Disclaimer: I do not own anything here except the plot, everything else would belong to JKR.
The next Monday arrived earlier than seemed possible. The day after the brief Order meeting had been Friday, and the classes had carried on as usual, expect for Hermione's Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Hermione and Remus shared many small glances, smiles, and attempted to hide their laughs that would well up from time to time. They thought they had done a pretty good job of hiding their flirtations, but apparently that wasn't the case. Harry and Ron brought it up first, which didn't surprise her very much. They had been keeping a very close eye on her ever since the Halloween ball. Almost nothing happened concerning her that they didn't know about.
She thought the hassling would end with them, but she was wrong. Next was Ginny. Still in her circle of friends, she didn't mind Ginny mentioning it. If anything, Ginny was the only girl that Hermione could really talk to. Next though were Padma and Parvati. As she walked through the Gryffindor common room on Saturday morning, she received teasing calls from them.
"Off to see Professor Lupin, Hermione?" Padma questioned with an air of accusation. Parvati giggled, and Hermione just rolled her eyes at them, hoping that they would decide she thought they were being complete lunatics. But every time she ran into them during the weekend, they would smile knowingly at her, and it was all she could do to not curse them on the spot. She had never been one to worry about her reputation, but she definitely didn't want the rumor going around that she was seeing a professor, even though it was true. She just wasn't ready for that kind of attention yet.
So when Monday did arrive, Hermione went through her day as she normally did. She desperately hoped that the Patil girls wouldn't continue with their questioning, and they didn't. But they would still smile mischievously. That, at least, she could live with.
When it was time for her to meet Snape in the Potions room to begin learning to brew Wolfsbane, she told the boys where she was going and they hurriedly scrambled to their feet as if to follow her.
"I'll be fine," she sighed as a grin flickered across her face. They didn't look very happy about it, but they relented and sat back down to their game of chess. She gathered her parchment, quill, and wand and headed down to the dungeons.
XXXXXXXXXXX
When she arrived at the Potions door she paused. The thought that this wasn't going to be a very pleasant evening was being counter-balanced by the excitement she felt about learning how to brew the potion. Snape was a little different towards her when they weren't in school, so maybe she could harness that treatment when they were working that night. She raised her hand and was about to knock on the door. "Come in." Snape said.
Puzzled as to how he knew she was there before she had even knocked, she turned the handle of the door and entered.
"How did you know I was there?"
"Honestly Miss Granger, you made enough noise bounding down the stairs that even a deaf Hippogriff could have heard you."
"Oh," she blushed as she sat her book bag down. Snape was already gathering materials from his storeroom. "Professor?"
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"Why is it that you agreed to let me learn how to make this?"
He sighed. "Because in all actuality, the process takes time... something I find myself to be without lately. And while I could continue to manage this on my own, having an additional potion maker would greatly lessen my burden."
Hoping to act like her normal self, she continued her rambling while he set ingredients out in the desk where they stood. "Well Professor, I have seriously been considering studying Potions at whatever University I attend." She paused and was happy to see that she had his attention. " I truly think that it is what I want to focus on, and so I was wondering what you thought about it."
"Hermione," he began, " I have…. no doubts whatsoever that you would make an excellent Potions mistress." He said all of this in a rather quiet tone, as if he were afraid someone would hear him paying her a compliment.
Hermione was still dumbfounded that he had just used her first name, and that he had yet again complimented her. She beamed up at him.
"But don't you dare tell anyone that I said that, lest you want me to make the rest of your seventh year a hellacious experience.'" At that, he actually smiled at her.
He began instructing her as to how to prepare the ingredients. She was vigorously taking notes. As unlikely as it may be, they were actually having casual conversation.
"Why are you talking to me? I thought I was just an 'insufferable-know-it-all-mud-blood'?"
Snape stopped checking things off of his list and looked at her with a genuinely hurt expression. "Do you honestly think that's how I think of you, Miss Granger?"
"Well…. I….. That is to say that's how you've always talked…."
"Imagine how would it look to the Slytherins if I were to compliment a female, Gryffindor student, of less than a pure bloodline, who happens to be friends with Harry? They would go running home to their parents and then I would be in worlds of trouble within the Dark Lord's circle. No. It's better to pretend."
"Oh, Professor, I never thought of it that way, I'm sorry!" He nodded curtly at her and they continued to work in silence.
"That was a crazy meeting the other night was it not?" she suggested.
"It was." He hesitated. "Just how long again have you and Remus been together again?"
"About three months."
"Incredible. I can't believe none of us could see it."
"Well we were pretty secretive. You almost caught us one time."
"Oh really?" he raised an eyebrow with curiosity and she briefly relayed the story of the night of the attack.
"…..So I had to hide in his room as you and he talked in the living room. I listened through the door…"
"Hmm..." he chuckled, "you should have been sorted into Slytherin! Sneaking and hiding and spying. If it weren't for your heritage I am sure you would have been." He said as playfully as his persona would allow him to.
"Well thank you, I suppose, for your superior appraisal of me, but I fear I am not worthy of the company of Malfoy and his goons." Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
"Again another defining Slytherin characteristic: sarcasm!" he smiled.
She laughed, very glad that the evening was going so well. She continued. "Everyone eventually seemed alright with mine and Remus' relationship, except for Tonks."
Hermione wasn't sure, but she thought she saw a slight disturbance in the rhythm that Snape had been stirring the contents of the cauldron. She continued anyway. " I mean, sure everyone knows she had a thing for Remus for a while, but he just isn't her type. I think that she needs to find someone. I don't know who, but she really shouldn't be single I don't think, she's much too fun and crazy for that…" she was interrupted.
"Miss Granger," he said with all of the authority he held in class, "That is enough."
Confused, but still feeling as if they were really getting along to a certain extent, she apologized. "Oh I'm sorry, I guess I was rambling. You will have to forgive me; I tend to do that. So just tell me to shut up whenever you feel like…."
"Shut up."
She was taken aback, but did as he said and looked at him with a questioning expression. He sighed. "I just… don't want to talk about that night if you don't mind. Talk about anything else in the world though and I will at least TRY to pay attention."
"What's wrong with that night?" she asked. Then a thought came to her. "Professor, you don't have a problem with me and Remus, do you?"
He rolled his eyes. Oh for Merlin's sake.
"No, I have no problem whatsoever with what you do in your spare time or with whom." He stopped, but Hermione was still giving him a look that made the sliver of a conscience he had left tug. "I don't want to talk about Tonks." He said her name venomously.
"Why not? Unless…" realization dawned on her. "Professor Snape, do you like Tonks?"
He winced. Now why the bloody hell did I do that?
He was going to say something to his own defense, but must have taken a split second too long because by then Hermione was completely sure of herself. "You DO like her! Oooh this is splendid!"
He cringed at her response, but chose not to dignify it with a response at all.
They finished up the brew of Wolfsbane in silence, and the entire time Hermione was watching Snape's expressions change. Wanting to say something but knowing she shouldn't, she waited until they were cleaning up to talk again.
"Professor?"
"Hmm?"
"I…. If you ever need me to brew any potions, I'd be more than glad to do it. I want as much practice as I can get. This one wasn't as complicated as I assumed it would be."
"No, I've never thought it was particularly challenging, myself. But again, not everyone is good at Potions."
She nodded as he placed the carefully labelled containers into the cupboard. She knew that Remus had to drink a goblet full of wolfsbane every night for the week leading up to (and including) the full moon. What they had just brewed was a one month supply, and it took 3 hours. As the clock struck 11:00pm, she as gathering her things to head to bed.
As she walked towards the door, she turned over her shoulder and said " I won't say anything, you know. About Tonks."
He looked at her for quite some time, trying to decide if she were telling the truth. Well if there's one Slytherin characteristic she doesn't posses, it's the ability to lie through her teeth.
"Thank you Miss Granger."
"You're quite welcome," she smiled at him. "Oh and Professor?"
"Yes?" he sighed.
"Perhaps during Christmas break if visit Grimmauld place, we could talk…. like we have been tonight. I enjoyed talking with you the same way I do with Sirius and Remus." Her eyes widened as she quickly backtracked. "Well, not like I am with REMUS obviously, but you know what I mean."
He smiled and handed her her quill and notes. "I know. And yes, I do believe that would be nice. Merlin knows that there aren't many people in this world that I can have intellectual conversations with."
"Alright, it's settled then. Goodnight Professor."
"Goodnight Miss Granger, and DO try not to run people over in the hallway."
She turned around and winked at him, and then replaced it with a pretend scowl as she trudged out of the dungeons.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hermione had barely made it in the door to the common room when Ginny nearly yanked her arm out of its socket. "What are you doing?" she asked Ginny, as she was dragged towards her portrait. Ginny just pointed to it. Hermione was confused, but when she saw it, she knew what Ginny was referring to.
The portrait, which was originally only depicted a full moon, now showed a man walked out of Hogwarts castle. The only somewhat defining characteristic was that he was blonde. He walked towards the back end of Hogwarts grounds and was almost to the Forbidden Forrest when a girl came running out of the castle door. Again, the only thing that could be seen for sure was that she was a brunette. She ran after the man and as she drew closer to him, a faint glow began to surround her. When she finally reached him, they fell into an embrace and the glow turned bright white and overtook the entire portrait. Then it started over again.
"How long has this been showing this?" Hermione asked shakily.
"About 3 hours. I came looking for you because I need to talk to you, but then I saw this…. And it was obvious to ME who the people are. So I went looking for you, but I couldn't find you anywhere!"
"I was in the dungeons with Snape," she said and then quickly added, "working on an extra credit assignment."
"Oh. Well anyway, I already contacted Dumbledore about it and he said that the portrait is supposed to like, read your thoughts or desires or something. So I guess just pretend you have no idea who they are for now..."
Hermione sighed and shifted her book bag on her shoulder. "I guess that's all I CAN do. Now come on into my room and tell me whatever you wanted to tell me."
They stepped into Hermione's living room and she dropped her bag by the door. Ginny walked over to the couch and plopped down as Hermione made some tea. She then brought Ginny and her own cups to the couch and sat down beside Ginny.
"Now, what's on your mind?" she said as she sipped her tea.
"Well… what do you do if you like your friend?"
"Umm…. You always like your friends, that's kind of part of it."
"Noo no, I mean, what should I do if I find myself having feelings for a... friend."
"Oooooh Ginny this is exciting! Who do you like?"
Ginny blushed as deeply as Ron had been seen to do from time to time. "Well, he's actually my brother's friend, but in turn that made him mine…." She smiled faintly as Hermione began to speak.
"It's Harry again isn't it?"
"Yes. Is that terribly wrong? I know that he broke it off, saying he thought we would be better off as friends and all. But I can't help it. I really still like him and I don't know what to do!"
"I think I can help you out there. You are forgetting that I am one of his two best friends. And since I highly doubt that you want Ron telling him, I suppose that leaves me." Ginny squealed as she threw herself at Hermione.
"Would you really? Just, you know, talk to him. Find out what he thinks. I don't want him to think I'm desperate or anything like that so make it casual. OH and don't let him know that I know you're talking about it, ok?" She took a deep breath because she had seemed to forget to breathe at all in the past minute.
"Of course I really will. When the time is right. I can't assure you when that will be, since we're all so busy lately. But I promise you I will do it, and I'll tell you everything that happens, I promise."
"Thanks 'Mione."
"No problem. I really miss you. Like I said I've been so busy with this Artimpasa research I haven't been able to be very social."
"I've found absolutely nothing on that bloody thing, have you?"
"Only a little. I've found out that Artimpasa is the Scythian Goddess of the moon, in some story versions, and of love in others. So it makes sense that when I'm... romantically involved with Remus the stone goes crazy. Love obviously, and the MOON, and Remus is a werewolf… it pretty well represents my relationship with him. Allegedly, the Tear of Artimpasa is an actual tear she shed. The legend says that she ended up falling in love with a mortal. He died in a tragic accident, and she shed only this single tear for her love. From then on, she became bitter towards mortals, specifically those who go out of their way to hurt others. And that's all I've been able to find out."
"Well it's more than me anyway!"
They continued to chat about random things for nearly an hour before Ginny remembered a monstrous paper she had due in the morning. With a quick hug and goodbye to Hermione, Ginny ran back through the portrait and into the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione sighed and ran her hands through her mane of curls. It's been a long day. I need a shower. There were few things that she enjoyed more than slipping into bed, freshly bathed. So she locked the portrait hole so that nobody would invade, put a silencing charm on her rooms, turned her radio up loud, and headed for the bathroom to shower.
XXXXXXXXXXX
30 minutes later she stepped out of the shower and grabbed her thick terrycloth robe from the hook on the door. She put it on out of habit, but being alone she didn't bother to tie it. She walked out of the bathroom and took the two steps between the bathroom door and her bedroom door. Not bothering to close the bedroom door, she rummaged through her dresser and closet in search of clothes. She finally pulled on a t-shirt that hung all the way down to her knees and then went back to the bathroom to hang up her towel. She then picked up a comb and combed through her long brown locks, and once all the tangles were out she shook her hair loose to let it dry and do as it pleased.
Now feeling thoroughly better, she decided to go back to her kitchen and get some more of the tea she had made. As she stood behind the counter, she happened to glance towards her living room. Her mouth opened in surprise at first, and then she smiled brightly.
"How long have you been there?" she asked him.
Remus chuckled. "45 minutes perhaps? You were in the shower so I decided to wait on you to get out." He paused as she came and sat on his lap. The necklace had already began to glow more. "And I'm glad I did."
"Did you see me?"
"Yes my love, I couldn't exactly help myself from watching you. It was all I could do to not jump you right then."
Well why didn't you?
"Because that would be the very wolfish thing to do now wouldn't it?"
Hermione looked startled. "Why'd you say that?"
"Well," Remus said as he frowned, "it's the truth?… You asked me why I didn't jump you and," he was interrupted.
"I never asked that. I thought about asking, but I didn't."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm very sure."
Well that's bloody strange.
"Yes, it is."
Now it was Remus's turn to be surprised. "What were you saying 'yes it is' in reply to?"
"You said, 'well that's bloody strange' and I agreed."
"Hermione, I never said that, I thought it too."
They looked at each other, and then down at the necklace around Hermione's neck.
"Do you think we can…." Hermione began.
"… read each others minds because of this necklace." Remus finished for her as he examined it. "And yes I guess I do."
"This really is weird."
"Definitely." He said. He pulled her even closer. "But I promise, we WILL get to the bottom of this. Though I have to say, I like being able to read your thoughts." He whispered as he kissed her on the cheek.
"Oh really? And why is that?" she asked with mock-innocence.
"Because I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you want me to do this," and with that he kissed her. They were both tired mentally but not physically. They continued for quite a while before they stopped, as always, just before they crossed a certain line. Both of their hearts were racing like mad and the necklace was glowing brilliantly.
The living room may be a fine place to snog, but I'd rather not have to sleep here. Hermione thought.
Well, off to your room then. Remus thought back. They smiled at their newfound secret communication method, and stood up together.
Hermione climbed into bed and Remus pulled the covers up over her like he had done on many other occasions.
Stay with me.
Remus' ears perked up and his heart skipped a beat. If it hadn't been dark in the room he would have searched her eyes. He thought he had heard her, or read her thoughts, but he could have been imagining it.
My own desire is messing with my mind. He thought. She didn't tell me to stay.
Yes I did. And with that Hermione took his hand and pulled him up on the bed. He didn't object.
"if you insist, 'Mione."
"I do, Moony."
I love you.
I love you too.
Hearing some more graphic thoughts that she was relaying, Remus growled lowly in her ear and Hermione giggled and pulled him over her. This time, Hermione kissed him, softly but magically. They continued and seemed to get more passionate by the second. Neither of them remembered falling asleep that night. All they remembered was waking up in each others' arms the next morning.