Remus was angry at himself for falling asleep again. When he woke up, the girl was gone. He asked Madame Pomfrey about the girl next to him but she merely scowled at him.
"There was no girl next to you, Mr. Lupin. Even if there was, it'd be none of your business. Now drink this pepper up and head off to breakfast." Remus resisted rolling his eyes as he downed the potion and stood up. As he headed to the door, Madame Pomfrey's voice stopped him.
"And Mr. Lupin," Remus turned around to give his attention to the healer. She was looking up from the paperwork she had been writing on. "Make sure you keep an eye on Mr. Wright. Make sure he's eating enough." Remus' eyes widened and he nodded. He turned and left to head to breakfast.
They had not seen Sebastian the entire weekend but Madame Pomfrey had—meaning that Sebastian may have come in to see the girl next to him. Remus moved a little quicker than normal in anticipation of seeing if Sebastian was at breakfast. When Remus bustled into the busy Great Hall his eyes roved over the Gryffindor students until he spotted his person of interest with the rest of Marauders. He calmed himself and tried to walk over, collected. He failed to slow his gait to a normal pace.
Sirius had an arm draped over Sebastian's shoulder. Sebastian looked tired and weary; his face was sullen and pale. James greeted Remus first.
"Oi, Moony! How are you doing, mate?" Remus nodded his greeting.
"I'm feeling just peachy." Remus smirked. Sirius looked up at Remus, his arm still on Sebastian's shoulder.
"You're just in time to find out why Sebastian was so cruel as to tell none of his dear roommates where he was for the entire weekend." Sirius gave a pointed look to Sebastian who was looking down at the table, cheeks a little red.
"Professor Dumbledore knew where I was, I didn't think I'd have to tell you." Sebastian shuffled off Sirius's arm and Sirius frowned. "Besides," Sebastian continued "I never ask you guys about your monthly sojourns in the night, so let's just drop it." Remus felt his heart drop at the comment as Sebastian cast an accusing glare at Sirius. Sirius and the others shared a guilty look. Sebastian sighed and stood up. "Look, I appreciate your concern. I just had a rough weekend of realizations but I should be more or less good now." He gave one more look at them before adding, "Besides, shouldn't you be more concerned about the exams today than where I've been sleeping on the weekends?"
As if Sebastian's words finally clicked in James', Sirius', and Peter's heads, they all nearly yelped before reaching into their bags to pull out their notes to do some last minute cramming. Sebastian gave them an amused look before he headed off back to the dorm. Remus continued sitting there, eating a piece of toast half-heartedly.
"Do you think he knows?" Remus asked quietly to his friends. The prospect of someone finding out about Remus' furry secret left him on edge. The boys looked up from their papers. James sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"If Sebastian knew, he'd either make a fuss about it or he already knows and he doesn't care enough to comment." James reasoned. Remus nodded and James continued. "If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say he just notices that we're gone or sleeping when you're supposed to be visiting your relatives." Remus nodded again but then thought back to the sleeping girl beside him. If Sebastian had visited her, he may have seen Remus, who was supposed to be visiting his sick relatives, not be sick himself. Remus spent the rest of the day uneasy but managed to focus on the rest of his mid-term exams.
He didn't get a chance to observe Sebastian until dinner. Sebastian was already there talking to Lily and going over their test answers. Remus was pulled into the conversation and seemed just as surprised as Lily with the depth of Sebastian's answers. Lily asked the lingering question in his mind.
"Sebastian…how do you know all this stuff? I knew you took great notes and you always seem to know the answer to questions when asked, but I thought you weren't getting a lot O's?" Sebastian flinched.
"Ouch, Lily, straight for the jugular." Lily blushed realizing how frank she had been when she asked. Sebastian laughed. "Let's just say I did a lot of studying this weekend." Lily's mouth made an 'O'.
"Is that why you looked so dreadful Sunday?" Lily asked. Sebastian gave a pained smile.
"More or less." He answered noncommittally. They were interrupted by a loud excited scream of a name.
"LILLLLLLLLLLLY" James exclaimed, almost bouncing jovially towards the table. Peter looked a worried mess next to him but Sirius looked calm and a little happy to see Sebastian. Sebastian gave a little chuckle at Lily whose eye twitched at James' exclamation.
"Potter," she greeted curtly. She stood up and gathered her books as James sat down. James' face fell. "I'll see you later, Sebastian, Remus." She nodded at them and they nodded back. She turned to glare at the rest of them. "Boys." She didn't wait for their acknowledgement but instead moved further down the table to where her other friends were. James turned a sharp eye to Hermione.
"You better watch it, new guy, or I might think you're trying to steal my future wife." James spoke a little more serious than joking and Sirius ruffled in her defense. Hermione cut off his budding remark.
"It'll be awfully hard to make her your wife when she dreads being in your company." Hermione gave James a pointed stare and James flushed in anger.
"She'll come around! We'll be good together—I know it!" He exclaimed. Hermione did in fact know it, but she had a feeling that he wasn't going to succeed without a little attitude adjustment.
"You've had six years to 'turn her around'. Apparently, your technique is lacking." James flushed even more and she felt the others tense around her. Figuring she was going too far, she brushed a hand through her short, boy hair—a move reminiscent of both James and Harry. "Look James, Lily is a nice girl, but I have absolutely no interest in her. We were just going over the test. Besides, Remus was here, too." James looked a little more mollified but slightly petulant.
"What do you mean you have no interest in her?! She's the best thing to ever grace the planet." Hermione rolled her eyes at his indecisive behavior.
"She's phenomenal—really. She just isn't my type." Hermione gave a rueful smile. Being a boy was awkward when you were secretly a girl.
"That's right! Everyone is approving of future Mrs. Potter so let's just get to eating!" Sirius interjected, trying to lighten the mood. The Marauders started piling food onto their plates and Hermione realized she had yet to touch any of hers. Nibbling delicately she noticed Remus and Sirius watching her.
"What?" Hermione mumbled self-conscious.
"You don't eat enough." They both exclaimed before looking at each other.
"What?" Hermione asked again, surprised. Sirius went first.
"I'm just saying you're too skinny. And since you looked bad this weekend, you should eat more to regain strength!" He added the last bit enthusiastically. Hermione looked at him doubtful. She had always known Sirius to be someone who wanted to be included in or starting the "fun". Seeing him here, so concerned and protective—almost motherly—was absolutely bizarre.
"I ran into Madame Pomfrey and she told me to make sure you ate properly." Remus remarked as Hermione flinched. Closing her eyes briefly she opened one after the other to see Mama-bear-Sirius staring at her.
"When did you see Madame Pomfrey?" He asked in a no-nonsense tone, reminiscent of Mrs. Weasley. She found it ironic that they clashed so much in her time. She felt a pang as she thought of home.
"Lily ran into me Sunday and pushed me to see her." Hermione noticed Remus pale and instantly knew the reason; she had forgotten that the full moon had even passed. "I just got some potions and a scolding and went on my way; I wasn't there long." She added. Remus looked a little more at ease but incredibly suspicious.
"Did you see anyone there?" Remus asked and the three other boys turned to him in surprise. Hermione also looked surprised.
"No…I was really only there briefly." Hermione continued in a questioning tone. Remus continued.
"You didn't see a girl in one of the beds?" Hermione's eyes widened and she fought to control the reaction. She thought Remus might have seen it and she felt immediately uncomfortable with the line of questions. The only other person there had been her—had he seen her in her as Hermione? She sought to end the conversation.
"No, I didn't see anyone there. Why do you ask—were you there?" Hermione answered irritated. Remus immediately started stuttering that he wasn't there and a brief, tense silence descended on them.
"So," Sirius interjected slowly. "Only a few more exams and it's time for Christmas! What are you doing for break, Sebastian?" Hermione turned towards Sirius and winced. Winter break—she had forgotten about her impending, depressing holiday over dinner.
"I'm staying here, I imagine." Sirius looked at her in shock.
"But we're all going home for break!" Sirius announced in horror. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"The entire dorm room to me—yippee!" She said unenthusiastically, toying with the food on her plate. Sirius continued to gape in horror. He looked at the other Marauders.
"But…but why aren't you going home?" Hermione flinched. She was sure if it wasn't for the potions and the fact she literally cried all weekend, she would be tearing up now.
"I don't have anywhere to go." Hermione couldn't stop the brief crack of her voice as she stared down at her plate. Hermione gave a cough to clear her throat before placing some tasteless chicken in her mouth. Everything tasted like ashes to her.
"You can come with Padfoot and me." James offered. Hermione looked up in surprise.
"I can't. It's fine." Hermione mumbled.
"Nonsense! I live with James but Remus and Peter are coming for Boxing Day and staying until we get back to Hogwarts. You can stay with us, no problem! Mummy P is the nicest woman ever and Charlus is very welcoming as well." Sirius explained enthusiastically. He stood up with purpose. "I'll go write them to tell them you're joining us right now!" Sirius went to turn away from the table when Hermione reached across and grabbed his shirt.
"Stop!" She exclaimed. Sirius looked at her confused. "I appreciate the offer but I do have some things I need to do over winter break. I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore first!" Sirius looked displeased but sat down slowly, allowing Hermione to stop reaching over and sit back in her own seat.
"Fine. I'll wait for your response but I'm telling Mummy P that we invited you anyway." Sirius pouted. Hermione nodded.
"That's fine." Hermione conceded. They finished dinner tersely before Hermione went off to find the Headmaster.
"You are looking a little peaky, my dear." Albus Dumbledore said, peering over his glasses down at her.
"I've had better days." Hermione grumbled. Albus smiled slightly.
"You do look better, though." He sounded sincere and Hermione believed him. She let out a sigh.
"I am resigned to my fate here." She paused and he looked like he wanted her to continue. "I can help out where I can but I don't know that much about the details of this time to be of absolute use." She knew she was fudging it but she didn't want to be a slave to his machinations. "Besides, you've already shown me plenty of theories that suspect I've already altered this present to be different from my future." Albus looked quite pleased with her announcement.
"Does that mean you will go by your real name now?" Albus inquired politely. Hermione looked at her hands—her male, masculine hands.
"When the NEWTS occur, they have a spell that signs the name of the person, regardless of pseudonyms and disguises—correct?" Albus nodded. "I will be graduating soon and I will have to be the real me when I take that test. Until then, I think Sebastian Wright is fine." Albus nodded again.
"I have been wondering, still, a little more about you and your future…or rather your old present." Albus inquired. Hermione paused but figured giving him some information now might benefit her plans for the winter.
"I will be born a few years from now in 1979 to a pair of Muggle Dentists." Albus looked surprised.
"I didn't realize you were Muggleborn." He commented. Hermione gave a polite smile.
"Makes it slightly easier to avoid my parents, now." She said optimistically. "Blood was still a hot topic then—or will be, rather. But for me it didn't matter and my friends didn't care. I did well in my classes at Hogwarts, regardless of growing up muggle. They called me the brightest wi—student of my age." Hermione coughed at nearly identifying her true gender.
"I was under the impression you were doing only slightly better than average in classes." Albus remarked. Hermione gave a pained smile.
"I never started seventh year until I arrived in this time, but I had learned all the spells prior." She looked at Dumbledore, amused. "The hardest has been sabotaging my potions to only get an Exceeds Expectations—I still couldn't let myself do any less." Dumbledore, in turn, also looked amused. "I'm taking the exams, seriously though. It…it seems looking into a future here is prudent." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily at the further confirmation.
"Excellent! If you need any assistance, I'll be pleased to assist you in adjusting here." Dumbledore offered. Hermione seized her chance.
"I actually do have some things I need…but I didn't exactly have my money on me when I left." She finished awkwardly. Dumbledore waved it off.
"Nonsense, you fell out of my painting, I feel rather responsible for you, my boy." Hermione smiled lightly.
"I'm planning to stay here over break…for obvious reasons…but James Potter invited me to his house for Christmas." She looked up at Dumbledore expectantly. "It might be nice to feel like I have friends here." Dumbledore nodded sympathetically.
"I can take you to Diagon Alley myself when the students are gone. I'm sure you could floo to Charlus's house for Christmas and stay as long as you like." Hermione noticed he used Charlus's name. Hermione had never heard much about Harry's grandparents but she knew they were dead by her time.
"I'd like to join the Order, too." Hermione said abruptly. Dumbledore turned to look at her appraisingly. He stroked his beard.
"I must say, I'm not exactly surprised to hear you know of the Order." Hermione shrugged. "But I don't think it will be wise for you to join while you are at school." It was Hermione's time to appraise Dumbledore. While it was Dumbledore's mistake to think that the six months would matter to her and be more important than using her information immediately, it would give her time to revisit priorities—including her still male body—and formulate a plan to present to the Order when she was inducted.
"Technically, I'm already a member, but I will compile my notes until I can take action this summer." Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
"Was there anything else you needed, my boy?" Hermione was beginning to feel tired but she was almost done.
"I was wondering if you could help me procure an apparition license—I'll change the name after I finish my NEWTS, but for now I think it could be prudent to have one." Dumbledore nodded.
"We will take care of it all Monday, then." Hermione nodded and finally was able to go back to the dorm and sleep. The boys said their hellos but she barely mumbled back before she was in bed, curtains shut.
Hermione did not go down to the train station to wave goodbye to the Marauders—she merely said goodbye to them in their room. Sirius looked nearly despondent until she mentioned that she would in fact see him for Christmas. Sirius perked up and headed out with the rest of them. Remus gave her one long look before glancing around the room and looking at her again. He mumbled a 'see you later' before closing the door. He hadn't brought up the hospital again but he seemed to be right back at his paranoid state. He at least called her by her "name", though.
That Monday, Dumbledore took her to Diagon Alley where she easily passed her apparition license. Unlike the NEWTS, the apparition license was bound only to performance and less to identity; it read Sebastian Wright. Dumbledore walked merrily with her as she noticed a few wizards stopping to gawk at the famous Headmaster. Eventually, Dumbledore gave her a considerable amount of money—which she gawked at—and told her to go off and buy whatever she needed. He told her that she dare not even attempt to return the money because he simply would not accept it. She stumbled off, amazed at his generosity, while he met with the many fans and politicians who were out shopping. They would meet in a few hours at an ice cream store.
She accomplished more than she thought she would while she was there. Her undetectable extension bag kept all her new possessions. Dumbledore had seemed impressed with her creation when she had chucked several books into it. Now alone, she had managed to procure presents for her friends. She got James and Sirius broom cleaning kits. She bought Remus a book on Defense Against Dark Arts and she had purchased a book for Peter on important plants to combat poisons; he seemed to be rather good at herbology, though he downplayed it greatly. She had also purchased candy for them previously at Hogsmeade—especially chocolate.
Once her presents were secured, she found herself looking at potions ingredients. She had some experiments she was planning on running because she still very much desired her real body. She had managed to secure a restricted reading pass from Dumbledore and had gone over the various potions that may have been altered to keep her in this weird state for so long. She had taken the weekend to check the Forbidden Forest for ingredients and now she was purchasing ingredients that she could not harvest. She hummed to herself as she read the labels and picked out what she needed. Realizing she still had an absurd amount of money, she began to pick out the very costly ingredients for Wolfsbane—though she had no idea how she would slip it to Remus. Still, she picked the ingredients out and paid for them.
Outside the store she came across a clothing store. Although she had gotten a nice uniform and cloak set before the year started, the clothes she had "found" in the Room of Requirements were awkward and ill fit. She entered the store and pulled out a few ensembles before half-heartedly trying on the guys clothes. She found a particularly garish and warm looking pair of socks that she purchased for the professor before she noticed a particularly lovely dress in the girls section. It looked much more modern than a lot of the robes in the store and had a flowing skirt connected to a slim bodice with sleeves. She looked at it and felt extremely disgruntled that she was male.
"Looking at that for your girlfriend?" Hermione jumped at turned around shocked. The sales lady was smiling pleasantly. Hermione forgot how strange it looked for a male to look at girls' clothing so reverently.
"Yes." She answered awkwardly. The sales woman launched into a spiel about the clothing changing to fit the size of the user and proceeded to tell her it was on sale. Somehow, Hermione had been convinced to purchase several reasonably priced articles of clothing that she would never be able to wear until she was a woman. Yet, purchasing them made her feel like one nonetheless.
She met with Dumbledore at an ice cream store and declared her shopping trip a success. She thanked Dumbledore again and he merely smiled gently back.
"I feel that soon I will ask of you far more than I should." His smile turned pained and Hermione looked down at her ice cream.
"I will help how I can" she vowed, thinking that it was a fairly relative statement. They took the floo back after ice cream and Hermione did not see him again until dinner.
Dinner consisted of few students and teachers seated at a circular table. The entire hall was fabulously decorated and Hermione instantly remembered the Yule ball. Nostalgia aside, she sat down at the table and greeted Slughorn, Minerva, and Dumbledore. She turned to look at the other students. There were a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws—all younger. She was the only Gryffindor and she paused in surprise when she saw the single Slytherin at the table. Severus Snape appeared to be at the table, staying for Christmas as well. He looked up at her with disdain but she was already plotting his assistance for the next week.
She didn't see or hear much from Snape or other Slytherins. The Marauders had relatively calmed down with their pranks and she assumed many of the Slytherins were preparing for their lord. She only shared potions with Severus but he sat in the front, far from where she was roped into sitting in the back with the Marauders. From the distance, she could still tell how amazing he was at potions. He would be incredibly useful in this task.
After dinner, Severus got up and left alone. Hermione stood up and followed him, walking out the Great Hall after him.
"Snape!" She called after him. His muscles tensed and he turned around quickly, brandishing his wand. "Woah!" Hermione called lifting her hand in defense. Her wand holster was hidden under her sleeve and she fought down the urge to brandish her own weapon.
"What do you want, Wright?" He ground out the name vehemently. Hermione was surprised.
"Didn't think you knew my name." She commented casually. He eyed her wary.
"What do you want?" He repeated still coiled and ready to strike.
"I need your help." She said honestly. Snape gave a sharp laugh.
"Help a Marauder? How stupi-"Snape began.
"I'm not a Marauder" Hermione argued.
"You sit with them enough." He countered. Hermione sighed.
"I need help with an experimental potion I'm working on." Snape's interest barely peaked. She carried on. "I want to be able to change someone's gender temporarily and I think your expertise would help out a lot. I'd try any version of the potion that I agree to and I won't force you to try any." He lowered his wand a little; it still pointed at her. "When it's finished it could be used on the Marauders." The wand no longer pointed at her but was still in his hand.
"Pray tell, why would a Gryffindor and a Slytherin work together?" he sneered.
"Look Snape, we're going to be the only ones here this winter and we are the only ones who are even remotely near the same age. You can go back to hating Gryffindor's and disdaining me and whatever farce you put up when all your buddies come back, but for now I have a project and I'd really appreciate your help." Snape still looked wary.
"It's not a farce." Hermione rolled her eyes at his rebuttal.
"I don't know what goes on down in the snakes' pit but it's not Hufflepuff hospitality. I'm sure deviation and differences from their status quo are hardly the embraced characteristics of Slytherin." Snape looked surprised at her comment. "I don't need anything from you Snape, but your subject-matter expertise."
"You are awful at potions." Hermione scoffed at his barb.
"I've managed an EE and I've been sabotaging them on purpose." She had dropped her hands and moved closer. "Do you know how hard it is to get precisely that grade without making it worse?" Snape looked interested.
"Why have you been faking?" He asked suspicious but curious.
"I felt it necessary to be an ordinary, un-exemplary, student." She answered truthfully again.
"Why would it be necessary?" He demanded, impatiently. She marveled at how young this made him seem.
"The real question is why it is no longer necessary. That answer is that I can no longer get what I want and must adapt to the environment." He looked like he was going to ask her another question but she interrupted him. "In any case, I will be at the unused potions classroom level four the next few days after breakfast. You are welcome to come join me." She patted his shoulder as she walked by him, noticing him stiffen and feeling his glare as she left. He would come for the mystery, she knew; but he would stay for the potion.
Hermione found it reassuring that she could predict this Severus Snape so well. While he had been an enigma in her time, in this time he was many of the same things-but much more seemingly normal. With the information Harry had supplied her, this Severus Snape made more sense; she almost felt guilty she had such insights. Then he would open his snarky little mouth and she would realize he was still an obnoxious prat.
"Of course I've read One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, if not for potions use what would you do—eat them?" Snape mocked in their classroom. They were figuring out how each compared intellectually and Snape was taking every opportunity to degrade her. "I admit," Snape sneered "I'm almost impressed you've read it—already breaking my expectations. Though surely, you've not read Magical Drafts and Potions." Hermione fumed.
"I have read it, thank you. Most Potente Potions?" Hermione asked, knowing that the copy of the book was still in the restricted section of the library. Snape raised an eyebrow in a questioning surprise but Hermione did not turn away.
"Slughorn allows his best students access to the restricted section—especially for such potion-related studies." He looked at Hermione appraisingly. "How you managed to acquire a restricted book with your mediocre skills is beyond me." There was a hidden accusation in the air. Hermione steeled her shoulders, indignant.
"There are other ways to access books with multiple copies." Hermione scoffed.
"Magical Mediterranean Water Plants and Their Properties." Snape continued. Hermione paused. Damn. That was Neville's book that had helped Harry with the Gillyweed. She hadn't managed to get a hand on the rare book before she forgot it amid the concerns of surviving. After the war, she hadn't thought to ask to borrow it. She narrowed her eyes at Snape.
"That's a rare book—how did you manage to read it?" Snape's face turned to an arrogant smirk at the words, seemingly able to understand that she, indeed, had not read it.
"I have a friend who had acquired it." His smirk grew. "I take it you have not read it, no surprise really, given your lack of resources." Hermione bristled. Snape really was still a big git.
"Yes, Snape, make fun of the orphan—good form," Hermione mocked back. Snape seemed to have the decency to feel guilty enough as the air around developed a stillness and staleness—the conversation if not more so. Snape spoke first.
"I actually still have it…if you'd like to read it." Hermione turned back in surprise from where she had pointedly looked away from him. He was looking down and nearly mumbling his words. He suddenly looked like a Severus Snape she did not know: kind, shy, and awkward. "I would like to keep all my limbs intact and your faulty potions knowledge is surely the biggest danger here." Hermione huffed but it turned into an exasperated smile.
"I'd love to read it, Snape." She said casually. He nodded at her primly, which she interpreted was from his embarrassment. She smirked as she looked down at her notes. They began talking more of ingredients, potions making, and the idea of the prank. She found it an interesting coincidence that he was just as much, if not more so, a know-it-all as she. She also found that insufferable was widely applicable around him. Yet his knowledge was impeccable and useful; his company was less foul in his youth, too.
When they finally left to go back to their rooms before dinner, Hermione was optimistic towards recreating and eventually curing her little problem. Still buzzing with the excitement of that prospect, she entered the Great Hall in a daze. She didn't realize she had sat down next to Snape until she felt his glare. Turning to look at him in surprise, he merely huffed before turning to look at his plate. His annoyance felt false, though, so she stayed where she sat.
She felt another pair of eyes on her and turned towards the source. Dumbledore seemed to be observing the entire table and his eyes glanced between Snape and her a few time. It felt like he was surprised and Hermione's mind cleared from the earlier daze; her seat position indicated that she was on good terms with Snape—meaning that she had deemed him a good enough person in her future. Knowing that Dumbledore was actually rather rude to Snape when he was a student, she was satisfied that Dumbledore was second guessing himself now. It must have taken Dumbledore years to find out how exceptionally loyal Snape could be.
With all of this in mind, it came as no surprise when Dumbledore spoke to her before she left for the Potters. She had already said goodbye to Snape, who had been incredibly prickly all week but still worked with her nonetheless. They had developed some sort of strange partnership filled with Snape constantly belittling her work and cutting her theories in half. It would have irritated her more if his logic wasn't so sound. He proved to be incredibly competent and they had progressed far into the theory in the week since they began. She felt guilty leaving him for the week to spend it with his mortal enemies but he had merely brushed it off. She knew it was a lie and that he was a tad upset but he looked in awe when she gave him his gift. It reminded her of the first time she gave a gift to Harry; they both were so amazed someone had thought of them and gave them something for nothing in return.
Snape had blushed a little as he snatched the gift out of her hand mumbling about pranks and busybodies. Hermione merely rolled her eyes. Snape was like a rescue dog—he constantly needed to be reminded she wasn't suddenly going to attack him. So when he opened the box to find a dictation recording quill and a handsome leather journal, he had paused disbelieving. Hermione actually felt a little guilty she hadn't given him something nicer when he looked at it so reverently.
"I don't recommend you dictate in the dorms, after all, anyone could hear you, but if you come up with any ideas here or for any future potion making—well, I know that sometimes a potioneer's hands are full. I'm sorry I'm leaving for the week, but we'll have another week before the students come back." Hermione spoke quickly before looking at him awkwardly. He was still looking at the set.
He did not look up but mumbled a very quiet and very sincere. "Thank you." Hermione smiled at him before heading to Dumbledore's office where she would floo to the Potter's. Sirius had sent her a letter explaining all the things they would do and Hermione had laughed at his childishness. She was arriving on the 23rd and leaving just past the New Year. She was still hesitant given the difficulties of her "condition" but she had agreed to go and she had been able to hide it for the past few months, anyway. She walked into the office and greeted Dumbledore.
"I see you've gone out of your way to befriend Mr. Snape," he commented nonchalantly, yet his eyes were appraising. Hermione set down her bag, wondering how long this conversation would take.
"There are some people here who were unexpectedly loyal to our cause." Hermione explained. "I'm making a mess of things but interrupting how things occurred—the reasons the individuals developed the loyalty to the cause. I'm hoping I am merely stream-lining the process before they have the chance to slip."
"Severus Snape dwells among questionable characters—you do not think him too far gone?" Dumbledore inquired and Hermione shrugged.
"I don't know. I'd like to try and keep him on our side early on—he was a war hero where I'm from. The circumstances made him a war hero, but I'm hoping that it'd be fine to just let him be content and in the background of the war." Hermione reasoned.
"Ah, the war gets much worse." Dumbledore noted. Hermione nodded.
"I know you know that. I still think you should let me start helping you now—before the disappearances and kidnapping and murders become more than whispers on dark streets and the reading between the lines of the Daily Prophet." Dumbledore looked grim.
"Perhaps, we should have a more in-depth talk when you return." Dumbledore conceded. Hermione nodded. "Though, I rather hope that you will enjoy this holiday first." He continued more merrily, standing and guiding her to the fireplace in his room. Hermione grabbed her bag and pulled out a box.
"I have just a little something for you, professor." Hermione said as she passed the box to him. Dumbledore looked surprised.
"Mr. Wright, how generous of you!" Hermione smiled.
"Technically, you gave me the money, so I doubt it was very generous at all." Hermione laughed as Dumbledore chuckled. He opened the box, marveling at the most hideous, garish, thick wool socks, Hermione had ever seen. She knew he loved them.
"Mr. Wright, I think you have just given me my new favorite pair of socks." Dumbledore looked blissful and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. Hermione made a move towards the fireplace again and grabbed a handful of floo powder. "Mr. Wright" Hermione looked up. Dumbledore gave her a small smile. "Happy Christmas." Hermione nodded.
"You, too, sir." Hermione tossed the powder down, calling her destination and disappeared into the flames.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I have to admit—I was ridiculously happy every time a notification showed up. This chapter is more setup than anything else, but next chapter is Christmas at the Potters!