A/N: Seriously, thank you all so much! You have no idea how much your reviews mean to me. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, so thank you! A huge thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for being my awesome betas! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I also don't own Beauty and the Beast, which serves as the inspiration for this story. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

Chapter 14

Hermione stopped in front of the double doors that led to the dining room. Her heart was fluttering uncontrollably.

Don't mess this up, Hermione, her conscience urged her.

Taking a deep breath as she tried to calm herself, she pushed the doors open.

Walking in, she saw Remus standing near the table lighting a candle. Hearing the door open, he turned around.

Hermione blushed when she saw the look on his face. His mouth was wide open as he looked her over. On the inside, she was cheering – the dress was a hit!

Remus coughed, quickly trying to cover up his stare. "You look beautiful," he said, smiling weakly.

She blushed. "Thanks, so do you…er, handsome I mean, yes, you look handsome."

Remus laughed. Hermione walked towards him, smiling when he pulled her chair out for her. She sat down, pleased to see he was going to sit right next to her.

The two of them sat in silence, unsure of what to say. Hermione wanted to say something, but didn't know what.

Finally, Remus spoke up. "I'm sorry for acting so cold towards you."

Hermione offered him a weak smile. "It's all right. I know why you did it."

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrow. "Do explain."

Hermione shrugged. At that moment, dinner was being served. "Remus, you're the type to push people away. I can see that, just like everyone else can. And because of that, no one bothers to try and get close to you, and I mean really close to you. So here I come along, wanting to get close to you, and you just push me away. It's a natural instinct of yours."

Remus stared at her, gob-smacked. She really did understand him. "You're correct." He put some food on his plate, Hermione doing the same. "I couldn't understand why a young girl, who has the world in front of her, would want a dirty old man — a werewolf no less!"

Hermione looked at him, and their eyes locked. "Because you're what I want, regardless of what the rest of the world says about it."

Remus gulped. He had wanted to save the heavy conversation for after dinner.

"Let's dig in! It looks delicious," she said, sensing his discomfort.

"I remember you telling Molly once that you loved London broiled steak with mashed potatoes and gravy." He turned pink, gesturing to the meal in front of them. He had picked something that he knew Hermione would enjoy.

Hermione smiled, feeling giddy that he remembered that small detail about her. "I do, it's my absolute favorite." She cut a bit of steak and placed it in her mouth. She moaned slightly. It was cooked to perfection. Looking up she smiled. "It's perfect, thank you."

Remus smiled, digging into his own piece of meat, which happened to be cooked less. He liked his meat on the rare side. The two of them ate the remainder of the meal in silence.

Hermione leaned back in her chair, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "That was great."

Remus did the same. "The house-elves did a wonderful job."

Hermione nodded in agreement. She sat there in silence, unsure of what was going to happen next.

Remus stood, holding his hand out to her. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand in his. It was warm and calloused, the feel of it sending shivers down her spine.

"Come on, I have something to show you," he said, guiding her into the adjoining room.

Hermione gasped. It was a ballroom, decorated beautifully. There was a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and paintings everywhere. The room itself seemed to be buzzing with energy.

Remus led her to the center of the room. Smirking, he bowed. Looking up, his eyes met hers. "Dance with me?"

She smiled, nodding. "Yes," she said breathlessly.

One hand took hers, while the other secured itself to her waist. He pulled her body close, causing her heart to beat wildly.

Right on cue, music started playing, echoing around the large room. Remus began to twirl her around, moving in time with the beat.

Hermione had always imagined he would move well on his feet, and it seemed she was right. Almost effortlessly, he twirled them around, lowering her into a dip here and there.

Hermione laughed, letting him carry her away. She felt as if she was attending a ball in the 1800s. The whole thing was just so magical.

The music slowed down, and Remus pulled her body tightly against his. "Why did you kiss me?" he asked, his husky voice near her ear.

"Because I wanted to," she said simply.

"But I don't understand why," he replied, moving her slowly to the beat.

"Because I care about you Remus, I have for some time. I don't know why, so don't ask me. It's just… Something about you lures me in. I want you, Remus, in ways I've never wanted anyone else before," she admitted softly.

His breath hitched. "You don't mean it," he said sadly.

"Of course I do. You know me, Remus; I would never say anything I didn't mean," she said firmly. "I want you in every way. You, Remus! No one else."

"But I'm too old, too dangerous, too—"

"Stop right there!" she said harshly. "I won't have you talking yourself down. You're a brilliant man, Remus, capable of accomplishing anything. Don't sell yourself short."

Remus opened his mouth, but quickly closed it. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything.

Leaning forward, he captured her lips with his. It was soft and gentle, as if Remus were afraid he would break her.

Growling, Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her mouth viciously attacked his, while her hands tangled themselves in his hair. Finally, his lips parted slightly, and Hermione took advantage of it. She plunged her tongue into his mouth, eagerly tasting him.

Remus, at first startled, quickly returned the kiss with just as much enthusiasm.

Hermione moaned, causing Remus to snap back to reality. He quickly pulled away, ignoring Hermione's look of disappointment.

The two were silent. Hermione wondered if it would always be this awkward.

"Do you regret it?" she asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

He shook his head. "Never. All day I've been dreaming of feeling your lips on mine once more, but I want to do this slowly. If we decide to pursue whatever this is, I want it to be serious."

Hermione nodded, hope swelling in her chest. "Yes, I'd like that."

His hand grabbed hers, entwining their fingers. She blushed, causing him to smile.