My Once and Future Self

Hermione Granger frowned as she looked around Diagon Alley. It was undoubtedly familiar, yet undeniably strange at the same time. The once boisterous and crowded street was now quiet and solemn as people hurried from one place to another in large groups, trying to get their shopping done as quickly as possible. She started as she felt Mrs. Weasley's tug on her shoulder.

"Come now, Hermione, don't stray too far. All right there, Harry dear?"

The messy-haired bespectacled boy in question looked up and nodded at the older woman who gave him a small smile in return.

"Stick together now all of you. This way, Ginny, we can stop by the Apothecary later. To Flourish and Blotts now, everyone!"

Hermione was quickly enveloped by the wave of red-haired people who moved towards the familiar bookstore. She smiled slightly at the thought of returning to Hogwarts, and to her studies. Though she wasn't overly fond of the title "bookworm", she was well aware that it was much deserved. Yet she lived for books, and for studying. It gave her something to do with herself, and kept her mind from wandering off and rotting. Needless to say, she was looking forward to the coming school year.

A sudden flurry of cracks sounded throughout the alley, followed almost immediately by screams. Hermione whirled around to see a mass of people in black robes cutting through the crowd, throwing spells left and right.

"Run! Hermione, Run!"

And she did, with Harry and Ron running beside her. But there were people everywhere, pushing and shoving her in all directions, and she soon lost sight of them. Hermione was completely unable to discern left from right; stuck in the middle of what could only be considered a hysterical mob, she fought desperately to not be trampled, pushing her way slowly but surely towards the edge of the throng of people. Finally, slipping between a rather large woman who was waving her wand around and pointing it at anything that moved (which in the crowd of people was quite a few things), and a man who seemed to be frantically looking for someone, she broke free of the group and took off running.

She had no idea where she was going. It briefly registered in her mind that this wasn't a particularly good thing, and that if she were going to escape she really ought to know where she was headed, or at least find Harry or Ron. But all thoughts of her destination were erased from her mind as a sharp pain cut across her back and into her forearms. She turned around to see a Death Eater walking steadily up the path towards her.

Without a thought, she turned and ran as fast as her legs would carry her up the alleyway. So, naturally, she was surprised when she ran straight into a teenage boy.

...

James Potter frowned as he reached up to ruffle his already messy hair.

"Face it, Prongs, she's not here."

James huffed in annoyance and turned to his three friends.

"She's here. She has to be. She comes shopping this week every year."

Remus looked at his friend in amusement. "James we've looked everywhere. She's not at the Leaky Cauldron, Madame Malkins, Florean Fortescue's -"

"--the Apothecary, Flourish and Blotts, the bloody pet shop -" Sirius interrupted.

"--Quality Quiddich Supplies, down Knockturn Alley, Gambol and Japes -" Peter added, without missing a beat.

" - in short: she's not bloody here," finished Sirius with a flourish, emphasising his point with slightly over-exaggerated hand gestures.

James ruffled his hair again. Sirius tapped his foot impatiently. Peter rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Remus bit back the smile that had been threatening to escape for the last five minutes.

"Well... I guess she's not here," he finally admitted.

Sirius looked at his long time best friend in exasperation. "James, look around; no one is here."

And he was right. The were standing in a seldom used part of Diagon Alley, filled with flats of dubious looking quality with 'for rent' signs plastered up. James looked around with a frown.

"D'you reckon we should head back then?" he asked, slightly sheepishly.

Remus cut off whatever sarcastic remark Sirius was about to let loose with a placidly stated, "that would be a good idea".

James smiled apologetically. "I don't get it though. She's always here at this time of year. You don't reckon something happened to her do you?"

Peter rolled his eyes again. "James, have you ever considered the possibility that she might be avoiding you?"

"Why would Lily want to avoid me?"

Sirius put on a hideously theatrical expression clearly meant to imply deep thought. "Hmm... could it be that you've asked her out on a daily basis over the past two years? And that she has repeatedly refuted said advances?"

"I believe she did mention something about preferring the giant squid to you, now that you mention it," added Remus, no longer able to control his amusement.

"Perhaps it is because she has clearly stated that you are, what was it again, Moony? Ah! Yes, an arrogant toe-rag!" Sirius pronounced gleefully.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it," James mumbled.

Peter snorted, "Sure she didn't."

"Furthermore," Sirius continued as if James hadn't said anything, "she thinks you're a git, a bully and rather hot-headed. And she hates that thing that you do to your hair."

James' hand paused in midair halfway on its merry way to ruffling his hair, yet again. He glared accusingly at it as if it were the cause of Lily's dislike for him. Then, seeing that Sirius was about to continue with his tirade, he abruptly changed the subject.

"We should get back, it's getting late. My parents are going to wonder where we've wandered off to."

"Oh, no! What time is it?" Peter asked suddenly.

"Erm... Almost six, why?"

"I have to pick up Penny! I can't believe I almost forgot," he said.

"Penny, your sister?" Sirius asked.

"Do you know any other Pennys?" Peter asked dryly.

"Well... there's one fifth year Hufflepuff -"

Peter rolled his eyes and swatted his friend lightly. "I've gotta go guys, sorry. If I don't get Penny, nobody will. I'll catch up with you later."

"Bye Peter, we'll see you later." Remus said over Sirius' indignant yelps at having been swatted.

"He's always rushing off to pick up his sister, or to take her someplace. If it was Regulus who wanted to go somewhere I'd leave him in a ditch." Sirius remarked after getting over the indignity of having been whacked.

James snorted. "Yeah, but unlike you, Peter actually cares about his sibling."

Sirius grumbled, "Yeah, but unlike me, Peter's sibling isn't a pure-blooded Slytherin suck-up."

Then, rather suddenly, James was bowled over by a very bushy haired someone.

...

Hermione jumped back as elegantly as she could, considering the circumstances, immediately after crashing headlong into James Potter. In other words: she shoved him backwards and managed to land rather spectacularly on her ass.

She looked up and smiled slightly recognizing the familiar mound of untameable inky hair. "Harry!"

James, already startled from having been run over, was at a complete loss as to how to respond to the strange girl. Particularly after she called him Harry.

"Erm. Sorry... I think you're a little confused. I'm James. James Potter."

She started at him as if she were looking right through him. It was terrifyingly unnerving.

Hermione too was at a complete loss as to what to make of him. She saw now, looking closer, the differences between James Potter and his son. The most evident being his eyes, which were a gentle hazel instead of the familiar bright green she was used to.

After a minute of her staring, James began to get a little worried. "Er... are you alright?"

"I'm dead."

It took Hermione a moment to register that she'd said the words aloud. Still, it seemed a reasonable explanation. James was dead, and, logically (as he was standing quite plainly in front of her) she was dead. Clearly it all made sense, right?

James, the pounding in his head assuring him that he did indeed have a concussion of some sort, replied (rather smartly), "Dead. That's serious. Can I help?"

She almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. "No. Not unless you happen to have a son."

She could really use Harry right about now. She was all books and pre-prescribed learning curriculum. And this definitely exceeded the norm, which was Harry's turf.

"Er, no. Not as of yet. But if you're interested in getting a head start you're welcome to marry me."

He nearly whacked himself as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Definitely a concussion. He was probably unconscious right now as Madam Pomfrey fussed over him with her healing potions and grumbled about teenagers and the dangers of the outside world. Which would mean this was all a silly dream, and he wouldn't have to endure the unmerciful teasing of Sirius once he regained his senses.

Hermione blushed slightly despite herself. Then, (she) barely resisted the urge to smack herself in the face. This was truly weird. She tried to stand, but wound up feeling very dizzy and would have fallen over if a pair of strong arms hadn't caught her.

"You're bleeding," Sirius remarked from somewhere that sounded far above her. Really, he was standing just off to the left.

Hermione looked down and frowned, she was bleeding. How did that happen?

"Oh. Ow." And then she passed out.

...