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Hermione pulled the scarf tighter around her neck. The icy breeze was biting at her exposed skin, and a shiver made its way down her spine. Despite that, she felt a fire burning inside. She was giddy and bubbly. Happy.
And the reason for her happiness was drawing ever closer.
Hermione’s eyes were glued to the horizon. Any moment now, the sails of a ship would appear. A ship, so very familiar to her by now; the months - years even - walking its planks unforgettable.
He was unforgettable.
A smile stole itself across Hermione’s freezing lips.
He truly was unforgettable.
And infuriating.
Irritating, incorrigible, insufferable.
He certainly was all that.
But he was also kind and loyal, he knew how to make her smile, he had a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue. He was able to keep Hermione on her toes - and in her book, there was nothing sexier than a man who knew how to fight not only with his sword but also his words.
Not to forget that he was devilishly handsome.
They had initially disliked each other within the first few minutes of their acquaintance - but it hadn’t stopped him from saving her. And eventually, Hermione had been able to see his true face; the true heart behind his rugged and flirty facade.
Something had grown between them. Something they hadn’t had a chance to fully explore before Hermione had left the Jolly Roger. Something that had stayed unnamed in their correspondence over the next few months - even though it had been palpable in every single letter - in every word he had written to her.
Hermione was certain that she wasn’t imagining this, was certain she knew him well enough by now.
Surely, he wouldn’t have asked her to come here, wouldn’t have told her to wait for him by their special place - the statue of the Little Mermaid - at this secret hour of the night; wouldn’t have crossed realms only to see her, if he did not feel as she did.
Hermione’s painful wait was rewarded at last when she saw the water open, just a few sea miles away from the statue, and out came the Jolly Roger. It was too dark to see much more than that, but she imagined Killian standing at the rail, searching the night for her.
With a quickened heartbeat, she took a step closer to the water’s edge. Not long anymore, until she would finally see him again. Not long, until she could be in his arms.
And maybe they would finally, finally share that first kiss that had been such a long time coming.
Sudden scraping on the stone pavement made Hermione look up and reach for her wand on instinct. But nothing - nothing - could have prepared her for the person who stood only a few feet away.
The… woman in front of her raised a placating hand, her voice clear and focused. Just as Hermione had always hoped she sounded when she tried to fake confidence.
“The first word you… we ever spoke, was ‘book’.”
It took her but a second to understand what the woman was doing - that she was proving to her that she really was an older version of herself.
There was no reason for Hermione to ask after the ‘how’ or the ‘why’, the time-turner hanging around her older self’s neck was still glowing with a faint blue hue and Hermione had been an Unspeakable for long enough to know what that meant. So she did not waste time with redundant questions, because a coldness had taken hold of her heart.
Whatever this was, it was bad.
“We’re not allowed to change our own path,” she hushed out, her whisper taken away by the wind without hesitation.
Too quick for her counterpart to hear.
The older Hermione answered nevertheless, proving that she remembered what she had said when she had been the one in this place.
“Then you know how grave the situation is. For us to break this one rule as an Unspeakable.”
“Tell me.”
Her older self seemed to hesitate - but not for long.
“There’s another curse. One that has the power to kill Killian.”
The coldness around her heart tightened painfully, leaving Hermione breathless.
“You’re here to prevent that though, right?” she hushed, her voice wavering the smallest of fractions. “What will set it off?”
“Your first kiss.”
“Our- our first… but how?”
“He was cursed because of a woman he once loved. Should his heart ever belong to another, her kiss would become poisonous to him.”
Hermione tried hard not to let all the meaning derail her from what was important in this moment but - he loved her! He really did.
Shaking her head, she banished the butterflies inside of her, focusing on the most important matter.
“Why would he call me here then? If he knows this -”
“It’s part of the curse. I can’t tell you all the details now but I promise you will find out soon enough. For now, just know this. Killian won’t be able to stay away from you, so you must be the one to do so. You must keep your distance.”
A quick glance to the water showed Hermione just how awfully close the Jolly Roger already was. Not much longer, and Killian would set foot on land.
“I can’t be here when he arrives,” she breathed out and when her older self nodded, it broke her heart into a million pieces. “Will he know? That I-”
Her plea was interrupted when the older Hermione pulled a scroll from her coat.
Nodding, Hermione took a deep breath. It seemed their first kiss would be postponed-
“Wait, how old are you? How much time has passed?”
She knew it wasn’t important - she would run for eternity if it meant Killian’s safety. But she still needed to know.
Her older self, though, seemed to disagree.
“It’s not important. Stay focused on the matter. Go back to the ministry and do your research. You will find the curse - and one day, we will find out how to break it. I’m sure of it.”
She wasn’t!
Hermione knew her older self was lying.
But just then, Killian’s voice rang out, calling for her.
She held her older self’s gaze for a moment longer, sharing the breaking of their heart. Then, with one last glance at the Jolly Roger and Killian - his face a mask of confusion - Hermione turned on the spot and disapparated.