The Future Rescues The Past

Chapter 3 The Future Present

Severus pulled her roughly along the path towards his Manor and felt Hermione pulling back as she resisted.

"Are you crazy Severus? That's Malfoy Manor and I'll be eaten alive if you take me there!" Hermione shrilled out in fright and continued to try to pull away from him.

Severus stopped and looked to the hooded witch. He recognized the voice from the past and that was why he took her away. If the Dark Lord was testing his loyalty then Merlin help his agent as she would not leave his Manor alive.

"The Malfoy's fell out of grace years ago. I assure you this is my Manor." It was important to get her to relax and trust him until she was in his Manor and would not be able to escape him. He let go of her small hand. "Come and we can talk in safety."

She calmed herself and fell in place beside him and walked about a mile before they stood at the entrance. "Witches before wizards." He smoothly spoke and opened the door and allowed the witch to enter first.

Hermione entered and walked in a ways and heard him growl out. "Who sent you?"

She turned around and noticed that his hood was down and gasped out in shock at the angry hawkish features of her fiancée and his salt and pepper lank hair and noticed his wand pointed directly at her.

Holding her arms out to indicate she was not a threat she asked him. "May I remove my hood Severus?"

He did not say anything other than motioning with his wand for her to do so.

She slowly removed her hood revealing brushy brown hair and warm brown eyes and looked to him. "Better?" Eying the wand pointed at her and watched he observed her.

Merlin she was just as he remembered her from all those years ago.

The minutes ticked by as he pointed his wand to her as they observed one another.

"What is the last memory you hold of me witch?" He commanded. This would determine if she really is the true Hermione Granger standing before him.

"You snatched me away from the Order meeting at the Isle of Foula and took me back to your chambers at Hogwarts. You asked me to marry you and then we spent the rest of the night in mad passionate sex."

Severus placed his wand into his robes and pulled her hand to him and looked to the ring that he gave her resting on the left ring finger. He pulled her to him and trembled, trying to silence the sobs that left him. "I cannot believe that you are here in my arms once again."

"Severus you act as if you haven't seen me in years." Everything suddenly clicked into place. The abandoned muggle cities, Deatheaters standing openly in the streets of Hogsmeade, and his salt and pepper hair. "What year is this?" She asked voice muffled against his robes.

He whispered into her ear. "The Year of Our Lord 25 or in the old way of marking time 2026."

She pulled away from him and pointed her wand to him shaking in fear. "Stay away from me!" The lack of food and stress took over and she fainted and slumped down to the floor.

HGSSHGSSHGSS

Hetmione woke up and found herself in a bed. "Where am I?" She whispered out feeling disoriented.

"My bedroom Hermione." Severus spoke out. "You have been out for four hours. When was the last time that you have eaten?"

Hermione frantically looked for her wand. "Stay away from me!" Jumping out of the bed and fell down beside it and could not stand up to fight further.

Severus placed her back in the bed and held out her wand. "I think that I will keep this for a while to prevent bodily harm to myself." Tucking her wand into his robe. "Now answer me Hermione. When was the last time you ate?"

She was so disoriented. "I'm not sure Severus. Probably a day or two but it seems so much longer and all I had was water from my wand earlier."

"Stay here and I will bring you back something to eat."

Hermione tried to leave the bed and fell back. She was so weak and the magical signature that she always felt was low. What the hell was going on? The Order failed that much was certain because Voldemort controlled this future.

He came back with a tray and helped her sit up. "Beef broth, sandwiches, and tea for you Hermione. Try to eat slowly or you will be sick."

She grabbed the bowl of broth and drank all of it down and heard her stomach rumble. She decided to bypass the sandwiches and sipped her tea. "You've spiked this Severus."

"I did Hermione. Merely a Calming Drought I assure you."

"Severus I'm so tired. Please lay next to me so I can feel safe." She yawned out.

He looked to her in concern and removed his robes and boots and joined her in the bed. "I feel safe next to you…I…"

She did not finish her sentence and fell into an exhausted sleep.

Severus held his hand to her and thought of a diagnostic charm to see what was wrong. His Calming Drought should not have made her fall asleep but only calm her down. He watched the orange flares of the charm and watched as they faded.

"Sassy." He spoke out to bring the Head House Elf of his Manor to him.

Sassy appeared and noticed a form in bed beside him. It was not often that he allowed a witch to share his bed. "I serve's Lord Snape." She spoke out in a respectful voice.

"Go to Hogwarts and tell Deputy Headmaster Carrow that I will be away for a few days."

"As you will so shall I serves Lord Snape." Sassy squeaked out and plopped out of the room.

Severus wandlessly put out the torches and pulled Hermione to him as he breathed in the unforgotten scent of her. This was heaven after the years of living without her, falling into the most peaceful sleep that he had in years and dreamed of the mistakes of the past, holding her tightly against him.

HGSSHGSSHGSS

Hermione woke and saw that Severus was out of bed and reading at a desk that was not there before. "Severus."

He put the book down and went to the bed and knelt down and grabbed her hand and kissed it. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm still tired. I don't understand it as I was fine until I came here."

Severus handed her wand back. "Try a charm Hermione."

She pointed her wand and commanded "Avis!" watching a single feather emit from her wand. "I don't understand."

"Hermione you must tell me how you arrived here. Time is of the essence."

She looked to him noticing that he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know you're worried when you do that Severus."

"TIME Hermione. It is all a matter of TIME." He stressed. "Tell me how you came here."

She told him of the accident at the Dartford tunnel, her parent's house, finding Crookshanks dead from starvation, and her foray into the different muggle cities before deciding to venture into Hogsmeade and finding him.

She looked to him as his stressing of time clicked in. "The future is causing me to die as I do not belong here." Sadness in her voice.

"Yes." He hissed out. "And I will not allow you to die again."

"How can you do that Severus?"

He thought for a moment. "We need to see Albus. Only he would know the answer. But it is going to be dangerous for we will have to go to the castle. And you my dear are in Hogwart's: A History and not in a good light so any students we may come across might recognize you. I dare not use magic on you so a Notice-Me-Not charm is out of the question."

Severus conjured up a set of student robes and floated them over to her. "Dress into these and let me know when you are clothed." Sweeping out of the room without giving her a chance to speak.

Hermione dressed in the robes and tied the green and silver tie around her neck and pulled the knot up. Uggh Slytherin House. "I'm dressed Severus." She called out.

He walked back in and saw the look of disgust on her face. "There is only one House at Hogwarts now so still the Gryffindor pride within you." Handing her a phial. "Take a small sip of this Hermione. It is Pepper Up potion and it should help you."

She did as he commanded and felt refreshed. "I feel better Severus."

Severus motioned her over to him and wrapped his arm around her and Apparated them away to his office in Hogwarts.

She observed the sparse office free of all of the knick knacks of Headmaster Dumbledore and watched Severus open up a closet and began tossing out portraits.

"Oi you!"

"The nerve!"

Severus picked up the Sorting Hat and heard it begin to sing. "Rejoice each and every one. A Lioness is here to save us all… with a snake who holds a heart of gold…"

He tossed it away. "No time for singing Hat!" He growled and continued to search.

Severus found the portrait he was looking for and placed it against the wall. "Albus."

Albus opened his eyes. "Severus so good to see you once again. It has been many years since we last spoke."

He pushed Hermione into view and growled. "Tell him what happened to you. The Dark Lord calls me and he knows that you are here." Grabbing his arm and went back into the closet.

Hermione told him everything as the portrait stroked his beard in thought.

"You must go back to where it all began Hermione. That is the only way you can get back to where you belong."

"Where is the heirloom of Ravenclaw Headmaster? The only way I can fix this is to find out where it is so I can destroy it in your past."

"I do not know Hermione because all of the portraits were placed into the closet when Tom took over. Ask Severus for he should know of its location. He has pressing business at hand as the Darkness has told Tom about you and him and is fighting his call."

She glanced over and noticed that he held the sword of Gryffindor in one hand and placed a phial of pearly liquid, a phial of purple liquid, and a large bowl of salve on the desk.

Severus moved to the wall and placed his hand on it and spoke. "Founding Fathers that rest within these hallowed walls you know my need. You know that I have always protected the students the best I could though I failed most of the time. I have a chance to right all of the wrongs I have committed and ask that you protect us here until I can get her away. She must get away to save us all."

He felt a deep sadness enter him and felt the castle's promise. "Farewell." Patting the stones for a moment and then walked over to the desk and saw that Hermione was already standing next to it.

Severus removed his robes and ripped off the shirt sleeve, revealing the Dark Lord's Mark, writhing madly and turning blacker.

"We must hurry Hermione." Handing her the belt he removed and then drank the purple potion down. "Numbing potion. Make a tourniquet with my belt above the elbow." He barked out.

Hermione complied, using her wand to twist the knot tight until his arm turned blue. "No Severus!" She shouted out when she realized his intent when he tested the weight of the sword and then arched it over and sliced his arm off.

Dazed, she watched him pull the severed limb away and then placed the point of the sword on the Mark and pushed down hard and noticed a dark black ooze emit from the mark, horrified that the fingers twitched rapidly in its death.

"Grab the phial and pour the contents over my wound Hermione."

She was amazed at his calm voice as she did so, recognizing Phoenix Tears and watched the stump of his arm change until it was an angry red scar

He used his other hand to remove the tourniquet and pulled the bowl over to him and grabbed up a huge dollop of thick green paste and smeared it and watched the stump heal further changing to the paleness that matched what was left of his arm.

"Oh Severus…" Hermione moaned out. "What will you do when I'm away?"

Severus ignored her comment and spoke. "Dobby."

Dobby appeared and recognized the witch. "Brushy Haired back! But I's not understand as…"

"Silence Dobby and fetch food and drink for three days!" He commanded ending any speculation of Hermione's demise.

Dobby immediately disappeared and arrived back. "Sandwiches and drink as you command Headmaster."

Severus reduced the items and placed them in his pocket. "Leave us now Dobby and speak to no one about the appearance of Miss Granger."

"As you command Headmaster." The elf stuttered and immediately left with a plop as banging against the door rang out.

Severus pulled Hermione to him. "That is Carrow outside my door to retrieve you on command of the Dark Lord. I will have to Apparate us many times and the use of my magic close to you will drain you. Are you ready?"

She pulled out the phial of Pepper Up potion and took a small sip to bolster her.

"Take me back."

Severus looked to her and gently kissed her lips and turned his heel.