Months passed with few minor incidents. The school in general had chosen not to forget her appointment as a professor, Ginny still had not spoken to her outside the realm of a question, and it remained unclear if she had chosen to make Hermione's appointment known to the two boys. In Hermione's mind it was none of their business, but no doubt if they received the Daily Prophet they would eventually have something to say about it. Slytherins were always a source of annoyance, pointedly bringing up her parentage, her inability to teach a class of pure-bloods that had been concocting in their miniature potion labs at the age of four, while Hermione had still been amused with her book of fairytales.

Sometimes they knew exactly what to say that would hurt her, but at the end of the day when she was grading their pathetic attempts at written homework Hermione got her retribution. Pure-blood or not a fool was a fool was a fool. Their potions and grades were shabby and she wouldn't have done such haphazard work even in her sleep.

The timeturner, and its purpose had left her mind around Halloween, but she still kept it close to her heart. At some point, she was sure that its meaning would be revealed to her, but until then she would serve as its protector. Managing her own classes on top of grading papers had been a difficult task at several points during her four months as a professor. She was only glad that she had spent years in preparation of her N.E.W.T.s otherwise she would have hardly been able to keep up with any of it. Or alternatively, she would have driven herself mad trying. Either way the Christmas holidays had fallen upon her and, with a sigh of relief, Hermione awoke at six to prepare for the last day of classes.

Wandering into her office to take a quick glance at her schedule for the day, Hermione began noticing the two weeks of vacation that loomed beyond that day. Her planner, filled to the brim up until now, was completely empty. No parents, no real friends, what did professors do exactly during their holiday? Grabbing up some notes she'd taken, Hermione walked across the corridor to her classroom. Disturbing really. It was the first holiday she would be completely alone. No one making plans for her, or with her she reminded herself. What to do with all that time?

Smiling as she gazed out the charmed windows in the dungeon, Hermione began thinking of all the things that she'd been wanting to do lately. Perhaps she could study for her N.E.W.T.s during that time. And she'd been wanting to observe some of the natural plants in the Forbidden Forest.

"What a load of bollux. I don't want to study during my holiday. I could look at those damned plants any day" she huffed.

Who would have thought her favorite holiday would become the most depressing of them all? Hermione wrote the instructions to the day's potion on the board, prepared her ingredients deftly, then thought of breakfast. Perhaps her colleagues could suggest something interesting to do. Maybe not Binns (not that he would come to breakfast), but maybe the headmistress would have something of importance for her to do. Or maybe there was a place all the lonely unmarried professors went together. A sort of vacation from the students. Somewhere sunny.

"Good morning Professor Granger. Have some orange juice, it was freshly squeezed by the house elves this morning."

Hermione glared at Cassius and reached for a cup of coffee, but not before 'accidently' dumping a load of sausages in his lap. Chortling happily into her coffee cup she couldn't help but see the uplift of the headmistress' normally tight-lipped face. The sooner Hagrid was done with the giants the faster he could get back to his classes…and they could all be rid of this nuisance.

"Slept well last night, Professor?"

Hermione turned toward her innocently, the cup still in her hand.

"Why Headmistress, it just so happens I slept very well. So well that I was thinking I should take a stroll out in the forbidden forest after lunch. We all should."

And with that she made a wide motion with her hand effectively spilling all of her drink in Cassius' lap. The look of false horror was hardly convincing to her or anyone else she had known for the past seven years, but Cassius bought it as she had hoped she would. Patting her hand gently, he took leave of them all explaining that he should get a head start on the day's lessons. Something which in Hermione's opinion should have been down well before breakfast. Turning back to Professor McGonagall with a serene smile, she began pouring herself another cup.

"Why headmistress, I think it is going to be a fantastic day. A shame Professor Kettleborn can't join us on that walk." Taking a sip, she continued. "But I was wondering if there was anything you'd like me to do during the holiday. Any potions you need? Tasks that need to be done for the order?"

The headmistress gave her a sideways glance. One that she was unable to interpret.

"Most professors return to loved ones during the holiday. The order is busy looking for horcruxes, I suppose you could find Mr. Potter and help him during the holiday if you'd like. No? Well, I've no need for potions. Haven't you anything to do?"

Hermione guiltily played with the gold chain around her neck. Wasn't she the pathetic bookworm. She was looking for work to do over the holiday. Even as a full-time student she hadn't gone that far.

"No." She whispered. "My family and I aren't speaking, and I've not been invited to the Burrow this year. I suppose Mrs. Weasley isn't too happy that I've left the boys in favor of Hogwarts. Nor that I haven't been returning her owls about me and Ronald."

"Well Miss Granger, give it some Time. Isn't there anything that you would like to research or perhaps go back over? Well. Time is what you need more than anything, I'm sure it will all work out. Just give it some Time."

Three. The number of times the headmistress had said Time in a sentence was three. At least with Dumbledore there had been a twinkle or something. What on earth would she want to go back over so desperately that she would resort to the timeturner? And why, given the repercussions that could possibly occur would the headmistress suggest such a thing. Hermione thanked her for her input and made her way back to the dungeons to think. Interesting. Very interesting.

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The rest of the day went dragged on at a snails pace. The words of Professor McGonagall had not left her, they prodded her, teased her. She was missing something vital. It was on the edge of her mind, waiting for her to discover it. What could she possibly do with the timeturner? Relive a past Christmas secretly with her parents? Not very enjoyable considering she'd be forced to hide the duration of the week. What would she want to go back over?

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Despite her earlier reservations, Hermione was grateful when classes were over and the students began to leave for their homes. She didn't even want to look at their end of the term papers. Sticking a piece of pork in her mouth, her gaze wandered over to the Slytherin table, while she chewed. Not many of them returned this year. Not that anyone had been surprised. She wondered what Draco was eating for Christmas, whether Snape would bother cooking at all wherever they were. She snorted at the thought, but put her fork down. She did feel for the ferret. According to Myrtle he'd been blackmailed, and according to Harry he hadn't been able to kill Dumbledore in the end. Maybe not the kindest wizard in the world, but Draco Malfoy had proven he could never be a cold-blooded killer. Not that it had saved Dumbledore.
This would be their first Christmas without him. She could already see the puffiness of Professor McGonagall's eyes. They would all miss him, this Christmas especially. He had always been a light in the darkest of times. One that even Severus Snape could look to, if he ever felt the need to see the goodness in life that is.

Hermione put her glass to her lips, about to take a sip of pumpkin juice, when it was suddenly ripped out of her hands and thrown to the floor. She felt the hair on the back of her neck start to rise, as she slowly inched her head toward her left. That was a feeling she had not had in months. Turning back to her dinner, she stared at the plate for a moment. She was being watched. Cassius glanced over at her, unsure of whether he should say something.
The phantom was no longer close to her, but it was still present in the great hall. She could feel two eyes narrowed, watching her every movement. If it was an enemy, she feared that any gesture to alert someone of its presence would cause it to do harm to the students. And there were too many in the great hall for her to risk it.

"Headmistress, I'm going to retire to my rooms. I believe some sleep is in order. Goodnight everyone."

Hermione smiled as best she could before walking out of the main doors, and past the phantom. She was not surprised that it followed her, in fact she was relieved. At least the students were safe. Walking down the corridor toward the dungeons, she hoped that whatever had caused it to reappear in her life would reveal itself.
What had she been thinking about before the phantom had appeared? The timeturner mainly. Draco. Snape.

Hermione whirled around, knowing the phantom would stop too. Severus Snape. The timeturner. There WAS something she would like to go back over. Something that she very much needed to know. Smiling nervously, Hermione entered the lair, and led the phantom into what had once been Snape's bedchambers. This was what the headmistress had been hinting at. Hermione was still plagued with doubt, with questions. Questions that no one but Severus Snape would be able to answer.

Sitting on the ground, Hermione pulled out the timeturner and quickly did the math. One.Two.Three.Four…

Hermione lost count as time began reversing itself, and a blur of people whirled around her. Ministry officials, McGonagall. And then Snape himself…