Chapter Four

It was only a few minutes later that Hermione found herself in the Room of Requirement. "Wasn't this place destroyed?"

Snape didn't answer her. Instead he just walked around the perimeter of the room making sure that it was properly warded. Hermione didn't think that this was necessary in the strictest sense, but she was smart enough to know that it would be an argument that she would lose.

"Now Miss Granger," Snape said, "I am aware that there are obvious differences between our two worlds, but I am uncertain of their extent. Suffice to say, in this world you are in danger. You are extremely lucky that I was the one who found you otherwise you would be very dead right now. Do you understand?"

Hermione nodded. She did understand. After all, the very fact that Snape was alive and still Headmaster of Hogwarts told her all that she needed to know about the outcome of the final battle. Her heart gave a squeeze for Ron and Harry and herself. She had no idea if any of them were alive in this world and it saddened her to think that perhaps they had all been killed.

The fact that Snape was helping her still boggled the mind, however. She knew intellectually that he was on their side all along, but to see him without her previous prejudices was really quite amazing. Not that she would ever admit it out loud.

"You will stay here and I will have a House Elf deliver food as soon as possible. Do you have any questions?" he asked wryly.

Hermione nearly choked when she realized that Snape had made a joke at her expense. "So Volde…"

"Don't say his name you idiot girl," he hissed at her.

"Sorry," she mumbled, more than a little embarrassed. "I forgot."

"Slip-ups like that will get both of us killed. Consider being more careful in the future for both of our sakes."

Hermione nodded and she saw Snape relax. "So You-Know-Who won the war?" She needed confirmation of her suspicions.

"Yes he did."

"And now?"

Snape gave a humourless laugh. "Would you believe that he is not even in power? He won the war but that was not enough" Snape shook his head. "With all his Horcuxes gone he attempted to make another. And do you know what happens when you divide your soul one too many times Miss Granger?"

"I haven't the pleasure."

Snape quirked his lips so quickly that Hermione was not really sure he had. "What happens, Miss Granger, is that the soul disintegrates. The Dark Lord killed himself in his attempt to make himself immortal. Ironic, really."

"If he is dead, why can't I say Voldemmmmmm….?" Hermione instantly found a binding over her mouth.

"Because Miss Granger, I said the Dark Lord is dead, but he is far from being defeated. He may have had full control over the Wizarding World for only a few months but that was more than a sufficient amount of time in which to completely entrench a new government, a new police force, and an entire new set of laws."

"Are people fighting back?" Hermione asked outraged, having successfully removed the binding.

Snape sneered. "Of course we are fighting back, Miss Granger! We have been for seven years now, but in case you haven't realized it, the movement isn't exactly popular."

"And why not?"

"We have peace Miss Granger. It might not be the sort of peace everyone wanted, but for most of us it is more than enough."

Hermione tried to blink back tears, but she could feel them sliding down her cheeks. "And Ron? Harry? Ginny?" Me?

"That's enough for now. I'm sick of you and your incessant questioning. I do have better things to do than babysit you."

"I'm sure you do, Headmaster."

"Well, goodnight Miss Granger. I will see you sometime tomorrow. In the meantime do your best not to get us all killed." And then Snape was gone and Hermione was left alone with her thoughts. And somehow that was worse.


When Hermione had not returned from work, Ron wasn't all that worried. Lately it had become typical behaviour for her. When she wasn't home by midnight he started to fume and curse and drink.

It wasn't until she didn't show up in the morning that he began to worry. At first he was sure that she had left him. After all, why would she stay? She was beautiful and intelligent and was far more successful than he could ever hope to be. But he knew her. She wasn't a coward and she would not leave without at least some goodbye or explanation. Knowing Hermione such an explanation would involve diagrams. And charts. Ron would never again underestimate the power of charts.

When he received an owl from the Ministry inquiring after her whereabouts, Ron sprang into action. He sent an owl to everyone he could possibly think of asking if they had seen her. He received a multitude of "No's" from nearly everyone and expressions of concern form Harry and Ginny and others. Only Headmistress McGonagall's response seemed promising.

Harry arrived moments after Ron had received the last response. "Have you found her yet?" he asked anxiously.

Ron shook his head. "No, but McGonagall says that Hermione asked permission to use Potion's equipment at Hogwarts last night. I'm heading over there now."

"I'm coming with you," said Harry.

"Do you think she's okay?"

Harry looked grim. "I hope so, Ron. I hope so."


When Snape returned to his office, Hermione- his Hermione- was waiting. She was sitting in his chair, her chin in her hands and her eyes half closed. He studied her for a moment. She looked different than she used to. Older, of course, not just due to her age but to the hardships she had faced in recent years. Her once long curly hair was cropped close to her head. It was a complete mess, but then again she had shorn it off herself because her hair had made her too distinguishable on the battle field. There was a scar on her face- it started just under her left eye, ran diagonally across her nose and ended just above the right corner of her lips. He knew that it was a Sectumsempra that had done it and he often felt twinges of guilt: both for not being there to heal her when it happened and for creating the damn spell in the first place.

"So what's the verdict?" she asked, snapping him out of his reverie.

"She seems to be you from an alternate universe."

"Is that supposed to be some sort of lark?"

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've just spent the last two hours with that insufferable chit and that's seems to be the best explanation that I could come up with."

Hermione looked thoughtful. "By all rights, that should not be possible."

"I think that that has been fairly well established," Snape said dryly.

Hermione stood. "I want to talk to her."

"Absolutely not. I forbid it."

"You forbid it?"

"I do. If you attempt to disobey me you will find yourself removed from this school faster than you can blink."

Hermione crossed her arms. "I'd like to see you try."

"You have to understand the inherent danger in meeting her. You know that when you travel in time you have to ensure that you are not seen by your past self. I don't see how this is any different."

"It is different." Hermione sighed. "I say we bring her to the Order and let them decide."

Snape nodded. "We will have to. She cannot stay here. I have her tucked away in the Room of Requirement, but I cannot guarantee that she will not be found. It is not a permanent solution."

"Okay, so we transport her to a safe house tomorrow."

"And after that?"

"I don't know Severus! There's not exactly a standard way of dealing with this, now is this?" Hermione dropped her face into her hands. "What are we going to do?"

Snape wished he could reassure her; that he say the words and complete the actions that would relieve her anger and frustration. Yet he could not. "Have you decided who will transport the girl?"

Hermione looked up. "Me, of course. I still have some Polyjuice that I can use."

He gave her a scornful look. "No, there are too many things that can go wrong. I suggest you send the Weasley boy."

"Ron? Now I know you're having me on."

"I'm perfectly serious. He is competent enough." It was only when he finished speaking that he saw realization dawning on her face. He knew then that Hermione had seen through his plan. He cursed himself for using the word 'competent' in any way to describe Ron Weasley; it must have been a clear giveaway of his ulterior motives. He had been sloppy and he would pay dearly for that.

"Are you trying to set up the other me with Ron?" Snape looked away, carefully schooling the guilt from his face. "That's just disturbing Severus. What the bloody hell are you thinking?"

"That maybe that boy would finally leave you alone."

"I'm going to do us both a favour and pretend the last part of this conversation never happened. Instead, I'm going to the adult here, compromise, and send Ginny."

"That is acceptable."

"Good, because I was going to do so whether you cared for it or not."

"Yes, you're a shining beacon of maturity."

"Comparatively, yes." Hermione walked toward him, and he stilled as she placed her hands on his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. She cocked her head to the side, never breaking eye contact. "But you knew that."

"You should go," he managed. He found it strange how she could take an argument and turn it into playful flirting.

"I really should. They're expecting me back tonight."

"And what did you tell them?"

"I told them that my spy had some valuable information and that I would return as soon as possible."

He dipped his head lower. "And they still don't realize that I'm your spy?"

Hermione gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze and propped herself up on her tiptoes. "They're a lovely, if somewhat close-minded bunch, who despise you so much that even if I told them the truth they would never believe it."

"I see. Well, we wouldn't want them to worry."

"No, I suppose not," she said, but Snape could only concentrate on how near she was. He closed the minuscule distance between them and grazed his lips softly against hers. She let out a groan of frustration before she deepened the kiss. He noticed with a kind of curious detachment how one hand twined itself in his hair and how the other gripped the back of his neck.

Hermione broke the kiss. "Severus, I really do have to leave."

"I know."

She stepped back from his arms and smiled up at him. "It won't be forever you know. It's just until the War is over." Snape inclined his head, as if he was agreement. He knew that her words were empty ones, but it was a ritual they went through for reasons that he couldn't even begin to fathom. He never examined it too closely because of what he might find.

She picked up her invisibility cloak and wrapped it around her. "I'll send you a message after I discuss things with the Order."

"Certainly."

Hermione looked uncertain and she seemed as though she wanted to say something but stayed silent.

"Why are you still here?" he snapped. Hermione gave him a withering look before placing the invisibility cloak over her head. He heard her footsteps, saw the door open and close and he very much felt as her presence left the room. He was left alone with nothing but his thoughts. And somehow that was worse.


A/N: Thanks to everyone who is taking time to follow this story! Also, I usually update on Thursdays, but Chapter Five might be a bit later than normal because and I will be without the internet for a few days. Plus exams! And papers! And Nanowrimo (which seemed like a good idea at the time)! And then more exams! And then sleep!