AN: Sorry this one took a bit longer. It was a bit of a fluffing chapter, and I had trouble getting through it. Thanks for the reviews! They inspire me to get it done faster (totally guilting you into writing reviews lol).

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Hermione stood in front of the floo with more trepidation than she had felt in a long time.

She almost laughed when she thought about how she was so weary about going to Diagon Alley with the boys and Dorea when she'd faced things that should be way worse than Dorea demanding Hermione find a new wardrobe. If she was being honest the only thing that had convinced her to go was that she knew a trip to Ollivander's was on the list.

She hadn't had a wand of her own in almost nine months.

She knew they were all waiting for her on the other end.

She looked down at what she was wearing. Hermione thought she looked awfully shabby.

James had dug through his closet to find all of his old clothes, and they eventually landed on a very old pair of muggle denim's with holes in the knees, another one of his old jumpers, and a pair of canvas sneakers with a hole in the toe.

She was sincerely regretting not letting Dorea brush her hair that morning like she'd wanted. It was a nest of frizz and curls. She was sure she looked more like a rabid animal than a teenage girl.

With one final sigh she forced herself to grab the floo powder and left for The Leaky Cauldron..

When she stumbled through the only one waiting for her there was Remus. She almost fell, but he reached for her shoulder to steady her.

When she was righted she blew a curl away from her face and looked around.

"Where'd they go?"

"Dorea said something suspicious about having to meet someone, and James and Sirius got bored waiting and ran off to Quality Quidditch Supplies."

She looked up at him at that, but he didn't look annoyed. "I'm sorry. I had trouble… convincing myself to come through I guess." He looked down and smiled kindly at her.

"It was barely a minute," he said.

She knew he was lying, and he knew he was lying. They both didn't speak up.

"Remus, how do you feel about heading to Flourish and Blott's before we find them?"

His small smile grew and a light blush spread across his cheeks. He held his elbow out for her to take.

"I think, that sounds great."

She was taken back for a moment. She thought about the Remus Lupin she remembered from her time. He had been a tousled, lonely, and private man. Now here he was standing in front of her. Fifteen and blushing.

It wasn't until he started shifting nervously that she snapped herself out of it to grab his elbow.

"Excellent!"

Her voice was shrill in her own ears, and she cringed.

The walk to the bookstore was quiet, and Hermione was fidgety. The sunlight was nice. She'd spent the last few days trying to acclimate to being outdoors. The first time she'd stepped outside to a cloudless sky and gust of wind, she had passed out. She'd woken up to James standing over her with a panicked expression.

Now she was doing much better, but the big open summer sky was still giving her anxiety. She thought she might have a touch of agoraphobia now.

She'd realized when James had reached down to pull her up after she'd passed out that physical touch grounded her. No one in Potter Manor had said anything about her constantly being in contact with them. Grabbing Charlus's or Dorea's elbow. Holding James's hand. Gripping the back of Sirius's shirt. Light fingers on Remus's wrist.

Her current grip on Remus's elbow was death-tight, and he must have realized her direction of thinking because he reached up with his other hand patted her hand in comfort. Once they got to the bookstore she started walking in the direction of books she thought might have information on time travel. She pulled to an abrupt stop when Remus started in the opposite direction. Her hand was still holding on to his elbow.

"Oh… um, I can come look with you over there if you'd like?"

He looked uncomfortable but honest. She tried for her most reassuring smile and slowly pulled her hand away. She gripped it with her own.

"No, that's okay. I'll be okay."

Then before she could change her mind she spun and bolted towards the section she'd originally been heading towards.

Dorea had given her some money, presumably for clothes, but Hermione had decided as soon as it had been given to her that she would use the majority on books.

Something that she hadn't had time to think about, but had been a silent weight on her shoulders was the particulars of the time travel she had done. What would happen when she was born in four years? What about if she makes it long enough for a younger her to show up at Hogwarts?

All of these things were questions she was sure Dumbledore would have the answer to, but she wanted to look for herself first.

Which is how she found herself nearly an hour later at the register with six heavy tomes in hand.

Once she'd purchased them she started looking around for Remus. They were supposed to meet Sirius, James, and Dorea in half an hour for lunch at The Leaky Cauldron.

"Remus?" She called. She was poking her head down every aisle and not paying attention to what was in front of her when something collided with her stack of books and they were shoved into her chest. If she had been at full strength she would've been able to catch herself, but she was still weak and rather fatigued. She put her hand out to catch herself as she hit the ground, and it twisted painfully. Her eyes watered at the burning feeling.

"Ouch!"

Her books were scattered on her lap and on the floor surrounding her.

"So sorry, I wasn't really looking where I was going," Hermione said breathlessly. She was holding her wrist when she looked up. Standing above her was a young Severus Snape. Just as greasy and hook-nosed as before. She masked the rage she felt. He's the one that will send her here. He's the one that will force her to abandon her friends when they needed her. A dark voice in the back of her mind whispered, He sent you away which means he could've gotten you out of there.

The tears in her eyes multiplied, and she tried to blink them away but young Snape definitely noticed.

He sneered.

"Crying over a little fall? How positively juvenile."

Then he turned around and left without another word.

She wanted to yell at him that she wasn't crying over that, but she knew there were zero situations with which that ended positively. Instead she carefully lifted herself to her knees.

She was sniffling on her knees and trying to pick up her books with one hand when Remus found her.

At first he just stood there with wide eyes not sure what to do. Remus may be considered a sensitive guy, but crying girls was not his forte. Especially, this crying girl who was always holding on to him like he mattered and seemed to be the only person he knew who had more scars than he did. He was racking his brain for things he thought might help, but then she looked up at him with shining eyes and said, "Would you mind giving me a hand with these? I sort of fell on my wrist."

He jumped into action and almost instantly had all six books balanced in on arm and was helping her up with his other.

"What happened, Hermione?" Once she was up she let go of him briefly to wipe at her eyes before reached for his wrist. Her fingers were resting there carefully like she was worried he'd pull away from her. Remus wouldn't.

"Do you know a Severus Snape?"

Hermione, of course, knew that he did, but she wanted to see his reaction. His brow furrowed, and his frown deepened.

"Did he knock you over?" He was leaning over and whispering like this was some kind of secret. Hermione pulled nervously on a stray curl, but winced when she felt a pang in her wrist.

She ignored him and said, "I landed on my wrist funny."

Remus sucked in a breath. "Right, best not tell Sirius and James then. They hate Snape, this would just be an excuse for them to start a fight with him when we go back to Hogwarts. Dorea knows some healing charms. I'm sure she'll be able to fix you up at lunch."

"I'll just tell them I fell."

Remus slid his hand out of her wrist and held out his elbow.

"We should probably go now."

Dorea, Sirius, and James were all nursing their own butterbeer at a booth in the corner when Hermione and Remus walked through the doors of the Leaky a few minutes later. Hermione took a seat next to Dorea while Remus took the spot next to Sirius. He set the books she'd purchased on the bench next to him.

Sirius and James were in the middle of some explanation about something they saw at the Quidditch Shop. Remus gave Hermione an imploring look that Hermione frowned at. Neither Sirius nor James seemed to notice when Hermione turned towards Dorea and held out her wrist.

"Mrs. Potter, would you mind healing this? I fell on it in Flourish and Blott's. I think it's just sprained."

Hermione was whispering and avoiding eye-contact.

"You know, Hermione, you can call me Mum if you'd like."

Hermione thought about her own mum, Jean, back in her time. Safe and obliviated somewhere in Australia the last she'd heard. She'd spent so much time thinking about Harry, Ron, and The Order, that she'd barely spared her own parents a thought. Guilt twisted through her. Dorea patted her hand before gently pulling her arm closer and pushing her sleeve up enough to see her swollen wrist.

"It's okay, dear. I understand." Hermione watched as Dorea whispered a charm and the pulsing in her wrist subsided.

"Thank you," she whispered. She turned back to the boys and saw them all watching her.

"So you fell?" Sirius looked suspicious. James just looked curious.

"Remus didn't catch you?" James asked and smirked at his blushing friend.

Sirius let out a barking laugh and slapped Remus on the back.

"I wasn't there when it happened!"

Remus was sputtering, but when he turned to look at Hermione he looked guilty.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I'm still a little clumsy." She waved her hand to dismiss them and then exclaimed, "Now let's get some food! I'm starving."

They all knew she was lying, but chose not to say anything. She still wasn't able to stomach normal amounts of food, but she really didn't want to think about how she'd seen Snape for the first time since he'd sent her back and turned her world completely upside down.

Once they'd gotten their food, James and Sirius continued to rant about the Quidditch shop. It only stopped when Dorea turned towards Hermione.

"Hermione, Dumbledore sent an owl. He'll be coming for a visit tonight."

Dorea gave her a look, and Hermione froze.

"What did he say in the note exactly?"

All boys were shocked at how quickly her voice had hardened. She wasn't the scarred girl with agoraphobia anymore. Remus marveled at how she could flip the switch so quickly just at the mention of their headmaster.

Dorea pulled a piece of parchment from her robes and tapped it with her wand before handing it to Hermione.

Miss Granger. It's time we speak on the best course of action. I'm sure you have questions as well. I will be at Potter Manor at precisely 7:00 p.m. this evening.

Hermione's nose scrunched up, and she angrily tore the parchment. The pieces fell towards the tabletop, and Hermione couldn't stop glaring at them. Dorea was the only one not a bit surprised when in a bout of accidental magic it turned to ash on the table. Hermione got over her surprise quickly and turned towards Dorea.

"Mrs. Potter, I'm afraid I'm a bit tired. Could we come back and get the rest of the shopping done another day?"

Dorea narrowed her eyes for a moment before conceding.

"Yes, alright.

She paid the bill, and they all stood. Hermione reached out for her books, but Remus was already holding them. He shook his head at her, but before she could react James had grabbed her hand and started walking towards the floo in the back.

When they got back Hermione asked Dorea for some parchment and quills before taking the books from Remus. All of the boys followed her as she started towards her room.

"Hermione are you quite alright? You're acting a little…" James trailed off.

"Batty?" Sirius supplied.

"Well, I was probably going to use nicer words than that, Sirius."

"I'm perfectly fine." Her voice sounded strained even to herself, but she just kept moving.

"Do you need any help with whatever it is you bought those books for?" Asked Remus.

She stopped walking abruptly.

Sirius, who was directly behind her slammed his hands against the wall so he wouldn't run into her. James, who was in the back and wasn't paying any attention at all slammed into Remus, who in turn slammed into Sirius. Before she knew it the three of them were in a pile at her feet. She looked down at them in surprise before bursting out laughing. All three boys looked gob-smacked for the umpteenth time that day. She walked the few feet to her room and paused in the doorway.

"Believe me, you lot couldn't help me if you tried."

After that she slammed and locked the door. She could hear them grumbling outside her door.

"James, get your hand off my arse!"

"No I quite like where I have my hand, Sirius."

"Well I don't!"

"Will you both stop it. James get up! I don't like being sandwiched in between you two prats like this."

Both boys snickered in response, and she heard Remus groan.

"Oh god, whatever you're thinking stop it!"

"Wait guys, did you hear her though? She laughed!" Sirius yelled. They had to know she could still hear them.

"Yeah I liked her laugh. She should do that more often," said James.

"Yes this is all good, but please just get off me, James." Remus sounded exhausted.

"Oh! Right."

After that she stopped listening and sat down on the ground to spread out everything she had.

She was not going into a meeting with Dumbledore without a plan. She had a lot of work to do.

AN: The next chapter should be interesting;) Also sorry (not sorry) for the dumbledore bashing that will take place in this fic. Please review and let me know what you think!