A/N: This ends with some pretty intense smutty goodness. If that's not your thing, there's a back button on your browser window.

Chapter Ten: Rejection and Rejuvenation

Hermione was having trouble understanding what exactly was going on, but Remus's lips had the same effect on her as the Imperius Curse. Everything around her disappeared, and she felt light and free. A voice in the back of her mind told her lazily that he tasted like chocolate.

And then, as sudden as they came, his lips left hers.

It took a few seconds for her to realize the clock was chiming midnight as her Remus-induced haze let up. She looked at him, watching him closely as he looked frustrated, running a hand through his now-disheveled hair.

"Hermione," he said, his voice breathless. "We can't…"

"Stop," she commanded, and she took a step toward him. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. You have a choice, Remus. Take me now or I'm gone."

He didn't answer. He felt his heart racing against his chest. Mooney was howling and trashing within him, livid that Remus had pulled away from her. Remus himself was still slightly unsure why he pulled away, but something inside him told him 'Not here. Not now.'

"Hermione," he tried to reason, but she interrupted him again.

"It's a one-word answer. Do you want me? Yes or no."

He paused again before he felt it burst out of his lips.

"Yes…" he said breathlessly. She smiled, stepping closer. He stumbled back. "But we can't. Let me explain…"

But once he moved away, once he stepped back, she froze. Appraising him so coldly that he stopped mid-sentence, she gripped the hem of her gown, turned on her heel, and wordlessly started back toward the castle.

"Hermione!" he called, forgetting Ron and Tonks and taking off after her, sliding in the mud. For such a petite frame, she was quick, and he had to sprint to cover the distance.

"Wait," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She threw it off wildly.

"Don't touch me," she spat, and her words were filled with ice.

"Where are you going? The ball's over," he said, panting as they came to the stone steps. The fairy lights were gone, as was Snape. Blood was pumping through him as he tried to catch his breath.

She turned to face him.

"I'm going to find Sirius. He gave me a very tempting offer last night, which I have been hesitating to take because of you. But since you're clearly fine with the idea of me being with him, I see no reason now why I shouldn't be. So I'm going to take him up on his offer and I'm going to get shagged rotten by someone who isn't too scared of himself to make a move."

Her cheeks were burning from anger despite the cold wind that was whipping over them with the torrential rain. She could see Filch preparing to close the heavy oak doors and as she turned to glare at Remus, her eyes softened slightly at the sight of his dejected and anguished expression.

She tilted his head up so she could look in his eyes.

"The hard part is going to be trying not to think of you."

He looked hopeful and she smiled slightly.

"I'm not putting my sex life on hold for you anymore, Remus. But if you ever want me, just tell me. I'll be waiting."

As she turned to walk inside, he wanted to scream after her, to let her know that he just needed time, to tell her that he would do anything, anything as long as she didn't sleep with him. But the words stuck in his throat. He watched her walk up to Sirius and whisper something in his ear. He watched as that shit-eating grin of his spread across his handsome face.

Lupin snarled slightly.

'If that's the way you're playing, Padfoot,' he thought. 'Then game on.'

***

"Aren't you the least bit concerned about Remus?"

Hermione and Sirius were in one of Hogwarts's guest suites. Hermione felt she needed to voice the question even though she was certain it wasn't a topic she needed to go in depth with. Being the kind, concerned person she was, however, she had seen the look on Lupin's face as she walked out of the hall with Sirius. She may have been hormonal and livid with his constant indecision, but she honestly worried that she was making the wrong decision.

Sirius was lounging on the bed, barefoot and grinning as he watched the young witch sit worriedly at his feet.

"Are you?" he asked honestly.

"Well…yes. Sirius, you have to understand that I do care very deeply for him."

Sirius chuckled.

"I don't think you have to worry about me getting the wrong idea about you two. The emotions are painfully obvious."

She frowned slightly.

"Then…why pursue me? Why invite me into your bed?"

He let out his bark of a laugh.

"I suppose on some level, I had hoped the idea of competition would propel him into action. But on a purely selfish level, darling, I really do fancy you. Maybe not with the fervor Remus does, but I don't think you realize just how bloody sexy you are, and that is bloody sexy."

She ignored his compliment.

"I don't want to hurt Remus with…well…whatever we end up doing. Nor do I want to ruin your friendship with him. I'm sure there's something in the Marauder code about sleeping with someone else's girl?"

Sirius smirked, sitting up and crawling over to her. He knelt behind her, letting his fingers dance up her arms as he placed soft butterfly kisses on her shoulders and the nape of her neck.

"Has Remus claimed you as his?" he asked her softly, nipping her earlobe, causing her to shiver involuntarily. "Has he told you that he doesn't want anyone else to touch you, to take you intimately?" His hands were lowering the straps of her dress now and she felt her skin heating up.

"Actually," she managed to say. "He said I shouldn't worry about him if I wanted to date you or anyone else."

"And do you worry? Would you felt guilty if we were to go to bed together tonight?" His lips were on her neck now, his fingers under her chin as he tilted her lips towards his.

"He kissed me tonight, Sirius," she said softly. She felt him pause and she sighed, pulling away slightly. "He kissed me and then he pulled away, telling me we couldn't. I got so mad, Sirius…that's why I came to you…" She trailed off before pulling the straps of her dress back up her arms. "Perhaps I should go."

"I'm gonna kill him, you know," Sirius said and she looked at him as he leaned back, sitting cross-legged behind her. "I really am. He's being a first class ass about everything."

She smiled.

"I suppose he's just being careful," she said. "After all, I'm sure there's a tremendous amount of baggage that comes with dating a werewolf."

He looked at her in disbelief.

"This is the reason why I am going to kill him," he said matter-of-factly. "He approaches you romantically twice, spurns your affection twice, and you still understand his fucking stupid noble actions despite your own sexual frustrations! He doesn't seem to realize how fucking perfect you are for him! For one, you can tolerate his idiotic ideas of decency and honor even though it directly impacts your own emotions. Un-fucking-believable."

Hermione chuckled slightly, amused by the flush crossing Sirius's angled features, making him look, if it were possible, more handsome.

"If I didn't know better, Sirius," she teased. "I would think you were jealous."

"You bet your gorgeous ass I'm jealous!" he barked. "He has a beautiful, intelligent, caring, generous, sexy witch who cares about him and wants to be with him and he's too stuck in his own head to realize what a bloody lucky bastard he is!"

He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"He just doesn't know, Hermione," he said. "He doesn't believe he deserves you, which we both know is utter nonsense. I'm just so pissed because this is Lily and James all over again."

Hermione frowned slightly.

"Lily and James? Harry's parents?"

Sirius sighed.

"'Lily and James' was almost 'Lily and Remus,'" Sirius said. "They fancied each other their first couple of years here but of course Remus didn't pursue anything because…well, that's his modus operandi, isn't it? And Lily honestly thought he wasn't interested and turned to the guy who wasn't afraid to pursue her and ended up falling for James. But Remus cared about Lily and she cared about him, right until the end. And it's maddening because I will not be another James for him but I can't help…"

He stopped abruptly, as if his brain was suddenly letting him know what he was saying and to whom he was saying it. He sighed again and smiled slightly at Hermione.

"Remus is being foolish. He'll come around. At least he's kissed you. That seems like a step in the right direction."

"Sirius, do you honestly think he'll wake up on his own? Without coaxing?"

Sirius shrugged, laying back against the bed again.

"For his sake, and yours, I hope so."

"And…" She hesitated slightly. "And what about you?"

He smiled in spite of himself.

"Not only brilliant, but perceptive too. You really are quite remarkable, Hermione." He stretched out his long limbs, putting his hands behind his head. "I suppose I'll just have to wait for the next beautiful, intelligent, caring, generous, sexy witch that crosses my path. In the meantime, though," He wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm in no short supply of willing women."

She rolled her eyes at his grin.

"You're an arrogant ass."

He chuckled before patting the bed beside him.

"C'mon…you can't go back to the dormitory this late unaccompanied and I'm too comfortable to move. Sleep here and you can sneak back early tomorrow."

Laughing but too tired to argue, she agreed. He pointed to an old but clean t-shirt of his for her to change into. She instructed him to turn away as she changed, but she knew he had peeked because as she slipped under the covers he whispered:

"Nice knickers, Granger."

She smacked him soundly.

Wrapping an arm protectively around her, he charmed the candles out and the room was plunged into total darkness.

***

A few hours later, Hermione woke up with a start. It took her a few seconds to register where she was, and she had almost hexed Sirius when he shifted next to her. Then she remembered the night before and became reassured that she wasn't in any immediate danger.

She had awoken from a very vivid dream involving both Remus and Sirius, and a Muggle washing machine. She blushed as she thought of her loud moans and she prayed those moans had just been in her dreams. She fell back against the soft pillows, glancing over at Sirius's bare back and resisting the urge to outline his tattoos. The dream brought into sharp focus her lack of sex life and her sexual frustrations with Remus. If only the dreams weren't so vivid and lewd.

Caught in her thoughts, Hermione jumped as she heard Sirius's gruff voice.

"Perhaps you should head back to the tower," he said.

She smiled.

"Sick of me already?"

"No," he said, turning to face her, his eyes hooded. "It's just that you were moaning both mine and Remus's names in your sleep and I can smell your desire from here. I respect you, Hermione, but a man only has so much self-control."

Normally, (not to say that the particular situation fell anywhere near the category of 'normal' in Hermione's life) she would have blushed furiously at the idea of being caught before making a hasty exit. However, since she could feel the blood pooling to her loins at the sight of his half-asleep, disheveled, lust-filled appearance, she threw caution to the wind.

"Fuck self-control, Sirius," she growled, and kissed him forcefully.

Hermione felt his hands on her immediately, and within seconds the t-shirt was gone. Picking her up and straddling her over his hip, Sirius sat up, kissing her passionately as his hands splayed over her bare back, getting caught in the amber curls that tumbled over her shoulders.

His lips moved down to her breasts, lavishing them with attention as he caught a nipple roughly in him mouth. Arching her back, Hermione bucked against the hard muscle prodding her sensitive nether regions. Separated only be two pieces of very thin material, Hermione felt a lustful, hungry tug within her before pulling Sirius's lips back up to meet hers, kissing him violently.

"I need you inside of me now," she breathed.

He pushed her underwear to the side as she released him from his pajama pants. She lifted her hips and lowered herself slowly onto him. She heard him suck in a deep breath.

"Jesus, 'Mione," he murmured. "So fucking tight…God, you feel so good…"

His breaths were heavy as he tried to regain some semblance of self-control while Hermione, also breathing heavily, adjusted to him. When she felt him kissing and nipping her shoulders, she started to move.

She had planned to start slow, letting her body get used to the intimate feeling again. Her body, however, was not interested in going slowly. Soon, she was riding him with reckless abandon, running her hands up her sides and touching her own body as the delirious feeling of pleasure tingled through her.

Sirius gripped her hips and guided her, adding to her movements with small thrusts of his own. He was limited by their position, however, and once he felt he was about to die from the erotic sight of her touching her own body while riding him, he mustered all his strength and flipped them over, landing heavily on top of her soft curves.

Taking advantage of the pause, he brought her legs up to his shoulders, ripping her underwear off her before kissing her slim ankle. Kicking his pajama pants down and off, he maneuvered between her legs and thrust into her waiting and needing body.

"Sirius…" she hissed, arching her back as the new position forced him deeper than before, hitting that spot within her that caught her breath.

She felt her stomach start to tense and her toes start to curl. Sirius, his own control quickly slipping, slid his hand between their joined bodies and rubbed at her sensitive nub.

"Fuck! Oh shit…Sirius!" she moaned, arching her back again as she came hard. Sirius groaned as he walls clamped around him, and he jerked as he came deep inside her. He took soft thrusts, letting her orgasm linger as she tried to catch her breath.

Collapsing on top of her, Sirius was glad he had had the foresight to put up silencing charms the night before. He had been amazed by how loud she was. He was even more amazed by how good she was. He knew Ron had mentioned her outstanding bedroom skills, but never in his wildest dreams had he imagined her to be so brazen and unflinchingly sensual.

He smirked. Well, maybe in his wildest dreams.

Her voice, however, shattered through the post-coital haze and into his lull of blissful mindlessness.

"I think," she said, her voice back to its normal matter-of-fact tone. "That this might complicate things."