A/N: I though I would try this idea out. Let me know what you think.
The link- Chapter one
Severus was walking down the crowded halls, heading towards his rooms. He let the noise fall away from him as he always did until he heard, distantly, someone arguing. He would admit it freely that he enjoyed taking points from the student but purely for sport. Winning the House Cup should be a greater challenge.
It was Granger but she was apparently talking to herself.
"Of course I fucking understand. Do you? Now, just follow your instructions and you'll be fine Draco." She sighed, but her face softened. "Yes I know you're scared but I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'll talk to you later." She her eyes blinked a few times alerting him to the fact she was talking through a telepathic link. That was magic beyond even his years.
He took a risk and tried to enter her mind and she whipped in his direction and met his eyes. It was very much like walking straight into a brick wall.
"Professor, it's not very kind to poke around in your students heads." She remarked but there was fury under her calm words. But he was not afraid of her.
"It is also unkind to put up those certain shields. That rather hurt Miss Granger." He was endlessly curious now and he wanted to know more.
She grinned, happy with his response. "I assume you'll keep this to yourself. I'm kind of in the middle of something."
"I see no reason not too….in exchange for information, of course." Her smile vanished and suddenly she gripped his sleeve and dragged him through the hall and he wondered if she was mad before he saw she had cast notice me not charms on the both of them, wandlessly. Once they reached his empty rooms she practically pushed him into a chair. He was absolutely furious to handled that way. He was her professor but taking a better look at her he noticed that she looked much older than he remembered her being. Surely she wasn't just 16?
"The only way you are getting anything from me is if you make the vow. So how badly do you want to know what a mere student is doing in her free time?" She looked as if she expected his answer to be no. It should be no but he had a real problem with knowing things. And he had little regard for his life as well. That was a very long story but suffice to say he wasn't supposed to be here today, living.
"Why not, Granger." He answered and watched her jaw drop in surprise. It was rather funny if he was being honest.
"Are you fucking crazy?" She demanded seriously. He wasn't sure he wasn't but he said no. No use confusing the girl. Woman, whatever she was.
"Fine. But you're making a mistake."
Oh, he definitely knew it, but he needed something else in life. He had a feeling this might be it.
"Who will be our witness?" He asked calmly. He was dying to know how she managed a telepathic link with Draco Malfoy. And why. Last time he checked they were enemies.
"Oh, I guess Albus will do. We'll use the floo, come on. I haven't got all day."
Severus couldn't help but wonder at her obvious preoccupied nature. It was as if she was endlessly annoyed by his involvement. That emotion out of all of them to choose from. Shouldn't she be worried or maybe desperate for her secrecy?
The appeared into Albus's office somehow he knew they were coming.
"Hermione." Albus greeted and since when were they on first name basis? Severus helped himself to a seat and watched as Hermione started to cast protection spells around his office.
"I take it he fell for it." Albus said twirling his long beard. Hermione grinned over her shoulder at her elder and addressed Severus once more.
"You aren't required to take a vow. I just needed to know how willing and how loyal you might be. Now first off, Draco is a spy for the order as Voldemort is currently living in his house these past few weeks. I would like your help in keeping an eye on him. I have many things on my plate right now." She had a attitude of a war veteran and her words were smooth. Severus wondered how she got to be that way.
"How…are you so skilled?"
"Oh that's easy. I've been to the future. For quite a while actually. Three years. Was it really that long Albus?"
"Indeed it was Hermione." Albus stood and came to rest his hand on Severus's shoulder.
"I know you wont disappoint. Hermione take good care of him. I'll see you on the other side of this. Goodbye dear." Albus ripped Severus to his feet with surprising strength and suddenly there was a time turner round his neck and Hermione's. She was blowing a kiss to Albus and then the room was spinning and it spun for a long time.
"We're here." She said tucking the time turner away. Severus wobbled on his feet unaccustomed to the out of place feeling.
"Where's here?"
"Its hard to explain. It's a specific place and time that only exist to time travelers. Come on." She took his hand this time and he let her pull him down three flights of stairs and then two more. Finally they came to a room and inside many of his questions were answered.
Albus, a much older Albus, greeted her and then him.
"Glad to see you made it. I worried he wouldn't be cooperative." Albus muttered glancing towards Severus. Hermione shook her head and flopped down into an arm chair.
"I'm starving. Is Molly cooking?" She questioned completely at ease. Severus couldn't have felt more out of place. Just then Molly just appeared food in hand. Severus balked at this magic all of which he would have claimed impossible.
"Severus, so good to see you." She said and handed him a plate full of delicious food.
"Granger." He caught her attention and continued. "What the fuck is going on?"
She didn't blink at his language and instead smiled.
"This is Molly post war. She got her hands on a time turner the same time I did and we met each other here ever since. She's the one who taught me some of the advanced magic. This is also Albus post war he's taught me load of stuff. Especially that link you noticed.. To make it simple, we lost the war. We really lost it. Ron Harry dead. Hagrid found their bodies. You die as well and I found a seal prophecy that includes you."
"Includes? Its about him dear." Molly said sitting down herself. Severus started to eat his food in effort for something normal to occur. Hermione helped herself to some soup and returned to her telling.
"It says you are the key to reversing the future. I'm also mentioned. Somehow and I have many theories we save the world. No pressure right?" She cracked a smile. Severus was not one to smile.
"What are we meant to do?"
She frowned, "That parts not too clear but lets put that aside. We are literally outside of time right now. In here we wont age. Its been my teaching room to give me as much of an advantage as I can get. Albus maybe you could take over."
She really dug in making him wonder when the last time she ate was. Albus cleared his throat.
"Do you know what a horcrux is Severus?"
"Yes." He said with a sinking feeling. His mouth was dry and his heart was racing. He set down his plate and watched the headmaster carefully.
"Lord Voldemort has acquired seven of them and one inside Mr. Potter himself. We did manage to find them but only too late. In your time, where it is Hermione's fifth year, he is at his most weak. He is struggling to bind with his new body and is therefore distracted. Your task with miss Granger is to find them and destroy them. Save for Mr. Potter. He must be last and killed by Voldemort himself. This is a safe place for us to meet and learn. You could spend months in here an not age I suspect even years and then safely return to your time as if no time has passed because in reality is hasn't."
"I'm actually 19 years old versus my sixteen year old body. I've spent years down here just not all at once. In the next coming months Harry and Ron will be brought here and trained. But first you and I need to destroy the horcruxes."
Severus frowned taking in her words. Why him? He was unexceptional. This was all pointless.
"I'm afraid I can't help you." He said and saw her face remain unchanged. Albus grunted and handed over two galleons to Hermione and then she had a satisfied smile on her face. They made a bet?
"It's not that you can't; it's that you don't believe you can. No one knows the dark arts better than you at this point. I have never doubted your allegiance nor will I. I want to save the world. I like the world and I don't want to die. I don't want my friends and family to die. So push it all aside because I need your help. Now, you won't require training in the typical sense so every Sunday we'll meet here for a few hours to discuss things and for you to learn about the drawbacks of using this space. So, Severus, what do you say?"
Severus knew he should say no as it was all preposterous but recently he had felt empty and with every death eater meeting it became worse. So he nodded.
"Yes. How can I help?"
She smiled brightly and got to her feet. "This will be perfect. Albus we're going to head back now, I trust our connection still works fine?"
"Crystal clear. Do watch out for Draco." Hermione nodded and motioned for him to head back out the stairs that lead to the clearing they had appeared in. Once there Hermione turned to Severus with the kindest smile. He wasn't an easily kind man and in return few were kind to him. But she was different.
"That was the easy part. Now when we get back it will be as if no time will have passed. I suggest we meet after curfew there are a few more things I need to discuss. We'll need to set up our link as well." With the words she reached out and pulled him closer so as to raise the chain over his head. He was quite a bit taller.
They appeared back in the room perfectly timed for their other selves to just leave. He let her take the chain off and it disappeared into her shirt. She was muttering to herself and it took him a minute to catch up.
"I cant fucking remember! Was I supposed to meet Harry or Ron in the library? Probably Harry as Ron would rather die than go into that place. Okay never mind that. Lets meet at 11, in the room of requirement. Do you know how to use it?"
He didn't want to admit he didn't but if he was going to do this he would need to do it right. Severus shook his head. She didn't make fun in any way but explain the concept and then she was rushing out of the room.
Severus pulled out his favorite fire whiskey despite it being four o'clock. He didn't typically drink often but rather when things reached pass his limit of stress. He wasn't exactly stressed, more overwhelmed. So he drank and let the house elf bring his dinner. In truth he couldn't wait to finally do something worth while. The dark lord on taking his time, gaining strength. There had only been two meetings since his return in the summer and with the prophet denying his return he was sitting right where he wanted to be. Despite his extreme dislike of Potter he did feel the prophet's attack on him unjust. He was just a boy. An annoying one, but still a boy. Most of his anger towards him was because of his father that was true but he knew deep down this boy didn't have an evil bone in his body. But he had a part to play, if the dark lord were to hear of leniency it would not be pretty. Severus shuddered just thinking of the torture. He wasn't shy to torture, not at all. He'd been tortured many times for mistakes mostly. Once he spoke out of turn and trust he didn't do it again.
He had one tutoring session with Longbottom who was somehow miraculously improving despite his shortcomings. Not that Severus ever showed him he was doing better. He couldn't be seen as…soft.
At 11:01 he left his rooms and went to the seventh floor. He paced in front of the door as instructed and thought of what he wanted. A door appeared and he walked through it expecting a room with chairs and a table, possibly food. But instead there were towers of books on multiple tables as well as bookcases. Then there was a curious shelf in the back with square boxes that held scrolls in a neat fashion. She was seated on a couch with glasses on, reading. How long had she been here?
"Good, you're here. Read this." She shoved a book in his hands, one he found to be strangely heavy for its size. He opened it as he took a seat and saw it was about a link. It described the link would exist once you entered another person's mind and met their inner self. He disliked the idea from the beginning. He didn't want her or anyone else digging around in his mind. It was bad enough the dark lord found it necessary to do so. He shut the book not bothering to finish it. He saw her look up with a smirk before she asked for the book back. He handed it to her wanting to get rid of it quickly. She kept her smirk as she spoke.
"Its completely necessary. It will only take a few moments, we go in, say hi and then say by and we never have to do it again. We need this to be able to communicate over distance without any paper trail or trace. No one will ever no and if I happen to see something you wish I hadn't I wont say a word. I trust you to do the same. Now. Are you in?"
His neck ached from how tightly he nodded his whole body hating the idea.
"Alright come over here." A bed appeared and he looked at his apprehensively. She laughed and lay down flat on one side. She patted the other side and he knew he looked ridiculous as he lay down next to her. She held out her small hand and he took it, expecting it.
He sucked in a deep breath at the sucking pull of magic in her hand. Then his eyes drifted closed and he was in sleep.
He was in his sleeping clothes and barefoot as he walked an empty hall. No pictures, no chairs, no paint. He saw her at the end and motioned for her to come closer.
"Now what?" He asked and she smiled and held out her hand. He took it finding it easier to trust her each time it happened.
"We need to see the heart room. I think it will be beneficial for you too." So they walked down many halls until they came to a black door. He wondered if he wanted to know what was inside. She turned to him slightly.
"You have to be the one to open it Severus." Why didn't he mind when she used his given name? He pushed open the door and saw it identical to his bed room. Another him stood there waiting but that wasn't what was strange. He was smiling. It had been so long since he saw himself…smile. It was captivating. He looked to Hermione and saw her face expressionless.
"Hello. I wondered when you would come but I see you've brought company. And you are?" the other him held out his hand and she stepped forward to take it.
"I'm Hermione. Soon to be your friend."
The other him still hadn't let go of her hand and turned it over once more revealing a scar that stretched the length of her arm. Was that….?
She didn't pull away but rather let him trace the scar with his finger before he let go.
"I see you have many secrets. You." The other him addressed him and Severus raised his head in acknowledgement. The other him came to stand in front of him and placed an arm on his shoulder.
"It may not seem like it but I am the you without all the pain in your life."
Severus found that ridiculous. He shook of his hand and stood stiffly wanting to leave already. The him took both his shoulders and forced him to look into his eyes.
"You can still find a life without pain. She will help you, I know it. The connection is complete you should go, but know I am here."
Then he faded away and he was left with Hermione. She smiled up at him and touched his hand lightly and then he woke.
He jumped from the bed fuming. Not only was his inner self delusional he was making fun of him. Making promises he couldn't possibly keep. He was doomed to a painful life he made choices and made his bed. He didn't get a second chance.
"I think you should know he wasn't and isn't capable of lying. It's in his nature to be truthful. Now its my turn. When you do it pull my magic into yours and we'll be inside my head. I should warn you. My inner self is quite rude and very blunt. I mostly like her though."
Severus didn't know how to take that and they resumed their positions on the bed. He did his best to follow the instructions and felt her magic rush into his hand. It was a pleasant feeling.
"Come on this way." They walked down red halls and walked into a room without a door. He wondered what that meant.
"Who's the handsome boy toy Hermione." His eyes widened as he took in a woman with revealing clothing and lounging on a bed with satin sheets. He averted his eyes but the other Hermione approached him.
"Hey sugar, what's up with your fucking frown. I'm right in front of you, you should definitely be smiling."
Severus sneered at her but that didn't stop her from reaching out and running her hand down his chest. He stepped back and now she was frowning.
"You know how to pick em, girl." The real Hermione chuckled and embraced her twin.
"Severus this is me. I told you…" She trailed off as the other her shoved her right into Severus. He caught her before she fell and he briefly wondered if it would even hurt, here.
"Hey. He…its not like that. He's going to be my friend weather he likes it or not. So we're here for the connection and we got it. I'll see you around okay." She embraced herself and tugged Severus out the room. She let go quickly and they woke.
He didn't move right away and neither did she. He wondered how she knew her inner self so well and what the scar on her arm was.
"Okay now lets practice. I'll try to send a thought."
She closed her eyes and soon after something drifted inside him. Hello Severus.
Hermione.
She gasped and jumped of the bed spinning around.
"That was excellent. When I first learned with Albus it took hours for me to be able to send something."
He felt pride at that but he didn't let it show. "Now what?"
"We'll meet tomorrow to practice more. I'm really tired. That one of the drawbacks to going to the room. It can drain energy. Among other things."
She trailed off and just left without another word. Severus walked back to his chambers and fell asleep as soon as he climbed into bed.