The next two weeks passed by really fast, nearly no time at all for them to meet except for their classes. Hermione felt lonely, she missed his touch and his amber eyes most of the time. She always glanced over towards him during the meals. It was her happy moment of both weeks. Finally a kind of normal weekend was coming up and they all could just relax before final stressing and Christmas.

"Do you believe we'll spend Christmas at Sirius' this year?" asked Harry as they sat in the common room doing some homework, as Hermione had insisted so they wouldn't have to stress later on and have no fun at all.
"Maybe and least us two" Hermione answered "Ron's probably in the Burrow with his family and my parents are away this year so I'm here to spend Christmas with you" she assured him with a smile.
They kept chatting and doing their homework at a normal pace then decided it was time to go to bed because the weekend was ahead of them and they wanted to enjoy it.

First thing in the morning, just before breakfast, Lupin went to the Gryffindor common room to call the golden trio to Sirius' place. Hermione tried to hide her surprise and happiness.
"We're all leaving this weekend because Sirius wants us to help him decorate Grimmauld Place with him, and of course you have Dumbledore's permission" he told his students and saw how their faces lit up. He knew he would be there plenty of days during Christmas but still his furry little problem would sneak up on him as it was going to be full moon one of these days. He knew they were happy to leave some days before actual Christmas holidays.

Sirius grinned a wide smile, displaying a high dose of happiness Harry had never seen before. But he was really happy to be there, to help him and to spend the holidays. They ate lunch in the kitchen and then proceeded to decorate the rooms.
" Moony and 'Mione , you two can do the library as you're the only ones who enjoy spending time with books so much..." he said with a teasing smile "Ron and Harry, you guys help me around here with the garlands and stuff that has to hang up" he said so that no one who would notice anything weird.
Remus went up the stairs with a box of decorations as Hermione followed suit. She opened the door for him and as a thanks he kissed her on the cheek. She just closed the door after them and went straight to the box with the decorations, grabbing some ugly looking green garlands and hang them up on the shelves' top. Remus just laughed at her disgusted face and with a flick of his wand he turned them to red.
"More Christmas-y" he said with a soft smile.
"More Griffyndor and less Slytherin" Hermione stated as it was obvious.
Remus flickered his wand and all decorations were up and ready to enjoy, even a little Christmas tree behind the spot where they usually sit and read. As he enjoyed happily what he had just done he put his arms around Hermione who froze as the door opened and Sirius' head poked in.
"Great! I suspected you two would end soon with this so you can do the drawing room and the dormitories a bit, not overload them we have to be able to sleep you know" he winked and left after he had accioed three other decorations boxes up from the living room. Remus just smiled and kissed Hermione's neck playfully hoping she would give in fast. She turned around with concern in her eyes.
"Full moon, soon" she whispered as if she was afraid.
"Yes I know, in four days. I'll spend Christmas with you all and then retreat to be my furry little self again." he said with a very soft smile as he noticed her eyes looking way too sad " you know I'll come back, and teach you all again".
"It's not that Remus, and you know it" she said as if scolding him " I, I, I just want you to be good and healthy" she said nearly breaking down as she traced the outline of one of his scars. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, while softly saying that he would never ever be in danger as long as she was with him. She knew that wasn't true technically so she just kissed him passionately and whispered into his ear: "I never want this to end, I love you Remus" Those words made Remus snap and he hungrily grabbed her and pulled her up against the door, kissing her passionately his hands trailing of her body in search for skin. Hermione grabbed his neck fiercely and kissed him passionately. Twenty minutes after they walking in and decorated the drawing room with a flick of the wand, same for some dormitories. They walked down to the living room to see three struggling guys and a garland.

"Oi, problems there?" Remus said holding his laugh as best as he could. Hermione just chuckled and waved her wand and all was put nice and red.
"Great 'Mione, you changed them! How?" asked Ron. Harry just shook his head and laughed telling him that they had learned it some years ago. Ron went read to his ears and they all burst out laughing. Harry and Ron decided to rush away and buy Christmas presents as they had forgot to do it earlier. Sirius retired to the kitchen to start fixing some more food as Remus had succeeded in getting the whole Weasley family over there for Christmas to Sirius delight.

Hermione just grabbed Remus by the arm and dragged him to the couch, she sat them both down and started to snuggle into him as he grabbed a book and started to read. None of them noticed Sirius creeping up silently with a camera, he snapped a picture of them smiling about their happiness. He knew they're perfect for each other.

The holidays passed rapidly and soon it was Remus day off as he liked to tell Hermione so she wouldn't worry that much but it only earned him a scolded hurt look from her. Remus went out and decided to apparate to his cottage where he had all he needed set up and ready as always. Before he just popped away he made Sirius and Hermione promise him that only Sirius were the one who would come and take care of him, not Hermione. He didn't want to hurt her or make her afraid of the horrible monster he was. He kissed her goodbye on the lips, a long kiss. Hermione just blushed as Sirius was there smiling happily at them.

Sirius and Hermione entered the kitchen it would be a long night. He brewed them some coffee and made some sandwiches as they waited.
"You know, he really loves you" Sirius said absentmindedly to her.
She just nodded and turn bright red. " Come on! No need to bring the pinkness on now!" he guffawed " I know you care deeply about him and that you love him too, that's why I haven't put any objection to it nor Dumbledore" he said firmly. The night went slow in between some talking about old Marauders time and Hermione's relationship to Remus. Then suddenly Sirius stood up and transformed into Padfoot and just apparated out of the kitchen leaving a nervous Hermione all alone.
She heard footsteps in the stairs and turned around to see Harry and Ron smiling at her in the door way. They sat down beside her and she flicked her wand and two cups and sandwiches appeared out of nowhere.
"So how long have you guys been together?" Harry asked her. She was shocked, she hadn't thought that they could actually find out her secret.
"Well , some time now, maybe a month or so" she said not really wanting to look them in the eyes. Harry's eye flew open wide. " A month, and you didn't tell me. None of you two told me" He was angry at her. But she couldn't understand why Remus should them him , he had no need to...
"Harry, I'm not with Sirius" she said firmly and smiled at him, noticing his mistake.
"Well don't lie now, you just said you'd been together for a month now kind of" he spat at her. Ron just burst out laughing which made Hermione also laugh. Harry noticed it and angryly just looked at them.
"Harry, think a little, if I was with Sirius would he make the effort to be with me... He just didn't put any Christmas decorations with me but with you" she said.
"Oh!" he said softly as he realized who they were talking about. "Remus, really? Hermione what do you see in him? I mean apart from being a great man and mentor but you know his furriness" he said. Hermione just shook her head and smiled.
"Blimey! 'Mione you must really be in love" Ron said. "So how is he in bed?" he asked playfully.
"Ron, please! It's Remus we're talking about, I doubt he lured her into something like that so fast." Harry said, totally convinced that there hasn't been anything between them in that level. He turned around to face Hermione who sat there eyes glazed biting her lip and smiling coyly. She was bright red to top it off. "No! You haven't!" Harry shouted and couldn't really believe it. But well it was true.
They spent the night chatting lightly and joking as the good friends they are until Sirius returned in his normal form and said that Remus was now sleeping safe and sound in his normal human form and that he might be fit for visitors tomorrow if the visitor herself slept a bit. He sent Hermione off with a smile and a wink , reassuring her Remus was fine. Then he sat down in the kitchen and noticed that Harry and Ron were still there.
"So what do you guys want?" he asked with a seductive smile.
"How long have you known?" Harry asked him firmly "And who else knows".
"From the first time they looked at each other differently in summer. And Dumbledore knows of course and let me say he's okay with it as long as no third furry little one comes along" he said with a smile "and Ginny knows, don't go all high on your hippogriffs to 'Mione now, Ginny's smart she listed out all by herself and the first one who did actually." he smiled proud of Harry for having such a smart girlfriend. Somehow it reminded him of Lily and James.

"Well, that was a surprise!" said Ron totally astonished by the information he just got.