Hermione stared at the class in front of her. She wasn't delivering a report or demonstrating a spell that she had mastered before the rest of her group. In fact she didn't recognise any of them. No, she was teaching the class.

Then she was sitting in dinner and Harry was sitting next to her, but he wasn't the Harry she remembered. He was older and a glance to her other side showed an older Ron and, beyond him, an older Draco Malfoy. Harry was speaking to her and she struggled to pay attention to what he was saying because she kept getting distracted due to his appearance.

He had matured well, very well. Strike that, he was even more gorgeous than the 17 year old Harry she remembered.

"Mione, you listening to me?" he was saying.

She nodded and then thanked the lord she was sitting down because she felt sure her knees would give out because he was smiling at her.

"I have some news for you. I've taken out a civil partnership." And he showed her the erring on his left hand ring finger.

Hermione woke screaming and crying. The next moment she found herself in Harry's arms and he was rocking backwards and forwards in a comforting fashion.

A glance at his face told her that it was the 17 year old Harry. She heaved a sigh of relief that was lost in his shoulder and her own tears.

"What happened, Mione? Bad dream?"

"A horrifying one. Can we go down to the common room to discuss it?"

He nodded and guided her down the steps. Dobby was cleaning up in the common room and when he saw them he clicked his fingers and the fire behind him flared up again.

"Dobby, can you get us some hot chocolate please?" Harry settled her onto the sofa and sat close to her and urged her to tell him about the dream.

"How come you never said you wanted to stay here and teach Defence? I thought you wanted to be an Auror?"

"Well, we haven't talked about it since fifth year. I changed my mind. Ron and Draco are staying too. Why do you ask?"

"I had a dream where we were all teaching here. It was really weird. You guys were older but I couldn't see myself, I was just me."

"That doesn't sound particularly terrifying. Why were you screaming?"

"It's not important."

"Oh, I think it is. I've never seen you so distressed. Are you going to tell me willingly or am I going to have to force you?" but she could tell that he wasn't being serious because he was grinning at her. De ja vu moment. He looked exactly like the older Harry suddenly, just for a moment.

"You're right. It wasn't that. I'm sorry Harry but I can't tell you. I might tell you but I have to talk to Ginny or Ron first. By the way when are you going to make up with Ron?"

"I really hadn't thought about it. Soon maybe."

"Why did you hit him anyway?"

Harry paused. "I thought he might have told someone something that I didn't want out in the open. I haven't decided whether he did or not."

"Surely you mean discovered?"

"Yes of course. Sorry. It's late and I'm really tired. Why don't you also get back to sleep? Just scream if you need me again tonight!"

She threw a cushion at him as he got up. He was laughing as he went back into his room.

"Miss?"

Hermione looked down. There stood Dobby with two mugs of hot chocolate.

"Hello Dobby."

"I has your hot chocolates, Miss, but where is Mr Harry Potter? I thoughts he was having his with yous."

"He's gone back to bed. Why don't you have his and come and sit with me for a bit?"

"I don'ts knows if I should. That would be getting ideas above my station." At her glare he relented. He climbed onto the sofa and handed her one of the mugs.

"Thank you Dobby."

"Miss seems troubled. Would yous like to tell me? I knows thats talking helps to solves problemses."

"You're right Dobby. Talking does help. But I'm afraid that I do not think you can help. Oh wait! You can help. I want you to tail Draco Malfoy for me. I don't know what's going on but I do know that he is somehow involved in it all. Harry might know if I had you tail him. And then I would never hear the end of it. I know you tailed him last year with Kreacher, I want you to do exactly the same this year. But this time I want you to get some rest, because if I remember correctly lat time you didn't sleep while you were doing it. Also you are not to do it with Kreacher. And Harry and Ron are not to know about it. They would both have a fit if they knew. I think they are all tied up in it and I do not like being out of the loop. Start first thing in the morning."