Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Hermione was so tired after her year on the run, but the one thing that had been pushing her forward was that it would be over soon. They'd spent months hiding out in that awful tent, with that horcrux weighing them down every step of the way, whispering wicked things in their ears.

They'd dealt with Ron leaving them in the lurch, which had left Hermione and Harry feeling despondent, but they kept pushing forward anyway. Harry had leaned on her more than ever during that time, but Hermione knew that she had to be strong for Harry...

After all, it was all for Harry. Each and every action Hermione had taken for the past few months had been for Harry. Getting attacked at the Ministry and in Godric's Hollow, taking back Ron into their fold of friendship, even though privately Hermione knew she'd never be able to forgive him for leaving, enduring torture under the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange, breaking into Gringott's and flying out on a dragon, destroying that cup…

She'd done it all for him, for him to succeed in his fight with Voldemort. And now…

Now was the first time that Hermione realized things might not end well. That Harry might not come back from the forest. The penseive memory that Snape had given him of Dumbledore seemed to suggest that at least, but Hermione had hoped. She knew that Harry needed to do this alone and so she let him wander into the Forbidden Forest, bidden by Voldemort's words.

Even during that time, when everyone else was gathering the dead, Hermione could not catch a little bit of rest. She had been too busy worrying about Harry. Ron was with the rest of the Weasleys, save Ginny who was missing, holding each other over Fred's death. Hermione knew it seemed a bit callous, but she couldn't even begin to think about mourning Fred yet.

Didn't they know that the fight wasn't over yet?

She'd been one of the first people out in the courtyard when Voldemort returned, surrounded by his Death Eaters. Hermione instantly saw that Harry was limp in Hagrid's arms. Dead.

But she was so tired. She wanted this to be over, finally, but now…

Neville was the first to move forward, but it wasn't to join the Death Eaters. Instead, he told the crowd that Harry's death didn't matter. That what they were fighting for was bigger than just Harry Potter. Hermione wished that she could believe that.

Instead, she was standing there, staring at Harry's corpse willing him to get up, just stand up, please don't be gone.

The spells started flying unexpectedly. Neville had gotten the sword of Gryffindor and was leading the charge. Hermione reacted on instinct, fighting her way back into the castle. Even though Harry was gone, she was certain that Voldemort was as close to mortal as he'd ever be. Maybe they could still win it, and then…

Hermione was shocked to see the bright purple curse of Dolohov's flying her way, from the aforementioned man's wand. She hadn't seen him since last summer and he looked more crazed than ever. For reasons she didn't really want to explain, he'd always been interested in hurting her. Steeling herself, she faced him and began dueling. Although she was exhausted, Dolohov was sloppy and Hermione soon had him on the defensive. Still, unable to cast the Killing Curse, no matter how hopeless her life seemed at the moment, Hermione sent a binding curse his way and she moved on.

She wasn't fighting much longer before Hermione was pulled into a hidden little alcove that she didn't know existed. Wand at the ready, she was surprised to come face to face with Ginny. Her normally luxurious red hair looked dull and messy and her brown eyes were bloodshot and puffy with tears. Hermione was surprised to see the normally vivacious girl appear so listless, but Hermione knew that she wouldn't recognize her own appearance in a mirror right now.

"Ginny, what's wrong? Why are you hiding in here?" Hermione shook her head at the questions she'd just asked, as if it weren't normal to be upset, scared right now while they were under attack by Death Eaters.

"Is Harry dead?" Ginny asked, breathing in air in great gasping breaths.

"Yes." Hermione said seriously, not wanting to sugarcoat it. There would be time for euphemisms later, but right now they needed to get out of Hogwarts alive.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." Ginny said, looking incredibly guilty.

"It isn't your fault, Ginny. Harry knew what he was walking into." Hermione tried to comfort her, but really they didn't have time for this right now.

"He said that I should send you if Harry died. He promised me that I could have my Harry back." Ginny babbled. Hermione didn't understand. Ginny wasn't making any sense. "I'm so sorry, Hermione, I had to do it."

"What do you mean? Who told you this?" Hermione was so confused.

"Headmaster Snape." Ginny said, a fresh wave of tears coming from her eyes. "He told me that only you could make it right. You could fix everything."

"I don't understand what you mean, Ginny." Hermione thought that Ginny might have snapped a bit, the cost of losing so many friends and family members harming her psyche. If Hermione had not been so tired, she would have noticed that when Ginny pulled her into the alcove, she had slipped a long gold chain around her neck.

"I am sorry Hermione. Please forgive me." Ginny said looking forlorn. She held up the device and released it, the tension of the chain finally making itself known on Hermione's neck. It suddenly seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

Hermione's brain whirled into action as she suddenly realized what had happened. Ginny had handed her a time turner and it was already spinning, really spinning so fast that it was a blur of gold and white. Hermione then understood Ginny's word. Headmaster Snape had instructed Ginny to send Hermione back. Send her back where though?

And why would Snape have a plan for her specifically? What on earth could she possibly do to help? Didn't he know that Harry was the chosen one and she was just Hermione? Not to mention the fact that up until just a few hours ago, they'd all been quite convinced that Snape was the enemy. Ginny must have been desperate to trust such an odious man. Still, Hermione felt anger boiling up inside of her. Ginny wanted forgiveness? How could she just make a decision of such epic proportions for her?

Unwilling to go back in time – she'd already given so much of herself to the cause – Hermione grabbed at the time turner, but she was unable to stop the motion. All around her, time blurred as she was taken back and back, much farther back than she'd ever gone before. As she stood there, slowly losing energy, weak from lack of food and lack of blood, she realized she wasn't just going back hours or days or months. She was going back years.

The girl that had been discovered after the Hogwarts Graduation Ceremony of 1978 was a mystery. No one had ever seen her before, and she certainly wasn't a student. She'd been found lying in her own sick in the entrance hall of the school, unconscious, after the seventh year students and their families had finished up the ceremony and were on their way to enjoy one last feast in the Great Hall. Although no one knew who she was, she was wearing Headmaster Dumbledore's personal time turner, so she'd been taken up to the infirmary for care.

Fresh and excited from graduation, the marauders had been eager to make their mark on the world. James and Lily were engaged and looking for a house to move into after they were married at the end of the summer, Peter had moved in with his sick aunt to help take care of her, and the other guys didn't see him every often. Sirius and Remus got a flat together. Remus was happy to do odd jobs for Headmaster Dumbledore in the name of the Order of the Phoenix, meeting with different werewolf packs across the British Isles.

Sirius had gotten a job with the Auror's and was currently undergoing training. His first assignment had been to watch over Hogwart's newest patient, who was still unconscious. Sirius would sit with her and read in the infirmary, which he found terribly boring if he was honest. Still, he was able to leave in the evenings and spend time with his friends and his girlfriend, Marlene McKinnon.

Sometimes when Moody pulled him away on other assignments, the Order would assign someone else to look over the girl. Usually it was Remus, who was always happy to stop by Hogwarts for a warm meal and access to its famed library. Other times, during the full moon or when he was away traveling, the task would fall to James Potter, who was annoyed with the task of watching over a girl in a magically induced coma. What were they worried about? That she was going to wake up and try to get away?

Although they looked diligently, there was no way to identify the girl. Ollivander didn't remember selling a wand of her description, being that it was vinewood made it rather unique. A quick description of her was sent to the Headmasters of both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, but neither teacher had taught her before. Even though they didn't know who she was, there was a sense that she would be important to the Order of the Phoenix. She was undernourished and covered in curses, giving the sense that she had been fighting a battle. The time turner around her neck suggested that she was of the future. Perhaps she was an omen of events yet to come?

Thusly, the summer ticked by slowly, day after day, with its ups and downs and its fights and celebrations and its creation and its destruction. Hermione slept on, unaware of the turmoil and strife surrounding her, equally unaware of the happiness and joy surrounding her.

When it got to be September, the Order of the Phoenix began to discuss what should be done with her as students were returning for schooling and it didn't seem right to hold an unknown woman there. Especially, as it seemed she might be better served at St. Mungo's. They were better equipped to deal with this kind of trauma like the kind that she had.

Just when Headmaster agreed to move her to St. Mungo's if she didn't improve, she woke up. It was on the Nineteenth of September and Remus had been watching over her. Remus had been reading a rather enjoyable memoir of a famous retired auror, when she'd started to stir. At first, he'd thought it was his imagination, but he quickly came to the conclusion that she really was waking up.

In his rush to alert Poppy Pomfrey, he'd knocked over the little stool that he'd been sitting on. He let the plump witch know about her charges movements and then she was pushing him out into the hall and drawing the curtains around the small witch in the bed.

Deciding that he could be a bit more useful than he currently was, Remus hurried off in the direction of Headmaster Dumbledore's office to let him know of the recent developments.

A/N: So this is my new story, it's a James/Hermione story. Everlastingtrueromance was the person who requested this pairing, and I said if I had a good enough plot idea I would write it. I hope that this will be a good plot, original-ish idea, and that you enjoy it! I think it will be about 20 chapters long. I have it all planned out, but I am only about half way through writing it yet. I am planning on updating twice a week - Tuesdays and Thursdays. The title comes from the Catfish and the Bottlemen song "Cocoon" which is a great song and you should check it out, if you like!

Please let me know what you thought of chapter one - do you like it? And please be on the lookout for chapter two later this week.