Author Notes: Well, it's been a while! This is super long, but I couldn't edit anything out of it. I felt it was much needed as a whole for the story's build. I hope all the feels don't put you off! Enjoy.


The dinner at the Potters was all a show for Hermione. Remus could smell her going through the motions as she sat next to Sirius and even smiled, hanging onto his arm. It was a scene pulled straight from a movie set. The cameras were on, the audience was watching, and she nailed her lines and emotions on time. No earwigs to prompt her the spoon fed doting. It was all her.

The werewolf was uncomfortable by the turn of events. He didn't want her to be distant and possibly severe ties with his friend, but the lycanthrope couldn't deny that it was more truthful this way. Not that their relationship was a lie. No, more to the tune of everyone needing a breath. They were lovely together and would have beautiful children, and she just needed time to get through her doubts.

Sirius never seemed to get things the first time around. It was possible that his childhood contributed to his lack of knowledge. Even being incarcerated for twelve years, possibly added to the emotionally inept marauder. Remus knew that, and they held their own share of dysfunction. She was probably the most functional and intelligent witch he had the pleasure to know. Somehow, Hermione would work through it and embrace it once she reckoned with his mistake.

They returned to Grimmauld, and there were an abundant amount of questions hanging in the air. Hermione let Remus take care of things with Teddy and disappeared into her study. Sirius moped as he followed the Lupins around like a canine who lost his bone.

Teddy was not oblivious to the change in the adults when they returned. "Dad, why is Uncle Sirius sad?"

The dog snorted as Remus sat down on Teddy's bed next to him. "Well, Hermione isn't happy with him."

The boy reached over and patted the large canine on the head. "I'm sorry, Uncle Sirius. I tried to tell her that she could have different flowers, but she said that it doesn't work like that."

Remus cocked his head with a scowl. "Different flowers? What do you mean?"

"Hermione told me that love is like flowers. All different colors and types. I thought who would want one type when you could have tons of pretty flowers, but she said it doesn't work. If she's mad at you, you could always give her roses; that's the flower she says is yours, Uncle Sirius."

The werewolf scratched under his chin, through his grizzled beard. "Romantic of the witch to compare love to flowers."

Teddy waved his hand and huffed. "But she told me that's why she couldn't marry Uncle Sirius. He loves you too much to give her flowers too."

Sirius whined and glanced up at the werewolf. "I know; I'll talk to her, alright?" Remus asked.

His black fur made a distinct outline of Remus's slacks as he rested his head on the marauder's knee. "It's okay, Uncle Sirius. Hermione promised me she wouldn't leave," Teddy sighed as he continued to dote on the dog.

"What else did you and Hermione do?" Remus questioned; this was normal; it was one of the more sneakier ways that the werewolf kept tabs on the witch's mind.

"Well, Hermione was finishing her law. She sent out letters and then showed me all the pictures she had on her desk. A lot weren't there before. Then we went and visited her big boss, and he clapped and took the papers. He looked happy she finished. After that, we went and visited Aunt Ginny, who was asking about Uncle Sirius and you, dad. She didn't seem too happy and called Hermione a dunderhead."

Remus just nodded along and stroked Sirius' head as he listened. "Well, sounds like everyone is just having a hard night," he mused.

"Remus," Hermione's voice entered the room and caused the werewolf to jerk.

She was poking her head in with a pout. "Can I talk to you a moment?"

He nodded, and Sirius maneuvered off of his lap. Remus walked out after the witch, and she was chewing her bottom lip as she stood in the hallway. It was interesting to see her uneased and anxious. "What can I do for you?" Remus questioned.

"I want to tell you something before it showed up in the papers tomorrow. Something I've been keeping from you," Hermione responded, still in a somewhat crumpled posture.

"That is?" he inquired as his arms folded over his chest.

Hermione met his eyes and exhaled before bobbing her head. "I'm going in front of the Wizengamot tomorrow to announce my bill they will vote on. I will plead my case, and Kingsley assured me that most who have read some of it are already on board. If it is passed, it will mean that conditioned wizards can no longer be discriminated against." She finished and swallowed.

Remus blinked, and his eyes bulged in surprise. "You, what?"

"I've been working on this bill with the bylaws for the last two years. Kingsley let me keep it under wraps until I have had my research and evidence collected. I came to my finishing touches four months ago and had been working with some of the chairs to work the kinks out. It came to fruition today, and the Minister had promised me half an hour of the chamber's time to promote why this should be passed," Hermione closed with a small curve to her lips.

"That's why you haven't let me nose about in your study at my leisure any longer?" Remus asked as his arms dropped to his side.

Hermione laughed with a motion of agreement. "The last person I wanted to argue with me about any of it was you. Also, it won't sound as if a werewolf participated in any of my findings. Remus, I wanted you to feel proud, regardless of what you think people see. Now, with a near sure close to it, I will make sure you can. I just wanted to give you forewarning."

He pulled her to his frame and hugged her tightly. "You are the greatest witch I've had the pleasure to know," he whispered to her.

Her fingers caressed his sweater as her head rested against his chest. "You have to know I did this so you could feel belonging, Moony."

They remained embraced for a moment longer before he released her. "I always have with you around, Hermione. Thank you," he said with a nod.

She patted his shoulder before walking into the bedroom. Remus listened to her speaking to the boy and saying goodnight before reappearing. He watched her wave and disappear up the staircase, not saying a word- words would get in the way of his genuine gratitude for her actions.

"She sure does love you, Moony," Sirius remarked.

That shook Remus from his daze, and he noted the animagus standing in the hallway with him. "Yes, she does. Not many people I can count on one hand who loved us both so deeply."

Sirius inhaled with a motion of agreement. "Well, now you should probably do something about it."

"No, you should probably do something, Pads. A sheet of paper doesn't change our history."

The animagus waved him off and walked toward the staircase. "Moony, you need to get a clue. I'm going to bed."

His feet were heavy and loud on the stairs as he climbed, causing Remus to frown. He saw his son out of the corner of his eye and turned to the boy. "Dad, why is everyone so upset tonight?"

"Because your Uncle is a dog," Remus snickered with a smirk.

Teddy rolled his eyes and sneered. "Well, he's my favorite dog."

"Mine too, son," Remus sighed and walked Teddy into the bedroom. "What do you think about visiting your grandmother tomorrow? We'll take her out to lunch."

The boy clapped and cheered with enthusiasm, which was a nice break from the intensity of the night. Remus didn't like that his two animagi were upset with each other. The bickering had to stop some way.


Hermione shuddered and jerked awake.

She was alone, and her body was covered in cold sweats.

The manor hadn't been a part of her nightmare cycles in a while, but somehow it was real as could be tonight. Her chest felt heavy and weighed from the gasping she was trapped by in the darkness. Hermione reached for her wand and flicked on her lights, glancing around the room.

She was home but felt so weakened by the silence. The witch climbed from the bed, throwing on her robe and making her way from the room. Her legs propelled her toward the library- her mind was so muddled. Hermione wanted desperately to reach out to Sirius, but she couldn't handle the next morning.

When she opened the library, the flicker of the fire greeted her. Remus was stretched out on the sofa, a book across his chest and strands of hair over his brow. The witch approached him and brushed a few tuffs from his cheek. It startled him, but as soon as his eyes focused on her, he exhaled.

"Hermione, you shocked me," he mumbled.

She sat down on the edge of the sofa at his side and took his hand. "Moony," she sighed.

Remus gingerly sat up and released her hand as the stale scent of fear entered his nose. "Are you alright?"

She leaned into his form and huffed. "Just having a tough night." He brushed fingers through her hair and handed her the abandoned drink on the table. Hermione swallowed it in one mouthful and cringed. "Thank you," she sighed.

"Are you going to forgive him soon? He was moping around all evening," Remus murmured.

The witch set down the glass and pressed her ear against the werewolf's chest for comfort. "Eventually, no one can stay angry with him- that's the disadvantage of loving him."

Remus chuckled and nosed her hair. "Isn't that the honest truth."

"I should be so angry with you both, but I can't sum up the emotion for it. I'm just terribly hurt. Torn down the middle and left for the ravens to pick at," Hermione explained with a massive exhale.

Remus pouted as he stroked her curls. "I know he feels terrible about it. I feel like a cancer between you both at times. It's my fault there's so much friction. It's evident that he's crazy about you and I loathe myself for placing him in this position."

Hermione reached forward and poured herself another drink from the amber bottle before sighing. "Remus, I know he loves you. He always will love you, and I would never want to change that. I wish he would be honest with me about it. It creates the disgusting jealousy that builds in my gut," she finished then sipped the glass.

"Hermione, you don't need to be jealous of his love for me. He loves you far more than that," Remus spoke with a pained tone.

The witch glanced up at him as her eyebrows skewed. "No, Moony, he loves you more."

He touched her cheek as his green eyes glittered in the firelight. "There is no circumstance where someone, even Sirius, could love me more than you. You bring light to a room when you walk into it. People, animals, and children gravitate toward you. I am always in awe of your intelligence and compassion."

Her eyes glistened with emotion as her lips parted. "That's the most touching compliment I've ever received," she whispered.

Remus bent toward her and kissed her forehead before leaving her personal space. "You deserve it. I should have made positive you knew that years ago. You helped me raise my son without ever requesting anything from me. I have been ridiculous and ignorant," Remus declared as he pressed his elbows to his knees.

She handed him her drink and touched the werewolf's shoulder. "Remus, you never needed to do anything for me. I love you and Teddy beyond words. I would do it all over again if it meant you would be taken care of."

"I'm about to ask you an incredibly awful question. Please tell me that I'm a batty old werewolf," he sighed before draining the glass.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

The werewolf glanced over at her and groaned before setting the glass down. "Nevermind, it's unimportant."

Hermione grabbed his arm before he made his getaway. "No, what is it?"

His eyes didn't meet hers as he breathed deeply. "I was thinking about when Teddy was younger, how you would linger at your door before we would depart. Did you do so because you wanted something more, Hermione? Have I been blind by my own rules?"

All she could do was blink at him as he still avoided her face. He just found the courage to come right out and say it? To ask her point blink about circumstances that she was confused by her own feelings then. She glanced to the fire and recalled moments of longing, but surely knew it was for nothing- Remus would never want that of her. Too young. A former student. A beguilement on her own without interrupting. All the things he would say to others, but never given the opportunity to turn the witch down.

"It was harder when I didn't understand that your feelings were ingrained by duty. So, I just served you as I could," Hermione admitted.

"So, if indeed I had used one of those countless opportunities to kiss you without a mistletoe," He stopped- the idea was madness that she would even approve of such advancement.

"I would have likely asked you inside," Hermione faltered and tucked her cheeks among her hair.

Remus's face snapped toward her. He couldn't stop the rising points to his eyebrows or his lips parting at the seam. Hermione just flatly admitted that she would have desired more from him than what they had. He was the world's biggest dunce.

"I'm sorry I left you unsatisfied with our relationship," he mumbled.

Hermione ran fingers over her knee and let her hair mask her face. "Remus, I only followed your lead. You drew a line in the sand, and I never wanted to cross it and make you uncomfortable."

"Why didn't you tell me, Hermione? You spent years of your life waiting at that door. I drew a line for you, not for me."

Her hair pulled from her face as she turned to glower at him. "Not just for me, you did it for you as well. You never thought yourself worthy, and with that, you closed yourself off. Relationships are the boogie man for you, Remus. They scare you to pieces. I knew that and left well enough alone."

He took her hand and exhaled. "I wish I would have been a better man for you. Any woman who raises someone else's son is deserving of all the love in the world."

It probably wasn't the best idea that they were alone, talking about old emotionally turbulent times, and drinking. She wasn't sure when it happened, or how her body on its own accord decided it was the right measure, but she inched toward him.

His reaction was near instantaneous. Remus pulled her to him and kissed her lips. The greedy werewolf in him. The desire to gobble the witch up for a decadent snack had finally won over. Hermione crawled into his lap as her sighs vibrated through their mouths. Sirius was right- he was a stupid, slow and painfully awkward werewolf. She wouldn't be touching his chest and rocking in his lap had she not wanted him.

When they pulled apart for air, Hermione choked out a laugh as her cheeks lit up her face. "I, it, that wasn't responsible," she confessed still touching his chest.

"I had to know," Remus grumbled as his fingers touched her cheek. "I promise to take the falling out with Sirius over this. I do think you should make up tomorrow and go do something together. Get away a couple of days and resync," he whispered.

Hermione shook her head with a sad smile. "No, Moony. You need to make up with him. I know I'll never amount to the joy and belonging you give him and it was obvious after the full moon. I have to let you both go if you will ever be happy. It will keep happening the longer you both try to hide it. He loves you more than he loves me," Hermione confessed and dropped her vision.

"Hermione," Remus said with a warning to his tone.

The witch leaned forward and kissed him again. Her fruition led her, and the werewolf was baffled that he was so blind. Remus shifted her to the sofa and groaned as she wrapped her legs around him, her shorts the only protection to a heady coupling. The wolf in the back of his mind was drooling in anticipation, panting like a hound waiting for a bone. Had he wanted this longer than he thought?

His fingers slid along her ribcage under her shirt, touching flesh he was never privy to before. The robe she donned was weighty and in the way of him yanking the small fabric up and off her body. Hermione writhed and whimpered at the textures of rough fingers, exploring her like a map.

He was an arsehole. This was wrong. "Wait," he said over her lips, removing his hand from her shirt. "Wait just a moment," he sighed.

Her pout with giant red lips and burning cheeks were the signals of lasciviousness. "Moony."

Remus sat up and shook his head. "This is wrong, you and Sirius, I shouldn't have even opened this door."

"All I wanted was to have this before I said goodbye," she huffed and climbed from the couch. "Good night, Remus," she growled and left the room.

Remus knew she would be angry at him for a long while. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She would make up with Sirius, and all would be well. He knew most certainly that her getting a happy relationship was substantially more beneficial than the werewolf getting one. Sirius was kind to her, and they matched well. Part of him was saddened by it and lonely at her exit.

"Slowly but surely you had to know for yourself, didn't you?" Sirius's voice entered the thick emotional space.

Remus didn't bother glancing toward the doorway he entered. The werewolf had a feeling he was there for longer than the last couple of words spoken. Remus duplicated the glass on the table and poured them drinks as Sirius padded over. He didn't have to talk again to know he was angry at the turn of events.

"I didn't shag her," he opted for as he reached for his own glass.

"This is all arse up and no fun, Moony. Why wasn't this a topic of conversation when that witch was throwing herself at you years ago?" Sirius hissed as he snatched his glass off the table. "Not only would I have been happy for you both, I wouldn't have to watch her crumble at our dysfunction."

Remus glared up at the angered animagus. "You? You have no idea what I've been through to keep things leveled for years — the mantras in my mind to keep things sane. There's been enough time in the last two days for me to examine with scrutiny the wrongs I've done in the years that followed the war. She's been this outstanding witch to even stand by me with a son. I harbor such guilt and now, tonight with this revelation that it was mutual, do you know the destruction of my own humility that the price paid was so high? If I didn't love you both, do you think I would have told her no?"

Sirius drained his glass and reached for the bottle. "I'm not going to see her anymore. You made sure of that tonight," He grumbled.

"Don't be such a wanker," Remus growled.

Sirius tilted his head back and swigged the bottle in good measure. "You know, I'm starting to think you knew this would happen. That part of you wanted her to find out the whole time," Sirius sneered.

Remus stood up and narrowed his gaze. "I wouldn't have left if that were the case, Pads. I have a feeling you don't know how to love someone else as long as you love another. Why else would you have kissed me."

"Because I love you, regardless of how buggered this business is. I love you, and I love her, and I don't know what to do," Sirius admitted as he set the bottle down.

"Then she's right, for as long as neither of you is willing to admit you love each other more than me, you both will fail."

Sirius waved him off and marched toward the exit. "Try to sleep tonight; you look like shit." He left after that.