A/N: Sorry for the lack of quick and timely updates. I promise to be better. Life is... well, you all know how life is right now! Thanks for reading and reviewing. 😎

Chapter 4

Hermione sighed as the last of her students straggled out of the classroom. Her day hadn't been too bad. She had stumbled over some of the assignments, skipping ahead in some classes, being quite behind in others despite her reviewing the current curriculum agenda. The students hadn't really seemed to notice. They'd all treated her normally. That was a relief.

She was startled out of her thoughts by someone clearing their throat. She looked up to find Jacob leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed in front of him.

"Hermione...? Hello… Hermione?"

Hermione giggled. "Sorry, I obviously was somewhere else."

"Come now, I thought you'd given up on returning to that other world of yours," Jacob teased.

"Oh, I was very much in this world, just reliving the recent past."

"Ah, how did it go?" Jacob said as he unfolded his arms and straightened. He crossed the room and stood before her.

She smiled. "Not as badly as I thought it might. No one gave me any odd looks. Well, that Crowley girl glared at me as if I was the devil incarnate, but she didn't start anything in class."

"Just give her time."

Hermione snickered. "What about you?" Her arms went out to her sides as she leaned back in her chair. "How was your day?"

Jacob shrugged. "Uneventful, really. Only two students sent to the infirmary. It was a good day by those standards."

Hermione tried to wipe the smirk off her face, but it brazenly defied her efforts.

"I have an ulterior motive in coming by," Jacob said with a wiggle of his eyebrow.

"What's that?" Hermione asked with a giggle.

"I thought we might take that walk we put off yesterday."

"Why Mr. Perry, that sounds lovely!"

Jacob extended his arm, and Hermione stood and wrapped hers in his. She flicked her wand and her cloak sailed into her free hand. He led her out of the classroom and down the hall. Before long, they had escaped the confines of the castle and were headed to the lake. Hermione shivered a bit as they made their way there.

"Ah, it seems that your cloak isn't doing the trick, is it?" Jacob mused. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. Hermione felt a chill go through her that had nothing to do with the cold.

Soon they had reached the pathway that ran alongside the lake. Jacob stopped and the two gazed at the water.

"Do you think we can coax the squid out?" he asked as he turned toward her.

"Hmm, I think we just might." Hermione removed her wand and transfigured a rock into a peanut butter sandwich.

Jacob regarded her curiously.

"The squid is a sucker for peanut butter," she whispered.

Taking a small piece of the sandwich, she threw it into the water. She held the rest of it high above her head. Within a few minutes the drenched piece had disappeared, and a slender tentacle moved toward Hermione. It wrapped itself around the sandwich and soon disappeared back into the lake.

"Ach, I didn't even get a chance to pet it, I was so mesmerized," Jacob mused.

Hermione conjured up another sandwich and repeated the experiment. This time Jacob stroked the tentacle before it disappeared.

"Wow, I've never touched it before," Jacob mused.

Hermione looked at Jacob with a smile. "It's pretty amazing, isn't it?"

He nodded. They began to stroll along the edge of the lake. Jacob extended his arm, and Hermione twined hers with his. She marveled at how nice this felt.

"Tell me about your reality, Hermione. What did you do? Who were you friends with?"

Hermione chuckled mirthlessly. "Believe it or not, Severus Snape was one of my closest friends."

Jacob's eyes widened. "Have you told him that?"

Hermione sighed. "I tried. He really didn't want to hear it."

"Give him some time. He's hard to get to know. Merlin, you've been trying for the three years you've been here. Did he tell you that you help him brew for the infirmary on Wednesday nights?"

Hermione tilted her head, deep in thought. "He might have mentioned it, but I was so flustered about things not being what I expected, I don't think his words really sunk in. Maybe in time when he sees that I am truly the Potioneer I claim to be, he will be more accepting of me."

"Wait, you're a Potioneer?"

Hermione looked over at him. "Yes, I am. Severus taught me, actually. It's hard for me to not have his friendship now. I could really use it."

Jacob pressed his hand over hers. "Things will get better, Hermione."

She looked into his deep-blue eyes, smiled wanly, and nodded. "I really can't thank you enough for your friendship, Jacob."

He grinned widely at her. "See, this reality isn't all bad."

His enthusiasm caused Hermione to guffaw. She nodded.

"What else do I need to know about you?" Jacob asked.

"Well, a lot of things I did I also did here. Many of the differences revolve around Malfoy. I was pretty active in trying to get him out of office in my reality. Here I guess I'm just a prisoner."

"Not just a prisoner, Hermione. Harry, Ron, and I always brainstorm with you. Your ideas have been pretty invaluable to the cause, despite your inability to go into the outside world. You suggested using Percy to get close to him." Jacob gave a small laugh. "That man and his bootlicking would make anyone believe they had him squarely in their pocket. He's discovered some very damning things and is close to finding a way to take out Lucius."

Hermione nodded. "Hopefully, he will be taken care of soon."

"Yes. I'm sure you're already itching to leave the castle."

Hermione nodded again. "There's one other major difference between my counterpart and myself that I've noted thus far."

"What is that?"

Hermione looked at Jacob. "In my reality, I dated Ron for three years. We've only been apart for about six months. He was very jealous, not like this Ron. He was quite mentally abusive in his jealousy, I'm afraid."

Jacob stopped and turned to her. "Are you all right, then?"

She smiled thinly and nodded her head. "Yes, of course. I became all right the day I decided I had taken enough from him and broke it off. I was a fool to let it go on for so long."

Jacob's hands came up and rested on her arms. "Hermione Granger is no fool in any reality."

Hermione felt a jolt run through her body at his touch and his words. How could she be so attracted to him in such a short time? What was it about this man?

"I didn't tell you one thing about me, Hermione," Jacob said softly.

"What is that?" she asked.

"The other Hermione… I have had a crush on her for a very long time."

Hermione's eyebrows rose. "Did she like you too?"

"I don't know. I never got up the courage to ask. I'm regretting that now. I'm afraid I've missed my opportunity."

Hermione stared into his eyes. "Maybe you've been given a second chance?"

He smiled then. "Maybe…"

"I should tell you something, though."

He stepped closer to her and brushed her hair with his hands. "What is it?"

"I have had a crush myself—for years."

His hand stopped. "Anyone I know?"

She frowned. "Severus."

His hand fell, and he took a step back.

"Severus Snape?"

"I told you, Jacob, he's so very different in my reality."

"So, how do you feel about this Snape?"

She shook her head and frowned. "I don't know. He's mean and rude. I can't see him ever liking anyone like that, especially me. And I'm not incredibly fond of him in this reality."

There was pain in Jacob's eyes. Hermione saw it and a pang of guilt shot through her.

"Look, Jacob. I find you incredibly attractive, and I've enjoyed our company. Maybe I've enjoyed it a little too much."

"What do you mean?"

"Despite our only knowing each other for about two days, I find I feel very close to you, as if we've known each other for years. Maybe, like I said before, this is a second chance for you... for both of us."

"What about Snape?"

She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it again. Finally, she looked at him with determination. "What about him? There's nothing there."

Jacob stepped back to her side. His hand cupped her cheek. "You're sure?"

"I am."

He leaned down then and kissed her reverently. She responded to him and enjoyed his lips upon hers. A brief flash of Severus ran through her mind, but she pushed it away. Her Severus was gone. Her new future was standing in front of her. She sighed and accepted it. This man holding her was incredibly handsome and kind, and she found she was attracted to him. Why couldn't this work?

Throwing herself into him, she kissed him with fervor. After a while, they pulled apart.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that," Jacob said.

"Jacob, I'm not that Hermione. Are you sure you can differentiate between us? Will this work?"

He shrugged. "I know you're not the other Hermione. But you are so much like her. I want to try and make this work. I think as we get to know one another our previous thoughts of others will disappear."

"I think I would like that," Hermione admitted.

Jacob's smile made her heart feel light.

"I would like that too." His lips descended to hers, and they enjoyed each other once again.