Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
A/N: Wow! Thanks so much for the responses! Big thanks to those who favorited or followed this story, and huge thanks to my reviewers from last chapter: Ashmo21, adrianiforever, OptimusPrimegirl123, Pwrmom2, twztdwildcat, everlastingtrueromace, Elle Ryder (Haha, I hope you like where I take it...I am not big on Ron myself), Lilith Faye Black, laumirot (I would love to read it! Please let me know when you post it!), unicornz . 334, and dixie326!
So here is chapter two - I would love to hear how you found it. Be on the lookout for chapter three next week. Oh, and to all my US readers - Happy Thanksgiving!
It was considerably later in the evening that Headmaster Dumbledore asked Remus to rejoin him in the infirmary of Hogwarts. His blue eyes were already twinkling in that slightly annoying way, so Remus knew that his former teacher was about to ask him for a favor. It wasn't a trouble, Remus thought, knowing that the Headmaster had done so much for him through the years. "Ah, Remus, just the man I wanted to see."
Remus came to look at the girl. Her wide eyes looked a bit haunted and he seemed to note a hint of recognition in their brown depths. Had they met before? No, he was certain that they hadn't.
"Remus, this is Hermione Granger." Dumbledore made the introductions. "And Hermione, this is Remus Lupin, a former student of mine and a current associate. I believe you are both about the same age."
"Pleased to meet you." Remus said with a forced smile to this girl on the bed. Was Dumbledore trying to set them up?
Hermione didn't say anything, but it seemed like a bit of happiness was bleeding back into her face, although he could tell that she was feeling dreadfully uncomfortable.
"Remus, I was just remembering that you might have an available bedroom in your flat, seeing as Mr. Pettigrew is away tending to his elderly aunt. I was wondering if you might have room for Miss Granger to stay with you for a while, until she can get her bearings here and the Order can find her more permanent accommodations." Dumbledore asked, meaning laced in his words.
So she was some kind of friend of the Order, then. "I uh, yes that would be lovely. It might encourage Sirius to tidy up a bit more." It was not odd for Dumbledore to ask for favors, but a favor of this magnitude was unusual. This Hermione must be very important to the Order. He wondered how long it would take until he had an explanation.
"Excellent!" Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together. "Well, Miss Granger here has just been discharged. I will leave you to it. Feel free to use the Floo in Poppy's office." Then the meddling old man left the pair of them alone in the hospital wing.
"Well, if you'll just gather your things…" Remus said standing over her, before realizing that she was wearing everything that she had. He felt himself surging with empathy, thinking of how he would be equally destitute if it wasn't for his friends. "Er..I guess you don't have anything to gather. Don't worry, we'll get you sorted." He told her with a smile, before leading her towards the Floo.
Hermione followed him through the floo and was surprised to step out the other side on a very muggle looking flat. It was a very nice flat, the walls a stark white with a large fireplace in the living area and a galley kitchen off of that. It was obvious though that several bachelors lived there, based on the amount of clutter around the place. Still, it was homey and Hermione found herself further relaxing.
"Thank you for your hospitality." She said quietly, realizing that it was the first thing she'd said to Remus. So far, she had been content to just observe her future professor. He was so different in this time and she could tell that she made him nervous. She wondered if he wasn't very used to spending time with girls.
He smiled brightly at her. "No trouble at all, Hermione. Come on, I'll show you to your room." He led her down a hallway, and opened a door to a relatively empty room, save the bed in the corner. There wasn't even a dresser or nightstand to be seen. "Peter was supposed to move in here, but like Dumbledore said, he is taking care of his aunt."
"It's lovely." She said with a sad smile on her face, thinking about Peter Pettigrew. Should she warn them? She knew the ramifications of meddling with time. She decided not to say anything, trying to keep things untouched until she could talk to Dumbledore about returning to her time. "In any case, it's loads better than the infirmary." She joked with him.
Remus laughed with her as well. He'd had his share of time in the infirmary and was inclined to agree with her. "And your bathroom is just down the hall. You'll share with Sirius, but I promise he isn't all that untidy."
Hermione nodded and wondered when she would get to meet Sirius. She was excited to meet this younger Sirius.
"Well," Remus said, leading her back into the living area. "I think that the other guys were going to meet at the pub down the road, if you wanted to go. I mean, I know you've only just gotten up and about, so I'll understand if you want to pass."
Hermione thought about it. She had felt restless since she'd woken up, and wanted nothing more than to get out and about. And, she was desperately curious to meet the others as well. "No, that might be nice. I've just been lying on my arse all summer apparently."
"Well, shall we go then?" Remus asked, moving to grab his coat from the little closet by the door.
Hermione looked down at her attire. Her jumper was bloody and dirty and even ripped in places. She couldn't go out into public like this. "Er, Remus, do you have a shirt I could borrow? I know I could just charm it clean, but…" She looked down at her shoes.
"Oh, of course, silly me." Remus felt so silly for not thinking of it. "Come on, I think I have something that would fit you." He lead her into his bedroom, which Hermione found done in a please palate of taupe and green, and he riffled through his dresser until he found a t-shirt that would fit her. It was a navy blue Puddlemere United shirt. "Sorry, I've haven't worn it since fourth year, so I figured…"
"It's fine, Remus." Hermione said, just grateful to have something to wear. "I'll just go change then." Hermione walked into her little room and stripped out of her stained jumper, leaving it on the bed. She then put on the t-shirt. It was a little bit loose still, but it would do. Besides, it wasn't like she was trying to impress anyone with her looks.
She thought of Ron and how upset he would be at her wearing anything but Gryffindor or Chudley Cannons orange.
Stepping out into the living room, she found Remus waiting for her. "Ready to go?" She asked him, happy to follow him out of the flat into the hallway and down the five flights of stairs out onto the street. The pub was just right around the corner from the flat. "Why did you decide to live in muggle London?" Hermione asked, surprised. Sirius had never said anything about it.
"Hmm, well, I guess it seemed like an adventure. It had the fireplace, so it was easy to set up the floo connection and it's fairly close to the ministry." Remus said, holding the door open for her.
Hermione was surprised to find the bar mostly empty, but she quickly spotted Sirius. He was much better looking than she expected. He did have sort of an arrogant face, but his grey eyes were devastating and his shaggy black hair made her want to run her hands through it. Maybe he hadn't been exaggerating that much when he would tell Harry and Ron stories about his youth. "Moony got himself a bird!" His boisterous voice boomed across the bar. Hermione smiled at seeing Remus's pink cheeks.
"Ah, Sirius, perhaps you'll remember Hermione? You met her at school." Remus said, meaning laced in his tone, leading her over to the two boys.
Sirius's eyes got comically wide, recognizing her. "Ah, so you're awake then?" He said, scratching his chin.
"Yes, I woke up this morning." Hermione said quietly.
"Hermione, this is Sirius." Remus introduced them. "Dumbledore has asked if we wouldn't mind playing host to Hermione here for a while, while they tie up some loose ends. I've put her in Peter's room." Hermione almost wanted to giggle at how quickly they were willing to accept a stranger into their flat. But, she supposed the war was still in its early days, and they didn't know the level of distrust that was sure to come in the following three years.
Sirius nodded. "Great, welcome." Sirius wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her over to the table they were set up at. "Hermione, allow me to introduce you to our other roommate, James."
James smiled brightly and Hermione felt her heart stop. She didn't know why she hadn't thought about the fact that she would be meeting Harry's parents, but here she was. Everyone said that Harry looked exactly like his father, but with his mother's eyes, but Hermione had to disagree.
James did possess messy black hair that just wouldn't seem to lie flat, but he had a cocky sort of grin on his face. James also seemed to have a bit more of a developed musculature, with broad shoulders. Harry had always been slender, Hermione thought it was likely a remnant of his childhood he'd never be able to correct. Behind his round glasses, James had bright hazel eyes. But the biggest difference was the confident way he seemed to carry himself, something Harry could never hope to possess. "James." He said, holding out his hand.
Hermione took the offered hand with a meek smile. "Hermione." She said, sitting down across from him. Hermione looked around the bar, where Sirius and Remus were ordering drinks. She felt James's eyes on her face, studying her. Wanting to break the silence that had settled between them, Hermione decided to talk first. "So, where is Lily? Did she pop off the loo?"
James's face changed from genial to annoyed in an instance. "I have no idea where Lily is. I definitely wouldn't invite her here." He said, in a harsh tone.
Hermione was taken aback by the sudden outburst, but decided he must just be joking. "Come on, you should be married by now." Hermione said, teasing him. She knew that Harry's parents had gotten married shortly after they left Hogwarts.
James was getting more upset. "I don't know where you got the idea…I will never, ever marry Lily Evans." He was adamant and it had Hermione convinced.
Suddenly, the atmosphere was pounding as she realized what she was doing. Here she was, sent back in time after Harry had died, she was spending time with his father and friends, all of whom were also dead. But here James Potter was telling her that there never even would be a Harry Potter. It was suffocating to think that the friend she had devoted the last seven years to didn't even exist anymore.
Unable to think about it anymore she pushed back from the table and walked to the bar. "Hi, could I please have a whiskey and ginger ale." Her dad had ordered her one once at a wedding they attended, but Hermione had never really drank before. Still, she was an adult and decided that it was now time to indulge.
Sirius and Remus looked surprised, but obliged, carrying their lagers back to the table to rejoin James. If they noted the icy way the other two regarded each other they didn't say anything. Instead, they began a discussion about the upcoming Quidditch season, which James was happy to participate in.
Hermione sat on the periphery, drinking her whiskey and giggling every now and then at the things they said. They were so young and happy and she was trying desperately to feel young and happy herself. She drank another and another as the pain that had settled in her chest at Harry's fate seemed to disappear, replaced by warmth and nothing. Finally, she felt so dizzy, she knew that she had to leave. "I'm just going to head to the loo."
When she stood her head seemed to spin and she had to grab onto the table for support. Once she was level, she sauntered off in the direction of the bathrooms, the three men watching her make her tipsy topsy way over. Sirius sighed, before finishing the rest of his beer. "I will go take her back to the flat. I should have spotted a lightweight like that."
Remus scoffed. "Come on, Sirius, she only just woke up from being in the infirmary all summer. I don't even know if she ate anything today. Plus, you can tell she's been through a lot."
Sirius shrugged and followed her into the bathroom, ignored the wolf whistles of an old drunk sitting at the bar.
When he entered the little room, he found her sitting on the floor of one of the little cubicles, puking her guts out. "Hermione, it's Sirius. I've come to walk you home." He heard the door click open and saw her pitiful face, tear tracks down her cheeks. "Do you think you can walk back?"
Hermione shook her head in shame.
"How about just out of the bar?" Sirius asked. Hermione bit her lip and then nodded, letting him pick her up off the floor. He put his arm around her shoulders, letting her lean on him, and guide her steps out of the bathroom and out of the pub. Once they were safely down the mews behind the bar, he apparated them back to the flat.
