Hermione didn't know why but as she made it back to her quarters, breathing hard, back against the portrait, she was crying. Damn him! What the hell had he gone and done that for? It's not like it had been a good kiss or it was something Hermione had EVER thought about. Maybe there was one time, during their Fourth year. No. That had simply been the yule Ball and a lot of butterbeer. Besides his half-assed compliment then didn't excuse his behavior now.
Hermione had wanted to see if the Room of Requirement was part of the castle's original architecture but now she found that all she wanted to do was stay in her room until dinner. She didn't even want to go down for lunch, because the possibility to see Draco was there.
"There is plenty to do here after all." Hermione said to herself. "Research to be done, more lessons to be planned." Hermione nodded moving to her desk, looking at the scroll she had been reading the day before, she chewed her lip. Part of her wanted to go back to reading it. While it had been interesting she found herself looking through her beaded bag.
Pulling out Hogwarts, A History and Newt Scamander's Magical Beasts and Where to Find them Hermione frowned at both books. Thumbing through them slowly Hermione wasn't sure what she was looking for, not until she found it.
"Well damn." There wasn't a lot of information on the Chimaera before, Hermione knew but there was more information now. The date that they had slayed the Chimaera, as long as the means. What little bit of information that had been added didn't matter, what Hermione feared was that as Salazar studied the Chimaera that would change.
"Double damn." Hermione slammed the book closed move to her other one searching it quickly. She was afraid of what she might find. "Nothing yet." Hermione sighed feeling a weight lift off her chest. So far there was nothing in Hogwarts, a History about her or Draco being teachers. Maybe they wouldn't stay long enough to make an deeper impact. If they didn't stay too long it might never get recorded or it would be lost information over time.
Hermione knew she needed to go talk to Draco about everything new written, but he had thrown her for a huge loop. Why the hell had he kissed her? He didn't even like her! He probably did it just to mess with her head, to fluster her. Why? She didn't know and she'd confront him about it later, next time she saw him. Maybe. Not at the moment of course, she had research. Yes, she had research to do and that's what she'd do.
Hermione didn't want to go and speak with Draco, even if she needed to because of the change they had made to history. They couldn't un-kill the Chimaera, that much was certain. Hermione wasn't sure how the study of such a creature would affect the future, chewing her lip she pinched the bridge of her nose. This was definitely a pain. If anything it would save a few lives but if those lives decided it would be best to take lives. This was a headache she hadn't been prepared for.
That wasn't the only thing that was bothering her though. If Merlin was here, at Hogwarts why wasn't Morgana? There wasn't anything that said she had studied at Hogwarts Hermione had always just made the assumption that she had. True the witch was older than Merlin, from what Hermione had read about she was six years older than Merlin. Maybe she hadn't wanted to join the school? The girl would be seventeen, maybe eighteen depending on the month she was born.
Other than the little bit of information that was on Chocolate Frog cards, there wasn't a whole lot known about Morgana. As far as Hermione knew there wasn't even a record of her death. It was said that she was an animagus, with the ability to take the form of a bird. Most people thought it to be a crow specifically. Hermione rubbed her forehead. She didn't know why it was bothering her, but it was.
It didn't matter why it was bothering her, the fact that it was made Hermione dig through her bag again. This time she pulled out 'Famous Witches and Wizards through the Ages'. It was a revised edition, as it had Harry's triumph over Voldemort in it. Hermione looked at the book fondly, a dull ache in her chest. Both Harry and Ron had made fun of her for buying it.
"You don't need a book to tell you what happened Hermione, you lived it!" Ron had laughed. Tears pricked at Hermione's eyes. Even though her and Ron had been fighting she missed him. The ache in her chest suddenly turned to guilt. Things had been different between her and Ron lately, but for her to be flirting with Godric so shamelessly.
"But you don't love Ron anymore, at least not like that." Hermione whispered to herself, clutching the book to her chest. The tears had slid down her cheek hotly. It didn't matter that she wasn't IN love with him anymore. Ron didn't know that. Though, he might. Ron surprised Hermione like that often. He was more intuitive than anyone gave him credit for, including himself. Ron cared, he had a heart of gold. He'd been the whole reason Mrs. Weasley had ever known that Harry's family treated him like garbage, that she had sent him Christmas and birthday presents, because Ron cared.
There was just something about Godric though that drew her in. God Rita Skeeter would have a field day about how Hermione liked 'famous' wizards. Hermione couldn't care less about how famous someone was. She had never looked at Harry that way despite what many witches had thought. Hermione shook her head. She wasn't here to think about guys! She really did have research she needed to do. To prove the point to herself, Hermione wiped her cheek and opened her book.
"Morgana, the older half-sister of Arthur. Born in the middle age sometime after 962 Morgana is a known dark witch as was famous for her healing abilities and her self-transfiguration, now known as 'Animagus'. It is believed that Morgana's animagus was that of a crow. As a dark witch and enemy of Merlin, most people know that in her youth she went by the name of Morgan Le Fay."
Oh, oh, oh. Hermione had forgotten that. Morgan's face, the way she looked at Merlin, it flashed in Hermione's mind. Had the rivalry already begun? But why? Was it because Merlin was younger than her and quite talented? Remember the way Salazar had treated Morgan, Hermione chewed her lips. Did all the teachers treat her like that? Did they all favor Merlin? Putting her books back in her bag Hermione set off. She knew just who to ask and who would give her an honest answer.
After going down to the dungeons, Hermione found Helga in the classroom that she had taken Defense Against the Dark Arts as a student. Helga was in the middle of a class, Hermione didn't recognize the potion, or the room really. Part of her couldn't help but think more people would have paid attention in potions if the room had been more light and open like this one instead of dark and gloomy.
Helga nodded as Hermione as she sat in the back quietly. Looking over the instructions for the potion, Hermione found that it didn't look terribly difficult but many of the ingredients she didn't recognize. Wormswart, Kingsfoil, Athelas, they must have been ancient herbs long since extinct.
"I'm guessing by the look in your eye that you have some questions for me." Helga beckoned Hermione into her office where she began carefully examining the vials of potion that had been handed in to her. "So tell me, what's the matter?" Helga put down a putrid green one, setting it as far from her as she could. Hermione didn't blame her. She had been potions explode before.
"Well, as you know, I sat in on Salazar's class today."
"I'm sorry if he said anything. Salazar isn't the most social creature and doesn't quite understand all the fine nuances of being polite." Helga rubbed her forehead.
"Oh, no. It's nothing like that." Hermione said quickly sitting down opposite of Helga. "It's not about Salazar at all, it's actually about a student."
"You you, you'd think by now I'd learn to not leap to conclusions and have a little bit of patience." The women smiled at each other. "Which student caught your eye?"
"Morgan. She did exceptional work this morning. I was wondering if you could tell me more about her." Helga blinked.
"That's certainly a surprise. I was expecting you to ask about Merlin and his ability to change his appearance." Helga looked thoughtful for a moment. "Morgan is as you said, exceptional. One of the first students we had. Morgan doesn't talk about her family much, though I know she has a younger brother. She is the number two student in every class since the arrival of Merlin. She has a competitive spirit that girl."
"I see." Hermione was glad that Helga's voice sounded warm as she spoke about her. "Does she show any particular talent for one subject above the rest? Which House is she in?" Hermione had always assumed, because she was a dark witch, Morgan was in Slytherin.
"Morgan is in Gryffindor though Rowena and myself did try for her. From what I've seen and heard, she excels at Transfiguration the most. You might not think it, but Godric is a tough teacher. He truly expects nothing less than perfection." The initial shock of hearing Morgan was in Gryffindor hit Hermione at the core. Gryffindor! But she was a dark witch. She could see why it wasn't printed anywhere. The Founder's probably hadn't wanted to take responsibility for teaching Morgana.
"Transfiguration eh? Has she shown any unique talents in that field?" The question was innocent enough but from the sharp way Helga looked at her, Hermione knew she hadn't fooled her. Not by a long shot.
"What exactly are you asking?" Helga asked, Hermione knew beating around the bush wouldn't cut it. She had to be direct.
"Has Morgan successfully learn to self-transfigure into an animal?" Hermione could feel the tension, she had stepped on a touching subject.
"No, not net." Helga was studying Hermione an unreadable expression on her face. "Godric teachers a very elite class once a moon. Showing the class, of which there is only two, how to self-transfigure. What I'm more interested to know is how you came to have such a specific question Hermione." The two women regarded each other in silence for what seemed to be an eternity.
"I'm going to level with you but what I'm going to say has to stay between you and me." Hermione saw no way around it and not utilizing Helga's intelligence would be beyond stupid.
"I would say that it will need to remain between the three of us." Hermione looked up at Draco's voice. He leaned on the door frame casually but the look on his face was anything but casual. "Hermione could I have a word?" Draco shoved off the door not waiting on her answer. Hermione gave Helga an apologetic smile stiffly following Draco.
"Are you following me now?" Hermione hissed making sure to keep her distance and her back to an open space. She didn't want a repeat of last time.
"You wish." Draco scoffed. "I came to borrow a few potions ingredients for my class Monday and what do I hear? You about to blab our secret." Hermione glowered up at Draco, her arms crossed tightly. "What the hell are you thinking? Or have you finally lost your mind from the weight of that bush you call hair?" Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Can't you think of a better insult? Besides think about it. We are in the dark here. If anyone can help us it's her." Hermione needed him to see reason. They needed someone's help and Helga seemed like the natural choice.
"If this goes south we will be the ones who suffer." He was capable of seeing reason! "That will be on you." Again Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine. It will be all my fault. Can we go talk to her now?" Hermione didn't want to be alone with him.
"Fine. Now, about earlier-."
"Save it. I don't want to hear it. We have bigger problems right now than your sadistic nature." Hermione walked away from him, stalking into Helga's office, sitting in a huff. As Draco joined her, closing the door, Helga eyed them both.
"Ready to tell me what's going on now?" She asked calmly.
"Yes, I just need you to keep in mind that we are putting a lot, our lives, on the line by telling you this." Helga arched a brow at Hermione's words.
"Quit with the dramatics and get on with it." Draco growled.
"She needs to be aware of the severity of this situation Draco, it's not to be taken lightly." Hermione replied almost as savagely. Helga cleared her throat drawing their attention.
"Why don't you just tell me what's happening?" She suggested a small smile on her face though a touch of impatience hit her brow.
"Alright." Hermione breathed. "It is a very long and complicated story but Draco and I, we aren't from here. I mean, we aren't from this time. We are actually from over a thousand years in the future."