Monday, 13th October 1997

Hermione Granger woke on Monday morning with a start. She rubbed her eyes looked out the window across the Quidditch pitch, where the early morning sun still hadn't reached. The sky was crisp and blue, she knew it would be a beautiful day. Perhaps she could study outside during lunch. She blinked her large brown eyes and squinted again out the window.

"Quidditch pitch?" She said out loud. 'I should be looking out onto the lake...' her thoughts trailed off. Her mouth formed an 'O' as she turned around and surveyed her surroundings.

"Not again!" She shoved her books into her brown leather bag and got up from the table. She had fallen asleep (again!) in the library, this time in the middle of a potions essay. Although Harry and Ron had both been with her earlier in the evening they had obviously thought it a good choice to leave her in the Library after she had fallen asleep. They were wrong.

Hermione found herself running as fast as her legs could carry her up stairs and around corners quickly trying to make it back to Gryffindor tower in time to get a fresh change of clothes at the very least.

As she approached the fat lady's portrait she could hardly slow down, quickly calling out the password (non sequitur) and barreling past Harry and Ron, up the stairs to her room to get changed.

"Should we wait for her?" Ron asked Harry.

"Probably. She'd get upset if we didn't." Ron shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the large, red sofa in the common room. Harry sank down into the cushion next to him and they waited. Barely 5 minutes had passed Hermione was rushing back down from her room, twisting her hair with a pencil and bringing it through into a messy twist of some sort.

"Ready for breakfast?" Harry smiled at her.

"Yes." She replied curtly. "Actually I have a question for you. Both of you."

"What's that?" Ron asked as they stepped out of the portrait and began walking hurriedly to the Great Hall so they wouldn't be too late.

"Why did you two leave me in the Library last night? I'm running late now because you two wouldn't wake me up!"

"Hermione, did it ever occur to you we did try to wake you up. Once you're out, you're out and there's little chance of bringing you back to the conscious world long enough to walk up 3 flights of stairs." Harry grinned devilishly at her.

"Besides, you have a time turner, being late should be any concern of yours. A flick of the wrist and BAM! your back into last week fixing your mistakes and being on time today."

"It doesn't work like that Ron." She turned to him. "I can't use it because I'm 10 or 15 minutes late."

"Why not?" He asked as they entered the Hall.

She took her seat and turned to him, sighing, "Ron, 15, 20 minutes here and there it adds up. Pretty soon I'm 150 years old in the body of an 18 year old and that is dangerous. Especially for a wizard or witch. We live longer than muggles. If I am destined to live to be 150 and I used my Time Turner as much as you think I should. By the time I'm 150, I'll really be 282. I don't want to live to be 282." She finished in a huff. Hermione had been tired of everyone lately. Honestly, she just wanted to eat and get out of there as quickly as possible. She had NEWT Potions first, 80 minutes away from Ron Weasly everyday was like a dream come true. Lately he annoyed her to no end. Of course, being with him and Harry almost everyday for the past 7 years and quickly began to irk her.

"Hermione, we'd better get to Potions before Snape has a fit." Harry stood up and attempted to defuse the situation.

"We'll see you in Herbology Ron." Hermione grabbed a piece of toast and walked out of the great oak doors into the corridor behind Harry.

She began rooting in her bag for her essay.

"Shit! Harry, I have to go back to the library!"

"What's wrong?"

"My essay! I don't know where it is, I must have left it in the Library."

"I don't remember seeing you work on it Hermione. Are you sure you did it?" Harry reached out to stop her from panicking.

"Yes Harry! of course I did! I never don't do Homework. Why did you say that?"

"I was just stating a fact. Maybe you dreamed you did it?"

"Are you mad? I know I did my essay, you know I did it Harry, why are you acting like this?" Hermione whispered in a very worried voice.

"All I'm saying is, you're pretty burnt out. You're taking a lot of classes this year, maybe you wanted a break."

"You took it didn't you?"

"You couldn't prove it if I did." He snarled.

"Harry, this isn't like you at all. What's going on?"

"I'm at risk of failing Snape's stupid class. What does it matter if you don't do the essay, you'll still have a 4 in the class."

"Why don't you just ask for my help? He'll know it's my essay Harry, you'll get kicked out of Hogwarts if you turn that in!"

"No I won't," He smiled maniacally, "I copied it last night. Now it's my essay."

"Harry, give that here! I won't let you turn that in."

"Why not?" He held her back at her shoulders as she grasped for the parchment he know held out and above his head, "Afraid you might have to fight to keep your position of number one if I get a good mark?"

"What has gotten into you Harry?"

He smirked and turned away, letting her go. Forgetting herself, Hermione lunged for the parchment and tumbled down the stairs, landing with a thump and a 'CRACK'.

Severus Snape turned the corridor to the stairs leading to his dungeon classroom and stopped short when he heard a young woman shriek. He narrowed his eyes at Harry Potter.

"What is going on here Potter?" He sneered.

"Hermione fell down the stairs sir."

Snape felt his heart skip a beat.

"No doubt in her excitement to prove herself better than her peers. Always was rather arrogant. Granger get up!" He hollered down the staircase as he descended to the stone floor below. When she didn't move a wave of panic fell across his face. He poked her slightly with the toe of his shoe.

"Mobilicorpus" He whispered as he gently brought her up the stairs and to the first floor Hospital Wing.

Madam Pomfrey was busying herself wrapping gauze into neat bundles when Snape brought Hermione in. At once she had an equally shocked look on her face.

"What happened Severus?"

"She fell down the staircase leading to my class." Madam Pomfrey looked up at him with one eyebrow sky high, questioning him, but not speaking.
"No Poppy, I didn't push her." Madam Pomfrey snorted and looked Hermione over quickly.

"Look at the state of her. Bruised temple, she's probably broken some ribs. I'm afraid she's in pretty grave danger Severus. There's no telling what else could be wrong. You had better go find Albus."

"I think it would be better if I stayed."

"And why do you think that? Go find Dumbledore!" Madam Pomfrey did all but throw him out of the Hospital Wing. Severus ascended the stairs and walked briskly to Dumbledore's office.

"Trying to find me Severus?"

Snape whirled around at the sound of Albus's voice.

"Headmaster I..."

"I was just on my way to visit Ms. Granger. Would you care to join me?"

"Headmaster How did you..."

"The walls have ears and eyes Severus. I understand she is in a dire condition."

"Yes which is why I cannot understand why you insist on walking so slowly." Severus exclaimed.

"Why the sudden and out of character concern Severus?" Snape stopped and checked himself.

"I found the little know-it-all and would simply like to confirm that my class will not be without her insufferable presence for a prolonged period of time."

"That's more like it." Dumbledore smiled sullenly. The continued their walk in silence.

As they came to Hermione's bedside, Severus had to choke back a gasp. She looked beautiful. Her russet coloured hair fanned out behind her head and the sun that had begun to peak through the windows made her skin clear and shimmering.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, Ms. Granger's condition... There is nothing I can do for her. If we move her to St. Mungo's she will surely die, and while I can guarantee the same fate if she stays here, at least here she's with people she cares for. "

"Someone should stay with her then. I have a school to run, otherwise I would think nothing of it."

"And I have other students that need tending to."

"Severus?" Dumbledore prompted.

"Yes Headmaster?"

"Would you stay with Miss Granger?"

"I have classes that need to be taught, important... tasks and errands..."

"Thank you Severus." Dumbledore was already halfway to the door.

"Severus," He turned back to Snape, "you may find that certain tasks and hurdles can be conquered when you use your time wisely." With a small smile he was gone.

Six hours had passed since Hermione had been brought to the hospital wing and there was no sign of Potter or Weasly.

'How strange.' Severus thought to himself as he leaned forward and placed his elbows on the side of Hermione's bed.

"Talk to her! " Poppy lowered her voice "She can here you you know. Don't let the last days of her life being silent ones." As quickly as she appeared she left to attend a 3rd year Care of Magical Creatures victim.

Snape looked back down at Hermione and sneered. Looking over his shoulder for any witnesses he cleared his throat. 'what do you say to a dead woman?'

"It is a pity you won't be able to go through with your plans after leaving school." He cleared his throat again.

"I had often speculated on offering you apprenticeship with me, but I never seriously thought of asking." He added stiffly.

"Look Miss Granger, can't you just snap out of the state you're in and go back to class!" He barked. It had more pleading in it than logical questioning. Snape pinched the bridge of his nose and sat back in his chair.

"What will we do without you? What will I do without you?"

He watched the rising a falling in her chest become ragged and uneven. A clock rang the second hour and Severus leaned forward and took Hermione's hand in his.

"Adults shouldn't bury the young Hermione. Come back." He whispered. Her chest stopped moving. At that moment he felt a slight tugging on his head and shoulders and a dizzying blur of movement around him. He closed his eyes to stop the nausea and when he opened them he was back in the Great Hall.

"Severus I thought you were leaving to prepare for your first lesson of the day?" Dumbledore looked at him.

"Where's Miss Granger?"

"She's just left with Mr. Potter."

"What time is it?"

"It's 7:30 on the 13th of October. A beautiful fall morning, don't you think, Severus?"

"I...I have to go." Severus stood up quickly and knocked his seat down, leaving the great hall in a hurry.