A Turn In Time

CHAPTER ONE

THE FINAL BATTLE

"It's got to be here somewhere!" Harry growled in frustration as the room spun to the next door. He ripped the door open impatiently and smiled grimly. This is it. He thought desperately to himself. Harry moved swiftly through the room with the tank of brains and opened the next door. He descended the stairs and crossed to the arch in the middle of the amphitheatre-like room. As he got closer, he could hear the whispers of the people behind the veil just as he had two years ago. He lost someone special that night in this very room and he thought that was devastating. The recent events drove him over the edge far more brutally than he thought possible.

He stepped onto the podium and closed his eyes. With intense concentration he could hear the whispered words of the woman he loved. Tears erupted from his eyes and he looked at the shadowy figures that were milling about behind the silky, thin material of ether that everyone referred to simply as The Veil.

"I'm coming for you, Hermione." He whispered across the dimensional bounds. He waited in vain for a response and after mentally reviewing the plan that had came to him in St. Mungo's he turned and fled the room in quiet determination.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in their favorite couch by the massive fireplace that was the prominent feature of the common room's northern wall. Elation that they had all passed the rigorous N.E.W.T.s tests washed over them in a cascade of cheers, butterbeer, music, and laugher.

Ron had invited his girlfriend of the past year, Luna Lovegood, to the celebration and due to lack of room Luna had perched precariously in his lap.

Harry was surprised at how Luna had filled out in just two years, she'd gone from the smallish girl with a perpetually surprised look to a rather attractive young woman with correctly proportioned eyes, her hair had finally been tamed and she no longer wore the strange combinations of clothes she did when they had met her.

An equal amount of surprise had been levied upon him in the changes of his best friend Ron Weasley. Luna had been the catalyst that brought him from his adolescence into the viably mature man that sat next to his other best friend.

Most of all, Harry had been surprised in the changes that overtook him since his godfather had died. He had gone into severe depression and relegated himself to his dark, small room at the Dursleys' for the majority of the summer. He would eat and sleep and exist but beyond that there was nothing. He was an emotional black hole with such a lack for life that even Aunt Petunia had become worried for his health. The only thing that brought him out of his stupor was Hermione.

Without warning, his bedroom door had opened and a surprisingly calm Aunt Petunia ushered his best friend into the room. She whispered something that made Hermione gasp and then shut the door leaving the two of them alone.

He didn't know what happened over the two weeks that she came to visit him, but when the blur that time had become ended, Harry was out of his depression and held a new outlook on life firmly within his mind. He had fallen for his best friend of five years somewhere during that time but never had the courage to tell her.

It was now the end of their stay at Hogwarts and like every normal student, he was looking forward to what the future would bring. Voldemort had gone into hiding after his plans were foiled for the seventh time last year and Harry's final year at the most prestigious school of witchcraft and wizardry was quiet and devoid of worry. For once in his life, there was nothing stopping him and he had a hope in his heart that he had never before known.

The graduation party went on for what seemed to be hours and didn't really die out until the birds began to sing jovially in the Forbidden Forest. Harry and his two best friends had gone to bed earlier than they had liked because they were all leaving for special training the next day. The threat of Voldemort wasn't over and the trio were going to use the time to learn some new and specialized skills that they could use in their fight against the ever present darkness.

They were ushered into their headmaster's office to take the portkey to the Ministry of Magic where they would start on their careers as Aurors. After each had grasped the discarded television aerial, Harry and his friends were whisked through a familiar swirl of wind and color and found themselves standing in the very room that Harry had been in at the beginning of fifth year. Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the rest of the Order were waiting patiently for their arrival.

"Wotcha, Harry?!" Tonks said enthusiastically as she crossed the room for a tight hug.

"Hi, Tonks!" Harry said with a smile.

The rest of the group said their hellos in turn and the three friends were soon on their way to a special section of the magical complex that was used specifically for the training of the wizarding world's enforcement service.

Harry had, more than once, glanced at Hermione from the corner of his eye to catch her turn her head from him quickly and he did the same whenever she happened to look his way. He couldn't get over the fact that he felt so strongly for another person but still couldn't summon the courage to talk to her about it.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when they entered the Ministry proper.

"We have to cross through the main lobby to the portal to the training grounds." Moody informed them from the front of their caravan. "Once we get there ..."

Their new mentor was interrupted by an explosion at the front of the building. He whipped out a small mirror and when he looked into it, his face paled.

"Blast it! This is too soon!" He shouted.

Harry caught a glimpse of what had caused such a disconcerting reaction with Moody and paled instantly.

"What is it?" Hermione asked concernedly from his left.

"Voldemort." Harry said simply as he felt the familiar burning sensation enter his skull from his scar. His hand went to it immediately and he pressed against it in a vain attempt to push the pain away but it kept getting worse. He was vaguely aware that he was on his knees and then suddenly jolted to his feet as Lupin and Tonks grabbed his shoulders and dragged him back to the lifts.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked quietly as he struggled to erect the barrier that his Occlumency training afforded him. Breathe deeply. Clear my mind. Retreat to the dark recesses of quiet and rational thought.

"She and Ron are with Moody!" Tonks said hurriedly.

The commotion in the main lobby escalated as Aurors apparated on the scene, dropping what they were doing from their various tasks. It was much swifter to bring a strong force into action after Hermione shared the techniques she developed for the D.A. and their magical galleons. As soon as there was trouble, one of a dozen coins could be activated to call a sizeable force to action. It was very successful today.

Harry and his two companions had finally made it to the lift and the crushing pain in Harry's skull had subsided dramatically. Lupin hit the emergency call button and a scant, few, agonizingly seconds later, the car appeared before them.

"Get in, Harry!" Lupin ordered. Harry felt the force of his surrogate godfather's push and then a much more powerful jolt as his entire body slammed into him. Tonks landed face-first on the floor beside them and Harry had to struggle to turn and see what had happened.

He wasn't prepared for the horror that the next few seconds brought him. Lupin's vacant eyes bored into Harry's and his limp body kept him pinned to the floor. Harry fought desperately to control his emotions as he rolled his deceased friend from off of him and scrambled for the controls to the car. He fumbled with the many buttons and in a fit of desperate frustration slammed one randomly. The car doors closed and he sunk to the floor as it made its way to the floor he had chosen.

Harry looked sadly at the limp body of Remus Lupin and with a tremendous force of will reached down and closed his eyes. He checked on Tonks and found that she had suffered a similar fate. As his knees gave out the car came to a sudden stop at his chosen destination. With a silent goodbye and tears roiling from his eyes, he stumbled into the Department of Mysteries.

He didn't have much time to decide on a direction and just as he chose a door, he heard the bell to the car of the second lift chime the new arrival, without looking back, Harry ripped open a door and ran through it in a desperate attempt to escape whoever was emerging from the opening doors of the elevator.

"YOU CAN'T HIDE, POTTER!" Harry heard Voldemort scream with fury from a mere two rooms behind him.

Harry hadn't been in this section of the Department before and he didn't recognize the archway that stood before him. Instead of a dark alcove, a doorway, or even a door, there seemed to be a white, billowing mist that was cascading from the top of the archway to the floor in a perpetual waterfall of clouds. He approached it tentatively and the mist slowly formed into a crystal clear scene. It was a scene that Harry had only seen in his nightmares.

There were footsteps rounding the bend behind him and without a second thought, Harry pulled his wand and stepped into the walled, overgrown garden of what used to be his parents' house in Godric's Hollow. He could have sworn that he heard his arch-nemesis curse when Harry disappeared and he didn't have much time to think.

"DISILLUSION!" Harry said as he tapped his wand on his head and within moments he was virtually invisible to anyone who might look his way. The chameleon effect the spell produced seemed to work the best in a natural setting and Harry settled himself between two bushes that had grown well beyond anything that was tamable. He had barely controlled his breathing when the tall, black-robed presence of Voldemort made itself known.

"I know you're here, Potter!" He spat in his peculiar, high-pitched voice. "Interesting that you fled to the same place that I destroyed your family." He chuckled softly to himself. "Today, you join your dearly departed parents, Harry. Today we're going to end this once and for all."

Voldemort scanned the garden slowly and seemed to look right past his prey. Harry couldn't let the opportunity pass when his enemy looked away.

"CRUCIO!" Harry shouted with all the hate, anger, loss, fear, love, and what seemed to be a million other emotions that had been pent up in his heart and soul for the past seventeen years. Voldemort contorted into a satisfying heap on the ground. Every appendage on the Dark Lord's body bent and twisted in ways that were completely foreign to a Human's normal form and function. The howls of pain and agony spurred Harry into a frenzy of repeated castings of the cruciatus curse.

"Each one, Voldemort, each and every one is for the hurt and pain you've placed upon my friends, family, and me!" Harry said thought gritted teeth. "Today is the day that I finally get to live my life without this damn prophesy molding me into fate's puppet!"

Harry sneered in derision when Voldemort looked at him with fear in his pleading eyes. "Mercy, Harry, grant me mercy, I beg of you! You're better than I am!" He cried with an outstretched hand to The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry glared incredulously at the creature panting for breath on the ground. "MERCY?! YOU ASK ME FOR MERCY?" Harry cursed him again. "YOU?! YOU WHO KILL WITHOUT IT! YOU WHO TOOK MY PARENTS, MY LIFE, MY FRIENDS?!"

"H-Harry, please." Voldemort panted desperately. "I-It wasn't me! It was the powers of the dark arts! They consume you with thoughts ..." He paused as he gasped for breath. "The ways of the dark arts overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop their evil ..."

Harry looked with disgust at the thing panting on the ground. What if it was the dark arts and not Riddle? A familiar voice said in his head. What if Riddle is innocent and just a pawn of the evil energies?

"SHUT UP!" Harry howled as he grabbed the sides of his head. He spied the wretched form of Voldemort sneaking closer and closer to his fallen wand. Harry quickly came to himself and summoned the instrument through which this most hated enemy had used on countless occasions to spread sorrow and misery. The core-mate to his wand flew through the air to him before the sickening figure could wrap his disgusting fingers around it again. In one deft move Harry caught, snapped the wand in two and then set the pieces aflame in a magical incineration.

He glared at the now kneeling Dark Lord. "If I show you mercy, Riddle, it'll be the day that I die!" Harry seethed with hatred and lifted his wand one final time.

Voldemort moved so fast it was a blur, he wrapped his arms around Harry and pinned the young man's own to his sides. He brought his legs up and wrapped them around Harry's waist. Voldemort then began to constrict the last Potter like a boa constrictor and smiled evilly.

"You know ssssomething?" He hissed in Harry's ear as if he were indeed reptilian and not a man at all. "Thissss issss the ssssame way that your dear old da went." He laughed with a hiss. The pressure that Voldemort was exerting on Harry began to show its effect.

Harry struggled in vain to break the vice-like grip and howled in bestial pain when he felt his ribs start to break, one by one.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy thissss." Voldemort whispered dangerously close to Harry's ear.

Harry's legs gave out as he struggled for breath. He screamed in mortal agony as he felt his spine start to collapse under the immense pressure.

"Ahh, now issss the time." The one who was once Tom Riddle cried in terrifying ecstacy. "After thissss, I can't wait to ssssee what your young friend Hermione will be like in my armssssssss."

Harry's head snapped up. "Y-you'll not ... touch ... her!" Harry wheezed desperately.

Voldemort laughed his high-pitched inhuman laugh as he felt Harry go limp in his arms. "Oh, and You'll sssstop me?" He hissed in mirth.

Harry smiled grimly and looked Voldemort in the eyes squarely for the last time. "FINITIUM MORTALIS!" He shouted with every bit of energy he could summon forth.

The ensuing explosion caused a small mushroom cloud to form which could be seen for miles in every direction. The last thing Harry could recall was hearing Hermione scream his name before everything went black.

CHAPTER TWO

THE PLAN

"Harry?" A faint voice said with concern. "Harry, are you ok?"

He smiled as recognition of the person the voice belonged to flooded his mind.

"Hermione?" He said with a smile. He opened his eyes tentatively and saw her looking down at him with a sad and concerned look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Harry, you won the battle with Voldemort. What are you doing here?" She offered her hand and helped him to his feet.

Harry looked around for the first time. They were standing on a grassy hillock under a sky of the purest blue. There were small puffy clouds dancing on an unseen wind and all around them were fields of wildflowers. Beyond the fields was a crystal blue lake with a beautifully green forest lining one side. "Where are we?" He asked, fear starting to build within him. "This isn't Godric's Hollow."

Hermione looked at him sadly and shook her head. "No, this isn't Godric's Hollow, Harry."

He felt a hand land softly on his shoulder and he turned to see who it was. "Mum?!" He asked incredulously. "Dad?!" He said as another figure stepped up beside his mother.

"Hello, Sweetie." His mother said tenderly. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

Harry stepped back in surprise and bumped into Hermione. "I-I'm dead?" He asked with wide eyes.

Hermione took his hand. "We all are, Harry." She said softy, the sadness evident in her eyes and voice.

Harry shook his head. "You can't be dead, Hermione, you can't!" Without thinking he pulled her into an embrace. "I can feel you in my arms! You're real!" Tears started tracing random tracks down his cheeks.

"Son ..." James Potter said tenderly. "I know it's a shock ..."

"A SHOCK!?" Harry shouted. "You're damn straight it's a shock! If ... If I'm dead, that means that Voldemort ..." Harry looked up in surprise.

Hermione smiled for the first time. "No, Harry." She said comfortingly. "Voldemort died before you did. You were on the operating table at St. Mungo's when you died ..."

Realization hit Harry. He had finally defeated Voldemort, but at what cost? He looked at Hermione, really looked, for the first time. "You're here with me?" Harry asked softly. Hermione nodded her head and smiled. "You ... You want to spend eternity ... W-with me?" He asked tentatively.

Hermione smiled and pulled him into a tender embrace. "Yes, Harry, I do." She said simply.

Harry looked into her eyes and before he knew it, he spilled out everything that he had pent up inside since Sirius died. "I think I had fallen in love with you, Hermione." He said quietly.

Hermione beamed at him. "I fell in love with you too, Harry." She admitted softly. "Now we have all the time anyone could ever wish for to be together."

"Harry! I can't say I'm glad to see you so soon, but I am!"

Harry turned and saw his godfather stride up the small hillock they were all standing on.

"Sirius!" Harry shouted as he was caught in a fatherly hug. "I've missed you!"

He looked at his mother and father and crossed to them as fast as he could. "I've missed you too, Mum, Dad." They quickly hugged.

"We'll have as long as we want to get to know one another again, Harry." His mother said with a smile and a tear of joy slipped down her cheek.

"There you guys are!" Harry heard Remus from the bottom of the hill. "Tonks is just over the next rise with her family! James, Lily! Good to see you again!" He waved happily at the small group of people.

Smiling broadly, Harry crossed back to Hermione. "I've been wanting to do this for the past two years, Hermione." He said shyly and without further hesitation he kissed her on the lips. She returned his kiss just as enthusiastically and they hugged each other tightly.

When they broke apart, Harry smiled happily for the first time he could recall. "I can't believe that I'll finally be with you from now on." He looked at the others and his smile grew bigger.

"Come on, Harry! Come on!"

"What?" Harry said as he looked to Sirius. "Where do you want me to go?"

Sirius's smile faded. "I didn't ask you to go anywhere, Harry."

Harry looked at his father. "Dad?"

James shook his head. "I didn't say anything, Son."

Harry looked at Hermione whose face had suddenly lost its glow.

"Harry ..." She said tentatively and tears started streaking down her cheeks.

"What's happening?" Harry said curiously. His family seemed to be slipping slowly away from him though they weren't actually moving.

"We'll see you again, Sweetie!" His mother called after him.

"We love you, Son!" James shouted.

"Take care, Harry! We'll see you later, we promise!" Sirius called with a wave.

"Hermione?" He looked at her again and she had stretched her hand out to him. "HERMIONE!" He grabbed for her hand but she was just out of reach.

"Harry, I love you! I'll see you again!" She shouted after him between sobs.

"I love you too, Hermione!" He found himself shouting as he snapped into a sitting position with his hand stretched out into empty air.

He looked around the room, his heart racing and he flinched at the pain in his sides. He was in St. Mungo's and in pretty bad shape from the soreness and pain that was wracking his body.

The door burst open and Dumbledore entered the room at a run.

"Harry! You're alive!" His old headmaster crossed the room and stood next to him. "We thought you had died ..." He said softly.

"Why did they bring me back?!" Harry said angrily. "I was with them, I was with Hermione!"

Dumbledore's face dropped and he slowly sat in a bedside chair. "I'm sorry, Harry. The mediwizards tried everything they could to save her and Ron."

Harry looked at his old mentor incredulously. "I didn't see Ron at all, he's not dead." Harry said a little too coldly. He realized there was nothing he could do about it and he at last looked at the broken man before him. With a sigh Harry put a weak hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, professor." Harry said as tears started to flow from his eyes.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Harry." Albus said as his shoulders started to shake. "I should be apologizing to you for all the years of torment you went through."

Harry's vision began to blur. "Professor." He said sleepily. "Where's Ron?"

Dumbledore looked at the savior of the wizarding world. "Ron's here, Harry."

Harry nodded and fell asleep to dreams of Hermione and his family upon the grassy hillock that he could only describe as paradise.

He woke with a start. "Ow!" He groaned in displeasure.

"Harry, Dear!" Mrs. Weasley snapped to and rushed to his side. "H-how are you feeling?" She put a comforting hand on his shoulder as softly as she could. Harry looked into the eyes of his surrogate mother and noticed the tear stains that enveloped her cheeks, the dark circles that told him she'd been awake far too long, and the disheveled hair that meant she'd rushed to the hospital without a second thought.

"I-I'll live." He said distantly.

Molly Weasley broke down into fits of tears as she cradled his head in her hands. "I'm so, sorry, Harry." She pleaded with him as her tears splashed into his hair.

"Why are you sorry?" Harry asked as he stroked her hair. "You've done nothing."

She pulled back and sniffed. "You've lost Hermione." She broke down again. "Ron isn't any better..."

Harry looked at his surrogate mother with concern. "What's wrong with Ron?" He asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

"B-Bellatrix ..." Was all she could get out before breaking down again.

"What about her?" Harry said with fear rising in his throat. He gulped subconsciously.

"Sh-Sh-She tortured Ron s-so bad ..." She sobbed harder, the words difficult to form. "H-He's in a c-coma and steadily getting w-worse."

Harry's tears had quickly matched the pace of his best friend's mother's and he pulled her down into a comforting hug.

"I'm so sorry about Hermione, Harry." She sobbed again. "You never got the chance to tell her ..."

Harry winced as the sudden realization hit him that they were literally worlds apart now and there was nothing he could do to get to her short of killing himself. He broke down fully. He felt Molly pull him into a tight maternal hug and he returned the embrace. They stayed that way for what seemed to be hours, each of them releasing their grief.

When they broke apart and Mrs. Weasley sat back in the bedside chair Harry looked at the grieving woman and said in a very quiet voice, "I saw them, Molly."

"Who, dear?" She asked between wiping her eyes and sniffing.

"I saw Mum and Dad. I saw Sirius, Remus, and H-Hermione." He said catching a sob in his throat at mentioning her name. "She said she l ... She said ..." He took a deep breath. "She said she loved me."

Mrs. Weasley broke down into tears again. "Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry." She sobbed as she took his hand.

Harry blinked away the tears. "I was with them all, I told her, Molly. I told her I loved her and she said she loved me back. We were going to be together with my family." He couldn't keep the tears at bay. "We were going to be together ..." He choked on a sob and he broke down in a new flood of grief. Mrs. Weasley pulled him into another hug and he buried his face in her shoulder. "They all said they'd see me again ..."

He didn't say anything else and grieved until the nurse entered the room with a healing draught.

"You'll need to drink this, Mr. Potter." She said tenderly. "It'll help your bones heal faster."

Harry took the potion without thinking about it. This isn't happening ... He thought desperately.

It is. This is reality. Reality isn't kind. The voice in his head said to him.

Harry angrily blinked away the tears. "I can save her." He said under his breath. "I can save them all!"

"What was that, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked quietly through a sob.

Nobody can know! Harry thought angrily to himself. "I-I said I should have been able to save them all." He choked back a new wave of grief with determination.

Molly Weasley choked out another fit of sobs. "Harry, dear, Harry. You wouldn't have had enough time. As soon as you escaped on the lift, Bellatrix and Dolohov killed Moody and shortly afterwards k-k-killed Hermione and t-t-tortured Ron." She sobbed again and Harry didn't hear her speak again. The healing draught was doing its job and he was swiftly losing consciousness.

Time ... All I need ... is ... time ...

CHAPTER THREE

THE NON-AMBIGUITY OF PARADOX

Harry had been in St. Mungo's for nearly two weeks after the final downfall of Voldemort. Each day he was receiving letters of congratulations, job opportunities, care packages, and other odds and ends related to relief and thanks of millions of his fellow witches and wizards. It meant nothing to him. Molly Weasley had been with him at least two hours a day and swapped shifts with Ginny, Fred and George, and Luna Lovegood. Cho Chang had even made an appearance but left after a short time. Everyone was secretly crying for him to recover and he didn't care. The only thing that mattered to Harry was the plan. The plan. He had many hours to think about it. He rarely slept because when he did he saw Hermione. He heard her tell him she loved him and wanted to spend eternity with him. Harry didn't even bother with Occlumency to give him a good night's rest.

"Harry?" Ginny called to him again. "Harry, please talk to us." She said as tears started flowing down her cheeks.

Harry lay there staring at the ceiling not moving an inch.

Ginny moved closer to her friend and tried to take his hand in hers but he pulled away. "Harry, please!" She cried but Harry didn't move or say a thing.

For what seemed to be the thousandth time, Ginny broke into sobs at the side of Harry's bed. "Harry, we need you. Ron needs you. He's not getting better, Harry, they don't think he'll last another day!" Ginny looked up in surprise. "H-Harry?"

The savior of the wizarding world, The-Boy-Who-Lived turned The-Man-Who-Prevailed was gone. There wasn't a sound just a rush of air from a silent disapparation.

Ginny stood quickly in a state of shock. "MUM!" She shouted desperately.

How he did it, Harry couldn't remember. Somehow he'd gotten to his things at Grimmauld Place and found the same set of clothes he wore that night. He grabbed the Marauder's Map and his invisibility cloak and disapparated again.

Harry looked up at the telephone booth that was the entrance to the Ministry of Magic. He stepped inside, picked up the receiver and dialed the numbers automatically.

"Harry Potter here to see the Minister of Magic." He said blankly into the mouthpiece.

A small button clinked in the coin return and after Harry retrieved it, he found himself being lowered to the main lobby of the center of England's wizarding world.

Harry quickly composed himself and made sure that the cloak and map were securely hidden on his person and he walked confidently to the security guard's post and smiled.

"Is Minister Weasley too busy for visitors?" He said with as normal a tone as he could keeping in mind the recent losses and the effect that should have had on him.

The guard smiled at him comfortingly. "He's in but I'm sure that he'll have time for you, Mr. Potter."

Harry nodded and without a second glance made his way to the lifts. He waited patiently until an empty car presented itself and he stepped inside. He pushed the button for the Department of Mysteries and immediately threw on his invisibility cloak.

The car came to a stop and the doors opened to the familiar, circular room that he'd been in on several occasions now. Harry stepped out of the lift and began opening doors. Each door he opened led to somewhere he hadn't been before and he began to lose his patience.

"It's got to be here somewhere!" Harry growled in frustration as the room spun to the next door. He ripped the door open impatiently and smiled grimly. This is it. He thought desperately to himself. Harry moved swiftly through the room with the tank of brains and opened the next door. He descended the stairs and crossed to the arch in the middle of the amphitheatre-like room. As he got closer, he could hear the whispers of the people behind the veil just as he had two years ago. He lost someone special that night in this very room and he thought that was devastating. The recent events drove him over the edge far more brutally than he thought possible.

He stepped onto the podium and closed his eyes. With intense concentration he could hear the whispered words of the woman he loved. Tears erupted from his eyes and he looked at the shadowy figures that were milling about behind the silky, thin material of ether that everyone referred to simply as The Veil.

"I'm coming for you, Hermione." He whispered across the dimensional bounds. He waited in vain for a response and after mentally reviewing the plan that had come to him in St. Mungo's he turned and fled the room in quiet determination.

He made his way back through the room with the tank and into the circular room. He marked the door with a flaming 'X' and tried to remember the sequence from his fifth year.

"This one." He growled under his breath and flung the door open. He nodded and walked directly into the room containing the various versions of time travel devices. Harry stopped at a desk next to the door and frantically searched the drawers until he found a thick, dust-covered tome. He opened it immediately and began to scan the inventory list.

"Here we are." He said with a slight smile of relief. "They have one that deals with weeks. Shelf 3a, box 9b, section 27." He looked up and scanned the shelves for their catalog number. Once the location was spotted he headed directly for 3a and pulled the long wooden box marked 9b from its resting place. As in the inventory, he found the required time turner located in a cubical numbered 27 and he gently eased it out of the small cubicle.

He had just gotten the chain over his head when the bell to the lifts in the main room sounded and the doors opened. "He might be in the Veil Room." He heard his old mentor Albus Dumbledore announce from the entrance. "I'll look this way just in case I'm wrong."

Harry quickly slid the box back on the shelf and looked at the time turner. This is it. He thought with a sad smile.

"Harry!" Dumbledore said with more feeling than he had ever heard his headmaster ever use. "Don't, you'll create a paradox!"

"I know the consequences, Albus." Harry said sadly, not looking from the golden hourglass in his hands. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way."

"Harry, there's still much to live for!" Albus said desperately. "I know it's hard to hear now, but ..."

"Things will not get better, Albus." Harry said as he finally looked at the man he owed so much to. "If I don't do this, I'm going to kill myself so I can be with them. At least this way, there will be another path for everyone to follow to a happier world."

"Harry! You don't know the consequences!" The old wizard started forward but before he could take a step Harry had already turned the magical device twice.

"We'll see each other again, Albus." Harry said with a small, desperate smile. "Thank you for everything. You've been the father I never had."

Harry looked around the small dark room he arrived in. He pulled his wand from his pocket and muttered the lumos charm so that he could check the map he pulled from his other pocket.

Good. Everyone is still outside at the ceremony. He thought. He choked back a sob as he saw Hermione's name and dot at the place where the podium would be. She's giving her speech. He thought with a smile. You know how proud of you I was that day, love? Harry wiped the tears from his cheeks and his face grew stern. There was nobody in the castle so he pulled his cloak around him and slowly opened the door.

Within minutes, he was waiting patiently in the Gryffindor Common room in an area he could clearly remember nobody had ever stood in. There was one time that Colin had tripped over the rug and nearly broke his camera but that was well before Hermione had left for the library. He looked up as the portrait swung aside.

"Hermione, that speech was brilliant!" He heard himself say from the entrance.

Harry wasn't prepared to hear, let alone see, the person he decided to break the laws of time and space for. He had a difficult time holding back the elation and the tears that were threatening to spring from him.

Hermione walked into view following his past self. "I was so nervous!" She said with a blush. "But when I saw your thumbs up and smile, Harry, I knew everything would be fine." She sat on the sofa a scant few meters from where he was standing and he fought with all his might to keep from reaching out to her. Ron and Luna sat to her left and his past self sat on her right. Hermione put her hand on his leg subconsciously as more and more of their Gryffindor housemates entered the common room.

The party had just started and the laughter and music had begun to reach deafening levels. Harry couldn't hear the conversation he and his friends were having but he could remember with crystal clarity that they were all talking about the Auror training they'd be starting the next day. Harry stifled a sob and looked from his past self to scan the crowd.

Hermione should be leaving for the library in a few minutes. He thought as he recalled the events of that night. He scanned the room for the quickest exit that would allow him to avoid the rest of his old friends.

Harry was so deep in thought and planning that he hadn't noticed Colin Creevey backing towards him. He looked back to his past self and his friends when he suddenly noticed how close the house photographer had gotten. He didn't have any time to move and Colin tripped over Harry's feet and fell to the floor.

That's why he fell? Harry thought to himself. OH NO! Wh-What if I already did this and it didn't help?! What if Hermione dies anyway!? He looked around frantically but had the presence of mind to pull his foot back before Colin could feel what he'd tripped over.

A few seconds later Hermione stood and waved to everyone before heading to the portrait hole.

There's no stopping it now! Harry thought to himself desperately and as quickly and quietly as he could snuck up behind his lost love and matched her pace step for step out into the hall.

Harry kept quiet as he followed behind Hermione. She had stopped on several occasions as she was congratulated by another student or one of the professors. Harry hadn't seen Dumbledore so he felt he was somewhat safe at the moment. After what seemed to be close to an hour, he finally entered a deserted library behind an unknowing Hermione.

Without stopping, she made directly for the restricted section to the shelves that contained information on Auror training. Harry followed her to the least used section of the library and brought forth all the courage he could muster.

"H-Hermione?" He said quietly.

Hermione shot around in shock. "Harry?! What are you doing here? I thought you and Ron were going to bed?"

He lifted the hood from his head and gently let the invisibility cloak slide to the floor.

"Harry? What happened?" She asked with growing concern. "It looks like you haven't eaten in weeks! How can that ..." Her eyes rested on the time turner hanging from his neck and she looked into his face with alarm. "What ..."

Harry put up a hand to silence his best friend. "I don't have much time." He said quietly as he fought to keep from breaking down at the sight of her. At the way her eyebrows were crinkled in confusion. At her soft, warm lips and entrancing eyes. This is going to be tougher than I thought. He held up his index finger to let her know she should wait for just a moment.

Breathe Deeply. Remove all emotion from my mind. Step into the recesses of still and quiet thought.

Harry visibly calmed and he slowly opened his eyes to see Hermione still looking at him with a mixture of anxiety, fear, concern, and surprise on her face.

"As I said, I don't have much time." He looked deeply into her eyes and felt his heart leap to his throat. "There is something very important that I need you to know. It's a matter of life and death."

Hermione took a step towards him lifting her arms as if to comfort him with a hug. "Harry ..."

He stepped back and held up a hand. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but there isn't even time for that." She looked at him with sadness in her eyes and he fought back a fresh attack of tears. "Hermione, tomorrow events will unfold that will cause me to lose those nearest and dearest to me." He felt a twinge in his side but ignored it.

"Harry! The paradox that you're creating is going to destroy you!" She explained as tears started flowing down her face. "What's so terrible that you'd want to destroy yourself?!"

"Hermione, tomorrow morning at the Ministry of Magic, Voldemort will begin the final battle." He grimaced at the pain shooting up his side but continued unabated. "During the battle, we'll be ..." He doubled over and Hermione was at his side crying.

"HARRY!" She yelled as he went to one knee. She wrapped her arms around him in support.

"H-Hermione." He gasped. "You and R-Ron are going to get the wooooorst of it." His speech was slurring unnaturally. He looked up at her and his vision blurred as another agonizing pain shot through his chest. He clutched his heart and sunk even further to the floor.

"Harry! Harry stop!" Hermione was in tears and grasping onto him with everything she had.

"Hermione ... B-Bellatrix a-and D-D-Doloh-ov ..." He gasped. "Be c-c-careful. D-D-Don't follow m-me ..." He grimaced as another pain wracked his frame and he fell fully to the floor. "D-Don't tell th-the past m-m-me." He gasped, his breathing ragged. "Warn M-M-Mood ... Moody and Remus. D-Dea-Death." He whispered.

"Harry! Oh, my God, Harry! Don't ..." She was in near hysterics.

Harry did something she didn't expect. His eyes became fully unfocused and he looked directly ahead of him. He smiled lovingly a the floor and then spoke in a whisper. "I came back for you, Hermione. Now we have eternity to love ... each ... other ..." He whispered with more emotion than Hermione had ever heard from him and she trembled when he didn't take another breath.

"HARRY!" Hermione broke into tears as she watched the Harry Potter in her arms fade from sight and she was left sobbing on the library floor with her arms wrapped around her sides as she shook in uncontrollable grief. "Harry, no ... no ..."

CHAPTER FOUR

THE DEFEAT OF FATE

Harry, Ron, and Luna were sitting on the couch by the massive fireplace that was the prominent feature of the common room's northern wall. The graduation party was still in full swing with everyone toasting with bottles of butterbeer and singing congratulatory songs to the rest of their class. Hermione had left for the library to re-read one of the books on Auror training so she could better formulate questions for Moody and the others. Poor Colin Creevey was still in the hospital wing after tripping on the carpet and spraining his wrist when he hit the stone floor. Unfortunately, his camera hadn't been damaged like Harry had hoped.

Harry was surprised at how Luna had filled out in the two years he'd known her. She was no longer the smallish girl with a perpetually surprised look on her face. She'd blossomed into a rather attractive young woman with correctly proportioned eyes, her hair had finally been tamed and she no longer wore the strange combinations of clothes she did when they had met her.

Looking from his best friend's girlfriend to his best friend, Harry couldn't help but recognize the immense changes that Ron Weasley had gone through since he'd realized he liked Luna in a romantic fashion. He had been convinced that he was afraid of her, but it seemed it was his own emotions he was afraid of confronting. Luna had been the catalyst that brought Ron from his adolescence into a more mature man and Harry was thankful for that. At least he didn't worry about Ron picking fights with Hermione much anymore. That all stopped when Ron realized that his schoolboy crush on their joint best friend was nothing more than that, a crush. With that realization, he stopped picking fights and began to show more respect and self control when it came to their know-it-all companion.

Reflecting on the changes in his friends, Harry soon turned his reminiscing upon himself. He was surprised in the changes that overtook him since his godfather had died. After returning to the Dursleys', he'd gone into severe depression and relegated himself to his dark, small room for the majority of the summer. He didn't want to do anything but after the fourth day of not eating, Aunt Petunia had done something she had never done before, she asked him what was wrong. Harry didn't know if it was the fear of having to deal with his wizarding friends or if she was truly worried about him but before he knew what was happening, he'd started talking and told her about everything that had happened since that fateful night in the shack on that small island in the ocean.

Aunt Petunia had surprised him even more when she hugged him but it wasn't the same kind of motherly embrace that Mrs. Weasley would have given him. Still, it was a start and even though he was grateful that she tried to comfort him his mood didn't change. He would eat and sleep and exist but beyond that there was nothing else. Harry was an emotional black hole with such a lack for life that Aunt Petunia had become worried for his health.

Without warning, his bedroom door had opened two weeks after Sirius had died. Aunt Petunia was standing in the doorway and after a moment, she had ushered his best friend into the room. Hermione gasped when his aunt had whispered something to her and the older woman left the room before she shut the door leaving the two of them alone.

Harry couldn't quite remember the next two weeks of visits from Hermione but he did remember that she would be in his room like clockwork from ten until six every day. The first few days were quiet and she would just sit on the edge of his bed and stroke his hair quietly. Eventually, she started whispering words of encouragement and that things would get better.

He remembered ignoring her the first few days she talked, but eventually he'd watch her and listen. Harry had gotten to memorize her face, her expressions, and began to realize why everyone had put up such a fuss over the past two years concerning his and Hermione's relationship. Why he didn't see it before, he didn't quite understand. Harry realized that he knew her better than he knew himself. He knew what she was going to say, what she was thinking, and how to gage what she'd do next based on the slight indications in her body language.

Harry had found that after two weeks had passed, he was out of his depression and held a new outlook on life. Looking back on that time, he realized that he'd fallen for his best friend of five years. The only problem was, even with his ability to know what she was thinking or what she was about to do, he couldn't figure out her more base emotions. He didn't know how she felt about him outside of the friendship they both shared. If he wasn't afraid of the possible rejection he would have told her by know how much he cared for her but he never built up the courage to tell her.

"Harry, why are you still up?"

Harry snapped out of his mental journal and looked up at his best friend. "Hi, Hermione, did you find what you ..." Something wasn't quite right with Hermione, he could tell. "Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Hermione looked away quickly. "Of course I've seen a ghost, Hogwarts is crawling with them." She said quietly and seemed to be distracted.

"You know what I mean, Hermione." Harry said with concern. He stood and put an arm around her shoulders to lead her to a more private corner of the room but she flinched and backed away. "What?" He said with confusion.

"Please, Harry, I-I really don't feel too well." She said quickly. "Y-you should get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow ..." She trailed off then looked to Ron and then back to Harry. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow morning." With that she turned to the girl's dormitory and hurried away.

"Hermione?" Harry called after her curiously and with worry. What was that about? She's never flinched from me before ... Harry thought as his heart began to break. He looked over to Ron and Luna. "Did you say anything to her?"

Ron had the same look on his face that Harry did. "No, mate, I haven't told her a thing." Ron admitted. "She looked pretty spooked though, I wonder what happened."

Harry knew his friend was telling the truth and he looked at the stairs that led to Hermione's room and sighed. "I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out." Harry said heavily. "I guess I'll just go to bed then." He turned and walked slowly to his room. After a few moments of concentration, Harry fell into a restless sleep. He woke up from time to time and could hear the graduation party still going on. The noise was loud enough to even penetrate the snores that were issuing from Ron.

Harry found himself thinking about the training they were getting ready to start in a few hours. The threat that Voldemort posed wasn't over and he and his friends were going to use the time to learn some new and specialized skills that they could use against the Dark Lord. Even though the weight of that particular battle rested on his mind, he couldn't get Hermione's reaction out of his head. What's wrong with her? He kept thinking over and over to himself.

He eventually drifted off into sleep again and was shaken awake by Ron a few hours later.

"Harry, come on, it's time to get up, mate." Ron was saying quietly so he wouldn't wake the others who had just fallen asleep.

Harry groaned in protest but reached for his glasses and sat up with a yawn. "What time is it?"

"It's early, Harry, four. It's so early that it's still dark out." Ron said with a frown. "It's bloody unnatural to be up early even when the sun is up!"

"But I thought we were supposed to be leaving at nine? Why the change?" Harry asked as he got dressed.

"I don't know." Ron admitted. "Hermione woke me up and told me."

Harry looked at his friend quickly. "Hermione was here?"

"Yeah." Ron said. "She was still acting kind of strange. She had me wake you instead."

Harry looked to the floor and sighed. "What if she found out somehow and she's avoiding me now?" He could feel his heart starting to break all over again.

"Harry, I don't think she knows." Ron put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "I've seen the way she's looked at you, mate. She hasn't said anything, but you can tell that she wouldn't be upset that you've fallen for her."

Harry looked up. "You'd think so, wouldn't you?"

Ron smiled slightly. "Well, we'll corner her when we get the chance. Let's get some breakfast before we meet Albus in his office, we've got another half hour at least."

Harry smiled nervously. "It still seems strange to hear us call him Albus."

"Tell me about it!" Ron said with a laugh. "Come on, there's some sausage and eggs with my name on it. Maybe we can talk to Hermione then ..." Ron trailed off at that and turned to the door with Harry close behind him.

The two friends made their way to the Great Hall and found it empty. Harry sighed and the two of them walked to their traditional seats and after the food appeared, they filled their plates and ate in silence. Harry glanced more than once at the door and the empty seat that was beside him.

"You'll get your chance to talk to her, Harry." Ron said with a comforting smile. "I'm sure you're just reading her reaction wrong."

Minerva McGonagall walked from the entrance to the two young men quickly. "Come on, you two." She said briskly. "You're going to be heading to the Ministry a little earlier than we planned."

Harry looked up at his mentor who quickly brought her attention to the table. "I thought we were leaving at five, Minerva?" He asked quietly.

Without looking at Harry, Minerva replied softly. "There have been some new concerns and it was thought best to move out as soon as possible."

Harry and Ron stuffed a few more bites into their mouths and stood to leave. They were soon ushered into their headmaster's office to take the portkey to the Ministry of Magic. Hermione was already in the room and when her friends entered she looked up at them with a slight smile. When she met Harry's eyes, she glanced away and stood to get ready for the trip.

Harry looked to the ground feeling defeated. It's got to be it. He thought glumly. She doesn't feel the same way I do and now she's feeling awkward around me ...

After each had grasped the discarded television aerial, Harry and his friends were whisked through a familiar swirl of wind and color and found themselves standing in the very room that Harry had been in at the beginning of fifth year. Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the rest of the Order were waiting patiently for their arrival.

"Wotcha, Harry?" Tonks said quietly with a smile. She crossed the room and gave him a quick hug that was almost comforting.

"Alright, Tonks?" Harry asked with a slight smile after returning the hug.

Moody grunted his greeting and Remus extended his hand in greeting.

"How're you feeling, Harry?" Remus asked quietly.

"Ok, I guess." Harry said with a shrug and took the offered hand.

"You sure? You don't sound too good."

Harry nodded slightly. "It's nothing that can't be worked through." Harry admitted as he glanced at Hermione. She glanced away when they made eye contact and hugged Tonks in greeting.

After they all greeted one another, they were soon on their way to the special section of the magical complex that was used specifically for the training of the wizarding world's enforcement service.

Harry had, more than once, glanced at Hermione from the corner of his eye to catch her turn her head from him quickly. He, however, did not whenever she happened to look his way. He couldn't get over the fact that he felt so strongly for another person but still couldn't summon the courage to talk to her about it.

I just wish I knew if she felt the same about me ... He thought with a sigh.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when they entered the Ministry proper. Moody had reached into his robes and pulled out a small mirror. He looked at Hermione with a gruff smile before putting it back into his robes.

"What was that?" Harry asked curiously.

"That's one of the tools that you'll be learning to use." Moody explained. "It's a portable Foe-Glass. I think you've already seen one."

Harry nodded. "After the Tri-Wizard Tournament when Crouch Jr. was masquerading as you."

"That's right." Moody smiled.

"Were you expecting trouble?" Harry asked quickly.

Remus and Moody glanced at one another then to Harry. "Not really, we are in the Ministry and we've changed our plans and mode of travel several times. Since we've left well before we intended originally, we figure there wasn't enough time for anyone to inform our enemies." Moody explained matter-of-factly.

"Ah, I guess it goes with the 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' that you so often speak of." Harry said with a wry smile.

"You're learning, kid." Moody laughed gruffly. "In any case, we have to cross through the main lobby to the portal that will take us to the training grounds." He informed the three friends. "Once we get there ..."

Their new mentor was interrupted by an explosion at the front of the building. He whipped out the Foe-Glass and when he looked into it, his face paled.

"Blast it! This is too soon!" He shouted. "How'd they find out?!"

Harry caught a glimpse of what had caused such a disconcerting reaction with Moody and paled instantly.

"What is it?" Hermione asked concernedly from his left.

"Voldemort." Harry said simply as he felt the familiar burning sensation enter his skull from his scar. His hand went to it immediately and he pressed against it in a vain attempt to push the pain away but it kept getting worse. He was vaguely aware that he was on his knees and then suddenly jolted to his feet as Lupin and Tonks grabbed his shoulders and dragged him back to the lifts.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked quietly as he struggled to erect the barrier that his Occlumency training afforded him. Breathe deeply. Clear my mind. Retreat to the dark recesses of quiet and rational thought.

"She and Ron are with Moody!" Tonks said hurriedly.

The commotion in the main lobby escalated as Aurors apparated on the scene, dropping what they were doing from their various tasks. Because Hermione had shared the techniques she developed for the D.A. and their magical galleons it only took one of a dozen coins to be activated and a sizable force could be called into action. The new program proved to be very successful today.

Harry and his two companions had finally made it to the lift and the crushing pain in Harry's skull had subsided dramatically. Lupin hit the emergency call button and a scant, few, agonizing seconds later, the car appeared before them.

"Get in, Harry!" Lupin ordered. Harry felt the force of his surrogate godfather's push. There was an explosion and the trio was assaulted by what could only be called a meteor shower. There was a much more powerful jolt as Lupin's entire body slammed into him. Tonks landed face-first on the floor beside them and Harry had to struggle to turn and see what had happened.

He wasn't prepared for the horror that the next few seconds brought him. Lupin's eyes were closed and there was blood dripping from the back of his head. Harry struggled to move but his friend's limp body kept him pinned to the floor. Harry fought desperately to control his emotions as he rolled the unmoving werewolf from off of him and scrambled for the controls to the car. He fumbled with the many buttons and in a fit of desperate frustration slammed one randomly. The car doors closed and he sunk to the floor as it made its way to the floor he had chosen.

Harry looked sadly at the limp body of Remus Lupin and with a tremendous force of will reached down and felt the artery at the side of his neck. "He's still alive." Harry sighed in relief as he turned and checked on Tonks. She was breathing but still unconscious. Harry pulled his wand and performed the necessary healing charms to stop the blood loss from his friend as the car came to a sudden stop at his chosen destination. With determination, he stepped into the Department of Mysteries after sending the car to a new floor that was away from the fighting.

He didn't have much time to decide on a direction and just as he chose a door, he heard the bell to the car of the second lift chime the new arrival, without looking back, Harry ripped open a door and ran through it in a desperate attempt to escape whoever was emerging from the opening doors of the elevator.

"YOU CAN'T HIDE, POTTER!" Harry heard Voldemort scream with fury from a mere two rooms behind him.

Harry hadn't been in this section of the Department before and he didn't recognize the archway that stood before him. Instead of a dark alcove, a doorway, or even a door, there was a white, billowing mist that was cascading from the top in a seemingly endless waterfall of clouds. He approached it tentatively and the mist slowly formed into a crystal clear scene. It was a scene that Harry had only seen in his nightmares.

There were footsteps rounding the bend behind him and without a second thought, Harry stepped into the walled, overgrown garden of what used to be his parents' house in Godric's Hollow. He could have sworn that he heard his arch-nemesis curse when Harry disappeared and he didn't have much time to think.

"DISILLUSION!" Harry said as he tapped his wand on his head and within moments he was virtually invisible to anyone who might look his way. The chameleon effect the spell produced seemed to work the best in a natural setting and Harry settled himself between two bushes that had grown well beyond anything that was tamable. He had barely controlled his breathing when the tall, black-robed presence of Voldemort made itself known.

"I know you're here, Potter!" He spat in his peculiar, high-pitched voice. "It's interesting that you fled to the very same place that I destroyed your family." He chuckled softly to himself. "Today, you join your dearly departed parents, Harry. Today we're going to end this once and for all."

Voldemort scanned the garden slowly and seemed to look right past his prey. Harry couldn't let the opportunity pass when his enemy looked away.

"CRUCIO!" Harry shouted with all the hate, anger, loss, fear, love, and what seemed to be a million other emotions that had been pent up in his heart and soul for the past seventeen years. Voldemort contorted into a satisfying heap on the ground. Every appendage on the Dark Lord's body bent and twisted in ways that were completely foreign to a Human's normal form and function. The howls of pain and agony spurred Harry into a frenzy of repeated castings of the cruciatus curse.

"Each one, Voldemort, each and every one is for the hurt and pain you've placed upon my friends, family, and me!" Harry said through gritted teeth. "Today is the day that I finally get to live my life without this damn prophecy molding me into fate's puppet!"

Harry sneered in derision when Voldemort looked at him with fear in his pleading eyes. "Mercy, Harry, grant me mercy, I beg of you! You're better than I am!" He cried with an outstretched hand to The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry glared incredulously at the creature panting for breath on the ground. "MERCY?! YOU ASK ME FOR MERCY?" Harry cursed him again. "YOU?! YOU WHO KILL WITHOUT IT! YOU WHO TOOK MY PARENTS, MY LIFE, MY FRIENDS?!"

"H-Harry, please." Voldemort panted desperately. "I-It wasn't me! It was the powers of the dark arts! They consume you with thoughts ..." He paused as he gasped for breath. "The ways of the dark arts overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop their evil ..."

Harry looked with disgust at the thing panting on the ground. What if it was the dark arts and not Riddle? A familiar voice said in his head. What if Riddle is innocent and just a pawn of the evil energies?

"SHUT UP!" Harry howled as he grabbed the sides of his head. He spied the wretched form of Voldemort sneaking closer and closer to his fallen wand. Harry quickly came to himself and summoned the instrument through which this most hated enemy had used on countless occasions to spread sorrow and misery. The core-mate to his wand flew through the air to him before the sickening figure could wrap his disgusting fingers around it again. In one deft move Harry caught, snapped the wand in two and then set the pieces aflame in a magical incineration.

He glared at the now kneeling Dark Lord. "If I show you mercy, Riddle, it'll be the day that I die!" Harry seethed with hatred and lifted his wand one final time.

Voldemort moved so fast it was a blur, he wrapped his arms around Harry and pinned the young man's own to his sides. He brought his legs up and wrapped them around Harry's waist. Voldemort then began to constrict the last Potter like a boa constrictor and smiled evilly.

"You know ssssomething?" He hissed in Harry's ear as if he were indeed reptilian and not a man at all. "Thissss issss the ssssame way that your dear old da went." He laughed with a hiss. The pressure that Voldemort was exerting on Harry began to show its effect.

Harry struggled in vain to break the vice-like grip and howled in bestial pain when he felt his ribs start to break, one by one.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy thissss." Voldemort whispered dangerously close to Harry's ear.

Harry's legs gave out as he struggled for breath. He screamed in mortal agony as he felt his spine start to collapse under the immense pressure.

"Ahh, now issss the time." The one who was once Tom Riddle cried in terrifying ecstacy. "After thissss, I can't wait to ssssee what your young friend Hermione will be like in my armssssssss."

Harry's head snapped up. "Y-you'll not ... touch ... her!" Harry wheezed desperately.

Voldemort laughed his high-pitched inhuman laugh as he felt Harry go limp in his arms. "Oh, and You'll sssstop me?" He hissed in mirth.

"Yes, He will! PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Hermione shouted from behind the entwined pair. Voldemort's look of surprise was frozen in place as his arms and legs snapped to his sides and he fell to his side, inadvertently releasing The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry looked at his friend as she helped him to his feet. "Hermione? H-How did you know I was here?" He grimaced in pain and the color started to drain from his face.

"I'll tell you after you finish this, Harry." She said shakily. "You're not looking too well."

Harry smiled gently at her as he felt a wave of dizziness rush over him. He straightened himself as best he could and lifted his wand above his head. "This is goodbye, Riddle, enjoy your time in hell. AVADA KEDAVRA!" He shouted with all his strength and the familiar green light and rush of wind issued forth from his wand.

There was a look of abject terror in Voldemort's eyes just before the killing curse struck him in the chest then there was no further sign of life left. Harry leveled his wand and incinerated the Dark Lord as he had with the tyrant's wand.

"H-Hermione, I-I don't feel so good." Harry said with a slur. "I think I'm loosing t-too m-much blood." His knees buckled and Hermione tried to hold him up with everything she could.

"Harry, hold on!" She cried as she hoisted him up. "I need you to help me apparate you to St. Mungo's!"

Harry looked up at her and smiled weakly. "I-I'll try but it's h-hard."

Harry summoned forth all the courage he had and looked into his best friend's eyes. He marveled at how chocolately brown they were. At the little gold flecks that twinkled back. He looked at her soft, pink lips and the flush in her cheeks. Returning his gaze to her eyes he smiled softly. She needs to know before I die. He thought quietly to himself.

"I love you, Hermione." He said tenderly before the whip crack sound that accompanied apparition filled the air and he remembered nothing but darkness afterwards.

CHAPTER FIVE

THE HEROINE

Hermione Granger was in shock. Just a few moments ago her best friend died in her arms. WHY?! She screamed in her mind as she rocked back and forth hugging herself tightly. What was so important that he'd create a paradox and destroy his timeline? DESTROY HIMSELF! She broke into a new fit of tears and wiped her eyes angrily as she remembered the last few moments she'd spent with her best friend.

Harry did something she didn't expect. His eyes became fully unfocused and he looked directly ahead of him. He smiled lovingly at the floor and then spoke in a whisper. "I came back for you, Hermione. Now we have eternity to love ... each ... other ..." He whispered with more emotion than Hermione had ever heard from him and she trembled when he didn't take another breath.

"HARRY!" Hermione broke into tears as she watched the Harry Potter in her arms fade from sight and she was left sobbing on the library floor with her arms wrapped around her sides as she shook in uncontrollable grief. "Harry, no ... no ..."

Her eyes went wide with shock. "Harry loved me?" She whispered with astonishment. "W-why did he see me before he died?" She stood shakily as even more tears erupted from her eyes. She looked around the library and remembered why she'd come down in the first place but with the events that just happened, there's no way she could sit in this library and read.

Hermione walked slowly down the halls and just smiled quietly when someone congratulated her on her speech and her position as first of her class. She nearly stumbled up the stairs she was so lost in thought, analyzing the situation. She stopped and let out a gasp.

"I died?" She whispered to herself. "W-would Harry really do something like that to-to be with me?" She was certain that was the case. She started up the stairs again. I don't believe it! Why hasn't he said anything to me? Why did he take Ginny to the Valentine's Day Ball when I dropped all those hints?

Before she knew where she was, a familiar voice piped up.

"Password." The fat lady said in her usual way.

"Kneazle." Hermione said softly and the portrait swung open to reveal the entrance to Gryffindor tower. She was nervous, scared, terrified was more the feeling. She looked up and saw the three of them still on the couch and to her relief Harry was sitting next to Ron laughing.

"D-Don't tell th-the past m-m-me."

Hermione gasped when Harry's dying voice echoed in her mind. H-how can I not tell him? I tell him almost everything ... almost ... She thought desperately.

"Are you going to go in or should I stay open all night?" The fat lady asked irritably from the side. Hermione started.

"S-Sorry." She apologized quickly and climbed through the hole and into the common room. I-I'll just have to try and act like n-nothing happened.

"Harry, why are you still up?" She asked in what she hoped was a concerned way.

Harry seemed to shake off a daydream and looked up at her. "Hi, Hermione, did you find what you ..."

I can't handle this right now ... She felt more tears threatening to break free when she looked into his beautiful emerald eyes.

"Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost." Harry asked with concern.

Damn you! Why'd you have to go and do that for me? WHY?! She thought desperately and looked away quickly. "Of course I've seen a ghost, Hogwarts is crawling with them." She said quietly hoping it would sound offhanded. I need to get away from him ...

"You know what I mean, Hermione." Harry said with concern. He stood and put an arm around her shoulders.

"HARRY!" Hermione broke into tears as she watched the Harry Potter in her arms fade from sight and she was left sobbing on the library floor with her arms wrapped around her sides as she shook in uncontrollable grief. "Harry, no ... no ..."

She flinched when he started to direct her to a corner. NO! She screamed to herself and pulled away.

"What?" Harry said with confusion.

"Please, Harry, I-I really don't feel too well." Hermione admitted. "Y-you should get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow ..." She trailed off then looked to Ron and then back to Harry. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow morning." With that she turned to the girl's dormitory and hurried away.

After she hit the stairs she ran to her room and threw herself into bed as the grief of losing the man she'd fallen in love with died in her arms. She cried in relief to see that he was alive and well downstairs. There were so many conflicting emotions she didn't know what to do. She hadn't read about situations like this in a book, she didn't like that her emotions were not as controllable as her knowledge.

Whatever Harry James Potter went through, or will go through, she knew she had to make sure that he wouldn't do it again. I'm not going to let you turn back time and destroy yourself in front of me again, Harry! She thought angrily. Great, the first stage of loss ...

Hermione sat up after what seemed to be hours. "It looks like Lavender and Parvati are still down at the party." She sighed quietly and got out of bed. "Sometimes I wish I could just talk to him but I can't this time ... I could talk to them, but this is too important." She walked to the bathroom with her pajamas and got ready for bed.

After washing her face, brushing her teeth, and twisting her hair into a loose ponytail, she made her way back to her four-poster and slumped into her pillows. She reached under them for her wand and a small, red, velvet covered book. There was a standard pen clipped to the cover and she opened her diary to a new page.

Dear Diary,
It's been a while since I've needed to talk. It's been so peaceful over the past year since Harry got back from St. Mungo's that last time that I haven't worried about him much. Oh, I don't think I can write what's happened but I can say that I really fear for his safety tomorrow. I don't know what possessed him to do that for me but the bloody git isn't going to do it again if I can help it. I can't tell him what's wrong this time, just like I couldn't tell him that I love him. I know I've never said why I do, well, I guess I could, it couldn't hurt now that I know what I know.

She paused for a moment to wipe the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. Ok, calm down. She consoled herself. I'm going to have to request Occlumency training. She made a mental note and added it to her already long list of training requests.

Where was I, Oh yes. Remember after fifth year when Harry lost his godfather, Sirius? He was so devastated and angry. I remember telling him that I'd see him very soon after his blasted relatives picked him up. Oh how I wish I could have hexed them all right then and there! The look in Harry's eyes betrayed the smile he gave us, I could tell even then that he wasn't going to let himself get over this. He's put so much on his shoulders and takes the blame for too much that's out of his control. I wish he would just let me help. Mum and Dad picked me up a little while later, I never thought I'd dread going home. Those muggles don't let him do anything! I was so surprised that his Aunt Rang me a few weeks later! "You're his friend, Hermione, is it?" She asked. I told her I was and she almost begged me to come over to visit! I was beside myself.

"Did you see what Seamus was doing?" Parvati giggled irritatingly.

Hermione put out her wand and feigned sleep.

"Shh." Lavender said quietly. Her roommate tiptoed over to Hermione's bed and looked in on the sleeping girl. "I can't believe she's actually up here asleep!" She shook her head and pulled the covers up over her friend and closed the curtains around the bed quietly.

"I can't believe how she treated poor, Harry." Parvati whispered back. Hermione could hear the two pulling on their pajamas as they gossiped.

"The poor guy was heartbroken." Lavender whispered back. "If I had someone as handsome as him ..." She let that thought trail off and the two girls giggled irritatingly again.

Oh, Harry ... Hermione thought quietly. I'm sorry ... She lay awake until she could hear the quiet breathing of her roommates after their incessant gossiping had died down.

"Don't they ever shut up?" Hermione hissed under her breath. "LUMOS!" She whispered and pulled her blankets over her head so she wouldn't wake the others. "Where was I?" She whispered then quickly read over her passage and continued her writing.

You should have seen how bad he'd gotten. I can't believe how depressed he was! When I got there he didn't even look at me. I couldn't help but lose hope that I'd ever see him the next day, let alone standing by me at my wedding. He wouldn't respond to me for the first few days but he started coming around. I was surprised that the Dursleys even let me visit as often or as long as I did but somewhere in there I realized that I did love him and it wasn't some stupid schoolgirl crush. When he told me about the prophecy I nearly lost it! I mean to murder or be murdered?! What in the bloody hell?! I'm not going to let him face Voldemort alone, not if I can help it! I want to see him alive and by my side. I love him.

She lifted the covers and put out her wand. I know what I've got to do. She thought confidently to herself. Hermione rolled over and set her alarm clock for four hours earlier than what she needed to be ready.

"Harry, you're not going to sacrifice yourself this time." She whispered softly and fell asleep.

A few hours later, the annoying sound of her alarm clock rang out next to her and Hermione rolled over and tried to turn it off before her roommates woke up.

"What the bloody hell are you getting up so early for?!" Lavender moaned from her bed.

"Will you turn that damn thing off?!" Parvati groaned from under her pillow.

"Sorry." Hermione said apologetically as she finally got the alarm clock to shut off.

Without further word, she got out of bed, took a quick shower and got dressed for her busy day. She packed her things away and sped quietly out of the room and made her way to the common room.

"Nobody's here, looks like even the hard core party-goers either need food or sleep." Hermione smiled grimly to herself. She reached into her robes and pulled out a small pouch.

"Alastor Moody's Office." She said quietly and tossed a pinch of the floo powder into the fireplace. When the flames went green she stuck her head in with closed eyes. When she opened them she found a wand pointed at a spot between her eyes and the Auror that was pulled out of retirement at the wielding end.

"M-Moody! It's ok, it's Hermione!" She said quickly while trying to keep the tip of the wand from poking her in the nose.

"What the bloody hell are you doing flooing me so early in the morning?" Alastor growled at the young woman.

"I have some important information for you, Remus, and Dumbledore." She said quickly. "I need you to meet me in his office as soon as you can, it's very urgent."

Moody looked at the scared girl and nodded curtly. "Alright, I'll get Lupin and we'll be there in ten minutes. REMUS! IT'S GO TIME!" Moody looked at Hermione one last time. "Get yourself up to his office."

Hermione nodded and pulled her head from the flames.

"Who were you talking to?" Ron said sleepily behind her.

Hermione jumped and hit her head on the mantle of the fireplace. "RON! Don't EVER sneak up on people like that!" She spat at him while she rubbed her head.

"Whoa, take it easy, Hermione!" Ron said putting his hands in the air. "I was just walking back from the toilet. I was just curious is all."

Hermione looked at her best friend and sighed. "Sorry, Ron. You scared me is all."

"So who were you talking to?" He repeated.

"What? Oh, just telling Viktor the good news about graduation." She lied hurriedly. "He was excited, but I don't think his new girlfriend was happy to see another woman's head in his fireplace ..." She looked to the floor in an attempt to make it look like she was hiding a blush.

"Oookay." Ron said slowly. "I thought you didn't fancy him." Ron said skeptically.

"Ron, we are still friends!" Hermione said defensively. "How many times do I have to tell you that we still talk?"

"Ok, ok!" Ron said with a slight grin and patting his hands in the air. "I'm going to head back to bed. I guess you'll be in the library if we don't see you when we get up?"

Hermione nodded quietly. "Ron? Um ... How-how's Harry?" She asked tentatively.

"Well, I haven't told him anything, but after last night he's convinced himself that you don't like him for some reason." Ron admitted. "Don't worry!" He said quickly when she gave him a warning glance. "I didn't tell him that you fancy him or anything. I just reassured him that you wouldn't blatantly push him away without an explanation."

Hermione grimaced. I'm sorry, Harry ... She thought to herself. If you don't tell me, I'll tell you. She wished Ron a good night and made her way to the headmaster's office.

"Rainbow Sherbet." She said at the gargoyle statue and watched as it nimbly hopped aside. She stepped on the moving stairs and rode it to the top of the tower where Dumbledore's office awaited. She knocked at the door and heard her headmaster invite her in.

"Ah, Ms. Granger, please come in and have a seat." He smiled at her softly. "Moody here tells me that you contacted him a few minutes ago?"

Hermione nodded and gulped nervously. "I did." She said quietly. "I-I received a visitor last night and ..." She fought back the tears. "And he gave me a warning to pass on."

"Who was this visitor?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"H-Harry." She choked. "H-He used a time turner to warn me about Voldemort a-and the paradox k ..." She buried her face in her hands and fought desperately to stop the tears.

"It's ok." Remus said quietly and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You can tell us what happened."

Hermione took a few moments and after clearing her throat she whispered. "The paradox killed him. I watched him die in my arms." She choked out another sob but fought back the tears.

"What in the bloody blue blazes would he do that for?!" Moody growled angrily. "The blasted fool ..."

Remus put a calming hand on Moody's shoulder. "Alastor, calm down, it's obvious why." He whispered quietly and motioned to Hermione. She could hear them talking but let them continue.

"Blast it!" Moody growled again.

"Well, it seems that Harry has given us the upper hand in this conflict yet again." Albus said quietly. "Something's going to happen with Voldemort tomorrow, we're going to have to be ready."

"He said a few other things." Hermione said quietly then she repeated what she could remember, which was nearly the entire encounter. "I think that Bellatrix and Dolohov are the ones who are going to do something to Ron and me. He said we'd get the worst of it ..."

"Very well." Dumbledore nodded and placed his chin on his long, steepled fingers in quiet thought. "Moody, get everyone ready in the hearing room, we'll portkey everyone there four hours early. That doesn't give us much time, but it should give us more time to prepare."

"Sure thing, Albus." Moody walked over to Hermione and placed a gnarled hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Hermione, we'll beat Voldemort at his own game." With that he turned to the fireplace, whispered the destination and with a toss of floo powder he was gone. Remus smiled comfortingly to Hermione and joined his comrade on the trip to the Order's headquarters.

"Please let Harry and Ron know about the change in plans and I'll see you here in one hour." Dumbledore said tenderly.

Hermione nodded absently and left the office. Without making a sound, she made her way to the common room, and up the stairs to Harry and Ron's room. She opened the door slowly and stepped in. She looked over at Harry asleep in his bed and marveled at the innocence and worry free expression on his face. He rolled to his side and she stifled a giggle at the state of his raven hair. You look so sweet when you sleep. She thought dreamily then she remembered what'd happened over the past few hours and fought back another outbreak of tears.

She bent over Ron's bed and gently shook him awake.

"WASSAT!?" Ron jumped to a sitting position and looked around blurrily.

"SHH!" Hermione hissed.

"Hermione?" Ron asked quietly with a yawn. "What's going on?"

"We're leaving earlier than planned." She whispered. "You need to be ready in an hour. C-could you tell Harry?" She asked with a trembling voice.

"S-sure, Hermione." Ron said with concern. "Are you ok? You've been acting really strange since last night."

Hermione smiled lightly. "I'm fine, Ron." She lied. "I'm going to hit the library before we go. Be at Dumbledore's office in an hour."

She left the room quietly and covered her mouth to stifle the sobs that were forming in her throat again. I really need to learn Occlumency. She thought quietly.

After a quick breakfast and a scan through a few books, Hermione made her way to Dumbledore's office and sat in a chair, patiently waiting for Harry and Ron to arrive. Harry and Ron were soon ushered into their headmaster's office to take the portkey to the Ministry of Magic.

Hermione looked up at her two best friends and offered them a soft smile. When she met Harry's eyes, she glanced away and stood to get ready for the trip. After a second she glanced at him again and felt her heart drop at the defeated look on his face.

After each had grasped the discarded television aerial, Hermione and her friends were whisked through a familiar swirl of wind and color and found themselves standing in the very room that Harry had told her about. Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the rest of the Order were waiting patiently for their arrival.

"Wotcha, Harry?" Tonks said quietly with a smile. She crossed the room and gave him a quick hug.

"Alright, Tonks?" Harry asked with a slight smile after returning the hug.

Moody grunted his greeting and Remus extended his hand in greeting.

"How're you feeling, Harry?" Remus asked quietly.

"Ok, I guess." Harry said with a shrug and took the offered hand.

"You sure? You don't sound too good."

Harry nodded slightly. "It's nothing that can't be worked through."

Hermione glanced away when he looked at her and busied herself with a greeting hug from Tonks.

After they all greeted one another, they were soon on their way to the special section of the magical complex that was used specifically for the training of the wizarding world's enforcement service.

Hermione noticed that Harry kept glancing at her. She couldn't handle looking into his eyes after seeing him die in her arms and she'd glance away from him whenever he'd caught her looking. I wish I could tell him about what happened. She thought. Then I could get on with telling him how I feel ...

She looked over at Harry when she heard him sigh and she sighed herself.

Hermione was brought from his thoughts when they entered the Ministry proper. Moody had reached into his robes and pulled out a small mirror. He looked at Hermione with a gruff smile before putting it back into his robes.

Good! She thought with a smile. We were able to get here well before Voldemort! She couldn't help but glance at the man she was in love with.

"What was that?" Harry asked curiously.

"That's one of the tools that you'll be learning to use." Moody explained. "It's a portable Foe-Glass. I think you've already seen one."

Harry nodded. "After the Tri-Wizard Tournament when Crouch Jr. was masquerading as you."

"That's right." Moody smiled.

"Were you expecting trouble?" Harry asked quickly.

Hermione stiffened and looked pleadingly at Moody and Remus.

Remus and Moody glanced at one another then to Harry. "Not really, we are in the Ministry and we've changed our plans and mode of travel several times. Since we've left well before we intended originally, we figure there wasn't enough time for anyone to inform our enemies." Moody explained matter-of-factly.

"Ah, I guess it goes with the 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' that you so often speak of." Harry said with a wry smile.

Hermione stifled a giggle and relaxed when she realized they wouldn't tell him.

"You're learning, kid." Moody laughed gruffly. "In any case, we have to cross through the main lobby to the portal that will take us to the training grounds." He informed the three friends. "Once we get there ..."

Their new mentor was interrupted by an explosion at the front of the building. He whipped out the Foe-Glass and when he looked into it, his face paled.

"Blast it! This is too soon!" He shouted. "How'd they find out?!"

Harry looked over Moody's shoulder paled instantly.

"What is it?" Hermione asked concernedly. NO! NO! NO! She wailed in her mind.

"Voldemort." Harry said simply as he pressed his palm into his scar and fell to his knees. Before Hermione knew what was going on, Moody had grabbed her arm with one hand and Ron's with the other.

"Come on!" He said gruffly and literally pulled her with all his might.

"But Harry needs me!" She said desperately trying to get to her best friend.

"Remember what he said!" Moody hissed under his breath. "We have to be careful here and we can't follow him!"

She didn't have time to argue as Remus and Tonks both took one of Harry's arms and dragged him back to the lifts.

The commotion in the main lobby escalated as Aurors apparated on the scene, dropping what they were doing from their various tasks. Because Hermione had shared the techniques she developed for the D.A. and their magical galleons it only took one of a dozen coins to be activated and a sizable force could be called into action. The new program proved to be very successful today.

Moody was dragging her and Ron behind the receptionist's counter when inspiration hit Hermione.

"Moody! If they can't see us, they can't ..."

"Smart girl!" Moody said quickly and cast the disillusionment spell on the three of them. It felt like an egg had been cracked on her head and as the cold moistness of the feeling spread down her body, she noticed she was reflecting the terrain around her.

She looked to the lifts and without making a sound snuck towards them. Don't follow him?! RIGHT! She thought incredulously. She had made it to the lifts and stood next to Harry, Lupin and Tonks as Lupin hit the emergency call button. After a scant, few, agonizing seconds later, the car appeared before them. Hermione snuck into the car and hid against the wall.

"Get in, Harry!" She heard Lupin order. A second later, Harry was being pushed into the car right before an explosion and Lupin and Tonks were hit by what could only be called a meteor shower. Lupin's limp body slammed into Harry and knocked him to the ground, pinning him. Tonks landed face-first on the floor beside them and Harry was struggling under Lupin's body.

She cried out silently at the look on Harry's face when he saw the last of his father's friends. Lupin's eyes were closed and there was blood dripping from the back of his head. Harry seemed to struggle as he rolled the unmoving werewolf from off of him and scrambled for the controls to the car. He fumbled with the many buttons and in a fit of desperate frustration slammed one randomly. The car doors closed and he sunk to the floor as it made its way to the floor he had chosen.

Harry looked sadly at the limp body of Remus Lupin and reached down and felt the artery at the side of his neck. "He's still alive." Harry sighed in relief as he turned and checked on Tonks. She was breathing but still unconscious. Harry pulled his wand and performed the necessary healing charms to stop the blood loss from his friend as the car came to a sudden stop at his chosen destination. Hermione followed her determined friend when he stepped into the Department of Mysteries after sending the car to a new floor that was away from the fighting.

He looked around quickly and without another word chose a door. The bell to the car of the second lift chimed in a new arrival. Without looking back, Harry ripped open a door and ran through it in a desperate attempt to escape whoever was emerging from the opening doors of the elevator. Hermione followed as quickly as she could without making another sound and nearly fell when she heard someone shout behind them.

"YOU CAN'T HIDE, POTTER!" She heard Voldemort scream with fury from a mere two rooms behind him.

She didn't remember this room from their last visit to the department and from the look on Harry's face, he hadn't either. They were standing in front of an unfamiliar archway. Instead of a dark alcove, a doorway, or even a door, there was a white, billowing mist that was cascading from the top in a seemingly endless waterfall of clouds. Harry approached it tentatively and the mist slowly formed into a crystal clear scene. Hermione saw Harry stiffen and when she looked into the arch she nearly gasped. Godric's Hollow?! She looked at Harry sadly. Not there, Harry! She pleaded silently.

There were footsteps rounding the bend behind them and to her horror Harry stepped into the walled, overgrown garden of what used to be his parents' house in Godric's Hollow. She didn't have much time and followed after him just before Voldemort had stepped into the room and cursed.

"DISILLUSION!" Harry said as he tapped his wand on his head and within moments he vanished. Hermione moved towards the badly rusted gate that was hanging from it's top hinge and she settled down next to a dilapidated rose bush. A few seconds later the tall, black-robed presence of Voldemort made itself known.

"I know you're here, Potter!" He spat in his peculiar, high-pitched voice. "It's interesting that you fled to the very same place that I destroyed your family." He chuckled softly to himself. "Today, you join your dearly departed parents, Harry. Today we're going to end this once and for all."

Voldemort scanned the garden slowly and seemed to look right past his prey. Hermione sighed in silent relief when Voldemort scanned over her and he turned to look past a group of bushes on the other side of the garden.

"CRUCIO!" Harry shouted with what Hermione could only describe as primal rage. Voldemort contorted into a satisfying heap on the ground. Every appendage on the Dark Lord's body bent and twisted in ways that were completely foreign to a Human's normal form and function. The howls of pain and agony seemed to spur Harry into a frenzy of repeated castings of the cruciatus curse.

Hermione was stunned at the vicious attack but held her ground. They'd have to do some talking afterwards, but she knew that all the anger and depression Harry had built up was being released.

"Each one, Voldemort, each and every one is for the hurt and pain you've placed upon my friends, family, and me!" Harry said through gritted teeth. "Today is the day that I finally get to live my life without this damn prophecy molding me into fate's puppet!"

Harry sneered in derision when Voldemort looked at him with fear in his pleading eyes. "Mercy, Harry, grant me mercy, I beg of you! You're better than I am!" He cried with an outstretched hand to The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry! Don't, it's a trick! Hermione pleaded silently to her friend.

Harry glared incredulously at the creature panting for breath on the ground. "MERCY?! YOU ASK ME FOR MERCY?" Harry cursed him again. "YOU?! YOU WHO KILL WITHOUT IT! YOU WHO TOOK MY PARENTS, MY LIFE, MY FRIENDS?!"

"H-Harry, please." Voldemort panted desperately. "I-It wasn't me! It was the powers of the dark arts! They consume you with thoughts ..." He paused as he gasped for breath. "The ways of the dark arts overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop their evil ..."

The dark arts don't work that way! She thought desperately. Don't fall for it! She rose to her feet when she saw that Harry was contemplating just that.

Harry looked with disgust at the thing panting on the ground. "SHUT UP!" Harry howled as he grabbed the sides of his head.

Hermione looked in shock at the sight. What's he doing?

She didn't even see what Voldemort was doing she was so engrossed in what was happening to Harry. He seemed to come to and summoned Voldemort's wand to him. The core-mate to his wand flew through the air to him before the sickening figure could wrap his disgusting fingers around it again. In one deft move Harry caught, snapped the wand in two and then set the pieces aflame in a magical incineration.

He glared at the now kneeling Dark Lord. "If I show you mercy, Riddle, it'll be the day that I die!" Harry seethed with hatred and lifted his wand one final time.

Voldemort moved so fast it was a blur, he wrapped his arms around Harry and pinned the young man's own to his sides. He brought his legs up and wrapped them around Harry's waist. Voldemort then began to constrict the last Potter like a boa constrictor and smiled evilly.

HARRY! Hermione shouted desperately in her mind. What do I do?! She looked around frantically for something to use as a weapon.

"You know ssssomething?" He hissed in Harry's ear as if he were indeed reptilian and not a man at all. "Thissss issss the ssssame way that your dear old da went." He laughed with a hiss. The pressure that Voldemort was exerting on Harry began to show its effect. Harry was struggling in Voldemort's death grip and howled in bestial pain.

Hermione's eyes started to fill with tears as she removed the disillusionment charm from her and brought her wand to bear on the Dark Lord.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy thissss." Voldemort whispered dangerously close to Harry's ear.

Harry's legs gave out and his face was turning a dangerous shade of white. He screamed in such mortal agony that Hermione's heart broke just as her courage had started to build within her.

"Ahh, now issss the time." The one who was once Tom Riddle cried in terrifying ecstacy. "After thissss, I can't wait to ssssee what your young friend Hermione will be like in my armssssssss."

She looked up in shock before she could cast the spell. He's going to go after me when he's finished?! She couldn't believe it. She looked at Harry and started walking towards the two. I have to get into range!

Harry's head snapped up. "Y-you'll not ... touch ... her!" Harry wheezed desperately.

Voldemort laughed his high-pitched inhuman laugh as Harry went limp in his arms. "Oh, and You'll sssstop me?" He hissed in mirth.

"Yes, He will! PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Hermione shouted from behind the entwined pair. Voldemort's look of surprise was frozen in place as his arms and legs snapped to his sides and he fell to his side, inadvertently releasing The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry looked at his friend as she helped him to his feet. "Hermione? H-How did you know I was here?" She looked at Harry and realized that he was dying ... again.

"I'll tell you after you finish this, Harry." She said shakily. "You're not looking too well."

Harry smiled gently at her and tilted to one side in her arms. He straightened himself as best he could and lifted his wand above his head. "This is goodbye, Riddle, enjoy your time in hell. AVADA KEDAVRA!" He shouted with all his strength and the familiar green light and rush of wind issued forth from his wand.

There was a look of abject terror in Voldemort's eyes just before the killing curse struck him in the chest then there was no further sign of life left. Harry leveled his wand and incinerated the Dark Lord as he had with the tyrant's wand.

"H-Hermione, I-I don't feel so good." Harry said with a slur. "I think I'm loosing t-too m-much blood." His knees buckled and Hermione tried to hold him up with everything she could.

"Harry, hold on!" She cried as she hoisted him up. "I need you to help me apparate you to St. Mungo's!"

Harry looked up at her and smiled weakly. "I-I'll try but it's h-hard."

Hermione looked into his face and saw him staring at her. His eyes were beginning to dull but she could see something there, a glimmer. She found it difficult to look away from his emerald eyes and she took in his entire face as she felt him take a deep breath.

"I love you, Hermione." He said tenderly before the whip crack sound that accompanied apparition filled the air.

Hermione was standing in the waiting room of St. Mungo's with a limp Harry in her arms. She looked down at his unconscious form and whispered. "I love you too, Harry."

Mediwizards and nurses began to swarm around them. "What happened?" A nurse asked hurriedly as she conjured a stretcher for Harry.

"Fight with Voldemort." Hermione said quickly as the surrounding medical personnel flinched at the name. "He's not doing so well, Voldemort crushed him like an anaconda or something."

"We've got it from here!" A mediwizard said quickly. "Another from the Ministry!" He shouted. "Operating Room! STAT!"

Hermione collapsed on the floor where she stood. "Please make it, Harry." She whispered to herself as tears began to streak down her cheeks.

CHAPTER SIX

PARADOX UNWOUND

"Harry?" A faint voice said with concern. "Harry, are you ok?"

He frowned at the familiar voice but he couldn't quite place where he'd heard it before. "Hello?" He asked cautiously. He opened his eyes tentatively and saw his own eyes looking back at him. The woman's face the eyes belonged to was framed by a cascade of long auburn hair. "M-Mum?" He asked incredulously.

"Hello, Sweetie." His mother said tenderly. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

Harry's mind reeled at the implications. "I-I'm dead?" He whispered with shock showing in his wide eyes.

"We all are, here, sweetie." She said quietly as tears began to streak down her cheeks.

"Son ..." James Potter said tenderly offering a hand to his son. "I know it's a shock ..."

"A SHOCK!?" Harry shouted pulling away from the offered help to his feet. "You're damn straight it's a shock! If ... If I'm dead, that means that Voldemort ..." Harry looked up in surprise. "I-If I'm dead that means that Voldemort ..."

His mother smiled for the first time. "No, Harry." She said comfortingly. "Voldemort died before you did. You were on the operating table at St. Mungo's when you died ..."

Realization hit Harry. He had finally defeated Voldemort, but what about his friends? What about Hermione? His heart began to break at the thought of never being with her again, of never seeing her smile or the way that she furrowed her brow when she was deep in thought. He felt the tears start to swell when the thought of family flitted across his mind and he had hoped that Hermione would be the one to build that family with. He got to his feet, wiped his eyes and looked around for the first time. They were standing on a grassy hillock under a sky of the purest blue. There were small puffy clouds dancing on an unseen wind and all around them were fields of wildflowers. Beyond the fields was a crystal blue lake with a beautifully green forest lining one side.

Harry sighed. "This place is beautiful." He admitted. "Not as beautiful as Hermione, though."

"You'll see her again, sweetie." His mother said as she pulled him into a motherly embrace. "It'll be a while, but you'll see her again. From what we've seen, she's a wonderful girl."

"Y-You can see what's happening?" Harry asked with surprise.

"Of course, son." James said with a sad smile. "Did you think we wouldn't watch over you after all this time?"

Harry looked at his father and within seconds pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry, Dad, I was just upset. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"It's alright, Harry." His father said as he embraced his son. "We fully understand what it's like. My father and mother, your grandparents, were here for me and your mother when we arrived. I went through the same thing, so did your mum."

"Harry! I can't say I'm glad to see you so soon, but I am!"

Harry turned and saw his godfather stride up the small hillock they were all standing on.

"Sirius!" Harry shouted as he was caught in a fatherly hug. "I've missed you!"

He looked back to his mother and father and crossed to them as fast as he could. "I've missed you too, Mum, Dad." They quickly hugged.

"We'll have as long as we want to get to know one another again, Harry." His mother said with a smile and a tear of joy slipped down her cheek.

When they broke the family embrace, Harry smiled happily for the first time he could recall. "I can't believe that I'll finally be with you from now on." He looked at the others and his smile grew bigger.

"Come on, Harry! Come on!"

"What?" Harry said as he looked to Sirius. "Where do you want me to go?"

Sirius's smile faded. "I didn't ask you to go anywhere, Harry."

Harry looked at his father. "Dad?"

James shook his head. "I didn't say anything, Son."

Harry looked at his mother whose face had suddenly lost its glow.

"Harry ..." She said tentatively and tears started streaking down her cheeks.

"What's happening?" Harry said curiously. His family seemed to be slipping slowly away from him though they weren't actually moving.

"We love you, Son!" James shouted.

"Take care, Harry! We'll see you later, we promise!" Sirius called with a wave.

"We'll see you again, Sweetie!" His mother called after him.

"Mum? Dad?" He looked at her again and she had stretched her hand out to him. "MUM!" He grabbed for her hand but she was just out of reach. He found himself shouting as he snapped into a sitting position with his hand stretched out into empty air.

He looked around the room, his heart racing and he flinched at the pain in his sides. He was in St. Mungo's and in pretty bad shape from the soreness and pain that was wracking his body.

Hermione snapped her head up at the sudden shout and her eyes went wide when she saw that Harry was awake.

"HARRY!" She cried as she threw her arms around him in a fit of sobs. "I thought I'd lost you again!"

The door burst open and Dumbledore entered the room at a run.

"Harry! You're alive!" His old headmaster crossed the room and stood next to him. "We thought you had died ..." He said with a grin and a twinkle in his eyes.

Ron was soon to follow and without hesitation joined Hermione by clapping the stunned Harry Potter on the back. "Good to see you back in the land of the living, mate!"

"Why did they bring me back?!" Harry asked quietly. "I was with them, I was with Mum, Dad, and Sirius ..." He realized there was nothing he could do about it and he looked at the three friends before him. "I'm sorry." He said quietly as he returned Hermione's hug. Wait a minute, did she say again?

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Harry." Albus said as his smile went wider. "You've saved the wizarding world, Harry. I'm sorry that you were taken from your family again, but it seems that it wasn't your time to go."

Harry's vision began to blur. "I'm hungry." He said sleepily.

Dumbledore looked at the savior of the wizarding world and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Get some rest first, my boy, get some rest. You deserve it."

Harry nodded and fell asleep still feeling Hermione pressed tightly against him. He held onto her as best he could and found himself in dreams where he and Hermione were finally together, building the family that he so desperately wanted.

Harry woke with a start. "Ouch!" He groaned in displeasure.

"Harry, Dear!" Mrs. Weasley snapped to and rushed to his side. "H-how are you feeling?" She put a comforting hand on his shoulder as softly as she could. Harry looked into the eyes of his surrogate mother and noticed the tear stains that enveloped her cheeks, the dark circles that told him she'd been awake far too long, and the disheveled hair that meant she'd rushed to the hospital without a second thought.

"I'm ok, just a bit sore." He said quietly.

Molly Weasley broke down into fits of tears as she cradled his head in her hands. "I'm so, happy that you made it, Harry." She laughed and cried at the same time while her tears splashed into his hair.

Harry remembered that Hermione had been there when he fell asleep. "Where's Hermione?" He asked as he was pulled into a motherly embrace.

She pulled back and sniffed. "She's gone to the cafeteria with Ron." She smiled at him comfortingly. "She said something about you being hungry."

Harry smiled. "I guess I did say that, didn't I?" He laughed at the recollection. "How are Remus and Tonks?" He asked suddenly remembering his two friends unconscious on the floor of the lift car.

"They're fine, Harry." Molly said with a smile. "They were brought in shortly before you were. They had concussions and bruises, but nothing major."

Harry sighed in relief. "That's good. Lupin lost a lot of blood and I didn't know if my healing charms were strong enough."

"Oh, they were, Harry." Remus said at the door. He was supporting Tonks who seemed to still be a bit woozy.

"Remus!" Harry said with a smile. "Tonks! I'm glad you got through it all ok!"

"Well, if Dumbledore hadn't moved that statue in the way of those killing curses, we might not have made it!" Tonks said with a smile as the two friends made their way over to Harry. "Thanks, Harry." She said as she caught him in a hug and kissed him on the cheek.

"You don't need to thank me." Harry said with a blush. "You would have done the same for me."

Lupin clapped him lightly on the shoulder. "That we would have, Harry!" He said with a smile. "Come on Nymph, let's get you back to your room, you still don't look too well."

"Don't call me that!" She hissed through clenched teeth as everyone laughed. "I'll see you later, Harry, take care now!" She and Remus waved and left the room.

"Well, have you told Hermione yet?" Mrs. Weasley asked with a sly grin.

"Told her what?" Harry looked at her in confusion.

"About your feelings, dear." She smiled back. "There's nothing stopping you now."

"Well, I think I did before we apparated here." Harry said with a look of concentration on his face. "Everything was a blur after the fight and I vaguely remember saying something ... How did you know?"

"We mother's know these things, Harry." She retorted with a laugh. "I know I'm not your real mother, but you've been a part of our family for such a long time, and so has Hermione. It's difficult not to see what's going on."

Mrs. Weasley sat back in the bedside chair Harry looked at the smiling woman and said in a very quiet voice, "I saw them, Molly."

"Who, dear?" She asked as she pulled a brush through her hair and looking relieved at the simple activity.

"I saw Mum, Dad, and Sirius." He said with a sigh. "Mum told me she was surprised to see me so soon ... I guess she knew I wouldn't be there long."

Mrs. Weasley smiled softly and put a comforting hand on his arm. "Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry. You'll see them again someday and I'm sure you know that they'll always be here for you."

A small smile twitched to life on Harry's face. "They all said they'd see me again ... I'm looking forward to it but I'm more looking forward to her." He added quietly as he looked to the doorway where a smiling Hermione was standing.

"You're awake! I hope it's longer than last time, Harry." She walked swiftly to the side of his bed after a quick hug from Mrs. Weasley.

"I'll leave you two to catch up." She said with a wink to Harry and left the room.

Harry smiled at his surrogate mother and then looked at the girl pulling the chair closer to the bed. "Hi." He said softly as he took her hand.

Hermione blushed and smiled shyly at him. "Hi."

There was an awkward silence for a few moments but Harry broke it by clearing his throat. "Thanks." He said simply. "Thanks for being there at the end, I don't think I would have been able to make it without you."

He was startled to see tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" He asked quietly as he wiped her tears from her cheeks. Hermione's voice echoed in his mind. 'I thought I'd lost you again!'

She sniffed and held his hand tighter. "I-I thought you were dead, Harry." She said after a moment. "You felt so cold and limp when we got here ..."

"Hermione, what did you mean when you said 'I thought I'd lost you again'?" He asked quietly. "When did you ever lose me?"

Hermione snapped her head up and looked him in the eyes. She glanced away as tears began to run down her cheeks again. "I ... you, you died in my arms on graduation night." She said bluntly.

"WHAT?" Harry asked incredulously. "How could I have?"

Hermione smiled for a moment and looked at him. "It wasn't you, Harry, but a future version of you. That you caused a paradox that destroyed the timeline he belonged to."

Harry looked at her in confusion then remembered third year. "He, I, that version of me used a time turner?" He asked incredulously.

Hermione nodded. "By telling me what was going to happen, he doomed his timeline including himself to destruction. H-He died in my arms a-and faded away." She broke down in tears and Harry pulled her into a comforting hug. "Damnit, Harry! I wasn't worth that!"

Harry stroked her hair lovingly and cooed softly to her. "Shh, I'm sorry, Hermione." He whispered. "But you're wrong, you are everything to me." He said in a barely audible whisper.

"What?" She sniffed and pulled back to look into his eyes.

"I said that you're everything to me, Hermione." Harry said with a serious tone. "I guess you meant so much to me that I was willing to throw everything else away."

Hermione looked into his shining emerald eyes. "Why? Why didn't you just tell me, Harry?"

"I was afraid that you didn't feel the same for me." He said quietly as he looked at his hands. "After that summer when Sirius died, I couldn't imagine wanting to live, but after your visits, I realized that I wanted nothing to do but spend the rest of my life with you." He looked back to her face and scanned for any reaction with a faint glimmer of hope.

He didn't have to wait long before he found himself on the receiving end of the sweetest kiss he had ever had or ever wanted. Lightning seemed to jolt from Hermione's soft, wet lips through his and start a chain reaction of nervous warmth that spread through his body. He pulled her in closer and reciprocated with a passion that he had never experienced and felt her arms encircle him with her fingers running haphazardly through his hair.

They broke apart after several, short, minutes.

"Does that answer your question?" She asked with a smile.

Harry nodded mutely as a goofy grin spread across his face and he pulled her into another long kiss. After they finished their second kiss, Hermione pulled him into a tight hug.

"And since you didn't hear me when we got here, I love you too, Harry." She whispered in his ear.

A/N:There you have it. The Time Turner challenge completed! I hope you've all enjoyed it and I really appreciated all of the reviews! :) This, as you can see, was my first time travel/paradox kind of fic and I hope I didn't confuse anyone with it. Unfortunately due to the nature of the fic, there was alot of re-used text and scenes that I tried to change due to the first trip that Harry made. And I hope you like the happy ending :) On to other H/Hr fics of fluff! (or maybe just more fics :) )

-Ex