She was aghast, appalled, taken back, and any/every other word that could describe the shock she felt at that exact moment. Not only was the Headmaster aware of the fact that she was brewing a potion, he knew its use would take her to the past, which unless you had permission from the Ministry, was an illegal act. And there was no way to explain herself out of this predicament.

Together they walked to his office. Neither saying a word to the other. The only time there was a sound different from the patter of their steps was when they reached the staircase that took them upwards. Going to his own desk he motioned for Hermione to sit across from him. After taking a lemon drop he offered her one then sat back in his chair in deep thought.

Hermione's tension was growing, her hands sweated and she picked at her fingers nervously. "Headmaster -" she began but he held up his palm to stop her.

"Let me speak first, please." He closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of his chair. He was trying to choose his words carefully and listen to Fawkes chirp along at the same time. Neither was an easy task to be achieved.

"You plan on going to the past, is that right?" She nodded even though he didn't see it. "And you don't know how far you will be going but you're going none the less. Is that right?"

"Well I bought the skwahaes oil -" again he stopped her.

"I know, I know. You have all the needed ingredients, I know. And I know that it's the skwahaes oil that takes you to the time you want. Do you know how far back one tablespoon will take you? It will take you back more then 100 years. Are you prepared to go back that far?" He opened his eyes to look at her. "Do you understand how society will be different? How you won't recognize anyone around you. And what will you tell people? Do you pan on telling the Headmaster you're an exchange student from the year 2004? I don't believe you have thought this through at all." He somehow managed to speak calmly.

She stared at him in disbelief. He wasn't yelling at her. He didn't even seem angry.

"Well, no, I haven't really planned anything, Headmaster. I just feel this powerful wanting to go to the past. It feels like something I have to do." she trailed off.

Her dreams were affecting her thoughts. Somewhere deep inside her she firmly believed that if she went into the past she would meet him. With every encounter of the mind that she shared with her mysterious stranger the more she wanted him. She wanted to meet him, to know him, to know every aspect of his mind and body. She was falling for someone who wasn't even tangible. She was lost in this wanting, it was a craving that could not be fulfilled unless she met him, touched him, and heard his voice.

"Headmaster I have to go to the past. If you don't let me go now I will just go later. Unless, of course, if you send me Azkaban for going against the Ministry. But I will go."

He nodded. "I knew that was going to be your answer. Before I help you. Please, I need you to be completely honest with me. Does this have to do with a young man you have been seeing in your dreams?"

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Something was wrong; she found it hard to breath. Her world was closing in around her. Suffocating her, drowning her, the walls were raising high above her and there was no way to get out!

"I didn't tell anyone about my dreams. not a single person." She stared at him and for once she saw him fidget with the same nervousness Professor Snape gave to his first years and Neville.

"It isn't really that I was told about anything, but I do know what has been going on in your mind."

Anger blazed in her eyes. "How could you possibly know what has been going on in my head!" she stood up, her first in the air, ready to punch the table. "What have you been doing? Have you been practicing occlumency on me? If you have been..." she trailed off for a moment to catch her breath. "You have - you have no right to do that to a student!" she shook her head profusely, her anger brimming to the top.

Then before Albus could say another word she turned and stormed out of his office.

"That didn't go well" he mumbled to himself as he got up to go after her.

Reaching her at the bottom of the stairs he put his hand on her shoulder. "Miss Granger, if you would stop for one moment, please. I'd like to explain more things to you."

She turned on him. "Headmaster please," she spat out, "I would like to go back to class if that is all right with you."

"Miss Granger, there are reasons that the Dark Lord fears me and I do not think you would care to find them. Now if you will please follow me." She took a step away from him, her anger suddenly falling shadow to fear. He had taken more then a few steps down the hall when she managed to force herself to follow.

She wasn't use to hearing anger in Dumbledore's voice. And hearing him talk about the Dark Lord at the same time made her feel worse about what was going on. She felt like a new puppy already in trouble with it's owner.

She followed him down many different hallways, wondering where he was taking her. When they arrived at the third floor corridor she was especially curious as to what was going on. They were immersed in darkness when the door to the hall closed behind her, luckily the torches lit almost immediately. She was forced to squint for a second as her eyes became used to the new light source. The Headmaster was already at the end of the hall, an open door to his left.

She walked quickly to catch up and then breezed past him without looking at his face to enter the room. There was nothing there.

"Headmaster. Professor Dumbledore, what's going on?"

He headed for the far wall and again she followed. When she came to stand next to him, she noticed something that she could have sworn wasn't there earlier.

A mirror.

"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. What on earth?" She turned to look into the mirror expecting to see herself with the headmaster standing behind her. But it isn't what she saw.

She brought her hand up to cover her mouth as a soft gasp escaped her lips. She was waltzing with the man from her dreams.

Author's Note:

Not many stories have Hermione having a mean streak. So I thought I'd give her an edge. If it really doesn't fit the story or her in general please tell me

Thankies!