He Don't...
Professor Hermione Granger sat in the secluded and empty Staff Room at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If anyone had taken the time to notice, they would find that she was depressed and crying, but no one noticed because no one was there. That's why Hermione had come to the Staff Room, no one came here when the Great Hall was open for dinner. So Hermione could cry and nurse the black eye that she had received earlier from her job-less boyfriend. If anyone had asked her how she had received the bruise, she would tell them the truth, because she was always honest. That in truth would also be the reason he had hit her, telling him the truth as well.
Hermione thought back to the glorious day that he had finally asked her to be his and then thought about the five years that had passed since their graduation. She was twenty-two years old with a full time job teaching Transfiguration at Hogwarts with many higher paying, Ministry jobs available to her. That she knew was another reason he took his anger out on her. He knew she was smarter and more reliable and it pissed him off every time he thought about it. He had graduated with good marks but to him, Quidditch was all that mattered. He received the Keeper position with his favorite team as soon as he was out of school, but that hadn't lasted long because he had started drinking. At first the team tolerated him, but when he started playing games intoxicated, that's when he got sacked. He used the alcohol to hide from the memories of the final battle where Harry James Potter had sacrificed himself to rid the world of Voldemort.
That hadn't stopped his drinking but it had enforced his assaults upon Hermione. Everyone who knew what Hermione went through either pitied her or thought that maybe she wasn't as smart as they all had thought. Most of the staff at Hogwarts told her often enough to leave the bastard but deep down she knew she still loved him. She would try to analyze his behavior and then change her own habits to comply with his moods, but like today, it didn't always work.
Hermione laid her head down on her arms and cried some more. She loved him, but she knew that if things continued in this fashion he would end up killing her. She was glad that this was the evening meal she was missing instead of lunch. If it were lunch she would have to face a class afterwards and then the questions would start. So far she had been able to keep her students in the dark, which was hard if you are Head of Gryffindor House. Her thoughts returned to her physical and emotional pain as the Staff Room door opened and emitted her most valued friend since Harry had died.
Professor Remus Lupin surveyed the dark room searching for the woman his sensitive nose and Lycan instincts told him was there. He found her outline in the gloom sitting at the table. He calmly walked over to her even as his heart and mind roared to kill the heartless bastard for doing this to her again. He sat down beside his colleague and friend trying to contemplate why she just doesn't leave his sorry ass. Remus knows that Hermione will always love Ronald Weasley and Ron, in his sick sadistic way, will always love Hermione.
He don't love you like I love you
Don't think about you like I think about you
He don't wanna have your children
He don't wanna build his life around you
Hermione clung to Remus as he allowed her to vent her sorrows. She was grateful to have a friend that truly loved her. She knew that Remus cared for her in a way that a man loves his wife, but she also knew that she couldn't possibly leave Ron and return Remus' love. Ron loved her and she knew that Ron loved her, but she didn't like it when Ron hated her with the same amount of passion. If she left Ron, she knew three possibilities would present themselves to Ron. The first, she was fairly sure he would use. He would kill her; plain, simple, and to the point. He knew there were millions of ways to do it, but whether he wanted her in pain or not would be the only question he would ask himself. The second possibility would most likely be his second choice as well. He would kill any man she would even try to be with, which meant that Remus would die a painful death that involved silver. The third choice would only come about if Ron became depressed after she left instead of angry. He would kill himself. Combine those three with the endless combinations of the three and they could all end up dead. And for that reason, with an underlying current of love, she would stay with Ron.
Remus consoled her as best as he could. He told her at the beginning of everyday the way he felt about her and gave her a choice to run away with him to live a happy life. And everyday she would smile with a lost look of love and politely state that she loved Ron. Remus Lupin tried to find ways to make Hermione see that mistakes she was making, but if Harry had been right about their third year in Hogwarts then he knew that Hermione was lost until she found herself. While consoling Hermione and making her feel better Remus' heart broke a little more every minute.
Tell me I should not be feeling what I am today
Tell me to silence my heart
Tell me we've been here before
And I will walk away from your love
Another day turned into another week and Remus watched the woman he loved turn into a scared emotional shell. The only time she expressed her personality now was in her classroom and around the children. Remus watched as Hermione cringed at even the mere mention of Ron. If Albus was still here surely he could straighten Ron out, Remus thought, but then their friend and mentor had been gone for three years now. Minerva McGonagall tried to enforce her will, telling Ron that if he continued to abuse Hermione, she would ban him from Hogwarts. That had stopped him for a month and so when Minerva had thrown him out, sadly, Hermione went with him. They found a flat in Hogsmeade that way Hermione could continue to teach, but she had to give up the Gryffindor Head of House position to Remus Lupin. He knew that, among other reasons, was the final straw for Hermione and she slowly took steps to eradicate Ron from her life.
For there is a wall between you and I
And he hasn't been treating you right
I've been watching it all
I've seen you cry
And I've just gotta tell you tonight
Hermione began her battered recovery by procuring the Room of Requirement every now and again as a place to stay after particular nasty bouts of violence from Ron. One night she had nursed a broken wrist, trying to heal it herself using her swollen wand hand, when the contents of half of her makeshift bedroom changed into a potions lab with a brewed potion waiting. Hermione had enough time to pull her robe on over her nightshirt when the door opened and Remus Lupin entered.
The first thing he encountered upon entering the Room of Requirement was the strong scent of blood and then he saw Hermione sitting on the side of a bed within the room. At first he didn't know what to think, he wouldn't even be here if Severus Snape hadn't went on a trip to London as Deputy Headmaster. When Snape was absent, it took the Room of Requirement to make the Wolfsbane Potion he needed the week before the full moon. After he analyzed the situation and guessed that she was here to get away from Ron. Remus went to retrieve his potion and drunk it down before helping her, silently, with the injuries she had.
That he don't love you like I love you
Don't think about you like I think about you
He don't wanna have your children
He don't wanna build his life around you
Eventually Hermione had it where she only had to go home to Ron on the weekends, but most of that time he spent in the bar drinking anyway. Slowly she found that she was happier and was getting less and less depressed. The staff noticed as well and many thought she was finally getting smart about Ron. She spent most of her free time having intellectual debates and talks with Severus and she would take London trips with Remus. Professor McGonagall thought it was time Hermione took back her job of Head of House for the Gryffindors and Remus Lupin had happily stepped aside.
Remus marveled at the sight as he tried to contemplate Snape smiling without an ulterior motive. He and Hermione had been debating the latest freedom movement of the Giants, Severus con and Hermione pro. Remus waited patiently for them to finish so he could escort his love to a Greek Festival in London. He was going to try to get Hermione to voice her feelings about him tonight, but thought better of it. At the moment she was happy with her life. She hadn't had any bruises or broken bones in the last two weeks and Remus just wanted her to enjoy her freedom.
Tell me this love's just a feeling and will pass away
Tell me your heart is a liar
Tell me you're not what I know you are
All that a man could desire
And he doesn't know, Darling, what he's got
But I would treasure you
If you give me a chance I will make you smile
I will give you a love that's true
Hermione and Remus enjoyed the Greek Festival immensely with both splurging on gyros and Greek salads. Hermione relaxed a little by ordering a glass of Tsantali Blanc, a fruity white wine. Remus enjoyed a Baklava for dessert, sharing a piece of the honey bathed filo covered in pecans with Hermione. While they were dancing to the Grecian music, Ron sauntered up to them as if appearing from no where. Remus was surprised to find him there, drunk, when neither he nor the rest of the staff had seen him in weeks. He roughly pushed Remus away from Hermione and grabbed her by the arm. Before Remus could do anything Ron drew his wand and they disapparated in front of a square full of Muggles. Since the damage was already done Remus left the public for the Ministry Officials to take care of and ducked down a side street to hail the Knight Bus.
Back at Hogwarts Remus alerted Minerva and Severus that Ron had come and taken Hermione and that he had been drunk again. The three people that cared the most about Hermione made their way to her and Ron's home in Hogsmeade. All they found was a passed-out Ron on the living room sofa. While Minerva and Severus tried to wake Ron to find out where Hermione was, Remus headed back to Hogwarts and to the Room of Requirement. There Hermione was crying and barely able to move being in the worse condition Remus had ever seen. He cried with her as she explained that Ron had wanted to celebrate his new Quidditch job, but had punished her for not being at home.
But he don't love you like I love you
Don't think about you like I think about you
He don't wanna have your children
He don't wanna build his life around you
Hermione had stayed in the hospital wing for a week and Remus had had to teach her classes as well as his own. He again took the Head of House status and tried to maintain a composed persona for his students. Minerva ordered Ron to be sent to Saint Mungos for Alcohol Rehabilitation. It had taken Severus stunning him to get him there. Once Hermione was better and back to her duties Remus was able to relax. Of course it helped knowing that Ron would be unable to leave the hospital until he was completely alcohol free. Minerva was hoping that when he was cured of the alcoholism, his abusive tendencies towards Hermione would stop as well. During the six months it took for Ron to recover, Hermione's mentality went back to herself. She spent more time with Remus, finally letting some of her feelings to show. They enjoyed each others company and the staff observed that they were rarely seen apart. And although Remus was desperately in love with Hermione now, he knew that things would change when Ron returned. And he was right.
So why can you not see
The place in your heart that was made for me
Why must you hide yourself away
And why must you fight
The way that I'm holding your hand tonight
Take a chance and give your heart to me
Hermione and Remus had gotten so close that the rest of the staff thought they were indeed together, but the day Ron walked through the doors completely cured, everyone noticed when Hermione dropped Remus' hand. Her heart made a U-turn back to the man she thought she loved. Ron was better, he didn't drink anything anymore and when he became angry, which wasn't often, he never thought to strike out at Hermione. Minerva was happy to find that Ron Weasley was better, that he treated Hermione like she was his queen. But yet again, Remus Lupin had stepped aside for someone else.
Remus' heart broke the moment Hermione dropped his hand. He knew that Ron desperately loved her, but to Remus Ron didn't deserve her love. Remus watched silently as they picked back up where they had left off. Three weeks after Ron returned Remus told Hermione how he felt and asked her, for the last time, if she would voice her feelings for him. Hermione refused, stating that she loved Ron, but the shadow behind her eyes told Remus otherwise.
But he don't love you like I love you
Don't think about you the way I think about you
He don't wanna have your children
He don't wanna build his life around you
Hermione was happy, truly she was but something felt different. She knew that she loved Ron, was happy for him because he had fixed his problem. She still had conversations with Severus and her classes were fun again. Ron showered her with love and gifts, going out of his way to make her happy. But she found that it took a little effort for her smile to come around and her heart to swell with Ron in the room, where as if Remus glanced at her from across a vast area, her heart lit up like a firefly. Her and Remus hadn't spent much time together since she had been forced to deny her feelings for him when he'd asked. She missed him terribly and tried to reason why.
Remus walked around in a daze when not in class. He had tried everything to get over her because she was obviously staying with Ron. Every time someone called his name, he found that he had once again wondered to the thought of Hermione. He didn't know what to do. His mind and heart were driving him crazy. So when Hermione walked Ron to the front doors of Hogwarts and kissed him goodbye, Remus Lupin was confused as hell as was Severus. Minerva McGonagall knew though, she knew what was coming and what would come of it, her eyes were twinkling of course. Professor Remus Lupin was then floored when Professor Hermione Granger threw proper decorum into the wind and flung her arms around his neck kissing him with all of her love and passion in front of the assembled staff and some students. Surprising him even further when she stated,
He don't, but you do.