Chapter Text
Over the course of her life Hermione had learned that there was a variety of mistakes a person could make.
Some were small, so tiny they were insignificant in the grand scheme of things, like stepping in a puddle of mud or wearing two different socks. Hermione just so happened to be good at avoiding those kinds of mistakes, since they were a nuisance at best and the start of a terrible day, week, year even at worst.
Then there happened to be mistakes one could correct with a bit of effort. For example saying the wrong thing or doing something that affected people, but to those Hermione had never paid much mind. Wasting her time by running around to make amends with people she didn't even care about really wasn't the way she wanted to spend her life.
Some other mistakes were the ones she thought back on from time to time, wondering what on earth had possessed her to do such a thing in the first place and which resulted in countless hours of self-analysis and spiralling thoughts. One such incident just happened to be a certain kiss a few weeks ago.
The last type of mistake was the only one she thankfully had not committed up until now. At least in her opinion. She was sure if she were to ask Harry or Ron, they would have gladly told her otherwise, if only for that damned broom and their slight tendencies to overreact at certain times.
Up until now, that was.
This particular mistake shared traits with all of the above. It should have been easily avoidable, she really didn't care for peoples thoughts on this particular happenstance and most of all, she had no idea how it had gotten to this point or why her sense had left her the moment the war had been over and done with.
“Miss Granger, what was it you were going to say?”
Hermione was startled out of her thoughts by the almost foreign voice. Like a smell she had been subjected to once upon a time, forgotten all about and only to be taken back to a place by a brief glimpse of it.
Only, she had heard Albus Dumbledore's voice more often than she would have liked and the nonchalant, amused tone in his voice alone gave her goosebumps.
Hermione looked at the ancient man, looking just the tiniest bit younger than she remembered him to have been and knew there was no way for her to fix, dismiss or possibly even get out of this situation without some meddling from this old man.
The only way through was the Harry way and Lord help her, if she turned into her reckless best friend because of this, she would kill him all over again in the afterlife.
“It seems that I'm stuck here, so I would appreciate it if you could enrol me for seventh year. I haven't gotten to finish my last year of school, you see.”
She neglected to mention that she had never been in school for her seventh year in the first place. Hermione also wasn't all that eager to explain why that was, especially not when she had just so boldly taken inspiration from Harry with no idea how to proceed if the need were to arise.
At least she would get to finish her education without having to fear something happening this way. A quiet year might do her some good, especially if she managed to keep out of the way of everyone she really didn’t want to meddle with.
That was her biggest concern.
Not being able to stand still and lay low as the world turned to shit once again, especially with the timeline being on the line.
“Very well. How about a place to stay as well?” Dumbledore inquired and the mere suggestion of him arranging a place for her to stay made her want to run and stay hidden in a cave until the war passed.
As she knew him, he would most certainly put her with an Order member, someone he trusted to keep a close eye on her and press for any information that might become useful later on. Most certainly it would end up being Moody and while she respected the man, she didn’t trust him to keep her best interest at heart, especially not when it was Dumbledore asking to keep an eye on her.
“I can manage, thank you,” she demurred.
She still had the sizable amount of both muggle and wizarding money she had withdrawn from both her and Harry’s accounts before they had gone on the run. For once in her life she was more than glad that Harry had been lazy enough to suggest she keep the money in return for being acquitted from getting her any gifts for the next few years and if she stayed smart, it might keep her above water for the next decade without having to attract any attention by getting a high-paying job.
Dumbledore smiled his ever serene smile, the twinkle in his eye getting a bit more amused. “Just one more question, Miss Granger.”
“Yes?”
“How old are you?”
Hermione almost blurted out being seventeen. “Eighteen,” she managed to say, remembering that she had in fact turned eighteen on the run, just that she had never gotten the chance to celebrate her birthday that year. All in all, the run had ruined her perception of time that hadn’t been all that impeccable to begin with.
“Fascinating. You don't look a day over fifteen.”
“Well, I haven't grown since then,” Hermione said. She had actually shrunk in every way except height.
“If I may…” He gave her an expectant look, to which she could only nod. The faster she got this over with, the earlier she could leave this stifling office.
Dumbledore flicked his fingers and an intricate, silver hand mirror came flying into his hand. He held it out to her and Hermione grew all the more bewildered as she took it from him to regard herself.
Hermione stared at the mirror and quickly realised something was wrong with the image it showed.
Her cheeks were fuller than she remembered them to have been and all in all, the girl - not the young woman she was - who looked back at her was like a stranger to her, someone she had known once upon a time and remembered fondly despite them having gone their separate ways. The only thing that reminded her of the woman she had grown into was the empty stare directed back at her, but it lacked the deep eyebags she had grown accustomed to and even more so, her worry lines had faded into nothing.
This time she took inspiration from Ron.
“What the bloody hell?”