Chapter 3

Hermione stumbled to her room and slammed the door behind her. She raced into her bedroom and threw herself on the bed. She'd been holding back tears while she'd raced through the corridors. They now streamed down her cheeks unheeded.

"Severus…" she gasped before burying her head in her hands and sobbing aloud.

"He's nothing like you! He's cruel and caustic. He hates me!" Her sobs grew even louder.

She threw herself down on the bed and buried her head in the pillow.

Why did this happen? she thought. Why am I stuck in this reality where everything looks the same but is so very different? Why?

After a while, she whispered into her pillow, "Will I ever feel comfortable here?"

Her tears continued to stream into the pillow. She cried until her exhaustion overcame her, and she finally fell into a fitful sleep.

oooOOOooo

Some time later, there was a knock at her door. Hermione stirred as her consciousness became aware that she had a visitor. She rose and rubbed her eyes as she made her way to the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see Jacob Perry standing there, looking a bit nervous.

"Um, hi… Hermione," he said.

"Professor Perry, come in." Hermione motioned for him to enter. She led him to the couch and sat next to him.

"I just came from Albus' office. He explained what happened. Is there anything I can do?"

Hermione gave him a wan smile. "Well, I suppose you could tell me something about yourself. In my reality, there is no Jacob Perry… or if there is, I don't know him."

Jacob looked dismayed. "We're best friends, Hermione. I… I'm saddened at the thought that there might be a place where we don't even know one another."

Hermione frowned. "I'm sorry, Professor. I don't know what to say."

"Hermione, I know you don't know me very well, but please call me Jacob. You always used to."

Hermione looked into his eyes and saw his sincerity. She smiled and nodded. "Tell me about yourself, Jacob."

"Well, I was born in Devonshire, and I'm twenty-eight years old. I've been teaching Defense for about two years now. I was an Auror before that. I'm happy not to be in the thick of things anymore, and I enjoy having a hand in the training of the wizards of our future."

He shrugged. "That's about it."

"And you're one of my best friends?" Hermione asked curiously, eyeing the man before her.

Jacob nodded. "I am pleased to be included in that category. When Harry and Ron come to visit, the four of us usually wind up sharing a meal, and sometimes a game of Quidditch."

"Tell me about us, Jacob. How long have we been friends?" Hermione asked him.

"Since I started working here, actually. You were the first to shake my hand when I arrived. We sit next to each other for meals and became fast friends the moment we saw one another. I… well; I share your love of knowledge, Hermione. I assume you love to learn like the woman I knew?"

Hermione nodded. "I do. What are your interests, Jacob?"

He thought for a second before answering. "Obviously I love to learn new techniques in fighting Dark Magic. You have actually given me many ideas on that. I also am talented in Transfiguration and try to keep up on the latest advancements in that science." He paused. "I dabble in Arithmancy, but I am no match for you. We do seem to find some things to talk about in the subject. I'm sure you're just dumbing yourself down when you speak to me about it."

Hermione laughed. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all. She might not have Severus' friendship, but the man beside her seemed to be quite nice and intelligent in his own right. She could see herself liking him and becoming fast friends with him.

Jacob's hand found hers. "Hermione, I know you don't know me. I would like to remedy that. Would you like to take a walk by the lake?"

Hermione smiled. "That sounds lovely, Jacob. From what I understand, I'm trapped here. I'm glad I have someone who is willing to spend time with me. I imagine it's a bit boring not being able to leave the castle."

Jacob gave her a devilish look. "That's where you're wrong, Hermione. Let's do that walk later. I have something to show you."

He rose and extended his hand to her. Hermione grasped it and soon found she was being led through the hallway and up the stairs. Before she knew it, they were standing in front of the Room of Requirement. Jacob released her hand and paced, turning in front of the door three times. He beamed at her as he motioned toward the door.

"Go ahead, open it."

Giving him a curious glance, she reached out and opened the door. Her mouth fell open as they walked into the Hogsmeade candy shop, Honeydukes.

"Jacob, what?"

His smile made her feel immediately at ease. "You know this room can produce anything you need. It recognizes that you need to leave the confines of Hogwarts, so we can produce whatever you want when you would like to escape."

"But I thought this room couldn't produce food."

"Oh, it can't."

Hermione waited for an explanation but received none.

"Then why, pray tell, is it loaded with candy?"

Jacob grinned. "You are very much like your counterpart, Hermione. I'm glad."

Hermione huffed. "Would you like to explain this?" she asked with a wave of her hand to the candy stock.

Jacob looked to the floor. "I stocked it. It was a surprise for you at Christmas. We'd never made this shop before that because we knew there would be no candy. So, I arranged for Honeydukes to send me all of this and I made the room and set it up. I wasn't sure if it would work. I hoped that the candy would remain in the room when it disappeared and reappeared. I tested it out, and sure enough, the candy came and went with the room." He shrugged. "It really wasn't any big deal."

Hermione looked around the room. Jacob must have bought out the whole store to be able to stock it here in the Room of Requirement. She wandered around and picked up a bag of Fizzing Whizzbies. She eyed the sugar quills. Shaking her head, she turned back to Jacob.

"You did this all for her?"

His sheepish grin made her melt before him. "I did."

"Jacob... Thank you," she said as she got choked up. "It's… it's wonderful."

"My next plan is to get some butterbeer and create the Three Broomsticks."

Hermione shook her head. "No, don't bother. It wouldn't be the same without people in it."

"That's what you said before. I could invite your friends, you know."

Hermione thought about that. No, this is something special between Jacob and me. Don't ruin it by inviting others.

"No, Jacob. I'd rather just share this with you. I think the other Hermione would have felt the same way."

Jacob smiled at her and nodded. "That's pretty much what she said, too."

"Well, come on. I've got the urge to devour a sugar-quill."

Jacob moved next to her as she got two sugar-quills from the jar. She handed one to Jacob and they ate happily.

oooOOOooo

Hermione came to dinner in much brighter spirits. Her afternoon with Jacob had lifted her depression and given her hope that she could adjust to this strange, new-yet-familiar world.

Sitting in her usual spot next to Severus, she turned and nodded at him. Severus ignored her. Hermione sighed and reached for the potatoes. Just then, Jacob settled into the seat on her other side.

"I am sitting in the right place, right Jacob?" Hermione asked tentatively.

Jacob nodded and grinned at her. "You always sit right next to me."

Hermione's heart fluttered at his smile. They chatted amicably, and she barely noticed when Severus rose and left the Hall. Jacob and she were discussing the students. Hermione had been getting to know the similarities and differences of her students.

"Let's take this conversation up to my room, okay?" she asked Jacob when they were both done.

Jacob smiled and rose, offering his arm for Hermione to take. She grinned, and they were soon making their way out of the Great Hall arm in arm.

Within a few minutes, they were settled on Hermione's couch. Hermione had gotten her class lists and was perusing them, looking for names she hadn't already asked Jacob about. Her finger slid down the column of names for her seventh-year class.

"Who is Jeanette Crowley?" she asked.

"She is the daughter of Jonathan Crowley."

Hermione raised her head. "I'm not familiar with him."

Jacob's eyes widened. "He's Lucius Malfoy's Undersecretary."

Hermione knitted her brows together. "I've never even heard of a Jonathan Crowley from my world."

"He was a suspected Death Eater, but there was no evidence to convict him. He's very slippery, evidently, and his daughter is just as slippery. You'll need to keep an eye out for her."

Hermione chuckled. "I'm not sure what type of chaos she could start up in an Arithmancy class!"

"You'd be surprised. She seems to have it out for you. Your counterpart was constantly complaining about her. Once, she charmed the numbers on her paper to life and made them scurry around the room. It took you half an hour to round them all up."

"Wonderful," she muttered with a frown. "Yet another problem for me in this new world." Hermione huffed.

Jacob rested his hand on hers. "Don't worry. I'm willing to wager that the good things will outweigh the bad."

"I hope you're right."

"Hermione?" Jacob asked tentatively.

"What is it?" she answered with concern.

"Did you have anyone... back there?"

"Anyone?" She gave him a confused look.

"You know... anyone special?"

"Do you mean was I dating anyone?" she asked to clarify.

Jacob nodded.

"No... no, I wasn't... Jacob."

Jacob nodded and was silent for a few moments. "Well, that's good. It would be terrible to be separated from someone like that." He looked away.

"Yes, yes, it would..."

Jacob stood abruptly. "Well, I should be going."

"Oh, but you just got here!"

He pointed toward the door. "Umm, I have... papers to grade. Yes, papers. Lots to do," he muttered.

Hermione rose too. "Oh, all right. Thank you for your help. I definitely need it."

Jacob gave her a shy smile. "Anytime, Hermione."

Hermione saw him out and then leaned against the door when it closed behind him.

He likes me. Well, he likes the other Hermione. Liked... I mean.

Part of Hermione felt lighthearted by that realization. The other part of her felt downcast.

What about Severus?

Frowning deeply, she continued with her train of thought.

What about him? He's not the Severus I knew.

But I loved that Severus...

She sighed. And I should have told him so. Now I've lost him, and the man who is his counterpart hates me.

Wandering over to the window, she looked out on the grounds. Students were frolicking in the snow, which made Hermione smile. It soon turned to a frown again as she thought of Severus Snape. She'd been urging herself to tell her Severus how she felt before she appeared in this reality. Her fear had stopped her.

After Ron, she'd been gun-shy. Ron had messed with her head so badly, she'd convinced herself that Severus couldn't possibly have an interest in her. Harry had told her she needed to be brave with him, but she could never do it.

She'd worked hard in the six months since she'd broken up with Ron so that in her next relationship she wouldn't let herself be walked on, but she could never come to show her affection for Severus because she was afraid of his rejection. It would have been devastating to her.

This Severus was so very different from her Severus. She couldn't see how she could ever garner his attention. But… her Harry had told her to be brave. She would do so, and hopefully, she could be acknowledged by Severus, but she doubted he'd ever have feelings for her.

There's no point in dwelling on a relationship with Severus. It will never happen. Jacob seems like a good man. I need to get to know him more.

Her mind made up, she turned from the window and settled in to read. Her brave new teaching world started tomorrow. Hopefully, it would go well.

oooOOOooo

A/N: Thanks for your interest in this story! It's kind of fun to see a parallel universe and the stories there. Well, it's more the universe we're used to in canon, right?