A Moment in Time
After the swirling effect stopped, Hermione was still on the ground, looking around trying to see what time it was. She looked down at her watch. Twenty-five to one... Well, at least I know it still is, Hermione thought to herself. She got up off the ground and brushed herself off. She turned towards the portrait of the Fat Lady, but the Lady was nowhere to be seen in the picture. Hermione shrugged figuring that the Lady probably went off to visit her friend, Vi. Hermione looked down at the ground and noticed her book on the ground. She picked it up and examined it. No damaged seems to be done, she thought. She heard footsteps coming down the hall. She was relieved by the sound.
She turned around, hoping to see Harry or Ron coming down the hallway. But to her surprised it was four boys whom she never seen before. She narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at them. Her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. There was one boy that looked like Harry, except he had warm brown eyes instead of green. One of the other boys was tall with shoulder-length black hair; the other tall one had sandy colored hair. The shortest of the four had a rat looking face and blond hair.
Hermione felt her head spinning. Not again, Hermione thought weakly. Everything was turning black to her soon she could hear nothing.
“Who is she?”
“Why are you looking at me?”
“You usually know everything, Moony.”
“Not always, Padfoot.”
Hermione slowly opened her eyes. She felt a soft material underneath her. I must be on the couch, she thought. She lifted her head up a little bit and saw the four boys standing in front of the fireplace conversing about her. She shook her head slightly and smiling to herself.
“Way to go, Moony. You woke her up!” said the boy with messy black hair and glasses.
“It’s not my fault that Padfoot here is being loud,” defended the boy with the sandy blonde hair.
“No, it’s okay. Really,” Hermione said, sitting up on the couch and rubbing her head. She never had a headache this bad before. She felt a small lump on the back of her head. A quizzical look appeared on her face.
“You fainted and hit your head,” said the boy with the long black hair. “By the way, I’m Sirius, and this is James, Remus, and Peter.
Hermione’s eyes opened wide. “Oh, no!” she whispered disappointedly.
“Is there something wrong?” asked Peter innocently.
Hermione shook her head. “This can’t be. This isn’t possible. I can’t be here,” she muttered, “How can this be?”
“Excuse me?” Remus asked politely.
“Maybe she’s psycho,” Sirius whispered to James. His comment received an elbow from Remus.
“I am not psycho,” Hermione said, narrowing her eyes. “It’s just that I’m not suppose to be here.”
“You are a witch, aren’t you?” Sirius asked.
“Yes, but—“
“Then, you’re supposed to be here,” he butted in.
Hermione shook her head. “No. I’m not suppose to be here...in this time period,” she said more to herself than the boys.
Sirius looked at her and then to Remus. “Moony, do you know what she’s talking about?”
He shrugged his shoulders, pondering his friend’s question. “I have no clue,” he answered.
Hermione looked up at Remus. He was so different compared to the one back in her time. His face wasn’t ghostly looking and scar free, and his storm gray eyes showed life for once. She had to smile. He looked happy and carefree. She shook her head again.
“What’s wrong? You keep shaking your head,” someone asked curiously. Hermione turned her head and saw a young James Potter sitting next to her. Her eyes widened at the sight. She couldn’t believe how much Harry looked like his father. Of course she has seen pictures of James Potter before, but just seeing him in person made it more surprising. It was almost like looking at Harry.
“I’m...I’m fine,” Hermione stuttered, still staring at James. “It’s just that he looks so much like you,” she breathed.
“Excuse me?” James asked, taken back by her comment.
“Nothing. Never mind,” Hermione said, getting up from the couch. She felt lightheaded and almost fell to the ground, but Remus was able to catch her before she hit the hard floor.
“Take it easy miss. You did hit your head you know,” Remus said into her ear. She shivered and felt even more lightheaded from the feeling of his breath in her ear. She let him help her sit back down on the couch.
“Maybe we should take her to Madam Ecclestone,” Sirius suggested, “I mean, she almost fainted right there, not to mention, she’s talking to herself. We don’t even know what she means when she said she’s ‘not suppose to be here’.”
“I’m not. I’m not from this time,” Hermione defended weakly.
“Okay. All in favor saying she’s completely lost?” Sirius said.
“Shut up, Padfoot,” Remus scolded, facing Sirius. Sirius merely shrugged and leaned against the fireplace. Remus turned back to Hermione, knelt down so he was eye level. “What do you mean, you’re not from this time?”
Hermione looked into his eyes, reached down inside of her robes and pulled out the time turner. “I had an accident with this,” she said. She held up the time turner before Remus. He took the minute hourglass into his fingers, handling it gently. “I was knocked down by the Fat Lady’s portrait, before I was able to turn it back to go to a class,” she explained, “I think my fingers slipped and it just kept turning...” She trailed off, realizing that this was for real. She grabbed the chain of the necklace and pulled, causing the chain to break.
“Why did you do that?” James asked next to her.
“I don’t want it. It’s nothing but trouble. I can’t believe I wanted to double up on classes again. After what happened in third year, how could I be so stupid to think I could handle it again,” Hermione said, “I’ll never be able to go back home.” Her eyes started to sting with tears, but she held them back and looked down in her lap.
Sirius raised his eyebrows, Peter remained silent, and James looked at Remus. Remus knew what he was trying to say to him and took a ridged breath.
“Hey, c’mon now,” Remus said soothingly. He put his fingers under her chin and lifter her head so she could look at him. “You will be able to go back. We’ll help you. But first, what’s your name?”
Hermione sniffed softly and answered, “Hermione. Hermione Granger.”