Chapter 5: Have We Met Before?
Over the next few days, Hermione fell into a comfortable rhythm. She would usually have tea with Albus, who would update her concerning his efforts with the Ministry. She could still recall the rather emotional floo call with Minister of Magic Arthur Weasley. Although he had been suspicious of her identity at first, by the end of the call both she and Arthur had been blubbering helplessly. She did have to admit that she felt better for having seen him. Her Arthur had died during that first attack on Hogwarts seven years ago, and she had missed him dreadfully. Dumbledore had seemed pleased at Arthur's reaction to seeing her alive, but had admonished him not to tell anyone of her presence until he had cleared her identity with the Ministry. Crestfallen, Arthur had reluctantly agreed with the Headmaster's suggestion. He then assured Hermione that he would have her "alive and well" in no time. Hermione still wasn't sure how Albus and Arthur intended to explain her sudden appearance, but allowed herself to be mollified when both men assured her that they had the situation well under control.
The rest of her days were spent researching the Latere potion in the library while scrupulously trying to avoid Snape. She had informed Dumbledore that she needed to get a hold of the manuscript concerning the Latere potion. She had a few suspicions about where he could find a copy, and he had quickly sent out several requests to expedite the matter. Hopefully, the Headmaster's connections would be able to secure a copy soon. Although she had made significant progress on her research concerning alternate realities, she wouldn't be able to make any headway on the potion without the manuscript.
Of course, her research would have benefited from an attempt to recreate the potion, but she didn't dare go near the dungeon. One occasion of having Snape breathing down her neck was more than enough. She did not want to deal with him if she didn't absolutely have to.
On the upside, she was coming to terms with her grief. For the first couple of nights she had cried herself to sleep, awaking to find her eyes puffy and glued together. Now, after almost a week since that fateful battle, she was starting to get control of her emotions. She still dreadfully missed everyone, especially Severus, but she was determined to start living this new life to the fullest. It was what Severus would have wanted her to do. Of course, seeing Snape lurking around every corner was putting a dint in her efforts, but she had resolved to ignore him- what else could she really do? She'd be relieved when the hols were over and classes would distract him.
Now, a week after her arrival, Hermione found herself getting ready to take her first jaunt outside the castle walls. She had been hesitant to do so before now, mostly due to old fears that she couldn't shake. In her world, leaving Hogwarts meant risking a Death Eater attack. It was strange to think of having complete freedom to do as she wished. Perks of a Dark Lord-free world, she guessed.
Her venture outside the walls had a purpose. Although Christmas had come and gone with little notice from Hermione, she still felt a need to get the Headmaster a gift. In truth, she had desperately tried to ignore the Christmas cheer around her. She had only been at Hogwarts for two days when the holiday arrived and had spent the majority of Christmas Day holed up in her room frantically trying not to collapse under the weight of her grief. So, with only two days until the New Year, Hermione was determined to steel herself against any further sniveling and bravely begin her new life with the advent of a new year.
So, in celebration of her resolution, Hermione wrapped herself up in a cloak that she had transfigured from one of the robes in her wardrobe and decided to take a walk into Hogsmeade. In addition to her gift for Albus, Hermione was also in desperate need of some new clothing. She hadn't been shopping as of yet, and her transfiguration skills had been stretched to the limit over the last few days. The few items of clothing that she had found in her wardrobe when Albus had first shown her to her rooms were starting to look a little threadbare from the constant charms she placed on them. Albus had recently graced her with a rather large bag of galleons- far more than she really felt comfortable accepting. The wizard had ignored her protestations, firmly pointing out that she needed it, a fact that Hermione really couldn't argue with. She could feel the sizeable purse jangle at her side as she made her way to Hogwarts' front gates.
As she approached the gates, Hermione felt a sense of unease settle over her. It was a beautiful, bright sunny day, but Hermione still felt as though a shadow had fallen over her. The last time she had been at those gates they had opened to reveal the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. While she logically knew that wasn't going to happen to her today, the anxiety she felt simply wouldn't lessen.
Still, she had been working herself up to this point for the past few days, and she refused to let her nervousness derail her plan. Pulling her cloak tighter, Hermione lifted her chin and stepped through the gates. Once outside she immediately tensed, coiled against the attack she was sure would come. When none was forthcoming, she finally allowed herself to relax infinitesimally.
The sun was glinting off the walls of the castle, and, while still cold, the brisk air was surprisingly refreshing. She set out towards Hogsmeade, determined to enjoy the day. Surprisingly, especially considering where the school was located, there was no snow on the ground to impede her progress, so Hermione soon found herself cresting the hill into Hogsmeade.
Both she and Albus had agreed that the likelihood of anyone recognizing her in Hogsmeade was slim; still, Hermione had allowed herself the comfort of a small disguise. She had spent most of the morning taming her hair reasonably flat, and had glamoured her eyes a light blue. The changes were subtle, but she hoped they would be sufficient enough that if anyone did recognize her, they would simply pass it off as coincidence. Looking around the small village, she briefly entertained the thought of stopping by Zonko's but quickly discounted the idea. Albus had mentioned something about the Weasley twins trying to buy out old man Zonko, and she didn't want to risk running into them. Instead, she headed towards Gladrags.
Stepping inside the small robe store, Hermione allowed herself a moment to warm back up. She then methodically set about choosing a few items to complete her wardrobe. Several items of undergarments and warm nightclothes were added to her ever-growing pile. The sales witch quickly helped her choose a couple pairs of shoes and slippers. Hermione was heading to the counter to settle up when her eye was caught by a glimpse of green velvet. She turned to find a gorgeous set of dress robes on the rack beside her. They were a dark, forest green with Celtic stitching. The first piece was a dress with a corseted bust with a fairly low neckline. The neckline and hems were stitched with Celtic runes in silver thread.
The matching robes were of the same rich velvet material as the dress and seemed to flow with a life of their own. Hermione was immediately entranced with the set; they reminded her of a set that Severus had purchased for her on their second anniversary. Hesitantly, she reached for the price tag, only to be pleasantly surprised to find that the price was only 45 galleons.
A little shocked to see such a low price on such a gorgeous set, Hermione gestured for the sales assistant. "Is this price correct?" she asked the woman.
"Yes, indeed. That was a special order that was never picked up. Our seamstress put it out this morning in a pique of aggravation. If you want it, I would suggest you grab it up before she changes her mind." Hermione was no fool and quickly handed the set to the sales witch to add to her purchases. She settled her bill and shrunk her packages. Tucking them into her pocket, she thanked the sales witch and stepped outside. A quick glance at the sun told Hermione that she still had a full day ahead of her. She was considering taking a brief stroll around the town when eyes fell on Dervish and Banges.
It had been a long time since Hermione had had the chance to indulge her love of books. The Dark Lord had long ago realized that he would need to destroy any avenues that the Order could take to gain the upper hand. One of his first moves had been to demolish the wizarding world's bookstores. If the Order couldn't find any information, he assumed they wouldn't be able to discover some grand curse or potion to destroy him. But in this world, she could have any book she desired. Hermione was soon entranced by the myriad of titles in the stacks before her, and, although she had intended to limit herself to books only concerning her current topics of research, she found herself grabbing books concerning all sorts of topics.
Several hours later, Hermione made her purchases. She had settled on a dozen books, including a Muggle book of nursery rhymes for Albus, which she had requested be floo'ed to Hogwarts via the Headmaster's office. She had to briefly shield her eyes as she stepped out into the afternoon sun; the store had been particularly dim. Not up to heading back to Hogwarts quite yet, Hermione decided to head to The Three Broomsticks. She was feeling a bit peckish and a butterbeer sounded fabulous.
She was soon settled comfortably at a secluded corner table. She ordered a butterbeer and a bowl of stew and soon tucked into her meal. Her thoughts a million miles away, Hermione never noticed the flame-haired witch a couple of tables away seated with a rather unassuming young man in his mid-twenties. Unheeded by Hermione, they frequently cast glances her way, the woman whispering furiously to her companion.
After only a few moments, the woman stood. The man tried to drag her back to the table, but soon found himself following her to Hermione's table.
Hermione was startled when the couple occupied the chairs in front of her. She stared at them for a moment, a feeling of unease settling in her chest. Although it had been many years since she had seen either of them, Hermione quickly recognized Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley.
"I'm sorry," Ginny began. "I don't mean to be rude by interrupting you, but you seem so familiar to me." Her tone was light but Hermione felt warning bells erupt in her head. The Ginny in her world was a Death Eater, one of the Dark Lord's most loyal servants. Could this Ginny be trusted?
Hermione willed herself to remain calm as she coolly replied, "You must be mistaken. I'm new to this area; I've never even visited this tavern before." It was, in essence, the truth.
Neville offered his apologies, clearly embarrassed at having interrupted her. "Come on, Ginny." he said. He tried to rise to leave, but was pulled back down by the red-haired witch. Hermione had to stifle a grin. She may be in a different world, but this Neville appeared to be just as shy and unsure of himself as the one she had known.
Ginny was speaking again. "I don't think so, Nev. I recognize this woman. I know I do." She was looking at Hermione with a piercing gaze when suddenly she pulled out her wand. "Finite Incantatem."
Hermione gasped as the glamour that had been disguising her eye colour faded. She leapt to her feet, causing the chair she had been sitting in to fall to the floor with a loud clatter. Ginny looked triumphant as she turned back to Neville. "I told you, Neville. I told you it was Hermione! Look at her! She's the bloody spitting image of her." Neville was now gaping openly at Hermione as well, his face white with shock.
"I…uh. I… How are you…" He didn't appear to be able to formulate a coherent sentence but that wasn't really a problem as Ginny appeared to be more than willing to make up for his failing.
"I knew it was you! Just how? Hermione, you have to tell me how you came to be here." By now the entire tavern was riveted by the scene being played out in front of them. Suddenly, Hermione felt a firm grip at her elbow and glanced up to see the stern visage of Severus Snape. She gave him a weak smile; for the first time since she'd arrived in this reality, Hermione actually felt relieved to see Snape.
In the meantime, Ginny had shut her mouth, surprised to see her ex-Professor. Neville had a look of complete horror on his face and, against all reason, had faded to an even paler shade than he had previously been.
"I think that is quite enough, Miss Weasley," Severus spat. "You have managed to make quite the scene here." With a glare around the tavern that soon convinced its occupants to go back to their own business, he turned his attention on Hermione.
"I suppose you are quite pleased with yourself. Your little stunt has attracted quite the publicity."
Hermione would have exploded if not for the lingering sense of gratitude she felt for the man's presence. Instead, she glared at him sternly. "I'm not the least bit interested in what you assume I was trying to do. I do however think that we should take this discussion elsewhere." With a pointed look at the now gaping Ginny and Neville, she continued in a whisper to Snape, "We should take this to the Headmaster's office."
She could tell that he intended to object until he noticed the patrons of the bar again looking interested in the drama. Curtly, he nodded. "Mr. Longbottom, Miss Weasley. If you would be so kind to accompany us to Hogwarts." Hermione snorted at the condescension in his voice, earning her a pointed glare from the man in question.
Ginny and Neville looked at each other briefly before nodding faintly. Neville and Hermione went to the bar to pay their tabs, and soon all four were heading towards Hogwarts in a tense silence.
Hermione could feel Ginny and Neville's eyes drilling into the back of her head as they made their way down the path from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. Hermione found herself walking beside Snape, her gate easily matching his familiar rhythm. She really didn't want to take this to the Headmaster, but it had been a convenient excuse to get them out of the tavern. She glanced at Snape as she began to speak quietly, "I don't really think we need to bother the Headmaster with this. We should probably just send Ginny and Neville on their way."
His gait faltered only slightly as he glared her way. "You would want to keep this from the Headmaster, wouldn't you. You should have to answer to him concerning your actions."
Hermione stopped, startling the couple following her. It took Snape a few steps to notice that she wasn't standing next to him anymore. He slowly turned to look at her, expression bland.
"Look, I have had about enough of you dodging my every step and dropping your little insinuations at my feet. If you don't believe my story, fine! But I am here with the Headmaster's approval. That, at least, should convince you that you have no reason to suspect me of anything." Hermione was furious and not the least bit afraid to let Snape know it. She hadn't been married to Severus for nearly six year without learning how to give him back a bit of his own.
"You little…" he began, face thunderous.
"No!" Hermione shouted, Neville and Ginny forgotten. "I'm sick of dealing with your games. No doubt you followed me to Hogsmeade in hopes of revealing my dastardly plan. Well, get over it! There isn't one. I told you before: If you have a problem with me then you can take it to Albus." She was standing nearly flush with the Potions Master now, her chin tipped defiantly. Although he was a head taller than she, Hermione's fury made her seem the taller of the two.
Snape and Hermione, neither willing to back down, never noticed as Ginny and Neville surreptitiously slipped away. Power was crackling between the two, their furies equally matched. Finally, after a short eternity, Snape stepped back. Hermione's face only briefly showed her surprise but soon grew cloudy again as he spoke.
"Very well. I can see that you are completely unwilling to let go of your little game. If that is how you wish to proceed…"
"Why can't you simply believe that I am who I say I am?" Hermione was exasperated.
Snape sneered. "Because I was there when Miss Granger died." She thought she saw a look of pain cross his face but quickly dismissed the idea as his sneer reasserted itself.
Hermione relented. "I'm sorry. I didn't come here to hurt anyone. Hell, I didn't even mean to come here, period. But I'm not lying." She looked directly into his eyes, daring him to utilize his Legilimency against her. She sighed as his face remained impassive. "Fine. I can see that you aren't going to believe me short of my testimony under Veritaserum, which," she asserted as he opened his mouth to speak, "I will not submit to."
Hermione looked up to the darkening sky, suddenly feeling very tired. She couldn't stand to be at odds with the man standing in front of her. It was too much like being in conflict with her husband. Somehow, she had to gain his trust if she was to continue to remain at Hogwarts.
She looked back to Snape, trying to decide how he was dealing with her explosion. He was gazing at her with a faintly disturbing look, but he didn't seem like he was going to hex her to oblivion. She started to say something when he cut her off.
"Don't think that your little outburst is going to change anything," he said curtly. "I don't trust you and I will continue to watch you until I find out who you really are." His eyes were icy.
Hermione sighed, too drained to continue fighting with him. "Then I guess there's nothing more to say," she said after a few moments. "Good night, Professor." Hermione turned to leave, tears of frustration starting to well in her eyes. To add insult to injury, she noticed that Ginny and Neville were gone. She didn't want to think about what would result from their discovery of her.
Hermione was so distracted with visions of Ginny Weasley outing her to the world, that she never noticed Snape watching her leave, an unfathomable look in his eyes. Nor did she hear his slight sigh and whisper of "Good night, indeed."
A/N: A big thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. Hope you're enjoying the story so far, next chap should be up this weekend. A big round of applause to my wonderful beta-reader, sophierom!