Disclaimer: Harry Potter and related characters contained herein are not my property. The words, order in which they are placed and other ideas are, however, mine, as well as any original characters and the characterisation of Hermione as an adult. Please ask before borrowing.
The dates may be slightly skewed; I'm going on the basis that Hermione was born 19 September 1980, graduated Hogwarts June 1998, and began NEWT-level classes September 1996.
CHAPTER ONE
"Albus! How are you?" A young woman stepped through the bright green flames that had roared up in Albus Dumbledore's fireplace.
He did a double take as he stood to greet her. "Excuse me, I don't believe I recognise you..."
She laughed gaily as she rounded Albus' desk to hug him in greeting. "Oh, Albus. It's so good to see you. I hope everything's alright around here."
"I'm sorry, I really don't know who you are..."
"ALBUS!" roared a new voice, storming in, and the woman whirled around, taking steps towards the door, her burgundy robes releasing the dusting of soot that she'd received coming through the Floo. She'd already drawn her wand, but her wand arm dropped to her side when she recognised the 'intruder'.
"Oh, my. Severus, what are you doing here?"
"Excuse me." He pushed her aside as he entered. "Albus, just what do you think you are doing? Neville Longbottom? In my NEWTs Potions class?"
"Oh, my." The woman said again. "This cannot be right. Severus, what are you talking about? This was twelve years a..." she trailed off as she realised. "...go. Oh, dear," she said. "Something's gone terribly wrong."
"My dear...who are you?" Albus completely ignored Severus and rounded his desk to approach her. "I'm afraid I don't seem to recongise you."
The brunette took in a deep breath. "Um, Se - Professor Snape, I..."
"Severus, please excuse us." Albus dismissed his Potions Master with a wave of the hand and grumbling, Severus stalked out of the room, much resembling a bat.
"I...Oh, my." The woman said once more. "Something's dreadfully wrong."
"Who are you?" Albus asked once more, his face kind.
"I'm Hermione Granger, sir. And Neville Longbottom was admitted to Severus Snape's NEWT-level Potions class twelve years ago."
"Twelve years?" Albus repeated incredulously, readjusting his spectacles. "Twelve years, you say. So this makes you the Hermione Granger of 2008."
"Yes, Headmaster. I'm 27 years old. I graduated from Hogwarts ten years ago."
"Oh, dear. This is a problem. I don't suppose you know how you can get back?"
Hermione blinked as her normally warm, now troubled, brown eyes darted around, taking in the sights of everything around her, then turned downwards as she twisted her hands. "There ought to be a potion. Unless the...but it hasn't," she mumbled to herself, blinking rapidly as she tried to work things out in her head. "No. A potion might work but I would have to...and that would be terrible, wouldn't work at all. I don't know what I'm going to do...I..."
"Hermione. Please."
Hermione looked up, startled, at Albus. "I'm sorry. No, I don't. And I don't remember anything about my future self coming back in my sixth year...I must admit I'm at a loss."
"Easily remedied. What do you remember about your sixth year? Significant changes."
"I...I had thought about going back onto a Time Turner schedule but then realised I didn't need it...I was taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes as my electives, as well as everything else save Divination-" she scowled "-and Muggle Studies...I...oh!"
"What is it?"
"Professor Vector went on sabbatical! We had a spectacular new Arithmancy teacher, I think her name was...how odd, I don't remember..."
"Vanessa is not on sabbatical this term. She has expressed some interest in taking one, of course, she has a standing offer to study with her old University professors for a Mistress title.."
"I am an Arithmancy Mistress." Hermione said abruptly.
"You are? No doubt Vanessa will be thrilled." Albus steepled his fingers. "Minerva, however, will be disappointed..."
"I'm working towards Transfiguration," admitted Hermione. "Although I...I do have a Potions Mistress title as well, Sev...my husband..." she trailed off and stopped. "I suppose I shouldn't be telling you that."
"No, no, not at all, my dear.
"If Professor Vector is not on sabbatical this term, then perhaps she can go on sabbatical?" Albus continued. "You remember Vanessa as being on sabbatical and having a new Arithmancy professor. Perhaps you are the new professor?"
"She...was an Arithmancy Mistress," Hermione said haltingly. "She was my inspiration, really."
"Then that will be it."
Hermione looked worried. "Is there time to do that? What's the date?"
"Today is 16 August," said Albus. "You have a few weeks. I'm sure Vanessa will be thrilled. There is the...small matter...of your appearance. Although I did not see it right away, I have no doubt Harry and Ron would."
"I can sustain a glamour," offered Hermione. "Something you will discover this term, no doubt...I am - Hermione Granger is - Dusang."
"Of the Blood? Are you sure? It is so rare nowadays, especially in those who are Muggleborn."
Hermione had the grace not to look affronted. "Yes. I am Dusang. I can maintain the glamour for months on end, if need be, without much exertion on my part."
Albus looked uncomfortable. "And this is how you would change your appearance? It is not an option many would choose. I can offer you Polyjuice."
Hermione looked vaguely concerned with that idea, and shook her head. "No, it's quite alright, Albus." She smiled lopsidedly and pushed a hand through her hair. "I would really rather stay away from Polyjuice, if it's all the same, simply because..." Because I do not want to be a cat again, she wanted to add, but instead continued by saying, "Because it's so inconvenient, having to take the potion every hour." She smiled again. "I will use the glamour."
"Very well, then. I will speak with Vanessa. You may temporarily reside in the Gryffindor Head Girl's quarters - surely you remember that the Head Girl in your sixth year was a Ravenclaw. As such, the password is the same as the first password we gave you." Albus walked Hermione to the door of his office. "After I make the appropriate arrangements with Vanessa, I will contact you for finalisation."
"Thank you, Albus. I'll see you later, then." Hermione strode out the door, brushing past a very irritated Severus Snape on her way out.
And she wondered how she would ever be able to make it work.
End Chapter One
The dates may be slightly skewed; I'm going on the basis that Hermione was born 19 September 1980, graduated Hogwarts June 1998, and began NEWT-level classes September 1996.
CHAPTER ONE
"Albus! How are you?" A young woman stepped through the bright green flames that had roared up in Albus Dumbledore's fireplace.
He did a double take as he stood to greet her. "Excuse me, I don't believe I recognise you..."
She laughed gaily as she rounded Albus' desk to hug him in greeting. "Oh, Albus. It's so good to see you. I hope everything's alright around here."
"I'm sorry, I really don't know who you are..."
"ALBUS!" roared a new voice, storming in, and the woman whirled around, taking steps towards the door, her burgundy robes releasing the dusting of soot that she'd received coming through the Floo. She'd already drawn her wand, but her wand arm dropped to her side when she recognised the 'intruder'.
"Oh, my. Severus, what are you doing here?"
"Excuse me." He pushed her aside as he entered. "Albus, just what do you think you are doing? Neville Longbottom? In my NEWTs Potions class?"
"Oh, my." The woman said again. "This cannot be right. Severus, what are you talking about? This was twelve years a..." she trailed off as she realised. "...go. Oh, dear," she said. "Something's gone terribly wrong."
"My dear...who are you?" Albus completely ignored Severus and rounded his desk to approach her. "I'm afraid I don't seem to recongise you."
The brunette took in a deep breath. "Um, Se - Professor Snape, I..."
"Severus, please excuse us." Albus dismissed his Potions Master with a wave of the hand and grumbling, Severus stalked out of the room, much resembling a bat.
"I...Oh, my." The woman said once more. "Something's dreadfully wrong."
"Who are you?" Albus asked once more, his face kind.
"I'm Hermione Granger, sir. And Neville Longbottom was admitted to Severus Snape's NEWT-level Potions class twelve years ago."
"Twelve years?" Albus repeated incredulously, readjusting his spectacles. "Twelve years, you say. So this makes you the Hermione Granger of 2008."
"Yes, Headmaster. I'm 27 years old. I graduated from Hogwarts ten years ago."
"Oh, dear. This is a problem. I don't suppose you know how you can get back?"
Hermione blinked as her normally warm, now troubled, brown eyes darted around, taking in the sights of everything around her, then turned downwards as she twisted her hands. "There ought to be a potion. Unless the...but it hasn't," she mumbled to herself, blinking rapidly as she tried to work things out in her head. "No. A potion might work but I would have to...and that would be terrible, wouldn't work at all. I don't know what I'm going to do...I..."
"Hermione. Please."
Hermione looked up, startled, at Albus. "I'm sorry. No, I don't. And I don't remember anything about my future self coming back in my sixth year...I must admit I'm at a loss."
"Easily remedied. What do you remember about your sixth year? Significant changes."
"I...I had thought about going back onto a Time Turner schedule but then realised I didn't need it...I was taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes as my electives, as well as everything else save Divination-" she scowled "-and Muggle Studies...I...oh!"
"What is it?"
"Professor Vector went on sabbatical! We had a spectacular new Arithmancy teacher, I think her name was...how odd, I don't remember..."
"Vanessa is not on sabbatical this term. She has expressed some interest in taking one, of course, she has a standing offer to study with her old University professors for a Mistress title.."
"I am an Arithmancy Mistress." Hermione said abruptly.
"You are? No doubt Vanessa will be thrilled." Albus steepled his fingers. "Minerva, however, will be disappointed..."
"I'm working towards Transfiguration," admitted Hermione. "Although I...I do have a Potions Mistress title as well, Sev...my husband..." she trailed off and stopped. "I suppose I shouldn't be telling you that."
"No, no, not at all, my dear.
"If Professor Vector is not on sabbatical this term, then perhaps she can go on sabbatical?" Albus continued. "You remember Vanessa as being on sabbatical and having a new Arithmancy professor. Perhaps you are the new professor?"
"She...was an Arithmancy Mistress," Hermione said haltingly. "She was my inspiration, really."
"Then that will be it."
Hermione looked worried. "Is there time to do that? What's the date?"
"Today is 16 August," said Albus. "You have a few weeks. I'm sure Vanessa will be thrilled. There is the...small matter...of your appearance. Although I did not see it right away, I have no doubt Harry and Ron would."
"I can sustain a glamour," offered Hermione. "Something you will discover this term, no doubt...I am - Hermione Granger is - Dusang."
"Of the Blood? Are you sure? It is so rare nowadays, especially in those who are Muggleborn."
Hermione had the grace not to look affronted. "Yes. I am Dusang. I can maintain the glamour for months on end, if need be, without much exertion on my part."
Albus looked uncomfortable. "And this is how you would change your appearance? It is not an option many would choose. I can offer you Polyjuice."
Hermione looked vaguely concerned with that idea, and shook her head. "No, it's quite alright, Albus." She smiled lopsidedly and pushed a hand through her hair. "I would really rather stay away from Polyjuice, if it's all the same, simply because..." Because I do not want to be a cat again, she wanted to add, but instead continued by saying, "Because it's so inconvenient, having to take the potion every hour." She smiled again. "I will use the glamour."
"Very well, then. I will speak with Vanessa. You may temporarily reside in the Gryffindor Head Girl's quarters - surely you remember that the Head Girl in your sixth year was a Ravenclaw. As such, the password is the same as the first password we gave you." Albus walked Hermione to the door of his office. "After I make the appropriate arrangements with Vanessa, I will contact you for finalisation."
"Thank you, Albus. I'll see you later, then." Hermione strode out the door, brushing past a very irritated Severus Snape on her way out.
And she wondered how she would ever be able to make it work.
End Chapter One