A/N: I don't HP or the characters.
Chapter One – Celebrations and Oops!
"Another shot of firewhiskey, Hermione?" the curly haired brunette turned at her name, her cheeks flushed from laughing and alcohol. Her eyes brightened at the sight of the Weasley twins, one of the twins-Gred or Feorge, she wasn't sure which one-was holding out another glass full of whiskey. She smiled brightly and took it from.
"Shoot it with me, Gred and Feorge!"
"With pleasure!" The two said in unison and the three chorused a 'Cheers!' and drank their shots easily. Her eyes danced around the room, eyeing the people dancing and talking around her in her tipsy phase. Her eyes met a pair of gentle blue eyes and she smiled before running over to the owner of those eyes. Remus laughed and caught her as she stumbled slightly in her sandals. She held tightly to his elbows and laughed at her clumsiness.
"You're healed! Thank goodness," Hermione hugged him tightly and Remus chuckled as he returned the hug, his fingers touching her bare back. He eyed her dress warily. The thin straps on her shoulders and the low back of the dress showed how much weight she had lost while on the hunt for the Horcruxes with Harry and Ron. She was still healthy in size, but he noticed how her shoulders seemed to be slightly bonier looking than he remembered. The front of the dress hung low enough that from his angle he could see some cleavage, but it was still tasteful and appropriate for the occasion. It might be a party, but it was a party that included her professors, friends, and their families. The dress hugged her curves and hung just past her knees. The mess of curls she had once had were calmed into loose, honey colored curls that were currently shoved in a bun and she was only wearing a touch of makeup. She looked truly beautiful Remus found himself thinking. It was a thought that Remus had to mentally slap himself over. His eyes fell to the scar that ran down her beautiful face from her eye to her collarbone and he grimaced at the memory of how she had gotten it.
The war had ended almost a month ago and they were finally moving on to celebrating. The injured were mostly healed, although a few survivors were still using canes to move around. Remus had been pretty badly injured but after almost month in St Mungo's and several doses of potions a day, he was finally healed enough to party with his friends. Luckily he was released in time for the full moon in a few days. He eyed the beyond tipsy woman as she pulled him towards the twins and the dance floor, her smile and eyes bright and welcoming. She acted like she hadn't just lived through a war, like she wasn't scarred, like she hadn't almost died in Remus's arms.
He shook his head to clear those thoughts away. Tonight was about celebrating the end of the war and the lives of those they had lost. Hermione gave his arm a tug and pulled him close to her, "drink and dance with me, Remus! Quit thinking about what happened and party with me." Remus tried to ignore how close their bodies were, the look she was giving him, or how suggestive her words could be. He hated himself for the feelings he had for the young woman in his arms. He had felt strongly for her for a while and hadn't noticed this until she had apologized to him for Harry after their fight in Grimmauld Place. Harry had been wrong about his assumptions that Remus and Tonks were together and Remus had left instead of explaining the young man the truth. When he had returned to explain and ask to join them on the hunt again, they were gone. He had found Hermione's note on the table and he had realized how he felt when he had read her signature, "Love, Hermione." He had been terrified that something would happen to her and the relief he felt when she saw her in Shell Cottage had been indescribable. The anger he had felt to hear that Bellatrix had tortured her had been unbearable and he almost went to find the lunatic and kill her himself.
Hermione had stopped him though. She had leaned her weight against him when he had turned to storm out and asked him to stay with her on the porch of the cottage and he had. They had sat in silence; him waiting on her to speak if she wanted to and eventually she did. He had held her while she cried softly as she explained the guilt she felt for getting them caught and for Dobby being killed.
Remus shook his head again and gave a chuckle as she stumbled again before he wrapped her in his arms, his thumbs rubbing against the smooth skin of her back unconsciously, making her sigh against him. Hermione looked at him for a moment, her eyes showing something he didn't expect to see in them. As quickly as the emotion had appeared it was gone and she shook her head with a laugh before she turned in his arms and gestured the twins over.
"Gred! Feorge! A shot for Remus! He's not near drunk enough for my liking!" The twins cheered and poured four more shots and the four quickly downed them, Remus wincing slightly at the burn as the twins poured three more shots.
"It's time you caught up with 'Mione, Remus!" Hermione laughed and watched as the three men drank their shots. A slower song began to blare around the room and Hermione looked at Remus, her eyes shining in the dimmed room.
"Would you care to dance with me, Hermione?" Remus asked and found his smile brightening when hers did.
"Of course! Or at least I'll try to dance and you can look graceful as you actually do," Hermione joked and Remus pulled her closer to himself, partially to steady her and partially because he liked how she felt against him, and they began to dance. He marveled at how their bodies seemed to fit together so well. Hermione leaned in to him a little more and Remus realized how much she had grown since her third year. Her cheek rested along the top of his shoulder and she nuzzled her forehead in to his neck, making his stomach flip and him smile. "I think I've had too much to drink, Remus," she mumbled and Remus chuckled. Her speech had a slight slur to it, but it wasn't that noticeable.
"The twins would argue that you haven't had enough," he replied quietly before he kissed her temple. She sighed into his body more and they continued to sway to the slow music.
"Yes, we quite agree with Remus, Hermione!" Remus and Hermione straightened and looked beside them to see Fred and George dancing with each other, making the couple laugh.
"It's a party! Voldy is dead; it's time to drink!" Fred…or was it George? Yes, it was George with his missing ear, Remus noted as the red head cheered and poured drinks. The four took their drinks and downed them quickly. The slow song ended and a fast paced song began to play and Remus twirled Hermione and kept dancing with her, both laughing at how the alcohol began to affect them.