Chapter 6
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v
Big Girls Don’t Cry
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―
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0527 hours
2 October 1999
Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
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“What are you doing, Short Top?” Blaise asked him from up the tree, scanning the radius.
Neville was flattening the freshly plowed soil on top of their fire. Hermione watched with obvious amusement.
“Neville, that’s ingenious! Where did you learn that?” She praised the Gryffindor.
Neville looked at her and jerked his head toward their Head Auror, “Ted taught me. Muggle hunters do this to hide their traces.”
“Oh! I read it somewhere before! Never thought of practising it though. Good call, Short Top!” Hermione patted his head.
Neville groaned and flattened the ground with his stomps one last time before he unceremoniously dropped a pile of leaves on it, “Not you too!”
Blaise jumped down and wrapped his arm around Hermione’s shoulder. “She’s in!”
Hermione laughed as Blaise sprouted more weird names for Neville. She watched as Neville headlocked the dark-skinned man and couldn’t help but feel proud of her once timid, chubby friend.
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0431
27 July 1978
Department of Mysteries
Ministry of Magic
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Hermione’s head jerked up when a few scrolls fell off her table. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and stretched her tired body as she tilted her head back and yawned. Recalling her dream, she sighed. It was the reason they all lost sleep after the battle. Memories always found a way to catch up to them.
She looked down at her messy table. She had been collecting scrolls that were related to time travel. It was one of the many ambitious things that she planned to do: stop the Time Turner’s creation. But the plan was hard to achieve as their research leader had been hovering over her since day one. She huffed in annoyance. Nuisance!
“Did you go home?” Seal asked her from the door.
Speak of the Devil , she thought, rolling her eyes. “Yeah,” Hermione answered shortly from behind the lump of scrolls and tomes on her table. The least she could do was alter the contents so their experiments wouldn’t bear fruit.
“Yeah? When?” He walked to his table and enlarged the boxes from his pocket.
Hermione eyed the boxes and could barely stop herself from squealing when she saw what was written on one of the box: Eloise Mintumble.
“Yesterday,” she answered absentmindedly and quickly, refocusing on another scroll. It wouldn’t do anyone good if Seal noticed her obvious interest in the time traveller’s box.
Seal magically moved the lump on her table enough to make an eye contact with her.
She groaned. “What, Seal?”
“Oh! So much rage! I’m in fear!” He rolled his eyes. “Go grab something to eat. You’re famished. I’m famished. We need food to function.”
“I’m not hungry.” As if on cue, her stomach let out a loud grumbling sound.
Seal raised an eyebrow and smiled smugly. “What’s that, kid?”
She muttered, “fuck,” and got up, levitating two box of altered scrolls that they’d rejected. “Fine! But it’s not because of you!” She said as she stormed out of the room.
“Leave the boxes! I’m going back to the storage room, anyway. I’ll dump ‘em,” Seal said as he pulled said boxes toward him with a wave of hand, “And I want Muggle food.”
Hermione looked at him as if he had grown a third head. “No muggles can beat elves cooking,” was what he told her when she brought Ted’s double cheese burger last week. “I thoughtー”
“Exactly the one you brought last week. Don’t question your Leader, kid. Besides,” he smiled at her softly, “there’s no sun here. You need sun.”
Hermione touched her face and crinkled her nose. He was right. She’s been hidden here since yesterday morning. And now that she took her nose out of her work, she realized how she missed the Tonks after just a day without seeing them. She peered down to her watch and noted it was five in the morning.
“Alright. But I might come back late,” she said while packing her stuff into her trusty satchel.
“You mean come back at the normal time like normal Unspeakables?” Seal smirked at her.
She huffed some wayward curls out of her face. “I just want to finish the research.”
“Of course you do,” He said with a hint of sarcasm.
Hermione wasn’t sure if he knew what she was up to. There was no way of telling when it came to Seal. Even in her time he was observant and cryptic at the same time.
“I’m going. Let me know if you need me earlier.”
He waved his hand as his goodbye. His focus was solely on the scrolls.
As she closed the door, she wondered if it was a good idea to leave Mintumble’s box with him. She shrugged it off. Nah. It would take him a long time before he starts with Mintumble.
She was wrong.
It was already half an hour past ten when she came back with his burger. Ted had held her up far longer than she thought. He was trying to convince her to go with him to Fleetwood Mac’s concert because Andromeda wouldn’t say yes. “ Rowdy Muggles!” She’d said. Hermione came back to reality and tried to decipher Seal’s pensive face as he read Mintumble’s journal.
She knew it was hers. She’d studied the journal front and back for almost two years. She should have known, younger Seal had more vigour than the older Seal. She was proud but also cursing him for his competence at the same time.
“Do you know this?” His voice broke the silence.
It was only the two of them in the Time Chamber. She assumed her other colleagues went out for breakfast.
“I sent them away,” Seal said as though he could read her mind, “Answer me, Unspeakable Hermes.”
She straightened her back and cleared her throat. “I don’t know anything, sir.”
“I’ve been an Unspeakable since I left Hogwarts, Hermes. What make you think you could lie to my face?” He stood up and strode towards her.
Hermione couldn’t move. Seal had glued her feet to the floor. She yelped when he fisted her robe and pulled her up, causing her hood to ball back and freeing her silver curls. She could feel his heavy breath on her cheeks. Their eyes locked and she whimpered in protest when the magic that hid her silver eye slowly faded away.
“Silver hair, silver eye. What are you?” He growled.
Before she could retort, a red light zoomed over her shoulder and hit Seal square on his chest. She plopped on the floor.
“Not the right way to talk to a lady, Unspeakable Seal,” Tiberius said as he offered his hand to Hermione.
Hermione accepted and he gently pulled her up. He helped her right her robe and made a quick assessment on her, checking whether she was hurt or not.
“I’m okay, Tiberius. Thank you,” she said. Her hand laid on his worried hand.
“Ogden,” Seal got up and greeted Tiberius.
“Unspeakable Seal. Brash as always I see,” Tiberius nodded in greeting.
Seal laughed and walked closer to them, ruffling her head patronisingly. “Small misunderstanding, Ogden,” he explained. “And you,” he pointed his finger to her, “We’re not done, kid.”
Hermione rolled her eyes and passed him the burger. “You could at least ask nicely.”
Her leader grinned and said, “What’s the fun in that.” He took it and was about to take the first bite when he continued, “So, what did the Centaurs say?”
“It wasn’t pretty,” he closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, “Bane, like always, blamed the Ministry for their shrinking territory.”
Seeing his exhaustion, Hermione summoned a chair for him to sit. He looked at her gratefully and squeezed her hand in gratitude.
“We sent investigators out with him, and came up with nothing. Bane claimed it was because they were ‘ poor sighted greedy Ministry dogs’ .”
“In the Forbidden Forest?” Seal asked.
“Near the Scottish border. Not much land ー enough space for a tent or two on the fringe of their territory."
“Did the aurors find any proof of human life?” Hermione chimed in then quickly added, “I mean, if it’s okay for me to know?”
Seal guffawed and ruffled her hair again. This time she didn’t even bother to pull her hood back up.
“‘Course it’s okay! You’re an Unspeakable, kid. You’re with me.”
Hermione was suddenly washed with warmth at his admittance. Tiberius gave a slight bow, silently telling her she was welcome in their conversation.
“Possibly. Nothing concrete,” Tiberius sighed tiredly. He crossed his arms, his finger tapping on his inner arm. “That’s why I came here. I need you to investigate the place, Seal.”
“I don’t mind. But I’m bringing this small lady here with me.” He jutted his head at Hermione.
Hermione looked at him perplexed, “Me?” She sounded hopeful, “Really?”
“Yeah. It’ll be fun.” Seal waved his hands and all the scrolls he was working with tucked nicely in their rightful place. “Come on. Portkey or broom?” He asked Tiberius.
Tiberius got up and led them out of the chamber with Seal catching up to him. “Return portkey.”
They were discussing the matter in detail. And as Hermione watched them, auburn hair and black hair, she couldn’t help but remember her two best friends. She pulled her hood up and couldn’t wait to leave the building.
She could really use a cigarette.
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1242 hours
27 July 1978
Forbidden Forest
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Hermione surveyed the area. It was small as Tiberius told them. The only trace left was a small string of their magic.
Seal had asked her to stay while he followed the trail just in case the wizard or witch came back. The ability to trace magic was forbidden in the Wizarding World, as the act itself was a breach of their privacy. But, Unspeakables often broke the rules.
She was just lighting her cigarette up when Seal jogged back to her.
“Found anything?” She asked, a fag between her lips.
Seal summoned her pack and lit up one for him. He puffed the smoke out. “It stopped 500 metres from here. The only thing I found is that the magic belong to two wizards ー”
“Or witches,” Hermione added automatically.
“ーor witches,” Seal corrected, accustomed to her interruptions. “It’s not completely Light magic nor it is Dark.”
“Grey?” Hermione inquired. She blew the smoke through her nose.
“Most likely. I ran into another Centaur. He warned me about unknown interference. Some kind of force from outside of our world. They can not make sense of it,” he got down on one knee and hovered his hand above the earth. “They’re good,” he mumbled, quite impressed.
“What do you mean?” Hermione bent down to look at what he was talking about, nipping her fag at the corner of her mouth.
“See here?” He poked the ground with his wand, “The soil is darker underneath. Meaning, someone covered their bonfire remnant with unburnt soil.”
She gasped and her cigarette fell on the ground.
“Hermes?” Seal called her.
She turned to look at him but her mind was filled with the memory. She knew Seal was talking to her, but all she could hear was Neville’s feet stomping on the ground.
“Hermes?” Seal nudged her with his shoulder.
“Yes?” She found her voice. “Sorry. I was thinking.”
He snickered, “I can see that.” He stood up and stretched his body. “Ready?”
“For?”
“Back to the Ministry. There’s nothing we can do now. I’ll ask Ogden to inform us if anything else happens.” He vanished his cigarette and took out a piece of cloth ー their portkey.
Hermione looked over the clearing again, but couldn’t calm her speeding heartbeat. She started to sweat and clenching her fists.
“You alright?” He held her swaying body firmly.
“Yes. Let’s justー”
“Muggle hunters do this to hide their traces.”
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and tried to even her fast breathing. “It could be Muggleborn?”
“Could be. Purebloods are too proud to do shit without magic,” he put the ragged cloth back and scratched his forehead, “Well trained. Hiding magical traces.” He mulled over the idea for a moment before saying, “They could be Unspeakables.”
Hermione clenched her fists. It wasn’t good. It was too close.
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1122 hours
2 May 2001
Department of Mysteries
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Hermes stood quietly at the corner, watching as Moon pulled Nerve into a bone-crushing hug. Nerve was whispering and kissing Moon while she nodded her head over and over again, agreeing to all what Nerve said. He raised his eyes to looked at Hermes and gave her a small smile. Hermes walked to the couple begrudgingly.
“It should be me, Nerve. You should be sending me,” she said crossing her arms, looking put out at her team leader’s decision.
Nerve hugged her instead. “I’ll miss you too.”
Hermes hands faltered to her side and slowly, she wrapped them around his waist. “It should be me.”
“No,” he said firmly, “This is our first try, Hermes. I’ll go.”
“But ー”
“No, Hermes.”
Hermes sagged, knowing it was time for her to relent. Nerve was kind, but as a leader, he was ruthless.
Defeatedly, she asked, “Did Moon foresee anything?”
He chuckled, “Only that this was madness, but in a good way. I’ll take that as a good sign.”
She grinned. “Yeah.”
“Take care of her.”
“Yeah.”
“Take care of Seal.”
“Yeah.”
“Take care of yourself.”
“I’ll try.”
He pulled back and kissed her forehead. “This is madness.”
Hermes laughed so hard that her head tilted back. “You think?”
He grinned and Moon joined them, hugging them tightly, the fact that it could be their last time together heavy on all of their minds. Nerve gently pushed them out of the circle and nodded at Seal to proceed with the incantation.
“1977?” He asked Seal to make sure one last time.
“1977,” Seal answered.
Nerve looked at the two young women again and for the first time that day, Hermes could see the frightened chubby boy that she had met in her first train ride to Hogwarts. She could feel her tears threatening to burst.
“Your grandma will be proud, Neville!” She yelled over Seal’s steady voice, “DA is proud of you! Andー” she couldn’t stop herself from sobbing and saw him himself wiping his tears, “ー and I am so proud of you. So fucking much.”
“Done. Just say the passwords, kid. It’ll activate at once,” Seal said in a tight voice. “You’re a good lad,” he added.
Neville nodded and trained his attention to the women again. “I love you, Luna. Thank you for being my wife, the only good thing that happened to me in this fucked up war. Please, take care of Hermione. You know how lost she can be.”
Luna wailed and turned to Hermione, hugging her fiercely, burrowing her head into her chest.
“And Hermione,” he gave her the same smile that he had when Hermione came back to their compartment with Trevor in her hand, “It was the best first ride I’ve ever had.”
Hermione bowed her head, hiding her face behind the curtain of her hood. She could hear him talking to Seal and she could hear him yelled the password then suddenly, a blinding golden light brightened the Red Chamber. Hermione knew then that he was gone.
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Hermione felt like slapping herself. She'd forgotten that Neville could have been waiting for her. She hadn't even tried to find him.
Pulling out a cigarette, she lit it nervously, considering their situation.
The person they were looking for could be him. She glanced at her bangles and thought of using them to find him. But Seal said there were two strings of magic. She rubbed her face tiredly. His life could be in danger.
If it was really him.
She watched as Seal searched the area one more time, marking the circle with a golden light. Then it dawned to her.
All she had to do was to create a new Time Portal.
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1403 hours
31 July 1978
Hogsmeade
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She walked aimlessly ー pushing herself against the rush of people ー and let her eyes roam the street. She drank in the experience, watching the excitement of the kids as they stood outside the big window of the latest Nimbus. She pushed her hood down and enjoyed the freedom of the chaotic evening.
Creating a Time Portal would be difficult to do on her own. Especially with Seal there, nagging her about Mintumble. She considered whether it was worth it to tell him what she knew. She squinted her eyes as the sun’s reflection hit her brown eyes.
She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to be in the busy area. This was her first time in Hogsmeade ever since she arrived; her first time in any wizarding town, actually. She had been avoiding the Wizarding world because it brought on uncomfortable memories. Her breath hitched when she realized where her feet had brought her. Hog’s Head Inn.
She took out her cigarette.
“Stop smoking!” Ted yelled from beside her. He was sitting in one of the benches.
“Why are you here?” She lit it up, ignoring the glare that Ted sent her.
“Waiting for my date to finish her damn smoke,” he said as he waved to one of the passerby and said between his teeth, “Yeah, he sucked Minister’s cock to get his position.”
“Ted,” she groaned.
“Dromeda’s been craving Ab’s chicken soup. So I, a good husband, volunteered myself to fulfil her demand,” he said proudly.
“You mean she forced you to go?” She asked knowingly. Blacks infamous rage was no joke.
“Indeed! Hey, don’t talk about your mother like that, young lady!” He narrowed his eyes at her and she only replied with a laugh.
Ted watched as she inhaled, “I’ve been wondering,” he cast Silencing Charm around them, “How did you ー in your time ー become an Unspeakable? Moreover, how did I become Head Auror?”
Hermione laughed before she answered, “Ridiculously easy!” She sat beside him. “Have you ever been to the Ministry, Ted?”
“Yeah. Apparition test and marriage registration.”
“And did you notice how loose the security was?”
“But you were in a time of blood lunatics. The place was full with arseholes who wouldn’t waste a second to put a bullet in your head.” He made a shooting gesture with his fingers. “Why don’t they ever use guns? So backwards.”
“Don’t give them the idea, Ted,” she snorted, “We were fighting against blood supremacist, not the whole Wizarding world. We want to mesh our worlds together, not terrorize them with our killing machines. That would make them hate Muggles more,” she explained with her as-a-matter-of-fact tone.
“Purebloods have always felt superior to others. They thought, after all the torture and killing, we would give up. We didn’t. It was the complete opposite. Their confidence had helped us tremendously.
“It was a simple trick. A trick that I’ve been pulling since my second year.” She turned to him with a very mischievous smile. “ Polyjuice Potion .”
“No way,” he said in disbelief and awe.
“Simple yet effective. A sip every time I passed the security.”
“I can see how easy it was for you. Unspeakables hidden in that creepy dark place. But, how did I get away?”
Hermione hummed thoughtfully while watching the busy street lit under the summer sun.
“You faked your death.”
Ted turned his head so fast Hermione was sure he pulled a muscle.
“I was dead?”
“You were. It was during your run. We, Mudbloods ー” Ted flinched “ー were hunted by Snatchers. They all had this small journal filled with Mudbloods’ names.
“It was funny how Muggle-like it was. Like checking students attendance. Tick the presents and hunt for the absents.”
She recalled the day when they were caught and brought back to Malfoy Manor. Hermione instinctively scratched her old scar.
“You were with two others and two goblins.” She brought her cigarette to her lips but halted midway by Ted’s sudden outburst.
“Goblins?! Why goblins?!” He held both her arms.
“Well,” she slowly brought her hands down back, “Most of Goblins were hunted, too, because the Ministry of Magic made wizards in the sole control of the goblins and they refused to acknowledge any wizard as their master.”
“That’s goblins for you. Arrogant creatures, but ballsy,” he whistled.
“As you were, Ted. Ballsy, I mean,” she rolled her eyes seeing Ted’s snotty face, “Your group ran into a group of Snatchers.
“According to the fabricated story, you were killed by the werewolf that led the group.” She slid her hand into his, “We didn’t know each other well back then. But we mourned for you, Ted. We mourned for every death.”
He squeezed her hand. “Did I fight in the Great Battle?”
Hermione laughed. “Yeah! Fuck, Ted. Everyone was shocked when they saw you, out of nowhere, jumped straight into the brewing battle gallantly!”
Both of them finger gunned each other with exaggerated shooting sound.
“When the Battle's over, we knew your name was crossed. So we decided it was safer to leave it that way. We used one of the estranged dead Pureblood wizard’s name. We killed Ted Tonks, and Harry ‘Ted’ Trigg was born.”
“But wouldn’t they know I was still alive? Didn’t they recognize my face?”
She looked at him smugly, “Not to sound cocky but you weren’t as popular as I was.”
“Fucking dick,” he bumped her shoulder with his she almost fell off the bench.
She snickered. “But yeah. Don’t worry about being found. We stole the Admittance Book first thing first so they couldn’t track existing and newly-born Muggleborn witches and wizards.”
“You kids were pretty wicked.”
“Yeah.”
They were basking in the companionable quiet when Ted removed the charm and spoke.
“Did you know Martha the florist has three nipples?”
“What the fuck, Ted!” She looked at him bewildered.
“I’m serious!” He puffed his chest out and twisted his nipples.
“I didn’t need that!” Hermione tried to kick his leg but he was faster to dodge.
“This information could be useful in the future. And while we’re at it, did you know Robert, her husband, has fungus infection between his toes?
“Shut your mouth, Ted, or Merlin helps me I’ll glue them like ー ouch!” She stopped her sentence midway.
“Okay, Hermione?” Ted took her fingers and cast a simple healing spell to ease the burn.
Hermione looked at the man who was busy rambling about the importance of taking care of her ‘ delicate fingers ’ as he put it, and then she looked at her cigarette, laying on the ground with unflicked ash still attached to the filter. She snapped her head back to Ted.
He did it on purpose . Deliberately asking questions and gossiping with her about mundane things so she would calm down, so she would forget about her impending panic attack that she even forgot about smoking.
She laughed.
And Ted joined her at the same time embracing her into a hug. “You’re alright, Mini.”
“Shut up,” she said over her muffled laughter, “Only Dora can call me that.”
“Sure.” He didn’t sound convinced at all.
They were still hugging when she heard laughter from inside Hog’s Head. She tightened her hug. “I’m scared.”
Ted cupped her face and kissed her forehead with exaggerated smacking sound.
“You know,” Ted said all the while walking to the front door with their arms linked together, “Martha really has three nipples.”
“Ted!” She groaned.
Ted’s laughter filled her ears, overcoming the buzzing sound that had always accompanied her memories.
She was grateful for Ted Tonks.
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Ted was telling her about his first meeting with Andromeda when Tiberius greeted them. “May I join you?”
“Of course, Mr. Ogden. Take a seat,” Ted answered while waving his hand to call Aberforth.
“What were you talking about?” Tiberius asked her after Aberforth left with his order.
“How Ted met Andy,” she said behind her Butterbeer glass.
“Oh?” Tiberius turned to Ted, urging him to continue.
Ted gave him a very wide toothy grin, clearly happy to share their fateful first meeting. “It was Halloween 1961. You know how Muggles celebrate Halloween. Costumes, knocking on stranger's door, candies, pumpkins and all those scary decorations. But Dromeda’s house had different vibe altogether. It was merry, alright. Gala kind of merry. And I thought, “imagine the candies!” That was when I saw her sitting by the window.”
Hermione smiled fondly as Ted kept rambling. How many times had she heard this story both from Ted and Andromeda. She never believed in fate and soulmate rubbish, but after meeting the couple, she gave them a tiny bit chance. Meeting fatefully at 8 years old was pretty romantic, anyway
She leaned back against the wall, facing the front door. She could see Aberforth’s goat roaming around and remembered their first DA meeting. Ginny had looked at her like she was crazy when the very same goat passed by them.
The door was abruptly pushed open and Hermione cursed the newcomers for disturbing her daydream. She looked at them and her butterbeer was hung midway.
“Harry,” she whispered.
The pub was dim, but she knew that hair anywhere. Black and tousled, every time. Even after her effort to reprimand the stubborn ones, they’d just kept poking out. She put her glass down slowly and squeezed her hand with her other from shaking more than it already was.
A ghost. From her past, from her future. A person in her present.
She stood up, ignoring the men’s worried voice, taking small steps toward him.
“Harry,” she whispered timidly, her voice was so broken, so scared he’d be gone if she said it louder.
She was halfway to him when she realized the woman he came with.
The other woman was tall, with long, dark red hair. Laughing and hitting his arm as he continued talking animatedly. She stopped walking, nailed to the ground, heavy feet ー too heavy to carry her any further. She was as still as a statue, eyes wide as she watched the couple. After a moment, she began to scream, her mind overwhelmed by the moment.
She barely noticed Ted rush to her side, pushing her into Tiberius’ arms. “Get her away from people. I’ll distract them.”
She felt numb, hardly recognizing Tiberius’ arms around her as he carried her to the fireplace and called, “Ogden’s Place.”
The last thing she saw before the green flame engulfed her was Ginny’s confused face.
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1742 hours
31 July 1978
Ogden Place
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“Hermione, love. It’s alright. You’re here. It’s alright.”
Tiberius words didn’t do anything to her at the moment. Her mind was in a disarray, a mess of memories, tangled and jumbled as she tried to make sense of everything. She screwed her eyes shut and screamed her voice hoarse.
The Crossing was painful, but this, this was so much more. She pulled her hair, trying to feel the pain somewhere other than her chest. It was burning and freezing, clenching and freeing, suffocating and deflating, everything and nothing all at once.
She pulled her hair harder, leaving trails of silver as Tiberius carried her to the bathroom and submerged her into the filled bathtub. When he stopped her from pulling her hair, she ran her nails deep into her skin instead. Wailing in pain and yet, it was still wasn’t enough.
“I can't live without him, 'Mione .”
“I’m sorry, Gin. I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorryー”
“Hermione!”
“ーI’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorryー”
"I'm sorry, 'Mione."
“Hermione!”
Hermione stopped wailing and turned to the voice. “I‘m sorry.”
Tiberius looked at her softly and gently wiped her tears.
“I’m so sorry. I fucked up. I’m sorry,” she stuttered and new wave of tears rolled down her cheeks.
Tiberius’ waiting hands wiped them off.
“I fucked up so much. I should haveー” she bit her tongue before she could say more.
Tiberius kicked his shoes off, getting into the bathtub with her and pulled her to rest her back on his chest. His robes floated around them. “It’s alright, love,” he combed her hair with his finger, “people tend to fuck things up.”
Hermione relaxed into his embrace and let her head fall back on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, squeezing the tears out. Tiberius kissed the tears away.
“I should have done so much more,” she pressed her back deeper into his chest, craving the safety his touch offered, “I could have done something.”
He kissed her cheeks and trailed along her jaw to her neck. “You can now.”
It was alarming how Tiberius seemed to know about her time travel fiasco.
“You can do something now,” he nuzzled her ear as he spoke, “and do so much more.”
Hermione shivered and she could feel his smile on her cheek. She turned her head to him and watched his ocean eyes staring back at her as their nose touched.
“And so much more.” She repeated.
“So much more,” he whispered, closing his eyes as he closed their distance with a kiss to her lips.
She saw his confident shambled when she didn’t kiss him back.
“I’m sorry. I really should notー”
Hermione got up a bit to straddle him. He looked at her with wide eyes, surprised, yet so full with anticipation. She ran her fingertips along his cheek and he leaned toward her touch.
“Hermione,” he begged.
Hermione pushed down her robes, leaving her in wet white shirt hugging her figure. She let his eyes travel down her body, and she could feel his hands firmly planted on her hips. He met her eyes again.
“Hermione,” he begged again.
“Tiberius,” she whispered, grabbing the collar of his robes with her lips on his.
Tiberius vanished her shirt while she attempted to pull his wet robes from him. As she got frustrated, he laughed, kissing down her jaw as he vanished everything else but their underclothes. Hermione twined her arms around his neck, enjoying the feel of his warm skin against hers.
He coiled her curls around his fingers gently and asked, “Better now?”
She nodded slowly. “Yeah,” Hermione told him, smiling at the kiss he pressed to her lips. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me,” his voice low as he shifted beneath her.
Hermione groaned at the feel of him beneath her and ran her hand on his strong chest for support. She drew her head closer to him, her forehead meeting his. She felt safe with him. She wasn’t sure how to tell him she wanted to stay, but that she didn’t feel up to anything more.
The feel of him pulling her arm from his neck caused her to panic. She didn’t take rejection into count. Her lips quivered from the lack of touch. But he soothed her wordlessly, wrapping his arms around her and tucking her head beneath his chin. As always, he knew exactly what she needed and she couldn’t help but feel indebted to him for it.
“What would I do without you?’ She asked, listening to the sound of his heart.
The sound of his chuckle burrowed into Hermione. She was sure she’d never forget it.
“You always come to my rescue. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this.”
“Everything,” he told her. “You’re saving our world, Hermione. If I can offer you anything,” his hands moved soothingly up and down her back, his magic seeming to seep into her skin, “It’s yours.” He kissed her hair.
At the sleepiness that began to overcome her, she realized he was attempting to soothe her magically. She sighed happily, snuggling closer to him. “Thank you.”
He stood up, a cleansing charm washing over the both of them, followed by a drying charm. “I can take you home.”
“Please don’t.”
Tiberius studied her ー a tad surprised at her request ー and suddenly Hermione realized she was only in her undergarments. She blushed but still didn’t cover her body. She had no qualms about changing in front of her team before, she thought, so why would I now?
Seeing her hardening blushing face, Tiberius chortled and without permission, carried her to his bedroom, laying down with her as the evening sun streamed through his window. Hermione remained close to him, watching as the sun set, his fingers combing through her hair in their shared silence.
She considered how much he knew. How much she should tell him. But it wasn’t the right time. She wasn’t sure if it would ever be.
“Are you hungry?” He asked quietly, realizing she was still awake. She shook her head, causing him to ask, “Tea?”
“Mmm, that would be perfect.”
When he called for an elf, Hermione nearly protested. But he spoke to the small creature kindly and she was too tired to really make a cup for herself. Once they were settled in and down with their tea, she smiled softly at Tiberius, admiring him in the darkness.
“Hi,” she said.
He smirked. “Hello.”
“May I stay tonight?”
He tucked a curl behind her ear. “As long as you’d like.”
She blushed, looking down at her hands before leaning in toward him and pressing her lips to his again.
“Are you sure?”
She bit her lip. “If we could just… kiss? For a bit?”
“Like teenagers?” He teased with a grin. “Come, my little silver witch,” he encouraged, opening his arm to her.
Hermione straddled his lap again, leaning in to kiss him as he leaned back against the headboard. She brought his hand up to her breast, smirking at the noise of surprise he made. Before she could comment, he pulled her closer. His hands warm and sure on her body as his mouth dominated hers, leaving her breathless and hungry for more of him.
The reason she was there in the first place all but evaporated in her mind.