The nightmares didn't stay away that night, but at least they came later than usual, so she was able to sleep relatively peacefully for a short while. As soon as she woke up she went outside to get fresh air and to calm herself, still hearing the shrill screams of Bellatrix in her head calling her names and mocking her, while she tortured her with the Cruciatus Curse and her knife.

As she stepped out of the hut she tried to take deep breaths, but as soon as she had taken a few she was startled by Inuyasha jumping down from the roof, saying: "Hah! I knew something was wrong!"

She started choking on her last breath and Inuyasha petted her back awkwardly, trying to help her. After her breathing had become normal again, she looked at him questioningly.

"What do you mean?"

Inuyasha just raised an eyebrow.

It was then that Hermione realised she still had a silencing spell around her and was masking her smell. She blushed lightly and lifted the charms with a motion of her wand. Inuyasha instantly took a deep breath and wrinkled his nose.

"I don't like this mix of scents. You smell exhausted, frightened, sweaty and like you have just cried. What's wrong, and what did you do that I could not smell or hear you?"

Hermione looked down a bit guilty. She chewed on her lower lip, while thinking how much she should tell him.

"I placed a silencing charm around me, and after my first night here I also masked my scent with a spell since I didn't want to bother you again. I tend to have really bad nightmares."

She tried to smile at him, but it ended to be more of a grimace than a smile since she was still shaking from her nightmare.

"Feh, what an idiot. You know, Kagome is someone that cares for people really quickly and sees them as friends soon after. She is worrying about you and would be happy to help you, even if it is in the middle of the night. And if she is happy, I am too, so don't think you are a bother. And I don't believe you that this is all about nightmares."

Hermione was very touched by that statement and nodded thankfully to him.

"About the nightmares, they are really the cause or at least part of it all. They aren't just dreams, but bad memories. I didn't use to have them as frequently anymore and I used to talk to my friends back home to overcome them, however with this whole situation …."

Inuyasha nodded in understanding.

"You know, after some adventures we had, and especially after we defeated Naraku we had nightmares too. And talking about them helped us. I for example talked a lot with Miroku and the old hag. When Kagome returned, we talked about them to each other and it helped, but we still get them sometimes. If you want to talk about them, you can come and talk to Kagome and me. And I am sure the old hag would listen as well."

"Thank you, Inuyasha. But I think I am not quite ready yet. However, maybe you could help me out in a different way? I would like to brew some potions; I still have some ingredients left, but I need to be sure that I could find them here as well in case there is an emergency. Perhaps you know them or are at least able to find some."

"Sure. What are you looking for?"

"Can I show you later? I want to wash up first and then make an inventory of what I would need."

"Inventory of what? You ain't got anything."

"That's where you are wrong. I have plenty of things."

"Brains, feelings and curves don't count."

"Well, I have those too, but I did not mean it like that," she smirked at him and with these words took her beaded bag out of her withe kimono, "I meant this. It has an Undetectable Extension Charm and a Feather-light Charm on it."

Inuyasha looked at her blankly.

Hermione sighed heavily and explained further while demonstrating it as well.

"It means that the inside of the bag is much bigger than it seems from the outside, and it stays light even if you put in really heavy things."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he saw her put her whole arm in to the tiny bag and pull out a big cauldron. He swallowed hard.

"How much space did you mean by bigger?"

She thought a while about his question, trying to remember what all she had put inside her trusty little bag.

"I am not entirely sure, there are a lot of things inside it. Maybe like a big room?"

Inuyasha's eyes got even bigger. Hermione didn't know that that was humanly possible. Maybe it was because he was a half-demon? He shook himself out of his stupor.

"Okay. You're right, you have a lot of things. Let me know when you have that inventory of yours. I am going back to Kagome."

Whit these words he jumped back on the roof and disappeared toward his house.

HxS

A few days went by in which she made her inventory and started cultivating a garden, where she could grow her own herbs that she had brought from the future. She had shown her new friends the ingredients she was searching for. They had known some of them and had already brought them to her. Some seemed familiar, but they hadn't found them yet, and some others they had never heard of. She had asked them to bring her also things that looked, smelt, tasted or felt like the things she wanted. Maybe like that she would be able to at least find an alternative. She then had also started doing experiments with brewing potions. In these situations, she was glad to have had Severus Snape as a potions master. He was strict, and his expectations were very high, but at least she had learned somethings for life. Without him she would not be able to adapt her potions to the ingredients that were to her disposal.

It was at the end of her second week of her stay in the feudal era that she was able to successfully brew the Potion for Dreamless Sleep. Finally, finally she was able to sleep a night long in peaceful bliss.

Or at least she had believed that. When she had woken up, it was to see her new friends worried faces. She had not slept for one night. She had slept for two whole days! Either she had brewed the potion too strong or she was just so exhausted. She would have to be more careful in the future, if she didn't want to put someone into an endless sleep.

As time went by her foot healed, and she was able to go and explore her surroundings. She had decided to stay in the village, not wanting to leave her new friends, and probably the only thing that could bring her back home – the Bone-Eater's Well. She continued experimenting with her potions and cultivated her garden. With a little bit of magic, the herbs seemed to grow rather well. Lady Kaede had also started to teach Hermione how to meditate and to mask her magical powers. She was far from having learned how to fully hide them, but she had managed to at least dim the signal of her powers. The meditation also helped her to sleep more peaceful. It didn't work every time, but it helped.

Because of her strange sleeping pattern, she had more time on her hands. After her foot had healed she decided to put that time to good use and started to go running through the nearby woods and at the same time exercise her Animagus form. She had acquired her form a few months ago but hadn't had the chance to experience it thoroughly. So, while not being able to sleep she roamed the woods around the village and adjusted to her animal senses and was figuring her limits.

It was a month after her arrival that someone visited the village and stirred things up a little bit.

AN: I am still not sure about the rating, should I change it to an M? What do you think? (For the past torture scene and maybe future romance scenes).

Thank you for your support! I hope you continue liking the story! I am always thankful for your feedback. If everything works as planed I will post another chapter tomorrow, maybe two. So, look forward to it!

This story is now betaed by Pyo-Kiyo, I am very grateful for her help.

Thanks, and enjoy.