Disclaimer: Blah blah blah blah blah….I'm too tired to come up with something clever for this and you all know by now that it all belongs to JKR and not me.

I meant to post this yesterday after work, but I am coming down with whatever cold/flu that's going around and I was quite miserable yesterday. I'm quite miserable today too, but I said that I would post this chapter this week and I really don't like being a liar.

So, here it is. I hope you all enjoy it…I am going to bed now…it's 7:53PM on a Friday night, New Year's Eve Eve, and here I am all sick and going to bed…I am such a loser. Oh well, enjoy the chappie. If I'm feeling better over the weekend I will update again. Wishing you all a Happy New Year….

*Edited for content and tense on April 23, 2012

Man of the Night

Chapter Fourteen

The Other Side of the Coin

Hermione

The past month has flown by. Between classes, seventh year projects, studying for NEWTS, Head Girl duties, and thinking about that damn ritual, I haven't the slightest clue where the time went.

Classes were really exciting and challenging this year. I guess with NEWTS at the end of the year, the Professors were making sure we knew as much as possible. I could tell the boys hated it already, as they complained constantly about all the work we had to do. I loved it, though. I lived for the challenge and there were so many interesting projects that we had to chose from.

But, I was no closer to knowing what I was going to do about the ritual. I thought about it whenever my mind was not focused on something else, whether I wanted to or not.

I've had that dream a few more times, too.

I really needed to decide what I wanted to do about Remus. Seeing him at a distance everyday was torturous, but definitely better than it was at Grimmauld Place. At least I was able to 'see' him here, even if I haven't spoken to him in over a month, outside of the normal pleasantries and class-related stuff, that is.

I haven't been able to speak with Sirius either, for that matter. I really needed to do that soon. I was really hoping he could help me work out what would be the best thing to do, in regards to the ritual.

We had a Hogsmeade trip coming up next weekend. I couldn't wait to take a break from all of this work for a day. Ginny and I were already planning everything we wanted to do and where we wanted to go. Part of me was hoping that I would have a plan for speaking with Remus by then, but I doubted I actually would.

In fact, the best way to work on a plan was to speak with Sirius right now, if I could find him. My mind seemed to want to wander away from finishing this Transfiguration essay anyway. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were all at Quidditch practice so I might as well see if Sirius could talk for a few minutes.

I set my book, parchment, and quill on the desk in my room and headed for Sirius' office.

Sirius

Knock knock knock

"Could you see who that is, Moony?" I asked, trying to finish grading the last of the papers the third years handed in yesterday.

"Sure," Remus answered as he walks over to the door.

I finished reading over the paper a few minutes later and look up. Remus hasn't come back from answering the door yet.

Wondering who or what was keeping my friend, I stood and made my way across my cluttered office towards the door. When I reached the door, I saw Remus talking to Hermione. Or rather, I saw Remus blushing and mumbling a few words while Hermione did the same.

Merlin, these two were pathetic. They really needed all the help they could get.

Clearing my throat to let them know that I was there, I laughed when they both turned with startled expressions.

"Hello 'Mione, what brings you to my humble abode?" I asked.

Looking from me to Remus and back again, she stuttered out an answer.

"I, er, wanted to see if you, um, had any time to, er, help me with something?"

Wow, I'd never seen Hermione so nervous. I was sure that whatever she wanted to talk about had something to do with my furry friend over there.

"Anything for you, 'Mione," I said and I had to swallow a chuckle at the glare Remus sent my way. I gave him a quick look that said Are you getting a little jealous there, my friend? "Just give me a few minutes to sort some things out with Remus. It's a beautiful day out; we can sit outside. I will meet you by the lake in ten minutes."

"Okay, thanks, Sirius. See you, Remus," Hermione murmured shyly before scurrying away.

I looked over at my friend to see him staring after Hermione, a longing look in his eyes. Bloody pathetic, really.

"Come on, little lost pup," I chided, turning to head back into my office, laughing as I went.

"What does she need to talk to you about?" Remus asked once he came back to reality and followed me.

"I don't know."

"You don't know? Why do I not believe you?" Remus replied suspiciously. "You are not encouraging her to help me, are you? Because I thought that we already had that little talk."

"No, Moony, I am not encouraging her to help you," I said with as much sincerity as I could muster. Well, it wasn't not a complete lie; I haven't given her any encouragement in quite a while and I'm not sure that I will be giving her any today either. "And, honestly, I don't know what she wants to talk about."

"Right," Remus was still eyeing me suspiciously, but gave up after a moment. Giving me a slightly petulant look, he said, "Well, you better go meet her then, no sense in keeping her waiting too long."

"Too right, I should get going. It doesn't do to keep a beautiful girl waiting too long, someone else might come along and sweep her away," I jibed just to rile my friend up a bit.

It worked. He gave me a glare that would render me dead in an instant if looks could kill, but he didn't say a word. I could tell he was starting to get mad and I didn't want to push too many buttons. Maybe just one more button would do.

"What's the matter? Are you jealous that she came to me with her problems?" I flashed him a smirk and stifled a laugh as he narrowed his eyes.

"No, no, that's, no I'm, ah," stopping for a breath, Remus cleared his throat before trying again. "Watch it, Padfoot. You are messing with the wolf and he is very territorial right now."

"Right," I smiled. He knew damn well that the wolf didn't scare me. "So, you are jealous, then?"

"So what if I am? I cannot help it and I hate it. I have no choice over the matter as it seems that the wolf has made the decision for me."

I knew it! I knew it months ago when this whole thing between them seemed to escalate.

"I see. Well, let me just say this – you cannot help who you love," I said, patting his shoulder in brotherly compassion. "The wolf knows that and he will not let you forget it."

"That still doesn't change anything, damn it!" His eyes flashed amber and I knew it was time to leave well enough alone, for now. But I couldn't leave without some parting words.

"Yes, it does, you just won't let it!" I yelled back. "You better realize it quick, dear friend, before it's too late."

I turned away and headed out of the office, leaving Remus to think about some things.

Exactly 7 minutes later, I found Hermione sitting on a rock facing the lake.

"So what's on your mind, 'Mione?" I asked softly as I took a seat beside her on the large rock.

She gave me a sad smile before replying.

"A few things, most of which have to do with your best friend."

"I figured as much," I said. I think of Remus' reaction to Hermione coming to me with her problems and I continued, "You should know that Remus got a little riled up after you left my office."

She frowned inquiringly.

"I think he was a little jealous of the fact that you come to me when you want to talk," I stated. "I don't know if you realize it, but the wolf seems to have laid claim on you and it won't let Remus forget it."

Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise before a look of understanding passed across her young features.

"I guess that makes sense. It also makes this decision I have to make a tad less complicated," Hermione whispered.

Decision? What decision? She'd piqued my curiosity.

"What decision is that, 'Mione?"

She eyed me carefully for a moment, as if deciding whether or not she wanted to answer my question.

After several minutes of considerable silence, Hermione finally opened up about this nightmare that she's been having.

It sounded bloody awful and I could only imagine how she must feel when she wakes up after that. I didn't truly understand it, though, until she dropped the news about finding the theory, or ritual, or whatever it was.

I was blown away by what the ritual required. I guess I never considered how involved and dark something like this would be.

"So, let me get this straight," I said, trying to absorb the information Hermione just shared. "You would have to let him infect you with Lycanthropy, go through some blood ritual thing and after that, you both would be fine?"

It seemed so unreal.

"Basically," Hermione answered. "Though it is a little more involved than that, but that's the basic idea."

"So, what are you going to do?" I couldn't help but ask.

Maybe the wolf knew that she was supposed to be Remus' mate and that's why it wants to lay claim on her. Hmm, interesting how animals seemed to know these things before humans did.

"That's the thing. I just don't know. It's so much to ask of one person, but if I truly love him, then what does it matter?" She stated. "Besides, now that I know about the wolf laying claim on me, as you said, maybe I am meant to be his 'mate', you know?"

"I was just thinking that myself," I replied.

After a few moments of silent contemplation, Hermione turned to me, determination written all over her features.

"I'm going to do it. I just need to figure out how to get Remus to

understand."

Remus

"For the love of Merlin and all that is magical! That man is as bloody meddlesome as the bloody Headmaster! I am going to bloody well kick his bloody arse one of these days! He can't just leave me to my self-deprecation in peace. No, he has to interfere with everything and then rub it in my face by having secret meetings with the object of my affection!"

I was storming down the hall, ranting and raving, on my way to my chambers. The wolf was not happy and neither was I. If I was not so absorbed in my own anger, I might be a little concerned with the students seeing me like this. As it was, I could feel a slight bit of enjoyment at the shocked and scared looks on the faces of the few students that have seen me so far.

I reached my chambers relatively quickly and I was still quite angry.

Sirius may be my best friend, but where does he think he gets off interfering in my life all the time?

I paced my study as my thoughts ran rampant.

Why did Hermione seek him out to talk about things? She did it at Grimmauld over the summer and she's doing it now! Why? Unless…

Unless she was talking to him about me… that had to be it.

That thought was not as comforting as it should be for some reason. In fact, it irked me to no end.

I needed to do something with myself. I needed a distraction so I could stop thinking about Hermione and my interfering best friend.

I forced myself to sit down at my desk and grade some papers. I read the same line exactly six times without any comprehension before I threw the paper aside.

Putting my head in my hands, I rubbed furiously at my eyes.

I was dying to know what Hermione wanted to talk to Sirius about and I knew he wouldn't tell me when he was back, especially if she asked him not to. The temptation to sneak down and eavesdrop on them was overwhelming, but I wasn't about to let myself do that.

I sat at my desk for another ten minutes before the irrational, rather more emotional, side of me took over. The wolf was fiercely territorial and protective on a normal basis and right now he wanted nothing more than to claim Hermione. It was the wolf that influenced my irrational side at times like these and I seemed to have little to no control over the wolf's actions when it came to Hermione, unfortunately.

Precisely seven minutes later, I found myself standing behind a rather large tree with a perfect view of Hermione and Sirius sitting next to one another on a boulder about twenty-five feet away. My abnormally strong sense of hearing allowed me to hear every word with no problem.

I listened for about ten minutes and my heart nearly stopped at what I heard.

"NO!" I cried out without actually meaning to, startling them both.

Please review and let me know what you think about this chapter…it seemed to write itself, but I don't know if that's good or bad.

Hope you all have a Happy New Year!