Chapter One: An Unlikely Turn of Events

Hermione stretched out a shaky hand and grabbed her time turner. She turned it. Not once, not twice, not even ten times. She turned it fifty times, not caring where or when she went. She just wanted to get out of where she was. Ronald Weasley, the stupid git, had broken her heart again; snogging that putrid Lavender Brown. She looked down at the little golden object in her hand as it started to spin by itself. It started spinning faster and faster as did the room around her. She grew dizzy. Oh so dizzy. She raised a hand to her head, and everything went black.

When she awoke, she was in the hospital wing. Bright light streamed in from the windows, and some nurses bustled around, attending to students with cases of the Jelly Legs Jinx and other minor ailments. A woman in her mid-thirties walked over to Hermione and helped her sit up, handing her a glass of water. She looked oddly familiar. She resembled Madame Pomfrey, minus some gray hairs and wrinkles, and probably fifty pounds.

"What happened to me, miss?"

The woman laughed. "Call me Madame Pomfrey, dear." Hermione's eyes went wide with shock, but Madame Pomfrey's face soon grew serious. "I'm afraid you've gone back in time, my child." She held up Hermione's time turner, but it appeared to have a piece missing.

"How far have I gone back?" Hermione asked fearfully, and, although her intelligent mind usually ruled, her emotions kicked in, filling her eyes with tears. Madame Pomfrey gave her a pitiful look.

"Now, now, dear, don't cry. I'll fetch Professor Dumbledore, and tell him you're awake. He's been very anxious to see you. He'll tell you how far you've gone." The small woman that Madame Pomfrey used to be sent out a messenger Patronus in the shape of a Labrador retriever. Not too long after, Dumbledore (whose beard was more gray than silvery white as she was used to) strutted in, starry navy robes billowing behind him. He stood next to Hermione's bed side and gave her a gentle and all-knowing smile.

"Come with me, child, come." He extended an old, veined hand which she nervously took. He led her through the halls of Hogwarts, earning her plenty of stares. Finally they reached a huge statue, to which Dumbledore whispered "Honey Drop." They climbed the stairs the statue had hidden. Dumbledore's office hadn't changed much since she was in it. Or, rather, he didn't change it much before the time she was in it. Fawkes the phoenix looked at her with what seemed like compassion in his intelligent black eyes.

"And who might you be, lost one?" Dumbledore asked, petting Fawkes, and taking a seat. Hermione sat across from him.

"I'm Hermione Granger, 7th year, from the year 1997." Dumbledore nodded grimly.

"I'm afraid you've gone back farther than you imagined, Miss Granger. It is the year 1978."

Hermione slumped back against the chair, shell-shocked. Nineteen years in a matter of minutes. Even through the confusion, though, she did some math in her head.

"Do a Mr. James Potter and a Ms. Lily Evans attend at this time?"

Dumbledore looked puzzled but he nodded.

"And a Peter Pettigrew?" Dumbledore nodded again.

"Why on earth do you need to know or want to know this information?" Albus adjusted his half-moon spectacles and peered down his crooked nose at the slightly bush-haired girl in front of him.

"I can't reveal the future to you, Professor, but is there any way you can help me get out of the past?" Hermione looked at him with pleading brown eyes, but he only looked at the time turner with his calm, twinkling ones.

"I'm afraid you'll have to stay here, Miss Granger." He took his glasses off and rubbed them with his robe. She rubbed her temples and a tear slipped down her cheek.

"How can I stay here? What if I reveal myself?"

Dumbledore gave her a soothing grin. "Do not worry about what ifs. Relax. Enjoy your time. And, if I can interpret your personality correctly, you will enjoy the history here, actually experiencing a different time period.

"I like it all from the safety behind a book!" Hermione squeaked. Dumbledore handed her a schedule.

"This is an off day. Classes begin tomorrow. Meet new people while you can, and be careful not to reveal the fact that some of these people are your friends' parents and maybe even your future professors!"

Dumbledore was spot on. She absolutely had to meet James and Lily Potter, and Sirius Black. She was nearly giddy with excitement. In her distracted state, she ran right into a tall young man her age, which caused her to start apologizing profusely, even though she was the one who fell. He helped her stand and handed her the schedule while he bent down to gather his books.

"No need to apologize, you could've done much worse." He said in a soft, slightly teasing manner, but Hermione could tell there was pain behind the words. She looked up into his face to see who she was speaking to and was instantly taken aback. Long black hair, shiny dark eyes. Prominent nose.

She was speaking to none other than teenage Professor Snape.

She had heard Sirius tell stories about how terrible Severus had been in school, but he really didn't seem bad. His hair wasn't even greasy, as Sirius and Remus had described. Really, it was just silky. His eyes, often described as black, had a tint of brown. His nose wasn't even that large. His body, although very tall, was nice. He had long, lean muscles, which weren't very well hidden in his button-up shirt which he had rolled up to his elbows.

And then she realized: I'm checking out my former teacher and I find him attractive! What do I do? How do I look? Wait, what? Urgh, Hermione Granger, he is your teacher!

Severus looked this small girl over. Intelligent and pretty chocolate eyes, curly brown hair, a perfect figure. He smiled a bit. "Are you new here? Do you need a tour?" he said smoothly, looking her in the eye. She shook her head, still eying the muscles hidden under his shirt, growing more frustrated and more pink with each second. He smiled wider and grabbed her hand, leading her down the corridor and out into the courtyard. He led her up to a tree, under which a thin red headed girl was reading.

"L, I have someone for you to meet!" The girl looked up and stared into Hermione's eyes with eyes as bright green as emeralds.

As bright green as Harry's.

Hermione stuck her hand out awkwardly for a handshake with her best friend's mother.

Before she was his mother.