Why We Fight

The two walked through the halls of Hogwarts toward Dumbledore's office, each of them milling over their individual thoughts. They stopped in front of the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Draco smirked at Hermione. "Do you just happen to know his password?"

Hermione frowned, she hadn't thought of that...but Harry had told her that Professor Dumbledore did have a penchant for sweets. "Lemon drop?" The gargoyle made no movement. "Pepper imps?" Again, no movement. "Cockroach clusters?" No movement. "Sugar quills?" The gargoyle slid out of the way and a spiral staircase twirled upwards. She smiled smugly at Draco. "I just happen to know his password."

The brunette climbed onto the spiral staircase, Draco following close behind. Hermione sighed with relief as Dumbledore's office came into view. It looked much like Harry and Ron had described, the portraits of past Headmasters and Headmistresses snoozed in their frames. Fawkes the phoenix cocked its head and examined the two newcomers and Hermione noted that the phoenix was a beautiful creature with golden, red, and orange feathers. Dumbledore took his seat behind the large desk and examined the two over his half-moon spectacles. He didn't look that different, just about twenty or so years younger. "Hello, professor," Hermione said, "I'm Hermione Granger."

"How may I help you?" the Headmaster asked.

"Well...this is going to sound very odd, but it's the truth, I swear," Hermione said, explaining what had happened while Draco stood in complete silence.

"Is this the truth, Mister...Malfoy?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Er...yes, Professor," Draco stammered. "Granger's telling the truth."

"This is a very interesting predicament you two have gotten yourselves into," Dumbledore stated. "I've never heard of a memory charm backfiring like that."

"There has to be, you know, some...way to get back, right Professor?" Hermione whimpered. "I have to study for my N.E.W.T.s. A--and Harry and Ron'll never pass their classes if I don't help them."

"Get a hold of yourself, Granger," Draco spat. "Potty and the Weasel can fend for themselves."

"Shut up, ferret-boy!" Hermione snapped. Dumbledore smiled warmly, a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, I do hope you'll control yourselves," Dumbledore stated. "I'm not quite certain if there is a way for you to get back to your own time. I'll have Professor Flaherty working on it."

"Professor...Flaherty?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Professor Flaherty, our Potions Master," Dumbledore replied.

"Oh," Hermione said. "I hope this is just a really, really bad dream."

Draco snorted. "You're not the only one," he stated. "So, professor, what do you suggest we do until a potion is found?"

"I suggest you take the classes that you were supposed to take this year," Dumbledore stated.

"Advanced Potions, Advanced Arithmancy, Advanced Charms, Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced History of Magic, Advanced Care of Magical Creatures, Advanced Ancient Runes, Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, Advanced Herbology, Advanced Astronomy," Hermione rattled off.

Draco frowned. "Bloody hell, you're in every single class I have," he muttered.

"Of course I am, I made O.W.L.s in all my classes," Hermione replied airily.

"Fantastic idea," Dumbledore said, clapping his hands. "You will go to every class together...that way there is less chance for change."

"What do you mean 'less chance for change'?" Malfoy demanded.

"We're in the past, Malfoy...everything we do changes something. We're not supposed to be here," she murmured softly, fingering the photograph in her pocket. Mad-Eye Moody had given it to her last summer on her request after Harry hadn't wanted it. Whenever she was about to give up, she'd look at the picture of the Order of the Phoenix and find her will and courage. All of those people (excluding Wormtail) had tried to stop Voldemort and many of them had lost. They were her inspiration.

Dumbledore gazed at the girl for a long moment, no sense of mirth or merriment in his blue eyes...simply curiosity. She seemed upset about something out of her control, something that had nothing to do with her ending up back in time. She looked at Draco, her dark eyes unreadable. "We can't change anything...no matter how bad we want to."

Draco eyed Hermione curiously. "Right, then," he stated. "Professor? Where are we supposed to sleep?"

"Excellent question, Mr. Malfoy, I suppose you can share the Head Boy and Girl's dorms," Dumbledore answered. "But first, we will have to change your robes around. There would be some suspicion if a Gryffindor and Slytherin came to Hogwarts for their first year as prefects."

Hermione's eyes widened as she carefully took off the prefect pin and Draco grimaced as he did the same. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore turned their robes into the standard issue black that they'd had first year before being Sorted.

"Lily and James were nice...they're a lot like Harry," Hermione mused out loud as she tried to take her mind off of the fact that she was no longer a prefect.

"Like Potter?" Draco scowled. "Perfect! I get to spend Merlin-knows-how-long with a Potter duplicate!"

"Actually James is the original, Harry's the duplicate," Hermione corrected.

"Whatever, I'm not spending any time with any Potters!" Draco stated, crossing his arms over his chest petulantly.

"Just shut up!" Hermione growled. Draco stared at the girl in surprise. "I'm sick of your holier-than-thou attitude, Malfoy. If you don't stop it, I'm going to make what happened to you on the train back home for the past two years seem like Heaven!" Hermione growled. "Guess what, Draco." The blonde seemed shocked that Granger had actually used his first name. "It's just you and me...no Harry, no Ron, no Crabbe, no Goyle. We both know that I can hex you so well that you can spend the rest of our time here at St. Mungo's!" A mischievous gleam shone in her golden-brown eyes and Draco felt a shiver of apprehension slide down his spine. "Or, ooh, maybe I can learn how to Transfigure you back into Draco Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret!"

Blimey, Granger was devious...she'd have made a great Slytherin...well, except for the Mudblood part.