He inhabited her every thought, her slightest motion. Her stomach tightened each day as she took her front-and-center seat, and her heart beat furiously whenever he passed. She was captivated by his grace, his compassion, his pain, his mystery… She wished he would tell her everything. But she was alone in her deep, passionate secret, because he… he was her teacher.

"Hermione," he called, jolting her out of her whirlwind of thought. He held her gaze with infinite kindness; it was at times like these when she wondered if she was his favorite.

"Yes, professor," she mumbled, squinting at the question on the chalkboard. "A boggart is a shape-shifting creature that takes on the form of the viewer's worst fear."

"Exactly right," he boomed, sweeping past her, his exotic scent trailing in his wake. She filled her nostrils with it; it left her heady with desire, which caused her stomach to clench even tighter. "And I'd like you all to dwell on that before tomorrow's class, as well as read the chapter on boggarts in your copies of Self-Defensive Spellwork. With that, class dismissed!"

Just as Hermione had finished gathering her books, Professor Lupin appeared by her side.

"Hermione," he murmured, making her shiver. She met his hazel eyes hesitatingly, finding them already locked on her own. "I need you to stay after class to discuss a… special assignment."

"Yes, professor," she squeaked, motioning at Harry and Ron to leave without her. She turned back to Lupin's face and took a moment to admire it, lingering on his weathered skin and breathtaking scars before moving on to his deeply tender eyes, and finally his moist, inviting lips. She imagined the heat of those lips against her own, roaming, exploring, knowing every inch of her skin. Unconsciously, she leaned up and kissed him.

She pulled back immediately, horrified. Professor Lupin stared at her in shock; she had interrupted him mid-sentence, without warning. She wanted nothing but to disappear, to melt into the floor, to burst into tears, anything but remain under his penetrating, unreadable gaze. What the fuck was she thinking? Her teacher? She could be expelled, or worse...

Suddenly, a pair of lips slammed into her own, shattering her thoughts. Hermione moaned involuntarily, her heart beating faster than she thought possible. His tongue explored her mouth gently at first, then more anxiously. He pulled back abruptly, leaving Hermione panting.

"What?" she questioned softly, posing a million queries with one simple word.

"We can't do this," he rasped, shaking his head. "You're so young, and a student… We can't…" his voice trailed off as he placed his head in his hands.

"I want to be with you," Hermione implored earnestly. "I don't care about anything else." Lupin laughed a dark, bitter laugh, finally meeting her gaze.

"You don't know… anything about me," he insisted, his eyes blazing. Hermione's stomach was churning, but she pushed past her nervousness, grabbing his large, rough hand and squeezing it with her petite one.

"I want to," she persisted, her voice flat and honest.

"Oh, Hermione," he groaned, and she saw him physically slacken as he gave in. "You don't know how much I've wanted… How I knew I couldn't… But no man could stay strong now, no man…" he seemed to be talking to himself now, rationalizing. Hermione tugged his hand gently, bringing him back to reality.

"Come by tonight," he whispered, his voice barely audible. She gave him a faint nod and turned on her heels, dashing from the classroom.

"Oh, blast," Hermione cursed, pretending to scour the Gryffindor Common Room. "I think I left my copy of Self-Defensive Spellwork in Lupin's room… I'd better go down to his office and see."

"You forgot your book?" Ron chuckled, "that's a first!" Hermione laughed along nervously, then scurried out of the common room before he had time to question her further. She could feel her chest thumping wildly, and was acutely aware of her irregular breath. "What if I made a mistake?" she wondered. "What if he doesn't want me after all? What if this is all a big misunderstand-"

"Hermione Granger," a familiar voice drawled, cutting her off mid-thought. "What's a Gryffindor like you doing in the corridor at a time like this?" Snape's eyes bore into her accusingly.

"I… book… forgot…" Hermione sputtered, unable to speak coherently in her mounting anxiety.

"An uncharacteristic loss for words," Snape droned mockingly. "Deten-"

"She's with me." Hermione's eyes widened in surprise as she spotted her savior. Lupin's tone was unnecessarily fierce, and Snape knew it.

"I can handle this, Remus," he snapped. Lupin took a moment to regain composure, straightening visibly and striding closer to the duo.

"Actually, Hermione had some questions concerning boggarts during class, and I told her she could come see me in my office later. Textbooks don't cover everything, you know," Lupin replied, feigning nonchalance.

"They most certainly don't," Snape murmured. He held her gaze for what seemed an eternity, his eyes piercing hers with terrifying knowingness. Just as abruptly as he had appeared, he left, black cape rippling behind him. Hermione sighed with relief, and she wrapped her arms around Lupin's torso. He stiffened as if surprised, then gently enclosed her in his arms. Finally, her heart gave up its frantic pace and her eyes closed; she wished they could stay like this forever.

"C'mon," Remus finally whispered, grasping her hand and guiding her through the dark toward his office. They entered, and she noticed that he performed Colloportus in their wake, securing the door behind them.

"Welcome to my humble abode," he murmured with a coy smile, her hand still nestled in his. She took in her surroundings with wonder, her eyes moving from skulls and skeletons to walls of books to bobbing, luminous spheres, finally settling on Lupin's enormous, four-poster bed. She strode toward it, professor in tow. They halted at its foot; Hermione's expression was bright and loving while Lupin's was a mixture of pain, torment, and hunger. She put her hand to his cheek reassuringly.

"I want this," she breathed.

"So do I," he replied bitterly. "Too much."

His grace, his compassion, his pain, his mystery-everything that had ever drawn her to him was now written plainly on his face. It was too much for her to bear, and she moved her mouth to his.

Their lips touched; something changed. Hermione felt Remus morphing beneath her skin as his gentleness was replaced by a savage, burning lust. He crushed her body against his, taking her mouth by force as she moaned with pleasure. Suddenly, he threw her onto the bed, ripping off his shirt before jumping on top of her. Hermione gasped at the sight of her professor's bare, rigid muscles in the light of the half-moon. As if needing to feel her hot skin against his, Remus tore off her shirt and bra with animal-like ferocity, slamming his torso into her once more. Hermione whimpered as he sucked her neck, and she felt an unfamiliar burning sensation between her legs. His kissed moved south as he sucked on her collarbones, chest, and finally her breasts. Hermione's hips bucked involuntarily, and the fire between her legs wetted. She fumbled feverishly with his belt, finally freeing him of his trousers and underwear with one deft motion. He gasped again as his giant member revealed itself; it was already hard, hot, and ready. Hermione almost came at the sight of it, feeling her wetness seeping through her panties.

"Take off my skirt," she moaned. Remus complied, ripping through the thin material of her panties until they were both completely naked. He gazed at her sopping pussy with nothing but insatiable, wolfish hunger; if Remus had been wild before, now he was feral.

Without warning, he slammed into her, causing her to scream in shock. Her cavern stretched painfully with each thrust of his enormous, pulsing cock.

"Oh, fuck me, Professor," Hermione whimpered, her eyes rolling back in their sockets. "Deeper."

Remus complied, driving deep, deep inside her, filling and straining her walls with his infinite mass. She shrieked and panted with pleasure.

"Harder," she moaned.

His impact violent, bringing her to the edge of agony. He rammed her with overwhelming force, his immense cock extending her and pounding her pleasure points relentlessly. Hermione's body shivered and buckled at the sensation.

"Faster," she breathed.

Remus thrashed into her at a frenzied, breakneck pace. His vicious, blistering thrusts brought her to the edge of reality.

"I'm coming," she screamed, her body quaking, hips arching sharply. Remus came with her, pumping her full of his seed as their bodies bucked and crumpled with ecstasy. It was pure bliss, his steaming body rocking against hers and her mind lost in feverish euphoria. They rode out the waves of their unparalleled orgasm, finally collapsing, panting, in each other's arms.

They remained still for quite some time, letting their minds and bodies return to the real. Finally, Remus kissed her gently, all traces of the ferocious creature inside him gone.

"Hermione," he whispered lovingly, tucking a lock of golden-brown hair behind her hair.

"Remus," she replied, her chocolate eyes locked on his hazel ones, smiling slightly.

"Come back tomorrow night?" he asked hesitantly.

"Every night," she purred, bringing his forehead to his as they drifted off into deep, blissful sleep.