Chapter Text
May 1st, 1998 -- in the Hog's Head
Hermione jerked awake.
"Sorry!" Ron said quickly, his hand still on her shoulder. "Didn't mean to startle you. Harry says Ariana's coming back. It looks like she's got someone with her."
Hermione pushed off the terrible couch and blinked her bleary eyes. She could just make out the figure in the portrait as she walked closer, someone limping along beside her. "Is that. . ."
"Neville!" Harry cried, jumping back when the portrait swung open.
"I knew you'd come! I told them all, Harry Potter would never abandon Hogwarts!"
Hermione took in Neville's battered look. His hair was significantly longer than when she'd last seen him. His jersey was ripped. He bore a swollen eye. A violent scar tore across his cheek.
"Neville," Harry said, "you look--"
"Like hell? I'll bet! This is nothing, though. You should see Seamus. You-- Hermione! Ron!"
Neville jumped out of the hole in the wall and pulled both Ron and Hermione into a hug. As he let go of them, Aberforth Dumbledore returned.
Hermione wondered if she'd even slept or if she'd just dozed off for a few seconds.
"Hey, Abe," Neville said, "there might be a couple more people on the way."
Aberforth nodded to Neville, who then turned to the trio. He hopped back into the wall and held out his hand. "Ready?"
Hermione pushed forward and grabbed Neville's hand, letting him pull her up. Once all three were in, the portrait swung closed again. They followed Neville down the dark tunnel.
"I don't remember this being on the map," Ron said, if only to break the silence.
"It never existed until now," Neville said, "the seven secret passages were sealed off before the start of the year. This is the only way in or out now. The grounds are crawling with Death Eaters and Dementors."
"How bad is it, Neville?" Hermione asked, "having Snape as a headmaster."
"Hardly ever see him. It's the Carrows you've got to watch out for."
"The Carrows?" Harry asked.
"Brother and sister. They're in charge of discipline."
"They did this to you?" Ron asked, gesturing the wounds he could see. "Why?"
"Today's lesson was practising the Cruciatus Curse . . . on First Years. I refused. Hogwarts has changed."
Hermione began to feel as if the tunnel may never come to an end.
The student body was thrilled to see Harry Potter. As Harry began to explain that they'd come to Hogwarts in search of something, something they didn't even know about, Hermione's gaze landed on the haphazardly folded Marauder's Map. Between the edges, she could see the corridor outside the Room of Requirement. Pacing along the corridor was a banner with a name on it.
"I'm not feeling quite well," she murmured to Ron and Neville, "perhaps a bit of fresh air would do me some good."
Ron started to nod.
"Absolutely not," Neville said, "who knows what could be lurking out there?"
"I'll take the Map," Hermione said, snatching the parchment and holding it close to her chest. "Besides, there's a window in the corridor. I won't even look out of it."
Neville held Hermione's innocent gaze for a moment. "Keep your eyes on the Map. Make sure you keep watch on the corridor as well. If--"
"If someone comes, I won't open the Room. Trust me, Neville, I won't compromise the DA."
Neville glanced at Ron, who shrugged. "I'll come with you--"
"No. As much as I appreciate the offer, Ron, I just . . . I just need a moment."
Neville and Ron watched as Hermione vanished. The only indication to her whereabouts was the doors opening the tiniest bit before they shut again.
"What do you want here?"
Draco Malfoy stared at Hermione in stunned silence.
"What's the matter with you, Malfoy? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"H--how--" Draco swallowed painfully. "How did you know I was out here?"
Hermione waved the parchment at him. "I have my ways, Malfoy. Now, what do you want here?"
"Uh, I-- have you got the time?"
"The time? It's nearly eight. Probably closer to seven, though."
"Oh. That -- that's good."
Hermione frowned. "Seriously, stop. It's starting to get creepy. Blink, damnit!"
Draco blinked rapidly. He was startled, as if he was just now seeing Hermione for the first time. "Hello."
"Malfoy? Have you been hit over the head?" She wasn't sure where the concern was coming from, given that he'd had an unblinking stare on her just a second ago.
"I'm fine. Are you?"
"What? Yes, obviously. Why wouldn't I be? Look, I appreciate what you did for us back at the manor, but it doesn't mean I dislike you any less. You're still . . . you."
"Right. Obviously. Just . . . be safe, okay? I don't like owing people."
Hermione frowned as Draco turned to leave. Owing people? She stared after Draco, wondering if he'd had too much to drink or something of the sort. She wouldn't put it past him. She studied him for any sign of an injury. Perhaps he was delirious. She didn't find any visible signs of serious injury, though he did look as though he'd fallen through a chimney and then waded through a thorny thicket. Something caught the candlelight as it fell from his pocket.
"Malfoy!" She half-jogged and bent to pick up the gold chain. "What are you doing with a Time-Turner?"
Draco snatched it from her grasp. "It's not quite mine."
"Wait, let me see that. I think I've got one just like it."
"Don't be ridiculous. No two Time-Turners are the same. They just all look alike."
"Then let me see it." Hermione held her hand out.
Draco shook his head, closing his fist around the artefact.
Hermione lunged for it, managing to yank it from him. She turned away and held it up. "What are you even doing with someone else's Time-Turner?"
"It had nowhere else to go. Just give it here, Granger." Draco thrust his hand towards her. "Please."
"No. I believe this is mine. Besides, I don't trust you with one of these."
"Granger. Give it here." His hand shook, with rage or something else, Hermione couldn't tell.
"You've used it, haven't you? You're not you from this moment, you're from some time in the future. How far along?"
"Hours. Less than a full day."
"Why have you come back?"
"I can't tell you. Just please give me your Time-Turner back!"
Hermione pulled it closer to herself. "So it is mine, then."
Draco reached out and caught the chain. "Give it here!"
"No! Tell me what you've come for!"
"I can't!"
Both refused to relinquish the Time-Turner. Hermione tripped over Draco's feet, sending them both to the ground. With one hand each on the Time-Turner, it struck the ground and the sand spilt over them.
Hermione turned a furious gaze on Draco, ready to blame him and yell at him. She froze when she noticed most of it had landed on his face. He still did not let go as he brushed it off. Her fingers grazed over the sand too. She realised he looked cleaner.
The sand had rewinded time for him. He was no longer Draco from a few hours later.
In his clear eyes, she saw why he had come back.
Hermione passed out.
About an hour later, Neville and Ron opened the doors. They only found the Marauder's Map and traces of shattered glass.
Hermione sat up with a gasp. Groaning, she pressed her palms to her forehead. "Oh, what a strange dream."
"Drink," a soft voice told her as a glass was held up to her lips. Hermione drank.
She choked on the water when she realised she'd listened to Draco Malfoy without questioning it. She screamed as she fell over the arm of the couch in an attempt to scramble away. At least she wasn't choking anymore.
Hermione stood up and pointed her wand at him. "What did you put in there?! What -- did you drug me?! Where are we?"
"Off Hogwarts grounds. I had to bring you out here. I couldn't get into the Room and if any of your friends had found me with you, I'd be dead and it would all be to waste."
Hermione's hand shook. "What -- what happened?"
"Well, bad things happen to wizards who meddle with time. We broke the Time-Turner."
"What I saw in there . . . is that what really happens? To me?"
Draco shrugged as he turned and set the glass down on a wooden table. Hermione suddenly realised they were in Hagrid's cottage. "I don't know. All I know is that my future and present self merged. The future is infinite. We won't know until it happens."
"But if you're still the version that came back, shouldn't you know?"
"I don't know what's real and what's not. The future is always changing depending on what happens now. Breaking the Time-Turner could've changed course, shown us what could've happened, what will happen or what might never happen. Nothing is certain."
"I'm leaving. They'll be looking for me."
Draco nodded, not looking at Hermione. "Your other jacket is over that chair there. You had shards of glass in your shoulder. I didn't look."
Hermione rolled her left shoulder, wincing when she felt the pain. With her right hand, she lightly rubbed from her collarbone to her shoulder. Her fingers grazed over what felt like welts. "Thank you."
She zipped up her pink hoodie before picking up the denim jacket and heading towards the door. As she passed by Draco, he grabbed her wrist. "Be careful, Hermione."
She nodded stiffly. "I will."
And without another glance, Hermione left the cottage.
"If anyone here has knowledge of Mr Potter's movements this evening," Severus Snape addressed the gathered students, "I invite them to step forward now."
Hermione watched from behind Harry as he stepped forward. In the dead silence of the hall, his footsteps echoed like thunder. "I think I could help with that."
Several students' faces lit up with hope. Professor McGonagall looked absolutely delighted. Hermione zoned out as she noticed Draco hiding behind a few taller students. She could not tell which house they were.
"How dare you stand where he stood?!"
Hermione blinked and turned back to see Harry screaming at Snape.
"Tell them how it was that night!" Harry cried, jabbing his wand at the air between him and the professor. "Tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you . . . and killed him! TELL THEM!"
The hall was silent. Several hands twitched over their wands, waiting. The student body gasped when Snape drew his wand, but when McGonagall pushed Harry aside and drew her own wand, the students scrambled away, some screaming. In the chaos, Hermione's gaze found Draco again.
Even the Order had split to the sides to give McGonagall the room she needed to duel the man who was once her own student.
Hermione's eyes searched the other side of the hall. She found Ron with Ginny, arms protectively wrapped around his sister. Harry had stumbled into them and Ginny held Harry's hand in her own. Three of Ron's brothers stood with Hermione.
Once again, her gaze landed on Draco. This time, he was watching her. Making sure no one noticed, she crept towards him.
"What?"
"I didn't call you."
"You were staring at me."
"Uh, you've still got some sand on your face." Draco only meant to point in the general direction, but Hermione turned to see how her professor fared and Draco's fingers brushed her cheekbone. "Sorry."
"Is it gone?" Hermione asked, ignoring everything else. "Who knows what would happen if we still had--"
Children and adults alike screamed as a force blew across the hall, shattering the windows and throwing people off balance. While everyone was preoccupied with Snape vanishing, no one noticed Hermione trip over a fallen candelabrum.
Well, one person noticed.
"Hermione!"
Draco leapt for Hermione, reaching out for her hand. Both fell through what used to be a window. Having heard the shout, students clambered to the windows to see who had fallen. Harry and Ron, along with several others, sprinted out to get to the grounds -- hopefully in time.
Hermione couldn't breathe. She'd rolled off Draco and into the grass almost as soon as they'd hit the ground. She couldn't move her body. The energy it took to turn her head was excruciating.
Cold, gray eyes stared back at her.
"You weren't supposed to die."
When Ron slid across the grass, Hermione's eyes were just as glassy as Draco's.