The next morning, Hermione awoke from a dreamless sleep, though it wasn't on purpose. She'd wanted to see more into where she'd come from but fate wasn't having that, apparently. There were things she still needed to know, especially what memories Snape had supplied Harry on his final breaths. Hermione needed to sate her curiosity of her past, or whatever it was she referred to it as just then. 

Though, the bigger surprise was in her pajamas and covers. When on Earth did she get up to get go to bed? The last her disappointed mind recalled was falling upon Severus. With alarm, the brunette realized that it must have been he who had moved her, the wizard whose arm was wrapped tightly about her waist.

Hermione cringed, rolling a bit to slide out from under his heavy limb. Not that she minded all that much, but the thought he'd transfigured her clothes and levitated her up here meant he probably could have done other spells on her as well. Though, she most likely would not have been in his bed if he had done any investigative spells. The only thing that would have alarmed Severus was the plain of scars she had over her body, and if he'd done legilimens on her. Then she most definitely would have been screwed to all bloody hell.

"Good morning," a voice from behind her groaned, and she truly had to fight a smile. It wasn't as though they had done anything the night previous, the idea that he suddenly decided to care for her well-being was just rather endearing.

"Good morning," she replied, her voice in check reminding herself that he was Severus Snape, not anyone else who was capable of tender administrations.

"You fell asleep downstairs."

"Yes, I recall," Hermione replied happily. There just was no suppressing the content feeling, she found, even as she tried to fight it.

"I carried you," he admitted foolishly. Hermione was still turned, her eyes closed as he lazily spoke beside her.

That addmission, however evoked a needed question, "Why?"

"I asked myself that earlier on in the night, after I'd had you in bed and your clothes transfigured into pajamas."

Turning over to see his black eyes, Hermione tossed Severus a cross glance, hoping that he would explain at least a bit of that statement in more depth than already provided. 

"I suppose," he drawled, "That your sudden declaration of wanting to care for the only person I love had me realizing your potential as a true wife. We've never really tried to be that to one-another."

"Husband and wife?" Hermione asked him blatantly, though she knew that that was obviously his intended meaning. 

Her mind was also churning over the fact that this Severus Snape possessed a larger set of emotions than the one who she had fairly become familiar with where she came from. This one was able to say more and express things that the other Severus Snape probably would have hardly even thought let alone spoken aloud. 

Then there was also the sting in her idiotic heart that forced her to see reason behind the hurt. He'd said that Sagitta was the only person he loved in that moment. That young girl, his daughter he had brought up from her birth, was the only love of his life. She wanted him to say besides her, they were married after all. Maybe it was simply the expectation of their bonds that forced such thoughts, for Hermione Granger's heart lied with Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Snape's heart lied with Lucius Malfoy. 

"Yes, you know as well as I that neither of us hold to one-another any type of severe affection like Mr. Weasley or Remus and his witch."

Hermione gulped, hearing that Ron was in love with another from someone other than her own subconscious made her cringe unnaturally. 

"That's why Sagitta hates me."

Severus scoffed quite loudly for the morning around them. 

"I am aware."

Hermione looked again into the man's eyes, the blackness of them consuming her own chestnut colored orbs, desperate for a single reality to cling to. All the changes, all the differences were completely and utterly chaotic as she learned more by the day. There was just too much to handle.

What made everything worse, though her thoughts argued that it may have made things better, was her husband leaning forward, hand now touching her cheek as if poised to kiss her. Laying in the bed as they were, Hermione couldn't allow it to continue. It was too intimate... it was too much. 

"I have to get ready," she admitted, stomach churning in an uncomfortable way, "I am sorry."

Her last few words were muttered at best, and with it being a Sunday, Hermione had no idea what she was getting ready for. Maybe there was something that could occupy her time, a few books or whatnot. Kissing her husband was something she could not do to pass by the minutes, despite his many differences, there was still Severus Snape in him from her old time, there had to be. He was a dark man, and he looked exactly like the one she had been taught by for six years, the near evil Headmaster who had deemed ready to take over the Wizarding world right alongside Voldemort himself. That Snape still looked at her through her husband's eyes and taunted Hermione. 

Looking a bit frazzled, she stared at herself in the mirror and decided that maybe she could go out again. There had to be a few galleons laying around that could do with some shopping for her nerves. Hermione hated shopping like that, as a vice, but by now she realized this version of her was supported merely by Severus himself. He was the figurative breadwinner, and just for a while she would be alright with that. 

Only for a little while. 

Maybe one day she could teach with Snape, or under him as it were, or maybe the ministry would accept her into their ranks. The young witch just needed something to deal with her expansive amount of free time. 

"Hermione?" The word came with a knock against the loo's door, her body jolting at least a few centimeters above the ground. 

"Yes?" She spoke through the wooden barrier, slightly uncomfortable. 

"When you are ready, I would like to apologize."

"Surely."

With a quick change and her hair pulled back to set in a low bun, Hermione pulled the door open to a put-together Severus. He must have changed out in the room, and she was glad that he had all of his clothes on. 

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior this morning, I was brash."

"You were wanton," she agreed.

He pursed his lips, looking quite the bit upset at her.

"I know, and for such I am still apologizing as it wasn't my place to think you would be openly accepting to my new ideas of our changing dynamic."

Hermione felt surprised at his eloquence, yet she smiled and shrugged anywyas, knowing a man had a harder time controlling his emotions when so powerful than when a witch was faced with such a dilemma. 

"Understood, but for now it makes me uncomfortable, your advances."

"They will cease," he replied quickly, "I thank you for your attitude of Sagitta, however, it means more to me than you could tell."

Hermione smiled, for she had a small inkling of what that appreciation was. 

"I think I want to go out and do some shopping," she said, cringing merely at the words, "I will finally pick something up for young Sagitta."

"You should still have quite a few galleons in your purse," he mentioned gently, "I think everything should be alright."

"Yes," Hermione agreed, though she hadn't known of any galleons in there, "I forgot."

"Would you return in time for dinner? The last time you went shopping like this I think you skipped all three meals of the day."

Laughing, she smiled in return and promised to return at least before dinner. 

-

Diagon Alley was a bustle that day, a few early-bird students getting their supplies, obviously elder children who knew a few basics of what they would need for the school year. There were women about shopping for clothes, wizards for the assorted brooms and trinkets, and then there was something that caught Hermione's eyes, nearly at the end of the alley. Tall and just as wonderfully glorious as it was before, rested the Weasley's joke shop. 

She smiled at the familiarity, wondering how on Earth she could have missed it before. 

Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes was as busy as she imagined it would be, there was no question in her mind that she would find many children and a few bemused adults rushing through the depths of the place in a happy stupor. 

Hermione, however, reminisced gently of sixth year and her feelings that came with the time, so scrambled for Ron that she felt the sting of his kisses with Lavender even then. Though, still justified, they belonged to Pansy Parkinson. Hermione cringed at the mere thought as two voices echoed behind her. 

Two voices of happiness and joy... two voices of a pair of beloved twins who she hadn't even thought to question their lives here. 

Turning abruptly at her name being called, her brown eyes linked with a pair of grinning baboons. 

"Hello," they echoed together, a smile becoming Hermione as she threw herself at them, hugging them both with more joy than she could have imagined. 

"Fred! George!" 

"You look wonderful, Hermione, what brings you here?" Fred asked her gently as he nearly pried her off of him, grinning to George. 

"I wanted to visit, of course!"

"You never do," George stated.

"I apologize," she glanced nonchalantly to his ear and sighed in relief before continuing, "I have been quite distracted lately."

"We understand, but Mum doesn't," Fred told her wickedly.

"She misses you, and it doesn't help that it's getting close to that time of year," the other twin added gracefully.

Hermione blinked at the twin's words, what was wrong with Mrs. Weasley if she had all of her children there to comfort her?

"Right," Hermione pulled the word out, wanting to know but hardly daring to ask.

"We were all bent-up about dad's death, but she get's bad every time the anniversary rolls around." 

Trying very hard not widen her eyes and be dreadfully irate at one Harry Potter, Hermione swallowed her real emotions and nodded in agreement.

"Would she mind a visit tomorrow? I've got to be home before dinner today, but other than that, I shall drop in to her's if you think it fine."

"She'd love that," Fred smiled happily.

"It would make her week," George added, "Now, is there something I could help you find?"

"Always the businessmen... but yes. Anything fun for Severus' young Sagitta?"

"I'll show you about," George said and took her by the arm, "Help others, Freddie."

The other twin rolled his eyes and did as told, while George began to steer Hermione rather quickly in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing here, Hermione?" He asked her in a suddenly violent tone. 

"What do you mean? I wanted to see you both."

"Don't play coy, Granger, you know how Freddie feels about you, and you just went and married Snape anyways." This couldn't be what Malfoy had meant last night when he referenced a Weasley, could it?

"I didn't know," Hermione said foolishly, wide eyes at the fact she did have Weasley's attention and love, albeit the wrong one.

"You promised to stay clear, but you do need to visit mum. She misses you," he told her almost normally.

"I shall, but I do need something for Sagitta."

"Just over here," the man replied to the woman, Hermione's steely response his motivation to sell her something. 

Hermoine left the shop after saying good-bye to both twins, further unsettled by her findings in this time. Never, it seemed, would she know what to expect from this life her other self led, but she was trying to fix things now, and hopefully George wouldn't be so stoic towards her one day. 

Though, she was hoping her small gift for Sagitta resting in her beaded bag would help on one front, but as she went towards the bookstore of her initial crimes in this world, Hermione wondered just how fruitless many of her endeavors would be. 

A/N

More fun things about Hermione we are learning, and that's not the last of it! Though, this will be the last of the updates for a bit while I try and get ahead with these chapters and make sure they look absolutely perfect for you lovely readers!!!