"Hermione" A voice yelled from behind her.
Hermione turned to see Ron running towards her. "Hermione, is it true. Please tell me it isn't true."
"Is what true?" Hermione asked. "What's going on?"
"Haven't you heard?" Ron said. "Lavender told everyone at breakfast this morning."
"I went to the library this morning remember," Hermione said. "What did Lavender tell everyone?"
Ron looked uneasy. "I don't think you want to hear this…"
"Come on Ron," Hermione said impatiently. "Just spit it out."
"Lavender said that you accidentally left your diary open on your bed last night," Ron said frowning. "Lavender read it of course. She said that you wrote something very interesting in there."
Hermione's blood ran cold. How dare Lavender read her personal diary. They're where secrets in there that she didn't want anyone to find out. Especially the secret about her true feelings towards a certain Professor at this school…
"What did she read in there," Hermione asked slowly.
Ron hesitated before answering her. "She said that you had written about how you like Professor Lupin."
Hermione tried to act surprised. "How could she say that? She made it up. How could she think that I would actually fall for Professor Lupin? I respect him as a teacher of course. He's a very talented man but I would never like him that way. It is just unethical. I don't know what she was thinking when she said that. How could I fancy Professor Lupin? That is…"
"Hermione," Ron said. "You're blabbering."
Hermione stopped talking. She looked guiltily up at Ron. "How many people heard her say this?"
"Almost the whole Griffindor table," Ron told her. Then his eyes widened with shock. "Hermione, you're not saying it's true, are you?"
Hermione didn't say anything.
"Bloody hell, Hermione," Ron said almost shouting. "He is twice your age."
"Shh," Hermione hissed. "You don't want the whole world to hear."
"It's too late to worry about that. Lavender already told the Griffindor table. By lunch the whole school will know," Ron looked apologetic as though it was his own fault.
"Oh no," Hermione covered her mouth with her hand. "You don't think he will hear about it."
"Maybe," Ron said. "Good gossip travels like wildfire in a place like this."
"Oh no," Hermione repeated. "We have double DADA tomorrow. How can I face him?"
Over the next few lessons Hermione had to endure the taunting from her fellow students. Her face burned with embarrassment as people stopped to stare at her.
"How is your lover boy today?"
"Don't you know he's to old for you?"
"He wouldn't be interested in you anyway. It's not like you're that pretty."
These where only a few of the comments she had to suffer as she made her way from classroom to classroom. Finally it was the end of the day. All Hermione wanted to do was crawl into a hole and die. It was all to embarrassing. She found an empty classroom that she could hide in. Unfortunately Harry found her there. That blasted map of his…
"Hermione," Harry said stepping into her classroom. "I was looking for you. How are you"?
Hermione snorted. "How do you think? This has been the most awkward day of my life. I can't believe Lavender read my private diary. How dare she?"
"That's just Lavender," Harry said. "The biggest gossip in the school. Not that I'm siding with her." He added hastily after seeing the look on Hermione's face.
"I'm so ashamed," Hermione moaned putting her head in her hands. "How can I face him after this?"
"You could go talk to him about it," Harry suggested.
"What? No way," Hermione said. "I couldn't look him straight in the eye. What am I supposed to say to him?"
"You could deny it," Harry said.
"No," Hermione said slowly. "I can't lie. I tried denying it to Ron but I ended up blabbering on. I can't lie to save myself."
"Then maybe you should just talk it over with him," Harry said wisely. "You could assure him that it's just a school girl crush. Tell him that you don't want this to affect your schoolwork and you want to just go on acting like nothing is up."
"I guess," Hermione said slowly.
"It would make you seem like a mature young lady instead of a teenage school girl, "Harry told her.
Hermione stood up slowly. "I guess I should do that."
It took her twenty minutes to reach the professor's office. She had changed her mind four times on the way there. She stood at the door not sure of what to do. She raised her hand slowly and knocked on the door.
At first she couldn't hear anything. She let herself believe that no one was there for a few blissful seconds.
"Come in," A voice called from inside ruining.
Hermione pushed the door open wanting nothing more than to turn and run all the way back to the Griffindor tower and hide underneath her bed. She kept going though. Professor Lupin was sitting behind his desk.
"Hermione," He said looking at her with his blue eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I wanted to talk to you," Hermione said. "But you look busy. Maybe I should come back later." She turned to leave the office.
"What this," Lupin gestured towards the pile of papers on his desk. "I was just marking some work. It isn't urgent. It can wait. What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh," Hermione said. "Well it's kind of embarrassing." Hermione walked a few paces closer.
"You see," Hermione began. "There is a rumour about me that is going around the school at the moment."
"Is this rumour true or false," Lupin asked standing up. He walked around to the front of his desk. Now there were only two metres between them. Hermione gulped nervously.
"It's true," She admitted. Remus's face was blank. She didn't know if he had heard the rumour or not. If he hadn't then maybe it was a mistake telling him. But then again, just because he hadn't heard it know didn't mean he wont find out about it tomorrow. "Did you hear the rumour?"
"I don't know," Remus said. "I did hear a rumour but I don't know if we were talking about the same one."
"Oh," Hermione said. "Well – the thing is – I don't know how to say this but – I think – Oh, Merlin help me. How do I say this?"
"Hermione," Remus said smiling. "It can't be that bad. Just start from the beginning."
"Well," Hermione took in a deep breath before continuing. "Last night I accidentally left my diary open on my bed. I forgot to put it away after writing in it. Lavender came along and read it when I was in the common room with Ron and Harry. The next morning she told everyone what it said."
"What did it say," Remus said.
"It said that I like you," Hermione said. She continued quickly. "I'm very well aware that you don't feel the same way and I understand. I don't blame you. You must see me as an immature school kid. I just don't want this to affect…"
"Hermione slow down," Professor Lupin held up his hand.
Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself. "I'm really sorry if this has caused you any trouble or embarrassment. I really didn't mean for Lavender to find out."
"It's not your fault that she found out," Professor said taking a few steps forward. "She was the one who read your diary without permission. In a way I'm kind of glad she read it."
"Why?" Hermione asked puzzled.
"Because if she hadn't and I didn't know you liked me then I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to do this," Remus took a few extra steps until he was only a foot in front of her. His arms snaked around her waist as he leaned forwards.
His lips pressed firmly against hers. Hermione was surprised but soon recovered. Her hands went up to the nape of his neck as she hugged him closer. His tongue brushed gently against her bottom lip. She opened her mouth for him. The kiss wasn't anything like Hermione had thought it would be. It was soft and passionate. She her head was spinning with the shock of it all. She ran a hand through his hair and deepened the kiss.
Once it was finished she smiled happily at him.
"Remind me to thank Lavender."