Chapter 1: Yet Another Failed Relationship and An Explaination That Makes Sense

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, there'd be so many people who wouldn't have died. Anyway, I love the books (don't get me wrong, I think they're great) but I've always kind of thought that Ron wasn't exactly up to Hermione's level. This is sort of movie-verse. Do try to enjoy it anyway. Ta!

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She liked to watch people. She could see so much about them.

Of course, as owner and bartender of the Monkshood Inn she could get away with it.

Take the blonde man who was going to be the groom in the up-coming wedding that would be following the current engagement party. He was deeply in love with his bride-to-be, want to travel and search for undiscovered or even supposedly fake creatures, and thought of the dark man sitting in the corner as more of his father than his actual father.

And the dark man, a Potioneer if the distinctive lilac stain on his cuff was anything to go by, was proud of the younger blonde man. He also cared greatly for the young woman at the other end of the bar in a fatherly way.

It was the young woman that she was interested in.

The young woman had very curly brown hair that many would have called bushy and deep, chocolate brown eyes that glittered with wit and intelligence. She was dressed casually in blue jeans, a soft, red sweater that brought out the red in her hair, and a pair of brown loafers, but radiated power.

The expression on her face as she glanced at the engaged couple and the fact that the woman sat about as far away from everyone else as she could without seeming like she was doing it on purpose had Verity convinced that she needed to help.

After all, it wasn't everyday she ran across someone in the same boat she'd been in.

She filled a glass with the special home brew and set it before the woman. "You know, no one thinks to say that when there's a werewolf about, you shouldn't go around howling on a full moon."

The young woman started and looked at her. "Excuse me?"

Verity smiled and leaned on the counter. "You've the look of a woman who's beginning to think all her relationships are doomed to failure before they even begin. A couple years ago I saw that look every time I looked in the mirror. This is what, the fifth, sixth relationship that went down the drain?"

"Fifth. And I didn't order this."

"I know. But you need something a little stronger than that Butterbeer. Don't worry, this is on the house. You should know that it's not your fault; they tend to scare off anyone trying to get with their mates." Verity rolled her eyes. "How stupid of me. I haven't intorduced myself. Verity McCrimmon, owner and head barkeep of the Monkshood Inn."

"Hermione Granger. What do you mean 'they'?" Hermione questioned.

Verity nodded at a sandy haired gentleman across the room. "That Lupin fellow, he's been watching you. And he's a werewolf."

"How do you know that? You didn't recognize me, so how do you know Remus is a werewolf?"

Verity laughed. "I deserve to be fed to a manticore if I can't tell if someone is a werewolf. As to why I didn't recogize you…"

"She doesn't read any newspaper but the Times and rarely reads anything besides fiction and ancient history and philosophy." a man interrupted as he came up behind Verity and wrapped his arms around her. "Hello Mate." He burried his face in her hair.

Verity broke away from him. "Hey now. I'm working, so keep your grubby paws to yourself, Daemeon."

"But Verity, the full moon is coming up." he whined.

Verity crossed her arms. "In one week and four days. And unless you want to sleep on the couch the whole time, behave."

Daemeon grabbed one of her hands and bowed over it. "As my mate wishes." He kissed it, giving it a quick lick before releasing it.

Verity lightly hit his arm before giving him a kiss. "Silly wolf. Anyway, this is my husband and worse half, Daemeon. Daemeon, Hermione Granger."

Daemeon put a hand over his heart and gave Verity a mock hurt look. "I'm wounded. Your 'worse half'? I thought I was one of the best things that happened to you."

Verity rolled her eyes. "So says the man who turns into a hairy dog once a month and always tries to bring in fleas the next morning. I do love you, but sometimes you're just too much."

Daemeon and Hermione laughed.

"I'd shake your hand Miss Granger, but I've no wish for the older one to kick my arse." Daemeon told her.

Hermione gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Verity answered. "He's a werewolf, and you're his mate. The Claiming hasn't happened yet, but all other creatures of the moon can tell you're under his protection. And you never mess with a werewolf's mate unless you have a death wish. Since he doesn't know Daemeon and you're still unclaimed, he'll percieve Daemeon as a threat."

"Remus isn't my mate, nor I his. We're just good friends." Hermione protested.

Verity took off her apron and thrust it at Daemeon. "Here, man the bar. I need to grab something from the house." She disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Daemeon shrugged at Hermione's surprised look. "She's gifted." He went to work filling drink orders.

Verity appeared with a book in her hands a moment later. She placed it before Hermione. "I think you need to read this. It's all about the culture of werewolves, from birth to death. It's written by a werewolf couple in a Wizarding village outside Vancouver. Daemeon and I have met them. They're well into their hundreds, so they've been around a time or two."

Hermione stared at the book. "But we're just friends."

Verity tilted Hermione's head up to look her in the eyes. "You howled to him and he responded. It was years ago, but trust me, he's never forgotten."

Hermione paled as the memory of her third year at Hogwarts rose in her mind. "My god, I did howl to him. When I was thirteen, had just turned fourteen actually. Harry and I had used my Time Turner to go back in time and I howled to get his attention from our past selves." She looked at Verity in shock.

Verity squeezed her hand. "Read the book. I'll be here if you have any questions."

Hermione grabbed the book, made her goodbyes, and left.

Remus Lupin appeared before Verity less than a minute later. "What did you do to her?" he asked with a growl.

Verity put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "I was helping her realize that it's not her fault her relationships are falling apart, something you should be doing. I'm trying to help someone who's going through what I went through with no help."

Daemeon joined her, wrapping a defensive and possessive arm around Verity's waist. "Don't threaten my mate. She's trying to help your mate. This might even help you Claim yours faster."

Remus looked between them. "Don't either of you dare hurt her."

Verity's glare hardened.

"The same goes for you." she returned coldly.

*~*~*~*

Hermione stayed up all night and read the book from cover to cover, writing down all her questions. She burst into the Monkshood Inn shortly after breakfast, still dressed in the clothes from the night before.

Shadows could be seen under her eyes.

"It makes sense! All of it!" she declared to everyone, her eyes fixed on Verity.

Verity tossed down her dishtowel and took off her apron. "Of course is does. I wouldn't have told you about it or lent you the book if it didn't. Stacey, you're in charge. I'm going to take the rest of the day off." she told the other employee behind the bar as she jumped it. She took Hermione's arm. "This is best discussed over tea and biscuits. Let's go to Daemeon and I's house, and you can ask all your questions."

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