February 15 dawned bright and early for Hermione. They weren't kidding when they told her she had been unconscious for almost two whole weeks. She hadn't slept much as Professor McGonagall's message kept replaying in her mind. Professor Dumbledore will be by to collect you in the morning. Collect her for what? She had nowhere to go. No magical degree to speak of. No money.
"What am I going to do?" she breathed out, having already gotten dressed in clothes provided by the hospital and repacked her things twice. She wished Harry were here. Sometimes she wondered why the sorting hat put her in Gryffindor. There wasn't an obvious bravery to her like there was in Harry. He ran headlong into everything he did just because it was the right thing to do. He didn't think about consequences or alternatives. He fought with heart and had courage in spades. She wasn't like that.
"Good Morning Miss Granger." Professor Dumbledore didn't make her wait long. "What a beautiful Sunday this is." Hermione glanced out the window and saw the sun rising over the London skyline.
"Good morning, sir." He sat down next to her and studied her, smiling just a bit when he saw her wand.
"I see you had some visitors yesterday," his eyes were twinkling.
"They made themselves quite at home." This made him chuckle.
"Yes, they do that don't they? Well, dear, are you ready to go?" He was looking at her as if calculating her reactions. If he was looking for surprised well, he certainly got it.
"Where are we going, sir?" He seemed to think this was a funny sort of question.
"To Hogwarts of course. You were homeschooled before your family was killed in an attack by the new Dark Wizards followers. We have brought you to school to finish your studies. Does that sound like something you can agree to?" Her eyes were filling up. It wasn't even far from the truth.
"Yes sir."
"Very good. We shall floo to my office and have you sorted straight away." She was just a little taken aback.
"Sorted sir? I'm a Gryffindor." He helped her out of her bed.
"That dear, is for the hat to decide. Come along." Hermione followed, a little deflated but then perked up remembering that Harry asked the hat where he wanted to go.
Her favorite MediWitch gave her a hug as they made their way down the hall to the Floo.
Hermione didn't realize how sore she was. She hadn't been moving much since she had been in the hospital. Her body ached all over and it was obvious she had lost weight.
"Shall we go together?" Hermione nodded and took his unmarred proffered arm. Hermione made a mental note to remind him not to put the Gaunt ring on.
"Professor Dumbledore's office." The green flames exploded around her and she felt herself spinning. This time though she knew what the destination was.
Dumbledore's office was just how she remembered it. The books that lined the walls were almost alive they were so worn and read. The objects were spinning and puffing away. Hermione couldn't help but feel small amidst all the greatness.
"Please take a seat, Hermione." The Headmaster indicated that she sit on a seat across from his desk. He walked past her and went up to one of the higher shelves. Hermione fidgeted a little when she realized that he was pulling the Sorting Hat down. "I thought it best we do this here instead of in the Great Hall."
"Thank you, Professor." Hermione was thankful. She didn't need the attention that's for sure.
"Alright, let us see where you belong." The hat was placed on her head and Hermione felt like she was eleven all over again albeit the hat didn't slide all the way down past her eyes this time. The worn fabric was itchy and now that she knew what to expect she could feel the hat open it's mouth.
"Well, well, well Miss Granger, we meet again." It said. The voice was so expressive that one could hear the smirk. "This is quite a surprise. Now, you have been on quite an adventure haven't you." It was reading her thoughts. Hermione wanted it to know her intentions. What it was that she needed. "I don't really care about what you need or want Miss Granger. I will sort you to what you are most suited for. You are brilliant, and as I said before would do well in Ravenclaw. Loyal to a fault for sure but Hufflepuff wouldn't be the best choice for you. The cunning is new."
"What?" Hermione didn't mean to say it out loud.
"The war has hardened you Miss Granger. You were always clever but the resourcefulness and ambition are things that I didn't see before. You would do well in Slytherin."
"No." It was an order. The hat chuckled at her.
"You sound like your friend Mr. Harry Potter. He too didn't see that he had all the qualities of a Slytherin. You are brave however and possess a certain recklessness. In fact, why else would you be here? Who else would turn a time turner enough times to go back twenty one years? Only someone in –"
"GYRFFINDOR!"
Hermione could finally breathe. The smile on her face was so wide that it was hurting her cheeks. She did it. When she opened her eyes Professor Dumbledore was smiling too. He waved his wand and Hermione raised a questioning brow at him.
"It is settled Miss Granger. I just added another bed to the sixth year girls dormitory which is probably causing quite a stir," she chuckled at his blatant enjoyment out of causing such mayhem. "I shall send for Pofessor McGonagall immediately to go over your studies." Hermione nodded. They fell into a somewhat comfortable silence while waiting for the Gryffindor Head of House until Hermione asked the questions that have been bothering her.
"Professor, can I ask you a couple of things before Professor McGonagall gets here." He nodded for her to continue. "I don't have anything. No clothes really, books, robes, money," she trailed off. Dumbledore smiled at her.
"All of that has been taken care of. You have an account at Gringotts with your name. There is enough money to cover you until you graduate and get a job of your own. We have provided you a trunk with the necessary supplies and robes. If there is anything else you can think of ask Professor McGonagall and she will be able to get it to you via owl. Do you play Quidditch?" Hermione was so stunned that she could only shake her head. "Okay so no need for a broomstick."
"Professor, I don't know how to thank you."
"Hermione, I've been at this school for far too long. I have more money that I can ever spend. Oh," he started as an afterthought, "you will also be spending this summer with Lily Evans. I have already spoken to her about it and told her about the story we came up with. She is of muggleborn descent as well so I thought it a good pairing. It will also give you time away from your mission to come up with a plan." Hermione swallowed. Lily practically WAS the plan. "I also hoped that you would continue to meet with me. That way we could get to working on those horc- Oh! Professor McGonogall! There you are!"
"Hello Albus, Miss Granger." Hermione was almost stunned into silence before she came to her senses. She wasn't fully back to herself it seemed. Time travel seemed to do funny things to oneself.
"We were just speaking about the summer and how I hoped Miss Granger would come back and join us twice a month." McGonagall nodded her head.
"Yes sir," Hermione agreed. "The faster we get this started, the faster we can defeat him and I can get home." The headmaster looked at her sadly.
"Miss Granger, I don't know if that is going to be possible."
"I have to try. I have to save them." She was adamant.
"I understand and we will do all we can. Now Professor McGonagall, let us let Miss Granger tell us about her studies and then we should not deny our excitable Gryffindors their new classmate any longer. I'm sure their common room is a madhouse." He seemed positively delighted at the news while Professor McGonagall's mouth was a hard line. Hermione bit back a smile.
"I've given out two detentions already," she stated. Dumbledore just chuckled and Hermione tried not to boast too much as she filled her classes to the brim and hoped that she would be able to catch up.
Sooner than perhaps she was ready for, she and Professor McGonagall were walking up to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Hermione really didn't need the directions but moreso the courage. The professor just wanted to make sure Sirius and James didn't blow the place up.
"Are you ready for the assault, Miss Granger?" she asked, both a smile and a seriousness in her tone.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Very well. Fortuna Minor."