Don't get me wrong, I love Tonks' character… but I love Remus more. I consider Hermione a better match for him. Although I agree, twenty years a part is a bit much. But… there is a will there is a way, especially when it comes to the smartest witch of her age!

Standard disclosure... don't own anything. And I always appreciate your reviews!

Once Upon a Wish

Chapter One - Owl Service

October 12, 1982 Remus Lupin

"Sorry Lupin. I can't keep you here any longer. The owner of the store didn't want the customers to know that we have a…" Wilson, a gray-haired wizard in charge of Dogweek and Deathcap, suddenly found his words caught in mid-sentence. "It doesn't matter. I understand… can't have a werewolf in the storage room." Remus Lupin picked up his jacket and walked out of the store, without a single backward glance. "Good luck mate!" He heard Wilson's voice shouting from behind as the older wizard closed down the store for the night. "Yeah right, all I need is luck I guess." He murmured to himself and started wondering down the village road in Hogsmeade.

The war had been over for almost a year. People in the street were getting ready for the grand celebration at the end of the month. For Remus Lupin however, the end of the war had not made anything better. The war took away all of his closest friends, whom he had considered his family since the passing of his parents. Yes, the war took them all… three died, James, Lily, and Peter. And Sirius, one of the few that he trusted so much, turned out to have betrayed them after all. The wizardry world did not forgive Remus for being a werewolf, no matter how much he had lost in the war. He was getting tired of sending out job applications again and again, only to be turned down again and again because of his "health conditions", as they always put it politely. Even with the support of some high profile references, such as the one Dumbledore had given him for the storage labor position at Dogweek and Deathcap, the jobs usually couldn't last longer than a couple of full-moons.

As he walked by the winding road leading to the Shrieking Shack, he remembered his friends again. He had never felt so alone in his life. Sitting down on a bolder by the road, Remus looked up at the darkening sky, and saw the first star shining brightly in the eastern heavens. "If I could only wish… maybe someday I could find someone who would accept me, care for me, and," he chuckled lightly and shook his head, "love me for what I am." He said quietly to himself. And quickly laughed at his own immaturity, and felt a sense of relief that there was no one around to hear his pathetic plea. Little did he know, a snow owl, with feathers gleaming in the twilight, was paying very close attention in a big oak tree not very far from him….

October 12, 2002, Hermione Granger

Hermione Granger was early for the gathering with her old friends from the Hogwarts days on this Saturday night. In fact, it was barely evening. As she wondered around Hogsmeade, she slowly pulled her mind away from those endless reports and meetings that she had to deal with all week at work. Taking deep breaths of the autumn air, her mind began to wonder.

The war had ended for over three years. Everyone's life had been back to normal. Harry and Ginny were now happily married. Ron and Lavender were recently engaged. The greeting cards from Luna and Neville last Christmas brought only happy news. As for herself, Hermione had finally started to see her career taking off at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. As Harry and Ron had put it, this was the "dream job" that would "soon helped Hermioe accomplish her mission to save the wizard world from inequality". Although she did not appreciate the teasing, Hermione had to admit that Harry and Ron knew her well. She was fortunate to be able to start her bright future for something that she had always been passionate about.

However, Hermione was not happy. In fact, she had been miserable. The end of the war did not happen soon enough. Not soon enough to give her one more chance to be with him alone. He died, without her by his side, without hearing her declaration of her love for him, without even having the opportunity to decline her love.

It started all as a little crush from a school girl towards her professor, the beloved Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, the one and only Remus Lupin. Hermione had long reasoned that out and laughed it off when her roommates brought that up during the later years at Hogwarts. However, things began to change when they met again and fought together in the war. The time they spent together, either with their intellectual discussions or small talks on a walk, brought her to a different man. He was a man who was intelligent, understanding, gentle, yet determined. She had fallen madly in love with him, but too afraid to see her love rejected. He was a decent gentleman. She knew what he would say to turn her down. So she waited and waited for the right moment to come. But it never did. He left, forever, and didn't even give her love a chance to be denied.

Feeling the stinging sensation in her eyes, Hermione absent mindedly pulled out a golden locket from her pocket as she came upon a grassy area. She sat down next to a big oak tree, running her fingers around her little secret creation. It was a little hourglass surrounded by several golden rings. Indeed, it was a time turner made by her own hands. She had been thinking about it soon after learning his death. All she wanted to do was to go back a little in time. She had to tell him. She had to see him, even if he would reject her feelings and never speak to her ever again. She told Harry about her plan about a quick trip to the past when she first began contemplating the idea. He immediately warned her that she should not be playing with time. "Too many things could go wrong." He said. The rational part of Hermioe completely agreed with him. However, every time when she woke up in the middle of the night, with tears soaking her pillow, emotions took over. Since all the time turners were destroyed during the war, Hermione made her own. "This would be better," she said to herself, "I can make it to cover a longer period of time, and will never need to follow any regulations." She smiled at her own rebellious plans. Well, after all, there was a reason why she was a Grynffindor and not a Ravenclaw.

As she finally completed her little project, she decided to show her best friends her secret. Or should she? She had told Harry and Ron that she had something to show them tonight. However as the sun slowly sinking in the west she began to doubt her decision. What would they say? Would they both be so rational and scold her for her plans? After all, they didn't really know the true reasons for her idea for the adventure. She had been keeping her feelings for Remus all to herself. So what would she say if Harry and Ron tried to convince her to give it up? She looked at the golden locket in her hand, frowning. "Well, I would say, it would be very important for me to set one little thing straight. And I would come right back. And no one would even notice it." she began thinking out loud, not paying any attention as her fingers began turning the golden rings around the tiny hourglass.

As she looked up in the sky, she saw the brightest star looking down at her. How many times had she wished upon its silvery light, she could not recall. She laid down in the grass, slowly closing her eyes, her lips barely moving, "I wish he would come back to me." It was a warm autumn night. The mild breeze was perfect for the hard-working Hermione to get a moment of quietness. As she slowly drifted into a shallow sleep, a big white owl swooshed down next to her, and as Hermione's eyes shot open, the locket was gone!