A/N: Hi all. I think I got to everyone's reviews. The only ones I didn't respond to were the ones where the person wasn't signed in. I couldn't find them either so I couldn't reply. The general consensus was that you all loved the chapter, you just wish I had given a disclaimer about the tissues at the beginning of the chapter. lol. Sorry about that.

We are back in the past with this chapter and I don't think any tissue is needed, but that's just me. But I'd still keep them handy, just in case. Thank you everyone for awesome reviews and thank you everyone still adding me to their faves/alerts. Your support has been astounding and very wonderful.

Special thank to Kristine Throne, my very awesome Beta. You have done a brilliant job helping me with this story.

Special thank also to PandaHeart for giving it an extra look over before I posted it. I appreciate all the time and effort both of you have put into this story.

Take care everyone and Please Read and Review.

Chapter 25

1978-Twenty-one years into the past

Severus noticed Hermione wasn't at breakfast the next morning. He kept his eyes on the door, expecting to see her running in at any moment. When she didn't, he frowned slightly.

He went to his first class, taking his normal seat now, next to her friends, saving a spot for her between them. He figured she just overslept and missed breakfast, or got wrapped up in a book or something. He knew her friends had commented that she lost track of time if a book was involved.

Only she didn't show up for class either. He glanced over at Remus, wondering if the werewolf had any ideas on where Hermione was. But he didn't ask.

After their class, he followed them out, thinking he'd see her during her next class. She couldn't sleep in so much to miss two classes, could she? But she didn't show for her second class either.

Nor for her third. At this point he was getting a bit worried. Hermione never skipped class. Was she ill? She had looked fine last night when he had left her.

On his way to lunch, he walked a bit faster, and caught up with her friends. "Do any of you know where Hermione is?" He asked them.

Sirius glared at him, which was nothing new, but didn't say a word. James and Remus glanced at each other, as if debating if they should say anything. Peter merely shrugged, not having any clue either.

It was Lily who rolled her eyes at the boys in her group of friends before speaking. "For goodness sakes, you boys are being ridiculous. She would want us to tell him, so Sirius stop glaring."

Lily turned to Severus. "When she didn't wake up on her own this morning, I went over and woke her up. She looked like hell and said she was staying in bed today. I think she may have picked up a bug or something. Her face was a bit swollen and her eyes were red."

Severus frowned but didn't say anything. Hermione hadn't been sick at all this year. Not even during the worst of winter. Why would she suddenly get sick when it was finally getting nice out again?

Lily seeing him frowning moved a bit closer to him and asked softly. "Did you two have a fight or something?"

Severus met her eyes as his narrowed slightly. "Why? Did she say something?" If Hermione was mad at him, he hadn't a clue why.

Lily shook her head. "No. It's just…well she looked like she had been crying. But if she picked up a cold or something, that could explain the puffy face and red rimmed eyes." She gave him a small smirk. "If she does have a cold, I wouldn't be surprised if you started to show symptoms soon too."

Severus heard Black growl at the implication and it made him smirk just a bit. "Well, we didn't fight. If you go back to the dorms anytime soon, let her know that I hope she feels better soon." He said, not liking that the Trio of Morons was listening in, but it couldn't be helped.

Lily nodded and gave him a smile. "I'm sure she's fine. Maybe it's just a bad case of allergies. It is spring again."

Severus nodded slightly and went into the Great Hall. He missed not being able to talk to her in her mind. He had gotten quite used to doing it now. With her not around he felt like a piece of him was missing.

He went about the rest of his day, going from class to class. When he got to Transfigurations, he noticed McGonagall didn't look all that well either. He noticed too that her gaze kept slipping to Hermione's friends and getting a sad look in her eyes. He would find her looking at him that way too a few times as well.

Something was off. He felt it. But he knew if he asked, McGonagall would never tell him. She'd probably tell him off for being nosy or something.

He was on his way back from dinner later when he saw a flash of slightly bushy ringlets. He followed quickly, but wasn't even sure if it was her. He turned a corner and saw her running around another corner, getting a good look at her face.

Damn, she's quick. How can someone so tiny be so fast? He wondered.

He turned another corner and was about to call out when she went into a room and closed the door. He finally reached it and found it was McGonagall's office. He tried to listen, but didn't hear anything, meaning silencing spells. When he put his hand to the door, it flew off quickly. Wards to keep everyone away.

What is going on? He wondered.

He waited, but she was in there for a long time. He finally gave up and went back to his dorm. Wondering again what was going on. If she went to see McGonagall about having missed some classes, it shouldn't have taken that long. Plus, they wouldn't have put up such strong wards.

He finally sighed and knew that he simply missed her. Which was silly since he had seen her just yesterday. But he still missed her. He just hoped he saw her tomorrow. He fell asleep thinking about her.

Hermione was finally ready to see Minerva again. She had spent most of the day trying to get her emotions about the whole thing back under control. The rest of the day was spent using different spells to get rid of the damage from crying so much last night and throughout the day.

Between her swollen cheeks, her puffy eyes that were rimmed red and bloodshot, her nose that was red, swollen, and sore, not to mention that she felt hung-over and thought the fire whiskey was responsible, she looked like hell.

She took a long shower and it helped but she still looked terrible. With a sigh, she pulled on some old and worn jeans over a long t-shirt, and then slipped on her sandals. She left her hair down, feeling too lazy to deal with it.

Then, she went in search of Minerva. She knew the older woman was waiting on her to visit and talk to her. She hadn't wanted to deal with anyone, so she sped through the halls. Knowing had anyone seen her, they would have thought a troll was chasing her with how quickly she moved.

At one point, she thought she heard someone running after her, but didn't stop to see if she was right. She wasn't up to talking to anyone yet.

So she sped on, finally getting to Minerva's office and happy to find it unlocked. She didn't even knock, but just opened it and went right in. Throwing up her strongest wards behind her.

Minerva simply raised an eyebrow at her and Hermione had blushed a bit. Apologizing for not knocking, saying she just wanted to get this over with.

Understanding, Minerva had pointed to a chair, letting Hermione get settled before even attempting to speak. "Hermione, you look much better dear. How are you feeling?"

Hermione shrugged. "Like hell. But I'll live." The words almost making her laugh and cry all over again. I'll live, but they wont, were her thoughts.

Minerva sighed. "Dear, I've looked over a few of your memories and I too see what Albus means in some ways. Too much is intertwined. If we try and save James Potter and Lily Evans…then the Dark Lord wont be gone during those years. I have no idea what his survival during that time would mean for us and the outcome of it all. If we save Sirius, then your friend Harry will die. I don't know what the answer is either."

Minerva rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache brewing with her thoughts. "As for Severus, I don't see how to save him either. I can't get there early due to Voldemort being there with him, and I don't know what type of snake it is that gets him or what type of potions might cure him. The only half way decent answer is to ask Severus Snape, since by then he'll be a Potion's Master, but then he would know about the attack and I don't know what would happen if he knew."

Hermione nodded slowly. "I know. That's my dilemma too. I didn't know how to save him then, nor do I really know how to save him now. I know when Harry was bitten by the Basilisk he was cured with Phoenix tears, but with that kind of blood loss, venom, and the gaping wounds…I don't know if it would be enough. I know a Bezoar helps with most types of venom, but Nagini is different. I don't know if it would be enough either. Plus, with everything…if he doesn't think he's dying, he wont pass his memories on. It's his memories that help Harry defeat the Dark Lord. So I can't warn him at all. If Severus doesn't think he's dying, then he wont pass the memories on."

Minerva pondered all of this. There must be some way. "You said you didn't think he was dead. Why? He looked dead in the memory."

Hermione fought her tears again. Taking several moments to get herself under control again. "I don't know. I…I know he didn't look like he was breathing or anything…but…I felt it. I felt that he wasn't dead yet. I felt just a hint of life still in him. I can't explain it either. But we didn't have the time to stay with him. If we had…we'd probably be dead too."

Minerva sat in silence for a few moments. "Hermione, I don't know what the answer is just yet, I'll need time to figure it out."

Hermione sighed, forcing her sadness away and knowing what she had to do. "Minerva, there is nothing you can do. You've said it yourself. Too much is intertwined to stop it. None of them can be saved."

Minerva felt her chest tighten as tears sprang to her eyes again. "Hermione, I wish I could help you. I wish there was something I could do to stop it. But I'll have plenty of time to figure it out. I won't stop until I have an answer for you. I can't make you go back knowing what you face. That is too terrible a life to send someone too."

Hermione smiled sadly. "I know. Which is why I need you to pull those memories Minerva. You can't keep them. You can't know what is coming. You might do something to change it all if you keep them."

Minerva frowned. "Child, I wouldn't do anything that might risk our futures."

"Not purposely. But you might let something slip. You might not be able to sit by and watch it all. You care too much about people to not do something. It's part of why I can't stay. Dumbledore is right in that regard. I wouldn't be able to simply sit back and let them all die. It would drive me insane to see it all again." Hermione told her.

Minerva frowned more, but Hermione went on. "You have to pull them and let me wipe your memory of any traces of them. I can't ask you to go through your life knowing how it all ends. Knowing you can't do anything to stop it."

Minerva shook her head. "No. Hermione, I wont let you wipe my memory. But if you truly feel I can't know yet. Then let me put a spell on them at least. I can set them not to let me see them again until its time. But I refuse to go into all of this blindly."

Hermione thought about all of this. It was a decent compromise. Minerva wouldn't spend the next fifteen to twenty years fretting over things that couldn't be changed.

"Fine. You can open them halfway through my seventh year. It'll warn you about the war." Hermione said.

Minerva shook her head. "Beginning of your first? So I know who you are."

Hermione gave a small smile. "You'll know who I am anyway. I wont take all your memories, just the ones about what happens later."

"No my dear, I won't be left in the dark that long." Minerva told her.

Hermione sighed. "Beginning of the seventh year then?"

Minerva raised her eyebrow. "No. How about your second year?"

Hermione sighed again. "Sixth."

"Third." Minerva told her. "I can't help if I don't know what needs to be done. I'll need time to figure it out."

Hermione shook her head. "Dumbledore already has all of them and he can't see anyway to change them. I've had them for a long time and I don't know how to change it either. What about end of my fifth year?"

Minerva pondered this. It would give her two years, but she knew Sirius died at the end of her fifth year. She wouldn't have a chance to try and save him somehow without some kind of knowledge of events.

"Fourth." Minerva told her. That will give me a year to think on it.

Hermione sighed. "End of fourth. You can't stop Harry at the Tri wizard Tournament. You can't warn him, or interfere."

Minerva thought about all she knew. After a bit she nodded. "Fine. End of your fourth year."

Hermione nodded. "But by end, I mean in the summer before fifth. After school lets out for that year. You can't stop us either. Whatever Harry, Ron, or I do, you can't stop it. You can't keep us from doing what we must. You can't interfere with the events that pertain to us as children. I need a vow from you to insure you won't change it. You can't tell anyone either. You can't speak of what you will see happen until its over."

Minerva was frowning again. "But how will I discuss it with Albus, once I know again, if you force me into this vow?"

Hermione thought about it. "Okay, you can't speak of things the other person doesn't know about. How about that? If they have the knowledge then fine."

Minerva sighed. "Will you not let Severus know anything? Not even that you did love him? Not about who you really are? You'll let him go to his death thinking you simply left him one day?"

Hermione sighed. "I want so much to tell him. I don't want him to hate me. Nor do I want him to think it was all just a silly game. It's not. I do love him. So much it hurts knowing what he faces ahead of him and knowing that I can't stop it or warn him. He didn't deserve to die. He gave so much of himself and…he didn't even own the damn wand that Voldemort wanted. He died for nothing. Just one more soul added to a monster's list of lives that were needlessly lost. How I wish I knew then how to save him. But I didn't. Had I known he lived…it would have changed this too."

Hermione dug her fingers through her hair. "If I wasn't as warped as I am from the stupid war and so many lost lives, I might not have been like I was. I wouldn't have been in my dorm room that night. I wouldn't have pushed my friends and boyfriend away, not caring about anything but my studies, as boring as they were. I wouldn't have missed my meals like I had been. I wouldn't have been about to use my time turner. I wouldn't have been sent back here."

Minerva was frowning again as she thought about it. "Hermione, you're not warped. You just realized that the things you thought were important were not so anymore. You grew up is all. You found that a boy you cared for wasn't right for you. You found that things you thought you wanted; things a child thinks is important…just aren't. You did nothing more than become an adult. You were forced to become an adult."

Hermione sat down in a vacant chair. Thinking of what all happened during the war, sitting up suddenly after a bit. "An adult? You think I'm an adult? I'm so stupid and selfish at times. I've been so focused on losing my friends here that I didn't even give a thought to the ones I lost that are not here."

Minerva sighed. The child is too hard on herself. "Hermione, we both know you're not stupid or selfish. So tell me now. Tell me of the others."

Hermione closed her eyes. "I didn't think of Tonks dying. I didn't think of Collin Creevy dying. I didn't think of Fred dying or of George suffering like he did afterward."

Hermione opened her eyes and stared at Minerva sadly. "They're twins, Fred and George. They're twins and when George loses Fred…he loses a part of himself. He's not the same afterward. He can't carry on in the joke shop they run. Not because he needed Fred to do it, but because he just lost that part of him that made him want to. He couldn't live with the memories of Fred inside the place with him. Developing all their gags. Laughing and pulling pranks on everyone every chance they got."

Hermione had tears running down her cheeks again as she thought about them all. "It just about killed Molly, their mum, when he died too. She doesn't deserve it to lose her son that way. She is such a kind person. She adopts everyone she meets. Fussing over them like a mother hen. Her family is huge, and she just adds more to it by loving everyone like she does. Ginny is so much like her mum too. She fusses over us constantly and has a temper to match it. I'm so glad Ginny was spared from the war."

Minerva didn't know whom these people were that she was talking about, but she felt the girl's pain. It saddened her more. "Hermione it's not your fault. You're not responsible for their deaths. None of them. Not your friends here, and not your friends now in your time. You didn't kill them. People die in war and its terrible. You can't save everyone either."

Hermione nodded slowly. "I know. I do know this…but I still wish I could do something to help. I feel like I came back for a reason and…I feel useless and helpless knowing I can do nothing to change it. I've never felt useless before and…I hate feeling it."

Minerva came over, handing her some tissues for the tears still slipping down the young woman's face. "What are you going to do about Severus?"

Hermione sighed, digging hands into her hair once again. "I…I don't know. I can't let him die thinking I didn't care. Thinking that I just didn't love him enough to stay with him."

Hermione wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She met Minerva's eyes again. "Minerva, what am I going to do? How can I go back to…nothing? How can I go back knowing I'll never see him again? Even with as horrid as he was to me as my professor…I still want him. I still want to see him and have him hold me. I want to be able to listen to his silky voice read to me."

Minerva's brow knitted. "Was he really all that bad, dear?"

Hermione smiled softly. "Yes. He couldn't stand me. Which is why I find it interesting that he cares so much for me now. I wonder if it's because he isn't that hard man that feels that no one ever loved or wanted him. He hasn't had all those years of hatred inside yet. Maybe I would have fallen in love with him anyway had he lived. I don't know if he would have ever moved on from…his love of Lily. But I think that through it all, I wouldn't have minded sharing him with her. Assuming he could ever get past his constant annoyance of me. He does have a bit of a bad temper."

Hermione chuckled a bit. "I was annoying too. So young and eager to impress everyone with my skill and knowledge. Wanting to prove that even with being muggle born that I was still as good, if not better, than any pure blood out there. Prove that blood doesn't mean anything. Looking back I wonder if I didn't annoy him on purpose at times. I know I did here in the beginning. Making him talk to me. Placing that bet with him just to prove I was right with that dumb potion."

She laughed softly again as she went on. "Severus is the one that taught me how to make that potion. He's the best Potion's Master I've ever met. The fact that I showed him something that he showed me…its just…funny in a way."

She looked back up at Minerva. "I told you I was warped. I had him had him teach me his most prized skill too. One he, I bet, never taught anyone before. Used a skill he knew anyway later in life, but wanted to learn now instead, to get him to teach it to me. I wonder if he ever figures out who I really am if he'll be angry with me over it."

Hermione smiled. "The Severus I knew as a child would have been. This one…I just don't know. I'll never find out either." Wiping at a fresh tear that slipped down her cheek.

Hermione chuckled gently again. "If he does figure out who I am, I hope he never learns about what Remus did in our third year. He might just hex us both."

Minerva felt a small smile tug at her lips. "What did Mr. Lupin do?"

Hermione smiled again at the memory. "He was our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. One of my friends feared Severus and we were working with a bogart. Remus smirked when he learned this and whispered into Neville's ear. When he sent the spell to repel it, Severus ended up in an ugly green dress, a red handbag, and an equally ugly vulture hat."

Minerva chuckled softly. "But why would he hex you my dear? Doesn't sound like you had anything to do with it."

Hermione's smile deepened. "We dueled this year." Minerva raised her brow at the girl. "It was simple and harmless spells. He wanted to practice his speed with casting. So we did. One of the spells I threw made him wear that exact vulture hat." Hermione said, giggling once again as she remembered it.

Minerva started laughing with Hermione. "That poor man. Hermione that is terrible." Minerva said, still laughing. "Lets hope he doesn't find out about it. Especially if his temper is as bad as you say it is."

Hermione's giggles eased. "He found it funny once, maybe he will again. I doubt it, but there is a chance. He did look silly in the hat. But he looked rather cute too. Looking confused at the spell before smiling about it. Which is partly why I hit him with the spell. I wanted to see him smile. I had never seen him smile before coming back here. But he has a nice smile." She said with a hitch in her voice as she thought of never seeing it again.

Minerva took Hermione's hands and gave them a squeeze. "Maybe that was your purpose in coming back dear. To give him a time when he was happy in his life. If he was so miserable before…this gave him something to remember fondly. To know that someone did love him once, very much."

Hermione gave a small teary-eyed smile. "Maybe. If that was the case…I hope I did give him something to help him in his life. I'm glad he wont die thinking no one cared about him. But he will die thinking everyone hates him and I…I don't want that either. I left a note for Dumbledore so Severus would know that everyone knew what he had sacrificed to save us all. Dumbledore worried he wouldn't do what he must with me having changed what's in his heart."

Minerva thought on this. "Child, if you want him to know the truth, then leave him a letter with me too. Tell him why you left. Tell him what you felt for him. Tell him whatever you can that wont change too much. Just so he knows that you did care. That you did love him. I'll give it to him when the time is right."

Hermione nodded as fresh tears came to her eyes. "I think you're right. I can't tell him everything. But at least he'll know that I did love him dearly. I just wish…I just wish I could warn him somehow, but I can't. Without his memories, Harry will never vanquish Voldemort. He needs to think he's dying for him to give them over. He needs that final betrayal from that monster to fully make him save us all."

Minerva sighed. It was getting late. "Lets pull the memories and do what we must. You have a long day tomorrow and not much time left to spend with everyone. I'll see if I can get Albus to cancel classes for a few days so you can spend enough time with everyone."

Hermione nodded and stood. The two women held hands and touched their wands together. Minerva took the vow to not speak of the things she knew with anyone that didn't already have prior knowledge. Allowing her to tell Severus about Hermione when the time was right, but only about certain things. Her vow set to end after Severus' attack in the shack. That way Minerva could talk to others after the war. A silver and gold band surrounded their joined hands and bound the vow to them both.

Minerva pulled every memory concerning the outcome of everyone. Every memory of Severus, every memory of everyone dying was taken. She put them in a tiny vial and locked them with a time locking spell. It wouldn't be able to be opened before the end of her fourth year.

Hermione then used a memory erasing charm to ensure she didn't remember anything in the vial, anything pertaining to the future. Making Minerva stare blankly at her afterward while still holding the vial.

"Hermione, why are you in my office and what is this in my hand?" The older woman asked her, feeling a bit dazed after the spell.

Hermione smiled and said just enough to let her know what happened, without giving anything away for the future. Minerva was looked at the vial in her hand and gasped as she realized what she had done.

Hermione explained the vow as well. Explaining the need for such drastic measures to insure the safety of their future.

Knowing she had taken it willingly and remembering taking it, Minerva sighed. Knowing it must be pretty bad if she'd had to do this to herself to protect everyone and everything. But didn't press for answers, knowing they'd be back to square one if she did.

Minerva hugged Hermione tightly before letting the girl go back to her dorm. Minerva placed the vial in her special rack of memories, wondering briefly what the other vial that she couldn't remember placing was for. But holding off on it opening it.

If she had pulled her memories and wiped them completely. There had to be a reason why she didn't remember the vial either. She wondered if Hermione knew of the vial. But decided the girl must not, or she would have put a spell on it too or simply destroyed it.

A/N: Okay, kind of sad, but with a bit of hope. Anyone remember the other vial? Or what it might contain? I'll give you a hint, it was after she saved Severus from the Trio of Morons hanging him upside down. More coming soon. Take care everyone and please leave me your thoughts.