A/N: Please note that this story has undergone a re-write. While the essential plot line remains the same, some small details have been changed. It is recommended that you re-read all chapters.

A Chance in Time

By Annie Dumbledore

Chapter Six

Harry rummaged through his trunk looking for some boxer shorts. He quickly located a pair and then went to have a shower. He let the hot water wash over him, and let his thoughts wander. They led to a place they'd been a fair bit lately, to Hermione. He knew she'd already be down in the common room, working on some essay or assignment. Harry rinsed the shampoo from his hair and turned off the water. After toweling himself down, he reached for his favourite black and silver boxers and pulled them on. Immediately, the charms and hexes Hermione had put on them worked. Harry quickly whipped them off, looked down and screamed.

'Hermione!' he screeched.

Hermione was down in the common room, but she wasn't doing her homework as Harry had thought. She was in fact, doing something she rarely did, which was read a non-magic related book. When she couldn't be bothered traveling to her parents' house by Floo Powder to watch Pride and Prejudice, she settled for the next best thing, which was a copy of the book. As soon as she heard Harry's yells, Hermione figured out what he was yelling about. Quick as a flash, she summoned her bag of Floo Powder from her room and stepped through the flames. Honestly, she thought, I did warn him not to wear those ones.

**

Mrs Granger was extremely surprised to see her daughter, but was pleased all the same.

'I wasn't expecting you home this weekend, dear.' She told Hermione, kissing her on the cheek.

'Thought I'd surprise you.' Hermione replied 'Where's Dad?'

'Oh, he's off playing golf with a few of his friends. Shouldn't be back for hours.' Mrs Granger replied cheerfully, turning on the kettle. 'So, dear, what's new?'

Hermione carefully considered this. She and Remus had been going out for a while now, probably best to tell her mother while her father wasn't around.

'Actually, mum, I've got a boyfriend.'

'Really? Oh, that's wonderful luv. I knew Harry would finally get up the nerve to ask you-'

'Hang on, what makes you think it's Harry?' Hermione interrupted. Her mother looked at her quizzically.

'You mean it's Ron? I knew he had a bit of a crush on you, but I always thought Harry was more your type.' Mrs Granger poured boiling water from the kettle into two teacups.

'Mum, I'm not going out with Harry or Ron.' Hermione summoned the milk from the fridge, and poured a bit in her tea.

'Goodness, who is it then? I saw that Harry and Ron both had crushes on you when they visited here last holidays, and I assumed that if you had a boyfriend it would be one of them.' Mrs Granger took the milk from Hermione to pour into her own tea.

'Well, it's Remus.' Seeing the blank look on her mother's face, Hermione continued. 'Remus Lupin.'

'Lupin? I know the name, don't I? Is he in the year above you, or-' realisation dawned on Mrs Granger's face as she recalled where she knew the name from. 'Oh, Hermione, surely you don't mean Professor Lupin? That man would have to be about my age!'

'Actually, he's younger than you and Daddy.' Hermione said quickly, picking up her tea.

'Hermione, I don't think it's wise for you to go out with someone that much older than you.' Her mother's voice was quite stern, but Hermione sighed.

'Mum, I love him. And he loves me. I realise he's older, but that doesn't matter.' Mrs Granger tutted.

'I don't know what your father's going to think about this.'

'Please, don't tell Dad, not yet. I'll tell him soon.' Or maybe next century, Hermione thought.

'Oh, all right.' Mrs Grange agreed. 'But only if you bring Remus to dinner some time.'

'Done!' Hermione said happily. 'Now how about we watch Pride and Prejudice together? We'll fast-forward it to the bit where Mr Darcy dives into the lake.'

'Ooh, okay! I've got some chocolate in the cupboard.' Mrs Granger yanked open the cupboard door and pulled out a large bar of chocolate.

'Mum! Does Dad know you've got that much chocolate in there?'

'As long as we brush our teeth afterwards, we'll be fine.'

**

When Hermione finally appeared in the fireplace of the Gryffindor common room, Harry was waiting for her, arms crossed, a stern expression on his face.

'Care to explain about my boxers?' he hissed.

'Oh, you put them on did you?' Hermione said lightly, dropping the books she'd borrowed from her mother on the table. 'I did warn you about them, didn't I?'

'That's beside the point. Fix it, now.'

'Well to fix it, I'd have to see it, and I don't think you'd want that, would you?'

Harry turned scarlet.

'Don't worry, it'll all wear off in an hour of two. The scales, though, won't drop off until tomorrow.' Before Harry could reply, Hermione had raced up the stairs to her dorm.

'You mean to say I'll have scales until tomorrow?!' Harry boomed behind her.

**

'What on earth did he do to deserve that?' Remus laughed the next day, during the picnic he'd planned for them. They were sitting in the middle of a small meadow outside of Hogsmeade. Hermione's lemon meringue pie dish had come in very handy, and Remus had brought along a basket full of sandwiches.

'Trust me, he deserved it.' Hermione reached over to grab another watercress sandwich.

'Whatever you say, but I'll be checking my underwear from now on.' Remus ruffled her hair playfully.

'Would you like me to check for you?' Hermione asked innocently.

'Perhaps later on.' Remus kissed the top of her cheek. 'You know,' he said a moment later 'I think it's about time we told Harry and Ron.'

'Uh, actually, Harry already knows. He found out when we were experimenting with veritaserum.'

'What?! Little bastard!' swore Remus.

'Actually, he's not that little. He'd have to be a good four inches taller than you.' Hermione pointed out.

'Oh, yeah, that's right. But anyway, he's still a little bastard for asking you about us. Do you think he's told Ron.'

'Don't think so. I'd better tell him soon though, otherwise he'll get really upset if he finds out down the track. He'll think it was all some big conspiracy to keep him in the dark.' Remus laughed at that.

'I'll tell him this week. I'll just have to sit down with him when no one else is around.' Hermione declared.

'Jolly good.' Remus said. 'Fancy a bit more pie?'

**

The opportunity to tell Ron came a few days later. He'd injured his wrist and couldn't take part in Quidditch training. As usual, the whole of Gryffindor house had gone down to the pitch to watch the others train, so Hermione told Ron to meet her in the common room while the others were out of the way.

'But I really should watch training.' He protested.

'This will only take a minute,' Hermione replied. She took a deep breath. 'Ron, I'm seeing someone.' Immediately, Ron's face fell.

'Harry?' he asked 'I knew it.'

'No, not Harry. Remus.' Hermione knew he was angry, simply because the tips of his ears were turning red. The rest of his ears and his neck followed, along with his face.

'Remus? Remus?' his voice grew loudly steadily. 'What on earth are you thinking? He's a werewolf! He could hurt you?'

'Oh for goodness sake's Ron!' Hermione spat. 'That is such a typical narrow-minded reply. You know Remus, he'd never hurt me. And I don't think that's the issue here, is it?'

'I have no idea what you mean.' Ron replied haughtily.

'Fine.' Hermione jumped to her feet. 'Fine. You can sit there with you delusions for as long as you like, as long as you realise that I love Remus and I'm going to be with him as soon as school finishes.' She stormed out of the common room and left Ron to his thoughts.

'Bugger.' Ron slapped himself with his injured hand. 'Oww,' he moaned, clutching it a moment later.