Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter related stuff, characters or anything else. They belong to J.K Rowling.
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Hermione's Troubles:
Chapter Sixteen:
"Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione called hesitantly into the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore appeared from around a corner at the back of the room.
"Yes? Oh, Miss Granger." He said smiling. He strode over to his oak desk and sat down, leaning back in his chair. "How can I help you?" He inquired, looking over his half-moon glasses. "Please, sit." He gestured to a chair, and Hermione sat down, removing the butterfly from her hair and unclasping her necklace.
"Well Professor, I have a question to ask you." Hermione began, pooling the necklace in her palm.
"Go on." Dumbledore said, looking at her intently.
"Well, you see, Remus gave me these," She began, showing him the butterfly and pendant, "and I really want to take them with me when I leave. It's just that I'm not sure if I simply wear them whether they'll come to my time." She said, blushing. Fawkes cooed. "I was wondering if there was a way you could spell them, like the spell you put on Vanessa, to make sure they'll come with me."
"Certainly, Miss Granger, I'd be glad to comply." Dumbledore said, putting out his hand. Gingerly Hermione placed the butterfly and necklace into Dumbledore's hand. Dumbledore pulled out his wand.
"I'd have tried myself, I know the spell used on me and Vanessa, but I didn't want to mess it up." Hermione admitted, batting her bushy hair away from her face.
"I understand." Dumbledore said kindly. "These are uncommonly thoughtful gifts." Hermione's face flared pink again. Pulling out his wand, Dumbledore pointed it at the jewelry.
"I just really wanted to make sure I could keep them." Hermione said, smiling shyly. Dumbledore began to chant.
"Magic, Future, Present, Past.
Linked are you to Hermione's cast.
Through time and space, you must go,
Go with back with her to the snow."
"Thank you Professor." Hermione said gratefully. Professor Dumbledore handed back the jewelry.
"That's fine Miss Granger. It was my pleasure. I must say, I shall be sorry to lose you, and Vanessa, when you leave. I guess my only consolation will be I know I'll see you in the future." He smiled. "You should go now. The Minister for Magic, Cohen Timothy, I know, odd name, will be here any moment." Hermione stood up, clipping the butterfly back into her hair.
"Once again, thank you Professor. In case I don't see you again now, goodbye."
"Good-bye Miss Granger. Good luck." Dumbledore waved, smiling kindly. "Off you go." Clasping the necklace as she walked, Hermione left his office, smiling sadly.
"Hmmm. It's the 23rd of February. I'll probably go back any day now." She muttered to herself. On the way back to the Gryffindor Common Room, she passed Professor Milotic, who was looking particularly disgruntled. Hermione stifled a laugh as the Charms Professor's hair changed from a fluorescent green to a hot pink. No-one was yet able to counter the charm.
"5 points from Gryffindor." The Professor said, seeing her smother her laughter. An angry frown disfigured his face. The thin, unremarkable man stomped off down the hall. As he walked off, his hair changed to a highlighter orange. Hermione smiled, remembering the unusual coloured wrapping of her Valentines Day gifts. Turning around, she was suddenly eye to eye with Remus.
"Hermione." He said, smiling. "I was on my way to the Library. Want to come?" He slipped his hand in hers as Hermione nodded.
"So where have you been all morning?" He asked, flicking a piece of his light brown hair out of his eyes as they entered the hidden alcove room.
"Ah, had to see Dumbledore." Hermione replied.
"Ah, k. Well, I was going to work on my Arithmancy Project, but…" Remus began, sitting down.
"No, that's fine." Hermione reassured the werewolf, sitting beside him on the window seat. "I've got a book."
"'K." Remus said, smiling. He leant over and kissed her, then took out his quill, a few books, and a piece of parchment.
A while later, Remus set his work down beside him. Hermione looked up, bushy hair swishing. Remus plucked the book out of her hands.
"Remus?" Hermione inquired. Remus grabbed both her hands, and Hermione turned to face him.
"Hermione, I love you." Remus said quietly, staring into her eyes. Hermione gasped. "I mean, I know it's so soon and all," Remus began hurriedly, "but-"
"Remus, I love you too." Hermione replied, feeling unbelievably overjoyed. She kissed him. As they went to kiss again, Hermione saw silver sparkles appear, landing on Remus's robes. She pulled back, horror playing across her fine features.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Remus said worriedly. More silver glitter began to appear, floating down to land in Hermione's bushy brown hair. "What the?" Remus said in confusement. "Where's this glitter coming from?" Hermione felt tears prick at her eyelids, and she wrenched herself out of the circle of Remus's arms. "Hermione, what is it?" He asked, more anxious.
"Remus, I have to go." Hermione said, tears beginning to form at her eyelashes. "I'm so, so sorry." Standing up, she hurried over to the opening/exit to the room. "It's nothing you did, or said, and I'm so, so sorry." Hermione felt tears flowing down her face, dropping to hit the floor. "Moony." The opening appeared. "I love you." Dashing over, she kissed him, and then tore out of the room and into the Library. The silver sparkles were just beginning to cloud her vision when someone clutched at her arm. "Remus, please, I have to go." She said angrily, tears streaming from her eyes, obscuring her vision.
"Hermione, it's me, Vanessa." Agitated hands clutched her arm. "C'mon."
The raven-haired girl dragged a distraught Hermione out of the Library and into the nearest girls' toilet, only just able to see through the sparkly silver glitter. Sobbing uncontrollably, the bushy haired girl violently batted at the glitter, trying to shake it off. Suddenly, Vanessa screamed as everything went silver, and Hermione jammed her eyes closed, wiping at the water coursing down her cheeks.
"Where, where are we?" Vanessa said shakily, clinging to Hermione's arm. Sadly, the other girl opened her eyes, seeing again the disturbing absolute whiteness she'd first seen when being sent back in the first place. "I can hear Dumbledore. What's going on?" The ex-Ravenclaw whispered. In the background, Dumbledore's voice could be heard, chanting the same cast that had sent Hermione to the past, intermingled with the chant he'd used to make sure Vanessa would be sent too.
"Augh?" Hermione exclaimed hurriedly, hand whipping up to her head. Feeling the gold butterfly slowly opening and closing its wings, her other hand reaching up to clasp her necklace, she took a deep, ragged breath. "Okay, they're there." She sighed.
Suddenly, Dumbledore's voice got louder, and louder. Vanessa clutched Hermione's arm even harder, her wand poking into Hermione's wrist.
THUD!
With a loud thump, they hit solid ground. On impact, Vanessa threw her wand so it wouldn't snap if it hit the floor. The thin piece of wood clattered, rolling as it hit the flagstones.
The Professor Dumbledore of 2005 looked up as two student suddenly materialized in his office, thumping onto his rug.
"You're back." He said mildly to Hermione, getting up and helping the girls to their feet. Miss Granger had streaks down her cheeks from crying, her cheeks were red, and her hair stuck up at odd angles.
"Professor." She said formally, seeing him. Then she burst into quiet, racking sobs. Vanessa walked over, putting an arm around Hermione's shoulders. Dumbledore picked up the black wand that had been tossed, and handed it back to its owner.
"I'm gathering you are Vanessa Esprit, heir of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor?" He said pleasantly. Vanessa nodded, looking worriedly at Hermione.
"Yes Professor Dumbledore." She replied quietly, nudging Hermione over to a chair.
"Miss Granger, you're back in 2005." Dumbledore commented, lifting Hermione's chin so she had to look at him.
"I know." She said sadly.
"The date is the 14h of December." He said quietly, staring into her eyes.
"How much time has passed?"
"Only about fifteen minutes here. Just long enough for me to talk to my past self, for me to explain some things to Professor McGonagall, and accomplish some other matters."
"'K." She whispered. "Do I have to see Professor McGonagall now? She went into your study. What did you tell her?" She asked, curiously, looking up of her own accord.
"I told her the truth." Dumbledore shrugged, looking at her carefully. "About why you are gone. I told her it would have to wait until you returned for the other matter to be concluded." Hermione nodded.
"Now, Miss Esprit." Dumbledore continued, diverting his attention. "I understand you've been moved to Gryffindor?" Vanessa nodded. "You'll find things are slightly different now, but I'll call someone to show you around." Vanessa nodded again. "If you'll wait outside my office, someone, a tall boy with red hair and freckles, called Ron, will be along shortly. Say you've moved from France, and previously attended Beauxbatons." Dumbledore suggested. "And don't mention anyone from your year. Please go now; I need to speak to Miss Granger privately." Vanessa gulped.
"Yes Professor." She said obediently, nodding. "Bye Hermione." The tall, green eyed girl walked over to the door and left, closing the door behind her.
"Miss Granger?" Hermione looked up. "I'm sorry you had to go through this." He said gently. "But you need to speak to Professor McGonagall as soon as possible. Remus," A spasm marred Hermione's features for a few seconds. "I'm sorry." Dumbledore said, kindness audible in his voice. "Professor Lupin," Hermione twitched, "Has been confined to his rooms. The matter can't be resolved until you speak to your Head of House." Hermione looked at the Headmaster miserably.
"I'll speak to her then." She said dully. "Hang on." Picking up her wand, she pointed it at herself. "Sol Aqua Nouveau." Instantly her hair flattened into its natural bushiness, the tracks from her tears vanished, and her face looked bright and sunny. Dumbledore saw through the deception.
"Hermione," He said gently, "Minerva will understand you won't quite be yourself for a little while. You don't need to talk to her right now, if it's too painful." Hermione shrugged.
"I just want to get it over with." She said quietly, lowering her eyes. Dumbledore sighed, turning to look at his phoenix.
"Fawkes, please fetch Professor Minerva McGonagall." He said clearly. Fawkes cawed, and vanished in a streak of flame. Dumbledore shrugged. "She went to her office." He said in explanation.
For the next few minutes, student and Headmaster sat in utter silence. Hermione fought to regain her composure. Dumbledore looked pensive. A knock at the door startled them both.
"I'll leave you two to talk." Dumbledore said tactfully, opening the door. Minerva walked in. Dumbledore smiled at her, and then walked out.
Professor McGonagall quietly closed the door.
"Hello Professor." Hermione said dully, standing up. McGonagall looked startled.
"Miss Granger." She stated. Her voice was curt and perfunctory, but her eyes were whirling with compassion.
"Well, I guess I'd better explain about what happened earlier. Although it's been months for me." Hermione began listlessly. McGonagall looked worried.
"Hermione, it -"
"Look I want this over, alright?" She said sadly, holding back tears. Linking her hands behind her back, she began to speak. "Professor, Dumbledore's filled you in on what's occurred." She said, blatantly ignoring social niceties. "It seems like only fifteen or twenty minutes to you, but to me I've actually been gone for months." She said miserably. "So I'll start from the beginning. I've liked Professor Lupin since partway through my third year, approximately." Minerva nodded. "Ron and Harry only found out what would be yesterday. This morning, they approached me about it, and it upset me. I ran off into the Library, and ran in to Professor Lupin. Literally." A smile twitched at the corners of the Professors stern mouth. "I was upset, so we just talked for a while. I was like, crying, and, well, I hugged him. He hugged me back. It was just a cheering-up kinda hug." She added hurriedly, seeing Professor McGonagall frown. "Totally platonic." The frown erased. "I was looking for a book, and I realized I'd seen Re-" She winced. "Professor Lupin - with the book during class. I went to his office to see if I could borrow it." McGonagall nodded, speechless. "He passed it to me, and our fingers brushed together. We both dropped the book, and were just staring at each other." Her voice quavered, tears once again pricking at the back of her eyes. "I leant forward, I don't really know why, I think maybe I was going to kiss him," She blushed scarlet, but surprisingly, McGonagall didn't frown. If anything, her hard composure weakened. "I could tell he was about to pull away, and we were only millimeters apart. That was when you walked in with Professor Snape. But he really was going to pull away." Hermione stared straight and unblinkingly into her Professor's eyes.
"Hermione, I believe you." She said unexpectedly. Walking over, she hugged the shocked girl tightly. "I was just, just angry. You have to admit, it did look a little suspicious." Hermione blushed again. "300 points to Gryffindor for telling the truth." She said, making Hermione smile. "I do believe you. And I've discussed this with Dumbledore. He says as long as you are no longer at school, you are free to be with Remus, if you wish to." McGonagall frowned slightly, then smiled. "When Dumbledore explained the time-travel thing, highly confusing though it was, I remembered a star student I had for a few months in 1987. I remembered how inseparable you two were." She laughed. "Then, when I saw those two pieces of jewelry," Hermione winced. "It reassured me. So I'm not angry, or upset, or anything." She smiled kindly. "And I can see you're upset. Just, stay away from Professor Snape." Hermione smiled weakly.
"Really?" She whispered.
"Really." McGonagall hugged her again, startling the 7th year. "Look, I have to go; I need to speak to Miss Esprit, okay?"
"Yes. Thank you, Professor." Hermione said gratefully. Professor McGonagall walked over to the door and let herself out.
A few seconds later, Dumbledore walked into his office again.
"Miss Granger?" Hermione looked up again. Her eyes were still clouded with pain and sadness, but the girl was a lot less tense. Dumbledore smiled.
"Professor?"
"You have a choice." He replied cryptically. "You can go back to your classes today, or take the next few days off." Hermione shook her head.
"I'd like to go back to my classes." She said firmly.
"Well, in that case, I am also allowing you to skip Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, if you wish too, for about a week. Professor Snape isn't very amicably disposed towards you at the moment, even though I've spoken with him, and if you prefer to stay away from Professor Lupin for a little while, I will understand." He said kindly.
"I'll go to Potions." She said firmly. "Snape will just have to deal with it." She said tightly. "And…"
"Defense?" Dumbledore prompted. "Hermione considering what you've been though, I suggest that." He said wisely, looking piercingly at her.
"No." Hermione replied, startling him. "And it's not that I wish to be courageous or anything," Her voice shook, but she plowed on steadfastly. "I only have two lessons for the rest of the week." Dumbledore looked apprehensive, but nodded. "Actually, can I have tomorrow's lesson off?" She asked as an afterthought. "It's right after Potions. I don't think I can manage them both."
"That will be fine. I'll tell Professor Lupin you're feeling unwell, on your behalf." Hermione nodded, her insides shriveling.
"Thank you." She said, her whole body still listless. Tired, she reached up, meaning to run her hands through her hair, but her slender fingers brushed against the golden butterfly. "Professor?" Dumbledore looked at her curiously.
"Yes?" He inquired. Hermione unclipped the butterfly and unclasped the necklace, placing them on her desk.
"Would you have a bag or anything, which I could place these in to keep them safe?" She asked. Dumbledore nodded.
"Yes. I'm glad they came with you. They seemed particularly important when you asked about them. A gift?"
"Yes." Hermione replied softly. "Remus, Valentines Day."
"Ah." Dumbledore said knowingly. He got up and rummaged through the shelves running around his office. After a minute he turned around, holding a bag. It was made out of deep purple velvet, with pink and gold velvet threaded over it in parts, creating a beautiful pattern. "I bought this after you left." He explained. "Thought it may come in useful. It looks squishy," The bag was a 20cm x 20cm square sized bag, that Dumbledore crumpled up in his hands, then unfolded it. It was thick, like something was placed in it already. "But it's expandable. It's been enchanted so you can store anything in it, although nothing bigger than a beach-ball, but it will never get squashed or damaged. He passed the bag to her. "Right now it looks like something's in there, but it's actually empty." He added. Hermione unzipped the bag, scooped up her presents, and placed them in softly.
"Thank you Professor." Hermione said gratefully.
"That's fine. You can keep it." He smiled. "Tomorrow, during your Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, go to the Library."
"Okay, thank you."
"You can go now, Miss Granger. You can tell Harry and Mr. Weasley what's happened, if you wish to, but otherwise please keep it to yourself." Hermione nodded, picking up the bag and slinging it over her shoulder. The Headmaster rose and opened the door, holding it ajar.
Hermione left his office for the second time that day, sadly looking around her. There was a slight thump as Dumbledore closed his office door. Resigned, Hermione slowly made her way over to the spiral staircase leading down to the rest of Hogwarts.