A/N: Hi everyone. Thank you for all the lovely reviews, I haven't had a chance to respond to them all. But I'm getting to them. Thank you everyone still adding me to their alerts/faves. Take care all and Please Read and Review.

Special thanks to my wonderful Beta. You are awesome lady. I know you're busy and you still manage to get this stuff back to me quickly.

Special Thanks to Pandaheart as well for going over this one last time before I posted it.

Chapter 23

It was almost April. They would be taking the N.E.W.T.S soon. All the professors were trying their hardest to make sure the students were properly prepared for the upcoming exams.

Hermione was taking the time to help tutor her friends to help them. All four of her dear Gryffindor friends, as well as Severus were in the Room of Requirement studying. Peter off on his own again, as Hermione did her best not to think of why he wasn't around.

She was flipping through a book as well, rereading over material to make sure she had showed them the proper ways of doing things. She didn't want them to get bad marks over a mistake due to the different teaching methods between the two decades.

When someone would ask her a question, she would stop and go over to help them. Whether it was explaining the theory behind it or showing them how best to produce the spell in question.

Severus was smirking while she showed Sirius how to flourish his wand properly for a spell he was having trouble with. Sirius tried again and again, until Hermione came up behind him, and took hold of his hand to help move the wand correctly.

Sirius was grinning as he let her help, enjoying the feel of her body pressed into his back as she helped him. He let his thoughts drift to what he'd like to do to the sexy little minx and felt his body heating at the thoughts.

Hermione couldn't understand how Sirius just wasn't getting what she was showing him. It wasn't a difficult spell at all. She tried once again to show him how to do it, before she sighed and switched positions.

She had Sirius behind her, holding her wand hand as she properly waved and flicked her wand, while speaking the spell. His chest pressed into her back as she showed him again and again.

It wasn't until she heard Severus growl that she realized that Sirius wasn't paying attention to her lesson at all. She quickly popped into Sirius's mind since he didn't have a wall at all up and saw all the dirty thoughts the young Marauder was thinking about her.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and pulled away to glare at the young man. "Sirius Black, I swear if you don't get your mind out the gutter and pay attention, I'm going to hex the utter hell out of you." Bloody pervert. She thought.

Sirius grinned at her. "Sorry, Kitten. It's not my fault that you look so good that you provoke thoughts of…indecent things." Making Severus grit his teeth in further annoyance.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "If you don't need my help then go back to your books." She paused as she was going back to her own book, her eyes narrowing. "You're faking it aren't you? You know how to do this spell already, don't you?"

Sirius grinned and shrugged. Hermione growled and with a wave of her hand, she shot him with the boil hex she had used on him while in DADA once again. His face instantly broke out in the puss filled dots.

James and Remus snickered while Lily rolled her eyes at the young man and Severus smirked before going back to his own books. Sirius tried to get her to remove them, but she ignored him and went back to reading on her own.

"Aw, come on Kitten. It was just a joke. You can't make me walk around out in the halls like this. It might ruin my reputation." Sirius said with a slight whine to his voice.

Hermione smirked but kept on reading. Sirius huffed and went back to his books. A little while later, she waved her hand again and removed the spell on him.

Severus saw her do it and shook his head a little. Personally he thought she should leave it. It would do the moron good to be taken down a peg or two. He thought. But when Hermione smiled at him, Severus smiled back. He knew she wouldn't have let him walk around with them. She was too nice to really cause any harm or humiliation.

Hermione helped a few of the others with some spells. Severus included, though he had it down better than all of the others.

She saw him wince a bit later in the evening and knew he was being called away. Not wanting any questions on why he had to suddenly leave she spoke. "Hey guys, lets call it a night. I'm getting a bit tired anyway."

The others were glad for a break and quickly left before she changed her mind and made them study more. Severus met her eyes and she gave him a tiny smile. He came over and gave her a quick kiss in thanks for getting rid of her friends so they wouldn't question his disappearance before leaving himself.

She sat for a bit in the room and wished she knew how to change things for the better. Severus in this time, no longer resembled the Severus that she knew during her childhood. He wasn't dark and bitter. He wasn't overly rude and snide.

He had his moments, but nothing compared to what she knew he would become. She knew it was due to all he would face, that he would become that hard person she knew him to be in her time.

She sighed and headed out of the room herself. She was half way to the dorms when she heard the Headmaster call out from behind her.

"Ms. Brown, might I have a few moments of your time?" He asked, using her cover name in case any students overheard them.

Hermione turned and gave him a small smile. "Sure Headmaster. What can I do for you?"

Dumbledore smiled at the girl in return. "I think it might be best if we speak in my office. The halls tend to have extra ears at times."

Hermione's smile slowly faded. She knew that this must have to do with her returning to her time. She gave a small nod and followed him back to his office.

Dumbledore gave the statue the password and she followed him up the stairs and into his office. He told her to take a seat, as he sat behind his desk. Hermione did as she was told and sat down, looking at him and waiting for the news concerning her future.

"Hermione, I'm sure you know why I called you in here." At Hermione's nod, he went on. "I have read over the book and done a bit more research concerning your time turner. I think I have found a way to get you back. We will have to be precise on the amount of turns, but I am fairly certain it will work. I just need the exact date and time of your departure from your time and I will calculate the amount of spins we need to get you home."

Hermione sat frozen in her spot. It was time for her to go. She wasn't ready. "Sir, I…I don't want to go. I can't leave yet. I'm not ready." She said as she felt panic start to set in. Would he make her leave now? Right this instant?

Dumbledore sighed. "Hermione, you know why you have to go." He said gently.

Hermione sat up in her chair. "Sir, I could stay. I have kept my knowledge of everything a secret thus far. I could continue to do so. I don't have to abandon my friends in my time either. I could send them an owl after the time I leave them comes to pass. I could still be in their lives. They would understand why I didn't want to return."

The headmaster paused in thought for several moments. "Hermione you have to go. You know too much. You know what is coming. Do you really think you could sit by and watch all the terribleness happen and not doing something to stop it?"

Hermione bit her lower lip. "I'd have to. I know what's at risk. I know it has to happen. I won't stop it. Sir, please don't make me leave. I love them. I love them all. How can I go back to a world they don't exist in anymore? How can I go back knowing the man I love will be dead? I'll be alone when I go back. Don't make me go back to that. Please." She pleaded, tears in her eyes.

Dumbledore stood and came over to her, taking her hands in his. "My dear, if I could let you stay, you have to know I would. I'd never ask you to go to a place where you'd be miserable. But could you really live with letting it all happen? Could you stand back and let them die when you have the knowledge to stop it."

"Yes." Hermione cried.

Dumbledore shook his head. "You care too much about all of them to not interfere."

Tears slipped down her cheek as she stared up at him. "Sir, you don't understand. You might know some of it. But you don't know it all. Let me show you what I'll be going back to."

Dumbledore sighed and nodded. "I doubt it will change anything Hermione, but I'll look."

They went to his stone pensieve and she started to pull memories. She showed him of her being told of Lily and James' death. Showed how Sirius was wrongfully imprisoned over it. Showed how they found out it was Peter that had truly betrayed his friends before setting up Black to take the fall.

Showed the battle in the Department of Mysteries where they fought all the Death Eaters while trying to get to the prophecy. Hoping it would help them in their final battle, and thinking they had to rescue Sirius on top of it all. Showed how it had all been a lie to lure them there and finally resulted in Sirius dying to save Harry.

She showed him about himself. About the ring he had destroyed and how it had cursed him. Showed him the conversation she had seen in Severus' memory where Dumbledore asked him to kill him. Showed him how she had seen Dumbledore fall when Severus sent the final curse that killed him. Harry had shown her his memory of witnessing it once.

Showed him of her hunt with her friends. The fighting they did amongst themselves. Showed him the fact that they were almost starving at points due to running out of food. The fear and danger they were constantly in. Ron leaving them alone for so long due to his anger and jealousy.

She showed of their capture and her torture. Showed him of her writhing in pain and bleeding from her wounds as her friends screamed for her in the distance. Them not knowing exactly what she was going through, but fearing the worst.

She showed of their escape from Malfoy manner. Showed the death of Dobby to help save them. Showed their trek back to the castle where the final battle took place.

She showed him of the war itself. Of how it would take place. The amount of bodies littering the grounds afterward. Showed her seeing so much death that it seemed pointless at times while they fought. Showed him her seeing Severus die, right in front of her while she didn't know how to stop it. Showed him Severus giving his memories to Harry for the final battle.

Then, she showed him her life after the battle. Waking up screaming from her nightmares while Remus held her. Showed her classes that she no longer cared for. Showed how truly down heartened she was over all the losses.

When she put the final memory back in her head she looked to him. She saw tears in his eyes as he absorbed all he had seen. She waited for him to get himself back in control. Tears slipping down her own face as she waited.

When he looked at her again, she spoke softly as she still cried. "Sir, would you really ask me to go back to all of that? Would you send me back knowing how utterly alone I will be?"

Dumbledore reached out and gave her a hug, sad to know all of what this young woman would face in her life as a mere child. Sad knowing that this same young woman in his arms had seen so much, more than any person should ever have had to.

But he still knew what was at risk if she stayed.

He held her, offering her comfort even as he took his own from her. "Hermione, I know of no way of letting you stay. If you do, the pain I see on your face will only haunt you more for having to live it again. It will drive you mad."

Hermione pulled away and backed up a few steps. "Do you think leaving and knowing what I return to will drive me any less mad? Do you think that going back to nothing will keep me sane?"

Dumbledore sighed. "My dear, you wont be alone. You'll have your friends that you've made all during your school years. You will have Remus with you as well. You wont be alone."

Hermione felt more tears streaming down her cheeks. "But I will be. Harry and Ron might be there, but they'll have their own lives to live. They'll both end up married and with families and I won't have much of them at all. Remus will be here at Hogwarts teaching and I wont see him much after I graduate. I won't have Severus and that alone will kill me."

Dumbledore took in her tear-ravished face. "My dear, if what you say is true, can you actually let anyone die like they're meant to? You'll lose them over the years anyway. You won't have Severus in twenty years anyway. It won't change how alone you'll feel."

Hermione's breathing hitched and she sniffed while wiping at her nose. Dumbledore's eyes were sad as he looked at her and reached into his robes. Pulling out and handing her a colorful handkerchief to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.

Hermione drenched the silky material as she cried into it. Dumbledore moving once again to her and took her into his arms. Holding her as she cried out her grief over it all.

He softly stroked her hair as she cried even harder. She pulled back several minutes later. "Sir, I may only have twenty years or so, but at least I'll have had those twenty years with him. It would be more than I have now. It would be enough. Or at least it would help when he's gone. If you send me back now…I'll only have had a few months. It's not enough time. Sir please, don't make me leave."

Dumbledore sighed. "Let me look at all of this. Let me see if anything can be changed. If so…maybe you wont feel so alone. But you have to go back. You can't stay."

Hermione looked at the man in front of her. A man she had respected for many years. She had always agreed with Dumbledore, always followed him no matter what. But she couldn't follow him this time.

Hermione backed up a few steps and folded her arms across her chest. A defiant look on her face as she spoke. "No."

Dumbledore was taken aback. "I'm sorry, what?" He had seen many memories of Hermione's but she had never argued with him before that he knew of. She hadn't argued with any of them here either.

Hermione didn't waver as her tear-swollen eyes showed her conviction. "I said no. You can't make me go back. I'm not leaving. I know you're wrong on this. My staying will not ruin anything."

Dumbledore rose to his full height, not liking that she was going against him. His voice growing louder and more formidable with her. "Ms. Granger you will go back. You can't stay. You know you can't stay. Would you really risk something coming out and making us lose the war? Would you risk Tom getting a hold of you and using you to find out how we defeat him?"

Hermione hadn't thought of that and frowned as she did so now. If Voldemort got a hold of her then he would indeed know every move they would make. He would know where he failed and not do it. It would change everything and they could lose the fight against him.

Dumbledore knew he was making progress and eased his tone a bit. He knew this wasn't easy for her. "You don't have to leave today, but you do have to leave soon. Think about this too. If you stay, do you think Severus will be able to do what he must? Do you think he will have the focus he needs to have if he is worried about you? Or if he is so wrapped up in you, that he would have a reason to become my spy? It's Severus' anger that makes him turn against Tom. If you stay, he has no reason to be angry."

Hermione struggled to find a way to argue more. Not finding anything she sighed. "I need to think about this."

Dumbledore nodded. "I need you to do something else for me."

Hermione looked at him, shocked that the man would ask anything of her right now. "What?"

Dumbledore went to his desk, motioning for her to sit. When she did, he reached up and rubbed his tired eyes. "I don't know what you being here might change. Even if you do leave, he might not be willing to do everything he needs to do. He may be willing to do most of what he will come to do, but some things he might not be able to with you in his heart."

Hermione looked up at him. "Are you…are you saying I need to make him hate me before I leave?" Knowing she would never be able to do that.

Dumbledore shook his head. "No my dear, that's not it at all. I think his love for you might be the only thing that helps keep him going. I just don't think he'll be able to do what he must if he thinks you wouldn't understand. If he thinks you'll hate him in the end."

Hermione spoke, feeling hope starting to bloom. "You want me to tell him that I'm leaving and all he'll face?" She had been wanting to tell him so much. To warn him of what will come. If he knew, he might not die.

Dumbledore shook his head again. "No, you can't tell him. If he knows…he might not be able to do any of it. He can't know he will die in the end."

Hermione didn't understand. "Then, what do you want from me?"

Dumbledore picked up a quill and parchment. "I need you to write him a letter. A letter that will let him know that you know what he must do and that you wont hold it against him."

Hermione stared at him. A letter? Why didn't I think of that? She could warn him via a letter and he would know he needed to be aware of Nagini's attack on him. He could do something to protect himself, or he could teach her how to heal him afterward.

"No, Ms. Granger. You can't warn him Hermione. If you do…I don't know what it might change." Dumbledore told her. He had seen the wheels turning, the hope forming.

He handed her the quill and parchment. "Just a letter that will let him know that he will have to kill me. Nothing more."

Hermione stared at him again as the feeling of hope crumbled into dust. For the first time in her life, she felt a bit of hatred for the man sitting in front of her. He could help her save them. He could help her find a way to change some of the horribleness of it, but he wouldn't.

She knew it had to be done though. Hermione felt like she had lost everything and she hadn't even left yet. With tears in her eyes, she took the quill and parchment.

Dumbledore may not want her to let him know anything, but she couldn't let Severus think she didn't care about him. She needed him to know just a few of the things he would face. She would not let him die again thinking everyone hated him when he had done what he had to so they could win.

A/N: Yes, a second letter. Though I wont make you wait as long before revealing it to you. Okay, as you can see we are close to the end of her time here in past. I will be updating again soon. Please leave me your thoughts. Take care everyone.