but you'll see her again. From what we've seen,
she's a wonderful girl."

"Y-You can see what's happening?" Harry asked with surprise.

"Of course, son." James said with a sad smile. "Did you think we wouldn't
watch over you after all this time?"

Harry looked at his father and within seconds pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry, Dad, I
was just upset. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"It's alright, Harry." His father said as he embraced his son. "We fully
understand what it's like. My father and mother, your grandparents, were here for me and your
mother when we arrived. I went through the same thing, so did your mum."

"Harry! I can't say I'm glad to see you so soon, but I am!"

Harry turned and saw his godfather stride up the small hillock they were all standing on.

"Sirius!" Harry shouted as he was caught in a fatherly hug. "I've missed
you!"

He looked back to his mother and father and crossed to them as fast as he could. "I've
missed you too, Mum, Dad." They quickly hugged.

"We'll have as long as we want to get to know one another again, Harry." His
mother said with a smile and a tear of joy slipped down her cheek.

When they broke the family embrace, Harry smiled happily for the first time he could recall.
"I can't believe that I'll finally be with you from now on." He looked at the
others and his smile grew bigger.

"*Come on, Harry! Come on!*"

"What?" Harry said as he looked to Sirius. "Where do you want me to go?"

Sirius's smile faded. "I didn't ask you to go anywhere, Harry."

Harry looked at his father. "Dad?"

James shook his head. "I didn't say anything, Son."

Harry looked at his mother whose face had suddenly lost its glow.

"Harry ..." She said tentatively and tears started streaking down her cheeks.

"What's happening?" Harry said curiously. His family seemed to be slipping slowly
away from him though they weren't actually moving.

"We love you, Son!" James shouted.

"Take care, Harry! We'll see you later, we promise!" Sirius called with a
wave.

"We'll see you again, Sweetie!" His mother called after him.

"Mum? Dad?" He looked at her again and she had stretched her hand out to him.
"MUM!" He grabbed for her hand but she was just out of reach. He found himself shouting
as he snapped into a sitting position with his hand stretched out into empty air.

He looked around the room, his heart racing and he flinched at the pain in his sides. He was in
St. Mungo's and in pretty bad shape from the soreness and pain that was wracking his body.

Hermione snapped her head up at the sudden shout and her eyes went wide when she saw that Harry
was awake.

"HARRY!" She cried as she threw her arms around him in a fit of sobs. "I thought
I'd lost you again!"

The door burst open and Dumbledore entered the room at a run.

"Harry! You're alive!" His old headmaster crossed the room and stood next to him.
"We thought you had died ..." He said with a grin and a twinkle in his eyes.

Ron was soon to follow and without hesitation joined Hermione by clapping the stunned Harry
Potter on the back. "Good to see you back in the land of the living, mate!"

"Why did they bring me back?!" Harry asked quietly. "I was with them, I was with
Mum, Dad, and Sirius ..." He realized there was nothing he could do about it and he looked at
the three friends before him. "I'm sorry." He said quietly as he returned
Hermione's hug. *Wait a minute, did she say again?*

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Harry." Albus said as his smile went wider.
"You've saved the wizarding world, Harry. I'm sorry that you were taken from your
family again, but it seems that it wasn't your time to go."

Harry's vision began to blur. "I'm hungry." He said sleepily.

Dumbledore looked at the savior of the wizarding world and placed a comforting hand on his
shoulder. "Get some rest first, my boy, get some rest. You deserve it."

Harry nodded and fell asleep still feeling Hermione pressed tightly against him. He held onto
her as best he could and found himself in dreams where he and Hermione were finally together,
building the family that he so desperately wanted.

Harry woke with a start. "Ouch!" He groaned in displeasure.

"Harry, Dear!" Mrs. Weasley snapped to and rushed to his side. "H-how are you
feeling?" She put a comforting hand on his shoulder as softly as she could. Harry looked into
the eyes of his surrogate mother and noticed the tear stains that enveloped her cheeks, the dark
circles that told him she'd been awake far too long, and the disheveled hair that meant
she'd rushed to the hospital without a second thought.

"I'm ok, just a bit sore." He said quietly.

Molly Weasley broke down into fits of tears as she cradled his head in her hands. "I'm
so, happy that you made it, Harry." She laughed and cried at the same time while her tears
splashed into his hair.

Harry remembered that Hermione had been there when he fell asleep. "Where's
Hermione?" He asked as he was pulled into a motherly embrace.

She pulled back and sniffed. "She's gone to the cafeteria with Ron." She smiled at
him comfortingly. "She said something about you being hungry."

Harry smiled. "I guess I did say that, didn't I?" He laughed at the recollection.
"How are Remus and Tonks?" He asked suddenly remembering his two friends unconscious on
the floor of the lift car.

"They're fine, Harry." Molly said with a smile. "They were brought in shortly
before you were. They had concussions and bruises, but nothing major."

Harry sighed in relief. "That's good. Lupin lost a lot of blood and I didn't know
if my healing charms were strong enough."

"Oh, they were, Harry." Remus said at the door. He was supporting Tonks who seemed to
still be a bit woozy.

"Remus!" Harry said with a smile. "Tonks! I'm glad you got through it all
ok!"

"Well, if Dumbledore hadn't moved that statue in the way of those killing curses, we
might not have made it!" Tonks said with a smile as the two friends made their way over to
Harry. "Thanks, Harry." She said as she caught him in a hug and kissed him on the
cheek.

"You don't need to thank me." Harry said with a blush. "You would have done
the same for me."

Lupin clapped him lightly on the shoulder. "That we would have, Harry!" He said with a
smile. "Come on Nymph, let's get you back to your room, you still don't look too
well."

"Don't call me that!" She hissed through clenched teeth as everyone laughed.
"I'll see you later, Harry, take care now!" She and Remus waved and left the
room.

"Well, have you told Hermione yet?" Mrs. Weasley asked with a sly grin.

"Told her what?" Harry looked at her in confusion.

"About your feelings, dear." She smiled back. "There's nothing stopping you
now."

"Well, I think I did before we apparated here." Harry said with a look of
concentration on his face. "Everything was a blur after the fight and I vaguely remember
saying something ... How did you know?"

"We mother's know these things, Harry." She retorted with a laugh. "I know
I'm not your real mother, but you've been a part of our family for such a long time, and so
has Hermione. It's difficult not to see what's going on."

Mrs. Weasley sat back in the bedside chair Harry looked at the smiling woman and said in a very
quiet voice, "I saw them, Molly."

"Who, dear?" She asked as she pulled a brush through her hair and looking relieved at
the simple activity.

"I saw Mum, Dad, and Sirius." He said with a sigh. "Mum told me she was surprised
to see me so soon ... I guess she knew I wouldn't be there long."

Mrs. Weasley smiled softly and put a comforting hand on his arm. "Oh, Harry, I'm so
sorry. You'll see them again someday and I'm sure you know that they'll always be here
for you."

A small smile twitched to life on Harry's face. "They all said they'd see me again
... I'm looking forward to it but I'm more looking forward to her." He added quietly
as he looked to the doorway where a smiling Hermione was standing.

"You're awake! I hope it's longer than last time, Harry." She walked swiftly
to the side of his bed after a quick hug from Mrs. Weasley.

"I'll leave you two to catch up." She said with a wink to Harry and left the
room.

Harry smiled at his surrogate mother and then looked at the girl pulling the chair closer to the
bed. "Hi." He said softly as he took her hand.

Hermione blushed and smiled shyly at him. "Hi."

There was an awkward silence for a few moments but Harry broke it by clearing his throat.
"Thanks." He said simply. "Thanks for being there at the end, I don't think I
would have been able to make it without you."

He was startled to see tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" He asked quietly as he wiped her tears from her cheeks.
Hermione's voice echoed in his mind. *'I thought I'd lost you again!'*

She sniffed and held his hand tighter. "I-I thought you were dead, Harry." She said
after a moment. "You felt so cold and limp when we got here ..."

"Hermione, what did you mean when you said 'I thought I'd lost you
again'?" He asked quietly. "When did you ever lose me?"

Hermione snapped her head up and looked him in the eyes. She glanced away as tears began to run
down her cheeks again. "I ... you, you died in my arms on graduation night." She said
bluntly.

"WHAT?" Harry asked incredulously. "How could I have?"

Hermione smiled for a moment and looked at him. "It wasn't you, Harry, but a future
version of you. That you caused a paradox that destroyed the timeline he belonged to."

Harry looked at her in confusion then remembered third year. "He, I, that version of me
used a time turner?" He asked incredulously.

Hermione nodded. "By telling me what was going to happen, he doomed his timeline including
himself to destruction. H-He died in my arms a-and faded away." She broke down in tears and
Harry pulled her into a comforting hug. "Damnit, Harry! I wasn't worth that!"

Harry stroked her hair lovingly and cooed softly to her. "Shh, I'm sorry,
Hermione." He whispered. "But you're wrong, you are everything to me." He said
in a barely audible whisper.

"What?" She sniffed and pulled back to look into his eyes.

"I said that you're everything to me, Hermione." Harry said with a serious tone.
"I guess you meant so much to me that I was willing to throw everything else away."

Hermione looked into his shining emerald eyes. "Why? Why didn't you just tell me,
Harry?"

"I was afraid that you didn't feel the same for me." He said quietly as he looked
at his hands. "After that summer when Sirius died, I couldn't imagine wanting to live, but
after your visits, I realized that I wanted nothing to do but spend the rest of my life with
you." He looked back to her face and scanned for any reaction with a faint glimmer of
hope.

He didn't have to wait long before he found himself on the receiving end of the sweetest
kiss he had ever had or ever wanted. Lightning seemed to jolt from Hermione's soft, wet lips
through his and start a chain reaction of nervous warmth that spread through his body. He pulled
her in closer and reciprocated with a passion that he had never experienced and felt her arms
encircle him with her fingers running haphazardly through his hair.

They broke apart after several, short, minutes.

"Does that answer your question?" She asked with a smile.

Harry nodded mutely as a goofy grin spread across his face and he pulled her into another long
kiss. After they finished their second kiss, Hermione pulled him into a tight hug.

"And since you didn't hear me when we got here, I love you too, Harry." She
whispered in his ear.

**A/N:**There you have it. The Time Turner challenge completed! I hope you've all enjoyed
it and I really appreciated all of the reviews! :) This, as you can see, was my first time
travel/paradox kind of fic and I hope I didn't confuse anyone with it. Unfortunately due to the
nature of the fic, there was alot of re-used text and scenes that I tried to change due to the
first trip that Harry made. And I hope you like the happy ending :) On to other H/Hr fics of fluff!
(or maybe just more fics :) )

-Ex



