JK Rowling owns HP and its characters. I am borrowing them for a spell—ha! Get it? ;)

Okay, this chapter was strangely a little more difficult to write, although I am not really sure why. Anyway, it is up now. Hope it sounds okay. Enjoy it!

Chapter 11

Babysitting Teddy would be easy. Babysitting Remus Lupin's child, however, was a different story. Although they were in fact the very same situation, the two felt like polar opposites when she thought of them in those two separate terms.

She shut her eyes as she dipped the feathered quill into the dark black ink that sat on the desk at her cubical. The maroon leather-bound book her professor had given her nearly five years ago was open to a blank page.

Hermione Granger: So it looks like I will be watching Teddy on Friday.

The ink dried on the page, absorbing into the parchment as she waited. She sifted through her other journal—the one she looked at nearly every single day—that held every conversation they'd had. She'd transferred them over throughout the years. Reading the memories of their past "dates" always brought a smile to her face.

Remus Lupin: So it would seem. Turning 40, I can't believe it.

Hermione Granger: Gee, you are old. I'll be 21 soon.

Remus Lupin: Don't remind me of how young you are.

Hermione Granger: Sorry.

Remus Lupin: I'm just teasing you.

Hermione Granger: I know. So, what is on the agenda for Friday?

Remus Lupin: Probably just dinner.

Hermione Granger: How—

She paused not sure of what to say. She could be sarcastic, but the words wouldn't read very well.

Hermione Granger: —nice?

The question mark was probably unnecessary, but it was too late to change it.

Remus Lupin: Yes. It'll be fine.

It'll be fine. She read the words over and over. It'll be fine.

Hermione Granger: Well if you ask me; you deserve better than "fine."

Remus Lupin: Too sweet you are. But I'm used to fine. Fine is…well, fine.

Hermione Granger: Well, I'm excited to see you.

Remus Lupin: Likewise. I don't think I've seen you since Christmas.

Hermione Granger: Sounds about right.

Remus thought back to the dream he had the night before. He had said that—about Christmas—when he hugged her. Without even realizing it, he ended up writing just that:

Remus Lupin: I had a dream about you last night.

Hermione Granger: Oh yeah?

Although her wording sounded calm, she felt anything but. Her heart rate elevated as she thought about her own intense dream.

Hermione Granger: I actually had a dream about you last night too.

Remus Lupin: Really?

Hermione Granger: Yes, really. It was rather—detailed.

Remus Lupin: Mine too.

He was beating around the bush now, not being specific about any of those details. There was no chance that her dream was anywhere near the type his was. She was just being coy with her words and it was throwing him for a loop.

Hermione's hands shook as she continued to write. She needed to know.

Hermione Granger: What was yours about?

The words the bled through his page from her innocent question parched him instantly. If he told her the truth, she may never speak to him again. If he lied, he'd be safe, putting an end to this insane conversation. Or he could just play it casual, not that he felt relaxed at the moment, but she didn't have to know that.

Remus Lupin: I already told you. It was about you.

Hermione Granger: What about me exactly?

She was playing with him now; the little vixen. He was sure that she knew damn well what she was doing.

Remus Lupin: I think you know exactly what about, Miss Granger.

Hermione Granger: Well, if I already know, then why don't you tell me about it—Professor.

Remus Lupin: Bad girl.

Hermione Granger: How so?

Remus Lupin: Calling me professor like that, it reminds me some of—how should I put it?—our inappropriate past memories.

Hermione Granger: Does it now?

Remus Lupin: I don't know why, but I get the strangest feeling that you are toying with me, Miss Granger. When did you become such a flirt?

Hermione Granger: Maybe; is that so hard for you to believe?

Remus Lupin: Given our history, no, I suppose it's not.

Hermione Granger: But in any case, I do believe it was YOU who started flirting with me first, Professor.

Remus Lupin: Fair enough.

Hermione Granger: I'll admit that I do find myself thinking about you more often than I should.

Remus Lupin: Same here. And that dream did absolutely nothing to help.

Hermione Granger: You still haven't told me what it was about…

He could almost feel her giggling through her words.

x x x

"Hermione!" the metamorphmagus beamed, pulling the brunette at her doorstep into a hug. "Thank you so much again for doing this last minute." Her hair was short with wispy bangs—a bright shade of purple tonight, makeup appeared to only be only partially done, donning a pair of baggy gray sweatpants and a much too large white t-shirt.

Her smile faltered only a little. "Of course, Tonks," she said as cheerfully as she could. "It's no trouble."

The two women broke apart, smiles on both their faces. "Well I really appreciate it," Dora said graciously.

Hermione nodded just as Remus came around the corner, their eyes immediately locking on each other's.

"Sweetheart, please try to be a gentleman and entertain our guest while I go finish getting ready," she said over her shoulder, already halfway down the hall.

His mouth quirked up at the corners, a smile hiding somewhere inside, his gaze never straying from Hermione's. "Yes dear," he said. He subconsciously licked his lower lip as he took in the sight of the younger witch before him.

She was wearing low rise medium blue jeans with a dark red three-quarter length sleeve, slightly tight sweater that hugged her in all the right places. It had a wide rounded neckline that revealed just her shoulder bones. Her dark curls were noticeably calmer than usual, pulled off her face in a half ponytail. The makeup she wore was very simple, but managed to accent her big brown eyes beautifully.

"You, um," he said, "you look incredible." The words simply fell from his mouth.

She cleared her throat as her cheeks flushed. "Thanks; so do you," Hermione said shyly, extending a card out to him, "Erm—Happy Birthday."

"Thanks," he said quietly, accepting the envelope. "I still can't believe I'm turning 40," he said with a scoff. "I feel so old—and don't you dare say that you're 21," he teased, breaking their eye contact so that he could read it. There was a picture of a dog blowing out candles on a cake. It read:

Hot Dog! It's your birthday?
Eat some cake and
Have a doggone good time.

She looked down at the floor, almost too embarrassed to meet his eyes again. The card was dumb; it had to be. If she bought the card she actually wanted to get for him, her feelings would have been out in the open.

He opened the card at the fold, where he found three tickets to The Museum of Witchcraft in New York City.

Her eyes looked up slowly from their focus on the floor. "I thought maybe you, Tonks, and Teddy would want to go. It's supposed to be really awful," she said with a small chuckle. "Muggles have such a strange view of what they think magic is. I can imagine that it would be really quite fascinating to see their perspective of us. I've never been to New York—I've always want to go, just never had the time—but I hear it's fantastic. So I figured that you could go get a few laughs in at the museum and then spend the rest of the day in the city."

Remus looked up, his head tilted slightly. He took a step toward her, "I went to New York once long time ago. I have wanted to go back for years now, just haven't for some reason—you'd love it. Thank you Hermione," he said smiling, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's perfect."

She smiled at that, her eyes dancing in excitement. "I'm so glad you think so."

He wrapped his strong arms around her small frame in what should have been an innocent thank you hug.

Not only was she physically stunning, but the thick head of curls that was now directly below his nose overpowered his nostrils with their delicious aroma. It was almost too much for his inner wolf to handle as images from his recent dreams surfaced, torturing him. He wanted to rip her sweater off, wrap his hand around that hair, exposing the soft skin of her neck and lick down to her throat, down to circle her breasts, further down to her stomach...

Heat spread through her quickly as the contracting muscles inside her panties became more rapid. His breath was gruff, making her realize that he wanted her every bit as much as she wanted him. Remembering that his wife was in the next room was the only thing keeping her from asking him to take her where they stood.

The full moon was too close, forcing his animalistic traits to the surface. He could feel certain parts of her body pulsate and tremble as he held her in his arms, could smell her arousal, which only made his desire that much more unbearable. The fact that she still wanted him after all these years sent a chill through him, settling at the front of his pants. He wanted her—needed her—badly. His forehead collapsed onto her semi-exposed shoulder blade. His nose traveled at a very slow pace up her neck, up right behind her ear. Nuzzling into the soft flesh, he whispered, "Merlin, I've missed you."

Her eyes squeezed shut, biting her lip to keep herself from moaning. Her insides felt like they had turned instantly to liquid as waves of tingles behind her thighs settled in her lower region. It took all she had to steady herself from grinding against him.

They were locked in each other's embrace, she was strong enough to apparate them both at the same time—she could bring them to New York if she wanted. The temptation only thickened as her head began to soar, while his fingers danced around her back, to her waist, traveling down her torso, pulling her hips toward his groin.

"Daddy," came a little voice from the other side of the house.

The adults broke apart so quickly, it was like they had been burned, just in time to see Teddy come running around the corner, joining them in the foyer.

"Hey, little man," Remus said joyfully, scooping his five-year-old son with turquoise hair up. "Can you say hello to Hermione?"

"Hi My-knee," the child said with a smile, clinging to his dad's arms.

Hermione smiled, still trying to pull herself out of the trance that his father had put her in. "Hello Teddy, it's very nice to see you," she stuttered, her cheeks hotter and redder than they had ever been.

"Wook!" he proudly displayed his pink gum tissue. "I wost a toof," he said, pointing to the noticeable large space from the missing upper incisor.

"Aaaah," she said as enthusiastically as she could. "You sure did." She moved her eyes back to Remus, "He's a little young to have lost his front tooth, isn't he?"

He smiled weakly at the way she looked at him. The nod and sigh that came from him told her that it was something that they wouldn't discuss at the moment. "But the Toothfairy was very generous, wasn't she?" he said attempting to keep the conversation light.

"Yeah," Teddy squealed.

"All right," Tonks said rounding the corner again. She looked stunning.

Hermione reached out to hold Teddy; it was all she could do to distract her mind. "Oh boy, you got heavy," she said to the child in her arms. "I think I may—drop you," she teased, relaxing her arms slightly to give Teddy the feeling that he was falling. Teddy just giggled, holding on tight.

"You ready, Remus?"

"Yes dear," he said smiling kindly as he watched Hermione with his son. He tucked his birthday card into his blazer's inside chest pocket.

"Be good for Hermione," Tonks said as she gave Teddy a kiss on the head. "Mommy will miss you. We shouldn't be home too late," she said looking to her son's babysitter.

Hermione smiled the best she could, sad to see Remus pulling on his coat, preparing to leave. "We'll be fine," she managed to get out.

The lycanthrope leaned in and gave Teddy a kiss on the head too. "I love you," he said, subtly raising only his eyes to the brown eyed beauty in front of him.

Her knees felt like they went soft, suddenly feeling wobbly at the slight possibility that those beautiful words may have been meant for her. "Uh, um, what do you say to your dad, Teddy?" she stammered.

"I wuv you too, daddy," he said looking up.

A/N: Well I hope it was enjoyable. I love the family feel of Remus/Hermione/Teddy…don't you? :)

As always, please review if you read it, I like to know your thoughts.

I'll see you next chapter!