Time in a Bottle

TIME IN A BOTTLE

CHAPTER 4

~*~

I've looked around enough to know that

You're the one I want to go through time with

~*~

The dawning of the next day found Hermione nervously twisting the sheets between her fingers as she sat and waited for the final classes of the day to be dismissed.

It wouldn't be much longer, she knew, for Min to briskly snap "Class dismissed," to her seventh year Gryffindors and, coincidentally, for Harry and Ron to come bursting through the door, questions positively leaking from their jabbering mouths.

As if on cue, the Hospital Wing doors flew open to admit her eager and thoroughly baffled best friends.

"Hermione!" Harry beamed once he saw her, coming forward quickly to envelop her into a great hug, shortly followed by a similar hug from Ron.

Smiling despite the long, trying talk she knew was to come, Hermione lifted her arms around the boys. "Gods, have I missed you two," she laughed, tears coming to her eyes at the thought of explaining to Harry that her almost-fiancée murdered his parents.

Harry and Ron broke out into simultaneous grins at her words, not yet noticing her despair.

"No more than we missed you, no doubt," Ron proclaimed while his cheeky grin increased.

Harry's smile, however, faltered at the sight of her unshed tears. "Hey there, Hermione, don't be sad," he said soothingly, perching himself on the foot of her bed and grabbing her hand.

Ron's grin also disappeared as he frowned at her concernedly while also placing himself at the foot of her bed and took her other hand. "Oh, please don't be sad, Hermione. Everything's going to be just fine now; you're safe..."

This only caused Hermione more unshed tears of guilt as she squeezed both of their hands tightly, as if she feared she'd never see them again if she let go. "Oh, boys, you have no idea...no idea about what happened, do you?"

The two briefly shared a look before Harry answered, "Dumbledore hasn't told us much. All he has been willing to say is that you were lost in time and now you're back."

Ron nodded, adding on, "And the only thing he'll tell us now that you're back is that you are going to need us at your side, now more than ever."

"Hermione, Remus told us that there was a meeting of the Order to discuss your circumstances; please, tell us what happened," he practically begged, seeming unsure of whether or not he would regret asking.

Hermione averted her eyes, resolving herself to what was going to be a very long, complicated tale. "I need you both to promise not to interrupt me. It's a very involved story, and the more interruptions, the longer it'll take to tell."

Ron readily nodded, followed by Harry.

Heaving a deep sigh, Hermione began, "First, what you need to realize is that for you guys, I've merely been gone a sparse three months, but to me it has been almost nine."

They both seemed shocked at that revelation, causing Hermione to wonder about their reactions when she told them about Tom.

"You see," she decided not to dwell on her thoughts, "while I was falling from the staircase that day, my time turner was twirling around with me, and when I tried to steady it, I only ended of breaking the chain. The time turner ended up crashing into the stones, and I was sure that I shared that same fate, but, as I closed my eyes waiting for the impact, I found that it never came. In fact, when I opened my eyes, I found myself standing upright in the Transfigurations room in front of a 54 year younger Dumbledore."

They obviously weren't expecting that her jaunt in the past had been that far back, but instead of commenting, they only prompted her to continue.

"I won't go into the details, but instead get straight to the point. It was decided that I would stay at Past-Hogwarts until they could find the means to send me home; time turners did not exist then, after all. While masquerading as an exchange student, I met and made many interesting friends, perhaps two of which you might find, err, rather interesting. Minerva McGonagall had been Head Girl at the time, and we had both taken a strong liking to each other, seeing as how we were so much alike."

"You were friends with Professor McGonagall?" Ron sputtered.

Hermione smiled indulgently as Harry smacked Ron and told him to hush up. "Yes, Ron, Min and I were good friends."

"And the other?" Harry asked, looking at her with piercing eyes.

"The other," Hermione gulped, immediately breaking the intimate eye contact, "the other was the Slytherin Head Boy, Tom Riddle."

She waited for the yelling and accusations to begin, but when she looked over at them, Hermione only saw Harry and Ron exchanging meaningful looks. "We thought as much," Harry confessed. "After all, they wouldn't have called a meeting of the Order unless Voldemort was somehow involved."

"We weren't friends, at first," she hastily assured them, still unable to meet their eyes. "In fact we hated each other and didn't even bother to hide it. We were constantly serving detentions for dueling in the halls and for arguing during class...I slapped him good a few times, as well."

"Hermione! You got into duels with the future Dark Lord! Are you insane?" Ron gasped out, staring at her with something akin to respect.

She let out a nervous laugh, "No, Ron, not that I know of. You see, Thomas was a little like our modern day Draco Malfoy, except with Snape's wit. And you guys of all people should know that I wouldn't take any lip from a wannabe Severus Snape."

Harry frowned. "What changed then? How did you become friends?"

Hermione sighed sadly, "I had been there for about four months, and it appeared to all that I had no way home. There were no time turners, no spells or incantations, or even a potion, that seemed to be able to help me. I felt trapped, desperate, and at my wits' end when one day I just snapped. I became so mad and resentful that I decided that if I couldn't get back to the future, then I'd bloody well change it." She gave a decisive, sharp nod before moving on in her tale.

"It wasn't long after that night that Thomas and I began to grow closer. We were constantly being paired up in our classes, and before I knew it, we unconsciously paired up after classes. We started out slowly, merely trying to remain civil to avoid detentions. But then that allowed us to see other sides of each other. Like, for instance, I began to find myself privy to things about Tom that weren't really important or common knowledge, like how he couldn't sleep unless his feet were covered, but also couldn't sleep with socks on..."

"You two were involved, weren't you?" Harry asked, keeping his tone carefully neutral.

Hermione bit her lip and nodded, suddenly finding her bed sheets to become quite interesting. "Yes, yes we were. You have to understand, Harry, I thought I could change him. I thought that since I was stuck there I should at least try to change the future, change Tom. And it worked, for a while. I found myself being able to forget that this was the same, feared wizard of our time. For a short while, I could fool myself with thoughts of a future with Thomas, but when the day came to take that final leap, to reach out and make that future with him a reality, I couldn't.

"We were walking by the lake, as we often did, when Thomas decided to propose. At first, I thought that was what I had wanted. For me and Thomas to be together and to destroy the possibility of there even being a Voldemort...But, Gods, when I looked at him, all I could see was you Harry..." She sniffed while Harry couldn't hide his confusion and surprise.

"The thought of my Thomas, who was so kind and loving with me, growing up into the creature that stole your parents away from you, it shattered my hopes of a future with him. I knew- I knew that I could never truly love him in the way that would forever vanquish the Lord Voldemort within him, because I could never forget what he had the potential to become."

Unbeknownst to her, the tears she had fighting so hard against shedding were rolling down her cheeks as she thought of the fateful night with her Thomas by the lake.

"And so I told him no," she began quickly before either of them could comment. "I said I couldn't and Thomas got all kinds of upset, asking my why and whatnot. And he deserved an answer; I had been lying to him ever since I met him and Thomas deserved a straight, truthful answer. And so I told him why. I told him I was from the future," she sniffed while rubbing the back of her hand against her eyes, "but he didn't believe me. He shot out all of these questions, trying to catch me in a lie, but I answered them all flawlessly, and Thomas began to doubt. That's when he cast a long-hidden spell on me. If I was telling the truth, it was supposed to send me back to my rightful time...At first nothing happened, and Thomas came to me smiling, thinking I had been kidding, taking out the ring he had intended to give me and wrapped my fingers around it saying that I would be forever his..."

And here, Hermione faltered as she reached to her neck and tugged on a dainty, gold chain. And on that chain was a ring; it was beautiful, elegant, and obviously very old. It was spectacular and gorgeous in its simplicity.

It was obvious even to charmingly clueless Ron that it was the ring Tom Riddle had given her.

"But before I could say anything," she continued, not even looking up from the ring she held in her hand, "the spell began to take effect. The last thing I remember was him screaming my name, and then waking up suddenly in the Infirmary, back in the present."

Silence reigned as the two boys studied the ring along with Hermione, slowly soaking in her tale.

"So- So you basically ensured that the future would turn out as you knew it... by trying to change it?" Ron asked, slightly confused.

Hermione snorted humorlessly as she nodded. "Ironic, isn't it?" she paused, finally dropping the ring and meeting their eyes, saying abruptly, "I'll understand if you'll want to hate me."

"Bite your tongue, 'Mione," Ron snapped, managing to look angry and indignant at the same time. "You should know us better than that. Nothing could make us hate you; it wasn't even your fault."

Harry nodded, although his demeanor was more serious, but just as genuine. "If it hadn't been you who went back, then it just would have been someone else, wouldn't it? Time's a paradox that way. You can't help it that Father Time just chose you, can you?" he asked rationally, and calmly.

And without further ado, Hermione threw her arms around her two friends who were practically her brothers. "Oh, guys, I love you both so much; never doubt it, okay?"

Looking somewhat unsettled by an emotional female, Harry and Ron awkwardly tried to console her by patting her back, saying, "Erm, sure, and uh, yeah- right back at you," Ron muttered clumsily.

She pulled away from them, smiling brightly and feeling lighter than she had since she had returned.

Her smile faded though, when Harry asked, "But, something else is wrong, isn't there? Something that called for a meeting of the Order."

Hermione bit her lip and nodded, simply saying, "It is of Dumbledore's belief, and of mine, that Tom will be coming here to confront me."

"What? But he can't come here! This is Hogwarts!" Ron yelped, turning pale.

Harry, however, held her eyes and nodded in agreement, saying to Ron, "He'll manage to find a way; he always has in the past. Do you have any idea when, 'Mione?" he asked as gently as he could.

"The Yule Ball," she responded, hesitating before she went on to say, "he'll want to flaunt off our past together, try to shock everyone and sully my image. And he's going to do, or want something from me."

Harry looked grim as he promised, "I won't let him hurt you, Hermione."

She could hear the underlying, I won't let what happen to Sirius happen to you; I won't let you die, behind his words.

Hermione's eyes widened as she quickly squeezed Harry's hand tighter and said, "Listen to me, Harry, and you, too, Ron. When Thomas comes, you both are to do nothing. He's not coming for you, Harry. This is going to be nothing like the confrontations you've ever had with him. This is personal, Harry; Thomas and I have a past, and from that past I know that when he gets here he'll make a beeline straight for me, and you can't stop him."

Harry's eyes crackled with anger. "Hermione, you expect me to sit there pleasantly while he kills you!"

Hermione gave a long suffering sigh. "He won't kill me, Harry. No, he'll think death would be too easy for me; besides, he has more imagination than that. And you have to see, honey, that there is nothing you can do. If anyone can influence what he does when he gets here, it will be me, not you. For all intents and purposes, he'll forget about you, Harry, and devote all of his attention to me, and you listen up, and listen well; you aren't to go and remind him that you're still here, understand me?"

Before Harry could reply, the doors opened to reveal Snape levitating a trunk into the room.

Seeing the three on the bed, Severus frowned, but resolutely went to the reunited trio.

"Miss Granger, the Headmaster asked me to bring this down to you since I was on my way here," he said in neutral tones.

While Harry and Ron eyed him suspiciously, Hermione offered him a small smile, much to his secret delight.

Ha, take that Potter, he mentally gloated, but then snapped at himself for acting childish.

"Thank you, Professor. Would you mind ordering our dinners in here tonight? I'm still not up to face the questions of others yet," she asked, completely vulnerable to any scathing reply that he would chose to sling at her.

But, much to the surprise of Harry and Ron, Severus only coolly nodded, murmuring, "If you wish."

And then he left to use Madam Pomfrey's Floo to inform the house-elves that both he and Miss Granger would be taking their meals in the Infirmary once again.

As Hermione watched Snape go, she turned back to Harry with a fierce look, completely ignoring his questioning, confused expression at her slightly friendly terms with the evil, greasy git. "Look, Harry. I can take care of myself when it comes to Thomas, okay? Please, just promise me not to do anything stupid," she pleaded desperately.

Harry, much to his reluctance, promised, saying, "I don't like it, 'Mione, not one bit, but if you know what you're doing...okay, I promise."

Now, Hermione looked sharply to Ron, snapping, "And you, too, Ron. You promise, as well."

Ron slowly nodded, seeing how important it was to her. "Sure, Herms, I promise."

Hermione instantly sagged in relief, smiling to her friends and saying, "I'll be back in the Common Room tonight, but for now, off to dinner with you two!"

Simultaneously grinning, although it was much more subdued than usual, the two boys hugged her and left.

Turning her attention to the trunk, Hermione hopped out of her bed and sat by it. With a jolt, she realized that it was her belongings from the past.

"Dumbledore must've saved them for me," she whispered as she reverently released the clasp and opened the trunk.

The first thing she saw was a picture album laid open on top of the rest of her belongings. It was flipped open to a picture she vaguely recalled Min taking in the library. She was sitting at a table, calmly reading a book that demanded her full attention. And there, sitting to her left, was Thomas, completely ignoring his book and staring at her.

His blue eyes were riddled with emotion, and a small secret smile stretched across his face as he stared at her in something akin to awe.

And all the while, the Hermione in the picture was completely unaware to the loving stare she was receiving. She just kept turning the pages in her book, blissfully ignorant.

"What are you looking at?" asked Snape, his voice which he always carefully kept impartial when addressing her slightly tinged with curiosity.

Hermione looked up at his neutral expression, sadly handing the flipped open album over to him quietly.

What Severus saw made his eyes briefly widen. Of course, he knew that the younger Dark Lord had quite fancied himself in love with the Granger chit, but he had always had a small whisper of doubt about whether or not the young Tom Riddle had been sincere in his profession of love.

And now that little whisper had been snubbed, and Severus knew he would never again hear the echoes of doubt when it came to Riddle's affections for Hermione Granger.

"I see," he murmured, carefully closing the photo album and gingerly handing it back to her.

Her facial expression was one completely devoid of any emotion, her tone only slightly quivering as she said, "Yes, well, enough reminiscing, I say."

And Severus Snape left it at that.

Not even two seconds later, Dobby the House Elf appeared with their dinners, presenting a lovely distraction from the past and an excuse for them both to dwell on their own thoughts without appearing to ignore the other.

As soon as dinner was completed, Hermione engaged Snape in a conversation about whether or not weight, time and preparation played a significant role in potions making.

Severus was quite surprised to find that Hermione was able to support her opinions with specific examples and evidence that he found hard to argue with. He was so impressed, in fact, that he asked her how she had become so well versed on the subject, since he rarely ever grazed upon the depths of potions she waded into.

"Well, Thomas and I were always paired up in potions, and he was quite the expert. I guess a little bit of him rubbed off on me," she admitted.

Hermione briefly caught Snape's gaze, breaking it once she realize that he, too, was wondering exactly how much of him had rubbed off onto her.

Shaking the unsettling thought, Hermione decided that it was past time to return to the Common Room.

After a brief check-up from Madam Pomfrey, Hermione finally left the Hospital Wing with Snape as her escort.

Coming to a halt in front of the Fat Lady, Hermione realized she had no clue as to what the password was. She stole a glance to Snape who, while smirking slightly down at her, pronounced, "Welcome home, Hermione."

Obediently, the portrait swung open, and as Hermione smiled softly at the password (most likely Harry and Ron's doing) she turned back to Snape.

"So, err, I suppose I'll see you in class tomorrow," she muttered nervously, suddenly feeling like a nervous school girl in the company of the very cute boy she fancied.

"If it would suit your purposes, I will accompany the training lessons tomorrow after dinner," he offered, not quite meeting her eyes.

Why is this so awkward? I'm acting as nothing more than a temporary guardian of sorts...it shouldn't feel like this, his mind berated his lack of control on his confusing emotions.

But Severus found himself rewarded with a blinding smile from Hermione and he suddenly decided that it was worth it.

"Yes, I would quite like that," she admitted, slightly shy.

Severus gave a brisk nod, trying to dampen down the pleasure he felt by her statement.

"Until then," he said, swiftly turning on his heel and striding down to the dungeons, taking off thirty points from an unsuspecting Hufflepuff along the way so as to bring himself back to familiar grounds.

Still slightly smiling for no reason in particular, Hermione turned to enter the empty Common Room.

Except, it wasn't quite so empty.

"Harry, what are you doing up so late?" Hermione gently chided, carefully avoiding his eyes.

Harry looked at her thoughtfully, replying, "Waiting for you."

Hermione felt a slight flutter of nerves, but determinedly pushed it down. "You should be in bed," she calmly said.

Harry tilted his head to the side, studying her. "You've changed, Hermione."

Hermione visibly flinched as she said, "Yes, well, we all change at one time or another."

"Come, sit here with me," Harry softly ordered.

Obediently, she made her way and sat by her best friend on the overstuffed couch that she and Minerva had frequented when studying for Transfigurations.

Casually draping a solely brotherly arm around her shoulders, Harry whispered, "You blame yourself, don't you?"

Hermione sighed; she should have known that Harry, of all people, would be able to see straight through her deceptively calm manner and right into the guilt she was feeling.

"How could I not, Harry? If I had just left him alone and let things be, things would have turned out differently," she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder.

"That's not true, you know. If you were in your usual state of mind, you'd realize it. You remember how we found out it was Riddle who first opened the Chamber years ago?"

Hermione nodded although she knew it was a rhetorical question.

"He had already killed then, Hermione. He had become Lord Voldemort before you even knew him. In fact, it was a miracle at all that you two even became close, and that you managed to change him for a time," he assured her, slightly rubbing her upper arms for comfort.

"But Harry, the only reason he went back to Lord Voldemort was because of me. I could've stopped him, Harry, but I didn't; I couldn't," she confessed, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Sh-h, you can't take full responsibility for something you didn't even ask for; you had no control over the situation," he reproached.

Hermione gave a sniff. "I could say the same thing to you, Mr. I-Carry-the-Weight-of-the-World-on-my-Shoulders."

Harry chuckled, "I guess we're pretty much in the same boat now, aren't we?"

Hermione sighed, relaxing further into Harry's comforting embrace. "Yes, although you're not the one who made the Dark Lord a jilted lover."

Harry snorted. "Well, you certainly have a taste for the darker men, 'Mione. First Krum, then Riddle, and I don't think I even want to mention that friendly smile at Snape earlier today..."

Hermione instantly sat up, her spine rigidly straight. "Harry James Potter, don't you go about assuming..." she began threateningly.

Harry instantly threw up his hands in surrender, stifling his chuckles as he said, "Calm down, Hermione, you know I was only teasing...although, now that I think of it, you two were slightly chummy. How was your dinner with him?"

Hermione smacked him playfully on the arm when he started wiggling his brows suggestively. "He's just helping, is all, Harry. It's not like we're best friends or even friends, really. I just- I think," she struggled for the right words to explain the sudden bond she shared with the Potions Master, "I think he understands how I feel, Harry. I think he's the only one."

Harry lifted a curious brow, silently urging her to continue.

"I mean, Snape turned spy and is forever repenting for his past. In a way, I think he believes that he also helped create Lord Voldemort, simply by once supporting him. I just think he realizes what I feel; the guilt, the emotions- I think they're similar to what feels himself, you know?"

Harry looked at her with an odd expression for a few moments before belatedly responding, "No, I don't really know, but, of course, I've never really thought of it that way."

Hermione gave a slight yawn behind her hand.

"Off to bed with you, Herms," Harry nudged her towards the stairs, smiling innocently at the glare she shot him at the, while affectionate, but also very annoying, nickname.

A little too tired to argue about it, though, Hermione stood along with Harry and walked towards the stairs.

"Harry." She stopped when they reached the division of the steps, looking at him awkwardly. "Thanks," she finally said, giving him a sisterly peck on the check and turning up the stairs.

"Anything for you, Herms!" Harry softly called out to her retreating back, not quite muffling his chuckles when she groaned at the repeated nickname.