the_debt_of_time

"What situation is that?" Mia blinked in exhaustion. "My complete and utter
nervous breakdown?" she asked, rubbing her red-rimmed eyes. Merlin, I really have lost it.
"Thirteen years in the magical world, and you still resort to physiological symptoms
before considering a magical alternative?" Hermione tutted. "Well, at least not that much
has changed since you came back here."
"Has it really been thirteen years since I first got my letter to Hogwarts?" Mia briefly
gaped, ignoring the fact that she was talking to her own doppelganger. "I'd lost count."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You have not. It's all still in your head."
"Like you? Is this a dream or a hallucination?" Mia asked the swotty version of
herself.
"Both is the most likely scenario," Hermione answered and then went on to detail
her theory. "You're physically and magically exhausted. Pretty soon you are going to end
up in the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey is going to be scolding you for letting yourself
get this way. Dehydration, insomnia, nutrition deficiency, and Mum and Dad would be
appalled to see that you've been grinding your teeth again."
"I'm not dehydrated or lacking in nutrients," Mia said with a scowl as Hermione sat
down in front of her. "I eat every morning, thank you very much."
"Yes, because Remus fixes your food for you," Hermione pointed out plainly.
"Would you be taking care of yourself otherwise?"
"This is more important than studying for O.W.L.s. If I have to sacrifice a few
nights of sleep, then so be it."
Hermione sighed, pinning Mia with a patronising expression. "It hasn't been a few
nights. You've been too hard on yourself for years. Certainly, there were moments of
reprieve when you were actively reading Remus's letter and following its guidelines, but
lately you've broken every one of the rules." She said it with such disapproval in her voice,
Mia almost started feeling guilty for somehow offending her 1990's self.
"Just because Future Remus says it doesn't make it true," Mia insisted.
"No," Hermione agreed. "But you know the rules of time travel, Mia."
"The rules no longer apply, Hermione." She said the name as though it were suddenly
offensive. Having not heard it in so many years, her name sounded foreign to her ears and
felt strange on her tongue. Somehow, it felt like a nickname now. She hated nicknames.
"Even Dumbledore said―"