Sunday night

Remus could hear someone giggling down the hallway. It was a light tinkle that managed to send shivers down his spine. A deep bark of a laugh sounded and Remus stopped short. A flash of red pushed past him and ran into the library, shortly followed by a much slower, dark-haired male with deep green eyes. They were home.

He moved forward into the doorway and his heart clenched – Molly was hugging Ron with such intensity as Harry swung Ginny around the room. The only one not being held was the woman with the beautiful laugh. She stood in the middle of the group – talking casually with Arthur and Charlie. Something appeared horribly off.

"Remus!" Harry shouted, letting Ginny go and hurrying forward. The young man pulled him into his tight grip and beamed up at him. Remus couldn't help by smile back at his best friend's son and pat him roughly on the back.

"Honestly, Ronald, did you shower once while gone?" Molly's voice broke through all of the conversations as her nose wrinkled and she stepped away from her son. Charlie laughed again and shoved his brother towards the hallway, Harry following.

Suddenly the room felt tight as everyone left the library and only he and Hermione were left. By then she had moved to star out into the dark night – completely oblivious to his gaze. Remus sighed heavily and shoved his hands into his pockets, moving to stand beside her. Hermione Granger stood there, usually an unwavering force of strength, looking very worn out. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, jeans that had a hole above the knee, and a purple sweater that clung to her shivering frame. Remus suddenly found it very difficult to talk.

"We found them the second day," she whispered, voice cracking. His chest hurt as he realized what was coming. "Harry had rented a small hotel room down the street as started our plans. Ronald kept watch while I broke into the files; it was just a simple job – only supposed to take a week. We were there for almost two months." Hermione stopped and spared a glance at her companion, heart thumping in her chest. Remus opened his mouth, willing himself to respond when –

"Mum says dinner is ready," Ginny stated, walking into the room. She glanced at the couple and crossed her arms. "'Mione?" Hermione broke eye contact and turned, nodding at her friend.

"Coming."

Monday

The morning air felt harsh in the lungs as he pushed himself off a tree and sprinted out into the past a bright ball of light. Merlin, he was getting really old. He threw his arm behind his back silently and allowed a second to congratulate himself when the spell connected. His chest was screaming at him to stop, but he had to keep going, to keep fighting.

Remus threw himself behind another tree and grimaced as the bark dug into his back. Rubbing his forehead furiously, he stilled his movement and strained his ears for any sound. A twig snapped to his right. Smirking, he bent his knees and prepared for the attack that never came. Stepping forward cautiously, he glanced around the tree and was suddenly staring up at the sky from his back.

"Bastard," a voice gasped, Harry came into view clenching his side, eyes watering and red from the early temperature. Remus coughed in response and slowly sat up, maneuvering to lean against the tree. Harry slumped down beside him and coughed violently, clenching his chest.

"I haven't practiced since before you left in October," Remus wheezed, rubbing his arms.

"That explains a lot, you old man," Harry cheeked back, nudging the older man. The two chuckled softly and stared out at the sparse woods in which the practiced dueling. A few moments passed before either tried to speak again. "I think she missed having you around," his whispered, glancing to his right. Remus continued staring ahead. "I know we all missed having you there, but Hermione the most. Did she tell you what happened?"

"No," Remus murmured, shaking his head gently. Harry sighed and pulled his knees up towards his chest.

"We were there for two months, but she swore it would only be a week. Ron and I watched them as she started small – at their office, she slowly contacted clients, rearranged information, and restored history. That took three days. On the fourth day…on the fourth day she was going to do it, but… Something went really wrong and… They died, Remus, before she even had a chance to talk to them. They just died. Right in front of us."

Tuesday

All Tuesday Remus cleaned for Molly, avoiding the trio and doing several unnecessary chores. It made him feel like he had control over something – never mind it was something as small as a clean home. Besides, he argued with himself as he cleaned the tapestries on the third floor, it is a rather large home with quite a number of occupants. Occupants like Hermione Granger… Hermione, with her large, brown eyes. Hermione, with her bossy attitude, unwavering loyalty, and Merlin, those legs… Hermione, who was old enough to only be his daughter, if he were a normal man. But, Remus John Lupin was not a normal man, and he never really would be, now would he?

Wednesday

Charlie, Ron, and Remus were out for a run at the local park – finally having lost the battle with the cold because the house just felt too crowded. The three men were running laps down the concrete trail, shoes slapping against the ground and sweat dripping down their backs despite the temperature. Before the trio had left, the three men met once a week to sprint their hearts out and rid themselves of any aggression that had built up.

"Have you heard from Sammy?" Charlie questioned his younger brother, slowing his pace to a walk. Ron shook his head, grinning, as Remus became confused.

"Nah, she had to go and visit her family," Ron replied, pulling his shirt up to wipe his forehead off. "Said she'd write me later this week, probably by Friday." Remus furrowed his brow, even more confused by now.

"Who is Sammy?" He asked, trying not to worry about his breathing. Ron and Charlie smirked at each other and picked up their speeds.

"Girl I met on the trip – hotel we were staying at. Her mum was a maid there and Sammy was always hanging around. On breaks we'd talk and started trading addresses. Right before we left she promised to send me an owl by the end of the week," the red-head grinned at his older companions, clearly proud of his accomplishments.

"What did Hermione think about that?" He could feel himself growing angrier by the second – hadn't they dated? Obviously Ron was much thicker than Remus had suspected if he assumed it was alright to pick up girls at a time like that.

"What do you mean?" Ron cheeked, glancing towards his brother. "We didn't even date, not like it should bother her as it was – had bigger things to worry about then, didn't she?" The older man bit his lip at Ron's ignorance – furious.

"It doesn't matter! She used to have feelings for you and you waved that – that trollop in her face! Can you imagine what she must have been going through down there? Bigger things my right arse." Chest heaving, Remus spun on his feet and disappeared.

Thursday

After his outburst the morning before, Remus had decided to remain hidden in his room and avoid everyone. There really was no use, he had determined, in trying to leave his room because of how crowded the house could be at any given moment. Besides, why bother leaving when no one wanted to see him? Ron would only glare at him, Harry would try to talk about Ginny – asking for advice, and Hermione… Hermione hadn't looked at him since Sunday night in the library. So, really, what was the point in leaving?

Friday

He awoke with a start, gasping for air as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He guessed it was close to ten o'clock in the evening. Remus tried to recall what it was that had woken him up – those eyes. Dark eyes, like melted chocolate, eyes that pierced through to his very soul. Eyes filled with lust, lust he could feel pounding through his veins at that very moment.

He sat up and swung his legs over the bed, allowing his feet to guide him out the door and down the stairs. He was almost in the doorway when Remus realized he had entered the library – noticing the dark silhouette of a young woman looking out the window. Hermione.

She turned after hearing her name against his lips; he hadn't realized he had spoken out loud until that very moment. All of Remus' senses felt heightened as the air constricted around them.

"Professor," Hermione whispered, eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Her hair cascaded around her cheeks in kinky curls, she wore a loose pajama shirt, and shorts. It all seemed so…endearing.

"I thought I asked you to call me Remus, Hermione, it's been years since I was your professor." She nodded slightly as he drew close to stand beside her, facing the window. "Harry told me, you know, about what happened. Why didn't you owl me?" Remus didn't want to sound as though he was accusing her, but he needed to know why she hadn't told him.

Hermione turned towards the window, visibly shaking and Remus knew it wasn't from the cold. "I-I wanted to, but I couldn't tell you. It would have made everything real. I still haven't said it a loud at all, even during the funeral I – I just couldn't say it," his heart was breaking with every word and he wanted nothing more than to hide her in his arms. "They're dead because of me, Remus. My mum and dad are dead," Hermione gasped and clenched his arm; knees clacking together and she weakened against him.

Remus pulled her towards him, stroking her hair as she sobbed her sorrows against him for the first time since she had seen them die in a car crash the morning she was going to reverse the spell. Everything had ended in that moment as Hermione watched with horrified eyes, clenching her chest as she stood helplessly on the sidewalk – her mum was standing, waiting for her father to bring the car around, when, out of nowhere, a taxi had come crashing around the corner and created a hug inferno that consumed her mother, father, and the reckless driver instantly. Ron and Harry arrived seconds later, trying their best to pull her away from the sight of it all. Somehow they stayed for another month and a half before finally coming home.

"It isn't your fault Hermione," Remus Lupin whispered into her hair, softly kissing it. She looked up at him, all cried out, with tears glistening against her cheeks and eyes shining brightly. The room felt extremely tight as the air compressed around them and neither could look away.

Reaching up, Hermione pulled Remus' head down and caught his bottom lip with hers, pulling gently and kissing. They both gasped at the contact – Remus pulled her body flush with his and kissed her harder. She parted her lips and his tongue slipped through – battling for dominance. The room didn't even exist anymore.

"Bedroom?" She murmured against his lips, shoving his shoulder towards the doorway.

%

The bedroom door slammed shut behind the couple, their mouths clashing against one another as they paused for short breathes. Remus slept in only boxers, and hadn't bothered adding more for his trek down to the library.

Hermione could feel Remus harden against her through the thin materials of their clothes. She rolled her hips experimentally against his and grinned as he moaned with desire, pulling away to bite her neck. After that it became a free for all of sorts – Hermione's shirt disappeared and was replaced by hot hands, and then her shorts and his boxers melted away. They paused.

"Hermione," Remus whispered, holding her face and peering into her eyes. "Are you sure?" She nodded quickly and lay down on his bed, open, just for him.

Filled with a new energy he lay beside her, teasing a nipple with his fingertips as she whimpered for more. Her hand found its way to his back as she rolled to face him and scratched a line down his back. He arched into her with a gasp.

Without warning, Remus rolled on top of her, nestling between her legs and kissing her harshly, cock pushed right up against her stomach.

"Now, Remus, please," she begged, wrapping her legs around him and bucking. He leaned up on one elbow and grabbed his hardened member, pushing it up against her center and paused. Hermione nodded and Remus leaned back down to kiss her sweetly as he pushed forward – taking the time to go slowly.

Suddenly, Hermione bucked back and forth, seemingly oblivious to any pain from the precious barrier that had just been broken and any gentleness Remus had possessed flew out of his mind.

Pounding into her, she groaned and moaned, pulling him closer to her body and kissing his neck. He could feel a clench in his balls and then – Hermione screamed and bit into his shoulder, body clenching tightly around him. Remus howled, pulling her into a searing kiss as he came inside her body for the first time.