Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Here is a little short story that will be about six chapters, probably 20k words, a la Little Bit. It's a take on the stuck in a book trope and the pairing is Hermione/Remus. The title comes from the song I'll Hold My Breath by Ellie Goulding. I have written the first three chapters, and I plan to update at least once a week.

I would love to know what you thought of the first chapter! Be on the lookout for chapter two soon!

The library at Grimmauld Place was by far one of Hermione Granger's favorite places. She would maintain that it was the biggest reason why she'd moved back into Grimmauld Place when Harry had offered after the war.

It certainly had nothing to do with Remus Lupin living there.

She had been hesitant to move in with Harry and Ronald, not wanting to spend all of her time picking up after them, and dealing with their general laziness. It wasn't until Harry had said those magic words that she'd changed her mind. "Sirius says that you can redecorate the library however you like."

"Sirius?" She asked, surprised that he would have any part in the decision making process. He'd left the townhouse to Harry when he died - falling through the veil. They'd hit a very welcome snag in inheritance when Sirius came tumbling back out of the veil upon the death of Bellatrix. "I thought he'd never want to live in Grimmauld Place again."

"Well, he's decided he wants back in, banish old demons and things like that. He's going to be changing a lot of things of course." Harry had told her with a shrug. "And Remus will be living there as well."

Hearing Remus's name did send a little shiver of excitement up and down her spine. She put on a sigh like it was a big trouble to her. "Alright Harry, but only if you promise to go couch shopping with me. I swear those old couches are the same ones from when Sirius's mum was a child." She did bite her lip, thinking about what people would say about her living in such a bachelor pad.

She'd be embarrassed to admit it, but she'd had a little crush on the pensive werewolf since her third year. After learning that Gilderoy Lockhart was a fraud, she promised herself to never get hung up on a teacher again. But then she'd met Professor Lupin and he'd protected them on the train...

Her crush had only grown from there. She could tell that he was hiding something and that made her watch him all throughout his lectures. It hadn't taken her long to figure out that he was a werewolf. Even that knowledge didn't deter her. Why should it? He was a perfectly lovely human every night of the month but one.

She'd been absolutely gutted when he had to leave the school when the nature of his condition came out. Hermione wasn't only upset that her favorite teacher - and he was her favorite purely because of the lively and interesting coursework he'd provided them - wouldn't be back to teach again, but because of the wizarding world's reaction to the fact that he was a werewolf.

Hermione had thought that she was over her crush had waned over the following year, but moving back into Grimmauld Place the summer before Fifth Year had reignited the flames. Seeing him laughing with Sirius made her chest tighten. She couldn't imagine the two of them being friends in school. Sirius was so cheeky and Remus - he'd told her to call him Remus - seemed to be a bit of a rule follower. She couldn't have been more wrong, as the pair of them seemed to get up to plenty of antics, much to the chagrin of Mrs. Weasley and to the delight of Fred and George.

The only thing that made staying at Grimmauld Place awful was seeing the budding relationship between Nymphadora Tonks and Remus grow. Hermione was on the cusp of sixteen and everything seemed much more intense than it actually was, looking back on things. There was more than one time that she would cry herself to sleep in the room that she shared with Ginny.

If Ginny was aware of the real reason why she was crying, the redhead never mentioned it. The one time that Mrs. Weasley had asked her about it - at the breakfast table no less, in front of everyone! - she just lied and said she was missing Viktor Krum. Mrs. Weasley's lips had pursed together in consternation, but didn't say anything.

Still, Remus and Tonks' relationship was doomed to failure, and quickly fizzled out. It seemed that Remus just couldn't understand why someone would want an old, shabby, werewolf (his words) like him, and he let Tonks know he just didn't see things going anywhere. It had given Hermione's heart a little surge of hope that she might have a chance with him.

Of course the thought that Remus might burst into the library one day and tell her he had feelings for her seemed a little preposterous, it was still one of Hermione's favorite fantasies. What would his lips feel like against her own? She'd only kissed one boy.

By the time that she got through sixth year, things seemed so hopeless that she tried not to think of Remus that much, as she knew a relationship was impossible. He had danced with her at Bill and Fleur's wedding, which was lovely, but brief. She still remembered how his chest had felt like a firm wall of muscle against her own. She hoped that he hadn't felt her heart beating wildly against him.

But then, they were attacked and the bleak reality sunk in again. She might not survive the war. It was a very real possibility. Her survival wasn't nearly as important as ridding the war of Voldemort. Her and Ron had grown closer during that time, but she was positive now that it was just a symptom of proximity.

They had kissed quite passionately after destroying Hufflepuff's Cup and had spent a weekend together, only to find that the passion fizzled quite quickly, and sex as friends just didn't feel right. It was fine with her, and they remained friends, though, things had been a bit awkward for a while, until Ron began dating Lavender Brown again.

Her crush on Remus came back like a raging river when she saw him at the first post war celebration party. Had he always looked so rugged and handsome? He looked strong and powerful, and Merlin, just looking at him had made shivers race up and down her spine and her legs clench together in a desperate search for friction.

Now that Hermione lived with Remus though, things had gotten out of control. She didn't think that seeing him do such simple things could seem so sexy to her. She loved discussing creature rights with him - they both had joined the Department for the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures after the war, Remus as a liaison to the various werewolf packs of Britain, and Hermione as an advocate for fair regulation.

They frequently got into long discussions that lasted well into the night, over glasses of wine, about the best ways to tackle and roll back many of the antiquated laws on the books. His eyes would turn progressively more and more amber from his usual green. Hermione would sometimes find herself staring into his eyes, mouth slightly open, wondering if his eyes would change that way during sex, only to catch herself.

She was fascinated by his bare feet when he would get up in the morning to make coffee, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He was quite a tall man, nearly a whole foot taller than her, and his feet were equally proportional. She couldn't help but wonder if other parts of him were just as proportional. Sometimes he would turn and catch her staring, a confused look on his face.

The worst was the time that she had caught him in the hallway, fresh out of the shower, wearing just a towel, slung low around his hips. He'd been much more muscular than she could have imagined, with him always wearing baggy jumpers and cardigans. The muscles of his legs were firm and strong. And, he'd had a trial of hair leading from his belly button only to disappear underneath the towel.

Remus had looked embarrassed at her shocked expression, and ran a hand on the back of his neck, unintentionally causing his muscles to bunch and tighten, making him seem even sexier than before. "Sorry, I, err...forgot my bathrobe."

Hermione had just nodded dumbly before closing her opened mouth, and hustling into her room, where she flopped on the bed, hands insistently pressing into her knickers. Oh Merlin, now that she knew what he looked like mostly naked, every fantasy seemed much more realistic. She just wanted to be on him.

But, she knew that nothing was likely to happen with Remus, given that if he didn't want a relationship with Tonks, why would he want something with a bookish, swotty girl like her? So, she liked to hide away in the library at Grimmauld Place. Barely anyone bothered her in there and so it quickly became one of her favorite places.

Since the lads rarely came into the library, she was free to read whatever she liked, which usually ended up being romance novels. She had to do something to deal with her raging hormones! And so she let her mind be swept up by cowboys and pirates and vikings, which all seemed to take the form of Remus in her mind...oh, how she wished that he would sweep her up off her feet and take her back to his lair somewhere.

She would just have to content herself to trashy novels and comfortable couches for now. Harry had made good on the promise to let her redecorate the library. The wooden bookshelves that lined every available inch of wall have been sanded and restained a dark brown color. The little fireplace had been cleaned out and newly wrought metal held cut wood, and would happily lend it's warmth and ambiance to the room.

On the outside wall, there were two windows complete with little window seats, glass newly replaced to keep out the cold and let the sunshine in. There was a little desk on one side of the room, but the center was dominated by a large fluffy couch in a cream color, with a multitude of pillows to rest your head or feet on. In front of the couch was a long coffee table, the same color as the bookshelves, and a pair of chairs that matched the couch.

Hermione liked to think that it was the loveliest room in the house, but she wouldn't say it aloud to hurt Sirius's feelings about his decorating skills. She was pretty much the only one that spent any time in the room, though the boys would sometimes come in to annoy her if they thought she was being anti-social.

Remus had used to spend a lot of time in the room as well, but that had tapered off, as he began to spend more time with Sirius. Hermione didn't even want to think of why that was...maybe he'd figured out that she had a crush on him and found it too be too awkward to be alone in a room with her? She wasn't so sure that she wanted to find out.

The boys had gone out that night to the pub, so Hermione was going to treat herself to a nice lie on. She'd spend her Friday night curled up on the couch, the fire crackling in the fireplace, sipping on a nice red wine, while a viking chief swept her off her feet...

When had Hermione Granger grown up from a precocious girl with overlarge teeth and bushy hair to such a vixen? Remus had often wondered this question, and couldn't pinpoint the exact time, but he imagined that the shift had occurred sometime during the summer before the war.

She was completely oblivious to her looks or the way that they affected the men that lived in the house. Sirius could always be counted on to notice a girl's beauty, but even Harry and Ron would sometimes let their eyes linger on their friend's arse.

Remus had always enjoyed spending time talking to Hermione, even when she was a student. She was very intelligent, and she had a caring heart. He appreciated that she knew his secret about being a werewolf and didn't alert anyone to the fact. He supposed that he didn't really know if he should appreciate it or be stunned at it. Werewolves were dangerous after all.

Now, he enjoyed spending his time discussing Creature Rights with her, seeing as they worked in the same Department. They barely had any overlap in their day to day work, but she could always be counted on to have a lively discussion during lunch or afterwork.

But, ever since he'd noticed what a beautiful girl she'd become, their talks were decidedly different. Remus would find himself staring at her bright brown eyes, pupils grown larger during their passionate debates, her pink lips parted, freckles across her cheeks. She'd grown into her hair, and he would dream about tangling his hands in it, pulling back her head so that he might live love bites up and down the pale column of her neck...

She wasn't even there, and he was getting carried away with fantasies of her!

Since moving in with her, he'd quickly realized that Hermione was no longer a girl, though. She was all woman, with delicate curves and soft skin. She'd frequently come down to breakfast wearing tiny pajama shorts, or a white tshirt with no bra underneath. He could always see the dark hint of nipple through the thin cotton fabric.

Further, it seemed that every inch of Grimmauld Place had been coated in her scent. He couldn't pinpoint exactly how she smelled...perhaps notes of honeysuckle, orange blossom...or vanilla, but she was distinctly Hermione.

Merlin, he knew that he shouldn't be attracted to her...she was so young, barely nineteen, and he was just a shabby, old werewolf with nothing to offer her. She was sweet and naive. She deserved a young man who would take her out places and make her feel special. Remus snorted...here he was thinking that she would even agree to go out with him if he asked. Hermione was far too kind to laugh in his face, but he would hate to see the pity in her brown eyes.

Recently her scent had taken a decidedly sexual turn, forcing him to shift his view of her as a sweet girl to a sexual being. It wasn't all the time, but now he spent less time in the library with her because he was afraid he would just grab her and start salivating on her. Moony definitely approved of the scent and it took a lot out of him not to give in to the urge to growl.

He knew that he should get over this little infatuation, but he didn't want to just yet. It was his own form of masochism to let his mind wander to what could happen, only to let himself back down to the reality of the situation. Hermione could never want someone like him.

The guys stumbled home much earlier than Hermione was expecting. She'd just gotten to the part of the book where the viking had taken the Scottish Princess back to his homeland and the tension in the story was certainly building. She looked at the little clock on the fireplace mantle, and read that it only said ten o'clock. Usually she wouldn't expect them home until midnight when the pub closed. Groaning, she hoped that they hadn't been kicked out.

She could hear them giggling downstairs, but she was surprised to hear the four of them trouncing up the stairs, slowly making their way towards the library. Hermione was annoyed when the door burst open, and the four of them spilled into her silent sanctuary. "Just like I told you - still reading!" Ron proclaimed, waving his hand towards Hermione on the couch.

Their eyes were all a bit glassy and their cheeks flushed with the alcohol they'd no doubt consumed. Hermione sniffed at their assessment of her Friday evening entertainment. "You don't see me commenting on what you like to do during your evenings." She said before waving her hand in a similar fashion. "Just like I figured - buzzed!"

Harry and Ron laughed at her, but didn't contest her assessment. She avoided making eye contact with Remus after she'd just been reading such a book, especially with him in mind. Sirius, though, looked at her in a very calculating way. "Though, I do wonder what it is that has her so focused..." He said trailing off, looking at the book she'd artfully arranged on her lap, cover hidden, and thumb holding her place.

"Yeah, Hermione, what is it you're reading tonight?" Harry asked her, green eyes slightly unfocused.

Hermione bit her lip, wondering if he was actually curious about what she had in her hand, or if he was just making conversation. "Oh, I'm sure you'd find it quite dull." She said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's just a bit on Scottish history."

Sirius slumped into the seat beside her, gray eyes studying her face. He pursed his lips together and after a while, Hermione could feel her cheeks heat up under the scrutiny. "She's lying."

Hermione felt a shocked gasp leave her, and she was ready to retort when Ron slumped down on the other side of her, with a yawn. "Yeah, it's probably just one of those bodice rippers, like mum reads."

Sirius practically purred into her ear, taking her focus off of everyone else in the room, including Remus, who had come to stand behind her, trying to read over her shoulder. "Come on, kitten, there is no need to be embarrassed." Sirius said, with a huge grin on his face. "Just tell us what you are reading."

Hermione felt like a wounded doe being circled by wolves. She looked to Harry, but he was offering no help. She decided to deny it. "I am not reading a bodice ripper!" She insisted, trying to put the force behind the words so that they would leave her alone.

"It's not a big deal, Hermione." Sirius told her. "Lots of women read those, and it's not like men don't have their sexual aids either. It's all perfectly natural." She was already hot and bothered, but hearing him talk about it made her more uncomfortable. "I'm sure that Harry and Ron have probably...browsed through a play wizard. Hell, even Remus has."

Hermione felt the skin on the back of her neck tingle, and that's when she realized that it was Remus standing behind her, his hot breath covering her skin in goosebumps. He reached an arm over the couch and plucked her book from right out of her lap.

Turning around on the couch, her heart surged, seeing him read the title. "Give that back! That's mine!" Hermione insisted, grabbing the book, and trying to yank it from his hands.

The instant that she touched the book though, she felt a pulling sensation, much like that of a portkey, pulling her into the book. She was shocked to see Remus disappearing as well. Then in an instant, Hermione and Remus were gone.

The book dropped down onto the couch between Sirius and Ron. "Ooh, the Viking's Maiden." Sirius said, intrigued by the title and cover. "See, I knew Miss Granger was reading naughty books in the library. I told you!" He set the book back down. "But where did Hermione and Moony go?"

Ron picked up the book. "Oh, mum has one of these. It's like a couples' book - you can go into it together, experience the story line. I think they will be in there until they get to the end." He dropped it back down. "I wonder why Hermione would have one of these though? Maybe she didn't know?"

Harry smirked at his two friends. "I might not know the answer to that, but I do know one thing." He paused for dramatic effect. "Remus and Hermione are going to have to...you know...do it." Harry for one found the sexual tension between the two resident bookworms unbearable, and was excited for what he thought would be a step in the right direction.

The look on his two friends' faces suggested that they were just understanding the reality of the book.