Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything else you recognize!

Hermione spun around in front of the mirror, enjoying the soft shimmer from the candle light across the black fur of the dress she wore. Ron and Harry were bringing her to a Ministry Masked Halloween Ball as a guest. She didn't really want to go-there were too many things she had to finish up at school. She had just a month left of work and she could graduate early!

But no. Instead of doing important schoolwork that could help her become a healer within the year, she was going to a party, dressed as a she-wolf. Hopefully no one would recognise her with her mask on.

They probably would, she thought with a sigh as she picked up the mask, laced with magic so it would stay on her face once she'd let go. It was black, decorated with sleek black fur and long raven feathers. It was really beautiful. The eyes were circled by emeralds and the edges were encrusted with sapphires. But even while it was beautiful, it still revealed too much-her chin, her mouth, her eyes.

But still, maybe no one would recognise her with the mascara, the eyeliner, the lipstick? She tended not to wear it, not even to school. It was unnecessary. But Ginny insisted that it belonged with her costume.

After deciding that this was going to be an incredibly boring Halloween, she exited the room and descended the stairs, going to the kitchen of Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

"There you are, Hermione," Ron said, standing up from his chair. "Everyone has already left. They had a few things to do with their department. They left behind their invitations so we could get in."

Ron handed Hermione an elaborately decorated invitation. The words welcoming them to the party shimmered and lifted off the page. Hermione smiled at Ron.

"Ready to go, then?"

He returned her smile. "Sure am." He held out his arm, which Hermione took, and they side-along apparated to the ministry. A man dressed as a zombie took their invitations and directed them to the correct room in the building. Not that they could have missed it, what with the glowing trail of signs that told them things such as, "Turn back now!" and "Beware!"

Hermione believes she should have adhered to the signs messages. Her life would be much less complicated if she'd only taken their advice.

The Ministry's ballroom was large enough that, if they'd wanted to, they could fit the Titanic inside and still have room to spare on either side. Hermione couldn't figure out how she would find anyone she knew, especially after Ron spotted a few of the people he played with on the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team and ran off with them. Hermione stood at the corner of the refreshments table awkwardly, looking around and hoping someone would notice her and come and talk to her so she didn't feel like a complete idiot.

"I like your costume."

Hermione jumped and spun around. She couldn't tell who the man was because of his mask, and she knew he couldn't tell who she was, but his voice was very recognisable. She just couldn't place it...

"Thank you," Hermione replied. He was dressed as a ghost pirate, and wore a skeleton mask to disguise himself. "I like yours, too. Ghost pirate?"

He nodded, and she could see his mouth form a smile. "She-wolf. Do you know any personally?"

"Lavender Brown," Hermione replied, nodding. "And I know a werewolf, Remus Lupin. Do you know him?"

"I'm not sure I do," the man replied. "Tell me about him. He sounds very interesting."

Hermione thought that was a peculiar thing to say, but she obliged. "He was my defence against the dark arts professor. We're in the Order together."

"Would you consider yourself close?"

Hermione shrugged. "I suppose so. We've been getting to know each other a little bit more recently. He's a very amazing man."

"Really," the man replied, sounding absolutely fascinated. "Is he here tonight?"

"He was supposed to be-the entire Order came," Hermione said. "But I don't know what he's dressed as. Actually, I don't know what anyone is dressed as. No one would tell me-they wanted it to be a surprise. I'm just scared Sirius Black is going to take advantage of the fact that I don't know what he's dressed as and sneak up on me."

The man laughed. "Would you like to dance, miss?"

Hermione thought. The man seemed nice enough. She nodded. "I'd like that. Thank you."

He held out his hand and led Hermione to the dance floor. As they came closer, Hermione thought she recognised his eyes. They were brown and very sad, but twinkled in delight despite the sadness buried deep inside them.

They danced in silence for several songs, until Hermione's feet began to ache, but she didn't feel like leaving. She felt very happy dancing with this man, and he seemed happy as well.

Soon, though, Hermione noticed the clock, and realised that if she wanted to finish her essay she'd need to leave then.

"I'm sorry, sir. I need to leave."

He looked very sad for an instant.

"Wait," he said. "Will you come somewhere with me? Just for a minute?"

She decided she could spare a few minutes. "Alright."

Quickly, he released her waist and led her across the dance floor, out of the ballroom and out onto the grounds behind the ministry. It was very cold.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, looking around at the empty grounds.

"Hermione."

She jumped, looking at the man in shock. "Who are you?"

"Do you know who I am?"

She stared at him long and hard, but simply couldn't place his face. She shook her head. "I'm sorry...I can't recognise you."

He stared at her sadly for a few seconds before he moved a little closer. Hermione didn't move. He came even closer, looking briefly into her eyes before he descended upon her lips, kissing her gently.

Hermione's breath was stolen. "Who are you?" she asked breathlessly.

But before she got an answer, he apparated.

Hermione's spirits dropped after that. She really wished he would have told her. Sighing, she, too, apparated.

"Hello?" she called once she was in the kitchen. She removed her mask and set it on the table, walking up the stairs. "Is anyone home?"

"I'm home!"

It was Remus. Skipping up the stairs, she approached his doorway, smiling. She pulled off her stockings as she waited for him to turn from the window he was watching out.

"Hello, Remus," she said.

He smiled at her. "Good evening, Hermione. Did you have fun at the ball?"

"I did," Hermione replied. "I met a very wonderful man. He was exceedingly interested in you."

He didn't seem all that surprised. "What was his name?"

Hermione's face fell. "I don't know. He left before he told me. I wish I knew. I'd very much love to see him again. I think you'd like him. You're very similar."

"Is that so?" Remus said, approaching her. "Well, maybe I can help you find him."

As he passed by her, headed to the kitchen, presumably, he pressed something into Hermione's hand. She looked down and her jaw dropped.

When Hermione had said she and Remus were becoming closer, she hadn't been lying. In fact, she was afraid she was beginning to develop a bit of a crush on the man.

And, using what he had placed in her hand, she could discern that he must have liked her, too.

Because he handed her a skeleton mask.

...

Hey! Just something I randomly wrote during study hall, and I figured, "Hey! Why not post it for Halloween?" And since it's El Dia de las Brujas (or, you know, Halloween), I am allowed to write things like this. RemusXHermione. Well, I've written SiriusXHermione, so why not?

I hope you liked it! Feel free to review and tell me what you thought! This was your treat-best hope I don't leave you a trick! ^^