I Wish…

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with the original plot of Harry Potter, only the plot I've created is my property. Credit for the world of Harry Potter goes to the wonderful J. K. Rowling.

"How dare you come in here and accuse me of being unfaithful, Ronald!", she shouted, "You're accusing me of sleeping with Remus when I know that that was just Lavender Brown apparating out of our bedroom!"

"How do you expect that I don't find sex elsewhere when you're always too busy, too tired, too stressed to do anything with me anymore. It's like I don't exist to you Hermione, it's like our relationship never mattered!" Ron shouted back.

"I loved you Ronald but obviously we never meant much to you if it was so easy to turn to Lavender bloody Brown. Just leave Ronald, go to her if you want her so much." Hermione cried with resignation in her voice. The floor beneath Remus shook as doors were thrown open in Ron's haste to do as Hermione said. Her voice echoed throughout the house, grief evident in her tone. Under the artificial tranquility of a hastily thrown up Silencio, a Muffliato and various modified wards, Remus reflected on his time living in Grimmauld Place with Hermione; Harry had offered it to the pair of them when he and Ginny had married simply stating that they wished to start their family in a place where they weren't reminded of so much darkness. He realised that during their time living together must have been when he had fallen in love with Hermione. From the way she always insisted on cooking and cleaning the muggle way even though he knew full well that she had mastered numerous household charms to the way her emotions were displayed across her face when she was annoyed by something – her nose would scrunch and she'd squint her eyes as if the thing's mere presence hurt her. The realisation that Remus was in love with her and Moony had decided that his beguiling housemate was the perfect mate for man and wolf made his decision for him. All previous thoughts of Hermione had been filed away in the depths of his mind as a silly crush on his very attractive housemate, yet it was possible that one day his deepest wishes might come true.

A sense of finality lingered in the air, the dark atmosphere of Grimmauld Place seldom saw such high emotions run through it. The portraits were animated, spreading the news that one of the residents had finally found out the truth of her partner's infidelities. The Black ancestors were alight; the excitement causing the news to reach Remus through the various Silencing charms. His attempt to allow the ex-couple privacy was futile as the portraits were in the mood to gossip that night.

"Just stay away from me! Never come near me again!", she sobbed as he left, slamming the door behind him. Hermione sank to the floor, her arms lifting to encircle her knees in an attempt to hold herself together. Traitorous thoughts of self-doubt flew around her mind; how could she compete with such a gorgeous woman. Hermione looked at herself, her work uniform from work was slightly askew from where she had been sat at her desk all day, her hair had frizzed over the course of the day from hours of running her hands through it at stressful moments and the slight curves she possessed. She had always felt like she wasn't enough for Ron, he had said the slight rise of her lower stomach and her curvier figure made her look too large on her small frame. Yet thinking back to the seconds of Lavender that she had seen, the woman was tall, beautiful and skinny. Her obvious confidence in her figure and sexual abilities was palpable in the atmosphere even after she had left. It was evident she knew how to use and emphasise her assets to attract a man. The dark kitchen seemed to match the deep sadness and self-depreciation Hermione had fallen into when she discovered the truths of Ron's infidelities. The anger she had experienced earlier had dissipated leaving only the heartbreak she felt now. The truth of his infidelities didn't hurt as much as she had expected; she had thought that Ron was seeking comfort elsewhere after he had stopped badgering her to work less. What hurt her most was that he had been idiotic enough to bring his mistress to their bedroom when he knew full well Hermione would be home soon. The realisation soon hit her, he had intended to be discovered.

Remus, knowing that his mate would be in need of comfort, padded softly downstairs. It had taken some time to convince the more primal side of himself that storming into the kitchen during such an argument and seriously maiming Ron for causing the heartbroken state that his mate had fallen into the moment Ron had left. The wolf often gained precedence over his human mentality when emotions ran high in situations such as this and currently all that Remus saw in that moment was his mate crying over Ron.

"Do you want-?", started Remus before entering the room, should his mate not want to see him at that moment the space meant he wasn't intruding on her. A sudden desire to explain the argument fell upon Hermione causing her to interrupt Remus' question lest she lose the confidence she felt unexpectedly within her.

"I'm tired of the fighting, of talking, of thinking. I'm tired of everything.", Hermione said slowly and quietly. Her calm demeanour hiding the true sadness she felt deep inside. The supposed calm or resignation - as he'd known it as for a while now - that could be heard in Hermione's voice worried him; once more the fear he had kept for years that she'd always return to Ron surfaced and bubbled beneath his skin, an intense yearning to pull Hermione into his arms and never let her go was experienced by Remus. Sensing that it was most likely not an appropriate gesture at that time meant he resisted but instead continued to let her talk.

When she appeared to be nearing the end of her speech, Remus asked softly, " Are you tired of me?" The silence stretched out between the couple as the answer hung tangible in the air. Unknowingly, both had been growing closer to each other waiting for her answer. The whispered 'No' from Hermione was felt against both of their lips. Moving ever so slightly towards her, Remus closed the distance between them drawing Hermione into his arms and slanted his lips over hers. Lights danced behind his closed eyes as the realisation he was holding the woman of his dreams in his arms and that she was responding to his kiss hit him like a freight train. Her lips tasted of honey and sunshine with a hint of salt from her tears, a heady promise of how the rest of her might taste. A sentimental man, he tried to tell her that when they touched he swore his world stopped for a moment but he couldn't find the words to describe the sensation. He pulled away from Hermione reluctantly only to draw her closer to him leaning his forehead against hers and bringing her legs either side of his, cradling her in his embrace as one would a delicate treasure. To him at that moment that is was she was, a delicate treasure to be cherished and adored. The kiss whilst unhurried and innocent, told both participants everything they wanted to say to the other. Again, silence fell as both Remus and Hermione sought the words to explain their deepest held emotions neither thought they could admit. Remus was first.

"It hurts to see you with him. It hurts because I wish it were me with you, laughing with you, loving you. I wish that I could be the one who never lets you go. It hurts to know that even though both you and I know that I love you, you'll always go back to him and that ultimately we'll always end up here when he's hurt you again. You'll be crying and I'll comfort you and that's how it always will be. I just hope that perhaps this time it will be me that you turn to.", declared Remus, his voice getting louder and more forceful through his monologue. Turning to look at Hermione, he noticed the tears that had reappeared in her eyes during his speech and drew her back into his arms to hold her to his chest until her sobs subsided again.

Hermione took an audible breath and proceeded to reveal her true feelings for Remus to him after years of holding them in believing he couldn't possibly feel the same way for her as she did for him. "You're the reason why. It's you that I can't stop thinking and talking about. My love for you is why I can't stop fighting. It's you, it's always you and it always will be you.", confessed Hermione. Remus' heart soared. Previously, he had thought it an impossibility that someone so young and beautiful as Hermione, a young woman with her life ahead of her would even begin to contemplate spending her life with an older, scarred werewolf like himself. He had been prepared to back down and accept that while she may not love Ron, she didn't love him either and the leave her be even if it killed him to know that his mate was so close and that he could never have her. To watch her fall in love with another and have children with them would have been the end for he hadn't answered her, he looked straight at her and said one thing, "If you agree to this, know only that you're it for me. There's no one else in that world I could have now knowing that we fit so well." Her answering nod held promises that he never thought he'd have an answer to, let alone voicing them.

This time it was Hermione that closed the distance between them, with a force neither of them had expected. The heat grew between them begging to be acknowledged. Remus having sensed this had deliberately slowed down their embrace bringing them close instead. Hermione, during their embrace had been slowly rocking her hips against his in an attempt to persuade Remus to go faster, harder, anything to just relieve the ache that had settled firmly at the apex of her thighs. Holding her moving hips still above him, he stood bringing Hermione with him in order to take her to his room.

Hands clasped tightly the couple quickly made it to his room on the third floor ignoring all the portraits commenting on the new development in Hermione and Remus' relationship. He gathered her up into his arms carrying her over the threshold to his room and placed her carefully down at the foot of his bed. Kissing her on the lips softly, he drew back resting his forehead on hers and asking again if this was was she truly wanted.

"Remus, I want nothing more in this world.", was her low reply. Her declaration as enough the spur Remus into action. He made his way down the column of her throat, licking and sucking, leaving a small bite mark on a particularly sensitive area near the nape of her neck; his slightest touch elicited low moans from Hermione. The thought that it was he that was causing such noises to fall from his mate's lips made him impossibly harder. Reaching the smooth curve of her breasts, he dropped to his knees and began to undo each button on her blouse, peppering her exposed skin with his kisses as inch by inch she was revealed to his worshipful gaze. The thoughts in his head centring on her beauty, not beauty he thought, radiance. In his opinion, her beauty transcended others. Hermione, taking the lead, reached behind her and unclasped her bra letting it and her blouse fall gracefully to the floor. She unzipped her skirt and dropped it near the rest of their clothing. Her stockings and lace briefs joining them not s moment later. Remus, in a similar fashion, quickly removed his T-shirt and trousers standing only in his underwear. Walking Hermione backwards until the backs of her calves met his bed, he held her close to him before laying her out on his bed, her waiting for him to join her on the bed. Lowering his underwear, he fell into Hermione's embrace and entered her, finding her more than ready for him. They quickly found their rhythm bringing each other higher until finally great waves of pleasure crashed over both of them. Hermione's last words before they fell asleep in each other's arms were, "I've always loved you, Remus and always will. Please, never doubt that."

"I won't.", his only reply.