Important: Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)

House: Slytherin

Class: Herbology- Herbal Medicine

Assignment: 2

Genre: Spiritual; Angst; Romance

Word count: 989 (Excluding Author's Note, but including entire Entry and Title)

Warning: This is an AU (Alternate Universe). Chapter one was written for Hogwarts School of Witchcrap & Wizardry. Future chapters will include mentions of sex, alcohol, and rituals.

Characters: (Main Characters are listed Alphabetically by last name.) Hermione Granger; Remus Lupin

Summary: All Hermione Granger wanted was his love. After a hundred and seventy-four years of living and roaming as a werewolf, is Remus Lupin ready to find his mate? During one of their usual meetings in the Forest of Dean, Remus attacks her, unknowingly marking her as his mate. When he awakens, he soon discovers that she's in possession of a necklace her great-grandmother procured years ago when she was chasing after him and his wolf has finally claimed her as his own. Torn between wanting to push her away and claim her, Remus must choose what's right for Hermione, even if that means displeasing the wold inside.

Author's Note: This was spur of the moment. I've never written a RemusxHermione, especially a mate fic before. I hope y'all like it :) Chapter Two of Symphony is well underway, I promise! Capturing Her has been fully outlined. (I lost some drive for that one. I work 10-8 most days, so writing usually doesn't happen until my days off). I'd love everyone's feedback on this one!

As always, enjoy

-Carolare Scarletus

Submit to the Power of the Moon

"I told you to stay away," Remus uttered lowly.

Hermione stopped spreading the ointment to his chest. She looked him in the eye, catching his hateful glare under the waning moon. She's spent the last several days trying to find where he'd run off to while in his werewolf form, but now that she did, he didn't want anything to do with her. He always had a way of making her feel alive. At that moment, she felt utterly worthless.

She dropped her arm and turned away. "You say that like you're ungrateful that I saved your life."

"I could have killed you."

"So," she said, shrugging. "You could have killed all the others who were foolish enough to track you down."

"They're nothing like you," Remus growled, still staring at her.

Hermione ignored him as she hummed and rummaged through her bag. Once she found what she was looking for, she took it out and held it against the light of the beating fire. It was a simple necklace with a wooden pendant. She'd held onto it for as long as she could remember. It served as a token of gratitude in the years following their first encounter. Back then, she'd been a naive girl wishfully thinking she had a chance with the likes of him. She hoped Remus could tell her, after all the years she'd put into their relationship, that she was finally worthy of wearing the necklace.

"Do you remember when you gave this to me," she asked, holding the necklace between them. Had there been a gem to catch the light of the fire, surely their eyes would be drawn to it. But, that didn't matter. The simplicity in its creation was enough to make Hermione protective of the piece and she hoped Remus would understand her illustration as she brought it up higher. "You hadn't been a monster then, Remus."

"I hardly think that piece of junk is enough to demonstrate the humanity that's left within me."

"You're right," she agreed with him. Hermione's eyes caught the pendant and she sighed. "But, I find some humanity left in you, Remus. Surely, that counts for something?"

Remus didn't try to refute her statement, nor did he openly accept it. Perhaps, during their trailing times together, he'd come to accept the fact that someone may love him. If not, well, Hermione had the rest of her life to prove it to him.

She wasn't the first to try.

In his one hundred and seventy-four years of life, there had been countless women who tried and failed to lure him to them. Hermione, she believed with the naive sense of a dreamer, that she'd gotten the closest by far. Remus was very much like ice. When the right amount of heat is applied, his icy exterior melts and a gentler interior is revealed. If Hermione was a single matchstick, then she'd have to wait a while to witness such a phenomenon. Every minute would be worth it, knowing what awaited her on the other end.

"I've cherished it ever since you left it to me," Hermione pulled the necklace to her chest, melting in the warmth of the pendant. "One day I hope you'll choose me as your mate."

"Hermione…"

"I'm willing to wait… no matter how long it takes, I'll wait, Remus."

"Hermione," he said to her sternly. She stopped rambling for a moment and looked at him.

Remus' once brown eyes were glowing yellow. Gasping, Hermione looked to the stars, wondering if the power of the moon was able to still affect him even though it was waning. When no such rational conclusion was met, she looked back at him. She stiffened at the sudden proximity of his body pressing against hers. His nose was pressing into her neck. She could feel his hot breath against her skin, and it awakened her in more ways than one.

Hermione held her breath, much too afraid to speak

When the silence was too much, she tilted her head, not to allow him more access to her neck but to get away. He'd messed with her before and she didn't want to go down the wrong path again.

"Remus…"

A roughened hand pressed against her neck. "I bit you."

"That's impossible," she scoffed, wanting to laugh at him. "Werewolves don't bit humans on the neck. Only Vampyres do."

"Doesn't matter the place," he murmured, going back to her neck. "I knew the second I got back to my senses that I bit you. I just couldn't bring myself to believe it."

"T...that means…" Hermione couldn't finish her sentence.

Remus pulled away, but only for a moment. His eyes were glowing the most intense shade of yellow she'd ever seen. If passion had a color, it would be that. Painted in fierce blots, his eyes shined vividly in the darkness. Suddenly, a tantalizing scent wafted between them and her body became acute and aware of what he was doing. Remus was trying to seduce her with his scent. Before she could submit to him, he grabbed her hands and took the necklace from her.

"I've fought this feeling for so long, I almost dared believe that it was impossible."

"What was impossible?" Hermione whimpered, his powerful magic already reaching out to touch her.

Remus leaned toward her and brushed a strand of hair out of the way of her face. "That, out of all the women who've tried and held this necklace, you were my mate."

"When did you know?"

"Years ago," he growled into her ear and she shivered. "The first time you came to me, I was almost certain that you were. As time wore on, it immediately became apparent that you were different. Now that I've marked you… not going to let you go."

Hermione closed her eyes and submitted to the power of the waning moon...