Her head hurt.
Wincing against the bright sun, Hermione wordlessly cast a Tempus charm. 31 July, 1977. 4:36 pm. How could that be? The last thing she remembered was calling Riddle out on his hypocrisy. Then that light. And now she's in 1977? Two years before she was even born. She knew she had to find Dumbledore.
Glancing up, she realized she was in Hogsmeade, just outside the Hogwarts wards. "Well, that's convenient," she thought. "Less traveling for me, plus hopefully he'll let me take a nap in the hospital wing."
When she approached the gates to the castle, she was greeted by the man she wanted to speak with himself. "Odd," she thought. "Hagrid's the one that greets visitors in my time."
"I just had a lovely visit with Pandora Lovegood. She told me to expect a surprising visitor promptly at forty-two minutes past four, and here you stand," the Headmaster said, his eyes twinkling. "Albus Dumbledore at your service, and you are?"
"Hermione, sir. Hermione Granger. May I come into the castle? I have some things to talk to you about," Hermione replied, in awe of the man standing in front of her. Dumbledore was nearly two decades younger than the last time she saw him, his beard, trimmed to his collarbone, still held red tinges as well as his hair.
"Granger, you say?" Dumbledore said thoughtfully, opening the gate with a swish of his wand. "There are cousins of a current student here, their line hasn't come through Hogwarts in almost a century, they're Grangers as well. Hector Dagworth-Granger, the potioneer, had three squib children who all went on to have non-magical children of their own. Oh, excuse me I'm rambling."
"It's fine, sir. I've often wondered where my surname came from," Hermione said, thoroughly enjoying the younger Dumbledore's presence. "Who is the student the Grangers are related to?"
"They are related to a seventh year Gryffindor, through his muggle mother. He's the first magical person born on his maternal side of the family in nine decades," he said, opening the entrance hall doors for Hermione. "His name is Remus Lupin."
Remus! Hermione thought happily. That's why I felt a familial pull to him! He's my cousin! "Interesting," she said aloud.
All too soon, they were at the entrance to Dumbledore's office. As the staircase spiraled up, her nerves began to get the best of her. How was she supposed to tell Professor Dumbledore about 1998?
After they were both seated on opposite sides of the ornate desk that occupied most of the room, Hermione was offered a lemon drop. She knew, from previous experience, these were laced with a calming draught. I'll need it by the time I'm done anyway, she thought as she took one, smiling at the headmaster and popped it into her mouth.
"Now, Ms. Granger, what would you like to discuss?" he said, smiling softly.
"I think my story starts over a year ago," she began. "I was attending a wedding for..." Bill and Fleur. Gods, he's only seven right now! "For a close friend. Death Eaters interrupted. From there, myself and my two best friends ran. We spent the year hunting objects that a dark wizard made to make himself immortal. We had just finished destroying them all when both of my friends were killed by this wizard. I killed him. And I woke up in Hogsmeade."
"When did this happen, Miss Granger?" he asked, his face suddenly ashen.
"I left that out on purpose," she said, grabbing another lemon drop to soothe her nerves. "The wedding was on the first of August, 1997. I killed the dark wizard on the second of May, 1998."
"You time traveled?"
"Not purposefully!" she said, tears welling in her eyes. "I killed Voldemort and suddenly there was this light and I landed here, in 1977."
"I see, Miss Granger, time travel always affects everyone differently, but in my case, I get a blinding headache. I'm going to escort you to the hospital wing for a headache relieving potion and a rest. We shall finish our conversation say, tomorrow after breakfast?" the kind headmaster said.
"I'd like to sir, but I have one request," she said sighing. "I never finished my seventh year at Hogwarts and I'd like to be de-aged one year to complete that while I figure out how to get home."
"I'll speak to Madame Pomfrey when we arrive at the hospital," he replied, holding his hand out to her to help her stand.
When they reached the hospital wing, Professor Dumbledore gestured to a nearby bed, on which Hermione laid gratefully. He kept walking to the desk where Madame Pomfrey sat, reading the latest Magical Medical Journal.
A few spoken words later, the kind matron was at Hermione's bedside, holding three small phials.
"A headache relief potion, a very mild de-aging potion and a dreamless sleep, Miss Granger," she said smiling.
"Thank you Madame Pomfrey," Hermione said, a sad smile on her face. "You won't understand, but it's nice to see you again."
The Mediwitch patted Hermione's hand and sat in the chair beside the bed, summoning the journal she had been reading. "Get some rest, dear. We will have time to speak when you wake."
With one last look around the Hospital Wing, Hermione fell into her first restful sleep in over a year.