We slowly backed up around the tree, holding our breaths we were so scared to make a sound. I heard a noise and swung around to see what could've caused it. The sight filled me with a fear i'd never been faced with before. Harry whipped around and stumbled, falling over a root in the tree. The werewolf lunged at me, and I tried to back away.

"Hermione!" I heard Harry yell, feeling him try to frantically pull me away just as Lupin sunk his teeth into my leg. Thankfully I heard crashing, and Buckbeak lunged out of the trees and towards Lupin. He let go of me and ran, and Buckbeak chased after him. "Oh, Hermione." I heard Harry whisper, mortified. I was numb at this point. Everyone know what this means, being bitten by a werewolf isn't a fate you can brush off. I heard another noise off to my right and reacted almost instantaneously. I was caught off guard before and even injured, we couldn't afford to be attacked by anything else in the Forbidden Forest tonight.

"Stupefy!" It went quiet, and Harry cautiously made his way to the bushes as Buckbeak returned from chasing Lupin off. The rest of the night, saving Sirius and Buckbeak was all a blur for me. I had torn a piece of my shirt off to bandage the wound until we got back and was fighting off shock and minor blood loss.

We made our way back towards the Hospital Wing, but each step I took was getting harder. I collapsed on the floor and groaned. "Come on 'Mione, we're almost there." Harry whispered encouragingly as he bent down next to me. I could barely hear him though as the state of my body was starting to make itself known. Having to fight through the shock and the pain of what had happened was starting to prove to much for even Hermione Granger. I felt Harry pick me up as I blacked out.

I woke up in a hospital bed what seemed like forever later, but couldn't have been because it was still dark out. Feeling a weight on my right side, I looked over and smiled affectionately at Harry, who was holding my hand in both of his, his head bowed over our joined hands. He really was the best friend a girl could ask for, there weren't many people who would stand by your side at a time like this. Slowly pulling my hand out from under his, I ruffled his hair to wake him up. He blinked at me through sleepy eyes and gave a huge sigh of relief when he realized I was awake.

"Hermione, I'm so sor-"

"Don't you dare Harry James Potter." I whispered softly but fiercely. "What happened was in no way your fault. Instead of apologizing for something that couldn't have been avoided, please tell me what happened. I don't even remember how I got here..." I said, trying to think of the last thing I remembered. It all went pretty dark after getting Sirius set up on Buckbeak. I could still see the conflict in his eyes as he replied.

"Well I had to carry you the rest of the way here, where I met up with Dumbledore. He took one look and I think he just knew...he let us in and went to wake up Pomfrey. Ron was going ballistic when we came in. He's really worried, but it's been a few hours, he's asleep now. You should've seen her face, she didn't know how someone she'd left just 10 minutes ago came back with..." he trailed off awkwardly as the bite came back up. I gave a slight frown at the thought then smiled at him, encouraging him to go on. "Well. She patched you up and left these potions to give you when you woke up. Dumbledore told us to come to his office as soon as you were feeling up to it, tonight if possible. He also understands if you don't until tomorrow either, he just wanted to speak with you about the situation immediately." Frowning again, I looked over at the clock on the wall. It was 2 A.M. How did Dumbledore expect someone who was bitten to feel fine and dandy only about 4 hours after the fact?

Still...I looked over at the potions and saw one labeled as a blood replenisher, another as a pepperup potion. I took them both quickly making a face at the taste. "Well then...we'd best go ahead and go up," I said.

"Not without me you won't!" I heard a voice fiercely whisper. I looked over and saw Ron sitting up. "Can I get an explanation? One minute you guys were here, the next you guys had just vanished and then Harry comes barreling in with you in his arms and Dumbledore rushing off to get Pomfrey." The tone of his voice was enough to agitate me, but I just kept reminding myself that he'd had a huge scare and was worried.

"Ronald Billius Weasley Madame Pomfrey would kick my arse if she knew we let you come with us," I scolded. "But we have to just give you a brief run through right now. As i'm sure you heard, Dumbledore wants to see us." We gave him the briefest most detailed version we could. It was hard for me to see the emotions flitting across his face from wonder at the time turner to looking mortified over me getting bit. I had to turn away at that point, not looking him in the eyes. It was too much for me to think that I might already lose a good friend over this. Then again if I did he wasn't the friend I thought he was.

"Oh Hermione...come here." Ron said. I cautiously got out of bed, testing my weight on my leg, limping slightly as I walked across to his bed. After all I may have some torn muscles or ligaments or whatever the werewolf had gotten, but Ron had a broken leg. He patted the edge and i gingerly sat down, only to have him pull me into a hug.

"This doesn't change anything, you know. We've been through a lot together. You turned into a cat once and you already get grumpy once a month." Ron joked, startling a laugh out of me. Whatever i'd been expecting, it hadn't been this.

"Careful Ron," Harry joined in the banter, "She can kick our arses now too if she wanted!" I rolled my eyes as I wiped tears from them.

"Thank you," I whispered. "You guys are really the best friends I could ask for." They smiled warmly at me as I stood up again.

Ron started to protest as we got ready to leave. "Ron, we're not going to be subjected to Pomfreys wrath if you do something to slow the healing." Harry interrupted, giving his leg a pointed look. Ron huffed before muttering a 'fine'.

We started to make our way to Dumbledores office, my leg protesting and making it known that my muscles weren't ready for this. They hadn't been knit back together the entire way and half way there every step was causing me more pain as muscles that weren't whole strained to work for me. I was panting by the time we reached the office, Harry fussing over me and trying to help me.

"Harry, I'll be fine. Pomfrey will be able to fix me right back up when we get back." By this time we were in front of the door and I had raised my hand to knock when it swung open.

"Ah, good. I'm terribly sorry, dear. With that essay earlier this year, I thought you knew that Werewolf bites can't be healed with magic. Pomfrey gave you a blood clotting potion and used a spell to help get everything healing faster, but she couldn't completely heal it." I heard Dumbledore's voice. Looking down, I saw that my leg had started to bleed again. Harry helped me into a chair before Dumpledore conjured some gauze and Harry started bandaging my leg. I then looked over at Dumbledore, who was still sitting in his chair. The twinkle was gone, replaced by regret and sympathy.

"I owled your parents a few hours ago..." He started, making me close my eyes. I didn't have the perfect home life that everyone seemed to think I had. "Their reply should be here by morning. I explained the whole situation, my dear. I'm terribly sorry about what happened tonight. If I had known, I wouldn't have suggested-"

"Professor Dumbledore." I interrupted wearily, surprised at my own courage. No one ever interrupted Dumbledore... "It's not your fault. And are you telling me that I wouldn't have thought of it? Of going back in time to save them? And even if either of us had known, I still would've done it." I said, surprising myself when I actually meant it. "My being a Werewolf is much more preferable to two people dying for no bloody reason-excuse my language." At this point, I remembered something.

"Wait! What happened to Pettigrew? I remember I stunned him and you stuffed him in your robes, Harry..." Dumbledore smiled lightly at this.

"As soon as Pettigrew was handed over, Fudge set a court date. Sirius has a court trial in two days, the day after school gets out. They're going to be using Verataserium on Pettigrew, and unfortunately for him, Pettigrew doesn't possess the strength of mind required to get shield ones self from it. Now as to the implications to you two...Harry, when Sirius is proven innocent, he will officially be your godfather." Dumbledore paused at this point. "This means that if it's something you choose to do, you will be allowed to go live with him. Hermione...as you're from a muggle area, you shall have to go to the burrow or floo here each month for your transformation."

I sobered a little at the mention of it. How could a night filled with such triumph and justice also be the same night that something so terrible happened? I snorted before pulling myself away from that kind of thinking. What happened happened. I wasn't going to throw myself a pity party. I really wouldn't change anything as long as tonight ended up how it did. I may have one more monthly problem but I had Harry and Ron to help me and support me. And although I didn't know it yet, my support group was about to grow into something that would make sure I was never alone.

"Now let's get you back to the Hospital Wing." Dumbledore said, standing up and going over to the fireplace. I rolled my eyes as he handed us each a pinch of floo powder.

"Now why didn't we think about this?" I muttered to Harry as we went over.

A few minutes later we were tucked into our beds in the infirmary. I was exhausted and overwhelmed with everything that had happened to me, but Harry had received a lot of good news today. I smiled at the thought of Harry never having to go to those horrid Dursleys again.

"Hey Harry...How excited are you that you don't have to go to the Dursleys again?" I asked, a smile in my voice.

"Don't you mean 'if'?" He muttered drowsily, yet still bitterly. "What if Sirius was just in the moment...what if he doesn't really want to care for a 13 year old? He just got out of prison. There must be tons of things he wants to do..." I could hear the doubt in his voice.

"No, I mean when." I said strongly. "Harry...Sirius loves you. And anyone can see that he regrets how you've had to grow up. I know he'd do anything to keep you from going back."

I heard rustling from across the beds, and I imagined that he was turning towards me even though Ron was between us. "Well...I feel good about it, I guess. The thought of never having to go back to the Dursleys... Maybe Ron and you could even come visit this summer."

"That'd be great." Ron whispered, making me giggle. I hadn't even known he was awake.

"Yeah, it would be." I whispered quietly.

"You 'right, 'Mione?" Ron asked sleepily.

"Yeah, I'm alright, Ron. Thanks." I said, knowing that he was checking up on me. Now, you both just have to get to sleep. You're going to be tired…later today." I whispered quietly. It might've been a bossy or overly motherly response for me, but it was a role I was comfortable with at least.

"You, too,'Mione." They said together. We all dropped off to sleep.