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Chapter 37: The Truth is Out

"Mira!" came a chorus of loud voices from the Infirmary's entrance.

"Oh, great." muttered Severus, pulling away from Hermione's bed where they had been snogging for the last twenty minutes, lost in their own little world.

Hermione had not been allowed back to the Slytherin dormitories. Albus explained she was at too much risk there, being responsible for the arrest, maiming or death of so many members of their family. That they had brought it on themselves by following a madman that was little more than a terrorist did not seem to matter to them. Even Purrdita had been sent to the infirmary after a few attempts from the disgruntled snakes to hex her familiar, although the attackers had been the worse for wear, covered in scratches, fur and cat vomit.

"But how do they know it's me?" she had squeaked in terror when Albus had told her the school knew of her war-hero status. "I thought my identity would remain secret!"

"It was a secret, so, of course, the whole wizarding world knows about it. I'm afraid, Hermione, that in the euphoria of the celebrations, even the members of the Order did not feel the need to keep secrets any longer after Riddle's death. I have severely misjudged them, I am sorry."

After that, the corner the young woman occupied in the infirmary had needed special wards to repel

curious students, that wanted an autograph or to thank her, give her gifts or just touch The-Witch-Who-Slayed, as well as pesky reporters who somehow managed to break into the school grounds, wanting a scoop or at the very least, a photograph of the saviour of the wizarding world.

Being cooped up in the safety of these wards had felt like being imprisoned, despite the many visits from Severus during his free time and at meals which he always shared with her. The Slytherin had spent countless hours teasing her about being 'normal' now, and that she would have to rely on him to protect her like a damsel in distress.

The Marauders, Peter included, and Lily also came to visit, although they had been shy around her at first. It had taken much convincing that she was no different from before, for them to act as they always did, that is to say, loudly and exuberantly. Hermione also had the company of a tired werewolf for a few days, which they had spent reading and debating, much to Sirius and James' dismay whose idea of fun was very much different, especially in the company of a witch .

But today, after much convincing needed on Madam Pomfrey's part, she was allowed to leave the Hospital Wing for an individual room in an unused teacher's quarters. It had been six weeks now since the Final Battle and she was finally able enough to leave the infirmary on her own two feet.

"Ready to leave?" asked Remus after giving her a peck on her cheek, earning him a fierce glare from Severus in the process. "I can carry you if you want." he added, winking cheekily at her.

The Marauders and Lily had not been too surprised about her relationship with Severus, they had caught them in compromising situations more than once, but they did enjoy taunting her boyfriend, and never missed a chance to do so.

"If you're quite finished mauling my girlfriend, Lupin." growled the Slytherin.

The group left for the Great Hall, for Hermione's first meal outside the infirmary and her first public appearance since Voldemort's defeat. The others had wanted to come for moral support, which had not comforted the bushy-haired witch at all. She felt like she was surrounded by bodyguards. Actually, she didn't know what to expect, as she had made her godfather promise not to organize one of his extravagant feasts, parties or even speech in her honour. The old wizard had been a bit peeved but understood nonetheless.

As she approached the Great Hall, she could hear the usual clatter of cutlery on plates, the buzz of conversations mingled with a few laughs. Unfortunately, the familiar and reassuring background noise stopped as soon as she stepped through the door.

Severus held her tighter, his arms snaking around her waist, while the others fanned out on her sides. Hermione froze for a second, not knowing what to do. A fork fell on the ground from the Hufflepuff table somewhere and a tiny voice, probably a first year she thought, whooped in delight.

"It's her!" and started clapping and cheering at the same time.

Gradually the whole Hufflepuff table was standing in applause along with the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws. She blushed profusely, searching for a way to make them stop. The teachers would be of no help as they, too, were giving her a standing ovation. Defeated, she glanced at the Slytherin table and was surprised to see a number of them courageous enough to stand and praise one of their own. A few more had remained sitting and applauded politely while others seemed uncertain. As to be expected, over half of the table was sulking or glaring murderously at her.

Finally, Dumbledore raised his arms, asking for their attention.

"Yes, yes... We are very glad our hero has returned amongst us, and I will ask you to treat her as any other student, if only for the sake of not cluttering the hallways." A few students laughed at that. "Let us resume our meals then. Bon Appétit!"

One after another, the students sat back down and continued eating their fill, occasionally glancing back at the famous witch.

"You'd better come eat at our table." offered James, looking worriedly over at the Snake's table.

"Thanks but I think I'll sit with my own House. The Slytherins have probably been ostracised enough as it is. I guess they need my support right now, whether they want it or not." she countered.

The Marauders walked off reluctantly to the Gryffindor's table, Lily and Remus having to explain to the others what 'ostracise' meant.

"You're sure about this?" Severus whispered as they approached their seats, although his eyes gleamed with approval.

"No." she replied automatically, not needing to think it over as she had an irresistible urge to turn around and run out screaming. "But it's the right thing to do."

The Slytherins were surprised as they saw her approach and a few mouths hung open as she seated herself without apparent hesitation between Severus and a fourth-year boy who had scuttled over to make room.

However, the silence was ominous now and she almost missed the previous ear-splitting applause. She was starting to think maybe it wasn't such good idea when, during the meal, she caught the headmaster's eyes who gave her a swift nod of approval. When she ate her last bite and her plate vanished to the kitchens, most Slytherins had already left, no doubt to discuss what her presence amongst them meant and how it could serve them.

0°0°0°0

As it was a cold and grey Saturday in March, most students had elected to stay in their common rooms or Library. It was fine by Hermione because she had business to attend to outside and she'd rather no one followed her, except her close friends.

"Ooh!" she exclaimed surprised. "I've never seen this before."

They stood before four stone statues, which according to the emblems decorating them were indisputably the Four Founders of their school: Godric Gryffindor with a familiar hat and an ornate sword faced a sallow and haughty looking wizard with a snake coiled round his shoulders identifying him as Salazar Slytherin; in between them stood a plump looking witch she recognized as Helga Hufflepuff, since the statue was the twin of the one in the kitchens, and facing her was a beautiful witch with a thick braid and a tiara who must have been Rowena Ravenclaw.

"Oh, wow!" breathed out Sirius, resuming all their thoughts

Remus frowned, looking at the trail, the castle and Hagrid's hut in the distance several times.

"Mira? This may sound strange but I'm sure this is where we found you at the beginning of the school year. Except these statues weren't here, there were only a few small boulders lying about.

"Merlin, you're right Moony!" exclaimed James.

Hermione now understood why Albus had told her to bring the Gryffindors around when she visited the spot. The old wizard was probably right, this place was somehow her way back to the future.

"Mira?" Sirius stepped in, serious for once. "Are you going back?"

"What do you mean?" quizzed Lily.

"Yeah, Padfoot! Do you mean to tell us you've been keeping secrets?" quipped Remus.

"Yeah! Do you mean to tell us that you can keep secrets?" added James.

"Yeah! What they said." finished Peter.

"Um, well... I kind of found out something...and then I kind of forgot all about it. My bad." he answered sheepishly. "But it's not my secret to tell anyway."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "So much for saying you were smart, Sirius, honestly."

Four pair of eyes watched her intensely, as if, by watching very closely, they could find out her secret or make her say it. The witch turned to Severus, asking for his advice.

"They'll find out...eventually." he said with a shrug.

"I suppose... Maybe I should ask Albus about it."

"Isn't he the one who insisted you bring those pesky Gryffindors along? I think he meant for you to tell them, so you would have people on the other side waiting for you, if you needed..."

"Oh, now you've got to tell me, Mira!" insisted Lily.

After a silent debate with herself, Hermione decided to tell them the truth. The whole truth but with not so many gory details, they were only kids after all, and without the personal details pertaining to each of them. She had already changed the future beyond recognition, for the better, but she didn't need to go mess it up now that everything was over.

"I never believed in Seers." harrumphed Lily with her nose in the air.

"It does make more sense..." agreed James. "I can't believe I didn't see it, especially if Sirius did."

"Hey! I resent that." the handsome wizard pouted.

"If you're quite finished with your moronic bantering." interrupted Severus. He always got to a point where the Gryffindors' exuberance gave him a headache.

"Wait a minute..." Remus told them. "Snape knew about this?" The Slytherin couple nodded. "That you came from twenty years in the future?" Again, a nod. "And you're dating her!? You're like, old enough to be her father." he bellowed.

"Snape, you sly dog!" Sirius whistled, elbowing the glowering wizard playfully.

"Obviously, they're the same age now. So it doesn't matter, it's romantic really, finding love in another time." defended Lily.

"Actually, I'm a bit older than you right now." Hermione offered. "I was finishing my sixth year so I'm about two years older. Come on, you didn't think I'd duel Voldemort without at least being at OWL level, that's just not realistic."

"None of this is." muttered Remus. "So what will you do?"

"I'm not sure. I'm not even sure how to go about it, if I wanted to go back." she confided miserably, "I think I need to think about it."

°0°0°0°

Hermione had resumed a normal school-life, at least as normal as it could be with students ogling at her, trying to snap her picture, whispering behind her back and the odd hex thrown by those whose families had supported the dark wizard. The load of mail she got every morning by owl from grateful members of the wizarding community was so overwhelming that the headmaster was forced to detour the birds to Hagrid's hut, even three months after the events. The half-giant was more than happy to retrieve the mail and care for the birds, so she didn't mind it at all, especially since the owls got quite nasty if you didn't take their letter quick enough.

She had visited the House-Elves too, as soon as she could, and she was greeted warmly, although she wasn't Mistress Hufflepuff any more, just Miss Hermione. They had lost a few of their numbers, Noggy amongst them, who had become a hero they old stories about to the littlest House-Elves. The witch had entrusted Helga Hufflepuff's book back to them as they were the only ones who could apparate in the secret room now. Hermione felt like she was tying loose ends, as if she was preparing to leave. She didn't really want to, she realized the future as she knew it was lost to her, except maybe her parents. But something, some kind of force was tugging at her magical core, pulling her towards the Founder's statues and everyday, that pull became more and more difficult to resist.