The Inevitable

Chapter 15 - A Convenient Letter

Hermione's POV

Every person in the room watched as Daphne ripped the envelope open. No sound was made besides the sound of the paper as it tore. I had positioned myself next to Draco after the incident with Theo. It's not as if I could've done much in a room full of people who doubted who we were, but I could have tried. Daphne pulled the letter out of the envelope.

"Are we sure we should be reading this in front of them?" Theo asked nodding his head at us.

"Of for fucks sake Theo! They can't go anywhere!" Ginny groaned smacking him on the back of his head. "Go ahead Daph." Daphne looked around the room once more then back at the parchment in her hands.

"Daphne, I'm sending this letter to you simply because I know you will follow my orders and not give into temptation." She said reading the words carefully and slowly. "If I were to send this to any other person in our group of friends, the letter will have been opened before I had asked. Yes boys, I'm speaking to you...and Ginny."

"Oh come on," Ginny said snorting. Daphne smiled and turned back to the parchment and continued to read.

"If all goes according to plan, you will have discovered that Hermione and Draco are not exactly who you think. You will be mad, specifically Theo, and you will question them. Draco and I are fine, nothing is wrong. We had to remove ourselves from the situation in order for our past selves to do what they must. The two beings you question are in fact us, but from the past. Believe the story they tell, for it is true." Daphne paused and looked at Draco and I again. She turned her head to Blaise who offered a nod of encouragement. "You will not believe them, but we ask that you do. Luna will offer a solution that will be better fit for confirming. You will ask them to prove themselves by mentioning something only they and another in our group of friends would know. If this is how you must prove it all to yourselves, then do it. You must do so with haste. Once this is over, Harry needs to take them to our pensive..." Daphne looked to Harry who wore confusion on his face.

"Why?" Was all he asked glancing over her shoulder.

"Um...it says 'there are memories already waiting within. Draco and Hermione need to see what we have gone through in order for this war to have been won. Every piece of this plan was laid out and planned carefully. This must come to pass or the future we know...'" Daphne stopped speaking causing everyone to tense.

"Daph?" Astoria spoke for the first time since we had come down.

"Or the future we know will no longer be." Everyone in the room seemed to freeze. I could see panic and anguish riddled amongst their faces. "I know this doesn't make much sense, and I'm sorry we could not tell any of you this, but this is how it must be. This is how it always has been and will be. Harry, once our past selves have seen the memories, take them to Gringotts. Take them to your vault where we placed our time turner. I'm sure you'll have questions as to how and why it is in your vault, but I assure you we can get into that another time. I have programmed the time turner to take them back to their time, but they must be in the hidden room at Hogwarts they had found themselves in before coming to their future. I ask that you help them. Draco and I have included our official seal to provide some proof that this was in fact written by us. I love you all and we will see you again soon. With love, Hermione Malfoy." Pansy head fell into her hands after Daphne had finished speaking.

"I am so confused," she said sighing.

"This has got to be some elaborate prank," Ginny said standing to her feet. "This makes no sense whatsoever! Hermione writing a letter to Daphne saying the fate of the world rests on these two," she paused pointing to me and Draco, "who we don't even know are who they say they are? Harry, you can't be believing this!" Harry just sat in quiet thought. He chewed on his lip which I had learned was a nervous tick of his.