Borrowed Time (Part 1 of the Time Turner Trilogy)

On Borrowed Time by Emaleth

GENRE: AU, Darkfic, Unresolved Sexual Tension.
ADT\'L(This Chapter): Nothing much going on yet... so eh.
RATING: PG-13... for now.
SUMMARY: Seventh Year, post Harry-defeats-Voldemort: Harry and Hermione became a couple the summer before their 7th year. Their romance went along well... until they went back to Hogwarts. The first day of class, Hermione was given an ultimatum to go back in time in order to change something that had just happened... and of course, her actions had consequences. Some might consider it bad, but she doesn\'t.
PAIRINGS: Harry/Hermione... then transforms to Draco/Hermione
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
E-MAIL ME: manticorechimera@msn.com

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Chapter 8 - A Jinx in a Kiss (Friday October 18, 1996)

Rumours spread like wildfire around the Gryffindor Common Room about what had happened during Charms. The stories ranged from Hermione snogging Draco in the halls to the strangest one yet where the two were supposedly caught doing the deed on top of the Professor’s desk in the Potions dungeons.

This hubbub did not seem to have punctured Harry and Hermione’s romance, but instead, it strengthened it. Everyone who knew them knew that their relationship was here to stay. The honesty between the two was restored and had became even stronger since Harry told Hermione about his battle with Voldemort.

Harry asked Hermione not to talk to Draco with the promise that he would not get jealous as he usually did. She agreed and did what as he asked. His rules seemed lenient enough, so she complied readily.

She noticed Draco being cautious whenever he came across her and Harry. He seemed nervous around Harry and did not even acknowledge Hermione for fear of being pulverized if he were to look at Hermione the wrong way. If they did see each other alone, their talk was short and abrupt, consisting of a simple exchange of Hello, Goodbye, and sometimes an answer to \"how are you doing?\" Hermione did not mind since she was now back with Harry. Harry was not mad at her any longer for retaining some contact with Draco, but that was about to change.

One mid-October day, Hermione was headed to the library to yet again find something she considered light-reading for bedtime. Draco appeared by the Mirror of Erised Room, and she felt her heart skip a beat.

\"Oh goodness, Draco! Don’t do that. I almost died of a heart attack!\"

\"I know. I am sorry, but I really have to talk to you again.\"

There was an air of urgency in his voice, and the thoughts flooded Hermione’s head yet again: Draco’s bloody wrists, the vial of poison on his hands, and his life-drained face. Hermione did not hesitate to talk to him. She was too worried.

\"What’s wrong?\" she asked nervously. \"Draco, please don’t tell me you are planning to do anything rash.\"

\"Can you promise to be honest with me?\"

\"Draco, what are thinking?\"

\"Just answer the question.\"

\"I will be honest with you.\"

\"You swear?\"

\"I swear on… on the relationship between Harry and me.\"

\"Good.\" He took a deep breath then said, \"Why did you help me that day, Hermione? Why did you run to me instead of Harry?\"

Hermione was caught off-guard, drawing a blank at the moment. She muttered something that even she could not understand. Draco pulled her away from the door and towards the window.

\"You promised to be honest.\"

\"I did.\"

\"Then tell me why you did that for me?\"

\"It just happened, Draco. I don’t want to talk about it.\"

\"There‘s something more to that, and I can prove it.\"

\"Huh? What are you…\"

Hermione hushed as Draco placed his finger on her lips. He then slowly pulled her towards him and moved in for a kiss. Taken aback, Hermione froze in his arms. The kiss seemed innocent but was very passionate. She kissed him back unconsciously. Hermione felt as if her whole body was heating up. She was panting furiously, sliding her hands along Draco’s arms as she tried to catch her breath in between kisses. When she finally realized what she was doing, she pulled back, pushing Draco away from her.

\"Stop it, Draco. Just stop it.\"

\"You kissed back,\" he said, shaking his head in surprise. \"I knew it.\"

\"You knew what? Draco, have you gone insane?\" she started to wipe her lips. \"You just kissed me! What was that for?\"

\"I knew it. You have feelings for me. You like me.\"

\"I do not like you at all, Draco,\" she stressed. \"Not the way you think I like you.\"

\"Then tell me that that kiss did not mean anything to you.\"

\"That kiss meant nothing to me,\" she lied, but she could not fool the witty Slytherin.

\"You are lying! It does mean something to you. Otherwise you would not have kissed back!\"

\"I did not kiss back. That kiss meant nothing! It just happened because it happened.\"

\"Then why could you not look me in the eye when you said it meant nothing?\"

Hermione had never been good with lying, and surely this was one of the times she wish she had the skills to do so.

\"You promised you would be honest. You are lying now, Hermione. You’re a LIAR!\"

The truth hit her like a Bludger at full speed. Inside, she knew he was right. It hurt, but it had happened. She knew she was lying. She was lying to him, to herself, and to everyone else. She wondered why she had been so greatly affected by the sight of Draco half-dead in her arms. Now she knew why: She really had feelings for him. She hated him for the things he used to do in the past, yet she loved him for the sweet person that he was in the present.

However, she was definitely not willing to admit it to Draco. She had Harry. She loved Harry and was with Harry, but she had similar feelings for Draco, as well. She was quite unsure if it was true love, whatever it was, but that it existed. His last words rang in her ears like a booming drum, echoing in different tones, yet saying the same undeniable truth that she refused to acknowledge.

Her heart’s indecision was tearing her apart. She hated Draco for digging up such deep emotions that she slapped him hard across the cheek. A tear trickled from her eye as she turned away. She regretted her actions very much, wishing she had the Time-Turner to take it back. Many tears began to fall, and all Hermione could do was sob on Draco’s shoulder as she jumped into his arms.

\"Stop it, please!\" she cried in his ears. \"I can‘t…we just can‘t.\"

\"I have been patient enough, Hermione. I have waited for months…no, years! I have waited for years to be close to you. My life had been crumbling little by little as my teenage years passed by, but it came crashing down the second I heard that you and Harry were together. That threw me right over the edge. I never told you because I knew you would be scared, but you are the reason I wanted to die. I thought that this year I could undo all the bad things I had done to you and your friends and maybe become your friend. If I had no chance to be in your arms, my life would not have any meaning at all.

\"I saw you in there, in that very room. The moonlight shining on you made you glow like an angel. I thought you were a blessing, a miracle. You took away what I planned to use to take away my life, without any thought of the danger I could have inflicted on you.

\"You gave me a chance to change my ways when you stopped me from killing myself. I have been trying to prove everyone wrong, that the real me is not evil. You said you believed me even if no one else would. You have given me a new outlook on life, and I can never thank you enough for that. I have to ask you one more favour, Hermione: Give our relationship a chance. Let me treat you well. Give me a chance to undo my wrongs. I love you, Hermione.\"

Hermione pushed him away in surprise.

\"No!\" she shouted. \"You can’t talk to me about love like that. No, Draco! I am with Harry.\"

\"Give me a chance,\" he pleaded on his knees. \"Please!\"

\"No!\" She turned and scampered for the door, leaving Draco kneeling where she had left him.

\"You know there is something between us,\" he shouted back at her. \"Stop lying to yourself, Hermione! Stop lying to me and to everyone!\"

She gave him one last look before closing the door and running straight for the Gryffindor Common Rooms, crying over her indecisive heart.

~@~ PLEASE REVIEW!!! Or at least leave some lovin\'! VOTE!!! ~@~

A/N: This fanfic was written for for the Contra Veritas : Dr/Hr Fanfic Challenge AKA Livejournal\'s \"The Enemy\'s Valentine - Dr/Hr Fic Gift Exchange.\" The rules were a bit restricted (I had to include Time-travel, Love triangles and a Happy ending... and NO Harry/Ginny romance) and so was my fanfic. The second part of the Trilogy would have a bit more freedom but I\'ll just play it by ear, k???

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this fanfic as much I as I enjoyed writing it!^_^

SPECIAL THANKS to Snapeaholic, for betaing my fanfic. Without you, I\'d be drowning in a sea of grammatical mistakes. LOL