Author's note: Reviews are much appreciated. :)

Chapter 4

Minerva had asked Hermione one afternoon when her birthday was.

She'd gone back in time on the 19:th of May 2001, which is 4 months from her birthday. So you add those days to September 19:th. And then you have to take away 2*365*(5/7) hours away from that (for she'd used her timeturner in her third year). January 29:th – approximately 22 days makes... the 7:th of January.

So that's when she'd turn 22.

She told Minerva as much when they one afternoon sat in one of the corners of the teachers' lounge.

"Well, Jane," said Minerva, for she, Severus and Albus had all adopted that name for her when outside absolute privacy, "would you like a birthday party? I know you've been a bit lonely, without all of your friends."

She smiled, quite happy that Minerva would even think to ask. "I think it's a bit early to even contemplate that. But I guess something a bit toned-down, not too big would be nice. Actually, I think I know what I want to do for my birthday." Now, a plan was forming.

Severus had just entered the teachers lounge, with a bunch of papers under his arm. Hermione had recently found out just how much time was spent grading. Minerva quickly waved him over, and so he sat down in an armchair nearby, sighing heavily and rolling his eyes. "What?"

"Jane has her birthday in January. We were thinking of having a little celebration – Jane was just about to tell me what she wanted to do."

Severus glanced over at her, "What date is your birthday nowadays, anyway?"

"The 7:th. I just did the maths."

Minerva nudged him, and he just rolled his eyes yet again. Minerva then said, "Severus has his birthday on the 9:th."

Hermione turned to him. "You do?"

"No, Minerva is lying through her teeth. I have no such thing as a 'birthday'." Sarcasm was dripping from the words.

She grinned. "So you do!"

Minerva snorted and punched his arm, " Now, how old, pray tell, are you turning?"

He glared at her and pursed his lips. "You know that, Minerva."

"Yes, well, she doesn't know," at this she pointed at Hermione, "or do you?"

She shrugged, "I may or may not be aware of the fact that he's turning 37." Severus glared at her.

She found it quite startling, to be honest, how old he looked to be when compared with his older self. Before she'd gone back in time she'd seen him as 41, and here he was almost five years younger than that. He was somewhat slimmer, and his hair was a bit longer and much greasier. He looked fairly exhausted and anaemic, which he despite the impending Final Battle hadn't looked in the future. Oh! And one mustn't forget the lack of glasses. Hermione had always adored his glasses.

She smiled and turned to Minerva. "I was wondering whether there's any way to watch a film here at Hogwarts?"

Minerva burst into a smile, "Well, of course. What do you wish to see?"

So many good movies, so little time. "How about GoodFellas?"

Severus clearly knew this one, for he questioned, "Scorsese?". Now, that little question was a step in the right direction, wasn't it? It meant that we was willing to communicate with her further than a simple: 'I trust that you command the tiny modicum of intelligence needed to understand [some weird method in potioneering].' Problem is, she always felt the need to ask questions.

Anyway, now Severus was giving her an opening. "That, my friend, is correct!" Did he flinch at being called a friend? Oh, well. She'd rub it in his face for as long as he continued to be mean.

"How many should attend the viewing?" asked Minerva, cutting off her path of asking Severus which Scorsese film was his favourite.

"Well... to be honest I don't really care for anyone other than you and Severus to be there. I may know the others, but they'd just view it as weird if 'Jane Blue' invited them to her birthday party. And I'm not all that fond of Dumbledore. So... do you two want to come?"

Minerva nodded empathetically, but Severus shook his head. Then Minerva punched Severus in the arm, lightly of course, and he muttered that, "I may have plans already."

"What plans do you have then?" Minerva asked.

"Something might come up!"

Hermione couldn't help feeling a bit sad over the fact that Severus didn't yet want to spend time with her.

A cauldron exploded.

Hermione saw this, and tried to get under the table as quickly as possible. Her impulsive thought went as follows: Fuck. A splash of purple liquid landed on her hand. Now, it wasn't like she swore often, but every once in a while the occasion allowed for it.

Neville had added the wrong ingredient at the wrong time, it would seem.

She climbed out from under the table, careful not to get any more of the liquid on her as she did so. As good as everybody in the classroom had gotten some of the botched potion on them.

Ron had a purple stain in the middle of his forehead, and just so happened to be the first one to speak, "Quack-quack. I wonder what it'd be like to be a duck for a day? I kinda want to try it."

A few people giggled at that.

Then Miss Blue spoke, "It's bound to happen soon." Even more giggles erupted in the classroom.

Professor Snape pinched his nose and then tried to speak. "I wonder if I've still got that bright orange pencil somewhere. It'd be perfect for the way in which the light would reflect upon – Longbottom." By now the Professor looked ready to explode.

Neville jumped. "I swear it's supposed to be spider legs now. It's got to be."

Hermione raised her hand, an idea forming in her mind. Snape simply nodded dejectedly at her. "Fuck?" she asked in a curious tone.

Harry started laughing behind her, and then pounded her back whilst chortling, "It's okay to be gay, even though I'm not."

And then Malfoy spoke, "Snape is one lucky man!" And then he blushed.

Lavender spoke next, "I mean, I kinda want to do him, but I don't wanna seem cheap? Is the fourth date late enough? I wonder when it'll happen..." Someone choked in the back of the classroom.

Miss Blue spoke once again, "It's bound to happen soon." Then she started giggling. She strode forward to the blackboard and summoned a few words. It read: 'We say the thing we last thought.'

As good as everyone who had spoken blushed – some more than others. Hermione mourned the fact that her days of reprimanding people for swearing probably were over.

After that they were all sent up to Madam Pomfrey.

Hermione hadn't seen her parents in a while now. Luckily she was currently scooping up Floo-powder in her hand and shouting out the name of the Floo station nearest her parents' house.

They wouldn't be surprised at the visit itself for she'd already sent them a letter, explaining how she'd gotten permission from Dumbledore to visit them on the coming Saturday. Her appearance might surprise them a tad bit, though. She was, after all, supposed to be seventeen. She shuddered at the thought of actually being that age again – the dreaded pimples! Of course, she still had some of those left.

Soon enough she'd walked from the station to the front of her parents' house. It was a nice house, two stories and with a garden. The brick walls meshed perfectly fine with the rose bushes surrounding the porch. It was really rather picturesque, and the kind of people you might imagine would live in such a house were exactly the people living in it. Two dentists, happily married for some twenty years now, with a daughter away attending a prestigious boarding school.

She knocked on the door, feeling surprisingly self-conscious. She was dressed in jeans, and a long sleeved shirt with an autumn jacket. There was absolutely nothing off about that. But she did look older.

Her dad opened the door, smiling at his daughter and hugging her before he noticed anything different about her. Her mum also missed the difference after she'd been led into the kitchen for afternoon tea. In fact, they didn't realize that something was different until everybody were seated, her parents sitting opposite her.

"Hermione dear, you look a bit odd," her mum proclaimed.

"Ha! If I do."

"What happened?" her dad asked, looking mildly concerned.

"Well. I went back in time a couple of years. I am twenty-one." The eyes of her parents' bulged. Hermione quickened up with the rest, "The younger version of me is still present, of course, and still seventeen. In fact, she is not yet aware of my existence." Hermione's parents seemed slightly horrified at the prospect of having two versions of you be present at once.

"And you are happy? That's what matters." Her mum looked and sounded overwhelmed.

"Yes. Do you recall the conflict I've told you about before? It turns out well."

"That's good, that's good," murmured her dad. "Helen, would you pass me the pie?" Her dad definitely was overwhelmed. At the (from Hermione's perspective seen) left side of the table stood a gorgeous looking blueberry pie with a golden crust. They all took a piece each. Hermione had always been of the opinion that there was nothing quite as good-tasting as blueberry pie – especially her dad's.

Her mum got an idea: "So, Hermione dear, do your father and I do anything fun in the coming years?"

Hermione smiled into her teacup. "Ever thought about visiting Australia? I believe you'd find it highly enjoyable."

Her mum and dad exchanged looks. "We were actually thinking about going there next summer. Will you be coming with us?"

"For a while, about two weeks. It'll be lovely. You stay another two weeks."

"Where will you be for the rest of the break?"

"Order headquarters, like last summer."

They both nodded. Her mum smiled gleefully, "So, how does school turn out? Do you finally escape that teacher you're constantly complaining about?" She was clearly trying to make a light-hearted joked.

She snorted into her tea. "Who, Severus?" Her dad looked at her questioningly. "Oh no, no." Her mum now also looked at her questioningly. "I apprentice for him right now! And he really isn't that bad." Okay, maybe he is.

"Not that bad? This is the Potion's teacher, right? You've said he's horrible and unfair." Her mum seemed genuinely confused.

"Well, but that's mainly because of the conflict – he's actually on our side, but acts as a spy. He's got a front to present. And I think he's warming up to me! Anyway, he and Minerva are the only people I really talk to nowadays. I haven't really had the time to establish a social life yet." Alright, so talking to Severus tends to be a bit one-sided, but I think he's actually low-key amused for most of it.

He dad piped up, "Minerva was the Transfiguration teacher, right? McGonagall?"

"Bingo!"

Her mum smiled, "So, think you'll go into teaching?"

"Honestly? I don't know. It's a lot of work, and the majority of the students are unwilling to learn. But it seems to hold a few moments of brilliance – Minerva teared up the other day when talking about this year's graduating class and how they'd all grown up so fast."

An hour or two later she stepped out of the house and couldn't help thinking: well, that went better than expected. The conversation they'd had had been quite wooden, but then again her parents were probably too shocked at the whole ordeal to function properly for now.