Spring was finally upon them and the forest which had been so silent through the harsh winter was coming back to life. Odd sprouts and shoots were making their way through the undergrowth and slowly a little warmth was returning. It was exactly what Hermione needed. Everyone was at Shell Cottage but it had become too suffocating for her after everything they had been through and if she hadn't of left soon she would've snapped. They had been trying to figure out their next move but seemed to just be going around in circles as the three of them argued and bickered. She desperately needed some space.

Hermione had left Shell Cottage without telling anyone. Not because she wanted to be cruel or make them worry, Hermione had never wanted to hurt anyone like that, it was simply that Bellatrix was tormenting her even now. She lurked around every dark corner in shell cottage, every shadow setting Hermione on edge in the cottage that was so unfamiliar to her and finally she couldn't take it anymore. It wasn't until she had disapparated away from the cottage and landed in the now familiar surroundings of the forest again that she could breathe. The wide open expanse of the forest didn't hold any fear for her, it was familiar territory and one that she, Harry and Ron had mapped out so much in the weeks previously.

She revelled in the fresh air, tilting her head back, closing her eyes and inhaling. Had Hermione not been so exhausted though she would have realised how much of a bad idea this was. This was snatcher territory, sane Hermione knew that, this Hermione however felt beaten down and was unable to resist the crunch of twigs as she walked through the trees, the sound calming her, the air sweet and cool against her cheeks.

Having not been in the right mind when she had fled she hadn't grabbed her coat either and now she couldn't help but start to feel the chill getting to her. Folding her arms across her chest she stilled slightly as she felt the time turner beneath her jumper press into her skin, cold and accusing. It felt so familiar to have one around her neck again, a comforting weight that was unfortunately causing her such a huge internal dilemma. As it had done since she had acquired the time turner, Hermione's head started to swim again with whether she should use it or not.

She had obtained the time turner at Bill and Fleur's wedding the previous summer and whilst Harry and Ron discussed what they needed to do next, all Hermione could think about was the secret weight in her pocket that no one knew she had. It had just been sitting there on one of the tables, as clear as day for anyone to see. As far as Hermione was aware all of the time turners had been destroyed during the battle at the Ministry so seeing it just sitting there, as bold as brass, had made her weary. It was only when all hell had broken loose that she had grabbed it, just before she, Harry and Ron had disapparated.

And now that Dobby had died Hermione was truly struggling with the amount of blood on their hands. But it wasn't just straight forward - she couldn't just use it, she knew she couldn't; after all she didn't know where the time turner had come from, she didn't know if it had been tampered with or if it had been cursed. It was widely known how curious Hermione was and how much of a thirst for knowledge she had, it would only take someone like Lucius Malfoy to plant it – but then she stopped herself, there wasn't a chance in hell that any death eaters would've had access to the wedding tent, not until it was attacked at least. Or perhaps someone they knew had been under the imperius curse and they hadn't realised. There were too many variables and it was officially giving her a headache.

With a sigh she rubbed her forehead. It would be such a huge risk to use it but what about the benefits. If it worked she could save Dobby, she could even work on collecting the Horcruxes and destroying them sooner now that they knew how. But she knew these things would come at a price and that price could be her life if the time turner was cursed; she would be no good to anyone dead.

"What's on ya mind love?" Hermione gasped and withdrew her wand without hesitation, turning to find one of the Snatchers, Scabior they had called him, leaning against a tree trunk. He watched her with a calmness that unnerved her and like a punch to the stomach she realised just how stupid and distracted she had been to come back here.

Scabior watched her, a slow smile inching onto his face at the horror in her expression, "Did ya miss me?"

Hermione's heart hammered in her chest as she looked at him, fear in her throat as she took in his black eye and the thick red welts on his neck. She looked away and scanned the trees briefly, checking for anyone else before her eyes quickly came to rest on Scabior again.

"It's just me and you love," He spoke calmly, stepping away from the tree and towards her. Hermione instinctively took a step back, "I was walking back to camp ya see and that's when I caught ya scent. I thought to meself, no, she wouldn't be stupid enough to come back 'ere… turns out ya are." Hermione watched as his wand dropped from his sleeve and into his hand; her grasp tightened on her own.

"So shall we do this the easy way or the hard way?" He quirked his head at her, grinning, his eyes trained on her wand. It was one on one and Hermione honestly thought she might have a chance.

Without a second thought she shot a spell at him, the bark behind his head exploding into splinters and whilst he ducked she took her chance to start running. All she needed to do was get far enough away that she could safely disapparate without him following her – which was unfortunately easier said than done.

"Hard way it is then!" She heard him call behind her in a gruff sing-song voice, a jinx narrowly missing her and exploding in the dirt beside her feet. She shot jinx after jinx behind her but he was fast, he had done this a thousand times before. The pounding in her ears was deafening.

Finally a quick glance behind her confirmed that she was almost far enough away to disapparate. The smile that edged onto her lips however was wiped away as her foot hooked beneath a raised tree root and successfully tripped her, her ankle snapping as if it were a twig. A second later a jinx hit her hard in the back and added to the agony that she felt in her ankle. She couldn't help but scream, her nerves on fire as a triumphant laugh sounded out above her. Scabior used his foot to roughly kick her so that she was lying on her back.

"I suppose I should thank you, it's definitely more rewarding this way," He grinned before bringing his boot down hard on the wrist of her wand arm, eliciting another cry of agony from her, her wand dropping into the dirt, "Gets the endorphins really pumping, don't ya agree?" Scabior was staring down at her, his eyes manic.

"Please- arggh!" He stamped his foot down onto her wrist again with all of his weight, tearing the skin beneath his boot, dark eyes staring down on her whilst she screamed in pain. The sound echoed through the trees but no one would be coming to her rescue, not this time.

"You know after everything that happened we never even got paid for you and your shitty friends," He hissed, "caught the golden trio and didn't even get a single galleon," He hissed, "What an unfair world we live in aye. Crucio!" Hermione's throat burned with the screams that emitted from her already raw throat.

Fire spread through her until her whole body was arched and writhing in the dirt. She didn't think it was ever going to end but then suddenly it did. She was on her side in the foetal position, twitching and sobbing. Her chest heaved as she lay there her jumper bunched up around her stomach, her hair covering her face. Scabior was talking again but she couldn't focus on his words, all she could think about was the pain and that this was going to be the end of her if she didn't do something soon. While she had the chance she reached up her stomach and with trembling fingers she grabbed the time turner and pulled on it hard enough to break the chain. Hermione clutched it so tightly that it was a miracle that it didn't shatter, her wrist throbbing at the movement but she knew she was running out of time and adrenalin was the only thing keeping her going now.

Scabior didn't relent as he kicked her hard again and again until she was flat out on her back, her whole body trembling.

"Look at me," He hissed and Hermione could only do as he asked, her breath coming out in clouds above her, never breaking eye contact with Scabior.

"You're going to wish you were never born," He said, the hint of a smirk on his lips. Hermione took that as her cue and scrambled for her wand, Scabior watching in amusement, poised to kick her back down when she tried to use it against him. What he hadn't counted on however was the time turner that she was clutching in her other hand. Adrenalin pushed her through the pain as she twisted the dial on the time turner blindly, her wand now clutch in her other hand.

Hermione watched as Scabior vanished before her eyes and all she could focus on was the fact that it was working. The pain in her body faded as the world became a blur around her. The ground morphed and bent, her hair whipped her face, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She tried to think of anything but the immense sickness that was settling in her chest. The gravitational pressure that was being forced on her body finally started to let up, allowing her to breathe again.

Snow piled up inch by inch around her body until finally the world stopped spinning and she was surrounded by white. Hermione exhaled and opened her eyes, looking up at the branches of the snow covered tree that were towering over her. It had worked, it had actually worked. She closed her eyes again, exhausted, the snow soothing her pain for a second and soaking her to her skin.

In a rush though the shock of the cold suddenly hit her, forcing her to her feet, eyes wide and alert. Hermione couldn't help but scream out in pain as she put pressure on her broken ankle, blood rushing to her head and temporarily blinding her. She fell down to her knees, putting her hands out to catch herself, only to then crumple further as pain shot up her forearm. Hermione had no control of her body as she vomited, her body trembling from head to toe, tears blinding her. Letting out a broken sob at the pain she completely missed the sound of someone quickly approaching before stopping dead at the sight of her.

"Are you… are you okay?" Hermione couldn't find her voice as she looked up, a deer caught in headlights, her heart thundering in her chest. She felt too lightheaded to function, her wand was hidden somewhere in snow around her leaving her with no way to protect herself if she needed to. Fear stabbed at her, no, she definitely wasn't okay.

"Are you okay?" The boy repeated, inching closer to her, taking in the sight of the girl that he had heard screaming. "Hey-" He said, concerned as he edged closer and finally Hermione looked up him, eyes bloodshot and tearful. She had no other way out of this.

"Help me," She whispered brokenly.

"What's happened-" His words were cut off as Hermione suddenly screamed, crippling pain shooting through her entire body, an aftershock of the cruciatus curse hitting her hard as her spine snapped backwards. Her hair was matted with mud and her clothes were dirty and sodden and suddenly she was throwing up again, dry heaving into the snow.

"I'll take you to Madame Pomfrey," He uttered more to himself than to her but Hermione couldn't help but cry as soon as the words left his mouth. She was safe, she was home and safe. "Take my hand," he held it out to her and she grasped it weakly with her unharmed arm, allowing him to help her to her feet. She tried to keep as much pressure as she could off of her ankle.

"My wand," She whimpered.

"I've got it, don't worry," He spoke, bending down and plucking it from the snow, given it to Hermione who grasped it weakly. He took his cloak off and wrapped it around her shoulders, hiding some of the state she was in. Her face twisted with pain as she limped towards the castle, trying not to put any pressure on her foot but finding it immensely difficult even with the boy beside her propping her up.

The sight of the castle brought a fresh new wave of tears to her eyes and she couldn't help but openingly sob as they entered. The halls were relatively clear as it was a Hogsmeade weekend and those that weren't there had opted to stay wrapped up warm in their common rooms. Both the boy and Hermione couldn't help but feel thankful for that, not wanting to draw any more attention to themselves than necessary.

"What on Earth have you been doing?" Madame Pomfrey rushed forward before the two of them had even stepped fully into the infirmary, taking Hermione under her wing immediately.

"Explain!" She snapped, helping Hermione over to one of the spare beds and pulling the curtain around it, "Do not make me repeat myself Mr Black!"

"I don't know what happened to her," He finally spoke, pulling his eyes away from Hermione to look at Madame Pomfrey, "I found her near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, I swear I didn't do-"

"Fine, fine," Madame Pomfrey bustled, making Hermione lie back, her eyes staring up at the ceiling, unfocused, "What is her name?" She knew the majority of the students that attended Hogwarts but this girl was escaping her memory.

"I don't know, I don't know her," He answered shakily, "Is she going to be okay-"

"She should be," The mediwitch spoke, cutting him off, "Thank you for bringing her to me, you may now leave."

"What? No, I want to stay with her-"

"You will be of no use to her here," Madame Pomfrey spoke, her voice softening as she saw the genuine concern in his face, "You can find her in the hall later Regulus but right now you are of no use to her here, you will just get in the way." He looked between Madame Pomfrey and Hermione before nodding in defeat. Brow furrowed he took one last look at Hermione before leaving.

The pain was blinding, her wrist and ankle both throbbing, her body on fire. Hermione's thoughts were clouded as Madame Pomfrey came back over to her. The healer cast a few charms which immediately cleaned her up and dried her clothes. She proceeded to cast a warming spell over the bed and then a silencing charm within the curtain that circled her.

"You're not a student at Hogwarts, are you?" She asked and Hermione swallowed thickly, tears escaping her as she looked away, unsure of what to say. Madame Pomfrey sat down beside her with a sigh, "I need you to be completely honest with me so that I can help you child." Hermione winced as she opened her hand, revealing the time turner. The healer paused, taking it into her own hand before letting out a shaky breath.

"Friend or foe?"

"Friend," Hermione croaked, her voice thick with the emotion that she was trying to contain, "I was a student here."

"It's the 2nd November 1977, what year are you from dear?" Hermione stared at her, eyes wide in panic, she had gone too far back, way too far back.

"1998," She whispered.

"Right," Madame Pomfrey stood immediately, "I am going to need to do a full health check on you and then we'll fix anything that was damaged in the journey. It's a miracle you're still alive child."

Author's Note: Hey guys! This is something that I have been writing for a long long time now and I've finally picked up the courage to post it. For anyone that's also reading The Attic, don't worry, I haven't given up on it, I'll still be posting for that one too! (I'm actually rewriting/amending The Attic a bit at the minute which is why there's a delay in updating).

This is going to be a slow burn fic and whilst it's going to have some Sirius/Hermione occurring that isn't going to be for a good while. So that's just something to keep in mind if any of you are here solely for the sexytimes :)

Rated M for violence and eventual sex (because clearly I can't write anything without the characters getting it on...)

I hope you guys like this one!