A/N: Hi everyone. Okay, I gotta ask, how many of you got to the end of the last chapter and went "Wait, what the hell? Really, this is how you ended this one? You suck." Come on...be honest. I'm figuring several of you thought it at least. I know I would have. lol. Yes, you have to wait a bit longer to find out how the last chapter ended. But I figure this was a good place to add in Hermione's third year. Everyone seems to love the flash forwards anyway. lol. Take care, and as always Please read and Review.
Special Thanks to my rockin Beta, Kristine Thorne. I'm still working on more chapters for you.
Before I forget, Several people asked how Hermione apparated. I mentioned few chapters back that Dumbledore had given her special permission to do so, kind of like Snape can as a professor.
Chapter 16
1994- Towards the end of Hermione's third year at Hogwarts
Severus had taken to wandering the halls between classes. Black was out of prison. He had escaped and was here at Hogwarts. Severus knew Black was going to stay until he did whatever he came here for.
Black had betrayed his friends. He had betrayed Lily and that had resulted in her death. It had been horrible.
Learning of what the Dark Lord had planned Severus had begged Dumbledore to step in. To help save her from the fate he knew was coming. He couldn't lose her too. He had already lost Hermione. He couldn't lose Lily too.
True, he didn't love Lily like he used to. But he still cared about her. She had been his first love. Her turning from him to be with James Potter had cut him deeply. But then Hermione had come into his life.
Saying odd things like she was always doing. First by asking if he was really there, then by asking if she was dead. He never understood what she had meant or why she would ask such weird questions. He doubted he'd ever know the reasons now.
Walking the halls during his free period, he was pulled from his thoughts as he spotted Hermione Granger. She was supposed to be in class. What was she doing out of class? Not having an answer, but hoping to see what she was up to, he followed her.
He disillusioned himself and stuck to the shadows as best as he could. He saw her headed single-mindedly towards a classroom. Following her still, he saw her go down the hall towards Arithmancy. What on earth was the annoying know-it-all doing now? There was not a class scheduled right now in that room.
Was she hoping to talk to the professor of that class about something? He didn't know, but he intended to find out. Then, he intended to dock her points for skipping her classes.
He watched her open the classroom door and walk inside. Had the professor somehow forgotten to ward his door? He bit back a sigh at thinking about the laziness of some of the professors here.
He followed since she had left the door wide open. Watched as she took a seat. He didn't understand what she was doing and was about to ask when she pulled something out of her shirt. It was something he couldn't see since he was behind her.
The next thing he knew she instantly disappeared. It startled him. How had the girl done that? There was no apparating in this school. Only a select few were allowed to and they were all professors. She wasn't even old enough to do it. Nor was she licensed. Plus, there hadn't been a crack like with apparition.
He didn't know how she did it. But he intended to find out. So he stalked the halls during the rest of his free time and tried to find her.
He ate lunch in the Great Hall and halfway through, he saw her run in, grab a quick bite and was gone before he could catch her. He narrowed his eyes. She couldn't hide for long.
It took a while but he finally spotted her walking towards him a the following morning. He opened his mouth to call out, but she pulled out a necklace. He frowned watching her.
Saw her stop walking and stare down at it as she reached up and putting her finger on the small dial. He saw her disappear with just a single spin of it.
He stood amazed. How in the hell had she done that?
Deciding he'd had enough, he went to see Dumbledore. The old man had smiled saying that Ms. Granger had taken so many classes this year that she needed a time turner to get to them all. Said that he, Albus himself, had been the one that gave it too her. Well, he gave it to Minerva to give to her.
Severus had never understood the Headmaster's fondness for the insufferable chit. Minerva too. He just didn't get it. She was annoying. How could anyone like her? Sure, she was just like her mother in some ways. Only worse.
Severus was convinced now that his Hermione was her mother. There was no other explanation. She looked even more like the girl he remembered from his seventh year.
Feeling angry, he went back to his dungeons. It didn't help that Lupin was here and looking at the same child and being so nice to her.
Severus knew he too was remembering his friend from their seventh year. He could tell by the fond looks he would give the young girl as she would speak rapidly, her face showing her excitement over something she was telling him.
Lupin would chat with her for hours on end after all the classes would end for the day. Severus would find them walking in the halls and going over all sorts of books and what not. A small knowing grin on the werewolf's face as he listened. Like the wolf knew something the rest of them didn't. It only served to annoy him further when he already thought the man was helping Black.
Several days afterward, he had seen her walking along with Potter and Weasley when it just clicked in his mind. No. No. That couldn't be it. That is insane. That is not the same Harry and Ron she used to speak of. It is utterly impossible.
But the more he watched her that day, even throughout dinner, the more he knew he had finally done it. He had lost his mind. Seeing her for the last two, almost three years had made him lose his mind. There was not any way that annoying little know-it-all was the same Hermione that he had known in his seventh year.
Sure they looked almost identical in a way, but it is impossible. Isn't it? If it isn't impossible, then I…with my student…no, I refuse to even think of that. It isn't her. To prove it, he decided to go talk to Minerva.
Stalking down to her office, he rapped on the door and waited for the older woman to bid him entrance. She was sitting at her desk looking over homework and grading it. When she looked up she gave him a small smile.
"Severus, what can I do for you? I hope it's not about one of the students in my house again." Minerva said, fighting a sigh at seeing the tense set of his mouth. She had a bad feeling it was. This was all she needed with Sirius Black on the loose.
Severus transfigured himself a chair and sat. "This is, in a way, about a student from your house. Do you remember Ms. Hermione Brown?"
Minerva raised her eyebrows at him in surprise. "I do. What about her?"
Severus felt ridiculous asking this, but he had to assure himself that he was just losing his mind. "I was wondering if you had heard from her lately."
Minerva frowned at him. "Severus, I haven't received a letter from Ms. Brown since her year here with you. Why? Have you?" She asked, seeming a bit worried suddenly.
Severus wasn't sure what to make of her being worried, but went on. "No. But I saw…I saw Ms. Granger and she resembles her a lot. So I got to thinking about her again."
Minerva swallowed and bit back a sigh in relief as she set her papers down. "Severus, what is this really about? I haven't heard from Ms. Brown in…fifteen years or so."
Severus growled as he rubbed his hand over his face. "This is crazy. I'll just go." He got up.
Minerva sighed. "Severus sit down and tell me what is going on. Why are you suddenly asking again about Ms. Brown? You haven't even spoken her name since just after she left."
Severus sighed and took a seat again. "Minerva, I think I'm losing my mind. I swear I think the pressure of all of this is just making me insane."
Minerva frowned. "Well, why don't you explain why you think you're going crazy?" She had a feeling she knew. She had seen how much Hermione Granger looked like she did when she came to visit them so many years ago. Not exact but so very close.
Severus rubbed his face again. "Minerva you have to swear not to say a word to anyone."
At Minerva's nod, he spoke again. "I swear Hermione Granger looks like Hermione Brown. I'm sure that Ms. Granger is Ms. Brown's daughter. It's the only explanation. I've been telling myself that's what it has to be for the last couple of years."
Minerva frowned. This isn't a recent development? "When did you start thinking that?"
Severus sighed. "I saw her at the welcoming feast in her first year. I thought she was maybe a niece or cousin or something when I saw her get sorted. But last year, seeing how much she looked just like her, I figured it had to be that Ms. Brown was her mother."
Minerva cursed silently. She didn't think about Severus recognizing her yet. Minerva had known and had been happy to watch her grow up, knowing what she'd become. Not stopping their escapades because she knew it had a purpose. But she never once considered Severus noticing her looks too.
Severus went on while looking down at his hands on his thighs, not knowing Minerva's thoughts. "But I saw her use it. The time turner, I saw her use it. I've been trying to figure it out for days. I saw Lupin talking to her and knew he saw the resemblance too, so it wasn't just me. Then I saw her friends. Potter and Weasley and it just hit me. Minerva I'm losing my mind."
Severus sighed, still looking at his hands. "I need to tell Dumbledore to have someone else take over my classes. I can't teach if I'm…having some kind of breakdown. I know this is a bad time with Black…" He trailed off, fighting for some sanity.
Minerva cursed again. It wasn't time to tell him yet. But she didn't see any way around it. Her vow didn't include when she could tell him. "Severus you're not crazy."
Severus jerked his eyes back to hers. "What?" He asked incredulously.
Minerva sighed and flicked her wand to bring them both a glass of fire whiskey. She watched him take a sip and she did the same.
"Severus, Hermione Brown and Hermione Granger are the same person." Minerva said pausing to see how he took this bit of news.
Severus stared at her in shock. "What?" He asked more calmly than he felt.
"Hermione came to us during her seventh year. She was using her time turner when there was an accident. That's why she was in the hospital when you met her. She had been knocked out and injured when the time turner brought her to us." Minerva said, not knowing how else to tell him but straight out.
Severus sat in even more shock. The Hermione I have loved is the annoying little know-it-all I can't stand? The Hermione I have pined for these last several years is only a child now? He felt anger start to fill him.
"Minerva, if this is a joke it isn't funny." He growled at her.
Minerva sighed. This was why she had meant to wait. She wasn't sure if his reaction would have been any better, but at least Hermione wouldn't only be fourteen.
"Severus, this isn't a joke. Hermione Granger went back in time to nineteen seventy-seven. She panicked at seeing everyone so young and Dumbledore took her to his office. She told him what she could and he saw a few things in her mind, confirming the truth of it all. He decided to have her change her name and give her a cover story so it wouldn't mess anything up in our future. She had to hide many details about herself so as to not risk changing anything." Minerva waited again.
Severus' mind was racing. All we talked about. Everything we did together. I did it all with my student, who is right now only fourteen. I think I may be sick.
Seeing the panic and disgust in his eyes, Minerva went on. "Severus, she was over the legal age when she came to you. She was an adult."
Severus met her eyes again as anger filled them. "Then, she knew who I was. She knew what I would become. How could she do…any of it? How could she act like she didn't know who I was? Asking if it was really me. It sure as bloody hell was me. She knew it too. Why would she use me like that? Did she hate me that much? I always thought she was good and kind, but she's nothing but a conniving little bi…"
"Severus! That is enough. Do you think this was easy for her? She knew our futures. She knew what was going to happen. She had been through so much herself. More than any child should have to go through. She is what you saw and thought she was. She is good and kind. She didn't mean to hurt you. She didn't intend for any of it to happen. She didn't want to change anything for fear of what it might do." Minerva said.
Severus' thoughts were racing again. She knew our future. She knew who he was and what all he had done, probably knew more than he did himself of all his deeds.
That was how she knew I was a Death Eater. He never knew how she knew for sure, her answers of just seeing him react to a summons had been weak at best. But he had clung to the weak answers. She had known everything and he had known nothing.
"Severus, she left a letter for you. She wanted to tell you before she left…but she knew she couldn't. Dumbledore explained why she couldn't even though she already knew why herself." Minerva said.
Severus glared at Minerva. "You've known this whole time?"
Minerva nodded. "She came to me before she left. I knew most of it in the beginning, but she told me everything. She gave me this letter for you, for when it was time to tell you. She didn't think about you figuring it out this soon and neither did I. Here."
Minerva used her wand to make an envelope appear. He saw it was still sealed so he knew Minerva hadn't read it. He saw it floating in the air and wanted to reach out and grab it, but he couldn't. Not yet.
Severus' thoughts finally landed again on what Minerva had said. She knew our futures and didn't want to change anything. "Did she know about Lily? Did she know the Dark Lord was going to kill them?"
When Minerva didn't answer, Severus knew the truth. She let her own friends die? Rage like he hadn't felt in years filled him. "She just let them die. She didn't even try to save them. Yet you call her kind and good? What kind of person would let that happen? She could have warned them not to trust Black. I know I never did. I'm going to kill that sadistic little twit."
Severus jumped out of his seat and Minerva stood as well. "Severus stop." But he kept on walking. She flicked her wand, locking and warding the door before he could reach it.
Severus turned and glared at her. "How can you protect her knowing what she did?" His fists clenching and unclenching in his anger.
"Severus, do you really think she didn't want to warn them? Don't you think she cried knowing she couldn't save them? Do you think that even if she didn't try and save them that Dumbledore and I wouldn't have if there wasn't a good reason for not doing it?" Minerva said, trying to reason with him.
Severus snarled. The headmaster and Minerva had known Lily was going to die too. "What the hell good reason would there be for not saving them?"
Minerva sighed. She didn't think she should tell him what little she knew from her one vial of memories not sealed. It could change things for them. But she couldn't let him hate Hermione either. "Severus, we win. The Dark Lord gets defeated for good."
Severus scoffed. "He's gone." Though he knew it wasn't over.
Minerva looked at him sadly. "He comes back. We go to war. She helps fight him, helps to defeat him."
Severus stopped. "He comes back? How?"
Minerva sighed. "I don't know. She made me pull the memory and place a time locking spell on it. I can't open it until the end of her fourth year. If we change anything it could make us lose. That's why she didn't tell you. That's why she had to leave. If she hadn't left and gone back to her time, she risked ruining it all if she stayed. Do you really want that monster to win?"
Severus sighed. He couldn't argue with that. "Why did Lily have to die? I had already lost her and Lily was all I had left."
Minerva felt her heart break for him. "Severus, she knew of your love for Lily. She would have saved her for you if for nothing else. But she knew she couldn't. James and Lily Potter dying was a key part of all of this. If she stopped it, it would have ruined it all. The Dark Lord has been gone for over twelve years due to killing them. Imagine what the world would be like had he been here during that time."
He could imagine it and it scared him. Hermione could have tried to save them, but at what cost? But she had let it happen and he knew it must have torn her apart to let it happen. He knew she had loved James and Lily a lot. He sighed. He was still angry, but not for letting Lily die.
"Severus, that child out there that you now want to kill is innocent. She hasn't done anything. If you kill her it will be in cold blood for no reason at all. If you kill her, she wont be able to come back to you during your seventh year. Do you hate her so much now that you would lose that time with her? Do you hate her so much that you would risk changing things and letting the Dark Lord win? She is a key element to us winning." Minerva said.
Severus didn't know what the answers to any of that was. But he couldn't let the Dark Lord win. How can I kill a child who hasn't done anything but be an insufferable know-it-all so far?
That made a memory click in his head. His potions class with her that first time as his partner. He had scrounged to call her something but had been at a loss. She had grinned mischievously and gave him the insult for him to call her. She had called herself an insufferable know-it-all. She knew it was what he called her as his student.
"Minerva, I wont kill her, but I need to go. I need to think." He said stiffly.
Minerva nodded. "Do you want the letter she left for you?"
He shook his head. "Not right now. I can't…I can't read it right now." He knew he sounded weak. But he had always been weak where she was concerned.
Minerva simply nodded again and unwarded her doors. He left and headed for his dungeons. He stayed down there until it was time for dinner.
When he went to the Great Hall, he saw everyone at their tables already. He didn't even look to the Gryffindor table. He wasn't ready to see her yet.
Instead he looked over to his own house's table. He saw Draco was angry and looked ready to commit murder. With a whisper he was in the boy's head.
He saw Hermione in her muggle jeans and some kind of pink sweater. Watched as she stormed towards Draco looking just as angry and fierce as she had when she rescued him from the Trio of Morons all those years ago.
Saw Draco was taunting her, watched as she insulted him back before whipping her wand out. He saw her hold it to Draco's throat, seeing the exact same fierce passion she'd had when she came to his seventh year.
Severus couldn't hold back the smirk as he saw her trying to hold herself back as her friends tried to talk her out of doing something stupid. Obviously even now she still has that same temper she had years ago in his seventh year. He saw Draco sniveling and his lips curled in disgust at the blond boy.
Seeing her turn away he nodded slightly in approval. She has more self-control as a child than many adults he knows.
Hearing Draco taunt her again, he rolls his eyes at his godson's stupidity. But when he saw her rear back and slug Draco in the nose, Severus snorted out a laugh. Startling several people around him, but he ignored them. He had seen her fight in his seventh year, but it looked like she already knew a few things while at such a young age.
Feeling his respect grow for the annoying little know-it-all, he sighed. He had wondered how long he would be able to stay angry with her concerning all that Minerva had told him.
Seeing how much this Hermione was like the woman he loved just started making the anger evaporate. Which only served to annoy him all over again.
He left Draco's mind and went in search of her. Not finding her, but seeing Lupin running off in the distance he followed. He still didn't trust Lupin.
Lupin and his friends may have stopped tormenting him as much when Hermione stepped in, but he still hated them. Especially Black. Black had still done his best to torture him, even with Hermione getting angry with him.
Black had flirted with Hermione constantly too. Calling her Kitten and such. It had driven Severus insane. She was his and not Black's and Severus didn't share well.
He saw Lupin go down the trail of the Whomping Willow, knew Lupin was on his way to the shrieking shack. Was Black hiding there?
It took him a bit to get down to the shack. When he got inside the cabin, he paused to listen at the stairs. He heard a voice shout. "Who was it then?"
Severus froze. That's Harry. That is Potter's voice. He knew from experience that where Harry was, Hermione wasn't far behind. He felt his blood run cold when he heard Sirius's voice though he couldn't make out the words.
Would Sirius recognize Hermione? Would he kill her like he did his other friends? Severus knew he couldn't let her die. She was the one person he hadn't been able to stop thinking about in all his adult years.
He quickly moved up the stairs and paused at in the shadows by the door. Seeing Black was distracted, he pulled his wand. "Expelliarmus."
Black's wand went flying. He briefly saw Hermione in the corner with her friends, saw the dirt and gashes on her face, but otherwise she looked fine. Knowing that she was bleeding made him angry again. Had Black hurt her after all? Had Lupin?
"Vengeance is sweet." He told Black. "How I had hoped to be the one to catch you Sirius."
Lupin stepped up and Severus turned his wand on him too. "I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle. Here's the proof." Severus sneered.
"Brilliant Snape." Black replied sarcastically. "Once again you put your keen and penetrating mind to the task, and as usual come to the wrong conclusion. Now if you'll excuse us. Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to."
Severus sneered again, digging his wand into Black's throat. "Give me a reason. I beg you." The two Marauders started to argue amongst themselves, making Severus roll his eyes. "Listen to you two, squabbling like an old married couple."
"I could do it you know." Severus said to them, still digging his wand into Black's neck. "But why deny the Dementors? They're so longing to see you." His silky voice curdled slightly with spite.
Severus knew he rambled on some more, enjoying seeing Black's fear. Then the next thing he knew, he was shot with a spell that sent him flying and knocked him out.
He came awake again later on a large crumpled bed. Not seeing Hermione, panic set in even as his annoyance did too. He didn't know which one did it, Harry or Hermione, he didn't remember. But one of them knocked him out and he thought about killing them both himself. He knew Weasley hadn't done it. The redhead wasn't smart enough to throw a decent stunning spell.
Don't they understand I'm trying to save them? He wondered as he shook his head to clear it of the side effects from the spell.
He got up and quickly made his way out the tunnel. Wondering how far they could have gotten. Wondering if he was too late to save Hermione from some horrible fate.
He came out the tunnel and saw them all huddled together looking a bit afraid. Holding each other while he sighed in relief, even as his annoyance built again.
He is going to make sure they both get some form of punishment, their redheaded friend too. He may love the person Hermione is going to become, but right now she is still that annoyingly rotten know-it-all.
"There you are." He says to them, grabbing Potter and about to grab Hermione, when he hears a growl. He turns his head and seeing a werewolf, he spins and pulls them behind him.
Hoping to protect them, especially Hermione. She had protected him once from a werewolf. This exact werewolf if it was indeed Remus. He had to do the same for her now.
Hermione screams as the wolf swipes at Severus with his claws. Both of them going down when the wolf misses since he hadn't let Hermione go. They sit up and he feels her pressed against his back, her hand resting against his shoulder in her fear. Severus can smell her fear so he knows for a fact the wolf can too.
He knows in that moment he's failed her. The wolf stalks closer, ready to attack, when Black in animagus form attacks the wolf. Saving them, like he tried to do so many years ago.
Severus jumps to his feet, pulling Hermione up to and shoving her behind him. Her friends still hugging her close. He doesn't know if or how they will escape, but he still shields her body with his own. Pulling her closer against his back as the two animals fight in front of them.
He knows if they run, they're dead. If they stay, they're dead. He sees the animals get closer to them and he backs up, pulling Hermione even tighter against him. His hand at her waist as his other hand is on Potter's shoulder.
The animals break apart and the wolf chases after the dog. Harry runs after them yelling for Black. Hermione moves to follow and Severus' hands encircle her wrists, holding her back against his chest as he yells for Harry get back over to them.
He knows Hermione will follow him and Severus wants her safe. Don't the bloody dolts realize this is our one chance to escape alive?
Hermione struggles against him still, but he holds her firmly. Fully wrapping his arms around her waist to keep her with him as she wiggles more, calling out for Harry.
They see the wolf turn on Harry, moving closer and ready to strike when they hear it. A wolf calling out from the forbidden forest. Severus sighs in relief. The werewolf always answers the calls of it's own kind.
When the wolf doesn't leave, Severus swallows nervously, but then they hear the call again and the wolf is gone. When Harry takes off after Black, now in human form, Hermione struggles even more. Her loyalty obviously is something she's carried since her childhood.
She ends up breaking free, and takes off. He quickly follows, after calling for his wand finally. Cursing himself for not doing it sooner.
With it in hand, he takes off after her while muttering more curses. Finding her next to Harry and Black, seeing her checking them over since both Harry and Sirius have passed out.
He snags her arm and with a spell, levitates both bodies to follow him. He doesn't care what he has to do at this point. Even if he has to throw her over his shoulder and carry her like a sack of potatoes. She is going back to the castle where it's safe.
Getting them all back inside, he deposits Potter in the hospital, and with a last look at Hermione, he leaves. Going straight to his room and drinking a very large tumbler of fire whiskey. That girl is going to be the death of me. He thinks even as he knows what he must do now.
He gets up after finishing his drink and goes down to Minerva's office again. Once inside he simply looks at her in silence. She asks after the kids and he assures her they are fine and back safely in the castle. Unaware that they are out getting into trouble again after leaving them in the safety of the hospital.
He takes a deep breath before speaking. "All right. Give me the damn letter." He sees Minerva trying, but doing a very bad job of hiding a smirk. Then, with a flick of her wrist the letter is floating in front of him.
He grabs it and stalks back to his dungeons.
A/N: Another bad place to leave it, I'm sorry. We wont find out what the letter holds for quite a while. Sorry, about that too. But it took time to figure out exactly what I wanted it to say. Okay, Please leave me your thoughts on this chapter. Yes, I snagged most of it from the movie, but not everything could change, could it? Besides, I think this explain a few little details here and there from the movie. Like why he held her so tightly during the wolf scene. Also, personally I thought it was funny that Snape's first thought to Hermione's time turner was that he lost his mind. Take Care all, I will post more soon.
**Also, i wont be able to update again until probably Monday or Tuesday. I'm in the midst of spring cleaning and moving stuff to storage. If I get a break from it this weekend, I'll try to post again. But chances are it wont be before Monday. Take Care guys.