She dodged another killing curse as they tried to make it to the Shrieking Shack. She was dragging behind Ron and Harry as she kept turning around to fire spells at the Death Eaters following them. She turned back around to see a curse shooting towards Harry, who was completely oblivious to incoming attack. She sped up and slammed into Harry as hard she could and took the full impact of the curse. She felt her insides twist and heard Ron screaming her name as another curse flew at her but she was too paralyzed from the last spell to be able to cry out a Protego. The second curse hit her so hard that she flew back into a tree. She rebounded off the tree and her body rolled into the Great Lake. She sunk deeper and deeper. She tried to fight her way up as a orange light surrounded her but she was slowly slipping into unconsciousness. She gave one final pitiful kick upwards before everything went black.
"I have not a single clue on how she managed to get onto the grounds undetected, Armando." A familiar voice called out as she started to wake up.
"It is quite particular, I do not think I've seen such a thing since I started teaching here. However, I do not believe she poses a threat. Hogwarts would not have let her on the grounds if she meant any harm." Hermione frowned at that voice, it couldn't not be who she taught it was.
"Quite right, Albus. For now the best thing we can do is let her rest and talk to her in the morning. Thank you again for finding the poor thing, Horace. Now if you both will excuse me, there is a lot to be down before we welcome our students back tomorrow. Goodnight gents." A unfamiliar voice said as she heard footsteps walking away from the bed she was in.
"I must go as well, Albus. I still have a lot to prepare for my first class." was that Slughorn?
"Goodnight, my dear friend." Dumbledore? Impossible Dumbledore was dead.
She heard more footsteps walking away from her bed and frowned slightly.
"It is just the two of us now, my dear. You do not have to pretend to be asleep. I mean you no harm." Hermione frowned and as much as she tried to open her eyes they felt like led and remained closed.
She felt the tip of a wand on her forehead and tensed. However, she relaxed when she felt her body start to become more responsive to her demands. She opened her eyes and nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of an young Dumbledore.
"Headmaster Dumbledore! How? You...This cannot be real." Hermione muttered to herself as Dumbledore watched her with his familiar glint in his eyes.
"Headmaster? I'm afraid that Armando Dippet is still the Headmaster." He replied giving her a probing stare causing her to look away from him. She had always trusted Dumbledore with her life but this could be a cruel trick by Voldemort to try and pry into her mind.
"It seems that you are not from around here, are you my dear child?" Dumbledore asked and all she wanted to do was cry as she nodded lightly.
"No Headmas...Professor, I am not. I'm not. I'm from the year 19..." Before she could finished Dumbledore lifted his hand and shook his head at her.
"It's better if I remain in the dark, my dear. Time is a tricky thing." Dumbledore told her seriously and Hermione knew he was completely right.
She should have known better, with all her time using the time-turner.
"What should I do?" She asked and scowled herself for sounding so weak in front of her mentor.
"The best thing for you would be to stay here. Hogwarts is the safest place for you, at least until I can figure a way to get you back home." He muttered more to himself than her as he played with his beard in thought.
She could already see his wheels turning. She just nodded in agreement. Hermione knew that she was going to need all the help she could get to get back home and who better to help her than Dumbledore, himself.
"What is your name, child?" He asked her and Hermione froze.
She debated on whether she should give her real name or not. She frowned knowing that if Dippet was still Headmaster than she was in a time were Muggle-borns were not exactly safe plus Dumbledore wanted to stay in the dark, so giving her real name was out of the question.
"Hera Burke." She responded a few moments later.
Dumbledore stared at her for a long moment before nodding. "I'll have a word with Caractacus, make this official. He owes me a favor." He winked at her and Hermione let out a sigh of relief.
"However, I suggest you glamour that scar. If you are going to be part of the Burke line." Dumbledore gestured at her arm.
Hermione looked down at the ugly scar marring her skin and nodded. She did not know why she said the name Burke but she was thinking of Pureblood families and Burke and Borgin came to her mind first for some odd reason.
"I overheard Headmaster Dippet saying term starts tomorrow." Hermione asked lowly.
"It does, the students are returning tomorrow for the welcome feast and class begins the day after. We could however figure out your schedule and sorting tomorrow morning before students arrive if that would make you feel more comfortable.
Hermione nodded. "Yes please." Dumbledore gave her one of his best smiles and nodded. "Very well, I'll see you tomorrow morning Miss Burke. Rest well."
"Goodnight Professor." She muttered as she watched her mentor leave the Hospital Wing.