Just in time

~o0o~

"Give it a rest, Hermione," said Harry from his bed, not looking at her. "We don't need a watch anyway."

Hermione chose not to listen. "If perhaps I could switch the places of those two screws . . . And yes, we might not need a watch right now, but you never know when it might be useful. And Harry . . .it was your birthday gift."

Hermione watched as Harry took in her words, decided it was best to keep playing with the snitch he'd received from Dumbledore, and turn his back to her rather than answer. She sighed and resumed her work on Fabian Prewett's watch, having set up a station at the table already anyway, she felt as though she might as well finish.

Besides, it was nice to focus on something other than her thoughts. Or the war. Or . . .

Hermione swallowed, holding back the tears she usually reserved for night time. He's gone and that's that, she reminded herself. No need to dwell. No need to dwell at all.

Nevertheless, in her mind, she could see Ron's face as he stormed off. The anger, the frustration. The hurt. The hurt that she would choose to stay— to stay with Harry rather than leave with him.

But how could she?

Hermione glanced over at Harry in the bed once again.

He had no one else.

So, Hermione took a deep breath and resumed her work and tinkering on the watch.

"You know, I think I'll just go outside for a while." Harry stood, and before she could say anything, he was gone.

Hermione looked at the spot in which he had exited and after a moment she decided that she didn't mind too much. It was nice actually. Though she wasn't the one wearing the locket right now, she could already feel its presence leave the room. So having Harry take it out for a walk gave her a chance to relax before it was her turn to wear it again.

Her stomach churned a bit at the thought. She did not look forward to having it whisper horrible things in her mind once more.

"This is ridiculous," she mumbled after a while. A hinge was stuck and there was no way she could get it out without damaging the watch. She reached for her wand and pointed it at the watch. "Wingardium Leviosa."

There was an eruption of light, blinding light, and Hermione screamed. She was being sucked into something, her body squeezed together, and flung around all over; it felt like a bizarre Apparition. Only five times more horrifying.

And as quick as it had begun, it ended. Hermione gasped for breath and remained on all fours on the ground, attempting to stop the room from spinning.

"Bloody hell!"

"Did you see that? She . . . she did that to all of them!"

"She don't look all right though. Hey, miss, are you all right?"

Hermione looked up and when she saw the red hair and freckles she almost lost it and got sick. But once she observed the person closer, she saw that it was not Ron, but another wizard. One who bore a striking resemblance.

"Are you . . .are you a Weasley?" she asked, feeling dumb but not able to help it.

The man laughed. "A Weasley she says! Did you hear that Gideon?"

Another man behind him, one with identical features, grinned. "If not for Molly introducing us to that Arthur I'd think she was trying to offend us. Weasley indeed . . ."

The first man turned back to Hermione. "We're Prewett's, dear. Pure Prewett."

"Prewett," Hermione repeated.

"Aye," said the man. He pointed to himself and then to his twin. "Fabian. Gideon. Prewett. And you are?"

"Er . . . Hermione. Hermione Granger."

"Nice to meet you, Hermione."

Hermione nodded in return, her mind screaming. What in Merlin's name was going on?

"Fabian," said Gideon, "I hear others arriving."

Fabian rose, his expression serious for the first time. It wasn't until then that Hermione registered that he had blood running down his forehead. And that Gideon was limping. And that there were bodies lying all around them. Had she done that?

"Death Eaters?" Fabian asked.

Gideon, who stood by the window, shook his head. Then he grinned. "The cavalry is here."

Just then, there was a burst as the front door was blown off its hinges and in stepped five people. Their wands raised. But the one at the front caught Hermione's eye.

She gaped. "Sirius?"

Sirius Black, his shoulder length hair swaying from a gust of wind outside, was without lines in his face, without scars, without that haunted look he carried with him since Hermione had first laid eyes on him. This man did not look like a man who had been wrongly imprisoned for twelve years. Not like a man who had lost near everything dear to him. And he most especially did not look like a thirty-six-year-old man who had fallen through the Veil at the Department of Mysteries.

Sirius saw her and— with a grin that could only belong to a Marauder—lowered his wand. "Good evening. I see my reputation precedes me. And who are you?"

Seeing two men she had heard stories about be alive had been one thing, but to actually meet someone she'd known before his death, well . . .that was too much.

So, Hermione fainted.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"That's insane! No way!"

"You have no room to argue, Granger! Stay out of it!"

The entire room sighed. Here we go again, they seemed to say. Hermione ignored them.

She turned to Sirius. "How can you possibly think that it's a valid plan? It's a suicide mission!"

Sirius waved her off. "Oh, please. How on earth you've managed to stay alive this long is beyond me. You're not taking any risks, Granger!"

"Excuse me? I have stayed alive this long because I know when it's not worth it! This is not the battle to fight and you know it."

Sirius got quiet and watched as she caught her breath. How she was to survive this conversation was another matter than surviving this war. She wasn't even sure how it had begun. Something about a sled?

"All right, you two, enough," said Lily, still Evans, but soon-to-be Potter. Her engagement ring visible on her left hand. James was holding the other. "We can't have you argue every five seconds."

"Yes," agreed James, trying to hide his annoyingly amused grin. For some reason he thought it hilarious to watch his best friend argue with Hermione. She still didn't understand why. "It's counter-productive."

A young Remus rolled his eyes at the whole thing. There was no Peter to chime in however. Hermione had made sure of that as soon as she arrived. There would be no betrayal on Halloween this time.

Fabian and Gideon, another consequence of Hermione's arrival, chuckled in their seats.

"I say," said Fabian, "Having Hermione arrive has been hell of a ride. And anything but counter-productive. It's almost as if you're disagreeing with her just to have her direct her attention at you, Black."

Sirius crossed his arms. "Right, because any sane person would enjoy having a ball of hair scream at them."

Fabian raised his hands. "Whatever hovers your broom, mate."

Hermione blushed at the implication, while Sirius did his utmost to look as dismissive as possible, but also avoided looking at her.

"Can we please lay the matter to a rest?" asked Remus.

"Agreed," said Dorcas Meadowes. "There's no point in it, we can't do anything about the Horcruxes anyway without the tools to destroy them; so why go out hunting them?"

"Thank you!" said Hermione.

"And it would only alert You-Know-Who to someone knowing about his plans," murmured Marlene McKinnon. "Do we really need his eyes on us while we harbor pieces of his soul?"

"But what if he moves them?" argued Sirius. "The only thing helping us is Hermione's knowledge about the future, but as we've heard, the future can change! So if we don't strike now, he could be moving them or making new ones!"

Hermione sighed. "And I share your concerns, but Sirius—you haven't encountered these things. They're foul and evil. It's a danger having them close and even more dangerous to seek them out. Once we do, wouldn't it be better to have means of destruction? Ensuring that we don't take unnecessary risks in keeping them here?"

"Not to mention, we don't even know where all of them are or what they are," added James quietly.

"You too?" Sirius frowned at him.

"Sorry, mate, but there's logic in it."

Sirius threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Whatever."

"Mature," coughed Marlene.

"Okay, that settles today's meeting then," said Lily. "If someone could pass the information along to the people who couldn't make it, that would be excellent."

"I'm meeting Alice and Frank tomorrow," said Dorcas.

"I'll speak with Dedalus and Alastor later today," said Edgar Bones.

"Wonderful! Unless, Professor Dumbledore, do you have anything to add?"

Albus Dumbledore, who had quietly observed Hermione and Sirius' exchange, smiled gently at Lily. "No, thank you, miss Evans."

Lily nodded. "All right, meeting concluded! Good bye, everyone!"

There was a chorus of 'bye's and chairs being moved.

"Hermione, aren't you coming?" asked Lily, but Hermione shook her head.

"No, I have a matter to discuss with the Headmaster."

Lily nodded. "Well, all right. Just floo us later, yeah?"

Hermione smiled. "Will do."

When every other member of the Order had left, Hermione turned to Professor Dumbledore.

"You are fitting in rather well here, miss Granger," said the old wizard, his eyes twenty years younger but neither duller nor less wise. The blue in them twinkled over his half-moon glasses and Hermione felt the same odd comfort she did at seeing them again as she had ever since time-travelling back to the seventies. Yet, she knew not to place too much faith in him. He was wise to be sure, but he had wrongdoings in his past and more in his future yet.

He was a dangerous man, in short. But Hermione wasn't harmless herself.

"Yes, I dare say I do," she answered.

"No doubt you miss your friends, however. Time heals all but that."

Hermione nodded. She did miss her friends. Terribly. "Have you discovered any way for me to travel back yet?"

Professor Dumbledore blinked. "No, I'm afraid I haven't."

Hermione frowned. "Are you lying?"

Professor Dumbledore chuckled. "I have nothing to gain from you preventing your return home, miss Granger. It's simply that I worry about what you would find."

"You mean I've changed too much."

"Perhaps."

Hermione gnawed her lip. She knew, as she'd always known, that she should have best stayed out of it. But how could she have? Once she realised that she had saved Fabian and Gideon and there hadn't been an eradication of her existence, she figured she might as well keep at it. Help them win the war. And prevent it returning a second time.

And so, everyone in the Order came to know her secret. She had told them she had no idea about how she ended up there and said nothing about the future children or deaths of people she met, but she had told them about Voldemort and his horcruxes. And Pettigrew.

That had devastated James, Lily, Remus and Sirius.

Nevertheless, all she'd told them had rung true and so Hermione had their trust. And they had hers.

Well, most of them. Once again, Hermione watched Dumbledore, knowing he was perusing through her brain but she had nothing to hide. He'd know the importance of keeping secrets, he most of all if his biography had any ounce of truth in it.

She just had trouble trusting him not to use her like he'd used her in the future. How he'd used Harry.

"Well, I do hope you'll tell me as soon as you encounter anything that could help me return to my time," Hermione said finally.

Dumbledore waited a moment and she couldn't read the expression he wore. "Of course, miss Granger."

Once outside of the building, Hermione let out a breath.

"Tough talk?"

Sirius was leaning against the wall, smoking. Hermione scrunched her nose.

"Those are going to kill you," she said.

Sirius smirked. "Well, you would know." He let out a puff of smoke and put the cigarette out with his shoe. "So? What's the verdict?"

Hermione sighed. "Still no way for me to go back home."

"Too bad."

Hermione raised her eyebrow.

Sirius held his hands up. "I'm genuinely heartbroken for you."

"Yes, you sound it." Still, she couldn't help but smile a little. "I just keep counting the minutes, you know? I keep thinking, soon, I could be on my way to my friends. And everything could be different. There'd be no war."

Harry would still have his parents and Ron . . .Hermione halted her train of thought, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She wasn't sure why.

She hugged herself at a sudden gust of autumn wind. "I just look forward to seeing the world be a better place."

Sirius chuckled. "You never stop, do you?"

"What?"

Sirius smiled. "You're just . . . so good."

"Oh." Hermione cheeks grew warm.

"In fact, I envy it."

Hermione turned to him. "You're good too, Sirius. You'd do everything for your friends. To protect them."

His grey eyes met hers. He smiled gently. "So would you." Then, he suddenly began to move. He continued, "Well, I better get Apparating. I have business to attend to with Remus. Say hi to James and Lily for me, will you?"

"Of course," said Hermione, having only a second to wave him off before he disappeared around the corner. She didn't even have time to ask him why he'd waited on her in the first place.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

He was kissing her. It was fierce and it was intense, his lips were desperate, as if they weren't sure if she knew how he felt. But she knew. She'd always known.

She gasped.

"How could you leave?" he asked. His lips had travelled to that sensitive part of her neck, the one he knew would make her squirm. In between kisses, he pleaded. He demanded. "How could you leave me?"

"I'm here," she answered, her voice a mere breath. "I'm here."

"You're going to leave," he said. "If not now, then soon."

"Never."

"Granger . . ."

Hermione startled awake.

Outside, the sun was just about to rise and the sight made everything she remembered dreaming about worse. Because the last thing she'd seen before waking up was his face. And unlike the rising sun— and the man she'd thought she loved—he had black hair, not red.

Hermione cursed and let the tears fall.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"What's the matter with you?" Remus asked one day. "You've been acting a bit strange lately."

Hermione shrugged. "I've just been feeling a bit tired. The plan to defeat the basilisk has brought up some memories I'd rather forget."

Remus nodded sagely. "The petrification. I understand. But all we have to do is bring a rooster down there and have it crow. You won't have to face the basilisk again."

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Hermione smiled. It felt strange to smile. But this was Remus. Her professor, her friend and her mentor. The one with a word of wisdom and a piece of chocolate for whoever needed it. It was as close to her old life she could get. They were even in a Hogwarts office.

Hermione sighed. "I just wish they wouldn't enjoy this so much."

Remus laughed. "If Sirius and James miss the opportunity to defeat a brutal Slytherin beast with the mere use of a bird, then you would be the one in danger, Hermione."

Hermione couldn't help it, she joined his laughter.

There was a knock on the doorframe.

Hermione looked up and there was Sirius, looking at the two of them. Remus removed his hand from Hermione's shoulder.

"Padfoot. Is everything ready?"

Sirius removed his gaze from Hermione and nodded at his friend. "James is with Dumbledore and Hagrid, discussing the final matters. They decided to place roosters along the entrance, but since no one actually speaks parseltongue, we realised we might need Hermione after all."

"What? Why?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I thought since you're only one who's ever heard it be spoken, perhaps you could mimic the sounds?" Sirius explained. "It would be worth a try at least."

"That's . . .that's brilliant."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I know that. But we still need you to come to the girl's bathroom as soon as we're done."

"I don't know," said Remus. "This sounds dangerous, Sirius. What if it's not dead? Then you'd have Hermione open the door to the Chamber of Secrets to die."

An involuntary shudder ran through her and both the men noticed.

"No," she said, "It doesn't matter. It's the only way we can defeat Voldemort without having to regulate fiendfyre, which we all know is impossible. I'll do it."

Sirius watched her again and it was like he could read the defiance in her expression, the one daring him to protest this as well, but eventually, he nodded.

"You're insane, both of you," mumbled Remus.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"The locket," she said. "You need to speak with your brother."

Predictably, Sirius tensed.

"I haven't spoken with my brother since Hogwarts, Hermione. And even then it was not so much words as curses being yelled. He won't listen to me."

"I think he will," Hermione insisted. "If nothing else because he'd be curious of what you'd have to say. Sirius, if you don't, Regulus will sacrifice his life for nothing. Only for Kreacher to keep the locket and be unsuccessful in his attempts to destroy it. And Regulus thinks this is the only one so he will feel free to sacrifice himself. He will."

"Don't you think I know that? My brother is the most stubborn person I've ever met. That's why I know he won't listen to me."

Hermione looked at him pointedly. "Who's being stubborn again?"

Sirius scoffed, crossing his arms. Then he frowned. "Fine."

Hermione beamed. "Thank you, Sirius. Thank you."

"Can I ask you something?" Sirius started, just as Hermione was about to Apparate away. Her mind had reached for the comfortable bed at her place, tired after the Order meeting today, and yet she stopped at the sound of Sirius' voice. "Why do you care so much? You don't know Regulus."

"No, I don't," said Hermione. "But he's your brother. And I wish the two of you could start over."

Sirius shook his head. "You're too much of an idealist, Hermione. Saving my brother's life doesn't mean I'll forgive him or that he'll forgive me."

Hermione's brows knit together. "What have you done that would require his forgiveness?"

Sirius' grey eyes met hers. "I left."

Hermione blinked. "Oh."

"There's nothing I could do to make him forgive that."

"I understand," said Hermione. And he had no idea how much she did understand. How she had been left and had her heart broken. "But you forget one thing."

Sirius waited.

"People who leave, they can always come back," said Hermione, attempting a smile, wanting him to join her.

He didn't. Instead he glanced at the ground, his jaw tense. "Not always."

Hermione took that as her queue to go home. She told him goodbye and Apparated back to her apartment. Her heart aching all the while.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"I'm happy for him. I really am."

Lily raised her eyebrow. "Right."

"I am! I mean it, I—" Hermione waved her off. "What are we doing talking about this anyway? It's your wedding day, Lily!"

"I know that, dumb-dumb," said Lily, her smile wide and warm. She looked at her white gown and shook her head. "I can hardly believe it, to be honest. Amidst all the struggle and the grief . . . Sometimes it felt like it might never happen, you know?"

Hermione decided to simply smile back at her, which had the other woman rolling her eyes.

"Perhaps this sounds silly to a time-traveller, but . . ." Lily's smile from before faded and instead there were tears glistening in her green eyes. "I love him so much. And I worried that this war might tear us apart before we'd ever get here."

Hermione reached over, the sleeve of her red dress robes following the movement. "I will make sure that never happens, Lily. You and James will live a full life. I promise."

Lily watched her, those green eyes of hers reminding Hermione once more—as they did each time she looked into them—of a promise she'd made long ago. To a boy with the same eyes.

He had no one else.

But I will make sure he will.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The ceremony was beautiful, and the party afterward was wild. Hermione couldn't remember laughing so much in a long while.

However, as soon as she had seen Sirius stand by the archway next to James, she had the feeling that there was one thing that could put a damper on the evening. Sirius had caught her eye and after a nervous heartbeat on her part, he'd looked away, confirming her theory.

A harp began playing and Lily walked along the aisle and for a moment all was forgotten. Hermione cried when her best friend's parents said their vows, speaking of love and how it truly was the light amidst all the dark.

Next to her, Fabian and Gideon were the first to rise and applaud. Hermione rolled her eyes at their theatrics but applauded all the same as Lily and James smiled happily at each other, kissing once more.

During dinner toasts were made and jokes and pranks were pulled and Hermione thoroughly enjoyed herself. Her cheeks hurt from smiling.

Then came the dances. Fabian had asked for her hand the first time, then Remus had volunteered his free time before Dorcas got to him, which made the werewolf blush profusely. Then Hermione had enjoyed the company of a tipsy Marlene, before settling down on a chair, exhausted.

And that's when she saw him and he, yet again, managed to spoil her mood.

Sirius was out on the patio and through the window Hermione could see that he wasn't alone.

"Merlin, he's always been classy, my brother."

Regulus Black sat down next to her, glancing awkwardly over his shoulder, worried someone might throw him out, the same way he'd behaved since he'd joined the Order.

Hermione tore her eyes off Sirius and attempted politeness with his brother. "I'm happy for him. He deserves someone who . . ."

"Who lets him use them?"

Hermione frowned. "How would you know that he is?"

"Because I know my brother." Regulus took a sip of his elf-made wine. "Noble as he might be, he's also a child. And I think you know this."

Hermione didn't answer, opting instead to drink her water.

Regulus waited and when she still didn't say anything, he sighed. "I see. You're very alike, you and him."

"Excuse me?" Hermione couldn't believe her ears. "We're nothing alike! You hardly know me and yet you're making assumptions. I don't even believe we've exchanged more than five words with each other until now."

"Perhaps I'm being hasty," offered Regulus. "Or perhaps I'm more observant than you give me credit for."

His smug stare did nothing but aggravate Hermione further. What could she say to the man who'd first discovered the existence of Voldemort's horcruxes?

"Then . . .What do you suggest?" Hermione tried. She thought back on how she'd attacked Ron with charmed birds, but times had changed. She had changed. Besides, she didn't want to ruin Lily and James' wedding.

"You talk to him," said Regulus. Then, he shrugged. "Or not. Either way, I don't care."

"Clearly." Hermione couldn't help but wonder at how her life had turned out. A former Death Eater was giving her dating advice. "Would you like to dance, Regulus?"

For the first time, his expression lost its polished look. "What? No."

"Yes." Hermione reached out and grabbed hold of his hands. Once out on the dance floor she realised why Regulus had protested; he was a terrible dancer. "You're certain you're Pure-blooded?"

"Quiet, Granger."

Hermione laughed.

She twirled Regulus around and as she did, she caught a glimpse of someone entering the venue again. Hermione met Sirius' confused stare and decided that it was all too much.

This was all too much.

So, she smiled.

There had been enough drama.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Would you tell him to stop ignoring me?"

Remus shook his head. "Can't. He's got best friend privileges."

"Remus," said Hermione. "I need to speak with him, I— Professor Dumbledore."

"Miss Granger," Professor Dumbledore greeted her. "Mr Lupin. I take it the others have yet to arrive? Well then, we'll have to get along just the three of us for now. Although," He turned to Remus. "Would you mind letting me have five minutes with Miss Granger? I have a matter I'd like to discuss with her."

"Of course," answered Remus, but not before glancing between her and Professor Dumbledore. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

"I'm glad to hear it," answered Professor Dumbledore. Once Remus was gone, he addressed Hermione. "I have news to share with you, miss Granger."

Hermione blinked. "Oh? Regarding what matter, Professor?"

"Why your returning home, of course. I should think that would be all you could think about at the moment—what with young mr Black assisting us in finding all the horcruxes and having procured a weapon in the form of basilisk fangs to destroy them with. Your work is soon to be done here, Miss Granger. You should be allowed to finally rest and go home."

Home . . .

"I –" Hermione paused. What was home? She could seem to recall her parents' smiles, but then their smiles quickly turned confused as they realised they had no idea who she was. After all, Wendell and Monica Wilkins had no children. Hermione thought on the sound of Harry and Ron's laughter. But then that faded only to be replaced with their sunken faces as starvation threatened to ruin their entire mission. Blaming eyes that told her to find more food.

And then . . .then she saw other eyes. Neither brown nor green. Only . . .grey.

Hermione swallowed. "I want to go home."

Dumbledore saw what went on in her mind, and to her surprise he smiled. "It's possible."

"How would you know—"

There was a crash outside.

Hermione reached for her wand, but it soon became apparent that she needed none.

Blasting through the door, much as he had done the first time she saw him in the seventies, and with an expression that screamed murder, much like the time he had the first time she'd seen him in the nineties, Sirius Black entered the room.

And he did not look happy.

Professor Dumbledore excused himself. "I'll go find mr Lupin and we'll direct the rest of the Order to another room."

After he had closed what was left of the door, Hermione and Sirius were alone.

"Sirius!" Hermione started. "What are you doing? Someone could have gotten hurt, you can't just enter like that when we're currently at war! Do you have any sense of self-preservation at all?"

Sirius stared at her, his jaw working hard and it appeared his mind even more so. Hermione wasn't sure whether to be scared or excited.

She licked her lips and prepared for another speech, but Sirius cut her off this time.

"Is it true?" he asked.

"Is what true?"

"Don't make me say it, Granger! Don't do this again, don't act like you don't know what this is!"

"Me?" asked Hermione, incredulous. "I'm not the one off snogging other girls at weddings!"

"Well, you probably could have. I heard Marlene say . . ." Sirius' joke faded as soon as he saw her glare. "And I thought that's what you wanted."

"That's rich," Hermione scoffed. "The nerve of you. Why would I want that?"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE LEAVING!" Sirius ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. "How are you failing to see the problem in that?! And now! Now I overhear Dumbledore saying that it's possible, and even worse than that, that you want to leave!"

Hermione felt the tears build up, but she bit her lip, waiting for him to finish. Because she had the feeling that this was something that had plagued his mind for a long time.

"I'm horrible." Sirius laughed miserably. "I can't say any of this because then I'm the worst possible human being on the planet. You come here and you do nothing but save us. And the one thing you want is to go home. To be with your family and friends again, and I selfishly want to keep you here. No, you're doing the right thing. You should leave. Just leave and go home, Hermione."

"Sirius . . ."

"No, it doesn't matter. I'm the one who mucked this up in the first place. I was the one who acted the way I did, wanting to punish you."

"Sirius, listen—"

"I'm terrible."

"Sirius!" Hermione urged him to look at her. "Sirius, would you please listen to me. Please."

He did. His grey eyes were as full of tears as hers she saw now.

She stammered a bit, but eventually got the words out. The ones she'd fought against for a long time. "Sirius. You . . .You are my home now."

His eyes widened and Hermione held her breath. Slowly, he walked up to her, and Hermione had to fight the urge to ask him what he was about to do. She knew what she wanted him to do, but with that look on his face, it was anyone's guess. Then, finally, he grabbed hold of her face and, to her unparalleled joy, kissed her.

Their lips met and it was fierce and it was intense. And it was glorious.

She kissed him back, making sure that he knew that she felt just as fiercely as him. Just as intensely. Just as desperately.

He was her home. She was finally coming home.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"What do I do?" Hermione— in spite of herself— panicked. "What if I drop him or . . .?"

Sirius chuckled. "You'll do no such thing. You're the cleverest witch of her age. You can hold a baby."

Hermione nodded nervously and took the little bundle in her arms. "He's so small." She removed a small fold of blanket that covered his face, getting a god look of the pink, full face. She started to cry. "Hello, Harry."

"We still haven't settled on the name yet," said James. Next to him on the bed, his wife scoffed.

"Maybe you haven't. He's clearly a Harry."

"Hairy, maybe," joked Remus. "He's gonna look just like you when he grows up, Prongs."

"But he'll have his mother's eyes," whispered Hermione.

"How can you tell?" asked Sirius, holding her close and kissing her forehead. He watched her and Harry and it made her heart glow to see him so happy.

"Well, let's just call it a time-traveller thing." Hermione looked over them all. "The same thing that lets me know he's going to have a large family that's there for him. And that he'll be so loved."

Sirius grinned. "Harry James Potter; the Boy Who's Loved."

"I quite like the sound of that," said Hermione, again watching Harry.

He had no one else.

And now he has everyone.

It was all too much for her to handle. So many emotions. So many happy emotions.

So, Hermione smiled.

And for the first time, in this time, Harry smiled with her.

~o0o~

A/N: Eeeeeep! This was a one-shot idea I had in my head and I finally got to writing it! Yay!

I hope you like it, it was never really meant to be more than a nice little Sirimione piece and that's why things kinda just were fixed (like Peter and them knowing her time travel stuff) because I just wanted to show the highlights so to speak.

Anyway, again, I hope you liked it!
Hugs to you all!
/Primrue