"This is all your bloody fault, Malfoy."
When an accidental spell throws Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy back in time to the Marauder's era, they are forced to work together to save everyone from a potentially fatal time mishap.
But one run-in...
"Explain yourselves! Now!" Lily was doing a scary impression of McGonagall.
Draco took a deep breath. "I didn't know anything, I swear."
James shifted uncomfortably, his everlasting smile gone for once.
"G - Hermione and I did a Muggle p-mail to her parents, who asked my parents, about why this guy who looked just like me was roaming the school."
"And?" Lily prompted, her eyes less icy now.
"I'm adopted, right? So I found out that my real lineage was the Malfoys, um, I'm like a second cousin - twice removed - uh, yeah," Draco ended.
"Who's your father?" Lily asked. "I know where a Malfoy family tree is."
"It was, um, a closed adoption," Draco lied.
"Why'd you guys mess up about the way you guys met?" James asked curiously.
"Draco always forgets things - he forgot our 1 month anniversary! Then our 2 month one!" Hermione glared at him, and it looked so real, Draco actually felt guilty.
"Well, Mia, I already apologized!" Her nickname just slipped out, and from Hermione's face, she realized that too.
Luckily, the Marauders didn't notice their little slip.
"Okay, whatever, mate. So long you don't start running around with Lucius and those folk," Sirius shrugged, and him, Peter, and James walked out of the library where they had all met.
But Draco saw Remus and Lily exchange a glance, before leaving, together.
It hadn't worked. They knew something was wrong. .
"Granger, we can't keep this a secret from Lily and Remus," Draco hissed as soon as everyone was gone.
"Of course I've thought of that," Hermione said, annoyingly superior. "But there's nothing we can do. It'll disrupt the entire timeline if they figure it out!"
"We're losing," Draco said. "They might need us to."
"We know some things that will help us," Hermione brushed him off, her tone still maddeningly airy and light.
"What, you don't trust me?" Draco ran to catch up with her, then realized what a stupid question that was. He was literally her worst enemy back home. In what world would she trust him?
Hermione looked indecisive. "We just haven't told anyone yet. There's no saying whether we can even get them."
"You're talking about the Horcruxes," Draco realized.
Hermione's eyes widened. "How - what - when - what?" she choked out. "What!?"
Draco swallowed, trying to push down the memory of Lucius explaining Voldemort's invincibility. "I just know."
"Right," Hermione ground out. "Death Eater in training."
Draco chose not to reply.
After a few minutes of walking to the Great Hall, Hermione exhaled.
"Look, I'm sorry," Hermione forced out. "I'm not going to take back what I said, but I know that we need to work together to get back, and then we can do whatever we want to do. For now, truce."
Draco nodded silently. "We can ask that old g - I mean, Dumbledore about what to do."
Hermione ignored his slip of the tongue. "Alright." She changed direction to go towards Dumbledore's office.
They stopped in front of the stone gargoyles, and Hermione slapped her forehead in frustration.
"He has a password," Draco guessed. "Okay, guess we're not doing this, then."
"He uses candy passwords," Hermione said desperately. "Um, chocolate frog!"
The door remained stubbornly shut.
"This is stupid," Draco muttered, but still gave it a shot. "Cauldron Cakes."
"Sugar Quills," Hermione tried, but the door refused to move.
After a few more attempts, Hermione gave up. "This is worthless! Even if we get in there, all he'll do is offer us condolences and maybe a lemon drop that taste - " she was cut off mid-rant when the door swung open.
"What do you know? Lemon drop's the password!" Draco smirked and started to climb the staircase.
Hermione stood still for a few seconds, breathing heavily, before starting to climb. They reached the office and pushed it right open, not caring about courtesy.
"Professor! We think Remus Lupin and Lily Potter know that something's off about us!" Hermione exclaimed, then gasped when she saw a familiar greasy head look up at them in shock.
"I - " Draco glanced around. "Bloody hell."
"Severus, young man, do not talk about this to anyone else. It is vital to keeping Lily Potter safe," Dumbledore quickly said, watching Snape's usually pale complexion go even paler.
"Yes Headmaster," Snape managed to say, before rushing outside, nearly forgetting his bag.
"Miss Smith, that was incredibly careless of you," Dumbledore reprimanded, and Draco saw Hermione's terrified face grow even whiter.
"Oh no, Professor, what did I do?" she wailed, covering her face with her hands. "I messed everything up!"
"It's alright, I mean, you didn't say that we were from the - " Draco tried to console her.
"Hush, we do not want to directly say anything. I'm sorry to say that you just being here changes things. The damage has just been worsened," Dumbledore said solemnly.
What was happening in the future?
More importantly, what had they done?
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