Hermione stared at Helga, her mouth feeling very dry as she finished talking. Helga hadn't interrupted her, though Draco had adding tidbits here and there as Hermione explained how they had come to be in the past. Finally Helga rested her hands on the top of her desk, looking at the two of them severely.
"You do realize that this is a lot to not only take it, but it's a lot to believe on what little evidence you've given me. Time travel. Time magic. These things are quite beyond any magic I've seen and I've seen impressive magic in my time." Helga spoke carefully. Hermione felt desperate. If Helga turned them away they were in serious trouble.
"We can provide proof if that's what you need. There isn't an exact way for us to prove it but I can offer this." Hermione pulled the tiny locket she wore off her neck, placed an enlargement charm on it before passing it to Helga. Inside there was a picture of her, Ron, and Harry as they graduated Hogwarts, throwing their hats in the air in happiness. The picture was moving, Hermione hoped it sufficed.
"This is certainly exemplary magic but how is this proving that you aren't touched in the head?"
"I'm sure you don't see it now, but that is me and my two closest friends graduating from Hogwarts." Helga's eyes widened as she looked back at the picture. "If you look closely you'll see the Hogwarts crest on our robes."
"Yes, I see that now but we haven't even." Helga laughed leaning back in her seat, still holding the locket. "We haven't decided on a crest yet though I guess I know what we decide." Helga handed the locket back to Hermione who shrunk and tucked it away beneath her dress.
"Now for the obvious question. From everything you have told me we need to get you home before the time line is too messed up. What happens if we can't do that?" Hermione had been asking herself that same thing all week.
"If we are unable to return to our time Hermione and I will begin traveling to other lands, searching for the answer to figure out a way to utilize the magic without the help of Hogwarts." Hermione blinked looking at Draco. He had answered so confidently. It hadn't occurred to her that it had been weighing on him too.
"I see, of course. This book that helped you learn about this magic. I take it that it's not available yet?" Helga was handling the news as well as Hermione imagined she would.
"It won't be published for another twenty years or so. From there it is only made into ten books. Seven of which will be destroyed in a murder attempt on the author's life. At least, that's what was handwritten in the book I had. It had been a warning." Hermione felt hollow. Twenty years? They could be stuck here for another twenty years?
"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Hermione demanded hotly. "Don't you think that's something I would like to know? Or are you trying to make sure that we stay here?"
"I knew how you would react! Besides it's twenty years from now. Do you really want to wait that long on a book that might, at best, only point us in a direction? We don't have access to all the same things here." His face screamed annoyance, the vein in his head beginning to pound.
"A direction is better than stabs in the dark Malfoy."
"Not if it only gives us false hope Granger. False hope that leads us further from where we need to be." Draco had slammed his fist into the arm of his chair.
"Enough." Helga's stern voice cut in sharply. "Fighting will get you nowhere. You came here for help now let me help. I need the name of the author and I need time. Give me eight days. If I'm right I may very well have a lead for you." Already? Helga's connections and knowledge was amazing.
"The only name on the book, the only word on the cover actually was Pazuzu." Draco's tone was still bitter as he held back his anger.
"Well then, that's something specific. We can look for it. It will help. Until we meet like this again I suggest the two of you begin working your problems out and researching what you can." Helga stared at Draco. "That means working together and not keeping any secrets." Hermione sniffed indignantly at Draco who only glared at her in response.
"I'll play nice as long as she does." Draco grumbled to Hermione's surprise. He was giving in so quickly? Not even putting up a night?
"I will do the best I can." Hermione replied under Helga's gaze. Helga sighed, almost as if accepting that was the best she was going to get.
"Right then you will need a place to keep your research and any experiments we might conduct private. On the seventh floor in the left corridor you will find a room but only if-"
"You walk past it three times with need of it?" Draco smirked at Helga's expression. She hadn't been expecting him to know what she was talking about. "We both have experience with the room."
"I guess you really are from the future." Helga sounded impressed. "I think that room would be perfect then yes."
"We can place a specific object in there so no one else stumbles upon it." Hermione wouldn't be outshone by Draco. "Something from our time, something that only the three of us know about would be best."
"Excellent idea Hermione. Do you have anything in mind? Perhaps the necklace you showed me?" Hermione frowned, the necklace was a good idea. It didn't reveal too much of the future to Helga but that meant parting with it, her only reminder of Ron and Harry in this time zone.
"We can place my journal in there." Draco had been studying Hermione, the sad look on her face. "It has a charm placed on it that won't be invented for a long while."
"Thank you. . .Draco. I'm sure that will work fine." Hermione said quietly touching the locket beneath her dress.
"Perfect. That's settled then. Now you two go and arrange the room. I need to consult a few of my scrolls and write a letter." Helga waved them off. Draco shot up, out of his chair all but sprinting from the room as she excused them.
"Helga. I have one more question if you don't mind." Helga nodded for Hermione to continue, she had already begun writing the letter she spoke of. "Well, how did you do it? How was the room's magic infused in it? It's almost sentient, able to procure anything you think of save for food." Helga stopped writing.
"You're very intuitive, it never ceases to amaze me. It's because it is sentient in a way." Hermione gaped at her. "When Rowena designed the castle we took one of the rooms and embedded quite a lot of magic into it. All of us, also, well not Salazar, put some of our own essence into it." The Room of Requirement was a horcrux?!
"You guys split your souls to make a sentient room?" Helga, Godric, and Rowena, had each killed someone to make a room more magical?
"Split our souls? Heavens no." Helga looked protruded. "That's not even possible Hermione. That would put a person in so much danger. We used our essence, our life force. It might have taken about twenty years off our lives but it's worth it to help all future students."
"Your life force but how is that possible? How could you do something like that?" The room was part of them all? No wonder the magic was so great, the room could all but walk and talk.
"It was a very dangerous potion I developed and Godric came up with the spell. Neither of us know the other, and Rowena knows neither. We had no intention for someone else to be able to replicate it. It almost killed us all, we were weak for over a moon."
"I can see why you wouldn't want anyone else to attempt it." Hermione couldn't imagine what would happen if power like that fell into the wrong hands. If Voldemort had known about it, he wouldn't have hesitated to twist it and use it to take the life force of others.
"Was there anything else you wanted to talk about right now?"
"No, not right now. Thank you." Hermione left Helga to her letter, a lot on her mind. Leaving the classroom Hermione saw morgan looking perplexed heading toward what Hermione assumed, was the library.
"Morgan, how are you?" Hermione asked interrupting the girl's thoughts.
"Professor Selwyn, my apologies, I didn't see you there." Morgan bowed to her respectfully. "Did you need something Professor?"
"No, no. Don't worry about that. I'm glad I found you. I wanted to commend you on the work you did on Draco's wand. It was truly a piece of art. Do you have time to walk me to my quarters?" This was a tactic Hermione had seen Dumbledore use often to have polite, though often probing, conversations with students.
"Of course I can always go to the library after." Hermione wasn't positive but she thought Morgan was happy at the fact that Hermione wanted to talk to her. "I'm excited to be taking Ancient Runes and Magical Creatures." Morgan couldn't have been older than seventeen Hermione decided looking at her.
"Do you like learning Morgan?" Hermione asked smiling at her. "I know that I did when I was younger. I still do." Hermione didn't want to patronize her with something like 'when I was your age' as Hermione was barely older than her.
"I do Professor! I'm sure you know a lot. To be a teacher at your age, it's quite impressive." Hermione didn't feel as if Morgan was trying to butter her up, the words felt genuine.
"I probably still have a lot to learn." Hermione said humbly. "I also hear that you have a gift for Transfiguration."
"Oh," Morgan blushed. "Thank you. I don't know who told you that but, well, yes. I am good at Transfiguration."
"I also hear that Merlin beats you in every subjects." Hermione knew the statement would sting but it would help her see what she was curious about. Morgan's response was immediate.
"That arrogant brat. He is good at magic but he cuts corners. Doesn't do things exactly as instructed and gets praised for it. If I tried to do something like that I'd be thrown in the dungeons for a week."
"Is that why you think he beats you?" Hermione asked thinking of Harry and the Prince's, Snape's, old Potions book. She could relate to the way Morgan was feeling, that much was for sure.
"I think so, that and all the teachers favor him, except the Headmistress. Professor Salazar more than the others though because Merlin is in his house." Morgan's voice and face were moody, like a sullen teenager.
"I've known guys like that." Draco. "You know what I've found though, if you clear your mind and don't let them get to you," They had stopped at Hermione's rooms. ", You'll prevail over them in time. You might not think so right away, but you will. Trust me."
"You really think so?" Morgan asked, Hermione nodded. "Thanks Professor." Morgan hugged her for a moment before dashing toward the library. Hermione smiled watching Morgan skip off, new passion in her step. She couldn't help but see a lot of herself in Morgan. Clapping made Hermione blink she hadn't even seen Draco walk up to her.
"So that's how you excelled is it? Hard work and determination?" Hermione hated that smug look on his face. Hermione sniffed at him, turning her nose up.
"Not that I expect you to understand, after all who needs good grades when you're a Malfoy. But yes, that's how I did it." Hermione glared at him, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. He didn't need to look so smug and handsome at the same time. Handsome? What the hell? Get a grip Hermione. Draco Malfoy is not handsome.
"Did you need something or are you here to bother me for the fun of it?" Hermione was irritated with herself.
"I came to tell you the phrase to get you into the room. Bothering you is just a plus." He grinned at her devilishly. Hermione waved her hand, urging him on. She wanted to be done with him until dinner time at least. "In private. We don't need anyone overhearing." Hermione huffed.
"Fine, fine. Whatever come in. Kneazle." Hermione didn't like the idea of Draco coming into her quarters looking at her stuff, probably making fun of her for her stuff. She didn't need to give him more material to work with.
"Wow, Didn't know you had any taste in you Granger." Hermione threw him a glare though Draco wasn't looking at her but at her desk.
"We aren't here to discuss my taste. Tell me the phrase to get into the room and get out of here."
"What's the matter Granger? Afraid to be alone with me?" Hermione clicked her tongue in annoyance. "I only kissed you to shut you up you know." Hermione's eyes all but popped out of her head. She did NOT want to talk about that. Rolling her eyes to gain her composure she gathered the scrolls on her desk, giving Draco her back.
"If you call that a kiss." Hermione muttered furiously shoving the scrolls on to the bookcase.
A/N: I love all of your reviews! Thank you guys so much. Sometimes they really help me pump out chapters. There are two Easter Eggs, kind of, in this chapter. If you spot them let me know!