AN WOW! I am in awe with the response my little fic has gotten so far! Thank you so much for all of your reviews, and subscriptions. Seeing them really makes my middle of the night feedings a lot more pleasant. Thank you, rosebud11450 for looking this over for me.
Disclaimer: Still own nothing.
Severus was awoken by what sounded like whimpering. He pried open his eyes, heavy with sleep, and tried to focus on his location. He wasn't in his room in the dungeons. He was in the medical wing. His sleep addled brain took a few minutes to remember why he was there, and he came to the conclusion that he was not in there for anything wrong with himself, but he had helped a girl who had appeared in the Astronomy tower, injured.
He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked toward the girl lying in the bed next to his. She was thrashing about in her sleep, and crying out. Occasionally, in addition to the incoherent whimpers, he could make out words, like 'Harry,' and 'Ron.' But nothing really coherent.
He sat up in the bed and swung his legs over the side. He made his way to the girl, and could see she was drenched in sweat. He contemplated calling Madam Pomfrey over, but he didn't want to bother her if he didn't need to. He was perfectly capable of making sure the girl got back to sleep. He wasn't as cold-hearted as the Gryffindors believed, he did have feelings, and was very compassionate, when he wanted to be. He just didn't have those urges very often. But right now, the appearance of this girl seemed to bring something out of him, something he had buried deep in himself, but he didn't know what or why.
He sat himself on the edge of her bed, careful not to jostle her, and reached for her hand. It felt warm and clammy in his. As soon as he took it, her thrashing stopped, but her words became a little more coherent.
"I didn't steal it, it's a copy," she murmured. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Severus drew himself closer, lowering his ear toward her mouth, to try to make out the words she was saying. As he got closer, he noticed that her face was stained with tears. Whatever Madame Pomfrey had given her earlier, it either had worn off, or Dreamless Sleep hadn't been included.
"Please," she whimpered. "Please, I don't know anything, please."
Without knowing what he was doing, Severus brought his free hand up and began smoothing her hair, soothing her. He quirked an eyebrow and stared at where his hand was on the top of the girl's head. She almost immediately stopped whimpering and began breathing easy again. Severus stayed where he was, for how long he wasn't sure, but he watched as the girl settled back into a peaceful sleep as he gently stroked her hair.
He waited until he was certain she was asleep before gently removing his hands from her person and slowly standing up from the bed. As he returned to his bed, he contemplated the new side of his personality that seemed to be exhibiting itself tonight. He was never one for affection. In fact he grew up in a home with little affection. It was something that Lily, when they had been friends, seemed to criticize him for. It was the reason why he felt Slytherin was the perfect fit for him. As he lay back in the bed, he laughed to himself thinking about what the other Slytherins would have thought if they had seen him just now. His last thought before he fell back to sleep was what would Malfoy or The Dark Lord would have thought if they saw him comforting a muggleborn. With that thought, he fell into a restless sleep.
He next awoke from a gentle prodding in his side. He opened his eyes to see Madame Pomfrey smiling over him.
"Alright, Severus, time to wake up and get ready to go to your classes. We had a deal."
Severus glanced quickly over to the girl.
"Never you mind her, she's not awake, and the odds of her waking up any time soon, let alone while you're in class are very slim. Go to class. She'll be here when you get back."
Severus sighed and got up from the cot, and walked out of the hospital wing, all the while looking over his shoulder at the girl, hoping she wouldn't wake up while he was gone.
This continued for three days. Severus would return to the hospital wing after classes were over, and work on his coursework while keeping one eye on the girl. He would sleep in an adjoining cot, wake up in the middle of the night to comfort the girl, and wake up the next morning to start the whole process over again.
The evening of the third day, however, seemed different. He sat on the cot writing his essay for Arithmancy, when he heard moaning from the bed next to him. His brow crinkled. She never seemed to stir except for during the middle of the night. He looked over at her, and noticed her stirring. Not the typical thrashing back and forth, like during her nightmares, but real movement. Her hands slowly drew up to her eyes, rubbing them.
"Madame Pomfrey!" he cried out instinctively, never taking his eyes off of her.
Madam Pomfrey rushed into the room. "What is it Severus?"
He pointed at the girl, as she began struggling to sit herself up in the bed. Madame Pomfrey rushed over to the floo, and called Dumbledore's office, before rushing back to the girl.
"Careful, my dear, you musn't rush this. You were very badly injured, you need to take your time."
The girl opened her eyes. "Madame Pomfrey?" she croaked. "How did I get to Hogwarts?"
Madame Pomfrey looked confused, but before she could respond, the girl began to panic.
"I shouldn't be here! It's not safe for me. If Snape were to know I was here, it could ruin everything. Harry, where's Harry?" She tried to get out of the bed, but she was too weak. "We were in Malfoy Manor, Harry and Ron were in the cellar. They must still be there, Madame Pomfrey, you have to help me get out of here so I can tell The Order…" she was cut off by the floo rushing to life and Dumbledore stepping out and into the room.
Her mouth dropped open and she began shaking her head back and forth. "This is impossible," she muttered, tears springing to her eyes. "You're dead."
Severus couldn't process anything she was saying fast enough. She wasn't making any sense. How did she know him, and why would it be bad if he knew she were here? Did she know he was being recruited by the Death Eaters? And that stuff about being in Malfoy Manor bothered him. They were keeping prisoners in the cellar now? And why did she think Dumbledore was dead?
"My dear, I can assure you that I am very much alive," Dumbledore smiled softly at the panicked girl. "Why don't you explain to me what you remember last, so that we can figure out how to help you?"
The girl eyed Dumbledore skeptically. "Why would I tell you anything? I know Dumbledore is dead. I saw his body for myself. And I know that Hogwarts has been taken over by Death Eaters this term. So you must be one of them polyjuiced like Dumbledore to gain my trust. But it's not going to work. I would go through more rounds of Cruciatus before telling you anything."
Dumbledore's expression softened at the girl. "My dear, I assure you, I am who I say I am. However, I feel that I am at a disadvantage. You know who I am, but I don't know who you are. What is your name, child?"
"If you are really Professor Dumbledore, then you should know who I am," the girl replied.
"I'm sorry, but I know all of my students here at Hogwarts, and I assure you, that I have never seen you. What year are you?"
"I'm supposed to be a Seventh Year, however, I couldn't return to Hogwarts this year."
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, studying at her. He turned to Severus. "My boy, you're a Seventh Year, do you recall seeing this girl in any of your classes in previous years?"
Severus, still in shock from what was coming out of her mouth, shook his head. "No, sir."
The girl turned toward him, and once she looked at him, she gasped. "No, no, no, this is impossible."
"What's wrong my dear?"
"I'm sleeping, that's it. I'm sleeping and in a really bad dream. Or I'm delusional," she was muttering to herself.
"What's your name, dear?" Madame Pomfrey spoke from beside her.
"Hermione," she said. "Hermione Granger."
"Hermione, dear, you came in here in very bad shape. What happened dear? Do you remember? How long were you held captive and tortured?"
"What year is it?" she answered instead.
Madame Pomfrey tilted her head sideways. "What year do you think it is?"
"Please I need to know the year," she said, glancing back in Severus' direction. "Please!"
Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore exchanged uneasy glances, before Dumbledore stepped next the girl, taking her face between his hands. "Legilimens," he said softly as he stared into her eyes.
Hermione cried out as the Professor entered her mind, and Severus watched uneasily from where he sat, his coursework forgotten.
After what seemed like hours, Dumbledore pulled back from Hermione and she cried out, bringing her hands to her head, wincing in pain.
"Oh dear," Dumbledore muttered. "This is a problem, a real problem."
"What is it, Headmaster?" Poppy asked.
"This girl has traveled very far to be here with us," Dumbledore started. "Very far indeed."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Severus asked, speaking for the first time.
"It means, that whatever is said in this room tonight, cannot leave this room, or I'm going to have to be forced to Obliviate, which I don't want to. So, you're to take a wand oath that you will not speak of anything that is discussed in this room with anyone other than the people present. If you cannot do that, you may leave now."
Severus and Poppy pulled out their wands, "I swear," they said in unison. Magic swirled around the room, sealing their oath.
Satisfied, Dumbledore turned back to Hermione. "My dear, I don't know how to break this to you."
Hermione interrupted, "Sir, I think it would be best if you would just say it. I already suspect. Please just confirm it for me. I fear if you don't, I will believe that I am now in St. Mungos having been driven insane from the Cruciatus."
Dumbledore took a deep breath. "From what I have gathered from your memories, you are not from our time. Today is October 3, 1977. When are you from, Hermione?
Severus couldn't breathe in anticipation of the answer. She was obviously from the future, but how far into the future was she?
Hermione took a deep breath, before she answered. "I'm not sure the exact date, I've been spending most of my time in a tent, you see. However, if I were to hazard a guess, I would say sometime in the spring. 1998."
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