Loved Before Her Time

AN/ The Ball has arrived! Read on and please review!

Disclaimer: I'm getting bored with these. Not mine!

Chapter 12

It was the day of the Spring Ball and the girls were in their dormitory preparing to get ready for the evening. They couldn't stop giggling as they moved around the large room making sure that everything would be ready as they needed it. With both of the dresses lying ready on their respective beds, both of the teenagers glanced towards the bathroom. They looked at each other. They ran, giggling as they went.

"Lily!" Hermione whined as she banged on the door. It obviously did not good as the sound of running water started coming from the other side of the door. "That's not fair!" The only response she got was humming. Sighing, she walked back across the room shaking her head at the other witch's actions.

Sitting at her dressing table, looking at her reflection in the mirror, her thoughts immediately flew to Remus, as they always seemed to do lately. Her heart gave a flutter at the mere thought of dancing with him - of being held in his encompassing arms, pressed against his broad chest in his protective embrace. She had taken her time to accept the feelings she held for him but over the past two weeks they had only grown. Every spare moment she had spent with him - whether it had been studying, with the other Marauders, or simply with each other - she had only fallen deeper in love with him. She knew what she was giving up to be with him: she would no longer live her life in the future; she would be subjected to the same suffering she knew he was facing. She didn't care. She also knew what she was gaining.

Hermione's thoughts switched to what she would have to give up if she were to return to the future. While Remus (albeit an older Remus) was still in the future, she could not ask the Remus of this time to wait twenty years for her. To strengthen her resolve she knew that by leaving this time so would also lose twenty years with him - if he actually did wait for her. The time may not be lost straight away but were they to grow old together she would still have lost all that time with him. She did not know if she would be able to bear it. Either way she was going to stay with him.

Hearing the lock on the bathroom door open, Hermione looked up to see Lily emerge from the smaller room, a separate towel wrapped around her hair and body. Hermione gave her a mock evil look before sliding past her and entering the now steamy bathroom.

"You're welcome!" Lily giggled in the background. Hermione smirked as she got into the shower and let the scolding water pound down on her muscles, relaxing them and washing away the days work.

After a few minutes of just standing under the jet of hot water, Hermione set about her routine. After shaving her legs and underarms she help up the partially steamed up mirror and plucked her eyebrows so that they were well-rounded, accentuating her eyes. Washing her hair, she left the anti-frizz conditioner in it while she lathered up her body with her coconut shower gel. Taking her time, she rinsed both her hair and body, once again enjoying the hot water running across her muscles, soothing the ache.

By the time Hermione turned the water off, wrapped towels around her hair and body and re-entered the main dormitory, Lily was already putting the finishing touches on her make-up. She looked stunning as she turned around to face Hermione, who knew that James was in for a real treat when he saw his girlfriend.

"You look amazing." complimented Hermione as she once again sat down at her dressing table.

"Thanks." replied Lily. Laughing she added "So do you!" Hermione couldn't help but giggle as she looked at Lily reflected in the mirror, amused by her friends infectious laughter.

"I'm bored..." Lily whined. Hermione glanced at her friend before turning around properly to see the expression on the other girls face.

"No - Lily - don't even think it..." she warned.

"Please? I have nothing to do until we go and meet the boys. Please let me help you?" Knowing from the expression on Lily's stubborn face that she was not going to back down, Hermione did the only logical thing.

"Fine." She sat down and allowed Lily to take charge.

The brunette had started to get scared when Lily would not let her see her hair and make-up in the mirror, insisting that she put her outfit on first. However, as soon as Hermione was dressed and ready she stood in front of the full length mirror and was made absolutely speechless by the wondrous miracle that Lily had somehow managed to perform on her. She had been made over. She didn't know how Remus was meant to recognise her if she could hardly recognise herself.

Hermione turned to Lily and wrapped the Head Girl in a big hug.

"Thank you." she breathed, giving a small squeeze before letting go. Lily gave her a big smile.

"You're very welcome. I can't wait to see the look on Remus' face!"

"Believe me, neither can I!" stated Hermione as she walked over to her dressing table once more. She picked up the delicate moonstone necklace that Remus had given her that Christmas and secured it around her neck as the final touch. Taking one last look at herself in the mirror she turned to Lily.

"Shall we?"

"Of course." answered Lily as she led the way out of the dormitory to meet the boys in the common room.

James and Remus, having heard the girls on the staircase, were standing waiting for them at the bottom of the steps. First came Lily, whom James met with an impressed expression, a long kiss and a very appreciative compliment. With that done they moved away from the stairs, revealing Hermione. As soon as Remus laid eyes on her he was floored. His brain seemed to stop functioning. She looked like the perfect vision of an angel standing in front of him. He did not know what he had done to deserve her. Her dress highlighted her curves, clinging to her body in the most attractive way he had ever seen. He swore to himself that if he were to have his way, the ball would not be at the top of his agenda. Piled up onto the back of her head, her hair had been pinned into a neat french twist with only a few smooth ringlets framing her delicate, angelic face. The light make-up that she wore was neutral and almost invisible. Her whole being seemed to draw him closer to her. She was perfect.

It took Remus a few seconds to work out how to move his limbs. Moving forward he kept his gaze locked with hers. He lifted her hand and gave it a brief kiss before using it to pull her flush against his chest.

"You look breathtaking." he whispered, his lips moving against her soft hair as he breathed in the wonderful scent.

"Thank you." Her voice was slightly muffled by his chest but it reached his ears anyway.

Hermione rested her head against Remus' shoulder, content with just feeling the rise and fall of his chest with each breath he took. He looked so handsome. He had decided on a classic, black suit and the young witch could not describe how handsome it made him look. She couldn't wait until the ball was over; she just wanted to be alone with him.

It was a few minutes before the two couples looked across at each other and compliments were exchanged between them. Peter had already left for the buffet table in the hall: not having a date left him with all night to stuff his face. Sirius had left early to pick up his date from the Ravenclaw tower so when the clock struck seven-thirty, the two couples exited through the portrait hole and made their way down to the Great Hall.

Walking hand in hand, Remus' thoughts kept flicking back to his plan. Knowing that tonight was going to be his only chance to make Hermione happy he had spent the whole week working on the potion that he needed to make his plan work. He had spent days in a disused bathroom actually preparing the potion. All the time he kept reminding himself that he was doing it for her. Subtly, he lifted his hand to his inside pocket to check that the little glass vial of clear potion was still there. His heart had already started to pound within his chest. He knew he was doing it to make Hermione happy but he could not help the battle that was raging inside his chest over the decision he had made. He was not going to change his mind.

Upon reaching the Great Hall both couples were mesmerised. The magnificent ceiling had been enchanted to appear as a clear spring sky - all the stars shone brightly above their heads. A suspicious scent of blossoming flowers mingled through the hall and Hermione took a deep breath before turning to Remus and smiling. She was so happy. She knew she would never want to be anywhere else.

Having arrived a few minutes late to the ball, the music was already well underway. Taking her hand once more, Remus led Hermione onto the middle of the dance floor. Normally he did not dance. For her, he would do anything. A set of fast songs were currently blaring across the hall from the speakers situated around it and Hermione was having an amazing time dancing to them while still managing to stay close to Remus. It was a few songs later when he led her over to a secluded table and sat her down while he went to get them some cooling drinks.

Over at the punch, Remus ladeled up two glasses of the fruity drink before pulling out the glass vial and pouring its contents into one of the cups, making sure he knew which it was in. He made his way slowly through the crowd, back to his girlfriend. Hermione gladly took the punch he offered. Being thirsty from dancing for so long she hardly looked at it before it was gone. Hermione was not paying much attention and did not notice the nervous, almost distraught look that passed over Remus' face as she was drinking. Putting her cup down on the table behind her, she paused to say 'thank you' to Remus, giving his lips a quick peck with her own.

The song that had been playing finished as she pulled away, replaced by a slow love ballad. Taking her petite hand in his strong one, Remus once again led Hermione onto the dance floor, keeping to the edge of it this time so that he could keep an eye on the stars through the window. He watched to see as they started to align, signalling that it was almost time. He wrapped Hermione tight into his embrace as if hoping that he could keep her from disappearing. He never wanted to let her go. He loved her.

Hermione snuggled deeper into his arms as the seconds slowly ticked passed. Neither one of them noticed when they stopped dancing in favour of just holding each other. She let out a soft, pleased sigh as Remus rested his cheek on the top of her head. Looking out of the adjacent window Remus watched one of the two stars disappear behind the first. The time had finally come.

Pulling back slightly from their tight embrace drew Hermione's attention to him. He looked her straight in the eye as his own filled with tears. A single tear finally made its way down his cheek, followed by another. Hermione reached up and wiped them both away with the pad of her thumb, a confused, very concerned look passing instantly across her face. She looked down and instantly realised exactly what was wrong: her body was fading away before her very eyes. Tears instantly overspilled and rolled down her own face as she clung to Remus with as much strength as she could muster, trying to stay with him as desperation overcame her entire being.

"No - " she choked out as pain filled both of their faces. Cupping her face, the only part of her that was now visible, he managed to speak through his tears.

"I love you, Hermione." he whispered.

"I don't want to leave you! Don't let me go!" sobbed Hermione. "I love...". She faded out of sight before she could tell him.

Remus could no longer support himself. He broke down sobbing in the middle of the Great Hall, not caring who saw him. He could not believe what he had just done. She was trying to tell him she loved him. She had wanted to stay with him. He had just lost the one thing he realised he could not live without and now it was too late.

AN/ So...what do you think? Review!!

Spellwrite x