Doppelganger

Chpt 11 Catching Up

Hermione stood at the international arrival area at London-Heathrow Airport holding a sign containing the last names of the muggle doppelgangers reflecting on the events of the past week.

She had isolated herself in her room in Severus' chambers trying to deal with her feelings on the death of the major. She initially felt elated at being back in her body enjoying the fact that she was once again in command of herself. Then the survivor's guilt kicked in.

She retained all of the memories of the major and that made her feel worse even though she understood why the major made the decision that she would live. After the third day Severus entered her room.

"Miss. Granger snap out of this!" Snarling at her and grabbing her shoulders to force her to look to him. "In that cell you did not want to die. And you live now. Do not let Major Granger's sacrifice go to waste. You haven't even seen your dunderhead friends and that confuses them."

Hermione pulled away from him and put some distance between them. "She died so I could live." She shouted back to him in anger.

Severus crossed his arms and looked to her. "Yes she did Miss. Granger. So what are you going to do? Sit in this room for the rest of your life living your pity party? You think you have total ownership in that? Time has passed witch and there have been plenty of people that have given up their life for the Light in that time. Just talk to Molly Weasley. Fred Weasley lost his life three years ago in a Deatheater attack. And yet she lives life and continues to fight. You haven't even tried to find out what has happened in the last five years. I remember you in that cell Miss. Granger and the hope you felt when I gave you that incantation."

He turned to the door. "No more meals in your room Miss. Granger. You will have to come to my study if you wish to eat." Exiting and slamming the door behind him.

His words were a wake-up call. She spent the rest of the evening reflecting and realized that she was not acting rationally. She was of age and an adult now.

Hermione joined her potions professor the next morning in his study for breakfast watching him as he called a house elf and ordered breakfast for her. They sat across from one another eating without saying a word to one another.

"School is out for the summer Miss. Granger. You may go about the castle as you please. I suggest you do not leave the grounds." Severus told her as he walked out of his study without a backward glance.

She looked to her dress suddenly embarrassed as she realized that she had arrived to breakfast in her bedclothes. She closed her eyes and tried wandless magic to transfigure her clothes to a pair of jeans and a shirt. Opening up her eyes she was pleased as she was wearing exactly what she pictured in her mind.

Hermione made her way to the headmaster's office and stood at the entrance looking to the gargoyle that stood sentinel. "I'm sorry but I don't know the password."

The gargoyle said nothing as it moved aside and revealed the staircase. She climbed the stairs and entered through the open door.

"Miss. Granger it is nice to see that you are up and about." Albus told her.

"Headmaster I need to see everything that has happened since I have been away concerning Voldemort and the Order of the Phoenix for the past five years."

"Are you sure that you are ready Miss. Granger? And please call me Albus as you are no longer a student here."

She remained silent watching as Albus placed a penseive and started pulling his memories.

"Don't hold anything back." She told him as he continued to fill the penseive.

"This is a very abridged memory Miss. Granger. They will show in order and only once so I suggest you pay close attention."

Hermione lowered her head into the penseive and the first memory was the Headmaster and Severus talking about the inability to rescue her and her parents being Obliviated after being informed of her death. The memories continued showing failed attacks and the targeted deaths of certain members of the Order and ended as General Potter asked the Headmaster and Severus about untraceable poisons.

She came out of the penseive and fell to the floor. "There are so many deaths. Merlin we are losing." She sobbed out.

Albus already had a small shot of Firewiskey waiting for her as he pulled her up and forced it down her throat.

The drink burned down her throat and a few seconds later she felt a pleasant numbing as she looked to him.

"Have a seat Miss. Granger." Albus replied as he helped her to a chair.

"It's Hermione Albus. As I am "dead" and of age I prefer to be on a first name basis."

"Of course Hermione. And while things might look dire it isn't as bad as it seems."

She looked to him in disbelief. "Albus I retained all the memories and skills that Major Granger acquired during her life. You are lying."

He sighed. "Harry and Ron have destroyed five of the six Horcruxes. The last is Voldemort's snake Nagini which he keeps closely to him. I have yet to come up with a plan to destroy the snake."

Hermione noticed the body language of Albus. He was hiding something but she would pursue it later.

"Albus I need to get out of here to sort everything out. I can leave anytime I want as I am no longer a student here." She reminded him.

He walked to his desk and picked up a sheet of paper and handed it to her. "The doppelgangers are arriving back tomorrow at Heathrow. You could meet them and help escort them back to the castle. There will be someone with a transit van to meet you."

She tucked the itinerary in the pocket of her jeans and left the old wizard to his thoughts.

Hermione made her way back to Professor Snape's quarters and knocked at his door.

The door opened and revealed Severus looking at her. He motioned her inside as he reset his wards. "You've talked to Albus?"

"I have." She somberly replied as she looked into his eyes. "I am leaving this castle to get my thoughts straight. You were right Severus. So much has happened in the last five years that it is hard to think about it."

"It is dangerous for you to be seen. I advise against it Miss. Granger." He flatly replied.

"I told you before that my name is Hermione. I am no longer a student and officially dead so drop the formality. Besides the castle has portraits and I have to figure out why Albus lied to me concerning Voldemort's horcruxes."

"And how do you know that he lied to you?"

"I retain the skills and memories of Major Granger. She was skilled in muggle Psycology and Albus' body language indicated that he lied." Watching for a reaction to her words and finding none. "Look at me Severus. Do I look the same as I did five years ago?"

Severus looked to her in her jeans and shirt accenting her attributes. Merlin help him as she grown into a beautiful young woman. He realized suddenly that he truly loved her.

Severus said nothing as he motioned her to follow him and soon they were in his private lab and led her to a set of shelves containing hairs of witches and wizards and Polyjuice Potion. He picked up a phial and held it up to her. "I'm sure you remember this. You had such a lovely tail." He chuckled as he handed her the phial as he picked up several more and placed them on a table.

"Your plans Miss…Hermione?" He asked.

"I am going to Diagon Alley tonight. Then I will meet our doppelgangers at Heathrow and bring them back to Hogwarts "

"There is enough there for 24 hours. To the left are phials containing hairs of different men and women. I have found them useful in other endeavors." Watching her select a phial of hair of a very plain woman.

"Thank you Severus. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

He watched her as she left his lab and sighed as he went to his desk and wrote a quick note and placed his memory of the woman she had selected and called for his owl watching as she swooped down from the rafters in the ceiling. "Thanatos peck him until he reads this and do not leave until you watch him read my note."

The owl hooted softly as he opened the door.

Hermione left the castle the next day.

Walking down the street she immediately noticed that they were almost empty as the few wizards and witches quickly walked past her. She remembered the words of Major Granger saying it looked depressed.

Entering a bookstore she noticed the proprietor's wary glance as she moved along the shelves. He said nothing as he rang up her order and handed back her change as he looked to her with mistrust.

Hermione stood in the street saddened by the state of the alley. It was getting late as she discretely took a drink from her flask. She headed toward the Leaky Cauldron to get a room for the night. She went directly to the bar and noticed that Tom the owner looked to her in worry. "Miss I suggest you leave immediately." He whispered urgently to her.

His warning was too late as several men approached her. "Tom you have not had a new patron in ages. Let us introduce ourselves."

Hermione stepped back recognizing the voices of two of them were the ones that escorted her from her cell five years ago. Fuck! The Leaky Cauldron was a DeathEater hangout. She discreetly placed her hand on her wand in her pocket as she looked to the group of men as one of them approached her. "I see you are new here or you would not be at our pub. Let me buy you a drink."

She looked to them. "All I want is a room and nothing more. My aunt is in St. Mungo's and I am going to visit her tomorrow. Maybe I should find other accommodations."

The wizard grabbed her and moved his other hand up to her breast. "I'll provide you a room witch but you'll have to give me something in return."

She noticed that his companions had circled around her. There were too many of them as she looked to Old Tom for help and realized that he had disappeared.

"I'm not that kind of witch." She snarled as she pulled out her wand and hexed him.

One of his companions laughed. "An ugly witch and she turns you down MacNair."

MacNair said nothing as he removed her hex. "I like a challenge." He growled as he grabbed the witch's throat and squeezed as he enjoyed the witch's struggle to breathe.

"Let her go MacNair. I am disappointed that you did not wait for me." A hooded wizard spoke as he walked up to them.

MacNair threw her to the ground as he kicked her. "Malfoy This has nothing to do with you."

"But it does. I've decided I want this one. The ugliest ones are the most passionate and you will not deny me unless you want word to get back."

The group stepped away as they watched him pull the witch up and Aparrated out of the pub.

They arrived in the Thetford forest as he threw her down to the ground. "I don't know who you are witch. I was tasked to watch after you." Tossing a coin bag down to her. "There is a road right over there. Turn left and start walking and you will come to the town of Brandon in Suffolk. I suggest you avoid Diagon Alley because MacNair will kill you if he sees you."

Hermione watched as the hooded wizard turned his heel and Aparrated away.

She opened the bag and saw that there was three hundred pounds in it. She pulled out the note accompanied the money and read it. Transfiguring her robes into muggle attire she tucked the money and note into her pocket and began to walk to town. She took the hint. She would travel to London by muggle bus as she was not sure how safe the public apparition points were in London.

Hermione walked along the road and wondered which Malfoy had rescued her.

Severus was in the Great Hall eating breakfast by himself enjoying the peace now that the dunderheads were away. A tawny owl flew over and dropped a letter and flew away not even bothering to wait for a treat.

He opened the letter and read it the contents not surprising him. Five years ago the Leaky Cauldron was a popular place to stay at. It was not so much anymore as Deatheaters started to frequent the pub and threatened Old Tom that they would kill him if he revealed them. Unsuspecting patrons that entered the pub were never heard from again.

Severus placed the note in his robes and continued to eat. At least the witch was safely away from the magical world.

She was pulled from her thoughts as a group of people appeared before her in the airport.

"I believe you are looking for us. You must be Hermione Granger as you look like a younger version of Major Granger."

Hermione looked to the man that was an older version of Harry. "Welcome back to England Mr. Potter. Let's get your luggage. There should be a red transit van waiting for us outside."

The group made their way through the crowds of travelers and finally found themselves at the pick-up point. A tall black bald wizard in a muggle suit met them as Hermione went up and hugged him.

"Albus told me the miracle of you being alive. Everyone took your death hard. I'm glad that you are back."

"Me too Kingsley." As she introduced her group and they loaded up into the van.

The muggles remained silent as the van made its way to the M25. An hour into the trip and still not one word was spoken.

Hermione decided to break the ice. After all they would be working closely with one another. "I am sorry to meet you under such circumstances. Major Granger was a very brave woman. If I had known of the decision she would have to make I would have never allowed it."

Harry looked to the young woman. "She made the right decision for herself Hermione. Her note said to make sure you did not feel any guilt over it. I did not know her very long but she was the type of officer that made a lasting impression. Before we left we spoke to our doppelgangers and learned about their life. We need to hear yours as well Hermione. It will help us understand you."

"You have a right to know considering you are entering a world that if you told anyone about you would be institionalized as being mental." She told them as she began the story of her life up until she found herself back in her body.

Hermione looked to them as they took in her words.

Harry took her hands into his. "You have had to face so much in your young life Hermione. We will be successful." He promised her.

She watched the English countryside pass by. "I hope so Harry. The Wizarding world is in a worse state then what it was when I left." With the memories she reviewed from Albus and what she experienced she was inclined to think that the Wizarding world would fall but she was not going to tell them.

After four hours of travelling north they pulled up in front of Linford's Fish and Chips shop in Peterborough. "We will stop here for dinner. I think that you will enjoy it."

"Ah Hermione. We do not have any British money as we did not get a chance to convert ours." Ron told her as the rest of the group looked uncomfortable.

She handed them each a ten pound note. "Consider dinner on me and you are in for a treat. This is one meal I have missed."

Everyone placed their order and sat at the table waiting for their food.

Hermione whispered to Kingsley. "Did you take care of their record of entering the country?"

"I did. There is no record of them at all. Albus told me of their importance and I did not want to risk their discovery."

Hermione nodded to him as she unwrapped her meal and began to eat after she added vinegar and salt. She sighed happily as she took her first bite of battered cod. "This is so good. When I came home from the summer from Hogwarts my mum and dad would stop at a chippy shop and eat."

She was saddened that she knew that she could not reveal herself to them. She was dead to them.

Kingsley recognized her distress and placed his hand upon hers. "Everything will work out in the end Hermione."

They soon loaded back into the van and continued their travel. The muggles slept as Hermione was left to her thoughts.

Severus Snape. She knew that she had feelings for him and they had not changed despite the time that had passed. She remembered him in her dreams just before her torture as she almost whispered to him that she loved him before she was wakened to face Voldemort. Falling asleep she began to dream.

Severus was dreaming. He stood in his study arms crossed as he looked to Hermione. "What is it that you wish to tell me?"

Hermione closed the distance until she was standing directly in from of him. "You remember your dream when you were pulled into mine?"

She watched as he merely nodded as he waited for her to continue.

"What I wanted to tell you was that I love you." She replied as he pulled him down to him and began to kiss him passionately.

Severus resisted the kiss for a few moments as he tried to gather himself. Sod it. He loved her to as he responded back with the same passion as he wrapped his arms around her.

The van jerked to a stop as Hermione suddenly awoke. He loved her too as she could sense his feelings.

Back at Hogwarts Severus sat up in his bed. The kiss was so real. What in Merlin was going on? He sank back into his bed and fell back to sleep remembering Hermione's body against his as they kissed.

Kingsley woke the muggles up and told them to exit the van. They saw Albus sitting at a table in the rest area. They approached him and waited for the old wizard to speak.

"Welcome back." He told them as he pulled out a length of rope. "I am taking you back to Hogwarts."

Everyone grabbed a portion of rope and found themselves in a room with beds.

"Catch up on your sleep. Tomorrow more will be revealed to you." Albus told them as he disappeared.

The new arrivals said nothing as they found beds and immediately went to sleep.

Hermione woke up the next morning and found the rest of her group still asleep. She walked out of the room and found her friends eating breakfast as she observed them. Ron had filled out nicely no longer tall and gangly.

She walked up. "Hi guys."

Harry jumped up and ran around the table and wrapped his arms around her. "Hermione thank the gods that you're alive." As the others gathered around her.

"Professor Snape is the one responsible for it. Otherwise I would be in the Veil." Sitting down as she explained what had happened.

She told them her tale as the muggle and magical joined her and listened with interest.

As she spoke out the last word of her tale several hexes shot out incapacitating all of them.

Severus Snape stepped out of the shadows and held his wand as he sneered to the stricken group and chuckled darkly. "Now your training begins."

AN Linfords is an actual chippie shop that was voted best in UK. And chippie is slang in UK for fish and chips. Everyone is back together and Severus and Hermione realize that they love one another.

Also I just found a fan made musical on youtube by Starkid production called a Very Harry Potter Musical. If you have not seen it I suggest you go to Youtube and search it. It's fantastic!