17th February 1977

The morning arrived much more quickly than she would have liked. Hours. She only had hours left in the past. She tried to comfort herself by reminding herself that she'd done all that she could. The antivenin was completed, and she was quite sure she did as much as she possibly could to have hopefully shown Severus his worth, and that life was worth living. She constantly told Severus how brilliant he was, how incredible she found him to be, and how much of an impact she was sure he'd leave on the world one day. She saw the effects of her words, and how he even held himself differently than when she first arrived.

Even though Hermione convinced herself that she most likely completed what she was meant to do when she was sent to the past, that didn't mean she was ready to leave. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to Edgar, Sturgis, or Otto. She certainly wasn't ready to say goodbye to Amelia. But most of all, the thought of saying goodbye to Severus made her physically ill. That, most certainly, she didn't think she would have ever been ready for.

When she woke up that morning, Amelia was still asleep. Rita, Dorcas, and Alice were all missing from their beds. It was nearly seven-thirty in the morning, so she assumed they were at the Great Hall for breakfast. She was grateful they were gone, it gave her a chance to say a proper goodbye to her friend.

After Hermione showered and dressed for the day, she walked back into her dormitory. Amelia must have just woken up, as she was sitting up in bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Morning, Hermione," Amelia greeted her with a yawn.

Hermione felt a lump form in her throat. She knew for months that she was going to miss Amelia dearly, but now that it was time to say goodbye, it truly hit her just how much. Besides Harry and Ron, Amelia was the best friend she ever had.

"Morning," Hermione responded, her voice thick with emotion.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Amelia asked.

Evidently, she picked up on Hermione's tone. Hermione gave her a forced smile.

"No," she said truthfully. "Not really."

Amelia moved over to make some room on her bed, and patted the empty space next to her.

"Sit," she said. "What's wrong?"

Hermione took a seat on the end of Amelia's bed and turned to face her. This was not going to be easy.

"I had a meeting with my Uncle last night," Hermione began, trying as hard as she could to hold back her tears. "I - I'm leaving the school."

Amelia's eyes widened.

"What? But… But why?" she asked.

"My parents," Hermione lied. "They want me to come live with them. They've enrolled me into Ilvermorny."

"Into what?" Amelia asked, her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

"It's the American Wizarding school," Hermione explained.

Even though Amelia was just as studious as Hermione, Hermione was once again reminded that not everyone researched everything about the Wizarding world as thoroughly as she had.

Hermione watched the frown that formed on her friend's face. It truly hurt to see.

"Merlin, Hermione. I'm," Amelia sniffled. "I'm really going to miss you."

Hermione couldn't stop the tears from spilling over. If saying goodbye to Remus, and now Amelia was this hard, she couldn't imagine how it was going to feel when she had to say goodbye to Severus.

"I'm going to miss you, too, Amelia. Truly. You've been one of the best friends I've ever had," Hermione told her sincerely.

Amelia smiled through her tears.

"You, too, Hermione. You've made sharing a room with that cow Rita bearable."

Hermione snorted.

"I don't think anything can make living with her bearable, but I appreciate that," Hermione said.

"When are you leaving?" asked Amelia.

Hermione looked down and wrung her hands together.

"Tonight," she responded in a whisper.

She heard Amelia take in a sharp breath.

"Blimey. So soon…" Amelia responded softly.

Originally Hermione had planned to say goodbye to all of her Ravenclaw friends, but truthfully, she didn't know if she could handle it. The way her insides felt as if they were all twisted, and the way her heart felt heavy, just from her goodbyes to Lily, Sirius, Remus, then Amelia, she didn't think she could do it again.

Well, there was one more goodbye that she would have to go through with. Severus.

"Would you," Hermione's throat tightened again. It was difficult to keep speaking. "Would you say goodbye to the rest of our friends for me?" she asked. "I don't think I can do it," she admitted quietly.

Amelia reached forward and placed her hand on Hermione's forearm, and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Of course," she told her.

"Thank you," said Hermione.

Amelia smiled at her, then a little bit of happiness seemed to come back into her eyes.

"But it's not like you won't see us again," said Amelia. "After you finish your schooling there, you can always come back home to visit. Sure it'll be after a little while, but it won't be forever."

Hermione had to use every bit of strength she had in her not to break down at Amelia's words. Unbeknownst to her, this goodbye was forever. By the time Hermione returned home, Amelia would have been murdered.

"You're right," Hermione lied.

After that, Hermione spent the rest of the morning packing, deciding to skip out on classes, and meals. She didn't have it in her to act as if nothing was wrong around her classmates. She needed some time to be alone, to mentally prepare herself for the inevitable conversation with Severus. Besides, she had no appetite anyhow.

She had sent a note with Amelia to pass to Severus, asking if he would meet her in their classroom around eight that evening. She said that she had some things she needed to do during the day, and wouldn't have been able to see him until then. A part of her wished that she could have spent a few blissful hours with him before she would have to leave, but she knew she wouldn't have been able to pretend that all was normal if they were together. And so, she avoided him that day. Until she couldn't possibly avoid him any longer.

Hermione had been dreading this conversation for days, for months really. She had no idea how she was meant to say goodbye to Severus.

Merlin! It was so unfair! The Fates were cruel. They dumped her into this time in which she hadn't belonged, only to find the one person she never knew she was looking for. They were cruel for giving her true love, only for it to be torn away, then possibly never returned. The Fates were cruel for what they were doing to Severus. They gave him his person. In her, they gave him one person who loved him unconditionally, and never ever intended to hurt him, but would hurt him more than anyone before her. The Fates were cruel.

No, she thought to herself. It wasn't fate. It was Dumbledore. Dumbledore was cruel for putting them through this. And for what? It wasn't even a guarantee that Severus would… survive.

Hermione arrived outside of the unused classroom she and Severus had spent many hours in, and stood outside of the doorway.

How could she do this, she asked herself. How could she break his heart?

With a deep breath to steady herself, Hermione walked through the door. Of course, Severus was already waiting for her.

"Hermione," he greeted with a rare smile, which was only ever reserved for her.

He crossed the room and took her into his arms, leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

Hermione responded at once, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him so fiercely, she was almost violent. There was desperation in her kiss, as well as a goodbye. She didn't know when she would have the chance to do this with him again, or if she ever would, regardless if he survived or not. It was very possible that by the time she saw him once again, assuming he would live, he would have been well over her.

She couldn't stop the tears that began to spill over and down her cheeks. Severus pulled back, and once he seemed to have had a good look at her, his features morphed from joy to concern. A crease formed between his eyebrows.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked.

Hermione couldn't look at him. She couldn't bear it.

"I need to talk to you, Severus," she said in a dead, hollow sort of tone.

Her throat felt tight, and she wasn't sure how she was going to choke the words out. She wasn't even sure what she was going to say. For once, Hermione was not prepared.

"Hermione," Severus said, as he placed his index finger under her chin, and coaxed her to look at him. "Please, you're scaring me. What's going on?"

As she looked into his worry-filled dark eyes, she almost lost her nerve. For a moment, she thought of lying, and saying it was nothing, then would just disappear. But she couldn't do that to him. She couldn't have left him, without a trace, and without explanation. She had to tell him something. She owed him that much.

"I - I don't know how to say this to you," she admitted in a whisper. "I don't know how to do this."

She looked down again, unable to look at him as she ripped his heart out.

Severus released her and took a step back. Neither of them said a word as Severus carefully studied her face. She wasn't quite sure what her expression showed him, but she watched as his eyes slowly narrowed.

"You're breaking up with me." He said. It wasn't a question.

Hermione could hear her heart beating in her ears. It was very much like him to have jumped to the worst conclusion. Unfortunately, this time he had been correct. That really was what she was doing, wasn't it?

"Yes," she said, almost soundlessly.

He was silent for several heartbeats. Then he snorted.

"I knew this was too good to last. Nothing good ever lasts," he said so quietly, she almost couldn't make out the words.

She had to say something. He had to know this wasn't her choice.

"I - I don't want to do this, Severus!" she said quickly, taking a look at his face.

She wished she hadn't looked.

It wasn't her Severus staring back at her at that moment. It was the boy from her first few weeks in the past. His eyes, which for months had been filled with warmth and love, were cold and despondent. His hands were clenched tightly at his sides. He was hurt. She hurt him.

"Black finally look like the better option to you then?" He asked with the sneer that she hadn't seen on him for so long.

She took a step back, almost as if he'd hit her.

"Don't be cruel, Severus," she pleaded softly.

She half expected this. She knew Severus fairly well, and knew that his defense mechanism of being cold and cutting would have kicked in. But still, she hoped it wouldn't have.

He let out a mirthless laugh.

"That's rich, Hermione! Don't be cruel," he repeated in a squeaky imitation of her voice. "You break it off with me out of nowhere, and have the nerve to tell me not to be cruel!" he spat.

Hermione took a step toward him, and reached out to touch his arm. He flinched away, and took a step back.

"Don't touch me!" he hissed.

Tears were freely falling from her now. She felt her own heart ripping in half.

"Severus, please! It's not what you think! There isn't anyone else," she swore to him.

He snorted and turned away from her.

"It's true!" she shouted. "I - I received a letter from my parents," she began to lie. "They - they want me back with them. They're making me go live with them in America."

She heard him snort again as he mumbled, "right."

"Severus, I'm not lying, I have to go home!" Her voice broke on the last word.

That technically was not a lie. She was going home.

"And," she took a deep shuddering breath. "I'm leaving tonight."

Severus spun back around, and when he did, she noticed his eyes were red-rimmed and watery.

"Tonight?!" he asked in a voice like sandpaper.

Hermione nodded. Her bottom lip quivered.

"How long have you known? Why did you wait so long to tell me?" he demanded, not looking her in the eye.

Because she wanted to enjoy the limited amount of time she had with him. Because she knew if she told him sooner that she would have to leave him, she wouldn't have seen him again. Because… because she wasn't allowed to tell him the truth. Not even then.

"I only just found out myself," she told him, sounding breathless.

It was silent for several moments. Hermione didn't know what else she could have said. She didn't know if anything she said could have helped. But there was something she did need him to know.

"Severus, I need you to know that I truly do love you, and-"

"Don't!" he shouted.

His face was contorted into such a painful expression that Hermione was sure her heart shattered inside of her ribcage.

"Don't tell me you love me, I don't want to hear it! Leave! Leave if that's what you're going to do!"

Hermione stood frozen. She assumed that things would have ended badly tonight, but still, she didn't want to leave him like this.

"Severus, please," she begged. "This is all out of my control! Please don't end things like this."

A humorless smile formed on his lips, as he shook his head at her.

"iI'm/i not the one ending things, Hermione. You are. So go," he said in such a cold tone, Hermione actually shivered.

That was it then, she decided. There was no use arguing with him any longer. It was clear that they were truly through.

"If that's what you want," she said.

"Clearly what I want doesn't matter," he spat. "But in this case, yes, I want you to leave."

"I - I'll just go then," she said, devoid of any emotion.

Severus only stared. His face was blank and unreadable. That hurt her more than anything he had said to her.

Hermione turned and walked slowly to the door. When she turned the handle, she hesitated for a moment.

"I do love you, Severus," she told him. "I probably always will. I hope… I hope you remember that, if - if we ever see each other again."

He didn't say anything. Truthfully, she hadn't expected him to.

When she walked out into the corridor, and closed the door behind her, she unmistakably heard the smashing of glass.

She ran as fast as she could away from that classroom. She couldn't stand to hear any more.

Soon after, Hermione arrived at Dumbledore's office, her eyes were swollen from crying, and her face was blotchy. Dumbledore took one look at her as she entered, and rose from his seat.

"Miss Granger," he said.

The sympathy in his voice caused anger to course through her. He had no right to sound sorry! All of this was his fault!

"Why?" Hermione asked, her voice laced with venom. "Why did you put me through this?"

As Dumbledore looked back at her, he seemed to have lost that twinkle that normally shone from his eyes. His expression was somber. It was also almost regretful.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said, sounding sincere. "I am afraid I do not currently have an answer for you."

Hermione made a nose that was almost like a growl. She was tired of the unanswered questions, the lies, and all the secrecy.

"However," Dumbledore went on. "I am quite certain that one day I will have the answer. And I am also certain that one day I will share it with you."

"I'll hold you to that, sir," Hermione promised.

She meant that. Hermione fully intended on questioning his portrait at the first opportunity she had.

Professor Dumbledore laughed quietly.

"I am sure you will, my dear."

Hermione didn't notice when she first came in, but resting on the armchair she usually sat in during her meetings with the Headmaster, were the hooded sweatshirt and denims she had worn when she first arrived in the past. Hermione supposed that made sense, for her to have changed. She couldn't very well arrive back home wearing Ravenclaw robes. Not before she had time to explain everything.

"Now," Dumbledore said, snapping her back to attention. "As we discussed last evening, the Time-Turner should send you back here to my office, at half past two in the morning, on the second of May, nineteen-ninety-eight, correct?"

Hermione nodded.

"Correct, sir."

"And should something go wrong, you will attempt to find me at once," he added.

Hermione nodded again. Only if she landed at some point in time before he died, she amended in her head.

Dumbledore gestured to her clothing on the chair.

"I suggest you get changed then, Miss Granger."

He pointed to a door between a cabinet, and the stairs leading up to his sleeping quarters.

"There is a washroom through there you may use. I will have the Time-Turner set for you once you come back out."

Hermione's stomach was in knots. How quickly her time had gone by there. It felt as if she had only just arrived, and now she would be returning home. But not the exact home she left. She would be returning in the midst of the worst battle she was sure she would have ever experienced in her life. It would not have been the quiet, somber scene of the morning of their victory.

When she got changed, she did so almost on autopilot. Then, she took out her wand and removed the Glamor Charm from her hair and scars. She looked in the mirror and saw a familiar stranger looking back at her, with wide emotionless eyes.

How she wished things ended differently with Severus. She wished they could have had a sweeter goodbye. But hopefully, sometime soon, they could have a nice reunion.

Hermione folded her Ravenclaw robes over her arm, and walked back out into Dumbledore's office. She looked nearly the same as she did the night she first arrived. The only differences were the mood ring from Amelia on her hand, and the combs from Severus in her hair. She was leaving all of her other belongings behind, but she damn sure wasn't leaving those.

"When you are ready, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, as Hermione placed her clothes onto the armchair in front of his desk.

Was she ready? Of course not. However, she knew it was time to go. Her time in the past had truly come to an end.

"I'm ready, sir," she said.

"Very well," said Dumbledore, and he handed the golden Time-Turner to her.

After Hermione placed the necklace around her neck, Dumbledore handed her the small beaded bag that she had left in his office the night before. Hermione reached inside of it, and pulled out a tiny vial. It was the antivenin, which she placed in the front pocket of her denims.

"I have already set the Time-Turner for you. All you will need to do is press it when you are ready."

Hermione gave him a nod of understanding. She reached down, and held the tiny hourglass in her shaking hand.

"Sir, I'm still not sure what all of this has accomplished, but I do want to thank you for your help and your trust in me while I've been here," she said to Dumbledore.

Yes, there was a large part of her that was angry with him, furious even, but he was still Albus Dumbledore. He wasn't perfect, that much she had learned, but he was still one of the greatest Wizards she would ever know.

"It has been a pleasure, Hermione Granger," he told her with an incline of his head. "I will not say goodbye, but rather, I will see you soon." He winked at her.

Hermione allowed herself a smile.

"See you soon, Professor," she said, then pressed down on the tiny crank of the Time-Turner.

The room around her began to spin. Regardless if she was ready for this or not, it was too late to go back on it now.

ooo

A/N - Here we are, Hermione's going back home. And, I know, I know. I'm sorry about how she and Severus parted, but honestly, could we really see him reacting any other way? :( Assuming he survives, maybe they will have a nice reunion one day? I hope that you all enjoyed the chapter! Next chapter will be up next weekend!