Growling, Remus entered his room and slammed the door, only she could get him this angry. His wonderful Hermione was making no effort in their training session. During the muggle self-defense portion he had easily pinned her and she didn't even attempt to struggle. Normally, he secretly relished these moments for they were the only real physical contact he allwed himself with her but today had been different. Her usually fiery and defensive personality had disappeared and today she just let things happen.
After he helped her up; he attempted to find out why she wasn't focusing by teasing her a bit. Instead of the witty, biting comeback he was prepared for - she proceeded to punch him in the gut and storm out of the room effectively ending their sparing and leaving him angry and hurt (albeit for a very short time). He was going to go find her to give her a piece of his mind.
"Dumb ass, prick, insensitive, guy, pushy, Y chromosome," He had no right to tease her. She wasn't sure what bothered her more: what was said or who had said them. "Cantankerous, chauvinistic, bastard, asshole, man, brainless, tactless, imbecilic, dim-witted, male," Hermione was so intent on continuing her litany of, what she believed to be truly disparaging, insults on the man she secretly in love with that she was quite startled to hear a chuckle come from just behind her and to the right.
"Mione, I hope you are not speaking about me." Bill said as he stepped from the shadows smoking a cigarette.
Embarrassed by her ranting she colored and began to stutter through an apology, "No! No, I was just, I mean, I wasn't…"
"I was just teasing you. What has gotten you so riled up?"
"Oh, nothing. I just had a bit of a spat with Remus."
"I see. He was not as perceptive as he would like to think, right?"
"Perceptive?"
"Only someone as oblivious to women as Remus would fail to understand. Remus should know that allowances must be made for a woman in your state."
"My state? And what exactly is that state mister?"
"You are in pain. I understand that many women experience that pain. You should be resting."
"How that hell do you know about my cramps?" as soon as the sentence escaped her lips she flushed, realizing how loudly she spoke and that he was only trying to help. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It was uncalled for."
"Don't worry, Ducks. I'll tell you what I have heard works, its very muggle too. Take some aspirin, drink some tea and lie on the floor with your feet propped up. Use a heating pad underneath your back and a hot compress on your stomach. I have heard it works miracles."
"Thanks, I'll go try that right now, it sounds like heaven," with that she walked back into the house and up to her rooms trying to forget why she was so "riled up" as Bill noted.
Meanwhile in another section of the estate…..
Remus entered the kitchen in his search for the woman he had begun to think of as his. Noticing that there was no one in there he took a shortcut through the room making a pit stop at the refrigerator. While his head was inside the icebox someone entered the kitchen and hoisted themselves up onto the island behind him. When he turned around Bill was sitting there looking at him with his usual smirk.
"If you are looking to Hermione she is in her rooms. If you play your cards right you could be forgiven very quickly."
"Forgiven? Why would I need to be forgiven?" Remus grumbled his reply before he popped the top off of his chosen beverage.
"My friend you do need to be forgiven. If you had let the wolf out more often he would have solved the problem long before there was one."
"What are you yammering on about? If I didn't ignore my beast then I would probably go insane with so many people around. With all of the different scents, movements and noises- I wouldn't stand a chance. There is no way my beast would have been helpful." Remus said with confidence.
"If the wolf was more towards the surface of your thoughts, at least while you were training, then you would have known that she was in pain."
"I didn't hurt her. In fact when I noticed she wasn't concentrating I took it a little easier on her." Remus vehemently defended himself.
"No, you didn't hurt her but she was still in pain." Noticing his look of confusion Bill decided that the Slytherins were correct in assuming that subtlety was wasted on most Gryfindors. "Hermione is a woman; a strong, intelligent and tough woman, but still a woman. When an individual is a woman that means that they are female and as such there are times of the month that they can be difficult, think of it as her full moon."
Understanding suddenly dawned on his face and he reddened in embarrassment. Oh, that was the problem. Gods there really was no way that he could win. Realizing that he must have been in contemplation for far too long he looked over to Bill who had if possible and even larger smile on his face.
"Do you have any idea how I could go about rectifying this situation or at least begin to salvage it?" His voice clearly pleading by the time he finished speaking, if he had been anyone else besides Remus Lupin, the master of quiet dignity he would have said he was whining.
"Chocolate and a massage should do the trick." With that Bill hopped off the counter-top and swept out of the room.
"Chocolate and a massage, I think I can do that."
Back in Hermione's room…
Hermione was lying on the floor of her sitting room with her feet up and heating pads on her back and stomach. After finishing her medicine and tea she grabbed a book and took a spot on the floor. She charmed the book to float before her face and turn pages as she has read them. While lying there she heard a soft knock at her chamber door and being to comfortable to move she simply called out for her visitor to enter.
"Hermione."
"What do you want Remus? I am really in no mood."
"I actually came to apologize. I was insensitive. I have also brought a peace offering." With that said Hermione finally looked at him. He stood in her doorway with a large basket.
"Come in." Hermione saw the relief on his face with her words and felt remorse for being so snappish earlier. "Have a seat. I hope you do not mind if I don't get up."
"No, not at all, please stay where you are comfortable," Taking his seat he placed the basket on the side table near her head. "I have recently been enlightened as to your... affliction by our Dear Friend, Bill, and I wish to make amends." With that he produced a large chocolate bar and began to unwrap it.
"Chocolate? Really? Thank you! I really needed this. I'm sorry I was such a poor sport earlier." Realizing the rest of what he confessed she flushed and said, "Bill told you huh? That man is to perceptive for his own good sometimes…Thank you Remus this means a lot to me."
"It's really not a problem Hermione I feel horrible. I of all people should have recognized the signs and been the most empathetic a man could be. After all I have a few days of the month I'm not the greatest person to be with either." Remus knew that at this moment in time he was forgiven.
"I'll leave you to rest Hermione. Feel better, alright?" with that he got up and moved to exit, just before he left he turned and gave her a soft smile while closing the door leaving Hermione to her creature comforts.
While making his way back to his rooms Remus decided that he would put the massage to better use in the very near future…