A/N - Hello all! Thank you for the reviews last chapter. I'm glad that people are still enjoying the story! I'll be interested to see what you think of this one. Thanks so much for reading!
Chapter 9
9 July 2003
"Hello, Minerva," Hermione said with a smile as she walked into the Headmistress' office. Hermione had contacted Minerva last night and asked to come and speak with her today after work about the Transfiguration position.
"Hermione," Minerva greeted warmly, stepping out from behind her desk. She halted a moment later. "And…Miss Patil."
"Headmistress," Padma said.
Minerva looked between the two women, clearly confused. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but I thought we were meeting about the Transfiguration position."
"We are," Hermione assured her. "I also had a favor to ask."
"All right," Minerva said.
"I'm wondering if the school is still in possession of Professor Dumbledore's Pensieve."
"We are but I'm afraid I'm a bit confused."
"Padma and I are working on a bit of a project, nothing official, something personal actually. We're in a need of a Pensieve to study a few memories of mine. Since I was already coming to speak with you, we thought we might request to use the Pensieve as well. It won't take long."
Minerva studied them for several seconds and Hermione fought the urge to fidget under her former Head of House's gaze. "And I don't suppose that this project would fall under the purview of the Department of Mysteries?"
"No," Padma said immediately. "I promise you, Professor, this has nothing to do with my work. Mine or Hermione's. It's purely a personal project."
After a few more moments of scrutiny, Minerva nodded. "Very well. You may use the Pensieve after Hermione and I have spoken. Miss Patil, you may wait in the sitting room at the top of the stairs."
"Thank you, Professor," Padma said and made her way up a small spiral staircase that Hermione had never noticed in her own world. Perhaps the Headmaster's office was different in this universe.
Once Padma had made it up the stairs, Minerva cast a privacy charm over the office. "What, exactly, is going on, Hermione?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Hermione said regretfully. "But please let me assure you that it really doesn't have anything to do with the Ministry and it's nothing illegal or nefarious." Well, technically not illegal since no one knew of the device's existence.
"I must say that I am a bit surprised you are working on a project with Miss Patil. I didn't realize the two of you were close."
"Padma and I have known one another since the D.A.," Hermione said. "We've kept in touch over the years."
Minerva looked at her as if she didn't really believe her but didn't question it. "So, have you finally decided to take me up on my offer?"
"Not yet," Hermione said apologetically. "I have a presentation on werewolf rights next week. If it passes, I'll stay with the DRCMC until it's been enacted. If not, well, I want to keep my options open."
"I see," Minerva said.
"I just thought we could discuss a few things now so I can make my choice when the time comes."
"Sensible plan." The look in the Headmistress' eyes reminded Hermione of Professor Dumbledore. Perhaps that twinkle came with the position.
The two discussed the Transfiguration post, as well as the various duties that would be expected of Hermione should she choose to accept. She already knew most of it from her previous discussions with the Minerva of her own universe, as well as things that Neville had told her since she'd been here. But she listened with interest and asked appropriate questions when needed.
"I understand how important your work at the Ministry is to you, Hermione," Minerva said once they'd finished their discussion of the position. "But I do hope that you strongly consider the teaching position. Educating our children is extremely vital as well."
"I agree, Minerva," Hermione said. "And I am considering your offer, truly."
"You would be a welcome addition to the faculty here, Miss Granger," another voice said.
Hermione looked up to see Professor Dumbledore smiling down at her from his frame. If she were honest, she had never completely forgiven him for the way he had used the three of them during the war. He'd never given them enough information and Hermione had been livid when she'd found out he'd known about Harry being a Horcrux and had steered him towards his death.
She'd had words with his portrait in her own world once she'd found out what Professor Snape's memories had contained. It hadn't mattered to her that everything had worked out in the end. The truth was Dumbledore hadn't known for sure that it would. He'd suspected and hoped but he hadn't known. And he'd led a boy that had trusted him, had cared about him, and that he professed to care about himself, like 'a pig for slaughter' to quote Professor Snape.
Over the years, her anger had cooled, of course, led partly by Harry's acceptance of everything and not being upset with the headmaster himself. But that was Harry; Hermione could never wholly forgive the man.
"Thank you, sir," she said politely but with little warmth in her voice. Minerva glanced at her and in the look that passed between them, Hermione knew that the older woman understood and might even feel similarly herself.
"While I do not want to pressure you, I will need an answer by the end of the month," Minerva said.
"I understand," Hermione replied. Minerva would need time to find someone else if Hermione didn't accept. Truthfully, Hermione hoped that she would be back in her own world long before the end of July.
"Now, I assume that you and Miss Patil would like privacy while you use the Pensieve?"
"I don't mean to run you out of your own office," Hermione said, feeling terribly guilty.
"It's no bother, I must go down to supper soon in any case," Minerva said. She dropped the privacy charm and called for Padma to return to the office.
"Erm, Minerva," Hermione said glancing at all the portraits on the walls. She knew they were bound to be loyal to the current Headmaster or Headmistress and while she didn't expect Minerva to question them, Hermione also couldn't take any chances. "The portraits?"
"Of course," Minerva said. She cast a few spells and then turned back to Hermione and Padma who had now joined them. "They can now neither hear nor see what is happening in the office. Most of them will either leave and visit one of their other portraits or they'll go to sleep."
Hermione noticed that many of them were grumbling and glaring at where they thought Minerva was standing.
Minerva chuckled. "They hate it, the lot of busybodies."
Hermione couldn't help but laugh and Padma did as well.
"Supper will take about an hour if that is sufficient time for the two of you."
"More than, thank you," Hermione said.
"If you finish before I return, feel free to let yourselves out the gates. They will lock behind you."
"Thank you, Professor," Padma said.
"I'll be in touch," Hermione said.
Minerva nodded to the two of them and then left her office.
While Hermione trusted the Headmistress completely, she still cast a privacy charm around Padma and herself once they stood in front of the Pensieve.
"Ready?" Hermione asked as she drew a memory from her temple. They'd start with her first jump and examine each one, just as she had in the last universe.
"Ready," Padma replied.
Hermione dropped the memory into the basin, and they fell into it.
Hermione and Padma sat in Padma's flat, looking at the Universe Hopper. They had come here after finishing with the Pensieve at Hogwarts to discuss what they'd seen in Hermione's memories. The symbol that wrapped around the edge had changed once again when Hermione had jumped into this world. And it had been different than it had in the other two. She was starting to think that the Padma of the last universe had been right, and that symbol changed based on which other runes or symbols were activated during her jump.
They'd examined the current symbol on the universe hopper and could make no sense of it, as usual. Padma still thought that destiny had something to do with it which did make sense, Hermione had to admit. Especially after what Luna had said about getting back to her own world when she'd found what she was looking for.
Hermione still had no idea what that was. So far, she'd been privy to three different relationships she might have had if things had gone differently in her world. Two of the three would be impossible to replicate in her own world. And while being with Neville would be possible, she supposed, he had been dating Hannah Abbott when Hermione left. Perhaps it wasn't who she should be dating, but who she shouldn't. If that were the case, she had already known that things were Ron weren't working. She didn't need to be flung from universe to universe to figure it out.
As far as her job went, seeing what it would be like to work for the DRCMC, she couldn't say that she felt the need for a career change. She sometimes felt guilty that she hadn't taken that job. She'd been so passionate about helping House Elves, as well as other magical creatures for so long. But she really didn't think that was what she was looking for either.
Sighing, she turned back to the universe hopper. While her memories had helped Padma to better understand what had happened during each jump, they hadn't been particularly helpful in figuring out what she should do differently. There were a myriad of ways she could manipulate the rings or line up the runes and symbols but that didn't mean she was going to get home.
Padma seemed to realize the same thing because she closed the lid on the box with the universe hopper and smiled at Hermione. "Enough work for the night. Hungry?"
She should really head home. Neville would be wondering about her meeting with Minerva. Although, Hermione had told him that it wasn't until after supper at the castle to be sure they'd have enough time to view the memories and talk about them. He wouldn't be expecting her quite yet.
"I am, actually," Hermione said.
"I've got something I can throw together." Padma rose from the couch and made her way to the kitchen, Hermione following. She poured them both a glass of wine and then began to pull things from the cooling cupboard.
"So, what am I like in your world?" Padma asked.
Hermione smiled. She was surprised it had taken the other woman this long to ask. "Very similar. You and I are close friends, as I said before. It's why I sought you out once I realized I wasn't an Unspeakable here."
"It's strange, I don't know if I could see you doing anything other than what you are here," Padma said as she waved her wand at the pot of water on the stove to start it boiling for the pasta.
"Really?" Hermione said.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, you'd be a great asset to the DOM. I just can't see this Hermione wanting to do that."
"What about teaching? Can you see her doing that?"
"That I can see. She was always great with the D.A."
Hermione smiled.
"Tell me something else about my other self," Padma requested.
"Well, you live in this same flat. You're dating Ernie McMillan, sort of."
"What do you mean sort of?"
"It's on again, off again," Hermione said. "Off right now. Although the Padma in the last universe told me to tell my Padma to dump him because he was never going to commit. She dated him for a short time after we left Hogwarts."
Padma laughed. "I've never dated him. Don't have any interest either, truth be told."
"Are you dating anyone?" Hermione realized she'd never asked.
"I am actually."
"Anyone I know?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of her wine.
"Lisa Turpin."
Hermione choked a bit on her wine. "Really?"
Padma laughed. "Not what you were expecting?"
"No, I mean it's fine. More than fine, it's great. I mean I have no problem with it, I-" Hermione shook her head, cheeks heating. She was rambling. "Sorry."
Padma laughed again. "It's all right, Hermione. Given none of my other selves appear to prefer women, it's no wonder you were surprised. Although maybe that's your Padma's problem with McMillan." She winked.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "I'll let her know."
Padma brought the food to the table and the two of them chatted amicably while they ate, avoiding all discussion of the Universe hopper. It was nice to not have to be on her guard for once.
When they finished, Hermione twisted the stem of her wine glass between her fingers and looked at Padma. "What do you think I should do?"
Padma sighed. "I honestly don't know, Hermione. There are different things you could try, obviously. But I have no idea if any of them are going to work. I wish I did, truly."
Hermione nodded. It was nothing she hadn't thought about herself. They'd learned so much in the last universe she was hoping that this time it might be the same. But honestly, unless she could talk to Rookwood, she didn't know if there really was anything else to figure out.
She sat back in her chair imagining jumping from universe to universe trying to find one where Rookwood was alive and sane and there weren't a million hoops she would have to jump through to try to talk to him.
Or she could just keep jumping and hope that she finally ended up back in her own world. It could take decades and there was no guarantee she would ever find her way home. There were an infinite number of possibilities, and she couldn't possibly get through them all, even if she only spent an hour in each one.
Padma reached across the table and took her hand and Hermione realized she had tears running down her cheeks. She swiped at them with her free hand and gave Padma a sad smile.
"Let's give it a few more days. Sometimes when I stop thinking about something, I come up with a solution. There are a couple more books I want to look at in the DOM library in any case."
Hermione nodded. "Thanks, Padma."
"Of course," she said and gave Hermione a smile.
"I should probably get home before Neville goes looking for me." Hermione stood from the table and Padma rose as well. The other woman surprised Hermione by pulling her into a hug. This Padma might not be her friend, but Hermione relaxed into the familiar embrace. She squeezed Padma tightly for a few moments before she stepped back from her.
"I'm going to do my best to figure this out," Padma said.
"Thanks. And thanks for supper."
"You're welcome," Padma said. "We'll talk soon."
Hermione nodded and walked to the Floo, stepping in and calling for her flat.
Neville was waiting for her when she stepped through, hopeful look on his face. Hermione bit back a sigh. She'd told him that she was only going to talk to Minerva, not decide today. Besides, it's not as if it was her decision to make. She had no idea how the other Hermione felt about leaving the DRCMC.
"How did it go?" Neville asked, after he'd greeted her with a hug and a kiss.
"It was fine," Hermione said. "She basically told me what would be expected if I accepted."
Neville nodded and Hermione knew he wanted to ask her if she'd decided to take it. She took pity on him. "I haven't decided yet and I won't until after my presentation next week."
"I know," he said, pulling her into his arms again. "I'm trying not to push. I just, I'd love it if we were both working there."
Hermione smiled. "It would be nice, wouldn't it?"
"I keep imagining us sitting by the fire in our quarters, marking essays. You helping me in the greenhouses. Or taking a walk around the Black Lake. Silly things, really." His cheeks pinkened.
"They're not silly," she said softly. "It sounds lovely, actually." And it did. Everything he'd mentioned was small, simple things, but they sounded wonderful to Hermione.
He smiled softly and then kissed her. A kiss that started slowly but quickly grew heated. Hermione should stop him; she should come up with an excuse, but her mind was blank just then. There wasn't anything she could think of that could reasonably put him off without making him suspicious. And, if she were completely honest with herself, she didn't want to stop him. After what she had thought about at Padma's, she just wanted some comfort. She wanted to forget.
Neither of them made any move toward the bedroom. Instead, Neville sat down on the couch and pulled Hermione with him. She straddled his lap as he pulled her shirt over her head.
"Too long," he said, as kissed down her neck, hands moving to her breasts.
Hermione hummed in agreement, even though she had no idea how long it had actually been, trying to unbutton his shirt without dislodging him from her neck. Gods, the man's lips were dangerous. He moved to her cleavage as he unhooked her bra. She ground herself against him and he groaned.
Things moved quickly after that. Neville waved his wand and they were both bare, Hermione gasping at the feel of him beneath her. She moved against him for a few moments before shifting and positioning herself to slide down on him. Neville gripped her hips and hissed as he slid into her.
He kissed her again before she began to move. His hands travelled back to her breasts as she gripped his shoulders for leverage.
"Fuck, Hermione," Neville said as she moved. "Gods, I love you."
She kissed him again, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders. He reached a hand between them and she moved against his fingers until she was crying out, flying over the edge. Neville gripped her hips again and began to thrust up into her, chasing his own release. He followed her a few moments later.
Hermione slumped against him, both of them breathing heavily. He ran his fingertips up and down her back as they both calmed, eventually slipping from her. He grabbed his wand and cast a cleansing charm, then kissed her deeply.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," she returned, smiling as she moved a lock of hair off his forehead.
Before she could register what he was doing, Neville wrapped his arms around her and stood, taking her with him. She squeaked in surprise, and he laughed.
"I'm not done with you yet," he said and carried her to the bedroom, kissing her all the way.
10 July 2003
When Hermione woke early the next morning, she was overcome with a wave of guilt. She had slept with someone who was technically someone else's fiancé. Twice in fact. She covered her face with her hands. She was a horrible person.
It didn't matter that she was in this Hermione's body or that wherever the other Hermione was, she hadn't protested. In fact, sometimes Hermione thought that her other self might have been spurring her on. She had no proof of that, and it was probably just wishful thinking on her part, but some of things that had happened, the ways she moved, were different. She had a different partner so of course things wouldn't be the same, but it was still a bit strange. It made her wonder even more about the whole muscle memory thing she had thought about the other day.
Still, there wasn't an excuse for what she'd done. Neville hadn't seemed to know the difference and that made her feel worse. What was the other Hermione going to think once she was gone? Hermione might have caused a rift in their relationship, and she wasn't even going to be here to know about it. What if they broke up over this? Gods, why had she done it? To help herself feel better after what she'd talked about with Padma? Pathetic.
Neville stirred in his sleep, wrapping an arm around her middle and snuggling closer to her back. Hermione bit her cheek to keep from bursting into tears and allowed herself to be held by him. She couldn't do this again. No matter how much she wanted to.
Hermione made her way through the quiet Atrium to her office. She had laid in bed with Neville for a while longer this morning, then eased herself from his embrace to shower. She left him a note that she was going into work early and snuck out of the flat instead of using the Floo. Like a coward.
But she couldn't face him. Couldn't bear to feel the kiss on the back of her neck, the sleepy smile he would give her when he woke, the arms wrapped around her from behind while she made tea or breakfast. Couldn't bear it when she knew she might have ruined the best thing in his life.
Settling into her desk chair, Hermione sighed and put her face in her hands. She had to find a way back to her own world. This was completely out of hand now that she was in the other Hermione's body. She had to jump again. The thing was, she could end up in another situation like this one. In the other Hermione's body, trying to pretend to be her without going too far.
She could jump as she had the first two times, only turn a ring or two on the universe hopper. That way she should still be herself and would have the help of both the other Hermione and hopefully Padma. But she knew if she did that, she definitely wouldn't be getting home.
Which was worse, jumping knowing there was no chance she'd end up in her own world but knowing she wouldn't inadvertently mess up her other self's life? Or jumping hoping that she ended up at home but possibly sleeping with someone else's significant other again? She made a noise of frustration. Why couldn't she just jump to a universe where she wasn't coupled off? Then she could stay there until she figured this damn thing out.
Gods, she really needed to talk to someone about what had happened with Neville. Padma was the first person that came to mind, but this Padma wasn't like her Padma or even the others in the first two universes. They weren't even friends in this universe.
The only other person that knew she wasn't actually this Hermione was Luna. She and the Luna of her world weren't overly close. They were certainly friends and did things together from time to time although those plans always included Ginny as well. But she had gotten closer to the blonde when she returned to Hogwarts for her seventh year. And in any case, Luna was her only other option.
Hermione grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote a quick note to Luna, asking to meet at some point today. Then she hurried to the owlery in the Ministry to send it off before she changed her mind.
"Hello, Hermione," Luna said as Hermione sat down at the table with her in the Muggle coffee shop near the Ministry. It was the middle of the afternoon and Hermione was supposedly in the Archives researching. At least, that's what the other people in her department thought.
"Hi, Luna. Thanks for meeting me."
"Of course," Luna said.
"I just, I need some advice."
"Because you slept with Neville," Luna said not voicing it as a question.
"How do you?" Hermione shook her head. "Never mind. Last night, I, well I was, I-" she sighed. "Yes, I slept with Neville."
"Do you think that Professor Quirrell could stop Voldemort from doing things when they were sharing a body?" Luna asked conversationally as if she were asking Hermione what she thought of weather.
"I…what?" Hermione said completely confused about the change in topic.
"If Voldemort had wanted to Quirrell to take off his clothes in the middle of the Great Hall, for instance, do you think Quirrell could have stopped himself from doing it?"
Hermione sat back in her chair and stared at the other woman. "You're saying that if the other Hermione didn't want me to sleep with Neville, she could have stopped me?"
Luna said nothing, just gave that serene smile.
"But Quirrell willingly let Voldemort live on the back of his head. It wasn't the same thing. And what about when Ginny was possessed by Tom Riddle? He made her do all kinds of things that she never would have done on her own through that diary."
"Yes," Luna said simply.
Hermione was confused, which, honestly, wasn't all that surprising when Luna was involved. But she thought about what Luna was trying to say or show her or whatever it was that Luna was trying to do. Luna often wanted her to puzzle things out for herself.
Ginny had only been eleven years old, away from home for the first time, a bit lonely from what Hermione could remember, and both awed and a little intimidated by her brother's famous friend. She'd poured her heart into that diary. And she had finally figured out that something was happening and tried to stop it when she attempted to flush the diary down the toilet in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. It hadn't been enough, in the end, but even as young as she was, she'd tried.
Quirrell had a been a willing participant in his possession. He likely didn't try to stop much of what Voldemort wanted because of that. But Luna was right, he probably could have if Voldemort had tried to get him to do something like she'd suggested. It wasn't actually a possession so much as a body sharing situation.
Hermione's situation was somewhere in the middle, she thought. If the other Hermione was still in her body, Hermione had forced her from her main consciousness for lack of a better description. She might still be there, but Hermione was controlling what happened to her body.
But did that mean that the other Hermione wouldn't be able to stop her at all? What if Hermione decided to kill Neville? Would the other Hermione be able to break free to stop her? Ginny's experience seemed to indicate that the other Hermione might be able to. Ginny had managed to stop Tom for a time, at least until she realized Harry had the diary. Hermione thought Ginny had stolen it back more out of fear of Tom doing the same thing to Harry than Tom forcing her to do it.
Although Ginny was being controlled by an object she could get rid of. That wasn't the case with the other Hermione. And the other Hermione and Neville were engaged. Surely, she couldn't be okay with someone else sleeping with her fiancé. Even if it was her other self.
"You're telling me that if the other Hermione really didn't want me to sleep with Neville, she would have been able to stop it? And because she didn't, she was all right with it?"
"It's her body," Luna said.
"But not her consciousness," Hermione argued.
"Or her consciousness is not as far away as you think," Luna said, taking a sip of her tea.
Hermione thought about that. About the way that she was almost immediately comfortable with Neville, or at least much more comfortable with him than she should have been given the situation. There had been no awkwardness between them last night which, in Hermione's experience, didn't really happen. Her first time certainly hadn't been smooth, at least not in the beginning. And the first time with Ron had been the same until they'd figured out how to move together, what the other liked and wanted. There had been none of those issues last night.
She also thought about how she had spent the first morning at the Ministry this week going over the other Hermione's werewolf proposal and just seemed to know some of the things her other self had put into it. It was more than just the words she used or the way she wrote, it was specifics that Hermione would have no reason to be familiar with.
And how she just knew which ring would be perfect for Luna, when she didn't even know this Luna at all. Was the other Hermione influencing her without Hermione realizing or were they sharing this body more than she realized?
"What if I've ruined things for them?" she asked softly, still unable to let go of her guilt.
"You haven't," Luna said.
"Yes, but-"
"Neville doesn't know you aren't her. Even if my Hermione has no control over what you're doing, she would never blame him. She won't even tell him."
"But she'll still know."
"Would you blame him?"
"No, of course not," Hermione said immediately.
"Then why would she? You're the same person. You might have different jobs or love different people but you're still you."
Hermione sighed. This was all just so messed up.
"Feeling guilty won't change anything," Luna said.
"I should have told Neville from the beginning."
Luna cocked her head. "Should you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you think he would have accepted it?"
"I-" Hermione paused. No, he wouldn't have. He would have thought that she had gone round the twist. He would have immediately taken her to St. Mungo's.
"Neville is very protective of the people he loves. He's like Harry in that way."
"And Harry is an Auror."
Luna nodded.
"I would have been in St. Mungo's or Azkaban almost immediately," Hermione said with a sigh.
"Or stuck in the Department of Mysteries," Luna said.
Hermione grimaced. "Or that." She needed to face it. If she ever wanted to get home, there were very few people she could trust with her secret.
"Like I said, when you're gone, I'll help her. Not that she'll really need it. I thought she would, at first, but now I don't think so."
Hermione stared at Luna for a few moments. She was completely calm, sipping at her tea and nibbling on a biscuit. She smiled at Hermione and Hermione couldn't help but feel better. While it might be wishful thinking on her part, she still believed what Luna said. And even if it weren't true, even if the other Hermione had no control over what Hermione was doing, Luna was still going to be there for her when Hermione left.
"Thank you, Luna," Hermione said sincerely.
Luna just smiled and went back to drinking her tea.
"You're home," Neville said in surprise when she stepped through the Floo that evening.
"Yeah," Hermione said.
"I figured you'd work late again." He looked rather happy that she was home, and Hermione hated that she was going to disappoint him again. But it was better if she kept away from him as much as possible and was glad that the presentation gave her a reason to do that.
"Well, I'm not home for the night," she said.
"What do you mean?"
"I needed to pick up a couple things and then I'm going back to the Ministry." She knew she was being a coward, but she didn't trust herself with him now. She would go and hide out in her office until it was late enough that she could claim tiredness and just go to sleep.
"Hermione," Neville said with a sigh. He scrubbed a hand down his face, and she could tell that he was trying not to get upset.
"I'm fine," she assured him, risking putting a hand on his arm. "I slept last night and I ate breakfast and lunch today. It's not going to happen again."
"If I remember correctly, you didn't get all that much sleep last night," he said with a bit of a smirk. The look fell from his face almost immediately. "And you were up early."
"I know but I'm fine, I promise you."
"Your proposal is perfect, love," he said wrapping his arms around her. "You don't need to revise it anymore."
"I found a new source today," she lied. "I'm going to incorporate a few things so I've got to rewrite a section or two."
He sighed again and she felt horrible lying to him. The truth would be worse though.
"At least eat something before you go back." He looked at her so imploringly, Hermione couldn't refuse. He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I'll heat up some of that stew we had the other night."
He puttered around the kitchen as Hermione watched. She had been surprised to find out that he was a rather good cook. She wondered how that had come about but couldn't very well ask. She was sure that the other Hermione knew already. The stew he was talking about had been delicious and Hermione's stomach rumbled thinking about it.
He looked over his shoulder at her and gave her a knowing look. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle. She moved into the kitchen to set the table and continued watching him. Her thoughts drifted to the Neville in her universe. It might have taken him a bit longer to get there, but he seemed as confident and self-assured as this Neville was. Hermione found herself wondering what a relationship between the two of them would be like.
She shook her head a few moments later. Her Neville was dating Hannah Abbott. It's not like Hermione was going to go back and try to break them up. Although, it was a relatively new relationship so if things didn't work out…no, she wasn't going there. This Neville and her Neville were different people. They'd had different experiences and this Neville had been this Hermione's best friend first. That had to make a difference in a romantic relationship.
Although, it hadn't really seemed to help her and Ron. Not in the long run anyway. Hermione sighed as she thought about the mess that was her relationship with Ron Weasley.
"All right, love?" Neville asked, hearing her sigh.
"Fine," she said. "Just trying to figure out how to incorporate this new information."
"Want to discuss it?" he asked, setting a bowl of stew in front of her. "It helped last time."
He set down his own bowl and took his seat across from her.
"Oh, well," Hermione said, feeling flustered at being caught out in her lie. "I left my proposal in my office. You'd need quite a bit of context for it to make sense."
He nodded. "If you can't figure it out, bring it home. I'll try to help."
Hermione smiled at him. "I will."
They ate in silence for a few minutes before Neville looked up at her again. "Please don't be too late."
"I won't," Hermione assured him.
"I'm not trying to tell you what to do or order you around it's just," he sighed.
Hermione reached over and took his free hand. "I know. I'm all right, I swear."
He looked at her for a few minutes and Hermione knew he was struggling to decide to ask her his next question. She had a fairly good idea what it was going to be too, after what she'd learned from Padma. It was no wonder he wanted her to leave the Ministry to teach at Hogwarts.
"No potions?" he finally said.
"No potions."
"I'm sorry," he said immediately. "I trust you. I swear I do."
"Neville," Hermione said. "It's all right."
He gripped her hand tightly and took a few deep breaths. Hermione found herself rising from her chair and walking around the table. She tugged on his hand and he stood, pulling her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
Luna's words came back to her. Hermione hadn't intended to do that. She was trying to avoid physical contact with him as much as possible. But she'd still stood and embraced him when he needed comfort. Maybe Luna was right and the other Hermione had more control than she'd thought.
Hermione wondered if it were bit like throwing off the Imperius curse. You could float along, perfectly happy to do whatever was asked of you. But then something would make you think twice and wonder why you should. Harry had explained to her that was the reason he'd resisted when the fake Moody had cast the curse on him in class. What he was being asked to do made no sense to him.
Hermione thought this might be like that. The other Hermione was all right letting things happen as they were until something happened that she needed Hermione to react to. The other Hermione would have never been able to see Neville that upset and not want to comfort him.
"You sure you have to go back to the Ministry?" he asked, kissing her temple, then her cheek, then a spot behind her ear that made her shiver.
"Just for a little while," Hermione managed.
He leaned back to look at her. "I'm holding you to that."
The look on his face was so serious, Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to hide in her office avoiding him until late. He would likely come find her if she weren't home at a decent hour.
"I promise," she found herself saying.
Neville leaned down and kissed her and Hermione almost forgot about going to the Ministry altogether. She forced herself to break the kiss and stepped back from him, hoping the smile on her face looked genuine.
"I'll be back soon." Then she turned and hurried to the Floo, stepping in and calling out her destination before Neville could say anything else.