Chapter 5: What to do?
It had been a few days since Hermione finally told her friends the truth. It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. She was happy to find that they didn’t forget about her and they were still talking to her, but Hermione was really surprised when Lily took it so well. Lily found it fascinating that she came from the future. Although she had many questions, she understood Hermione's position and knew that she wouldn't be getting answers to them.
"Hermione, are you coming to breakfast? You should eat before class," Lily informed her.
"I don't think I will this morning, Lily. I have a few things to attend to."
"I knew it! Looks like his fangs have sunk in already," said Lily.
"What do you mean?" questioned Hermione. There was a suspicious look on her face.
"Nothing," Lily replied secretly as she skipped down stairs to meet the boys for breakfast.
Hermione sighed. She couldn't believe she was really getting into Remus. I couldn't do that. It would be wrong. That's a student/teacher relationship and it's definitely against Hogwarts rules. Then again, he isn't my teacher...yet, but it is still very wrong. She thought to herself. She fixed her hair and left the dormitory. Thankfully, her friends had already left the common room for breakfast. She went to visit Remus in the hospital wing because she wanted to make sure that he was alright after the other night. She spoke to Madam Pomfrey to gain permission to see him. When Madam Pomfrey approved, she headed over to his bed and pulled up a chair to sit down.
"Hermione? You came to see me?" Remus asked in a low awkward voice. He wasn't expecting anyone but the boys to visit him.
"Oh, honestly! Of course I came! You are my friend, aren’t you?"
"Yes,” He said. “Thank you," he added as an afterthought.
"Don’t mention it."
There was a short, awkward silence. Hermione decided to say something, but it might have been the wrong thing to say. "Was it terribly bad the other night?" What a stupid thing to say. Nice going, Hermione. She thought to herself. Remus sat up in the bed. The sheet fell to his waist revealing a bandage on his rib area and bruises surrounding it.
"It was," he responded, "one of the worst."
"I'm sorry Remus, it's my fault," she said lowering her head.
"What are you talking about?"
"I heard it's worst when you’re stressed or angered and I thought that..." Remus placed a finger on her lips. Hermione stopped talking as he took her hands in his. A tingling feeling went from Hermione's hands throughout her whole body. She closed her eyes and smiled.
"Don't ever blame yourself for what happens to me, because it isn't your fault. Do you understand me?" He asked as he tightened his grip on her hands. Remus didn't want her to feel badly in anyway because of him.
They spoke a bit longer, but she had to leave to get to class. She promised that she would speak to him later on when he was out of the hospital wing. She went down to Transfiguration and as soon as she walked in everyone was looked at her. Sadly, she was late to class, but from her point of view, it was a good reason. She explained to Lily that she had gone to see Remus, but Lily did not seem surprised.
“I knew you were going to see him,” whispered Lily.
"So how's lover boy?" asked Sirius. Hermione was wide eyed. Did everyone think that she liked Remus or vice versa?
"Sirius shut up!" mumbled Lily. She then turned to Hermione and apologized. She didn't know that boys were as good at gossiping as girls were. Hermione looked across the room and received a mean glare from Peter. All she did was smile and wave at him. Despite her feelings toward him, she was going to try and help him. She hoped she could save him.
After class, Hermione caught up with Peter in the hallway. She tapped him on the shoulder and he hissed at her. She looked at him seriously and asked if they could talk. At first he said no, but he eventually agreed. They started walking up the stairs to get to their next class. At first it was silence until Hermione spoke.
"Why were you talking to Severus?"
"That's none of your business," he replied.
"I'm not trying to pry into your business," she assured him calmly. "I'm just worried about you, Peter. After I heard what you said to him, I got scared for you and our friends. You have to stop what you’re doing," she stated in a more worried tone.
"It's your fault! Ever since you came everyone's been avoiding me and ignoring me. My best friends don't even like me anymore."
"That's not true Peter."
"It is true!" he yelled. "No one has time for me. Oh, and did you know that Remus fancies you? He doesn't even know you. My only friend when James and Sirius weren't there was Remus and you took everything away!"
"Peter that is no excuse for what you did. You were trying to rat on your friends."
"Because of YOU!" Peter yelled.
"Don't blame this on me!" Hermione yelled back. By this time they had stopped walking and were arguing. "I shouldn't have even tried. I should have let you drown in your depression."
"You'll pay, Granger. You'll pay!" Peter threatened, and then continued up the stairs, leaving Hermione in the dust. She wasn't scared of Peter, but the way he said it just gave her the chills. It made her realize that she shouldn't underestimate Peter. Despite what she said to him, she really wanted to keep trying to help him. Knowing what he was going to do, she was going to try and stop it now, but first she had to see if Dumbledore was any closer to getting her home.
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Hermione entered Dumbledore's office. He sat at his desk with his hands clasped and his eyes twinkling as they always did behind his half-moon glasses. She sat down in the chair in front of his desk. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. All of a sudden she found herself speechless.
“Hermione,” greeted Professor Dumbledore
“Professor,” she said letting out a deep breath."Now I know how my friends feel when they are in here. Sometimes you don't know what to say."
"It's very nice to see you again, Ms. Granger."
"My pleasure, sir."
"What is it that you must speak to me about?" asked Dumbledore.
"I wanted to know if there has been any progress made in the plan to getting me home," she answered shyly.
“No there has not, but honestly, I don't think I can return you home."
"What?"
"Besides, Ms. Granger, I know that you care about your friends very much and I know you want to create a better future for them, but I ask you to look at your friends now. You have become very close to them. Am I right?"
Hermione glared at Dumbledore. “What are you trying to say?”
Dumbledore kept his face steady. "If you were able to go home, I don't think you would, but if you stayed in this time the world you know would vanish."
"I know that Professor," she said strongly. She knew there would be repercussions for anything she did. She didn't need Dumbledore to tell her. "The world I know is already changing just because I am here." Hermione sighed and held her head. "If there is a way that I can stop my friends and the people I love from going through what they go through...then I'm willing to risk anything and everything I have."
“The thing is Hermione, if you were to wipe yourself from existence, then all you did here would have been for nothing.”
"But I still have to try," she said emotionally.
They both sat in silence for a minute. Hermione was trying to get a hold of her emotions and a hold of what to say. "Professor I care about the people in the future, but I also care about the people here. I truly feel at home here."
“Hermione,” Dumbledore began, “do you truly feel at home here or is how you feel toward your friends clouding your mind?"
“It probably is, but I'm tired of all this. All through school I was always the good girl that did everything right, maybe it's time I do something wrong that might me able to save peoples lives!" Hermione let out a deep breath from her emotional out burst. "Professor...may I ask you something?"
"You may." Dumbledore replied, nodding.
"If I let you know information from the future and if I let you know things that could be stopped now, would you start the Order of the Phoenix?"
"Hermione..."
"Am I wrong for trying to save those who have saved me countless times?" she interrupted.
Dumbledore stood up and walked to his window. He looked down at the grounds and pointed. "Isn't that Sirius and James down there?" Hermione stood up and walked over to stand beside him. She looked down and was barely able to recognize them.
"You might not see them, but I do. I care for all my students Hermione, the ones that exist now and in the future,” Dumbledore said, causing Hermione to smile.
"And I care for my friends," she stated. "I don't want Harry to go through what he's going to go through. I don't care if it means he doesn't know me."
“I don’t think I will be able to change your mind Hermione, but as for the Order, you and all the other children in this school are much too young to join the order.” However, I will not ignore what you have told me and I will use it to my advantage against Voldemort.”
"Thank you so much Professor. You don't know how much of a difference that makes."
"Trust me I do," he said returning to his seat and Hermione did the same.
"Um...Professor...I was wondering if I could tell the boys about what will or might happen to them."
"Trust your judgment, Ms. Granger. I'm sure you will know what to do."
"I guess everything comes down to trust doesn't it?" Hermione asked. Dumbledore nodded. Hermione stood up and walked around Dumbledore's desk. She gave him a hug and, after giving him a grateful smile, walked toward the door.
Before she could go too far, he said, "I'll be seeing you again." Hermione nodded and headed to the common room. In a way she felt she had made a big accomplishment. It was a small move, but it was in the right direction. She took a deep breath and sat on the windowsill. She wasn't going to the rest of her classes. She was going to take a break. I never thought that I would be the kind of person to skip class. She smiled to herself.
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November '97
A scruffy dark figure walked through the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had a worn suitcase and scruffy clothing. He seemed saddened, even though it was warm and beautiful night, but the corridors seemed dull with the students already asleep. He stopped to admire a Quidditch case. As he looked at the champions of the past and present he smiled at memories of fun in the Quidditch pitch. He walked on through the school looking over the grounds and seeing the classrooms again. Soon enough he made it in front of the statue of a Phoenix. He said the password, which would lead him to Albus Dumbledore's office. When he finally reached the top Dumbledore smiled at him as the man sat down.
"It's nice to see you again Mr. Lupin."
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I believe that I've finally got it. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. I tried hard to get it to you and now you have the result. Thanks to M.A. Raie and huge thanks to Emma. I couldn't have done it without you.
See you in the next chapter. ^_^ R.Y.LeBeau