10/09/2014

Out of Hand II: A Matter of Time by relativelypositive

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related and I make no money from the use of the characters created by J. K. Rowling.

Chapter 5

"Of all the self-serving, irrational actions, she had to pick the most invasive. I knew she didn't like the situation, but why go to the Wizengamot?"

Hermione didn't know if that was rhetorical, so she didn't answer.

Professor McGonagall was pacing in a large circle that encompassed her desk as well as the chairs in front of it, forcing Hermione to swivel around to keep her professor in her field of vision.

"If she just wanted to torture you, she could have done it without including all the other engaged couples in Britain! Did you know that people scheduled to be married next week are being pulled in and given chaperones? Couples that are engaged and already living together are being told they have to move to separate residences until the wedding!"

"Professor?"

Professor McGonagall stopped pacing for a moment to answer.

"Yes?"

"Harry said you had something that would help."

"Oh, I believe I do. Now, just because I give this to you doesn't mean you don't have to comply with the Courtship Mandates."

The professor bustled back behind her desk and opened a drawer to root through it for a moment.

"Do you know if this is the only thing they're making us do? Lavender and Draco said there are other Mandates."

"I haven't heard otherwise. Now where did I put that?"

Hermione tried to be patient, but knew she was crackling with tension. Draco had decided to try to enlist Professor Snape as an ally. She hoped he was having better luck.

"Here it is! I knew I still had it!"

Professor McGonagall pulled out a familiar looking box and Hermione's heart sped up.

"Before you get excited, this is only going to work if you follow my instructions. Do you agree to my terms?"

"What are your terms?"

"I won't tell you unless you agree to abide by them. If you do not, this little box goes away."

Hermione stared at the box with longing. It was by far the most useful thing she'd ever used in her entire life…rivaled only by her wand.

"Okay, I guess."

"Miss Granger! This is extremely important! You must whole-heartedly comply!"

"I whole-heartedly comply!"

Hermione felt like her favorite professor didn't trust her anymore. The look she was being given was full of suspicion. Is this because Hermione had once asked her about sex, causing a peculiar meltdown?

The professor pursed her lips, then passed the box to Hermione.

She hadn't seen the Time Turner since she'd turned it back in at the end of third year. She could feel the thrum of the magic meeting hers again.

"Miss Granger, how you use this will either make this situation bearable or break you apart. You can, with careful orchestration, use this to thwart the chaperones."

"This is wonderful!"

"Hermione, this is what you need to do…exactly. Two days a week, no more, if you follow this schedule, you'll be able to do everything you want to do as well as everything you need to do. First, get your chaperone into the habit of using the restroom at the same time as you, right after your last class. Use the shared restrooms, not the prefects' bath. Make sure your chaperone uses the first stall, closest to the faucets. This is important, so you can keep track of her. Always enter the stall directly next to her. Actually use the restroom. That may seem trivial, but if you do not she will ask you questions, and you will not be able to lie. Slowly wash your hands and take a little too long primping."

"This seems a little too specific."

"Do not underestimate the power of the mundane. It will put her at ease. On the days you do not use the Time Turner, it will be a normal part of the routine. On the days you do, it will be excellent camouflage."

"Okay. What's next?"

"Every day, attend all of your classes. Be boring all day. Take notes. Eat normally. But pay attention to everything your chaperone pays attention to. If you notice her staring out a particular window, you'll know to avoid the courtyard beyond when using the Time Turner. If she runs back into a room, you must see what she is doing so that you can make sure it won't affect you later. Don't get a detention or go somewhere you normally wouldn't."

"Makes sense."

"At the end of the school day, have your chaperone enter the restroom first, then put up a repelling charm to keep others out. Make sure you are the first out of the stall. Never use the Time Turner in the stall unless it is an emergency. You need room for all of your selves to move, without interacting with each other. When you are finished using the Time Turner, go into the next stall silently, leave the door slightly open, and climb up on the seat so you cannot be seen."

"Have you done this before?"

Professor McGonagall paused a little too long before answering, "Of course not. Don't be silly."

"It's just that this is really thought out."

"I may have tried it. Just once."

Hermione smiled at the mischief in her mentor's voice.

"Ahem. To continue, use the bathroom as home base. While it would appear to be advantageous to use Moaning Myrtle's restroom, please do not. While no students ever go there, Myrtle will not be able to keep your secret, especially from your chaperone. I suggest the restroom closest to this office. In case of emergency my classroom is also close and I will try to help. There are six stalls there. That means four repeats in one day."

"Four? That seems excessive."

"Quite. However, they will be needed. The first is for homework. Stay in this office. Do not answer any summons, for you are not here. Your time will be strained between the wedding and the chaperone, and I do not wish your studies to suffer."

"At least Narcissa is doing all the planning."

"Narcissa? Do not underestimate Mrs. Malfoy! If you take a flippant attitude towards her you won't see her attacks coming."

"Fine. Mrs. Malfoy is planning the wedding."

"We'll have to discuss that later, for you are making a mistake. Now, the second trip is to plan the wedding. I will give you permission to leave the grounds to find everything you want for the wedding, and to plan with your parents."

"That's not going to happen."

"Please just trust me!"

Hermione never thought it would be a leap of faith to follow Professor McGonagall's orders, but she was finding it hard to contemplate planning her wedding!

"I don't want to get married, so I don't want to plan the wedding."

"Oh, Miss Granger, it won't be so terrible."

"Have you ever planned a wedding?"

"Umm…no. Moving on," she rushed, "the third trip is to sleep. At that point you will have been awake for approximately twenty hours and will need the rest. I will arrange with Poppy to set up a cot in her office, out of sight of the rest of the wing."

"I'm exhausted just thinking about it."

"The final trip is to spend time with Draco. This is where it gets tricky."

Hermione scoffed, but Professor McGonagall pretended to not hear her.

"You must find Draco in a safe place and go even further back to spend time together. Stay in the Room of Requirement, for if anyone sees you it will mean an end to your advantage."

Hermione thought about what all she had to do in the next few days and it made her head swim.

"You must be meticulous. It could fall apart so easily."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

After an exhausting three hours in Snape's office debating, all Draco wanted to do for the rest of the night was be alone with Hermione. The second he saw her he was going to scoop her up and go hide away in the Room of Requirement for hours and hours.

Girls that just a few weeks ago were stalking him, trying to get his attention or trap him in an engagement, were avoiding him. Draco hoped it was because they were ashamed of their past behavior, but knew it wasn't probable.

The Greengrass sisters still blushed when he passed by, but there was no flirting, no falsely casual approach. Had he really been contemplating marrying one of them?

Draco came upon Hermione as she was exiting the library. They stopped twenty feet from each other in surprise, and Draco felt a wonderful sense of expectation come over him.

He had smiled widely at her and taken one step when a loud whoop was heard and Weasley bound up to Hermione, picked her up and whirled her in a circle.

Hermione looked back at Draco, bemused and bewildered. She started to beckon him closer to share in the discovery of Weasley's jubilant mood, when the wanker dipped his fiancée and kissed her deeply.

Draco froze, and a familiar rage rose up in him.

Hermione's arms were waving ineffectually around, as though she were trying to keep her balance, or was readying to catch herself if Weasley dropped her. She was making a distressed keening noise that Weasley interpreted incorrectly.

He quickly pulled her up, smiled goofily, and said, "I can't believe that worked! We'll meet up later and make plans, love! Gotta go!"

Hermione watched him go, then turned back to Draco. Some time later neither had managed to move, but Hermione finally found her voice.

"What the fuck?"

A/N:

I. , thank you for the review, even though it didn't make sense. ASJS, thank you for reviewing as well!

Next is chaperone time!