Previously: Hermione frowned. She hated that he was pushed into this situation immediately after returning from the future. In his perspective, he had only been back for a few hours. She remembered how disheartened she had been after coming back to the wrong time, and that was without Draco's constant pain. "I'm sorry, Draco. I wish you didn't have to play these games anymore."
"I've been in the game all my life, Hermione. It's hardly a new challenge." He leaned back in the chair once more, looking quite tired. "Except this time I don't have all the cards. Hopefully I don't lose the game, because it might very well mean death."
It was hard for Hermione to realize that all of the recent events happened within one day. Harry won the first task, Draco revealed that he had visions of the future, and suddenly, Draco was back to him.
She and Draco had talked far too long into the night, and she had decided to catch a few more hours of sleep in her classroom. The Time Turner was really quite a useful invention, Hermione decided, as she could get a full night's sleep despite the crazy partying of the Gryffindors and her liaison with Draco.
Finally ready for the day, she moved across the room to replace her former self (who was behind the screen, currently turning back to 7:30 of the night before). It was extremely quiet in the halls, as it was Sunday morning. Hermione wandered aimlessly, restlessly. Eventually, she found herself out on the grounds, sitting under a tree. It was starting to get colder, the leaves turning dusty browns and reds, and the wind blew harshly through her summer robes.
She and Draco had made a new plan for the remainder of the year, once he had searched her memories for any interactions between younger Draco and herself. Despite the direness of the situation, it felt good to have him back with her. Snape was a good supporter (and wasn't that odd to think about), but he hadn't gone through the same things they had. Who besides Draco would be able to match her planning step for step, run through the equations with almost as much efficiency as she, and have all the information and perspective that he did?
He had thought she was stupid to go after Rita. "You remember that she revealed herself to me, right? Last time around, I fed her information and got her in places. That woman is vicious. She would write anything about anyone- what's more, you must let her write about Hermione, or she'll figure out there's a connection between you and the Heroine. And believe me, you do not want her finding out."
Hermione agreed, of course, but she didn't regret what she did. The results from the first task were a promise of success – if Harry wasn't thinking about how much the school hated him, or how much the Wizarding world admired him, he could learn much more effectively. He had even learned Accio without any help from her.
The only other thing Hermione had changed. Something she hadn't even remembered until Draco brought it up, was S.P.E.W. Her campaign for the Protection of Elvish Welfare really hadn't been as relevant as it was the first time, for this timeline spared Hermione from seeing Winky receive clothing. Privately, she still held house elves in high regard, and felt for their plight. But another part of her understood the world a bit better now, and understood how house elves fit into that.
Not to mention, she had a few more things to worry about. But it hadn't stopped her from asking Dobby to help Winky out, if she ended up getting fired again (Hermione expected she had, for despite the lack of a spectacle where Winky was found with a wand, she still let Barty Crouch Jr. loose). Thinking she had better see how Dobby was doing, and if he had found Winky, she called for him.
"Dobby!" It had been far too long since she'd talked to the elf, and she needed some sense of normalcy.
"Good morning, Miss Hermione! It is good to be seeing you!"
Hermione smiled. "Good morning to you too, Dobby. How goes things?"
Dobby was almost bouncing with excitement. "Things is going well, Miss Hermione! Things is working wonderfully, I has made thousands of clothsies and I has kept track of Winky like you is asking."
"Oh wonderful, Dobby," Hermione said, absently handing over his six-sickle wages for the month. "How is Winky doing?"
Dobby's ears drooped considerably. "I is afraid that Winky isn't doing very well at all, Miss Hermione. She has taken to drinking, oh yes, and stays for days at a time in my room's closet."
"Oh no, but that's awful!" Said Hermione, "So Crouch really freed her?"
Dobby nodded, his huge eyes wraught with sadness. "I is trying to tell Winky to get wages, and that she is being able to find a home like I is. But she has taken to the Butterbeers and refuses to give up on her Bartsies."
Hermione frowned. "What do you think would help her, Dobby?"
Dobby tilted his head in consideration. "I is thinking that Winky needs a master, Miss Hermione. I finds her very nice, but she is not a strong elf. She is only wanting to do what she has done before, and even when I tell her that you is giving me wages, she still does not listen. I thinks that she needs a new family."
Hermione had a moment of pride as she realized Dobby had become so much more confident in himself. She could see it in the elf's stance, he believed what he was saying and he was trying to help her. Hermione had asked Dobby to help Winky a while ago, but she had also told him to dig into her library to learn more about the world. Dobby was quite intelligent, after all.
Winky wasn't quite fit for work right now – which is why she had been placed at Hogwarts by the House Elf Relocation Committee in the original timeline – but she didn't deserve to just be left to wallow like she had. She needed someone to care for her, help her get back on her feet, and find something she loved.
"Dobby, I give you full authorization to help Winky in whatever way you think best. As my employee, you'll be representing me, and people will probably start asking who's elf is traipsing around." She paused, letting that sink in.
"What is you meaning, Miss Hermione? Is you not wanting me to say that I is working for you?"
Hermione grinned. "Well, I don't want people to know it's me exactly. That's why I want to tell you a secret: I'm the Heroine of Sussex."
Dobby's eyes widened in shock. "Miss Hermione is surely an amazing witch! The Heroine is very brave and heroic!"
"Thank you, Dobby. That's very kind." She smiled at him. It was nice to see that someone still appreciated her. "I want you to do whatever you need to do to help Winky. And I'd like you to help me keep the bad wizards at bay, but just the little things. Don't go tackling something big without backup. Do you think you can do that?"
"Oh yes, Dobby is wanting that very much."
"That's wonderful. You know, being the personal assistant of the Heroine of Sussex is a big role. I think you deserve a raise." Solemnly, she took two more sickles out and handed them to him. It was an expense that might cut into her funds, but it was definitely worth it. Especially when she saw the glee on Dobby's face.
"I is able to buy so many yarns with this!" He squealed, voice raising into a seriously high pitch.
She giggled at the elf. "Let me know if you need anything, Dobby. Especially if you start to find some bad bad wizards around, or if anyone is giving you trouble. You're a really good friend to me, and I don't want anyone mistreating you."
Dobby's eyes welled up with tears, and he ran up to her, sickles tucked safely in his green breast pocket. "Thank you, Miss Hermione. You is being a great friend to me too."
He quickly popped away, and Hermione smiled fondly at the small elf. Hopefully he could do some good in a world that kept getting darker.
She sat at the lake for a while longer, legs pulled up under her chin for warmth.
A few splashes disrupted the water near her. Thinking it was just the squid, she ignored it.
A giant splash came again, louder this time. She looked over, and saw what looked like a man with two dorsal fins. He kept trying to stand up, but was flopping back in the water every time he stood up.
Hermione rushed to her feet, trying to see what she could do to help. "Are you alright?" She yelled out, and the figure turned halfway toward her before falling once again, splashing her with icy cold water. She ignored it, looking down at the awkward figure. "Oh, are you stuck? Finite incantatum!"
She watched as the figure transformed from a floppy human-dolphin hybrid into a normal, familiar face.
Victor Krum stood up clumsily from the shores of the lake, awkwardly using his wand to dry his clothing. She realized with astonishment that he had used self-transfiguration on himself and must have accidentally transfigured his wand along with it. She wondered briefly if this had happened last time around, and who had come to his rescue before.
"Thenk you, madame," he said stiffly. "I am in your debt." His mouth formed the words in his strange accented way, and she smiled. Victor had always been a gentleman, and she had greatly enjoyed their friendship the last time around.
"Think nothing of it. We're students, right? Still learning." She smiled warmly. "Although I must ask why you decided to transform yourself into a dolphin in November. And alone, for that matter."
He shuffled awkwardly. "I vas studying. Practice for class."
"Of course." She said, trying to contain her humor. She hadn't forgotten Victor pulling her out of the water, still half-shark. "I'm Hermione, by the way." She held out a hand to shake.
"It is lovely to meet you, Hermyoninny," Victor said, clasping her hand strongly. "Thenk you once again."
She nodded graciously, accepting the thanks. "Perhaps we'll see each other soon," she said with a grin. If anything had happened like the last time, they would be seeing one another not three weeks from now, when Victor approached her in the library and asked her to the ball.
"I am hoping we do," he said, and squelched back to the Durmstrang ship. She looked after him fondly. He was one of the only people who had escaped the craziness of the wars – although she had a feeling Voldemort would have moved to the mainland if they hadn't come back to change time.
She ambled back to the castle, feeling much better than she had when she left. Unfortunately, the more pleasant conversations couldn't last. She needed to talk to Snape.
Descending into the dungeons, Hermione once again regretted her decision to wear summer robes. The halls were freezing. She cast a few warming charms, and was even tempted to cast one of her signature bluebell flames to provide a bit more heat, when spotted Snape rounding the corner.
"Ah, Professor Snape!" She said in surprise. "Just the man I was looking for."
"Good afternoon, Miss Granger," said Snape icily, now completely visible from around the corner. She tilted her head in confusion, wondering what made him sound so very cold. To Hermione's surprise, Dumbledore appeared as well, deftly avoiding an overexcited suit of armor.
"Miss Granger, a pleasure to see you!" Dumbledore said cheerily.
Hermione's blood ran cold. She had successfully avoided Dumbledore the entire semester thus far, and now, with only one month left to go, she was cornered.
"He-Hello, Professor Dumbledore." She said, stumbling in surprise. "How are you doing, sir?"
"Oh, quite well, quite well. It is lovely weather for a nice cup of Earl Gray, don't you agree?" Dumbledore said idly, stroking his beard and smiling like a doddery old man.
She didn't know exactly what Dumbledore was playing at, but she went along with it. "Quite a good day. It's very chilly."
"Yes, or perhaps a cup of hot cocoa. I do love the stuff. Well, Severus, I see that duty calls. I will catch up with you later."
Snape said his farewells to Dumbledore, but kept his eyes on Hermione, an unreadable expression on his face. "What project are you worried about this time, Miss Granger? I do not have all day, after all."
Hermione looked at him quizzically, and he motioned behind Hermione, where Dumbledore had disappeared. Realization dawned on her, and she adopted the most know-it-all, swottish voice she could. "Well, Professor Snape, I remember the project you gave us about Ashwinder eggs a few weeks ago, and I really thought we should've talked more about the qualities and uses in healing potions…"
She continued at a speed that irritated even her, and by the time Snape had slammed the door to his office, they were both looking grumpy.
"That was foolish, Miss Granger." Said Snape quietly. "What if it had been someone other than Dumbledore? Mad-Eye Moody, perhaps? Or one of my Slytherins, even."
Hermione brushed it off. "No harm, no foul, Snape. It won't happen again, you just surprised me." She took her customary seat in the black armchair near his desk. It wasn't until Snape had poured their drinks – Earl Gray, as always – that Hermione wondered if it was a coincidence, that Dumbledore named it earlier.
AN: Thanks for the amazing responses, everyone! I'm sorry to the reviewer who asked for more Harry - he'll come back, I promise!