Time Heals All Wounds

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Chapter 5: Whiskey Lullaby



She awoke, to the sound of birds, chirping outside the window of the Room of Requirement. When Hermione opened her eyes, she saw Severus lying next to her, his eyes closed.



Hermione smiled at his sleeping form, so happy she found him. She snuggled up to him, laying her head on his shoulder and draping her arm across his chest and stomach. She kissed his cheek. “Severus…” How could the gods have been so kind to her? A faint brushing at her cheek aroused her from her thoughts. She looked down at Severus, smiling brightly at him.



“Morning.” She smiled down at him.



“Good morning to you as well, my Hermione.” Severus beamed when she smiled and blushed at the name he used for her…his Hermione. He kissed her softly, before rolling over and climbing off the bed. He searched for his clothes. When he found them, he remembered that they were from the dinner…he transfigured his into his normal school robes, then did the same with Hermione’s clothes. He handed them to her, and watched appreciatively as she dressed herself. God she was beautiful.



Hermione’s thoughts were along the same lines as she had watched Severus search for their clothes. She eyed his toned body, pale, but against his hair, the contrast was stunning. He was really very handsome. And his hair wasn’t really greasy. It was very shiny due to the potions he used for his hair.



When they were both decent, they left the ROR and went down to breakfast, hand in hand, both relishing the tingle in their hands, their connection. As they entered the great hall, they stared in shock, hardly anyone was there. They had ALL left for the break, which was a day late in coming, due to the fact that the Marauders had pranked the teachers, destroying all of the exams, and therefore causing every one to stay an extra day to take them. And on Christmas no less. They walked down to the table and seated themselves next to the headmaster.



“Hello, and good morning headmaster.” Said Hermione as she helped herself to some porridge and toast. “How was your Christmas?”



“Delightful, Miss Granger, thank you.” Dumbledore beamed. “I liked the spelled parchment very much.”



Hermione smiled happily, glad he liked his gift. She had found it in a specialty shop, a month ago, and had thought of him, since he liked to write a lot.



“Oh, and by the way, Miss Granger,” said Dumbledore with a wink. “Come by my office later, I have something for you too. I rather thing you will enjoy it.”



“Yes sir.” Said hermione, wondering what it could be.



She turned to Severus, and they began talking about the exams they had both taken, and discussing whether or not they had failed any and why they thought so. Once breakfast was over, Hermione and Severus left the room and went for a walk outside.



“Mr. Potter,” said the stern voice of Professor McGonagall. “Why is your guinea pig walking on needles, instead of legs?”



Harry glanced down at his pincushion, to see that it had indeed; turned into the guinea pig he had been aiming for. But with one flaw. “I…don’t know Professor.” He admitted. “I said the spell, but I think it went wrong.”



“What was the incantation you used, Mr. Potter?” asked the Professor.



“Um, I said Volutabrum…” said Harry quietly.



“Well there lies the problem, Mr. Potter. You should have said Pins ut volutabrum.” McGonagall said. “Since this is the tenth time you have failed to follow directions, five points from Gryffindor.”



“That’s Bullocks!” Harry exclaimed upset with the loss of points.



“Make that ten points, for your cheek.” She snapped.



“But-” interrupted Harry.



“Mr. Potter. That is enough. One more interruption and you will be assigned detention.”



“But it isn’t my fault Professor! Hermione usually helps me study and-”



“That’s it. Mr. Potter, come into my office immediately.” McGonagall said standing.



“Yes Professor.” Replied Harry, downtrodden. He stood and followed her out of the room.



Once they were seated in their respective places in Professor McGonagall’s office. “Professor. I know what you are going to say. That my grades have been dropping. But it isn’t my fault! I-”



“Mister Potter. I am tired of your excuses. Hermione is not to blame for your blatant lack of attention. Your attitude is less than desirable and I do not want it in my classroom. You are assigned to detention with Professor Snape for the next week. I am sure he will be able to straighten you out.” She wrote on some paper, and handed it to him. “Go to Professor Snape and give him this. Then I want you to go to see Professor Dumbledore.” Professor McGonagall handed Harry the parchment and sent him on his way.



Harry grumbled all the way to the dungeons. He knocked on Professor Snape’s door.



“Enter.”



Walking in, Harry made his way through the tables and stood in front of his desk. “Professor McGonagall said to give you this.” Harry said, as he handed the note to the Professor.



Snape read the note several times before looking up. “So.” He snarled. “The famous Harry Potter has detention. Again I might add.” His lip quirked as he mocked him. “Be in my office at ten o’clock tonight.” He said. “And Mister Potter…”



Harry turned back to face him. “Don’t be late.”



“Yes Professor.” He said obediently, before exiting the room.



Harry made his way through the corridors. Several minutes passed before he made it to Professor Dumbledore’s gargoyle. “Lemon Drops.” He said.



The stone statue came to life instantly, and grinned as he stepped to the side. “Ahh” he said in a stony voice. “In trouble are we…”



As Harry stepped onto the moving spiral staircase, he grumbled, “None of your business.”



“Well then.” The gargoyle said, offended.



“Just take me to the Professor please.” Harry pleaded.



“Fine, fine.”



Harry ignored the snide comments from the gargoyle and when the stairs stopped, he stepped off of them without a backwards glance, and made his way to the door.



Knocking on it, Harry heard shuffling, and then Dumbledore called out for him to please enter. Doing so, Harry opened the door, and smirked at the Headmaster sheepishly. “Hello, Professor.”



“Harry my boy!” he called happily. “I was wondering when you would show up. Professor McGonagall is quite upset with you.” He finished with a stern face.



“But Headmaster, I-”



“No need to explain. Why I myself had a troublesome streak when I was in school. I understand completely.”



“You do?” Harry asked bewildered.



“Of course my boy, of course.” Dumbledore chuckled, “Why in my fifth year, I set fire to my four poster curtains. A mistake naturally.” He grinned widely.



Harry laughed. Of course it was a ‘mistake.’ Dumbledore wouldn’t do that on purpose. “Yes. You told me a few years ago.”



“Oh?” the Headmaster thought for a second. “Why yes. I remember now.”



Harry laughed slightly. “You wanted to see me Headmaster?” he asked.



“Yes. Harry my lad, in seven short months, and I believe we will be able to retrieve our dear Hermione.”



“SEVEN MONTHS!” Harry exclaimed. “But Professor! Where she is, it will be at least two years!!! Isn’t there something we can do before hand? Before long, Hermione will have grown up! She will be different!”



Dumbledore began to think. He knew that this would be his reaction, but there was not much he could do. He researched the mysterious wall. He had known about it for a long time now. He had even tried it out once, or twice…ok hundreds of times, when he had found it in his seventh year at Hogwarts. He had been researching it ever since. Several other students had found it, said the spell, and none, had disappeared. This could only mean, it was meant for Miss Granger.



After Hermione’s disappearance, he had realized exactly what had happened, even before his past self had sent the two letters. He recalled what his, rather long letter had said.



Dear Myself,



It is me, you in the past. Several things have come to my attention as of late, a disturbing rash, in a place you, being me, would have gotten around twenty years ago; I have obtained a fine invisibility cloak, confiscated from one James Potter, a week or so ago, and more recently, a Miss Hermione Granger. She says she is a seventh year at Hogwarts, and that she is from the future.



Now, she told me that she had read some words, etched into a wall. The words were: Ex tendo vicis, sic vadum ego eo ut preteritus lest tragity offendo nos totus. Which we both know to mean: From the present time, so shall I travel to the past, lest tragity strikes us all.



As you are aware, we have been studying this wall for years, and I am under the conclusion that Hermione is meant to be in this time…for what reason. I do not know. However I do know that whilst she is here, she will be welcomed, as an exchange student of sorts. No one, except for Young, Severus Snape. He found her, and therefore knows that she is not from another school. In fact, she has told him pretty much everything she could think of about her time.



Also I think you may be interested to know, that Miss Granger is now dating Mr. Snape. I am also aware that he has grown to be a professor at the school. This may be a bit problematic, although whatever happens will happen.



Oh! And I also have an interesting teaching technique; you may or may not have forgotten. Put on a stern demeanor. Scare them into listening to you. Wear all black and scowl a lot. It really works. I told this to Mister Snape some time ago when he had an interest in teaching…and he has quite taken it to heart.



Anyway. I am rambling. I will enclose a letter from Miss Granger to her friends, and I would be very grateful if you gave it to them for her.



Thank You,



Respectfully mine, ahem yours,



Headmaster Dumbledore.



“Sir?”



The Headmaster’s thoughts were interrupted by Harry’s voice. “Ah speaking of letters.” He exclaimed happily.



“Uh…Sir…you didn’t mention letters…” said Harry softly, confused.



“No matter,” he said. “I am done with the return letter to my past self; have you three finished with yours?”



“OH MY GOD! THE LETTER!” Harry exclaimed. “I had completely forgotten! Professor, could we have a bit more time please!” Harry pleaded to Dumbledore with his eyes.



“Yes of course, dear lad.” Can you have it done by, say, seven O’clock tonight, perhaps?”



“Yes Professor! I will get Ron and Ginny, and get on it right away!” he said.



“Good. Good. Now then, off with you.” The Headmaster dismissed.



“Thank you Sir!” called Harry over his shoulder, as he sprinted out of the room.



In the common room, Ginny was trying to catch up on her missing work, that Professor Flitwick had so graciously given her extra time to do. She was currently ignoring Ron, who was complaining about how long Harry had been gone, as he, as Ginny had heard a hundred times, wanted to challenge him to wizards chess.



The portrait hole slammed open and Harry ran into the room, dodged around Dean and Lavender, who were presently attached at the mouth and promptly tripped over the low table and fell, with his face in Ginny’s lap. “Harry!” she said laughing. “I can’t right now, I’m busy.”



“HEY NOW!” Ron said angrily. “Get off of Ginny!”



Harry got to his knees, “The letter to Hermione! The headmaster wants to send his, he needs ours done!”



“Ok.” Ginny said smiling, “We can work on it right now.”



Ginny pulled a piece of parchment out of her bag, and laid it onto the table.



“Ok…”



“So. You have the letter I presume?” Asked the Headmaster.



“Yes.” Harry answered. He handed the Headmaster the letter, and stepped back to stand next to Ginny and Ron. He grasped Ginny’s hand. They waited.



“Good. Good.” Professor Dumbledore said binding his and their letters together. With a wave of his wand, he muttered the incantation. “Tabellae ut posterus recieve ex preteritus.” The candle light flickered, and the letters were gone.



“Was that it?” asked Ginny.



“Yes. It has been sent to the past, Hermione should be receiving it soon.” Dumbledore smiled. “I am sure she will send a return letter.” He turned to Harry. “Oh and Harry…I do believe you are late for your detention. Please, do not keep Professor Snape waiting.” He handed Harry an excuse note, so he would not be in any more trouble. “Off you go then.” He shooed Harry from the room.



Harry ran down the twisted corridors, and all the way down to the dungeons. Harry flung himself into Snape’s class room. He gasped, out of breath, “I am so sorry Professor, it won’t happen again, I promise!” he stopped short, at the sight of the Professor passed out on his desk, a bottle of Firewhiskey dangling from his hand, which was sprawled on his desk.



He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, the bags under his eyes, were very prominent against is pale face and lank hair. Harry had never seen Snape like this before…actually, except for the occasions when Hagrid lost Norbert, Buckbeak was to be beheaded, and when his giant spider died, and had tried to drown his sorrows in Madam Rosemerta’s homemade mead; had never seen anyone, act this way.



He turned and ran from the room, leaving the letter on the desk, next to the empty Firewhiskey bottle.



Hermione and Severus had a snowball fight, which lasted up to an hour. Now, completely soaked they made their way into the castle. Severus spell dried their cloths, and cast a heating spell to warm them. Hermione remembered that she had to go to see the Headmaster, “Severus, come with me?” she asked with a smile.



“Of course I will.” He took her hand, and led her to the door to Dumbledore’s office.



They said the password, and then climbed the moving stairs to see the Headmaster.



Knocking on the door, they entered. “You asked to see me Sir?” asked Hermione.



“Yes.” He held out a large roll of parchment. “Harry, and your friends, they wrote you back.”



A/N: sorry it took me so long to post again, I am working on three stories. But I will be updating more often.