Time lost. ...EPILOGUE UP!

Hermione Granger was cursed.

Her curse was easy tears.

When Harry had survived Quirrell’s attack in her first year, she cried. In her fourth year when Harry and Ron made up for being thickheads to each other, she had cried like a baby.

When Ron had berated jealously for going to the Dance with Krum, she had cried nearly half the night. So far, she was impressed despite how emotional this trip was turning out to be that she had cried so little thus far.

Therefore, it came as little surprise to her that the moment she saw Albus Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes staring across at her in her Transfiguration class, she cried.

The class of course stared; no one had ever cried at the sight of Professor Dumbledore on sight before, usually that right was reserved for Potions, with Professor Lectin.

Mortified she ran to the woman’s laboratory to cover her mistake. She could feel heat rising off her cheeks as she blotted her face with tissue paper in the mirror. The last episode was beyond words. Staring into the eyes of the greatest wizard who ever died in the name of the Wizarding World had undone her.

“Are you okay?” A woman’s voice came from behind her and Hermione turned to look into Lily’s kind eyes.

“Oh yes, um… Sorry it reminded me of my grandfather. They look very similar and he died recently.” She stammered out, blowing her nose. “It’s foolish I know, but it just hit me.”

Lily circled her arms around Hermione and hugged her gently. “It’s fine. I understand, and believe me, Professor Dumbledore will too.”

Hermione sniffed and pulled away from her. “Thank you for being so kind to me.”

She paused and then stared into the mirror. Her wet eyes looked huge in her pale face, her hair hung loose around her shoulders and she looked as small as she felt right then.

Hermione took a deep breath and changed the subject. “So you like Severus then?”

Lily looked up startled at her. “No, I mean… He’s a Slytherin.”

Hermione instantly understood what she was saying and nodded. A trickle of perspiration slid down Hermione’s spine and she wet her lips. “If you don’t like James, then I’m going to go for him.”

Lily looked shocked and stared at Hermione as if she had grown two heads. “Oh... Umm… but you barely know him.” Her voice tightened slightly as if she was fighting with herself over what to say.

Hermione felt a flicker of hope and that small gesture. “Well, he is very good looking and an excellent Quidditch player I’ve heard.”

Her voice was casual; treating James like a possession, she was interested in obtaining. Hermione hoped against hope that Lily would take the bait.

Lily frowned at the girl who she had so recently been attempting to comfort.

Hermione did not seem shallow but her words prickled Lily. “He’s not an object, you know. James Potter is a very caring, sensitive, intelligent boy who is just too arrogant for his own good.” Lily said heatedly.

Hermione smiled slyly at her. “Sounds perfect.” Lily looked slightly annoyed with her and stomped out of the bathroom.

Hermione heard the door slam and banged her head on the mirror in frustration. “WHAT the Merlin is going on here? I feel like I am in a mental house!”

She murmured to herself in the mirror. Her mirror winked at her in amusement before vanishing.

“You’re going to end up in St. Mungo’s talking like that.” A male voice said behind her.

Hermione whirled around looking into the grinning face of Sirius Black. “Not that you shouldn’t be already. What is with you protecting Slytherin? You mental or something? You will only get cursed for your trouble, believe me… my own brother’s in that Rot of a House.”

Hermione wiped her eyes and stared at him disbelief. “You do know that you’re in the girl’s laboratory, right?”

Sirius grinned. “Last I checked anyway.”

Sirius slid across the tile floor towards her. “Are you okay, ‘Mione?”

Hermione jerked at the nickname that Sirius had always called her in the past. She blinked back wetness from her gaze and swallowed hard. “I thought you would be angry with me for last night.”

Sirius threw back his head laughing. “Why the devil should I care? Hell, I think I was shocked. Snivellius now has two Gryffindor champions. But mad at you? Never. I’m a big boy, I’m not afraid of Gryffindor’s prettiest new recruit.”

Hermione blushed but felt awkward by Sirius’s flirting. Unfortunately, Severus did not make her awkward, he made her horny.

She sighed. “You’re incorrigible, you realize that of course.”

Sirius took her arm and led her out of the bathroom. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Mione’.”

Two Ravenclaw stared as she walked out of the bathroom with Sirius on her arm. Hermione giggled at their expression and Sirius laughed as they walked to the Lunch Hall together.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully for Hermione until Double Potions. Her last class filled with Slytherin. Luckily, Lily and the Marauders were also in the class. Lily gave her a semi-frown as Sirius waved her over to the Marauders section.

“Call her Mione’.” Sirius announced to the group.

“From this day forth, all champions of sniveling pathetic, Slytherin should worship at the feet of ‘Mione’ Goddess of Gryffindor, Queen Protector of little gits.” Severus Snape looked like he was going to hex Black into next week.

Hermione snorted at this grand pronouncement before the room fell silent.

Professor Lectin cleared his throat, and Hermione could not help thinking he might be related to Umbridge.

The Potions Professor entered the room with a slow steady glare. In Hermione’s opinion, Professor Lectin seemed like a subdued version of Professor Snape but he was still a bit scary.

The class dragged by and Hermione scribbled into her notebook the events cataloguing them for flaws. Her attention to details would really help when balancing time in her lap.

Hermione suddenly felt someone’s eyes on her and she slowly looked up.

Severus was staring at her. Not Lily, but her.

Hermione darted her gaze to Lily and back to Severus.

Oh Merlin. This is NOT Working. How can I not get involved? Was I meant to always get involved?

Lily was definitely mooning over Severus. Unnatural, but history has a way of romanticizing things. Hermione tried to rationalize it. Maybe Lily didn’t always love James. Maybe this is what is supposed to happen? NO! Hermione practically screamed that thought in her head.

Severus blinked from the stare. Hermione blushed and dropped her gaze to her paper.

He heard her. Without meaning to. Surely that was a sign. She had to act fast. Oh, Merlin she knew this was going to hurt.

Hermione raised her fingertips to her lips and blew Severus a kiss. Severus jerked at her action and licked his lips unconsciously.

Game on, Hermione. Game on.