Meet the Kids

Chapter 10

Good-Bye . . .

Hermione woke up feeling immensely pleased, though it took her a moment to realize why. When she did, it was with a warm, luxurious feeling that made a blush rise to her cheeks even as she still lay in bed. She had confessed to Draco yesterday about starting to fancy him and he had said he felt the same. That alone was enough to make her smile, but then she remembered kissing him in the snow and the brief ones they had shared afterwards, ending with the one he'd given her on the forehead at the end of last night. That little kiss and his simple statement of having forgotten to give it to her made her wish fervently that it was still last night and they were still sitting together by the fire, reflecting on all that had happened and all that would when it came time to go home.

With that thought came the realization that in just over twelve hours they would be using the Time-Turner to go back to the present. It was her and Draco's last day of a normal relationship, if it could even be called that. It had to be normal, though, in comparison to what it would be like when they returned home. Perhaps . . . there was always the possibility they wouldn't have a relationship, what with the Memory Spells that had to be used. A feeling of nausea clenched her stomach, and Hermione automatically winced. And then a wild thought entered her head. What if they told Mia and Drake that they weren't so readily prepared to dislike each other again, that more so, they didn't want to? But of course the adults wanted marriage as well, which was, Hermione thought sternly, completely out of the question. She was still not willing to consider becoming Mrs. Hermione Malfoy anytime soon.

No, it just wouldn't work. Any small change in the present could have a dramatic effect on the future, and it was too risky for her and Draco to return with intact memories. Even she knew that, though Hermione desperately hated to admit it. But then they would forget all they had learned about each other. They would forget the trust that had developed, the mutual feelings of fancy, and most importantly, the friendship. If it all worked out according to Mia and Drake's past, then Draco would be sending her a letter within a few weeks and they could still end up together. But it wouldn't be the same, and that point was bitterly obvious to Hermione. The idea of starting a lasting, meaningful relationship with someone through letters was appealing but strangely, she felt almost bored by it now, as if she'd already done it. That was Mia and Drake's version of events, but Hermione liked her own. No matter what happened in the present, if the correspondence did start and it led to a happy life together, it still would've started with their accidental trip to the future. She didn't want to forget these past few days. She would miss the twins and their friends, despite their faults, and she would miss Draco, too. No matter what happened, things would change, and Hermione didn't want them to.

With a small sigh she sat up and climbed out of bed. Lizzie was snoring, but it was too loud to be believable and after a solid minute of hard squinting, Hermione caught her daughter's eyes flicker open a scant second to look at her before shutting again to resume the pretense of sleep. The other three girls all appeared to be truly asleep, not that they would be for long, though, if they wanted to be up in time for classes.

Hermione glanced at Lizzie again, who snored particularly loudly at that point and accidentally cracked a smile. Hermione tip-toed over to the lump under the covers, Lizzie's blonde hair sprawling over it in soft curls. Despite being awake, she did not seem to realize she had a visitor so close at hand. Without warning Hermione yanked back the covers. Lizzie shrieked and nearly fell out of bed, hands flailing to regain her quilt.

"Mum!" she exclaimed in a shocked, indignant whisper, upon blinking several times and realizing what had happened. "I was asleep."

"No you weren't," Hermione retorted and flung the quilt back on the bed. "You were faking, and don't deny it, because I saw you." She eyed her daughter sternly until Lizzie reluctantly nodded.

Hermione pondered for a split second as to whether she should ask why Lizzie had been doing that, but decided it would seem prying. Perhaps Lizzie got a kick out of pretending to snore.

"Are you still mad at me?"

Lizzie's question came from out of the blue, and Hermione paused, uncertain.

"Do you want to take a walk?" she suggested finally, not wanting to wake any of the sleeping girls in the dormitory by the conversation that would surely ensue.

Lizzie looked faintly amazed. "That was exactly what I was going to propose." She stood up quickly and put on a bathrobe while Hermione borrowed Donna's, remembering a previous time when she had gone wandering the halls in a similar pink robe, though that time with very different company under extreme circumstances. It seemed so long ago that they had first encountered Fluffy, and though it had been terrifying then, she smiled now upon remembering it.

They exited the dormitory quietly. No one else was in the common room, but someone could be heard clattering slowly down from the boys' dormitory. The two girls hurried through the portrait hole and began walking at a leisurely pace. Hermione did not have any particular destination in mind, but Lizzie seemed to and after a few paces led the way up several flights of stairs.

"So?" she asked finally, glancing back to look at Hermione. "Are you?"

Hermione was again unsure of what to say and hesitated. The Veritaserum did not seem like such a terrible thing more than a day later, especially since, now that she considered it, it might have inadvertently helped her and Draco admit their feelings.

"We're really sorry that we tricked you into using the Veritaserum," Lizzie said abruptly, when Hermione's silence grew more prolonged. "We've done it before, like Dad did in school, and when Jamie suggested it as a joke, I decided to take it seriously. We didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Yet somehow you still wished to embarrass us," Hermione couldn't help but point out, and Lizzie winced.

"Well, we couldn't resist. You are, after all our parents, and this is, after all, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Besides, it was Dad who got most of the embarrassing dares."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And that ferret one was- what? A lot of good fun?"

"It might as well have been his dare, though," Lizzie said. "You got the better part of the deal."
"How fortunate for me," Hermione remarked sarcastically. Lizzie suppressed a smile and batted at tapestries hanging along the walls next to them. A light shriek pierced the silence and two ghosts tumbled out, not ones Hermione was very familiar with. The woman giggled profusely while the male led her away, glancing back over his shoulder with a disgruntled look at the two girls.

"I wonder what they were doing?" Lizzie said interestedly, watching as they glided through an adjoining wall. "I mean, really, what can ghosts do all things considering?"

"Whisper sweet nothings in each others' ears?" Hermione suggested, resisting a smile at Lizzie's look of fascinated bemusement.

"I'll have to remember to ask Nick next time I see him," Lizzie mused aloud, seeming to forget their conversation of a moment ago. "Or I'll just dare Dave to ask Binns in class. He ought to know, he's been dead long enough."

Hermione choked, half glad, half regretful that she would not be attending the next History of Magic class.

"Megan and Donna were sort of hesitant about it, especially Megan, so please don't be mad at them. And we didn't even tell James. He's such a good influence it's terribly risky to tell him of our plans, because he'll try to change our minds. Of course he guessed when I went to get the water, but- oh, never mind." Lizzie blushed, flustered.

Hermione gave an exaggerated sigh, not quite sure why she was giving in so easily. Perhaps it was motherly affection. "It's all right. There's no lasting damage. I think Draco's the one you really need to apologize to. He is the one who, erm." She couldn't finish the statement, to her chagrin and Lizzie's amusement.

"Dave's doing that," Lizzie told her. "And don't worry, I'm sure the little transfiguration did no lasting harm. He seemed quite comfortable in your lap."

Hermione reddened. "For someone who hates it whenever her parents kiss, you make an awful lots of innuendos or things of the like."

Lizzie smiled brilliantly, basking as if it were a compliment. "Yes, well, you two don't count, seeing as how you don't do that kissing thing and it makes you just as uncomfortable as it does us."

The flush that had left her cheeks sprang up again, and Hermione hoped fervently Lizzie wouldn't look too closely for the moment. So the twins hadn't guessed that she had Draco had actually kissed of late, and they still thought she and Draco were disgusted by the future marriage. That was good, perfectly fine with her.

"I suppose that kiss we made Draco do was traumatizing," Lizzie conceded, glancing at Hermione anxiously. "It wasn't too bad, though, was it? It was really quick, after all. You probably couldn't even have told it was him kissing you if you hadn't known."

It took a moment for Hermione to nod, as she tried to get the vision of him holding her and them kissing out of her head. She badly wanted another kiss. They were so sweet and hinted at so much exciting possibility.

"Mum?"

Hermione was abruptly brought back to her senses at Lizzie's confused voice. The blonde was eying her curiously. Hermione could only imagine how she must have appeared: wide-eyed, gazing into the distance, looking like a complete, utter idiot.

Lizzie's eyes were widening, too. That was not a good sign.

"Since you're getting your memories erased and all, what do you think will happen?" she asked lightly, not meeting Hermione's gaze. There seemed to be a sudden spring in her step, her smile a bit more sly.

"Nothing," Hermione said automatically. "We'll go back to disliking each other, I suppose."

"Yes, but what if he does write you a letter?" Lizzie persisted. "And you end up together. Are you still mad about that?"

The answer she knew she had to give seemed stuck in her throat, as if it was as unwilling to be spoken as she was to say it. "Yes," Hermione finally managed, hoping her gulp wasn't too audible. No, she thought rather desperately. I won't be very mad at all!

"Do you think Dad will?" Lizzie continued. She was doing it on purpose, Hermione was positive.

"Of course he'll be mad," Hermione said in a strangled voice. "We don't like each other."

"Right." Eyes narrowed, Lizzie stopped in front of a suit of armor, swinging around so fast Hermione almost bumped into her. "You snogged him, didn't you." It wasn't a question.

Hermione gaped. "How did you- hey!" She glared at Lizzie. The blonde was grinning as if she'd never been so amused in her life, and was barely restraining herself from hopping from one foot to the other in a little dance of glee; oddly, she reminded Hermione a bit of Peeves.

"I knew it, I knew it! I told Dave I thought something funny was going on, but he didn't believe me, ooh, I knew it!" She was almost giddy.

Hermione frowned, irritated that she'd once again been so easy to crack. "How could you tell?"
"You've been staring at each other all yesterday and blushing," Lizzie pronounced. "I've seen all your little side looks! And you walk next to each other, holding out your hands just so, as if you wanted to hold each other's." She demonstrated, holding out her left hand a few inches from her side, fingers arched. "But of course, you knew you couldn't but you really wanted to!"

Hermione gawked once again. "That is not true," she said feebly, wringing her fingers. It was stunning how perceptive Lizzie was. Her hand looked identical to the way Hermione remembered holding hers the day before, wishing she could move closer to Draco and knowing it would be an instant giveaway if she did.

Lizzie grinned. "When did you kiss?"

If she refused to tell Lizzie would only press the matter until her sanity was in danger. "After Truth or Dare," Hermione sighed.

Lizzie looked surprised. "You did? I thought it was yesterday."

"Well, then, too," Hermione admitted. "In the snow. And a few times afterward. Just quick kisses in the hall every now and then."

Lizzie appeared flabbergasted. "That many times? And you're still blushing about it? Good grief, Mum, if you've kissed so much already you don't have anything to be embarrassed about. If you want to snog him so badly just do it!"

"I do not want to snog him," Hermione hissed, checking the halls, which she knew were empty, just to make sure.

Lizzie rolled her yes. "If you say so."

"I do."

"Wow, you already want to marry him! Great practice, but wait 'till you're at the altar, ok?"

"Lizzie!" Hermione snarled. "That is completely inappropriate! We do not want to-" She broke off, unable to continue what with Lizzie's face bright red with contained laughter.

"Aren't you seventeen?" Hermione snapped.

"Yes. Officially of age," Lizzie replied promptly, tossing her blonde waves and smiling.

"Could have fooled me," Hermione retorted. "I bet Cissa's more mature than you."

Lizzie shrugged. "Sometimes. I'm not silly all the time, though," she said. Hermione was taken aback at how serious she suddenly sounded.

"I am a good Head Girl, even if I don't sound like one. I just know how to have fun, as well."

She was so solemn Hermione didn't have the heart to act skeptical. Instead, searching for a way to avoid further conversation on such an unwanted topic, she turned to their surroundings for the answer. "Where are we? Are we here for any particular reason?"

"We're near the guest rooms," Lizzie said. "Or some of them, at least." She indicated the suit of armor standing next to them. "Behind here is Mum and Dad's room. They always stay here when they're at Hogwarts."

Hermione stared open-mouthed at the wall beside her. She hadn't given much thought as to where the guest rooms in the castle were and had certainly never been in this part of Hogwarts before. Then again, she prided herself on at least remembering that their teachers were actual people and had quarters of their own, unlike some other students who always seemed amazed at learning some areas of the castle were actually designated as bedrooms for the professors.

"What are we doing here?" Hermione whispered, automatically using a lower tone now that she knew Mia and Drake were behind the wall, possibly still sleeping.

"I just wanted to show you them." She spoke as if this were the most normal activity in the world and beamed.

"Excuse me?"

"To give you a taste of their, er, your future married life." Lizzie grinned a bit nervously and squeezed Hermione's arm reassuringly.

"Chimaera," Lizzie said importantly. The knight's visor sprang up with a little clang that made Hermione jump. It turned a fraction of an inch to face them directly and then the whole knight leapt two feet to the side. The wall behind it slid open and the knight, creaking loudly, bent forward to bow them in.

"Why is that their password?" Hermione whispered as they entered a little passageway at the end of which was an ornate, closed door. The wall behind them slid shut again and she had to grab Lizzie to keep from starting a second time.

"I don't know. Supposed to be something symbolic. Highly dangerous beasts that are part goat-"

"Yes, I know what Chimaera's are. They're also part lion and dragon or snake, depending on which way you look at- oh. I get it."

Lizzie gave her a funny look, but Hermione didn't explain. The blonde's eyes widened in sudden understanding.

"Oh . . . Well. That's embarrassing. I should've figured that out a long time ago. And here I thought Mum and Dad just had this fetish about pets Hagrid wishes he

had . . ."

They reached the door. Lizzie put her ear up to it while Hermione stared at it nervously. A placard on it read: Hermione and Draco Malfoy.

Hermione frowned and pulled out her wand. After muttering a quick spell that made her wand tip resemble a quill, she scratched at the surface of the placard until letters were legible.

"What are you doing?" Lizzie hissed, standing. "They might hear you!"

"Just one minute," Hermione said through gritted teeth as she finished her addition. She beamed and flourished her wand at the newly re-decorated sign.

"'Hermione and Draco Granger,'" Lizzie read, amused. "Wonder how long it takes them to notice that."

"Is the door open?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Just let me-" Lizzie strained to open the handle without letting it squeak for a moment before it finally inched open. Both girls peered through the crack, Hermione standing on tip-toe above Lizzie, who was crouched on the ground. Like everything else in Hogwarts, the room was vast, and they could only see a small part of it. Several opened but unpacked suitcases lay on the floor.

"Those are Dad's," Lizzie whispered. "He's very messy, unlike you. Of course, you would never know it, since the House-Elves usually clean up after him." Hermione sighed, but if Lizzie heard she ignored it. "You've tried telling them not clean up his disorganization but they never listen. They're all terribly fond of Dad."

Mostly their view was taken up by a large bed, though, with purple coverlet and dark burgundy curtains. Lizzie pulled the door shut quickly, so that Hermione was almost caught in it.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, worried Mia and Drake might've heard.

"You look first," Lizzie said, a pained expression on her face. "It might be scarring."

Hermione gulped. She hadn't considered that thought. "Not this early in the morning. They're probably still asleep."

"They could be naked," Lizzie said, wincing, hand hovering as if already ready to shield her eyes.

"Why would I want to look then?" Hermione whispered fast. "I don't want to see that anymore than you do! You should check because it was your idea."

"No, you. If it is scarring, you'll be doing it in a few years anyway so there's no need to make a fuss about it now."

Hermione gasped and then had to muffle her choked coughs by practically stuffing her hand into her mouth. "Lizzie!" she exclaimed in a strangled whisper after finally catching her breath.

"Well, how else do you think Dave and I were . . . ok, there's a nasty thought, never mind." Both girls were verging on turning green. Hermione took a deep, shaky breath, trying to refrain from throttling Lizzie.

"Do you say stuff like this in front of the first years?" she hissed.

"No, I think having you here is bringing out the worst in me." Hermione thought she was joking until she saw the quite serious, unnerved look on her daughter's face.

"Right. I think we should look at the same time," Hermione said at last, glancing at the door nervously. It was not a suggestion and Lizzie nodded, eyes pinched almost shut. She eased the door open again and both girls looked in once more.

The room was silent. There was someone, or more than one person, lying on the bed. A moment later whoever it was shifted, and they caught sight of blond hair.

"Dad," Lizzie muttered, just as Hermione said, "Drake." They stared at each other before turning back to the sleeping couple.

Drake had his arm cradled around Mia, who was lying next to him, her back against his chest. They were both breathing gently, the covers rising and falling slowly. Drake's arm was wrapped around Mia, who was snuggling under the covers so much they almost couldn't see her, and his face was on her hair, fanned out across the pillow. There was a peaceful, loving smile on his face, unlike almost any other expression Hermione had seen Draco wear. It seemed even in sleep Drake knew he was with the woman he loved and was showing it, even sub-consciously.

It was strangely comforting to stand there watching them sleep, not knowing they had visitors. It was as if Hermione had left her body and was floating above them watching, and she could tell from Lizzie's unusual silence that she was just as awed.

"Maybe parental love isn't always disgusting," she whispered after a moment, and Hermione was touched to see her eyes were a bit bright.

"Don't change it, Mum," she said suddenly, voice still quiet, as she gently shut the door. "Dad loves you so much." Hermione knew she was referring to Drake, not Draco, but it made tears come to her eyes anyway.

"And you love him, too. And us children . . ." She broke off, looking awkwardly at a loss for words.

Hermione knelt down and gave hugged her. "I won't change it. Not if I can help it." It didn't matter that Lizzie might be her future daughter; for the moment, it was almost as if they were sisters, and Hermione knew inexplicably that even if Lizzie was a bit immature sometimes, they did have similar qualities. Lizzie hugged back fiercely.

It was true, too, she thought. She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize this marriage and family, not anymore. If Mia loved Draco . . . she supposed eventually she could love Draco, too. Weirder things had probably happened. Not that she could name one at the particular moment, but still . . .

She didn't want to take this away from Mia and Drake. She couldn't and she wouldn't . . . or, at least, she would try not to. They were so much in love, and obviously were afraid they could lose not only each other but their whole family as well. Lizzie was scared of that, too.

"Thanks," Lizzie whispered. They stood and pulled apart, both smiling shakily.

"If I have to make a Love Potion and use it on Draco to make sure we end up together for your sake and theirs I'll do it," Hermione said stubbornly, trying to look grave and not grin, though it was a failing effort.

Lizzie smiled. "Thanks, but something tells me you won't need to do that."

Hermione grew quiet. "Really?"

Lizzie was silent for a moment, eying her more seriously than she had ever looked. "Yeah, Mum. He does like you, no matter what he says."

Hermione blushed. "I really, really never thought I'd have anything to do with Draco Malfoy."

Lizzie shook her head in appreciation. "Those must have been some fights you had in school. I wish I could go to the past- before your seventh year, that is- and see them."

Hermione smiled. "They might scare you. Or scar you. We really hated each other."

"I bet you guys secretly fancied each other and just didn't realize it."

"We did not!" Hermione protested and was about to give examples of their enmity when she saw Lizzie's smile and realized she was joking.

"You know what I'd like," said Lizzie thoughtfully. "To go back to your fourth year and see what happened then for myself."

"You mean when the fake Moody . . ."

"That's the one." Both girls grinned.

"Shall we look again?" Lizzie asked, lowering her voice once more.

"Yeah," Hermione replied quickly, feeling a bit more excited after the first time.

Lizzie cautiously pushed the door back open. Mia and Drake were exactly the way they left them, except the former was stirring. She rolled over to face Drake until they could see her face.

"Morning." Her drowsy voice echoed softly across the room. Hermione and Lizzie exchanged nervous looks but did not move.

Drake mumbled something in reply, clearly not awake, and rolled over. The covers fell down slightly, revealing a bare upper chest.

"He told me he was a light sleeper," said Hermione.

"Oh, he is," replied Lizzie. "He just doesn't like to wake up."

Mia sighed contentedly, propping her head up on a curled fist and gazing at Drake. She nudged him with her other hand.

"Are you going to wake up?"

"I'm sleeping," he muttered, pulling the covers up higher, almost to his nose. Mia tugged at him, smiling, and with a muffled groan Drake rolled over, a hint of a smile on his face. Mia kissed him and sighed happily. Hermione felt herself blush. Lizzie was looking the other way, red-faced, and humming under her breath. Luckily, the adults were too busy to hear.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Mia said finally, yawning and getting out of bed. She wore long red pajama pants and a white cap-sleeve top. The matching pajama shirt, Hermione noticed, was flung haphazardly on a chair next to a desk. The bathroom was in the part of the room they didn't see, so they were left staring at Drake, who had buried his head under a pillow and appeared to be asleep again, or otherwise oblivious to the world.

Hermione muffled a giggle.

Three minutes later Mia padded back in. Strangely, she seemed to be tip-toeing.

She had also put on a different shirt and Lizzie had to squeeze her elbow to keep her from gasping. She wore a gold shirt with a big, blown-up picture of Harry's face. Mia was biting her lips to keep from smiling as she quietly got back into bed.

"Several thousand were made the year after Harry defeated Voldemort," Lizzie whispered. "For tourists. Harry made them stop when he found out, but Mum and Ron both have them to mock him with. He gets so embarrassed about them, it's hilarious."

Mia was grinning broadly as she snuggled back up against Drake. For a moment there was silence and then there was a muffled shout and Drake fell out of the bed.

It was too much for Hermione; she laughed, covering her mouth having absolutely no effect. Lizzie's guffawing wasn't much help either. Fortunately, Mia was also laughing loudly, and their own chuckles were sufficiently masked.

"Hermione!" Drake yelped. "You're wearing that- that thing again!"

"Dad won't go near Mum when she's in that," Lizzie whispered in between fits of giggles. "She tries to do stuff like this every once in a while; sneak it on and cuddle without him noticing."

"It doesn't seem to work very well," Hermione commented dryly.

Drake was still lying on the floor, struggling to get untangled from the sheets. Mia leaned over the side of the bed, still smiling.

"It gives me nightmares," he said reproachfully, glaring mutinously at her shirt.

"I don't see how you can even tell I'm wearing it," said Mia. "I didn't say a word."

Drake sniffed, finally managing to get to his feet. "It feels like Potter's in the room whenever you put it on."

Mia smirked. "I would think that you would like this shirt considering how much it annoys Harry." She stood with a mock sigh. "I suppose now that you've caught me I should take it off."

Drake nodded vigorously. "Yes, please."

Mia stood, paused, and before Drake could protest, flung herself into his arms so he instinctively hugged her and kissed him. With another laugh she turned and headed out of the girls' line of vision, presumably towards the bathroom again. Drake stood stock-still for a moment, his eyes wide in paralyzed shock, before giving a little shiver, muttering something about "Potter's big head in my bed," and picking up the fallen bedding.

Unable to contain herself, Lizzie gave a snorting laugh and collapsed against Hermione, knocking her into the door. Both girls fell into the room with a crash. Drake jumped, nearly falling over himself again.

"Lizzie! Hermione! What are you doing here?" He stared at them, clutching the sheets against his chest as if it posed some security.

"Erm," said Hermione, getting to her feet and looking reproachfully at Lizzie, who was glancing guiltily at her father. "We were on our way to breakfast."

Drake fixed her with a hard look, which made her feel rather as if he were her father instead of an older version of her future husband. "That would be in the other direction."

"Yes, well, you see, Dad . . ." began Lizzie.

"Draco, what's going on, did you fall over again?" Mia strode back into the room in her bathrobe, frowning. She stopped abruptly at seeing the girls, and her eyes widened.

"What are-" Her eyes flew to the open door. "How long have you been there?"

Hermione glanced at Lizzie. "About fifteen minutes?"

"We just wanted to say good morning," said Lizzie quickly. "But we should probably be getting to the Great Hall now. Have to get to classes on time now, Mum!" She edged towards the door.

"Elizabeth," said Mia, striding towards her daughter and swiftly closing the door. "Why were you spying? And convincing me to spy, too?" she added indignantly, waving a hand at Hermione, who blushed.

"Sorry," she murmured.

"We decided to come see you and then mischief took over," Lizzie said with a fake, regretful sigh. "It's all Fred and George's fault, they corrupted me when I was a baby, blame them, not me." She smiled prettily as Mia snorted and glanced disparagingly at her husband.

Then she sighed, too. "Go on to breakfast. We'll see you later." She gave Lizzie a kiss on the head, while Lizzie made a face.

Hermione and Lizzie turned to leave.

"Outside the suit of armor, not outside our door," Mia added, and Hermione saw Lizzie slouch, deflated.

Turning her head slightly as they passed the threshold, Hermione saw Mia murmur something to Drake and then put her arms around him and kiss him again.

"I'm glad you took that awful shirt off," he said after enthusiastically smooching her.

Mia was smiling again. "It's on under the bathrobe." The last sound they heard was Drake stumbling as he jerked away and crashed against the bed again.

Hermione and Lizzie proceeded down the short hall in silence, exiting the secret door quickly and quietly. The suit of armor, standing exactly where they had left it, jumped back into place once they were through.

"Well, that was interesting," said Hermione ten minutes later as they re-entered the girls' dormitory.

"All except for the kissing," Lizzie replied, her nose. "That got out of hand, if you ask me."

"I think it's sweet they're still so much in love," Hermione said thoughtfully.

Lizzie shot her a sideways glance. "Even though it's the person you claim to hate?" The girls, already late for breakfast, hurried out of the tower and towards the Great Hall.

"I did hate him," Hermione corrected. "I just don't now."

"Oh, yes, I forgot," said Lizzie airily. "You two have your own little snogging sessions now, don't you."

Hermione blushed. "It's not like that! We're not in love like your parents are, we're just . . ."

"Friends with benefits?" Lizzie suggested when Hermione's inability to think of the right word prolonged.

"Who is?"

Both girls jumped. Neither had noticed they had arrived at the Great Hall. Draco and James were standing at the entrance looking at them curiously, and Dave had asked the question. All three boys looked as if they'd still rather be in bed.

"No one," Lizzie said immediately, her eyes darting to meet Hermione's as both girls reddened. "They are! We are! All us of are! Ew, that's a nasty thought, never mind, let's go!" And with that parting babble she grabbed her brother and boyfriend and hauled them into the Great Hall before Hermione could protest.

She stared at Draco awkwardly. He looked immensely sleepy and his hair was tousled. It was blatantly obvious his robes had been thrown on in a hurry, and he was squinting suspiciously at her and warily glancing back after Lizzie. There was no other word to describe him: he looked rumpled. It was extremely adorable. Hermione mentally kicked herself. It didn't have much effect.

"What's going on?" he asked, stifling a yawn. "Where were you two? Donna and Megan said you were gone before they woke up."

"We just went for a little walk," said Hermione, still flushed. She moved a step closer to Draco to make way for some passing students. "We had to talk about some things."

"Oh." Draco didn't press for details.

"If that's all, I'm going into breakfast. I'm starved." He seemed to smile instinctively as he looked at her and bent down to give her a small kiss on the cheek. Hermione turned bright red, which he thankfully didn't see as he walked into the Great Hall. Hopefully her smile wasn't too wide as she sat down at the table next to him, otherwise someone might ask questions. She wanted to talk to Lizzie in private again, to tell her that Draco was treating her almost as his girlfriend, as if giving her a kiss on the cheek was an instinctive, automatic thing to do in the morning. She felt like giggling again.

Hermione bit back the urge to say an expletive. Fancying someone was damaging her brain.

"Are you coming to classes with us today again?" asked Dave, buttering his toast. Hermione poured herself a glass of juice, trying to push thoughts of Draco out of her head so she could concentrate. It was hard sitting next to him, and she wished half-heartedly she had chosen the empty seat next to James across the table.

"There's nothing else to do," said Hermione when Draco just shrugged.

"Double Potions is first," James informed them, and Hermione blanched. She did not look forward to spending so much time in the early morning with Professor Snape of all people, who was bound to make snide remarks aimed at them all morning.

"Since you seem to be his favorite," she began, turning to Draco. "Do you think he'll leave us alone?"

"Are you kidding?" Lizzie broke in. "He's probably been waiting all weekend for this class to come."

Draco nodded glumly. "Unfortunately that sort of fits his personality."

Hermione groaned. "If only my morals allowed me to skive off class."

"It's the future," said Lizzie brightly. "Do what you want. No one here will think less of you if you skive off Potions. In fact, I even asked Mum if we could get out of it with the excuse of having to spend time with you."

"It'll make Ron's day to know you deliberately missed Potions," said Dave, grinning.

"You cannot leave me to alone in that class," Draco informed her, frowning. "And don't expect me to skive. He's my Head of House."

Lizzie rolled her eyes, exasperated. "What makes you think you're still his favorite student now and he would even care?" she demanded. "You graduated 25 years ago!"

Draco looked at her sternly. "I expect you're his favorites, now, since you're my children?"

Dave snorted and Lizzie burst into laughter. James choked in his goblet.

"Are you joking?" Lizzie exclaimed. "We're Gryffindors! And besides, we're only half Malfoy."

"If I'm not his favorite anymore by the end of our year it's going to be your fault," Draco said grumpily to Hermione. She was about to protest, but after considering his valid point, nodded reluctantly.

After breakfast she grudgingly followed the others down the dreaded stairs to Snape's dungeon, though when they approached the door all she wanted to do was run away. Stop it, she told herself firmly. Snape is nothing but a bullying teacher, and you can deal with him today just as you have for the past seven years. Only difference was that she had never experienced a Potions class in the future in which Snape would be focusing all his snide remarks on her, she thought glumly. Usually that was Harry's problem.

She ducked her head as they entered, wishing Malfoy's blond hair wasn't so distinguishable. Of course, Hermione had no real hopes that Snape wouldn't realize they had entered his class; as she chanced a glance up she saw him watching their progress to their desks with narrowed eyes, a smirk already on his sallow, sadistic face.

Jamie was already sitting in her seat on the opposite side of the dungeon and waved at them merrily, winking cheekily at Hermione and Draco. Snape swept up to their table in the middle of the room and peered down at them.

"How nice of you two to join us."

Lizzie sprang up, a beam plastered across her face. "Professor Snape! Allow me to introduce you to our friends visiting from London, Drake Cobris and Mia-"

Snape came very close to rolling his eyes. "Shut up, Miss Granger."

Lizzie sat down with a pout as Draco stifled a snicker.

"Tell me, Cobris, are you enjoying your stay at Hogwarts?" Snape asked in his silky voice that signified insults or wearisome queries to come.

Draco cleared his throat. "Yes, sir, it's been very pleasant."

Snape's eyebrows drew together as if he doubted this were true. "Oh? You enjoy your . . . company?"

Draco stared at the Potions Master unblinkingly. "Very much, sir." Hermione thought dreamily of how appropriately romantic it would be to swoon right about now. It would get her out of Potions, at least. Too bad she wasn't the swooning type.

Snape did not look happy; his mouth curled into a sneer. "And you, Miss Johnson?"

"Our stay has been ever so nice," said Hermione, widening her eyes in feigned innocence. She could feel Lizzie shaking with silent laughter beside her, and knew that Draco was looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

Snape stood still for a moment, eyeing them as if unable to believe his ears, and then turned quickly to face James, who looked quite taken aback. "If I in any way liked your father, Potter, and his bumbling best friend, I would give them my sympathies," he snapped. "Do tell him I said so." With another swish of his long black robes he turned on his heel again and strode back to the front of the classroom.

"This is going to be the best Potions class ever!" Lizzie exclaimed, grinning at them. Hermione smiled back, heart pounding. The vein visibly throbbing in Snape's head was all the more satisfying.

"Did you mean that?" she whispered to Draco as Snape began speaking to the class; there were benefits to being from the future and not actually having to pay attention. "About enjoying this?"

He turned his head to face her, completely serious. She felt his fingertips graze her hand beneath the desk and shivered. "Yes. Are you glad it happened?"

"Yes," Hermione replied instantly.

"Not that I'm sure you two aren't having a cozy little conversation but your discussions on your love life need to wait until after my class," snarled Snape loudly, glaring at them. Hermione noted he was mostly glaring at her, though, and seemed intent on ignoring Draco, as if refusing to believe that his favorite student could be so disappointing.

Hermione turned bright red as the rest of the class turned to look at them.

"I'm going to tell Mum he said that," Lizzie whispered. "She'll be so mad."

"Maybe she'll send him a Howler," Dave said excitedly from Lizzie's other side.

Draco raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "She's sent him Howlers before? Impressive."

"Just one, when he tried to keep Lizzie and me out of his N.E.W.T. class," Dave said.

"Unfortunately she didn't send it in the morning mail but we hid outside his office after she sent it and heard it go off," Lizzie said dreamily. "It was so wonderful to hear Mum yelling at Snape."

"Did he try to keep you out?" asked Draco, craning his neck to look at James.

Surprisingly James shook his head.

"Actually Snape doesn't mind James as much as you'd think he would, considering how much he loathes Harry," Lizzie said thoughtfully. "James is the best potion maker in our year."

James reddened. "I had no trouble getting into this class," he admitted.

"Snape told him last year if he weren't a Potter he would want James in his House," Dave told them, sounding slightly awed.

"Which is why I should be paying attention," said James sternly, turning back to Snape. Though still red, he was smiling. Chastened slightly by James' good example, Hermione, too reluctantly focused her attention back on Snape, irritating as it was to have to do so.

Class progressed in similar fashion as it did in their time; he was snide to the Gryffindors and indulgent of the Slytherins. There were noticeable differences, however, in that Snape did not have a particular Gryffindor he liked to ridicule as he did Harry, and the Slytherins did not seem nearly so menacing. Except for a few surly-looking ones, they appeared just as ordinary as most students, nothing giving away their House except for the green on their robes.

Several times Hermione raised her hand to be called on, when just listening became boring and she felt the instinctive need to provide answers to questions. It seemed to irk Snape, though, and he never once acknowledged her, his cold eyes barely flicking at her. It was only through the growing expression of pronounced distaste on his face that she knew her eagerness to respond or- love of showing off- as he preferred to say, was getting on his nerves. Eventually she started receiving odd looks from other members of the class who had noticed her persistence. Lizzie was constantly muffling giggles, never breaking eye contact with Jamie, who was also amused. Once or twice James looked as if he considered deferring his right to answer to Hermione when he was called upon but then thought better of it, giving her an apologetic look afterwards.

Eventually Snape stopped questioning the class and set them to work on their potion for the day. Lizzie and Jamie immediately paired up, as did Dave and James. That left Hermione with the only option she'd come to expect to have. It felt strange being in Potions without Harry and Ron. She missed their whispered sarcastic contributions to the class, their dark looks and mutterings about Snape.

At long last the class slowed to an end, with Snape still pointedly ignoring her. Hermione did notice, however, that he had been unable to stop himself from throwing Draco occasional looks of deep disgust and disappointment. Whether her companion had discerned this as well she could not tell. The class finally ended but her group lingered as the other students departed. Snape walked up to them, his long robes rustling against the floor.

"Such an enjoyable lesson, Professor," Lizzie said cheerfully, beaming and seeming to bounce up and down on her toes. "As always."

"You are playing with fire, Miss Granger," snapped Snape. It didn't sound like it was the first time he had said such to her.

"I hear you are returning home today."

Draco nodded. "Tonight."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "And then? Shall this façade continue?"

"It's not a fac-' began Lizzie indignantly, stopping as Jamie stomped on her foot.

Draco gave a noncommittal shrug. "I don't know." He glanced at Hermione.

"It's a friendship, Professor," Hermione said as respectfully as she could. "It's not a crime."

Snape chose not to reply. "I expect I won't be getting the assigned homework from you." His tone of voice suggested that he did not thing their leaving was a plausible excuse and they should deliver the completed assignment from 25 years in the past.

Lizzie sighed, quite audibly. "Lucky." For once, no one berated her.

"We should get to our next class," said Dave, and headed for the door. Without another word Snape turned back towards his desk.

A wicked inspiration struck Hermione. "Professor," she called out quickly. Snape paused and slowly turned back, as if it pained him to have to address her.

"Before we go," Hermione said brightly. "I just thought you might like to see this." She turned to Draco and without hesitation kissed him. It wasn't so extravagant that she threw her arms around him, but Hermione made sure it would make Snape's blood pressure go up a few notches. It was sweet revenge.

Draco seemed to surprised to respond and had only put one hand lightly on her waist before she pulled back, satisfied.

Snape's stood still, though one of his hands was straying to a table for support. The contorted, screwed-up grimace on his face, as if he had been exposed to something that was so heinous it could only be seen through a squint, made Hermione wish she had a camera. It was the best revenge possible.

"See you later, sir," she said, beaming. With a little wave she soared out of the room, past Dave and James, who were both stock-still, eyes wide in shock, past Jamie who was staring in amazement, and Lizzie, who was trying desperately not to laugh. And, of course, there was Draco's reaction. He still looked nervously surprised, but not unhappy, and Hermione hid her smile at the mélange of effects she'd had on her friends.

She would remember the look on Snape's face forever, even if they used a Memory Charm she was sure she would remember, even if her conscious mind didn't quite know why he had looked so horrified. Outside, in the dungeons, she stopped to wait for her friends to catch up. They approached the door slowly, walking with slightly unfocused gazes for the most apart, as if unable to believe what they had just seen. Only Lizzie and Draco did not look completely dumbfounded.

"Shut the door!" yelled Snape from inside the class as Jamie filed out last. Despite the rage, there was also a clearly audible constricted sound, as if he found it hard to speak. Dave obliged and kicked it shut with his foot. Following the small bang there was a momentary silence. Hermione seemed to be the only one who remembered they had a class to get to and began walking towards the stairs that led out of the dungeons, the others following as they came out of their stupefaction.

"That was brilliant," said Lizzie, buoyant as always. "I should have thought of that. I don't mean I would've kissed you," she added, turning to Draco, who lagged a few steps. "That would be beyond disgusting. I would've just suggested it to Hermione."

"Did you know?" Dave demanded.

"Know what?" Lizzie asked, trying to sound innocent.

Dave looked indignantly outraged and gestured wildly as he spoke. "About them! That they're-" he pulled a face- "kissing."

"Me? Oh, yes, I've known for ages," Lizzie said airily.

Hermione coughed. "Since this morning."

Jamie's head whipped around. "I know this couldn't have been the first but there've been a lot?" She sounded deeply impressed, as if she would never have imaged them capable.

Hermione flushed for the first time. "Just a little." She was starting to feel embarrassed by all the open-ended astonishment, and wished Draco wasn't staying so quiet in the back. Everyone seemed to have forgotten he had been involved, too.

James chuckled. "Lizzie's right, though. Snape is going to be permanently scarred." Lizzie opened her mouth, an impish grin on her face.

"No puns, please," James said quickly, and she sighed regretfully.

"I didn't know you had fallen in love," Jamie marveled.

The silence that descended was immediate and complete. Hermione would've stopped in the hall out of sheer shock if Dave hadn't been right behind her.

"We're not in love," she said in a strangled voice.

There was more silence, but she couldn't tell whether it was because they were all exchanging skeptical looks or if they were simply digesting this.

"We're not," repeated Draco emphatically. Almost everyone showed signs of surprise, as if they had truly forgotten he was there. Now, having finally spoken, Draco quickened his pace so he matched Hermione, though Lizzie stood between them and he made no move to remedy that. Hermione was glad he didn't. Suddenly it occurred to her just how fast this had all gone, and she looked away. It had barely been more than a weekend and after witnessing one kiss Jamie was convinced they were in love. Was that how Lizzie had perceived it that morning? Was that what had instantly gone through Dave and James' heads as well? Is that what Snape had thought?

They weren't in love, and Hermione knew that was the absolute truth. It was impossible to fall in love after only three days. At least, it was for her, particularly when the significant other was a former enemy. It didn't matter that their future selves were in love, or if they had seen memories that only restated this. She, Hermione Granger, was not in love with Draco Malfoy. It was that simple. The kiss was just a kiss, just as all the others had been. Maybe they could be considered a couple- though it was still stretching the term given their situation- but they were not in love.

"It's not that big of a deal," Draco continued easily, as if he were barely perturbed by Jamie's immediate jump to conclusion. "After all, you initiated the one during Truth or Dare."

"Actually, I gave the kiss one," contradicted Lizzie, sounding quite serious, as if it were really important to her that everyone know it had been her doing. "Jamie did the-" It was Dave who stepped on her foot this time.

"And that doesn't count anyway," said Jamie impatiently. "That was nothing." She turned and reluctantly headed for another staircase, walking backwards to face them. "I have a different next class. McGonagall will be furious if I'm late. I'll see you later!" Her doubtful gaze, as if she couldn't quite accept their denial, lingered for a moment on Hermione before she whirled around and disappeared from view.

"That's one of the nuisances of having a best friend from a different House," Lizzie pointed out rather glumly.

They finally came to a stop and Hermione realized they had gone outside without her even noticing the change in surroundings. They were standing a few yards from Hagrid's cabin, the other students closer to it, milling around as they waited for the teacher. The non-Gryffindor students were Ravenclaws, Hermione noted. She was amazed at feeling slightly saddened by this. It hadn't occurred to her that not all things would have stayed the same. Strange how in the present she loathed having lessons with the Slytherins but here in the future she mourned the fact that they no longer shared the class. Maybe she just didn't like change. Or maybe she was getting a bit more used to Slythiner. Of course, this was Slytherin from the future, she reminded herself. The Slytherins in her own time weren't nearly so pleasant. But then again, this was one of the few classes she shared with Draco, where they might be able to act friendly without being so obvious. Not that it would mean much if their memories were erased . . .

"Does Professor Grubbly-Plank still substitute for Hagrid?" Hermione asked for lack of anything to say, as they waited for a teacher to appear.

She received only blank faces.

"Who?" asked James.

Hermione sighed. "Guess not."

The door to Hagrid's cabin banged open suddenly, and a tall, large man that could only be one person strode out, beaming at his class.

"Hagrid!" Hermione cried.

Hagrid turned to her, gave her an enormous wink, and mouthed an equally excited -looking "hello." Hermione barely restrained herself from moving closer and giving him a hug.

"I thought you said he was on his honeymoon," she whispered.

Lizzie looked puzzled but not unhappy. "He was. I guess Dumbledore managed to get in touch with him."

Hermione turned to Draco, forgetting momentarily that, being a Slytherin, he perhaps did not share her enthusiasm for Hagrid's unexpected return. He looked politely surprised, and if there had been any dislike on his face he had succeeded in hiding it very well. He didn't smile with his mouth as he met her gaze, but his eyes were smiling at her. She felt relieved that no distance had been created due to Jamie's comment of a few minutes earlier.

"Hope I was sufficiently missed," said Hagrid cheerfully, still beaming at the class. He didn't stop glancing at Hermione every other few seconds, though, his grin growing wider each time. Hagrid had never been known for his subtlety, Hermione thought fondly.

"How was the honeymoon?" a Ravenclaw called.

"Is Madame Maxime here?"

Hagrid chuckled. "She's up in'a castle. How did yer lessons go?"

There was a chorus of replies pertaining to the creatures they had studied in his absence. Hermione barely listened, wishing impatiently that the chatter would end so Hagrid could set the class up quickly with that day's lesson so she could talk to him. Ironic how when for once he was so incredibly popular, it was at an extraordinarily inopportune time.

At last the questions died down and Hagrid, as a treat, let them work with a herd of hippogriffs. Judging from the reactions received, Hermione could only guess that hippogriffs were the class's favorite creatures and on special days Hagrid would just let them tend to them. She glanced at Draco and saw with amusement his expression had gone slightly sour.

After what seemed to take forever, stretching Hermione's patience, Hagrid was finally able to approach them without looking suspicious. Lizzie and the others, though they had claimed a hippogriff, a golden-brown one with long feathers and a particularly proud expression, were standing nearby so they could add to the conversation.

"Hermione!" Hagrid beamed down at her, his eyes crinkling. He gave her a big, suffocating hug. "I could barely believe me eyes when I read Dumbledore's message!" He turned to Draco, his grin not fading. "Well, hullo, there!"

Draco, to his credit, managed to turn up one corner of his mouth. "Er, hello."

"I thought fer sure Dumbledore was trying to pull me leg at first," continued Hagrid, shaking his head in amazement. "O'course I told Olympe we had to cut our trip short to come visit. And here yeh are! So, tell me how it all 'appened." He sat down on a tree stump expectantly, and she knew she had no other choice but to tell, not that she would've denied him it anyway

Just as she had already done several times, Hermione had to recount their experience from when she and Draco had first found the Time-Turner. Hagrid never interrupted once, but his facial expressions were almost as distracting. Worry, confusion, surprise, delight passed over his face at different points. Hermione kept pausing so Draco could add to the explanation if he wanted, but he didn't say a word. Though she didn't leave out anything else, Hermione didn't tell Hagrid about her improved relationship with Draco. Despite Hagrid's numerous reactions, he didn't look immensely surprised when she explained that it was all Cissa and her friends' fault.

"Kind o' funny how it all leads back to you," said Hagrid thoughtfully, when she had finished. "Seein' as how it's yer child that caused the mess." He shook his head, eyes twinkling. "I'm wonderin' whether to be lookin' forward to or dreadin' next year when Narcissa's in me class. If she chooses it, tha' is," he added.
"I'm sure she will," Dave called from where he stood a few feet away, grooming his hippogriff.

"Cissa wants to take everything," Lizzie grumbled. "Sort of like you. I swear, she's the most like you out of all three of us," she told Hermione.

James gave Lizzie a strange look. "You wanted to take everything, too. You still do! That's why you had the Time-Turner in the first place."

To everyone's amusement, Lizzie looked somewhat surprised. "Oh, yeah . . ." She shook her head ruefully. "I'm missing a lot of classes this week by not having that thing."

Hagrid chuckled. "Has Dumbledore found a way to bring you home yet?"

"We're leaving tonight," said Draco.

Hagrid showed vague surprise at seeing him speak. "Though tha' one didn' like me," he said mildly under his breath to Hermione. Unsure of how to respond, she gave a noncommittal shrug. "Wish we'd've heard sooner," said Hagrid with a frown.

"Now it's your turn to tell us how you ended up married," Hermione said, smiling slyly as Hagrid turned a bashful shade of red.

His story was quite a bit shorter than theirs, and he kept on stumbling over the words, but the faraway look in his eye that they had first seen in fourth year when he met Madame Maxime was still there whenever he spoke of "Olympe" and Hermione was more aware than ever of how lucky she was to have Hagrid for a friend.

The golden-brown hippogriff walked over and gave Hagrid a hard nudge on the shoulder with its beak. Draco had withdrawn instantly when the hippogriff drew near, and Hermione almost laughed out loud to see the look of alarm on his face. Hagrid absent-mindedly patted the hippogriff's beak. Hermione slowly stepped back a pace, so as not to appear a threat to the creature. It turned its head and stared at her with an orange eye. A rather familiar eye now that she thought about it.

Hermione bowed slowly, and after a moment, the hippogriff shook its head imperiously, gave what sounded like a disdainful snort, and began nudging Hagrid again.

"Who is this?" asked Hermione.

Hagrid's eyes twinkled. "This here's Pyrite. She's Buckbeak's daughter," he said, looking almost as proud as the hippogriff.

Hermione stared at Pyrite in surprise. There was a certain resemblance now that she looked more carefully. Glancing around at the other groups of students, she noticed that most of the other hippogriffs seemed much more friendly and not quite as regal.

Draco was frowning, cross. He was also rubbing his arm where Buckbeak had scratched him. For a moment he didn't say anything, but a second later his eyes widened in shock and then narrowed in suspicion.

"If that hippogriff got away before its head could be cut off," he said slowly, looking from Hermione to Hagrid shrewdly. "How did it manage to sire descendants at Hogwarts?"

Hermione winced. Hagrid froze.

Draco gazed at Hermione, waiting for an answer, but she gave none. "That Beakbuck didn't get away on his own after all, did he," he said at last, a great look of dislike on his face.

"Well, actually, it's Buckbeak," Hagrid corrected. "And-"

Draco rounded on Hermione. "You did it, didn't you? You, Potter, and Weasley? Somehow, that hippogriff got away, and it was your fault. We knew it had something to do with you three, there was just never any proof!"

Hermione grimaced. "I wouldn't call it our fault, really, seeing as how Buckbeak didn't deserve to die in the first place."

"It tried to kill me!"

"You insulted him!"

"I called him a single, harmless name and for that he attacks me!"

"Hippogriffs are very proud creatures, Hagrid told us that!" Hermione retorted severely.

Draco sniffed. "They're just too vain."

"One would think you'd get along well," Hermione muttered.

His eyes narrowed again. "What did you say?"

Hermione made a point of saying nothing and walked up to Pyrite to stroke her feathery back. "I'm glad we saved your father," she said in a loud, clear voice, making sure Draco could hear. "He didn't do anything wrong."

She felt rather than heard Draco, fuming, march up to her. "How exactly did you do it? From everything we learned, it was impossible for that hippogriff to escape!"

"It's a secret," Hermione said sweetly.

"I-"

With a sudden, fierce snap of her teeth, Pyrite lunged at Draco. It was more for show than an actual threat, as she only daintily nipped his robes, but Draco let out a loud yelp anyway and flailed his arms at the hippogriff, once again looking panicked.

Hermione didn't restrain herself from laughing this time, and Hagrid controlled himself with only a few chuckles. Lizzie, as usual, wasn't nearly as dignified, and the others looked amused, too.

"See?" Draco exclaimed, outraged, checking his robes' sleeves for tears. "It tried to take off my arm."

"She did not!" Hermione replied. "She just nipped you because you were being obnoxious. It's not worth getting scared over."

"I am not scared," said Draco hotly. He glared at Pyrite. "They all have it in for me." When Hermione only gave him a patronizing look, he snarled and stomped away from their cluster to the patch of bushes they had been looking for Lizzie's Time-Turner in a few days ago. Hermione watched him leave and then turned to Hagrid.

"I think she's beautiful." Remembering hippogriffs' intelligence, she turned to Pyrite, addressed her personally, and repeated the statement. Pyrite inclined her head slightly, pawing the ground.

Hagrid glanced over at Draco, who was obstinately looking in the other direction. "Now that it's come up, how are things with Malfoy?"

Hermione shrugged. "He's stubborn and rude and-"

"And Mum thinks he's a very good kisser," said Lizzie, jumping into the conversation. Hermione gasped and glared at her, but she only rolled her eyes.

"It's stupid pretending you still dislike him," she said, not bothering to lower her voice. Out of the corner of her eye Hermione distinctly saw Draco's head swivel around to look at them.

"They've kissed. A lot," she informed Hagrid, who was staring from one girl to the other in amazement.

"They're not in love yet, but they're no longer denying it, which is a good thing obviously. Unfortunately they can't pick out baby names, since we already exist, but I'm sure they're finding lots of fun things to talk about anyway. Oh, and Dad's not nearly as bad as he sounded just now. I think the hippogriffs just put him in a bad mood. And just so you know, Dave told me that Draco was really freaking out about fancying Hermione," Lizzie added. "Because he really likes her, but of course he won't remember liking her after the Memory Charms. He's worried he might start being horrid again, and doesn't want to hurt her feelings." She spoke as if she were explaining the weather forecast for the day, even complementing her words with a dull, bored expression.

Hermione stared at her, open-mouthed. She turned to Dave for confirmation who, frowning at Lizzie, gave a short, resigned nod. Without a word she wheeled around and looked at Draco. There was a very odd expression on his face, as if something had just happened that he hadn't planned on at all, and he was trying to figure out how to fix the problem without further embarrassment. Any which way, there was no doubt in his mind that Draco had really said those things to Dave.

Hagrid cleared his throat uneasily and prepared to speak, but he, like the others, seemed at a complete loss for words and finally closed his mouth.

"You know, you did sound a little like a married couple when you were arguing a few minutes ago," Lizzie said thoughtfully. "Exasperated with each other, yet in love at the same time-"

"Elizabeth!" Dave cried in a strangled voice.

"What?" she asked, looking genuinely surprised.

Hermione tried not to groan. Hagrid patted her shoulder sympathetically. Pyrite let out a sound that was midway between a screech and a neigh.

Hagrid cleared his throat again. "'Bout time fer lunch. Why don't you kids get up back to the castle? Hermione, do you want to help me put away the hippogriffs?" He looked at her pointedly, and she nodded, relieved that she would be getting some time alone with her friend, without Lizzie's detracting, if well-meaning, comments.

"We'll save you a spot at lunch," Lizzie said, before joining her brother and James. Dave waved at Draco, who only glared and shook his head.

Hermione didn't waste time watching Draco for any further action and followed Hagrid to the rest of the hippogriffs, which he started leading one by one back to the paddock.

"So," he said after bringing the first three in. He gave Hermione an appraising look. "I take't by yer reaction that Lizzie was tellin' the truth?"

Hermione nodded, trying not to blush. She waited for Hagrid to speak, but he seemed to be contemplating all he'd heard very seriously, and she knew instinctively she could not successfully urge him to hurry up and speak.

"I wasn't ever Malfoy's favorite teacher and needless to say, he wasn't ever me favorite student," Hagrid finally began. He leaned against the fence, ignoring the hippogriffs and focusing solely on Hermione. She was very grateful for the blunt tone in which he was speaking and the honest opinion she knew he would give.

"I was thinking along the same lines as Harry and Ron were when they discovered what you'd been up to with Malfoy. O' course, I didn't get into yelling fights with you that rattled yer whole House, but you did have to do some serious explaining before I was willing to accept you truly cared about him." Hermione was finding it hard not to blush. Hagrid continued to study her.

"But the thing is, you did like him. A lot. And it was pretty obvious to everyone- excepting Harry and Ron, o' course- that he really cared for you, too. Whether you were a good influence on him or whether he was just making an effort to be nice to please you, I dunno, but whichever way, he was generally politer, to me and to the other Gryffindors.

"Except Harry and Ron," Hermione said, smiling, as Hagrid opened his mouth to say the same. His eyes twinkled, and his grin resurfaced.

"Yes, well, they were an exception fer quite a while. My point is, Hermione, you shouldn't be afraid or upset if Lizzie's wrong and you are falling in l-"

"I am not falling in love with him," Hermione burst out vehemently.

Hagrid smiled gently. "But don't you think you will eventually if you continue to, er, have yer fun?"

Hermione was silent. "Maybe," she grudgingly admitted. "But Neville says we have to have our memories erased. It'll end." She couldn't hide the definitively reluctant inflection in her voice.

"Not necessarily. Who's to say that Malfoy won't end up writing you that letter?"

Hermione shrugged. "He might, I suppose."

"Do you want him to?"

She had no answer to that, at least not a verbal one. Yes, said one part of her. She didn't want to lose their friendship . . . and she didn't want to lose the other certain bond they had developed either. But it was safer to stay enemies and not have to deal with a future she hadn't ever dreamed of, safer for her sanity and emotions to not have to find the courage and strength to learn to love Draco Malfoy.

Safer wasn't always better. And the easy things in life weren't always the right choices.

"Yes, yes I do want him to," she said, the first time slowly, the second with more conviction. She glanced back over her shoulder at the blond-haired boy still sitting on a tree stump, now resting his chin in his hands. "I don't want to lose him."

Hagrid smiled widely. "I didn't think you did." He gave her another pat on the shoulder, this time accidentally making her stumble. Apologizing, he helped her back up, and they both straightened, him to go put the remaining hippogriffs away and her to head back to the castle for lunch.

"And one last thing, Hermione." Hagrid gazed at her seriously. "I know Draco- the one in this time period- much better than I used to. And he's not a bad person. Never once have you regretted marrying him."

"Thanks, Hagrid," said Hermione softly, and he nodded.

"I'll see you again before you go." He winked. "I think you have to go talk to your boy."

Hermione reddened again, causing Hagrid to chuckle, but she did as he suggested and walked back over to Draco. As she turned though, the sight that met her eyes made her stop, and she had a split second to choose whether to gape or laugh in astonishment.

"Oh dear," Hagrid said from behind her with a chuckle.

Bored, Pyrite had ambled over to Draco and was examining him with close scrutiny, standing less than two feet away and twisting her head to stare at him from all different angles. Clearly panicked, Draco had drawn himself as far back as he could reach without falling off the stump and was poised, paralyzed, as if afraid that if he made a single movement the hippogriff would attack. His eyes flickered to Hermione and she saw the obvious plea for help, which, even if he hadn't intended to be visible, was plain all the same.

She walked over, muffling laughter at his predicament, and stopped next to Pyrite. Hermione petted the hippogriff, noting how white Draco's knuckles were as his hands clenched the stump. He was glaring at her furiously, and his face was paler that it had been recently.

"Get her away," he said through gritted teeth.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Was that an order or a request?"

A little color returned to his cheeks in annoyance. Pyrite made a guttural noise in the back of her throat and cocked her head.

Draco snarled under his breath. "Please."

Hermione smiled at him. "C'mon, girl," she said softly to Pyrite and taking hold of the feathers of her wings, she gave a gentle tug. Pyrite's orange eyes seemed to sharpen into a frown, and for a moment Hermione was worried she might become aggressive, but then Pyrite shook her head imperiously, clicked her beak, and turned to Hermione, who led her swiftly away from Draco.

"Good girl, Pyrite," she whispered, petting her a final time before handing her to Hagrid. She gave the hippogriff another bow, and Pyrite inclined her head in return. Smiling, Hermione walked back to Draco.

He had stood, and looked immensely relieved, thought still shaken.

"She wouldn't have hurt you," Hermione told him. "I'm pretty sure she was just curious. She knew you were frightened of her."

Draco scowled at her. "I am not frightened of hippogriffs."

"You certainly seemed scared of Buckbeak."

"He was a savage! Just like his daughter," he muttered, and then looked at her accusingly. "You enjoyed that."

She shrugged, smiling slightly. "Perhaps." They walked slowly back to the castle, taking their time. Hermione knew their were words left to be spoken between them before they could rejoin the others, but she was waiting for them to come on their own, not willfully urged by either so they came out mixed-up and muddled.

"You don't need to be worried about hurting me if we do have our memories erased," Hermione said quietly, finally, when she had successfully collected her thoughts and found herself ready to speak.

Draco accepted her knowledge of his private admission to Dave with more grace than she'd expected. "Dave wasn't supposed to tell Lizzie I said that. And she was certainly not supposed to tell you."

Hermione nodded. "I gathered that." She paused mid-step and turned to face him. "I've known you for six whole years, Draco, and never once have you hurt me so badly that that I felt like crying. Things you've done to my friends, maybe, but nothing ever to me personally. I've dealt with you. You don't need to worry."

She began walking again. For a few minutes Draco didn't say anything. As they reached the doors he stopped her suddenly with a gentle, but firm touch to the arm. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek with his other hand.

"I wouldn't do anything to hurt you anymore," he said fiercely. "Not if I could help it. You know that, don't you?"

Hermione tried to smile, but she knew it would be shaky, as she gulped down the sudden lump in her throat. "I know."

Draco took a deep breath. "But I can't promise I won't make a mistake if they use Memory Charms."

"Neither can I."

"You won't h-" he began, and then stopped abruptly. Draco looked at her for a moment, clearly unsure of what to say. There was still a hint of worry in his eyes, and he slowly drew her to him, their differences of the past hour forgotten. Hermione relaxed against him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, gave him a reassuring squeeze. It was a hug of friendship, she realized. And that didn't bother her. For now she valued the gain of a friend more than a boyfriend.

"Are you going to send me a letter?" she asked quietly.

He hesitated, but spoke with conviction. "Yes."

She smiled, knowing he would have no way of making sure it happened, but appreciating his assurance all the same.

"I wonder if I'll respond," she teased.

His lips curled into his infamous smirk. "Who says I won't just toss your reply in the fire?" They parted and entered the castle. Their stay at Hagrid's had been longer than they'd anticipated and lunch was long over. Hermione wasn't disappointed; she didn't really feel like going to class.

The twins had informed them in the morning that Lizzie and James had Arithmancy after lunch and Dave had Ancient Runes, but Draco declined Hermione's half-hearted suggestion that they find their friends.

A sudden wailing broke up a conversation about the best subject (Draco said Potions and Hermione was torn between Transfiguration and Arithmancy). Hermione gave the hall they were walking through a cursory glance but they were the only students. The nearest door was to a boys' lavatory.

"Why don't you go in there," she suggested.

Draco raised a pale eyebrow. "You're not coming?"

She gave him a tart glare. "Do I look like a boy?"

"You didn't have any problem in forcing Potter and Weasley into a girls' bathroom," Draco said under his breath as he opened the door and ducked inside.

Hermione gritted her teeth; she would not regret having Draco's knowledge of their Polyjuice Potion escapade erased by the Memory Charm.

Draco poked his head out the door, disgruntled. "It's Peeves. And no one's in here, so you can come in." Disapproving but too curious to resist, Hermione hesitantly stepped over the threshold. Peeves was zooming around the room squawking and wailing. For a second she thought he was actually upset- until she saw his wicked grin and remembered exactly who it was. Then she realized whom he was reminding her of.

"Are you imitating Myrtle?" she asked in amazement.

Peeves stopped in mid-loop and hovered by the ceiling, squinting at her. He had abruptly broken off a screech. "You figured that out quickly!" He cackled. "Much cleverer than the other wee students about!" He was about to fly off again, stopped again, and ended up doing a somersault in mid-air. His eyes widened.

"You're Potter's wee girlfriend!" He chortled in delight, and glanced at Draco. "And ferret boy! "

Draco reddened in anger very quickly. "I am not a- and don't call her-" He broke off and made a rude gesture at Peeves, who blew a big raspberry and returned the sign.

Peeves cackled and made an odd movement with his lips. It took Hermione a moment to realize he was making kissing noises at them.

A poltergeist puckering was not a very common sight.

"Let's leave," Draco muttered. Hermione gladly followed him out of the bathroom as Peeves broke into his newest insulting song.

"Poor Potty's a soppy wet prat

His girlfriend married a rat!

Oh their poor kids, in looks they will fail,

With big bushy hair and a tail!"

Peeves could still be heard laughing at his ditty even as they left the bathroom far behind.

Draco looked ready to throttle something and had pulled out his wand, clutching it so hard Hermione wondered if it would snap.

"It was not even a rat," Draco said through clenched teeth. "It was a-"

"Do you really think what small, furry animal it was is the biggest thing to be insulted about?" Hermione interrupted, having the sense to cut him off before he finished the sentence.

"And obviously he's never met our kids," Draco continued muttering. "Lizzie may have obscenely thick hair but they don't have-"

"Draco!"

He stopped, flushing slightly.

"Let's try to keep things in perspective," suggested Hermione.

He muttered several obscenities under his breath that she chose to ignore. They reached Gryffindor Tower and after hemming and hawing for a few minutes chose to settle in the common room and wait until lessons were over for the day.

"Do you think anyone would actually believe this had happened if we got the chance to tell them?" Draco asked suddenly.

Hermione considered the question. "They'd know something strange had happened. There'd have to be some sort of plausible excuse as to why we were suddenly on good terms. And strange things do seem to happen to me," she sighed. "Or they happen to Harry, rather, and I'm just involved. This is sort of a run-of-the-normal adventure, really, except that Harry and Ron aren't here."

Draco wore a fixed look of dislike. "What a loss." Hermione pretended she hadn't heard that.

"It's a shame we won't remember this," she said idly.

"Objectively, it was fun."

She glared at him. "Are you saying it wasn't fun because of all the involved . . . romantic . . . entanglements?"

"No," he replied hotly. "I was saying that the rest of it was fun, too, and it's too bad we're going to lose the friends we made."

Hermione huffed in reply and went back to staring around the room. "You don't suppose we could record everything that's happened and bring it back- so it would trigger the memories?"

"They wouldn't let us," Draco said, frowning. "Longbottom knows we'll try to sneak something."

Eventually their ideas- or lack of them- turned into companionable chatter, and it wasn't long before the first few Gryffindors started trickling back in.

"They'll have gone to dinner without us," Draco muttered, when they saw no sign of either twin or James after nearly fifteen minutes. Hermione followed him through the portrait. As they reached the Great Hall, it occurred to her that it was a little less than two hours before it would be time to go back home. That meant only two hours left with Lizzie, and Dave, and all her other newly acquired friends.

It meant only two more hours of being friends with Draco.

Lizzie flagged them over to where they sat at the Gryffindor table the moment they were in sight.

"You guys are so lucky to have missed class," she said reproachfully as they sat, Hermione next to her and Draco across next to Dave.

"Are you still going to try to get to the past with us?" Hermione asked, lowering her voice so others wouldn't hear.

Lizzie shook her head. "Of course not!"

Hermione didn't know whether to sigh in relief or be disappointed. Draco looked mildly surprised.

"I didn't expect you to give up so easily." Lizzie's eyes widened.

Dave laughed. "No, we're not going to try- we're going to do it."

Hermione shook her head in rueful amusement; she should've seen that coming. Such subtle wording, and yet it was not a surprising distinction considering whom she was speaking to.

"Come to the Room or Requirement at six," James whispered, making sure they both heard and acknowledged his words.

There was a pained expression on Lizzie's face. "And don't tell Donna or Megan that we're going to the past; they'll want to come to and we just won't have enough time."

"But Lauren's Donna's sister!" Hermione protested, though inwardly she knew it was futile. To her credit, Lizzie did not look happy with herself, and looked appropriately guilty.

"Remember to come," Dave reminded them as they rose to depart, and before Hermione could protest to ask where they were going, he and James had been hurried away by Lizzie. Hermione sighed and turned to Draco.

"Shall we go?"

He gave the barest hint of a nod, moody again. Hermione restrained herself from giving another sigh of exasperation and set off for the stairs at a brisk pace, not caring if he kept up with her or not.

She went first to Gryffindor to make sure she hadn't left anything there; she probably wouldn't be coming back. She hadn't brought anything with her, of course, and she was wearing the robes she'd had on when they'd arrived. Everything that Hermione had borrowed from Lizzie was returned. She gave the girls' dormitory one last, sad smile before turning around and going down to the common room, where Draco was going to be waiting after he'd come down from the boys' dormitory.

He was already there, and neither prolonged leaving. One small comfort to Hermione was that the Gryffindor common room, at least, would be almost the same once they returned.

"Good-bye," she said politely to the Formerly-Fat Lady outside the portrait hole.

The girl peered closely at her, and then the pink fan she was holding wavered faster in recognition. "Good-bye!" she replied, in a high-pitched, slightly girlish voice that Hermione could instantly tell was fake, that she was trying to sound more like her appearance. Hermione rather missed the regular Fat Lady, now that she thought about it; this new, younger-looking, thin version wasn't as interesting.

She and Draco walked silently to the Room of Requirement. It was only a little more than an hour until they were due down in the Potions corridor to use the Time-Turner. They reached the stretch of hallway and saw the door was already there. Hermione pushed it open.

A crowd of people waited inside- Lizzie, Dave, James, Jamie, Donna, Megan, Mia, Drake, Harry, Ron, Hagrid, Ginny, and Neville were all there, beaming. So was one woman Hermione didn't recognize- and one she did, but only after racking her brain, considering the person was 25 years older since she'd seen her last.

"We thought we'd give you a little going away party before you left," Lizzie said, smiling happily and gesturing behind her at a table laden with sweets. Automatically Hermione felt the urge to protest and point out they had just eaten but she stopped herself and grinned back. She felt rather than saw Draco slip away from her and the group that instantly surrounded them. Turning her head, she caught sight of him hovering by the adults for a few seconds before drifting towards a wall, his surly expression more pronounced.

Hermione laughed and said hello accordingly, but couldn't help but stare at the two women, particularly the second one, who was now speaking with Ron in a cordial, if distant way. Even though they had never been friends, nor even polite acquaintances, Hermione knew it was Pansy Parkinson. It was the same pug face, even though it had lost some of its unattractive quality over the years. She wore fancy silver robes that expressed wealth and seemed to hold herself back from the other adults. If Hermione didn't know Jamie's parentage, she would have been completely astonished to see Ron and Pansy talking together. Shaking her head and wondering if she'd have to be "introduced," she turned her attention to the other, unknown woman.

The second was slim and pretty, with shoulder length light brown hair that curled at the end. She had an attractive female body, the kind that would first grab a boy's attention, but she didn't flaunt her figure, dressing demurely in pale yellow robes.

"Who is that?" Hermione whispered when the noisy bustle about their arrival had died down a bit.

Jamie, the first to hear, answered. "That's Emily. My stepmother."

Hermione couldn't help but stare harder when she realized the woman was Ron's wife, the mother of Ken.

"Where did they-"

"Meet?" Jamie looked as if she'd been expecting this question. "She was a reporter for the Daily Prophet when they met and wrote a very critical article on Dad's team. They met when Dad went to see her to complain." Jamie broke off with a slight grin. "It took them about six months of heated arguing to realize their dinners together were actual dates- not meetings set up to discuss ridiculous reviews."

Hermione smiled, glancing at Ron affectionately. She was so happy he had found someone. Emily sounded nice. His conversation with Pansy finished, Ron stood nearer to her and put an arm around her waist.

"She was a Ravenclaw two years below you at Hogwarts," added Jamie.

It wasn't long before Hermione circulated to greet the adults and was formally introduced to Emily, who shook her hand warmly and said what a pleasure it was to meet Mia's younger double.

"I'm Jamie's evil stepmother," Emily said, smiling first at her and then at her stepdaughter, who rolled her eyes, though not unkindly.

"Yes, she's simply terrible," said Jamie, her eyes wide in an exaggerated fashion.

"I have to clean the house every day of the summer!"

Hermione laughed as Emily pretended to make a face at Jamie.

"No, Em's quite sweet actually," said Jamie cheerfully. "Coddles me like I'm a baby!"

"So, will you tell me lots of embarrassing stories about Ron?" asked Emily, grinning and speaking in a lowered voice that nonetheless carried.

Hermione laughed as Ron turned bright red. "Well . . ."

Ron gave a nervous chuckle, tugging weakly at his wife's arm. "Emily, sweetie, I'm sure Hermione doesn't have any interesting stories to share."

Emily gave him an amused glance and waved at Hermione, who excused herself to go talk to Draco.

"What's the matter?"

Draco looked as if he dearly wanted to snarl at her but refrained and gave a tight-lipped grimace. "Nothing."

Hermione surveyed him for a moment, wondering how angry he would get if she voiced what was going through her mind, and if she wanted to risk it.

"Are you mad because you can't stop us from forgetting?" she asked quietly.

It took longer than she expected for Draco to react and when he did, it was only with a sideways glance that she took to mean yes.

"Don't be," Hermione told him softly. "We can't stop it. But we can enjoy our last hour here."

Draco tried to smile, for her sake, but it clearly wasn't easy to fake for someone who didn't smile often to begin with.

The impromptu party lasted until 6:45, at which point the adults all left to go prepare and the teenagers were left alone after promising to send Hermione and Draco off to the dungeons by 6:50.

"We'll miss you," said Megan, smiling at them both as she and Donna prepared to leave and glancing at Neville, who was hovering around the door, waiting to speak to his daughter.

"Find my sister," Donna whispered, smiling also, though her voice trembled a tad bit more.

"They will," Lizzie assured her as Hermione nodded reassuringly as well.

Hermione watched the two girls leave, feeling the inevitable lump start to rise in her throat. She hadn't spent nearly as much time with Donna and Megan but it already seemed impossibly sad that they were leaving. It was probably because they would never see them again. With a pang of regret, she realized she wouldn't ever see Sam and Sean, or Ian again either, and had quite forgotten to say good-bye to them properly at dinner.

"You are coming, too, I suppose?" Draco asked Jamie, who nodded.

"Do you honestly think I would stay behind?"

Hermione sighed. "Just how exactly are all four of you going to get to the past with us?"

Lizzie brightened. "Well, we need your help."

Dave hastened to elaborate. "We're going to use James' Invisibility Cloak. Well- it's his dad's actually, but Harry lets James keep it at school. You two can offer to stand together in the ring of adults and the four of us will be smashed in between you."

Hermione stared. "Draco and I are supposed to form a circle for you to hide in?"

Draco made a not-quite-polite incredulous noise. "That's ridiculous! You'll never fit!"

"We'll squeeze together," said Lizzie primly. "We'll only be squashed for a minute or so."

"Please say you'll do this," Jamie wheedled. "We really want to go, and it would be so much easier if you agreed to help."

"But the adults will notice if Draco and I stand oddly!"

Lizzie shook her head impatiently. "No, they won't, they'll be too preoccupied making sure it all goes all right."
Hermione finally sighed. "I'll do it." Draco nodded his consent, and the others looked immediately happier, though not quite surprised at their decision. If forced to, Hermione would have to admit that the thought of her friends coming made her more than a little happy, and a thrill of excitement ran through her.

They exited the Room of Requirement as one big group and headed towards the dungeons. Hermione felt her heart pound with every step and wondered if Draco felt similarly. She couldn't believe they were finally going home . . .

It would be so nice to see Harry and Ron again.

At the top of the stairs leading to the dungeon Lizzie, Dave, James, and Jamie all got under the Invisibility Cloak. Hermione fully appreciated the fact that she only had to wear the Cloak with Harry and Ron; the four of them barely fit, and the bottoms of their feet showed.

"Walk in front of us, would you?" Lizzie whispered, her voice seeming to come from thin air. Hermione blinked; it was very strange seeing people disappear under the very Cloak she herself had disappeared under countless times.

They went down the stairs, moving slowly so the huddled group under the Cloak wouldn't trip.

Mia, Drake, Harry, Ron, Hagrid, Snape, McGonagall, Ginny, Emily, Pansy, Neville, Erps, and Dumbledore were all waiting for them, some chatting tensely while others simply watched for their arrival.

Erps nodded curtly as they hurried to the waiting adults. "Just in time," he wheezed, holding up a gold Time-Turner. Hermione stared at it, heart pounding even louder. It looked exactly like her old one and yet this would bring her back more than 25 years . . .

She heard a slight rustle as the invisible group stopped, but luckily no one else seemed to hear.

Mia craned her neck to look up the stairs, suspicious. "I thought Lizzie and Dave would try to convince us to let them come again. Do you know where they are?" Hermione gave a non-committal shrug.

"We have five minutes," said Drake. "If you want to say any good-byes. Hermione- that is, Mia-, Potter, Weasely, and I are the only ones going."

Hermione immediately turned to the nearest adult not accompanying them. It was Ginny. She hugged her red-haired friend, reminding herself that she would be seeing the regular Ginny within the hour.

"I hope it works out for you guys," said Ginny quietly, and Hermione squeezed harder in reply. She said a polite good-bye to Emily, who looked much more nervous than she had during their party. She was scowling; it appeared she had wanted to come and retrieve her son personally, and was refusing to be appeased by Ron. Hermione heard Ron reassuring her that they would find Ken as she moved onto the next person and, seeing it was Pansy, decided to politely bypass her.

"Hello, Granger." Pansy smiled, offering a hand, and Hermione instantly recognized where Jamie had gotten her personality quirks from. Pansy, too, sounded as if she were enjoying a personal joke and was on some sort of higher plane than the others but was hanging around them anyway.

Hermione shook her hand cautiously, not really knowing what to say. "Hello Pansy."

"I know we weren't friends," Pansy said in a lower voice, as if this were a confidential secret. "But it's nice to see you again anyway. An interesting change of events. Do try to take care of Draco; it just didn't work out with us and he needs a nice girl." She smirked at Draco, who was speaking to Snape, and then at Drake, who was in the middle of giving Mia a kiss on the forehead. Pansy sniffed. "And take care of Ron, too, dear. He needs help more than most boys." She sighed. "I think that's how we started, actually, I was criticizing his lack of social dating skills and he . . ." She sighed again, a faraway look entering her eyes as she reminisced. "Needless to say, we weren't serious, but when he criticized my love life I just had to show him how to do things properly. Well, if it happens again, you'll see it for yourself, won't you?"

Hermione didn't know quite what to make of any of this and nodded, unable to resist from smiling.

Pansy was quiet for a few seconds. "It's a shame we weren't friends in school," she said at last. "At least adulthood can rectify some things." She gave Hermione a last little smile and went to speak to Draco.

Hermione, pondering her last words, went to Neville.

He had the same, slightly guilty look he had had the day before in Dumbledore's office. "Hermione, you know I'm sorry about the Memory Charms," he said abruptly as she approached. "As a friend, I would never, never do that to you. As minister . . ." He broke off helplessly, and Hermione could see the regular Neville vividly in her mind's eye, looking just as worried over a potion.

"I understand," she said, trying to smile and ease some of Neville's guilt. It wasn't his fault what the law required. "You're just doing your job. I bet you're a great Minister for Magic."

Neville reddened and stammered something and Hermione could only smile at his reaction, it being the exact one she would've expected from the Neville she knew.

"Young lady, you received extraordinary N.E.W.T. results in this time period," Professor McGonagall began after Neville had moved away, her eyes beady as she scrutinized Hermione. "I expect you to get the same results, this time."

Unsure if this was friendly sarcasm or if Professor McGonagall was serious, Hermione nodded.

"It has been a pleasure seeing one of the most excellent students I ever had again." Professor McGonagall gave her a rare smile and turned to the person standing behind her. Hermione was touched.

"I assume you would like a word, Severus," McGonagall said crisply, completely ruining Hermione's sudden sentimental state of mind. Snape, who had his back towards them in a clear attempt to ignore her, froze in the middle of a sentence directed at Drake. Hermione shook her head at Professor McGonagall but the Transfiguration teacher, either not noticing or ignoring her- probably the latter- shook her hand and moved on.

Hermione and Snape looked at each other in dislike.

"So . . ." Hermione began, remembering that morning, and wondering if Snape had been wincing all day.

"Miss Granger, if you ever touch Mr Malfoy, even if you so much as hold his hand, in my class again, I will put you in detention," Snape said smoothly.

She hadn't expected that. He was looking a bit green again. Hermione decided not to point out that there was no way he could keep that promise.

"Well, we're not in class now . . ." She glanced over her shoulder at Draco, and was slightly taken aback to see him conversing with Dumbledore. Both were speaking quietly and seriously.

"Miss Granger, don't you dare!"

Hermione laughed; she couldn't help it. Snape, looking livid, stalked away.

Next was Hagrid.

"I was invited to your wedding, right?" she teased.

"O' course, yeh were," Hagrid said indignantly. "D'yeh think I would've-"

"I'm joking, Hagrid," said Hermione, resisting the urge to laugh again, and hugged him. He patted her on the head, remembering to do it gently so he didn't knock her over, and Hermione, looking up, saw he was misty-eyed.

"I'll miss yeh," he said gruffly. "Even tho' yer technically here . . ."

"It is about time." Erps wizened, crackly voice echoed throughout the chamber and immediately the chatter stopped. "If everyone going could get in the center, please."

Hermione met Draco's eyes, and then glanced at the far wall, where the invisible teens were waiting.

"Er, we just want a few seconds," Hermione said, blushing at her fib, and trying to ignore the amused, indulgent smiles of the adults. She hurried over and, in the pretense of grabbing Draco's hand, felt quickly for the Invisibility Cloak. Her hand met fabric, and she heard a soft intake of breath from whomever she'd pressed on. She wondered if any of them had fainted from the wait. Heart pounding, she glanced at Draco, and he gave a minute shrug. Hermione gritted her teeth. Lizzie and the others had better know what they were doing otherwise they wouldn't get to say good-bye.

Still clutching Draco's hand, Hermione walked quickly toward where Mia, Drake, Harry, and Ron were waiting, in the center of the dungeon. The other adults had drawn back to the walls, except for Dumbledore who was standing next to them, holding a Time-Turner. Hermione heard the soft rustle of four sets of feet moving behind them and breathed a small sigh of relief. Draco let go and walked into the small circle created by the adults. Pretending to hesitate, Hermione waited until she felt the others brush past her, and hoped the adults wouldn't notice they were now surrounding six teens instead of two. Harry and Ron closed hands again and Dumbledore pulled the Time-Turner around Ron. It took Hermione a second to realize that a six-foot long chain surrounded the adults and the kids inside. She also noted, with great amusement, that Drake and Harry were holding hands, though with a handkerchief in between. Both wore insufferable looks of great pain and indignation.

"Harry and I flipped a knut to see who had to hold Malfoy's hand," Ron whispered. "Needless to say, he lost." Hermione couldn't help but smirk.

She heard a muffled curse and felt someone step on her toes. It was hard to breathe, squashed beside the others. Noticing Mia's frown, as she stared at the "space" between her and Draco, Hermione frantically reached around two people and grabbed his hands.

Her eyes met Dumbledore's. He stared contemplatively at her for a minute, then at the space between her and Draco. He winked. Hermione smiled guiltily.

"In thirty seconds now," Erps said. Hermione felt Draco's hand tighten its hold on her own. Mia was still staring at them, clearly trying to figure out what was going on. Ron was smiling reassuringly at Emily. Drake and Harry were waiting tensely.

Comprehension dawned in Mia's eyes. She almost reached out a hand to feel the Invisibility Cloak. "Wait-"

Too late.

Erps turned the hourglass.

Hermione saw a rush of color as the watching professors and friends blurred together and felt the acute sensation of being flipped head over heels repeatedly, until she thought she would faint upon regaining her proper footing. At last the travel through time slowed to a stop. Miraculously, she saw still standing, though by Draco's wince of pain, her fingers were digging into his hand hard enough to bruise. She let go quickly and immediately regretted it, as the walls seemed to start revolving slowly again.

It had worked; or at least, by all appearances it had. They were in the dungeons, but without the additions from 25 years in the future. Hermione found herself feeling almost fond of it, yet half-wishing the tapestries and lush carpeting was still there, as well.

"Elizabeth! Dave!" Mia had adjusted rather quickly considering what a huge leap in time they had just made and without warning shot a hand straight into the general direction of the Invisibility Cloak. There was a muffled yelp as her hand collided with someone, and the next second Mia's fingers had secured hold of the fabric and ripped it off the miscreant teenagers. All of them wore guilty expressions, though Lizzie's shadowed on triumphant which Hermione did not think was going to lesson her mother's rage at all.

"James!" Harry tried to sound appalled and failed quite badly. Hermione saw him sneak a glance at Ron, who was grinning.

"Galleon to me," Ron muttered to Harry.

Mia rounded on Ron. "You bet on whether or not they'd try to come with us?"

"No, no," Ron said quickly. "We knew they'd try. It was on whether or not they'd succeed." Mia snarled at him.

He shrank back, paling. "Jasmine!" Ron quickly added, clearly trying to mollify Mia. Jamie rolled her eyes but at least managed to restrain a laugh.

Drake looked as surprised as Harry; that is, he wasn't. "Dave, Lizzie," he said, shaking his head in mock anger. Hermione noted that he had cast his head at a slightly downward angle, probably to hide his grin from his wife. None of the three men's pretend admonishments appeased Mia, and she spared them each a frosty glare before turning back to her children.

"We said you were not allowed to come!"

"Mum, you knew we were going to," Lizzie said almost patiently. "You're just mad because we managed to outwit you."

Hermione did not think this was quite the proper thing to say to a woman who was already seething, and she glanced at Draco. He was smirking.

"And you helped them!" Mia snarled, though her anger was in expression more than actuality as she looked at Hermione and Draco.

"They forced us to," Draco said, managing to sound more apologetic than Harry, Ron, and Drake combined. "They put us under the Imperius Curse. We had absolutely no choice in the matter, I assure you."

Even Jamie choked on that, and Lizzie looked almost as outraged as her mother.

"We did not-"

"Ssh!" Harry, looking alarmed, grabbed James and yanked him unceremoniously out of the main corridor and into a smaller sub-passage. Draco grabbed both twins while Ron was left to put a restraining grip on Jamie and haul her out of the passage. Mia, still tight-lipped and still holding the Invisibility Cloak, ushered Hermione and Draco out of sight. Suddenly hard of breath and more nervous than she had anticipated on being, Hermione peered around the corner and examined the corridor more closely. She noticed the bundle of papers that were presumably Lauren's smoldering on the ground and heard bickering voices. Though it wasn't exactly a surprise considering her past experiences with the Time-Turner, her eyes still widened when she saw herself and Draco enter the corridor.

"Your wand!" they heard Malfoy yell frantically. Hermione snuck a peek at Draco and saw he was watching their other selves through narrowed eyes. It was odd watching the pair find the Time-Turner and set in motion the events that had led them to being here in the first place. It was even odder to see herself and Draco snarling at each other and made Hermione smile to think that within a few days they would be kissing.

"There they go," Drake whispered. The other Hermione and Malfoy disappeared. The Time-Turner they had been holding- Lizzie's broken one- fell to the ground. The four future teens were all staring in amazement at the scene that had just occurred.

A moment later Hermione heard a sharp intake of breath behind her and knew why a second later. Three people, shorter and clearly younger, had just poked their heads out from another sub-passage a little closer than theirs to where the Time-Turner was. After a few seconds they hurried over to where the Time-Turner lay on the ground and picked it up. There were two girls; one with long brown hair and the other with thick, dark blonde hair. And there was one boy, a redhead.

Hermione was pretty sure Mia intended on confronting the kids quietly and not scaring them out of their wits. Lizzie had another idea in mind.

"Cissa!" she shouted, darting out from behind the wall. "I cannot believe you took my Time-Turner and used it!" The three second years whirled about in alarm, Cissa and Ken drawing their wands immediately. Lauren, her wand stuck behind her ear, surveyed them with wide eyes that were similarly protuberant to her mother's.

"Lizzie?" Narcissa looked shocked as the rest of the group appeared. Hermione used the short silence to examine her last child. Her hair color was a medium between hers and Draco's, a nice contrast to Lizzie and Dave's hairs' singular resemblance. She had Draco's pointed nose, but the rest of her features seemed to be Hermione's. Her eyes were brown. Lauren was a younger image of Donna, though she resembled Luna a bit more, and her attire and slightly unfocused attitude and reaction reflected it. Kenny, Hermione was delighted to see, was a spitting image of Ron, although shorter and even more unsure of himself. She couldn't help but notice that he was standing a bit closer to Cissa than Lauren, and his wand was angled more towards her than straight out, as if he was prepared to defend her. Perhaps Lizzie hadn't exaggerated that much when she'd said they were a couple. They probably weren't now, but in a few years . . . Hermione rather regretted not being able to see Drake and Ron play the over-protective fathers when that time came along.

"What are you doing here?" Cissa demanded, looking at them almost incredulously, as if she were perhaps imagining them, and slightly indignantly, as if they shouldn't be allowed to be there in the first place.

"We came to find you," Mia answered; she seemed to be the self-appointed leader, and no one wanted to challenger her on it. Crossing quickly, she gave Cissa a big hug.

"Dad?" Ken said, still staring at the group, as if the very idea of a rescue party being that huge was unthinkable.

"I knew this wouldn't work, Cissa," Lauren said. She sounded the least perturbed out of all three, as if she had somehow expected to see the adults.

Now the other adults had approached the children and were hugging or greeting them, depending on whether they were a parent of friend.

"I can't believe you came to the past," Jamie complained affectionately, prying Ken away from Ron and giving him a hug. He pushed against her for a moment and grumbled under his breath, obviously not keen on receiving such affection from his older sister and then gave up. Lizzie and Dave took it in turns to hug Cissa, who was also looking grumpy at all the unwanted attention and, perhaps out of sympathy since neither her sister nor her parents were there, they hugged Lauren, too.

"Mum let you come get us, too?" asked Cissa, staring at Dave doubtfully. Dave reddened, and avoiding looking at Mia, who had suddenly turned stern again.

"Well, ah, no, not exactly . . ."

"We used the Invisibility Cloak," said Jamie.

Mia glared at Harry. "You have to take that thing away from them."

Harry grinned. "You never complained when it was us using it at school." Mia made an undecipherable noise and folded her arms. Neither Harry nor Ron suppressed their own grins of affection for their best friend.

Cissa was the first to notice the other two additions. She stared hard at Hermione and Draco for a moment and then, seemed to come to the correct conclusion as Jamie had, though she was much more blunt about it. "You're my mum and dad, aren't you? The ones we just saw fighting in the hall who used the Time-Turner."

Hermione nodded, followed by Draco, who still seemed to be forming his own opinion about Cissa.

For a second Narcissa simply looked at them. Her expression was almost as stern as her mother's. "It's a good thing you got over all that silly fighting we just heard."

Both Harry and Ron snorted with laughter. Hermione blushed, and even Draco looked unsettled. Mia and Drake didn't fare much better.

Lizzie grinned at her little sister. "It's a long story. We'll tell you when we get home."

Ken pulled a face. "I suppose this isn't a choice, is it? We can't vote on it or anything?"

"Yes, because we actually really wanted to see what the past was like," Lauren piped up. "It's been quite hectic so far, and the only people we've seen are Snape and some boring Slytherins we don't recognize."

"We have to go home quickly," said Mia firmly. "So we don't mess up the timeline."

"Although, technically, anything we do here is already written in the timeline," said Harry thoughtfully. "So whatever happens is supposed to happen and we won't mess things up-"

"Not necessarily. Erps said the Time-Turner could break into any time interval so what we do now doesn't have to be predetermined."

"So what happened to the Hermione and Malfoy we just saw then? If what you're saying is true than they might not have gone 25 years in the future, they could have gone to any other time period."

"They had to have gone, because Cissa, Ken, and Lauren are here."

"So it is predetermined, because in this timeline, whatever happens has to occur according to the time interval of 25 years."

Mia exhaled loudly, and Harry, his brow furrowed as he tried to formulate his thought and understand his own words, looked consternated.

"Let's not talk about time traveling," Drake said grimly. "It gives me a headache."

"Well, that's one thing we have in common," muttered Ron.

"I think Potter's theory does make a bit more sense than Mia's, though," Draco began, frowning. "Much as I hate to say it . . ."

"Can we drop this subject?" asked Ron loudly, and there was a chorus of laughter among the kids.

Hermione looked sadly at her friends. Instinctively, she knew it was really the beginning of the final farewells. There wasn't going to be anymore dallying around.

Lizzie, seeming to sense this as well, turned to her. Hermione was surprised and gratified to see there were tears in the blonde's eyes. She was unsurprised, however, to feel that there were tears in her own.

"We'll miss you," said Lizzie, taking Hermione's hands and squeezing them. She released them to give Hermione a fierce hug. "And we'll remember you, even if you don't remember us."

"Thanks for taking care of us," replied Hermione, hoping her voice wouldn't crack and the tears would fall in that great of abundance. She didn't want to have her memories erased and then not know why her face was all red and blotchy.

Lizzie turned to Draco. "By the way, I don't see what the deal is with this dungeon. It's so gloomy." She stared at he blank walls and dark passageway in disgust.

"We like it," replied Draco dryly.

Lizzie became serious again. "I'm glad we stopped fighting. You're not half-bad." She grinned- though her chin wobbled- to show it was a joke, and Draco gave her a small smile and didn't protest when she hugged him.

"Yeah, neither are you."

Lizzie, crying for real now, stepped back so her brother and friends could say good-bye. Hermione gave Dave a kiss on the cheek as he hugged her and then shook Draco's hand.

"You're awesome parents," he said, looking from one to the other. "But it was nice meeting you as teenagers, too. It was a great weekend."

"It was definitely a one-in-a-lifetime experience," said Jamie, giving them each a hug. "How many people can say they've met their best friends' parents 25 years from the past?"

"Or parents-in-law?" asked Draco with a small smirk. Jamie actually blushed; luckily, Dave didn't hear.

"So do I get a handshake?" asked James with a broad grin as he held a hand out to Draco. Draco stared at it in consideration for a moment and then, with a small smile that Hermione hadn't expected, shook James' hand.

"You could always disown your father," Draco suggested. Harry let out an indignant exclamation from the background.

James grinned at his dad. "No, thanks. I like my father, scar, legacy, and all."

Draco didn't argue. Hermione saw Drake and Harry exchange a glance that, while it wasn't exactly one of friendship, was not one of acute dislike either.

She gave James a kiss on the cheek, too.

"I'm glad I met you," James said quietly. "It was great to meet the person who was so influential- and still is- on my dad's life."

Hermione felt as she would burst into sobs at any moment, especially at this heartfelt sentiment, and gave him another quick hug before he stepped back.

"Do you and Draco want a moment before we have to . . ." Mia left the statement unfinished. She gave a fake cough. "Since you're "moment" before was completely false . . ." Hermione nodded quickly, and saw that Draco looked relieved, too. They went back into the passageway they had hid in. For a moment, neither spoke.

Hermione could only stare at him. It still felt strange to think only a few days ago she had despised him so much, when now she couldn't imagine not being his friend.

"I'll miss you," said Draco. He was struggling to keep his voice from breaking. Hermione stifled a sob.

"And I'll- I'll miss-" Her voice was so shaky she couldn't even finish the sentence. But Draco understood, and the next second he had gathered her up in a hug that was so tight Hermione half-wondered if he was trying to permanently mesh them together.

The next second he was kissing her, not a gentle kiss but one that was intensely passionate, as he was making the best of this last one. Hermione was dimly aware of wishing that humans did not require oxygen as they had to pull apart for said breath.

"I'm so glad we found that Time-Turner," she whispered, still in his embrace and wrapping her own arms around him.

"We could leave now," Draco suggested quietly, a hint of urgency in his voice. "We could sneak back to our Houses without saying good-bye and- and they wouldn't be able to put Memory Charms on us."

It was clear he had been debating this idea for a while, and there was doubt in his voice, but he also sounded determined.

"We can't," said Hermione, hating the hurt that clouded his beautiful gray eyes. "We have to say good-bye. They're our friends."

He looked away for a moment, though his arms never loosened from around her back. "Yeah. It was just a thought."

Hermione leaned her head on his chest one last time and breathed deeply, willing herself to calm down. Draco would write her that letter, she knew it. And everything would turn out exactly as it had for Mia and Drake- well, they didn't necessarily have to get married. She still wasn't sure she wanted that particular result. Maybe Lizzie, Dave, and Cissa could just sort of appear one day without any of the nit-picking details such as marriage . . . too bad she knew what having kids entailed.

"Hermione?" For the first time Draco sounded scared; not panicked, like she had heard him act around the Forbidden Forest, but emotionally scared.

"Yes?"

"If we do remember, promise me you won't . . . that you won't laugh or be disgusted or-"

Hermione kissed him gently on the lips, realizing for the first time he was feeling as vulnerable as she was. It seemed an impossible adjective for a Slytherin.

"I promise. And you?"

"I won't. I swear." Hermione had a vivid image of what could happen; she might remember and he wouldn't and she'd make a fool of herself. Or worse, he'd remember and scorn or make fun of her for wanting to pick up where they'd left off. She shivered.

Draco wouldn't do that to her.

He kissed her a second, final time, and this time it was gentle and sweet, and tears squeezed her eyes again.

"We have to go finish our patrol," he said softly, and managed a small, sad smile.

Hermione nodded, took another deep breath, and scrubbed vigorously at her cheeks to get rid of any tears. They walked back around the corner.

Whether the others had been able to hear anything was impossible to tell, but if they had they thankfully did a very good job of hiding it. She wondered if the adults had thought they would try to escape like Draco had suggested.

"Ready?" asked Mia, taking out her wand. She looked a bit sick.

Hermione gave her a hug and then one to Harry and Ron as well. Unsure of what to do with Drake, he finally laughed and gave her a hearty handshake.

"You can hug your own Draco," he offered, gray eyes twinkling.

"Hermione?"

Hermione turned to see Cissa standing beside her, staring at her with a grave face. She bent down so she and Narcissa were at face level.

"I wish I could've gotten the chance to know you better," Hermione said softly, staring at her daughter. She couldn't help but feel, simply from looking at her, that Cissa was the most like her out of any of her children, more than Lizzie or Dave. She was not a spitting image like Ken was to Ron, but Hermione imagined that if she squinted, Cissa would more or less resemble her. As for personality, Hermione knew she was looking at someone exactly like her.

"Well, maybe you'll see me again, someday. True love finds a way of working out," said Cissa simply. And to Hermione, that was more comforting and seemed to make more sense than anything else she's heard. She hugged the younger girl. Narcissa gave her a brief hug back, more like a comforting squeeze than a real embrace, and stepped away.

"Ready," said Hermione, determined to keep her mind black and not think about the consequences of what was about to happen. She saw Draco finish saying his good-byes and stand next to her. She didn't look at him, not even out of the corner of her eye. Her heart was already contracted too painfully.

"I'm sorry," said Mia, and a few tears slid down her face.

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to do it?" Harry asked worriedly.

Mia shook her head vehemently as Drake also reluctantly raised his wand. "We have to do it. So if it doesn't work out, we're the ones to blame."

Ron looked as if he wanted to protest- and Hermione knew that Mia would never actually blame her best friends- but even he could tell that it was pointless to argue.

"I'm so happy that you came to the future," said Mia, smiling through her tears. "By the way, I like the change you made to the placard outside our room." It took Hermione a minute to remember she had changed "Malfoy" to "Granger" that morning. She met Lizzie's eyes and they both grinned.

"That's a matter of opinion," Drake grumbled. Draco shot Hermione a suspicious look.

"Anyway, we'll never forget these few days," said Drake quietly, standing next to his wife and putting a comforting hand on her arm.

"Same here. Well, I guess we will forget it, but . . . you know what I mean."

"It was life-changing," added Draco, and then looked positively sickened at what he'd just said.

"And if it does work out for you, it'll probably trigger memories," Drake added. "So there's always a small chance that you'll remember eventually."

"Hermione just has to tone down her Obliviating abilities," said Harry, giving Mia a worried look. Ron nodded as Mia reddened.

"We'll miss you," Lizzie said softly, as Dave, James, and Jamie nodded fervently. There was a short silence.

Mia took a deep breath. "On three, then?"

Hermione nodded, trying to think of Harry and Ron and how nice it would be to see them again. Draco squeezed her hand briefly before letting go. She bit her lip, staring straight at the wands now pointed at them. Mia's was trembling slightly.

"Obliviate."

* * *

It had been a tight squeeze getting home thanks to the three second years but the Time-Turner's chain had held, and now the group was assembled in the future dungeon. There were once more carpets on the floors and decorations along the walls. Lizzie stared at the dungeon that was so familiar to her and yet had been so foreign to Hermione and Draco. She preferred this one much more than theirs, although, granted, the past one did look more like what a dungeon ought to look like.

She wiped away the tears on her cheeks and returned Jamie's hug. Her friend was shaking slightly. James gave her a kiss and her twin put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ok?"

She tried to smile at Dave. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just- I miss them."

Jamie let out what sounded like a small hiccup. She was on the verge of crying, something she rarely did. "Me, too."

Though Narcissa, Lauren, and Ken had scampered off to talk quietly, the adults were still huddled together. The other teachers and friends who had come to see Hermione and Draco off had been chatting among themselves but now approached them, looking eager to ask questions.

Her parents, Harry, and Ron were absolutely silent, staring at nothing in particular, frozen. Her mom was gripping her dad really hard around the wrist- Lizzie could see the red marks from where she was standing but if it hurt her dad he didn't show any sign of it- and he had an arm encircled around her, as if they thought that they could keep each other by sheer force even if Hermione and Draco switched the timeline.

Lizzie began counting seconds. It was a full two minutes before anyone spoke or made a sound. Her mum sighed and loosened her grip somewhat; her dad drew her closer to him. Harry and Ron continued to exchange nervous glances. Lizzie looked at Dave and then at Cissa. If Hermione and Draco hadn't remembered, would she and her sister and brother suddenly cease to exist? Would their parents disappear with a shower of sparks into whatever alternate life they might have had if they hadn't fallen in love?

Meanwhile, Emily had pounced on Ken and was alternating between berating him and showering him with the joyful affection of a mother. Cissa and Lauren were still standing in the background, clearly hoping to evade a telling-off by a teacher. Dumbledore was smiling serenely. She met his eyes. He winked.

Suddenly, Lizzie, smiled; everything was going to be just fine. "You know, I think they lived happily ever after."