Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it, sadly. sigh Jo Rowling owns it, not me. If I did, though, I'd buy a pony.. and a laptop.. and a resturaunt.. and a hotel.. and.. and....
A/N: Ok, this is my first attempt at a fanfic, so keep that in mind as you read. Oh yeah,
"Él eria e môr" means "A star rises out of the darkness". ((Elvish)) :D Please R/R!!
--Man Prestant I Ardhon?--
The day was bleak and dreary. Remus was in no fit mood to play. Grimauld Place was crawling with people from the Order, and there seemed to be no quiet place to sit and reflect. Wherever he went, Remus was confronted with people.
"Remus, want to play chess?"
"Remus, wouldn't you like a nice cup of tea?"
"Remus, what do you think of this new trick?"
No one would leave him alone. He went from room to room, with no peace to be found. Not even his own bedroom was still, thanks to the twins.
Finally, he retreated to the attic, where no one ever ventured. Too many memories were kept there.
It was dark, and not a sound could be heard throughout the room. 'Perfect,'. Remus could make out the outline of a large armchair. He went to it, and sprawled out.
'Finally. A place to relax. No one to bother me about one thing or another. Or ask me about anymore plans.This war has taken too much out of me already. I've got no friends left, no family, not even a house; nothing. What's the point of living, anymore? Even if this godforsaken war is won, I'll be just as miserable and poor...'
But his thoughts were interrupted as the door opened. Someone was coming in. Remus stiffened up, praying they'd leave without taking any notice of him. He heard footsteps echoing across the dust-covered floor. The person passed right by him, without a glance. Whoever it was sat down on the ground, and started to pry open a floorboard, totally unaware of Remus' presence. A woman's voice whispered, "Lumos", and a small shaft of light was emitted from a wand.
It was Hermione. Her chesnut hair cascaded down her back in waves, no longer bushy and frizzy as it was in her childhood. She wore only a baggy t-shirt and jeans, enveloped in dust from the attic. She was pulling some sort of book from the hole. It was old, and faded. Remus' couldn't tell the title, but had some sort of idea of what it was.
Hermione pulled out a quill, and began writing furiously, as if her life depended on it.
'How much she's grown, in these past few months. No longer young and carefree. With her parents gone, she seems to have aged several years.'
Remus shuddered as he thought of Hermione's parents. During one of the many raids by Voldemort, her parents had been killed. Their bodies were found later, in a nearby river, stripped of their clothes and abused.
He was the one to tell her. No one else could.
---3 Months Earlier---
"Hermione.. there's something I need to talk to you about," Remus began.
"Yes, Professor Lupin?"
"Why don't you sit down, first. By the fire," He guided her to the armchair next to the fire, and sat across from her in another.
"Professor, what is it?" she inquired, totally oblivious to what was about to be said.
"Hermione, last night.." He didn't know how to tell her. Should he just blurt it out and leave? No.. that would be cruel.
"Last night, your parents were involved in a raid by Death-Eaters. They were both killed by the Avada Kedavra curse," he stated bluntly.
He watched as her face fell, and tears welled up in her eyes. She sat like that for a moment. Very still, and unmoving.
"Hermione?" He stood, and walked over to her. Getting on his knees, he took her hand and looked up at her. "Do you want me to stay?"
She slowly nodded her head, and a tear plummeted down her face. Many more followed, as she hid her face in the fold of Remus' robes, sobbing. Her entire body shook, and Remus placed his hand on her back to comfort her.
'As if you could comfort her,' he thought.
He held her for several minutes, as she continued to cry. He placed his arms around her, and pulled her close to him. He could feel her shaking violently as he tried to calm her.
"Hermione.. shh.. " he soothed.
---Back to Present---
Remus sat there, just observing her for a while. He watched as a single tear rolled down her cheek, and restrained himself from going to wipe it away.
After some period of time, Hermione put away the book and quill. The light from her wand was extinguished, and she left without seeing him once more. Remus exhaled slowly, wondering if he should have shown himself or not.
'No,' he decided. 'That would have made it worse. I should just leave.'
And he left, but not without the book.
A/N: You like? Then just click that little button and REVIEW! Please! Constructive criticism welcome! :)