Keogh

~***~

“Now, you understand how important it is that no one knows about this, Miss Granger.”

“Yes, Professor. I understand.” Hermione held the tiny hourglass in her hand, staring at it in wonder. The ability to turn back time! Such things were closely monitored by the Ministry of Magic. That Professor McGonagall would entrust her with this was… there weren’t any words to describe it, really. “Thank you, Professor. Thank you so much.”

Minerva smiled at the young girl before her. “No need to thank me, Miss Granger. We could hardly discourage such an eager young mind from learning. Now, hurry on. I’m certain Mr. Potter would like to get to the Great Hall before all the food is gone.”

The girl grinned brightly and nodded again. Before Minerva could think a pair of spindly arms hugged her fiercely about the middle. She couldn’t remember the last time a student had actually hugged her, but there was Miss Granger squeezing her tightly for the briefest of moments before she hurried out to walk with Mr. Potter to the feast.

There was simply no way that charming, bright little girl could be Severus’.

~***~

Hermione tucked her time turner back down the neckline of her robes and slipped into an empty desk near the front of the class. Her very first day in arithmancy! Professor Vector was supposed to be absolutely brilliant. She couldn’t wait.

Glancing around she saw that she was a bit outnumbered. Okay, she was much outnumbered since she was the only Gryffindor in the class. The same could be said for Blaise Zabini being the only Slyltherin. There were two Hufflepuffs and the rest were Ravenclaws. No surprise there.

It was another few minutes before the start of class and she was antsy. Trying to distract herself she opened her textbook and frowned as she found the envelope from Kathryn. She’d forgotten she’d tucked that there. Suddenly much calmer and perhaps even a bit sad she ran a finger along the surface of the paper. She was about to open it and take the list of equations out again but Professor Vector arrived. The page was quickly pushed to the back of her mind in favor of lessons.

~***~

“You did what?”

Minerva arched a brow at her fellow professor. “I secured permission from the Ministry of Magic to give Miss Granger a time turner to use while here at the school. It was the only way for her to make all of her classes on time.”

Severus’ jaw dropped. “Did it ever occur to you to simply have her drop a few? I’ve already thought of two that she doesn’t even need.”

Minerva’s other brow went up. “I’m sorry, Severus, but I was under the impression that, legally, the Grangers were Hermione’s guardians.” As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them. “I’m sorry, Severus. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you should not have.” He mustn’t curse his fellow professor. Albus would never allow it anyway. “Regardless, you should not be encouraging the girl to work herself into an early grave.”

“I seem to recall, Severus, that there was another student who was granted the use of a time turner in order to attend all of his classes.” The Headmaster’s voice was tinged with amusement. How did the insufferable man get into rooms without being seen? “As I recall, he was a particularly bright young Slytherin student who wanted to take both Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Strikingly familiar, don’t you think?”

Snape tugged an imaginary wrinkle from his robes. “Not at all. I was only trying to add one additional class, not the entire curriculum. She’s taken on too much.”

“Why Severus, I do think that idea of fatherhood is warming to you.”

It was frustrating that his best glares failed to work on the wizard. Albus merely twinkled even more. “It just seems to me that if you wish Miss Granger to continue her unprecedented academic success that perhaps a little restraint should be imposed upon her.”

“Miss Granger?” Minerva was enjoying this far too much. “Isn’t it past time you referred to her by her given name? After all, she’s family.”

He’d had enough! Without another word he turned on his heel to leave the teachers’ lounge, ignoring the flea-bitten werewolf on his way out. The door slammed shut but not before he heard Lupin inquire if something were wrong.

~***~

An excess of classes meant a great deal of homework. That, of course, meant library time for Hermione. The witch stacked all her books in order of her schedule, set to start her assignments one by one. She had completed her Charms essay and was halfway through Transfiguration when someone invited themselves to her table. “I’m not going to do your Potions essay for you.”

“I don’t need you to.”

The drawling voice made her cringe. “What do you want, Malfoy?”

“Nothing, really. I just came in here to study and needed a seat.”

Hermione looked up at the pale boy across from her before flicking her eyes around the library. “Looks like your fellow Slytherins are over there, and they have a spare chair for you.”

“But you’re over here.”

“But I’m not a Slytherin.”

“You might as well be.”

She blinked at him, unable to believe what she just heard. “I beg your pardon.”

“You heard me, Snape.”

Her eyes narrowed. “That’s not my name.”

“Only because your mother did my godfather dirty. You’re better off without her, Hermione, you really are. Any woman who would deny her child the right to know her own father… well it hardly bares considering.” He jerked his head towards the Slytherin students on the far side of the library. “Why don’t you gather your books and come sit with us. It’s where you belong.”

She opened her mouth to tear into the boy who had been calling her ‘mudblood’ and wishing her to be eaten by a basilisk just last year when a warm voice broke in. “Trouble here, Granger?” Hermione craned her neck up to see Cedric Diggory standing above them. The fifth year Hufflepuff prefect placed a hand on the back of her chair, watching Draco closely.

“You’re not causing problems are you, Malfoy?”

“Sod off, Diggory.” Hermoine gasped at Malfoy’s complete and utter lack of respect for a Prefect.

Cedric apparently didn’t find it amusing, either. “Five points from Slytherin, Malfoy. Now get up and leave Granger to study in peace. She doesn’t need you harassing her.”

Draco glared at Diggory but got up and rejoined his housemates. Hermione craned her neck back again and smiled up at the older boy. “Thank you.”

Diggory smiled and tapped the end of her nose lightly with the tip of his finger. “Think nothing of it.” He moved away from behind her chair and took the table next to hers, settling in to do some studying of his own. With everything once again right in the world, Hermione returned to her essays.

Potions seemed a bit too easy for her. There was a little knot of dread in her stomach that was quite certain Professor Snape would be three times as hard on her now that their connection was known, demanding nothing less than perfection in her work. She rewrote it twice before she was satisfied. She had no homework in Herbology so she set that book aside. Divination, no matter how hard she tried, was frustratingly stupid. Still, she managed to get her assignment there done without rolling her eyes too much

Finally she came to her arithmancy assignment. Now this was something she could sink her teeth into! Why this wasn’t a required course she couldn’t fathom. Although, were it to be made into one she’d likely have to listen to Ron and Harry complain incessantly.

She lost herself in the numbers and symbols, completing the assigned problems far too soon. She gave a slight smile and a happy little sigh as she skimmed over her calculations, the still-wet ink glistening under the torchlight. She set the parchment aside to dry and looked back at her book. Kathy’s envelope peeked out from between the pages.

Her fingers pull the paper out almost as though of their own volition. She unfolded the page and smoothed it out, looking at the equations again. She’d skimmed through her text book on the train up until the time the Dementors had disrupted them, but this was the first time she’d actually been able to give the paper a solid look since that night at the inn. Looking close, the equations resembled arithmancy a great deal. Almost too much so considering that Mum and Dad were certain that Kathryn had not been a witch.

She pulled out a spare bit of parchment and copied the equations down leaving more room between them for scratch work. Line by line she started working on them, almost glued to the figures and lines. It felt almost like a compulsion, drawing her in even though her eyes started to burn and her head began to feel much like there was a little man inside it slugging away at her skull with a hammer. The feeling continued to grow making her eyes start to go cross and still she remained bent over her task until a hand came to rest on her shoulder, shaking her out of her work.

She gave a small ‘yip’ of surprise and looked up too quickly. The sudden movement sent a bolt of pain shooting behind her eyes, making her wince. Diggory frowned down at her. “Are you all right?”

“Fine. I’m fine.” She set her quill down and rubbed her eyes. “Just a bit of a headache is all.”

The Hufflepuff boy studied her quietly for a second, his book satchel over one shoulder. “You’d better get a move on or Madam Pince is going to drag you out of here by your hair.” He reached out and started helping her to secure them into her own satchel. “Come on, I’ll walk you back to the tower and help you watch for snakes.”

Hermione smiled. “Thank you, again. It’s really nice of you to help me with them, but you don’t have to walk me back.”

“I think I’d better. It’s too close to curfew. This way you won’t risk getting into any trouble.” He tilted his head to one side consideringly. “Perhaps I should take you up to the hospital wing first. Get you something for that headache.”

Her head really was hurting, but she didn’t relish the idea of drinking some foul headache potion. “I’m sure I was just studying too hard, is all. It’ll likely go away with sleep.”

Diggory didn’t look completely convinced, but he dropped it. They bade a good-bye to Madam Pince as they walked out. Cedric offered to switch satchels with her since she had a good many more books than he, but she declined while hoping that the faint warmth she felt in her cheeks wasn’t a blush. He was just being nice. That’s what Hufflepuffs did!

They were growing closer to the tower when a voice called out to them. Hermione looked up to see Percy Weasley coming closer, his Head Boy badge back to normal from when the twins had jinxed it to read “Big Head Boy”. “Trouble, Diggory?”

“Not at all, Perce. We both lost track of time in the library and I thought it best to walk her up so she didn’t get in trouble.” Cedric grinned and nodded his head to Hermione. “Everyone knows how this one gets caught up if you don’t watch her.”

Hermione’s cheeks flushed hot. To her embarrassment Percy returned Diggory’s grin. “Yes, well, it’s likely what will land her ‘Head Girl’ before it’s all said and done. I’ll take it from here, Cedric. Thank you.”

Hermione looked up to say good-bye to Cedric and to thank him again for his kindness, but another burst of pain exploded behind her eyes. The prefect paused. “You might want to see if you can bully her up to the hospital wing, Weasley. Her head’s hurting her, but she wouldn’t listen to me.”

Percy’s expression turned to one of worry. “I see. Thank you, Cedric.” He took Hermione’s arm and started to direct her not in the direction of the tower but towards the stair case that led to the hospital wing. Diggory was already out of sight.

“Percy, I don’t need the hospital wing! I just need to sleep.”

“Mum would skin me alive if I let any of you take ill. Don’t fight or you might trip. We’ll just get you a headache potion and you’ll be back in your dorm in no time.”

“But it’s not that simple. You know how fussy she gets!”

“It’s Madam Pomfrey’s job to be fussy. You’re far too old to be acting this way, Hermione. Now buck up and come along quietly.”

She stopped struggling with a groan and went along. Damn tattle-tale Diggory! She let Percy drag her to the hospital wing where he stood with his hands clasped behind his back and his jaw set stubbornly while Madam Pomfrey looked her over. Finding no fever, sign of illness or problem with her vision (she thought perhaps Hermione might need glasses, but it wasn’t the case) the mediwitch dosed her with a potion that tasted like old socks soaked in peppermint before sending her off to bed. She offered to give Hermione a note to miss classes the following day, but that was just unthinkable!

Still pouting at Percy’s back she followed him back to Gryffindor tower. She bristled a bit at him telling her to get off to bed, but did as she was told more out of fear that he’d tell his mum on her than that he might take off points. Molly Weasley was scary! Returning to the third year girls’ dorm she switched into her nightdress and crawled between the magically warmed sheets to close her eyes.

Throughout the night Hermione’s dreams were filled with spiraling numbers and odd equations glowing with a bright, gold light. They stood out like a beacon in a pit of pitch black night and from the shadows she thought she heard cold whispers. Try as she might, she couldn’t make out what they were saying.

It was hardly a restful sleep.

~***~