'Oh don't be silly Remus! It wasn't your fault!'

'But it was me who bit her! I feel so terrible! I'm so sorry…'

'You weren't yourself so stop apologising'

'I just can't help feeling guilty'

The two voices echoed in her mind. Every little noise seemed to be magnified, and it hurt her. She had the worst headache she had ever experienced in her life.

'Don't' she managed croakily, the words stung in her throat and mouth.

'Oh my goodness' the first voice gasped. She soon recognised it as Mrs Weasley's. Slowly she opened her eyes to a blur of colour, and wasn't surprised that it hurt her also. Her head was swimming.

'Hermione' Lupin started timidly. 'I'm sorry' He couldn't think of anything else to say. He knew it sounded utterly pathetic but it was the best he could come up with considering the situation.

Hermione managed a small smile as everything came into focus.

'Don't be' she said rather feebly ' I don't hold it against you' Lupin relaxed and let a smile crease his stony expression.

Hermione knew she had been bitten on the full moon, and she knew she too was now a werewolf. She groaned as the pain in her bones increased. Her flesh felt like it was burning and her bones like they were cracking. Her eyes also felt ablaze.

'How's she doing?' Hermione heard another voice say. Yet this time, hot anger exploded in the pit of her stomach, though she didn't know why. Her eyes snapped open and stared at Ronald Weasley. Ron jumped back startled. Her brown eyes were gone; he now saw amber ones, riddled with red flecks, like flames staring back at him.

'Um…may I have a word alone with Hermione?' Lupin asked hurriedly.

'Yes, of course' said Mrs Weasley, in an encouraging voice, dragging her son out of the room with her. Lupin sat down and started fidgeting with his fingers.

'Sir…'

'Please, call me Remus, I haven't been your teacher in over 3 years.'

'Alright' she said softly.

'You're doing much better than I did…. controlling your temper' He said with the tiniest flicker of a smile. 'I remember throwing away my favourite toy and smashing my mother's china tea set.' Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder. He stiffened a bit but did not pull away.

'Remus, what's happening to me?' Lupin sighed and took her hand in his.

'Your body will ache for about 3 days, and your hearing and vision will become intensified, so will your sense of smell.'

'My hearing is already better than it ever was, but I do have a headache.'

'You should rest, you'll feel better in the morning, I promise.' He got up to leave but she called him back.

'Will it hurt?' He sighed and sat down again

'I'm not saying it wont, but the first time is always the worst. You get used to it after a while, and its after effects.' Hermione nodded her understanding and closed her eyes to try and relax. Lupin left the room with one last glance back at the sleeping teenager.

Hermione woke the next day at around noon feeling rather groggy, but her bones had stopped aching so much, it merely felt like a pulled muscle now, except it was all over her body. Hermione sat up in her bad and was surprised to see Dumbledore, very much alive and sitting on her bed. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. He was a truly great wizard but even she knew not even he could return from the dead. Dumbledore chuckled.

'I suppose you would like some things explaining to you.' Hermione nodded slowly. 'Very well' said Dumbledore. 'You are in fact in the year 1977. McGonagall sent you here this morning. I know about the circumstances, and precautions have been made for you. Remus will only be too happy to help you through this difficult time, seeing as he himself has suffered from the same problem for approximately 12 years already.' Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. Hermione had to let all the information sink in before she would allow him to go any further.

'So…Remus Lupin is still at Hogwarts? And I'm in the past?'

'Precisely' said Dumbledore, beaming at her. 'When the times comes, you will have to tell him where you're really from. But for now you will be a transfer student from Dublin Magical Academy. I will leave it to your own discretion on what to reveal and what not to reveal. I shall send Mr Lupin in after you have read your letter.' He placed a small letter on her bedside table before departing. Hermione hesitated before reaching out and unfolding the letter. It said:

Dear Hermione

I am sorry we had to send you back. Certain events happened and we felt it was safer for you, as a new werewolf, to be sent back, in the hopes that you would remain safe from the ministry's new law. Don't worry. I myself am safe enough. The rule only applies to those newly created. I hope you understand that it is safer for you this way, and I hope you will forgive me in time for sending you so quickly into a world you don't know. For the safety of the future for those around you, you must go by the name of Lena Phoenix. I have also sent back a letter for Dumbledore, which he undoubtedly has already read, explaining everything. He will explain some extra things to you at a later date. Good luck. I'll always be there if you need me.

Your friend,

Remus.

P.S. Everyone will think you're Dumbledore's Granddaughter.

Hermione stared at the letter, as thoughts charged through her mind. Ok that explained how she got there, sort of, but it didn't explain how she was going to get back. She was also worried about messing up and changing the future.

Her thoughts were cut short by a much younger Remus Lupin entering the hospital wing. Lupin smiled at her and held out his hand for her to shake.

'Hello, I'm Remus Lupin' Hermione's stomach did a back flip.

'Lena Phoenix' she said, taking his hand and returning his smile. Lupin looked into her eyes mesmerised by what he saw. He could tell by her eyes she was a werewolf, but these eyes were different. He couldn't help but feel drawn to her, as if he somehow knew her. But that was impossible; he had never met her before, right?

Hermione had frozen stiff. Her former Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher took her completely breathless. His amber eyes matched hers, except for the flecks of red in her own. He was quite tall and had long hair resting on his shoulders. She couldn't help but stare. After a minute of two she realised what she was doing, and that their hands were still clasped together. She began to turn red. Lupin also seemed to notice this and he too blushed a vivid shade of red. Hermione mentally slapped herself. She couldn't be falling for Lupin; he was 20 years older than her! Well, at least he was. They were now the same age.

'Dumbledore told me you're a werewolf. Don't worry, I wont tell, I'm one too.' Lupin said rather nervously. Hermione smiled at him and he felt his knees quiver. 'So, err, how long have you, um, been one?' He almost stuttered.

'I was bitten on the last full moon' she said calmly. 'Unfortunately I'm not exactly sure how long ago that was. I've been asleep most of the time.'

'Bloody hell! You haven't even been through your first transformation. Are you ok?' he asked uncertain what it was like to go through these changes at an older age.

'I'm fine' she assured him. 'I'm just finding the experience a bit weird. I've stopped aching so much, but there's other things happening to me that I don't understand.'

I can't really remember anything else happening, apart from the enhanced senses.' Lupin said slowly. 'Maybe it has something to do with the age at which you're bitten. But I can't imagine what could be different.'

'Um, well…' She started shyly, and looked down at her knees. 'I'm more, I have, certain, urges…' she finished quietly, blushing furiously.

'Oh' Lupin said a little uncomfortable, but throwing caution to the winds, decided to carry on anyway. 'Yeah I suppose that would be different than normal. But considering I grew up like this I really don't know anything different. But yes it is hard to hold back.' He said, deciding he better just answer the thing properly. Lord knows what she was going through emotionally at this point.

Madam Pomfrey entered the hospital wing carrying a goblet with some foul smelling yellow liquid.

'Drink this my dear.' Hermione eyed it curiously.

'It'll make you feel better, honestly.' Said Lupin. He chuckled at the look on her face as she swallowed the contents of the goblet. 'I'll be back tomorrow. You should rest a bit more.' And with that he left the hospital wing, leaving Hermione to her own thoughts.