Braving the Past

Chapter 14: Just Pretend

Hermione couldn't imagine her horrible luck. How had she not noticed Tom in her mind until Harry's patronus?

How had she even been brought to this stupid time in the first place?

She should have just pretended to be taken in with Tom's charm the moment she came there. Then maybe she wouldn't be in this mess. A young Voldemort finding her out was possibly the worst thing that could ever happen. What if he saw his outcome? What if he learned a way to do it differently and change the entire future? Not that it had been going horribly for him in the first place, but he could just as well not go for Harry in the end and become the most powerful Dark Wizard that much faster.

Hermione puzzled over her situation for the remainder of the day, slipping into the Head dormitory to escape Tom and putting locks and muffliatos alike on her door.

Even after all she had worried over that day, all she could think as she fell asleep was: I'm sorry I failed you, Harry.

When Hermione woke the next morning, she had trails of both old and fresh tears on her face and pillow. She'd had another stress dream about being a werewolf. It had only been five days since her first transformation, but she couldn't help but worry about what would happen the next full moon.

She got ready as quick as she could and went to visit Professor Dumbledore while everyone else went to breakfast. She rapped on his door and waited for an "Enter" to continue inside.

"Miss Granger, how are you feeling this morning?" he asked upon seeing her walk in.

"Sir, I had a question about...the full moon," she said tentatively.

"Of course, please sit. Lemon drop?" He offered her a bowl, but when she shook her head, he prodded the bowl towards her insistently. She took a lemon drop, but kept it in her hand.

"Sir, I was wondering – "

"Do eat, Miss Granger, you'll feel much better," Professor Dumbledore said kindly through his half-moon spectacles. Hermione hesitated before tossing the candy in her mouth and continuing.

"Professor Dumbledore...how were you able to keep me from hurting anyone the night I turned?"

"Mr. Riddle helped as well, you know."

"Yes, he mentioned that – but, sir, how did you do it?"

"I merely kept prepared. I convinced Professor Slughorn to brew me a batch of Calming Draught a couple days before in the case we needed it," he stated. "Tom was the one who stayed by you, you know. He could have run off the other way without alerting me of the situation."

"Well...yes, I realize things went better than they could have," Hermione conceded, crunching down quickly on her lemon drop. It did set quite well in her stomach. "Do you think it would be possible to have a Wolfsbane potion brewed for me each month?"

At this, Professor Dumbledore's auburn eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Wolfsbane potion? Surely you must know that hasn't been discovered just yet."

"Not discovered yet?" Hermione whispered mostly to herself as her shoulders fell in defeat.

"I'm afraid not," the old wizard said.

Hermione tried not to let this affect her, but she couldn't help but worry about her next transformation. Of course, the stupid potion hadn't been created until 1971. How did Remus Lupin do it?

He had wonderful friends who became illegal animagi for him, that's how.

"Thank you for your help, sir," Hermione sighed, standing up.