Chapter 36

A/N: Another year at Hogwarts, and there will be much more drama than before. Thanks to JKR and her amazing imagination that I plucked from her books to make this chapter what it is. Also, my thanks to luvsev and WriterMerrin: you guys rock!

***

Hermione spent a lonesome summer with her parents, trying to will the days away. Now that Wormtail had been discovered as the betrayer of the Order, Harry had shared Trelawney's prediction he had heard that fateful night. Hermione's anxiety and sense of foreboding grew exponentially as Harry had conveyed to her each word of the prophecy. She was looking forward to going to the Burrow at the beginning of August to go to the Quidditch World Cup.

When the day arrived, she was eager to get going. The World Cup had been exciting...until the Death Eaters emerged and frightened the life out of her. She had spent the whole time hiding from the scrambling crowds, explaining to Harry about the Morsmordre, the sign of Voldemort. Hermione felt it. He was gaining power.

By the time Harry realized his wand was missing, Ministry officials surrounded them all and accused Harry of casting the Dark Mark.

"This is insanity!" Hermione snapped. "Why would Harry Potter of all people cast the Dark Mark?"

Barty Crouch, the man who had sent his own son to Azkaban all those years ago for torturing the Longbottoms, stood stone-faced and undeterred. "You have been caught at the scene of the crime!" he said.

"I didn't do it!" Harry shouted. "I was just telling my friends my wand had been stolen!"

Amos Diggory came up to them with a house-elf in tow. "I think I've found our culprit," he said. "This your wand, Harry?"

"Yes," he said.

Amos Diggory took the wand and cast Priori Incantatum on it to reveal the last spell cast. Sure enough, there was a tiny Morsmordre shining from it.

Ludo Bagman, the wizard in charge of the World Cup spoke up. "This is madness. A house-elf has to have a wand to do that!"

Amos said, "She was found with Mr. Potter's wand on her person," he declared.

Barty Crouch looked pale and faint. "That is my house-elf," he said shakily. The wizards began to interrogate the poor thing while she cried out her innocence the entire time. Barty Crouch was incensed. He said, "This means clothes!"

Everyone knew what that meant. Hermione had always thought Crouch was a cold and unfeeling man, but this was reprehensible.

"What is going to happen to her now?" she asked Mr. Weasley.

"Don't worry, Hermione. Winky, that's her name; we'll take her to Dumbledore. She can live with the house-elves there. I know she didn't do this," he whispered.

Hermione was relieved. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. If Winky would now be at Hogwarts, she might be able to find the underlying cause of all this insanity.

***

After the World Cup, and the subsequent arrival at Hogwarts, Hermione went with Harry and Ron to the Welcoming Feast. She took a few chances to glance up at the High Table to watch Severus seated in his normal, black, dour robes. Heaviness came over her as she saw his visage. He looked pinched about the eyes and mouth, as if he had spent months concentrating with much difficulty. He was tired, and she knew him too well to not see the signs. Severus was under a great deal of external pressure. Where it was coming from, she couldn't suss out. She was quite concerned about him. She wished with all her might that she could just stop the entire pretense and go to him, but it was impossible. Therefore, she would have to wait. Moreover, she didn't know when she'd get a chance to talk with him alone. She sighed and accepted it would have to be this way...for now.

The new Defense teacher was Alastor Moody. Hermione was happy to see him again. He looked as ragged as ever, but still wary and seeming full of spit and vinegar. She couldn't wait to say hello to him. She listened as the others whispered about him. He had acquired a nickname, "Mad-Eye Moody," due to the magical blue eye he wore that replaced the black beady one he had lost. It was a bit humorous to listen to the others talk about him through stories and legend. She had gotten to know the real Moody quite well that summer on Fenwick's farm.

Dumbledore announced that this year a Tri-Wizard Tournament would be held. Students from Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy were going to arrive in October and participate in the competition, so there was plenty of time to hope and dream about what the tournament might be like.

Dumbledore spoke about the history of the tournament, and when Hermione heard the words "death toll," her head snapped to attention. That frightened her, but everyone around her was listening with rapt attention. The possibility of death seemed to make the opportunity to participate even more interesting.

Fred, George, Ron, and Harry were talking fast and furious about the competition and how to get past the Age Line.

"I still can't believe the Ministry won't let you put your name in the Goblet unless you're seventeen!" grumbled Ron.

Fred grinned as he looked at his twin, George. "I reckon a few drops of Ageing Potion might do the trick," he said mischievously.

"People have died!" Hermione said, still feeling extremely upset at the news that people could actually get killed during these games.

"That was years ago, Hermione," Fred said as he brushed her off, unconcerned. "So, if it works for us," he said, pointing his finger between George and himself, "fancy entering?" he asked Ron and Harry.

"What d'you reckon?" Ron asked Harry quietly. "Be cool to enter, wouldn't it? Dunno if we've learned enough, though."

Harry remained quiet as Neville entered the conversation. He was nervous and scared, as usual, but he really had reason for it this time. He was terrified his Gran would try to force the Ministry to accept him to save the family honor.

Hermione thought they were acting like big babies. They were determined to go through with trying to bypass Dumbledore's Age Line. It was sheer foolishness, but she wasn't going to say a word. Experience was always the best teacher, she had found.

***

The next day, Hermione caught up with Harry and Ron. They were talking about their first day back when Malfoy came out of thin air.

"Hey, Weasel," he said derisively. "Just got a look into today's Prophet. Imagine what is going to happen to him when the Minister hears about this!"

He began to read loudly from an article in the paper, and a huge crowd was gathering. Hermione sighed inwardly as she watched the scene unfold. It was always like this with the three of them. It was just like James, Severus, and Sirius all over again. Well, perhaps not that bad...at least they didn't continuously hex each other on sight...but there was a fair amount of animosity all around.

She heard Malfoy say as he paused in his recitation, "Imagine them not even getting your Dad's name right," he said in mock indignation. "I guess that makes him an non-entity."

Ron was shaking with fury. Hermione knew if there hadn't been a crowd around them, he would have flattened Draco's face in a heartbeat.

Finally, after Draco had finished reading and had made a few remarks about Mrs. Weasley's weight, Harry grabbed Ron by the arm and forced him to walk away.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy!" Harry called out to him.

Hermione rolled her eyes. So much for a clean getaway. Harry and Draco began to yell, and then it was over. Harry had turned his back to join her and Ron when she heard a roar from behind.

BANG!

Hermione saw a flash whiz by the side of Harry's face. They were all getting their wands out when another loud bang sounded, and they turned to see Professor Moody.

"OH, NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

They watched as Moody limped across the grass, and there not five feet from them was a white ferret.

He started questioning Harry about what had happened, and then Moody began to bounce the ferret higher and higher, ten feet off the ground. Professor McGonagall ran towards them, shrieking at Moody, "Is that a student?"

"Yep," he replied simply.

She whipped out her wand and brought Draco back to his human form. Everyone was laughing as Draco looked confused and dizzy while McGonagall took Moody to task for transfiguring a student into an animal for punishment.

Hermione looked at Moody. There was something not quite right. She knew she hadn't seen Moody in years, and that he had undergone severe trauma while tracking down rogue Death Eaters. However, this wasn't like Moody. The Moody she knew wouldn't have done that without making his presence known. Then he would have changed him back, not "played" with him as students looked on, laughing. No, Moody would have Transfigured him back to his human form and given him a stern lecture about proper Wizarding conduct in a duel. No, Draco never knew what hit him. Sure, Moody would have hexed him. He would have growled right in his face, and after scaring the living shite out of him, then he would have hexed the boy. However, this was childish. Perhaps he was growing senile. Something was amiss.

Harry and Ron were excited and laughed all the way back inside the castle. Hermione made her excuses, saying she had work to do, then snuck down to the dungeons.

She tiptoed around and found the Potions classroom empty. Once she thought she was alone, a wand dug into her back. She had her wand out already and turned as fast as lightening to find herself face to face with Severus. They both lowered their wands. Silently, Severus locked the door and silenced the room.

"I'm back!" she said with a smile, in hopes of bettering his mood. He looked furious.

"I noticed," he said gruffly.

Hermione let out a sigh and took another approach. "Severus, as much as I would fancy a social visit, I need to talk to you about Moody."

He looked intensely into her face and said, "What about him?"

"There's something not right," she said uneasily. "I can't put my finger on it but, perhaps, he's getting old and senile."

"I assure you, Hermione, he is not," he said coolly.

"What's wrong?" she asked as he took his seat behind his desk.

He sighed impatiently. "The problem, Hermione, is now that Moody is in this school, he's bound and determined to find me out. I never know when he'll pop up and demand something of me. Today, as I was informed by Albus, I'm to have my office and storeroom checked for anything illegal or suspicious."

"Nevertheless," she said importantly. "I will be speaking with Albus. There's something not right about him. He just isn't the Alastor Moody I remember."

"Unfortunately, he is exactly like the Moody I remember," he said angrily.

He looked at Hermione, and she grew suspicious, "What?" she snapped.

His taut face broke into a smile. "You have changed this summer, Hermione. I can see the woman in the girl that was there last year."

"Tempted?" she asked flippantly.

"A little," he replied as he sat back into his chair. "Fifteen in three weeks. Only one more year."

"Can't wait," she whispered and then bit her bottom lip.

"I love you, Hermione," he said gently.

"I love you," she replied as she let herself out of the classroom.

***

Hermione was apprehensive about going to her first class with Moody. It was right in line with what he would do...he talked about the Unforgivable Curses. This, of course, was familiar territory for Hermione. She had never forgotten the summer on Fenwick's farm where she and Moody ate, slept, and trained. Unforgivables had been among the required curriculum. She had learned how to effectively throw off the Imperius Curse and disarm her opponent successfully.

He showed the class the first two, beginning with the Imperius Curse, and explained how much trouble it had given the Ministry back in the days in the aftermath of the First War. Then he demonstrated the Cruciatus Curse that Hermione had felt herself while in training. It was a horrific feeling that could render a person insane or cause them to suffer aftereffects for years. Hermione watched as Moody continued to torture the spider that he had been using as his victim. The jerks and twitches it made, for Moody had silenced the insect, were so disturbing, it was unbearable to watch. Hermione cringed inside. Then she saw the look on Neville's face.

"Stop it!" she shrieked.

Moody looked up at her, and they all looked at Neville, whose wide, horrified eyes were like empty tunnels of despair, and his white, clenched hands were balled up into fists atop his desk.

Hermione wanted to scream at Moody. He knew...he knew exactly what had happened to Frank and Alice, Neville's parents. Everyone who had been alive in those days knew about the Longbottoms: the core of the Order, loved by everyone. Frank, the loyal, fierce Auror, and his sweet wife, Alice, who had fought against the Death Eaters in the war only to step down as a soldier due to her pregnancy. She had just been a simple housewife, caring for her one-year-old son when the Lestrange brothers, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr. broke into their house right after torturing Frank into insanity and tortured Alice right in front of little Neville. Both had been in St. Mungo's ever since...insane, the both of them. Neville never talked about them, as far as Hermione knew. No one knew about Neville's sad past.

She couldn't understand how thoughtless he could be.

Finally, the last curse was cast on the poor spider. The Avada Kedavra was the killing curse, and Hermione cringed in horror as the class watched the spider die. She looked at Harry and knew what he was thinking. That was how James and Lily died. Hermione could see Lily's face, so carefree and full of life. She couldn't imagine what she had looked like in death, her face stilled, her green eyes lifeless. Hermione fairly shuddered.

He lectured to them about being diligent at all times for potential enemies. As he lectured, the words he told her all those summers ago sounded in her ears, "If you forget everything I teach you, I don't care. If you can manage to remember this, you will succeed: CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

These were Moody's words of wisdom, and although they were the words he would say, she was still positive there was something not right about him.

As they left class, Hermione walked to Neville and placed her arm on his shoulder. "Neville, are you all right?" she whispered.

"Oh, yes," he said with a false enthusiasm. "Interesting lesson, wasn't it? Interesting dinner... lesson. What's for eating?" he babbled.

Ron and Harry both looked at Neville with the same concern as Hermione. Then they heard the clunking footsteps of Moody behind them.

"It's all right, sonny," he said to Neville. "Why don't you come up to my office? Come on... we'll have a cup of tea."

Neville looked like he didn't want go anywhere with Moody. The old wizard looked over at Harry and said, "I know it seems harsh, but you've got to know. No point in pretending. Now, come on, Longbottom. I've some books that might interest you."

"What was that about?" said Ron as they all watched Neville go upstairs with Moody to his office.

"I don't know," Hermione whispered. However, inside she was deeply troubled. There was simply something odd. Perhaps she needed to have a chat with Moody.

***

Later that evening, Harry came to Hermione and Ron in the common room and whispered that he got a letter from Sirius.

"What does he say?" Hermione said.

Harry read the letter to them, and Hermione hissed, "He's come back uphere? Is he mad? He'll be caught for sure!"

Harry looked downcast. "I never should have told him about my scar. Now he'll feel responsible to help me," he said ruefully.

"Harry, no," she began to say.

Harry cut her off. "I'm just going to go to bed."

***

The first day Hermione got to speak with Moody, she went into his office alone and closed the door.

"Hi, Moody. It's good to see you again," she said airily.

Moody looked at her strangely. "Oh, Miss Granger. Sorry I didn't remember you. So much going on," he said in a strange tone.

There was definitely something amiss. "I was thinking about the summer at Fenwick's farm while we were in class. You know, the first time Remus saw me here, I thought he was going to have a seizure. I am sure Dumbledore explained everything to you?" she asked.

"Of course," he said. "Terrible shame," he said gruffly. "If you will excuse me, Miss Granger."

He all but tossed her out of his office. Hermione was immediately aware that she was correct in her assumption that, indeed, something very wrong was happening here. She went straight to Dumbledore's office.

When he let her inside, she'd told him about the short and confusing conversation she just had with Moody. "It was as if he had forgotten, or never knew me! The wizard lived with me for a summer...he was my teacher, we ate together, slept in the same ruddy barn. Now, it's like he's lost a part of his memory. He isn't himself."

"Do you think he could have been Obliviated?" she whispered.

Dumbledore got up and paced back and forth in front of his fireplace. Finally, he said, "Thank you, Hermione, for telling me this. I assure you that I will be keeping this information close at hand. Now, you must promise not to breathe a word of this to either Ron or Harry, and most certainly, not to Severus."

Hermione's brows furrowed. "I don't like to keep information from Severus," she told him.

"I know that when it comes to what is best for him, you have done it in the past," he said with a knowing look.

Hermione's pulse was beating like crazy. "What are you talking about?" she breathed.

"About your relationship with Lily Evans," he replied.

She looked at him in horror. "How did you know?" she whispered.

"Hermione, I know the signs; I know them well. Do not be alarmed. I shall never under any circumstances ever tell Severus. Please place this information with that in your mind as well, Hermione. It is for his benefit. As for you, I want you to stay as far away from Professor Moody as possible. Understand?"

"Yes, Albus," she replied. "Am I in danger?"

"No, he answered. "Just keep your mind off of Alastor Moody. Think about the Tournament, about all the excitement this year will bring, and having new people to meet from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons," he said with a smile.

"Okay," she agreed and left him. She hated the feeling that he had just treated her like a child...as if she was truly a fifteen-year-old. However, she decided to shrug it off and went about the rest of her day.

***

Hermione's fifteenth birthday came around, and with it came another card, just like the one she had received last year from Severus. It simply read: "Love does not know time." That night, she got out her copy of Hogwarts, A History that Severus had given to her that last Christmas at Spinner's End. She looked at his handwriting and tucked the note in with the last one and placed the book under her pillow. She wanted to believe that they only had one year and then the wait would be over. They would never be without the other again. Somehow, after the talk with Albus, the dream of the perfect reunion was beginning to tarnish. She had more than once wondered if they would ever know peace together...

***

The day the guests from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons arrived, everyone was in a state. Excitement was everywhere. They had class with Moody that day, and everyone was shocked to learn they were going to experience the effects of the Imperius Curse.

"Isn't that illegal, Professor?" Hermione challenged him. She couldn't believe it he was going to do this! What did fourth-years have any business knowing such advanced magic? Her eyebrows furrowed as she crossed her arms, mutinously.

Moody didn't skip a beat. "Dumbledore wants you to know what it feels like so you can effectively learn to repel it," he replied sharply. "Of course, if you don't care to learn and would rather be caught unawares, you can leave. Off you go," he said, pointing a gnarled finger at the door.

Inside, Hermione was shocked. He had to either not be the real Moody or had his memory tampered with. There was no look of recognition that he was aware that Hermione knew anything more about the Imperius Curse than any other Hogwarts student.

"No, she said confidently. "I will stay."

It was ridiculous. One after one, students were unable in the slightest to resist the pull of the curse. Hermione stood impatiently, waiting her turn. She wanted to see the look on Moody's face when she flung his attempts to control her just like flicking a bug off one's shoulder. However, when Harry's turn came...he demonstrated in one hour what it had taken Hermione a whole summer to accomplish. He fought off the curse completely.

Hermione stood, waiting for Moody to put her under the Curse. She stood with determination and repelled it. She smiled at Moody, hoping for some sign...a conspiratorial wink...something to ease her mind, but nothing came. He was genuinely impressed with her work...that was until Draco Malfoy opened his mouth.

"Typical, Granger!" he sneered as he and his cronies snickered. "She would never allow anyone to best her in any subject, even Harry Potter!"

Hermione was highly impressed with Harry's work. She hoped Dumbledore would hear of it. This was phenomenal news. But, Hermione supposed it would have to wait. The excitement of the coming schools was growing, and everyone focused on getting through their last classes in order to get dressed up to make a good impression.

***

Hermione was nearly ready to fall on the floor laughing as she watched and heard the other girls speculate about the Durmstrang wizards. They just HAD to be exotic with dark hair, Slavic features, and strong to live in the harsh cold climate they did. Therefore, when Durmstrang arrived with all the pomp and ceremony as possible, all the girls were acting like brainless twits.

What irritated Hermione, though, were the older and lovely ladies from Beauxbatons. As she watched the procession of the boys and girls of Beauxbatons Academy walk sedately into the Great Hall, she noticed some of the girls were simply ... gorgeous. They were older and full-bodied. They had to be seventh-years. That meant they were of legal age! The boys were making complete arses of themselves, and Hermione warily watched Severus up at the Head Table. She met his eyes, and he looked at her questioningly. She would talk to him later. What if one of those older girls caught his eye? What if he was getting tired of waiting for her body to catch up with her mind? She told herself to shut up. She was being stupid. But still it nagged at the back of her mind.

She found herself snapping at those around her during the Welcoming dinner. Hermione took a great dislike towards one of the Beauxbatons girls that the boys were claiming had to be a veela. In Hermione's opinion, she was a loud and arrogant French bitch, and when she laughed derisively during Dumbledore's welcome speech, she said aloud, "No one is making you stay!" That got her a few glares from the boys around her, and she decided to keep her hostility to herself.

If that hadn't been bad enough, Ron was going insane over the presence of Viktor Krum.

"Yes, Ronald, I am aware he was the one who caught the snitch during the World Cup."

"Yes, Ronald, I recall the Wronski Feint."

"Yes, Ronald, I know he is probably the youngest Quidditch player ever to play at the World Cup."

She was about to lose her bloody mind. Who gave two shites about Viktor Krum? She was glad when it was all over and they could go to bed. As soon as she could, she slipped out and went towards the dungeons. She didn't get far. Severus was already waiting for her outside Gryffindor Tower.

He ushered her into an alcove behind a tapestry, and she wrapped her arms around him, inhaling his scent.

He pulled away. "What are you doing?" he asked, confused.

"I need to hold you, smell you, feel you. There is no substitute for it. I have tried. Trust me," she said

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the floor. She couldn't resist and began to kiss him urgently. He responded, and they were finally kissing as they used to kiss, with all the hunger and the need that was in them. She tried to place his hand on her breast, but he stopped and pulled away.

"Stop, Hermione. This is wrong," he said firmly as he disentangled himself from her.

"What's wrong about it, Severus? I'm thirty-five!" she insisted.

"That may be all well and good, but you have a body of a fifteen-year-old, and it is wrong. Eleven months, and we won't stop. I promise," he whispered.

"Well, at least this is encouraging," she whispered in return.

"What?"

She played with a button on his frock coat. "At least I know that I still can entice you. Last year's goodbye left me sad, but I can see now that you are starting to warm up to me again," she explained.

He took her hands into his own, away from his frock coat. "Hermione," he said seriously. "I think about you all the time. I dream of the young woman I knew and made love to all those years ago. You are turning into her more and more every day. Soon, Hermione. Soon," he murmured as he kissed her one last time. "I just came to reassure you of my love."

She left him then and felt as if he had sensed her insecurity, and his passion was exactly what she had needed to reaffirm that he still wanted only her.