Hero of the Story || James Potter x Hermione Granger Fanfiction

37 | we will call this place our home

"If things started to get hopeless, don't you think the only thing to do is to run away?" he asked with a firm glance.

"I guess." Tears pooled in her eyes, remembering her last remaining days as Hermione Granger. "I don't remember much about my previous life anymore. Small details they may be, but they were her memories. But she'd been really brave. Staring down a three-headed dog in the eyes during her first year, getting petrified by a basilisk during second year, facing a werewolf in her third... the list just goes on and on. But her best friend. He was... he was the bravest of them all."

Peter leaned forward to gather her in his arms. "Everything's still so confusing for me," he admitted. "I-I mean. A time traveller! My sister!"

"I'd really like to think of it as more of being reborn into another person with my old memories," she pointed out with a wet chuckle. "I've lived Hermione Pettigrew's life for seventeen years after all."

He pulled away from her and sadly stared into her blue eyes. "I'd respect your past," he slowly started. "Actually, I really want to know more about her, if you'd let me. But – but, here – now – you're my sister. And as your big brother, I want to protect you from the evilness in this world, shield you if I really can." A single tear slipped down from his eyes when he gave her a small smile. "But I know you won't hide yourself away without a fight. You're a bloody force to be reckoned with, Hermione Pettigrew. I know you won't listen to me at all if I tell you to stay out of this mess."

She sniffed and pulled him once more into a hug. "I'm sorry, Petey," she said. "I... I tried that before. I tried to stay quiet and look the other way once things started to get too complicated, because I remembered all the pain and the turmoil. I remembered all the deaths and — it was too much for me to handle. But I've really grown to love this world. I've really grown to love everybody in it. I can't just stand aside, especially now that I have something that could defeat Voldemort."

He released a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a sob. "I always knew you'd be the death of me when you were born into this world." Hermione's face crumpled, her hold on him tightening. "I'm infinitely proud of you, Hermione. Never forget that."

-ooo-

James silently padded through the corridors of his home after being roused from his sleep by Pokey. The house-elf had popped inside the guest room to shake him awake, declaring that lunch had been prepared and that the Master and Mistress expected him to join them soon. James was actually surprised he'd slept through the morning, noting it was already a few minutes past twelve in the afternoon. But then again, after the exhausting events earlier that day, it was understandable that his parents would let them sleep in.

Peter had long gone home to finish his report for Moody and to make sure that Anya wasn't suspicious. He'd already Flooed a change of clothes for Hermione, with a note of promising to get back as soon as he could.

Before popping towards Hermione's bedroom to get her for lunch, James dropped by his own bedroom where Regulus Black was still taking up residence. Pokey had told him the Black heir hadn't woken up since being tended by Madame Pomfrey and Mary, but he noted that colour had now appeared on his cheeks. Regulus looked better already and James took that as a good sign.

As he neared Hermione's room, her revelation replayed in his mind once more.

He was still in disbelief that his girlfriend had come from a different timeline, with a different name and a different appearance, apparently. She spoke of a best friend, whom she'd willingly devoted her life to, and an unending war against Voldemort. He really didn't want to believe her at first, because it was truly preposterous. But the way she'd tearfully retold her past, and how Dumbledore wholly – begrudgingly – accepted her story, made him hesitantly believe.