Okay, I'm really happy with all my reviews, but because I start school soon, the updates are going to come less often. I still have summer work to finish! Anywho, here's the next chappie!

Chapter Seven: Back to Hogwarts

Hermione smiled as she looked down upon Hogwarts School. It had been over twenty years since that day. She went away to a small wizarding town in America, where Severus wrote to her frequently. She had already explained that she couldn't write back, but it didn't take away the pain when his letters became less and less frequent.

But now, she had come back. Dumbledore had offered her the job of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but had told her not to arrive until September second, lest she run into her younger self. She was waiting for the exact moment when the Hermione of twenty-one years ago fell through the time slip. She was watching from behind a cloud as she hovered on her broom, a Nimbus Two Thousand and Five. She smiled as she remembered how Severus had taken her flying, and thus abolished all of her fears about flight.

Hermione watched as her younger self hit the bludger away, then as she fell, and as she disappeared. Hermione sighed, then flew around to the front door. She was supposed to meet Dumbledore in his office.

"Hermione," said Dumbledore with a broad smile on his face. "It has been a long time,"

"Yeah, it has. Too long. I've missed this old castle," Hermione smiled. "But I should be getting to work. I have lessons plans to write." She saw the knowing twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes. "And old acquaintances to greet. Oh, and I've changed my name to McKay. It was my mother's maiden name. So that no one in the older years would make the connection between my disappearance and, well, my arrival." She chuckled. "Either way, I do need to get to work. Classes start the day after tomorrow."

"Hermione," said Dumbledore, with that knowing smile. "Go see him."

Hermione smiled, and blushed. "It's been so long...Do you think he'll still want me?"

"Hermione, if you want my honest opinion, he missed you from the moment you left. You are the reason he is so cold. Even when he was in the dark lord's service, he was not like that. You need to go see him."

Severus sighed as he crumpled another sheet of parchment. It, like so many others, had started with the words, 'Dearest Hermione,' "Why do I do this to myself?" he asked to no one in particular. "I'm never going to see her again. She no doubt has forgotten me and married some handsome American. I don't know why I put myself through this torture." He threw the parchment in the fireplace and put his head facedown on his desk.

It had been twenty years, and he couldn't forget her. Every time she had appeared in his classroom, his heart had twanged. But he knew for a fact that she was now gone, back to meet him, and have him fall in love with her all over again. Maybe now, he could forget about her. Maybe he could move on...

"So, do you have a girlfriend now, or are you still playing iron shorts?" It couldn't be. She couldn't be here. Severus lifted his head from the desk. Hermione was standing at the door to his office, leaning against the doorframe with a smile on her face. He smiled broadly and practically leaped over his desk he was in such a rush to get to her.

She ran over to meet him halfway and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He kissed her back with as much force as she was and put his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. When they broke apart, Hermione rested her head on his chest and tightened her arms. "I missed you so, so much."

"I missed you more," he said, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I didn't think I was ever going to see you again. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, because I couldn't have come just to see you, right?" Hermione smiled and looked up into his eyes. "I'm the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Ah, once again, my attempts to get the job have been foiled." He hugged her tightly, then let his arms drop. "Though I think you are a much better candidate for the job." Hermione blushed slightly.

Severus smiled, and sighed happily. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. "I missed you," he said.

"You said that already." Hermione smiled. "Um, I only came down to let you know I was here...I have lesson plans to work on...so, I'll see you at dinner?"

Severus nodded, but was tempted to never, ever let her out of his sight again. "I'll see you at dinner."

The next two hours were completely bland for Hermione. She had finished this term's lesson plans in about half an hour, and was now practically banging her head against the wall in boredom. She wondered if she should go find Ron and Harry, but decided to get Dumbledore's advice before she did. And there was still an hour until dinner. She leaned back in her chair. She vaguely wondered if Harry and Ron had gotten her letter yet.

Hermione sat up straighter when she heard a knock on her office door. "Come in," she said pleasantly.

"Hermione?" said an older woman's voice from the door. Hermione looked up to see McGonagall standing in her doorway. Hermione rose from her seat and crossed the room to embrace her former professor in a friendly hug. "It has been a long time," said Minerva.

"Yes, probably too long. I would have come and saved you all from that awful Umbridge woman two years ago, if it weren't for the whole 'messing with my past' thing." she smiled. "So, Minerva, how have you been?"

"I have been fine, thank you for asking. And yourself?"

"I'm better than I have been in a long time," said Hermione, with a dreamy look on her face.

"Ah," said Minerva. "You've been to see Severus." She smiled as the younger woman blushed.

"Is it that obvious?" Hermione laughed as Minerva nodded. "I'm absolutely hopeless."

"Not hopeless. You're in love," said Minerva. Hermione laughed lightly.

"Aren't they the same?" the two women laughed. "I am glad to be back, though. It's odd to think that I haven't been here in over twenty years, but I was here just this morning." She had a thoughtful look on her face. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did, but feel free to ask again." Hermione smiled.

"What do you think I should do about Harry and Ron?" Minerva sighed.

"I think you should let them make the connection on their own. They're smart boys."

Hermione nodded. "They think I'm coming back in January. I'm sure when I don't, they'll be able to put two and two together." The two women talked for a while, then went down to dinner.

Hermione sat down beside Severus, who automatically put his arm around her waist. "You're lucky there's a tablecloth so the students can't see you, or I'd tell you to drop it," she said under her breath.

"No you wouldn't," he replied casually. Hermione smiled

"You're right. I wouldn't trade this for the world." They were talking in whispers, but McGonagall, who sat on Severus's other side, and Flitwick, who was siting next to Hermione, could hear.

"Neither would I."

"Oh, get a room," said McGonagall. Hermione blushed, but smiled.

"It's not my fault he won't keep his hands off me," she said, then began to eat.

Next Time:

"I'm not letting go of you ever again."

"Severus, I've been thinking..." Hermione looked down at the ground. "About what you said to me the day we graduated..."

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