She let out a shiver as she stepped into 12 Grimmauld Place, shutting the large wooden door behind her, with the least noise possible. She wasn't sure for time but knew it was late, she had visited school to use the library before being caught up in conversation with the Patil twins, who were staying at Hogwarts for the Christmas holiday.

"Damn." she muttered as the door slammed. The last person she wanted to wake was Walburga, the portrait of Sirius' blood purity obsessed mother, who would often respond to loud noises and scream obscenities at every chance.

"Hermione?"

She was certain by now everyone would be in bed, and the gentle voice coming from the hall startled her, she lost her balance slightly, stumbling into the door only to see Lupin greeting her with a warm smile.

"I didn't mean to make you jump like that," he chuckled.

"It's fine Professor, I just didn't expect anyone to be up. " The clock on the wall caught her eye, it's hands pointing to quarter to 12.

"Ah I see," he said still smiling. "You look freezing, Hermione. May I offer you a hot chocolate?"

Still feeling embarrassed from letting him startle her, her cheeks flushed pink. "That would be lovely, Professor" she responded as she finished unbuttoning her coat.

She followed him down the dark hallway, lit only by glowing gas lamps. She took a seat at the table in the centre of the kitchen.

He passed her a mug of hot chocolate and sat on the seat opposite to her. His hazel eyes locking with her golden ones as she sipped from the mug, the hot drink burning her lips. "Sirius was getting rather concerned, you know," he said, stirring his hot chocolate. "I told him there was no need to worry but he didn't listen," he chuckled fondly. "What took you back to school over the holidays then?" He questioned.

She swallowed her drink, "The library. I had asked Harry and Ron to come too but they..." her mind flicked to the incident this morning, before she had decided to go by herself, when Ron had called her 'boring', it was a mistake and she knew that, Ron said a lot of idiotic things before he could think but it irritated her all the same. "Didn't seem too kean, so I went by myself this morning..." she sighed. "Where is Sirius?"

"Ah, I know that feeling all too well, although I learnt to enjoy going by myself as I realised you couldn't possibly take James and Sirius somewhere as quiet and peaceful as the library and expect them to behave themselves." He smiled fondly at the memory. "Sirius is, I believe to be in the shower." He paused. "I just hope to Merlin, for your sake and for mine that he will remember he has visitors staying and have the decency to cover himself when he gets out."

The thought of Sirius in the shower, or waltzing into the kitchen any minute with no clothes on filled her mind. She felt her cheeks heat up as if she'd just eaten some Fever Fudge the Weasley twins had made, she struggled to keep her cheeks from flushing pink. "O-Oh, right. Well I suppose I should be getting to bed now anyway, Professor. Thank you for the hot chocolate, it was lovely." She said rushingly.

"No bother, Hermione. Hot chocolate is also my weak point." His eyes twinkled. "But do stay if you wish, I enjoy your company. The only person I spend all that much time with now is Sirius and he, while he's good company I do often wonder if he's capable of a mature conversation."

"Well it is nice to know you enjoy my company." she bit her lip, "I'm afraid I've been getting on Harry and Ron's nerves this holiday." She let out a small sigh. "But I must be getting to bed soon, I had planned on getting up early and visiting the library again."

OH GOD she was enjoying spending time with him but knew she had to get back to her room, since the mentioning of Sirius showering she had started to feel mildly flustered. Or was it simply from the friendly company of her old Professor? She didn't know which but knew she enjoyed both thoughts.

"The library again, Hermione?" he smiled, "you could always check the library here, Sirius doesn't use it but there's a lot of old books that might interest you, there's many first editions too. I can show you, if you like. Sirius wouldn't mind."

"That would be lovely Professor-" she smiled and pushed a strand of her long wavy hair out of her face.

His hazel eyes brightened up, "Brilliant, and Hermione, feel free to call me Remus."

"MERLIN!"

Remus and Hermione turned their heads and their eyes met a tall man of a fairly muscular build, stood in the doorway. His shoulder length dark hair was damp and he was wrapped in just a towel, exposing his well toned torso and abdomen. Merlin, he looked so appealing, Hermione thought to herself.

"Hermione!" Sirius exclaimed. "I wondered where you were, Harry told me you had gone back to school in the holidays?! I almost didn't believe him, but I had all sorts of worries going through my mind" he said.

"Sirius she would have been fine regardless! Hogwarts is as safe as safe, you know that." Remus said.

"Yeah right," he lowered his voice "with all those leering, sneaky death eaters Dumbledore employs?" he muttered.

Remus rolled his eyes, "Don't be childish Sirius, you are basing that off of one man, who Albus seemingly has a lot of trust in."

Hermione knew they were referring to Professor Snape. Hmm, she remembered how Sirius had interacted with him the first time they met him in the shrieking shack, it was clear that Sirius detested Severus but he had a point when he commented on their ability to quarrel like an old married couple.

Hermione giggled, the two men stared at her confused for a moment or two before Sirius piped up "why are we laughing?" he grinned.

Hermione noticed Remus' brow furrow as if he was trying to work out why she could have been laughing. "Put some clothes on Sirius." Remus said.

"In a minute Moony, don't be a prude. Is that why you were giggling Hermione?" He asked, smirking cheekily.

She scarcely managed to contain yet another giggle at the sight of him, stood in the kitchen in nothing but a towel, "I-I, well no... I was laughing at you two. Quarrelling like an old married couple."

Sirius grinned again and proceeded to shake his head in a fashion that could only remind Hermione of a dog shaking it's wet fur, "Sirius!" shouted Remus, "Stop it, go and put some clothes on." Hermione's eyes began to wander and she found herself taking what she knew was probably her last chance to see him like this, and noticed how attractive his chest was, she was sure he must work out, maybe he got toned from running around in his Animagus form she wondered. His chest showed a few tattos, which she found to be very attractive, she imagined how it would be to trace her fingers over the tattoos.

"I was going to show Hermione the library, why don't you meet us in there after you've put some clothes on." Suggested Remus.

Sirius glanced at Remus, and then glanced at Hermione, his eyes were sparkling, filled with mischief. "Ooh! Professor Moony is taking the dashing Miss Granger into my private, secluded library in the middle of the night?" He eyed the mugs that Remus was putting into the cupboard, "And may I ask, what have you two been drinking?"

Hermione turned scarlet, Sirius had found a way to embarrass her or make her giggle with almost every sentence in the past 5 minutes spent in his company.

"Oh come off it Padfoot, she just wanted to look at the books and may I note that I'm no longer her Professor. And just hot chocolate, I heard her arrive and thought a hot drink would warm her up."

"You two are sneaking around library's for the sake of books? This late?" Hermione noticed his nose turn up, "I knew you were a boring bookworm Remus but Hermione seems a bit more fun. You gave the lady hot chocolate? Oh Moony." He sighed. "I'll meet you two in the library in 5 minutes then." He winked before he walked out the room and they heard his footsteps on the stairs above them.

"Sorry about that." Remus sighed, "Sirius has a knack for making situations awkward and implying things. He always has." He sighed.

They walked down the hallway to find the library door, their footsteps echoing in the dark hallway. Grimmauld Place was always far from being warm and homely in the day time, but at night it seemed positively ghastly.

"Shh..." Remus said with his finger to his lips, nodding at the portait of Walburga. They were careful not to disturb her and reached the heavy wooden door, Remus tried the door and it was locked.

"Alohomora." he muttered and with that the door opened.