Chapter one
Hermione entered the worn old bookshop with the hopes of finding the book she had been wanting to read for the past month or so. She had a notorious habit of spending most of her money on books and her parents were always scolding her for it, though they still found it amusing. She walked through the doors and headed straight for the fiction section, not taking in the interior of the shop.
She was so focused on finding the book that she also didn't notice the handsome man at the counter staring right at the her, with something similar to awe on his face. She searched the fiction section for what felt like forever but in reality was only about ten minutes until her deep blue eyes found the book she was looking for. A smile lit up her soft face as she picked up the book, and just held it for a few seconds, reveling in the fact that she finally found it.
Her brown curly hair flaired around her head in a spectacular show as she turned to look at the man beside her. She hadn't even noticed him approaching , nor that he seemed to have spoken to her. When she saw who it was she froze in shock. The man was handsome, more than that really he was beautiful. He had a full jaw covered in stuble and peircing amber eyes that seemed to search her face and bare into her eyes as she stared at him.
He had curly sandy blonde hair that fell into his face and he was tall. Really tall, towering over her as he looked down at her. She wasn't short by any means, but next to him, she felt like a dwarf. He had broad shoulders that were filled out with muscle, though not too much that it made him seem hulkish. He had a kind smile and a mischeivous air about him that made him seem intruiging to Hermione as she smiled sheepishly at him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said." She said and the man smiled at her amusement pulling his soft looking lips into a half smirk that made her insides melt at the sight. If her friends could see her now that would tease her forever. Especially Ginny.
"I asked you if you needed any assistance looking for a book." He said, his voice ran like silk across her skin and she had a hard time trying not to shiver as the sound reached her ears.
"I've found the one I was looking for, thank you." She said politely, falling back on her manners when other words evaded her mind.
"I can see that. You're clutching the book like you think it might disappear if you let go of it." He said as he tilted his head to the side in a decidedly canine way that made her bit her lip in an effort not to splutter out something along the lines of 'adorable'. Hermione had a tendency to talk without filtering her thoughts. She was blunt and honest and had trouble making new friends because of it. She had Ron, Harry and Ginny only because they had all been in the same class for their entire school careers and they had learned to not get offended.
"I've had a lot of trouble finding it is all. I've looked in every book shop in London and the surrounding towns but only now just found it." She said proudly and the man gave her an amused huff as he walked back over to the counter, ready to process her purchase.
"Well it's a good read. Worth the trouble I would say, although it doesn't end the way you woudl expect." He said and she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at him.
"You've read it then?" She asks curiously.
"You could say that." He said with a secret smile that would usually accompany an inside joke.
"That was a vauge answer." She said, not using the filter that Harry and Ron were trying to help her develop. Though their version of of help was actually to spout off the most ridiclous things they could possibly imagin and then wait ten seconds for an answer that wasn't the most imediate thought to enter her mind. It had failed spectacularly so far but proved to be a great way to fight the bordom that came with completeing their twelveth and final year of schooling.
"Indeed it was." The man said and he gave her an odd look that bordered on curiousity and something she couldn't put her finger on.
"How much is the book?" She asked after an moment of silence that was neither comfortable or uncomfortable.
"Can I ask you something?" He said suddenly and Hermione put the book on the counter as she stepped closer, finding that she wanted to spend more time in his presense.
"Technically you just did." She said with a wry smile.
"Ah, you're one of those people." He said almost as if to him self.
"One of the people who doesn't care for pointless questions?" She asked.
"I was going more with the 'no filter' line of thinking but that too I guess." He said and she couldn't help but smile at him.
"Do you mind the honesty or would you prefer that I lie to you?" She asked him.
"Depends on the lie I suppose." He said with a purse of him lips, contemplating the question seriously.
"I guess I could see it that way, although I find that I can't actually lie at all. I'm terrible at it." She said. He smirked at that.
"I'll have to remember that." He said, his eyes twinkling as he did so.
"What makes you think that you have a reason to remember a random fact about a person you will most likely never see again." She said somewhat confused.
"Well, my question from before was going to be 'what's your name?'" He said and she blushed slightly.
"Hermione. Hermione Granger." She said and his eyes lit up in recognision.
"The dentist's daughter?" He asked and she nodded shyly.
"It's not common knowledge, but ironically I have a dispicable sweet tooth." She said. he chuckled lightly as he picked up the book she was wanting to buy. He gazed at the cover for a moment before shaking his head with another laugh and scanned the bar code to determine the price.
"So why this book?" He asked her as he handed it over to her and then proceeded to press a couple of buttons on the computer.
"I'm doing a research project on werewolves, a hypothetical study as if they were real. For school." She said and he looked sceptical.
"Why on earth would you do that?" he asked.
"Because I find them fascinating creatures and the research project was an opportunity to get to explore the mythology and supernatural culture surrounding them." She said as she grabbed the book and slid it into her leather back pack.
"Well, if you ever need any help, I can be of assistance." He said, and Hermione looked at him quizzically for a moment before he elaborated.
"My name is Remus Lupin." He said with a sligth raised eyebrow, waiting for her reaction.
Hermione nodded as she narrowed her eyes at him for a minute trying to connect the dots from this handsome man to the pictures of the author she had seen on the internet. He looked different, more fit, healthy and younger even. She had to believe him though. Usually she could tell when someone was lying. Her gutt instincts about such things had never proven her wrong in all of her eighteen years of life so far.
"You look more alive than in your picture." She said after a while of studying him and making comparisons in her mind. He looked amused at her lack of reaction.
"I am." Was all he said in response before telling her the price of the book. Hermione handed over the money, exact change and then shuffled on her feet for a moment.
Hermione was intrigued by this man who seemed to hold so much knowledge and had a life before now that she wanted to know about. She found that she had so many questions she wanted to ask him about his life and his book, but she held her tongue.
"Thank you." She said to him and then turned to leave. She made it half way to the door before she felt a calloused hand grab hold of her arm, pulling her back to him.
"Come back, and tell me what you think of my book." He whispered into her ear and she felt the heat of his body that was almost but not quite pressed against her back. All she could do was nod in agreement. His unexpected proximity had her breath caught in her throat and temporarily incapable of speech.
Hermione could feel some kind of warmth around her, almost unbelievable as it raced around her veins and it stopped abrupty after Remus pulled away from her, cutting off the contact his hand had with my skin.
She turned back to look at him, wondering if he had felt it too. It seems he had, as his face was pale and he was starting at her with wide eyes that conveyed his shock.
"I...uh... I should go." Hermione stuttered out and then ran from the shop. As soon as the fresh crisp air hit her skin she was able to breath once again.