Severus, 1996

Severus was sound asleep in the most uncomfortable chair in the Hospital Wing when a soft whisper woke him. It wasn't a sound, exactly; more like a definite change in the atmosphere. Eyes snapping open, hand already on his wand, he leapt up and saw—her. Hermione.

"You came back much more quickly this time," he murmured, replacing his wand and stretching his sore muscles.

She did not answer him, for she was transfixed by the patient lying in the bed nearby. He cursed himself for not thinking to distract her sooner.

"She's so pale," Hermione whispered, reaching out to brush a curl away from her own face. The bandages around her chest extended all the way up to her shoulders, and the edges were lost beneath the cover of her shirt.

"Yes, well, you've—that is, she's—suffered quite an injury today." Severus stood beside the older Hermione and gazed down at the tiny slip of a girl now resting in the bed.

"You sat with me?" the older girl asked. His shoulders stiffened and he nodded reluctantly. She had caught him out. She was never meant to know that he had cared for her nearly round the clock after their foolish foray into the Department of Mysteries. "When I set the date for this visit, I knew I needed to catch you soon after our battle in the Ministry, but I never realized I would come to this moment because you were watching over me..." Her voice was soft, almost wondrous, and that was dangerous.

"There was no one else qualified to administer the multitude of potions and counterjinxes you required," he answered in his most cutting tone. He needed to discourage these ridiculous notions she was no doubt spinning in her head.

A small smile tipped her lips. "Well, I am quite glad you were qualified, Severus," she murmured as she placed a hand on his arm. Then she exhaled sharply, her gaunt but lovely face taking on a stony expression. "We have much to discuss tonight," she told him, and her tone did not encourage him to expect good news.

He gestured to a corner of the Hospital Wing away from the patient beds and followed her as she strode over. She was already talking in a whispered rush when he reached her.

"Were you able to test your potion on Arthur Weasley?" she asked anxiously.

"Yes. The antidote was not entirely successful, but I have been able to modify it based on Arthur's reactions, and I believe it should do in a pinch." To tell the truth, he had spent weeks and weeks analyzing Arthur's reactions to the administered antidote, and had even been able to try out three different modifications before Arthur had healed, so his notes on the subject were extensive.

"We're not talking about 'in a pinch', Severus!" Hermione growled, covering her eyes with one hand. His lips twitched at this familiar sign of her irritation. Familiar sign of irritation?, he asked himself. Since when have you noticed Her- Miss Granger's familiar signs of irritation? The answer to that question removed all traces of amusement from his thoughts. He would have to be more careful around the younger Miss Granger for the rest of her school years. He didn't want to give her misleading signals.

But clearly she cares for you anyway, a persuasive voice answered. She is here for you now, isn't she? Brushing the dangerous and far-too-tempting thoughts away, Severus focused on Hermione's words again.

"-no matter, I suppose; I can always travel back to the Shrieking Shack—I'm sorry. I'm rambling and really we have much more ground to cover before I fade back." She seemed to shake herself, closing her eyes and clearly trying to recall whatever notes she had no doubt written to herself in the future.

"In a few weeks, Dumbledore will gravely injure himself. You will be able to slow the inevitable conclusion, but, Severus—it will be a fatal injury. I fear that when Dumbledore learns of this, he will—he will ask of you something of which he has no right." The sadness in her eyes made him want to sweep her up in an embrace until she was happy again. The impulse was entirely unwelcome, however, and Severus reminded himself that she was currently his student, and her older self was only here because he apparently died at some point in the next few years. This reminder served to recall him to his usual intensity.

"And what is that?" he asked sharply.

"It's not my place to tell you, I'm afraid," she said sadly. "You'll know it when you hear it. And you will agree—and eventually execute—his wishes, because you're both too bloody committed to saving the world." Her growl warmed him in a way that nothing else ever had. Perhaps she really, truly did care about him.

"I tell you this, Severus, because after that day there will be a great deal of scrutiny on your every activity, from both sides. It is essential that your antidote is complete before the end of next school year, because...well, suffice it to say that Voldemort will become very interested in you after that point, and you cannot be seen to be openly defying him in any manner."

She paused to take a breath, and he struggled to absorb all the implications of her words. Dumbledore, injured and, if she was to be believed, dead within the year; Voldemort growing stronger and more openly powerful; himself, at the forefront of it all. It was a lot to take in, even for a seasoned spy.

"Am I to understand that-" His words were cut off by Hermione's quick lunge for his wand. His surprise at being disarmed was overridden with relief when he saw that she had mistaken her younger self for a more nefarious eavesdropper. As the younger girl crept forward, discovered, he heard Hermione swearing under her breath.

"Herm- Oh, that's too weird. What shall I call you?" Hermione asked the injured girl.

"I believe it would be most prudent for her to remain Miss Granger, and you shall remain Hermione," Severus supplied.

"Excellent. Miss Granger, please return to bed. I'm afraid this is one conversation that you cannot be privy to."

Severus added one raised eyebrow to Hermione's words to convey their message. The fifth year scampered back to her bed, eyes shooting daggers. Severus allowed himself one brief moment to be amused by the idea of the two Hermiones going head-to-head in a duel, but soon he forced himself to return his attention to the warrior angel currently hell-bent on saving him.

A/N: And poor Severus. He wants to believe that Hermione has come for him because she loves him, but he just has a FEW eensy teensy little things on his plate...and more coming. Still not JKR, because if I was her, I would have given Snape a lot more speaking lines, and he would have said 'prudent' in every other sentence.