In the Mood

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Chapter Five


Albus Dumbledore arrived shortly after tea. He didn’t know what to expect when he arrived, but it hadn’t been a silent war between the auror and a frizzy haired witch. She served Albus tea, smiling kindly and glared at Moody even as she walked away.


“Alastor, what is going on?” he asked, his eyes twinkling, as they tended to do.


The auror felt like screaming in frustration, but even so only said, “Hold on a moment. Hermione!”


“What?” she snapped as she joined them. “I have been getting the silent treatment from you since this afternoon and now you want to talk to me?”


He glared at her. “This is…”


“Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore,” she interrupted. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir.”


Albus blinked in shock. “You know me?”


“Yes,” she said with a nod with her head. “I had an accident with a time turner. I was sent much further into the past than one would usually send a person.”


“How many years?” he asked her.


“Approximately sixty years, sir.” This had Alastor choking on his tea and looking at her in shock.


“You never said it was that far in the future!”


“You never asked,” she shot back, but then looked over to Dumbledore who was doing everything in his power to keep from laughing. “I need to get back to my own time. This isn’t where I belong, sir…”


“Please, call me Albus,” he said, taking her hand into his own.


She smiled at that. “Thank you and please call me Hermione.”


Alastor let out a growl and stomped out of the room, slamming the door to his bedroom.


“Men can be so frustrating at times,” she complained.


“True,” he said with a nod. “So how is it that you know the two of us in the past?”


She looked to him. “I don’t know if I should tell you. That’s part of the problem. I told him as much. But you try to tell a bullheaded man that!” She stopped and took a breath. “It’s not like I don’t want to tell either of you what I know. Merlin knows I do. May be I could stop what is to come? Perhaps stop a person I know from breaking their heart, but at what price?”


“In deed, at what price,” he whispered. “And for your information, my heart was broken years ago.”


She smiled sadly. “Love, it is a wondrous thing when it isn’t trying to tear us to bits, isn’t it?”


He smiled sadly that that and nodded. “Too true, my dear, too true.” Albus gave her a fatherly squeeze of her shoulder. “So how is it you ended up in 1943?”


***


Alastor left his bedroom, trying to contain his temper. The two had been instant friends, he thought angrily. And when she smiled at him like she did, her face lit up for Albus! Love was there in her eyes as she looked at his friend. The moment he had stepped into the bedroom and slammed the door shut, he had put up a silencing charm. He had broken up the furniture and beaten the walls. Alastor stopped and leaned against the wall, panting. What he wouldn’t give to be the one that received that look, he thought, that smile should have been his.


“Merlin! Alastor, what did you do to yourself?” Hermione exclaimed, rushing over to him. “Your poor hands!” She grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the kitchen, sticking them into the sink.


He didn’t say anything as she washed his hands carefully. It wasn't until she was finished that he snarled, “Where is your new best friend?”


She looked at him confused. “What?”


“Where is Albus?” he growled, pulling his hands away.


“He left to do some research and speak to a few of his friends who have back ground in magical time manipulation,” she told him. “Why are you so angry?” When he looked at her, she stood up and said, “Don’t tell me. I probably don’t want to know. We probably need some time away from each other. I am going to go out. When and if you decide to stop blaming me for your boorish behavior, let me know.”


He ended up following her into the Three Broomsticks. She went to the bar and ended up getting a fire whiskey that was left ignored for the most part. Men came up and tried to socialize with her, but for the most part were ignored. When one man in particular tried to touch her, she grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, pinning him to the bar.


“Did I give the impression that I would allow you to touch me?” she asked him. “I think not.” She pushed him away and went back to her seat.


When it looked like the man was going to retaliate, Alastor whipped out his wand and stupefied him. The man dropped to the floor in a heap that the auror stepped over easily.


“Come along, Missy,” he told her. “The fire whiskey they serve here is piss water. I have Ogden’s at home.”


“Are you finished with your tantrum?” she asked him.


He nodded, holding out his arm to her. “That I am.”


Hermione watched him for a time, wishing more than anything that he could understand that she couldn’t tell him anything about the future. But she had wanted to, more than anything she did. But what could and would happen if she did that? The possibility of changing the future to the worse haunted her.


Hermione took his arm, saying, “One of these days you really must call me by my name.”


“One of these days I just might,” he replied. “But not today, Missy.”


Once they arrived back to his home, he pulled out the whiskey and doctored a glass for Hermione. He had questions and he was going to get answers, one way or the other.


He handed her the glass and watched her as she sipped at the liquor. Frowning she asked, “This doesn’t taste like the other fire whiskey I’ve had before. It tastes a little bit different.”


“Really?” He sipped his own. “Tastes the same to me.”


Shrugging she settled deeper into the lounge, stretching out her legs. “You know, as much as I miss my friends and family right now, I’m glad to be away from them for a time.”


“Really? Why is that?”


“Well,” she said, thinking it over. “Take my friend Harry. All the time with the drama! His life reminds me of a muggle soap opera.” She giggled. “And then there’s Ron.” She rolled her eyes. “I am so happy we decided we couldn’t work out.” She nodded at this, if confirming this with herself. “Though I must say he could be an angel when he wasn’t a complete and total womanizing prat.”


“What about your family?” he asked, not wanting to hear about her men.


Her eyes went soft with tears. “What family? My parents were killed by Death Eaters…” Her hand clamped straight over her mouth, shock on her face as she turned to look at him. “What did you put into the whiskey?” When he didn’t answer, she threw the glass and shattering it against the wall. “Damn you, Alastor! I thought I could trust you!” She stormed out of the house with him on her heels only to lose her when she apperated.


“Great,” he muttered. “Just great!”


He went outside, looking around the house, as he knew she couldn’t have apperated far as the wards would have prevented it. Sure enough he found her sitting on the property line wall. Her shoulders were shaking as she was sobbing.


“Go on,” she asked him between sobs. “Ask away. You have your answer machine, right?”


“Stop,” he muttered, going to sit next to her. “I was an idiot for doing what I did.”


“Yes, you were,” she answered honestly.


“I was jealous.” Hermione turned slowly to look at him.


“Of?” she pressed. When he didn’t answer, she asked, “Albus?”


“Yes, Albus!” he hissed.


She didn’t say anything for a time, but she did slap his shoulder hard. When she did speak, he couldn’t understand what she was saying. “Jealous? Are you blind? Why? Why would I…Him? Merlin’s teeth!”


Alastor did the only thing he could think of. He kissed her. The kiss was hard and demanding and all too brief. She was staring at him in shock for a second before tackling him straight off the wall and kissing him for all he was worth.


***

Muffy- I had this chapter already written out when you said you were confused about the timeline. I based it on the timeline that can be found on Wikipedia. Sorry to say that I don't know the link, but it can be found by typing in Harry Potter timeline under the search. Thanks!

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