Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything from his realm belongs to its creator, J.K. ROWLING. I make absolutely no money with it. Like you didn't know that already.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews you guys! And the new followers and favouriters! And my beta, Fredrika! Turns out I write as much for you as I do for myself :D

Chapter 10: Old Man Plotting

Dumbledore's unexpected arrival must have made everyone look as equally anxious because the old wizard chuckled and quickly announced he was just here to check on their progress, as he would have done last week, if there had not been more pressing matters.

Hermione remained beside Remus, relieved she wouldn't have to face Voldemort again so soon, but still feeling comforted by the man's presence next to her. She knew she could always count on him for support.

"As a matter of fact, we've made much progress today, sir. Luna can sustain her patronus a little longer every time she transforms, but it'll still take some practice before she maintains it as long as I." Hermione reported in as detached a manner as she could, although she didn't like the gleam of anticipation she found in their leader's eyes. "Neville just managed to transform today." she added, smiling proudly despite herself and what it meant for Neville, as he would be dragged more deeply into Dumbledore's plans whether he wanted to or not.

Dumbledore gave a kind grandfatherly smile to Neville, and she could have sworn the young wizard shivered. She glanced curiously at her shy friend: maybe he wasn't as oblivious to Dumbledore's deceptive façade as she had thought, and she made a mental note to invite him into WARTS if her suspicions proved correct.

"Remus transformed today too, and he can stay in that form for as long as I." she announced, finishing her report.

"Really?" Dumbledore asked, clearly surprised. "Oh, that's good... Well done Remus. Do you think you'll be able to join our dear Miss Granger the next time the need arises?"

"Of course, Albus." the Gryffindor answered without a second of hesitation, earning a heartfelt smile from the witch at his side. Just then, Hermione noticed their leader giving them the queerest look she had ever seen, and coming from him, who liked to pretend he was a dotty old man, that was saying a lot. She shuffled uneasily, afraid he had just discovered something about WARTS, but that couldn't be the case... so why was he staring at her and Remus like that? Just then, his gaze shifted and she let out the breath she'd unconsciously been holding.

"I think," the headmaster started slowly, eyeing his newly forged Patroni weapons. "that it would be safer if Miss Lovegood and Mister Longbottom agreed to take up residence here, at headquarters. You will, of course, continue on with your normal occupations at day, but my mind would be more at rest if you regained the safety of this house at night. Indulge an old man's wish?"

Luna gave an elegant little shrug of her slim shoulders.

"I don't mind. I have no one waiting at home since the Death-Eaters took papa away, and I still haven't managed to repair the press. You know, I think Wrackspurts have probably invaded my house."

A few glances were exchanged, everyone wondering if that was a good or a bad thing, but Luna looked happy about the "invitation" so Hermione didn't feel as bad for being overjoyed at having another female resident around.

"I'm not sure gran will agree." Neville told Dumbledore timidly. "She doesn't like me being away."

"Ah, yes. Augusta is rather protective, isn't she? But worry not, young Longbottom, I'll accompany you back and talk to your grandmother. It's been awhile since I've last taken tea with her anyway." And with that, Neville's fate was sealed.

"One last thing." Dumbledore added casually, which warranted the feeling of dread that made itself known in the pit of her stomach. "I will send my personal house-elf over to get the bedrooms ready for tomorrow night, and he will then stay on to help with the chores, as the house will be getting quite crowded with two new permanent residents."

Hermione wanted to object, but lacked any reason to do so, a house-elf would be a welcome help in this place full of boys. She would have preferred an elf she could actually trust, like Dobby, or even Kreacher. But the free House-Elf had been killed a year ago as he protected Harry from an unexpected Death-Eater attack, and the miserable servant that had come with this House had mysteriously disappeared for just as long, leaving Hermione to make sure everything got done in the house. She eventually had to make a planning so everyone took turns making meals and cleaning the common areas. Yes, a house-elf seemed like a wonderful idea indeed, but she couldn't help thinking Dumbledore had some ulterior motive for doing so.

Hermione was going down to the kitchen later that day to prepare the dinner, after having spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on some arithmancy publications in the library. She wasn't much of a cook but, living here, she soon learned the boys preferred quantity over quality. Except for Remus, but he was too nice to say anything about it, although he couldn't always hide the grimace or wrinkling of his nose that appeared when she tried something new and failed appallingly. She actually found potions easier than cooking, and wondered if maybe her taste buds were defective.

"What is you doing here missus?" came a squeaky but firm voice from near her ankles.

Looking down, she realized she had almost knocked over a small house-elf with large flapping ears and unsettling purple eyes.

"Uhm, hello. You must the house-elf Professor Dumbledore sent over?" she asked in a friendly manner. She didn't like the old man but that was no reason to extend her enmity to the little creature.

"I is, missus. My name is Fudge, missus" the house-elf announced proudly.

Fudge? Hermione had difficulties holding in her laughter as she wondered if the former Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had known Dumbledore had a house-elf named like him. Maybe that was the real reason the politician had hated the headmaster so much.

"Well...Fudge." she said, with tears of suppressed laughter brimming in her eyes. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Hermione Granger. I was actually going to start making dinner, I thought you would be busy enough as it is preparing Luna and Neville's bedrooms."

"Oh, no, Missus. I is already done, so is making dinner too. Your bedroom is ready too, missus."

Hermione froze, her grin slowly sliding away.

"What do you mean, my bedroom? I already have one." she frowned at the little creature, who didn't look fazed at all by it.

"Oh no, missus. You was having a bedroom in the wrong place. It was not appropriate at all, Missus. You and the other lady friend now has bedrooms on the second floor. All the misters have bedrooms on the first floor." Fudge explained calmly as if it all made perfect sense.

"YOU WHAT?!" Hermione burst out in one of her rare, but terrible, bouts of anger. "Whatever did you do that for? That has been my room for over a year. Whatever made you think I would want to change it?"

"Master Dumbledore ordered me to look after the safety of the residents. This is for your safety." It told her slowly in his infuriatingly calm voice.

Seeing no way to talk the stubborn house-elf out of his strange reasoning, she stormed off to find where this new bedroom of hers was supposed to be. She hated the idea of changing it, she had always felt safe with her private quarters wedged in between Harry's and Remus'. At least she would have Luna close by, she never would have managed to sleep if she had been the lone woman isolated on a landing.

The seething witch reached her bedroom, or at least what had been hers until today. She opened the door, and although she had been prepared for it, the place, now devoid of all her personal belongings, twisted her stomach in a knot and she angrily threw the door closed in a deafening bang. Remus came running out of his own bedroom next door with his wand at the ready.

"Hermione? Is everything all right?" he asked worriedly, as she stood still in front of her closed door, shaking in frustration.

"That depends." she answered in a tight voice. "Have you met Fudge yet?"

"Fudge?" he wondered. "The former Minister?"

She shook her head in the negative, although the image did manage to lighten her stormy mood.

"No, Fudge is the name of Dumbledore's house-elf. Turns out..." Hermione cut herself off, deep in thought for a minute. "He! Yes, definitely a he. Well, he decided I shouldn't be staying in my room any longer because it is inappropriate."

Remus frowned.

"Where is your room then?"

" I don't know, somewhere on the second floor I'm told. With Luna's. I guess Neville will be your new neighbor." she answered miserably.

"Do you think Dumbledore put him up to this?"

She hadn't actually considered the creature's motivations yet, besides the nonsense he'd sprouted.

"What makes you say that?"

" I'm not sure. It sure sounds like something he would do and... did you notice that look he gave us before he left?"

Hermione nodded, she had wondered ever since what it had meant, but didn't think anyone else had noticed.

"For some reason, he doesn't seem to like the idea that we are...close. This may be a way for him to bring some distance between us."

"Do you think he knows about WARTS?" she questioned, alarmed now.

"I don't know how he could. Except if Severus..."

"Severus would never say a word about it." she interrupted him in a harsh tone. "He's the worst one off with Dumbledore's manipulations, you know."

"Well, for whatever reason Dumbledore is doing this, it may only be his first step at driving a wedge between us so we'd better watch out. And you'd better write all this to Severus tonight too."

She agreed, she didn't like this one bit and maybe the Slytherin would have more insight into the old man's meddling.

"Come on," Remus said, taking her hand nonchalantly, as he steered her towards the staircase. "I'll help you find your new quarters."

They found Luna's room first, which was still devoid of any personal touches but had been impeccably cleaned and arranged in an elegant way. Her own bedroom was right next to it, with all her belongings neatly arranged and put away. She reluctantly admitted that this room was much brighter and bigger that her previous one.

"This isn't so bad." Remus said, echoing her own thoughts. "And I think...yes, you're right above my own room, so we're still neighbors, of sorts."

Hermione smiled weakly at his attempt to cheer her up, and they decided a delicious house-elf made meal might do them some good.

"That's actually a good idea." Severus spiky writing appeared on the parchment in answer to Hermione's rant against Fudge's new living arrangements.

Lying on her stomach on her new bed, the witch growled in frustration before she wrote back, her writing made shaky and hurried by her anger.

"I can't believe it! You're glad I was evicted from my own bedroom just because Harry and Remus were next door? I didn't know you were so old-fashioned."

"I'm hurt. It only proves how little you know me." and he could even convey his sarcasm in writing.

"I guess I could cut a ruddy great hole in the floorboards, Remus' bedroom is right beneath my own after all." she teased back.

"Don't you dare, or I'll make sure the ugly beast is relocated in the attic. Permanently"

"You know, I'm starting to think you're the one who put Fudge up to this."

"It really isn't, but you've got to admire the headmaster's sneakiness. I always thought he was meant to be sorted in Slytherin with his friend Grindelwald."

"It's not as if I have a choice anyway, I tried moving my stuff back but Fudge kept replacing it as soon as it was out."

"I thought the room assigned to you was better?"

Hermione sighed, she couldn't very well tell Severus she was too afraid to fall asleep just because no one else was near. The Slytherin may have mellowed where she was concerned, but she didn't doubt for a second that he'd tease her about her irrational fear relentlessly.

"You're right." she wrote simply. "And Dumbledore did go to all the trouble of making sure I was allotted the biggest, most luxurious bedroom of this run-down mansion, so I might as well enjoy it. Good night then, Severus."

The witch read her friend's good night wishes before tucking the parchment back into her nightgown pocket. She always kept it on herself, like she did with her wand, except at night when they found themselves tucked safely under her pillow. She paced her bedroom, feeling too anxious to go to sleep. Usually, at this hour, she could hear Harry's soft snoring through the common wall, or even Alastor's mutterings from across the hallway. Feet shuffling, doors creaking, books falling... but isolated as she was on this landing, she couldn't even hear any sound coming from Remus' bedroom. The silence and sense of loneliness overwhelmed her, and she decided to make herself a cup of hot cocoa, provided that Fudge even let her. Or maybe the house-elf was patrolling the house, making sure boys and girls didn't sneak out of their rooms.

Her decision made, Hermione tightened her nightgown, fastened her fluffy slippers to make her way down the creaky staircase, making mental notes of which steps creaked and where, in case she ever did need to sneak around.

On the first landing, she hesitated. She supposed she could go and see Remus, he probably wouldn't mind keeping her company and any other day, he might have done so. But today had been the wizard's first transformation as a Patronus, and, although he mastered it perfectly on his first change, he was probably very tired and out like a light. So she continued downwards, not meeting any reproving purple eyes or flapping ears along the way, like she had thought she would, but only because the little house-elf was still busy cleaning in the kitchen.

"What is you wanting missus. You isn't liking your new bedroom." Fudge asked sadly, and she really didn't think he was faking it. He had put a lot of effort into making it look so good after all.

"No, Fudge, it's okay. It's a very nice room. I'm just not used to it. I was going to make myself a hot chocolate to help me sleep."

"Let Fudge doing that for you, missus." the little creature said, already summoning everything he needed to please her.

Too late to protest, she waited patiently and a minute later a hot cup of delicious smelling sweetness was pushed into her hands. She thanked the elf and told him he didn't have to clean everything tonight if he wanted to rest, which only seemed to upset him so she left him to it and went to her personal haven, the library.

To say she was surprised to find Remus lounging on the sofa with a voluminous book was an understatement, she had been so sure he would be exhausted from being a patronus, but apparently, he was much more powerful than she was.

"Couldn't sleep, then?" he asked softly with a small smile.

"You know me too well." she pouted. "It's just so quiet up there. It's like there's no one else in the world. I hate it."

Remus sat up and motioned her to sit next to him.

"Luna will be here tomorrow. With any luck she snores as much as Harry does." he offered to comfort her.

"I'd love that." she chuckled, laughing at the absurdity of the conversation. "I contacted our third member." she said cryptically, just in case large flapping ears were eavesdropping. "It turns out he agrees with the little meddler."

"Can't say I'm surprised." her friend grumbled.

"Why's that?" she quizzed, and suddenly she recalled Remus had briefly disappeared that morning. She strongly suspected Severus had something to do with it too. "Did Severus tell you something?"

"Something, yeah... I'd rather not talk about it." he answered, frowning and mentally adding "and certainly not with you."

"Probably gave you the same speech he gave me." she muttered under her breath, but not enough that Remus didn't hear her.

"I-I hardly think so!" he exclaimed, a colourful blush creeping up his face, and he couldn't look Hermione in the eyes any more.

"Oh, now, I really want to know. Maybe I should message him? Since he's insomniac, I'm sure I'll get an answer in the next...oh, I don't know, minute or two?" she said innocently, sliding her parchment and wand out of her pocket in a dramatic flourish.

"You really don't want to know." the wizard insisted, in a sterner voice. "I really wish you'd let it go, Hermione."

She hadn't realized this was such a sore subject for the Gryffindor, but seeing him so distraught, she quickly gave up her on her teasing. She had no right butting into his private affairs after all. The young woman finished her cup and banished it to the kitchen. Chocolate was the best medicine according to Remus and she tended to agree with him, but right now, she could have done with a dreamless sleep potion, because the mere thought of climbing the two stories to her isolated and silent room made her insides churn with anxiety.

"I think I'll turn in for the night. You should go to bed too, Hermione." Remus' voice roused her from the sleepy thoughts she had drifted into as she snuggled deeper into the sofa and against the wizard's side.

"I can't, I'd rather stay here." she replied immediately and she blamed her subconsciousness for having made up its mind before she even knew what she was saying. However, she had always felt at home in this room and had often fallen asleep in this very spot. She'd wake up with a stiff neck but at least, she'd sleep. So all in all, it wasn't such a bad idea.

Remus made to move just then and she didn't like that idea either, she had been so content just a minute ago she could have drifted easily into a peaceful slumber. And it appeared she was particularly selfish this late at night because she begged him to stay with her.

"Only until I fall asleep. It won't be that long. Please?"

She could see the wizard was having an internal conflict with himself, but he soon gave up and transfigured one of the cushions into a burgundy blanket that he threw around her shoulders before he made himself more comfortable in the sofa, pulling the witch in his arms so she could use him as a pillow.

A very warm pillow, that gave off a masculine fragrance of aftershave with a hint of citrus overtones, and had a heart that beat wildly under her ear. She moved her hand to rest next to her head, on his chest, and felt him shiver. She wondered if it had been a reaction of anticipation or disgust, and blamed herself for being so clueless where men were concerned. As far as she knew, it could be either, or maybe he was just cold, but she somehow doubted it seeing how much heat he was radiating.

She hoped he wasn't repulsed by her at least. Even if they were just friends, the very idea that he could find her so repellent did hurt her feelings. And didn't that mean she harbored more than friendship for her friend? Her mind was throwing itself into a frenzy of unanswerable questions that just led to more, so she decided that if she wanted to catch some much needed sleep, she would just have to accept that, for once, she was in uncharted territory and didn't have a single answer. But she would find them, she vowed, as she listened to Remus' heart beating at a steady rhythm now and finally fell into the land of dreams.

"What do you think you're doing?" shrieked a squeaky voice. "Master will not be happy. Oh no! Fudge needs to iron his hands right now! And his ears too! Master did warn Fudge, but Fudge was so happy cleaning all the house, oh yes! Fudge is a bad bad selfish elf! Maybe master will give Fudge clothes... Oh no! No! No! Fudge will iron his feet too, oh yes!"

"Shhh... Keep it down, Fudge." came Hermione's sleepy voice, who had been roused by the house-elf's shrill voice and loud banging. "What are you blabbering about?"

She pushed herself up from her heavenly warm and comfy sofa to get a better view at whatever the little creature was up to, until her pillow groaned. Remus had stayed with her the whole night and she couldn't help smiling at the man with his sleep tousled hair shooting off in odd directions and his half-lidded eyes that widened suddenly at the sight of her. Apparently, he had not meant to remain here. She smiled fondly down at him.

"Good morning, Remus."

"Hello Hermione." he said a bit sheepishly, his voice still raspy from the night. "I'm sorry, I must have fallen asleep too."

"Don't be." she quipped. "I've never slept better, the best pillow I've ever had. I might have to borrow you more often."

Remus made a strange face and was suddenly in a hurry to get up and away from her, eliciting a painful pang in her heart. He gently pushed her away and was already halfway to the door, before she even thought about picking herself up to go after him.

"Remus, wait!" she called after him before she tripped over Fudge, who had maintained steady flow of self-recrimination but was now ready to share some of the blame.

"Bad missus! You is not allowed mixing with the misters. No kissy-kissy and no hanky-panky the master said."

"Dumbledore told you that?" she asked aghast, but Fudge was now too busy banging his head against the table to pay any attention. "Fudge! Stop that now!"

The house-elf was obviously only trying to obey some inane orders given by the headmaster, so she couldn't very well let him hurt himself because of it.

"Nothing happened, Fudge!" she exclaimed over the racket he was making and feeling stupid for having to justify her love-life, or lack thereof, to a hysteric house-elf.

"Really, missus?" Fudge sniffled.

"Yes." she ground out between her teeth. She was really unhappy with the whole situation and so mad at Dumbledore that she would probably hex his beard off without warning if he dared show his pointy nose right then. Wasn't it enough that he had so much control over their lives as Order members already? No, that manipulative old bastard wanted to be in command of their most personal life too, it seemed.

Fudge calmed down enough that Hermione didn't fear for his safety any longer and she stormed off to her room, angry at Dumbledore, at his aggravating servant and even at Remus for having run off like that.

A hot bubble-bath bath and a hot cup of coffee from a bruised and apologetic house-elf were not enough to calm down her fury. And still no sign of Remus. Was he planning on hiding from her from now on? Hermione paced the kitchen, and then the library, but she could still feet the anger building up. She needed some fresh air, she needed to get out of this house in which she had been cooped up for so long. She already had her wand and parchment, she grabbed her heavy winter cloak hanging in the entrance and apparated away on the doorstep without a backwards glance.