Hi there again, how are my lovely readers doing? I want to thank you all for continuing to read this story, and I hope you are all enjoying it, I promise it will get better.

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter…sadly…

"Miss Hermione, Miss Hermione!"

A shrill voice rebounded in her head, pulling Hermione back to consciousness. Rubbing her eyes, she found an alarmed looking house elf. Still groggy from sleep, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Miss Hermione is late getting up! Her class starts in ten minutes!"

Hermione stared at the house elf until comprehension dawned, "Bloody hell!"

The house elf jumped, a startled look on its face, and then quickly left the room. Hermione didn't even notice, she was so busy trying to get ready. Putting a new robe and splashing her face with water, Hermione grabbed her wand and rushed to the classroom.

"Good morning students," she called out, trying to sound like she hadn't just woken up.

Instead of the usual greeting in return, she received quizzical looks. Her questions were answered when a brave student, Shane Trueblood, piped up, "Professor, what's wrong with your hair?"

Hermione looked in the mirror by her desk and gasped. Her hair was splayed in every which direction and was much frizzier than normal. Horrified, she gave the students the assignment, before slipping out of the classroom to straighten out her hair. When she had fixed her hair she entered the classroom to find utter chaos.

"Will someone explain what is going on here?" Hermione commanded loudly, her voice causing everyone to jump, "That is 20 points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin, and if I see this kind of behavior again, I will be discussing it with Headmistress McGonagall. Am I understood?"

"Yes Professor," the class responded.

"Homework is a 3 foot long essay on the effects of Draught of Peace and the possible side effects if brewed incorrectly. You are dismissed!"

As the students filed out, Hermione sat at her desk and dropped her forehead into her hands, todays was going to be a long day.

When the last class of the day was over Hermione made her way outside. She was eager to get away from the stress of the day. As she made her way towards the lake, she heard voices approaching. She wasn't sure what caused her to hide behind a bush as the passed by, a reflex from the war perhaps.

"Did you hear about Professor Granger, I heard she showed up half dressed for class today?"

"Yes, the people they're passing off as professors nowadays, it's disgraceful..."

"Well at least she isn't as bad as Snape, how Dumbledore allowed a traitorous Death Eater into our school to teach the students I'll never know. Who knows what darkness he filled the student's minds with..."

The witch's voice faded out as the pair moved out of earshot. Hermione stepped from behind the bush, her fist clenched and her body shaking with contained rage. Who did they think they were! Stomping down to the lake, she sat on the ground trying to get a hold on her anger. She wasn't even sure which she was angrier about, the jabs at her teaching or the untrue things they had said about Snape. She didn't particularly like Snape, but he deserved not to be spoken about like that after all he done for the war and the life he had lived. The only way that would stop though is if she succeeded in saving Snape. Walking back to the castle, Hermione made up her mind that she'd lay some pressure on Mudungus. The sooner she got the time turner, the sooner this whole thing would be over with. When she made it to the castle, instead of going to her rooms she headed to the Owlery. As she entered the room, a small dirty, bedraggled owl flew towards her. Landing on a perch near her head, he offered his leg where a dirty piece of parchment was. Taking the parchment, she thanked the bird and he flew off, small chunks of dirt following him. Opening it, she read:

"Got it..."

Rolling up the parchment, she walked back to her rooms, where she threw the message into the fire. Changing clothes she made her way to Hogsmeade to apparate.

As she entered the bar, she noticed one thing right away. It was a lot more busy and rowdy than last time she had been there.

"Why hello, sweetheart...would you like to see my wand?" a large disgusting man yelled lewdly, leering at her.

Ignoring everyone, she looked around for Mudungus. Spotting him, she pushed her way over to him, "Where is it?"

Mudungus looked up at her through bloodshot eyes, "Why lookie who's 'ere? Sit down, love and have a drink!"

Hermione glared at the obviously piss drunk man in front of her and replied icily, "Why don't you give me what I came here for and in return I won't curse you to next week."

He swallowed another mouthful of firewhiskey and grumbled, "Fine, bloody witch, can't even enjoy a good joke."

Reaching into his robe he withdrew a golden chain with a small hourglass type charm hanging from it. He handed it to Hermione who quickly hid it away and in return handed him a sack of galleons, "Remember, no one knows about this or you'll be in Azkaban so fast you won't know what happened. Got it?"

Sobering up a bit at the threat, Mudungus nodded. Satisfied that her tracks would be covered, Hermione left the bar and started towards Diagon Alley. As the noise of the bar faded, Hermione realized another sound had replaced it. A heavy thudding sounded out behind her, turning around she encountered the man from the bar.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked impatiently.

"Me and you 'ave some unfinished business, missy..."

"Dream on," Hermione scoffed turning away. Before she got much farther though the man, grabbed her wrist and yanked her back.

"Now where were we?"

"Get your hands off me, you filth!" Hermione shouted, ripping her arm from his grasp and stepping back. But it only enraged the large man, as he smacked her across the face sending her sprawling. Looking up at the towering man, who had his wand pointed threateningly in her face, she gulped. It couldn't end like this, closing her eyes, she steeled herself.

"STUPEFY!"

Hermione raised her eyes in time to see the hulking man fall to the street, unconscious. Looking towards the direction the spell had come, she was surprised to see a familiar face.

"Ron?"

"Hermione," Ron exclaimed, surprise written all over his face, "What were you doing hanging around Knockturn Alley, let alone with Raphael Vonner?"

"I had some business with Mudungus, he had something of mine, and this guy," she said, pointing a finger at the man named Raphael, "attacked me."

"This guy happens to be a dark wizard we've been tracking for the last couple months. He's wanted for murdering a whole Muggle family," Ron told her, holding out a hand and pulling her up. Brushing dirt off her robes, she looked up only to realize that they were standing very close, and Ron was staring at her very earnestly, "Hermione...?"

Looking away awkwardly, Hermione said miserably, "Don't do this Ron, we've discussed this before, we just aren't right for each other..."

"You're right of course, like always," Ron muttered bitterly, before turning away and binding the man on the ground.

"Thanks for saving me..."

Ron grunted, before replying, "Yea, well you should be more careful."

Hermione watched as her once best friend pull the man to his feet and apparated. If only things had worked out different, but they had fallen out of love, or at least she had. Feeling the time turner through her pocket, she wondered if it was really worth it. Either way, she had started something, and she was going to finish it.

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