CHAPTER THREE
When Hermione opened her eyes, she was on the floor, looking up at an enchanted sky. She could hear curious whispers, voices that were telling people to 'Move out of the way,' and a ringing in her ears. She was disoriented.
A hand came into her field of vision. A man's hand. The fingers snapped once. Twice. Three times. Gradually, the ringing went away and she was able to focus on the hand in front of her as she drew in deep breaths to ease the racing of her heart.
"It would seem that she is aware of her surroundings at last, Headmaster," drawled a voice sarcastically. She looked up with blurry eyes. Taking care to protect and Occlude her private thoughts from his prying gaze, she looked at him carefully, comparing his face with the memory of his dead body. Once she was satisfied that he wasn't injured, or dying, or being tortured, and that he was in generally good health — or as good health as she had ever seen him in, pale skin and all — she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
"Sir," she said, weakly. Her voice was hoarse.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" came the cold reply. Professor Snape watched Hermione warily, as though she had grown several extra heads.
"It's good to see you, sir." She smiled weakly.
Before he could say anything in response, she passed out.
The Great Hall was in an uproar. Had Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Know-It-All and Snape-skeptic, just spoken in positive terms about the dreaded Potions professor? The world had flipped upside down, or at least, Ron certainly thought so. Harry, if anything, was mainly worried for his dear friend. It wasn't like Hermione to faint in the Great Hall, after all.
The two young men went together to see her in the infirmary in the hours that followed, where they found her sleeping restlessly and fighting off a tenacious fever. Madame Pomfrey made several trips to and from the Potions stores with a concerned expression, while Professor Trelawney trailed closely behind her, insisting that she had 'Seen that this would happen' and that the whole event was 'a bad omen.'
Harry and Ron exchanged worried looks while Trelawney rambled on, and continued to look worried until Madame Pomfrey sternly told Professor Trelawney to 'Please leave the infirmary until further notice,' at which point both of the young men seemed to relax before the elderly matron's eyes.
"Sybill really is a harmless creature," said Madame Pomfrey placatingly as she tipped a purple vial of potion into a cup of pumpkin juice. "She means well."
Harry raised his eyebrows in uncertainty. "Riiight. Of course." He looked at Ron, who nodded encouragingly. "I'm sorry, erm, Madame Pomfrey, I was just wondering…"
"Yes, dear?"
"D'you know what happened to Hermione? I mean, why did she faint?"
Madame Pomfrey opened her mouth but was interrupted by another voice.
"That is an excellent question, Harry," said Albus Dumbledore from the doors of the infirmary. He walked forward — or rather, glided in his polka dotted robes — and twinkled at them all as he spoke. "Miss Granger is merely experiencing the consequences of sleep-deprivation and stress. She has been spending late hours of the night studying. I am certain that you are both quite familiar with the habit?"
When the boys nodded, Professor Dumbledore smiled, and the old man's grin seemed to light up his face like a Christmas tree. "Well, then you both must know that there is really no need for concern. A long nap and a Pepper-Up potion, and Miss Granger will be as good as new in no time at all," said the polka-dot-clad wizard.
Ron seemed reassured. Harry, however, did not look as convinced.
"But, sir, what if it happens again?" he said.
Professor Dumbledore's smile shrank, but only a little. "I believe, Harry, that we must cross that bridge when we come to it."
And with that, he patted both of the boys on their heads, offered them lemon drops — which he had magically summoned from his office — and when they politely declined the offer, he cheerfully popped one into his mouth, said 'Good day' to Madame Pomfrey, and glided off, humming the tune to a Muggle song on the way out.
Both Harry and Ron watched the wizard as he exited the room. At length, Ron spoke.
"Dumbledore's bonkers. Brilliant, but bonkers."
Harry's lips quirked up slightly at the joke. "Yeah, you mentioned that." He paused, then sighed. "Well, come on, Ron. Let's visit Hermione later. We've got a Potions class to go to."
Ron stopped walking, horror dawning on his face. "Merlin, Double Potions. With the Slytherins. And Snape." He shuddered.
Harry rubbed his forehead. "Tell me about it, mate."
Both of them seemed to have forgotten that Madame Pomfrey was in the room. She didn't mind, and she watched the two young men with a soft smile on her face as they left the infirmary, quietly and respectfully, before closing the doors behind them.
Not long after, Hermione woke up from her fever. The colour was slowly returning to her cheeks, and, aside from feeling slightly disoriented, there was nothing wrong with her at all. She could remember everything that had happened, of course. Especially those terrible memories…
"Oh, there you are, Miss Granger! Back to the world of the living."
Hermione looked up, startled. "Mm?"
"I'm terribly sorry to have scared you, dear, but you're awake, and that is excellent news," said Madame Pomfrey, giving her the cup of pumpkin juice she'd kept aside. "Here you are. This is an adaptation of Pepper-Up which should clear off any signs of that nasty fever you had — Professor Snape made it specifically for you, isn't that kind of him?"
Hermione nodded absently and accepted the cup before downing its contents. It tasted like cinnamon. She knew that Healing potions could have flavors, but had never experienced pleasant-tasting potions before.
She was suddenly reminded of her failed trial with her first batch of horrid-tasting Polyjuice Potion in second year, and shuddered at the memory of it. It really had tasted like goblin piss.
Hermione's thoughts were interrupted when Madame Pomfrey spoke again.
"And this one is Time-Traveller's Tonic. I don't understand it by all accounts, but it seems as though you were recently propelled into the future, Miss Granger. It was quite a violent jump, to be sure, judging by its effects on you, and a poorly executed jump at that."
Hermione, offended that Madame Pomfrey would think her first experience as a Seer was 'poorly executed,' opened her mouth to speak. Instead, she received a mouthful of Time-Traveller's Tonic. It tasted like peppermint. Odd.
Madame Pomfrey cheerfully went about her business, and ran one last check up before clearing Hermione for the day.
"You can go, dear. Your books and things were brought up to your dormitory by one of the house elves." She turned away, then changed her mind and spoke again. "Miss Granger…. mind that you watch your words around Professor Trelawney. As I was telling Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley not three quarters of an hour ago, she truly does mean well, but often can unknowingly be the cause of trouble. She likes to meddle in things that ought not to be meddled with."
Hermione smiled at those last words, which reminded her oddly of something Hagrid had once said. Oh, and Harry and Ron had visited her, that was nice of them.
She ignored what Madame Pomfrey said about Professor Trelawney, because after all, it had been her own vision that had caused her fainting spell, and not the Divination professor's.
"Thank you very much, Madame Pomfrey, for helping me, and for your what you said just now. I'll try to keep your advice in mind."
Of course, being the brightest witch of her age, Hermione had already memorized the Healer's words.
"Mm. See that you do," said Madame Pomfrey with a knowing look in her eyes. "Take care, dear."
With a smile and a nod, Hermione left the infirmary. She cast a quick Tempus with her watch, and her eyes widened. Only three o'clock? She could still make it for the last half-hour of Potions class! She Accio'ed her things from her dormitory and caught them expertly when they came soaring at her. Soon, she was on a mad dash to the Potions dungeons, hoping desperately that Professor Snape wouldn't murder her for being so late.
To Be Continued... Soon!
The Time-Traveller's Tonic is my idea.
Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!
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Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.
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