Back in Time
Back in 1998
The Burrow had begun to come alive and one by one the Weasleys shuffled down the stairs and the kitchen table began to fill up as Mrs Weasley stood behind the stove cooking for her brood when she noticed Bill was missing.
"Charlie, go and wake your brother would you, he needs to eat, poor thing's been running himself ragged."
"Well perhaps you should let him sleep mum?"
"Nonsense George." She said as Charlie got up and headed up to his room, arriving soon after he knocked on the door, but there was no answer.
"Bill?" He called.
"Maybe he's asleep" He thought as he pushed the door open as he called out again. "Bill, you in there? Are you decent?" He chuckled as he opened the door the whole way and saw his bed was still made up from the day before.
"Bugger!" He said as he quickly dashed off to the library. As he walked in he could see it was in mostly the same condition as it was last night, the books he and Bill we're reading were in the exact same place, it was like Bill had just disappeared.
"Bollocks, wait until Mum hears about this." He thought as he headed back to the kitchen.
"Charlie I thought I told you to find your brother?" She said noticing he had come back without him.
"Uh yeah, mum, little problems with that."
"Well what is it?" She prompted.
"Well, he's sort of gone. I can't find him, I saw him last in the library, but it's like he's disappeared.
"Alright, everyone up, let's go, come on, come on up. Let's find him, let's hope he hasn't gone far." Said Mrs Weasley as the rest of them got up and got ready to look for Bill completely unaware of how far Bill had actually gone.
Back in 1978
Hermione felt the sun shine through the windows and touch her face as it began to rise high over the castle. She groaned as she stretched her hands out above her, yawning before hoping out of bed, quickly changing, grabbing her book bag and headed down the stairs in an attempt to avoid Remus and the others. As she entered the common room she froze at the sight of Sirius laying on the lounge.
Hermione took a breath and walked as quietly and as quickly as she could across the common room without waking Sirius. Just as she passed him he opened his eyes slightly.
"Going somewhere Granger?" He asked as he sat up.
Hermione should have run out of the dormitory but instead she froze.
"Sirius, morning. Uh yes actually I have things I need to do before breakfast."
"So who are you avoiding then? If it's me you've done a piss poor job and if it's Remus he is going to be so disappointed not being able to walk to you breakfast, he's quite smitten with you incase you hadn't noticed." He said as he got up and walked over to her leaving mere centimetres between them.
"Or maybe you were looking for someone else when you wandered down the stairs early this morning." He said as he looked down at her.
"Leave me alone Sirius." She said as she turned to leave. As she did Sirius put his hand on her arm to stop her, Hermione turned slightly looking down at Sirius, her eyes flashing amber.
"Come on Hermione, whatever it is it can wait." Said Sirius.
Hermione turned towards Sirius and growled lowly. "Take your hands off me Black...Now" She said lowly.
Sirius slowly removed his hand as Hermione growled before walking out of the common room bag in hand.
"What in Merlin's saggy balls was that!?" He exclaimed as he watched her disappear through the portrait hole.
Hermione mentally kicked herself as she walked out towards the grounds. "I shouldn't have growled! Thanks very much Ulrikah. I'm already trying not to draw attention and you have to go and growl at him. What if he tells Remus?" She said talking to herself as she heard Ulrikah make herself known.
"You do not belong to him, he is not your mate, he had no right to touch you human. I will do what I must." Said the wolf.
"Well you caused more problems didn't you I could have handled Sirius myself, now I'm telling you make yourself scarce. I don't want to deal with you right now." She said as she sat on the bench in the courtyard.
She didn't know how much time had passed as she sat in the courtyard thinking about Bill, Remus, what the rest of the marauders would say when they saw she and Remus we're avoiding each other.
"I'm surprised the other dunderheads Potter and Black let you out of their sights." Came the course voice she had heard over and over again.
"Yes well they're not my keepers."
"Really?" He said as he moved a step closer to her. "Lupin seems to be quite taken with you."
Hermione looked away not answering.
"Mmm, how interesting." He said as he looked at her curiously.
"I don't mean to be rude but was there something you wanted Severus?"
"I heard what you said to Black when he asked why you were talking to me. I must admit I've never heard anyone stand up to Black or Potter and I've never heard anyone defend a Slytherin." He said
"Yes, well I was explaining that because you get sorted into Slytherin doesn't make you a bad person." She said.
Severus smiled softly. "The first time I've heard that." He said.
"Yes well I'm not as prejudiced as most." She replied.
"Mmmm. Yes well are coming to breakfast? I can escort you if you'd like?"
"I uh.. I'm not hungry." She said as she shook her head. As she did her stomach growled as Snape raised his eyebrow.
"Don't want to see Potter or Black? I can't say that I would blame you."
I'll just grab a muffin and leave." She said as she picked up her bag.
"No, no, if those dunderheads see you, you will never escape not to mention Lupin. You shall wait here and I will return momentarily." He said as he turned and left, leaving Hermione shocked. She had never thought of Severus acting this way, but she did as he asked and waited for his return.
Meanwhile in the Great Hall the 4 Marauders were walking into the Great Hall.
"Where's Hermione this morning Pads? Thought you said she left early?" Asked James.
"She did, she said she had something to do before breakfast" Said Sirius omitting what happened between them. He didn't want to involve James or Peter, he knew he had to tell Remus, and whilst he didn't know how he was going to react about the fact that she growled at him, which then raised the question, why had she growled. Was she a werewolf? No, she couldn't be Remus would already know and he would have told them, they kept no secrets from each other."
"Sirius, you alright?" Asked Peter as Sirius pushed his food around his plate.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm good. I just miss Evans"
James looked at him in confusion. "You miss Evans? Sirius is there something you want to tell me?" He asked curiously.
"No, no. I just miss Evans because if she was here you'd be swooning over her and I could pick on you about it?" He smiled as he took a bite out of his toast.
"You can be a real pratt sometimes, you know that." Said James as he looked over to Remus with his nose in a book while taking smile bites of his breakfast.
"Sirius, can be a bit of a pratt can't he Mooney hey, just wants to wait for Evans to come back to he can harass me about her, good friend we've got here." He said trying to get Remus's attention.
James looked at Sirius and Peter with a look of help as he tried to get Remus's attention.
"Hey Remus did you know that for the fancy dress ball Sirius was planning on wearing a dress, going complete drag, I mean he already has the hair for it and all and we all know how he can be such a drama queen." Smiled James.
Remus didn't respond, he kept on reading. Sirius had had enough and grabbed the book from Remus.
"Alright, what happened between you and Hermione because you've been distracted all morning?"
"Nothing, nothing everything's fine, you would look absolutely smashing in a dress now would you give me back my book I was reading that." He said.
"Nope, you don't get the book back until you talk." Said Sirius. "So talk, was it Mooney? Merlin's beard Remus did Mooney show himself to her. If he did, she knows you're a wolf!" He exclaimed.
"Lower your voice." Seethed Remus.
"Look I'm sorry but if she knows about...Mooney."
"She doesn't know about him and even if she did she wouldn't tell anyone."
"So what happened then?" Asked James
"I got a little...possessive, that's all okay. Can I have my book back now?" He asked as he snatched the book from Sirius.
Remus you.." He started to say before he was interrupted by Dumbledore's voice.
"Your attention for a moment. I would like to introduce our new Ancient Runes Professor Weasley." He said as Bill stood up and nodded as Remus's eyes locked with his as his breathing became raggedy.
"Remus you alright?" Said James. "Remus?!" He said a little louder causing Remus to break the eye contact.
"I'm fine I just need some air." He said as he picked up his book bag and headed out of the Great Hall.
Meanwhile Severus had returned to find Hermione still waiting for him to his surprised as he brought back 2 plates of breakfast.
"I can't believe she waited." He thought as he saw her waiting and walked over to her and sat the breakfast trays down in front of her.
"Thank you Severus." She said as she picked up a piece of toast. "So why are you not eating breakfast in the hall with your housemates?"
"Why aren't you?" He said.
"I just needed some space. I've only been here for a few days."
"So I noticed." He said as he took a mouthful of food as he looked curiously at her.
As Remus exited the Great Hall he spotted Hermione and Severus eating breakfast in the distance. Remus saw red and began to walk over to them.
"Hermione!" Came Remus's voice. "What are you doing here, why weren't you at breakfast? What are you doing here with him" He said as he looked at Severus with a look that could kill.
"I should go, will you be alright here with him." Asked Severus.
Remus turned to face him. "She will be fine." He snapped.
Hermione nodded as Severus slipped away.
Hermione turned to Remus. "What in Merlin's beard was that all about? He did nothing wrong, we we're just having breakfast."
"You're my mate Hermione."
"I'm not your property Remus. Look I love you in the future I love the man you become but right now the lust between us, the possessiveness, it's too much. This is exactly why we need to stay away from each other, atleast for now. Severus is a friend and no offence Remus but he's been nicer to me than Sirius has. Besides you don't see my getting jealous when you talk to other girls.
"What other girls Hermione, in case you haven't noticed I'm not exactly a girl magnet."
Hermione smiled softly. "And if you were I wouldn't try and control who you see, who your friends are because I know you only care for me. So why can't you do the same for me, you need to trust me Remus." She said as she grabbed her book bag, but Remus put his hand out to stop her as he looked in to her eyes.
"I'm sorry love. It's just hard knowing I already lost you to Professor Weasley in the future. When I saw you with Snape I lost it...I just want to be able to keep you safe. I don't want you to get hurt. I know what he's capable of."
Hermione smiled. "I know Remus but you're forgetting one thing."
"What's that?" He asked.
"I know what he's capable of too." She said as she picked up her bag.
Remus smiled softly. "I know I keep forgetting you know him in the future."
"It's alright. Look I still want to be friends with him. I promise you he won't hurt me and me spending some time with him will be a good thing. I promise." She smiled as she squeezed his hand. "I've got to go. I better go I'll catch you later. Remember control Remus." She said as she got up and left.
As she headed off the other three Marauders exited the hall. "Hey Mooney, was that Hermione?" Asked Peter.
Remus nodded.
"Everything okay then?" Asked James.
"It will be." Whispered Remus.
"Alright then, well we've got Defence first up. I can't wait for Ancient Runes, new Professor and all." Said Sirius.
"Yes, should be a very interesting class." Said Mooney as he swung his bag over his shoulder and headed off with his friends.
Hey Guys
Bit of a filler chapter, next chapter we will see how Bill interacts with the Marauders in his first lesson with them and he confronts Hermione after the lesson.
