So sorry everyone for the delay in updates. Amazingly enough, I actually had GUESTS! 3 days straight of people everywhere I turned! Bad excuse, I know, but the truth is usually pretty lame, lol.

Thank you MapleandPheonixFeather for responding to whether or not a New Moon effects a werewolf! I had already reached my decision, but I appreciate the confirmation you provided. =D

As always, feedback is welcomed and the offer of Cookies and Chocolate Milk still stand. I've also got regular milk if the chocolate milk is not to your liking. =D

I must also apologize for the misleading chapter title last time. Chapter 12 should be "Christmas" and Chapter 13 should be "Comforts" cuz like a silly person I went and split them up. I have compromised and made this chapter "Christmas Comforts" Part 2. Again, sorry about the confusion.

Read, review, enjoy! =)

Disclaimer: Like every other fanfic writer, I bow to the genius that is J.K. Rowling

Chapter Thirteen - Christmas Comforts (Part 2)

Hermione cried herself to sleep every night for the rest of the week. Harry and Ron still weren't talking to her, so she took to avoiding the common room. She was still trying to look up useful material for Hagrid, in addition to all her homework she still had to do, and consequently went to see him more than a few times, as Professor Lupin was still sick.

She didn't want to impose herself on Professor Lupin, though she would have loved to talk more about animagi with him. Hermione knew that professor McGonagall would be a better person to turn to if she had questions about the transformation process, but Hermione felt that professor Lupin was a better person to discuss the theories with. Werewolves couldn't be animagi, could they? Hermione dismissed the errant thought and went back to her work.

oOoOo

Sunday December 28th, was the first day Hermione saw Professor Lupin back in the Great Hall for meals - him looking much better and her looking worse. She was keeping herself as busy as possible to avoid thinking about Sirius Black, Ron, Harry, Lupin's lycanthropy, Crookshanks, Scabbers, and her time-turner.

Needless to say, she was failing miserably.

Hermione was lonely. But she wouldn't apologize to Harry and Ron for doing what she thought was right. Eventually they would realize her intentions had been good and would come around... hopefully.

In the meantime, Hermione had been attending meals as early as possible so that she could be done and gone by the time Harry and Ron finally made it to the Great Hall. Lunch time was no exception after a spectacularly unproductive morning in the library. Hermione noticed that Professor Lupin was there again, and reasoned with herself that perhaps she should see if he was available to talk for a while that afternoon, so she finished her food and set out for his third floor classroom.

She knew that Professor Lupin wasn't in his office, as she had left the Great Hall before him, so she sat down against the wall to wait. She pulled out the book on animagus transformations that he had given her for Christmas, and started reading.

She was about three chapters in, when Professor Lupin's chuckle distracted her. "Enjoying the book, I see."

Hermione tucked it back into her bag and stood up. "Yes. It's wonderful."

Lupin motioned for Hermione to precede him through the door. "I'm surprised you haven't finished it already."

"Oh, I have," Hermione told him, giving a smile. "I often reread my books. Especially if I enjoy them."

"Ah," was all Lupin said. He took a seat and motioned for her to do that same.

Hermione sat, trying to figure out what to say. She always had this problem around Professor Lupin now. She felt like she had to walk on eggshells, making sure not to slip up and reveal that she knew that he was a werewolf. Clearly she had to think up some excuse as to why she was waiting outside his classroom for him.

"I just came by to talk to you about it, actually. I thought about going to Professor McGonagall about it, seeing as she is an animagus, but I didn't really have any questions. I just wanted to discuss the theory, and since you gave me the book..." she trailed off.

"Did you ever think that I might be an animagus," Lupin asked her jokingly.

"Are you?" she asked immediately, having already reached a conclusion on this matter, but feeling anxious that maybe she had assumed incorrectly.

"No," he answered. "Not for a lack of trying though."

Hermione wasn't sure if he was joking or not, but in a way it made sense that Professor Lupin might try to become an animagus. It would give him a feeling of control over such a change for once. Hermione realized that perhaps discussing animagi was a bad idea, but Professor Lupin didn't seem to be bothered by it.

"You said you'd already read the entire book?" he asked, getting an affirmative nod from Hermione. "So what did you think about the author's descriptions of the various examples he used?"

"I was impressed, though it was clear that he was just relating second-hand descriptions from other people. There's no way one person would be able to have 17 animagus forms themselves. It's just not possible."

"How do you know?"

"A person can only have one form."

"That's not a proven fact."

"But all the registered animagi at the ministry only have one form."

"That doesn't mean that multiple forms are impossible, just unlikely."

Hermione frowned, trying to find another argument, but Professor Lupin just smiled.

"I, myself, knew a very gifted witch who had two animagus forms." He winked at her. "So, like I said, uncommon, but not impossible."

Hermione nodded. "In that case, I will try to get three forms."

Lupin laughed.

oOoOo

The conversation with professor Lupin lasted a good hour before Hermione took her leave. She felt marginally better afterwards, which was good enough to get more of her work done before dinner. She still cried herself to sleep that night though, and the next morning she found herself planning to visit Professor Lupin again.

He found her, once again, seated outside his office door after lunch. Hermione thought she heard him chuckle, but he welcomed her warmly all the same.

"Hermione, this is a pleasant surprise. Did you come back for more animagus discussions?"

"Not exactly, sir," she said as she preceded Professor Lupin through the door again. He was such a gentleman, she realized.

"Then to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Um, I just..."

Lupin looked at her curiously and Hermione felt herself blush. Why couldn't she think up an excuse or reason?

"Something the matter, Hermione?"

"No, I'm fine," she replied automatically, her cheeks tinting a bit more. "I just... well it's Harry and Ron."

Hermione then proceeded to explain why Harry and Ron weren't speaking to her (omitting her thoughts about Sirius Black) and how she had just needed someone to talk to. Lupin was as sympathetic as he could be while laughing.

"I apologize for laughing, but you have to understand that quidditch is such a huge part of the wizarding world that most people would be mad at having their brooms taken away, despite the reason."

"But it could've been jinxed!"

Lupin finally stopped laughing and looked at her intently. His brow furled and he asked, "There's more to this than a simple miscommunication about a broomstick and a 'silly sport'. You think the broom was sent by Sirius Black?"

Hermione had purposely avoided mentioning that fact to Professor Lupin, but now she had no choice but to admit it. "I'm worried. Who else would have sent such a good broom to Harry anonymously? I mean, he's Harry Potter. Anyone else would be bragging."

Lupin nodded thoughtfully. "You really care about Harry... and Ron, don't you?"

Hermione nodded, a tear escaping to trail down her cheek.

oOoOo

Professor Lupin had reassured her that Ron and Harry would eventually come to their senses. She would just have to wait it out, because 13-year-old boys were really thick headed.

Hermione knew he was right, but she couldn't get over how lonely and hurt she felt about it. She cried herself asleep again hoping to just eventually run out of a tears. The next day she went back to Professor Lupin's office after lunch.

This time, Hermione didn't even have to sit down, as Professor Lupin had followed her from the Great Hall and walked two steps behind her all the way to his office in silence. He opened the door for her and then took his customary seat.

"I could tell from your face that you'd be coming here again," Professor Lupin began kindly. "Boys still being dumb?"

Hermione nodded, with a sigh. "I really don't want to talk about them right now," she said. "We did that yesterday and it didn't change anything, though I appreciate that you were - are - willing to listen."

"Of course," Lupin said softly. "I understand. Fights with close friends are hard." He cast his mind around for a safer topic of conversation. "So what electives did you sign up for?"

Hermione contemplated her answer. "Oh, everything," she said nonchalantly.

Lupin chuckled, but then seemed to realize that Hermione probably wasn't joking. "Everything?" he asked.

"Yes. I didn't want to miss out on anything."

"That's a hefty work load to take on at your age."

"I can handle it."

"Oh, I have no doubts about that," he reassured. "It's just that you'll end up looking a bit like me - prematurely grey," he joked, pointing to his hair. "By not wanting to 'miss out on anything' may I assume that you come from a non-magic household?"

"Yes, I'm a muggleborn, sir," Hermione said. She hoped professor Lupin wasn't prejudiced, but from the tone of the question she assumed he wasn't.

"I assume you've been asked why you're taking Muggle Studies then already?"

Hermione bristled and then sighed. "Yes I've been asked. As I told Harry, Ron, and Professor Burbage, I really wanted to try to understand how wizards view muggles." She grimaced as she said Harry and Ron's names.

Lupin nodded with a slight frown, having unintentionally brought up the subject he had hoped to avoid. "Do you think you'll take muggle studies all the way to N.E.W.T level, or are you going to give it up after this year?"

"I hadn't thought about it. I'm just trying to get through this year," Hermione said honestly. She was thinking about the time-turner that was currently tucked down the front of her robes.

Lupin nodded. "As a muggle-born witch, I understand wanting to know what the pureblood wizards are taught about muggle culture, but why bother taking the class when you can just appeal to the ministry for the curriculum?"

Hermione frowned. "I didn't realize I could."

"It's uncommon. I've only heard of one or two muggleborns who wanted to go into muggle-related feilds, for which you need an O.W.L. Naturally, if you want to teach Muggle Studies, you'll need a N.E.W.T. There are very few applicable uses for the grade though, and I believe that most wizards that choose to take Muggle Studies are either looking for an easy grade, or told to take it by their parents."

"Sir, did you take muggle studies?"

"No. I probably should have though. I had a few muggleborn friends in school, but their enthusiasm for magic outweighed my interest in their culture. Don't get me wrong, I learned quite a bit, but not near enough to what I should have, I think."

"It's just as well. The muggle studies curriculum is very outdated. I've had to correct Professor Burbage frequently." Hermione paused, having realized just what Professor Lupin had said. "Wait - you're a pureblood?"

Lupin hesitated and Hermione could guess why. Technically being a werewolf meant he was classified now as a creature of near-human intelligence.

After the initial hesitation, he finally answered, "Yes."

Hermione nodded, expecting that answer in terms of the conversation, and decided to react to it in the same way. "All that blood nonsense is ridiculous."

Lupin smiled. "Indeed it is. So how are you liking your other classes?"

"Well, Divination seems like a bunch of rubbish. Professor McGonagall has a poor opinion of Professor Trelawney and so far I have to agree. Harry and Ron are taking it with me, but they're not serious at all."

"True seer's are rare. From what I understand of Divination, the forces of magic help shape whatever medium you are using. Tarot cards are affected that way. Same with crystal balls. Many people can learn to interpret the symbols, but it's still a lot of guesswork. Always having to question what you think you're seeing: Are you sure that's the symbol you're seeing? What does it mean in the reading? etc. That was another class I didn't have much use for. Plus, I never wanted to know what my future held."

Hermione nodded again. "I can understand that. I don't really want to know my future either," though her experiences with the time turner were certainly dispelling many of her original notions about time and fate and destiny.

They moved on to Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, which were the O.W.L.s that Lupin had taken and before they knew it, it was dinner time.